Master Greenkeeper, Laurence Pithie, offers some useful advice on how courses can limit damage, both to greens and finances, during frosty and cold conditions
WINTER PLAY
ollowing several mild, albeit wet winters, Mother Nature gave us all a timely reminder that periods of
prolonged frost and sub-zero temperatures can be just as common. The fact that much of this condition was experienced during the festive holiday break when courses were generally busy did, once again, raise the dilemma of whether or not to allow play on the main greens. This is nothing new but, for many involved in the management of golf clubs, it is a decision that hasn’t had to be taken seriously for a number of years, due to the limited number of days when temperatures were consistently below freezing.
In today’s ever changing economy,
there is a greater need to maximise income allied to the financial pressures faced by many clubs as falling memberships and revenue streams are reduced. So, the question raised is that if greens are to remain in play, will they incur a level of damage that will take time and additional funding to repair, and will this affect future revenue in the Spring? This is at a time when the customer's expectations are higher with the onset of a new season, membership subscriptions are due, additional
Different frost types
So, let’s look at the facts before considering the options. Play on any frozen surface has the potential to damage the grass plant and negatively impact the quality of putting surface. The greater and prolonged the level of play, the greater the risk of damage. White frost, sometimes called a ‘hoar’ frost, is the most common and consists of tiny ice crystals forming on the surface of the leaves. Footprints or traffic causes the frozen cells to rupture, often resulting in a ‘burned’ appearance, firstly showing up as being black or grey before becoming brown until regeneration or recovery of the leaf begins. This condition occurs under clear night skies, followed generally by early morning sunshine. Therefore, the white cover of frost
REVISITED F
daylight and, also not forgetting, a certain golf tournament played in the much warmer climate of Georgia. Not a simple decision by any means and one that should form part of the club’s overall management policy. How many clubs in the UK have this in place or at least have a winter play policy posted on their notice boards? Probably not many, I guess.
seldom lasts beyond mid-morning unless in a shaded environment. Tree or woodland lined courses are
more at risk to a prolonged white frost than those out in the open and free of any shade or restricted air movement. A continuous frost occurs at consistently lower temperatures and directly freezes the leaves of the plant. It is not as visible, but the risk of damage can be more severe since the entire leaf blade can rupture under the weight of traffic. During prolonged sub-zero temperatures, the plant can also suffer from ‘atmospheric’ drought due to the plant drying out from a lack of moisture, often accompanied by cold winds and low humidity.
The other main issue is when the
ground starts to thaw. Here, the surface becomes soft, wet and, sometimes, temporarily flooded since the underlying soil remains frozen and impervious to drainage. The grass plant is at severe risk at this stage due to the possibility of damage caused by the ‘shearing’ of the stem caused by the movement of foot traffic over a solid sub-surface. Fortunately, this condition seldom lasts for more than 24 to 48 hours within the UK.
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 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124