Sometimes it’s good to vent
I
t’s a perfect, sunny morning and you’ve just
reached the first green in regulation. You feel
great and you know you’re within birdie range.
Then, you see them, those little holes in the green.
Arrggh! They’ve just aerified the course, and it’s
going to ruin your round, right?
Golfers view aerification as an inconvenience
that takes the greens out of play for a day, pulling
cores from the greens and leaving holes that
can affect putting for many days before healing.
But consider that aerification is merely a shortterm disruption that has long-term benefits for
the course. When you see them, remember
that without those little holes, the greens would
eventually die.
Aerification achieves three important
objectives. 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.
Aerification is a mechanical process that
creates more air space in the soil and promotes
deeper rooting, thus helping the grass plants stay
healthy. In most cases, it’s done by removing
½-inch cores (those plugs you sometimes see near
a green or in fairways) from the compacted soil,
allowing for an infusion of air and water that brings
a resurgence of growth. The spaces are then filled
with sand “topdressing” that helps the soil retain
air space and makes it easier for roots to grow
downward.
So the next time you’re ready to scream
when the aerifiers are brought on the course,
remember that a little preventative maintenance
produces the best greens over the long haul.
Presented by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America
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Connecticut State Golf Association