Golf Course News - 12/01/2007
That’s all folks! The 2007 golf season at Fort Dodge Country Club is over, effective
November 21st. We were hoping to make it into December, but the weather just
would not allow it. I always base my decision on frost in the ground. While we have
had some colder weather and plenty of frosty grass in the mornings, the soil did not
have a frozen layer in it until now. The upcoming days look below average as well.
So, until the green flag waves in the Spring, the golf course is closed.
We had a nice Fall for playing golf, including a warm spell that allowed one last
hurrah before the Thanksgiving holiday. We are in good shape heading into Winter.
The golf course is a little dry, but it is a little early to start worrying about that. I am
hoping for a nice blanket of snow that will protect the golf course from the cold, dry
winds of Winter.
I realize that there may be some nice days between now and when we reopen
in the Spring. However, it is important to realize that the more traffic the golf course
receives during the Winter, the more difficult it is to keep the turf healthy throughout
our traditional golf season. In the Winter months there is a frost layer in the soil and
the turf is not actively growing. This means that it is not capable of recovering from
golfing traffic. This is the main reason why we close the golf course and why we do
not reopen for nice periods of weather during the Winter. In other words, our golf
course would not be in as good of shape in the Summer if we had golfers playing in
the Winter.
The golf course maintenance crew has been busy winterizing the golf course.
We blew out the irrigation lines a couple of weeks ago. The tees and greens have
been topdressed heavily to protect them from Winter’s harsh conditions. We have
sprayed a fungicide to protect the greens, tees, and fairways from a disease called
Snow Mold. Once we finish the winterization, we have plenty to keep us busy.
There are a lot of trees that need some attention. There are several minor
problems with the irrigation system that need to be addressed before we charge up
again in the Spring. The golf course equipment will all have to be completely gone
through. Of course, the maintenance staff will also take advantage of some time to
enjoy the holidays and recharge our batteries.
Happy Holidays!
-Donnie Teeter
