Thatch (thăch) n. The layer of undecomposed and partially decomposed plant material tightly interwoven with living tissue between the soil surface and green vegetation.
Excessive thatch and organic matter is a primary stress on bentgrass putting greens. It causes greens to remain saturated in the upper rootzone, reducing oxygen uptake and encouraging root decline. Saturated conditions can also encourage diseases.
The old saying " Pay me now or pay me later " is certainly true for managing thatch and organic matter. The inconvenience of paying now and tolerating less than ideal playing conditions for several days after core aerification is often far less painful than enduring diseased, weak putting greens or large scale turf thinning.
The members of Willow Oaks Country Club have protected their investment in the long term success of the putting greens by closing the golf course for seven days throughout the year to perform core aerifications. The first closed days are March 15-18 to allow for our golf course management team to core aerify the putting greens in two directions. This process will disturb roughly 22% of the greens surface and among other things, help to maintain a healthy amount of thatch in our greens profile. We choose to aerify this early in the year in order to minimize disruption to our golfing members. Thank you for these closed days as we work hard to maximize any time taken away from the membership.
Here is a good article from the USGA on the need for thatch management; a process that we are already implementing here at Willow Oaks Country Club.
Thatch Legislation
By Brian Whitlark, agronomist, Southwest RegionJanuary 18, 2011
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| (L)Thatch continues to accumulate and may increase to levels detrimental to both turf health and putting quality if not properly maintained. (R) Labor intensive core aeration, followed by sand topdressing is essential to both remove thatch and organic matter and create channels for improved water and air exchange in the soil. | ||
If the highly partisan politicians can agree to pass tax legislation in such a short period of time, then surely the Green Committee and board members at your club can agree to pass thatch legislation! Far too many golf course visits in 2010 raised the question -- can we forego aeration this year? Unlike the slumbering economy the past two years, thatch never sleeps. Thatch and organic matter continuously accumulate at the surface and within 1-2 inches below. Removing organic matter and thatch through proper aeration techniques and verticutting, and dilution through topdressing, are absolutely necessary every year in almost all circumstances. In addition, prudent use of fertilizers is important to produce healthy turf, but be sure to curb excessive thatch accumulation.
Courses that want to provide tournament-ready greens throughout the year must have a long-term thatch-management plan. Remember that the short term disruption golfers must endure following aeration yields smoother, faster and more durable putting surfaces -- period. In most cases, foregoing aeration for even one year will result in a significant increase in organic matter and thatch. As such, catch-up maintenance practices must be employed the following year, which will be more disruptive than a proactive management strategy. And worse, the putting surfaces will suffer. They will be softer, more susceptible to deep pitch marks and scalping by mowers. In 2011, manage thatch and organic matter proactively and enjoy better putting surfaces.
