During these times where COVID-19 has been the protagonist of this 2020, we all have had to adapt to this new scene, and golf in Barcelona has been no exception. But the sport is still as necessary as before or even more, as it helps us physically and psychologically. And we, golf lovers, are very lucky to be able to play this sport.

Why is golf a safe sport?

We could say that golf is one of the safest sports to practice now a days. It is difficult to find a space where it is easy to maintain social distance than in a golf course, especially to those that live in a city like Barcelona. For that reason, golf has a certain advantage over other sports. Since it has non-contact activity, it is easy to respect personal space to avoid possible contagion.

Another characteristic of golf that makes it an accessible and safe sport after Covid-19, is that it is practiced outdoors.  The probability of transmission decreases in these circumstances for being surrounded by nature and fresh air, something very precious in these times.

But obviously, the sport is not entirely safe without our cooperation. We all must do our bit:

On one hand, Real Club de Golf el Prat has implemented new measures to guarantee the security of all visitors and to adapt to these new times.  With the elaboration of a security protocol based on the health authorities’ recommendations, it has been possible to make golf a safe sport.

On the other hand, golfers also have had to make an extra effort, like changing small habits. We know how hard it is to avoid small instinctive actions such as celebrating with a hug or a handshake, getting too close to someone to have a quick chat on the tee, touching someone else’s equipment… But avoiding these actions is a very small price to pay in order to enjoy our sport again.

Playing golf in Barcelona

There are certain things and behaviours that have changed while playing golf, so it’s understandable that some questions arise about the right way to act around a golf course.

How do I get the ball out of the hole? Can I touch the flag?

At no time may the flag be touched with the hands. A mechanism has been enabled to take the ball out of the hole with the help of a stick, thus avoiding touching the flag.

If there are no rakes in the bunkers, how is the sand in the bunkers smoothed out?

If the ball falls into a bunker, we will no longer have the rakes.  To smooth the area in which we have played, we will have to do it with our foot or with our golf club to try to leave it as good as possible for other players.

We can see more clearly the answers to these questions in this video about the Club’s protocol.

A day of golf at Real Club de Golf Prat in times of Coronavirus

We are in Barcelona, it is a sunny day, so we decided to go and play golf at Real Club de Golf El Prat.

 We stopped at the entrance to get the temperature check and it is all good so we park the car and we head to the reception … With the mask on, of course.

 At the reception we will ask for a tee time on the Pink or Yellow course, if it has not been previously booked through our website, and in both occasions we will pay the greenfee as well as any other service that is needed such as an electric trolley or a buggy. In our case, we have asked for a buggy to play the Pink course, the most demanding course designed by Greg Norman and host of the Spanish Open in 10 occasions.

Before starting the round, let’s go to the driving range and hit a few balls. However, we must always respect the social distance and wear our masks except when practicing and playing golf. Since we still have some time, we decide to spend some time in the approach and putting green area.

Let’s play

It’s almost our tee time, so let’s get the buggy and head to the first tee. Here we can take off the mask, but always keeping the safety distance: 2 meters as the rules indicate, even when being on the green. We start by making a par… not bad for the first hole! In the flagstick we find mechanisms to lift the hole and get our golf ball without the need of touching the flag. It is important to remember to never touch the flag with your hands to avoid possible infections.

On the next hole we are not so lucky and our ball falls into a bunker. We only need one shot to get it out of there, but when we do, we realize that there is no rake. That’s because we have to smooth the sand with our golf club or our feet. We fix the bunker and we are ready to continue playing!

After enjoying 18 magnificent holes at Real Club de Golf el Prat and only 30 minutes away from Barcelona, it is time to put our mask back on and take our buggy in to the disinfection area. If we had taken an electric trolley, we would have taken it to the corresponding disinfection area, also at the reception exit. Without a doubt, there is nothing better than enjoying a sunny golf morning in a place like Real Club de Golf El Prat.

A safe sport in Barcelona

Golf is the best sport to practice outdoors, especially during a pandemic, because there is less risk of contagion. This can be a good time to start learning how to play golf and we are sure that you will end up loving it. And for those who are already golf lovers, don’t forget to come to the best golf course in Barcelona and enjoy this exciting and safe sport.