Frost Delays

The primary component of plant tissue is water.  As the plant loses heat to the atmosphere on cold nights, the plant leaf cools and subsequently freezes when the leaf temperature reaches 32° F or below.  This can occur even when the air temperature is above freezing.  Frost on the grass blade means that the water inside the blade is frozen.  The frost alone does not damage turf, but traffic in combination with the frost will.  Traffic on the turf causes the ice crystals to puncture the cell walls, which kills the plant tissue and causes the plant to lose the ability to function normally.  Furthermore, during heavy frosts, cell disruption can occur at the crown of the plant, which can kill the entire plant.  If that occurs, the dead turf will persist for several weeks or months until warmer temperatures allow active growth.

The most devastating form of winter injury can occur during the freeze and thaw cycles, when the top of the soil is thawed, but the area just below is not.  Significant shearing will occur to the turf with traffic under these conditions.  The plant will lose most if not all parts below the freeze line.  The shallower the freeze line the more severe the injury.  The damage could range from a significant loss to parts of the root system, to complete kill of the entire plant.

We are very cautious when the conditions are favorable for frost or freeze.  We make no assumptions.  Everything is thoroughly checked.  We check for frost initially by looking at plant appearance.  Next, we will either run our hand across the surface or set our hand on the surface for a couple of seconds and remove it.  This helps us decipher between frost and dew.  If the surface only contains dew, it will be clear when our hand is removed.  If frost is on the surface, the ice crystals will remain after our hand is removed.  We will not allow play on a green until the entire green is free of frost.  As for checking for freeze, soil probing is the method that we use and the only effective way to do it.  We will commonly use a 6" screw driver for that procedure.  We will not allow play on a green until the entire green is penetrable to a 6" depth, with minimal resistance.

Frost and freeze delays are frustrating for both golfers and the maintenance staff.  However, they are necessary for us to provide the best playing conditions possible for our members and guests year round.  We continually monitor the course during these delays and keep the golf shop staff updated on conditions in an effort to get the course open as soon as possible.  Predicting start times is difficult to do precisely and we try to avoid that.  There are so many factors that effect the melting cycle and they can change dramatically from day to day as I am sure you have experienced.  In conclusion, I greatly appreciate you taking the time to read this and we appreciate your patience and understanding as we encounter these necessary delays.