As of now the forecast is for a low of 23 tonight and Also again on Tuesday night.
Right now the plan is to uncover Wednesday as soon as the covers thaw out, you will have to check with the pro shop Wednesday concerning tee times.
When do we cover greens? Good Question:
We cover our greens to protect them from getting too cold. Research shows that damage begins to occur to the plants when soil temperatures fall to 25 degrees. The plant can with stand soil temperatures of 25 degrees for several days before damage occurs, however as the temperature falls from there damage is accelerated. At a soil temperature of 20 the plant is damaged instantly.
SO our standard operating procedure is to cover the greens whenever the forecasted low temperature is to drop below 25 degrees fore an extended period of time. The "extended period of time" varies greatly due to several variables including soil moisture, forecasted wind speeds, the forecast for the days immediately following the cold snap, time of year and precipitation forecasts.
We will uncover once the temperatures rise above freezing and are forecasted to remain safe for over a day.
Soil temperatures on our greens fluctuate rapidly compared to other soils.
When we have a lot of moisture in the soil the soil temperatures fluctuate slower. If the top layer freezes that layer of ice helps to hold heat in.
If the wind blows, that drys the top layer out, which will allow the soil temp to drop much more rapidly, and also leaves the plan t more vulnerable.
A layer of frozen precipitation actually acts like a blanket and is a more effective cover than what we have, so we will not always over when snow is forecasted.
So as you can see I have many variables to consider before I make a decision one way or the other. That is why I am constantly monitoring the weather forecasts and our soil temperatures.
I hope this answers some questions, if not please feel free to comment here or contact me directly! Have a great day!
Jason.
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