To maximize the playing season for golfers, courses typically stay open until temperatures get too low or snow covers the greens. They reopen sometime in the spring, when all that snow and ice has melted and the ground has thawed. This requires a number of days with temperatures above freezing, and that can be hard to come by in the Midwest.
Full Answer
What happens on a snow-covered golf course?
A snow-covered golf course may suggest that all is quiet on-site, but there is a lot of behind-the-scenes work happening in preparation for next season. (USGA)
What happens if you ignore the Frost on your golf course?
If frost on the course is ignored and regular play commences it will cause damage to the playing surface and makes the grass susceptible to disease and weeds. What is Frost? Frost is frozen dew that crystalizes on the grass, making it hard and brittle to touch.
What are the best winter golf projects for your course?
Remulching landscape and flower beds is another great winter project. Covering Greens: For courses that annually suffer winter damage to their greens, covering them with straw, tarps, or synthetic covers, and heavy sand topdressings, just to name a few, can be essential to avoid turf loss.
How many 18-hole golf courses have closed in the US?
The National Golf Foundation reported in June that its database verification team had found that roughly 60 18-hole equivalents had closed, a 46% drop from the same time last year. It projected about 100 18HEQs to close by the end of the year, roughly 0.7% of America's total supply.
Can you golf with snow on the ground?
Snow golf is played in the exact same way as golf, the only difference is that the golf course is covered with snow and ice, rather than the grass. The courses used for snow golf are called "whites" equivalent to the term "greens" used for regular golf courses.
What happens to golf courses when it snows?
A little moisture can lead to a lot of damage Rainfall, melting snow or thawing soil can leave golf courses soft and wet during winter. Cool temperatures and limited sunlight mean that courses dry much more slowly during winter than they would in other seasons, and frozen soil does not drain well.
How do you play golf in the snow?
1:4218:59Playing Golf in 8 Inches of Snow - GM GOLF - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo we're actually gonna be able to play real holes of golf. And we talked to the Greens. The groundsMoreSo we're actually gonna be able to play real holes of golf. And we talked to the Greens. The grounds crew or whatever you call and basically with snow if there's no ice involved and it's just snow
Can you play on golf courses in the winter?
Winter golf is still golf, which means it can be great. It just requires a bit of savvy and some thoughtful preparation. Here are 7 keys to playing through the cold and ice and snow. If you really want to feel the wind-chill factor, hop onto a golf cart and whip around the course.
Is snow golf a thing?
Snow golf is a sport based on golf but played over snow (or ice) instead of grass. The "greens" are called "whites" and have a maintained snow or ice surface.
How are golf courses maintained in winter?
Greens need to be managed in the summer to minimise damage during slow growing periods and managed in the winter to give the greens the best possible chance of emerging from winter with full grass cover. A critical aspect of ensuring a successful winter is the retention of grass cover, regardless of variety.
What is too cold to golf?
Some golfers make a distinction between when it's too cold to play golf and when it's too cold to play well. Resolute players can be found on the green even if it's below 45 degrees and raining, but the weather conditions can take a toll on your performance. First and foremost, consider your safety.
Is it bad to hit golf clubs in the cold?
For starters, your hands will be cold enough without gripping a grip that feels like an ice cube. Leaving clubs in your car can also lead to damage. The grips can get cold and get slick or cracked if the temperatures get too extreme and steel shafts do not react well at all to the cold.
How cold is too cold to hit golf balls?
There's almost no lower limit. I'd say about 30 degrees. But that's on a mild day. If there's wind or rain that number creeps higher very fast.
Can you play on a frozen golf course?
Play is often delayed on courses during the winter due to frost on golf greens. The reason the club should not allow play on greens that are covered with frost is that the turf will be damaged from walking on the frost. The ice crystals in the frost can puncture the leaves from foot pressure.CGA Turf Note: Damage from playing on golf greens with frost or frozenhttps://www.carolinasgolf.org › images › site › agronomyhttps://www.carolinasgolf.org › images › site › agronomySearch for: Can you play on a frozen golf course?
Is golf harder when its cold?
