Fairway Core Collection Cancel The title field is required!

1. Casavant Gerry

   
   11/29/2012 10:11 PM

   We're considering getting into a fairway aeration & topdressing program. We're in a very wet area with heavy thatch so I want to remove cores before sanding.
   What machines do you guys recommend for large area / volume core collection? I recall seeing a Weideman unit at a show with a hydraulic lifting dump ... any thoughts on this?
   Also, what Fairway Aerators do you recommend for this?
   
   Thanks
   Gerry Casavant
   Prince Rupert, BC

   
   
   
   
2. Neidhardt John J

   
   11/30/2012 7:11 AM

   Maybe, set UP a Fairway verticut unit, mince the plugs and blowers would make short work of it.

   
   
   
   
3. Andy Keyes

   

   0 posts
   
   12/3/2012 12:12 PM

   We pick up all of our plugs whole without any processing. We use the Toro Sweeper and the john deere sweeper. we aerate with the John Deere aerator and send both sweepers out about an hour later to start picking up. They then dump into a utility vehicle and haul away so that the sweeper can keep on moving. Works great does involve quite a few employees but we can get a fairway aerated and swept in about 5 hours (par 5).

   
   
   
   
4. Zachary Wignall

   

   1 posts
   
   12/3/2012 5:12 PM

   Andy you must have some excellent equipment operators and a nice budget!!

   
   
   
   
5. Broersma Trevor

   
   12/6/2012 12:12 PM

   Gerry,
   
   Our process is using a Weideman Super 500 that we verticut to a depth of 1.5" right in front of our JD 2000 fwy aerifier. We aerify on 3x3 spacing to about 3.5" deep. We then have a cushman with a coreharvestor picking up the plugs and whatever verticutting clippings don't make it into the hopper. Then we use our Toro Proforce to blow off any left over plugs, and lay down around 900 tons of sand.
   
   We tried using the Weideman to pick up plugs, but with our wet profile it ended up breaking the hopper.
   
   Trevor Broersma, CGCS
   Washington National Golf Club

   
   
   
   
6. Casavant Gerry

   
   12/9/2012 10:12 PM

   Trevor, I was considering using the Weideman to collect cores. Would it possibly be a case of just taking partial hopper loads? I,too, am in a very wet area.
   These other sweeper units mentioned, do they have unloading capability like the weideman to deposit directly into an elevated trailer?
   
   Thanks guys

   
   
   
   
7. Bill Warnick

   

   0 posts
   
   12/10/2012 11:12 PM

   We use a Toro Prosweep and a turbine blower. We start in the middle and the machines don't drive on the clay plugs. The turbine cleans the fairway as we go along. It can be very wet and the system still works. It doesn't work in the rain. We don't let the aerator get more than one or two passes ahead of the sweeper in case it rains or a possible breakdown. We have some very thatchy fairways and this generates a huge amount of materiel to deal with.
   
   This is the third year we have aerified 28 fairways in the off-season. If I had a second sweeper like Andy has it would be much faster. I just wish I had the money to topdress them. Good luck.
   
   
   [img">http://i430.photobucket.com/albums/qq28/zacklet01/fwy_aerif.jpg[/img">
   [img">http://i430.photobucket.com/albums/qq28/zacklet01/fairway_aerif.jpg[/img">

   
   
   
   
8. Andy Jorgensen

   

   1 posts
   
   12/11/2012 5:12 AM

   We aerify with Toro 1298's. Followed by a First Products VC-60 to chop them up and verticut, then two Toro Rake-O-Vac sweepers. Sometimes, we'll verticut first, then aerify and sweep. Either method works.
   
   [img">http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r143/andyjorg/AerificationandRenovation008.jpg[/img">
   
   This is on Bermuda though, and not sure you want to go that agressive on your Bent.

   
   
   
   
9. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   12/12/2012 7:12 AM

   I worked at a course in Spring Hill Florida and we used to use our Toro Rake-O Vac to pick up plugs on greens (I don't remember them tracking, this was back in 1980 and those things were hard) Then we topdressed and then we pushed the sand in with the backs of the big bunker rakes (the side that looks like lutes), then dad would give us guys a couple of draft beers when they were done. Oh the good old days.
   
   Mel

   
   Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
   
   
10. Andy Jorgensen

    

    1 posts
    
    12/12/2012 12:12 PM

    Melvin Waldron, CGCS said: I worked at a course in Spring Hill Florida....then dad would give us guys a couple of draft beers when they were done. Oh the good old days.
    
    Mel

    
    
    Weren't you like 12 back then? Ken Husilak does not approve!

    
    
    
    
11. Melvin Waldron

    

    43 posts
    
    12/12/2012 7:12 PM

    Andy Jorgensen said:

    Melvin Waldron, CGCS said: I worked at a course in Spring Hill Florida....then dad would give us guys a couple of draft beers when they were done. Oh the good old days.
    
    Mel

    
    
    Weren't you like 12 back then? Ken Husilak does not approve!

    
    
    Andy, funny, I actually was 19 then, I was right at that age that when I turned 18 I could drink and they then raised the age every year until they got to 21. This was before Ken, he wouldn't have bought us beer, he did use to buy us dinner during aeration. He wouldn't have us start aerating until 10:00 in the morning, he wanted to get the revenue from the morning rounds. The best way to get beer from Kenny was to talk hockey, I remember one late night after everyone had a few, they proceeded to head out to the cart barn to see who could hit the hardest slap-shot. Just one of the many stories I remember about Spring Hill, I know it's not as much fun nowadays.
    
    Mel

    
    Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO