Is this a permissible form of practice during lockdown?

[Orikoru]

I was thinking about taking a PW and some golf balls down the park for some pitching practise - 70 yards ish. I wouldn't want to hit it any further for risk of hitting any walkers. That would be your main problem on the pitch and putt if it's open to the public.

 

[USER1999]

Would that matter though? I would've thought any golf insurance worth a dam wont actually cover golf shots that hit someone that are not played on a designated course etc

Golf specific insurance, no, but you would need some sort of cover, or if you hit and hurt someone you could be in real trouble.

 

[Slab]

Golf specific insurance, no, but you would need some sort of cover, or if you hit and hurt someone you could be in real trouble.

Not sure what such a policy would look like. Covers you for wielding a bat/ball in public areas that might cause injury. Everyone chucking a Frisbee round the park could need a policy, bit of beach volleyball and a passerby gets sand in their eye etc

I doubt the insurance exists to cover such things but stand to be corrected

 

[oxymoron]

Playing devils advocate here , why on earth don't you just accept there is a lockdown and stop trying to circumnavigate the rules ?
They are saying don't drive unless needed because if you have an accident you will put more work on the NHS , so surely hitting balls in a public (non golf course ) area is
just the same ? You may hit someone then off to A&E they go !

 

[DanFST]

They are saying don't drive unless needed because if you have an accident you will put more work on the NHS

I'm reading that on here by numerous posters, never seen it said by anyone with any power tho.

 

[Ssshank]

Playing devils advocate here , why on earth don't you just accept there is a lockdown and stop trying to circumnavigate the rules ?
They are saying don't drive unless needed because if you have an accident you will put more work on the NHS , so surely hitting balls in a public (non golf course ) area is
just the same ? You may hit someone then off to A&E they go !

There's no mention of a restriction in movement for exercise purposes, it states that you can visit public gardens for example.

 

[jim8flog]

Not sure what such a policy would look like. Covers you for wielding a bat/ball in public areas that might cause injury. Everyone chucking a Frisbee round the park could need a policy, bit of beach volleyball and a passerby gets sand in their eye etc

I doubt the insurance exists to cover such things but stand to be corrected

General Public liability on most home insurance polices would normally cover you unless you are doing something that is prohibited by law, e.g if a park has golf prohibited notices you would not be covered.

 

[rudebhoy]

I was thinking about taking a PW and some golf balls down the park for some pitching practise - 70 yards ish. I wouldn't want to hit it any further for risk of hitting any walkers. That would be your main problem on the pitch and putt if it's open to the public.

It's actually 2 p&ps, 18 hole and 9 hole. The 9 hole is actually larger in terms of land mass - it's rectangular, I'd say about 800-1000 yards long and 200-250 yards wide. The vast majority of walkers follow a path along the clifftops to the side of the course. It would be very easy to pick an area to hit into which would have no-one anywhere near it, particularly if I was just hitting wedges.

In theory it would be very safe, the problem would be the folk who would be phoning up 101 to report it. Nonsensical given the adjacent beach is packed, there are massive queues at the coffee shacks, and people sat on benches beside them drinking their coffee, a couple of feet away from strangers, but that's life.

 

[jim8flog]

I'm reading that on here by numerous posters, never seen it said by anyone with any power tho.

The Gov. Rules.

11. Travel

If you live in England, you must stay at home and avoid travel in the UK or overseas, unless for work, education or other legally permitted reasons. If you need to travel you should look to reduce the number of journeys if possible.

... to spend time or exercise outdoors - this should be done locally wherever possible, but you can travel to do so if necessary (for example, to access an open space)

 

[Garush34]

My guess is that if you have had to ask the question you already know that somehow it's not right to do it.

Just accept that currently you can't play golf, if you were allowed to then the courses would be open.

 

[DanFST]

but you can travel to do so if necessary(for example, to access an open space)

The example you quoted is the exact thing the OP needs, an open space so when he shanks one, no one gets hurt.

 

[oxymoron]

There's no mention of a restriction in movement for exercise purposes, it states that you can visit public gardens for example.

Look at this this ,
https://news.sky.com/story/coronavi...-non-essential-trips-during-lockdown-12128401

Looks like if you cannot justify your journey , and i bet hitting a little white ball around a field would be a tad hard to justify at the moment
then you may be really in the brown stuff.
However what if you had mobility issues then a drive out may be your only form mental\physical relaxation.

