Leah catches up with Kevin Smith from Alberta Golf and spokesperson for NAGA about the recent government restrictions placed on golf. Then, she shares a letter drafted for the government that all golfers are encouraged to send in. Sometimes, there's power in numbers. Let's ban together, friends. Now is the time.

Below is the template letter written to help guide you on your writing to them. Ideally, you would add a paragraph about who you are, and why this affects you. Then make sure to sign off with your name at the end.

Send to these emails:

deena.hinshaw@gov.ab.ca
premier@gov.ab.ca
health.minister@gov.ab.ca
matt.wolf@gov.ab.ca

I would also encourage you to look up your local MLA’s email address. The list of MLA’s can be found here: https://www.assembly.ab.ca/members/members-of-the-legislative-assembly

May 13, 2021

To: Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw

CC: Honourable Jason Kenney, Premier
Honourable Tyler Shandro, Minister of Health
Matt Wolf, Executive Director of Issues Management

Thank you for working closely with the golf industry throughout the 2020 season. Courses and tournament organizations followed strict protocol, going above and beyond government and AHS recommendations throughout the year. Golf provided well over 50,000 Albertans with the opportunity to recreate outdoors in a safe and socially distanced manner. 

The latest decision on only being able to play golf with members of your household or singles cohort is not consistent with other restrictions currently in place (i.e. outdoor gatherings of 5, indoor retail, indoor religious gatherings, etc). A big part of the enjoyment of golf is the opportunity to be outside, often with people you don’t live with or see every day, and being able to spend time both socializing and playing a game at a safe distance.

I understand the hesitation to look at golf separately from other outdoor activities, so as not to give it special treatment. Golf is a completely individual sport, and that should be considered. Each player has their own bag, clubs, and balls they bring from home. There is no need to go near another player, nor their equipment throughout the course of a round. A tee time consists of a maximum of 4 people, on an open area of land anywhere from 100-600+ yards. Generally, there is at least two football fields of distance between tee times, and being 2+ metres apart within your own group on tees and greens is easily accomplished.

As you are aware from working with the golf industry last season, both golfers and operators are willing to follow strict protective measures focusing on social distancing and reduction of common touch points.

The golf industry proved not only to be safe and compliant last season, but it provided a much needed source of safe outdoor recreation, which is necessary for mental and physical health throughout this pandemic. 

Golfers realize that the Province of Alberta is in a very difficult predicament and is desperately trying to stop the spike of Covid, but we feel that we are doing our part to significantly reduce the possibility of spread when we golf. We urge you to reconsider these restrictions, for the mental and physical health and wellbeing of so many Albertans.

Thank you for your time,

We have also set up a new Change.org Petition, which can be signed here: http://chng.it/KtmG7nBbnB