March 18, 2020
Memo from the Nova Scotia Golf Association
In light of the heightened global concerns surrounding COVID-19 (Coronavirus), the NSGA is closely monitoring Health Canada and provincial resources as well as consulting with various partners including Golf Canada, Canadian Olympic Committee, PGA TOUR, LPGA Tour and others.
COVID-19 is something that the entire sport and golf community both internationally and domestically are taking seriously, especially with respect to the health and well-being of our people as well as any potential impact on our athletes or events.
Immediate Travel, Meetings and Workplace Safety
As an immediate precaution, the NSGA has cancelled all in-person meetings until further notice. In addition, all staff have been asked to work remotely in order to support social distancing measures.
Educational Seminars
To support social distancing the NSGA is developing additional online seminars for rules and handicap education and we will be exploring the capacity to conduct online testing for certifications.
Annual General Meeting
Our operations will move forward and so will our need to operate under our bylaws. As such we are required to host an Annual General Meeting which has been tentatively scheduled for the weekend of April 18 & 19, 2020. Our plan is to move forward with this date, however the meeting will be conducted via a web conference to maintain social distancing.
A final decision and further details regarding the AGM will be circulated on or before March 29, 2020.
Championships
The 2020 championship schedule is set to open on April 1st. The following procedures have been established for all NSGA Championships during the 2020 season. We recommend competitors enter any events scheduled in which they intend to play this season. In the event NSGA cancels the championship or the competitor needs to withdraw, entry fees will be 100% refunded.
Should the NSGA be required to cancel championships a notice to competitors will be circulated 21-days prior to the start of the Championship. In the event of a cancelation the NSGA will process full refunds to all participants within 5-days of the notice to cancel.
Championships will be cancelled not postponed. These procedures will remain in place through the duration of the 2020 championship season.
Preventative Measures
The following are a number of safety precautions that all of us should take into consideration as pro-active health measures for themselves and others:
• Wash hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water or use an alcohol-hand sanitizer,
• Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze,
• If you don’t have a tissue, sneeze or cough into your sleeve,
• Stay at home when you are sick.
These measures may seem simple, but they are very powerful ways to protect yourself and others from getting sick, especially during a heightened period where health and wellness are top of mind.
COVID-19 Information and Resources
Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness has additional resources available for individuals including the online COVID-19 resources which can be found HERE
Further resources and information regarding the outbreak can found on the Health Canada website
Individuals interested in learning more can also find regular global updates related to COVID-19 distributed by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Protecting Our People
The health and wellness of our volunteers, staff, athletes, and stakeholders is our top priority. We thank everyone for their cooperation with the outlined precautionary measures as we learn more about, and react to, the ongoing developments around COVID19.
Should anyone have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly.
David Campbell
Executive Director
Nova Scotia Golf Association
902-468-8844 ex 1