There are a lot of serious disputes in the time of coronavirus. Disputes over what businesses are truly essential, disputes over when to begin relaxing virus precautions, disputes over who can get one of the scarce coronavirus tests.
And then there is the dispute about who is allowed to play golf.
After initially closing Toledo’s three municipal golf courses, Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz reversed course and allowed Ottawa Park, Collins Park, and Detwiler to join local private golf courses and open for business.
The catch is that the mayor ordered the courses to allow only Ohioans to play. Golfers crossing the border from Michigan — where all courses remain closed —- must be turned away, the mayor ordered.
This is creating unnecessary bad blood at a time when everyone should be in the fight together.
If they’re careful, golfers can safely enjoy a round on local courses as the weather improves. Keeping a safe social distance from other people, washing hands, and generally avoiding opportunities to spread or catch the coronavirus, makes golf one of the pastimes we can still enjoy.
Gov. Mike DeWine has opted to keep Ohio’s golf courses open as long as they operate safely. In Michigan, however, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has ordered that state’s courses closed. As Mr. DeWine has noted, states are different, and rules will vary from one to another.
Governor DeWine has said that anyone coming to Ohio from another state — such as those returning from a winter in Florida — must quarantine themselves for 14 days. The governor also has limited liquor sales in six eastern border counties to customers with valid Ohio identification or proof they work in Ohio for an essential business. This is an attempt to halt the influx of Pennsylvanians crossing the border to buy alcohol in Ohio after that state closed its liquor stores.
Discouraging interstate travel is clearly a wise strategy to slow contagion. That’s problematic for border communities like Toledo. In ordinary times, many area residents regularly cross the Ohio-Michigan border for work, shopping, school, and family every day.
In the time of coronavirus pandemic, many Ohio golfers will drive farther to hit the links at Toledo’s courses than would some Michigan golfers.
While it is reasonable to set limits that prevent crowds at Toledo’s golf courses, there must be a way to work out a compromise solution.
Maybe allow golfers from the nearest southern Michigan counties to play, or use a lottery system to allot a limited number of Michigan golfers a chance to play Toledo’s courses while Michigan’s are closed.
At the same time, Governor Whitmer may want to revisit her decision to keep Michigan’s courses shuttered.
If we’re all in this together, we should all be able to hit the links together.
First Published April 16, 2020, 4:00 a.m.
