Jackson Reid
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the state of Arizona deemed golf an essential activity, allowing golf courses to remain open during lockdown. This decision was controversial, with critics arguing that it could lead to more community spread of the virus and endanger Arizonans who work at golf courses. However, supporters of the decision claimed that golf was no less essential than other permitted outdoor recreational activities and that golf courses had taken steps to ensure safe play.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Golf deemed essential | Yes |
| Date | 1st April 2020 |
| Reason | To enable essential services to continue, protect people's rights and slow the spread of COVID-19 |
| Other essential services | Pharmacies, groceries, stores, legal and accounting firms, banks, real estate appraisals, titling, pawn shops, outdoor recreation activities |
| Controversy | Yes |
| Social distancing | Yes |
| Sanitation | Yes |
| States with similar orders | Ohio, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina |
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What You'll Learn
Golf deemed essential during the COVID-19 pandemic
Golf was deemed an essential activity in Arizona during the COVID-19 pandemic, sparking controversy among residents. Governor Doug Ducey's order, called "Stay Home, Stay Healthy, Stay Connected", aimed to balance public health with individual freedom. The order allowed outdoor recreation activities, including golf, to continue while maintaining physical distancing. Ducey stated that residents under quarantine should still be able to enjoy the good weather.
This decision caused a backlash, with critics arguing that golf posed a risk of community spread of COVID-19 and was not essential. Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego urged Ducey to focus on essential services, such as first responders, grocers, and pharmacists. Some residents, like Ann O'Conner, expressed concern over the lack of social distancing on golf courses.
However, supporters of the decision argued that golf courses had implemented safety measures to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission. These measures included limiting player-employee contact, requiring credit card pre-payment, sanitizing golf carts and rental clubs, and encouraging physical distancing. They also pointed out that golf was no less essential than other permitted activities like walking in parks or recreation areas.
The debate over golf's essential status reflected Arizona's libertarian streak and the tension between individual freedom and public health during the pandemic. While Arizona was among several states, including Ohio, Florida, and North Carolina, that kept golf courses open, it faced criticism for its relaxed approach to COVID-19 restrictions.
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Golf courses' safety precautions
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Arizona was one of several states to deem golf an essential activity, allowing golf courses to remain open during lockdown. This decision caused controversy, with some residents believing that stricter social distancing measures should be enforced to contain the spread of the virus.
Golf courses in Arizona adopted safety precautions to ensure the safety of staff and customers. These included:
- Contactless payment methods, such as over the phone, online, or through tap technology.
- Preventing players from touching the flagstick, with one suggested solution being to set the cup about an inch above the ground so that a putt that clanks the metal is considered 'in'.
- Removal of commonly touched items, such as bunker rakes, practice balls, and scorecard pencils.
- Encouraging golfers to avoid sharing golf carts unless they reside in the same household and to maintain social distancing from other players at all times.
Other general safety precautions that golfers can take to prevent the spread of COVID-19 include:
- Sanitizing surfaces before touching them, especially in commonly used areas such as tee boxes.
- Avoiding indoor areas, such as locker rooms, spas, shower facilities, and dining areas, unless absolutely necessary.
- Wearing face masks when in close proximity to other golfers to reduce the risk of transmitting the virus through respiratory droplets.
- Staying at home and avoiding the golf course if feeling unwell, even if asymptomatic, to reduce the risk of infecting others.
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Golf courses' impact on community spread of COVID-19
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the state of Arizona deemed golf an essential activity, allowing golf courses to remain open. This decision was controversial, with many residents concerned about the impact on community spread of COVID-19. Ann O'Connor, an Arizona resident whose home overlooks a private golf course, observed a lack of social distancing among golfers and stated, "It's really disconcerting...It is like a huge, sick experiment." Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego also criticized the decision, asserting that essential services during the pandemic should be limited to first responders, grocers, and pharmacists.
Other states, including Ohio, Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina, also kept golf courses open during the pandemic. In Ohio, Gov. Mike DeWine's stay-at-home order permitted golf courses to operate under social distancing guidelines. An Ohio Department of Health spokeswoman, Melanie Amato, supported this decision, stating that golf courses could remain open without posing a health risk if they followed social distancing requirements.
