Following up on our recent blog post and letter to membership, below are some photos of our continued effort to mitigate any winter damage on greens.
After the snow was removed (see previous post) most greens were left encased in a thick layer of compacted snow and ice. Fertilizer was applied to absorb heat and aid in the meltdown.
After just a few hours the meltdown began. Mick inspects the 18th green (above), not a goose in sight!
Staff cut small channels in the ice to aid in drainage of meltwater.
Thicker ice was broken up by hand.
Skid steers were used to clear snow from the low runoff points at the edge of all greens. Above you can see meltwater pooling near the edge of the 14th green. It was important to provide an exit point for meltwater so we didn't reform ice as night time temperatures dipped below freezing.
Throughout the winter small 2" sample plugs have been brought into the shop and placed under a grow light. So far results have been mixed but the information gained from these samples allows us to build a game plan for the warmer temperatures that are surely around the corner.
