Scotsdale GCM Covering Update

With the Bermuda grass starting to green up on top more and more, it is vital we protect them from a late spring freeze or hard frost. This means if the forecast is trending colder for a couple days with lows at 30 degrees or below, we would need to cover the greens to protect them. This weekend’s forecast has lows of 29 and 30 degrees. Due to these low temperatures we will be covering the greens on Saturday, March 30 – Tuesday, April 2 to protect the Bermuda grass and help prevent any injury that could occur. The course will reopen for play at regular time on Wednesday, April 3.

This is much different than a winter covering. The plants are starting to break dormancy and more live tissue is coming up on top, versus in winter when you have a layer of dormant turf that provides some protection from a heavy frost. With growing leaf blades on top, a freeze can do significant damage. When the temperatures are freezing and below, the cells inside the leaf blade could freeze and rupture causing a big delay in complete green up and significant damage to the plant. With the plants still being young, we want to do anything and everything to protect them and assure a great playing surface for the summer. I thank everybody for their patience and hope this helps with understanding why we do some of the things we do at different times of the year.

Kyle Soller, Scotsdale Golf Maintenance Superintendent