Posted on May 5, 2020May 4, 2020 by Vic Flores

COVID-18 Golf Course REOPENINGS

Updated Golf Course Listing

Unlike some websites that claim to have the latest golf course openings, here at GreensKeeper.org we actually report which course is opening and when.

With the global pandemic a lot of things have to take the back seat. Unfortunately golf was made one of them. For reasons that escape me personally golf was declared unessential and with the court of public opinion going against popular sentiment was not a smart move. With the virus mitigated to some extent, it’s time to get back to work and with it a round of golf or three.

BE PREPARED: It’s Not Over

Not by a long shot. Remember to wash your hands with soap often. Don’t touch your face. And remember to keep your distance. Many of these facilities will require PPE (Personal Protective Equipment — i.e. a face mask). Be sure to check on the golf course website or call ahead to determine you’re prepared.

Get the latest information and course conditions about your favorite courses here.

Golf Course Openings by Region

Northern California

Orange County, California

Oakland/East Bay Area

San Francisco/North Bay

San Jose/South Bay Area

Lake Tahoe/ Reno Area

Ventura/Santa Barbara County

Your region not listed? Keep checking back here for the latest updates.

Posted on May 1, 2020May 1, 2020 by Vic Flores

COVID-19 Golf Course pre-REOPENING Checklist and then Some More

Golf Courses throughout California are reopening. If you’re part of the minority of those golf course still in the process of preparing to reopen your doors, do not fret. And if you have reopened and are looking for additional resources to help you mitigate the spread of COVID-19 further check out the information below.

There is still a way to reopen responsibly AND in a timely manor, if you check out these handy check lists and waivers.

WHAT MORE YOU CAN DO

Park and Play Program provided by the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) is a very useful punch list you can use to employ the latest COVID-19 mitigation practices — using the guidelines provided by the CDC (Center for Disease Control) and evaluated by a Doctor specializing in infectious disease control. Click HERE to download the file.
Blank Participant Agreement & Waiver & Release of Liability. Can be downloaded if you click HERE. This document is a Microsoft Word Document. It is a blank. This means you can use the form as is; exchanging the items marked in BLUE and RED with the appropriate City and Golf Course Name for your own use. Or you can customize and add your additional requirements.

Editor’s Note: Please note that this is considered a legal document. You may use this document but hold GreensKeeper.org or its associates and affiliates harmless, released and discharged, waiving any rights from any claims for damages and/or liability whether caused or accidental. If you use this document we recommend a filing system (alphabetized with the person’s last name) and kept on file for a minimum 60 days.

Consider the GK Coupon to help future sales. Using the GK Coupon to help bolster sales after this mad rush to play golf is over and more and more individuals emerge from self-quarantine will be key here. Now is the time to start planning.

Editor’s Note: At $150 per month to provide this service to our group of avid golfers will direct attention to your golf course. It literally pays for itself. With our ZeroTouch FREE to Download GK coupons you can track where your sales are coming from, encourage additional sales from areas you want to focus, and most important rebuild your customer base in the wake of this nationwide shutdown.

Once again we hope that all of you remain safe and COVID-19 free. Stay vigilant. Wash your hands with soap often. Don’t touch your face, and most important keep a safe distance.

If you should have any questions, please feel free to contact our sales staff at golf@greenskeeper.org.

Posted on April 16, 2020April 16, 2020 by Vic Flores

COVID-19: CHECKLIST to Reopening

If you haven’t already aerated your greens and been diligently completing much needed repairs; filling in dead spots on your golf course there is still time. Get going. With the current Presidential Emergency Declaration extended to April 30 and our own local Mayor Garcetti extending the Shelter-in-Place mandate until May 15 we have 4 weeks to prepare.

Work towards opening but while you are caring for the golf course be aware COVID-19 is our new reality.

This means you will need to create systems and enforce rules to allow you to operate your business.

Every golf course is different with the equipment, chemicals, personnel they have at their disposal and it is your responsibility to keep your doors open once you’re allowed to reopen.

But unlike this “RUSH” of golfers anxiously waiting for your doors to open consider these thoughts.

