After the snow, a golfing we will go

  Many superintendents from Golf Association of Philadelphia Member Clubs attended the GCSAA (Golf Course Superintendents Association of America) Education Conference Feb. 8-12 in San Diego, Calif.

  They returned to see more than two feet of snow covering the golf course. After the storm itself, maintenance crews plowed parking lots and shoveled pathways around the clubhouse. Wilmington CC first removed snow from high concentrated areas.

  “We got to a good start,” Superintendent Dan Pierson said. “We spent the better part relocating and stacking all of the snow.”

  Clubs like Jericho National GC spent nearly two days digging out. Superintendent Greg Hufner said his crew also handled “inside course accessory work” after the snow settled. Before the blizzard, though, clubs did take preventative measures to ensure the golf course’s health. Wilmington CC distributed a second application of PCMB at the beginning of February, Pierson said. PCMB is a chemical used for snow mold prevention. Greens and tee boxes were “high priority areas.”

  “For snow mold concerns, I think we’re in a good area,” Pierson said.

  Jericho National GC also used a snow mold prevention chemical.

  “We always spray greens, tees and low lying fairways,” Superintendent Greg Hufner said. “Usually, we top dress this time of year.”

  At Medford Village CC, Superintendent Bruce Rickert and his staff spread preventative fungicides throughout the course.

  “We want to make sure we protect the grass from fungi,” Rickert said.

  Some clubs, such as Honeybrook GC, didn’t lay down any chemicals or turf treatments beforehand.

  “I’ve never used snow mold applications,” Superintendent Ted Piersol said. “We’ve been open 10 years, and I’ve never really had any problems so far.

  “Hopefully, I won’t get caught with my pants down.”

  If the snow sticks around for 30-60 days, crown hydration becomes a concern, according to Rickert. Crown hydration occurs when the water created from melting snow freezes around the growing point of plant cells. The snow’s depth can further exacerbate such a condition. Rickert said he hopes Medford Village will ultimately avoid crown hydration.

  “There’s a possibility for some disease underneath the snow,” Hufner added. “Water can be a problem, too. If it melts fast, it could create drainage problems.”

  Conversely, the snow’s longevity, according to Pierson, can be beneficial to turf health.

  “It’s insulation for any kind of deep cold,” he said. “If it melts in a reasonable order without creating flooding, then it’s a favorable situation. It has plenty of oxygen.”

  The snow can help grass on a golf course flourish, according to Piersol.

  “I think of the snow being a blanket,” he said. “We’re mostly bent grass, and I always hear that bent grass can survive better under the snow and ice than poa grass. That’s something that works in our favor.”

  Safeguard tasks, such as tree work and debris clean-up, can be done with two to four inches of snow on the ground, but when it’s upwards of two feet, forget about it. A course is blanketed entirely. However, with this storm came strong winds, which caused damage to trees and power lines.

  “There are quite a few tree limbs that have come down, so we’ve had to do some additional clean up,” Rickert said.

  Now, most clubs, like Medford Village CC, will play the “waiting game” as the snow gradually melts.

  “We can’t do anything out there right now,” Rickert said.

  Superintendents will continue to keep their fingers crossed.

  “We feel a little safe right now, but you never know what’s going to happen with freezing and thawing,” Pierson said.

  “We’re probably realistically not looking at opening the course for play until mid to late March,” Hufner added. “This snow’s not going to go away for awhile.”