With the weather starting to turn, area golfers are starting to get the itch to head out on the golf course. However, Governor Tim Walz’ press conference was a bit of a mixed bag for golf fans. The governor extended his stay-at-home order until May 4, but included maintenance workers at golf courses as essential employees.
Whitetail Run Golf Course’s Kevin Ross said the course could open tomorrow if the stay-at-home order wasn’t in place. Ross said the course came out well through the winter and the front nine is in good shape. The back nine is still wet at this time, but said that’s usually the case at this time of year.
“It looks really, really nice. It’s already starting to green up. We put some chemicals on the tee boxes, so the snow left and the grass pretty much turned green right away,” Ross said. “As for the flooding, it’s a normal spring. The low spots are wet and everything else is pretty much dry.”
Ross said they were working on equipment before the first stay-at-home order was in place. Ross said they are doing some prep work on the course and will be ready to go for a potential opener soon.
“There are petitions signed that he frees up the golf course and those kinds of entertainment with restrictions,” Ross said. “There has been talk from the Minnesota PGA and the Minnesota Golf Association, who are pushing hard to get it open with restrictions. It doesn’t seem that he (Walz) will go in that direction until May 4.”
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Ross said if they allow golf courses to open with restrictions, Whitetail Run Golf Course will be ready for play. He said several states have had different restrictions in place, which allowed players to get out and play. He said the restrictions would have an impact on business inside the clubhouse, but it wouldn’t affect play on the course.
Ross said they have had some early cancellations such as reunions and a tournament in April. Whitetail Run has several events planned, but right now it’s a wait and see approach to the upcoming season.
Ross said the best part of his job is getting out and talking to people. He said the lack of interaction part will be the toughest part when courses are able to open up.
Ross stated that the past two years at this time, the courses were still snow-covered and this year an anticipated open is still earlier than past seasons.
“It will happen,” Ross said. “Two years in a row we had snow on the ground at this point. We are still not bad.”
