Another Big Tournament Cancelled Due to Hurricane Irma
9/16/2017 | by AmateurGolf.com Staff
see also: Senior Azalea Invitational, Country Club of Charleston
'Waves were breaking on the 4th fairway': The Senior Azalea has been knocked out by a hurricane for the 2nd time in three years
CHARLESTON, SC (September 16, 2017) - The Senior Azalea Invitational, a Major of Senior Amateur Golf, has been cancelled due to the effects of Hurricane Irma which resulted in damage to the golf course at the Country Club of Charleston.
Although the center of Hurricane Irma never directly impacted the Charleston area, the storm surge created by the storm pushed water onto the golf course, resulting in significant flooding on the front nine.
Related: Golf Tournaments Affected by Hurricane Irma
The Country Club of Charleston sits hard against the marshes adjacent to the Ashley River as it empties into the Atlantic Ocean, and as Irma moved up Florida and into the southeast U.S., it pushed water through the marshes and onto the course.
This from the Charleston Post and Courier:
"We got killed," said Country Club of Charleston director of golf Hart Brown. Superintendent Paul Corder told Brown the water was at least a foot higher than when Hurricane Matthew hit last summer, and texted photos of waves breaking on the fourth fairway. Brown said the greens on No. 1 and No. 8 were completely submerged and "the rest of the greens on the front side came close. It was a solid lake all the way across to No. 18."
"The worst thing is that we got saltwater in our pump house and it got into our pumps," Brown said. "They are broken. And we got some saltwater in several of our control panels. We rely on our ponds for our irrigation water and now all the ponds are brackish."
Since there was no chance the course would recover in time for the tournament, scheduled for September 27-29, the tournament was cancelled. Brown said he has no idea when the course will open up again.
It is the second hurricane-related cancellation in three years for the Senior Azalea. In 2015 (when the tournament was held in early October), the first round of play was completed, but with heavy rain falling on the course, and the possibility of Hurricane Joaquin affecting the Charleston area by the weekend, the decision was made to cancel the tournament.
Although the center of Hurricane Irma never directly impacted the Charleston area, the storm surge created by the storm pushed water onto the golf course, resulting in significant flooding on the front nine.
Related: Golf Tournaments Affected by Hurricane Irma
The Country Club of Charleston sits hard against the marshes adjacent to the Ashley River as it empties into the Atlantic Ocean, and as Irma moved up Florida and into the southeast U.S., it pushed water through the marshes and onto the course.
 |
The 2nd hole at the CC of Charleston (Paul Corder/CC of Charleston photo) |
"We got killed," said Country Club of Charleston director of golf Hart Brown. Superintendent Paul Corder told Brown the water was at least a foot higher than when Hurricane Matthew hit last summer, and texted photos of waves breaking on the fourth fairway. Brown said the greens on No. 1 and No. 8 were completely submerged and "the rest of the greens on the front side came close. It was a solid lake all the way across to No. 18."
"The worst thing is that we got saltwater in our pump house and it got into our pumps," Brown said. "They are broken. And we got some saltwater in several of our control panels. We rely on our ponds for our irrigation water and now all the ponds are brackish."
It is the second hurricane-related cancellation in three years for the Senior Azalea. In 2015 (when the tournament was held in early October), the first round of play was completed, but with heavy rain falling on the course, and the possibility of Hurricane Joaquin affecting the Charleston area by the weekend, the decision was made to cancel the tournament.
About the Senior Azalea Invitational
This tournament will no longer be played after 2021. 54 hole stroke play on a 1925 Seth Raynor design. Senior (ages 55+) and super senior (ages 65+) divisions.
Most Popular Articles
2025 PGA TOUR Q-School Guide: Sites, Scores, and Who Advanced
Dec 5, 2025Second Stage is complete and Final Stage awaits at Sawgrass — follow every Q-School leaderboard and the players still chasing
2025 LPGA TOUR Q-Series: Final Qualifying Stage FINAL SCORING
Dec 8, 2025Helen Briem earns medalist honors, 31 players headed to the LPGA next year
2025 PGA TOUR Q-School Final Stage: Ewart Leads Five New TOUR Card Winners
Dec 14, 2025A.J. Ewart topped Final Stage at TPC Sawgrass, leading five players who secured PGA TOUR membership for 2026.
Australian Open at Royal Melbourne: Preview, amateur bios, and how to watch
Nov 30, 2025Rory McIlroy headlines one of the championship's top fields in years - at least four amateurs will have their chance at glory
Inside Gil Hanse’s Restoration of Baltusrol’s Upper Course: A Return to Tillinghast’s
Dec 11, 2025Renowned architect Gil Hanse reveals how he brought Baltusrol’s Upper Course back to life by honoring A.W. Tillinghast’s original