Will Golf Clubs Recover?
Mugove Chigada
ZIMBABWE Golf clubs may have received a lifeline after the sport was cleared to resume by the Sports and Recreation Commission.
A number of clubs had suffered for more than a year as a result of lack of green fees and support from membership, as sport remained banned due to the Covid-19 situation in the country.
The Zimbabwe Golf Association is leaving nothing to chance to ensure it fully utilises its newly found status.
“May all the clubs make an indication of when they will open their clubs so that ZGA can arrange to visit and verify if all the conditions have been met.
“It our duty to ensure that all the guidelines stated herein are adhered to as any transgression will not be tolerated,” ZGA wrote to Provincial Golf Unions on Wednesday.
Golfers are expected to comply with the following:
- Full compliance with the golf Government and SRC approved Covid-19 protocols that have been previously communicated.
- Unvaccinated players to produce a negative Covid-19 test taken within 72 hours prior to playing.
- All the golfers and staff are encouraged to be vaccinated and copies of the vaccination certificates should be lodged with the clubs for onward transmission to ZGA.
- Clubs are expected to maintain a daily Covid-19 register to be completed giving details on the number of golfers, caddies and officials who would have visited the club, if there are any symptoms of Covid-19 on any golfer or official these must be noted in the register; Copies of the forms have to be submitted to the ZGA every 48 hours for onward
transmission to the SRC. For standardisation ZGA will provide the template. - No entry into the golf premises is to be allowed except for purposes of golfing activities and official club business.
- No unvaccinated caddies.
- No group training will be permitted
- Showers and changing rooms shall not be accessible to the golfers
- If the club wishes to host any tournament, they are expected to apply for authority to the ZGA through their province