We are recognising that the current Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic has, and continues to affect every part of the global community, posing considerable threat to public health and wellbeing and causing unprecedented disruption to golf, sport in general, and the daily lives of millions of people.
Under strict guidance from medical experts, the global scientific community and the World Health Organisation [WHO], national and international authorities have implemented, or are currently implementing, a range of measures such as social-distancing to delay and reduce the spread of the virus and ultimately, save lives.
As a collective, the Member Country PGAs of the Confederation of Professional Golf [CPG] are united in supporting and strictly adhering to the various stages of respective government policies around COVID-19, through the practice of their own policy – Stay Safe, Stay Learning [#StaySafeStayLearning].
Alongside the ongoing collaborative work with various stakeholders in the game to share info and engage with governments, a set of guidelines agreed by the collective has been produced, providing Member Country PGAs with appropriate information and support to deal with the ongoing implications of the crisis on their organisations, and in turn provide their own PGA Members with consistent and clear advice.
#StaySafeStayLearning aims to encourage the continuous Development of golf, Professional golf and the game in general, whilst also being strictly in-line with the various measures that are in place. With many PGA Members across the collective 31 Member Country PGAs of the CPG unable to work in their normal way, #StaySafeStayLearning promotes a message of proactivity and positivity to develop themselves and their businesses whilst always adhering to their required national guidelines.
The Collective also recognises that whilst the current set of circumstances go far beyond the importance of golf, that proactive steps must be taken to be prepared and promote the sport’s return under safe conditions at the appropriate time. Therefore, the guidelines also ensure a continued safe practice is followed across the Professional golf community and by golf clubs and golf facilities, to enable an appropriate reengagement of the sport and in turn, encourage the many physical and mental health benefits of golf that enrich so many.
The CPG, its Member Country PGAs and their Member Professionals, officials and staff are extremely grateful to and thank the many key workers, medical staff, officials, etc. that are working tirelessly to support us all in the most challenging time of a generation. In continuation of this recognition and support, the CPG and our Members will be implementing initiatives to recognise this as soon as it becomes possible to do so.