Most families have limited cash reserves. With many of our fellow golfers in industries considered “NON-Essential” they won’t have the disposable income immediately available to play golf. If you’re looking to the pensioners, many of them have children. Many of them also act as the care-givers to their grandchildren. Much of that disposable income would most probably be used to bolster their family’s finances; bypassing their golf game for the sake of their children’s solvency.
Depending how you will solicit golfers now would be a good time to consider marketing twilight or early morning golf deals to bring in golfers. Charging rack rate may not be enough of a enticement to bring in golfers to your doorstep. Consider a back up plan or perhaps consider marketing vehicles like GreensKeeper.org GK Coupons to help spur interest in your golf course.
With the new social distancing you may have to recalculate a single rider for carts, or your walking rate. You may have to bring in new equipment like pull-carts to help bring in walking clientele. Please note you may also have to change policy for carts where if one player in the foursome wants to ride, then all players have to hire a cart (1 golfer per cart.)
Modifying the rules for play will have to benefit speed of play. Learning how to play with these modified local rules will take time; ensuring long rounds. Be sure that your changes help speed the round of golf not hinder it.

Lots of things to consider. Be sure you’re prepared and not complacent that business should just magically appear. Now more than ever it is necessary to have back up plans in place to help spur filling your tee sheet. It may be largely academic but being prepared for any outcome will insure your success as we emerge from these Shelter-in-Place mandates.

Posted on April 13, 2020April 13, 2020 by Vic Flores

COVID-19: Our New Reality

The Reality

It’s sobering. It’s depressing. But rather than curling into a ball, I prefer to look positively and with optimism.

News reports are positive. For the most part here in California, numbers look promising and hopefully with the current mandate to shelter-in-place and additional mitigation measures taken in places like Los Angeles with the use of personal protective equipment (i.e. masks and gloves) those numbers should be further reduced.

But with this fortunate news, it begs the question to be asked — When or HOW do we emerge from this shut-down?

The President has declared a National Emergency until the end of April; leaving the individual states to decide what and how to carry out their preparations and how they handle the Pandemic. Garcetti declared to extend the Shelter-in-Place until the middle of May. It’s almost as if our politicians are gun shy of removing the shelter-in-place.

While I commend Garcetti for taking extreme measures to ensure the safety of our residents, I am personally torn between safety and reopening the city for business.

While I am NOT for the total removal of restrictions, I want to approach this pragmatically. My reasoning is simple. People need to put food on the table. People need earn a living and provide for their families. I am afraid that there will come a point very soon where those individuals that live paycheck to paycheck will not be able to climb out of the debt grave they have dug themselves further pushing them into destitution and an impossible recovery. The government cannot just give money away indefinitely. Well it can but at the expense of our economy; depressing the value of our currency further.

The question is will they be worse for not working. I believe they will be.

Dealing with the NEW Reality

I am not completely insane. But I realize that we cannot live under a rock indefinitely. I also accept I could be the next victim of COVID-19 through something as simple as a daily interaction with another individual.

My questions is this: At present we have essential services running. Our packages are delivered on a regular basis. How are they managing to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 from their workforce? How are the grocery stores able to restock their shelves daily with toilet paper and bottled water without their staff contracting COVID-19? Can we not apply these mitigation techniques to our own businesses as we reopen our economy?

Practicality in this NEW Reality

For the sake of practicality this is a golf-centric site so we will focus on golf courses and golf course operations in particular but these solutions can be applied to any business willing to reopen.

Working under the simple assumption EVERYONE has COVID-19, how can we prevent the spread at our workplace?

As a business we have a responsibility to keep our doors open. In order to keep these doors open we will have to create our own mitigation procedures; train staff to comply; and enforce these changes. Get the Department of Public Health to sign off these procedures and insure or improve where we must.

Golf Courses RE-Imagined

We have time. We have time to create our own mitigation procedures; train our staff, and create a very positive experience for every golfer, but the clock is ticking.

Every golf course operations are different but we will try to cover the highlights.

Reservations ONLY. No walk-on’s.
All employees must be screened prior to working. Currently most facilities use temperature (below 100.4F) to ensure they are symptom free. All employees screened negative are allowed to work. All employees screen positive place themselves in self-imposed isolation and the golf course notifies their Department of Public Health to help follow up on the incident.
All Guests are screened prior to entering. All information is logged to help track possible infections. Those not showing symptoms are allowed to enter. Those that are not are turned away. Again the Dept of Health is notified of this individual.
1. According to the Department of Public Health an individual is contagious 2 days PRIOR symptoms displaying AND 3 days AFTER symptoms disappear. Those employees that are sick cannot work for the prescribed period.
2. Get your Department of Public Health involved. Their services are currently stretched thin but they have enough data to help you create your own mitigation plan that would help prevent the spread.
All Surfaces must be sanitized on a regular basis. Create a schedule where your team sanitizes all common surfaces (i.e. door knobs, glass, counter tops, and the like.) I would list specific areas with places to clean. If you have to have your staff sign off on those areas, create forms they will use to comply.
The ability to facilitate spatial distancing to be enforced. Seats that promote congregating should be removed. Tables and chairs to be removed.
Common Use items are removed from golf course. (i.e. Flag sticks are replaced with immovable markers, ball washers, rakes, and benches are removed from the golf course.)
If Golf Carts are allowed how do you sanitize each vehicle.
If you use Hand Carts how do you sanitize each cart.
Procedures on how you will as a golf course enforce COVID-19 mitigation. How to react to a client or staff that has symptoms and who you notify.
Get the proper supplies to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Sanitizing solutions, cleaning supplies, and personal protective equipment (PPE).

