Sinkhole Cancel The title field is required!

1. Michael Wagner

   

   0 posts
   
   9/13/2018 6:09 AM

   I had a sink hole develop on the edge of one of my greens in the last couple days. It is a green that is built into a side hill and has poor drainage with at least one spring that as fairly close to the green. It is roughly a 1 foot opening at the top but opens up to a 3 foot diameter hole underneath. I can take a metal stake and easily push it into the hole as deep as I can reach, roughly 10 feet total between my arm and the stake. I've never had anything like this happen before and I'm not really sure how to deal with it. Should the hole be excavated? Can I just fill it in? I'm at a loss here as to what the best option is. I'm concerned it will continue to grow, especially if we receive any more rain, whether I fill it in or not. Any input would be appreciated.

   
   
   
   
2. Corey Eastwood

   

   80 posts
   
   9/13/2018 11:09 AM

   Moving water is taking the soil somewhere down. IMHO the only way to find the problem is excavation.

   
   Corey Eastwood CGCS, Stockton Golf & CC, Retired
   
   
3. Clay Putnam

   

   33 posts
   
   9/14/2018 12:09 AM

   Excavate it. See if you can find the source and location of the water then install drainage to capture and move the water away from your green.

   
   
   
   
4. James Smith

   

   112 posts
   
   9/14/2018 10:09 AM

   Where are you located at. I know some sink holes are caused by water erroding limestone creating a hole. either way some sort of excavating is needed to determine what it will take to keep it from happening again. you will need to be extra careful though, using equipment around it could cause a cave in a a serious accident. any chance you could get a light and a camera into it to inspect it before moving forward?

   
   
   
   
5. Michael Wagner

   

   0 posts
   
   9/14/2018 11:09 AM

   It appears that the erosion was caused by an underground spring that runs through the area that has gotten substantially larger with all the rain we've had here in Western New York. This entire green complex has been an ongoing issue the last 5 years I've been Superintendent at this club. Major drainage issues around the green with multiple springs that seem to pop up in the fairway leading up to the green and around the green even when things are dry, especially on the low side of the green. I have a golf course construction company coming to take a look at the entire area next week to discuss upgrading the green complex. The owners and I have discussed it in the past but I think this sinkhole will be the straw that breaks the camels back. The bottom of the hole seemed to firm up some so for the moment I put a bandaid on the gunshot wound by putting a couple unbroken bags of concrete in the bottom of the hole followed by crushed limestone and gravel mixed then soil on top. I realize this likely won't last long but I had to do something to make it playable. I think the plan will be this fall (assuming it lasts that long) to excavate and completely rebuild the green complex. It's been a long time coming.