Why Graden aeration?

[Carl Johnson]

I am curious as to exactly how the Graden process results in firmer greens, which is why our club has begun the project this week, (they say).  We have never before used it (that I know of).  We're about 16 years out from new USGA spec bent greens which have been lovingly cared for to date (usual core and verti-cutting).  The concern is that our greens aren't firm enough because it's too easy to stop approach shots on the greens and the pitch marks are too deep.  The purpose, I am told, is to make the course more difficult to play.  Is it that packing more sand into the greens will make them firmer?  I don't think we have a thatch problem with the greens.

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[Ian Mackenzie]

We used the Graden at our club for a few seasons.
The results were mixed and the recovery times on the greens caused widespread consternation.


In the end, we solved the problem:


WE hired a really, really good greenskeeper who sold the Gradens.
He then used less water, more sand and better use of chemicals.


Our green surfaces today are fantastic.

[Anthony_Nysse]

Graden's focus is the removal of the thatch/OM in the top 1/2". It's essentially a very deep verticut. The more modern units drop dry sand immediately into the newly formed channel. I have always tried to do this 1x a growing season.


Some might call this liner aerification, it's a consistent, solid line. I believe its benefits & focus are much different that core aerification.



Graden demonstration - Contour Sand Injector (youtube.com)

[Carl Johnson]

Graden's focus is the removal of the thatch/OM in the top 1/2". It's essentially a very deep verticut. The more modern units drop dry sand immediately into the newly formed channel. I have always tried to do this 1x a growing season.


Some might call this liner aerification, it's a consistent, solid line. I believe its benefits & focus are much different that core aerification.



Graden demonstration - Contour Sand Injector (youtube.com)

Thanks.  But is one of its benefits firming up the green so that it will be harder to hold shots?  That is the stated objective.  I've not heard anything about a thatch problem, and to my untrained, uneducated eye there does not seem to be one.

[Anthony_Nysse]

Graden's focus is the removal of the thatch/OM in the top 1/2". It's essentially a very deep verticut. The more modern units drop dry sand immediately into the newly formed channel. I have always tried to do this 1x a growing season.


Some might call this liner aerification, it's a consistent, solid line. I believe its benefits & focus are much different that core aerification.


Graden demonstration - Contour Sand Injector (youtube.com)

Thanks.  But is one of its benefits firming up the green so that it will be harder to hold shots?  That is the stated objective.  I've not heard anything about a thatch problem, and to my untrained, uneducated eye there does not seem to be one.

100%. The right sand will always be firmer than organic matter that holds water. It will make them firmer, roll more constantly, less footprinting in the afternoons.

[SB]

I have only used it for very bad thatch conditions.  As noted, it's a very intense verticut, and intended to get a lot more sand into the profile than you can get with core aerification. 


It will absolutely mess up your greens in the short term, but we had a great experience in the long term.  It seems a little late in the year to be doing it, but I am not an expert.

[Cal Carlisle]

The course I used to work at used a Graden, Dry Ject, and core aerifaction in one fell swoop in the early spring. I was actually amazed at how quickly it healed. I don't know what the percentage of disturbance was on the greens, but it got a good chunk of the annual target of 25% green disturbance out of the way very early.

[Tony Ristola]

I’ve seen soft, thatchy, poa greens that were poorly constructed without drainage (about 20-years old at the time) in Central Europe have the superintendent reduce fertilizer and water, got them stressed, and went through a couple years of graden treatment right off the bat… along with other treatments and inter-seeding. I know the graden was used thereafter, but at what rate… I don’t know.


Graden was used to remove organic material.



The greens, now about 5-years later, are some of the finest in the region. Firmer, with a healthy percentage of bents and fescues. All achieved with a modest budget.


Recovery times haven’t been that big an issue. Most likely because of the putting surface quality transformation, and because when I’ve seen the super do it, it was done during optimal growing season; late spring when soils are warm, and before temperatures rise significantly.

[Carl Johnson]

I am curious as to exactly how the Graden process results in firmer greens, which is why our club has begun the project this week, (they say).  We have never before used it (that I know of).  We're about 16 years out from new USGA spec bent greens which have been lovingly cared for to date (usual core and verti-cutting).  The concern is that our greens aren't firm enough because it's too easy to stop approach shots on the greens and the pitch marks are too deep.  The purpose, I am told, is to make the course more difficult to play.  Is it that packing more sand into the greens will make them firmer?  I don't think we have a thatch problem with the greens.

Our work was completed Sept. 25.  I played on Oct. 1.  I would say the greens were not materially worse than after a our normal core aeration with sand.  Long term?

[archie_struthers]

 


I've seen some good results from using the Graden and we even purchased one at Greate Bay years ago which helped the greens for sure. However it's like a knife for cutting . If you don't have a surgeon as a superintendent he or she might make a mistake in it's use. The timing is important both with your personal growing patterns at your golf course and the weather in your area. Like any aerification (aeration) process it's invasive and may take some time to heal or have effect. If your super doesn't have experience with the machine they should ask some local guru's for help. 


The one great thing I've found with superintendents is that they do share with their peers , and love to help another as a rule