Drill and Fill?

[Jim_Coleman]

   My course ('20's push up greens) is undergoing its 7th drill and fill procedure in the last 9 years, and plans another this fall.  Is any one aware of another course at which the procedure has been undertaken to such an extent?

[Ed Brzezowski]

Ours did, and the results have been great. Ball used to plug and you could see the DOM buildup.

Now you can get some release on the ball and it putts great. Well worth the efforts.

[Jon Wiggett]

Jim,


I know Schoenenberg near Zurich, Switzerland did this on some greens back in the late 90's. If I remember correctly they did this over 2 years to a depth of 18". It helped with the firmness of the greens worked which were quite soggy in the past.


Jon

[Anthony_Nysse]

   My course ('20's push up greens) is undergoing its 7th drill and fill procedure in the last 9 years, and plans another this fall.  Is any one aware of another course at which the procedure has been undertaken to such an extent?

Its not un common for courses that have non USGA greens to continue this process for years. Helps with firmness and drainage. Oakmont uses to do it every year. It's the single best way to modify the root zone of a soil based green.

[JNagle]

Jim -


It's the best procedure for your course.  The drainage characteristics of the 3"-5" layers and especially the 5" and greater within the cross section of greens at RG is not optimal to say the least.  As stated above by others, the drill and fill procedure is widely used and proven to work.  Yes, it takes time and is disruptive when happening, but its better than the alternative. 


Jim N

[BCrosby]

I have not heard the term before. Please describe "drill and fill".


Thanks, Bob

[Jim_Coleman]

   Thanks everybody for your responses.  I am comforted.  I know it's a good process, but every year for 10 or more years seems unusual.  I was unaware of it being done anywhere to that extent.  That's what I was wondering.
   Sr. Crosby:  I'm sure Nagle and Nysse will do a better job, but my understanding is it involves very deep, large tyne aeration with sand injected into the holes.  It requires specific equipment for the job, not just an aeration machine.

[Anthony_Nysse]

I have not heard the term before. Please describe "drill and fill".


Thanks, Bob

This should help.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfEy6Zovb5M

[JNagle]

One can see the amount of clay in the greens which Jim is wondering about.  Old school method - by hand. 


The PGA Tour catchy phrase of "These guys are good" should be applied to many superintendents.  Providing
the conditions they do day in and day out with varying weather conditions, player expectations, varying
budgets and poor growing conditions is amazing.

[Ed Brzezowski]

Let's not go getting all gushy over these guys, they still punch before GAP events!!

[Kalen Braley]

Looks like its just a deeper version than the annual aeriation of 3-4 inch plugs and fill.

I'm guessing the recovery time is pretty comparable?

P.S.  Those are some monster size holes.  Do they re-seed the drill holes?

[SL_Solow]

We did it for several years to change the soil profile.  Followed up with XGD and then gassed and regressed .  Very satisfied.  Major change in firmness, drainage etc. 

[Joe Bausch]

P.S.  Those are some monster size holes.  Do they re-seed the drill holes?

Those holes look like the size of a golf cup.  Me thinks a hole cutter was used and that piece of 'sod' is put back in place after the excavated clay is replaced with a sandy mix.

[MClutterbuck]

Golf would be easier if they just left all those holes!

[Joe Bausch]

Golf would be easier if they just left all those holes!

Or much harder if only one had a flag.   

[BCrosby]

Wow. Those are big boy holes.


What is the typical recovery time? Do you try to save turf 'caps' and put them back on the re-filled holes to speed recovery?


Bob

[archie_struthers]

 


We are doing it right now at Greate Bay at the Jersey Shore .  Pine Valley does it often if not every every fall. They have the luxury of not worrying about winter play unlike most of us .


It's pretty invasive but the results are generally very good. It seems our crew is getting better and better at the clean up and sanding .  We putted over the holes the other day and it was scary good.  However , if you do it in the fall it makes for a long winter if the weather turns on you . Here at the shore the soil temps tend to stay cool much longer due to the influence of the ocean .  We have bad spring and good fall growing seasons .