This is because cold air is denser than warm air, and creates additional drag on your golf ball. Trackman reported that there was about a one-yard difference for every ten-degree change in temperature. And if you're thinking about warming your golf balls, don't.A cold-weather golf guide: How to play your best when temperatures are ...https://www.golfdigest.com › story › how-to-prepare-for-...https://www.golfdigest.com › story › how-to-prepare-for-...Search for: Is golf harder when its cold?
Can you play golf in frost?
When golfers tread across a frozen green, the compaction can cause bruising underfoot. The barriers between the cells break and the plant is killed from the inside. As the temperature then rises and the green thaws, the dead grass turns brown and wastes away. This damage can last well into the spring.Should you play on winter greens when it's frosty? - BIGGAhttps://www.bigga.org.uk › news-listing › should-you-pla...https://www.bigga.org.uk › news-listing › should-you-pla...Search for: Can you play golf in frost?
How to check for winter damage on golf course?
Monitoring Course Conditions: In addition to monitoring the golf course regularly, many superintendents frequently perform plug checks to monitor turf health and check for winter damage. This is done by removing soil samples and placing them indoors on window sills where they warm with sunlight. Doing so in advance is a great way to determine if winter turf injury will be an issue, in which case communication and recovery plans can begin.
When is the best time to improve a golf course?
Much like sports, the biggest gains in golf course improvements are achieved in the off-season. Necessary and/or desired course improvements oftentimes demand significant time, labor, and occasionally large equipment, all of which result in varying degrees of course disruption. This being the case, the real gains are achieved when additional man-hours are available and work can be performed most efficiently and without causing undue interference to play. During the golfing season, golf course maintenance is geared entirely to daily play and special events, leaving little time to do more than make only minor course adjustments and improvements.
How long does ice cover last on greens?
Monitoring Ice on Greens: If by mid-February or early March continuous ice cover still exists, it may need to be removed or broken to allow gas exchange to avoid turf loss due to lack of oxygen. Although winter injury is poorly understood despite decades of research, the threshold for Poa annua is assumed to be close to about 50 days, whereas creeping bentgrass can tolerate continuous ice cover much longer. Regardless of these guidelines, monitoring of ice is necessary in northern states and, depending on the intensity and duration of the winter, breaking ice to save greens may be required.
Why is snow removed from greens?
Snow Removal from Greens: Snow is welcome during the winter, insulating the turf from desiccating winter winds and temperature extremes, but sometimes it must be re moved from greens to hasten ice melt, speed surface thawing during the spring, or allow surface melt to be directed off the greens where it cannot accumulate and refreeze. Snow removal from greens is almost always performed manually so as to avoid mechanical damage to green contours.
Why is it important to keep golf equipment clean?
Keeping equipment clean and operating efficiently does not just mean a better conditioned golf course; it also increases equipment longevity and trade-in value. "The value of the maintenance fleet more than justifies preventative maintenance and regular service. Maximizing the investment in equipment is good business sense and important to the viability of the overall golf course operation." 1 Do not forget equipment painting needs as well.
Why is winter maintenance important?
Extensive preventative maintenance in the winter is crucial for equipment reliability during the golfing season, and reducing costly breakdowns results in substantial cost savings. Additionally, there simply is not time to have multiple pieces of equipment waiting for parts or repair during the summer. While breakdowns in the summer cannot be eliminated, winter prevention and maintenance can go a long way in assisting with equipment durability and dependability.
When is the best time to run a water test?
Water Testing: Winter is a good time to establish baseline numbers on water purity, as water should be at its purest at that time. By running a water test in the winter and again in mid-summer, the relative ranges of water quality used to irrigate your golf course can be obtained.
When do golf courses reopen?
To maximize the playing season for golfers, courses typically stay open until temperatures get too low or snow covers the greens. They reopen sometime in the spring, when all that snow and ice has melted and the ground has thawed. This requires a number of days with temperatures above freezing, and that can be hard to come by in the Midwest. Because winter weather can be unpredictable, courses must stay closely informed of approaching weather patterns in order to determine when it’s time to close for the season—and when they can safely reopen without risking damage to the grounds.
