Course Opening Dates: A look back in time.

With another weekend of snow in the forecast provided me the time to research the days the course opened for golf for the year.  So between watching the Masters I thumbed through 25 years worth of journals to gather data for this chart.  When I remember how, I will list the average opening date along with a standard deviation (plus or minus) for that date.

Year	Opening Date		Year	Opening Date
2013	?		2000	March 21
2012	March 16		1999	March 31
2011	April 12		1998	April 04
2010	March 24		1997	April 15
2009	April 02		1996	April 18
2008	April 16		1995	March 25
2007	March 28		1994	April 11
2006	April 01		1993	April 21
2005	April 09		1992	April 04
2004	March 31		1991	April 04
2003	April 01		1990	March 28
2002	April 12		1989	April 07
2001	April 11		1988	March 30

I found three items of interest.  First I noticed how many entries listed the greens look like $#!^ coming out of winter.  Secondly, I noticed how many times I was "told" we would be open by such and such date.  Whether we opened on the "suggested" date remains unknown.  Finally, it appears that the course would always close for a period of time due to a mid-April snow.  One year removed from a record opening, it appears we are on pace for our latest start to the year.  _mk