The big question everyone asks at this time of year is… “why do you stick a load of big spikes into your greens, breaking the nice smooth surface you’ve created when they’re just starting to grow?”
Now we know its not ideal to play on greens that have just been cored and that maybe a little bumpy, but we do try our best to smooth them out with sand and after a couple of days the ball is back to rolling well. However much we don’t like to disrupt your golf, aerating putting greens is a short term disruption for you as golfers but a long term benefit for our putting greens so here’s the main reasons we do it:
- Promote healthy turf: Aerating greens helps to promote healthy turf by relieving soil compaction, improving drainage, and allowing air, water, and nutrients to penetrate the root zone. This helps to create a healthier growing environment for the turf, which can result in stronger, more resilient greens for increased traffic.
- Improve playability: Aerating greens can also improve playability by reducing the amount of thatch and creating a smoother surface for the ball to roll on. This can lead to a more consistent and enjoyable golf experience for players.
- Control thatch buildup: Thatch is a layer of dead plant material that accumulates on the surface of the soil. When thatch builds up too much, it can prevent water and nutrients from reaching the roots of the turf, leading to a decline in turf health. Aerating greens helps to control thatch buildup by breaking it up and incorporating it into the soil.
- Prevent disease: By improving soil drainage and reducing thatch buildup, aerating greens can help to prevent the onset of turf diseases. This is because many turf diseases thrive in damp, poorly drained soil or in areas where thatch has built up.
Unfortunately timing is everything and this process needs to be done when the grass is actively growing so we minimise damage and allow a quick return to normal. We also know it looks bad covering the greens in holes, but its an illusion! Coring the greens affects less than 10% of the putting surface. All the sand is also part of the plan – the heavy application of top dressing makes the greens look less playable, however, filling the holes with sand actually helps create a smoother surface. Sand also creates channels for water and air movement, dilutes thatch and helps putting greens recover from aeration more quickly.
So if you’ve read this far you probably deserve a little tip to help play on the greens when we core them and cover them in sand. The single most important piece of advice I can give you is to keep the ball low, as it helps keep the ball on a more predictable path towards the hole. You may also need to hit the ball just a little bit harder!
