Warmer winters creating 'existential threat' for some of Scotland’s coastal golf courses

Golf clubs need to consider putting back their opening day ceremonies as many of their courses are not ready for what has been the traditional start of the season.

Jim Croxton, chief executive of the British and International Golf Greenkeepers’ Association (BIGGA), said management committees need to be realistic in the face of increasingly inclement weather that is making it harder for his members to carry out maintenance work on a regular schedule. Warmer, wilder winters are creating an “existential threat” for some of Scotland’s coastal courses, while most inland are battling against mud-churning downpours and destruction from extreme winds.

“A lot of our members talk about the fact they are still cutting grass in December when you used to kind of hang up the mowers at Halloween at the latest, and you could very much go into course construction and winter project mode knowing that you weren’t bothered about grass,” Croxton said.

British and International Golf Greenkeepers’ Association said golf course management committees need to be realistic in the face of increasingly inclement weather.

“Now that seems to run through, and January and February have become the fallow time for grass growth, when it used to be quite often in November and December you would get a really good run at your projects in advance.

“That naturally has an impact on opening days for golf clubs. Quite foolishly we still seem obsessed with getting ready for a March opening day, or definitely by the first of April, and my personal view is that I don’t think the golf season really arrives until at least Easter and probably more into May.

“But unfortunately clubs are determined to have that first medal of the year on that first weekend of April, or whatever it may be, and very often the course is not quite ready because we have had a cold spring, and we may not have even finished some of the winter work because of all these other difficulties.

“The key thing there is adaptability. There used to be an ethos that you could more or less manage your golf course by the calendar, but that’s completely changed now.”

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Scottish golf courses facing 'existential threat' from warmer winters

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Warmer winters creating 'existential threat' for some of Scotland’s coastal golf courses

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