Aerification (also known as aeration) achieves three important objectives, the GCSAA explains:
- It relieves soil compaction;
- it provides a method to improve the soil mixture around the highest part of a green's roots;
- and it reduces or prevents the accumulation of excess thatch.
What is golf course aeration and why is it important?
Think of golf course aeration as preventive maintenance: It's the (typically) annual process of punching little holes into greens (and sometimes fairways) that opens up growing room for grass roots and helps keep the turfgrass healthy. (It's also called "aerification.")
What is solid Tine aeration in golf?
Solid tine aeration is also known as “venting,” and for good reason. Nedrow likens those roots to a person trying to breathe through a plastic bag. “We’re basically punching holes in that bag so you can breathe again,” he says. The practice, he says, has little to no negative effect on the quality of play. The opposite, in fact.
How long does it take to aerate a golf course?
The aeration holes are then filled with topdressing -- typically sand -- and usually hit with the sand a second time after the first filling settles into the core holes. It usually takes a golf course two weeks to recovery from properly done golf course aeration.
What is the purpose of aerating a putting green?
Putting greens receive more traffic than any other playing surface. The aeration process helps relieve the compaction caused by all that traffic. It also helps create a firm, smooth putting surface by controlling thatch and promoting healthy turf roots.
What does aerating a golf course do?
Putting greens receive more traffic than any other playing surface. The aeration process helps relieve the compaction caused by all that traffic. It also helps create a firm, smooth putting surface by controlling thatch and promoting healthy turf roots.
How often should you aerate a golf course?
Many golf courses will aerate two or three times in a given year. However, aeration is only done when turf is healthy and actively growing, so as to promote a speedy recovery. grasses such as bermudagrass and paspalum, core aeration is best performed in late spring and throughout the summer.
How long does aeration affect a golf course?
More nitrogen is typically applied following aerification to get the holes to fill in quicker, which can reduce green speeds for three to five weeks or longer.
How long does aeration last?
Therefore, to achieve sustained benefits from aeration, courses must routinely aerate – i.e., aerate approximately once every six weeks or more frequently.
Do golf courses use liquid aeration?
Patented solution is the most powerful liquid aeration available and is used on the best golf courses, stadiums, and resorts worldwide.
Why do they put sand on golf greens?
Sand helps cushion leaf tips and crowns and reduces algae. Increased Firmness – Turf produces organic matter in the upper rootzone that creates soft, spongy playing conditions. Regular sand topdressing, along with core aeration, improves surface firmness and resiliency.
Can you putt on aerated greens?
The holes punched during aeration are smaller and the greens heal more quickly than the old days of course maintenance. Still, there is no denying that recently aerated greens play differently than greens in peak condition. They roll more slowly and the punched holes can knock a putt off line.
What happens if you don't aerate your lawn?
Grasses gradually thin and eventually die out completely, for lack of the oxygen, water and nutrients available just inches away. Even a single aeration session can open the avenue for these essentials to reach their mark and put your lawn back on an upward trend. Core aerators pull small plugs of soil to the surface.
Do aerated greens affect putting?
1:081:48Does Golf Course Aeration Affect Putting? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe putting greens are very playable the golfers can make putts despite the fact that the greensMoreThe putting greens are very playable the golfers can make putts despite the fact that the greens might look very bumpy.
How long does grass take to recover from aeration?
Core aeration does cause a certain amount of stress to your lawn. This usually takes three or four weeks for you lawn to recover from, so aerating lawn at the right time is important. It is not something that a homeowner has to do on a yearly basis (although many do.) leave it.
How often should you roll a golf green?
Roll every day and mow every other Of all the mowing/rolling frequencies I have researched, this one results in the most consistent green speeds from day to day, very good wear tolerance compared with mowing alone, and better dollar spot control than mowing every day and rolling every other day.
How do you aerate a golf green?
During the playing season, courses usually choose to do venting aeration which is basically placing a bunch of small needles into the ground in order to break up the turf. This process is done throughout the year and is usually does not affect ball roll or playing conditions at all after a couple days.
Why do putting greens need aeration?
Putting greens receive more traffic than any other playing surface. The aeration process helps relieve the compaction caused by all that traffic. It also helps create a firm, smooth putting surface by controlling thatch and promoting healthy turf roots.
What is thatch in putting greens?
Thatch is a layer of old plant material that accumulates at the soil surface. If thatch on putting greens is not diluted by aeration and topdressing, it will act like a sponge, holding water near the surface. Excessive thatch creates soft playing conditions, inconsistent green speeds and increases the risk of disease.
