When the Joint Advisory Committee on Golf met last week, about 40 members attended, along with one engineer from Crafton Tull. The committee was considering the fate of the Berksdale Golf Course.
Since flooding in April 2017, Berksdale has been a nine-hole course. When the decision was made to close the lower nine holes, the recommendation was that the entire course would close if there was another flood. Berksdale is one of three courses along Little Sugar Creek that have been damaged by floodwaters.
Although there wasn't a major flood this year, a bridge on the Berksdale course was damaged when heavy rains sent debris down the creek earlier this summer. The course was completely closed in June when the damage to the pilings was discovered and engineering firm Crafton Tull was asked to inspect the bridge and provide some estimates. Crafton Tull has worked with the POA in the past and was familiar with the issues.
Repair of the bridge was estimated at $282,000 and would probably take about nine months. But the summary lists a few pros and cons, including the fact that there's no guarantee. The bridge is over 30 years old and other pilings could fail in the future.
A span bridge would not require pilings in the creek, but it's estimated cost is $621,000 and construction would take 18 months. Flooding might not affect the bridge, but it could still close the course.
A narrow span bridge would cost $501,000, but it could only be used by golf carts. Emergency vehicles and maintenance equipment could not use the bridge. It would take 18 months to complete the project.
The engineers also considered a plan to narrow and repair the existing bridge but deemed it unacceptable since there is likely more damage than what is visible. They declined to offer a cost estimate for the option.
It would cost about $75,600 to remove the bridge without replacing it.
Committee chairman Jason Loyd asked Golf Operations director Darryl Muldoon if the area could be used as a six- or nine-hole course without the bridge. In the past, Muldoon has said that the course can't be open without the bridge because there's a section of cart path that is too steep to be used for two way traffic.
Muldoon said he would recruit board member David Whelchel who is a professional golf course architect and the POA's safety officer to look at the course and consider another traffic pattern.
The committee agreed to table the issue until its next meeting when Muldoon should have the additional information.
In other business, a subcommittee provided its recommendations for the 2020 capital budget. The board will consider recommendations as it approves the budget this fall. The highest priority item, according to the subcommittee, is building gold tee boxes at the Highlands or Dogwood. The gold boxes are part of the "Play it Forward" program which allows less able golfers a shorter distance to the green.
Also on the list is a roller for Scotsdale, cart path repairs, tee box leveling, a root cutting machine and new fairway grass for Highlands.
General News on 08/21/2019