So, we’ve all heard the news. Walt Disney World is closed. We don’t like it, but we accept it as necessity to “flatten the curve” and heal our state from the COVID-19 crisis. We’ve watched the news updates as Disney closed the theme parks, Disney Springs, and finally its hotels. There’s nothing left to do at Walt Disney World until this crisis is over, right? Well…. almost… Disney Golf and FootGolf courses are still operating on a regular schedule, albeit with some procedural changes and considerations.
To be fair to Disney (although Arnold Palmer actually owns and operates these Disney-property courses), several guidelines have been put into place to ensure guest safety and security during this outbreak. For example:
- Guests can take individual golf carts to remain distanced from other golfers.
- Golf carts are sanitized between each and every guest.
- Other sanitization procedures have increased.
- Cash payments are no longer accepted at the golf course.
- Payments and reservations are available online.
- Pins are raised, so that contact is not necessary when retrieving a ball.
With the combination of social distancing plus the extra precautions described above, golfing is a relatively safe recreational activity. Additionally, Disney Golf courses are not the only ones choosing to remain open. Falcon’s Fire in Kissimmee and Streamsong in Bowling Green are among those welcoming golfers during this time.
By itself, the decision to keep the courses open isn’t really that problematic. It’s reasonably safe and offers them some kind of income while the rest of the world is closed. But that was before new government guidelines came into effect.
Related: Orlando Without Theme Parks: Ongoing Coverage of the COVID-19 Crisis
On April 1, we learned that Governor Ron DeSantis would issue a statewide executive order providing enhanced social distancing guidelines. Within the order, residents are encouraged to stay at home except for approved “essential activities,” like shopping for food or going to necessary doctor appointments. The governor provided this list of additional permitted activities:
As you can see, golfing is neither explicitly allowed nor explicitly excluded in this order. It’s hard to justify golfing as an “essential” activity, but it does provide an outdoor recreational activity akin to biking or fishing.
Perhaps the biggest difference between golfing and the specifically permitted activities is ease of access. You can go for a run or bike ride directly from your house. You don’t need to get in a car and travel somewhere to do these activities. Many people in Florida can also fish or hunt with this same amount of ease, but very few of us live directly on a golf course. Especially the Disney courses require at least some level of travel to participate in these activities.
It’s a complicated issue, and I can see both sides of the argument. What do you think? Should Disney Golf Courses remain open through the quarantine, or should they be closed with the rest of the resort?
