We are now entering week four of having the course closed due to snow cover, and questions about what is happening with the turf beneath this white blanket are starting to be asked--and rightfully so. One important thing to keep in mind is that when we talk about potential winter damage to the turf (in very general terms), snow is good and ice is bad.
Snow can help protect the greens from desiccation due to the wind, and it has pore space which allows gas exchange. In contrast, ice often seals gases in, leading to anoxia (a lack of oxygen). Fortunately, the precipitation from the big storm in mid-January came down as snow first, then ended with just a crusty layer on top.
If the current covering melts away in one fell swoop with a prolonged warmup, that would be good. However, if we start to get some melting, followed by a refreeze, we will be facing the possibility of a layer of ice, particularly in low areas. Should that occur, we will be taking a hard look at the long-range forecast to help decide if there is a need to remove ice or not.
In addition to the concern over ice on the greens, another potential issue is direct kill from low temperatures. The greens are primarily Poa annua, which is less tolerant to low temps than Creeping Bentgrass. Again, we are hoping that the snow acts as a layer of insulation to help keep the ground just a bit warmer than the frigid air temperatures we have been experiencing.
So should we be worried? Only time will tell. While it may be frustrating to wait, patience is often needed in these situations. There are many factors at play, and based on the course's history, there is no reason to panic at the moment. Once the greens' surfaces are accessible, we can pull some plugs, and bring them inside to see how they recover under a better growing environment. This can be a good indicator as to whether we will be facing any issues once spring arrives.
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