Dear GKGA Competitors,
First, we greatly appreciate your continued support and participation in our annual event schedule. We are grateful and excited that we are able to begin our season as scheduled with the playing of the 2020 Spring Medal, to be hosted by Milham Park Golf Course (MPGC). Please join us in showing our appreciation to MPGC and their staff for helping make this possible.
Prior to beginning play in 2020, we wanted to disseminate a guideline of safety practices that we will be implementing in response to the new climate that we are living in due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The guidelines outlined herein are in an effort to keep all of the competitors safe during our event schedule. We believe that the following guidelines will not affect the enjoyment or play of our events.
Arriving to Milham Park Golf Course:
Rules sheets will be sent out along with the pairings announcement prior to the event. As we will not have these available in paper form at the course, please make alternate plans to have these readily accessible during the round. We suggest either printing these off personally, or having the PDF document saved or available on your mobile phone for use during the round.
Please plan on arriving to MPGC no earlier than 30 minutes prior to your scheduled tee time. This leaves ample time to prepare for your tee time, while keeping the crowd to a minimum to help ensure social distancing is easily practiced.
MPGC pro shop will not be open due to executive order 2020-59, and subsequent clarifications from the State of Michigan Government. It is our belief at this time that the pro shop and refreshment stand will be open on a curbside take out basis for golf supplies and refreshments.
A friendly reminder that the Spring Medal will be walking only. Golf cars and push carts will not be available for rent from MPGC. Personal use push carts are allowed during the event. (If you have a pre-existing condition that prevents you from walking, please contact the MPGC shop prior to the event to discuss the use of a golf car.)
In addition, the driving range will be closed the weekend of the event. Please do not use this area to ensure that MPGC does not receive any complaints or undue reprimand at the hands of our event.
The practice putting green will be open, but we ask that you please practice social distancing, and allow other competitors time to prepare for their round. When using the practice putting green, we suggest selecting one hole to putt to that is not previously occupied, and remain using that hole through your practice routine.
We are currently planning on having a skins game as we regularly do during our events. To ensure safe transaction of cash, please bring exact change to enter into the skins game ($20 for the weekend). The cash will be collected in a drop box, and payouts will be made via check that will be mailed shortly after the end of the event.
During your round:
Currently, MPGC has notified us that during the Spring Medal, they plan to have the cups inverted inside the hole. We ask that you leave the flagstick in during the entire round and do not retrieve any fellow competitor’s ball from the hole. We have heard from players who have used this method that it does not cause any changes to playability.
There will be no rakes around the bunkers during the event. All bunkers will be lift, clean, and place to create consistency between players.
There will be no ball washers, trash cans, or benches on the course during the event. Please bring a towel to use, keep all trash collected and throw away at the turn or after your round to leave MPGC in the same condition that we find it in, and have alternate options for resting during the round if you should need it.
There will be no on course communal water coolers, so please plan ahead and bring your own non-alcoholic refreshments to stay hydrated during your round.
We are planning on having our normal par 3 proxies during the event. There will be hand sanitizer available at each of the selected par 3’s for your use should you need to handle the tape measure and/or proxy markers.
According to government guidelines, a 6 foot social distancing measure should be followed at all times. Due to golf in its nature being played in a large open space, this should not be an issue, but rather a friendly reminder. Places where this may become an issue are around tee boxes, greens, parking lot and communal gathering areas. Please be cognizant of your surroundings and follow these guidelines that have been passed down to the community for our mutual safety. In addition, we all understand that golf is a gentlemen’s game, but under the current circumstances, we urge you to refrain from shaking hands and instead give a tip of the cap.
Scorekeeping and Announcements:
We are currently working with MPGC to ensure safe scorekeeping and announcement of results. We will have more information regarding our scorekeeping processes for the Spring Medal and subsequent events that will be disseminated with the pairing announcements and rules sheets prior to the event.
On a final important note, if you are showing any signs or symptoms of illness prior to the event, we kindly ask that you not participate. Please contact the MPGC staff or a member of the GKGA board prior to the event to notify that you will not be able to play due to illness. All fees paid will be refunded should this instance arise.
Due to the fluid nature of the climate that we are living in currently, please be advised that these guidelines may be revised as we receive further guidance from both government entities, professional organizations, and MPGC’s personal practices. Again, the GKGA is both grateful and excited that we will be able to start our season on schedule. Please adhere to these guidelines as the event takes place to ensure that we are able to continue forward with our 2020 season in a safe manner.
Respectfully,
GKGA Board of Governors
Nick Carbary, President
Tom Eberhard, Vice President
Doug Swartz – Co-Treasurer
Dan Maudlin – Co-Treasurer
Mike Fitzstephens – Secretary
Steve Barry – Board Member
John Schumacher – Board Member
Mike Sequite – Board Member
Ben Liggett – Board Member
Jack Versau II – Board Member
Chris Lim – Website & Technology
