We are into that dreaded time of year when we start to experience frost delays in the morning. These delays are just as frustrating for us in the greens department as it is for you the players because if the grass is too frozen to play on, it is also too frozen for us to get any work done!
When there is a frost delay in the morning we will put “Course is Closed” signs onto the 1st and 10th tees on the Sea Course as well as the first tee on the Stone Course. If these signs are out, DO NOT START PLAYING!
Our staff will be constantly monitoring the situation and as soon as conditions permit we will notify the caddiemaster, remove the signs and allow play to begin. It is also important to note, that during frost delays all putting greens located in the practice facility are closed to play. The driving range will be open for practice, but you may only hit balls from the practice mats.
Please do not make the decision yourself to go play. Often the first greens to thaw are the 9th, 10th, and 18th greens infront of the clubhouse making players think that the course is ready to play. This is often not the case as many of the other greens on the Sea Course will still be under a thick frost. We often seen players begin play on the 1st because the tee and fairway are frost free, only to see the first green and realize it is still frosted over.
When booking your tee times, it may be worth considering playing the Stone Course in the morning. While that course experiences frost delays as well, it often becomes playable before the Sea Course as it doesn´t have as much shade.
Please take a moment to watch the following video on why not to play on frosty greens so you will know yourself what kind of damage is caused when playing in frosty conditions.
These frost delays are frustrating for everyone. If there is a frost delay in the morning when you show up, please be patient. These delays may be lengthy but there are necessary to protect your golf course. At this time of year we need to be particulary careful with the greens as days are cool and short which means the grass is not growing terribly quickly, making recovery from damage very slow.
