After flood, Rivercut Golf Course back in play

Out of commission for almost two weeks, Rivercut Golf Course is fully back in action today.

During prime golf season, most of the municipal course was covered in water and shut down following record flooding of the James River on June 18-19. Springfield-Greene County Park Board officials say waters have receded and repairs were made on holes 1-12, where a week ago turf and sand traps were washed out and a golf cart bridge was destroyed.

Considered the crown jewel of Springfield’s municipal golf courses, Rivercut’s damages were initially estimated at $75,000. County officials have revised full restoration costs to roughly $130,000, including contract services for carpet, baseboard and drywall repair in the Connie Morris Golf Learning Center, according to a news release.

Steve King, Rivercut’s head PGA professional, estimated lost revenue of $40,000-$50,000 with the course not fully operable since the flooding.

The back nine holes reopened June 22. Officials say the July Fourth weekend produced another level of urgency.

“We’re opening ahead of schedule and in time for the holiday weekend, and it’s because our golf and operations guys have doubled up and worked very hard to clean up the course,” Parks Director Bob Belote said in the release.

Park Board staff members have cleared debris off the fairways, shoveled and hosed silt off of greens, patched ruts and filled 26 sand traps. The collapsed bridge at hole No. 6 will be rebuilt in-house, the release said.

King said he expected the learning center to reopen within 10 days. ServiceMaster Restoration has been contracted for cleaning and repairs, he said.

With the James River cresting at a record 22.2 feet, private businesses along the river also were damaged. In early reports, the Springfield-Greene County Office of Emergency Management collected damage estimates of $200,000 at private businesses along the river. OEM Director Chet Hunter said this morning operators revised down the tally to $175,000 at such businesses as Carson’s Nursery, Turners Station and CySports Center.[[In-content Ad]]