Look what the weekend rainstorm washed up at West Seattle Golf Course. The storm also left its mark in several places around the course, through which Longfellow Creek runs. After a one-day closure on Sunday, on Monday (as first reported here), golfers were barred from using carts, because of path damage:
One person with an exemption: course superintendent John Price, who drove WSB’s Christopher Boffoli around the course Monday afternoon on a tour of the storm-damaged spots.
See some of what else they saw, after the jump:
That fairway is suddenly gravel-topped, after the storm that the city says hit West Seattle harder than other areas – up to 4 inches of rain at some spots on the peninsula. The water dug into a bridge by the 3rd hole:
Christopher reported after the tour “He showed me where the force of the water dug ruts in the road above and carved some small but deep ravines as the water flowed off the course and into the Longfellow Creek watershed. Price said the bridge was wiped out by a more severe flood just a few years ago and was rebuilt with thick wires to hold it together. Some of the wires were exposed over the weekend. But the repairs to the bridge will be limited this time to the road surface.” Price told him, “We seem to be having a 100 year flood every couple of
years now.” said Price.
Overall, Christopher reported, “The most severe damage had to do with the gravel roads and cart paths that wind their way through the course. Price said the roads ‘act like culverts’ in heavy rain. Many of the ruts are quite deep, making it too dangerous for golf carts. So they are disallowing the use of carts until they can repair the damage and re-grade the roads.”
The gravel supplier was too busy on Monday to supply what’s needed for course repairs, but they are hopeful of getting it today, and if it arrives early enough, they might be able to allow golf carts again by the end of tomorrow.
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