Interesting post on reddit - Why we aerify

[nevets88]

Can't speak to the accuracy, but sounds right, can anyone verify?

Quote

So what you're looking at the soil sample from a 22 year old green that was built to USGA spec. The bottom 3" of the core is the original rootzone, while the upper 5-7" is 22 years worth of organic material (stems, stolons, rhizomes etc.). OM has the ability to hold water (it has a negative charge), unlike sand; therefore, it can maintain H2O in the profile. Water held this far up in the profile is detrimental for three reasons. First, roots, with water this close to the surface, do not dive deep into the prfofile like they should - more/deeper roots = healthier turf. Secondly, due to the fact that OM has a high water holding capacity, your greens are susceptible to softer conditions (no one wants spongy greenS). Lastly, with a wetter profile comes increased compaction, which ultimately helps eliminate O2 in the profile (air filled pores becomes water filled) - reduced O2 leads to anaerobic conditions which can lead to turf decline.

 

[chilepepper]

That's a pretty accurate explanation. 

[iacas]

I've always heard it as: aerating reduces soil compaction, and since roots grow in air, not in dirt, this gives roots a chance to grow deeper into the turf.

Top-dressing with sand after aerating helps preserve those air pockets. Sand is little stones, and has more air pockets than packed dirt.

[phillyk]

A lot more courses these days throw top dressing on greens every couple weeks to preserve a sandier top layer than years past. This allows them to use smaller tines/non-core tines for normal aeration and the time it takes to heal is cut significantly. 

[Buckeyebowman]

On 3/22/2017 at 0:14 PM, phillyk said:

A lot more courses these days throw top dressing on greens every couple weeks to preserve a sandier top layer than years past. This allows them to use smaller tines/non-core tines for normal aeration and the time it takes to heal is cut significantly. 

Yes, we've noticed some local courses using aerators that make a smaller hole than the old ones did. The real drag about aerating is if the course doesn't use enough top dressing to fill the holes. Then, if you have to play on them, the ball bounces all over the place, and it seems to take the green forever to heal up!

Last Fall we played a really nice local course, Yankee Run. We arrived to find that they had recently aerated the greens. I don't know how these guys do it, but those greens putted smooth, true, and OMG they were as slick as glass! I spent extra time on the putting green, and putted quite well that day.