Iowa courses in recovery after floods
When you think of states that are prone to severe flooding, Iowa is not one of the first that comes to mind. But after witnessing the havoc Mother Nature wreaked on the majority of the state last month, onlookers are changing their tune.

My dad had to cut down several trees on our property that were damaged in the storms.

Severe storms and torrential rains were responsible for 83 of Iowa’s 99 counties being declared disaster areas. The National Weather Service called the flooding in some areas a “historic hydrologic event” as one river over-topped its banks at 500-year flood levels.

These two downed trees fell pretty close to the house.

Much of the disaster recovery efforts have been focused on residents who lost their homes and land; however, businesses have suffered as well. Take the golf course industry, for example. According to a recent article in Golfdom, most of Iowa’s approximately 400 courses were impacted by the heavy rain—100 of them were flooded.

There were several downed trees in our neighborhood—we did not experience much flooding, but the golf course 15 minutes away from the neighborhood had more significant water and tree damage.

Iowa floods change golf course rules and practices for remainder of season
During a recent trip to Des Moines, I had the opportunity to witness some of the devastation first hand while visiting my parents who are residents. My dad, an avid golfer, said that playing these last two months has been a challenging—the courses are water-logged, the fairways are burnt out and the greens are damaged. As a result, players have had to abide by winter rules and the use of carts has been very limited.

“The courses were in the process of being repaired following our harsh winter when the rain hit,” said my father, Jerry Sychowski, a Des Moines resident. “Between the June storms and recent 80 mph winds, the courses have not had a chance to heal. The countless puddles and mud patches constantly interfere with the game.”

Slowly, but surely, Iowa’s courses will come back alive. Superintendents and crews are working overtime to repair the damage. The Iowa Golf Association is considering implementing two golf holidays to encourage players to get back out there. And the PGA TOUR created a Flood Relief Fund to assist in relief efforts.

But my dad said there may be a silver lining to all the dampness: “The course obstacles give golfers more excuses for lousy scores!” I’ll be anxious to see what changes have taken place by next summer and if I can improve my score out on the golf course.