Question about green speeds and airation

[Leftygolfer]

I played yesterday at a place that does not airate the greens (at least this year) and I noticed that down hill putts were so much quicker than the uphill putts. It was so drastically different. I had 6 3 putts and have never had so much trouble with speed control.

Is it my imagination or does this in fact make the variance greater. The places I normally play airate twice a year and the variance between uphill and downhill putts is alot less.

Is this all in my head??

[jcard71]

I played yesterday at a place that does not airate the greens (at least this year) and I noticed that down hill putts were so much quicker than the uphill putts. It was so drastically different. I had 6 3 putts and have never had so much trouble with speed control.

The first thing I notice when it's getting close to having to aerate the greens at my home course is how hard they get and that they dont hold very well.

I dont think you would notice a different other than the obvious between downhill and uphill... Fast and hard greens are tough because you have to play a very different game, you can no longer attack the pins. Placement becomes very important..

[AmenCorner]

Perhaps it was a grain issue. If your downhill putts were also downgrain, and vice versa, certainly you would see a greater variance than if you were talking about a more random set of grain situations.

[Leftygolfer]

Perhaps it was a grain issue. If your downhill putts were also downgrain, and vice versa, certainly you would see a greater variance than if you were talking about a more random set of grain situations.

Wouldn't non airated greens be more grainy?? It was unbelievable the difference.

[AmenCorner]

Wouldn't non airated greens be more grainy?? It was unbelievable the difference.

I'm no turf management guru, but it's possible.

[iacas]

Aeration is for the roots. I don't think it has any effect on the speed of the greens in one direction. And I really doubt you have grain in Ohio, so, it's probably not that.

[Leftygolfer]

I guess the greens were just that sloped. Thanks for the imput. It was crazy how fast they were going down and how slow doing up.

I really don't care to play there again for a while.

[AmenCorner]

I would say it is simply slope. Where I play in the mountains is very hilly. Downhill is blindingly fast, uphill is understandably slow too. Variance is clearly greater in such cases.

[jorruss]

I'll put my greeskeeper hat on for this one:

I think you only have to deal with grain in the south on the bermuda grass. Aerating is done to allow water, oxygen, fertilizers, and other nutrients to penetrate the soil and better reach the roots of the grass. In is normally done once in the spring and again in the fall. It doesn't have much effect on controlling grain. Verticutting, has an effect of reducing grain, but is done primarilty to encourage more growth and provides better sun and nutrient coverage.

[CarlSpackler]

What course was this Lefty?

[iacas]

I think you only have to deal with grain in the south on the bermuda grass. Aerating is done to allow water, oxygen, fertilizers, and other nutrients to penetrate the soil and better reach the roots of the grass. In is normally done once in the spring and again in the fall. It doesn't have much effect on controlling grain. Verticutting, has an effect of reducing grain, but is done primarilty to encourage more growth and provides better sun and nutrient coverage.

My greenskeeper tells me that it has nothing to do with fertilizers, etc.

Aeration does two things, which is really one thing: it reduces soil compaction. The "second" thing it does, which is really the same as the first, is that it creates more air pockets. My super is fond of saying that grass roots don't grow in dirt - they grow in air. The small pockets of air around the dirt particles. That's why they typically sand greens after they aerate. It has nothing to do with fertilizer getting down there. Though, with less compact soil, I'm sure water and fertilizer and everything DOES get down there more easily. But my super's pretty adamant about the "grass roots grow in air" thing. To the point where it's kind of an inside joke now.

[Leftygolfer]

Hickory sticks golf club. It is a country course and just not maintained as well as the courses I typically play.

Thanks for the imput.

[CarlSpackler]

Hickory sticks golf club. It is a country course and just not maintained as well as the courses I typically play.

Not familiar with that one, but I will keep this thread in mind if I ever end up there.