On December 10, a powerful tornado passed through western Kentucky, devastating many communities. One of those was Princeton, KY – home to a course with 9 Perry Maxwell holes. Maxwell was born in Princeton and designed a 9 hole course for the community after he had moved to Oklahoma. 9 more holes were added in the 50s (I think).
The tornado destroyed a neighborhood adjacent to Princeton Golf Club. This video gives you some sense of the damage. You can see glimpses of the course at around 1:30, 4:30, & 6:10.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4H441-UYqyY Immediately after the tornado, the city asked the golf club for help. From a Louisville newspaper (article behind a paywall)
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2021/12/22/kentucky-tornadoes-western-kentucky-gets-creative-to-deal-with-debris/8931820002/ Hours after a tornado bulldozed through this city of just 6,200, Mayor Dakota Young made a request he never thought he would. Could he set the community’s golf course on fire and build a landfill under it? Nearly 100 homes had been destroyed during the Dec. 10 storm, including dozens in a subdivision abutting the Princeton Golf & Country Club. The open land would be a convenient place to burn vegetation and dump demolition debris as the city attempts to quickly rebound from the destruction. Young knew it was a wild pitch. But when he approached the golf course’s board of directors, each unanimously agreed. Of course they did. While Princeton isn’t a world class course, the people sure are. Watching from a few hours away, I’ve been impressed with the community spirit and resilience on display throughout Princeton and other parts of Kentucky.
The Maxwell portion of the course is holes 1 & 11-18. That portion of the course was mostly spared. The landfill and a huge burn area are around holes 2 & 10.
princeton cc aerial by
john mayhugh, on Flickr
The second green before:
princeton 2 gr by
john mayhugh, on Flickr
And now:
princeton landfill by
john mayhugh, on Flickr
Some ground level photos of the cleanup efforts.
https://www.courier-journal.com/picture-gallery/news/2021/12/21/kentucky-city-builds-landfill-golf-course-amid-tornado-clean-up/8981184002/ The perspective isn’t quite the same, but this is of the 17
th green, and then just left of it on Friday.
pcc 17g by
john mayhugh, on Flickr
_DSC3341 by
john mayhugh, on Flickr
Like Maxwell, I was born in Princeton. I moved away after college. Princeton GC was the first private course I ever played, and when I was a kid with no golf background, there was a sort of mystique around private courses and country club people. Turns out this golf course and its leadership is about the best sort of neighbor anyone could have. I’ll be looking forward to seeing the community and golf course rebound from this. I know they will.