Bobby Jones Golf Course to Augusta National: Hurricane Helene’s Top 5 Golf Victims, Listed

Hurricane Helene’s destructive path through the southeastern US left over 50 lives lost and millions without power. The storm’s fury ravaged homes, businesses, and iconic landmarks, including some of golf’s most revered courses. However, as the golf community surveys the damage, it’s clear that Helene’s impact will be felt for years to come. From flooded fairways to damaged infrastructure, the storm’s wrath has altered the landscape of golf in the region. 

But which courses suffered the most? Here are the 5 golf courses that faced the wrath of Hurricane Helene, their beauty and history forever altered by the storm’s destructive path.

5. Evans Prairie Country Club

The Villages, Florida’s Evans Prairie Country Club, renowned for its 27 championship holes, was severely impacted by Hurricane Helene. All its 27 holes were affected, with water blocking access to several sections, hence the course is closed. However, Evans Prairie’s retention basins played a vital role in stormwater management, drawing from experience in 2023 when excessive rain forced closures. 

Additionally, in 2017, when Hurricane Irma dumped enormous amounts of water on The Villages. The drainage system’s effectiveness prevented widespread flooding. But beyond its resilience, Evans Prairie boasts an outstanding golfing challenge. Built around the prairie in 2012, the course features six sets of tees (3,801-7,052 yards), catering to golfers of all skill levels.

Despite its beauty, the course lay battered, its picturesque landscape and rolling fairways bearing the brunt of Helene’s fury.

4. Cane Garden Country Club: Allamanda 

Florida’s Cane Garden Country Club, boasting a 140-acre eagle preserve, suffered uneven damage from Hurricane Helene. Holes 1-9 and 10-18, nestled among oak hammocks, and the course’s Allamanda Village and surrounding wetlands could be impacted. Home to bald eagles, Southeast American Kestrels, and Burrowing Owls, Cane Garden’s ecosystem faced unprecedented challenges.

However, in anticipation of the tropical storm, the Villages District government announced the closure of the Cane Garden Country Club. The delicate ecosystem, carefully preserved by the club, was disrupted, and surrounding wetlands faced significant challenges. As the club embarks on recovery efforts, the focus will be on protecting the unique balance between golf and nature. Cane Garden’s natural beauty, once a haven for golfers and wildlife enthusiasts, now requires meticulous restoration to revive its former splendor.

As the club embarks on recovery efforts, the focus will be on preserving the unique balance between golf and nature.

3. Havana Country Club: Hemingway

Lady Lake, Florida’s Havana Country Club, with its 27 holes, was submerged under Helene’s relentless floodwaters. The course’s rolling fairways and generous landing areas, designed to challenge golfers of all levels, were inundated. It was reminiscent of Hurricane Irma’s 2017 flooding when a golf cart under tunnel Morse Boulevard submerged.

Specifically, the Village Hemingway segment suffered significant damage. Kilimanjaro, another nine-hole segment, also faced challenges. The course’s facilities, including the golf shop, putting green, and hitting net, were impacted. As recovery efforts begin, Havana Country Club aims to restore its natural beauty and challenging gameplay.

2. Bobby Jones Golf Course: Buckhead Battles

Atlanta’s Buckhead neighborhood bore the brunt of Hurricane Helene’s flooding, with Atlanta Memorial Park and surrounding areas inundated. Bobby Jones Golf Course, situated within the park, faced significant challenges as high water levels near Sagamore and Northside Drive threatened its grounds. The devastation extended beyond the golf course, with nearby sports facilities also submerged underwater. Westminster Schools of Atlanta suffered extensive flooding, with its football, softball, and baseball fields under roughly four feet of murky water.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) shared a 29-second video showcasing the ground-zero conditions. The footage revealed the sheer extent of the flooding, with waters engulfing the area. And the conditions were “floody as hell,” highlighting the catastrophic impact of Helene on this small slice of Buckhead. Within this neighborhood, the full human drama of the hurricane unfolded, leaving a trail of destruction and disruption.

1. Augusta National Golf Club

Augusta National Golf Club, the iconic home of the Masters Tournament, has been severely impacted by Helene. The storm brought fierce winds of up to 140 mph (225 km/h), causing widespread destruction and power outages, with over 225,000 residents in Augusta left without electricity. Moreover, Chairman Fred Ridley confirmed the devastating effects on X.

Ridley expressed his concerns, stating, “Our Augusta community has suffered catastrophic and historic impact from Hurricane Helene. We currently are assessing the effects at Augusta National Golf Club” The club’s priority is supporting its staff, neighbors, and local business owners, with Ridley adding, “Our thoughts and prayers are with them as well as everyone throughout Georgia and the Southeast who have been affected.”

Helene was a Category 4 cyclone which made it one of the strongest hurricanes to hit Florida’s Big Bend region in recent history. However, its impact on the golf course itself is still being assessed. But images shared on social media reveal fallen trees and overflowing waterways. That includes Rae’s Creek, which runs alongside the 11th and 12th holes. This isn’t the first time Augusta National has faced severe weather conditions, as strong winds during last year’s Masters uprooted trees near the 17th hole, suspending play.