Frost Is Just Around The Corner

Frost is formed when the temperature of a solid surface is cooled below the dew point. Frost on objects is just water vapor in the air that has condensed as ice onto a surface. Frost forms on objects close to the ground, such as blades of grass.

At night, a blade of grass loses energy by emitting a non-lethal kind of radiation, but it absorbs energy emitted by surrounding objects. Under clear nighttime skies, objects near the ground emit more radiation than they receive from the sky, and so a blade of grass cools due to the net energy loss. Once a grass blade gets cold enough, frost will form on it. Overnight cooling of air near the ground causes morning frost on grass and car windshields.

Frost Damage
The photo to the right illustrates what can occur on a green when foot traffic takes place on a stand of turf that is covered in frost.  The resulting damage on turfgrass leaves is due to the mechanical disruption of the protoplasm inside the turf leaves by the existing ice crystals. It is very important that golfers avoid the temptation to walk across the greens when frost is still visible or temperatures remain at or near freezing.  When the forecast calls for night-time temperatures near freezing please be sure to check with the Pro Shop for any possible delays to your tee time.