Very sad---rainfall causes disaster at Durban CC

[Paul Rudovsky]

This is about all that I know about the situation at this point, but sounds like much more than 6 months to my untrained eye

The Durban Country Club was totally destroyed in the Durban floods. Sitting close to the sea, and relatively flat, 380mm (13inchs) fell in 36 hours. As at today, 9 days later,  70% of the course is under water. All the bunkers will have to be reshaped and several greens replanted. The entire computerised irrigation system, including pumps, will have to be replaced. We understand that the course will be closed for 6 months and then reopened in a state of repair. We are all devastated. It’s going to make a call to the members or corporate Durban to find the funds running into millions to restore the course. We have some insurance cover to help us but not nearly enough to meet the expense.

[Paul Jones]

WOW - that is very sad.  Didn't they just redo the greens earlier this year.

[goldj]

Very sad news for sure.  Hopefully they’ll get back on their feet before too long.


Does anyone know if the Durban CC and Royal Durban are the same or are they different clubs? I’d long thought that it was the Royal Durban GC that was considered one of the pre-eminent courses in the world yet this email and a look at the Durban CC’s website suggests that I may have been incorrect.


I’d greatly appreciate anyone who can illuminate on this.

[Paul Jones]

They are different clubs:


Durban CC - www.durbancountryclub.co.za
The Royal Durban Golf Club - https://royaldurban.co.za/

Durban CC is the one that has been rated in the Golf Magazine Top 100 in the World
 

[Scott Warren]

Royal Durban is inland and just north of the city centre, inside the horse racing track.

Durban CC is on the way out of town heading north, with only the Highway separating the first four holes from the beach.

Horrible to hear what has happened to them and given the impact of 165mm in 24hrs here in Sydney a few weeks ago, more than twice that amount is mind-blowing.

If it causes long-term hardship or impact to the club or course, it’s a tragedy.

The silver lining may come if insurance, members or other benefactors do end up meeting the cost of the repair work — Durban CC when I played it a decade ago was overgrown, a bit tired and in need of some judicious changes and the reinstatement of some wild original bunkering to bring the drama of the course back to life.

It’s a genuine World Top 100 contender again if it ever maximises its potential, there’s many great holes on ideal terrain hiding among the jungle, trees and odd mowing lines.

[Jim Sherma]

Sadly these types of odd and extreme weather event are becoming the new normal. This morning I am seeing that Eastern Pennsylvania is under a "Fire Weather Watch" due to critical fire conditions resulting from high winds, low relative humidity and dry fuels. This should be our wettest time of the year but instead we have had a weird April with more cold, cloudy and blustery weather than spring rains. Played more rounds in short sleeves in February than April. Obviously all anecdotal, but I fear that the crazy is here to stay in more ways than one.


Hopefully Durban CC has a future. I have been intrigued by the course since it was mentioned in the old Golf Digest book "100 Greatest Golf Courses  - And Then Some". 

[Will Lozier]

https://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/knz-floods-durban-country-club-under-water-insane-picture-latest-golf-news-kwazulu-natal-trending-exclusive/

[Tim_Weiman]

This is about all that I know about the situation at this point, but sounds like much more than 6 months to my untrained eye

The Durban Country Club was totally destroyed in the Durban floods. Sitting close to the sea, and relatively flat, 380mm (13inchs) fell in 36 hours. As at today, 9 days later,  70% of the course is under water. All the bunkers will have to be reshaped and several greens replanted. The entire computerised irrigation system, including pumps, will have to be replaced. We understand that the course will be closed for 6 months and then reopened in a state of repair. We are all devastated. It’s going to make a call to the members or corporate Durban to find the funds running into millions to restore the course. We have some insurance cover to help us but not nearly enough to meet the expense.

Paul,


Sounds a bit like the damage Hurricane Harvey did to Bear Creek, a three course facility in Houston which once held the Men’s NCAA Championship won by Fred Couples.


The courses were under water for a few weeks, in part due to a decision by the Army Corp to release water from a reservoir about to spill over.


The courses never re-opened. I agree that Durban may face closure for more time than they think.

[MClutterbuck]

Sadly these types of odd and extreme weather event are becoming the new normal. This morning I am seeing that Eastern Pennsylvania is under a "Fire Weather Watch" due to critical fire conditions resulting from high winds, low relative humidity and dry fuels. This should be our wettest time of the year but instead we have had a weird April with more cold, cloudy and blustery weather than spring rains. Played more rounds in short sleeves in February than April. Obviously all anecdotal, but I fear that the crazy is here to stay in more ways than one.


Hopefully Durban CC has a future. I have been intrigued by the course since it was mentioned in the old Golf Digest book "100 Greatest Golf Courses  - And Then Some".

But are they really more normal than in the past? You reference fires. The Global Fire Emissions Database has recorded a steady decline since 1997 of Global Burned Areas.

https://www.humanprogress.org/dataset/satellite-recorded-global-burned-area/

I have seen similar results for flood related damage and deaths, in decline when adjusted for costs. Will find.

Please all, don't read this as anti environmentalism. I just like to get the facts because news/photo/video/drone shots of events like this one in S. Africa 30-40 years ago would not have reached all of us.