I was told by a friend, that a Minneapolis radio station was rippin' on the city of Bismarck for opening our golf courses.  Of course, the gist of their rant was because they felt it would further spread COVID-19.  So, I looked into what measures Bismarck Parks and Rec had taken to address these concerns.  Here's what I found out.

Tom O’Leary and Pebble Creek Golf Courses Open April 1

Tom O’Leary Golf Course, 1200 N Washington St., and Pebble Creek Golf Course, 2525 N 19th St., will open for play at 11am on Wednesday, April 1. At this time, golf course hours will be 11am-6:30pm daily.

Bismarck Parks and Recreation District (BPRD) encourages all golfers to follow these golf course procedures for safety during this COVID-19 pandemic.

  • Reservations must be made in advance for tee times in 14-minute increments. Reservations can be made online or by calling the golf course. The phone number for Tom O’Leary Golf Course is 222-6531. The phone number at Pebble Creek Golf Course is 223-3600. Payment information will be taken over the phone at the time of reservation and a receipt will be emailed. Cash will not be accepted on site.
  • There will be a maximum of four players allowed in a group.
  • Pull carts are allowed and golf cars are available to rent.  Only one person is allowed per golf carts.  Rental and demo clubs are not available at this time.
  • The golf shops and lounge areas at both courses are closed to the public. There are no indoor restrooms available. There are portable restrooms on the course.
  • A ball is considered holed when it touches the cup-sized target placed on the green.  It is very important not to touch this target with your hands.  Do not move this target. Staff will change these locations throughout the week based on the number of rounds played.

So, as you can see precautions have certainly been made.  I really see no issues with this.  Golf is great form of exercise and social distancing is certainly possible while playing.  It keeps a sense of normalcy in our community.  Unfortunately,  it looks like the weather is not going to cooperate the next few days.

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