When a severe thunderstorm hit Kenosha County last month on May 15, it left Brighton Dale Links, the county's largest golf course facility, in disarray. The 45-hole complex along with its adjacent park took a hard hit from wind gusts that reached up to 60 mph, paired with hail the size of golf balls, causing sprawling damage across the 550-acre area. Trees came down, some of which blocked parts of the expansive golf course, as detailed in an announcement by Kenosha County officials.
County Director of Golf Jim Wallace noted that over 140 trees were downed or grievously harmed, altering the layout of trails and fairways significantly. The Blue Spruce golf course bore the brunt of the storm's fury, with major obstructions and noticeable damage on its second and fifth greens. Within a half hour post-storm, Golf Course Superintendent Randy Schultz was on-scene, opening up a clearing pathways and making initial assessments on the turmoil unleashed by mother nature, according to the county's statement.
Samantha Kerkman, County Executive, commended the swift joint effort of the county's Public Works divisions, including Golf, Parks, and Highways. This team collaboration fast-tracked the post-storm cleanup, leading to an impressively quick reopening for public enjoyment. "Thanks to our teams mobilizing quickly and harmoniously, debris was cleared, and the facility was reopened to golfers as soon as possible," Kerkman told Kenosha County in her praise of the effort.
Restoration efforts through the collective manpower resulted in 18 holes being playable within the first day after the storm, and subsequently, the entire complex was back in business by May 23. "To have 36 holes of golf re-opened within 48 hours was an amazing accomplishment by our staff, and it could not have been done without crews from our Parks Division coming over to help us," Wallace expressed his gratitude for the concerted reconstruction, as stated by the Kenosha County.
The storm also wreaked havoc beyond the greens, as the National Weather Service reported extensive damage to vehicles, structures, and additional trees throughout Kenosha County.
