Greens Aerification

"The greens were perfect. Why did they have to tear them up? Now the greens are ruined"

Core aerification is the most disruptive maintenance activity a golfer faces. The golf industry has struggled for several decades, trying to find the best ways to minimize the impact to golfers. I recently 'attended' a live web-based meeting to discuss aerification. The meeting moderator began the session by stating the golf industry is being hurt by the misconception that aerification is a practice which leads to poor putting conditions and aerification isn't really that bad. He went on to say complaints were unfair to the hard working maintenance crews who performed the difficult work.

What? With all due respect to the moderator, our maintenance crew is supposed to work hard and aerification does ruin the putting surface, often for a several days. 

Serious golfers know the importance of aerification. It is a necessary short term disruption that has benefits that lead to long term improvements in playing conditions. It is our job to complete the process as efficiently as possible and take measures to quickly restore the putting surface so that normal playing conditions can resume. 

What is aerification? Aerification is any practice that pokes a hole through the turf canopy creating channels so water and air can move more freely to the root zone. There are several types of aerification. Some aerification methods are barely noticeable and most golfers don't even realize any aerifying occurred. 

Solid tine aerifiction, using 1/8" diameter solid tines to make very small holes in the surface, is performed once or twice per month at the Village Links.

The resulting holes are barely visible and do not impact ball roll.

Some greens have micro-climates including too much shade from large trees or water soaked root zones due to low lying compacted areas. These sites require more aggressive spiking using 1/4" solid tines to allow more air to reach the turfgrass roots. During this process, we only spike the portions of the greens that require it to keep them healthy. 

 

 The 1/4" solid tines are noticeable to players but putting is not impacted.

The aerification process that is dreaded by everyone is core aerifying greens. Cores spaced in a 2" X 2" pattern are removed using hollow tines up to 5/8" diameter. 

Turf on a golf green is highly maintained to provide a firm and smooth putting surface. The use of fertilizers and micro nutrients are necessary to help the turf recover from foot traffic wear and low mowing heights. The intense maintenance results in the development of thatch just below the surface. Thatch is an organic layer made up of dead and dying roots and grass plant parts. Thatch accumulation is a normal process in any turfgrass stand. A moderate amount of thatch is needed to hold the turf together but when too much thatch develops water is unable to penetrate the surface and roots will not get the nutrients, moisture and air they need to survive. Researchers have determined that when the organic matter in the the top 2" of the root zone contains more than 3.5% organic matter by weight, the turf conditions begin to decline to an unhealthy condition. If organic matter isn't reduced, the turf health will decline, reducing playing conditions. 

There are two ways to control the percentage of organic matter in the root zone. Mechanical removal of thatch through core aerification is the most efficient way. After the physical removal of the cores is complete, the resulting pattern of holes are filled with sand.

  

A layer of sand is spread on the green surface and brushed into the aerification holes.

This profile of a golf green root zone shows the light colored sand which replaced an aerification core.

Sand filled aerification holes will slowly recover each day over a 2 to 3 week period if all goes well and putting will return to normal. This process may need to be repeated up to 3 times per season to keep organic content at proper levels. To reduce the need for core aerification, we make sure we don't over fertilize the turf and topdress the greens with sand lightly every 10 to 14 days. Light topdressing does not remove any thatch but helps dilute the organic matter content over time.

A very light layer of sand is applied to the greens 2 to 3 times per month. Vibratory rollers are used to push the sand into the turf canopy helping to dilute the organic matter build up in the root zone.

Winter Work

"You work at a golf course? What the heck do you do during the winter?"

The Village Links golf season is from mid-March to mid-November. During the golf season, we have 3 full time and 30 seasonal employees maintain the golf facilities. We work every day during the 8 month outdoor season including weekends and holidays. In October and November we transition from full staffing levels down to our winter crew of 3 full time and 2 seasonal employees. The off season staff is kept very busy during the winter months. The main difference during the 'slow' time of the year is most of the work is performed Monday through Friday. The only weekend work required is snow removal at the Clubhouse or a mechanical failure at one of our 4 main buildings.

There are 8 main tasks we need to perform during the off season period.

Mechanical equipment repair and preventive maintenance.

Green and tee equipment and course accessory  maintenance.

Building maintenance and repairs.


Program evaluation and planning.


Employee education and certification.


Budget preparation.


Advance bulk purchasing and capital equipment bidding.


Golf course monitoring and tree maintenance.

