From the Golf Shop
Another week has flown by with great weather, lots of golf and some new developments on many fronts.
There are a few items to discuss that are new procedures for our Club and some that are reminders on how we are meant to proceed when here to golf. We have learned that keeping an accurate log of who is on property and when, is a government requirement that we must expand to include those whom are using the Practice Facilities. Up to now, members were required to have a booked tee time to gain access to the Club, or they could come to practice and simply inform the Gatekeeper of their intentions. We must now maintain a separate log for those using the Practice Facilities that will include your name, your time of arrival and your time of departure. Monitoring your arrival time is easily achieved through the Gatekeeper. The important ask of the membership is to ensure you inform the Gatekeeper when you leave, only applying to those who have come to use the driving range, etc. Those that have a booked tee time are easily tracked as we still encourage to only arrive 30 minutes prior to your tee time and also assume that you will only remain after your round to enjoy a beverage or a meal within a reasonable timeframe. The Regional Health unit needs these logs to be accurate so that if there is a Covid19 outbreak that is related to our Club, they will be able to identify anyone who was at the Club during the timeframe that the infected person was on site. We must do our part for accurate contact tracing.
On that note, it is important to remember that Covid19 is still very real and Vespra Hills Golf Club has taken many measures to be a good steward to the government’s wishes for safety and virus spread controls. We are constantly reviewing these practices with our employees, as we understand that as each day passes, people can become less and less focussed on what needs to be done. We are noticing some behaviour with the membership that frankly needs to stop, immediately. We recognize that some employees need reminding as well and we are actively assisting all in remembering the importance. Here’s a quick list:
- Carts are still single ridership unless you are from the same household. Please do not bend the truth on this. The government has allowed 2 bags to be on a cart now, but still single riders. Yes, there have been violations of this.
- Please maintain 2 metre spacing from fellow members and employees. I am often walking backwards as people try to get closer to speak. I see it in other interactions as well, so please respect each other’s safety and personal wishes.
- Remember that the Club and employees are doing a great deal to create a safe environment. We actively encourage and police these behaviours. We have had members get aggressive with employees when they see other members not practicing social distancing. Yes, we should approach the members to remind them, however we, the employees, can only do so much. We are relying on everyone to collectively respect each other and the wishes of our government.
There has already been one golf course closed due to inadequate social distancing on their outdoor patio. Please do not be the person who gets our course shut down because you think this is all overblown, etc. We are fortunate to be enjoying the game of golf during this time, with many other people still struggling to find ways to feel like their world is getting back to normal.
A couple of smaller issues to discuss are: checking in before you play, teeing off at your actual tee time and no-show trends. Although we have relaxed on having the member come in and show their member card, we still need you to check in with the golf shop so we can process your round, cart, guest, etc. Once checked in, please do your best to tee off at your actual time. Even though the players ahead may be out of range and you may be able to hit at 10:05 vs 10:10, please wait until 10:10. The ten-minute tee time spacing is also for Covid19 safety. We still see members try and tee off before the first tee time each morning and this must end as well. Our Superintendent needs the prep time, so out of respect for him and his employees, please wait the extra few minutes. Lastly, no-show trends, the Club has a strict no-show policy that has been communicated and followed fairly well so far. For those interested, yes, we have billed quite a few no-show fees and continue to do so daily. Some felt that members booking times and not showing up was not an issue at Vespra Hills and I think that when the club was quiet, one could justifiably perceive that. Now we are significantly busier and are seeing just how important this policy is. At the end of the day, all you must do is call. It’s not so much to ask.
It has been a great start, with so much happening, so fast.
Good luck to all the Seniors competing this weekend and to all the Juniors playing in the Jr. Better Ball this Saturday.
Chris McNair
