Spring Forward!

This weekend we will "Spring Forward" with our clocks and it's certainly beginning to feel like Spring as well.  Like most of the Winter, the weather has been warmer than normal.  This week, we removed all of the winter covers and the good news is that everything looks very healthy.  I was a little concerned based on the wild swings in temperature we had experienced but it looks like everything is OK.  The following pictures will give you an idea of what things look like:

#2 Green looking back toward tee

#10 Green looking back toward tee

#4 Green looking back toward tee

The greens are greener than everything else because the winter covers create a greenhouse-like effect which warms up the soil and causes the grass to green up earlier than it normally would.  This is OK but if the temperatures get too high under the covers, it can actually be detrimental to the turf and set things back - this is why we removed them this week.  The greens will lose some of this colour as they acclimate to the actual temperatures.  The picture below illustrates it well:

#13 Green showing greener grass where the winter cover was in place

 

Before you ask, it is still to early to predict an opening date.  The weather in the coming weeks will dictate what happens.  To open, we want the grass to be actively growing so that it is able to recuperate from the traffic and wear and tear that golf creates.  Opening too early when the grass is not growing will create damage that will last for a long time which will inhibit our ability to produce an excellent product in the core golf season.  I realize that some other courses will open before we do and each course has to decide what is right for them given all the relevant factors.  Indeed, every facility has different budgets and expectations and what's right at one facility is not necessarily good at another.  Having said that, we are carefully monitoring the course and weather conditions and, as usual, we will open as soon as the course is ready.  Stay tuned to this blog for regular updates as we move toward opening day.  It's great to see the course in good condition this early in the season and we look forward to welcoming you back!