Mechanical equipment repair and preventive maintenance

The maintenance equipment fleet consists of more than 100 pieces including reel and rotary mowers, tractors and loaders, sprayers and aerifiers, turf trucksters and 2 man carts. There is also a rental fleet of 87 golf carts. Much of the equipment is used seven days per week during the golf season so it is important to have everything in perfect operating condition to avoid costly break downs during the busy summer months. All equipment receives servicing of engine oil, air filters, spark plugs, fuel injectors, hydraulic oil and hydraulic filters to meet recommended maintenance intervals. Any worn belts, bearings, grease fittings, rollers and oil seals are replaced. All wiring harnesses and hydraulic motors and hoses are inspected and replaced as needed. Ninety reel mower cutting units are inspected and worn parts are replaced before they are sharpened. Each unit is set at a precise height of cut to mow it's designated turf. Greens are mowed at a height of .118", tees and fairways at .406", intermediate rough at 1.50" and rough at a 2" height.

The golf cart fleet is cleaned, serviced and repaired in preparation for the golf season.

Green and tee equipment and course accessory  maintenance

Every amenity the customer touches during the golf season receives attention. Seventy wooden benches, 18 wooden trash cans and 10 wood picnic tables are sanded painted and stained. Thirty golf ball washers are repaired, sanded and repainted. More than 300 tee markers are cleaned, inspected and replaced as needed. Twelve divot seed bins and 60 trash/recycling bins are cleaned and treated with UV protection. Dozens of cart direction and 'ground under repair' signs are cleaned and repaired. New flags are installed on 80 pins that have been cleaned and coated with shrink wrap vinyl. Hundreds of stakes used to control traffic are repaired and painted. More that 500 bunker rakes are repaired and handles are coated with vinyl shrink wrap as needed.

Building maintenance and repairs

The Club House, Halfway House, Maintenance Buildings, and Pump Houses receive off season maintenance, repairs and improvements. Ten HVAC units are serviced. Worn lighting and plumbing fixtures are replaced. Door closers are adjusted and weather stripping is replaced when needed. Battery back-up emergency lights and exit lights are tested. Interior painting and staining is performed. All restaurant kitchen equipment is serviced.

Program evaluation and planning

We are constantly focused on improving the facility. Most improvements in golf course conditions begin in the off-season. The previous years fertility program, disease control efforts and cultural practices are reviewed. Maintenance plans that did not produce improved conditions are modified to produce better results. Research on a variety of turf grass issues is on going at the national level through the United States Golf Association Green Section and various universities and at the local level through the Chicago District Golf Association. Positive research results that are relevant to our operation are reviewed and implemented.

Employee education and certification

There are many opportunities for continuing education and staff training at the local and national level. The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) conducts webcasts via the internet. Their annual education conference provides dozens of education sessions ranging from half hour presentations to in depth 2 day training on specific topics related to golf course maintenance. The GCSAA annual trade show is held in conjunction with the GCSAA education conference and is the one place to see the new equipment, chemistries, products and technologies used in course maintenance. The local chapter of the Midwest Association of Golf Course Superintendents provides educational sessions monthly. The Chicago District Golf Association conducts two off season seminars addressing local issues and highlighting their research results. The United States Golf Association provides "live meeting' webcasts throughout the season.

Several vendors provide training relevant to their products. Staff also receives annual pesticide training, testing and licensing by the Illinois E.P.A.

Budget preparation

Each year the effectiveness of the current budget is evaluated and a new budget is created with a focus on creating a better product for our customers while working more efficiently to reduce expenses. The golf business has declined during the past decade due to performance improvements in golf equipment and poor economic conditions. We continually adjust our staff levels and maintenance practices to meet the changing golf business. Our 2010/2011 expense budget is 37% lower than it was 5 years ago. We have been able to improve course conditions during this same period. 

Advance bulk purchasing and capital equipment bidding

Significant savings are realized through bulk purchasing of fertilizers, pesticides, grass seed and other maintenance materials. It is essential to properly forecast the necessary items quantities that will be used throughout the growing season. Product specifications and quote forms are developed and supplied to vendors. Expensive equipment and services are purchased through a formal bid process.

Golf course monitoring and tree maintenance

The health of the golf course needs to be monitored all year including the winter months. Diseases can occur during certain winter conditions and treatments are sometimes necessary. The build up of ice sheets, especially on golf greens, can prevent the release of toxic gasses in the soil leading to turfgrass decline or death.

Winter can be an ideal time for large tree removal if the ground is frozen. The frozen ground allows us to bring large equipment into sensitive turf areas without cause damage to the golf course.