The key here is documentation and enforcement. Saying you’re doing your best is one thing but documenting what you’re doing under the guidance of your local public health department may go a long way to proving you have a plan moving forward.

The key here is proving we are acting responsibly moving forward for the foreseeable future.

Posted on March 26, 2020March 25, 2020 by Vic Flores

AFTER COVID-19: Golf Courses Picking Up the Pieces

Editor’s NOTE: This is an Opinion piece. It does not reflect the official policy of GreensKeeper.org, GreensKeeper LLC or it’s affiliates.

No matter how you slice it COVID-19 (the Coronavirus) is out there. And truthfully a vaccination is at a minimum 12-13 months away.

But what happens when they begin to lift these mandates? Does life go back to normal? Unfortunately, the short answer is NO. This is our new reality.

There are ways to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and in some way buy us more time. By giving us more time it allows medical experts to provide a better understanding of this disease and with it, hopefully, a cure. To that end, it’s not the end of the world. It’s the start of a new one. We have a singular choice here. We can either cower in fear of it or as we at GreensKeeper.org have chosen — to embrace this challenge and all the unique circumstances it presents itself.

I have a healthy respect for COVID-19 but I refuse to be ruled by fear.

Who is the Author– Vic Flores? By day I am a healthcare worker in charge of 48 mentally ill clients. It is my responsibility to room & board, care & supervise theses individuals. I have made it my personal responsibility to ensure their well-being during this uncertain time. My wife is a manager of one of the South Bay’s largest hospitals and currently in charge of several COVID-19 wings.

Marketing 101 for Golf Courses

As a golf course operator what do you do? The most obvious is be sure to have a COVID-19 mitigation plan in place. Ask yourself, what can you do for golf course operations to mitigate the spread of COVID-19? How will you keep both your staff and patrons safe? If you don’t have an idea, consider reading a previous post here: Coronavirus: What Should Golf Courses Do?

Once you have the plan in place and your whole staff has bought into this HUGE endeavor spread the word to your golfing public. The first plan would be to use your own home-grown email list. Keep them posted to what you have been doing. If you want feedback now is the time to ask your audience for advice — Get a conversation with your audience going. Inform them while there is still time to tailor what you think your patrons would respond.

If you don’t have a set email list, not to fear. Start with your own Men’s and Women’s golf club. Get them involved. Expand your audience by tapping services like GreensKeeper to get your message to an even larger avid golfer base. (Editor’s Note: We can tailor make down to the zip code an email list you can market your services. Contact us for details. Click HERE)

Marketing 102 SUPER CHARGING YOUR SALES

Consider the sales products and services GreensKeeper.org has to offer. We are a cost effective solution for any size golf course. We work with high-end daily fee to your municipal golf course.

Fun Fact: 60% of our 70,000+ online golf community reside in California. Out of that 60%, 80% are 34+ old, and 70% play more than 24+ rounds of golf per year. Spread the word using GreensKeeper.Org as your “Tap” List and watch your positive message catch on like wild fire.

The GK Coupon after 10,000+ downloads resulting in over $450,000 sales to participating golf course operators since 2016 can help your operations fill tee times which ordinarily are left unused.

When you finally reopen golf courses to a hungry golfing public get noticed using our no-obligation, FREE to download GK Coupons. It could even be a current offer you only show to your locals. Whatever it is we market these GK Coupons to our GK Community via Email, Social Media, Blog Posts and the like. You get noticed quickly and WE SHARE THAT DATA WITH YOU — as part of the Par Package. We at GreensKeeper.org want your golfing operations to succeed and as your partner in marketing we take efforts to make that happen.

Marketing Using the GK Gurus

Hopefully your golf conditions are perhaps the best they have been since play has been postponed. Take advantage of this unique situation. Invite our GK Gurus to play your course. They play your course, write their review and if conditions are good or better, expect a surge in interest from your golfing public at large.

