D.C. to reopen golf courses, tennis courts Friday

Golf courses, tennis courts and tracks in the District will be allowed to open Friday as part of its first phase of reopening.

All 50 states have reopened their golf courses after shutting them down due to the coronavirus pandemic, making the District the last major jurisdiction in the U.S. to do so.

Parks, including dog parks, will also be opened. But playgrounds, public pools and recreation centers will remain closed and contact sports like basketball, football and soccer will remain off-limits.

The District’s three golf courses — East Potomac, Langston and Rock Creek Park — have been closed since late March; Rock Creek Park had not yet opened for the season when the pandemic hit, a GolfDC official told The Washington Times.

The final few states that had closed courses because of the pandemic, including Maryland, reopened them earlier this month. Golfers and industry professionals have argued that the sport is able to be played under social distancing guidelines.