Problem A: Strangely shaped frost circle
Location: Broken Arrow, Okla.
Turfgrass area: Nursery green
Turfgrass variety: Champion
bermudagrass
Problem B: Set of four semicircular holes
Location: Branson, Mo.
Turfgrass area: Rough area before fairway
Turfgrass variety: Tall
fescue
Scroll down for answers.
Problem A: Strangely shaped frost circle
This golf course in Oklahoma experienced a frost on its Champion bermudagrass greens, and the superintendent noticed this strange frost circle on the nursery green. Upon closer inspection, he found that it was caused by an earthworm that was crawling
on the surface, shedding its frosty coating as it went along. The superintendent and I were perplexed by this, so I consulted David J. Shetlar, Ph.D., at Ohio State University. He reported that earthworms protect their bodies by producing a coating
of mucus that they can shed. It is possible that the earthworms were “enjoying” the mild late-afternoon and evening temperatures the day prior to the photo, and a few were exposed when the freezing early morning temperatures arrived. If
their mucus coating were freezing, it would be possible that they “shed” the frozen band and had the next mucus secretion frozen until they became completely dehydrated. This may have caused the frost circle and the wormsicle.
Photographs submitted by David Jones, GCSAA Class A golf course superintendent at The Club at Indian Springs in Broken Arrow, Okla., and 21-year member of the association. David J. Shetlar, Ph.D., at Ohio State University was consulted for the explanation.
Problem B: Set of four semicircular holes
These sets of four semicircular holes occurred when the golf course superintendent was at his kids’ soccer game. He received a call from the general manager, who was doing a marshal run in response to a problem on the course. Because Google Maps
shows a through road that does not exist, the driver of this car hauler had decided to take a shortcut. He passed two clearly posted signs telling him the road was ending, drove down the maintenance road, past the maintenance facility and onto the
golf course. He got stuck in his attempt to get out of there without notice. All six of his truck tires spun in his haste to leave, and almost all his trailer tires were off the ground. The equipment manager commandeered his truck and backed it 200
yards to the maintenance facility, turned it around and sent the driver on his way. Repairs were made by adding soil and reseeding the damaged area.
Photographs submitted by Lukas Phillips, GCSAA Class A golf course superintendent at Branson Hills Golf Club in Branson, Mo., and 18-year association member.
Editor’s note: Have a photo of an on-course anomaly? GCM would love to have a look! Email it to Photo Quiz author John Mascaro.
John Mascaro is the president of Turf-Tec International.