Pleasanton City Manager Nelson Fialho, responding to an email I sent, wrote that the Farmer’s Market downtown will reopen Saturday with significant modifications. The market will be on one side of Angela Street only and then go into the city’s parking lot behind the Sidetrack restaurant. It will run the length of that parking lot, again on one side.
Vendors will have to comply with social distancing and wear masks plus other sanitation requirements. It’s possible that vendors will bag and hand produce to customers instead of people picking over the tomatoes to select the ones they want. Samples likely will not be offered and both customers and vendors will have to observe social distancing.
I saw some of that first-hand when I dropped by an ATM at my bank and noted that employees were outside the front door and metering people into the branch.
The other good news from Nelson is that the city’s golf course, Callippe Preserve, will reopen Wednesday—again with major changes. Play will be limited to Pleasanton residents and will be a single player per tee time unless people live together.
There will be no golf carts or push carts—something that will certainly limit play on the hilly back nine with its elevation gain. You’ve got to be in good shape to walk the back nine.
The same goes for Dublin Ranch and Las Positas that reopened Monday. All tees, ball washers and rakes have been removed from the courses and players are instructed not to touch the flag stick that will remain in the hole at all times. Walking Dublin Ranch, which is a shorter course, still involves lots of up and down, but is more doable. Walking Las Positas is much less challenging.
For challenge, the Course at Wente Vineyards is re-opening Wednesday with no carts and play limited to members of its Proprietor’s Club.
Golfers are going to be delighted to be back on the course, but, given the virus and its effects, the delightful social aspect of golf is going to be missing. Players are supposed to arrive no more than 10 minutes before their pre-paid tee times (or pay onsite with a credit card—no cash accepted) and then depart immediately after their round. And solo golfing will be more akin to running than the banter that normally accompanies a round.
Castlewood Country Club re-opened Monday and the valley course was crowded in the afternoon with players grouped in twosomes, threesomes and foursomes with some people using golf carts. Driving range stations at the practice areas are spaced 10 feet apart and balls will be sanitized. Similar precautions are in effect at the Pleasanton Golf Center.
