Golf courses busy during snowless winter

LEAWOOD, Kan. - Snow business is slow -- but the golf business is in full swing!      

“We typically don't see a lot of activity in January and February, for obvious reasons,” Jeff Thomasson, general manager of the Ironhorse Golf Club in Leawood, Kan., said Wednesday.

This year’s record-low snowfall totals have been a pleasant surprise, Thomasson said, “but we need the moisture.”

“The turf needs the moisture. Because of a lack of moisture, we have had to run the irrigation system a couple of times to water the golf course.”

Thomasson called the situation “a double edged sword.”

“We spend a lot of time in October and November getting golf course ready for winter -- we turn the irrigation system off and winterize buildings and golf course. This year, we have gotten away from that. We are not doing any of that stuff.”

Thomasson said the club has kept more staff on, too, than it would during a normal winter. He added that the weather this week was “more like Arizona weather.”

“People are actually out here today wearing shorts. You never see people wearing shorts to play golf in February … If we're playing golf at all in February. Last year, I don't think we got on the golf course for five consecutive weeks because we got all the snow. Not only did we not see golfers, we didn't see anyone in our parking lot. It wouldn't hurt my feelings if we didn't see snow for the rest of the season.”