ENGLAND GOLF CHALLENGE THE CLOSING OF COURSES

With a second England lockdown coming into force from midnight on Thursday 5th November and currently due to run until December 2nd, it appears from guidance published by the government that golf courses are due to be closed once again.

Responding to this, BIGGA said on their website, "BIGGA is working with the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Golf to study the detail, and to establish the exact restrictions on golf clubs and their facilities as the information becomes available. We will communicate definitive guidance once received from Government. However, it is understood that golf clubs will be closed under these enhanced restrictions."

The CEO of England Golf, Jeremy Tomlinson, has published an open letter on their website saying, "I would like to make clear England Golf’s intention to respectfully challenge the government’s rationale for closing golf courses."

He goes on to write, "Listening to the Prime Minister, the news that he is actively encouraging safe and responsible outdoor exercise for households or two individuals pointed to our great game of golf being at the heart of this policy.

"The guidance which followed stating that golf courses were on a list of venues which should close, therefore, appeared contradictory and came out of the blue.

"At no point was England Golf – as the governing body for the amateur game of golf in this country – consulted about this decision."

Jeremy concludes, "Alongside our colleagues in the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Golf (APPGG) we will pro-actively continue dialogue with government challenging the current position hard, but with great reason, to allow golf courses to remain open for play (in some format) from Thursday."

You can read the whole letter here.