We’ve got the rain we’ve been waiting all year for and winter golf is back – let’s make the most of it whenever we can writes Ganton course manager Simon Olver
Having written about droughts and how great the weather was for golf all season, we’ve seen a lot more rain in recent weeks – and we definitely needed it!
While the conditions certainly took a wetter and colder turn in November, it’s important to remember that we need this rain after prolonged drought conditions in 2025. If you look at the annual rainfall statistics, we’re still a long way behind 2024 levels and short of the UK average in a calendar year.
A healthy amount of rain is good, but we’ll keep our fingers crossed that it’s not too much – we certainly don’t want it to be too wet as there’s still work to do for a lot of greenkeepers as we try and put any lingering problems from the summer right and begin looking ahead to the 2026 season with a bit of positivity.
As has become a bit of a tradition in these columns, I want to remind everyone to enjoy their winter golf as often as you can and temper your expectations according to the weather conditions.
Try to bear in mind that if there have been weather warnings, or you’ve driven on flooded roads in recent days, there’s a good chance the course will be closed – especially if you’re inland. If you’re one of the lucky ones and the course is open, please try to understand the challenges of presenting a living, growing product in the UK in the winter months. Rest assured, every greenkeeper dislikes temporary tees and greens as much as you do.
As growth rates fall and traffic remains high, you’ll see more wear and tear out there too. To mitigate this, we’ll be funnelling players away from key areas. Sticking to these routes is vital to ensure fine turf areas are back to their best as early as possible in the spring. If you’re having to walk through the rough, remember this is a great way to manage any thick stuff and it’ll be more playable in there after a few months of players walking through it.
Even the weather forecasters struggle at this time of year, so conditions and setups will change daily. Take the changes in your stride and enjoy playing new versions of holes and coming in from different angles – and enjoy getting out on the course in your woolly hat and best jumper.
It’ll be spring in no time and we will be looking forward to kicking off the 2026 season.
