Local golf clubs are preparing to reopen their doors to welcome members later this month.
Courses across the country have been closed since early January due to the coronavirus pandemic, but Prime Minster Boris Johnson announced the return of outdoor sport from March 29 as part of his roadmap out of lockdown last week.
Andrew March, director of golf at Brean, said: "It was great to hear the announcement that golf will be permitted to return on March 29 and, as was hoped for, it will be one of the first sports permitted to be played again.
"Throughout 2020 golfers demonstrated it can be played safely during Covid times and I know it will be played safely once again in 2021.
"I know golfers (and I am including myself in this) are champing at the bit to get back out on the courses after the enforced absence of this lockdown so with favourable weather we will be expecting it to be very busy once again.
"I expect many courses will be restricting play to members only in the early stages of this return but at least the clocks will have changed by then which will allow us to open up those extra tee times.
"I know a few people had hoped golf might be allowed back a little earlier in March than the 29th but one good outcome of those extra couple of weeks is that it affords a good opportunity for Greens teams to hopefully complete their Spring maintenance programmes before golfers return to the course.
"Considering the poor weather we have experienced in the opening six weeks of 2021 it would have been doubtful as exactly how much golf could have been played anyway.
"The other plus point I can see is that those extra days wait will allow more and more of the golfing fraternity to receive their Covid jabs as well. Let’s hope the Spring weather matches the superb weather we enjoyed back in 2020 and golf will be booming once again.
"As a PGA Professional myself, I know many of my fellow pros have had a really tough time over the lockdown period with our shops closed as well as being unable to do any coaching or club fitting.
"Many of us are currently trying to juggle deliveries of the new seasons stock scheduled to arrive around now. Of course our golf clubs that we are a part of have been in much the same boat too so I urge you all try to ‘shop local’ and support your club in whatever way you can over the coming months.
"The US Masters, which is back being played in its traditional date in April in 2021, has always marked the start of the golfing season for many people, but I think that will definitely move a couple of weeks earlier this year to those last few days in March!"
A spokesman for Worlebury Golf Club added: "Not being able to play amateur sport has been a real mental health challenge for vast numbers of people, no more so than excess of two million amateur golfers in England, who during the restrictions imposed by the UK Government in 2020, found the mental and physical health benefits of playing golf such a welcome rest bite during the challenging times.
"The CEO of England Golf, Jeremy Tomlinson, in an open letter to Boris Johnson at the start of lockdown three stated 'The benefits of playing golf aren’t anecdotal, this is based on solid scientific data that has been clearly documented', adding 'England Golf has been clear from the start – golf is a sport played safely in the open air with social distancing part and parcel of every round. With the introduction of our 'Play Safe, Stay Safe' protocols after the first lockdown, we have made our sport even more secure.'
"With the help of England Golf in 2020, under Play Safe, Stay Safe protocols and guidelines all the local golf courses local to Weston were able to offer safe socially distanced exercise to players of all ages and abilities. So, it was very disappointing that the golf courses were instructed to close on January 5, despite England Golf lobbying the Government to reconsider this decision, and especially as the Scottish Government has allowed golf to be played under strict COVID-19 protocols during their lockdown.
"Nevertheless, during the lockdown the greenkeeping teams of all local courses have been hard at work maintaining the courses and taking the opportunity to make changes and improvements in readiness for a return to golf.
"Therefore, it was a real lift for everyone involved with golf when the PM announced that with a continued successful vaccine deployment program and the falling infection rate, that outdoor sports facilities will be allowed to reopen on March 29.
"With weather like there has been this past weekend, the next four weeks will be tortuous, but roll on the date when golfers of all abilities are able to play again and are given a stark reminder that their game is not as good as their imagination has been over the past 12 weeks!"
Wedmore Golf Club is also looking forward to seeing play resume, with a spokesman saying: "The news that golf courses could reopen on March 29 was greeted universally by golfers with a sense of relief. At least now there was a date to look forward to even if this is a ‘not before date’ subject to progress continuing to be made in overcoming the pandemic.
"To be honest, if you had to not play golf for a couple of months you would probably choose to avoid the cold and wet in January and February. Now with signs of Spring everywhere anticipation is building rapidly.
"There will still be restrictions of course, the clubhouse will not be open, it will be April 12 at the earliest before that can happen and May 17 before any indoor hospitality can take place.
"Just playing will do for the moment, though, and this time shots will go long and straight and putts will fall. It's time to get the clubs cleaned again and try a few practice swings in the garden!"
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