The world has turned upside down on us, figuratively speaking of course. Many things we used to take for granted, such as going any place we wanted, regardless of how crowded, and without a mask on, are simply not available to us at the moment. And it doesn’t look like that’s going to change any time soon.
This can be very frustrating, especially for those of us cooped up inside a house with young children and teenagers bored out of their minds. However, amidst the loud and often contradictory opinions be touted as truth, it seems that social distancing and wearing masks are the two very best ways to keep ourselves and our families safe.
There is at least one activity that is as well-suited as it gets to this COVID-19 pandemic. It is outdoors, almost never had crowds of people gathered together even pre-pandemic, naturally distances the vast majority of its participants, and for the most part wouldn’t require the wearing of a mask, while still keeping everybody completely safe. Obviously (by the title of this article) I’m talking about golf. Here’s how you can start learning to play with your perfect swing.
Golfing is Done Outdoors
Being outside makes it much less likely for the coronavirus to be spread and contracted. There are a number of reasons for this. Obviously, there is a whole lot more space outdoors than indoors, making it much easier to stay away from others. Any type of spit or aerosols coming out of our and others’ mouths have infinitely more space to dissipate to, or even potentially just evaporate. There’s also the possibility that the UV rays from the sun weaken or kill the coronavirus. UV rays are also one of the best sources for us to get vitamin D from, and vitamin D plays a significant role in strengthening our immune systems, something that isn’t talked about nearly enough right now, but I digress. And if you want to stay safe indoors, and stormy weather is more of a reason you need to, you can play golf at home if you own an advanced indoor golf simulator.
Golf Etiquette Demands Social Distancing
As is the case in most sports, golf has its own unique set of rules required by golf etiquette. Generally, you stay away from other golfers. You should wait to play any shot until the group in front of you is two shots ahead of you. At the absolute minimum, this keeps you 100 yards away from all other groups on the course. Within your own group, you are supposed to stand at least 10 feet away from anybody taking a shot, whether it’s on the tee box, the fairway, or the green. Standing too close is not just a breach of etiquette, it’s also rather dangerous as getting hit by a golf club during a backswing or follow through could result in serious injury.
Golf Can Be Done Mostly Without a Mask
Masks are helpful because they make it so you don’t spread droplets from your mouth to others, and so others don’t spread droplets from their mouth to you. When you’re driving in the golf cart, especially if you’re the only one in the cart (which may be the case due to the pandemic), there’s no chance of others’ spit getting on you. Likewise, because other players are standing 10 feet or more away from you at every shot, you don’t need to wear a mask while taking a shot either. Conceivably you could stay far enough away, say, 10 feet or more, from other golfers in your group throughout the entire round, completely negating the need to ever wear a mask while golfing. And if you want to stay safe indoors, and stormy weather is more of a reason you need to, you can play golf at home if you own an advanced indoor golf simulator.
The Biggest Risks – Paying and the Golf Cart
The two biggest risks when you go golfing are paying for your round and the golf cart. Make sure you wear a mask when inside the clubhouse and be sure to wash or sanitize your hands after paying. As far as the golf cart goes, most businesses are taking this pandemic, and therefore the health and safety of their customers very seriously. This means that it’s highly likely the golf cart is being thoroughly wiped down and sanitized between each use. Regardless, be sure to bring a sanitizer wipe or two and thoroughly wipe down the steering wheel as well as any other parts of the cart you might be touching with your hands.
This pandemic has changed our lives in a major way. Many things we used to do without a second thought just aren’t safe or responsible to do anymore. Golf, however, can be a perfectly safe activity to do with family or friends. Check out golftreasury.com for reviews of the best golf equipment. It’s also a rare activity that can be done almost completely without a mask without compromising your safety or the safety of other golfers. Because distancing yourself from other golfers is built into golf etiquette, golf is the perfect activity for getting out of the house, spending quality time outdoors, and getting much needed vitamin D and social interaction with others.
