This winter we have been extremely fortunate to have had mild weather, which is conducive for winter golf play. That being said, the Green Department must continue to monitor the ground conditions closely to ensure the golf course greens will not sustain permanent damage. I can assure you that the Green Department does not take the decision to close the golf course lightly. We understand the disappointment and the inconvenience it causes for our members and their guests. We consider many different factors before reaching a decision for golf course restrictions. Damage caused in the winter months can effect the health and playability of the turf for the following golf season. For the long-term benefit of the golf course, play must be delayed or prohibited during frosty or frozen conditions.
It is difficult to explain to golfers that they should not play on greens that are thawing during a warm and sunny day following very cold weather. Golfers are eager to return to the course on the nice days following long periods of cold weather. During the winter months it is common for the putting greens to freeze one to two inches in depth after only a few days of below freezing temperatures. During the winter months, day lengths are much shorter than the summer months, allowing only minimal time for the golf course to dry and or thaw after periods of wet and cold weather. This time of year, soil temperatures generally determine if the golf course greens can endure golf play. All greens usually do not dry and thaw at the same time. Shaded greens are the last to thaw, and more damage often occurs on these greens because it is difficult to keep golfers off the course any longer.
Generally, frost conditions are easily seen and understood. However, deciding whether to allow play on greens with frozen soil is more difficult to determine. Factors include depth of freeze, moisture content, carts vs. walking and amount of golf traffic. The turf is not actively growing during the winter months, therefore it does not recover from wear such as ball marks, divots and foot traffic. Any turf damage associated with playing on slow-growing turf is cumulative, not immediate.
The greatest damage occurs to the turf when the top layer of soil thaws while a frozen layer remains deeper in the soil. The thawed layer will be saturated with water and becomes a sponge. Walking on turf with this condition will cause foot printing and can cause the surface of the green to become uneven. Severe turf damage can result from shearing off the roots as the thawed turf moves above the frozen layer. The damaged areas around where the hole is located will result in weaker turf in the following year.
Hopefully the weather cooperates and we still have a few weeks of golfing weather yet this year. Hope to see you on the course.
