Golf Club Atlas
GolfClubAtlas.com => Golf Course Architecture Discussion Group => Topic started by: Mike_Clayton on February 07, 2009, 03:42:07 AM
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Today was Melbourne's hottest ever day at 46 (118) degrees. The hot winds were wicked and bushfires swept across much of the state of Victoria
Neil Crafter is the architect at Horsham Golf Club which is the best inland, country golf course in the state.
There are news reports that a bushfire has gone through the golf course.
Neil,
Any news?
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This is from the Melbourne Age today...
"Strong winds have fanned flames across the state and at least 14 homes, a golf club and a fire truck have been destroyed."
Then further down..
"Three houses, the Horsham Golf Club, the Dimboola Fire Brigade unit and several sheds have all been destroyed in a fire which has burnt 1800 hectares near Horsham, in the state's west."
Doesn't look good.
I've never felt anything like what I felt today... it was like somebody had a hairdryer pointed right at my face constantly.
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Matt,
It was a horrendous day. We played 9 holes at 8.00 and it was ok for an hour and a half but the hot wind came and that was it.
I can't imagine anyone played golf in Melbourne this afternoon.
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It was a horrendous day. We played 9 holes at 8.00 and it was ok for an hour and a half but the hot wind came and that was it.
200 bottles of water on the way round?
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latest news suggest course, clubhouse and groundstaff sheds all burned.
100 plus houses burned at this stage around victoria, in excess of 30 seperate blazes today. Horsham blaze in excess of 2500 hectares and still going strong.
Sadly some of these fires were deliberately lit
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This is the first I have heard of this, very sad news if all this damage is confirmed.
I will call the superintendent Tim Warren and report in later.
We have not yet started our masterplanning process and expect this will be indefinitely postponed now.
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Neil Crafter is the architect at Horsham Golf Club which is the best inland, country golf course in the state.
Mike
Horsham is among the best inland country courses in the country let alone Vic and it's a sad day in the clubs history if all reports of it to date are true.
The club was suffering somewhat of an "over abundance" of trees last time I was there a few years ago now - but the layout itself was very strong. Hope to get back there someday and support the club again.
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Kevin
I think the over abundance of trees will be a thing of the past if all the reports are correct.
Neil
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It is a tragedy if, in fact, the course and clubhouse have gone under.
But far worse is the fact that so far 14 people have lost their lives around the state and that seems sure to rise. Hundreds of people will have lost their homes and thousands of livestock and native animals will have perished.
That sort of put the damage to the golf course in perspective.
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An update after speaking to Tim Warren this morning.
No-one injured or killed, clubhouse was successfully evacuated.
Clubhouse and pro shop totally destroyed.
One machinery shed destroyed.
Other machinery shed with Tim's office and computer OK.
Pump station OK, no power though.
All vegetation between fairways destroyed. Burnt trees adjacent to tees etc a danger
Fairways and greens OK but singed in places.
Board meeting this morning.
I suspect no golf there until they can make the place safe.
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Kevin,
You are right - it is the best inland course in the country that I have seen - Elleston aside but that does not count given no one plays there!
Neil,
So long as the fairways and greens are ok it should be fine.
Would you think a revised vegetation scheme could be a good for the course in the long term?
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Mike
Provided the club is adequately insured and can survive this blow, then yes, it would not necessarily be a bad thing and has certainly gotten rid of the radiata pines that's for sure.
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No bad thing there with the pines - it will save you the arguments!
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Mike
We had not started the masterplan process yet as the club was waiting until the new financial year. I'm certain that will not happen now and the focus of course will be on getting everything re-established. A start on the masterplan could be years away. Their pines were not looking so good before the fire and now are looking even worse! So yes, it will save that argument for sure.
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I heard reports yesterday that Drouin Golf Club was gone - but haven't heard anything since.
76 confirmed dead already, and 700 homes lost. Its hard to be too worried about a golf course among such devastation.
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I heard reports yesterday that Drouin Golf Club was gone - but haven't heard anything since.
76 confirmed dead already, and 700 homes lost. Its hard to be too worried about a golf course among such devastation.
Chris,
I also heard the Drouin Golf Club story yesterday. I am only a few kilometers from there but heard today that it got to the edge of the course but hasnt done any great damage. But like all these stories at present it needs to be confirmed. I know plenty of people here who have lost livestock etc ( which is a massive blow) but only one home so far. Still not sure why we were so lucky and others were obviously not.
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Glad to hear you are OK Danny.
The members of Horsham will feel devastated I am sure Chris but will thank their lucky stars that no-one was killed or injured.
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These photos of Horsham Golf Club were on this mornings Herald Sun website.
(http://i436.photobucket.com/albums/qq87/smb_44/HeraldSun.jpg)
(http://i436.photobucket.com/albums/qq87/smb_44/HeraldSun1.jpg)
(http://i436.photobucket.com/albums/qq87/smb_44/HeraldSun2.jpg)
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Danny, Stephen,
I lost my home to a house fire in 2001, fortunately everyone was safe including the dog. In the end, everything that was destroyed was just “stuff”, including golf courses.
Please be safe and take care of your loved ones.
Jason Hines
Olathe, Kansas
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Best wishes to all you down under. I am shocked that so many people have died in these fires. It is very rare for anyone to die in the brush fires in California. To hear of approximately 100 people dieing speaks of the speed that these fires must have spread.
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Stephen
Appreciate you posting these photos.