What are GK Gurus? They are specially trained individuals that are a part of our GK Online Golf Community that have distinguished themselves as prolific golf course review writers in addition to the amount of golf they consume. Click HERE to find out more regarding our GK Gurus.

Our gurus come to your golf course, avail themselves of your product and service and then write golf course reviews. GreensKeeper.org then uses these original golf course reviews, photos and social media and markets your golf course and operations to the general golfing public at large.

Nothing beats a personalized touch when it comes to recommending a golf course to others. After all at GreensKeeper.org we are the GOLD Standard when it comes to letting golfers Know Before You Go. GreensKeeper.org is the golf course review site that help golfers decide where to play their next round of golf. The competition can’t even hold a candle to us.

Lemons into Lemonade

For sure these are interesting times. I am just spit-balling here. There is a glimmer of hope. All is not lost here.

These are just a few ideas. Everyone’s situation is unique and therefore requires our undivided attention.

In fact I submit this gives you the opportunity to expand your previous business model. It won’t be easy. It will take a lot of work. It will take the help of your staff and management to buy into this. So while you’re trying to figure out what your next move will be consider that a little marketing now can set your golf operations up and pay dividends in the near future.

For additional questions talk to us here at GreensKeeper.Org. Click HERE and we will contact you as soon as possible.

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Posted on March 25, 2020March 25, 2020 by Vic Flores

Setting the Bar: What to Expect When Golf Courses Reopen

It’s no secret, I WANT to play golf. The problem is I can’t because of the “Shelter-in-Place” Order issued by Governor Newsom. So while we pine away; waiting for the order to be rescinded the staff here at GreensKeeper.org were discussing what to expect when you’re expecting — and unfortunately there is some good news and some really bad news.

Editor’s Note: This is an OPINION piece. All the comments herein are the express opinions of the author. They do not reflect management or circumstances that may arise.

The Bad News

Bad News, first. It pains me to say this but since the local and state governments consider golf a “non-essential” business they cannot adequately staff the facility and maintain the golf course properly. I would suppose they could but certain obligations to staff safety must be completed in order to maintain the safety of the staff involved.

Because of the staff reductions, you can expect trespassing of various degrees. This could be a simple as a stroll along the many cart paths available or your ATV tearing up a fairway or two. Or perhaps your local avid golfer who will use the golf course as their own personal playground.

Since this is considered non-essential services perhaps you cannot staff your course properly. With Aeration season around the corner now would be a GREAT time to get the work done and perhaps open up to a pristine course but if you do that you also need to be able to combat fungus and other turf afflictions immediately. With profit margins so slim and the sudden halt of any cash flow, how do you expect to pay for these much needed pesticides, fungicides and supplies? So courses could actually turn out more scruffier than before the shelter in place; costing the golf course operator MORE to rectify.

Vandalism. This is serious. Neighbors know their local course is closed. Many courses do not have fences that border some homes. It wouldn’t take much to tear up a green or two or perhaps a bunker here and there. One could argue that insurance could handle that. Perhaps, but who wants to explain this to a bunch of ravenous golfers after they FINALLY get to play a round after so long. Not to mention the time, coordination and repair time required to fix the problem(s).

Just from these points alone one could expect a worse situation as we emerge from the “Shelter-in-Place” Order.

We can do our part though. If you see activity at your local course and it doesn’t look kosher. Call your local police to investigate. As stewards of the game and of the courses we play it is our responsibility to help keep our courses in as good if not better shape. We can do our part to ensure these golf courses remain in decent condition so when the time comes and it will, we can play knowing we did our part in some small way.

Now the GOOD

Let’s hope for the best. Let’s assume the golf course has enough supplies to ensure they have a successful aeration and are able to maintain the golf course.

Imagine a near perfect golf course. With the rains coming to Southern California I can see green everywhere. Why not a golf course as well. Given the skills of the Superintendent I am hopeful with this respite from constant play these golf courses could be near perfect if not perfect.

This Shelter-In-Place could be a God-send for the faltering golf industry. Speaking for myself, I want to play golf. I will play golf when they will allow me and I will continue to play golf until my body tells me I can no longer. So given the fact all us avid golfers are this ravenous for golf, all the golf course would have to do is keep their golfing public informed. It’s similar to what we do here at GreensKeeper.org. It is our life’s purpose to make sure you “Know Before You Go.”

