California golf course still closed after six months

Six months after floodwaters buried Buenaventura Golf Course in mud and silt, the course likely will not reopen for at least another six months and its fate may hinge on still unknown final costs and hoped-for federal reimbursements, Ventura officials said.

“It’s just too early to tell,” city Parks and Recreation Director Nancy O’Connor said of targeting an opening date. “But I would say our goal, if all goes well, is the first of the year.”

Early January storms submerged the 91-year-old Ventura course located in a flood plain, damaging fairways, greens and everything in between. Water that rose 2 feet and higher also left muddy wounds in the pro shop and snack bar.

Roughly $3 million, all covered by insurance, has been used so far for repairs, O’Connor said. Tons of mud and silt were scraped off the city-owned course and piled into massive mounds alongside fairways. Work crews have now started hauling the mud and debris off the property.

The efforts helped save about 75% of the course’s grass — exponentially more than what was expected, O’Connor said.

Opened in 1932, the municipal course is shorter and more forgiving than nearby venues in attributes that have brought a loyal following. Some regulars are convinced the course will reopen. Others fret about projections they may not be able to tee it up until January.

“At my age that doesn’t help at all,” said Judy Stafford, 82, of Camarillo, admitting to bigger fears. “I’m worried it won’t reopen.”

‘There’s a lot of unanswered questions:’ Flooding stokes angst about Ventura golf course

The path to resumed play remains long and partly unknown. Once the piles of dirt from the flood are removed, workers will be able to better assess the damage done to drainage and irrigation systems. Then a contracted golf course architect will map out the scope of the remaining needed work, allowing the city to better assess costs.

Right now, the bottom line remains unknown and so do details of the funding sources.

The city has gained initial approval from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, but the level of reimbursements is expected to be determined by future inspections. The process has also slowed down the work as the city tries to stay within the federal agency’s many regulations, O’Connor said.

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