NOT Core Aerifying Ultradwarf Greens Cancel The title field is required!

1. Paul Carter

   

   0 posts
   
   7/13/2013 8:07 PM

   Just throwing this out there to get some feedback and thoughts.
   
   In a recent conversation with another GCS the question of whether or not you could skip core aerifying ultradwarf greens would be a possible scenario and what would be the downside of doing so. We both agreed that continued topdressing and the occasional solid tine aerification would still proceed but could you skip pulling a core from your ultradwarf greens and be successful.
   
   My golf course is in Tennessee and I have had Champion greens for 10 years now and have aerified in almost every size tine, tine configuration, and at many different times throughout the summer just as I have been instructed to do by "the powers that be". Personally I would love to not have to pull a core out of the greens and I know our golfers and our cash register would love it if this process did not have to take place every year. We haven't aerified our tees or fairways in six years and with over 30,000 rounds last year we have a lot of traffic.
   
   Has anyone had any experience (success or failure) with not core aerifying your ultradwarf greens over any extended period of time? What do you perceive to be the advantages or disadvantages to NOT core aerification of ultradwarf greens?
   
   Thanks in advance.
   
   Paul L. Carter, CGCS
   The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay
   http://www.bthbgcm.blogspot.com

   
   
   
   
2. Holt Michael

   
   7/24/2013 9:07 PM

   Paul,
   Mine were basically skipped for 2 years and I saw organic matter go from 5/6% range to 10/11% range. Back to coring 2 times per summer now and playing catch up. Just my 2 cents.

   
   
   
   
3. Steven Huffstutler

   

   11 posts
   
   7/25/2013 10:07 AM

   There are a number of horror stories out there about guys who were pressured into skipping aerification for years to try to enhance income. You should also remember that in addition to all of the benefits that you normally think of when you think about aerification, there is also the issue of new plant vigor. Our grasses are perrenials, but how long is their lifespan? Remember when you first planted those greens? Remember how strong and vigorous they were? Why not remove some old plants and grow new ones from time to time?
   
   Regards and good luck,
   
   Steve

   
   
   
   
4. Anthony Nysse

   

   1 posts
   
   7/25/2013 5:07 PM

   Steven Huffstutler, CGCS said: There are a number of horror stories out there about guys who were pressured into skipping aerification for years to try to enhance income. You should also remember that in addition to all of the benefits that you normally think of when you think about aerification, there is also the issue of new plant vigor. Our grasses are perrenials, but how long is their lifespan? Remember when you first planted those greens? Remember how strong and vigorous they were? Why not remove some old plants and grow new ones from time to time?
   
   Regards and good luck,
   
   Steve

   
   
   I actually agree with Steve.

   
   
   
   
5. Flanagan Darren C

   
   7/25/2013 5:07 PM

   Paul
   
   Allot of factors to think about.... we actually did this one year and it worked fine. Verti drain every 3 weeks to 10 inches and dusted them. I would not recommend it every year but it can be done. My decision was based on the organic matter we had 1% roughly. I prefer to run around 3-5 here as we have course sand from the river beds that are in the greens. There is no washed screened sand here in the baja, the higher organic matter helped with producing the surface how I wanted and increased the moisture retention and the CEC. If I did not have the courser material I probably would not run is so high.
   
   Steve´s comment is a very good one. We just finished building a new short game area in house recently and the green look pure right now. Another putting green being built starting next week so cant wait.
   
   Good luck mate and a very good discussion topic!
   
   Darren

   
   
   
   
6. Paul Carter

   

   0 posts
   
   7/25/2013 8:07 PM

   Thanks for the reply everyone. I know the benefits of aerification and totally agree with all the comments. I guess every now and then you just have to ask questions. I'm going to do an experiment on our putting green next week with some different tines and a Sisis to see how much material can be removed and how long the different processes take to recover and how the golfers respond to the varying processes.
   
   Thanks again.
   
   Paul L. Carter, CGCS