Storm Boelo leaves 1888 Dumbarton Golf Club almost entirely under water

Dumbarton Golf Club in Scotland is almost completely under water after Storm Boelo, and the club says getting it back will not be quick or cheap. Golfweek, The Herald, the Glasgow Times and the BBC all reported the flooding on Tuesday, October 27, with aerial photos showing the course submerged.

Founded in 1888, Dumbarton is an 18-hole parkland course on the banks of the River Leven, in the middle of the town. The river burst its banks on Sunday, the BBC reports, and a high tide at 12:30 a.m. that night pushed water across the course, according to the Glasgow Times.

Why the water won't leave

Part of the embankment between the river and the course collapsed. Club vice-captain Paul Savage told the Glasgow Times the course is now acting like a dam. "When the high tide comes, the water starts seeping back into the golf club because that area of the embankment has collapsed," he said. He estimates there are 300 million litres of water on the course.

In a statement carried by Golfweek and The Herald, the club's management said it has spoken with West Dunbartonshire Council, whose first priority is closing the towpath for safety. Engineers will review the embankment after that, but the club says it has no timescale. Extra pumps would come at the club's own cost.

Savage said the club can't afford to pump the course out more than once. "We've got one chance to try and get the golf club back, or we potentially lose it if we don't," he told the Glasgow Times.

The repair list

Once the water drops, the club expects to re-sand bunkers, rebuild multiple bridges, clear debris and deal with damaged trees it can't reach yet. Savage said most of the bridges have been swept away and are floating around the course, and nobody knows yet how the waterlogged turf will hold up. Management has cut the club's operating hours to save money and asked members to keep supporting it.

The club has about 800 members, Savage said. Nearby clubs, including Helensburgh and Clydebank District, have offered tee times so Dumbarton members can keep playing.

What to watch

The next step is the council's review of the embankment, since pumping can't stick until it is fixed. If you play in the west of Scotland, the club is asking members and friends for support while it works out a plan.