Pics: KZN golf courses under water, closed indefinitely

With an immense amount of destruction already done to the course, Durban Country Club (DCC) will be closed indefinitely while administrators exercise damage control, hoping the incessant flooding will eventually cease.

The DCC, ironically launched in 1922 due to persistent floods at the lower-lying Greyville course, has been bashed by water over the last couple of weeks, along with various other courses in KwaZulu-Natal.

The most damage, according to local pro and DCC golf director Don Gammon, has been caused over the last few days, with over 300mm of rain hitting the course in just 72 hours.

And while there has not yet been any major structural damage, the greens, fairways, bunkers and roughs have been virtually destroyed.

“The course is on a low-lying plane, which is not conducive to dealing with floods. The water is rushing out the city and the storm system can’t cope,” Gammon said on Wednesday.

“Now we have a situation where we have 14 or 15 holes under water, and the reality is that it’s going to take an extended period of time to revitalise the course.

“It’s very stressful, but everyone here is battling at the moment, so we just need to keep our heads up and try get through this as best we can.

It would take at least two weeks to clear the water off the course, Gammon said, and with more rain expected, the club could be closed until at least the end of May.

“It’s been such a process to get this course to the pristine condition it was in,” he said.

“There’s so much damage already done and we don’t even know where to start cleaning it up. We have full confidence in our team, but this is a disaster.”

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Though San Lameer Golf Estate was also hit by the floods, management was hoping to open the course within the next few days, provided there was no more rainfall.

“There has been no structural damage to any villas or common property buildings,” San Lameer told property owners in an update on Wednesday.

“Unfortunately, the golf course was not so lucky. The bunkers and greens have been affected quite badly.

“There is water in most bunkers and we would need to drain these bunkers, remove all old sand and replace them with new bunker sand, which will be a costly exercise.”

There were some fallen trees at San Lameer, as well as sitting water on some of the greens. The golf and cart pathways were also not spared as pavers had been washed away and a bridge on the pathway had collapsed.

“Remedial work, to restore the course including the greens to its former glory, has already commenced. It is hoped that the course will be opened for play within the next few days.”

Meanwhile, a video of the Umbogintwini River flowing through Amanzimtoti has left onlookers shocked.

Watch the video below:

Video supplied