It’s a brave new world because PGA journey players, a thought reinforced by the circuit’s unveiling Wednesday of a 37-page Health & Safety project can the rouse of the coronavirus pandemic.
In presenting this new normal, the journey has listed the do’s and don’ts, and will’s and won’ts because the foreseeable future, covering each conceivable facet of journey life from at-home testing ought traveling ought apartment ought on-site access ought tournament rounds.
So, what will the week appear though because a journey actor who wants ought tee it up June 11 can the Charles Schwab Challenge can Fort Worth, Texas?
Something though this:
BEFORE THE TOURNAMENT
There’s task ought do ago I flat study almost heading ought Texas because the resumption of the season. First, the journey has sent both me and my caddie a pre-travel screening because the coronavirus, accordingly I understand if it’s flat safe because us ought go. ought exist honest, I feel because some of my mates can the UK – no unique did they hold ought accept an at-home test, besides during due ought the 14-day mandatory quarantine that’s however can lay because those entering the States, they’ve already been can city though can 25!
Assuming our tests vacation uphold negative, I lack ought state the journey seven days can proceed of each tournament which uphold personnel I wish permitted on-site with me. no doubt, my entourage will hold ought exist scaled back, besides during can least I’ll exist able ought still the external noise. I’d study this is especially disconcerting information because Bryson and his traveling posse.
As because communication ought win there, well, I’m above my own. no NetJets sponsorship here. Now I fair wish they haven’t sold the core seat next ought me ...
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UPON ARRIVAL
After landing can the Dallas/Fort worth region and picking up my sterilized rental car, I now lack ought sustain three layers of screening: a RT PCR nasal swab or saliva test; a temperature reading; and a questionnaire.
Where am I taking these tests? Most apt can a designated hotel because us players and our caddies. That’s right, we’re complete going ought exist holed up together, besides because the Jason Days of the world who journey by RV, or the stars who insist above staying can rental homes that now get ought exist approved by the Tour. The meaning is that we remain can a host hotel, ought compose a controlled environment.
I’m fairly with that, because, hey, they’re no putting us up can some mouse Roof Inn. Likely, it’ll exist a full-service joint, accordingly we don’t hold ought forsake the property. after all, we however lack ought bear by those safer-at-home guidelines: though room service and takeout are permitted, both me and my caddie are prohibited from dining can in a restaurant or bar. (So, um, they improve stock the mini-fridges!)
PRACTICE ROUNDS
Arriving can Colonial, complete I lack ought sum are a questionnaire and daily temperature check, then I’m free ought initiate my task – because wish because I don’t register a fever above 100.4. That initial nasal/saliva examination I took upon arrival takes 24 ought 48 hours ought compose a result, and accordingly cottage I wait, I’m allowed ought drill and play can Colonial besides during can’t apply any of the facilities. That access is granted unique ought those who hold been cleared across testing.
But, wow, it’s a soul city almost here. no family. no agents. no early-week interviews. The limited personnel and volunteers who are here are wearing appearance coverings.
Fortunately, I don’t hold any niggling injuries, because there’s fair one physiotherapy teach on-site and it’s unique vacant because those needing critical injury treatment. There is a problem, though: ago heading ought the mount I wish ought swap out the shaft can my 3-wood, besides during my machine rep isn’t allowed can any of my player-restricted areas. (To exist fair, I can’t hang out can their machine trucks, either.) accordingly now I get ought forsake my association can a designated dropoff region – and I improve memorize ought grand it up later.
Walking onto the mount with my caddie, I weep on my stone bus can a marked hitting station that follows the social-distancing guidelines. can complete era my instructor get ought remain 6 feet away from me, and he’s no allowed ought affect me, accordingly I assume I’m going ought hold ought better my shoulder spend complete by myself. He can stride inner the ropes with me during a drill round, besides during never closer than 6 feet. accordingly much because poring above down-the-line stone video with him.
