Early Start to the Golf Season until Covid-19 Stepped In

The clubhouse at Gannon Golf Club in Lynn, MA

In the Northeast, there is rarely an opportunity to golf without inclement weather in the first three months of the year. Usually, the weather does not settle down until May. Until then, we struggle to play golf through wintery precipitation, strong winds, and colder than average temperatures. There was a different feeling this year from warmer weather. This warmer weather led to full tee sheets and packed golf courses in January! February and March were the exceptions as well. They both had multiple days with sunny, 60+ degree days, which are perfect for golfing. Spring is emerging in the Northeast. If the weather remains pleasant, we will be able to golf early and often this Spring.

"The Corner", par 4, 17th hole at Gannon Golf Club in Lynn, MA.

From the golf courses I visited, I saw very little damage to the turf. The lack of snow, ice, and frigid days blessed us. This past winter has aided superintendents and kept golfing grounds in playing shape. Most municipal and public golf tracks can open their gates early to players. Generally, golf in the Spring is more challenging. There are unpredictable weather patterns, and the inconsistent turf conditions as the Northeast enters Springtime. Frequently, entire golf holes or greens must be closed for the first month of operations until conditions improve. It is as if the golf courses migrated south for the winter. With these excellent starting conditions, some of the best 18-hole rates of the season can be found at the beginning of Spring rather than Autumn. While most golf courses are offering off-peak prices, you might be able to play twice for the cost of only one round.

The par 4, 2nd hole at Sagamore Spring Golf Club in Lynnfield, MA.

All the courses that opened early did delay the use of carts by customers. That did not seem to bother early-season golfers because there was a lack of wet weather. The golf courses were no longer muddy messes that are typical of early season golf. Everyone that has played could care less about walking because it means that they are playing golf and golf courses are open.

The par 4, 5th hole at Sagamore Spring Golf Club in Lynnfield, MA.

In the early season, many variables are affecting the conditions of golf courses. The rain in the first season can make the course a mud pit, which will make you think about buying new shoes after one round. The ground may not have thawed completely, meaning taking a divot is hard and sometimes painful. Most of the greens and surrounds are not cut, so you can expect a lot of acorns, leaves, and branches lying under or around your ball, along with geese feces, mud balls, and bumpy greens. However, due to the calm weather of this past winter, the greens were running better than you could expect, given it is early Spring. The fairways appeared to have started their growing, and water was draining off the courses due to the dethawed earth.

The par 3, 8th hole at Sagamore Spring Golf Club in Lynnfield, MA.

Aesthetically, the golf courses have a dormant brown, almost dried-out appearance to their long grass. The greens appear greener after a pre-treatment with a green dye. The color pops against the surrounding inactive, hibernating, longer grass. The most memorable part of playing golf in the early Spring is that you played golf before the start of April and, for some, before the official launch of Spring. Hopefully, it will not be how COVID-19 affected your round.

---

Conditions: Variable conditions due to it being early in the golfing season,

Difficulty: Conditions will be more challenging due to their inconsistency.

Practice Green: Most courses will have the practice green up for chipping and putting.

Value: The value is great. Early in the golf season is when most golf courses offer a discounted rate in the Northeast.

Range: If there is a range and it is open, expect some muddy range balls.

Wear a hard hat: Yes, bring a hard hat as most early-season golfers will be spraying and playing their golf balls.

---

#18holes #golfcoursedesign #golfcourse #golfcoursearchitect #publicgolfcoursenearme #municipalgolfcoursenearme #munigolf #golflife #golf #bestpublicgolfcourse #bestmunicipalgolfcourse #golfing #golfers #golfconditions #golfvariety #golfphotography #golfcoursereview #drone #dronephotography #dronevideo #themunitour

#springgolf #sagamoresprings #gannongolfclub #gannon #northshore #earlyspring #spring #springtime #waynestiles #dwfieldgolfcourse #brockton #playmassgolf #massgolf #massachusetts