Golf Management Info Regarding Aerifying Greens

Photo by ShellVacationsHospitalityGolf greens are usually aerified with 3/8 inch hollow tines and 1 ½ inch spacing from hole to hole. These are some of the advantages and disadvantages of Aerifying golf greens:

Advantages:

• Relieves soil compaction • Allows deeper, faster penetration of water, air, fertilizer, and pesticides in the root zone. • Allows for the atmospheric release of toxic gases from the root zone. • Improves drainage, helping to dry out saturated soils and prevent the formation of puddles. • Improves water penetration into dry or hydrophobic soils. • Penetrates the soil layers that develop from topdressing with dissimilar materials. • Provides thatch control by stimulating the environmental conditions that promote healthy soil microorganism activity for thatch decomposition. • Increases rooting by constructing a medium more conducive to active root growth.

Disadvantages:

• Temporarily disrupts playing surface. • Increases turf surface desiccation as roots are exposed. • Produces coring holes that provide a better habitat for cutworms and other insect pests. As you can see, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages for the long-term health of the green year round.