By Ronnie Gallagher
rgallagher@salisburypost.com
Country Club of Salisbury golf superintendant Ron Bivins was on his way to work Wednesday when he noticed gravel washed out of people’s driveways.
Uh-oh.
“We knew we’d be in a mess,” he said.
With the first round of the annual Labor Day tournament only three days away, he knew his crew would have to hustle.
When Bivins arrived at the course, he looked at his water gauge, which measures up to six inches. He figured at least eight inches had fallen, maybe 10.
His 75 bunkers had all been completely washed out. He found holes No. 11, 12, 13 and 14 under water.
His first thought: “We still have time to get ready for the tournament.”
Grant’s Creek, which runs parallel to No. 13. as well as the 14th green, held the key to how long before the course could return to normal.
“It will have to recede a lot before this will dry up,” Bivins said.
Bivins, who has been in this business a long time, knows the course will be ready for the first golfers, who tee off Saturday morning. As of yesterday, there were still playoffs scheduled to determine seedings. They have been rescheduled for today at 5:30 p.m.
Richard Cobb and Mallory McDaniel won’t have to worry. The defending champs are lodged as the championship flight’s No. 1 seed.
Bivins is sure when they tee off, the water will have drained.
But he still shakes his head. The Donald Ross course was in excellent shape when the two days of rainfall began.
“We had the course set up probably the best for Labor Day qualifying that I’ve had since I’ve been here,” Bivins said. “But it seems like every time somebody says the course is in great shape, Mother Nature will bring you to your knees.”
One tree fell near Grant’s Creek during Tuesday’s storm. Bivins said the biggest undertaking is the clenaup process across the creek.
The bunkers are a concern, too. Bivins estimates it will take 15 minutes and four workers to repair each one. A sand machine will push the sand up and fluff the bunkers back to normal. But many of his workers have gone back to college so he’s a bit shorthanded.
“We’ll have to burn some midnight oil,” Bivins said.
Bivins found the front nine in good shape, as are holes 10, 16, 17 and 18.
Cleaning up the course takes away time from mowing the course. That could take a toll on the players.
“You might as well warn the golfers for this weekend to beware because the rough will be tough,” he said.

---

Saturday
Championship Flight
No. 1 M. McDaniel-R. Cobb vs. No. 16 TBD, 1:30 p.m. (No. 1)
No. 8 D. Holder-R. Honeycutt vs. No. 9 A. Jordan-M. Davis, 1:30 p.m. (No. 1)
No. 4 B. Boyle-D.McIntyre vs. No. 13 TBD, 1:30 p.m. (No. 2)
No. 5 C. Basinger-A. Smith vs. No. 12 C. Buckwell-K. Crouch, 1:30 p.m. (No. 2)
No. 3 M. Dorsett-K. Dorsett vs. No. 14 TBD, 1:30 p.m. (No. 10)
No. 6 G. Dixon-R. Dixon vs. No. 11 E. Mulkey-T. Mulkey, 1:30 p.m. (No. 10)
No. 7 W. Eidson-N. Poole vs. No. 10 J. Hubbard-J.DeRhodes, 1:30 p.m. (No. 11)
No. 2 J. Kyger-J.Kyger vs. No. 15 TBD, 1:30 p.m. (No. 11)
First Flight
No.1 TBD vs. No. 8 J. Boley-T. Sprinkle, 1:30 p.m. (No. 14)
No. 4 TBD vs. No. 5 J. Dees-B. Honeycutt, 1:30 p.m. (No. 7)
No. 3 TBD vs. No. 6 J. Murphy-J. Murphy, 1:30 p.m. (No. 16)
No. 2 TBD vs. No. 7 C. Smith-J. Wright, 1:30 p.m. (No. 16)
