[David Davis]

I'm curious as to the winter policies at your clubs (at least those clubs that would run into these types of situations).


Can you please let me know what time your green keeping staff would show up relative to the first tee times or course opening to make important calls as to whether or not the course will have winter/summer greens etc. Or perhaps be cart paths only or even be carry bags only as opposed to push carts in the case of frost.


For example, if it get's light at 8 am or 8:30 am would your club's staff show up at first light and make these calls and then update the website and information for everyone or would they show up an hour or more in advance to do this?


Thanks for your feedback.

[BHoover]

The winter policy here is the courses are closed.

[David_Tepper]

The golf shop at the Olympic Club sends out an email almost daily around 07:00 in the winter months advising of the course conditions.

If there has been a lot of rain, there will be comments on whether or not the courses and practice areas are open and if carts will be allowed or play will be walking only.

If it has been very cold overnite, there will be notice of a frost delay and an estimation of when play will begin.

[David Davis]

The winter policy here is the courses are closed.

Brian, of course but there would be an equivalent time of year just before winter/after....

[Jon Wiggett]

Where I did my apprenticeship they used to play on the greens even when frosty and the greens were as good as other clubs in the area who went onto winter greens or closed. However I think it is the head greenkeeper's call and this should be respected.


Jon

[Duncan Cheslett]

During prolonged periods of heavy frost such as we have experienced this week temps will be in use.


On the first frost free night our greenkeeper Nick will go and have a look in the late evening and return before first light and test each green individually.


Wherever possible the regular greens will be brought back into play, although some take longer to thaw out than others so one or two holes may continue to be on temps for a day longer.

[Tommy Williamsen]

Are temporary greens more of a British practice? Few clubs in the US do that.

[Adrian_Stiff]

We play on the greens pretty much all the time in frosts. The only exception is when it is thawing after prolonged frost ie the top is soft but the roots are in the perma-frost so root shearing could happen.


If you play on grass in the winter in the UK when it is dormant/semi-dormant you will do a degree of damage as the wear will not match the recovery, but it will recover in the spring and you could be closed for 5 months if you really wanted to be precious.


I have yet to see bald temporary greens in April though and as many clubs have excellent summer greens that keep playing through frosts as poor summer greens that keep off them.

[Bill Vogeney]

My club here in Colorado Springs is open year round weather permitting.


We cover three greens in the winter that tend to get the most damage in the winter otherwise, and we use temp greens on those holes. Coincidentally they are the greens for all of our oar 5s.


We will not allow play until frost has melted. The greens typically get a nice coat of sand around 12/1 for the winter to minimiz damage.


I am also a member at Prairie Dunes in Kansas. The greens there are among the best anywhere. They go to temp greens for all 18 holes, or so I believe. Have never run out there in winter to play, it is a 6.5 hour drive.

[Sean_A]

My club doesn't use temps any time of the year.  My previous two clubs did and it was part of the reason I left both clubs.  One club dumped the temp policy with frost and use of mats in winter. They figured that after 3 weeks into the season there was no difference to the quality of the greens/fairways so it wasn't worth the inconvenience to the members.


I have been pushing my club to request golfers to push balls into the rough for casual play during the winter when one is a few steps away from the rough.  To date, no luck, but I do it anyway...practically everywhere I play.  I don't figure my golf is worth beating up dormant fairways.


Ciao

[Justin VanLanduit]

Can you please let me know what time your green keeping staff would show up relative to the first tee times or course opening to make important calls as to whether or not the course will have winter/summer greens etc. Or perhaps be cart paths only or even be carry bags only as opposed to push carts in the case of frost.[/size]For example, if it get's light at 8 am or 8:30 am would your club's staff show up at first light and make these calls and then update the website and information for everyone or would they show up an hour or more in advance to do this?

I'm curious as to the winter policies at your clubs (at least those clubs that would run into these types of situations).


Can you please let me know what time your green keeping staff would show up relative to the first tee times or course opening to make important calls as to whether or not the course will have winter/summer greens etc. Or perhaps be cart paths only or even be carry bags only as opposed to push carts in the case of frost.


For example, if it get's light at 8 am or 8:30 am would your club's staff show up at first light and make these calls and then update the website and information for everyone or would they show up an hour or more in advance to do this?


Thanks for your feedback.

[Matt Wharton]

David,


At Carolina Golf Club our "off-season" hours of operation are as follows:
Monday Course Closed
Tuesday-Friday First Tee Time 9:00 am (weather permitting)
Saturday-Sunday First Tee Time 8:30 am (weather permitting)


Weather permitting refers to frost and/or frozen conditions.  We do not utilize temporary greens and I do not permit play until frost has sufficiently lifted, but I do permit play on frozen greens so long as no risk of root shear is likely.  Our "off-season" begins with the conclusion of Daylight Saving Time in early November and runs through the duration of winter until DST resumes in early March.  My staff works from 7:00 am to 3:30 pm this time of year and I routinely arrive at 6:00 am.  This provides me ample time to assess current conditions and make decisions regarding daily course maintenance activities and play.


Our golf professional staff arrives one hour prior to the first tee time and we usually notify our members regarding current course conditions and potential delays approximately 30-45 minutes before the first tee time.  This is typically accomplished by tweets from me and push notifications via our club App.


Hope that helps,

[David Davis]

Thanks everyone.


@Matt Wharton, that's really helpful as that's exactly the kind of information I'm looking to win in here. What are the standards and how far in advance do you advise the members of course closures, frost delays and the like.


Interesting that your team arrives at 6-7 am to make those important calls. Sounds very professional and service minded to me. Nice work.

[Mark Chaplin]

Today's frost green message at Deal came out on email at 6.28am, sunrise was 7.59am, main greens were in play by 9.54am. It was a light frost and when we started at noon the course was in excellent shape.


David aren't your greens team at work before first light in Holland? Ours start at 6am everyday, all year round.

[jeffwarne]

Sounds like those bastards had the nerve to sleep in till first light again-on Christmas no less!!

[Martin Lehmann]

Where I did my apprenticeship they used to play on the greens even when frosty and the greens were as good as other clubs in the area who went onto winter greens or closed. However I think it is the head greenkeeper's call and this should be respected.


Jon

At our course, the head greenkeeper is in charge for these kind of calls as well. He's well respected, so members listen, even if the announcements are made a bit late sometimes.


Golfers should show common sense themselves (not always easy) and take some responsibility as well. Our members (at least most of them) know that they can't play in the morning when the course is still frozen. The problem we have is white frost, as a result of high air humidity in our part of the country (south of Holland). Play under these circumstances will result in damaged grass (black foot steps).

[Matt Wharton]

Thanks everyone.


@Matt Wharton, that's really helpful as that's exactly the kind of information I'm looking to win in here. What are the standards and how far in advance do you advise the members of course closures, frost delays and the like.


Interesting that your team arrives at 6-7 am to make those important calls. Sounds very professional and service minded to me. Nice work.

Years of on site experience has provided the ability to fairly predict when frost will sufficiently lift, and we try our best to relay this information to our professional staff in a timely matter.  The professional staff is responsible to communicate to our members what time they will be permitted to play.  We make every effort to get players on the course as soon as possible, even if it means starting rounds on Hole 3 as sometimes Hole 1 can take longer to thaw.


I agree with Martin golfers should exercise more responsibility when weather conditions likely to produce frost delays are present. However I have lobbied unsuccessfully for several years to block early tee times when delays are likely.  A typical frosty morning at Carolina GC delays play till approximately 10:00 am and I've always thought if 10:00 am was the first time available on those mornings any delays encountered would be minimal inconveniencing the fewest people possible.

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