Winter Temporary greens | Golf Monthly

I'm getting fed up with 18 temps every time I have the chance to play. Are all clubs doing this at the moment. I mean what really is the problem playing on the normal green anyway. What research has ever been done to suggest playing on the normal green will have any adverse affect come Spring time when Mother Nature heals and grows over any damaged roots.

Am I being naive here or what.......is there somewhere I can get the definitive answer from. All I know it's a joke playing to a hole cut out in the fairway.

I know exactly what you mean. We are on them while the frost is around with huge bucket holes to boot. I usually don't bother as it's impossible to stop the ball anywhere near, usually kicking off the frozen uneven bounce and chipping and putting become a joke with the larger holes. Personally, working on weak areas like pitching etc is time much better spent. This is what the club put on our website recently

FROST DAMAGE

How can a foot print be a killer?

When it’s a footprint made on a putting surface that’s covered with frost. It may be hard to believe that simply walking across a green covered with frost can cause so much damage but the proof will be there in a few days as the turf grass dies and leaves a trail of brown footprints. Although the white frost may quickly disappear, just half an inch below the surface the grass and its root structure will still be frozen and therefore vulnerable to damage. A little extra patience will ensure the continued well-being of our greens. That’s why most courses will delay start times until the frost has melted, and why golfers who appreciate a quality putting surface will be patient during frost delays.

Why does frost cause problems?

Greens are fragile; every green is a collection of millions of individual grass plants, each of which is a delicate living thing. These plants were never meant to be maintained at a low cutting height for prolonged periods and this stress makes greens constantly vulnerable to attacks from insects, drought, disease, heat, cold---and frost.

Frost is essentially frozen dew; the ice crystals that form on the outside of the plant can also harden or even freeze the structure of the plant. When frosted, the normally resilient plant cells become brittle & are easily crushed. When the cell membranes are damaged, the plant cannot function normally.

Although you won’t see any immediate damage if you walk on frosted turf, the proof will emerge within 48- 72 hours as the leaves die & turn brown. Since one foursome can leave several hundred footprints on each green, the damage can be very extensive.

Thank you for your understanding

The damage is not just unsightly- putting quality will also be reduced until repairs are made. These repairs are expensive and, in some cases, the green may be out of play until new turf grass is established. A short delay while the frost melts can preserve the quality of the greens and prevent needless repairs.