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GRAND FORKS — Member or not, the Grand Forks community is teeing off to help the Grand Forks Country Club after two fires destroyed the maintenance building — wiping out nearly all of the equipment used to keep the course in pristine shape.
"It's been humbling. I can't put it into words," said general manager Doug Iverson.
He was breathing a sigh of relief after avoiding major flooding from the Red River, and the country club was getting ready to hopefully open in a couple of weeks.
"It really couldn't have come at a worst time," said Iverson.
The maintenance shed caught fire, wiping out essentially the entire fleet of mowers, tractors, utility vehicles and golf course markers.
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Four days later, the fire rekindled, destroying what was left.
"It was just another day at the country club at this point," Iverson said with a chuckle.
Iverson believes he knows how the first fire started, but did not want to comment until the investigation is over. However, it appears the fires were accidental.
The season will start on time when Mother Nature allows, something Iverson says many people did not think would be possible.
"We're also going to be able to get all the equipment necessary to maintain just like a normal season," said Iverson.
That equipment comes thanks to club members, community members and local businesses.
"Local golf courses or superintendents or whatever it is, and even down from the Fargo, Twin Cities area, friends of ours from Winnipeg and those courses, everyone has reached out and at least let them know that if we need something we can reach out to them," said Iverson.
A golf course looking to replace the orange glow of a devastating fire, to a greener future thanks to the community.
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"It's going to be replaced much quicker than we imagined it could," said Iverson.
