Fall Aerificaiton

Eric Bruns filling holes with sand

Sand filled channel

This week will be the beginning of our fall aerification process.  Rain earlier this week has prolonged the sand topdressing process, however greens should be completed this week and back to normal playing conditions in a few days.  We are aerating greens, tees and fairways to remove thatch, add creeping bentgrass seed to weak and thin areas, and amend the root zones with more sand for greater rooting capabilities and internal drainage.  Core aeration is the process of removing cores of thatch and replacing them with sand.  These sand filled channels will break up the undesirable layering of organic matter created over the years and allow for air and water movement through the root zone.  The healing process usually takes approximately ten to fourteen days depending upon the weather.  We will be applying fertilizer and watering to germinate bentgrass seed and expedite surface recovery.  Members will experience softer, slower, bumpier greens containing many sand-filled holes during this time.  Once the bentgrass seedlings have become established and the surfaces have sufficiently healed, we will return to our normal watering practices and the greens will dramatically improve in firmness and drainage.  We understand cultivation temporarily disrupts the ball roll and is an inconvenience for the golfers but keep in mind that the long-term benefits far outweigh the temporary disruptions.