Warm Weather Continues

The warm weather is going to continue this week as 3 days near 60 degrees are in the forecast.  The course will be open and cart use has been extended to Sunday.  We do still plan to stop carts and close the greens on Monday, November 26th.  This could change if night time temperatures stay above freezing, but the extended forecast is not showing that will be the case.

2012 has been an extremely hot year, and this weeks temperatures are continuing that trend.  Last week I attended the 60th Turf Clinic at Medinah Country Club.  The Turf Clinic is the annual meeting for the Midwest Association of Golf Course Superintendents, and consists of a day of education.  Naturally, many of the topics related to the excessive heat that a large portion of the country experienced this year.  This graph shows the variation from the mean temperature of all years from 1895 through October of this year.  The striking thing is not that 2012 is above the rest, but how far above the previous 5 hottest years.  With this weeks temperatures, I would assume that line will remain the same distance above.  Dr. Settle, who puts out the Turf Scouting Reports each week through the season presented this graph and the following graphs that show the periods of hot weather through the summer.

With the early spring warmth that came in March and this warm stretch now, it has been a long golfing season for the course.  Put on top of that the hottest year on record along with one of the driest and it becomes a VERY long golfing season for the course.  The course and the crew are ready for some snow.