As Albertans know all too well, March weather can be unpredictable, to say the least. And for many local golf courses, this makes for a wild ride in deciding whether to open.
General manager of The Links of GlenEagles Slade King said that it’s the temperature swings that greatly affect when a course opens. “You really got to be on the ball.” The course was opened briefly last Friday and Saturday, but closed again when the weather turned. However King said they’re hoping to open this Friday as well.
Kevin Black, head professional at Redwood Meadows Golf and Country Club, said snow is usually not the main threat to the fairways and greens, it’s when snow becomes ice that the grass can be damaged.
Black told the Eagle that traditionally they open the course by late April, but said they’re still uncertain on a possible opening day.
Daytime highs and overnight lows are also taken into consideration, said Kevin Heise, general manager of Springbank Links Golf Club, adding that when the highs and lows are not similar enough, the grass stays dormant and has a hard time regenerating.
Darren Reddekopp, superintendent at Bearspaw Country Club, said they monitor the temperature of the course’s root zone to determine the state of the grass. He said eight to 10 degrees Celsius is optimal. They’re aiming to open sometime mid-April, said general manager Blair Felesky.
According to Wintergreen Golf and Country Club’s answering machine, they won’t be open until early May.
A quick visit to Living Stone Golf Course’s website, reveals they’re hoping to open by May 1.
