Greens Aeration

As we approach the end of the golf season the Turf Care Team has successfully undertaken another Greens Aeration. Using 1/4 inch side eject, carbide tipped aeration tines on a 2.5 inch spacing we removed cores and filled them with topdressing sand. The procedure is labour intensive and our crew puts a great deal of hard work into disrupting golf as little as possible.

Core Aeration, 4th Green

Brushing Topdressing Sand into Aeration holes, Proshop Putter

Brushing and Rolling remaining sand, 4th Green

Why do you have to punch the greens?

Aeration is perhaps the most important cultural practice to perform on a turf putting surface for a number of reasons:

1) Water infiltration
2) Nutrient absorption
3) Gas exchange
4) Improving plant health
5) Improving the putting surface

Aeration on the Kamloops Golf and Country Club Greens is even more important now than it has ever been. In 2010/2011 the Greens were completely replaced during the Renovation. In order to have the course open in time for the summer a choice was made to use sod, not seed to turf the putting surface. The sod company purposely grows a thatch/orgainic layer in the turf so they are able to remove and transport the turf to its new site. After the grassing of the greens is complete aeration is important to remove the thatch layer as much as possible and help blend the turf onto its new soil, the turf soil interface. Aerating shortly after the Grand Opening was not an option, the Club needed the greens to be open, so aeration was delayed

In the fall of 2011 the greens were able to be successfully aerated and the thatch layer was reduced.

In 2012 the greens sustained an outbreak of the disease known as Take All Patch which devastated many areas of the greens, aerating was again out of the question. The green's rootmass was destroyed by the disease and too fragile to sustain the mechanical stress caused by aeration. Under these circumstances the thatch layer has been able to grow and grow, making it more important than ever to aerate.

Now in 2013 we have disease under control and have been able to establish a rootmass. We are able to aerate, and aerate we shall! We preformed a light solid tine aeration in the spring, a moderate core aeration at the begging of September and we are preparing for another moderate aeration for the end of September. Aerating has already helped improve our greens, and continuing with this cultural practice we will continue to attain the following:

Physically removing portions of the thatch layer. 

This layer of organic material produced by the turfs regeneration holds water at the surface making it hard for water and nutrients to penetrate down into the root zone, the plant's primary source for nutrient and water absorption. This thatch layer causes the putting surface to remain wet and soft after watering as the water is being held at the surface instead of the rootzone beneath.

Replacing the thatch layer with topdressing sand.

By replacing the thatch layer with sand we can provide channels where water and nutrients are able to easily travel through and provide the rootzone with accessible oxygen, while releasing carbon dioxide. (AKA gas exchange). The sand channels with keep the surface dry and firm as the water is able to penetrate the surface and reach the rootzone.

Aeration: removing thatch, replacing with sand. (displacement.) Proshop Putter

It has been said that this year the Greens at Kamloops are amongst the best in town, if we want them to continue to improve and become the best, then we must continue to aerate and topdress, even if more golf is disrupted. As mentioned before, we plan and work hard to minimize the disruption of golf, but it is inevitable that people will have to putt on greens with aeration holes.

During a wet period at the end of August, a number of disease patches were evident of the fairways and parts of the greens. Although disease/ fungus is always present in the soil, it requires wet and warm conditions to reproduce to a level in which it can cause damage. A small amount of fungicide was purchased to control Yellow Tuft and Pythium Blight, the two diseases suspected of being active. To save money, only the areas with visible disease activity were targeted with fungicide, instead of  doing a blanket spray of the entire fairway, saving the club approximately $5000. All of the greens were sprayed, the more expensive (yet more effective) fungicide was used on the greens with the most disease activity, while others were sprayed with a less expensive but still relatively effective alternative, again saving money.

Disease symptoms, recovering, post fungicide

As we transition into the fall season the Turf Care team is currently aerating fairway and rough areas, and has plans for aeration of tees and greens again in the coming weeks. As a team we always look forward to performing tasks to make improvements for next year.