Flooding Greens to Protect Against Freeze????

FincAggie06

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9:52a, 12/26/22

AG

Anyone else see what Great Hills CC in Austin did prior to the freeze this weekend? I drove past and noticed every green you can see from the road looked to be flooded and frozen. Is this an accepted practice?

dcrewint

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9:54a, 12/26/22

Campus course did the same thing.
" We did it on purpose. With the very cold Temps and wind that we are exposed too, we iced them over to protect them. This keeps from causing desiccation."

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FTAco07

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9:55a, 12/26/22

AG

Never seen that before. Bent greens FTW!

CapCityAg89

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10:28a, 12/26/22

AG

Ice is a good insulator. It keeps the temp about freezing instead of lower. In central Florida, when we'd have a freeze, the strawberry farmers would run sprinklers to cost them with ice - supposedly made them sweeter. I'd imagine grass would be similar.

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Thisguy1

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11:11a, 12/26/22

^Bingo. I saw the CC watering at a weird time Thursday and figured that's what they were doing.

TMfrisco

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12:03p, 12/26/22

AG

Not many places south of DFW have covers for their greens. Now, 2 years in a row (Feb'21 & Dec '22) places that rarely, if ever, need covers have needed them. It's about a $30K expense many places have thought they could "roll the dice" on. Flooding and covering with ice for a short period is a better alternative than doing nothing.

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Matsui

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7:40p, 12/26/22

AG

Club here in ftw spent $250k on tarps

schwabbin

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In reply to FincAggie06 • 7:52a, 12/30/22

AG

How's it looking this week?

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TMfrisco

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In reply to Matsui • 9:06a, 12/30/22

AG

Matsui said:
Club here in ftw spent $250k on tarps

Which club? There probably are custom cut and measured tarps that might go for that, but generally you just take the longest width and depth and get a rectangle and the standard tarps most clubs use are only $.16-$.25/sq ft. Most courses are in the 3 Acre range for greens + maybe 10% overage.

It would be pretty hard, even with custom shapes, to get to $250K. Maybe a 36 hole facility with 3 or 4 practice greens and a material I'm not aware of.

AggieDruggist89

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In reply to Matsui • 9:09a, 12/30/22

AG

Matsui said:
Club here in ftw spent $250k on tarps

Cheaper than water bill here in CA....

bdgol07

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12:28p, 1/3/23

AG

My course, Elkins Lake, has Eagle Tiff greens and has had covers for the three 9 hole courses for quite a few years now. They protect the grass very well.