Golf is now controversial during the coronavirus pandemic: Is it safe to play?

Golfing, of all things, has become controversial during the coronavirus pandemic.

That’s because golf is the perfect sport for social distancing, but golf courses are sports facilities — like tennis courts and baseball fields — which a growing number of states are closing to avoid crowds.

COVID-19 has infected nearly 1.5 million people and killed about 89,000 across the world, according to theJohns Hopkins University. The United States has more than 432,000 reported cases of the virus and nearly 15,000 deaths.

“As states increasingly crack down on ‘nonessential’ business operations during the coronavirus pandemic, golf courses have fallen into a gray area between permitted recreational activities and potentially dangerous places for people to gather,” Forbes reported.

The result is a tug-of-war between avid golfers seeking exercise during the outbreak and community leaders like Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak, who ordered all sports and recreational facilities, including golf courses, closed this week, according to the Associated Press.

More than half a dozen other states have closed most golf courses, including Hawaii, California, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Washington and Wisconsin, The Golf News reports.

The National Golf Foundation says more than half the nation’s golf facilities are now closed for the pandemic or the weather, including two-thirds of the courses run by cities. Those that remain open say it’s getting tougher.

“Operators find themselves in uncharted territory, from extensive measures being implemented in an effort to ensure the safety of loyal customers and staffers to increased communication with those same groups to keep them informed and help allay fears,” NGF reported this month.

A recent Axios article proclaimed golf “a rare athletic escape in the age of the coronavirus,” because it’s played in the open and doesn’t required players to share equipment. But it also suggested new protocols, including “no post-round handshakes,” only one person per golf cart and raising cups an inch so golfers don’t have to reach into a hole.

Golf.com also came up with tips for golfers trying to play during the pandemic: Use hand sanitizer throughout the round (including on your glove), don’t rent equipment, and wipe down clubs, golf carts, balls and bags.

It also suggests walking rather than using a cart, avoiding cellphone use on the course and spending as little time as possible in the club house.

This story was originally published April 9, 2020 at 8:06 AM with the headline "Golf is now controversial during the coronavirus pandemic: Is it safe to play?."