Local Golf Report: Golfing For a Cure called off this year

If you're a golfer, then last Tuesday was a joyous occasion. Usually, the first day of every golf season is, and golfers were certainly elated when both Prairie Farms Golf Course and Beaver Creek Golf Course were given the green light from the county health board to open to the public.

Of course, with COVID-19, even golf has new norms right now, and while today marks the end of Montana's Stay at Home Order, as well as the start of Phase I of Gov. Steve Bullock's plan to re-open the state, social distancing and sanitization will be high priorities at Havre's two golf courses.

Both golf courses are allowing cart rentals, but they do come with safety restrictions. Only one person is allowed to ride in a cart unless they are from the same household. At Prairie Farms, carts cannot be used for consecutive rounds, so that they may be cleaned and sanitized at the end of each nine holes. Carts at BCGC are also being sanitized immediately after each round.

Both courses are also following many of the objectives put in place by the United States Golf Association and the Montana Golf Association long before the golf season arrived in Havre. The flagsticks are raised so that putts do not drop into the hole, and many of the courses' items that have community touching, like ball washers and rakes are not present. Also, golfers are being asked to social distance while playing together. Both courses also have measures in place to allow for strict social distancing in the clubhouse.

And, as stated currently on the MSGA's website, these golfing practices will be in place for some time, and, to avoid a fall back, where golf would be taken away, it's highly recommitted that golfers please continue to follow these guidelines. In other words, the more we all respect our courses' COVID-19 guidelines, the better our golfing experience will be through this unusual time.

Still, as exciting as it was to see both of our courses open last week, not all the local golfing news was good news.

Late last week, the Havre Women's Golf Association announced that it has canceled the 2020 Golfing for a Cure Tournament, which was slated for June 6 at Prairie Farms.

The statement from the associated read:

As we face uncertain times in this COVID-19 pandemic, the Havre Women's Golf Association has made the difficult decision to cancel the annual Golfing For a Cure tournament that was scheduled for June 6th. As much as we feel our community benefits from the funds that are raised, we are also sensitive to the local businesses and their struggles during this time. Our community and local businesses have always generously supported this tournament, and we couldn't do it without that great support.

With the unknown situation in the weeks and months ahead, we have decided to move to an online campaign. If you have already donated to the tournament, someone will be reaching out to you to see if you would like a refund or if you would like to donate your gift to this year's fundraising activities. We will be working in the next few weeks to promote the HWGA Cancer Fund, and we are still accepting donations for this cause. More information will follow on the HWGA Facebook page for ways to donate or help the cause if you are able.

Thank you again to all who support this wonderful tournament. The money raised stays local and has been a blessing to many people in our community who are dealing with a cancer diagnosis. We look forward to gearing up for next year and making it our best year yet.

The HWGA would like to thank everyone who has helped with the tournament so far and are looking forward to re-evaluating our fundraising efforts this year. We hope everyone stays healthy and safe.

Although I haven't seen any other local tournaments announce cancellation or postponements as of yet, that possibility certainly exists considering that in Phase II of Bullock's plan, only gatherings of 50 people or less would be allowed, and unlimited numbers aren't until Phase III, and there has been no timetable set to when either of those things might occur.

It's tough too because many of the tournaments held at both Havre courses are important fundraisers for a ton of great causes, including the Golfing for a Cure tourney, which has been near and dear to my heart for a long time. But, while it may be a tough summer for golf tournaments, we might have to look at this another way. We might have to look upon this summer as a summer of golf solitude and sacrifice, so that in the not so distant future, all of our favorite leagues and tournaments can once again be enjoyed by anybody who wants to enjoy them, and without limitations.

So on that note, any tournament organizer, or league secretary who would like their information or updates in this column, please email me at [email protected].