Terrible news from Golspie

[David_Tepper]

Niall -

This article in The Herald mentions the damage to the seawall in Lossie's harbor. It sounds like the area around Fraserburgh/Peterhead got hit pretty hard as well.

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/clean-up-operation-starts-after-perfect-storm.19706632

Here is a pic from the Press & Journal of the damage to Lossie's harbor:

http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/3051827

DT

[David_Tepper]

Article in the Northern Times about the cleanup efforts at Golspie GC and elsewhere in the area. The good news is that members from some of the other golf clubs in the area are helping out. The bad news is that repairs to the rock barrier on the beach protecting the seaside holes at Golspie will take a while and will cost a lot of money.

http://www.northern-times.co.uk/News/Now-the-clearing-up-begins-18122012.htm

[Brian_Ewen]

Stonehavens sea front took an absolute hammering Friday-Saturday.

Scenes totally unheard of before.

Another weekend, and another with scenes unheard of before in Stonehaven 

[David_Tepper]

Brian -

I hope you are someplace warm, safe & dry during these storms!

DT

[Sean_A]

Its terrible what is happening up n' down the country.  I fear the worst because the ground is completely saturated.  I reckon it will take a month of no rain for rivers and the ground to be able to take more of the sort of rain we have had.  A ton more came today.

I played a few games this weekend.  One at Sutton Coldfield, a very well drained heathland course.  It shouldn't have been open for play - it was that wet.  Though I must say the greens were in good nick.  The other game was yesterday at Burnham.  I have never seen so much standing water on the course, but it was very playable.  The greens were fine, in good nick.  The fairways weren't too heavy.  I think we only had five free drops for casual water in our match.  Quite amazing really - anyway, this weather has sold me even more on links membership.   

Ciao

[Brian_Ewen]

I hope you are someplace warm, safe & dry during these storms!

Oh you dont have to worry about me David.

Any updates from Golspie ?

[Mark Pearce]

Golspie will be fine.  It was the tide that caused the damage there.  The rain driven flooding sounds worse in Stonehaven than anywhere else in Scotland.  Sounds like Braunton has it bad, any news on flooding at Saunton?

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

II am glad to read there is a good chance this will be a temporary ad fixable problem for the club.

[Jon Wiggett]

Tiger,

Golspie will bounce back from this though it will take a lot of back breaking work cleaning up the debris I have always got the feeling that they have a good culture amongst the membership and that there will be plenty of helping hands. I suspect the turf will recover as well after a few good downpours.

As I alluded to in a previous post it might be interesting to see what happens at the caravan park which was flooded out. It has always struck me as a shame that the course did not continue along the beachfront beyond the 7th. If the caravan park were to move inland a bit to avoid future flooding than this land might become available for a couple of extra holes. Though they are all good holes in their own right 14 through 18 have never struck me as a coherent finish to an otherwise super course though I a not entirely sure why

Jon

[David_Tepper]

You can follow Golspie's efforts to repair the damage on Golspie GC's facebook page. It looks like they have made a lot of progress so far removing most of the rocks & stones that wound up on the course due to the surging sea water. The membership has pitched in and the club has also gotten help from the greenskeeping staff at Tain, Bonar Bridge, Royal Dornoch and Skibo. Thanks to all for your help!

The two remaining problems are the sea water that remains on holes 5, 6 & 7 and the damage to the sea wall/rock embankment that protects the area before and around the 4th green.

I am hoping there was no further damage by the most recent storm.    

[Brian_Ewen]

https://twitter.com/Crudenbaygolf/status/284296803128578049/photo/1

Cruden Bay Golf Club
The heavy rain this past weekend has wrecked all the good work by the greenkeepers at the 13th.