2 Mpls. Golf Courses Suffer Millions In Flood Damages

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – High numbers are never a good thing on the golf course.

And that's exactly what two local courses are dealing with.

The damage to two Minneapolis courses pelted by June storms is now estimated between $3 million to $4 million.

Some are wondering if it's worth making repairs.

Hiawatha Golf Course, in South Minneapolis, is operating at 50 percent after Minnehaha Creek overtook the back nine.

At Meadowbrook Golf Course in St. Louis Park things are even worse.

At one point this summer, parts of the course were under ten feet of water. There were makeshift levies everywhere.

Instead of sand traps one course is still host to sand bags three months later.

The water at Meadowbrook receded just two weeks ago.

It's been closed for months and likely will be closed through 2016.

On what should be a precious 70 degree September day, the course is wide open and completely closed.

At least on the fairways.

"You can putt and you can use the practice tee," golfer Stan Phillips said.

And for the first time in 30 seasons at Meadowbrook that's what Phillips is having to do.

"I hope it stays open. But I don't know from a financial standpoint if it's a real judicious thing to do to keep it open," Phillips said.

A Meadowbrook staffer showed WCCO why they had to close completely this season.

"I thought we'd be back in business with the water receding, the pumps going and things like that. But I think it was just too much, too much water," employee Paul Schmidt said.

About 15 minutes down the road in South Minneapolis Hiawatha isn't in tip-top shape either.

The soggy ground has formed some unintended roughs, so the back nine is off limits.

"To lose these two that probably would have brought in a million dollar each or more, it's tough," Sara Ackmann said.

Sara Ackmann oversees all five Minneapolis public courses. She says with lack of revenue and damage the total loss is almost $4 million. FEMA will pay up to 75 percent.

"We intend to reopen the course. That's our goal, that's what we're moving towards," Ackmann said.

She says to expect a slow and tedious process.

Despite all the damaged holes on both courses, the rest of the greens are being maintained.

So when Meadowbrook likely reopens in 2016, and Hiawatha next year, the hope is that they will be in great shape and actually have some new upgrades thanks to the repair money.