Capital City Country Club feels brunt of two tornadoes, cleanup and assessment underway

Hudson Swafford's love for the game of golf started as a youth at Capital City Country Club.

Swafford, a professional with LIV Golf after playing on the PGA Tour since 2014, said Monday it was "truly devastating" to see photographs of the damage to the historic course following Friday's severe storms.

"A place that I grew up trying to avoid hitting the pine trees got hit hard," said Swafford, who played golf at Maclay and University of Georgia prior to turning professional in 2011. "But this iconic landmark in Tallahassee will come back stronger."

The Club's natural terrain was dramatically changed by two tornadoes that spun across Tallahassee and converged at the Club, packing between 111-135 mph winds, according to National Weather Service surveyors.

The tornadoes knocked down "hundreds of hundreds" of trees and also damaged the club house, pro shop, tennis courts and pool.

From the course's driving range, one can now see the sixth green and seventh tee - both elevated sections were previously encircled and obscured by towering trees that were snapped, shredded or downed.

"When you look at the damage, it (tornado) must have been massive, incredibly wide," Club General Manager Evan Neihaus said Monday.

"From the path, it looks like they came together right on top of us and exited the back portion of our property, near holes six, seven and eight."

Capital City Country Club starts cleanup process following tornadoes

Neihaus stressed safety is the top priority as power had not been restored to the Club Monday morning, and encouraged members and others to remain off the property.

Neihaus said management has been documenting damage to the course and property, taking more than one thousand photos and aerial videos from three drones.

Staff has also started the cleanup process, clearing debris from the "most fragile grass" on greens and tee boxes.

Fairways are next, and Neihaus said the club has contracted with Miller's Tree Service, which had scheduled a tournament at the course last Friday, to clear fallen and damaged trees.

"We will then be able to see what the new look of the course will be," Neihaus said.

In 2021, Golfweek and USA Today ranked Capital City Country Club as the best golf course in Tallahassee and the 13th best course in the state of Florida.

The 18-hole, 6,502-yard course (par 72) is known for its elevation and challenging layout. The semi-private club features many golfers who have been members for decades.

"It will be interesting to see (new look) when it's cleaned up," said Swafford, who lives on Sea Island, Georgia, with his wife and their three young children.

"It will look a bit different and play a touch different but the air flow might be better for the course. They also might be able to add tees in places that they never could have. Hopefully, good comes out of it."

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Capital City Country Club starts to assess damage following tornadoes