My thanks to all that have helped in flood recovery

The past five weeks have been challenging as we work to restore the golf course after the recent storm, and I want to extend my deepest gratitude to those who have supported this recovery effort.

First, I’d like to thank John Pace, who not only called early to offer his support but also brought one of his excavators and operated it for us during that crucial first week. John, the owner of Tarheel Paving, just happened to have the equipment available when it was nearly impossible to find. He helped us restore flow to the culverts on hole 17, resolving a sticky situation and giving us a strong start.

Sam Beddingfield provided a huge boost by hooking our generator to our panel, allowing us to pump gas and diesel without siphoning manually.  We didn’t have any power or water at our shop for over a week and Sam was a big help with wiring both our generators to the main panel to provide power inside the mechanic’s shop.

Dale from Pinnacle Golf generously provided a skid steer, which has been essential for clearing silt, allowing us to start re-grassing sooner. A special thanks also goes to our friends at Henderson Oil, who ensured we had a full supply of diesel and gas to keep our efforts moving forward without interruption. I want to thank Dwayne Hill and his son, Blythe Hill, for their hard work in removing tree trunks and large branches from the course.

An extra, extra special thanks go to my old foreman and friend of eighteen years, Demetrio Nunez, and his company, Nunez Family Landscaping. Their tremendous effort in removing silt and clearing branches has been a game-changer.  Without the support of Demetrio and his employees we would never have been able to open the course back up for play as fast as we did.

I am incredibly proud of my crew for their dedication and hard work throughout this entire recovery process. They showed up without hesitation on the Monday after the storm, ready to tackle the enormous task of clearing and restoring our course. Their willingness to work long hours, even under tough conditions, speaks to their commitment to this place. I’d also like to extend my gratitude to my assistant, Nik Marques, who has not only removed silt and debris but also led the hydroseeding crew with exceptional focus, making sure that our reseeding efforts are thorough and timely. Nik’s hard work has been invaluable as we approach the final stages of recovery.

I also want to thank Mark Gosnell, a longtime friend of the golf course who will complete much of the culvert repair work around the course. His knowledge and assistance have been instrumental in this recovery.  He is also lending us the Hydro seeder we are using to reseed the damaged areas in the rough and fairways.

My thanks also go to our general manager, Dave Ford, for his support over the past five weeks. And to all the golfers who respected the course by holding off on bringing their private carts during the initial cleanup—your consideration helped prevent additional damage.

A sincere thank you to our owner for the unwavering support during this challenging period. His quick approval of the resources and tools we needed has been instrumental in our ability to restore the course efficiently. Beyond the financial support, I greatly appreciate his time and attention, coming out to tour the course with me and Dave to personally assess the damage and understand our needs. His involvement has made a significant difference, enabling us to take decisive steps toward recovery with confidence.

I especially want to thank my Dad. With five decades in this industry and extensive experience in flood recovery, he has faced nearly every challenge imaginable. His stories of past recoveries and the challenges he’s overcome have kept my spirits up, helping me maintain a positive attitude throughout this process.

And finally, to my wife, Holly: thank you for your patience and understanding as I dedicated these past weeks to the recovery efforts. Our seventh wedding anniversary was the first day of storm cleanup, and you set it aside without hesitation. I hope we can take that long-overdue vacation soon to celebrate properly. Your support means the world to me.

Thank you to everyone who has played a part in this effort. Together, we’re bringing our course back stronger than ever.