 

[Sats]

I'd look at your local council open space rules as a lot forbid golf practice normally. For example Lambeth council you'd be looking at a £80 fine. If you're going onto a club to hit balls I'd expect a lot of onlookers to report and then you could be in more bother than what it's worth just to be patient.

 

[Ssshank]

Look at this this ,
https://news.sky.com/story/coronavi...-non-essential-trips-during-lockdown-12128401

Looks like if you cannot justify your journey , and i bet hitting a little white ball around a field would be a tad hard to justify at the moment
then you may be really in the brown stuff.
However what if you had mobility issues then a drive out may be your only form mental\physical relaxation.

The words "might be" not legally binding.

Plus you wouldn't have an accident while hitting balls, so if anything were to happen you'd just say you were on the way to the shop with some conveniently placed shopping bags placed in your boot.

Though that would be unnecessary as it states that you can drive to open spaces, hence it would be void anyway as the trip is justified based on government legislation.

 

[robinthehood]

Fine by me mate, you crack on

 

[backwoodsman]

Look at this this ,
https://news.sky.com/story/coronavi...-non-essential-trips-during-lockdown-12128401

Looks like if you cannot justify your journey , and i bet hitting a little white ball around a field would be a tad hard to justify at the moment
then you may be really in the brown stuff.
However what if you had mobility issues then a drive out may be your only form mental\physical relaxation.

Sorry, but that story is just scaremongering. There is no blanket prohibition on making journeys. The rules just say you " must stay at home ... avoid travel .... unless for ... legally permitted reasons". Of which there are many.

And why do people keep saying you cant make "unneccesary journeys"? The rules dont use the work "unneccessary".

And, why oh why, do folk keep banging on about not travelling because you might crash or break down? Not travelling is naff all to do with breaking down, or crashing or whatever. The exhortation to stay at home & not travel, is simply that the less we move around, the less we cart the virus about.

Sorry, rant over

 

[rudebhoy]

So .... was out for a walk yesterday and passed by the pitch and putt course where I was originally thinking of practising. There were 2 guys at one end of the course hitting balls into the middle of it. Judging by the number of balls, they had been there for a while.

It was a lovely afternoon, loads of folk on the beach below, and quite a few walking the perimeter of the p&p course. I was a bit surprised but no-one we saw seemed bothered by it. Am tempted to give it a go one day this week, if I get down nice and early, there should be a lot fewer people around

Interestingly, on the actual promenade, there was a street entertainer jumping through a series of hoops, some with knives, some on fire. He drew a decent sized crowd. I would have thought that was definitely not permitted. Apparently the police had came down in the morning and tried to move him on, but he was still there so obviously they had given up. He reckoned he had been an international hurdler. Quite bizarre.

 

[MarkT]

What do you think of a pro/tour pro being allowed to use the course for practice? Think a few do now and did through the first lockdown as it's their profession. Personally don't have any problem at all but imagine it would irritate a few. Any thoughts?

 

[Tashyboy]

What do you think of a pro/tour pro being allowed to use the course for practice? Think a few do now and did through the first lockdown as it's their profession. Personally don't have any problem at all but imagine it would irritate a few. Any thoughts?

Yup it would more than irritate me. The person that sees said golfer/pro/tour guy practicing don’t know he is a pro or tour golfer yet reports him to the Bizzies. At the end of the day what’s the difference between him and me. Am sure there’s plenty of places to practice away from the course.

 

[Sports_Fanatic]

What do you think of a pro/tour pro being allowed to use the course for practice? Think a few do now and did through the first lockdown as it's their profession. Personally don't have any problem at all but imagine it would irritate a few. Any thoughts?

No issue at all. It's their work and they are trying to practice to maintain their livelihood and I thought it would be within the rules (e.g. like football academies). It's a much bigger issue for them not to play than your average club golfer.

This assumes sensible Covid precautions being taken which is easy enough in golf. I'd probably argue that they should be opening sport up at the elite level sooner or even high amateurs. Appreciate there is a cost of having to implement Covid precautions but the story of girls academies in football being shut doesn't seem right.