Sophie Gray
Local Journalism Initiative
Golf courses in the Okanagan are starting to reopen after closing in March due to concerns over exacerbating the spread of COVID-19.
The Fairview Mountain Golf Course in Oliver reopened last weekend and Brian McDonald, general manager, said the course is safe and provides a place for people to get outside and stay healthy.
“The main reason for us to reopen again was for our members to get a little bit of physical activity and some mental health opportunity in our environment. For us, we have 170 acres here so it’s quite easy for us to provide that proper physical distancing.”
McDonald said they made the decision to reopen after extensive work. Managers at the course used the three-week closure to review health and safety protocols and identify points where people may come in contact with each other or physical equipment like flags on their facility.
Working with a portion of their members, the club then ran tests with local doctors and nurses to figure out how to reopen safely. Others in the golf industry from around the Okanagan Valley also participated, McDonald said, taking findings back to their own courses.
Fairview Mountain has also implemented a number of new measures to ensure physical distancing is maintained and the course remains a safe place to get outside, said McDonald. The course is introducing very limited tee times, running at only 28 percent of normal capacity to ensure no one runs into each other on course. Fairview also has “physical distancing officers” patrolling to make sure people are staying two metres apart, and new golfers are made aware the expectations of before they tee off.
But Fairview’s decision to reopen has been met with contention. Many in the Oliver and Osoyoos communities are not happy that courses have reopened. McDonald said he and the Fairview Mountain team realize many people won’t agree with their decision to reopen, but is confident that they are providing a safe environment.
“When you go through a situation like this, you see the sensitivity to every side of this aspect,” said McDonald “But I think when you look at the properties themselves, there’s a really good opportunity for people to get out, get a little physical activity in an environment that is much safer than any other walk of life throughout the day, whether it be a grocery store or even a sidewalk in some of the areas in town.”
McDonald said he expects to see other golf courses in the Okanagan following suit. Many in Kelowna have already reopened, he said, with both Summerland and Penticton Golf and Country Clubs reopening this week. Most courses in the Osoyoos and Oliver area remain closed, but are hoping to reopen sometime soon.
Doug Robb, General Manager of the Osoyoos Golf Club, said the club has talked about reopening May 1, but discussions about this are ongoing. The Osoyoos Golf Club, like Fairview Mountain, has been closed for the last three weeks.
“At that point, we thought it was pretty difficult to manage the situation. Protocols have changed a little bit now, there’s more universal protocol on how golf courses are operating,” Robb said.
He said they are still closed “to protect the staff and the members and the community.”
Other golf courses in the Osoyoos and Oliver areas like Nk’Mip and Sonora Dunes remain closed, but are also looking at reopening May 1.
