What is the answer to frosty greens?

[TonyN]

This has bugged me all through winter, and another post has inspired me to bring it up.

Frosty greens are hated, world over? They absolutly destroy the game don't they. I dont mind playing in pretty much any weather, dont even mind playing off winter tee's but playing on temps is just so dull its almost suicidle.

So whats the answer? How can we prevent frosted greens on a day to day basis through winter? Surely there is a way. And I bet the guy who finds it would secure a good deal with the dragons.

I was thinking along the lines of thermal green covers, ok may seem far fetched but would it work? At night, green keeps pop them over each green to stop the frost taking hold. Much like those covers everyone is sticking over their wind screens right now.

Agreed it is extra work at the beginning/end of the day but if it worked, wouldn't it be worth it?

I know it would probably cost a bomb but what about under green heating? Surely that would work no? They have it at all the football grounds.

Can you imagine finding a cost effecive way of banishing frozen greens. It would be like a second coming.

Surely between us all, we can find a way, can't we? Or would it have been done already?

Also as a little side note, would it really hurt golf clubs to attach covers to winter tee's to stop frost that could be taken off when used and put back on when not in play.

 

[birdieman]

Too many people playing in winter will just ruin courses for the correct golf season - April to October.
Can people not find something else to do in the winter?
Hacking divots off fairways in winter when the grass isn't growing and making indentations with balls and feet and trolley wheels on frosty courses is all wrong.

Instead of wasting your time playing on frozen courses where you can't move properly for layers and cold you could just do some gym work or hit the range if you're that desperate to hit balls. Better still get out and walk up some hills with the dog, get a CV workout, spend some time with the family even?

I reckon a wee layoff in the winter will do the body good, get rid of any niggles and leave you enthused for the new season.

Covering greens is not the answer, the mat will stick in frosty weather and pull up the grass when you try to remove it.

Undersoil heating is what you need but what golf clubs are going to do that just to satisfy a few hardy souls who don't realise golf is really a spring/summer/autumn sport in the UK.


Ramble finished!

 

[Smiffy]

Too many people playing in winter will just ruin courses for the correct golf season - April to October.
Can people not find something else to do in the winter?
Hacking divots off fairways in winter when the grass isn't growing and making indentations with balls and feet and trolley wheels on frosty courses is all wrong.

Instead of wasting your time playing on frozen courses where you can't move properly for layers and cold you could just do some gym work or hit the range if you're that desperate to hit balls. Better still get out and walk up some hills with the dog, get a CV workout, spend some time with the family even?

I reckon a wee layoff in the winter will do the body good, get rid of any niggles and leave you enthused for the new season.

Covering greens is not the answer, the mat will stick in frosty weather and pull up the grass when you try to remove it.

Undersoil heating is what you need but what golf clubs are going to do that just to satisfy a few hardy souls who don't realise golf is really a spring/summer/autumn sport in the UK.


Ramble finished!

I do tend to agree.
Cricket is a "Summer" sport just as Football is a "winter" one.
What do avid cricketers and footballers do during their closed seasons?
I'm lucky I guess.....for the last two or three years I haven't played much golf at all but I found that if I didn't play for 3 or 4 months and then had a game I really looked forward to it and the break didn't really affect my play.
I would much rather play less and look forward to it than trudge around a frozen course when I didn't really want to be there. That would almost guarantee me a bad round before I'd even hit a ball.

 

[Robobum]

Just watched an article on sky sports about under soil heating at football grounds. Costs about £120K to install & £3k a day to run. Times that by 18 and I'm not sure our members will stump up the extra subs for that!!

 

[USER1999]

Doesn't the stadium course at Sawgrass have under soil heating, and also under soil irrigation for their greens?

That said, playing there is not cheap.

 

[HTL]

Yep Sawgrass does.

Dont really see a way around it TonyN without major cost to the club.

Clubs cant shut in the winter, they would go bust with lack of trade and have to reduce their membership costs to accommodate for not being able to play 2-3 moths of the year.

 

[Parmo]

What is the affect of salt on grass? Just an idea.

