Cook County Golf Tee Times Fill Up As Stay-Home Restrictions Ease

CHICAGO — Good luck getting a tee-time Friday when golf courses open for the first time since the new coronavirus crisis stay-at-home order sidelined duffers statewide.

As of Thursday afternoon, there were only 15 Friday morning tee times available at the Cook County Forest Preserve's 10 public golf courses — all but two of them at Joe Louis Golf Course in suburban Riverdale, according to the forest preserve's online booking system.

Harborside International, a public course in Pullman, also was completely booked for Friday except for sole late-morning spot for a single golfer, an employee said.

Golf course will be allowed to open starting Friday as part of Gov. J.B. Prtizker's extended stay-at-home order that allows courses to open under strict social distancing guidelines.

Players are required to book tee times for twosomes in advance over the phone or online.

There's a ban on using practice ranges, chipping and putting greens, golf cart rentals, handshakes and removing the flag from the cup, among other things.

Golf clubhouses and pro shops will remain closed. A list of restrictions are available here.