Crews monitor large sinkhole at American Fork golf course

AMERICAN FORK, Utah — A massive sinkhole has taken over a section of the golf course at the Fox Hollow Golf Club.

The club’s head golf professional, Jaxson Taylor, said the sinkhole was reported around 1 p.m. Saturday. No one fell in or was injured.

“We got a phone call, and I ran out there and immediately got on the phone and contacted the city,” Taylor recalled. “Their rapidness, I think, was beneficial.”

Golfer Destry Cobbley mows the course and was in the area of the sinkhole as recently as Friday.

“There were no indications the ground in this spot would give way,” he said. “That’s kind of freaky.”

Hole 14 of the course is fenced off until they can ensure the area is safe.

“We’re really operating right now on 16 and a half holes. We’ve shortened one of our holes to keep people away from hitting in that direction,” Taylor explained.

American Fork City crews ripped out the pipe that funnels the water from the American Fork River.

“We think a tree from the river got jammed into our pipe, and the water expanded through the pipe, and that’s what caused that,” Taylor said. “They removed that, so it’s at least flowing right now, so it’s not overflowing. There’s a little bit that got out on the golf course, but it’s all dried up now.”

He said the barricades are temporary while the water runs this high. He said the sinkhole may still be there until the runoff dies down in the next few weeks.

“When the water goes down, we’re going to try to find a more permanent solution, but for right now, they’ve piled in a bunch of rocks to try to keep it contained,” Taylor said. “American Fork city was here all night monitoring it and making sure that it stayed contained, and overnight it’s not gotten any bigger.”