Golf is a lucrative sport, a hobby for the elite, taking the award for the first game to be played on the moon.
Owning a golf course is like owning a money-making machine. However, nothing comes easy, and maintaining a golf course certainly isn’t easy.
Turf maintenance of golf courses during winter and when they are not in use is essential.
During winter, frost makes turf grass fragile. Any activity on the grass damages it. That’s why you need golf green covers/turf covers to keep your golf course sorted during such times.
Defining Golf Green Covers
Golf covers serve the purpose of protecting your golf course from harsh winter conditions and help your turf to green up during spring. Turf covers provide a greenhouse effect for the turf, retaining moisture and heat.
Cold temperatures during winter are not the only culprit that causes turf damage. Other contributing factors are improper mowing, moisture content (too high or too low), shade, and improper fertilization.
The extent of damage caused by these culprits differs for every golf course and because no two winter seasons are similar.
As a golf superintendent, you should cover your greens anytime the temperatures hit 25 degrees Fahrenheits or anything below that.
If you want a thicker, greener, and healthier turf, you must invest in a green cover. Why? You ask.
- Turf covers keep the temperatures of the ground warmer than the air temperature surrounding the turfgrass. Turf covers do this by trapping heat generated by the earth in response to the cold temperatures and preventing contact between cold air and the ground. This way, the cold temperatures won’t freeze the water in the grass, making it fragile. A warm ground also allows the grassroots to grow deeper.
- Strong winds can become such a menace during winter. It tends to dry up the air, which in turn can cause damage to the greens. Using a turf cover in such a situation is ideal.
Different Types of Golf Covers
Golf Green Covers are available in two types:
Permeable turf covers – They allow diffusion of gases and water movements.
Impermeable turf covers – They prevent water and gaseous exchange.
Your choice of which one to select will depend entirely on your affordability, preference, and needs.
Permeable Turf Covers
As the name suggests, these covers allow free movement of moisture and air ( oxygen and carbon dioxide).
EyouAgro permeable Turf Green Covers serve two purposes:
- Speeding up the spring green-up process of turfgrass.
- Aiding in the recovery process of turfgrass when winter damage happens and for winter protection.
These covers are made of a translucent, loosely woven, and lightweight material.
Translucency allows penetration of sunlight that warms both the soil and the turfgrass. The sunlight also sparks up the photosynthetic process, thus speeding up the green-up process.
The turf covers loosely woven nature aids in preventing too much build-up of heat under the cover, which could in turn damage the turfgrass.
EyouAgro Turf Covers offer top-notch durability since it is made of a material that is UV-treated, mildew, and rot-resistant.
Impermeable Turf Covers
Impermeable Turf Covers work to keep all the elements of nature away from the turfgrass.
EyouAgro turf covers are made of a material that reflects sunlight to reduce heat absorption and deflects wind to prevent winter desiccation.
Even though impermeable covers may seem like a handful because they demand more set-up and maintenance, they yield better results than permeable covers in freezing zones.
It is often a better choice for superintendents whose golf course is predisposed to ice damage.
Factors to Consider Before Purchasing a Turf Cover
- Durability and Warranty: No one wants ever to purchase anything that won’t serve them for long.
Durability and warranty go hand in hand because the longer the warranty period, the durable it is. Make sure to purchase a turf cover that assures you of durability.
- Breathability: A suitable turf cover should allow adequate airflow to avoid the build-up of toxic gases that may damage the turf.
- Easy to install and use: An easy-to-install turf cover is lightweight and comes in one piece.
EyouAgro turf covers undergo customization for purchase as a single piece.
- Weaved securely: before purchasing a turf cover, ensure that its weaving is done securely to prevent grass from growing through it.
A good turf cover adequately achieves both the weaved securely and loosely woven features.
- Efficiency: A perfect turf cover should be able to fulfill its duties without fail. It should protect your turf from harsh climatic conditions while allowing your greens to thrive into greener, healthier and thicker turf.
Golf Cover Details
Even though all golf covers serve to protect golf greens, each type of golf cover is different in terms of materials, structure, and size.
Materials
The best turf covers are made from a polypropylene material that offers durability, flexibility, and permeability at the same time.
Even at temperatures below 30 degrees Fahrenheit, turf covers made of polypropylene are capable of offering incredible protection for your greens.
Structure
The golf green covers also differ in that some turf covers are made as a single-piece cover while others come in more than one piece.
Some turf covers like those from EyouAgro come as a single piece, that you can trim into the desired shape without damaging it.
Size
Each golf course has a specific size; therefore, superintendents order customized turf covers according to the dimensions of their golf courses.
Accessories and Installation
The ease of installing a turf cover depends on factors like the size and weight of the turf cover and the size of the installation team.
Superintendents should carry out the installation of turf covers before temperatures hit 25 degrees Fahrenheit.
Installation accessories for turf covers vary with each type of turf cover.
Warranty
All golf covers have different warranty periods. However, before you purchase a golf cover, ensure that it guarantees you two warranties.
- Implied warranty: This is a guarantee that a product is apt for its intended function.
- Express warranty: This is an assurance by a seller to replace or repair a faulty product within a specified time.
Also, put in mind that the longer the warranty period, the more durable the turf cover.
Conclusion
Some people argue that leaving your greens without covering them during winter toughens up your turf.
However, if you are an experienced superintendent, you’ll know that covering your greens is crucial.
EyouAgro Golf green covers will protect your golf greens from frost, erosion, snow, and wind desiccation.
