Golf Club Atlas
GolfClubAtlas.com => Golf Course Architecture Discussion Group => Topic started by: Tommy Williamsen on May 30, 2006, 12:17:08 PM
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Last summer the Washington DC area had one of the most difficult growing seasons in decades. As a result my home club is not going to aerate until next week. This seem to make sense to me. My other club aerated in April which is the most popular time to do it in this area.
Can any of you explain the rationale behind both schedules?
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Did you ask the superintendent?
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Good thought! I guess it was too easy for me to do.
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Either date can work. Because of playing pressure here in Paris, we aerate in March and July, and the greens are fine.
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TW
By aerating in prime growing season, wouldn't the recovery period be expedited? Our Super aerified in early March. Since there was little growth until April in the DC area it took 6 to 7 weeks to recover. Member play was down in March and April and guest play was virtually non-existent.....and nobody could figure out why?????
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Tommy,
The spring schedule sounds more normal, but I would be interested to hear why your super elected to wait until June if you find out.
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Though not familiar with the area, I can take an educated guess as to why your home club may be aerifying.
1. Aerifying in June will allow for much needed oxygen to the roots as they begin their difficult summer. This will also allow gases to leave the soils that can be harmful to bengrass.
2. Because of the temperatures in June, it makes it VERY hard for any poa to establish itself in the aerification holes.
3. Relieve any stress and compaction that the grass has gone through this spring and also from any winter play.
4. There are not too many things better for turf than aerifying-It just allows the turf to breath a sigh of relief.
Just a few...more to come later....
Tony Nysse
Sr. Asst. Supt.
Long Cove Club
HHI, SC
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I am playing today and will ask the Super his thoughts. Thanks for your thoughts.
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Anthony,
What are the negatives of aerating in June? There must be some, since not many courses do it. Or is it just a peak golfing time?
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Some friends just played Friar's Head and the fairways and greens had just been aerated.
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We just did ours here in N. Carolina on Monday; I think we simply waited until after our three-day Member-Member tourney over Memorial Day weekend.
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Interesting, I guess different regions must have their own timetables. I know when I'm thinking of golfing around spring break time or mid-fall, I always ask if they have aerated, so I don't have any suprises when I show up. This is No.Calif. I'm talking about.
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My course in Charlotte just aerated and Palmetto in Aiken, SC is aerating the greens on June 5th. This is new for both courses this year to do it this late. I've not been told the reason(s) though. Palmetto does have 2 relatively big mid-summer tourneys that it wants to look its best for I know.
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We are set to aerify next week, as are most courses in my area. We are though are busy season and our turf is getting stressed. Aerating now help with transition as we spray out our overseed 2 weeks ago and also allows us a little head start on reducing the thatch on the tifeagle before it really takes off for the summer. We will repeat the same process the first week of August.
Tony Nysse
Sr. Asst. Supt.
Long COve Club
HHI, SC
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My course in Charlotte just aerated and Palmetto in Aiken, SC is aerating the greens on June 5th. This is new for both courses this year to do it this late. I've not been told the reason(s) though. Palmetto does have 2 relatively big mid-summer tourneys that it wants to look its best for I know.
The greens at Palmetto were recently aerated when I played there last June, if I remember correctly. My home course here in CT typically aerates in June, and The fastrer-recovery reason makes sense to me, but it doesn't mean I accept it when I'm playing shortly after ;).
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Yesterday was a superintendents nightmare in metro-NYC . Today, our super aerified with tiny holes on 5 greens. I played another course today that once recieved a record low Doak number and there were a few extreme small hole aerified greens that had to be done either yesterday or today.
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Just my .02 worth as your best source is always your own supt and his peers in your area.
I'm only guessing, but I wouldn't be surprised if after the nightmare of last year more supers and more importantly, members and greens chairs, realize the importance of going into the late summer stress season with healthy turf. Aeration in early summer/late spring when the turf can heal nicely and the soil can be opened and breathing as we head into high play and high temps is probably a very good thing. Aeration is often planned on the club calendar instead of an agronomic calendar. I always liked aerifiying just as the soil begins to heat up and the grass has had a reasonable time to "get up and get going".
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Our superintendant told me that the root system is not very good at the moment and that aeration in June will help grow deeper roots. This should help in the late summer heat. The grass on both the fairways and greens is L93.
It seems to make sense to aerate in June for the above reasons as well as Anthony's. I would also think that it will take less time for the turf to heal.
I wonder from the replies above if more courses are waiting to aerate later in the year.