Confirmed: Golf Coaching Permitted Again

Golf lessons are now allowed as long as hygiene and social distancing measures are followed

Confirmed: Golf Coaching Permitted Again
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Golf lessons are now allowed as long as hygiene and social distancing measures are followed

Confirmed: Golf Coaching Permitted Again

The golf industry has been seeking advice from the UK government on whether lessons can continue after courses in England have been allowed to re-open this week.

The answer is that coaching and lessons can recommence on a one-on-one basis as long as social distancing can be adhered to.

Lessons must take place outside and under strict infection-control measures whilst observing social distancing rules of two metres between pro and client.

In a joint statement from the golf industry, including The R&A, England Golf and the PGA, professionals have been told that they must enforce strict hygiene measures.

VIDEO: How to play golf safely after lockdown –

They have also been recommended to complete a comprehensive risk assessment and refer to the coaching guidelines on the PGA COVID-19 resource hub.

To conduct lessons safely, professionals will be adhering to the measures recommended by the golf industry, which include -

  • If using a practice ground or similar, create a 2 metre exclusion zone around the lesson tee/golfer that no one enters
  • If you have to move a player into position, use an alignment stick, which is easy to wipe down with a sanitising wipes before and after the lesson
  • Wash hands with soap and water before and after the session
  • Provide sanitising wipes for you and your golfers
  • Offer short game coaching sessions that allow the golfers to use their own golf balls, that way they are not sharing equipment that other people have touched
  • Take flags out of the holes on practice areas

As well as allowing lessons to continue, the latest advice from the golf industry says that pro shops and golf retail outlets must remain closed after advice from the government.

Staff are allowed access to pro shops to organise deliveries, answer phone calls and help take bookings, but the shops must remain closed to customers.

Click and collect services are allowed.

The golf industry is now seeking to gain further clarification from the government on whether driving ranges can re-open.

For all the latest golf news, check the Golf Monthly website and follow our social media channels @golfmonthlymagazine on Facebook and @golfmonthly on Twitter and Instagram

Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!


Elliott is currently playing:


Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV