How amateur tournament golf in SC keeps adapting amid pandemic

The object remains the same — get the ball into the hole in the fewest number of strokes. Otherwise, amateur tournament golf in the Carolinas takes on a different persona in this era of coronavirus.

Players review their scores on a video screen, risk a penalty by touching the flagstick and receive hole locations electronically. Waivers must be signed, handshakes are taboo and hand sanitizer is now standard equipment.

“The players are getting the hang of it,” said Biff Lathrop, executive director of the South Carolina Golf Association. “They’re doing what they’re supposed to do (under the organization’s protocols) in terms of social distancing, arrival times and such.

“We’re learning as we go and adjusting if necessary. Just as an example, we had the scoring area outside under a tent for a junior tournament and found out players tended to congregate, so we changed that.”

Gone, at least temporarily, are double-tee and shotgun starts. Every tournament round begins on No. 1 “to limit congestion in the practice areas and on the golf course,” Lathrop said. “The downside is we’ve had a reduce the number players in some tournaments.”

Single-player carts became the norm for recreational play at the start of the outbreak. That policy remains in place at some courses; others have returned to the traditional two players per cart. Because most clubs do not have enough carts to accommodate single riders for a tournament, the SCGA will use the latter at its events.

“Our first two events (since re-starting tournaments in June) had players from the same family (Father-Son) and partners (Lefty-Righty) who were familiar with each other, so two players a cart weren’t a concern,” he said. “Our first with players who might not know each other (State Amateur qualifying) came off with no problems at all.

“We tell players that if they are not comfortable with riding with someone they might not know, walking is an option or they can withdraw and their entry fee will be refunded. We don’t want anyone playing who is uncomfortable with the situation.”

Overall, Lathrop said the state of the game in South Carolina is good. Although the single-cart requirement meant double work for the same income, area courses did a booming business and the trend is continuing. The resorts, hard hit economically by the shutdown, are open now with mostly full tee sheets.

“Our office situation is like our tournaments; it’s different,” Lathrop said. “We have only two people in the office at the same time to answer the phone and take deliveries. If we had everyone in at the same time and one tested positive, how would we be able to run tournaments with the staff in quarantine?”

Looking ahead, entries for the rescheduled Senior Four-Ball and the State Amateur suggest that players are anxious to return to competition. The Senior Four-Ball field filled in two days, and more than 350 non-exempt players entered qualifying for the State Amateur, set for Aug. 6-9 at Columbia Country Club.

“Great numbers, but we’re always looking to see what we can do better,” Lathrop said.

Perhaps the most noticeable change will be the big electronic video board to replace the by-hand scoreboard at the State Amateur.

“A sign of the times,” Lathrop said and laughed. “What would we have done 15 years ago without all the electronics we have now?”

Chip shots. Jensen Castle (West Columbia/Kentucky) teamed with Rachel Kuehn (Asheville, N.C./Wake Forest) to run away with the title in the CGA’s Carolina Women’s Four-Ball in Newton, N.C. . . . Castle finished fourth last weekend in the Golfweek Myrtle Beach Collegiate at Barefoot Resort’s Dye Course in North Myrtle Beach. . . . Brian Lee (Blythewood) and Ben Twilley (Columbia) joined forces to capture the SCGA’s Lefty-Righty title at Lake Marion GC in Santee. Reid Bedell (Spartanburg) won the left-handers’ competition. Among the seniors, Ron Clontz (Taylors) and Duff Wagner (Greer) earned the team championship and Rich Weston (Pawleys Island) led the lefties. . . . The high-profile Palmetto Amateur will be played Wednesday-Saturday at Palmetto GC in Aiken.