It's 6:45 AM. I'm just about ready to give the all clear sign to the crew as we haven't seen or heard any lightning for the past half hour when suddenly we are startled by a flash of cool blue light and a loud bang of a lightning bolt striking the course. The guys in the shop began to laugh. (Expletive Deleted.) Men that's not funny, we've just taken a direct strike to the irrigation system. Better watch the irrigation system pressure gauge because if it drops, "we've got a problem Houston" because power to the satellites is off and nothing should be running! Arrrgh! System pressure dropping like a stone. Got to run the gauntlet to see where the break is, already praying that it's not the six or eight inch mains. If it is a lateral I can isolate that hole from the rest of the course, but if it's a mainline, we're screwed! The system could be down for days. Front nine clear. Bank nine......#16......SOB! Cannot be sure if it is a lateral or main at this time but the already too wet swale on sixteen is full of water. Make a mad dash to the pump house to turn off pump(s). Whew, only one pump running, it's only a lateral BUT how many feet of irrigation piping has been ruptured by the bolt?
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| My leak was bigger, but not as bad as the one found today in your club house. |
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| A bolt of light or was it sound shock waves that blew the doors right off the controller! |
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| Charred mess! |
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| The tree that was struck wasn't even the tallest tree in the vicinity! |
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| Did the old cast iron pipe serve as lightnings point to ground? |
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| Carnage! No autopsy needed here. |
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| Heads with damaged solenoids marked for repair. |
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| I've replaced a ton of fuses over the years, but none this black! Some disintegrated! |
The nature of electrical disaster is that we'll chase system glitches for the next few weeks, months as other components weakened by the surge finally fail.
Dear Lord, when I get to heaven can I kick Ma Nature in the tail? Enjoy your weekend! _Mk
