The club have also invested in a premium Toro ProCore aerator with huge capability to help transform the health of greens, tees - even fairways. This amazing machine can aerate up to 10 inches deep and that can make all the difference.
Stuart Green, BIGGA’s head of member learning, explains why aeration is a vital tool for maintaining the health of golf greens.
To understand why aeration is critical to healthy turf, it is essential that the golfer understands that the roots of grass don’t grow in soil. They actually grow in the air spaces between the soil particles.
On putting greens, the aim is to move water away from the surface as quickly as possible. On soil greens, that can be quite difficult but the requirement is to keep the surface in contact with the sub surface.
That means aerating at all different depths. The more that can be done, the more effectively water can be moved away from the surface.
Keeping the surface dry has the benefits of better quality grass, reduction in disease and disorders, such as moss, and increased all year round playability.
What are the benefits of aeration?
- Compaction relief and improved surface performance
- Better penetration of water and air
- Fertiliser/nutrients delivered into the root zone
- Improves soil structure
- Improves rooting capacity
- Longer use of the surface – increased playability all year round
- Releases toxic gases from the soil
- Increases shoot growth
Short term the new machine will play a key role in Jack's expert plans to verti cut, solid tine (to 10 inches), top dress, feed and over seed.
For the winter, his process will combine with our chalk base to allow our greens to increase playability all year round.
Happy days and well done Jack and team!
