GOLF:

After almost two inches of rain in about a 10-hour period, you would think Costa Mesa Golf & Country Club would resemble the mythical underwater city of Atlantis.

No, it was business as usual at the public course, though many golfers weren’t certain the course was playable.

“The rain scares a lot of them away,� said Brad Booth, head professional. “We are off about 30%. Some are staying home and getting ready for Thanksgiving.�

With many people having the day off before Thanksgiving, the golf course would have been packed, but when Booth arrived at 5 a.m. there were two people, when usually he sees 10 to 20.

The phones were ringing at the course early Wednesday morning, with a lot of the calls asking the same question and employees of the golf shop ensuring the caller that both courses were open and ready to go.

“We had one guy call and ask, ‘Is it wet out there?’� Booth said. “We all kind of laughed at that.�

While there is water on the ground, evidence of the rainstorm, the course was ready to go, in large part because of past planning by Superintendent Jim Fetterly and current work of Assistant Superintendent Juan Antonio Carrillo.

“Jim worked on the course to handle storms better,� Booth said. “He put in modified berms and French-style drains. The course drains a lot better. Unless it rains really bad, we are good to go.�

Carrillo is around the course daily and was at work well before the sun came up, seeing what kind of damage the course endured.

Out there with a flashlight, Carrillo and his crew found nothing serious and gave the good news to Booth.

“He’s great,� Booth said. “If we ask him for something he is always ready to do it. He is here more than Jim and knows this course better than anybody.�

About the only inconvenience to golfers was that they were going to have to use the 90-degree rule with golf carts.

“Because we don’t have cart paths all the around the golf course, we have some wear patterns at the end of the paths and in some spots as you approach the greens,� Booth said. “When people don’t scatter at the end of the path, or follow the 90-degree rule, that can cause some damage.�

But Booth isn’t worried about some missing grass.

“Jim always said, ‘There’s nothing we can’t fix,’ � Booth said. “If somebody damages something we can repair it, but most of the golfers are pretty good about it.�

They are reminded when they check into the pro shop and once again when marshal Phil Barrett greets them at the first tee.

“We will rope off some areas that we feel could be damaged,� Booth said. “We make sure that the golfers know what is going on out there.�

A trio of golfers walked into the shop at 8 a.m. expecting to be put on a waiting list and were a bit taken back when they were told the first tee was open.

“Wow, I wasn’t expecting that,� one of them said. “This is great. I wish it rained more often.�

It will and when it does, Costa Mesa Golf & Country Club will be ready for it and golfers will benefit from the planning.