Skip to main content

Public Health Status Update for 03/22/2024

Marin County Public Health Status Update for Friday, March 22, 2024, includes Pertussis (Whooping Cough) Outbreak; Partnering for Vaccines in West Marin; New Tools for Addressing Alzheimer’s; AlertMarin Test on March 23, 2024;… Read More

Archived: Required Best Practices for Golf Courses and Racket Clubs 5/15/20

This order has been rescinded and is no longer in effect in Marin County. Please visit the current Health Orders page to review current active orders in Marin.

ARCHIVED: INDUSTRY-SPECIFIC GUIDANCE OF THE HEALTH OFFICER OF

THE COUNTY OF MARIN REGARDING REQUIRED BEST PRACTICES FOR GOLF COURSES AND RACKET CLUBS

This industry-specific guidance is being issued pursuant to the May 15, 2020 Order of the Health Officer of the County of Marin Directing All Individuals in the County to Continue Sheltering in their Place of Residence (the “Shelter in Place Order”) and unless otherwise defined below, initially capitalized terms used in this guidance have the same meaning given them in that order.  This guidance goes into effect immediately upon issuance.

This guidance remains in effect until suspended, superseded, or amended by the Health Officer, is supported by the justifications set forth in the Shelter in Place Order, and automatically incorporates any revisions to that order or other future orders issued by the Health Officer that supersede that order or reference this guidance. All businesses addressed herein and allowed to operate under the Shelter in Place Order are required to follow this industry-specific guidance and implement all Best Practices detailed below.  

This guidance and its enumerated Best Practices may be revised by the Health Officer, through revision of this guidance or another future order, as conditions relating to COVID-19 require, in the discretion of the Health Officer. Each business identified herein must stay updated regarding any changes to the Shelter in Place Order, this guidance, and the Best Practices specifically applicable to it by checking the Marin Recovers website regularly.

UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF CALIFORNIA HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE SECTIONS 101040, 101085, AND 120175, THE HEALTH OFFICER DIRECTS AS FOLLOWS:

  1. This guidance applies to all owners, operators, managers, or supervisors of any business that Shelter in Place Order permits to be open to the public in the County of Marin (the “County”) and that consist of any of the following:

    1. a golf course that normally operated primarily outdoors prior to March 16, 2020 and where there is the ability to fully maintain social distancing of at least six feet between all persons (a “Golf Course”); or

    1. a tennis or other racket sport club that normally operated primarily outdoors prior to March 16, 2020 and where there is the ability to fully maintain social distancing of at least six feet between all persons (a “Racket Club”).

  1. Each Golf Course and Racket Club must create, adopt, and implement a written COVID-19 Site-Specific Protection Plan (a Site-Specific Protection Plan template is available online at marinrecovers.com) that incorporates and addresses all applicable Best Practices included in this guidance.

  1. Depending on the nature of the business covered by this guidance, there may be certain people associated with the business that are subject to this guidance. Collectively those people are referred to by this guidance and the Best Practices as “Personnel”, and those people include all of the following who provide goods or services associated with the business in the County: employees; contractors and sub-contractors (such as those who sell goods or perform services onsite or who deliver goods for the business); independent contractors (such as “gig workers” who perform work via the business’ app or other online interface); vendors who are permitted to sell goods onsite (such as farmers or others who sell at stalls in farmers’ markets); volunteers; and other individuals who regularly provide services onsite at the request of the business. This guidance requires the business to ensure that Personnel who perform work associated with the business are addressed by the COVID-19 Site-Specific Protection Plan and comply with those requirements.

  1. Implementation of this guidance augments—but does not limit—the obligations of each Golf Course and Racket Club under all other existing Health Officer Orders, including, but not limited to, all requirements of the Facial Coverings Order and the obligation to prepare, post, and implement a COVID-19 Site-Specific Protection Plan as required by the Shelter in Place Order.   