What is the USGA green section?
The USGA’s Green Section has been helping golf courses deliver the best possible playing conditions for nearly 100 years. USGA agronomists work with golf facilities across North America to help them create and maintain environmentally and economically sustainable golf courses that give you the best playing experience, even if you have to occasionally play on aerated putting greens. (Click on the image above to get a full-screen view.)
How much of a putting green is aerated?
Typically, aeration affects less than 10 percent of a putting surface.
Does sand help putting greens?
However, filling aeration 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.
What is a golf course aeration?
Aeration is designed to basically let golf course grass breath and stretch out a little bit. It's designed to control what's known as "organic matter," dying grass and grass parts, while loosening compacted soil and allowing water to flow better underground.
How does aeration help golf course grass?
Aeration is designed to basically let golf course grass breath and stretch out a little bit. It's designed to control what's known as "organic matter," dying grass and grass parts, while loosening compacted soil and allowing water to flow better underground. By having compacted, poor-performing or dead grass parts in the soil, the healthy turf can struggle to grow and develop strong roots. Compacted soil, created from foot traffic, weather and other factors, reduces oxygen levels in the soil and can inhibit water getting to turf roots. All of this compacting and organic matter can also make for a softer golf course because it's unable to drain water and push new turf to the surface.
Why do golf course superintendents aerate?
So, golf course superintendents aerate so you have a better golf course. They can do that with a variety of methods, but the general idea is to either make punch marks in the soil with rolling spikes or using equipment to create varying size soil cores that are pulled out of the ground. These holes allow for excess moisture to evaporate and better chemistry in the soil to promote healthy turf growth.
How long does it take to recover from a golf course aeration?
It usually takes a golf course two weeks to recovery from properly done golf course aeration.
Why do you curse yourself for a golf course?
You curse to yourself because you know the golf course has aerated. However, golf course aeration is a good thing, and it helps to keep our golf courses in great shape, even when the weather turns against golf course superintendents. Aeration is designed to basically let golf course grass breath and stretch out a little bit.
Why do golf courses need aeration holes?
Aeration holes filled with sand topdressing will allow excess water from the soil to evaporate, promote root development and improve drainage. The word aeration stimulates negative emotions for many golfers. It may come as a surprise, but golf course superintendents also dislike aeration. After all, the last person who wants to disrupt ...
What is the most effective way to control organic matter and maintain smooth, firm putting surfaces?
Aeration and topdressing are the most effective ways to control organic matter and maintain smooth, firm putting surfaces. Core aeration involves physically removing small soil cores – e.g., 0.5-inch diameter cores – from the turf and is the most common type of aeration.
Why is aeration important in golf?
Aeration primarily is performed to control organic matter – i.e., decaying roots and grass stems – relieve soil compaction, stimulate root growth and improve drainage. If organic matter becomes too thick, it acts like a sponge and holds water at the surface after rain or irrigation. Excessive organic matter also inhibits root growth, reduces oxygen levels in the soil, encourages disease and eventually can lead to turf failure. Furthermore, excessive organic matter creates soft surfaces prone to ball marks, foot printing and inconsistent playing conditions. Aeration and topdressing are the most effective ways to control organic matter and maintain smooth, firm putting surfaces.
What is the USGA?
The USGA promotes and conserves the true spirit of the game of golf as embodied in its ancient and honorable traditions. It acts in the best interests of the game for the continued enjoyment of those who love and play it. Why Do Golf Courses.
What happens when you add too much organic matter to your lawn?
Excessive organic matter also inhibits root growth, reduces oxygen levels in the soil, encourages disease and eventually can lead to turf failure. Furthermore, excessive organic matter creates soft surfaces prone to ball marks, foot printing and inconsistent playing conditions.
Is aeration good for greens?
Aeration can create short-lived disruption but it is a highly beneficial program that keeps greens healthy and playing well.
Who is Adam Moeller?
Adam Moeller is an agronomist in the Northeast Region.
How to prevent thatch buildup?
Topdressing with sand can prevent thatch buildup, and aerification is one of the best ways to reduce an existing layer and prevent an excess of thatch from becoming established. "Other aerification techniques use machines with "tines"; or knives that simply poke holes through the soil profile.
What does it mean when you show up to a golf course?
