The Brisbane Golf Club has prepared the following communication to advise Members of the measures we are putting in place around ‘social distancing’.
Our primary concern is to take reasonable steps to provide for the health and wellbeing of our Members, guests and staff.
Please note our services and facilities remain open and available to Members and guests.
At all times we are being guided by the daily Australian Government updates on COVID-19 and their recommendations.
What is social distancing and why is it important?
Social distancing includes ways to stop or slow the spread of infectious diseases. It means less contact between people.
Social distancing is important because COVID-19 is most likely to spread from person-to-person through:
- direct close contact with a person while they are infectious or in the 24 hours before their symptoms appeared.
- close contact with a person with a confirmed infection who coughs or sneezes, or
- touching objects or surfaces (such as door handles or tables) contaminated from a cough or sneeze from a person with a confirmed infection, and then touching your mouth or face.
So, the more space between people the harder it is for the virus to spread.
Managing social distancing at BGC?
We have instituted a number of new practices to respond to the Coronavirus.
- We have increased the distance between tables in the Member’s Lounge and Garden Room.
- We have increased our cleaning schedule especially for the locker rooms and on course toilets.
- We have removed the small pins from the practice putting greens.
- Where possible we are leaving doors open removing the need to push doors open and turn door knobs.
- We will continue to have hand sanitiser located in the Member’s Lounge and Golf Shop.
- We are encouraging Members to keep a distance between themselves and other Members.
- We have installed education signage around the Club.
Will we continue Member events?
As you would be aware, our Federal Government has outlawed anyone from holding organised, non-essential indoor public gatherings of more than 100 people from Wednesday, 18 March 2020.
We will monitor our events that have attendances around this limit and make alternate arrangements as required. Already a decision has been made to cancel the following Member events:
- US Masters Breakfast
- Anzac Day Ceremony
- Mother’s Day Breakfast
- Trivia Night
- The Beatlegs
A reminder about good hygiene
Members are asked to practice good hygiene to protect against infection and prevent virus spreading.
Good hygiene includes:
- Covering your coughs and sneezes with your elbow or a tissue.
- Disposing of tissues properly.
- Washing your hands often with soap and water, including before and after eating and after going to the toilet.
- Using alcohol-based hand sanitisers.
- Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces.
- If you are sick, avoiding contact with others and staying more than 1.5 metres away from people.
On the golf course and around the Clubhouse we are also suggesting:
- That Members leave the flagstick in and untouched for the entire round.
- You avoid the 18th green handshake and replace with a new tradition – maybe the elbow bump.
- You leave your playing glove on when raking bunkers.
- You avoid sharing a cart with a Member and consider walking. If walking is not an option for you the golf shop will try to allocate two motorised carts instead of one. The Club will also temporarily relax the rule of only having two motorised carts in a group.
- Members are asked to use payWave facilities or tap their key fob/membership card when making purchases.
A reminder about isolation?
All people who arrive in Australia from midnight 15 March 2020, or think may they have been in close contact with a confirmed case of coronavirus, are required to self-isolate for 14 days.
More Information
For the latest advice, information and resources, go to www.health.gov.au
Call the National Coronavirus Help Line on 1800 020 080. It operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The Brisbane Golf Club will continue to keep you informed as the situation evolves. If you have any questions, please contact myself on 0411 412 666 or via geoff@brisbanegolfclub.com.au
Phil Wikman, President