Course Update

The warm weather of the weekend has given us substantial snow melt but we still have a ways to go before we can open the golf course.

Some of my peers to the far north are involved in struggle with ice potentially building up from  freezing and thawing cycles. They attempt to clear greens with equipment to try to get their ice layer melted before the next round of weather could  come in and cover them up with snow again  for the rest of the winter. Snow cover is wanted to insulate the greens from severe cold but usually ice layers occur from melting snow during warm cycles, freezing rain covered by snow and or rain over already snow covered surfaces.  The ice layer traps carbon dioxide which kills the plants.

For additional information on this struggle with ice build up on greens, check out the link below.

http://buckeyeturf.osu.edu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=340:ice-cover-and-the-role-in-freezing-injury&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=170

Here at Glen Echo, we usually get a reasonably quick melting of snow and ice.  Over the years, the longest
period of ice/snow cover I can remember was 1991 when we had at least 6 weeks of snow and ice cover. Usually our periods involve no more than a week or two at the longest.  We like a  natural meltdown in an attempt to reduce traffic from our greens including staff until the moisture has gotten through the profile deep enough to prevent severe imprinting from shoes.

Many of the bunkers are full of snow and a number of tees are completely unplayable. 4, 8 and 12 are still covered in snow and 6, 7 and others are like swamps.  Fairways, roughs and green surrounds are saturated and sloppy in many areas.  Our old course drains well but will need some more time before it is dry enough for play.  Greens 2, 3 and I'm guessing 5 but did not  look at it, 10, 11, 12 still have snow and are very wet. I've not walked on the others because I am sure they are still fairly wet.

I know the weather is going to turn a little bit more seasonal over the next few days.  In the mean time, we will still remain closed.  We appreciate your patience while the course drains to a more firm and safe condition.

10 green on Sunday morning.

10 green at 12:30 today.

Hole #11 Sunday morning.

Hole 11 Sunday morning.  Notice the depth of the snow at least 6-8" on the left of the picture and just barely convering the right side.

11 green with a good amount of snow on it.  Notice the significant shade even in the winter from the oak tree behind the green.

#3 and 12 Sunday morning.

Did not see 3 green in the shot above but this is Monday afternoon.  

#12 green with snow on the back of it and the streams of water moving their way to the front.  The middle of the green is a swamp right now.