How golf courses survive in ever changing climate
During the summer, people like to be outside on a golf course. Over the past 30 years, golf has surged in popularity, bringing more and more people to the golf course. But what happens when the summer heat is overwhelming? Do people still come out?
The answer is yes.
Nick Grippo is a junior at the University of Hartford, plies his trade over the summer at “The Links”, a golf course located in Union Vale. The Links is one of the more popular courses in the area, and brings in a steady flow of people throughout most summer days. However, with the rising temperatures, those packed days are becoming less common.
“If it’s hot and humid, you’ll see that the tee sheet is pretty much open for most of the day,” says Grippo. “Some people will come early in the morning and in the late hours before we close, but for most of the day it’s pretty empty.”
When you mix in a lack of rain with extreme temperatures, it can be catastrophic for the upkeep of the course. This combination kills the grass. This is mostly just an issue of aesthetics, as dead grass functions in a similar manner to “living” grass. However, members want the course to look as nice as possible. For a golfer, the smallest things can throw you off. Dead grass can be just enough of a change to throw a player off.
“I remember we had a drought a year or two ago, and our grounds crew basically had to water the course all day, every day,” Grippo said. “It didn’t do too much, but those are kinds of things you have to do to show people that you’re trying everything you can.”
There are positives and negatives to the heat when it comes to actually playing. Grippo is an avid golfer in his free time, and watches golf videos all the time. He recalls one that features pro golfer Phil Mickelson, which talked about how the ball travels in different temperatures.
“I saw this video with Phil Mickelson, and apparently in the heat, the ball travels about five yards further than in a colder temperature,” said Grippo.
On the other side of that coin, Grippo says that golfers become much more tired faster in the extreme heat. Sitting out in the sun for such a long time can take a toll, inducing fatigue that impacts every aspect of a player’s game.
“Sure, you might hit the ball five yards further, but if you aren’t swinging well because you’re tired, then it doesn’t matter at all,” he said.
This issue is compounded by the fact that the heat can melt the ice in the drink buckets that are driven around the course. These drinks are meant to refresh and refuel golfers, but when the drinks run hot, so do the golfer’s tempers.
“People do complain about the water and drinks being too warm,” said Grippo. “The ice melts, the drinks get hot, but that’s just what happens during the extreme heat.”
Grippo will be hoping that this summer will be cooler, not just for his sake but for the sake of golfers everywhere.
