Why some Myrtle Beach golf courses have relaxed policies that protect against COVID-19
Some golfers and golf groups on the Grand Strand have been dismayed in recent weeks when they’ve been told at courses that players won’t be given their own individual cart for their round.
Courses in the Myrtle Beach market adopted several safeguards against the spread of COVID-19 in March and April when the novel coronavirus became a global pandemic, including allowing one rider per cart for the sake of social distancing.
While many of the sanitary and safety policies remain in place, including cart sanitizing, shallow cups and pins remaining in holes, most courses in the market have reverted to two players in a cart if the golfers want to ride, at least for morning rounds.
Myrtle Beach Area Golf Course Owners Association executive director Tracy Conner said many golf courses across the state have eased the cart restrictions since S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster rescinded his “work or home” order and began relaxing restrictions on restaurants, bars and other businesses.
Conner said courses are trying to overcome the worst economic setback in the history of Myrtle Beach golf, and pairing golfers in carts allows them to book more rounds and maximize dollars per cart.
Although courses have remained open throughout the pandemic, the market lost millions of dollars in canceled package rounds in the crucial spring season, according to the MBAGCOA.
“In the morning when tee times are in demand, we need the ability to put two in a cart,” Conner said. “We just came off the worst economic hit to the golf industry ever. We’re trying to balance the request of golfers with the economic situation.
“We’re trying to balance first and foremost keeping our customer safe and comfortable, but there’s an economic balance to it also. If the governor is comfortable with up to eight people sitting together having diner, it would be okay to have two people riding in a golf cart in the open air together.”
Conner said the pairing of players on carts is primarily for morning tee times, and when the courses are less busy in the afternoon they are expected to allow single riders when possible.
Most courses with layouts that are conducive to walking are also allowing and often encouraging walking, which further promotes social distancing.
Conner said course operators realize many local golfers are retirees who are more susceptible to serious illness if they get the coronavirus because of their age or physical condition.
“We’re giving them options,” Conner said. “If you’re not comfortable with riding with one of your buddies, we have a tee time. It might not be what you prefer, but we have a tee time. . . . The times we can accommodate that request most of the time has to be in the afternoon. I’m comfortable golf courses will have times to honor golfers’ requests to ride in a cart by themselves.”
Some locals and leaders of larger golf groups that travel within the Strand to play different courses weekly have professed to being caught off-guard by the policy change when they first learned of it after arriving at a course.
“I guess the rules allow [two players to a cart], but I think it’s irresponsible because of the social distancing guidelines,” said Myrtle Beach resident Mark Noonan, who has played several courses over the past few weeks. Some have granted his request to be solo in a cart for his morning rounds, others have not.
“Nobody really wants to be buddied up with somebody,” Noonan said. “We’re all friends [in many cases] but you don’t know who is in contact with who, and with the restaurants and everything opening up the virus may spread even more. I just read we’re a hotspot spike, so here we go.”
Founders Group International, the largest course owner and operator on the Strand with 21 courses, has chosen to allow single riders throughout the day at its properties.
“We are encouraging golfers who live in the same house or who ride to the course together to share a cart, but we continue to allow single-rider golf carts upon request,” said FGI president Steve Mays in an email. “The policy will change over time, but for now we believe allowing the use of single-rider carts provides a greater sense of comfort for some players and encourages more play.”
At least a few courses in the market are charging an additional fee for single riders when cart availability allows.
A few courses in the market – True Blue Golf Club, TPC Myrtle Beach and International World Tour Golf Links – have a limited number of single-rider GolfBoards, which are a fun alternative to a golf cart and resemble a hybrid of a skateboard, surfboard and snowboard.
Caledonia Golf & Fish Club has a few Finn Scooters, which resemble a motorcycle and are for individual riders.
Conner contends that players who arrive at Strand courses as singles will be given their own cart whenever possible. “A single, not in a group, right now is afforded the opportunity to ride in their own golf cart in all cases,” he said.
DJ joins Rymer Show
Coastal Carolina University alumnus and 20-time PGA Tour winner Dustin Johnson has been featured on the past three episodes of the Charlie Rymer Golf Show – episodes 7, 8 and 9 – which are sponsored and produced by Golf Tourism Solutions and PlayGolfMyrtleBeach.com.
The 2016 U.S. Open champion joined Rymer via FaceTime, along with Allen Terrell, director of the Dustin Johnson Golf School, and TaylorMade Senior Director of Product Creation Tomo Bystedt as Rymer was fit for irons, wedges and woods over the three episodes based at Johnson’s golf school at TPC Myrtle Beach. The latest episode debuted Wednesday afternoon.
The first six episodes featured legend Jack Nicklaus, seven-time PGA Tour winner and entertainer Peter Jacobsen, country singer Colt Ford, leadership author David Novak, course designer Rees Jones, and a panel of Myrtle Beach golf leaders discussing golf during the pandemic.
This story was originally published June 11, 2020 at 6:02 AM.
