How to Store and Maintain Your Golf Course Covers During the Summer

Summer is the window most superintendents use to work on everything that didn't get attention during the playing season. The golf course covers that protected greens all winter are sitting in storage bags. What happens to them between April and November directly affects performance when the cold returns. Most courses skip off-season maintenance entirely or compress it into a last-minute check the week before installation. Both approaches cost more than they save.

Why Off-Season Maintenance Extends the Life of Golf Course Covers

Evergreen covers outlast their stated warranty periods, and all units sold to date have exceeded those periods according to distributor reports across North America. That record reflects material quality, but it also reflects how staff handle the product during the months it sits in storage. UV-treated, non-absorbent polyethylene holds its properties when staff store it correctly. Improper folding, moisture trapped inside the bag, or rodent access during summer storage each compound over multiple seasons. Together, those factors shorten the product's effective lifespan.

The USGA Green Section notes that off-season periods give superintendents the window to evaluate equipment, address drainage, and prepare for the next season. For that reason, the same principle applies directly to cover management. A summer inspection catches damage early, before a compromised unit gets deployed over a putting surface in November. Furthermore, staff who inspect and re-fold covers during the summer make them ready for fast deployment when the first frost appears.

Inspection and Peg Check Before the Off-Season

The best time to inspect golf course covers is immediately after removal in spring, while any damage is still fresh and visible. Staff should unfold each one fully on a flat surface, then check for tears, edge fraying, and areas where the lace coating shows wear. For Evergreen products, SmartEdge material allows staff to trim and re-hem worn edges rather than require full replacement. That extends the usable life of the unit significantly. In addition, any pegs showing corrosion or bending should be set aside for replacement before next season.

Anchoring pegs deserve as much attention as the cover material itself when reviewing golf course covers for off-season storage. Pink powder-coated pegs used with the Radiant offer high visibility and easy retrieval, but they accumulate soil and debris after a full season. Similarly, galvanized sod staples used with the Original and Ice Shield products need a rust check. That is especially true in regions with high soil moisture or heavy precipitation. Replacing damaged pegs in summer costs far less than managing a unit that shifts in a wind event because anchoring has failed. Moreover, a full peg inventory means crews avoid scrambling for replacements at the start of the season.

Cleaning and Folding Before Storage

Each cover needs to dry completely before going back into the storage bag. Residual moisture in the bag encourages mildew even on non-absorbent material when the bag traps humidity over a long storage period. In short, anything that goes into storage damp comes out in worse condition than it went in. That is a preventable outcome that a basic drying step completely eliminates.

Folding along consistent crease lines, rather than random compression, reduces stress on the lace coating at fold points. For that reason, the same folding pattern each season distributes wear evenly rather than concentrating it at the same locations year after year. Even so, staff should also check the storage bag itself for tears or wear before putting the unit away. You can find storage guidance and specification details on Evergreen's product information page.

Storage Conditions and Space Requirements

Michigan State University Extension's golf green management program notes that proactive off-season equipment review helps facilities avoid costly in-season failures. That principle holds for protective covers as much as for any other maintenance equipment.

Evergreen covers tolerate outdoor storage because the material is UV-treated, rot-resistant, and mildew-proof. However, storage bags will need positioning away from sharp equipment edges, heavy items, and areas prone to rodent activity. A standard setup for 18 covers at 72 by 90 feet fits in a space approximately 10 feet wide, 10 feet long, and 6 feet high. Most maintenance sheds can accommodate a full course's inventory in a single dedicated area without the need for reorganization.

Repurposing Older Golf Course Covers During the Summer Review

Summer is also the right time to identify which units are approaching the end of their primary use cycle. Managers can use structurally sound units that are no longer suited to green protection on smaller greens, tees, or nursery areas after trimming. The non-absorbent polyethylene also serves as a sand trap liner, cart path liner, or weed control blanket. By contrast, units with compromised lace coating or significant edge damage need a realistic assessment. Sometimes trimming restores function, but in other cases, replacement remains the more cost-effective path. Either way, summer is the best time to make that call.

For more information, review our graded golf course covers on Evergreen's sports fields page. If you want to order directly or start a productive consultation, contact us online.