# Snow on golf course greens

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-on-golf-course-greens/165699>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 1, 2003, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-on-golf-course-greens/165699 "2003-04-01T14:01:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Hobie\_the\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e99b99/32.png) [@Hobie\_the\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hobie_the_One)\
**Post date:** [April 1, 2003, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-on-golf-course-greens/165699/1 "2003-04-01T14:01:52Z")

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While driving to work this morning I passed my usuall five golf courses (it’s hell when the weather is nice) and finally decided to question something I have noticed for a long time.

We had flurries last night and this morning and the snow barely laid anywhere but I notice that on all of the golf courses I passed, the greens were perfectly covered with a blanket of white.

Why would this be? Is it something to do with what’s under the grass? I know that greens generally drain better than the rest of the course. I did a couple of searches but haven’t had time to do anything in depth.

Thanks in advance for the help.

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**Author:** ![TelcontarStorm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3ab097/32.png) [@TelcontarStorm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TelcontarStorm)\
**Post date:** [April 1, 2003, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-on-golf-course-greens/165699/2 "2003-04-01T14:18:20Z")

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Justa WAG, but I’d say it is because the snow sticks on the greens because of the cut of the grass. Similar to the phenom that causes a light dusting to stick on the cement, but melt(or is that hide) when it hits uneven grassy surfaces.

I’d think there wouldn’t be anything under a green that would cause an snow to stick like iron dust to a magnet. But, you never know those tricky grounds keepers, they may be doing it on purpose 😛

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**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\
**Post date:** [April 1, 2003, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-on-golf-course-greens/165699/3 "2003-04-01T14:22:57Z")

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I’ve noticed that too. I think the grass creates a pocket of air which insulates the snow from the ground. So the warm ground does not melt the snow. This theory only works when the ground is warmer than 0 C, but I think that’s the only time I’ve noticed this phenomenon.

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**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\
**Post date:** [April 1, 2003, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-on-golf-course-greens/165699/4 "2003-04-01T14:41:19Z")

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Greens are cut shorter, so they cool faster. In Western PA, bentgrass is likely used, and damn that can be short. Many green are ‘built up’, and drain well. This keeps radiation rates high.

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**Author:** ![Hobie\_the\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e99b99/32.png) [@Hobie\_the\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hobie_the_One)\
**Post date:** [April 1, 2003, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-on-golf-course-greens/165699/5 "2003-04-01T14:53:43Z")

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Wouldn’t being cut shorter cause greens to cool _slower_. The greens are more dense and shorter so there is less space for the air to circulate between the blades of grass. I can see this point for the grass _staying cool_ longer.

Or am I on crack again?