Golf Course Shut Down By Covid-19

Oh, the horror. The horror.

Yesterday, when Gov. Tony Evers announced that we all need to "stay safer" and closed non-essential businesses and activities, golf courses were included.

The move closes golf courses until April 24th.

I can understand shutting down golf course bars and restaurants, in order to keep proper social distancing. And courses can certainly limit contact by getting rid of sand trap rakes, ball washers, limiting passengers in golf carts to one, etc.

But on the course itself, golfers are seldom within six feet of one another, unless it's on the green -- and golfers can police that themselves. Mark Twain once described "golf is a good walk spoiled".

Personally, the governor's move hits me where I live. This is my 14th year in the Gisholt Retirement League (at Odana Hills Golf Course), the oldest golf league in Madison. There are about 30 active members in Gisholt. That's a dozen two-man teams, plus subs. On my two-man team, Gary and I are usually on opposite sides of the fairway (sometimes in different fairways entirely, but that's another story). So we have been practicing proper social distancing for years.

I expect this particular move to be questioned in the courts. For now, we can only hope that we can tee it up come April 24th.