Flooding leaves golf courses devastated

By Emma Williams February 13, 2014 11:56

Several golf courses in Wales, Somerset, Berkshire and Surrey have been left devastated by the flooding that has hit the UK this winter.

Many more have been forced to close due to high winds and rain.

In Surrey, Laleham Golf Club’s course is under water – and the club cant even host functions in the clubhouse as the access road to it is also flooded. A spokesman said: “Much of the course is sodden with many fairways and greens under water, our green staff are busy with preventative maintenance to ensure a rapid recovery once the waters have dropped.

“The road to the course is still under water and we do not expect an improvement over the next few days.

“We’re unreachable by car or foot. Canoes or boats are fine! Wellies are not enough.”

Elsewhere, in west London, Ruislip Golf Club has revealed that the pathway to it has become submerged, and Hillingdon Golf Club has seen one of its greens become a lake.

An online picture of Datchet Golf Club in Berkshire, which has been flooded since the beginning of January, shows swans swimming past the top of one of the course’s flags.

“I hope there’s a miracle cure and we’ve got to be optimistic,” said the club’s manager, Jim Staniford. “The fairways are firm underneath and the course does drain quickly, so we’re hoping for a quick recovery.”

Large parts of Long Sutton Golf Club in Somerset are completely under water, in some places as high as 12 feet. The course has been shut for several weeks and there is little prospect of it opening any time soon. Things have got so bad that greenkeepers have had to use a hovercraft to assess the damage, and environment minister George Eustice MP has visited the club.

Last week we revealed that Caerleon Golf Club in Wales has been closed since before Christmas.

It is not known how many golf courses are currently flooded, or what the cost to the industry from the winter weather will be, but at least 80 golf clubs have posted messages on social media this week stating that their courses are closed.