Golf Digest: Augusta National Curtailing Operations Due To Coronavirus, Will Close By Friday

Joel Beall with the GolfDigest.com exclusive on Augusta National notifying members that the club is closing by Friday March 20th in the interest of its staff.

"Beginning today, we are taking the necessary steps to curtail our operations so, by the end of this week, the Club will be closed until further notice. We intend to maintain our properties with limited personnel on site, and we will support our many other functions by working remotely where possible. But this is about much more than business continuity. This is about our employees, and the foundation of this decision is built-in upon keeping everyone safe while preserving the financial stability of those we care about most.”

While Beall notes the news arrives less than 24 hours after the CDC urged a nationwide halt to gatherings of more than 50 or more people, the precedent set by Augusta National would seem likely to lead other golf and country clubs to follow suit even if playing golf—without a cart or 19th hole gathering—is seemingly a safer place to be.

On the public course side, the city of Austin has included its golf courses in a closure of city facilities according to the KXAN report.