Two of Westchester County’s golf courses have been scheduled to reopen this coming weekend in view of a change in guidance from New York state regarding the need for keeping golf courses closed.
The state has now recognized that with careful monitoring and restrictions on the types of services offered, people can maintain proper social distancing while enjoying the sport.
After having previously closed the county’s six courses to comply with state requirements, Westchester County Executive George Latimer today announced that the county-owned Mohansic Golf Course in Yorktown Heights and the Hudson Hills Golf Course in Ossining will open for play on April 25.
“We are now prepared to reopen two of those golf courses. We believe those courses are the best controlled environment of the six that we have, where we can make sure that social distancing programs that we’re implementing, over and above the fact that a golf course is naturally socially distanced, will make it a safe place to play,” Latimer said. He said the county believed that golf courses were safe all along but closed them earlier in April in order to be consistent with state policy.
“We are going to monitor how the use of those courses goes. We are going to look for examples of social distancing being properly done or, if not, that will inform our opinion before we deal with the other four courses,” Latimer said. The other courses are Maplemoor in White Plains, Saxon Woods in Scarsdale, Dunwoodie in Yonkers and the Sprain Lake course also in Yonkers.
“Those golf courses will not open this weekend, but we are going to determine whether or not we can open them in the future depending on circumstances,” Latimer said. ”This is a measured approach, everything you’ve heard about on television. Don’t snap everything open all at once but at the same time don’t be rigid in your thinking. Allow for flexibility. Observe what you’re going to experience out there and determine if we can go forward and open the rest.”
Some of the new rules are:
Ӣ Players will have to check in early for tee times.
ӢThe number of guests in the pro shop at one time will be kept to a minimum.
Ӣ Tee times will have longer intervals between them.
Ӣ Operating hours will be reduced.
Ӣ Flagsticks are to be left in the holes untouched and bunkers are not to be raked by golfers.
ӢRakes, ball washers and coolers have been removed from the courses.
Ӣ Golfers should not gather in groups or clusters while on or off the golf course. Ӣ Restaurants at both courses will remain closed for both seated and takeout service.
Latimer also announced that the traditional Bicycle Sundays on the Bronx River Parkway will take place as planned beginning of May. He said that masks will be required and people will need to maintain social distancing. He said that if the social distancing is not maintained the biking program will be suspended.
