Despair. Pro Shop chief Evan Droop (left) and CEO Peter Savy on the first fairway of the Blue Nine with fallen trees and branches in the background.
Australia’s largest public access golf course – our own Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Club Resort – was closed to golfers on Monday because of the enormous one-hour-long tree damage in the over 100kmph winds the day before.
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Good news is the 45-hole complex’s 18-hole Murray Course re-opened yesterday (Tuesday) because of the wonderful work clearing the fallen trees and ensuring safety for players.
“We’re concentrating on the Murray Course, getting it open first. It’s going better than first thought because of the community coming together,” course superintendent Chris Burgess told the Yarrawonga Chronicle early Monday morning.
“Local blokes, blokes who used to be greenkeepers here, members – they’ve all come to help.
Club CEO Peter Savy ponders the fallen trees’ damage at the Blue Nine’s Par 4 hole.
“The 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th holes were the worst hit.”
Mr Burgess and assistant course superintendent Trevor Elliott have worked at the club for 11 and 28 years respectively.
Both said they have never seen anything like the damage inflicted in that time as last Sunday.
Head of the Pro Shop Evan Droop said no hole was spared. “It’s just another kick in the guts for us,” he added.
After a hot previous day of 39 degrees Celsius, competition golf last Sunday was called off at about 12.30pm due to the heavy rain. The rain just got heavier.
“From the Pro Shop, you couldn’t see the trees falling because the rain was so heavy,” Pro Shop employee Julie Kirchin said.
But an hour later, when the rain became lighter and the 100kmh wild winds weakened, a trail of tree damage became visible. Club members and visitors were shocked at the damage wherever they looked.
The Blue Course’s ninth tee stand.
Power was off for about an hour at the club. “We sent people to ClubMulwala and fortunately our power was back on quickly compared to other businesses and houses,” CEO Peter Savy said.
At Black Bull Golf Course, there was minimal damage according to head professional James McCully.
“We were back in action first thing this morning,” he said early Monday.
Yarrawonga Mulwala copped plenty with the April 2013 tornado and also on the Sunday afternoon of November 21, 2020. From the Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Club Resort, last Sunday’s huge storm was the worst the club has experienced.
It hopes to have the Lake Course and Blue Nine re-opened as quickly as possible. Check with the Pro Shop (57443983) accordingly.
