Heavy rain has caused a massive sinkhole to open on the 13th fairway of Canyon Farms Golf Club in Lenexa, Kan., and Excelsior Springs (Mo.) Golf Course has lost eight tournaments over the last two months due to rain-related cancellations.
Heavy rain is causing problems for Kansas golf courses, including a massive sinkhole on the 13th fairway at Canyon Farms Golf Club in Lenexa, the Kansas City (Mo.) KCTV5 News reported.
According to the company’s website, part of the course runs through what was once an open pit quarry, which StormTrack5 meteorologist Gary Amble said could be the reason for the collapse, KCTV reported.
“We had a cave and the roof essentially over the top of the cave became so burdened with moisture and so heavy, that it just collapsed in on itself,” Amble said.
There’s no word on how long it may take to fix the sinkhole. So, in the meantime, golfers say they’ll just have fun with it, KCTV reported.
“Well, I think we finally found a hole big enough where I can finally make a putt maybe,” golfer Doug North joked.
Golf course management said the area has been fenced off for safety until repairs can be made. A geologist has already been out to survey the damage, KCTV reported.
Other nearby golf courses are suffering as well. Excelsior Springs (Mo.) Golf Course is expecting revenue to be down about 30% compared to last year, as the result of soggy grass, washouts, inability to mow, and cancellations, golf professional Tim Jarman told the Kansas City (Mo.) Business Journal.
Not only are courses having to go the extra mile in terms of maintenance to keep up with washouts and soggy grass, but costs can’t be made up as tournament revenue plunges. Excelsior Springs has lost eight tournaments over the last two months. Only three rescheduled, and of those three, two got rained out for a second time. That’s a missed opportunity for anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000 in revenue, the Business Journal reported.
“When you lose tournaments like that, you just don’t recoup that kind of money,” Jarman said.
At Excelsior Springs, the early-spring membership drive also isn’t proving as successful as projected because new members have had little opportunity to come out for a round. 10.25 inches of rain fell in the Kansas City area in May—nearly double the average 5.23 inches, according to the National Weather Service.
Last May and June, Excelsior Spring hosted about 3,500 rounds, but they’re down 1,800 for this year, the Business Journal reported.
While Excelsior Springs has fared worse, Drumm Farm Golf Course and Wolf Creek Golf Links have also seen declines in their rounds, the Business Journal reported.
Tournament and outing cancellations haven’t been as severe at Independence-based Drumm Farm, but standard play has declined, General Manager Ross Judy said. Golfers who check the forecast the day before may choose not to golf whether it ends up raining or not, the Business Journal reported.
“You kind of get hurt more on the forecast—or just as much—as the rain,” Judy said.
Rodney Wray, General Manager at Olathe-based Wolf Creek Golf Links, said the course has seen a 20 percent decline in rounds from last year, the Business Journal reported.
“We’ve been flooded worse, but it does take its toll on the golfers when it’s always wet and it’s always kind of a slog to get around the golf course,” Wray said.
That burden can come in the form of washed out cart paths, or even just soggy grounds, the Business Journal reported.
“They’re not going to get as much distance on their drives and any shots because they’re not getting any roll because once the ball lands, it’s not going anywhere,” Judy said.
As forecasts clear up though, the rest of the summer is looking brighter, the Business Journal reported.
“We’re turning the corner here,” Wray said. “It looks pretty good going forward.”
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