Local Knowledge

August 2020

CONTACTLESS GOLF PRACTICES, SOLUTIONS FOR USGA TM CLUB USERS

With proper safety protocols in place, over the past few months it’s been proven golf can be played safely and responsibly in the midst of a pandemic. As we continue to learn more about how to navigate this complicated COVID-19 environment, course owners and operators need to remain steadfast in enforcing the protocols, yet flexible in adjusting to the “new normal” to protect the health and safety of all involved, including players, staff and the community.

One of the most important safety measures clubs can implement in the current climate is to limit physical interaction with players. To help clubs continue to maintain a high-level of customer service even while practicing social distancing, Golf Genius has created a new section in the Knowledge Base that contains a growing list of Contactless Golf practices and solutions for users of USGA TM Club (click here) and USGA TM Club Premium (click here). If you are currently a USGA TM Club user and are interested in upgrading to Club Premium, please contact Geoff Greenwood, TGA’s Technical Services Manager, for more information.

While each club faces its own set of unique challenges, not the least of which is that government-mandated safety guidelines are likely to be different from region to region, the overall purpose of these Golf Genius articles is to encourage social distancing with Contactless Golf.



USGA VIRTUAL RULES SCHOOL

The USGA has produced a comprehensive video series that provides nearly 20 hours of content covering the Rules of Golf using pictures, animations and videos to help bring the Rules to life. It gives viewers the ability to learn at their own pace and from wherever they are, no matter if it’s in the office, at home or on the go.

The videos feature instruction by Rules of Golf experts from the USGA staff who have thousands of hours of experience teaching this material throughout the U.S. to anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the Rules, from avid golfers to golf club operators and regional golf administrators to referees working at the highest levels of amateur and professional golf. Among the topics covered in the video series include the two fundamental principles of the Rules – Playing the Course as it is Found and Playing the Ball as it Lies, the differences between match play and stroke play with and without partners, every procedure and relief option available, how penalties are structured and much more. For a limited time (through Aug. 31), the USGA is making the full Virtual Rules School available for $25 for 30 days of streaming access through Vimeo.

To register online and receive the promo code for the $25 price, click here.



TEXAS GOLF HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCES CLASS OF 2020

The Texas Golf Hall of Fame recently announced its 2020 Class of Inductees. The incoming class will be honored with a formal induction ceremony at the Houston Country Club at a date and time to be determined. Along with the evening’s festivities that are open to the public, each of the 2020 Inductee’s distinguished history of achievement will be commemorated on granite markers on the prestigious Texas Golf Walk of Fame at historic Brackenridge Park Golf Course in San Antonio.

The Texas Golf Hall of Fame 2020 Inductees are Angela Stanford (Professional Player), Hank Kuehne (Amateur Player), Verne Lundquist (Lifetime Achievement), Mike Wright (Golf Professional/Teacher), Dow Finsterwald, Jr. (Golf Professional/Teacher) and Oak Hills Country Club in San Antonio (Texas Registry of Historic Golf Courses).

To read more about the Texas Golf Hall of Fame Class of 2020, click here.



STAYING CALM AND COOL DURING A PANDEMIC [CMAA]

Club managers say they’ve never been hit by anything like COVID-19, but they’re focusing on their work, their employees and the future. Craig Schaner, CCM, thought he knew what stress was. As general manager of Lakeside Country Club in Houston, his whole world was turned upside down when Hurricane Harvey hit in August 2017, flooding the clubhouse and the surrounding property.

For the past two and a half years, Schaner, along with members and staff, had to overcome numerous hurdles to rebuild the club. So challenging was the process that the club president’s battle cry through it all was: “Embrace the suck.”

A brand new 90,000-square-foot clubhouse was the resulting centerpiece of those efforts.

After a lavish reopening party on March 1, Schaner was ready to get back to business and restart the club’s food & beverage operations. That was until Texas shut down all restaurants to prevent the spread of COVID-19 the night before Lakeside’s dining operation was supposed to reopen.

“What are the odds of that?” Schaner said.

Unfortunately, in 2020 bad luck appears to be contagious and all encompassing. Still, Schaner is philosophical about the challenges he has faced and continues to face as COVID-19 upends everyone’s life, including that of those in the club industry.

“The one thing I’ve learned is how much I’ve had to raise my game,” Schaner said. “I’ve had to embrace the suck and step up. There is no rule book. There is no crisis management plan for what we’re going through.”

To read the full CMAA article, click here.