Frost Delay Saturday Morning

With a low of 33 predicted tonight, be prepared for a long frost delay tomorrow. The North will be open once the frost lifts and we can prepare the golf course for play.

Frost

Frost is formed when the temperature of a solid surface is cooled below the dew point.

Frost on objects is just water vapor in the air that has condensed as ice onto a surface. Frost forms on objects close to the ground, such as blades of grass. At night, a blade of grass loses energy by emitting a non-lethal kind of radiation, but it absorbs energy emitted by surrounding objects. Under clear nighttime skies, objects near the ground emit more radiation than they receive from the sky, and so a blade of grass cools due to the net energy loss. Once a grass blade gets cold enough, frost will form on it.

 

Overnight cooling of air near the ground causes morning frost on grass and car windshields. Frost will only form on a surface that is at or below freezing temperature. The observed air temperature may be above 32 F, since observations are taken at about four feet above the ground, where it can be warmer. The difference in frost formation from one to the next is most likely due to differences in elevation.

 

 

 

Frost

Frost is basically frozen dew that has crystallized on the grass, making it hard and brittle. A grass blade is actually 90 percent water, therefore it also freezes. Because of the short mowing height (sometimes as low as 1/8 inch) and fragile nature of the turf, putting greens are most affected by frost. Walking on frost-covered greens 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.

Golfers who ignore frost delays will not see immediate damage. 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 a foursome begins play early on frost covered greens, consider the number of footprints that may occur on any given hole by one person is approximately 60. Multiply that by 18 holes with an average of 200 rounds per day and the result is 216,000 footprints on greens in a day or 6,480,000 in a month.




As golf enthusiasts superintendents do not like to delay play, but they are more concerned about turf damage and the quality of conditions for the golfer. Frost also creates a hardship on a golf facility's staff as all course preparations are put to a halt until thawing occurs. Golf carts can cause considerable damage, therefore personnel cannot maneuver around the course to mow, change cup positions, collect range balls, etc.



You may see the grounds staff working on the course before play is allowed. The staff must get ahead of play to prepare the course by at least 30 minutes to avoid getting caught by the lead groups.