  1. Best Practices for Golf Courses:

    1. Ensure all Personnel and guests comply with the Social Distancing Requirements detailed in the Shelter in Place Order.

    1. Conduct all business and transactions involving members of the public in outdoor spaces in accordance with the requirements for Outdoor Businesses detailed in the Shelter in Place Order.

    1. Clubhouses, restaurants, bars and other primarily indoor facilities on or within courses must remain closed as required under Shelter in Place Order.

    1. Groups must be limited to a maximum of four players per group, unless all players within the group are part of a single family or household unit.

    1. Golfers may not share or rent any equipment except as otherwise provided in these Best Practices.

    1. Single riders (or multiple riders from a single household or living unit) on a privately owned golf cart may be permitted. Single riders (or multiple riders from a single household or living unit) who are otherwise physically unable to walk the course may be permitted to rent carts. All rented carts will be sanitized after each use. Hand Carts will be sanitized after each use. Golfers must otherwise walk the course. 

    1. All high-touch surfaces and equipment (i.e. water stations, hand towels, ball washers, flag sticks, scorecards and pencils, etc.) must be removed from the range or course prior to operation. Cups must be lifted above the putting surface to ensure there is no retrieval of ball from the cup.

    1. No tournament style events, group instruction or clinics.

    1. Golf courses and driving ranges operating within Marin County shall be open to Marin County residents only.

    1. The owner or manager of each golfing site shall provide security or patrolling to ensure golfers’ compliance with the requirements of these Best Practices.

  1. Best Practices for Racket Clubs:

    1. Ensure all Personnel and guests comply with the Social Distancing Requirements detailed in the Shelter in Place Order.

    1. Tennis, pickleball, and other racket sports may only be played between members of the same household or living unit or between a maximum two single individuals outside of the same household or living unit.

    1. Players may only use outdoor courts, as any Outdoor Businesses, including racket clubs, must conduct all business and transactions involving members of the public in outdoor spaces. Indoor portions of clubs must generally be closed to the public.

    1. No equipment may be shared between players, including tennis and pickleball balls and racket.

    1. Rental of equipment is not permitted.

    1. Each player must mark their balls with clear and unique markings.

    1. Players will only serve and touch their own tennis and pickleball balls. When another player’s ball needs to be returned to them, it will be rolled or hit to them with a racket, without touching the ball in any way, a historical common practice.

    1. Players should arrive to the facility no more than ten minutes prior the time expected to play leave the facility immediate after play, and no extra-curricular or social activity should take place.

    1. Reservation systems, which provide an additional means to limit capacity, usage, and congregation, shall be used whenever possible.

    1. Where possible, each facility should be clearly marked with designated paths of travel.

    1. All court gates and entrances will be roped off (when closed) or left open (during hours of court operation) to prevent touching.

    1. All stationary furniture, such as benches, will be roped off to prevent congregating and touching.  All moveable furniture will be stacked, roped off, or removed from the area to prevent congregating and touching. All water dispensers will be removed or roped off to prevent touching.

    1. All court entrances must be equipped with signage communicating CDC and county guidelines and expectations.

    1. All players over the age of 12 are encouraged to wear a face mask during play pursuant to the Health Officer’s Face Covering Order. Players over the age of 12 and/or Personnel are required to wear a mask, pursuant to the Health Officer’s Face Covering Order, when not actively playing.

  1. This guidance is issued in furtherance of the purposes of the Shelter in Place Order. Where a conflict exists between this guidance and any state, local, or federal public health order related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including, without limitation, the Site-Specific Protection Plan, the most restrictive provision controls. Failure to carry out this guidance is a violation of the Shelter in Place Order, constitutes an imminent threat and menace to public health, constitutes a public nuisance, and is a misdemeanor punishable by fine, imprisonment, or both.

__________________________________                            Date: May 15, 2020

Matt Willis, MD, MPH                                                           

Health Officer of the County of Marin