Photo: Kelowna Springs GC

Three golf courses are moving ahead with opening this week while promoting physical distancing and sanitization standards amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kelowna Springs, Shadow Ridge and Shannon Lake golf courses say they will be able to meet the recommendations of Dr. Bonnie Henry around the operation of non-essential businesses when they open for the season on April 15.

The three courses say they have conferred with Lower Mainland and Kamloops golf course operators who have remained open over the past weeks.

The courses say key protocols will include:

• Signage indicating golfers to stay at home if experiencing Covid-19 symptoms, or having returned from travel

• Signage indicating physical distancing reminders around the courses

• Reducing inventory of tee times

• Golfers cannot enter the golf course property earlier than 20 minutes before their tee time

• Limiting number of people in the golf shops

• All warm-up areas will be closed (putting greens, hitting nets, etc.)

• Removal of touchpoints on the golf course such as ball washers, bunker rakes, inserts to prevent golf ball from falling to bottom of cup, etc.

• Restaurants remain closed, and gathering places like tables and chairs have been removed

• Golfers must leave the property immediately after golf and no loitering around clubhouses or parking lots

The Play Golf Kelowna courses say the sport provides a space for much-need outdoor exercise.

“With an average property size of 100+ acres, the ability for physical distancing (minimum of 6 feet apart) is easily achievable on a golf course,” the golf courses said in a news release.