LISTEN TO THE RAIN
A SPECIAL REPORT
Damage and lost business double bogey for links
GOLF COURSES
Golfers always have a story to tell, but when it comes to how courses fared during Hawaii's recent rain of biblical proportions, Olomana Golf Links in Waimanalo might have one of the worst scorecards.
The course, which was forced to close for business from March 26 to April 7 due to the rain, lost about $60,000 in revenues and sustained about $40,000 in damage, said Peter Yamashita, general manager of Olomana Golf Links.
"It's quite a story," Yamashita said. "We sustained mud damage on three of our greens and five fairways, and three of our holes were completely covered with mud."
Many other courses around the state -- including Kauai's Wailua Golf Course and, on Oahu, the Pali Golf Course, West Loch Golf Course, Koolau Golf Club, Luana Hills Country Club and Waialae Country Club -- reported serious damage, ranging from algae growth to flooding and mud-damaged greens.
But few could say the rain rose more than 10 feet high like it did at Olomana Golf Links on March 31, when the runoff spilled over from Kalanianaole Highway and the Kailua Reservoir.
Olomana Golf Links, which reopened on Wednesday, does not have flood insurance to recoup the damage and cannot make up for the lost revenue, Yamashita said.
"Once the day is over you can't recoup the losses," he said, adding that even now business is slow because clouds are still overhead and people are gun-shy about getting wet.
Though Puakea Golf Course on Kauai fared better than many others, the course had to close for about eight days and sustained significant losses, said Paul Ito, Puakea Golf Course director.
"We did about 50 percent of our normal business," Ito said. "I really felt bad for all the visitors. Normally, it just doesn't rain like that."
While most Hawaii courses lost business due to the rain, at least one -- Ko Olina Golf Course, on the dry side of Oahu -- actually picked up revenue.
Though it was closed for nearly two days and sustained weed and algae overgrowth, March revenues rose, said Greg Nichols, Ko Olina Golf Club director and general manager.
"We got overflow from the other courses," Nichols said, adding that Ko Olina Golf Club stayed relatively dry because it was designed with elevated greens and large swales to move water off the fairways.