With no Wednesday pro-am, it’s time ought capital ought the first tee because an uninterrupted drill round, besides during I shortly get this isn’t going ought exist a habitual undergo inner the ropes. There, above the tee, is a hand-sanitizer station waiting because me.
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TOURNAMENT DAYS
Same routine upon arrival: Temperature screening. Questionnaire. Onward.
After going across my warmup, I capital ought Colonial’s tiny first tee box and address my companion playing competitors – no with a handshake or fist bump, besides during a knowing nod.
For the past few months can home, I’ve needed ought agree ought the CDC guidelines whenever I played golf – you know, pool noodles or PVC piping can the cups, accordingly the ball doesn’t descend ought the bottom. besides during vacation on, this is the PGA Tour! We’re no doing that. We’re playing because $1.2 million can first-place money each week. ago the almost the lesson cane disinfected everything – flags, sticks, cup liners, rakes – besides during we’re however strongly encouraged ought sanitize our hands after each hole. There’s no excuse, really: each tee and green has sanitizing stations.
For the most part, it’s material because popular with my caddie, though we’re supposed ought invent each effort ought social distance from one another throughout the lesson of the round. Things though pulling and returning my get clubs. Or digging across my handbag because another tee, glove, zone or water bottle.
Of course, my caddie isn’t totally useless now. after some speculation that there were going ought exist offer bunker-rakers or flagstick-tenders, the journey says that he can however do those duties because habitual – besides during he needs ought sweep the rakes or sticks after each use. I’m encouraging him ought do so, because the world will exist watching our each move, waiting because us ought screw up.
Looking around, there are no fans, of course, besides during they however hold ropes up and scoreboards above assets accordingly I can possess up with the action. There is a significantly reduced TV footprint, with much of the product handled remotely. Best I can tell, the unique people external the ropes are a few media members, ShotLink staff, a stone bus or two, volunteers and inherent personnel. assume I’ll lack ought generate my get adrenaline and momentum.
AFTER THE ROUND
Walking off the persist green, we capital into a big region because scoring that services those who finish above both the ninth and 18th holes. There’s a high-top table, no chairs, with a ShotLink computer and TV bug before me. The desk has been cleaned after each group passes through.
Because this is a historic occasion, I expectation a media destroy following the round, besides during it never materializes. There’s no interview room, and the traditional gaze region is occupied by unique a few socially distanced pool reporters who will then part quotes with the explode of the media. We can hold ought do a few virtual interviews because some off-site outlets, besides during oftentimes I’m going ought exist able ought freely stride uphold ought the actor dining region because a swift bite.
PGA journey ought employ chartered planes and host hotels ought assist boundary 'bubble'
BEFORE THE persist ROUND
Whoa! We fair heard that a actor tested positive. robust break, too, because he’s can the sumit 10. Now he get ought presently retire and will unique accept last-place money.
Patient zero lives can South Florida and, beneath the new journey regulations, he’ll hold ought self-quarantine because can least 10 days. His finish contacts can too hold ought exist isolated, accordingly I’ve gotta study his looper is going ought exist holed up because a while, too. Yikes. (At least the journey will cover the costs.)
FOLLOWING THE persist ROUND
I’ve always loved protect Town, and accordingly I wish ought play next week can the Heritage, too. That seems ought exist the mutual consensus out here: after three months away, we wish ought play, play, play ... and remain can our few bubble, where the risk, though no totally eliminated, is can least significantly reduced. We fair hold ought receive that it’s a separate of daily life now.
Luckily because us, the journey has organized let flights above a first-come, first-served basis. There are unique 170 seats above the airplane – yessss, no core seats! – accordingly I had ought allow them understand a week can proceed if I wish ought hitch a drive the Monday morning after Colonial. The fare ought me, because a player, is $600, cottage my caddie has ought pony up $300. Everyone onboard agreed ought accept another viral examination 24 hours ago our departure, otherwise this material could spend a breeding basis because the virus.
And none wants that, no after this extended layoff, no while the other sports leagues are looking ought us because an example of how ought safely retort ought competition.
So, next stop: South Carolina. Where we’ll do it complete above again.
