The Big Thaw

Guest Author: Chris Lomas, Secretary at Worplesdon Golf Club

Patience is the Key…

Winter golf and especially golf courses in the winter, have evolved over the last 20 years. Turf quality in the close season has improved immeasurably, as has the clothing which allows us to play in the most inclement weather. We are therefore playing a lot more golf, throughout the winter months, than we have ever done before. Expectations have also increased and whilst most people will tolerate a slight drop in turf quality and green speed, they still expect the courses they play to be in decent condition.

For this reason we must be tolerant when the snow begins to melt and/or the frozen grounds begins to thaw. This is when serious and long term damage can be done. More often than not, when the thaw is underway, the days can be mild and the sun can be shining. The snow has disappeared from the golfers gardens and this is where the problems often start. I know from experience that General Managers/Secretaries start to come under pressure from members to open the course and it can also be difficult to continually turn away important revenue, especially when the course looks not just playable but tempting from the clubhouse. However patience is vital and we must all respect the judgment of the Course Manager and here is why….

Without wishing to teach anyone to suck eggs, the thaw starts from the top. The frost can often penetrate the ground many inches down. When the snow starts to melt, apart from natural run off, the water has nowhere to run. In cannot permeate through the ground as it would normally as it is sat on a number of inches of frost. Even if there has not been any snow, the ground only freezes because of it’s moisture content. Therefore when the ground starts to thaw, the water just sits on the top, saturating the surfaces. Walking on such surfaces alone can be very damaging and the damage done can take months to repair. However, the real damage at this time is root break, especially on the fine turf areas such as the greens and tees. When the surface is soft and below is frozen, walking on the turf will break the roots and likely kill the plant. Multiply this with hundreds of footprints over a relatively small area and without exaggerating you can devastate your greens. Once again speaking from experience, this can take until well into to June to fully repair and all of a sudden you regret caving in to the desires of the golfers. Certainly there is not a golfer I know, who would still push to play once they are aware of the consequences if their actions.

So even if the weather is mild, your garden is clear and the course is looking very inviting, please try to respect the decision made by your Course Manager. Even if you think he is being over cautious, a few lost days of golf now can help prevent poor greens for months to come.

Chris Lomas is the Secretary of Worplesdon Golf Club. For 11 years prior to that he was Course Manager of The Berkshire Golf Club and prior to that was Deputy Head Greenkeeper at Swinley Forest Golf Club. You can read his blog articles by clicking on this link here.