The City of Wichita says there has been a lot of feedback from golfers, so the Auburn Hills and MacDonald courses will be reopened starting April 14.

Because of the ongoing pandemic, there will be some rules that must be followed and golfers will need to practice social distancing guidelines. Members of Golf Wichita will be charged for half of April.

Staff from other golf courses will be helping out at Auburn Hills and MacDonald, until their usual courses are reopened.

Wichita shared the following changes and rules to prevent the spread of COVID-19 while the courses are reopened.

· Clubhouses are restricted to one golfer at a time

· No merchandise or concession sales; no cash payments, only credit or debit cards

· No use of clubhouse restrooms

· No cart rentals, walking only

· All golfers must practice social distancing of six feet or more

· Tee times must be booked in advance at golfwichita.com or over the phone. No walk-in tee times will be allowed

· No more than four golfers per group

· Tee times will be every 20 minutes

· Pulling flags from holes will not be allowed

· Cups on the green have been modified to eliminate the need to remove the ball from the hole

· There will be no scorecards or pencils; golfers can download the Golf Wichita app to keep score

· No ball washers, bunker rakes, benches, bag stands or drinking fountains on the course

· The driving range at Auburn Hills will remain closed

Wichita city council member Brandon Johnson issued a statement on social media Monday afternoon in response to the decision.   He said he disagreed with the decision but he understands the role government plays in meeting community needs while balancing the safety and well being of residents.

Johnson said, “The right decision until we find effective ways to test and isolate individuals is to remain at home. I hope no one goes to golf, it isn’t wise. In a perfect situation, this would not have occurred until after the County order has expired.”   He went on to say that “I was informed that we’ve instituted new practices to best ensure the safety of our staff and players and they felt confident that the nature of the game allows for robust social distancing and safety precautions.”