If there's one thing I learned as a superintendent, it's that you can't really predict winter.
I spent six years as the superintendent at Greenbrier Country Club in Chesapeake, Virginia, and we saw just about everything. You could have a big snow year, or you could have an 80-degree day in December when the Bermuda wasn't even fully dormant yet. So you couldn't just look at the calendar and say, "It's winter. We're done."
You have to pay attention.
Today, I'm an Account Manager with Ewing, but I still draw on a lot of what I learned on the other side of the golf course. I've been around golf courses since I was 14, worked at golf courses and sports fields while I was at Clemson, and spent about four or five years as an assistant superintendent before becoming a superintendent.
That experience taught me that getting ready for winter is really about getting the course where you want it, but also being ready to adjust when the weather doesn't cooperate.
One of the first priorities should be getting your fall applications finished. Those applications help set the course up for a good spring, but the timing depends on degree days and the weather. You can't just follow a calendar and call it done. You have to look at what's happening with the turf and make your applications based on those conditions.
Irrigation is another big piece of the preparation. At Greenbrier, if the weather and timing allowed, we'd drain the system and winterize the pump station. But you don't necessarily want to get ahead of yourself. If you get a warm, dry stretch, you may still need to irrigate, so the timing of when you shut things down matters.
The main thing is to have a plan, but be willing to adjust it. Every course is different, and your winterization schedule is going to depend on your turf, your irrigation system and the weather you're dealing with.
You also need to know what your different turf areas are going to need going into winter.
At Greenbrier, we had Bermuda and Zoysia on the tees, fairways and roughs, with L-93 bentgrass on the greens. The Bermuda and Zoysia needed to be put to bed properly, and we were watching for things like spring dead spot and large patch. Pre-emergent was also important because weeds really stand out when the Bermuda is dormant.
On bentgrass, disease pressure can continue later into the year. Most years it would start to slow down around Thanksgiving, but some years we'd still be watching it into December. If you're heading into a big snow event, you also want to make sure your snow mold program is timed appropriately.
Winterkill is another thing to think about, especially in areas that are more prone to desiccation. Sandy mounds were areas we paid close attention to. Raising the mowing height and making sure those areas have the moisture they need going into winter can help put the turf in a better position.
You know your course. If there are areas that struggle every winter, those are the areas you want to focus on before winter arrives.
Once the golf course starts to slow down, use that time to look at where you can make improvements.
Drainage, bunker work, dormant sod and other manageable projects can all be good uses of your crew and resources during the winter. These are the types of things that can be difficult to get to when you're in the middle of the golf season, so winter gives you an opportunity to make some progress.
It doesn't have to be a major project, either. Look at the areas of the course that gave you problems during the season and ask what you can do differently before next year.
Equipment is part of that, too. Some equipment will continue to run through the winter, especially rough mowers for leaves and mulching, while other machines can be taken offline for more thorough maintenance.
It's a good time to sharpen reels, stock parts, take care of repairs and get everything back to square one before spring. If you have duplicate equipment, you can take one machine offline while keeping the other one in operation.
Winter may slow things down, but the weather can still change your plans pretty quickly.
If you get a 50 or 60-degree day and golfers are out there, you still need to make sure the golf course is ready. Just because it's winter doesn't mean the golf course stops being a golf course.
You also need to be thinking ahead. If you're managing 120 acres of Bermuda, you might be getting ready for your first pre-emergent applications, but you also need to make sure the Bermuda isn't starting to break dormancy.
The calendar might say February, but the turf is responding to the weather, not the calendar.
Winter gives you a little more breathing room, and that's a good thing. Use that time to get your turf, irrigation and equipment ready, take care of the projects you've been putting off and look for ways to make the golf course better.
Winter preparation isn't just about getting through the cold months. It's about putting yourself in a better position when the growing season starts again.
If you've taken care of your turf, prepared your irrigation and equipment, and used the slower time to work on the areas of the course that need attention, you're going to be ahead when spring arrives. The weather is always going to give you some surprises, but the better prepared you are, the easier it is to adjust.
For me, that's what winter is really about: take a step back, look at the golf course, and figure out where you can get better. Then, when the weather turns and it's time to get going again, you're ready.