If fair weather golfers want to moan about the course they should take it up with the board not with golfers who enjoy golf no matter what the weather.

 

[Robobum]

It makes it really salty!!

 

[Parmo]

It makes it really salty!!

lol I mean if the greenkeepers salted (like crisps) the greens the ice/frost would go and then liquidise with the water, just an idea.

 

[birdieman]

Clubs cant shut in the winter, they would go bust with lack of trade and have to reduce their membership costs to accommodate for not being able to play 2-3 moths of the year.

That is a surprise to me, clubs up here do not get any trade in the winter to speak of, the costings of the club are based round a normal golf season. If you get to play in winter that is just good luck, it's not planned for.
Sometimes the club opens around Xmas for social events and the odd prizegiving or dance but it's pretty limited.
The separate pro shop is open more but it's still very quiet.

 

[Parmo]

Clubs cant shut in the winter, they would go bust with lack of trade and have to reduce their membership costs to accommodate for not being able to play 2-3 moths of the year.

That is a surprise to me, clubs up here do not get any trade in the winter to speak of, the costings of the club are based round a normal golf season. If you get to play in winter that is just good luck, it's not planned for.
Sometimes the club opens around Xmas for social events and the odd prizegiving or dance but it's pretty limited.
The separate pro shop is open more but it's still very quiet.

Not the same at my club, yes we take more cash in summer but at the weekends in winter the slots are booked and the club house is taking cash of sorts.

Why should golfers be stopped playing winter golf just for the benefit of fair weather golfers? Some people prefer winter golf as you don't get the idiots and you have to have more than one game to get around.

 

[SammmeBee]

What is the affect of salt on grass? Just an idea.

Grass doesn't like salt - there are some strains that will tolerate but it's not the best....

 

[Parmo]

I might have a word with the Pro this weekend about creating decent winter greens on all holes.

 

[jeffc]

I might have a word with the Pro this weekend about creating decent winter greens on all holes.

Just a few thoughts on this subject

decent winter greens or normal greens , same prob, grass doesn't grow in winter.
It's probably already been tried but maybe artificial winter greens would work better but again at what cost?

Salt mmmm basically kills the grass

Undersoil heating seems a good idea but it's the first year for many where frost has been such a problem, do clubs really want to spend so much money for undersoil heating for one year in say 5 or 10 and how many clubs can really afford it anyway.

I always enjoy playing summer or winter but obviously the proper season is when to really enjoy it. I couldn't really contemplate the idea of not playing for 3 or 4 months though, even when I go away on business for one or two weeks it drives me nuts.

Putting practise on my 4m strip of carpet is the best I can manage at the moment but I think we just have to suck on it for a while frustrating as it is.Having said that there maybe a chance to play saturday.

 

[Imurg]

I think Augusta may have heating too. But to be real, only courses/clubs the size of Wentworth, Loch Lomond, Sunningdale etc would either want or be able to afford it.

The cover thing might work if it was like a very low tent - not actually touching the grass but a foot or so above it.

But again its a lots of cost for probably not that much use. Don't forget this is the longest cold snap in 10 years.

 

[CarpeDiem]

Hopefully were due a warm one then.

 

[USER1999]

With global warming, it shouldn't really be a problem.

Or may be this climate change stuff is just rubbish.

 

[CarpeDiem]

It is a bit because it is a natural process, man is just accelerating the process. So all the iceburgs are going to melt then freeze over again, its a never ending process.

 

[Imurg]

The problem is that people call it Global Warming and we all think its going to get warmer. Its natural Climate Change which is melting the ice caps(helped along by us no doubt). This influx of fresh water into the sea may push the Gulf Stream lower in the Atlantic, thereby making it colder here. Don't forget we are only as "warm" as we are because the Gulf Stream brings warm water from the Carribean. If the Gulf Stream sinks towards Spain we are going to find the current weather becoming more of a norm.

 

[CarpeDiem]

The British controlled most of the planet 150 years ago, and now Mother Nature is getting its own back by making every other country warm except us