Dear Members

OUR PLANS FOR RETURNING TO GOLF AFTER LOCKDOWN 2

I wanted to update you on our current plans for a safe return to golf when the current lockdown expires. Whilst the government is yet to announce what the post-lockdown ‘tier’ restrictions will be, we are currently planning at this stage for a return to 4-ball play from Thursday 3^rd December. 

Our plans are designed to:

• Ensure that our golf continues to be organised and played in a responsible and safe way
• Balance the need for both competition and social golf, and
• Maximise course availability for members, whilst minimising tee wastage.

On re-start, demand for tee slots will once again be at a premium – exacerbated by the shorter daylight hours during December and January. The arrangements we are putting in place should increase overall tee availability and, hopefully, meet the needs of all members – whether playing competition golf or social golf, and whether playing 18-holes of golf or a shorter course.

What’s the plan?

During the first week of opening (from Thursday 3^rd to Wednesday 9^th December) there will not be any competitions or days specifically designated for Ladies or Men’s golf, but instead tee times available throughout the 7-day period for general play.

No visitors or members’ guests will be permitted during this initial period.

Competitions will commence from Thursday 10^th December, with a revised competition calendar. The Men’s and Seniors winter knockout competitions will be cancelled for this year. However, the winter aggregate and ‘best of series’ competitions will continue, though usually with fewer competitions in the series and some dates re-arranged.

Members’ guests and visitors will be allowed from 10^th December but will only be permitted to book 4 days in advance (as opposed to 6 days for members) and only for play on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

What about course layout?

The course will retain its 18-hole layout with play as usual from the 1^st tee but will be re-routed in the same way as during our immediate return after the first lockdown (that is Holes 1-9, 12 – 15, 11, 10, 16-18). This will allow an additional booking option every day of the week for play from the 13^th tee between the time of course opening and about 10am.

This arrangement will give members the option of starting from the 1^st tee and playing either 18-holes or, if preferred, a shorter course (for example, Holes 1- 9 +12), or starting from the 13^th tee before 10am and playing just 8 holes (Holes 13 -15 + 11 + 10 + 16 – 18).

All 12-hole competitions will commence from the 1^st tee over Holes 1 – 9, then 12 – 14. Any 18-hole competitions will play the full re-routed course from the 1^st tee.

BRS will be set-up to facilitate a 2-tee start. Scorecards, SIs and tee signage will all be amended temporarily. The temporary course layout and booking option are likely to remain in place throughout the winter but will be reviewed in mid-January.

What about tee availability?

In recent weeks, we’ve worked through and agreed a balanced package of measures designed to maximise tee availability and minimise tee wastage.

The additional morning tee booking option, as well as the restrictions placed on visitors and members’ guests are examples of this. Also, all tee-intervals will remain at 8-minutes, Society bookings have been suspended for the rest of the winter months, and new measures to tackle ‘no-shows’ (members and/or their guests who book a tee time but fail to cancel or turn up for play) will be introduced.

To try and ease the demand for tee times for the Men’s Saturday competition, we will also be trialling the concept of a linked Men’s Alternate Day competition on Fridays – commencing on Friday11th/Saturday 12^th December and running until mid-January.

What next?

Further details about all of these plans – including BRS booking arrangements, the re-routed course layout, the Men’s Alternate Day competition process, and our tougher ‘no show’ policy – will be published over the next couple of weeks. We’ll also be reminding you how you can all do your part to help to help increase course availability for fellow members.

In the meantime, please stay safe and well.

Tony Walker

Chair of Golf

20^th November 2020