After the river Dee swept across the village of Ballater in January, the golf club was left with no choice but to close as footbridges were destroyed and debris enveloped the greens.
But three months on, with the help and dedication of its staff, members and volunteers, the 18-hole course successfully reopened on what turned out to be a very Good Friday.
Ballater golf club welcomed back its members last Friday following an intensive clean-up effort which saw volunteers clearing the green of sand, stones and debris.
Golf professional at Ballater Golf Club, Bill Yule, said: “The Dee burst its banks by the 13th hole which left a considerable amount of rubble and debris on the course.
“As a result, we had to use heavy machinery to clear the green and then, we started in mid-January alongside volunteers, many of whom were club members, to help restore the club.
“People were really just doing whatever they could to get the club back to normal and have been absolutely pivotal in getting the club open in a short space of time, given the damage that had been done.
“To see the golf course up and open again is fantastic – especially considering the state of Ballater as a whole following the floods.
“We’re hoping that the club will go back to normal now and it’s great to see Ballater beginning to bounce back from a rough start in 2016.”
Ballater Golf Club manager, Colin Smith, added: “We have been very fortunate that our members rallied to our cause and turned up in all sorts of weather and picked up stones, swept up sand, removed trees and rebuilt bridges across ditches.
“It has just been magnificent to see.
“It’s a great relief that now all 18 holes are back open, which happened on Good Friday, so that was appropriate as it really was a good Friday.
“Competitions will now be proceeding and it’s back to business as usual.”
