Hangman Survives Another Bout With Flooding

A few wounds from yet another bout with severe flooding this spring are still visible, but Hangman Valley Golf Course was to open this morning on 18 permanent greens.

The county-owned layout, which has been open on nine holes since last week, will play as designed, according to assistant professional Scott Petterborg.

“We lost the back of the No. 1 green because of erosion from the flood, but we’re still playing it,” he said. “Everything else will be pretty much the same.”

After last spring’s flooding, several tee boxes were altered and a couple of holes were changed until the course recovered from the mud and erosion damage.

According to Petterborg, the erosion from this year’s flooding was worse than last year and washed out the back of the tee box on No. 2 and a portion of the championship tee box on No. 10.

In addition, the grass on a couple of fairways that was covered with mud has not come back as quickly as last spring, when the flooding occurred nearly two months earlier.

Motorized carts will be allowed, provided there is no additional rain.

Buckets of bargains

Beacon Hill Golf Center owner Pete Rayner took a bit of a gamble this spring when he decided to let customers hit as many buckets of golf balls as they wanted at his practice facility for a mere $6 a day.

But Rayner says the response has been “tremendous.” And he’s making up some of his lost profits on the sale of golf gloves.

“Some people are hitting until their hands bleed,” said Rayner, whose facility is located at 4848 E. Wellesley.

Husky coaches coming

The University of Washington coaches tour, highlighted by a round of golf at Manito Golf & Country Club, hits Spokane May 5.

Football coach Jim Lambright, men’s basketball coach Bob Bender and athletic director Barbara Hedges lead the group.

A barbecue luncheon at 11 a.m. precedes a shotgun start at noon. Dinner is at 6 p.m. Golf costs $30 for UW Alumni Club members, $32 for non-members, with dinner $45 and $50. Deadline is Monday.

Info: (800) A UW ALUM.

Tap-ins

The Creek at Qualchan Golf Course is taking entries for its annual Spring Best-Ball tournament May 3-4. Entry fee is $80 per team, plus greens fees. Info: 448-9317.

Entry forms for the May 31-June 1 Hangman Valley Amateur are available at the Hangman Valley Golf Course pro shop. Entry fee is $65. Info: 448-1212.

, DataTimes