Why is it important to store golf carts in winter?
Winter weather can badly damage everything from golf carts to pins to maintenance equipment, so it’s essential for courses to store these materials away from the elements. Courses typically also use this time to update or replace older equipment, setting the stage for a better player experience in the springtime.
What to cover greens with in winter?
Courses that are exposed to severe weather each winter typically suffer damage to their greens. Depending on ground exposure, weather patterns, and other course damage, greens may need to be covered with materials like straw, sand, or even tarps to minimize turf loss. They’ll also likely need applications of fungicide to avoid the risk of snow mold diseases.
Can golf courses be in snow?
It can be difficult for golf courses to complete large projects when golfers are playing the course for most of the daylight hours. As such, winter provides an opportunity for courses to take care of more significant projects. That doesn’t mean that groundskeepers will be out in the middle of a snowstorm, but the winter is long here in the Midwest, and the right conditions and an empty course can allow plenty of time to tackle projects or source new materials.
When will golf courses reopen in Illinois?
Illinois: Golf courses can now re-open on May 1 as part of an amended stay-at-home order.
How far apart do you have to be in a golf cart?
Courses are also asking players to remain 6 feet apart throughout the round.
Is golf open in Kentucky?
Kentucky: Governor Andy Beshear has issued an executive order closing non-life-sustaining businesses, but golf courses are allowed to remain open and are considered exempt from the order.
Is the golf course in Myrtle Beach open?
South Carolina: Even with Governor McMaster’s order to close non-essential businesses, golf courses remain open throughout the state, including for locals only in Myrtle Beach and the surrounding area.
Is North Dakota allowing golfers to stay indoors?
North Dakota: There have been no significant orders for North Dakota residents to stay indoors , though it’s not really golf season there.
Has Steve Bullock closed courses?
Montana: Governor Steve Bullock has not closed courses, which have remained open.
Is the golf course in Fairfield closed?
Connecticut: Governor Ned Lamont has issued an order closing all non-essential businesses that seemingly forced the closure of golf courses. However, the governor has reconsidered, and golf courses can remain open provided they’re practicing proper safety and social distancing techniques. Public golf courses in Fairfield, Conn., will be closed starting March 23.
Josh Berhow, Minnesota
I feel like I’m more lenient on this topic than most people since I’ve spent my entire life in the north. Our season is very limited. That means we are getting out as much as we can as long as there’s no snow on the ground, and have no problem wearing warm layers and stocking hats in the early spring/late fall.
Dylan Dethier, Washington
Pure temperature? There’s almost no lower limit. I’d say about 30 degrees. But that’s on a mild day. If there’s wind or rain that number creeps higher very fast.
Tim Reilly, New York
I’m a fair-weather golfer. If there’s a strong chance of rain in the forecast, there’s a strong chance I’m not showing up. When it comes to the cold, I’m not too much different. Look, if we’re talking about a Top 100 Course, I’ll toss on the long johns and buckle up my G-Tech heated pouch around my waist.
Zephyr Melton, New York
As long as the wind chill doesn’t dip into the 30s, I’m game to play through the winter. Throw on the proper clothing (and make sure you walk, not ride) and it’s no issue for me. I’m not willing to stow away the clubs for months at a time, so I’ll put up with harsh conditions if it means getting some hacks in.
Why do golf courses have a frost delay?
When the golf course runs a frost delay this normally pushes back all the tee times until the ground has warmed up enough to melt the frost. If frost on the course is ignored and regular play commences it will cause damage to the playing surface and makes the grass susceptible to disease and weeds.
What happens if you play golf with a frost delay?
When the golf course runs a frost delay this normally pushes back all the tee times until the ground has warmed up enough to melt the frost. If frost on the course is ignored and regular play commences it will cause damage to the playing surface and makes the grass susceptible to disease and weeds.
Why does grass freeze?
Blades of grass consist of 90 percent water, which is why it freezes so easily. If someone or something was to walk on the frozen grass this would cause the plant to break and the grass cell walls to rupture thereby hindering the grass to grow normally.
How many steps does a foursome take on a putting green?
