Members of this Fresno country club tee off on city, say golf is ‘essential’ business
Members of the San Joaquin Country Club want to play golf again.
So they’re asking the city of Fresno to reconsider its position on golf courses during the current shelter-in-place order that allows only “essential” businesses to remain open amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Fresno’s shelter-in-place orders, issued by Mayor Lee Brand with the backing of the Fresno City Council, have been in effect since March 19 as part of the city’s efforts to limit the spread of the highly contagious COVID-19.
Gov. Gavin Newsom also announced a mandatory stay-at-home directive that same day.
“There are people who are outside, walking around at the parks, in their neighborhoods, on the streets,” local attorney Adam Stirrup said. “And that’s all encouraged as long as people maintain social distancing. We respect that.
“What we’re asking is for the city to allow the club’s private members to walk their golf course and play golf.”
Golf during pandemic
Letters and e-mail messages from different San Joaquin Country Club members were sent to City of Fresno officials.
One in particular was a letter to Brand and City Manager Wilma Quan dated March 27 when Stirrup asks the city, in a letter written on his law firm’s letterhead, that private members of the San Joaquin Country club regain access to the golf course.
The business portion of the club (restaurant and pro shop) would remain closed, and public access to the golf course would be prohibited.
Playing golf, as many of the letters emphasize, is a way for club members to exercise outside, which has both physical and mental benefits.
In addition, Stirrup states golf carts would not be used and golfers would instead walk the course while members practice the recommended social distance of staying 6 feet from one another.
“By preventing members at private country clubs from using their facilities, you are depriving them of their private property rights and the rights of these individuals to the use and enjoyment of their private property without due process,” Stirrup wrote. “There is nothing in the governor’s orders that indicates private country clubs cannot be used for golf purposes as long as social distancing is maintained and restaurant facilities are closed.”
The fact that other golf courses are open — such as Sunnyside Country Club in Fresno County (just outside of city limits), Dragonfly Golf Club in Madera County and all courses in Sacramento County — is cited as further reason why Fresno golf courses should be open, too.
While the city of Fresno has outlined what businesses can remain open during the shelter-in-place order, Fresno County has not implemented similar measures for county residents.
Thus, Sunnyside Country Club has remained open — but with some new safety guidelines.
Operating six days a week, Sunnyside is open only to its private members and no guests are allowed. Its kitchen also remains open but provides only takeout food.
The country club encourages its golfers to walk the course, though a cart is provided if a member needs one for health reasons (limited one person per golf court), said Joe Sciarrone, Board of Directors president at Sunnyside.
“As is, we’re running only about 5% of what we’d normally do,” Sciarrone said. “We’re doing everything we can on our end and asking our members to do everything they can to abide with social distancing — aside from forcing people to wear masks when they golf.
“Golf in itself already has a lot of distancing built in the game. Nobody is on top of each other.”
Fresno’s essential priorities
Mark Standriff, the city of Fresno’s director of communications and public affairs, said golf courses are considered a shared public recreation facility and are nonessential businesses.
“When we say what’s an essential service, the question to ask is whether this type of business provides services and functions that are absolutely necessary for the community to continue to function at a basic level,” Standriff said. “Obviously, health care, fire, communications, transportation, banking, those are some things that are needed.
“Is golfing an essential activity? Does the community need this to function to operate at a basic level? The city is open to making amendments. But I don’t know about this.”
Standriff also said golf often encourages public socializing, and the city wants to limit big groups from gathering in public.
Fresno already is closing all city parks on Easter weekend, as well as playgrounds at all parks because they are too difficult to sanitize properly.
“We’re trying to discourage social activity where people who aren’t family members are getting together to exercise or gathering for any type of reason,” Standriff said. “It’s the same thing we’re telling churches.
“We’re trying to minimize the amount of public contact.”
Coronavirus in Fresno area
As of Friday evening, Fresno County had confirmed 100 cases of COVID-19 and reported its first coronavirus-related death. Nearby Tulare and Madera counties have reported three and two deaths, respectively.
Fresno County also confirmed Wednesday that 66 of its first 82 positive tests for COVID-19 involved people in the Fresno/Clovis metro area.
“We’ve got to maintain some understanding that we’re not trying to take away people’s freedom and what they enjoy,” Standriff said. “What we’re asking the public to do is temporary. And what we’re trying to do is do what’s best for the safety of our community.”
This story was originally published April 4, 2020 at 6:50 AM.
