Aerifcation isn’t fun for anyone involved. I grew up
playing the game so I genuinely understand aerifications short term effects on
putting quality. No one dislikes disrupting a putting surface more than I do
but I assure you all that it is a necessary evil and the benefits are felt long
after recovery. I would bore you with the intricacies and the science behind
the benefits of aerification so I won’t get too into the weeds. However, I do
think you all deserve to have a better understanding of why I aerify. I will
keep it simple, general and hopefully helpful.
The most widely and publicly accepted reasons for
aerification are to remove thatch and relieve compaction. In general, this is
true, and we do use aerification, to varying degrees, as a tool to accomplish
these two things. However, compaction isn’t a super critical issue on greens
constructed with sand as ours are. *Side
note: I have no experience with push-up greens profiles so my thoughts here
only pertain to sand profile greens*. Core aerification has its greatest
impacts on compaction in heavier, finer textured soils commonly found in
fairways and rough areas. And, as for thatch management, aerifications benefit isn’t
so much the physical removal of the thatch layer as it is the creation of a
healthier soil environment where thatch accumulation can be slowed and thatch
breakdown can be accelerated. Don’t get me wrong, core aerification does in
fact remove thatch but when you do the math the total volume of thatch removed in
any one coring process is surprisingly low.
For me, and I try and only ever speak for myself, it
essentially comes down to preventing anaerobic (non-oxygenated) condition’s by
providing fresh, clean, un-obstructed sand channels that allow adequate gas
exchange throughout the root zone. For me it’s really that simple, I aerify to
promote gas exchange. There are certainly a number of secondary and tertiary
reasons for aerification, but allowing the root zone to “breathe” is the reason
I aerify. In fact, a majority of the secondary and tertiary benefits are simply
direct and indirect effects of a healthy, oxygenated root zone.
So… although I know, in the short term, aerifcation isn’t an
ideal situation I assure you it’s well worth it. I really appreciate your
understanding and patience with the process.
Here is a photo of a plug
from a green that does a wonderful job of showing the sand channels created
during aerification. This particular plug still has visible sand channels from
a number of years ago. This is exactly why I do what I do.
An Important Note: In this industry there are numerous thought’s,
ideas, process’, principal’s, etc.… when it comes to managing a golf facility.
Please remember that what I say here only pertains to me and my approach. I
don’t ever want to speak on behalf of anyone but myself. I will never comment
on another’s facility and nothing you read here should ever be perceived as a
commentary on what someone else is or is not doing. My articles are not arguments
for what is the right or wrong way to do something. They are simply an explanation
of why I do what I do (and what I do is far from perfect).