So check back here often. Be assured we will eventually get through this and ever hopeful it will be near perfect conditions when we do.

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Posted on March 19, 2020March 24, 2020 by Vic Flores

UPDATE: COVID-19 DON’T PANIC. You’re Not Alone – What Other Golfers Are Talking About

We are all scared. We get it. But we cannot be a mob of scared people. Scared people do irrational things. We have to approach this like a problem that can be solved or at the very least mitigated. And we mitigate this fear by knowing as much as can about what is currently available from all the reputable sources.

We have compiled some information and blog posts you can refer and hopefully pull back the curtain of uncertainly.

Be safe. Play Smart. Know Before You Go with GreensKeeper.org.

DISCLAIMER: This is an OPINION piece. It is not to be taken as gospel. The points and arguments set forth are the express opinions of the writer and do not expressly coincide with the opinions of management of GreensKeeper.org or GreensKeeper LLC. Do this at your own risk.

CDC: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

CDC: How it Spreads

CDC: Protect Yourself

CDC: Managing Anxiety & Stress

GreensKeeper.org: Golfer Self-Care

GreensKeeper.org: COVID-19 Golf Course Closures

GreensKeeper.org: Temporary Course Closures – Master List

Golf Magazine: Golf and the Coronavirus; How to Play with Confidence, according to an Expert

Golf Digest: Can You Play Golf Amid Coronavirus Concerns? With Proper Precautions, yes

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Posted on March 17, 2020March 19, 2020 by Vic Flores

OPINION UPDATE: Corona Virus And Your Local Golf Course

DISCLAIMER: This is an OPINION piece. It is not to be taken as gospel. The points and arguments set forth are the express opinions of the writer and do not expressly coincide with the opinions of management of GreensKeeper.org or GreensKeeper LLC. Do this at your own risk.

DON’T PANIC!

The sky is falling! The sky is falling! — Chicken Little

It’s madness out there. The media is spinning their doom and gloom predictions. The federal and state governments are shutting down services and businesses. The basic tenets of the actual message, however, has not changed:

Wash Your Hands with Soap Often
Don’t Touch Your Face
Keep Your Distance from Others (Social Distancing)
Protect the Elderly.

Who do we believe? What do we do? What precautions do we follow? Not being Doctors or medical professionals, we laypeople can only use our common sense in this sort of situation. Panic is the last thing we should do. It accomplishes nothing. It only creates more aggravation and despair.

What we do know is that COVID-19 is here. We can do nothing to prevent that from happening. In light of this harsh reality though if we practice these basic tenets above we can limit or reduce the opportunity of being infected with this virus. (Be sure to check on our previous posts regarding home-made Hand Sanitizer and Disinfectant).

Remember it’s ALSO cold and flu season and with spring just around the corner allergies are going awry as well –be diligent! Be smart. Play Safe.

BUILD YOUR IMMUNITY

In the meantime now would be a great opportunity to eat properly. That is to say eat your fruits and vegetables. Improve your immunity it’s perhaps the best way to combat this virus. You do this by eating your fruits and vegetables. Eat healthy. Be smart. Play safe.

To Golf or Not to Golf?

Until we get advice from our local governments, we can still follow these basic tenets; limiting our exposure to risk. So can we still play golf?

That is the questions isn’t it?

As stated we’re not doctors or medical professionals but using reason we can still enjoy a round of golf if we employ these safety measures. (Golf Course Operators be sure to check this blog post regarding what you can do to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 HERE.)

Check out what Golf Digest has to say about COVID-19 HERE.

Editors Nate: Added 3/10/20 Additional articles include Golf Magazine: Golf and the Coronavirus: How to Play with Confidence, According to an Expert.

Look at it this way, with all these “Shelter in Place” directives we will all get a little stir crazy being cooped up in our own homes. Perhaps a little away time will be needed? Perhaps you need some fresh air. Perhaps you have this itch you can’t scratch without a round of golf.

Whatever it is you will have to get out sometime. Why not at a place where you can employ proper spacing and some good personal hygiene (wash your hands or use hand sanitizer regularly.) Walk the course. Ride and ask the starter for a single rider fee. Keep your distance but play smart and play safe.

With golf you get sunshine, fresh air, and exercise. It would be safe to say so long as you employ these basic tenets you could limit your exposure to COVID-19.

Whatever you decide to do is your responsibility. It is the opinion of this writer that as stewards of the game and golf enthusiasts we will use our wits to mitigate exposure and get to play these golf courses to let off a little steam during this trying time.

Play smart. Be safe.