Showing up to a golf course only to discover that it has recently underdone an aerification process can be a jolt to the system. You were hoping the golf course, and especially its greens, would be in great shape. Instead you find it full of little holes or covered in sand or other topdressing. It's frustrating.
What is aeration in gardening?
Aerification (also known as aeration) achieves three important objectives, the GCSAA explains: 1 It relieves soil compaction; 2 it provides a method to improve the soil mixture around the highest part of a green's roots; 3 and it reduces or prevents the accumulation of excess thatch.
Why fill aerification holes with sand?
Filling aerification holes with sand improves drainage and resists compaction. The periodic introduction of sand to a green's top layer can, over time, avoid or postpone expensive rebuilding or renovation of greens. "Finally, growing of turf adds to a layer of organic matter on the surface.
Why is a golf course aerated?
Aerification (also known as aeration) achieves three important objectives, the GCSAA explains: it provides a method to improve the soil mixture around the highest part of a green's roots; and it reduces or prevents the accumulation of excess thatch.
What is the process of aeration?
From the GCSAA's explanation of the aerification process (all excerpts appear here courtesy of the GCSAA): "Aerification is a mechanical process that creates more air space in the soil and promotes deeper rooting, thus helping the grass plants stay healthy.
When is aerification best done?
To add insult to injury, aerification is best done in many part of the country during mid-summer, at the height of the playing season and when most greens are in prime condition. But a golfer needs to understand how important aerification is to producing healthy turf.".
When to aerate golf courses?
Certain courses may not be able to complete the aeration in the late Spring due to play volume. In those cases, aeration in the early Fall followed by less aggressive aeration in the early Spring will achieve solid results. However, it is twice as much work.
Why is aeration important in putting greens?
This is because aeration is most effective when the grass is healthy and actively growing. Greens recover more quickly and weeds don’t have the opportunity to invade because the turf quickly recovers. This minimizes the amount of time the green will be sub-optimal for play. However – even at its worst the aeration only impacts 5-10% of the putting surface.
Why do you need to apply sand to aerated holes?
The sand used to fill the aerated holes must be carefully applied to avoid abrading the turf to the potentially abrasive nature of the sand. Generally, the sand should be applied in stages to avoid causing damage.
What is topdressing in aeration?
Topdressing, the process of filling the aeration holes with sand or other organic materials.
Why do you aerate greens?
With all this traffic the greens suffer from “compaction” which can weaken roots. Aeration clears out space on the greens to promote healthy roots and reduce thatch. Aeration will enable root systems to grow deeper into the soil. Thatch is basically old plant material that accumulates on the surface of the soil. It acts like a sponge, holding water near the surface which creates inconsistent green speeds and increases the likelihood of disease.
Does nitrogen affect grass growth?
Careful nutrient balancing after aeration is critical, as apply excessive nitrogen on the turf will cause grass growth that will reduce green speed.
How many different types of aerating are there?
First of all, there are probably as many as five different types of aerating practices, according to Adam Moeller, director of education for the USGA Green Section. The least invasive small-tine aerating hardly disrupts the playing surface at all and is usually very playable immediately afterwards, but its effectiveness is certainly debatable.
What irritates golfers more than anything?
What irritates golfers more than anything, of course, is when they show up for their tee time, only to find out then that the greens were recently aerated, or worst yet, don't discover it until they get to the first green. The latter is certainly rare, and the former is becoming less common, too, as courses know this doesn't exactly create good will with their customer base. Letting golfers know before they show up to the course should probably be the minimum practice, and most courses are trying to do that.
Do you putt on greens that have been aerated?
Most golfers know the importance or aerating greens. Even if they don't understand why, they know it's necessary. Still, no one likes to putt on greens that have been recently aerated, especially a deep-tine aeration with core removal and top dressing. Trying to putt over holes is frustrating at best, and often golfers who do play in such ...
Do golf courses send out alerts?
As all of us have become more tied to our phones and computers, and facilities have extensive emailing lists, many courses send out alerts to their regular customers, letting them know when greens are going to be aerated. And most courses will inform golfers who reserve a tee time by phone if greens have been recently aerated. (It saves a lot of potential grief for shop personnel later).
Can you play rough greens after aerating?
Golfers looking to save a little money on green fees who don't mind rough greens would be well advised to check out course websites and get on mailing lists. Sometimes, the greens are surprisingly playable following an aggressive aerating, especially if you wait a few days after the procedure when the maintenance crews have had a chance to "whip" the sand off the greens and run the mowers and rollers.
Should golfers know before they practice?
