A dream job quickly turned into a nightmare when Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. Just six months after Matt Hughes took the reigns of the yet-to-open Fallen Oak Golf Course in Biloxi, Miss., the storm destroyed his home and left the course in a state of flux.
The 18-hole, Tom Fazio-designed course – part of the Beau Rivage Resort – sustained only minor damage, according to Hughes, but power outages throughout the area have shut down the irrigation system and hampered routine maintenance. An early spring 2006 opening has been put on hold and date for play hasn’t been set. Weather, in addition to Hurricane Katrina has delayed operations, Hughes says.
With his wife and 10-month old daughter safely in Cleveland, Ohio, where Hughes is from originally, he toured the course and was pleasantly surprised.
“All ’n all, the grass held together really well,” he says.
Hughes reports no major damage – a few trees, both new and old, were down – and no flooding. Hughes and his crew prepped for the storm by securing trees and equipment, and setting up silt fencing to protect the course.
Hughes wasn’t the only one in Mississippi be negatively affected by Katrina. Wayne Wells, Ph. D., extension turfgrass specialist in the department of plant and soil sciences at Mississippi State University, felt the affects of the storm but knows there are many areas much worse off than his.
“We felt the wrath of Hurricane Katrina even here in Starkville, which is almost 300 miles from the coast, with loss of power, downed trees and heavy rains,” he says. “A week and a half has passed, and we still cannot make contact with many of our courses south of I-20.
“It is too early to tell just how much damage there is due to not being able to travel or communicate with those along the coast,” he adds. “And for those in New Orleans and surrounding areas, it may be a total wipeout due to the toxins left behind and the total rebuilding of everything – homes, lives, businesses, etc.”
Wells says resort courses such as Fallen Oak might have an advantage over other courses that aren’t destination locations, which draw golfers from outside the area.
The Mississippi coast is just now beginning to get power back, Hughes says, but his concerns are far from over when electricity is restored.
“It’s going to be hard to get staff in there … keeping up with everything … and getting fuel in there,” Hughes says.
“Certainly the first challenges for many is just getting electricity, fuel and labor crews back to begin the massive cleanup operations,” Wells says. “There is extensive water damage to many courses as well, from erosion to standing water. Bermudagrass, which is what most of our superintendents have, is a very strong species capable of coming back from a lot of stress, but it will take some time to repair damage from trees falling on greens, removing silt, scalping from not being mowed, etc.”
In the meantime, even courses not heavily damaged by the hurricane might feel the economic impact of the storm.
“The loss of revenue will be a long-term challenge, as so much has to be rebuilt, and I am afraid golf will not be a priority on most residents’ minds as they struggle to find a place to live, a job, etc.,” Wells says.
For Hughes and Wells, they’re thankful to have survived Katrina’s worst and can follow the well-being of superintendents throughout the Gulf Coast via Jerry Pate Turf & Industrial’s Web site dedicated to help track golf course superintendents and independent power equipment dealers in the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. For more information, visit the “Gulf Coast Friends & Family Hurricane Information” at http://hurricane.jerrypate.com.
No more results found.
|
|
With his wife and 10-month old daughter safely in Cleveland, Ohio, where Hughes is from originally, he toured the course and was pleasantly surprised.
“All ’n all, the grass held together really well,” he says.
Hughes reports no major damage – a few trees, both new and old, were down – and no flooding. Hughes and his crew prepped for the storm by securing trees and equipment, and setting up silt fencing to protect the course.
Hughes wasn’t the only one in Mississippi be negatively affected by Katrina. Wayne Wells, Ph. D., extension turfgrass specialist in the department of plant and soil sciences at Mississippi State University, felt the affects of the storm but knows there are many areas much worse off than his.
“We felt the wrath of Hurricane Katrina even here in Starkville, which is almost 300 miles from the coast, with loss of power, downed trees and heavy rains,” he says. “A week and a half has passed, and we still cannot make contact with many of our courses south of I-20.
“It is too early to tell just how much damage there is due to not being able to travel or communicate with those along the coast,” he adds. “And for those in New Orleans and surrounding areas, it may be a total wipeout due to the toxins left behind and the total rebuilding of everything – homes, lives, businesses, etc.”
Wells says resort courses such as Fallen Oak might have an advantage over other courses that aren’t destination locations, which draw golfers from outside the area.
The Mississippi coast is just now beginning to get power back, Hughes says, but his concerns are far from over when electricity is restored.
“It’s going to be hard to get staff in there … keeping up with everything … and getting fuel in there,” Hughes says.
“Certainly the first challenges for many is just getting electricity, fuel and labor crews back to begin the massive cleanup operations,” Wells says. “There is extensive water damage to many courses as well, from erosion to standing water. Bermudagrass, which is what most of our superintendents have, is a very strong species capable of coming back from a lot of stress, but it will take some time to repair damage from trees falling on greens, removing silt, scalping from not being mowed, etc.”
In the meantime, even courses not heavily damaged by the hurricane might feel the economic impact of the storm.
“The loss of revenue will be a long-term challenge, as so much has to be rebuilt, and I am afraid golf will not be a priority on most residents’ minds as they struggle to find a place to live, a job, etc.,” Wells says.
For Hughes and Wells, they’re thankful to have survived Katrina’s worst and can follow the well-being of superintendents throughout the Gulf Coast via Jerry Pate Turf & Industrial’s Web site dedicated to help track golf course superintendents and independent power equipment dealers in the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. For more information, visit the “Gulf Coast Friends & Family Hurricane Information” at http://hurricane.jerrypate.com.