FROST DELAYS – And Deferred Maintenance

Timothy Garceau

Golf Course Superintendent, Haworth Country Club

 

Frost delays are difficult to predict both in when they will occur and how long they will linger. This can lead to frustration for all involved. The maintenance crew still has its work to do, and golfers still want to use the course. By communicating and being prepared with both information and alternatives, stress and aggravation can be minimized.

 

We know that frost will damage turf when carts, machinery or foot traffic enters the picture. Frost alone is easily tolerated by cool season turf; however, when ice crystals form on the surface of the plant they often form on the inside of the plant as well. This can cause normally resilient turf to become brittle.

 

Predicting frost is far from easy or reliable. A forecasted low temperature around the low 40s coupled with little wind and clear skies can bring the potential for frost. Because of where temperatures are recorded, media does not accurately reflect what happens on wide open turf spaces. Temperatures on turfgrass areas are quite a bit lower from those in nearby urban areas. Additionally, courses located in low lying valleys can be more prone to frost problems as denser cold air will settle and accumulate in such areas.

 

What time will the frost be gone? This is one of the most frustrating questions a superintendent has to answer on a regular basis. We don’t like to guess. We don’t know, and we know YOU are waiting. There are no clear-cut formulas for determining the length of a frost delay.

 

For Superintendents, getting golf underway while preparing the course without injury is the number one goal. We can often direct work to frost-free areas or areas where the frost begins to melt first so that by the time it is safe for golf, very little time is required for final preparations keeping delays to a minimum.

 

While some work can be put off for another day, some cannot. When a string of days with frost occurs, it may no longer be possible to kick the can down the road and necessary maintenance work coupled with delays in play may be necessary. At some clubs, when frost delays reach a certain time limit the early tee times are cancelled so as not to push back the entire days tee times.

 

Inevitably, many of our challenges in golf can be diminished through better communication. These days there are many avenues for communicating frost warnings or delays to the membership. The golf pro shop is typically informed of frost at first light and sometimes alerted the afternoon before of the possibility. When frost begins to become a factor, consider an alternative schedule that will help you get your round in without delay.