Wet weather stumps country club

THE wet weather season has stumped Harrup Park Country Club forcing them to deal with reduced income and waterlogged sporting facilities.

Pondering a common sight this wet season at the waterlogged grounds of the Harrup Park Country Club, are grounds manager John Tait, left, and general manager Michael Jones. Picture: Peter Holt

THE wet season has stumped Harrup Park Country Club, forcing it to deal with reduced income and waterlogged sporting facilities.

A considerable loss of income has been hit out of the park due to the ongoing lack of cricket matches and the number of golfers able to play on the nine-hole course in the past couple of months.

Harrup Park is just one of the many Mackay sporting grounds that have been hit for six by continual wet weather.

Harrup Park Country Club general manager Michael Jones has had to face up to the challenges brought on by the enormous amount of rain that has fallen on his cricket fields and golf greens.

“Eleven weeks of two-day cricket competitions have been cancelled this season because of the wet weather,” Mr Jones said.

“The Twenty20 cricket matches have all caught up though because they're a shorter, quicker game,” he said.

The Mackay cricket season began in late September and it is hoped it will be finished by April, depending on the weather.

“There has been a lot of water on the grounds, which causes many cancellations of games,” Mr Jones said.

Cancellations have been due to a combination of rain on the day of play as well as large amounts of rain falling throughout the week leading to wet pitches and unplayable surfaces.

Harrup Park's six groundsmen had been working hard to maintain the fields and provide a field for cricketers to play on, Mr Jones said.

But having limited use of machinery had prevented the fields being in their best condition.

“Mowing the fields and the capacity to spray for weeds and foreign grass has become a problem with the build-up of mud and water,” he said.

Originally published as Wet weather stumps country club