Some Chicago Courses May Not Be Ready Until June

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Teddy Greenstein looks at the brutal winter impact on Chicago area courses and says Bob O'Link is "in the majority" after losing 13 greens and warning that it may not be playable until June.

Greenstein writes:

Dr. Ed Nangle, director of turfgrass programs for the Chicago District Golf Association, said he has seen fairways that look like "a chameleon in a candy shop."

Gary Groh, the head professional at Bob O'Link in Highland Park, summed up his frustration over the chilly spring this way: "It's 48 degrees here right now up by the lake. Doggone it!"

The driving range is open at Bob O'Link, but the course might not be playable until June after the poa annua died on about 13 greens, forcing the club to re-plant.

And Bob O'Link is in the majority. Public or private, small or big maintenance budget, few courses were immune to the big chill.

A survey conducted by the CDGA and Midwest Association of Golf Course Superintendents found nearly 65 percent of area courses have damaged greens and an estimated 85 percent have issues with fairways or tee boxes.

"I've been in the business for 25 years," MAGCS executive director Luke Cella said. "This is the worst."