Toro ProCore 648 Needle tines Cancel The title field is required!

1. Dalton Andrew

   
   7/29/2016 8:07 PM

   We currently needle tine our greens every 3 to 4 weeks with the needle tine set-up. The tines we use are what Toro calls their 5mm. They have an 8mm, but it's to big for us during the heat of summer. However, our 5mm tines constantly break or bend. We probably go through 10-12 during the process of venting 19 greens at just under 4 acres. We may do 6 greens without breakage and then we seem to have 1 break or bend per green. Has anyone experienced this type of issue? We have USGA greens too. The 5mm seems a bit to flimsy and afraid the 1/4 inch might be to big too. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
   
   Andrew

   
   
   
   
2. Jeremy Hreben

   

   0 posts
   
   7/30/2016 7:07 AM

   I do not have any experience with those tines. However I do vent all summer long. I use start tines or cross tines. They are 3/4" mount. Once we punch we then roll and they are as good as new.

   
   
   
   
3. John Gold

   

   0 posts
   
   7/30/2016 7:07 AM

   We routinely vent our Bentgrass USGA greens at .25" and encounter no tine bending problems. Both Toro and JRM tines have performed well. With the 648 turf guards and roller in place, the vent hole is only visible for about two to three days before closing and doesn't noticeably affect play. We also roll following our punch to further smooth the playing surface. Of course, height of cut, turf density and vigor also play a part in how long the holes are visible, but unless your turf is weak and thinned, or you're mowing at an ultra low height you should see rapid closure.

   
   
   
   
4. Dalton Andrew

   
   7/30/2016 8:07 PM

   I guess I will try the .25 tines. The needles are great because the holes are closed almost immediately and nobody notices and we can usually perform our venting all day long with gaps in play. Thanks for the response, just can't justify the down time and replacement costs anymore will order the .25 on Monday.
   
   Andrew

   
   
   
   
5. Andrew Cross

   

   5 posts
   
   7/30/2016 8:07 PM

   We will usually water greens 6 minutes the night before we needle tine. We had an issue where we actually broke 50 tines doing 9 greens!!!! Turns out the main belt had rode up on the edge of the pulley throwing off the timing slightly. We just bought some bayonet tines to try. We will see how that goes.

   
   
   
   
6. Christopher Thuer

   

   101 posts
   
   7/31/2016 12:07 PM

   We didn't have much luck due to breakage with the 8mm needle tines on our greens using our 648. They are USGA. We tried needles one time a few years ago and haven't tried it since.
   
   The goal was to go deeper as we have been doing the monthly solid tine since 2003 and even on USGA mix we were developing a hard pan just below tine depth. Rooting depth was being restricted by the hard pan. The last few years we have deep tined the first week of April. The roots are now growing deeper than the cup plugs down and around the deep tine holes. Even today, I set pins myself due to our pin setter no showed, there were roots hanging from below the cup cutter plug at full depth.
   
   Before and since we have used 1/4" solids. We tried the competition tines and had difficulty keeping them in the holders and now stay strictly with the Toro Titans. We can get several punches per set. We just did the 3rd time last week and will use the same ones next month for the 4th time with this set.
   
   We have the roller attachment on the 648 plus we roll the greens immediately behind the 648. Ball roll is nearly normal right after the roll and player comments confirm. We do the front 9 and 2 practice greens Monday, the back 9 Tuesday, and by the weekend the holes are nearly gone.

   
   Chris Thuer, CGCS, Bear Slide Golf Club, Cicero, IN