Aerification is now under way on the North golf course
greens. We should finish the front nine today and will do the back nine
tomorrow. We had originally scheduled
the South to be done this week but switched the dates between the South course
and the North course because the overall quality of the South golf course is
better right now. We often hear that whenever the greens are at their best that
we then tear them up with aerification.
Actually, our dates are based on agronomic need and our experience of
caring for these greens for eighteen years.
We have found that by aerifying three times a year with quarter inch “quad-tines “ we are able to keep our greens healthy. By using the smaller tines we are being less disruptive to the putting surface than we would be if we used larger tines. Because we are creating more holes we can add enough sand to maintain our thatch layer at the right balance between mineral and organic matter. This is the balance that we are trying to create , a green with air columns to let the greens accept water, air columns that let the green breath and a mineral/ organic balance in the thatch layer that gives a healthy firm surface. The entire process involves using a core aerifier which pulls quarter inch plugs. These plugs are then pushed to the outside of the green and removed to prevent contamination of the bentgrass with bermudagrass. Each green is then topdressed with several tons of screened and washed sand. That sand is then brushed and blown into the aerification holes and the greens are rolled and watered. The goal is to return to a smooth healthy putting surface as soon as possible.
Our greens aerifications are generally scheduled around the
first of March, the first of June, and the first of September. We also try to separate the aerification of the two courses by two weeks so that one golf
course has “healed” from aerification
before we do the other course. We also
try and coordinate our aerification dates around club events and tournaments.
We are doing something different this summer with
aerification of our fairways. Beginning in July we will close nine holes of our
golf courses at a time for intensive aerification of the fairways. This will allow us to “punch” multiple holes
and follow that with aggressive verticutting. The goal is healthier, less
thathchy fairways that will be smoother and firmer. During this time there will generalyl be only 27
holes available for play.
