Turf News: Course Care - Frost
12 APR 2023
With the start of the new golf season nearly upon us, it's important to remember that the golf course is slowly waking up from a long Canadian Winter. With that, comes the inevitable; Frost delays! Just because we may have a stretch of higher temperatures in early Spring, doesn't guarantee that a cold morning or two won't be thrown in the mix as well. As our Turf team continues their preparations for Opening Day, there are somethings that every golfer should know when it comes to frost and snow mold on the Golf Course.
Snow mould is a common issue that all Canadian Golf Course Superintendent's have had to deal with to start a new season. Long periods of snow and ice cover on turf grass can lead to diseases that cause discoloration and rot. Preventative measures start in the Fall, to try and help protect turf grass areas from becoming diseased, by way of fungicides. Pink snow mould, as pictured above on one of our fairways late this Winter, occurs most commonly with conditions of snow cover on warmer turf.
Frost might be the least favourite word in the dictionary for a Canadian golfer! However, the inconvenience it may cause on the start to your first couple of rounds of the season can play a big part in how the condition of the course will shape up into mid-season. When morning temperatures are cool, shaded areas and closely mown turf, such as putting greens, will cause the longest delays when it comes to frost melting. Sunlight goes a long way in speeding up any delay. The below video from the USGA offers a great breakdown in less than 2 minutes, of what is a frost delay and the importance of abiding by delay instructions.
The Turf Team!