Nobody's favorite time of year.

Aeration week is here again, and not a minute too soon considering the extremely dry weather we have been experiencing.  This is one of the most important times of the year for the health and performance of the turf throughout the golf course, and is the first step in preparing the course for next summer.  The turf is beginning to shift all its energy from survival and recovery to building a root system that will sustain it through the heat and drought stress that we will experience again in nine months or so.  We are doing everything we can to facilitate this process by improving the soil and providing water and nutrients to encourage the plants to grow a deep, dense root system.

While the course was closed on Monday and Tuesday we core aerated the greens and tees and spiked the fairways.  Due to a few equipment malfunctions we had to drag some of the work out into Wednesday, but the bulk of the operation is now complete.  We will spend the rest of the week finishing the cleanup and shifting our focus to recovery and restoring the playing surfaces to their original condition.  The guys have been working long, hard hours to get as much done in these two days as possible, and we will continue these efforts throughout the week so that the course recovers as quickly as possible.

The core aeration and topdressing that was completed on greens and tees provide many benefits to the soil and turf.  First, core aeration removes excess thatch that builds up over the course of the season.  Then the sand topdressing dilutes the thatch and improves the soil structure and drainage, and improves the durability of the playing surfaces. 

Aerating the fairways is a bit more challenging due to the acreage as well as the rocks and shallow ledge found throughout the property.  The firm dry playing surfaces we have been enjoying all summer were the result of the extremely dry, compacted soil.  If we were to apply the same aeration process used on greens and tees we would spend more time repairing the machine than we would aerating the fairway.  Two years ago we chose to purchase a more durable machine that shatters the compacted soil with vibrating spikes rather than punching and pulling soil to the surface.  As this machine only deals with compaction, we will have to find other ways of managing thatch later in the season.

A light dose of fertilizer was applied prior to aeration, and we will be watering to promote growth and recovery.  The turf will recover slowly over the next 7-10 days, and soon our normal management programs will be back in place and the course will be ready for fall golf.  Thank you for your patience, and if you get a chance, please take a minute to thank the crew for their "above and beyond" efforts this week.

Click here for an article from the USGA describing keys to a successful aeration.