The further that damage is allowed to
proceed, the greater the effort that will be needed to reinstate the turf
muddy patches and compaction. This is especially noticeable on small tee areas and greens, where the sward will soon thin out and die. As the turf becomes thinner the areas will become more muddy, and will take a considerable time to recover.
Implications
Damage caused to the course in winter can be very unsightly and slow to recover. This is particularly true of damage caused in the early winter which may not recover until the following May or June, and so may be visible for 6 months. This means that the course will not be at its best during much of the “competition” time of year. There are also
management and budget implications for the repair of any damage caused by winter play. Repairing the damage adds to the work of the greens staff, and can result in extra expenditure for the time and materials involved.
By far the biggest effect is on the quality of the putting surface of the greens, which are the priority areas in most clubs.
Policy Document
To avoid any conflict about the opening and closing of the course a simple policy document can help to clarify procedures and explain them to members. The first thing is to decide who is responsible for making the decisions. The most sensible solution is for the course
manager /head greenkeeper to make the decision as they are most likely to be the first person on the course in the morning.
The following simple procedure can be adopted and made clear to members.
1.Closure
In adverse conditions, the course is closed and a “COURSE CLOSED - INSPECTION IN PROGRESS” sign displayed.
2. Inspection
Inspection of the course will normally take 15 to 30 minutes.
3. Decision
On returning the decision is made. In wet conditions, it
can be expected that the course will remain closed all day. On the other hand, frost can be expected to thaw during the morning, so the sign will be changed to “COURSE CLOSED - NEXT INSPECTION AT ?? TIME”.
4. Opening or Re-inspection
Assuming all is well, the course will be opened later in the morning. Normally a time is chosen for the re- inspection when the course is expected to be ready for reopening. If the course is still not fit for play, a later inspection time may be chosen, but this would not normally be later than 12 noon.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76