The Quarantined Golfer: CBS4's Eric Christensen Gets Back On The Links

(CBS4) - On Monday, Mayor Michael Hancock announced that city golf courses would open on Wednesday. Like other golf courses around Denver which are already open, the city courses will resume activities with certain restrictions. (You can find the restrictions at cityofdenvergolf.com). On Saturday, I dusted off my golf clubs and finally played my first round of quarantined golf. My experience was that the restrictions golf courses have in place to ensure everyone's safety appear to work.

Now I understand that golf is not an essential activity and some people believe that those who chose to play during this worldwide pandemic are being reckless. Would I and others be safer if I stayed at home and didn't got play? Yes. That's one reason why I have stayed at home these past five weeks. I admit when I decided to go play, there was some guilt involved. How safe was it for me and the people I might come in contact with?

After walking 18 holes at Red Hawk Ridge in Castle Rock, I can report that golf felt much safer than going through a drive-thru for food, going to Home Depot, taking a walk around the neighborhood or park and going grocery shopping. I'm not a scientist and I can't prove that it is safer but it sure felt that way.

I played with my son and 2 of my friends. Other than the starter on the first tee and a few maintenance workers, we didn't see another soul. It was actually nice to not have to yell "Fore" after one of my several wayward tee shots. Golf courses that are open have several rules in place that are trying to make the experience as safe as possible. The course spread out tee times further apart than normal which helped with the social distancing. They ask that you arrive no earlier than 15 minutes before your tee time. You have to walk, there are no carts and the driving range, putting greens and clubhouse were not open and you secured and paid for your tee time online.

When we arrived, we bypassed the clubhouse, which was closed except for the restrooms, and went straight to the first tee and never encountered another golfer.  The cups are raised an inch above the ground so you don't have to touch the flagstick or put your hand in the hole to retrieve your ball. The course asks you only touch your own equipment, don't reuse old tees that have been left on the tee box and of course they remind you to stay 6 feet away from your playing partners at all times.

Just like going to the grocery store, convenience store or drug store, there are occasions when the 6 foot circle of social responsibility is violated. The same is true in golf, but my experience taught me it didn't happen often. I can recall less than a handful of times during the round when I may have come in close vicinity to one of my playing partners.

RELATED: Denver Native Mark Hubbard Reacts To PGA Tour Start

Tee to green, the game was no different than it was before this quarantine, except for my eagle 3 on the par 5, first hole. I did consider quitting for the rest of the season after that just so I could say I played the whole season in 2-under.  On the greens, putting to a raised cup is slightly different but good for your score. Any putt that glances off the raised cup is good. So the hole becomes slightly bigger and makes putting easier. Towards the end of our round, I asked my friend Pat how he felt about quarantined golf. After just a couple seconds to ponder the question he replied, "I still stink."

Honestly, I wasn't sure how safe or responsible I was going to feel about playing 18 holes. I think many of us continue to try to find instances of normalcy during this incredibly abnormal life that we find ourselves in. Playing golf did that for me. Golf isn't an essential activity but it did do me some good. It felt like a safe respite from the stresses I've encountered during the past five weeks.

So what's next? I'll go back to staying at home, doing my best to social distance and continue to hope that the COVID-19 related numbers in our state go down but when that golfing itch returns, I'd feel comfortable teeing it up.