Dated 16 December 2021

Dear Victorian Golf Clubs and Facilities,

As announced by the Victorian Government yesterday, the Open Premises Order commenced at 11.59pm on 15 December 2021 and ends at 11.59pm on 12 January 2022.

Golf Operations Advice:

Clause 28 of the Pandemic Open Premises Order relates to Physical Recreation Facilities. Clause 14 (1) (b) (ii) of Schedule 2 lists golf as being Physical Recreation.

Social golf, club competition golf and practice continue to be considered ‘Physical Recreation’ as opposed to ‘Community Sport’ and as such participants must be fully vaccinated or be an excepted person in order to participate.

The objective of the Order is to impose obligations in relation to vaccination against COVID-19 upon:

1. Operators of certain Open Premises in the State of Victoria; and
2. Patrons that attend the premises.

Note: A person commits an offense if the person refuses or fails to comply with a Pandemic Order, or with a direction given to the person, or a requirement made of the person, in the exercise of a pandemic management power.

Penalty: In the case of a natural person, 60 penalty units ($10,904).
Penalty: In the case of a body corporate, 300 penalty units ($54,952).

The Operator of an Open Premises must take all reasonable steps to ensure that a patron does not enter, or remain on, the premises if:

1. The patron is not fully vaccinated;
2. Is not an excepted person.

Clause 12 of Schedule 2 of the Pandemic Open Premises Order refers to food and drink premises which includes club licences.

Additionally:

• Unvaccinated patrons are permitted to enter retail (golf shop) facilities. As patrons still need to be vaccinated to play golf and to use the clubhouse, we anticipate this will have minimal impact on the operations at golf facilities;
• Face masks must still be worn within retail environments of your facility.