Early season aeration

Before the course opens for the 2013 season we decided to sneak in a hollow tine aeration on the tees, collars and aprons.  These areas are very difficult to aerate when the course is open and we don't have the luxury of closing a nine or a maintenance morning. 

 

We set the ProCore aerator to a depth of just 1.5 inches in order to bring up some thatch along with a small amount of soil. 

 

 

We go over the plugs several times with an old drag mat and then blow the thatch off, leaving the soil on the tees.

 

 

With regular aeration, topdressing programs and good cultural practices, the 20 year old tees have very little thatch.

 

 

The other benefits to an early aeration are a quicker recovery from any winter damage and a lack of poa seeds that can be moved into the rootzone by the aerator tines.