AFTER staying mostly at home since Metro Manila went under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), golfers are naturally excited to head to the fairways once restrictions are eased beginning on Monday (June 1).
Not so fast.
Most of Metro Manila's public courses are opening on Monday as the capital eases into General Community Quarantine (GCQ), but don't expect it to be as dropping your clubs at the bag drop, paying your dues, and teeing off.
Camp Aguinaldo Golf Club in Quezon City and Navy Golf Club in Makati are restricting play to military personnel and civilian members. Villamor is also not allowing walk-ins as it goes on a 'dry run' beginning on Monday.
The same restrictions more or less applies to its three private golf clubs, namely Wack Wack Golf Club in Mandaluyong, Alabang Golf and Country Club in Muntinlupa, and the posh Manila Golf and Country Club in Makati.
Stringent health protocols, beginning with the no-mask, no-play policy, are also in place in all the courses.
Under the guidelines of its dry run, Villamor will enforce a no-guest policy for 15 days with tee time reservations required three days in advance. A maximum 96 players will be allowed at three players a flight.
Aguinaldo is also requiring tee time reservations three days in advance while reservations are needed at Navy only during weekends and holidays.
Here are the guidelines at Navy:
While Villamor's usually busy driving range remains closed, those at Navy and Aguinaldo will be opened without restrictions.
Individual caddies will no longer be available at Villamor and Aguinaldo. Instead, forecaddies will be stationed in every hole of the course. At Navy, caddies' roles will be limited to pulling carts and acting as forecaddies for players in golf carts.
Locker rooms will be closed at Villamor and Aguinaldo.
If you are really yearning to hit some balls, your best bet is the Veterans Golf Club in Quezon City which will open its driving range on Monday and its course on Wednesday. Its locker room and restaurant will also be fully operational.
The only restrictions at Veterans aside from the usual health protocols is that flights will be limited to a maximum three players.
Club Intramuros, another public course located in Manila, has yet to announce a schedule for its opening, although club officials are set to meet with caddies on Monday.
There is no word yet on the plans of the Philippine Army course in Taguig.
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