Part of our greens maintenance program in the winter here at BCC is to make sure that ice does not accumulate on greens in an excessive manner. With the winter sun staying low in the sky some greens on the golf course can accumulate an ice layer while others are able to melt off naturally. One of the keys to our success is timing. We want the snow to remain to help keep moisture in the greens, but as temperatures fluctuate there is a balance to be found. We want there to be snow on greens for nights where temperatures are colder to help insulate them, but as the snow begins to freeze/thaw we need to remove it. This removal helps protect our Poa Annua greens from anoxia (lack of oxygen) from being covered in ice for more than 45 days. Creeping Bentgrass can withstand closer to 90 days of ice cover without damage. Bentgrass's ability to survive under ice cover is just another reason why it will be so critical for us to increase our populations of Creeping Bentgrass on greens.
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| All hands on deck removing the upper layer of snow |
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| Removing the upper layer of snow, exposing the 2"of ice that accumulated on #3 green |
Sand was then thrown via shovel on top of the remaining ice, the heat generated from the sand particles on the ice helps to break it up, making the removal of the remaining ice feasible just a day later.
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| #3 the next day after the remaining ice was removed. Ready to breathe! |
