Hundreds of golfers around Orange County are out swinging their irons on courses that have remained open in the midst of the coronavirus crisis.
Now the county’s supervisors are debating whether golf courses must obey California’s March 19 stay-at-home order, which directs “nonessential” businesses to curtail operations.
Lisa Bartlett, who represents south Orange County, noted at this week’s Board of Supervisors meeting, that some golf courses in her district were still in use.
“I understand people want to get exercise – they’re going stir crazy,” she said. “But we have a public health crisis we’ve got to lock down. There are so many touch points on a golf course. … You’ve got the restrooms that have to be kept open.”
However, board chair Michelle Steel argued against a stricter approach toward golf courses.
“We cannot really shut down everything,” she said. “I think Orange County residents have their own responsibility in distancing themselves from others. You know what? We need some breathing room, too.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s executive order does not specify all nonessential businesses, which number in the thousands. Rather, it names a few such as bars, sit-down restaurants, gyms and entertainment venues that were ordered to close except for to-go service. Essential businesses include pharmacies, grocery stores, gas stations, banks and laundry services.
The order is not a law but, rather, a guideline that leaves local governments some leeway with enforcement. It also allows for people to get outdoors for fresh air, though recent crowds at local beaches and in some parks have led to more steps to dissuade gathering.
Ross Caouette, a commander with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, told the Board of Supervisors at their meeting that his agency needed “clear direction” from the county before officers can cite golf courses for noncompliance.
Bartlett expressed disappointment that Coto de Caza Golf and Racquet Club, which is in her district, counted among several Orange County clubs still offering golf and tennis this week. She shared her concerns in a Zoom meeting with Newsom the previous day, and said “he was absolutely appalled.”
As of Thursday, April 2, the Coto de Caza site was closed “pending further review by the local health department,” said Meg Tollison, spokeswoman for its Dallas-based owner, ClubCorp.
On social media, neighbors argue about the wisdom of golfing in the age of coronavirus. Some have said golf easily allows for social distancing. Others counter that with some beaches and parks off limits, golf courses should be, as well.
Two weeks ago, Old Ranch Country Club in Seal Beach, also owned by ClubCorp, alerted customers that a member had tested positive for coronavirus. As of Thursday, April 2, the golf course remained open.
The management has implemented numerous precautions to guard against the spread of germs, said Seal Beach resident Joan Jensen, who golfs there regularly.
“There is essentially no contact with anyone, or with anyone else’s equipment,” she said. “Two people cannot ride in the same cart – not even my husband and I. It looks like a choo-choo train as people drive around.”
Furthermore, the club no longer provides towels, scorecards, pencils, tees and other items that might be handled by more than one person, she said. Drinking fountains have been disabled. The driving range is closed. Holes are blocked so that balls can be retrieved without reaching inside.
“We have gone beyond CDC recommendations and are actively enforcing social distancing,” spokeswoman Tollison said.
Even so, some neighbors contend that golf entities should go on hiatus.
“You put the employees at risk,” said Seal Beach resident Julie McConaghy, a healthcare administrator. “There is no way to sanitize every door handle the golfer touches, every cart, the restrooms.”
Suzanne Mayer of Cypress worries about the predicted surge in coronavirus cases, all the more so because her husband repairs medical devices at Hoag, St. Jude and other hospitals.
“This is not a normal time,” Mayer said. “All it takes is one to infect many. When people don’t stay home, it’s not only their lives they put at risk, but everyone else’s.”
But Tollison maintains that golf courses provide safe havens during the health crisis. “We firmly believe,” she said, “that golf, done correctly, is an important physical and emotional outlet.”