Great description and graphics above . Thanks guys

[Alan FitzGerald CGCS MG]

FWIW the holes in Jim's pictures using the single drills are not typical. Usually the bits are 1" like the ones in the video. Depending on the weather, healing time with the 1" bits is not much longer than an aggressive core aeration.

The benefits of the drill and fill is it can go deeper than other methods and since it uses a drill bit, it completely removes the old material leaving a clean column which is then filled with sand. This prevents contamination from the old material.

Two courses where I previously worked did the procedure. One was relatively new but an incorrect greens mix was used which resulted in them not draining. The drill and fill was used to bore channels to the gravel drainage layer underneath which greatly helped move water. The greens were really bad (as was the climate) and the conversion rate was too slow so they ultimately rebuilt.

The other course was old, built on sand with push up greens. We found that about 12" down there was an ash (of some other type of hard pan layer) that was preventing them drain. Since every green had it we assumed that they were built that way so they would hold water, in the days before irrigation. The drill and fill provided a method to break through the hard layer into the sand below and greatly increased drainage.

In these two scenarios there was a free draining layer below so the water could easily get away. In other cases, not lucky enough to have a free draining layer underneath, the drill and fill will extend the depth of the "bucket". The more channels, the bigger the bucket and in time, with multiple drill and fills, the greens profile will slowly convert from the native soil to a sandier one. Adding XGD/TDI (or similar) drainage helps get the water drain from the 'bucket'. As the profile composition changes from the drill and fill, it will facilitate getting water to those drains quicker.

 
As mentioned I wouldn't be concerned about the amount of times it's used as the more channels there are the better the drainage will be.

[Kalen Braley]

P.S.  Those are some monster size holes.  Do they re-seed the drill holes?

Those holes look like the size of a golf cup.  Me thinks a hole cutter was used and that piece of 'sod' is put back in place after the excavated clay is replaced with a sandy mix.

Looks like you're on to something Joe.  You can see all the muffin tops in the bucket on the right! 

[Ross Harmon]

Any idea of the cost of this on a per green basis (let's say 5,000 sq ft)?

[JESII]

Is it unanimous amongst the professionals here that pure sand is the best material for greens in the Philadelphia suburbs?  The ones I've seen require a great deal oh hand watering for the two months of high heat and humidity.

[Alan FitzGerald CGCS MG]

Is it unanimous amongst the professionals here that pure sand is the best material for greens in the Philadelphia suburbs?  The ones I've seen require a great deal oh hand watering for the two months of high heat and humidity.

A mentor once told me “it's always easier to add water than remove it”. The drier the profile the better. Straight sand provides the best drainage medium, which in most cases, is the goal.

While dragging a hose all summer isn't fun, it is better than having to wait for a waterlogged profile that you have no control over to dry out. There are numerous reasons why a drier profile is preferred. Some examples:

For playability:

• Firmer greens as they can be kept drier.
• The greens can be open more without doing damage.
• Green speed is easier to maintain as the greens can be mowed rolled more without major detrimental issues (mowing/rolling wet soils increases compaction).

For Turf management/conditions:

• Better rooting due to less compaction. Air space in the soils grows roots, which in turn helps increase stress tolerance during the less than ideal growing conditions in a Philly (or similar climate) summer.
• Disease management - most diseases like humid conditions. A drier profile will retain less heat and humidity which helps reduce the incident/risk of soil borne disease.
• A drier profile makes it easier to control the amount of water. This helps the turf manager to manage the moisture content as he needs and not have to deal with what nature dictates.

This is not just a Philly thing but applies to anywhere with hot humid summers with cool season turfgrass. Of course it is not infallible and by having a drier profile does not automatically mean there will not be issues; however, by having control over as much as possible it reduces the risk of potential issues. Ameliorating environmental factors (like using drill and fill or other aeration methods, building USGA spec greens, removing trees etc) and/or using mechanical methods (like fans, subair etc) all improve the conditions, which combined, help when Mother Nature decides to not play nice meaning the turf has a better chance of surviving a period when it should die.

[JESII]

Alan,


That's a great post. Thank you for responding.

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