December 28, 2012

Good or bad....?

I am asked “Is the snow good or bad”....well, it depends!

Snow cover actually protects the turf, much like an insulating blanket, from the winds and bitter cold. Turf that has been under snow tends to be healthier in the spring than turf exposed to drying winds and wind chill temperatures. Snow also helps curtail wear and tear, as not a lot of golf is played when snow is on the ground.

But then, if the snow should turn to ice, the turf can suffocate after a few weeks. Also, as snow and ice melt, the abundant moisture coupled with above freezing temperatures is perfect for diseases such as yellow patch, grey snow mold, red thread, and pink snow mold. And the melt also means greater traffic damage due to soft soils. If the soil is thawed on top, but is frozen underneath, then the water cannot drain and makes things even worse. Roots drown, or get sheared from traffic, and in most cases the soil structure gets ruined. All of these scenarios have long term consequences.None of them are good.

And if there is no snow cover at all like last year, desiccation and wear and tear can really set the turf back.

I wish there were easy answers, but there are not. It all just depends.