Greens Aerification

The greens were aerified on April 24th and 25th.  Although greens aerification causes a short term disruption in playing conditions it is very important to the long term health of the greens surface.  Aerification opens avenues for air and water, reduces compaction, and removes thatch and organic mater.  It also creates an opportunity to work important nutrients into the open holes. We are often asked about our timing and why we would aerify when the greens are in good condition.  Waiting to aerify until we saw a problem with the greens would be like waiting until your car breaks down to change the oil.  It needs to be done as preventative maintenance.

There are many steps to greens aeirfication, here are a few pictures of the process:

                                                 This is the machine that pulls the cores.

They are then swept up and hauled off.

After the cores have been removed, amendments and seed are applied. The green is then topdressed with a heavy layer of sand, and the sand is drug into the holes with a brush pulled behind a cart.

Any holes that are still left open are then filled by hand with a push broom.  Excess sand is then swept up and removed.  The final step is to roll the green multiple directions to smooth the surface.