As the Portage Golf Club moves into October, head superintendent Farrol Asham and his team are shifting their focus from summer play to winter preparations.<\/p>\n
Asham, who has been in the role for 14 years, explains that this transition period is all about protecting the turf and ensuring the course is ready to rebound in the spring.<\/p>\n
\u201cHealthy turf going into winter is definitely something we try and do,\u201d notes Asham. \u201cWe try and push the roots down so they come out in spring. The greens is where we spend most of our time, and that\u2019s our concern. We will do some fall maintenance, fall fertilizer. The biggest thing is the winter fungicide program.\u201d<\/p>\n
The final round of fungicide applications signals the end of the season for Asham\u2019s crew. Flags are pulled from the greens, and snow fencing is set up to ensure proper coverage through the winter months.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe snow fence the greens just to catch some snow so we have some coverage on them just to try and avoid wind dislocation. Other than that, we’re just dealing with leaves,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n
No tarp approach<\/p>\n
Some courses in Manitoba protect their greens with tarps, but Portage has stuck with a different strategy. Asham mentions that while both options have pros and cons, his team is confident in the results they have seen over the years.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe do not use tarps at the Portage Course; we\u2019ve had success without them,\u201d says Asham.<\/p>\n
A season of challenges and successes<\/p>\n
Looking back at 2025, Asham admits the start of the season was a challenge due to dry conditions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe start of the year was definitely a struggle for us; we went 43 days with no rain at the start, so the irrigation system was getting a workout,\u201d he continues.<\/p>\n
Despite the rocky beginning, he highlights the dedication of his staff as a key factor in keeping the course in top shape.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can\u2019t do it yourself. I have 10 staff members who have been unbelievable this summer, from rebuilding bunkers to building new bunkers. Lots of tree trimming. It\u2019s been a very successful year. We\u2019re very happy with the results that we got from the course this year, and hopefully we can come out this spring looking good,\u201d remarks Asham.<\/p>\n
Handling extreme rainfall<\/p>\n
In contrast to the early-season drought, the club also faced a period of heavy rain that put pressure on drainage systems. Asham recalls the team\u2019s quick work in handling the damage.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was 5 inches of rain in about 3 hours. That was not much fun to show up at the golf course, but once again, I\u2019m not by myself. I had staff that were willing to stay hours and hours, put in long shifts, move in pumps,\u201d he says. \u201cWe do have very good underground drainage with some automatic sump pumps. We definitely put them to work this year. We had the golf course open within 24 hours, which was unbelievable. We let carts out in 48 hours. So that\u2019s more of a shout-out to my staff for being willing to put the time in to help us keep the course going.\u201d<\/p>\n
With a successful season nearly behind them, Asham and his crew are aiming for a smooth winter transition, with hopes of greeting golfers next spring to a course that looks as strong as ever.<\/p>\n
– with files from Jared Thiessen<\/p>\n