Angus golf clubs have been dealt another hammer blow by the combined might of Storms Malik and Corrie.
At Forfar, another 120 trees were toppled on a course which lost 700 to Storm Arwen.
It was just days away from re-opening following a month-long £30,000 clear-up operation.
And at Edzell, the ferocious weekend winds caused even more damage than Arwen did in November.
Forfar setback
Forfar Golf Club manager John Rankin said it is a devastating setback for the Cunninghill club.
“It’s a real scunner,” he said.
“I went out with our head greenkeeper Keith Law and it’s a real mess again.
“We were looking to being back open later this week after what has been a major effort at the club.
“And now this.
“The damage is all over the course.
“Many of the areas which were badly hit the first time – around the 1st and the 14th – have suffered badly again.
“And unfortunately the seventh green has been hit.
“That’s a real disappointment because we’d been lucky to avoid damage to the greens in Storm Arwen.”
He said: “Everything was looking positive for later this week to try and get things re-opened.”
Forfar members formed a daily work squad over the last month to help the clear-up.
John added: “The harvester and heavy machinery just left last week but we’ll now have to get them back in.
“It’s too early to say what that will mean for re-opening.
“But we’ll be aiming to recover from this as quickly as we can.”
Edzell destruction
Edzell village was virtually cut off by the devastation caused at the weekend.
And many homes were left without power.
Those challenges have meant golf course staff are yet to get a full picture of the latest damage.
But it’s thought that at least another 150 trees have been blown down – some of them centuries old.
The course had been back playing again after Storm Arwen.
Damage from that had been mainly confined to one plantation area.
So greens staff had 15 holes playable again very soon after.
However, the damage this time is more extensive across the 127-year-old course.
