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Should golf courses be closed in adverse weather conditions?


Sports Turf Consultant


George Atwood-Harris reckons you should take care of your


FROZEN ASSETS


MANY golf courses are in the habit of closing in inclement weather such as frost, snow, or when the course is waterlogged. Usually this is decided either by the club management, the course manager or the head green keeper. However, decisions are not always made on a sound basis.


This article looks at the


reasons why a course should be closed, when it should be reopened, and recommends a policy that can be adopted by all clubs


Damage to the course


The main reason for closing the course is to protect it from damage. Damage to the main greens can be avoided by using temporary greens, but it can be forgotten that


when conditions are unfit to play on the greens they may also be unfit to play on the rest of the course.


Using the course in wet or frosty weather can lead to damage to other sensitive parts of the course, namely:


• Fairways • Approaches • Landing areas • Tee areas • Traffic “black spots” • Pathways


Turf is especially prone to damage when it is frozen or when the ground is thawing. Normal practice is for a course to remain closed until the ground has completely thawed, which often occurs by mid morning.


What happens to turf in frost conditions?


When they are frozen, the leaves of the turf are easily bruised by player’s feet and trolley wheels. After thawing, the affected turf turns black or brown, and becomes sparse. The turf can often remain thin for long periods if damage occurs early in the winter. The fine turf on greens becomes more susceptible to disease, and the putting surface becomes very uneven. More long-term damage can be caused when play takes place as the turf is thawing after a prolonged freeze. Under these


conditions the top surface of the turf may be soft, but the underlying soil can still be frozen. Root damage occurs


easily from a shearing action as player’s feet move the soft top surface against the frozen sub soil. The process of damage to the turf normally follows the following pattern:


1.Bruising and damage to the leaf


2.Loss of colour 3.Severing of grass roots 4.Compaction of the soil 5.Thinning of the sward 6.Poaching 7.Muddy patches


The further that damage is allowed to proceed, the greater the effort that will be needed to reinstate the turf.


Damage during wet conditions


Playing on turf that is waterlogged is most likely to cause the development of


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