Did you know that the average foursome will take approximately 300 steps on each putting green? And with the effects of walking on the grass not being seen immediately the average golfer may not understand the importance of a frost delay. On average the effects of frost damage are not seen until 48 to 72 hours after the membrane damage has occurred, causing the grass to turn brown and die.
When does frost form?
Here are a few tips on how and when frost could form. Frost may occur overnight, but it often occurs at sunrise before the temperature begins to rise. Grass absorbs the sunlight and heat during the day and then loses the heat when the sun goes down.
What temperature does frost form?
Frost begins to form at 4°C or lower. It does not have to be below freezing for frost for occur. If the sky is clear there is a greater chance for frost. When there is cloud cover this tends to keep the air and ground warmer, almost acting as a blanket.
When is the best time to topdress golf greens?
Fall is also a good time for superintendents to topdress because rounds are down and they can put down more sand, Kreuser says. “If you’re going to do it heavy in the season, even just wait until the golf season is really shut down and then go out with an application,” he says. Superintendents can also benefit from applying additional topdressing to greens on top of hills that are exposed and susceptible to desiccation.
How often do you need to cover North Shore Country Club?
Roughly every seven to 10 years, the crew at North Shore Country Club in Glenview, Ill., has to deal with direct winterkill, crown hydration or ice encasement, says superintendent Dan Dinelli. Crew members lay down the woven permeable covers after the course’s Poa annua greens have hardened and soils start to freeze, and remove them when soils begin to thaw. Depending on size, one cover costs roughly $1,200, prior to labor costs. “I like to deep-tine the greens just before covering going into winter with open holes, which is nice to help drain water away from crowns, and the cover prevents the threat of desiccation,” he says.
What is the EPA approved fungicide for golf courses?
The EPA has granted registration to new Contend fungicide from Syngenta for control of pink and gray snow mold on golf courses. Contend delivers unique, multi-targeted control for 120-plus days by combining four active ingredients, including Solatenol, a new active ingredient for the turf industry. Click here for a list of states where Contend is available.
How hot does it have to be to pull off a superintendent's green cover?
Superintendents who use impermeable covers should also pull the covers off as temperatures once again hit 40 to 50 degrees.
What trees are attracted to golfers?
Golfers are attracted to the backdrop of wonderful fall colors from maples, oaks and beech trees, but the instant a leaf detaches from the branch and hits the ground it becomes a nuisance and must be removed.
Is it inevitable that there will be frost?
It is inevitable as fall arrives there will be frost and with frost comes the dreaded frost delay.
Do bentgrass greens lose moisture?
Plant crowns are supposed to lose some moisture in the winter. But wind and dryness in areas such as the Great Plains can push the crown moisture of bentgrass greens below its optimal range, says Dr. Bill Kreuser, assistant professor and extension turfgrass specialist in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Department of Agronomy and Horticulture. “If it’s a hot and sunny winter where it’s just windy and dries out some more, like a desert, then it can get below 50 percent,” he says. “When it starts to get to 40 and 30 percent, then it starts to die off at a lot higher temperature than it would if it was at that ideal peak crown moisture.”
What is golf sand made of?
Golf course sands are different. They are made of round particles “resembling a bucket of balls with large pore spaces between each ball ,” Kidd says. They promote good drainage, and healthy air and water circulation.
What happens if you use wrong sand in a green?
Using the wrong sand, Kidd says, can adversely effect the movement of water and nutrients upwards and downwards through the root zone.
Is it bad to sand your lawn?
When you sand and how much sand you use is critically important. Sand too heavily at the wrong time of year, and you risk a range of problems. It’s best to do the work in good weather, Kidd says. In inclement conditions, you might wind up smothering the grass or creating fungus diseases that diminish the quality of the turf.
Can you chip and pitch on a putting green?
You might not wind up with a patch of grass as pure as a putting green, but you’ll have a pretty sweet place to chip and pitch.
Do superintendents sand putting surfaces?
Superintendents don’t sand putting surfaces simply to annoy you. They do it for the long-term health of the greens. That’s the gist. But since you’ve been inconvenienced, you deserve to know precisely why.
