With winter looking a little more possible we began to wrap up some loose ends on the golf course. The only real significant thing left was to tarp the greens that are prone to ice damage. First we had to shovel off the skiff of snow that had stuck around before laying down the tarps.
Unlike previous years, we left those greens we tarp exposed a bit longer so the ground could freeze. Some information coming out of Alberta suggests laying a tarp before the ground freezes may contribute to a condition called anoxia (lack of oxygen). Up until the spring of 2007 when #6 green was damaged we have never experienced any damage due to covering the greens.
The picture above shows the damage from that year which was similar in appearance to greens at other golf courses that were discovered to have anoxic conditions during the winter of 2006. This year we've changed the style of tarp from an impermeable to a tarp with a looser weave that should allow gas exchange but limit water penetration. At present, we have around 2 to 3.5 inches snow throughout the course. This is still not enough to buffer any significant rain event. We will keep an eye on the forecast and try to make the right choices if it looks like rain. I'll keep snow and course conditions updated over the next few weeks but unless things get funky the entries will be short and sweet.
Unlike previous years, we left those greens we tarp exposed a bit longer so the ground could freeze. Some information coming out of Alberta suggests laying a tarp before the ground freezes may contribute to a condition called anoxia (lack of oxygen). Up until the spring of 2007 when #6 green was damaged we have never experienced any damage due to covering the greens. 
The picture above shows the damage from that year which was similar in appearance to greens at other golf courses that were discovered to have anoxic conditions during the winter of 2006. This year we've changed the style of tarp from an impermeable to a tarp with a looser weave that should allow gas exchange but limit water penetration. At present, we have around 2 to 3.5 inches snow throughout the course. This is still not enough to buffer any significant rain event. We will keep an eye on the forecast and try to make the right choices if it looks like rain. I'll keep snow and course conditions updated over the next few weeks but unless things get funky the entries will be short and sweet.
