England Golf CEO: Closing Courses "An Opportunity Missed"

Jeremy Tomlinson has called the decision to close golf courses "a real shame" and says he, along with the industry, is trying to get golf back open

England Golf CEO: Closing Courses "An Opportunity Missed"

Golf courses are once again closed across the country and England Golf CEO Jeremy Tomlinson has told the BBC that the decision to stop golf is an opportunity missed.

Golf is played by more than two million people in England who will be missing out on all the wonderful mental and physical benefits that the game offers up.

Tomlinson is keen to keep challenging the government to re-think its decision and allow golf to resume in a safe, social-distanced manner.

"Yet again unfortunately we've been told to shut down. There was no collaboration and to be honest when I speak for all golfers I feel it is an opportunity missed," Tomlinson told the BBC.

"In excess of two million golfers could have been looked after here in a different way, that community could have been able to exercise in a different way that could have taken some of the stain off from public places, from parks, and to be done in a regulated fashion. A real shame.

"We see it as part of the solution. We've got a population here that are gonna need to get through this lockdown and I really do have a concern and care for how we're all gonna do it.

"In excess of two million people could have been looked after here, certainly from a physical and mental wellbeing perspective and I just think it's an opportunity missed.

"The government can change that and certainly I, and other organisations within golf, are going to be trying to help them do that."

Related: Why is golf allowed in Scotland but not England?

Watch Jeremy Tomlinson chat to the BBC here:

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