Hurricane Helen tore through Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas in late September, leaving only a wasteland of destruction in its aftermath.
Its path also included Augusta, Georgia, where countless homes, buildings, and critical pieces of infrastructure were severely damaged. That included Augusta National, perhaps golf's most sacred venue.
Nevertheless, Augusta National president Fred Ridley provided an update on how the course weathered the storm during a press conference for the Latin American Amateur Championship in Argentina.
“[The golf course is] It's in great shape,” Ridley said.
“There was some minor damage to the course and the playing surface itself, but we managed to restore it to its original condition. However, I don't think we will see any difference in conditions at this year's Masters.”
Ridley also noted that the course had lost several trees.
But the club's focus has always been on who needs help outside the gates, rather than what needs to be resolved within the club.
“Hurricane Helen was a truly devastating event for the community of Augusta and many communities in the Southeast, especially Western North Carolina. You've probably read about it,” Ridley added.
“What I'm most proud of is the entire organization's response to that natural disaster, which is exactly what it was. And not just what they did to get Augusta National back on track. Just as important, how they collaborate and truly help the Augusta community. Because there were so many people and so many of our members were out of the house for so many weeks. So the community didn't have water. I’m really proud of how our entire organization responded to that.”
The club announced this on October 3rd. Pledges to donate $5 million to Hurricane Helen Regional Crisis Fund. The pledge came just days after the storm made landfall and battered the region.
“I was in Augusta in the aftermath of the storm and saw its devastating effects firsthand,” Ridley said in a statement at the time.
“Our employees, neighbors, friends, and business owners need and deserve immediate and meaningful support to overcome the challenges we are experiencing across Augusta at this time.
“Augusta National and the Community Foundation each take to heart our obligation to care for our communities. Our goal is to make a difference when it is needed most, and our gift helps others. We hope it will inspire you to ask how you can contribute to this important mission.”
Jack Mirko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation's Playing Through. Follow him on X @jack_milko.
