By Mike Stachura, Golf Digest
7 May 2020
Just a day after essentially cautioning his state’s golfers that playing golf would be breaking the law, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker immediately opened the state’s 377 golf courses on Thursday, making the Bay State the last of the 50 states to schedule the reopening of golf in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Massachusetts’ golf restrictions (no clubhouse operations, walking only, 15-minute tee times, driving range and putting green closed, golfers must remain in their cars until being called to the tee) are similar to those instituted at 16 states that have gone from closed to planned openings in the last last two weeks. With all 50 states allowing play in some or all of their cities and counties, the National Golf Foundation estimates that more than 90 percent of courses will be open across the country by May 17.
Officially, New Hampshire will be the last state to fully open for golf when it hits the restart button on May 11. Prior to that while the majority of the states in the country had kept golf courses open, for several states that have been hardest hit by the pandemic golf courses had been shuttered since late March. At best, only restricted crews were allowed to stay on at courses to maintain minimal maintenance.
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Tagmarshal has tracked over 10 million rounds of golf. Real-time data collected by the system using small “tags” clipped onto golf bags, installed in buggies or offered on handheld or cart-installed proprietary 2Way screen devices, transmits information to on-course staff or personnel in the pro shop identifying groups that are out of position before issues arise. Player assistants can then support in a proactive, objective, non-confrontational manner resulting in improved player experience, consistent round times and player time freed up to enjoy on-site food and beverage items as well as opportunities for additional tee sheet capacity.
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