City of San Angelo Rules: On Second Thought, You Can Play Golf

SAN ANGELO, TX — Citing a newer discussion on golf by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, the City of San Angelo announced Saturday that citizens should be allowed to play golf.

At the press conference and briefing Friday, Gov. Abbott said, “Golf courses [were] not included in the list of essential services, however we did say that people should feel free to go take a walk in a park to advance their own personal health. So here’s the way that is applied, and that is, golf courses and the staff that work at golf courses, the employment operation of it, has to be closed for a couple of reasons, one so you don’t have people within the clubhouse say who could be transmitting the coronavirus but also it wouldn’t provide a gathering place where people could contract the coronavirus. However people are free to walk along, or even with a golf club and a golf ball, go along a golf course, a public golf course anybody can.

“A private golf course, the clubhouse is supposed to be closed, but members who are authorized to be on that premises, can walk along the course with a golf club and golf ball. As long as they are all maintaining safe distancing practices and following the CDC standards to make sure they aren’t transmitting the coronavirus,” Abbott said.

The City of San Angelo cited a Texas Municipal League interpretation of Governor Abbott’s earlier declaration about essential businesses, outdoor parks, and golf as meaning municipalities in Texas must close golf courses.

The decision was met with much resistance. Many asked not gather in safe distances in the large open areas golf courses provide? In Austin, the messaging was garbled. “The governor just said golf course operations are non-essential except for maintenance so no golf shop, locker room or clubhouse but can play as long as social distance,” was the answer we received when asking for clarification at the State. The governor’s staff promised to clarify restrictions on golf courses at the next coronavirus briefing held Friday.

The City rules you may golf starting at the strike of 12 a.m. on April 13. This may or may not occur if the golf course owners still won’t allow it. “Citizens should contact local golf courses to see how they are going to proceed under the governors direction,” the City stated in a press release.