Cross-country skiing

Bretton Woods provides a unique location for some great winter activities. The front field of the property is a local favorite for sledding. Easy to access and lots of space make for some great fun after a snow storm. Cross-country skiing is another winter sport that might seem fit for Bretton Woods. But skiing across a golf course, especially the greens, tees, or fairways can be very detrimental to the turf grass below. Bretton Woods is no different.

When the snow is compacted by the skis it melts slightly. Overnight, the tracks from the skier refreeze as ice instead of snow. This track of ice is now much more difficult to thaw and will remain around much longer than the snow surrounding it. Now, the turf below the ice will remain cold, with less oxygen and sunlight later into the spring. Turf grass needs every bit of strength it can produce to come out of winter and begin to grow in the spring. By delaying this, the area beneath the ice may be weeks behind the other turf around it.

This problem is exacerbated on intensely managed turf grass, like the turf grass on golf courses. Grass on the golf course is already being asked to survive in less than ideal circumstances because of the stress of being maintained at short mowing heights, mechanical wear from machines, traffic stress from golfers walking on it, heat and drought stress, and any other biotic or abiotic stresses that occur. Slowing the growth and recovery as the plant prepares to handle the season is not the way to begin the year. Greens are the most intensely managed and therefore the most susceptible to damage from the ice. At Bretton Woods we have another specific challenge also: Bermuda grass. Bermuda grass is already struggling to make it through the winter and can be delayed in greening-up by many uncontrollable weather factors. However, creating ice on top of the Bermuda grass from skiers is a completely preventable and unnecessary issue.

With so many factors contributing to healthy or unhealthy turf that are out of our control, unnecessarily creating ice on the plant makes things that much more difficult. Cross-country skiing in the wrong places on the golf course can lead to damage and cause weeks of recovery time into the season.

On a side note, skiing across unfamiliar terrain can also be very dangerous. Golf courses usually have one or two if not many more ponds on their property, including Bretton Woods. Thin ice can easily be covered by snow. If one is unfamiliar with the site or depth perception is lost in the all-white surroundings, it would be very easy to trek onto the pond unknowingly and fall through the ice.

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org