MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. —
Normally it's just a challenge of the game, but with nearly a dozen holes still under water or saturated at the Quarry Golf Course, the owner says they're struggling to stay open.
"We’re expecting a $400,000 to $500,000 loss and we just don’t have that kind of revenue. We really want this course to remain here in the valley," said Nash Hexel, the owner and operator.
Nash estimates 125 million gallons washed up on their fairways and greens. Almost all of it is from nearby Creve Coeur Lake and until recently, there was no place for all of that water to go.
"The Missouri River was so high there was really no place to pump the water until [June] 20 and then when that river level came down, we started our work," Hexel said.
Dead grass and rotting fish carcasses are signs of progress that the water is receding, but even with ten giant pumps running 24-7, Nash still doesn't think they'll get all the water out for another eight days.
Perhaps the biggest handicap through all of this is hardly any money is coming in.
"Unfortunately we’ve lost the heart right out of our season, put us a little bit behind the eight ball," he says.
Which for the owner of a golf course, isn't just a hazard of doing business, it could end it all.
"We just hope that we can hang on through some low-interest loans, maybe through federal disaster relief," Hexel said.
Here's the good news: the course will partially reopen on July 15, and the driving range is back up and running. They hope if you love the game, you'll come out there and give them some business.
There's also a GoFundMe page set up to get them back into the swing of things.