Dramatic New Footage Shows Extent Of Augusta National Damage Caused By Hurricane Helene

New video footage has emerged revealing the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene on Augusta National last September

Augusta National and insets of flood damage at the venue
Footage has emerged of the flooding caused by Hurricane Helene at Augusta National
(Image credit: Getty Images/TikTok @manicotti17)

There was concerning news on September 27th 2024 when it emerged that Augusta National had been hit by Hurricane Helene.

At first, the damage to the iconic Masters venue was unclear, but drone footage later shed some light on the extent of it, with the famous entrance, Magnolia Lane, shown to have trees either damaged or fallen as a result of the storm.

At the time Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley released a statement explaining that the damage was being assessed.

Just over six months later, the impact of Helene was still being felt at The Masters, with the neighboring Augusta Country Club visible from some areas due to the loss of trees, even though to first-time visitors and TV viewers, it was like nothing had ever happened.

Now, an even clearer picture of the devastation the storm caused to the property has emerged with new footage posted to social media site TikTok.

It shows a torrent of water flooding through Augusta National's Amen's Corner close to the Hogan Bridge, which spans Rae's Creek and takes players to the 12th green.

The footage shows the floodwater cascading down several channels into the creek, which highlights just how remarkable the clean-up operation was to have Augusta National ready for The Masters.

Ahead of the Major, Ridley hailed the work undertaken and describe the extent of it, saying: “I suppose I think it was about 48 hours when I arrived at the club after the storm finally subsided, and that was because it took that long for us to clear all the internal roadways so we could just begin the process of cleaning up.

“It was a monumental effort. I think at times we had well over 200, 250 people on the property.”

Fred Ridley talks to the media

Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley praised the work that had gone into helping restore the course following the hurricane

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Ridley also described how the Hurricane had impacted the wider community, and detailed how Augusta National employees were able to help, adding: “For weeks, water, power, food, fuel and other basic necessities were either difficult or impossible to access.

“Nevertheless, our employees were out in the community distributing food, cleaning up debris and donating food and money to help others in their time of need.”

The 12th hole at Augusta National

The part of the course affected by the flooding was back to its best in April

(Image credit: Getty Images)

While Augusta National was once again resplendent by the time The Masters came around, albeit shorn of many of its trees, the new footage highlights just how ferocious Hurricane Helene had been.

Mike Hall
News Writer

Mike has over 25 years of experience in journalism, including writing on a range of sports throughout that time, such as golf, football and cricket. Now a freelance staff writer for Golf Monthly, he is dedicated to covering the game's most newsworthy stories. 

He has written hundreds of articles on the game, from features offering insights into how members of the public can play some of the world's most revered courses, to breaking news stories affecting everything from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to developmental Tours and the amateur game. 

Mike grew up in East Yorkshire and began his career in journalism in 1997. He then moved to London in 2003 as his career flourished, and nowadays resides in New Brunswick, Canada, where he and his wife raise their young family less than a mile from his local course. 

Kevin Cook’s acclaimed 2007 biography, Tommy’s Honour, about golf’s founding father and son, remains one of his all-time favourite sports books.

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