Golf carts for single users now permitted for rental at all golf courses in New York

   Golf carts are now allowed to be rented out for single users at all courses on Long Island and in New York State. The state park courses at Bethpage, Sunken Meadow and Montauk, which had not been renting carts, are now doing so, along with all private clubs and privately owned public facilities.

    Empire State Development, through which guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic flows, approved cart rentals over the weekend and other golf related measures. Municipalities on Long Island, both Nassau and Suffolk County, along with several towns, had approved cart use beginning a week and a half ago because they were exempt from much of the guidance.    The new guidance allows for lessons to be given and driving ranges to be open. In an email sent out to its member clubs on Sunday by the  New York State Club Managers Association, president Charles Dorn outlined these points:     * Golf and tennis lessons are now permitted.     *Driving ranges may be opened.     *Locker rooms may now be used.     *Single occupancy golf carts are now permitted. (One bag per cart)      “In every instance, we have been told it will be incumbent upon the club to establish appropriate safety protocols, sanitizing efforts and social distancing measures,” said Dorn in the memo.          “The members will be happy when they can come into the clubhouse and get some food and drink and use the restrooms,” said Barry Chandler, general manager of the Nissequogue Golf Club. “Right now they are delighted to be able to use the carts.”     Cart use had been a big issue for older players and the handicapped, and until this week they had been shut out from using them at private clubs and privately owned publicly accessible courses.       Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s Executive Order 202.6, which lays out the pandemic guidance, was updated late Tuesday morning. Under Item 13 that deals with recreation, the word nonessential has been removed in reference to golf.     “We’re back in action, I’m exhausted,” said Rock Hill director of golf Mike Jacobs. “I just think we are all mentally fried from the last couple of months. But it’s back to normal.”    

TO OUR READERS

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