Over the past few winters, many golf courses in the United States have suffered some of the extreme weather they have had for decades. As a result, many golf course greens suffer from severe turf damage, making green management even more challenging for task leaders.
Steve Seth, head of the Worcester Country Club in Massachusetts, is a good example. Two winters ago, Seth was doing a routine check after his one green snowfall had covered the ground. Says Seth, "Everything looked so lush and green in November because there was no hard time when the first snow fell." Just over a week later, he checked the green again, only to find it frozen to death.
"One thing happened in those ten days, but it was impossible for us to pin down any particular weather," Seth explained. "Nonetheless, we have a big problem on our hands and it's a race against time to repair the damage as our members flock to the moment the snow melts."
Seth's story is a common one. So common, in fact, that he and other leaders began monitoring the off-season vegetables with battery-operated data loggers U23-001, U23-002, U23-003, U23-004.
Data Loggers Inspired
data loggers are low cost, small instruments containing built-in microprocessor, high precision temperature sensing and batteries in a rugged housing designed for long-term deployment outdoors. Loggers can be placed over turf mulch during the winter, and they will collect temperature data at user-defined intervals (eg, every 10 minutes) and store in the digital logger's memory.
A wide range of people in charge rely on computer technology, and data loggers are probably one of the simplest and most straightforward. Use involves four basic steps: logger installation, deployment, data retrieval and analysis.
Creating a log is usually done by connecting the device to a computer and using the included logger software with a number of point-and-click options. These include how often the logger should take site temperature measurements, and the exact date and time the logger should start recording. Deployment involves identifying better locations for loggers green and loggers U23-001, U23-002, U23-003, U23-004 over which to install. Data retrieval can be done manually, by responsible persons U23-001, U23-002, U23-003, U23-004 will collect the data to a computer, laptop, or shuttle data, or, in some cases, automatically, The logger transmits data to a computer via wireless communication. Automatic data retrieval can be an important benefit in situations where supervisors require immediate notification of course conditions. Analysis of the data is typically performed using appropriate data logger software, allowing managers to quickly and easily convert the data into time/date-stamped graphs showing peak and canopy temperature drops at the site of a given data collection.
Understanding the Roots
"In Worcester, there are a lot of variables in the weather, so we need as much data as we can to figure out why when our annual bluegrass checks in on us," Seth explained. "Our highest greens are our lowest at about 200 feet, so they have varying wind and sun exposure. By monitoring temperature 24/7, we'll be better able to prevent damage from happening. For example, data can tell us where we need to break Ice forms to allow the turfgrass to breathe, or we may need to apply an algae material if the situation calls for it."
According to Peter Hasak, superintendent of the Tedesco Country Club in Marblehead, Massachusetts, the problem of freezing to death has forced the superintendent to look for new tools and techniques over the past few years. "Traditionally, freezing to death is something we usually experience to some extent every few years. But in the winter of 2001, 2003 and 2004, the problem was prevalent and many courses failed miserably. Our research shows that it depends on Dormant turf, and even minus a few degrees of temperature itself can lead to grass damage. So we really need tools to get a comprehensive snapshot of what's going on over the winter and get more specific. Not only will this help us better manage our greens, But it will enable us to be able to tell our members and the board what happened."
Hasak has been experimenting with data loggers and various types of green overlays to understand the differential surface temperature above and below the cover and correlate the data with potential damage to the greens. He said loggers using HOBO® Pro v U23-001, U23-002, U23-003, U23-004 reported temperatures of 90°F on certain impermeable mulches in late February.
"And while we typically use translucent covers that let in a lot of sunlight, we were looking to make changes to the solid white cover in some areas," he explained. "The concept of introducing pure white coverings to this part of New England is relatively new, but it's an idea worth considering in certain circumstances."
Time Changes
Hasak, Seth and other leaders recently formed an initiative group called Winter Damage to combat the severe effects of freezing death. The group will focus on technology, such as data logging, to better understand the causes of freezing deaths.
"A group of us got together and decided we needed a specific course of action," Hasak explained. "So this coming winter, we'll all be monitoring our greens and sharing data."
Turfgrass scientists at the University of Massachusetts and the University of New Hampshire will also help stop the freeze-to-kill epidemic. They will conduct an in-depth analysis of the site plug samples from different courses and compare what they see with temperature records.
"In our business it's very much like a camaraderie, we all look out for each other," Seth said. "There are no easy answers to this question, and it is a lot of work to come to some useful conclusions."
