UPDATED, MAY 16: NYS COVID-19 Guidance for Golfers and Golf Courses
UPDATE: MAY 16, 2020:
NYS Essential Business Guidance has been updated to include golf cart usage for golf facilities while following social distancing protocols.
CLICK HERE for full details from the Empire State Development website
13. Recreation
Parks and other open public spaces, except playgrounds and other areas of congregation where social distancing cannot be abided;
Outdoor, low-risk recreational activities are permitted so long as social distancing and cleaning/disinfecting measures are in place:
- tennis
- golf and driving ranges, except miniature (mini) golf, with food and retail services subject to the restrictions that are currently in effect within the region
- Marinas, boatyards, and recreational marine manufacturers, for ongoing marina operations and boat repair/maintenance, where such facilities adhere to strict social distancing and sanitization protocols. Use of such sites for the purposes of personal use or operation of boats or other watercraft is permissible, provided that no establishment offer chartered watercraft services or rentals. Restaurant activity at such sites are limited to take-out or delivery only.
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Please remember to take appropriate safety measures for employees and customers to incorporate social distancing.
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UPDATE: MAY 4, 2020:
- Individuals may use a personally-owned golf cart as long as they are the only one in it (or they may ride with another member of their household).
- Disabled golfers may request a cart as an accommodation (however private courses are still not allowed to have extra staff on site so this must be handled by the allowed maintenance or security staff).
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REMINDER: MAY 1, 2020:
- Courses in NYS are able to continue to allow play, with restrictions (only maintenance and security staff, no carts, etc).
- No timeline yet on when those restrictions might be relaxed, but plans for re-opening businesses will continue to unfold as approval of the May 15 date to un-pause NYS.
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UPDATE: APRIL 19, 2020:
Further clarification has been provided on the NYS Update of April 17 by the office of Empire State Development:
- Golf Courses are allowed to have golfers.
- Golf courses may not operate as a business as they are considered a non-essential business.
- Golfers must practice social distancing.
- Daily fee courses may use an advanced online payment system.
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UPDATE: APRIL 17, 2020
At Noon on April 17, 2020, the Empire State Development guidance for New York State Executive Order 202.6 was updated to note that while golf courses in NYS are still classified as NON-ESSENTIAL, essential services, such as groundskeeping to avoid hazardous conditions and security, provided by employees, contractors, or vendors are permitted and private operators may permit individuals access to the property so long as there are no gatherings of any kind and appropriate social distancing of six feet between individuals is strictly abided.
Contact the RDGA office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have any questions.