Second Flight
No.1 J. Rusher-J. Rusher vs. No. 8 M. Roberts-G. Hall, 1:30 p.m. (No. 5)
No. 4 A. Lentz-K. Lentz vs. No. 5 C. Owen-K.Clarke, 8:30 a.m. (No. 3)
No. 3 J. Parrott-E.Kirchin vs. No. 6 S. Bullock-G. Hoskins, 1:30 p.m. (No. 7)
No. 2 J. Brincefield-J. Brincefield vs. No. 7 P. Miller-T. Taylor, 8:30 a.m. (No. 8)
Third flight
No. 1 C. Graeber-J. Henderlite vs. No. 8 R. Jordan-D. Corpening, 8:30 a.m. (No. 6)
No. 4 D. Jordan-T. Beaver vs. No. 5 M. McGinnis-J. Bernhardt, 8:30 a.m. (No. 5)
No. 3 E. Cook-J. Stevens vs. No. 6 L. VonCanon-B. Boltz, 8:30 a.m. (No. 8)
No. 2 T. Shuping-M. Hoesman vs. No. 7 R. Dwiggins-K. Honeycutt, 8:30 a.m. (No. 7)
Fourth flight
No. 1 T. McCulloh-H. Morris vs. No. 8 B. Moore-C. Corriher, 8:30 a.m. (No. 1)
No. 4 L. Johnson-S. Ellison vs. No. 5 G. Alcorn-C. Alcorn, 8:30 a.m. (No. 1)
No. 3 M. Doran-B. West vs. No. 6 E. Nianouris-A. Nianouris, 8:30 a.m. (No. 10)
No. 2 T. Pope-A. Pope vs. No. 7 M. Beard-W. Blount, 8:30 a.m. (No. 10)
Fifth flight
No. 1 B. Agner-S. Putnam vs. No. 8 S. Curry-J. Earnhardt, 8:30 a.m. (No. 11)
No. 4 S. Gegorek-D. Dorsett vs. No. 5 S. Sexton-A. Huffman, 8:30 a.m. (No. 11)
No. 3 R. McIntyre-B. Vinson vs. No. 6 J. Kramer-S. Kramer, 8:30 a.m. (No. 2)
No. 2 B. Curlee-T. Kluttz vs. No. 7 H. Morgan-K. Holloway, 8:30 a.m. (No. 2)
Sixth flight
No. 1 J. Post-S. Clark vs. No. 8 J. Miller-T. Ledbetter, 8:30 a.m. (No. 12)
No. 4 T. Smith-D. May vs. No. 5 D. Arrowood-J. Franks, 8:30 a.m. (No. 12)
No. 3 B. Rusher-S. Yang vs. No. 6 A. Storey-R. Rich, 8:30 a.m. (No. 6)
No. 2 P. Janey-T. Collins vs. No. 7 P. Bradshaw-A. Corriher, 8:30 a.m. (No. 4)
Seventh flight
No. 1 B. Boltz-M. Boltz vs. No. 8 R. Blythe-C. James, 8:30 a.m. (No. 13)
No. 4 B. Jones-J. Shirley vs. No. 5 S. Bowers-S. Antosek, 8:30 a.m. (No. 13)
No. 3 Jeff Smink-John Fowler vs. No. 6 N. Hiatt-J. Barnette, 8:30 a.m. (No. 18)
No. 2 D. Wales-R. Patterson vs. No. 7 K. Chalmers-D. Geiger, 8:30 a.m. (No. 8)
Eight flight
No. 1 B. Overcash-J. Drye vs. No. 8 J. Bebber-B. Bebber, 8:30 a.m. (No. 16)
No. 4 K. Knight-B. Surratt vs. No. 5 R. Moore-B. Stohlsworth, 8:30 a.m. (No. 16)
No. 3 J. Crosswhite-T. Weber vs. No. 6 C. Moore-C. Saine, 8:30 a.m. (No. 5)
No. 2 S. Helms-A. Albright vs. No. 7 A. Flynn-A. Flynn, 8:30 a.m. (No. 9)
Ninth flight
TBD
Tenth flight
No. 1 D. Bradshaw-R. Bradshaw vs. No. 8 TBD, 1:30 p.m. (No. 15)
No. 4 G. Kenny-B. Oswald vs. No. 5 H. Watson-J. Myers, 1:30 p.m. (No. 15)
No. 3 J. Vinson-B. Hawkins vs. No. 6 J. Oliver-D. Doiron, 1:30 p.m. (No. 6)
No. 2 Greg Jones-J. Wilson vs. No. 7 T. Shaver-B. Hoffner, 1:30 p.m. (No. 8)
Seniors Championship Flight
No. 1 E. Norris-C. Andrews vs. No. 8 S. Vail-D. Rouche, 1:30 p.m. (No. 12)
No. 4 R. Williams-D. Harwood vs. No. 5 T. Julian-G. Medinger, 1:30 p.m. (No. 12)
No. 3 B. Steele-F. Eason vs. No. 6 S. Nash-B. Moore, 1:30 p.m. (No. 13)
No. 2 B. Rusher-J. Poe vs. No. 7 W. Tate-R. Priddy, 1:30 p.m. (No. 13)
Seniors First Flight
No. 1 C. Farrington-G. Andrews vs. No. 8 B. Glassgow-F. Goodman, 1:30 p.m. (No. 3)
No. 4 B. Ingram-H. Pope vs. No. 5 J. Seybold-S. Carter, 1:30 p.m. (No. 3)
No. 3 R. Davis-H. VonCannon vs. No. 6 D. Scism-J. Rowland, 1:30 p.m. (No. 4)
No. 2 J. Allman-V. Benfield vs. No. 7 D. Bishop-T. McCardle, 1:30 p.m. (No. 4)