- As more golf favorable weather is forecasted, tee sheets will be filling up fast with those looking to play the first rounds of the 2022 golf season. While daytime temperatures will be ideal for golf, overnight temperatures during the shoulder seasons often drop to a range where frost is likely to develop in the morning. Here are a few points to keep in mind when it comes to frost delays.

• Play is delayed because traffic, whether from walking or carts, on frost-covered turf can lead to turf decline.
• Delays extend beyond when the frost has lifted because agronomic teams need time to complete critical maintenance practices uninterrupted ahead of play. Demands for opening the course as soon as the frost is lifted will reduce what can be done from a maintenance standpoint and ultimately impact how the course plays for the entire day.
• Just because frost was not observed before leaving the house or near the proshop and first tee, does not mean it is not present in low or shaded areas of the course.
• Frost often does not set in until the sun is rising. Efforts can be made to forecast whether a frost delay will be experienced but it is common for delays to be put into effect after golfers have already arrived for the first tee time.
• While frost delays can be frustrating, patience is critical, so turf health is not jeopardized.

The USGA Green Section Fore the Golfer, Frost Delay – It’s Worth the Wait, does an excellent job of explaining the science behind frost. 

For more information on relevant agronomic topics, subscribe to the USGA Green Section Record or if your facility is interested in the USGA’s Course Consulting Services, please reach out to Zach Nicoludis at znicoludis@usga.org.