Restarting St Francis Links will be structured to protect all!
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- Aerial of the 9th
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- and the 18th
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- the 4th
All of us who form EXCO and senior management at St Francis Links have all been involved in strategy sessions to “right size” (a term used by one of my colleagues in a Zoom call) the business going forward.
Our panel of 10 in my PGA/Club Manager Zoom agreed on a number of topics
- Safety 1st
- Ensure that all employees are safe, tested daily and provided with proper clothing and a clean working environment
- Ensure that all who come to the facilities for work, visits or pleasure are screened
- Provide members and guests with disposable masks
- Adhere to all regulations regarding social distancing and health care
- Focus on the experience when offerings may be compromised
- Keep the course and facilities at the highest standard possible (that’s how we got where we are)
- Food and Beverage may not be allowed – do what we can, well!
- Single seating (with adjustments to fees) may be required
- No locker room facilities
- No gatherings – we already comply to 10 minute times and will eliminate 2-tee starts
- Change the model – communicate through social media
- Modify the local rules for equity and an enhanced experience.
- Modify the course (we have) to promote par-3 and short course opportunities
- Keep your staff employed
- Many of our people have been with us for years – they know what you want and how you want it!
- We may be forced to change the model for F&B and Golf – but member needs and wants come first
- Hours and days of operation may be adjusted in the short and medium-term to control expenses.
- Transporting one team for one or two shifts may prove effective without compromising service
- Casual staff will fall away with the expected stop in functions
- Note: We got on our belly in 2009, restructuring the entire Estate to be “lean and mean” (friendly) overlapping duties and working as one – that prepared us for now.
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- aerial of the 2nd
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- the 12th and beyond
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- the tee at 13
American golf courses are reopening
There are plenty of challenges associated with reopening a golf course in the current environment. Most clubhouses and pro shops are closed or extremely limited. Golf carts are restricted or banned altogether. Social distancing is certainly feasible if golfers are committed to it, but it’s difficult for courses to enforce. Last week, we profiled the changes undergone by Asheville, N.C.’s municipal golf course in order to open. But several days later, the course closed again, describing the challenges as “unreasonable and impossible to execute.” Now the course plans to re-re-open, although they won’t enforce the city’s request for only one player on a green at a time.
“There is a misconception from those who don’t play golf that people are crammed together,” said Keith Pope, the CEO of the course’s management company. “But those who play know that it’s very easy to maintain social distancing. Our smallest green is about 3,000 square feet, which is bigger than most people’s houses.”
In golf, as with the rest of the coronavirus response, there are no simple answers. But responsible players looking for a socially-distanced game just might have something to look forward to in the near future.
Grant Hepburn, CEO of the Golf Deveolpment Board was interviewed by Lali Stander, Media Liason for Golf RSA and the Sunshine Tour
Rescheduled for July 10
Club Championships April 24-26, 2020 (on hold)
The 2020 Calendar and results
This year, we will be seeing more weddings, fewer golfing National events (due to rotation) and more member functions as our member play is the fastest-growing category in golf. We look forward to more sponsored days with ITEC and Selective Lighting/The Fire Works and the addition of a new partnership between Pam Golding Properties and Village Square SuperSpa
4-5 Jan The Pam Golding Annual, SFBGC Champions, Series tied 7 all
7-8 Jan Men’s Member-Member Partnership, Roger Smith and Charlie Gilmore, Champions
8 Jan ITEC Open Wednesday, Dr Danie Cronjé and Mel Maubec, winners on 51pts
18 Jan Windhoek Pairs qualifying, Geoff Garratt and Ernest Müller, winners on 49pts
29 Jan Pam Golding/ Village Square SuperSpar Alliance, Gill, Hool, Garratt and Wilson-Jones on 87pts
12 Feb ITEC Open Wednesday, Karl-Johann and Nyana Persson on 45pts
14 Feb Valentine’s Day Dress-up Golf; Dinner with entertainment, The Gobby’s 45pts
26 Feb Pam Golding/ Village Square SuperSpar Alliance, Coesens, White, Gobby and Spangenberg 91 pts
12 Mar ITEC Open Wednesday, TK and Percy Owen 51pts
25 Mar Pam Golding/Village Square SuperSpar Alliance cancelled
27 Mar Ernie Els for Autism Golf Day rescheduled for July 10
3 Apr Selective Lighting / The Fireworks – 15h00 shotgun cancelled
8 Apr ITEC Open Wednesday cancelled
11 Apr Greensomes to be rescheduled
24-26 Apr Club Championships on hold
1 May Selective Lighting / The Fireworks – 15h00 shotgun
2-3 May Pam Golding Ladies Open Weekend
13 May ITEC Open Wednesday
21-22 May Woodlands Dairy Charity Days for HOSPICE
24 May Nomads at St Francis Links (10h30 off 2-tees)
27 May Pam Golding/Village Square SuperSpar Alliance
6 Jun The Bard’au Ladies’ Invitational
10 Jun ITEC Open Wednesday
12 Jun Selective Lighting / The Fireworks – 15h00 shotgun
17-19 Jun Nomads National Order of Merit* – Juniors earning International points
5 Jul Selective Lighting / The Fireworks – 15h00 shotgun
20 Jun Foursomes
21-22 Jun PGA Pro Pairs (SFL)
24 Jun Pam Golding/Village Square SuperSpar Alliance
8 Jul ITEC Open Wednesday
17-19 Jul Men’s Invitational
26-27 Jul PGA Regional Finals (SFBGC and SFL)
29 Jul Pam Golding/Village Square SuperSpar Alliance
1-2 Aug EP Amateur Championships (course closed)
7 Aug Selective Lighting / The Fireworks – 15h00 shotgun
8-9 Aug EP Amateur Championships – Matchplay finals
20-3 Aug/Sep Closed for Spring Programme
4 Sep Selective Lighting / The Fireworks – 15h00 shotgun
9 Sep ITEC Open Wednesday
25-27 Sep LINKS CUP South Africa (Ryder Cup at Whistling Straights)
30 Sep Pam Golding/Village Square SuperSpar Alliance
2 Oct Selective Lighting / The Fireworks – 15h00 shotgun
3 Oct Stulting Golf Day
14 Oct ITEC Open Wednesday
28 Oct Pam Golding/Village Square SuperSpar Alliance
5 Nov Eastern Province SENIORS
6 Nov Selective Lighting / The Fireworks – 15h00 shotgun
11 Nov ITEC Open Wednesday
16 Nov Men’s Muirfield Day (3rd Annual)
22 Nov “The Trophy” – St Francis Links sponsored Amateur Champs
25 Nov Pam Golding/Village Square SuperSpar Alliance
25 Nov Members’ Oscars
5 Dec Ladies’ Member-Member
9 Dec ITEC Open Wednesday
12 Dec Ultimate Par-3 Championships
16 Dec The Kromme-Enviro Trust Amazing Race
5-6 Jan Men’s Member-Member Partnership
8-9 Jan The Pam Golding Annual
