The reopening of Spanish golf courses has become from the outset a successful process marked by safety and responsibility, in which both golfers and clubs as a whole - with special mention for their managers, employees, etc. - have formed a perfectly committed partnership in this phase of de-escalation and return to normality, where the desire to play again has been a constant in all those facilities that have resumed their activity.

Tecina Golf, on the Canary Island of La Gomera, was the first golf course in Spain to have the opportunity to open its doors when it was included in Phase 1 of the de-escalation on May 4th.

A week later, on May 11, the territorial areas that accessed Phase 1, an essential condition for the opening of outdoor sports facilities, were extended to a series of provinces and geographical demarcations, a process that was also joined by almost the entire Spanish territory - with the exception of the Community of Madrid, the metropolitan area of Barcelona and a good part of Castilla y León - on May 18.

Seven days later, the entire Spanish territory entered at least Phase 1, which allowed all Spanish golf courses the option to restart their activity.

Throughout this process, the technical specifications for Golf Courses approved by the Ministry of Health in coordination with the State Secretariat for Tourism have been applied in order to minimize the risks of coronavirus contagion.

This document, prepared by all the Spanish golf institutions, describes the measures that must be taken for the reopening of golf, covering all the facilities of a golf course divided into three parts: risk management, federated members and golf course.

The possibility of maintaining golf courses from the first days of the establishment of the state of alarm by the Government of Spain, thanks to the joint efforts of the Spanish golf institutions, proved decisive in offering a very high state of maintenance to the golfers who, in good numbers, eager to recover sensations and the lost time, have come to their usual golf courses.

Maintaining social distance throughout the round, wearing masks in designated areas, not touching flags or raking bunkers, removing balls from holes with the utmost care, and other perfectly implemented safety measures—such as hand sanitizer dispensers and clearly marked entrances and exits—are now part of the daily routine at Spanish golf courses, which are gradually returning to normal.

The National Golf Centre, an example replicated throughout Spain

Last Sunday, the switchboard at the headquarters of the National Golf Center in Madrid rang non-stop all day. And on Monday, golf at the CNG (National Golf Center) came alive, mirroring what had happened at courses that had opened earlier and at those in Madrid, Barcelona, and Castile and León that, once they entered Phase 1, joined this exciting process, which was witnessed firsthand by news outlets such as El Periodigolf, Agencia EFE, and Movistar Golf.

It was a first day where the excitement to return to playing was palpable after being closed for just over two months due to the coronavirus crisis. From early morning, a security guard greeted the players at the club entrance, checking their reservations, alongside the managing director of the National Center, Juan Antonio Fernández, who also helped explain the protocols to be followed.

After parking in the parking lot, a short walk to the shop to collect the green fee and immediate access to the course to head to the tee of hole 1, which hosted tee times from 10 in the morning until after 3 in the afternoon.

NOTE: The RFEG would like to thank all the institutions of Spanish golf (Regional Federations, Spanish Association of Golf Courses, Spanish Association of Golf Managers, Spanish Association of Greenkeepers, Spanish Association of Golf Professionals), all the clubs, members and other bodies of our sport during the period of confinement and, now, in this important process of restoring normality.

Photo gallery and video of the reopening of Spanish golf courses below, in the Related Links section (photos of the National Center taken by Fernando Herranz).

Video of the reopening of the National Center, an example of what happened in the rest of the Spanish golf courses, provided by El Periodigolf.