The decision to keep golf courses open during the pandemic raised concerns about the potential for community spread of COVID-19. However, there are also economic considerations, as golf course greenkeepers fear that shutdowns could result in multi-billion-dollar damage to turf infrastructure. In Australia, the Australian Golf Course Superintendents Association (AGCSA) lobbied the government to include their staff as essential workers to minimize damage and expenses during and after the pandemic. Similarly, Golf Australia Development General Manager, David Gallichio, expressed concern about the potential loss of sporting facilities during a lockdown and the significant risk to sporting assets.
In contrast, other regions, such as the UK, took a different approach to golf courses during the pandemic. Scottish Golf and administrative bodies in England, Scotland, and Wales asked golfers to refrain from playing and temporarily closed courses to prioritize the health of local communities and contain the spread of COVID-19. These decisions were made despite recognizing the impact on golf clubs and the difficulty of shutting down outdoor sports that allow for social distancing.
The impact of keeping golf courses open on the community spread of COVID-19 is a complex issue. While some argue that golf can be played safely with social distancing, others worry about the potential for increased cases and the strain on healthcare resources. The decision to keep golf courses open in Arizona and other states during the pandemic sparked debates and highlighted the challenges of balancing public health, economic considerations, and recreational activities during a global health crisis.
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Arizona's libertarian streak
Arizona has a long history of libertarianism, with the Arizona Libertarian Party committed to protecting individual liberty and personal responsibility, a free-market economy, and a non-interventionist foreign policy. The party first gained ballot access in 1976, and has since had success in repealing food sales taxes and regaining ballot access.
The Arizona Libertarian Party is the state's political party affiliate of the national Libertarian Party, and it has had a colourful history. In 1993, Tucson officials refused to give ballot access to a Libertarian city council candidate, which was overturned by a superior court ruling in the party's favour. In 1996, the Pima County Libertarian Party was disaffiliated with the Arizona party after a legal dispute over representation. Despite these challenges, the party has seen its registered voter numbers rise above the amount needed to become a recognised party in Arizona, and it continues to be a force in state politics.
The state's libertarian streak was also evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Arizona was among several states, including Ohio, Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina, that deemed golf an essential activity during stay-at-home orders. This decision caused controversy, with some residents expressing concern over the lack of social distancing on golf courses and calling for stricter enforcement of public health measures. However, Governor Ducey defended the decision, stating that residents should be able to enjoy the outdoors while still practising physical distancing.
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Criticism of Governor Ducey's order
Governor Doug Ducey's order to deem golf an essential activity in Arizona during the COVID-19 pandemic caused a lot of controversy and criticism. Many Arizonans were outraged by the decision, which came as the state reported 1,298 to 1,300 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 24 deaths.
One of the most vocal critics of Ducey's order was Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, who urged the governor to reduce the list of essential services and argued that essential services during the pandemic should be limited to first responders, grocers, and pharmacists. She also criticised the order for preventing cities from implementing their own, more restrictive orders, which was particularly concerning for densely populated areas with a higher contagion risk.
Ann O'Conner, an Arizona resident whose home overlooks a private golf course, expressed concern about the lack of social distancing among golfers, stating that it was like a "huge, sick experiment."
Some critics also pointed out the irony of including golf courses as essential businesses while forcing non-essential businesses to close, endangering the jobs of those in non-essential roles, such as staff at golf courses who needed to wash golf balls.
The decision to include golf courses as essential businesses was seen as inconsistent with the goal of slowing the spread of COVID-19, and critics questioned whether ideology was taking precedence over public health. Ducey's order, called "Stay Home, Stay Healthy, Stay Connected," aimed to balance individual responsibility with public health. However, critics argued that golf was not an essential activity and that the focus should be on essential services to protect public health.
While some states, like California, initially included golf courses as essential activities before shutting them down, Arizona's decision to keep them open raised questions about the appropriate response to the pandemic and the role of state control.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, golf is considered an essential activity in Arizona.
Golf is considered essential in Arizona because it is believed to be important for the physical and mental well-being of residents. It is also thought to be no less essential than other outdoor activities that were allowed to continue, such as walking in green spaces.
Yes, the decision to keep golf courses open in Arizona caused a lot of controversy. Critics argued that it risked further community spread of COVID-19 and endangered Arizonans who held non-essential jobs.
