Touching the ball is just like you touching a door knob when you're out shopping. Yes it may be contaminated, but you disinfect before and after usage and you don't touch your face. Mitigation of risk is totally possible.

How about a large bowl of soapy water on the side of the pickle ball courts ... with another large bowl of clean water next to it ... keep washing your hands as you come off the court and have enough brains to avoid touching your own face while on the courts.

There has to be a way to keep The Villages activities open ... the problem is simply the people who insist on congregating forcing the developers to shut us down. You can't fix "stupid".

No need for gloves. The gloves are just like a second layer of skin. Gloves can still pass on the virus with everything you touch, including your face.

Keep this in mind............wearing gloves can be detrimental in many circumstances because people do not know the proper way to remove gloves from their hands. They will take off the gloves improperly, contaminate their hands and then not wash their hands thinking they are safe.

You said it yourself. Too many people are not following the social distancing rules and other guidelines. Not to mention that not many people are wearing the proper face masks. These are the folks that are forcing everyone's hand to isolate. Until we get widespread testing available, we need to treat everyone as though they have the virus. Remember that 20% to 50% (depending on which study you read) are infected but show no symptoms. They in turn can infect others if they're not wearing a mask or touch something that you then touch.

I'm pretty sure that hand to ball, ball to hand, hand to face is not anywhere close to the top 10 ways people have contracted this virus. If you are going to take it that far, I suppose you would also argue that one could touch their golf ball to put it on a tee, then hit it several times with a metal stick until it ultimately rolls up against a piece of PVC pipe, then the next golfer comes along and their ball also hits that PVC pipe, and in their excitement, they pick up their ball and use their hand to wipe the sweat from their brow, only to transfer virus left on the PVC pipe by the previous golf ball that the other golfer was using. Yet, somehow, golf has managed to remain open all this time. Sound absurd? It should - but now you know how many of the rest of us feel when you argue that playing pickleball or softball or tennis or bocce, or the list goes on, is a high risk activity because of common balls. That stuff was shut due to social proximity, primarily, and much of it could easily be brought back if people would just observe and practice a little common sense.

"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." - Ben Franklin

Don’t you have to touch the outdoor gym equipment ? If so, what’s the difference?

My sister lives in Texas and they have a bucket with sanitizer in it for all the pickle balls, hands are sanitized between match’s no a person does not touch there face, no issues. Social distancing is practiced in line. This is how they are doing it, fact not opinion.
Shopping at Publix or Winn Dixie presents a greater danger no social distancing all products have been handled by multiple persons with unsanitized hands.

I see no reason why pickleball can’t be resumed if the new guidelines are followed. I wish that posters would get over the fact that golf has stayed open. It has because changes were made on the course to prevent exposure and social distancing is practiced. Are there offenders, sure, as there would be with any activity. Let the drinkers, dink. 😷

Try singles, bet you can’t last 3 games?

To all of the folks saying to keep the courts closed, have you gone to WalMart, Publix, Winn Dixie ? How about Lowes or Home Depot ? If so, you are also endangering your family and friends, more than if someone was playing Pickleball or tennis. By going to these shopping stores you are in an enclosed building with more people than would be on a court, you are touching numerous products then another product spreading whatever is on that.
When we were playing Pickleball a couple weeks before they were shut down, we played with people we knew, used our own Pickleball’s, used Clorox wipes on paddles and balls after each game. When entering the courts we either used a wipe, clove, or paper towel to lift the closer.
I know it’s not very common, but use COMMON SENSE. If you don’t want to go out, stay locked in, but let others go out and play on the courts. Even if you play at Rohan, you could use all 6 courts and only have 24 people per pod and be a lot less than a food store. Also, you’d be out in sunshine and fresh air both of which have be said to help prevent the virus.
There is court outside of the villages that is still open but have taken down nets on the 2 inside courts leaving 4 still open.

Only 3 singles games ?
 

My wife and I play singles probably 90% of the time and on a bad day play at least 6 games. Good days 8-10 games, and yes, even in the summer months. If you can only play 3, you might need to play more...

You can sanitize the outdoor equipment before you use it. In pickle ball you are constantly touching the ball and you can't stop to clean your hands or equipment every time you touch it.

That’s you’re choice and you’re opinion.

What harm can pickle ball and tennis do? Please we are adults and have been for a long time. I certainly trust my judgement over that of the media and politicians who know nothing. Lets start playing soft ball and all the other outdoor activities. Please quit giving out rules and requirements I am done with that. Sunshine and the air we breathe outside is the best medicine we can have. It has been proven scientifically by Dr. Erickson that masks and gloves are useless unless you are sick. Quarantine the sick not the well. Who ever heard of quarantining the well in history. Stay at home if you think that is what you should do get exercise the way you chose but leave everybody alone and quit imposing the views of others on everybody. It is not one size fits all. Socialization is what we moved to TV for. Where did 6 ft. come from did someone measure. Really we are some gullible.

A lot of us rely on staying alive and not getting covid19 too!

Please tell me you’re not golfer and not playing during the shut down.

If you sanitize the ball and racket but that's not enough then are you indicating that the nets and the court itself is infected? If you are using your own equipment I don't see it any different than golf.

Leaving golf course open was health hazard. See I can make ridiculous opinions

I can play singles for two hours and then some, it’s these non player’s think everybody dink’s which bored the ___ out of me.

What makes you think I am playing golf?

Do you have to touch the outdoor gym equipment?

:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

What does that mean? You knew them, did you know everyone that they associated with prior to playing with you? Not a valid argument...….

OMG. That is terrible to say.

The world has changed since you moved to TV.

Outdoor gym people touch too. WHY not put a sign and ENFORCE the rule:
GLOVES MUST BE WORN.
Social distancing Must Be Observed.

You obviously don’t play Pickleball

Agree, open PB and everything else. Recent studies are showing that millions have all ready had Covid-19, and since we know more about it at this point, we need to return to normal. If you have health issues, then it's a good idea to stay home but for those who are healthy it's time to get back to work and to normal routines...

Amen to that. Should have never closed to begin with. Could have taken just the center net down and players wear gloves on both hands.

Pickleball should be allowed. Equipment needed: ball, racquet, glove, sanitizer, and common sense. Not having all is a disqualifier.

Cars
 

Then don’t isolate at all. Since people die in car crashes why should you take any precautions. Well though out and insightful.

The government mandated seat belts, air bags, tons of other safety mechanisms, speed limits, lower bac's, etc. all which has saved hundreds of thousands of deaths on our highways over the years. 38,000 deaths in one year is not comparable to nearly 60,000 in just 3 months. The government stepped in to protect us from injury and now they have stepped in to protect us from the virus.

And while they're at it, IF they open the sports pools, they should put up the lane ropes and have the pools be for actual, you know, lap swimming (instead of filling up the days with volleyball and classes.) What a novel concept! :duck:

The pickle ball lines would be around the corner, standing 6 feet apart, think about that. Or on top of each other which is a bad thing

Walked by sports pool today and lane ropes was installed.

Thank goodness there no electrical boxes close! Those are sex magnets.

If we don’t, it’s going to get real bad. Tyson foods and other meat plant already warning food shortages get low. Another month and there might be nothing on store shelves. In another month palm rats and squirrels may start to disappear. :shocked:

I agree with all of you but let’s open pools first. They are the safest.