Ohio Golf Journal June 2020

Ohio Golf News Ohio Governor adds new mandates for golf Ohio Governor, Mike Dewine has been on the hot seat during the COVID-19 pandemic and one of the more controversial closings were golf courses. The major golf organizations within the state presented safety protocols to the governor’s office that would allow courses to re-open. Even after the governor ruled courses could open for play, local public health authorities forced their closure until pressure came to bear and they became convinced golf was safe for the public to enjoy. There is a long list of safety protocols that golf facilities must adhere. It appears all courses are taking compliance with these rules seriously, golf is in full swing, and golfers are doing their best to keep the game safe. USGA cancels Qualifiers in 2020 The USGA has been forced to cancel most of their tournament schedule for 2020. Only four championship events will be held this year. The U.S. Open annually conducts numerous qualifiers for these national championships but cancelled all qualifiers this year. USGA Senior Managing Director of Championships, John Bodenhamer said, “As you can imagine, this was an incredibly difficult decision, as qualifying is a cornerstone of USGA championships. We take great pride in the fact that many thousands typically enter to pursue their dream of qualifying for a USGA championship and we deeply regret that they will not have that opportunity this year. But this structure provides the best path forward for us to conduct these championships in 2020.” The U.S. Open has been rescheduled from its normal June date to September 17-20. Normally over 10,000 hopefuls try to qualify for the field of the U.S. Open, but this year it will be by invitation only. The USGA will still hold the U.S. Amateur, August 10-16, U.S. Women’s Amateur, August 3-9 and the U.S. Women’s Open, December 10-13. Ohio Golf Journal