8/5/2013 6:08 AM
Larry,
We just rebuilt and sodded our Putting Green this spring. Work continues on it as I viewed it as a full season work in progress as I didn't want to push too hard too fast and end up resodding come fall. I've gotten pressure from a few board members but a great Greens Committee that has told me to take the time I need to ensure we have a healthy, usable putting green for numerous years.
Unfortunately for us it was kind of a under the gun project so not much planning was able to be done prior. If I had the chance I would have tried to contract a sod producer to grow the sod for me to my specs, instead the sod we received although on a good medium was long and thatchy. As the sod was being laid we used plywood to walk on, once that row was laid down we pulled a hand roller over to try and get good root to soil contact. The next few days we watered, and watered, and watered. Within about 4-5 days we were starting to get some good root penetration so we once again laid boards to walk on and walk rolled again.
About a week in we began topdressing heavy(by hand) then dragging the sand in by having 2 guys pull the coco mat to eliminate any equipment on the green. 10 days in we mowed then topdressed again and continued this process on an every 2-3 day schedule, slowly bringing height down. 21 days in we used our ProCore with solid 1/2" tines and went at 2" spacing only 2" down poking some holes and working a heavy topdressing into the thatch layer, this helped firm things up a bit more allowing us to then start getting more aggressive with equipment use as well as mowing heights. Once the green healed from aerification we used groomers to start to try and clean up runners as well as remove a little bit a thatch.
We've done numerous aerification types, like a said 1/2" solids, 1/4" hollows, and needle tines. Aerification is the most vital I feel, just to be sure to break through that "sod layer". Sod we received was about .5", we are now at .190". I'm sure I could have pushed harder but since I had the backing I wasn't going to. I do get comments from people about the putting green not being the same speed as the greens on the course but taking a little time to explain to them what we are dealing with and what we are trying to prevent they understand. Today we have roots about 7-8" down and now with cooler temps in the area we will push more so that once aerification is here the Tuesday after labor day we are basically at greens height and then next season we start off equal.
Best of Luck,
Justin