Speculation- when will the 2021 Ontario golf season start?

[Bosco]

Based on today’s announcements - will we start golfing same time as last year, earlier, or heaven forbid - later?
talk amongst yourselves ✌

[Lefty17]

I think it follows the same from previous years whenever the course is ready. It’s showed last year Covid wasn’t a problem and didn’t spread through the courses. Keep the same measures in place and off we go.

[crunch27]

Let’s just hope we don’t have a third wave in March/April.

[Weirfan]

Will all depend on the case count and status of hospital load.

Last May, when golf got going cases were in the 300's daily, right now we are well over 3,000 daily and modelling is saying that could still get much worse. If it was golf weather today , there is zero chance courses would be allowed to open.

Let's hope people abide by the stay in place order and that by Spring things are under much better control.

[PistolPete]

A very little concerns that course openings will be COVID impacted this year. Once weather allows post beginning of March we will be back on the links

[bl8d]

Hint. I scrounged up a back-up net for my backyard "drivingrange". lol

I have two Underpar listings that I have to put into play before June. I am not very hopeful about these given the Covid projections.

[gushamilton]

I am pretty confident courses will open on schedule this year.

[4wedges]

I am thinking like Weirfan, that if case counts remain as high as they are now, that the season will be delayed. Last year the counts were nowhere near where they are now.

[racmbs]

mr.poker should be able to let us know. Last year he was bang on and I'm still feasting on that crow.

[Weirfan]

mr.poker should be able to let us know. Last year he was bang on and I'm still feasting on that crow.

[Fore Warned]

Will all depend on the case count and status of hospital load.

Last May, when golf got going cases were in the 300's daily, right now we are well over 3,000 daily and modelling is saying that could still get much worse. If it was golf weather today , there is zero chance courses would be allowed to open.

Let's hope people abide by the stay in place order and that by Spring things are under much better control.

That is interesting. I think the rules are unclear. Going outside to exercise is a permitted activity. Golf has not been specifically excluded.

Rather than just assume they can't open, I imagine some golf courses might open when the weather permits to test the limits of the lockdown.

But, I am not so optimistic as others here.

One big unknown is the new Covid variant.

It apparently is far more contagious and Covid cases are expected to double in 10 to 15 days, rather than in 40 days with current strain. And it could become the dominant strain in Ontario as soon as late February, well before mass vaccinations are set to begin in April.
New coronavirus variant could dominate in Ontario by next month, model shows | CBC News

Also, the new Ontario lockdown rules recommend wearing masks outside, when social distancing is not practical...and reduces the number of outdoor gathering from 10 to 5 people. At a minimum, some courses, if they actually open are going to have to be far more vigilant about practice facilities and clustering of people around the first tee.

If the new Covid variant takes hold and the numbers skyrocket, I am not sure we can expect golf courses to operate as they did last year.

The weak and conflicting measures implemented during the holiday period did nothing to flatten the curve. As expected, allowing shopping into Christmas and in areas adjacent to those closed, encouraged gathering and crowding. I don't expect the new measure coming in on Thursday to be greatly more efficient at reducing the numbers.

In the absence of serious control measures and lackadaisical public observance of social distancing, I think we are headed for continuing increases in case numbers in the next months.

I don't see spring openings of golf course as a sure thing. We will be dealing with a whole new scenario that is likely to be worse than the current situation.

[Weirfan]

^^^^ somebody posted yesterday that golf was not allowed , might have been AD.
I cannot imagine it would be considered an essential reason to leave the house so there is that as well. If it was not on a list , many things weren't....That may also just be because it is not golf season.

I heard 3rd hand a call made to one of the Niagara courses that stays open in winter was met with they are not allowed to open. Maybe someone can call and confirm this.

[wongmb]

if it remains "stay at home" order, golf course wont be allowed to open. Lets hope by April, case numbers have come down, vaccination is going ahead of schedule. Issue is people are simply not taking it as seriously, as compared to the first wave. sigh

[Fore Warned]

As far as I know, unless this changes....cross country ski facilities plan to remain open. Places require pre-paid tickets and some require a completed on-line Covid screening questionnaire. No indoor dining, change rooms, retail or registration. Only washrooms are open and numbers allowed at one time are limited. Some have ski or snowshoe rentals, some don't - but looks like fat bikes might be OK

See...Trail Conditions | Hardwood Ski and Bike - Oro-Medonte

Porcupine Ski Runners - Cross Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, Timmins, Ontario, Northern Ontario, Outdoor Sports, Winter Recreation

january 13 – Highlands Nordic

So.....not a lot different from golf.

Will be interesting to see of tomorrow's notice changes.

[bl8d]

is anyone tracking what outdoor activities incur the most Covit relatable infection/deaths?

ie. cycling, running ,tennis, golf.