Building a tee out of aeration plugs. Cancel The title field is required!

1. Dalton Andrew

   
   10/19/2012 8:10 PM

   There are obvious negatives to doing this, but we have a situation where we are in the process of leveling a tee with the tee mix that was used during original construction (standard 80/20 mix 4"-8" deep) Unfortunately, due to improper planning on my part the tees were aggressively aerated and the grass just rips apart while trying to strip it off after sod cutting(blessing in disguise, these tee had blue, rye, poa and bent growing in them).
   
   Our greens are probably 50/50 poa/bent. However, this teeing area has a lot of trees around them, but does get the morning sunlight. I thought this may be a good area to grass with the aeration plugs. I'm in Southeastern Michigan, I could still seed it and cover it, but thought I would ask for some advice about plugging, of course still using the covers.
   
   Andy

   
   
   
   
2. James Smith

   

   112 posts
   
   10/20/2012 6:10 AM

   I do this from time to time but we use TifEagle plugs. The only draw back I have seen is the tee feels a little, spongy (may be the word for it). This is from the thatch layer that comes from our plugs though and it generally goes away after 6-8 months. I am not sure about the northern grasses though.

   
   
   
   
3. Rosenthal Gregg

   
   10/20/2012 7:10 AM

   Andy,
   
   I would personally stay away from aeration plugs just because of the thatch you would be transferring to your range tee. Stick to seed, good sand/soil, since you are covering it it should germinate early in the spring. We here in Chicago area are doing work on the course in house also building new tee on a par three, utilizing Bent/Poa turf from a Par 3 fairway. The re-sodding the area with bluegrass (coming in from sod-farm) where we took the sod from making it smaller as it was larger than required for a par 3. That may be another thought for you, in house sod relocation as we are doing? if you have a fairway that starts too close to the tee it can be shortened, that sod used for you Driving Range tee? The reseed/re-sod rough where you took the fairway sod from...Many ways to make it work, but I would still keep away from aeration plugs, one aerates and removes them for a good reason..JMO.
   
   Gregg R