It was quite a start to 2026 for the North- East of Scotland with multiple amber warnings issued during the first 2 weeks of the year. This marks the worst sustained snowfall in Aberdeen in 15 years. The severe weather led Aberdeenshire Council to declaring a major incident with the River Don reaching its highest level for 45 years.

Both the Balgownie Links and Silverburn course remained closed for the first 12 days of 2026.

Below is a list of some of the things that can affect a golf course during a period of prolonged snowfall and freezing temperatures.

1. Turf Damage

• Snow mould is the most common problem. This is a fungal disease that develops when snow sits on grass for long periods, especially on greens.
• The main types seen on UK courses are linked to Microdochium patch(Fusarium ).
• When snow melts, greens and fairways may show brown or pink circular patches where grass has died or weakened.

2. Compaction and Surface Damage

• If people walk or play on the course during snow, the snow compresses and can damage the grass underneath.
• Footprints and trolley tracks can bruise frozen turf, leading to dead patches once the thaw happens.
• Maintenance vehicles on snow can cause soil compaction, affecting drainage later.

3. Drainage and Waterlogging

• When snow melts quickly, large amounts of water enter the soil at once.
• Meltwater can cause:
  • Temporary flooding
  • Waterlogged fairways
  • Soft greens that are easily damaged from pitchmarks

4. Frost and Freeze–Thaw Damage

• Snow can actually protect turf from severe frost by acting like insulation.
• But if snow melts and refreezes repeatedly, it can cause:
  • Crown hydration injury (grass cells bursting)
  • Surface heaving that loosens roots.

5. Structural and Landscape Issues

Heavy snow can also affect course infrastructure:

• Bunker faces collapsing or sand contamination from runoff.(13th Green when drainage could not cope with the amount of water flowing through pipes)
• Damage to tee markers, signage, irrigation heads, and paths.

6. Course Closures

Golf courses often close during heavy snow because:

• Walking damages turf under frozen snow.
• Safety risks from ice.