A mild winter day can be a great opportunity for golfers to get outside and play a few holes. For golf courses, winter play is a nice boost to the revenue stream and can improve customer satisfaction. When these conditions develop though, the age-old question, “How much damage can winter play on greens cause?” is sure to come up. Research is limited on the extent of turf injury that is possible from winter play, but it’s clear there are risks when certain conditions exist – e.g., frost, saturated soil or thawing conditions. Even a handful of golfers walking on the greens in these conditions could cause some damage.
Spirited debates about the risks associated with allowing golfers to play on the greens during winter have occurred for decades and are likely to continue for years to come. When determining if the greens should be closed for play during winter, focusing on the agronomic reasons is crucial, but it’s also important to consider the key reasons why golfers want to play during the offseason.
Golfers love to get on the course during winter because it gives them an opportunity to work on their swing, get outdoors and exercise. Most recognize that courses aren’t going to be in peak shape in winter, so expectations for playability are lower. Basically, winter golfers are just happy to be able to play some golf and hit shots.
Most courses can accommodate winter golfers without taking on much risk by using temporary greens when conditions warrant. Temporary greens virtually eliminate the potential for traffic stress on greens, which means they should be in good shape for the peak season when conditions matter most.
When the greens are dry and firm under foot during winter, some superintendents feel that the potential for turf damage is low and open them for play. Every course is different and must decide for themselves what’s the best approach to managing winter play on the greens. The risks might be minimal but allowing play on greens during winter certainly won’t improve playing conditions in spring and summer.
If you allow play on greens during winter, closely monitor turf conditions throughout winter and early spring. Note the play volume, weather conditions and soil moisture levels regularly. Take pictures of the greens often to help document the impact of winter play and compare that information with spring and summer performance. We may never be able to answer the question, “How much damage can winter play on greens cause?” but with course-specific information you’ll be better equipped to decide when play should be restricted to temporary greens.
Northeast Region Agronomists:
Adam Moeller, director, Green Section Education – amoeller@usga.org
Darin Bevard, senior director, Championship Agronomy – dbevard@usga.org
Elliott L. Dowling, senior consulting agronomist – edowling@usga.org