IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN - THE DREADED FROST DELAY

With cooler temperatures, shorter days, and the beautiful colors of the changing leaves, fall is in full swing at Chantilly National once again. The turfgrass is beginning to slow its rate of growth requiring less frequent mowing, but the work is far from over on your golf course. Fall is the ideal time for planting seed, spreading fertilizer and many other agronomic practices that will “put the turf to bed” for the winter and prepare the playing surfaces for next year. Additionally, as you well know, the leaves are falling and the seemingly never-ending cleanup is underway.

Fall also brings the dreaded frost delay. Our first frost of the year arrived this morning and more are certainly on the way. Most golfers have been inconvenienced by a frost delay on more than one occasion but many likely do not know why it is so important to keep the course closed and both foot and cart traffic off the turf when there is a frost.

Although an extreme case, the above image clearly shows the
result of both foot and cart traffic on frost covered turfgrass.

Frost is basically frozen dew that has crystallized on the grass, making it hard and brittle. Since grass is is nearly 90 percent water it also freezes. Because of the short mowing height and fragile nature of the turf, putting greens are most affected by frost. But walking on any frost-covered turfgrass causes the plant to break and cell walls to rupture, thereby losing its ability to function normally. When the membrane is broken, much like an egg, it cannot be put back together.

A single golfer with pull cart caused this
damage one frosty morning.

If frost is ignored and delays not implemented, immediate damage is seldom seen. The proof generally comes 48-72 hours later as the plant leaves turn brown and die. The result is a thinning of the putting surface and a weakening of the plant. The greens in turn become more susceptible to disease and weeds. While it may not appear to be much of an issue if play begins early on frost covered greens, consider that the number of footprints that may occur on any given hole by one foursome can exceed 300.

As the above image illustrates, a single foursome has the potential
to cause a lot of damage to a frost covered green.

Frost delays may last anywhere from several minutes to several hours depending on how quickly the temperature rises and the amount of sun that breaks through the clouds. Just remember, no one likes frost delays, but they are necessary to prevent damage and to protect the quality of the playing conditions on your golf course.

CLICK HERE to view a brief and informative explanation from the USGA Green Section on why frost delays are important.