As with several other states, off-course retail golf shops can reopen May 4 in most of Florida in wake of coronavirus
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced last week that many retail stores and restaurants could reopen May 4 in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, and several golf stores have raced to tee it up for customers, albeit in a somewhat limited capacity. The Sunshine State joins a handful of others that will allow consumers into retail locations that include golf stores.
The big chain retailers such as PGA Tour Superstore, Golf Galaxy and Edwin Watts reopened most of their Florida shops Monday. Many of these stores had implemented curbside service during mandated closures that kept customers out of the confines of the stores, as well as still operating online sales.
DeSantis’ allowance for reopening did not include Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, which are the most southeasterly counties on the mainland along the Atlantic Ocean. Those three have been the hardest hit in the Sunshine State, which has had more than 36,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and almost 1,400 deaths as of Monday morning.
Under DeSantis’ reopening plans, retail stores can allow 25 percent of indoor customer capacity into a facility at one time. The plan also suggests maintaining social-distancing guidelines, avoiding groups of 10 or more people and wearing a mask when it’s impossible to stay 6 feet away from others.
PGA Tour Superstore sent an email to consumers saying employees have been trained in more detailed cleaning regimens and that employees will be subject to health screening before reporting to work.
For PGA Tour Superstore, Monday’s reopening means the chain is allowing customers back into its stores in six states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Texas and Utah. In Florida, five of the chain’s seven stores are open: Altamonte Springs, Jacksonville, Naples, Orlando and Sarasota. The stores in Delray Beach and Plantation still will not allow customers into the stores, as they are in counties that remain under stricter shutdowns.
Golf Galaxy is likewise open in several states, according to its website. Those states are Alabama, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Virginia. The chain is offering curbside pickup in many other states. Dick’s Sporting Goods, which owns Golf Galaxy, also reopened select stores in Florida and other states.
Worldwide Golf Shops, which operates Edwin Watts, Roger Dunn and several otherwise branded shops, also is operating in many of those same states. Other locations are offering curbside pickup only.
DeSantis’ order also allows independent shops to open in Florida, as they have in several of the state listed above. Check with those shops in your area to learn their hours and of any restrictions.
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