VIDEO A fairway to return? Isle of Wight players tee off as golf makes a comeback

Thanks to Andrew Palfrey for the drone footage of Cowes Golf Course's first tee.

The Island's golf clubs — Freshwater Bay, Cowes, Ventnor, Shanklin Sandown, Ryde, Newport and Westridge — have opened their courses to mainly two-ball play.

Newport Golf Club started golf this morning (Wednesday).

While most clubs are restricting play to members only, Ventnor and Westridge are allowing visitors too.

It was a momentus event to see someone strike a golf ball on an Island golf course for the first time in two months following the government's strict coronavirus lockdown.

First to tee up on the Shanklin Sandown Golf Club course was its club captain, Shawn Ford.

Shawn Ford, club captain at Shankllin Sandown Golf Club, teeing off at 8am this morning (Wednesday) — one of the first to play since the country went into enforced lockdown.

The clubs were quick to make a positive move towards play, following prime minister Boris Johnson's clarification on Monday of a slight relaxation of restrictions for playing certain one-to-one sports, with scope for social distancing.

Westridge have also opened their range, under strict social distancing rules.

Westridge proprietor, Mark Wright, said: "We have opened up the course to visitors, as well as members, because we don't want golf to be an elitist sport, which many think it is.

Westridge Golf Centre, Ryde.

"We are in a privileged position to be able to reintroduce golf at this time and it should be open to all, not just members.

"The government has been in a very difficult position, so we don't know why golf was excluded in the first place.

"But they have done totally the right thing to get people outside again."   

Osborne Golf Club will reopen on Friday, with play due to get underway at 8.30am.

Cowes Golf Club's course drone still. Photo: Andrew Palfrey

Golf clubs will allow one and two-ball play generally, with discretion for three and four-ball play if the players are from the same household.

All players will have to follow strict protocols for safe play, with traditional golf 'furniture' out of bounds to all players touching it, such as bunker rakes, ball washers and flags.

Although clubhouses will remain closed under existing lockdown rules, toilet facilities will be opened to players, again with a one in, one out policy.

Still of drone footage of Cowes Golf Club's course this week. Image: Andrew Palfrey

There will be no competitive golf action at any Island club for the forseeable future.