Tulsa, OKC city-owned courses ordered closed by mayors

City of Tulsa and Oklahoma City public courses are closing after play Saturday through April 15 as part of expanded Shelter At Home executive orders issued Saturday by Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum and Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt.

Section 6 of Bynum’s new order specifically closes city-owned golf courses along with sports fields, sports courts and dog parks. City-owned courses include Olde Page and Stone Creek at Page Belcher and Woodbine and Pecan Valley at Mohawk Park.

In Oklahoma City, public courses owned by the city include Lincoln Park East, Lincoln Park West, Lake Hefner North, Lake Hefner South, Trosper Park, Earlywine Park North, Earlywine Park South and the James E. Stewart Course.

The other public course located within the city limits of Tulsa is LaFortune Park, owned and operated by the Tulsa County Parks System. The county also operates a second course, South Lakes in Jenks. Pat McCrate, who has a contract with the county to manage both facilities, said Saturday afternoon that plans were for LaFortune Park to remain open on Sunday and for county officials to convene to discuss the situation.

The order did not seem to affect private courses within the city limits and public courses in nearby suburbs did not announce any immediate plans to close.

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt exempted golf courses Wednesday from his initial executive order closing all non-essential businesses in counties with at least one positive case of COVID-19.

Most courses have instituted strict precautions including single-rider carts, no touching of flagsticks, raised or upside down cups so balls can be removed from the holes without touching the holes, outside services for check in, only small groups in the restaurant or pro shop and frequent sanitizing of all surfaces on carts, in pro shops and restrooms.