Letting golfers know before they show up to the course should probably be the minimum practice, and most courses are trying to do that. How courses and clubs communicate this to golfers varies, of course.
Is there an industry standard for discounting green fees?
There certainly isn't an industry standard when it comes to communication or discounting green fees. For example, the courses run by Chicago-based KemperSports management company vary by course as to how they communicate with golfers. As for discounts, "it's really left up to each property to figure out the best way to compensate our guests," said B.R. Koehnemann, director of communications for KemperSports.
When is spring aeration?
The spring aeration is planned for the first week in May and the fall aeration for the last week in August, but weather is the deciding factor. Though aerating later in the fall would affect play less, it’s more important for long-term course conditions that holes heal before the onset of winter.
What is the last grass to be aerated in the fall?
The last to be aerated in the fall is the first to be aerated in the spring. Fairways, which are aerated in the fall only, are perennial ryegrass and Poa annua with some bluegrass mixed in. Pizzuto uses a tow-behind Ryan aerator with open-spoon tines.
What happened to Pittler greens in the first season?
During Pittler’s first season, the greens showed some disease activity when they emerged from winter.
What type of soil is used in the USGA golf course?
A second nine holes were added about 10 years ago and include USGA greens that are primarily bentgrass with some Poa encroachment and modified-soil bent grass tees. All fairways are clay-loam native soil with a mix of Poa and bentgrass.
When does Krick aerate?
Amendments and respective rates are based on soil test results.”. Krick aerates the greens, tees and roughs in the fall, generally starting near the end of September and depending on current weather conditions and long-range predictions.
Is aeration good for golf?
To golfers, aeration is a paradox – they don’t like it done, but they like the results eventually. It’s a good thing aeration options have opened the door for golf course superintendents to mix and match methods to develop the most effective strategy for the needs of the courses they manage. While typical core and spike aerification remain part ...
When does Mahar fertilize?
Mahar times fertilization shortly after aeration, basing the formula and application rate on soil test results. But he takes a different approach with the native-soil greens.
When does the core aerate?
Come fall, after overseeding, they core aerate those same areas of the course. Winter comes, spring arrives, and the cycle begins again.
How deep do tines go for aeration?
People tend to use walk-behind machines with tines attached to drums that roll over the turf, poking holes that go no more than a half-inch deep. That might be good for breaking up thatch, Nedrow says, but the tines don’t penetrate down into the root zones, which means the grass doesn’t get the exchange of air and moisture that it really needs.
How often does Nedrow aerate?
“It’s a non-negotiable for us,” he says (though he acknowledges that it might not be as crucial for other courses “that enjoy some environmental factor that we don’t enjoy here.”) Nedrow and his crew core aerate twice a year, in May and then again just after Labor Day, pulling plugs out of the soil, clearing them away then filling the holes with sand. Sanding helps dilute thatch (organic material that builds up just below the crown of the plant). It also promotes green firmness and smoothness.
What is the purpose of coring and sanding?
But the main purpose of coring and sanding is similar to that of solid tine aeration, shifted into overdrive: creating clean channels for the exchange of air and moisture through the root zones. “If you get hot, wet, mucky saturated soil, your plant basically drowns,” Nedrow says.
Does putting practice affect quality of play?
The practice, he says, has little to no negative effect on the quality of play. The opposite, in fact. “We get out there and roll the greens right after we tine,” he says, “and those putting surfaces are running as well or better than they ever do.
Is aerating good for a course?
Depends. Aerating is good for all parts of the course, and for the same reasons. But that’s a lot of ground to cover, and it requires more time and money than many courses can afford to spend.
How often do golf courses aerate?
1 to 3 times a year. A high percentage of golf courses will aerate a minimum of 1 time per year with most courses completing the aeration process 2-3 times per year based on the type of greens and the growing seasons in the location of the golf course.
What can you do as a golfer?
Based on the location of where you live, make sure you have a general idea of when golf courses complete their aeration process. Where I live, it is very common for this to take place sometime in the first 3 weeks of September. A golfer, when making tee time, should inquire when the aeration is going to take place.
Why do golf courses aerate?
Overall, it is about the health of the greens. A deep core aeration process opens up holes on the greens, which helps the soil breathe. It increases drainage and air exchange for the grass.
What is the recovery time of aerated greens?
It can take up to several weeks for the greens to fully recover, however, after the first week or so, the greens start to play relatively fair and most golfers will not mind. The most difficult putting conditions are during that first week.
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