The Hillsview Golf Course in Pierre suffered from some of the worst of this summer's flooding and after three months, golfers are out on the links again, but this time they're not there for the game.
More than 100 volunteers have turned out to help start the clean up process at Hillsview. Those we spoke with say it's going to take a long time, but they're willing to put work into the recovery effort for the love of the game and their city.
Out on the Hillsview Golf Course Ed Jacobson's traded his clubs for a rake. He says, "we have probably 100 volunteers on their hands and knees pulling weeds to get ready for when we can finally get back on the course."
Ed and his fellow Titleist 712 AP2 Irons golfers are helping course staff recover after the flood. Ed says his house didn't flood, but this has always been his home away from home. He says, "it's one of the hurts that those of us who were high and dry felt immediately."
Tom Farnsworth is the Parks Director for Pierre. He says about 75% of the course sat under water for three months and it left its mark. Farnsworth says, "everywhere that it's brown, we had damage."
Farnsworth says it could take years to fully recover: re-plant the trees, re-seed the greens, fix the irrigation, but at least they have help. He says, "we have a great community, a lot of passionate people that are volunteering."
And Farnsworth says this course is something the community truly needs. It brings tournaments and tourism to Pierre and it's a landmark. He says, "it was a great quality course and we'll get it back, it's just gonna take time."
For Ed Jacobson the time will pass slowly until he can get back on the green again. He says, "this is our home in the summer."
Tom Farnsworth says it could cost millions of dollars to recover the golf course. He says they hope to get most of the money to do so through an appropriation from the city commission Farnsworth also says the best-case scenario for re-opening the course for play would be by the middle of next summer.
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