Portuguese Golf Federation expects conditioned return in May, and events in July

The Portuguese Golf Federation (FPG) announced today their plan for the progressive resumption of the practice of the sport, which includes in the first phase the conditioned reopening of the courses, in May, and in the second, the return to competition, in July.

“Golf can be practiced in compliance with all the rules of social distancing and its practice does not pose significant risks, as it is played individually, there is no physical contact between practitioners and they use their own equipment”, says the president of FPG, Miguel Franco de Sousa .

The golf federation’s reopening plan includes two phases, the first of which only provides for the conditioned reopening of the facilities, in order to allow for the non-competitive practice of the sport, and the second to gradually resume competitive activity.

The FPG states that, in this way, a gradual process of reactivity of the modality is taken care of, with the safeguard that “the proposed phasing may be revised according to the epidemiological evolution of the pandemic, as indicated by the health authorities”.

“[Golf] is a sport that I would like to see more supported and encouraged by public authorities, as it is a sport that can be practiced by people of all ages and, because it is practiced outdoors (in a space of around 35,000 m2 ), ensuring the necessary social distance ”, he says. The president of the FPG considered that “the resumption of the practice of the sport, in addition to the undeniable health benefits, both physically and psychically for its practitioners, will also allow an injection of vitality in the sector”.

Also according to Mr. Franco de Sousa, the shutdown lasting over a month and a half has caused “huge losses, and golf will take time to resume the dynamism that has marked it over the last few years, especially with regard to tourism”.

 “We need practitioners to return and, with the fulfilment of all rules, to show the world that golf in Portugal is safe and that golf tourists will be able to return and enjoy our magnificent courses in complete safety,” he defended.

In May, the FPG intends to resume the practice in a conditioned regime and in July, over three stages, it foresees the phased return to competition, at local, then national, and then international level, with progressive reopening of the support facilities and resumption of training.

“I know it will be a long and time-consuming process, so the sooner, with the appropriate measures, we restart our activity, the sooner we will unlock the potential of golf to generate jobs and contribute to the recovery of our economy and our tourism sector”, maintained the leader.

The recently developed plan for returning to golf, already sent to the Government and prepared by a working group that included the FPG and independent officials, took into account, and reconciles, the needs of the practitioners, clubs and facilities.