Page 12 - GM summer French 2025

u FEATURE u KEVIN MAHONEY, CERTIFIED CONSULTING METEOROLOGIST,
AMERICAN METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY
Playing Th
Hazards of
A meteorologist’s toolbox includes model precipitation and surface pressure analysis maps
when creating hyperlocal forecasts.
Golf is one of the most weather-
dependent sports. While stating the
obvious for a golf superintendent,
the upside to this statement is that
weather does not have to impact
play like it has in the past decade.
Advancements in observation data,
forecast modeling and computing
power have made it easier – and
safer – to plan and respond to
weather events in the golf industry.
From turf management to game play
and crowd safety, weather
intelligence can help superintendents
make confident decisions.
WHAT FACTORS SHAPE A
FORECAST?
Weather is the original big data
example, and you can see why when
you consider what it takes to create a
forecast. For example, the DTN
Global Forecast System pulls
petabytes of data from multiple
sources including satellite imagery,
global sea and continental data sets,
and real-time observations from
more than 70,000 observations
around the world.
These data sets are incorporated
into global and regional weather
forecasting models, as well as
proprietary models to create an
“ensemble”, or combination of the
individual models. This reduces bias
and boosts the accuracy of the
models. For DTN these complex data
sets, models and algorithms are
processed in a high-performance
cloud environment using artificial
intelligence and machine learning.
The global hourly forecasts are
constantly updated with real-time
weather information for any place
and time in the world.
So, how can a golf superintendent
harness the power of advanced
weather data to make nimble,
confident decisions about course
management, golf operations, and
safety? By creating a detailed and
tested weather risk plan tailored to
their location.
CREATE A WEATHER RISK PLAN
While many people believe weather
awareness begins with the forecast,
it is the last part of weather planning.
The first step is to create a weather
plan.
A weather risk plan is a strategic
framework designed to mitigate the
impact of adverse weather
conditions. It is a dynamic document
that will be revised and refined after
post analysis of weather impacts and
annually. A robust weather plan
includes six key elements:
1. A weather risk assessment
Identify the weather risk specific to
the course. While the United States
garners more attention around
thunderstorms, particularly when it
comes to severe weather,
thunderstorms are still a frequent
occurrence across Canada in the
summer months.
Golf superintendents in Canada
are likely to contend with lightning
risks. The Canadian government
reports on average between 2002-
2017, 2-3 lightning related fatalities
and 180 lightning related injuries
occurred each year. The peak of
lightning fatalities and injuries occur
in June, July, and August and 23% of
all outdoor lightning impacts involved
outdoor sports.
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