Golf club offers all its beds to the NHS; Contingency plans for the Open; The war on COVID-19 update

An English golf and country club has offered all 30 of its bedrooms to the NHS until the coronavirus pandemic subsides.

According to TheBusinessDesk.com, The Nottinghamshire Golf and Country Club’s owner, Alan Hardy, says the club is committed to “doing everything possible” to support the NHS and key workers.

He has also announced he will donate the hotel for as long as required, covering the cost of rooms and basic catering to “give key workers somewhere to rest and self-isolate as required.”

Amanda Fletcher, managing director of the Nottinghamshire, and head of operations, Jane Rudkin, have offered to self-isolate on the premises to accommodate NHS workers and keep the hotel running.

Hardy has also provided reassurance to all permanent members of staff that their jobs will be protected through the uncertainty of the next few weeks and had said that he won’t be making any redundancies.

Fletcher said: “The Nottinghamshire is in consultation with Nottingham University NHS Trust to see how we can help support our NHS community.

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“We are fully aware that a huge strain will be put on key personnel and we hope that the facilities at the hotel will provide a secure and comfortable haven for staff who will be putting patients first.

“We will be on standby to assist when required.”

Hardy says the golf club would remain open to members even if the NHS Trust takes up his offer.

Meanwhile, The R&A has said it is planning for the Open Championship to go ahead as scheduled in July, but is also making contingency plans.

A statement read: ‘We are undertaking a comprehensive evaluation of our plans to stage The 149th Open at Royal St George’s and the AIG Women’s British Open at Royal Troon, which are four and five months away respectively. This includes examining a range of scenarios for staging the championships, with our focus on proceeding as planned, as well as considering other contingency options available to us.’

Meanwhile, the UK golf unions have updated their advice to golf clubs.

“Golf in the open air should be a safe environment for players, as long as they take suitable precautions in line with the latest health advice,” said Wales Golf chief executive Richard Dixon.

“Clubs will be instituting policies concerning their facilities, such as bars, pro shops, restaurants and changing rooms, and of course the use of hand washing and hand sanitisers, before, during and after golf is key.

“Changes to the approach for social golf should ensure it is still a safe and healthy activity, bringing a wide range of mental and physical benefits. “Wales Golf would ask anyone with any symptoms of COVID-19 not to play.

“We suggest that players can change shoes in the car park and bring their clubs in the car, courses could remove rakes from bunkers, flagsticks should be left in the hole along with drinking fonts and ball cleaners being taken out of play.

“It is advised that players should only pick up their own ball and equipment should not be shared. By following positive and sensible guidelines, we should be able to continue enjoying the sport.”

Golf England has offered this checklist for golf clubs and golfers:

– Indoor, social aspects of golf club life should be curtailed

– Golf clubs should prominently display public health posters available via the NHS England website in all washrooms and at entrances to the course and clubhouse

– Golf clubs should consider installing extra hand sanitisers around their facility, on or near teeing areas and practice areas

– To minimise social contact in locker rooms golfers should be allowed to change shoes in the car park

– Golf club staff and volunteers – while taking precautions for their own health such as wearing protective gloves – should carry out regular cleaning of surfaces and door handles used by patrons. Where possible doors should be left ajar

– Cash transactions should be avoided and card payments encouraged

– On the course, golfers should try to maintain a minimum distance of two metres between themselves and playing partners

– Clubs should consider increased spacing between tee times

– Golfers should leave the flagstick in the hole at all times and clubs should remove rakes from the course

– Common courtesies – handshakes and embraces – are to be avoided

– Greenkeepers should remove pins from practice putting greens

– Golfers showing symptoms of the COVID-19 infection must self-isolate.