Today we will be deep needle-tining our putting surfaces. This process
is one that we do several times a season, the last of which was in
mid-May. It uses long solid tines to poke small holes into the
soil. This process is not core aeration where lots of soil is
removed and picked up. Deep needle tine aeration is minimally
invasive and has very little impact on play when compared with
tradition core aeration or standard deep-tining. Heal in time after core
aeration and standard deep-tine aeration is anywhere from 10-14
days whereas deep needle-tining is healed within a couple days.
As far as playability goes the greens will be a bit slower and may be a
little bumpy early in the week. As the week progresses, the
bumpiness will subside although some small holes may still be visible.
It is important to understand that there are many types of aeration and
that all of them are critically important for having healthy turf on golf
courses. We utilize all types of aeration at Ridgeway but use deep
needle-tining as our preferred method on greens. The reason we chose this
method more often than others is because we are able to do it 5-7
times a season without impacting the playability of our putting
surfaces. Since going to deep needle-tining we have seen our roots double
in length and increase in mass. This has translated in healthier more
robust turf for the long term.
For an explanation of the different aeration methods here is an article that may help:
http://grounds-mag.com/mag/grounds_maintenance_products_practice_aeration/
If you have any questions about aeration or any questions
about the course in general feel free to email me anytime. Cheers!
