Frosty

This past weekend we had our first frost of the late season. I always laugh each year when people are surprised to see the frost during the second week of August, but this happens every year.
The days are getting shorter and the night time temperatures are beginning to get cooler and into the 30's. The day time temperatures are still great and can reach into the high 70's. We still have two more great months of golf weather in Vail. 

The early morning tee times begin to go away with frost and it is important that traffic is kept off the turf. Especially this time of year, frost damage can be lethal to the plant and there is no more time for recovery before winter. Please allow time for the day to develop and allow plants to thaw before maintenance and golfing to occur. We adjust tee times through the season to reflect frost delays, however it is not a an exact science where extra time should be allowed if necessary.

Wrapping Up

Well, just like any Vikings fan would say about right now, "We'll see you next year!"

It has been a good season, a real good season. Winter came quickly and fall certainly had a good run. We are putting some final touches on the course and gearing up for the nordic season.

Be sure to grab you snowshoes and check out the new "Gompf Trail" near the 14th green. It is one of the most scenic areas of the winter landscape.

Also, we still have the Coal Bucket Classic to play once the calendar turns to November. We are expecting some melting at the end of this week and possibly next week. Keep tuning into the blog to check for the date and time.

First Frost

Today we were greeted with a heavy frost in the rough areas around the entire course. The temperature bottomed out at 36 degrees this morning. Clear skies allow cooler temperatures to settle at the ground level to form frost.

The day time temperatures are fantastic and the course couldn't be in better condition right now.

Another Beautiful Day

Plenty of sunshine today. Seventeen green was cleared today. Some ice build up from elk traffic, however after a couple hours of sun it was easy to pry from the turf. No noticeable damage left behind, the green looks good.

I am noticing what looks like frost heave in some of the greens. I noticed this with the cart path a few years ago when we had a smaller "winter blanket" on the golf course. The smaller blanket provides less protection from the cold temperatures. Some soils can respond by "pushing up" and disrupting the surface. There is more damage with cart paths because of cracking. Other areas of turf that I have noticed this with in the past settle down once they thaw out.

This should not have any impact with the golf season. The greens will level out properly once aerification is completed and growth begins.

Bare Spots

Due to the massive amounts of elk traffic around the course, they like to nest on top of the mounds surrounding sand traps on the golf course. Holes 8, 9, 10, 12-16 and 18 have been night time resting places for the elk. They prefer the feel of the turf, so they dig their way down to the surface. With the limited snowfall, they do not have far to go.
Pictured here is Mark Jero, Parks Manager and Nordic Groomer extraordinaire, shovelling snow onto the mounds on 18 fairway traps. This is done to prevent these high areas from dessication due to the lack of moisture.
Most high points and mounds tend to hold the least amount of snow due to wind, so they are the first to dry out. There are numerous areas on the course and the Nordic track that we continue to shovel snow. The golf course has mostly been due to elk. The Nordic track has seen its bare spots due to limited snow fall and wear and tear on the course from grooming and use.

Frost

It is that time of year again. Days are getting shorter and nights are getting colder. Once those afternoon clouds move out for the night, temperatures in the valley dip down. For almost two weeks now we have seen temperatures in the mid-30's can equates to a nice frost delay.

It is not guaranteed that everyday brings frost. Some mornings with cloud cover will keep the atmosphere warmer and prevent the plant from freezing.

The coldest part of the day is when the sun rises. The sun pushes the cold air down to the earth and that is when we see the most amount of frost on the golf course. In time, the temperature soon rises and the frost melts off the plant.

Some golf courses can run irrigation to "wash-off" the frost, but our water source is so cold, it only makes matters worse and sometimes creates more ice.

Frost damage can be very harmful especially this time of year. Damage occurs when the crown and leaf blades of the plant are frozen and exposed to stress by foot or cart traffic. The water inside the plant freezes and the plant becomes very delicate and shatter upon impact. Damaged areas will turn to purple or even black and then turn brown and die off. As I mentioned, the fall is the worst time of year to experience frost damage because there is little to no growing time left in the year to rebound from this damage.