North Shore Golf Spring 2020 V3

4 >>> SPRING 2020
Season of
uncertainty
COVID-19 puts clubs in crisis mode
BY ANNE MARIE TOBIN AND DAN KANE
Mike Kaelblein of Melrose, right, looks on as David Buonopane of
Melrose lines up his putt on the 8th green of King Rail Reserve Golf
Course in Lynnfield in early March.
PHOTO: SPENSER HASAK
After an extremely mild winter,
local golfers were clamoring to get an
early start on the 2020 season. And
many did.
Over in Peabody, both Salem CC and
The Meadow at Peabody opened for
business March 9. Temporary greens
and tees were in use at Salem, while
The Meadow was fully functional with
greens, tees and carts in use.
Hillview, Gannon, Beverly G&T,
and Four Oaks were among the clubs
that opened on March 14. Wenham
CC opened on the 20th. Cape Ann, Far
Corner, Reedy Meadow and King Rail
Reserve had stayed open for much of
the winter.
Now, they are all closed.
As North Shore Golf went to press,
with the coronavirus pandemic
growing, all courses, deemed nonessential
businesses, were shut
down at least through the April 7
stay-at-home guidelines ordered by
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker.
Most private clubs had already
closed clubhouses, dining rooms
and exercise rooms to all members.
Restaurants and 19th holes at public
courses that were open and focused
on safe practices limiting employee
interactions with players had to close.
Managers, pros and staffs at every
North Shore club were working
on plans and precautions that
would allow them to open once the
governor's restrictions are lifted.
Before closing down, Beverly Golf
& Tennis Club had suspended the use
of golf carts. Head PGA professional
David Dionne said the club was
practicing a "one in, one out" policy
with tee times spaced out. The driving
range was open with mats at least
six feet apart. Funding is in place for
renovating the historic clubhouse, but
work hasn't started and there is no
time frame for when it will begin. The
course is looking great, Dionne said.
Initially, Ferncroft CC had closed
its 19th hole bar and grill but was
still accepting takeout and some
delivery orders. The golf pro shop was
officially closed but the staff was able
to assist members. Temporary greens
were in place.
Chris Carter, head PGA professional
at Hillview and a principal in
Golf Facilities Management Inc.,
which operates city-owned courses
Beverly G&T, Hillview and Gannon
GC in Lynn, praised Gannon's
superintendent and ground crew,
saying the spring conditions were
among the best the course has ever
had. Play there started March 13 for
walkers only. Within days, the bar
and grill was closed and the purchase
of beer and wine in the pro shop had
been suspended.
Business was steady throughout the
opening weekend at Hillview, open to
walkers only. "We understand these
are difficult times and there are so
many unanswered questions about the
future, but we feel we are providing a
service to people who are feeling such
anxiety," said Carter. "You can see that
people want to find ways to relax."
Salem CC assistant professional
David Perroni said that, by March 12,
the club had rethought its decision
to open its facilities. "Our GM,
Peter Fischl, began the discussion
of whether we should be open at
all," said Perroni. "We shut down all
facilities pretty much that afternoon
and a letter went out to the members.
I like the way we got ahead of the
curve in terms of recognizing that we
needed to close." Members could still
walk the course and carry their clubs,
but had no access to the building.
Head PGA professional Kevin Wood
had put balls on the range so members
could practice. The governor's order
changed all that.
Wenham GC opened March 20.
The club posted a notice on its
website informing the public of the
precautions it had taken, including the
removal of bunker rakes and steppedup
sanitization of the clubhouse
restrooms. The notice advised those
who do not feel well and at-risk
individuals to "STAY AWAY" and
also advised golfers to follow the lead
of the USGA's 2019 rule change and
leave all flagsticks in the hole.
"As part of the recommendation to
maintain 'social distancing' exercise
and fresh air is also recommended
and we feel that if proper precautions
are followed, we can remain safe," the
notice said, adding, however "We will
only stay open if it remains safe to do so
and if everyone follows the guidelines."
On March 16, the town of Lynnfield
shut down its courses, Reedy Meadow
and King Rail Reserve. The weekend
prior to the town's decision to pull the
plug, carts were in use at King Rail
since it has cart paths. "Everything in
town is closed except Town Hall," said
Town Administrator Rob Dolan. "The
primary reason we made the decision
to close the two courses is that with
so much uncertainty, we needed to
shut down until things stabilize and
until we know that the DPW and
management can keep people safe.
To keep that portion of our local
government open (the golf courses)
simply was not a priority."
Peabody Mayor Ted Bettencourt
declared a state of emergency March
17, shutting down that city's golf
course, The Meadow at Peabody,
indefinitely.
"We were open about a week, with our
new carts with the GPS system," said