A very short Blog this week to reflect the fact that we all are waiting eagerly for news on when golf will be allowed to resume. Initially, we believed we would have known something following yesterday’s meeting. However, the Prime Minister dampened down expectation earlier in the week when he said he will make an announcement on Sunday evening, setting out the Government’s plan for easing of the restrictions.

The course will be ready for play as soon as we get the go-ahead thanks to the hard work of Alex and his team. Meanwhile, the Board and the CMC has discussed the arrangements for a return to play. The proposed arrangements will be finalised and published as soon as the Government announces golf can resume and we have confirmed that our approach is fully compliant with any new guidelines the Government might issue. At the same time, we will open up online and telephone bookings.

On behalf of the Board and the CMC I’d just ask, please, if we can all be patient: some of the changes will seem very different to begin with and it undoubtedly will take time for the new arrangements to settle down and for us all to get accustomed to the new ‘normal’. Unfortunately, we cannot simply go back to where we were!

Finally, on a Bank Holiday weekend that is a celebration of the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe, I thought the comments yesterday of the Head of the UK Armed Forces, General Nick Carter were timely and inspiring. He talked of how, in the dark days of World War II, nations stood together to defeat tyranny and stressed the importance of the World adopting the same approach today to fight the Coronavirus pandemic. With the UN too, urging nations to look for solutions not problems, we, as a Nation, must continue to support one another through the weeks and months ahead.

Please click here to read an update on the course from Andrew Chamberlain Greens Chairman.

Here’s hoping for good news on Sunday.

Stay safe one and all.

Best wishes.