Science says the golf courses should be open now. In fact, they never should have been closed for play. The math behind opening golf courses right now is relatively simple. It’s all about physical distancing, right! Forget about “Social Distance”. Who came up with that term anyway? Social my ass. It’s about being physically far enough away from that one person in the foursome (OR fivesome, see math below), that has the dreaded “VIRUS” … or any other communicable disease for that matter.
Look, all these know-it-all politicians and their entourage of doctors say we need to let the science dictate our actions. Math is one of the most important tools in science. It is like pulling out that wedge and nailing it to within inches of the pin. So, the math is actually very simple, and you will see that it dictates that we should be play golf right now!
Let’s first look at the area in square feet, sq.ft., that we are working with and then I will move on to the number of golfers on the course. The average golf course of 18 holes takes up 74 acres of land and for this math problem we are going to make it even smaller just to show you how much “physical” distancing we can do even in a worst case scenario. So, we are packed in like sardines in a 60-acre track. That is 43,560 sqft per acre or 2,613,600 sq.ft. Now each person needs 6ft. of separation, right. That’s 3ft. in front, back, and sides. In other words an area of a circle with a radius of 4.75 feet. I added for the size of our bodies. We are looking at the area of the circle using the formula Pi x Radius-Squared. Or 44.2 sq.ft. per person. At no time will my 44.2 sq.ft. of space that belongs to me, and me alone, enter into your 44.2 sq.ft. of space; unless you or I do something stupid. Yes, physical distancing does require some individual responsibility.
So how many people are on the course at any one time. Well that is easy to calculate too. A par 72 course typically has 4 par 3’s, 10 par 4’s and 4 par 5’s. A par 3 will have a group on the tee and one on the green, a par 4 will have group waiting on tee, a group on the fairway, and a group on the green. Finally, the par 5 has a group on the tee and group putting out on the green and two groups on the fairway. If the course is at its maximum capacity the total number of groups on the course at that time would be 54 groups.
Now let’s just say we all played in foursomes except for one group that has a fivesome! For some reason we have a guy in my local club that just loves to play in fivesomes. So, the total number of golfers on the course would be 217 golfers. (216 with foursomes only). The math, define above, indicates that the space occupied by those 217 golfers would amount to a grand total of 9,591.4 sq.ft. Yes indeed, they would all be maintaining 6 feet (actual more) of physical separation in 9,591.4 sq.ft. of space. Oh and don’t forget they are doing that in a venue that, at worst case, would be 2.61 million, square feet. That equates to 12,044.2 sq.ft. per person or 272.5 times the space required by “science” for COVID-19 physical distancing.
Just one final point. Golf is a game based on an individual skills match against a golf course. The key here is “individual”. Unlike nearly every other sport that utilizes equipment, golfers are not allowed to share any equipment with another person at any time. It is in the rules!!! Once again, that requires individuals being responsible and playing the game by the rules.
Enough said; Open the golf courses now!
