Golf courses approved to remain open through COVID-19 order

After a mild winter and with warm early-spring temperatures, golf courses in Lake County opened for the first time this season on the last weekend in February.

Both Polson Bay Golf Course and Mission Mountain Golf Club enjoyed an early opening and had many people coming out to the courses. According to Mission Mountain’s general manager Shawn Wilson, the club’s member numbers were up and public play was also popular.

He said after last season’s late spring snow, which flooded the golf course as it melted, getting the course up and running this year was pretty easy comparatively.

“We’ve probably had four weeks of play up until this point solely because mother nature has cooperated and it’s been a very mild winter down here in the lower elevations,” Wilson said.

Polson’s director of parks and recreation Pat Nowlen echoed similar sentiments regarding Polson Bay Golf Course. He said the course was off to a great start even with COVID-19 making its way into the United States.

“We were absolutely killing it up until COVID-19 became an issue in Montana,” Nowlen said. “We were doing quite well in playing revenue going into this week, and even with our shortened hours we still had a good amount of play this weekend.”

After Governor Steve Bullock’s shelter in place order came into effect Saturday, both courses had to seek an explanation from the state on how golf courses would be affected. Under the directive, golf classifies as an outdoor recreational activity and therefore courses are allowed to stay open with certain restrictions.

Golf can be very important to many people’s physical and mental health, and that is why it is being allowed. Like many other outdoor activities still available to people under this order, golf creates an opportunity for people to go outside and keep their health as a priority.

“The governor came out and said they’re not closing any hiking trails, parks, anything of that nature as of yet because it does two things,” Wilson explained. “You’ve got the social distancing and also people are working on staying healthy and building their immune systems.”

Wilson said it also creates a sense of normalcy in their lives during an uncertain time.

It has been common for other states with similar restrictions to continue allowing golf according to Nowlen. However in order for the course to remain open to the public, social distancing must be a top priority and strictly enforced.

“We were optimistic that we would be able to provide that outdoor recreation, it is one sport that is pretty darn easy to social distance yourself,” he said. “So we’re very happy that they have given us that opportunity.”

Polson Bay and Mission Mountain courses have been working together and with Montana State Golf Association to form new procedures during the COVID-19 restrictions. Polson Bay’s clubhouse is closed and the course is requiring everyone to pay online and check in over the phone. They have a staff member manning the first tee and other employees around to enforce social distancing. They removed bunker rakes and no one is allowed to touch the flags.

Mission Mountain has a similar process, however because of their restaurant remaining open for takeout orders, the building is staying open while only allowing five people in at a time.

“The golf course, they’re asking that no transactions be done in person,” Wilson said. “You pay online, members don’t even have to come in, and that’s kind of what we adopted as well, same as Polson.”

The courses are both strictly enforcing social distancing rules and golfers who are non-compliant will not be allowed to play. Golf carts are posing a large concern for both courses though since you cannot remain six feet apart inside the cart. Currently the courses are allowing private carts to have only single riders in them and they are providing carts to those with a handicap pass. Both places are encouraging people to walk the course, and play alone or with their families only.

“We were pretty careful and started out Saturday with walking only to help with social distancing and once we got more clarification from the state we moved on to privately owned carts yesterday. We’re still waiting on clarification for us to be able to rent carts out,” Nowlen said.

Nowlen expressed concern that if people refuse to follow the new rules during the COVID-19 restrictions, then the course could be forced to close down. However since the latest directive from the governor, he said golfers have been taking the threat more seriously.

As of now both courses are poised to remain open, with limited hours during the remainder of the shelter in place directive and hope to get operations back to normal after this passes.

Reporter Whitney England may be reached at 758-4419 or wengland@leaderadvertiser.com