Briggs Ranch Recovers from Texas Cold Snap

Over the past few weeks, record low temperatures swept across the Lone Star State. While much of the snow and ice damage was in the northern part of the state, Briggs Ranch Golf Club in San Antonio will carry the scars of the seasonal storms.

Seven inches of snowfall, the most since 1985, dropped on the course throughout Valentine’s Week. Temperatures as low as six degrees caused a great deal of landscaping damage: the club lost 75% of the cactuses and prized 15-year-old agaves throughout the property. Director of Agronomy Nick Graves and his team reacted quickly, pivoting from bunker detail to covering the putting green and other areas with tarps. They’ve also trimmed back much of the remaining landscaping in hopes of recovery in the spring.

Following the sudden shift in weather to now more typically seasonal temps, the agronomy team has applied preemergent sprays to fight weeds, a practice that usually happens later into spring. As of March 1, the course is thawed and conditions are windy, so the team has high hopes for firm and fast conditions for the Dormie Matches on March 4 – 6.

On the heels of a very dry year (San Antonio got just over a foot of rain in 2020), the team will need to shift how they think about water management and drainage. To offset the local water’s quality, they use regular calcium supplements and flushes.

Briggs Ranch was the first course in America with wall-to-wall Zeon, and is currently 80% Zeon and holds the prestige of being the southern-most American course with Bentgrass greens. The two grasses, Bent a cool-season grass and Zeon a warm-season grass, require opposing care. As a result, Zeon and Bermuda have slowly been encroaching on the greens, to the tune of 30% over the course’s 20 years.

Last fall, the ag team worked toward greens restoration to bring its Bentgrass showcase back to the course. They also removed nearly 2,500 trees throughout the course to expand approaches and open up the ground game.

As the winter’s snow and rain dry off, Briggs Ranch will rebound to being the tightest turf in the network. The network’s first four events of 2021 will be hosted by the Texas club, making it the perfect time to take in San Antonio’s blue bonnets and mild spring weather.