Golf Sask announces changes to re-opening plans, including reduced tee time intervals

When the provincial government released their Re-Open Saskatchewan plan back in March, it was always with the caveat that things could change at a moments notice if improved practices could be put into place.

That included the Phase 1 portion, specifically when it pertains to golf courses.

Friday afternoon, it was announced that a handful of changes had been made to the provincial rules, including changes to the tee time structure and when ranges and putting greens could open.

The biggest change announced was a reduction in tee time intervals from 20 minutes to 12 minutes, with the goal of reducing congestion on the course. The original 20-minute plan was believed by many to be too onerous, cutting too far into the financial margins for courses to remain profitable – with the Hillcrest Golf Club estimating they’d be at 30 per cent revenue while working at 150 per cent staff capacity due to sanitization procedures.

Shaving eight minutes off that time is expected to allow for a substantial increase in course traffic while still maintaining the distance between groups.

Another major change involves driving ranges and putting greens to open as long as physical distance of two metres is maintained between players at all times. Range balls must be cleaned and disinfected between customers.

For more information on the changes and restrictions that remain in place, be sure to click here.