Our Safe Golf Procedures
The following “Safe Golf Procedures” will be reviewed and revised regularly. Bookmark this page and check back regularly for future updates. These procedures are intended to provide members with comfort and confidence for their health and safety.
The Basics
1. Play Healthy: Do not risk exposing others to the virus if you have even the slightest feeling of illness or have had contact with another person who has symptoms or has been diagnosed with Covid-19 – please do not play.
2. Advance booking is mandatory, preferably online.
3. All player names must be included in your booking.
4. Members and guests are permitted (one guest per week) at this time. Members can play 4 times per week. See the Booking Online section later in this page for details on how to book your tee time online.
5. Mixed Households: Up to three mixed households are permitted. If playing in a fourball, two players must be from the same household.
6. Players will be required to comply with the “rules on social distancing” throughout their round.
7. The first tee time each day will be 8:30am and the last tee time 7:00pm. Tee times will be 10 minute intervals. Members must tee off on time and allow the correct time gap between each group to allow social distancing on the course. Teeing off out-with these hours is prohibited.
8. The clubhouse and all course toilets will be completely closed.
Booking Golf
1. Advance booking is mandatory and preferably online. No play shall be permitted without a booking having been made online, or by phone. Playing without booking is strictly prohibited.
2. Tee times can be booked 7 days in advance.
3. Members and guests are permitted at this time, one guest per week. Members can play 4 times per week.
4. The names of all players must be provided for each booking.
5. For the first two weeks after re-opening members can only book three tee times per week. (A week is defined as Monday 8:30am to Sunday 7:00pm)
6. Where possible, essential and key workers will have priority booking on their days off and will be permitted to book up to 14 days in advance.
7. Tee times will be 10 minute intervals.
8. Balcomie: Play shall be in two balls until 11.00am. Three-balls and fourballs shall be permitted after 11.00am as long as no more than three household groups are mixed. If playing in a fourball, two players must be from the same household.
9. Craighead: Play shall be in two-balls only all day.
Book Tee Times Online
As part of the phased return of golf we must maintain record for 6 weeks of all golfers using the facility which, although we hope never required, may be used to assist if contact tracing is necessary. To assist the daily administration of the tee sheet and reduce the work for the office team, can members please remember to carry out the following steps when booking online which will save the office team having to contact you for more details.
1. Make sure you select the correct number of players for selected date, time and course.
2. Input names of all playing partners on each tee time. (Either type their name in field beside player 2, 3, 4 or use the drop down list.)
3. If at time of booking you have not arranged a playing partner, please edit your reservation online once partner(s) arranged or phone the office on 01333 450686 to amend.
4. If want to play on your own as a single player, input your name in player 1 and type Single Player Only in player 2 field.
5. If you are a single player and happy for another member to join you then input your name in player 1 and leave all other player fields empty.
6. For Member Guest online booking, type the word Guest in Player 2 and contact the office to provide the name of your guest and to pay the guest rate of £16.00 in advance.
7. Review the online booking email you receive on completion of booking and go back in and edit your reservation if required.
9. If your plans change or playing partner changes prior to play please edit your reservation online or phone 01333 450686 to amend.
Arrival & Preparation to Play
1. Players should travel to the club alone or with another member of the same household.
2. Players should arrive no earlier than 10 - 15 minutes before your tee time.
3. Parking: Please leave one full parking space between your car and the next parked car if it is possible to do so. When playing Balcomie, use the main clubhouse car park, including the area opposite the Pro Shop. When playing Craighead, use the overflow and driving range car parks.
4. The clubhouse shall remain closed and initially, there will be no toilet facilities of any kind.
5. Members should arrive at the club ready to golf, changing shoes in the car park if required.
6. On arrival players should remain in or around their cars until the players in the tee time before them have left the tee. To facilitate social distancing whilst cars are being unloaded, players getting ready to play have priority over a player who has completed a round.
7. The driving range, putting greens and short game practice area will be closed.
8. The Pro Shop will be open but only one player will be allowed in the shop at any one time. There is no requirement to check in at the Pro Shop.
9. One buggy per day will be available for hire. Please contact the office 01333 450 686 in advance to book and pay for the buggy. Member buggy rate is £25.00
10. No trolleys will be available for hire.
11. Caddies will not be permitted.
Teeing Off & Playing Your Round
1. Play must start from the first tee of both courses and be continuous i.e. playing holes in the correct order (even if playing less than 18 holes). No cutting in will be allowed in any circumstances and players shall not join up during a round.
2. The on-course toilets will be closed.
3. Social distancing is vital on the course, remember two metre gaps on the tees, walking to your ball, searching for a ball, playing your shot and on the greens. On reaching the green allow the member furthest from the hole to putt out completely. Do not touch the flagstick at all. Make sure the game in front has cleared the next tee before proceeding to the next hole. Please be courteous with speed of play. Make sure you have enough tees, balls, food and water to last your round. DO NOT share these. Do not touch a ball which is not yours.
4. There are no tee markers and play can be from any teeing ground of choice on each hole.
5. Bunkers are to be considered ‘Ground Under Repair’ for the first two weeks. There are no bunker rakes and players should smooth the sand with a club or their shoes.
6. There are no benches, yardage posts, shoe cleaners or ball washers and the drinking fountains are out of use.
7. Bins have been removed. Please put your own rubbish, broken tees etc into your golf bag for disposal at home after the round.
8. Hole cups are turned upside down and ball retrieval shall not involve the touching of the cup or flagstick. Flagsticks shall not be removed.
9. A reduced maintenance programme has been in place during the enforced closure. It will inevitably take time when eventually all the green staff come back to work for the Courses to return to their usually excellent condition. The patience and understanding of members would be appreciated during this period.
10. Hand sanitisers will be available on the first tee and at other parts of the courses but we would respectfully ask if you could bring your own if possible and use regularly during your round as required.
11. Please be aware of walkers, in particular when playing Balcomie, as there may well be more people out walking than normal, remember your social distancing.
Completing Your Round
1. On finishing your round, no handshakes, please keep your 2 metres and leave the green in a timely manner.
2. Remember on leaving the 18th green on Craighead golfers may be approaching to start on the first, again remember the 2-metre gap. Please return to your car, pack up and leave the premises as car parking spaces with gaps must try to be maintained.