Golfers, rejoice. According to the Free Press, Michigan’s warmer winter should leave golf courses in good shape for this season.

The Michigan Golf Course Superintendents Association (MiGCSA), the majority of golf courses reported no ice build up on putting greens all winter in a recent survey conducted among their members. And almost no golf course superintendents are worried about snow and ice damage.

Although we are now past the point of thinking about snow and ice, the MiGCSA posted an update a few days ago updating members about another relevant weather issue: all the rain. Provided there isn’t lightning, they recommend taking a walk in the rain to observe drainage issues in “real time.”

Beyond observing the drainage and water flow during a heavy rain, the MiGCSA recommends marking and photographing areas that need to be addressed. This exercise could really explain why certain areas of turf aren’t living up to expectations during the active season.

In terms of the season as a whole, MLive.com featured a report by Mark Torregrossa recently that suggested a strong possibility for an earlier and warmer season if something called a “Bermuda High” comes into play. A Bermuda High is when a strong, stationary high pressure center forms in the Atlantic, over Bermuda, which brings winds from the south to the eastern United States. 

Golf course superintendents, what’s on your mind for the season? If you’ve got some concerns about water pumping and irrigation, we’ve got your back. Contact us anytime to chat. Golfers, are you looking forward to doing more golfing this year? We’d love to hear from you.