{{ubiquityData.prevArticle.description}}
{{ubiquityData.nextArticle.description}}
The letters to the editor arrived in bulk – filled with reason and humor. From across Ireland, golfers turned to the editorial pages of The Irish Times to voice their collective frustration with what many have deemed an illogical second shutdown of golf courses throughout the Republic.
Despite operating smoothly with honored protocols in wide open outdoor spaces for five months since golf courses reopened after the initial COVID-19 shutdowns were lifted in May, the government bundled golf in with the mandatory six-week Level 5 shutdown in the 26 counties that make up the Republic of Ireland effective immediately Oct. 22. At the same time, team sports such as rugby, soccer, hurling and Gaelic football are allowed to continue.
“When this news came out it sent shockwaves of disappointment across the entire country, followed by feelings of disbelief, disappointment, anger and frustration,” said Conor Russell, the director of golf and head professional at Portmarnock Links near Dublin. “We still hoped they would have the common sense to keep golf courses open and to stick by protocols like members-only and 5k rule. We did all the right things initially. You can go for a walk in the park, play Gaelic football or rugby at the moment, but golf is closed. It doesn’t make any sense.”
Ireland isn’t completely on an island when it comes to shutting down golf courses because of coronavirus surges. Wales last week imposed a strict “circuit-breaker” shutdown for two-and-a-half weeks. Melbourne, Australia, and its famous sand-belt courses, just emerged from a three-month shutdown that marked the longest any golf clubs in the world have been shuttered.
But the shutdown of one of the safest outdoor recreational activities during a pandemic drove the Irish golfing masses to their keyboards and stationery to fire off missives in local papers.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS UNLOCKED STORY AT GGP+... AND USE COUPON CODE GGP48 TO SAVE 20% ON AN ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION