Historic Scottish golf course submerged by Storm Boelo flooding, faces extensive damage

A Scottish golf course has issued an update on its future after Storm Boelo submerged it over the weekend.

Aerial photos taken Tuesday show the golf course almost completely underwater, and the club says the damage is "difficult to imagine right now."

Founded in 1888, Dumbarton Golf Club is a historic 18-hole parkland course in the heart of the town, regarded as one of the oldest golf clubs in the west of Scotland.

The club's management team said they wanted to provide an update after "the devastation from Saturday night" and thanked those who got in touch to offer help.

They said: "We are monitoring the water coming in from the collapsed embankment as this will not be a quick fix. We have liaised with West Dunbartonshire Council, and their priority is, rightly, to close the towpath for safety reasons. They will then review the situation with engineers, but there is no guidance on timescales for this.

"Therefore, we are left to try and do what we can to get the water off the course as quickly as possible. This will probably result in extra pumps being required at our cost. We are currently trying to secure these.

"The damage to the course once the water has receded is difficult to imagine right now.

"Bunkers may all need to be re-sanded, multiple bridges will need to be rebuilt, debris will take time to remove, and there are a number of damaged trees that we cannot get to. This will result in a significant cost as well."

The management team went on to say they have decided to reduce the club's operating hours to save money.

They added: "This is heartbreaking, given that we have been doing so much in the clubhouse. We would ask members to support the club wherever possible and follow the revised opening hours, which will be sent out regularly.

"We have received offers of help from various nearby golf courses. This has been extremely welcome, and we thank Helensburgh Golf Club, Cardross Golf Club and Clydebank and District Golf Club for reaching out to us at this time.

"This is still very much an ongoing situation, and we will try to update you as we know more. Please bear with us as much as possible."

The update came after we reported on Tuesday afternoon that the yellow warning for high winds covering the whole of Scotland and the far north-east of Northern Ireland has been cut short.

Forecasters now predict the bad weather will end at 6 p.m., three hours earlier than expected.

Storm-hit communities across Scotland are asking "serious questions" as politicians say "significant lessons" must be learned from the devastation left by Storm Boelo.

Storm Boelo pummelled the north of the UK over the weekend, bringing 84mph gusts and a third of a month's rain to pockets of Scotland.

Richard Baines, curator of Logan Botanic Garden, was killed after being hit by a falling tree during the storm.

The 60-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene at Mid Kelton near Castle Douglas around 10.30 a.m. on Sunday morning.