Today 9th of May 2020 the Spanish Government has been published the Order 399/2020 regulating the opening of commercial premises, under a new regulation, adapted to PHASE 1 of the Government plan for lifting the restrictions of the state of alarm.
The Order lifts some of the current exorbitant restrictions for the practice of sport, but not all of them, though under the current regulation golf and tennis can be played.
The mobility within the Region of Murcia has been implemented.
The new regulations officially published so far, and applicable from Monday 11th of May, says that:
OPEN AIR FACILITIES
Open air sport facilities can open. Members and clients can use the facility.
(A video of the Valencian Federation has been included, and explained, at the bottom of this article, including personal protocol recommendatons for the practice of golf in these times).
The sport facility must be disinfected prior to it’s use.
The open air sport facility must operate at no more than 30% of it’s declared total capacity, and must have a access system to avoid accumulation of people.
Covered facilities and pools/water based facilities are excluded from this authorisation.
WHO CAN PLAY?
Anyone with a reservation.
The Order expressly and literally says that: “any citizen can access the open air facilities, including high level and high performance sportsmen, professionals, federated, referees, and technical staff of the Federations”.
In case of need the sportsmen can access the sport facilities accompanied by a person. Evidence of the need can be requested except for handicap and underage persons.
PROCEDURE AND PRACTICE
You will need an appointment, as usual, to attend to the golf course or the tennis court, and the Club can issue timetables out of which no one can stay in the facilities.
The practice of the sport should be individual, or up to two persons for “modalities” so practiced, with no physical contact, using the security measures, and the 2 meters social distance.
The norm says “modalidades” – here translated as modality – and not “sports”, and this is important. The Spanish official dictionary of the RAE has two definitions for “modalidades”, and the first one is the only one that fits, meaning: “Way of being of something, or way in which it manifests itself”.
Considering the above playing a round of golf in a party of two is a “modalidad” of golf, and it is allowed.
With regards to tennis there is no question at all, and two players are essential for the sport, though the “modalidad” doubles cannot be played.
Precontracted sport tuition can take place provided it is 1 professional / 1 client, and the professional only teaches to 1 client per time.
GOLF
Subject to the compliance of the specific security regulations:
- Golf courses, practice grounds, putting greens, pitch and putt, can open.
- Golf Academies can open
- Pro-shops can open provided they are under 400 sq. metres.
- Club bar-cafeteria can open the terrace up to a maximum of 50% the tables licensed.
TENNIS
Subject to the compliance of the security regulations:
- Tennis courts can open.
- Tennis Academies can open
- Tennis shops can open provided they are under 400 sq. metres.
- Club bar-cafeteria can open the terrace up to a maximum of 50% the tables licensed.
PRACTICALITIES
TIME RESTRICTIONS: SPORTS HOURS
No hour restriction apply, since those are in respect to the sport made in public domain.
Provided you have your appointment (reservation), you can access the golf course or the tennis court.
HOW DO I ARRIVE
Driving your car, on public transport, walking, on bicycle, on your buggy – if licensed to go on the road-.
ON WHAT TERRITORIES
This is not applicable throughout Spain unfortunately. It applies to areas defined under the PHASE 1 OF DE-ESCALATION.
Murcia and Almería have been designated as Phase 1.
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF THE POLICE ASKS ME TO STOP PLAYING AND GO HOME
In such a case, and despite the practice is authorized and legal, our advice is that you should simply do as requested, and never discuss with the police. The fines for discussing or for not obeying the police are really high and difficult to challenge.
THERE WILL BE COMMON SERVICES IN THE CLUB?
Apart from the shop and the terrace of the cafeteria (which may be open), the only service available for sure will be the toilet. The use of toilets will be made by only one person at a time (except for handicap or underage).
Changing rooms and showers will not be available.
Hydroalcoholic gel must be available, and special hygiene, cleaning and disinfection obligations will have to be observed by the Club.
The employees will have to be properly protected, and the Club must clean and change the uniforms daily.
WHEN WILL THIS SCHEME CHANGE FOR BETTER
The de-escalation is planned in fortnightly phases.
If your territory is on PHASE 1 as all of Murcia and Almería will be on the 11th of May 2020, then in two weeks a new appraisal will reassess whether the territory moves to PHASE 2 (better), keeps on as PHASE 1, or downgrade to PHASE 0, which we all know what it means.
SPANISH GOLF FEDERATION (RFEG)
A protocol for the reopening has been published by the RFEG.
UPDATE 10TH MAY 2020
MURCIAN VALENCIAN AND ANDALUSIAN GOLF FEDERATIONS
Golf territotial Federations issued statements on May 9th on the lifting of the restrictions:
Statement «Federación de Golf de la Región de Murcia»
Statement «Real Federaciuon Andaluza de Golf»
Statement «Federación de Golf Comunitat Valenciana» in this case the estatement includes a list of those areas in the Comunitat which are Phase 1.
The Federation de Golf Comunitat Valenciana and the «Asociación de Campos de Golf de la Costa Blanca»,have produced an excellet video that you can see herebelow, on the personal protocol when playing golf in these circumstances.
PERSONAL PROTOCOL GUIDELINES BY THE VALENCIAN FEDERATION THIS ARE USEFUL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR YOUR SAFETY
The video is an usefull work of the Federation de Golf Comunitat Valenciana and the «Asociación de Campos de Golf de la Costa Blanca», and thanks are to be given.
Below we list the key indications, since the video is in Spanish.
RECOMMENDED PERSONAL PROTOCOL
This protocol is explained in Spanish in the video. This is a bullet point resume in English:
Bring your clubs from home,in your own car (this way you will not have to wait fore the delivery)
Have hidroalcoholoic gel with you
Put on your golf shoes at home if possible
Ball washing devices will not be available
You can only touch your own tees. Do not pick up tees that you find, and please do not forget to pick your owns’
In the bunkers you will not find rakes. Your are supposed to level the sand with your shoes when you finish
Grass slices are to be placed back trying not to manipulate the slice too much. The replacement keeps being mandatory
You can only touch the golf ball you are using. You should not touch any lost golf ball that you find
Your are supposed to repair the divots, though with the least manipulation possible
In the green you should take special care not to touch the hole when retreiving the ball (you can see three options for thge clubs in the video)
You cannot shake hands even at the beginning of the hole 1, or at the end of the 18th
The cleaning of the shoes after the round is recommended to be done by your own means, and not to use compressed air, or other traditional ways. In this case the player does it with his own brush
If you have any doubt on the legal regulation you can write to us, with no compromise, to: info@ms-legal.es
Please allow some time for the answer. Should the number of questions be high we will publish an FAQ
