The Grange Golf Club has denied claims by furious members that LIV Golf Adelaide caused considerable damage to its two courses.
LIV’s inaugural Australian event last month was viewed as a roaring success, with up to 77,000 fans taking up a rare opportunity to see elite golf down under.
There was a raucous, party-like atmosphere throughout a chaotic three-day sold-out tournament which offered the best showcase yet in LIV’s push for “Golf But Louder.”
But the consequences of such beer-fuelled carnage, which included hundreds of drinks thrown onto fairways and greens from the stands after a Chase Koepka hole-in-one, soon became evident.
A report by Adelaide news outlet The Advertiser claimed that the Grange received backlash in the aftermath of the LIV bonanza from some members who were irritated about the state of the course.
But Grange general manager Barry Linke has confirmed the East and West Course are already back in use as he refuted any suggestions of long-term damage to the grounds.
“We are pleased with how the course has recovered following such a fantastic event, which showcased Grange to a global audience,” Linke told Australian Golf Digest.
“Both courses are now back in play, with members enjoying excellent playing surfaces. This is a credit to our ground staff, who have worked tirelessly.
“We will work with the LIV team to remedy the minimal damage to the course caused by the infrastructure, which has not affected playing areas, and look forward to planning the next event.”
Linke’s response comes after claims by some frustrated members that the courses could take months to recover.
Trevor Craig, a Grange member of 45 years, had told The Advertiser: “A profit-making circus has come to town and the people paying the price are the members.
“We’re not a charity, we’re a private club, and I don’t think we’ve been compensated adequately. We’re going to have a mess for six months and then it’s going to be back again.”
However, the consensus among members appeared positive overall, with 86 per cent “satisfied or very satisfied” with the staging of the 54-hole tournament.
Only seven per cent stated that they were “dissatisfied or very dissatisfied” with the event after being compensated with free tickets amid the inevitable disruption.
Meanwhile, LIV is back Stateside this weekend for the Saudi-funded league’s sixth event of the season at the Cedar Ridge Country Club in Tulsa.
Source : Bunkered