Limited Golf Course Action Begins in Indio

INDIO —  Slowly but surely valley life is being resuscitated as action, albeit limited, on the beloved golf course gets underway.

On Monday, Riverside County released amended orders regarding outside recreational activities and golf as the coronavirus curve begins to flatten.  As a result, public and private golf courses are able to open, but with specific regulations for play, and with the full implementation of the National Golf Course Owners Association “Park and Play: Making Your Course Social Distance Ready Program.”

As of Wednesday, April 22, the city-owned “Lights at Indio Golf Course” was able to fully implement those orders, and reopened its course, putting and chipping greens, as well as Footgolf.   In addition to the orders mandated by the county, which include the prohibition of fundraisers or tournaments, social distancing, no in-person dining and face coverings worn at all time, The Lights has also implemented the following health and safety measures:

• We have attached a Styrofoam insert to the flag inside of the cups (using pool noodles). Players will not have to touch the flagstick and their ball will not go into the hole.
• The practice putting green and the practice chipping green will not have holes cut out.  They will just have stakes in the ground where players can aim.
• We will have two bowls by the counter with “clean” cart keys and “dirty” cart keys.  Players who choose to rent a cart will reach in the clean bowl and pick a key, and when they are finished playing, they will drop the cart key into the dirty bowl.  Staff will regularly sanitize the dirty keys and place them back into the clean bowl.  The cart keys are attached to a plastic golf ball, so it will be easy for players to touch only one key at a time.
• Footgolf holes have covers on them, so a player does not have to reach into the hole to retrieve their soccer ball.  It will also be a “gimme,” if a Footgolf player hits the cover.
• The driving range will be utilized hourly.  Golfers can pay by the hour for unlimited range balls and balls will be placed at each station by staff.  If a player, just wants to warm-up before play, there is a separate area just for them.  All stations are at least 6 feet apart.  Range balls are already cleaned after each pick of the range.

“We are excited to have our golf course open for play,” said Jim Curtis, Community Services Manager.  “The driving range is already being utilized this morning by players needing to get their game in shape.  We are practicing safety measures using the Riverside County guidelines and the NGCOA Park and Play program: Making Your Course Social Distance Ready.”

The Lights at Indio Golf Course is the only night-lighted course in the Coachella Valley, and also features a USPS Post Office, which is open six days a week, Monday through Saturday.