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.