Fourballs can return at Scottish golf clubs with no restrictions on households

Scottish golf clubs have been given the green light to reintroduce fourballs with no restrictions on the number of households from Friday.

Scottish Golf has revealed its updated Covid-19 advice to member clubs. Picture: Scottish Golf

The welcome news was announced by Scottish Golf in an update on Covid-19 restrictions following First Minister Nicola Sturgeon saying on Tuesday that lockdown rules are being eased at the end of the week.

The return of fourballs with no restrictions on the number of households is for members who live within a club’s local authority area and is for courses with a designated Covid officer.

Courses without a designated Covid officer, or where members are crossing a local authority boundary to play, can remain open for play with a maximum of four players from two households.

“Following the First Minister’s latest update on Covid-19 restrictions, Scottish Golf welcomes the news that we are continuing to progress through the road map out of lockdown,” said Karin Sharp, the governing body’s chief operating officer.

“Within an hour of the First Minister’s update, Scottish Golf submitted updated guidance to our partners at sportscotland and the Scottish Government.

“As has been the case throughout the pandemic, this final check can take some time as further details are considered and legislation published.

“These checks remain ongoing and must be complete before we can share a full updated version of our guidance to affiliated golf clubs for implementation across the country.

“However, we do appreciate that clubs require time to make operational changes ahead of any changes coming into place so we have provided this update until such time as we are given the green light to publish a full updated guidance grid.”

Courses in Scotland have remained open since late May, unlike in England, Ireland and Wales, where they are currently closed and have been since December.

“We look forward to a more substantive update from the First Minister next week relating to the return to a protection levels approach,” added Sharp. “That update is likely to include more details for clubhouses, retail and travel.“In the meantime, it is important to remind all golfers that they must remain close to home, travelling only for essential purposes in line with the current legislation.”

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