Trust the Process

We just completed greens aerification this past week, and contrary to what many may believe, we don't really enjoy this task.  The work is hard, the days are long, and it always feels like the weather throws us some kind of curve ball.  However, what we do ultimately appreciate are the results of aerification.  People often ask us, "The greens are great, why do you have to aerify?"

The answer is simple:  We aerify so they will remain great.

As in the past, we did a two part process this spring.  Day one consisted of a traditional core aerification, using a relatively small hollow tine on a tight hole spacing.  The plugs are removed and sand is incorporated into the holes.   

We followed up on day two with our Dryject contractor, Dennis Granahan, and his team.  The Dryject process allows us to get sand into the root zone at a depth which conventional aerifiers can not.

While the weather wasn't very conducive to drying, we were able to give the greens a final brooming Wednesday afternoon to smooth out the sand.

So, yes, aerification can be stressful to the turf, the Club's members, and the maintenance staff.  But when you think back to last year's 70+" of precipitation, and how well the greens performed, we should all take a step back and remember to trust the process.