‘Stay home’ or ‘golf safely’ during coronavirus? Hilton Head criticized for new video
As Hilton Head Island restaurants shutter, hundreds lose their jobs and the governor orders people to stay home due to the coronavirus, town leaders appear to have a clear message: It’s still OK to play golf.
In a 5-minute video posted to the Town of Hilton Head Island’s Facebook page Wednesday night, Town Council member Glenn Stanford explained how to play golf safely during the coronavirus: Don’t touch other people’s golf equipment, keep your distance on the green, and don’t expect food and beverage service on the course.
But the video set off a firestorm of angry online comments from Hilton Head and Bluffton residents who are sheltering in place. They miss public access to the beach, dinners in restaurants and most non-essential trips outside the home.
“No beach walks but golfing is allowed? #noequity,” Bluffton resident Cindy Lou Boles wrote on Facebook.
“The beach is a very, very hot topic with everyone, including myself. This just pours salt in our wounds over the beach decision,” she told The Island Packet.
“This is a disgrace and a travesty,” Hilton Head resident Chris Roach wrote. “How dare you encourage this behavior? None of you...not ONE represents this island and US...the ones (whose) families have been here since before the town charter. You’re failing us.”
Town leaders have all but begged visitors not to come to the island, but golf courses have mostly been able to decide for themselves whether they’re an essential business — and many have chosen to stay open.
“Hilton Head Island has been dependent on golf and golf courses for a long time, and we know that many people come here to play golf,” Stanford says in the video. “In light of this pandemic it is really important for people to be careful, practice their social distancing, sanitize, et cetera.”
The video illuminates a different kind of social divide on Hilton Head. While public access to the beach and parking lots of the major town recreation areas have been closed, those with private memberships to golf courses are still able to carry on with life as usual, with only minor inconveniences.
That wasn’t lost on the dozens of people who commented on the town’s Facebook post.
“We all have to do our part, not just some (of us) do our part while others go on as if nothing is going on,” Kelly Wiggins, who owns a short-term rental villa in Port Royal Plantation, told The Island Packet.
She commented on the video: “Glad (council) feels it is appropriate to be out playing golf while telling others to stay home and lose money.”
Others saw the video as an indication town leaders were out of touch with residents.
“This video is an incredibly insensitive use of town resources and poor messaging. If Glenn wanted to post that video personally, which I would disagree with as well, that’s different,” island resident Luana Sellars commented. “This just proves ... the town is disconnected with the issue of protecting the residents.”
But Stanford said golfing is “the kind of exercise that’s being encouraged” during the pandemic. He started the video by saying Hilton Head Mayor John McCann asked him to give a few words about golf.
“You can get out while the courses are still open here and play and enjoy,” he said.
Reached Thursday, Stanford said “most of the golf courses are open, and we know that. We can’t close them. Were not going to close them even if we could.”
A lifelong golfer, Stanford said he wanted to get the word out that the usual courtesies — picking up other players’ clubs, helping players find golf balls and score-keeping for the group — were not appropriate during the coronavirus.
He said he was unaware people were upset by the video.
“We recognize the reality that there are people playing golf, and the mayor wanted me to give some safety tips,” he said. “I don’t know why that would be viewed as encouraging golf.”
The Island Packet reported last week that most golf courses in Beaufort County gated communities remained open. Communities varied on allowing tennis facilities to stay open. Nearly every private pool was closed.
Stanford’s video appearance comes as he’s used his platform on the council to ask for a “blacklist” for short-term rentals that aren’t cooperating with town and state requests to close. Stanford represents the northeast area of the island, including Port Royal Plantation and parts of Hilton Head Plantation.
This story was originally published April 9, 2020 at 10:16 AM.
