There is one saying that all golf course superintendents abide by in the winter and that is “snow is good, ice is bad.” Is snow good for golf course turf? The short answer is yes. Superintendents that work golf courses in the northeast know that winter weather can be extreme and change very rapidly. Because of this, they have learned to treat snow as more of a blessing than a curse. One of the greatest things that snow does for golf course turf is that it insulates it. Read on to learn more answers to the question, is snow good for golf course turf?
Is Snow Good For Golf Course Turf?
Snow can serve as a protective layer on golf course turf.
A lot of golf course superintendents fear wind more than snow. The cold winds of winter can damage golf course turf by drying out the crown of the plant. This is called desiccation and the short grass on greens is especially vulnerable to it. Snow can actually insulate the turf and avoid this damage so it comes back in spring.
Snow can prevent winter wear and tear from golfers.
Die-hard golfers have no issue with playing well into winter if the weather allows. The only problem with this is that grass is usually ready to go dormant at this point. Grass that has entered winter dormancy cannot withstand the wear and tear of divots and foot traffic. It will never recover at the rate it does in summer. This is very common on tees where players tend to twist and turn in their soft spikes. Snow can put a hard stop on the golf season and can tell golfers that it might be time to pursue other winter activities like skiing.
Are there any problems that come with snow and golf course turf?
Despite snow helping turf, there are still some problems that can come along with it. When temperatures toggle (as they often do in northeast winters) problems can happen when freezing and thawing occur. Those conditions can cause ice to develop between the snow and turf which causes a layer that suffocates the grass. The suffocating layer can damage or kill the grass. Snow Mold is another issue that snow brings but most superintendents agree that the benefits of snow outweigh the drawbacks.
Visit Valley Green for all of your golf course turf needs.
Valley Green incorporated has several locations all over the northeast. Besides selling high-quality grass seed blends, we also offer a variety of products for golf course turf health. If you need any of these products, please stop into one of our locations and one of our store managers can certainly help you!