Oak Bay’s Henderson Park public golf course is reopening on May 11 and with many new rules.
Henderson, which is a Par 3 or pitch-and-putt, is one of the only municipal golf courses in Greater Victoria and the only public course in Oak Bay. The decision to reopen the course comes as the District of Oak Bay is developing a recovery plan in accordance with the public health guidelines and directions from the province.
For the time being, adults playing Henderson are asked to limit to groups of two, unless it’s a family foursome with two adults and two kids. All booking is done online ahead of time, no walk-ons, and players must bring their own equipment.
READ ALSO: Emergency measures used to whittle Oak Bay budget down 1.2 per cent
Another rule is not to touch the pin when putting. Instead, the cup is upside down, just one of the many changes Oak Bay has listed on its COVID-19 pandemic policy that players are asked to read before visiting the course.
“I’m happy to see that we’re able to open golf again but be aware, it’s a different experience than we’re used to,” said Mayor Kevin Murdoch. “If you are going to play, please follow the rules. I know it’s a popular tradition for a lot of families to play there.”
So how will putting work? “The cup is upside down and your ball will tap the pin with a small drop inside cup,” states the Oak Bay website. “Then, you use your club to retrieve the ball.
Groups are asked not to allow joining players. The course will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tee times must be reserved online at oakbay.ca/parks-recreation or by phone at 250-370-7200.
There’s also no high-fives or handshakes and physical distancing for non-household members is “not optional,” state the rules.
Score cards will not be provided but can be downloaded online ahead of time from the oakbay.ca/parks-recreation website.
READ MORE: Oak Bay closes rec centres amid COVID-19 pandemic
