Antifragile

Floods and fire can’t keep Mount Edgecombe down. by Johann Naudé

Mount Edgecombe Country Club is no stranger to the whims of nature. In 1987, biblical rains flooded the property. Months later, fire brought the clubhouse to its knees. Then, in 2022, the most catastrophic floods in KwaZulu-Natal’s history shattered the calm. And just this past January, water again made itself at home in the clubhouse.

If disasters are one constant of life at Mount Edgecombe, coming out stronger at the other end is another.

When the clubhouse burned down in 1988, the club had one course. By 1992, it had two—“The Woods” upgraded to USGA specifications, and “The Lakes” newly commissioned. Peter Matkovich’s team refined both in 2017 and again in 2023, with the latest update overhauling the bunker complex.

“The bunkers had not been upgraded in many years and the drainage was extremely poor,” says CEO Desiree Stone. “They were all redone and repositioned. We also added new bunkers. Additionally, we extended and added many tee boxes, and revamped four greens. All the putting surfaces are now bent grass.”

The Woods is generally considered the easier of the two layouts. Less undulating and with fewer water hazards, higher-handicapped players in particular find it less penalizing.

It is not without venom, though.

Holes 14 to 16—its so-called “Amen Corner”—can make or break your round. The par-five 14th’s green is guarded by water, leaving the longer hitter with an important decision on their second shot. The 15th is a par three across water, and on the next tee box, you will have to clear a dam to reach the fairway.

Formerly a par 72, Peter Matkovich shortened the parkland layout by two shots in 2017, replacing the par-five fifth with an exciting downhill par three with water left of the green, now the seventh.

It’s an easy walk—and a scenic one at that, its Royal Blue fairways lined with beautiful pines, gums, and exotic trees.

If you arrive at Mount Edgecombe in a more adventurous mood (and with an ample supply of spare balls), head over to The Lakes.

Set among hills, it has many elevation changes and, as its name suggests, water lies at the bottom of those hills.

The Pani Dam is the biggest of these watery graves, and nowhere does it loom larger in players’ minds than on the eighth and ninth, where it runs along the left. And if you think you’ll bail out on the right, don’t bother: indigenous bush is lying in wait.

If worse comes to worst and you blunder these holes, at least you can console yourself with a beautiful view of the Pani Dam while nibbling on your halfway meal. You may even spot a fish eagle.

Both courses are of championship pedigree and have hosted many serious tournaments. At the end of January, The Woods hosted the SA Stroke Play Championship for men. Last year, The Lakes did. The 2023 SA Stroke Play Championship for women took place over both courses. For the club, these tournaments are business as usual.

“We strive to keep the courses in excellent condition year-round—not just for special occasions,” says Stone.

Fortunately, thanks to the work done on the course after the 2022 floods, it sustained minimal damage in January when 100 millimeters of rain fell in less than 45 minutes. Only the clubhouse took a beating.

“Extensive drainage and stormwater measures were put in place at a huge cost, but sadly the main municipal road flooded, causing the damage to the clubhouse. All the measures worked exceptionally well, but the road just could not cope.”

Just as it did in 1988 and 2022, the club is again emerging stronger at the other end of this disaster.

“We are currently installing further stormwater measures, again at a major cost. Hopefully, this will ensure that we do not flood again.”

Any lessons for other clubs?

“Sadly, it is hard to predict these freak storms, even though there seem to be more and more each year. Investing in robust drainage and stormwater systems certainly will help. All I can say is that the power of water must never be underestimated. And in the office environment, do not leave any important documents and computers on the floor!”