Course Status - Temporary Greens

Temporary Greens are in play today and confirmed that will be using them until at least Sunday - please keep an eye on the website for updates.

Why are we using temporary greens?

The recent snow may have melted but the main greens remain out of use. We experienced a rise in temperatures after the snowfall which was the catalyst for a slight thaw. This only occurred to a depth of approximately 5mm before temperatures dropped again a few days later – refreezing the greens.

When greens are in thaw conditions the layer below the surface is still frozen and prevents any water, in the form of rainfall or thawed material, being able to percolate through the green. The water can be seen coming to the surface from footprints and also the hole cup can appear to be full of water because it is trapped above the frozen layer. If we allowed golfers on to the greens under these conditions the footsteps would compact the thawed layer and shear the grass roots.

We, as most other clubs, take the decision to play on main greens during frozen conditions (where there is no sign of thawing). Foot traffic on frozen greens has less potential for significant permanent damage (i.e. compaction, severe foot rutting), but it is important to remember that turf thinning is common because recovery at this time of year is unlikely, so damage is cumulative until growth resumes in the spring.

Although we play on main greens in frozen conditions, we are unable change the hole position. This brings about the problem of excessive wear around the hole and there comes a point where we have to switch to temporary greens.

It may not be a popular decision to play on temporary greens but it is the only sustainable decision to make in these conditions. It is a compromise between accommodating golfers needs to get out and play whilst considering green health and future playability.

Recent weather data:

We have experienced a cold spell since 28^th January. Below are figures for the minimum night time temperatures (degrees centigrade) for this period. A slight thaw occurred on the 6^th & 7^th February where temporary greens were in use.

January            Sat 28^th            - 0.55

Sun 29^th           - 1.88

Mon 30^th          - 0.94

Tue 31^st           - 5.00

February          Wed 1^st            - 4.81

                        Thu 2^nd            - 3.65

                        Fri 3^rd               - 8.17

                        Sat 4^th              - 10.37

                        Sun 5^th             - 10.57

                        Mon 6^th            0.11

                        Tue 7^th             0.04

                        Wed 8^th           - 5.79

                        Thu 9^th             - 3.75

Matthew James

Course Manager