As the spring season rolls around, golfer excitement grows. The long, harsh winter conditions make golfers eager to try out their new equipment and shake off the winter blues. The first month or so of winter, the staff is out cleaning the course and prepping for the first mow. As the sun moves north and the temperatures rise, the grass begins to grow. On the surface the course looks to be in the best shape of the year, but we all know the summer conditions are looming and spring becomes the time to implement cultural practices to ensure the health of the grass plant.
You may be asking yourself why do we do the things we do, for example, aerification? There are many reason we aerify our greens, tees, and fairways. Aerification improves air exchange, water movement, and to a lesser degree, compaction. The main reason we aerify here at Meadowbrook Country Club is to modify and manage organic levels within the soil profile. We have added 4 inches of sand to the greens in the last 30 years through our topdressing program. As the turf grows and dies, organic matter develops through decomposition within that sand layer. The USGA recommends organic levels to stay at or below 3% of total soil weight. In the last few years we have used 1/4 inch quadratines (small tines) on our greens and are gradually increasing to the 4% mark. When this happens during hot and wet summers, the potential to scalp greens increases when mowing. Organic matter (thatch), also acts as a sponge, leaving greens soft and vulnerable to ball marks and poor surface drainage. This year we are going to go with larger tines, meaning larger holes, because soil test are indicating our organic level is increasing. Another reason to go to larger is the ability to get the topdressing sand in to the holes. By filling the holes with sand we are able to dilute the organic matter and continue to maintain acceptable numbers.
To read full article by USGA Senior Agronomist Darin S. Bevard click here.
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