Subject to the prevailing guidelines, the following safety policies and procedures have been implemented during this time in order to best protect the health of everyone participating in a BJGT event this season.
It is important to note that if you choose to play any BJGT tournaments, you do so entirely at your own risk. By registering and playing any BJGT event, you acknowledge that you have agreed to all BJGT policies and procedures (please see ‘Tour Policy’ on our website), including the operational changes below.
Please do not attend any BJGT events if you cannot adhere to these procedures. All protocols are subject to change without notice and special attention must be paid to pre-event emails, as they may also outline club-specific guidelines that we must follow.
- Everyone must obey the social distancing rule of maintaining 2 metres at all times and the ‘Rule of 6 or Two Households’, which specifies that people cannot gather in groups larger than 6 or two households at any point. This includes the clubhouse, registration area, putting green, driving range, golf course, scoring, and throughout the round.
- Upon arrival (around 1 hour before your scheduled tee time), please verbally notify the registration table (this will be located in the vicinity of the clubhouse or first tee, or in the clubhouse) that you are present, while maintaining social distancing guidelines. Scorecards will be available for you to collect from the desk, as usual. Please ensure that you collect your card before you head off to the tee.
- Please only spend a few minutes on the driving range and putting green, to give everyone a chance to use those facilities safely.
- Please arrive at the first tee 10 minutes before your scheduled tee time or you will be penalised.
- Please do not switch scorecards.
- Instead of a traditional handshake before or after your round, please give a friendly nod, a tip of your cap, or a simple wave as a form of greeting or sportsmanship.
On The Course
- If your ball comes to rest in a bunker, the player is permitted to lift, clean, and place their ball within 6 inches of where their ball landed, and the area cannot be smoothed before placing. Local rules may be in place.
- Rakes will have been removed from bunkers at most courses. However, should a rake be present, please do not use it. Once a player hits their ball out of the bunker, the player should do their best to smooth the sand with their feet.
- Under the Rules of Golf, players are permitted to leave the flagstick in the hole while putting. At this time, all players MUST leave the flagstick in and not touch it.
- A player’s ball is considered ‘holed’ if any part of the ball is below the surface of the putting green, even if not lodged against the flagstick. A ball which happens to bounce out of the cup, off a pool noodle or other device, is not holed.
- Upon completion of your round, the group will head to the scoring area. Players will verbally agree to the hole by hole scores for each player, as usual. After agreeing, the marker will sign the scorecard and leave it on the desk. The player will not sign his/her own scorecard.
- The BJGT staff (or golf club staff at affiliated events) will verify totals with each player and enter the scores into the system.
- After scoring is complete, please remember to social distance at all times in all common areas.
- At this time, trophy presentations (if it is at all possible to run these) will be conducted with social distancing and ‘Rule of 6 or Two Households’ in place, but we would encourage you to make your way home if you are not likely to be in a Top 3 position. Results and OOM points will be posted online, as usual.
The BJGT is asking players and parents/caddies to use the following precautions:
- If you have tested positive for COVID-19 and have not yet been fully cleared, if you have been in contact with someone infected within the past 14 days, if you have visited an area which comes with the requirement to quarantine on your return, if you live in an area that is currently under local lockdown, if you feel unwell, or if you are at risk, please stay at home!
- Unless you are aged under 11 years, or exempt for any other reason, please remember to bring a face mask to wear in all indoor areas, at all times, unless you are seated to eat or drink.
- Please wash your hands frequently. If you can’t wash them on the course, use hand sanitiser frequently.
- Please avoid touching your face, including your mouth, nose, lips or eyes.
- Please do not touch anyone else’s equipment, on or off the course.
If bar and catering facilities are open (we expect this to be the case at all our events, at least to some extent), we know that it would be much appreciated if you could support the hosting clubs by buying a drink or having some food before or after your round. Thank you!
The BJGT will continue to act in the best interest of our tournament families, as our top priority is the safety of our players, parents/caddies, and BJGT and golf club staff.
Thank you for your cooperation!
