An Update On #6 Green

We removed the ice shield (waterproof plastic cover) and bubble wrap off of the 6th green on Tuesday. As you can see from the picture it's in the same condition as all the others: very good. This method of overwinter protection seems to be the best solution to a changing climate. Fortunately (or unfortunately if you are interested in an "experiment" of sorts) the past winter was a good one for all the greens and tees. After we had cleared the initial snowfall and removed any ice in early November the heavy snows came and never left resulting in excellent natural protection for the greens. Because of this a comparison of results doesn't tell us much this spring.

The 6th green Tuesday afternoon

What can be interpreted though is that a green can be covered and isolated from some extreme environmental pressures. The main one being ice formation. By monitoring the conditions (temperature and air quality) underneath the cover throughout the winter we have a pretty good idea what is happening. The venting system allows us to introduce fresh air to the green surface whether it needs it or not. Here I would definitely error on the side of caution and blow air under the covers more often than not.

Without complicating the topic any further I feel this method holds promise for the future of the overwinter protection of our Poa annua /bentgrass greens. This topic will be discussed at length in our Green Committee meetings. One last point to consider. NOTHING is 100% effective 100% of the time in relation to keeping sensitive turf types alive from November to May. At least in my humble opinion. However its becoming clear to me that if there is a technique that works more often than not it needs to be seriously considered. I'm all about reducing stress in our lives especially during the winter. There will be much more information to present to the membership as next fall approaches but I think we should concentrate on this season for now. A lot of  golf course superintendents and researchers have done the hard work in fine tuning this overwintering plan and I applaud them for creating this option.

The next blog will review the snow mold pressures faced by all Edmonton and area courses this spring, our fungicide use results and what changes, if any, will be implemented in the future.

The 2013 golf season has arrived as the practice facilities will open Friday morning at 9:00. Frost delays may be in effect for the natural turf areas.

Wade