The Serpentine and Districts Golf Club was in the path of a mini tornado that brought winds exceeding 100km/h to the Serpentine area, about 60km south of Perth.
What started out as a normal day of golf for the Saturday mixed competition soon turned to a life threatening situation. A group of three golfers found themselves stranded at the 8th hole when they were pounded by large hail stones, whilst they were taking shelter, one huddled under his umbrella, the mini tornado struck and with it came a trampoline (from a housing estate at the northern end of the course) which clipped one of the motorised buggies on its way to its final destination on our practice fairway.
The trampoline travelled at least 600m and deposited Springs across the 16th and eighteenth fairways imbedding one 2cm into the 18th fairway. The mini tornado only lasted about 15 minutes but it up rooted some very large trees and twisted until they split in half. Many trees were left like skeletons devoid of any foliage. Fortunately none of the golfers sustained any injuries.
On Sunday instead of playing 40 members, friends and other community volunteers managed to clear enough of the debris from the back nine to make it safe and playable. The front nine remains closed due to the very real danger from unstable trees and tree limbs that are loose in trees that may fall out with a gust of wind.
It is expected that parts of the course will remain closed for several weeks as the cleanup continues.