HIGHLAND CC GROUNDS

Since my last post our ice situation has not improved. The weather has been extremely cold and we have experienced a number of small snow events that have covered the golf course. We are now at day 31 in some areas of ice cover. The forecast for the next couple of weeks is not showing any signs of a thaw or melt. Removing snow and ice in these extreme temperatures is not an option. Exposing the greens to -25C could result in a severe shock to the turf grass. At this point we will continue to monitor and evaluate the weather patterns and act accordingly.

The winter weather in Southwestern Ontario has again brought upon us many challenges. The ideal situation for us would have been to have the ground freeze, then follow up with a nice blanket of snow for the majority of the winter months. The snow acts as a nice shield from the bitter elements of winter.  The week of December 18th brought forth a snow melting event that concluded with a couple of days of pouring rain.  This type of weather pattern is not desirable when managing turf grass. If persistent, ice accumulation on greens, tees and fairways can lead to damage of the plant. When the Poa annua  plant is smothered with ice for longer than 45 days (approx.) toxic gases begin to build up and can be detrimental to the viability of the turf.  Our ice formation began on Dec. 23rd. As with any challenge on the golf course we have developed a plan of action to help minimalize the potential for damage to our greens. During the latest thaw we removed a good portion of the deep snow that