Neil
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From local newspapers this morning -
"There are still 31 active fires across the state as of 5.30am (AEDT) today, the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) and the Country Fire Authority (CFA) said.
More than 100 have been confirmed dead, and at least 750 homes have been destroyed and more than 330,000 hectares burnt out, while authorities said some fires could take weeks to contain.
The death toll surpasses that from the 1983 Ash Wednesday bushfires, in which 75 people died in Victoria and South Australia, and the Black Friday bushfires of 1939, which killed 71."
MM
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I played the course about 10 years ago. They used to have a really good annual amateur tournament there, I can’t remember if it was a VGA event or if it was run by the club?
From what I can remember of the course there wasn’t a lot of “heath” but there were a lot of native grasses especially the “black boy grass” or Xanthorrhoe. Obviously the trees are in trouble although the native grasses and other shrubs will benefit from the fire and re-populate fairly quickly.
Let’s just hope the fire moved through quick enough as to not hurt the tees, fairways or greens..
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Steve,
Interestingly one of the best pieces of heath at Peninsula came when all the pine and tea-tree was removed from the back of the 12th green (North) and burnt.
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Mike,
I remember the area behind #12N, all of the heath that was exposed looks fantastic. I didn't know you guys burnt it also.
It's a great practice for guys who have heath areas that look a little beat up or worn down that need rejuvenating. We used to burn heath at Royal Melbourne all the time, the heath came back thicker and thicker each year.
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The Age provides a reasonable summary of what is and isn't at Horsham.
Note that Horsham is several hundreds of kilometres from the areas where many of the other fires are in Victoria - it is not the fire in Victoria.
I note that they hope to have 9 holes open soon!
http://www.theage.com.au/national/molly-flees-the-scene-of-61-good-years-in-a-cab-20090208-8117.html
PS I recall playing Peninsula N#12 and feeling that the rhs looked 'different'. That was some 3 years ago - I expect the recovery of the vegetation is quite significant now. I didn't realise that the area was being renewed, but am delighted to hear that it was.
James B
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Here are a few photos I took of the place last year.
(http://i383.photobucket.com/albums/oo272/gollfer69/Horsham/P1010391.jpg)
(http://i383.photobucket.com/albums/oo272/gollfer69/Horsham/P1010389.jpg)
(http://i383.photobucket.com/albums/oo272/gollfer69/Horsham/P1010432.jpg)
(http://i383.photobucket.com/albums/oo272/gollfer69/Horsham/P1010478.jpg)
(http://i383.photobucket.com/albums/oo272/gollfer69/Horsham/P1010470.jpg)
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One shutters to imagine those numerous and mature trees subjected to the days of dry extreme heat and wind, and how they must explode into flame in such a widesweeping fire storm.
Thanks for the before and after pics to demonstrate the damage, Stephen, and Richard... (Not Father Ralph are you? ;D )
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Stephen Britton,
which day's issue of the Herald Sun were those photos? Can you name the article and page?
Thanks.
BSK
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Thanks for the before and after pics to demonstrate the damage, Stephen, and Richard... (Not Father Ralph are you? ;D )
No my son...but I suspect my mum has a crush for that doc from the 60's.
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Brad
I think Stephen said he got them from the Herald Sun website, not the paper itself.
Richard
More like Father Ted I'd say!
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Stephen Britton,
which day's issue of the Herald Sun were those photos? Can you name the article and page?
Thanks.
BSK
They were on the Herald Sun website. There is a link for readers to post photos of the fire on the front page.
Here is the link:
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/gallery/0,22010,5037340-5006020-44,00.html
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I saw this on You Tube today, I didn't know Cranbourne Golf Club was burnt also?
Was it actually Cranbourne Golf Club or another course in Cranbourne?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9wr8SSuXTQ
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Stephen
I read on TGF (Australian web site) that the entrance to Cranbourne was burnt - the grand cypress boulevard. However, others commented that no burning was visible from the road near the 4th.
There were houses nearby that were burnt. Note that this is a comptely different fire to the other more infamous fires. I will check the youtube tonight when I get home.
Cranbourne is a wonderful club that does so many things well, with great constraint on spending and great planning. There might be a few pines that I would not miss (#13 lhs I think) but otherwise I hope any damage is minimal.
James B
Edit - Stephen
the youtube shows the entrance road to Cranbourne, and the Cypress boulevard has gone. It was an empty paddock on one side (as shown) and dense housing on the other. The voice over said some houses went. I can believe that given the proximity to the Cypresses.
I don't see anything at this stage to say that Cranbourne has been seriously affected. I hope this is right.
James B
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Just over a year after the terrible destruction at Horsham and elsewhere
Down Under, can anybody post an update on the current state of play
(if any) at the club?
I'm adding the course to the www.top100golfcourses.co.uk website as it
expands Australian coverage from a Top 50 to a Top 100 and would
be grateful if any Antipodean correspondent could provide relevant
information.
Thanks.
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Jim
The course was back in play around 2 months or so after the fire. Lots of hard work from lots of people to get it back. The course is now looking the best its ever looked from a playing surfaces perspective, especially given that over 90% of the trees have been lost (dead ones cut down) and there is significantly less competition for water and nutrients, less shade etc.
My firm Crafter + Mogford have just finished our new master plan for the club and I'm just back from a trip to Horsham on Tues and wed of this week to attend a members presentation evening and present the new plan to the members - which was well received.
Looking over a few holes quickly on Wed morning the course is looking excellent and lots of regrowth coming on too. All positive news and they have lots of grant applications out there and a law suit against the power company that started the fire.