(Matt McCarthy/Daily News Photo) A ball sits next to the EZ Lyft on the 9th green at Oak Crest Golf Club in Norway.

NORWAY — Golf courses in Michigan and Wisconsin were ordered to remain closed up until April 24, due to precautionary measures of the coronavirus pandemic. Each state has since allowed courses to reopen, but with some restrictions.

As of Friday, both states “do’s and dont’s” from their respective governors nearly mirrored one another. The main difference up until the end of last week was the use of golf carts.

Wisconsin courses allowed carts from the get-go, while Michigan began allowing their use as of Friday afternoon.

“It’s great now that carts can be used and rented, business should pick up, especially with the older members and customers,” said Norway’s Oak Crest Director of Golf and Operations Kevin Londo. “Hopefully the weather cooperates more often soon, the cold hasn’t helped matters so far.”

Oak Crest opened up the day after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer allowed, on April 25. Green Acres in Pembine, Wis., also opened on that date.

Pine Grove Country Club in Iron Mountain opened on May 1, right before the best weather of the spring thus far. A Pine Grove member reported that he played a couple of rounds the first weekend and the course looks and is in great shape.

“There was no frost this winter, so our course is in great shape,” said Oak Crest’s Londo. “The greens are in mid-summer form, and our grounds crew is already back to work.”

At Pine Grove, the club will has a new golf professional, as Tom Dolby takes over for Susie Fox. Dolby, a Minnesota native, comes to the area having worked at a couple of central Wisconsin golf courses.

Like every area Michigan course, now that golf carts are allowed, Pine Grove will allow private use of carts or will rent carts to patrons, with one limitation — one person per cart, unless two people riding in a cart live in the same household. This limitation will be observed by all nine area golf courses.

As expected, the use of social distancing requirements must be observed as best as possible throughout all nine facilities.

“We have been fairly busy thus far, especially on days when the weather has been nice,” Dolby said. “Carts, balls, pull carts and other items will all be sanitized after each use, with extra sanitation procedures in place. We also have a cart cleaning station for members and others to use to clean and sanitize their personal golf carts after use.”

Most of the area courses do not have their ball washers out on the course; or trash cans. Oak Crest and Pine Grove have a minimal amount of trash cans out, enough to keep the mess to a minimum, or “to get by,” noted both Londo and Dolby. Bunker rakes and benches are prohibited, as per the state’s COVID-19 restrictions.

All Michigan courses, with the exception of one, have utilized a 3- or 4-inch section of a pool noodle cut off and positioned on the pin at all holes. What this does is keep the golf balls from going in the hole, so the golfers don’t reach inside. All pins/flags must remain in the holes as well.

Unique to Oak Crest is a hole device called “EZ-Lyfts,” which are utilized instead of the pool noodles. All 18 holes at the public Norway course have this device on the hole.

“The EZ Lyfts cover the hole, and the lever is pulled with the golfer’s putter, that pulls the plastic flap out of the cup and removes the ball from the hole,” Londo said. “With these, people can play as close to normal as possible at this time.”

The kitchen at Oak Crest is currently open to the public two days a week for curbside pickup only.

Driving ranges had also been prohibited until the beginning of this week. Area courses that have them report that they will have them up and running at various points throughout the week.

Unique to Pine Grove is the fact that they have been setting up a Mobile Pro Shop on a daily basis. “Approximately 25 percent of what is inside of our regular Pro Shop is brought out and set up where it can be seen and browsed through,” Dolby said. “We also have a stationary beverage cart, located in a centralized place out on the course.”

Some courses have their outhouses and portable toilets out, while others do not have any accessible on the course at the current time. Those courses do allow one person at a time into their facility to use the restroom.

Otherwise, in both states, clubhouses are not open, restaurants are not open and the bar areas are not accessible to sit down and have a drink of any kind. Those courses that usually have a beverage cart driven by an attendant have not yet begun to utilize them, due to COVID-19 restrictions.

As far as reserving tee times and paying ahead, it is highly encouraged and recommended. At Bombers Golf Course in Niagara, Wis., it’s a requirement. Calling Bombers clubhouse or making an online reservation are the methods currently available.

“We prefer that people call ahead for tee times and pay for their rounds of golf over the phone, but it is not required,” said Jason Rivard, golf professional at George Young Golf-Recreation Dining in Iron River.

Rivard noted that a window was installed into a wall of the George Young pro shop, so golfers can get scorecards and pay for their round of golf. The same method is used at Oak Crest, from an already existing window.

“Sanitation of credit cards, debit cards and anything passed through the window,” Londo said. Rivard also noted the same practices are in place at George Young.

Both Oak Crest and Pine Grove have snacks available for purchase; Oak Crest has an attendant by a window in the clubhouse that sells the snacks and beverages to patrons.

At Bombers, there are no flags and pins on the 9-hole public course. There are also no ball washers or benches like at the Michigan courses. Unique to Bombers is that during the pandemic restrictions, the cups will be raised on the greens to keep golf balls from entering them.

Timberstone Golf Course at Pine Mountain Resort will fully open to the public on Friday, including their driving range. They will be following all the aforementioned Michigan guidelines for cart use, social distancing and sanitation. They also encouraged patrons to call ahead for tee times and or to pay ahead.

The golf course at The Four Seasons Resort on Miscauno Island in Pembine, Wis., opened on Thursday and is the only part of the resort open at the current time. One person at a time is allowed in the pro shop and restroom, with anyone entering the building required to wear a mask.

Calling ahead and paying ahead for tee times is encouraged, but not a requirement at Four Seasons Golf as well.

The unseasonably cold weather has made for some interesting mornings in Iron County. Rivard noted that it snowed early Monday, causing him to have to hold off opening the course.

“I have a guy here wanting to golf in 29 degrees, but I can’t let him golf with snow on No. 5 green,” said Rivard.

Another area course that reported snow Monday morning was Crystal View in Crystal Falls. Under new ownership, Crystal View co-owner and manager Kim Bjork notes that the public 9-hole course opened for the season on May 2. It’s located off of Wagner Street, between Runkle Lake Park and downtown Crystal Falls.

It has a 125-yard chipping range near the clubhouse, with range balls provided. They have carts for rent and storage sheds for members or area residents with private golf carts. Pool noodles are utilized in the green cups, with daily sanitation of all trash cans and ball washers.

Once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, the Crystal View management plans to open their clubhouse and restaurant, which will also be open to the public.

Wild Pines Golf Course off of U.S. 2 in Hermansville has not opened for the season as of yet, with an opening date still to be determined.

As far as annual tournaments or tournaments of any kind, all area courses remain in limbo. Most tournaments come with a meal or banquet afterwards, as well as needing full access to the amenities of the respective facilities.

Until restrictions are fully lifted, the sole source of income for these facilities will mainly be golf.