[Jay Mickle]

 We all know what that means, but why?  When the last green is free of frost we can tee off because we can’t damage the greens, but what about the fairways?  Why can’t we damage them?  OK greens are bent grass fairways are other, but what really is the difference?
Now I live in NC and many of the greens are Bermuda but we still have frost delays, aren’t the greens dormant?  How can we damage dormant greens? I as usual have more questions than answers and hope that some of you can offer logical explanations for what I have until now just taken for granted.
 

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Here in the Valley of the Sun , we do experience frost delays from December through February. Here's what our Director of Golf recently advised:

• Frost forms as the sun rises, which is the coldest point of the morning. The maintenance staff keeps an eye on the temps and the humidity to try to predict whether or not we will have a delay so the golf shop staff can get the message out by 7 a.m.

• The golf course is about 4-6 degrees colder than your back patio or the temperatures you see on the TV or your phone.

• Many things affect frost, which is why delays may be different from course to course. Some holes may have frost, while other holes don't have frost, so always use caution when driving your carts through low areas or in the shade and try not to drive in a frosty area while playing early in the morning.

• Please stay off the practice putting greens and driving range until it's clear of frost. The golf shop staff will announce when those areas open in the morning.

[Tom_Doak]

We all know what that means, but why?  When the last green is free of frost we can tee off because we can’t damage the greens, but what about the fairways?  Why can’t we damage them?  OK greens are bent grass fairways are other, but what really is the difference?
Now I live in NC and many of the greens are Bermuda but we still have frost delays, aren’t the greens dormant?  How can we damage dormant greens? I as usual have more questions than answers and hope that some of you can offer logical explanations for what I have until now just taken for granted.

When there's frost on the surface, foot traffic can physically break the blades of grass, usually if the plant is frozen upright and you compress it.  It's most likely to happen at shorter mowing heights, which is why some clubs only care about greens, others care about greens and tees and fairways, and none care much about the rough.

[Jay Mickle]

Would this be the case with dormant grasses also that would seemingly not have the internal moisture content to allow freezing?

[Steve Lang]

   I'd think the rising sun's impact is more associated with clear overnight "black" sky being present where moisture condenses on a cold or frozen surface such as blade of grass, pumpkin, windshield etc..  (and so geeks can appreciate the Stefan Boltzmann Law regarding blackbody radiation proportional to temp raised to the 4th power).. perhaps also how they make ice in India as tee times back up...


I've always imagined frozen cells in a blade of grass could be ruptured/broken when tromped on versus otherwise deformed from foot or other traffic.. due to being brittle when frozen 

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