The maintenance team is just as excited as our golfers are to be outside enjoying this golf course.
There are many factors that go into the decision on when to open the golf course. The obvious factors above ground include moisture on the surface and whether there is snow or ice cover on the turf. The below ground factors are the most important to the health of the golf course. The soil profile must be free from frost. If play occurred before the frost has come out of the ground, the traffic could damage the integrity of the soil structure The soil is filled with many open spaces, called pores, which are required for air and water. When compaction occurs from traffic, whether it be maintenance or golfer traffic these pore spaces decrease in size. While this is normal in season, opening the golf course too early could expedite this process and create a poor soil structure that could damage the grass for the rest of the growing season. This damage doesn't show right away, we would see it during the "dog days" of the summer.
