Next week (September 4-6) is the scheduled time for fall core aeration. This year we are adding a second process to core aeration known as drill and fill. The green committee sent out this Q and A letter this morning addressing the process and purpose.
Have a great day,
Jordan Booth
jbooth@willowoakscc.org
Q: What is Drill & Fill?
A: Just like
conventional core aeration, the Drill
& Fill process removes sand and thatch from the green. The process drills a 1 inch hole 8-10 inches
deep. As the drill bit is removed, sand
and thatch are removed. This column is
now filled with larger particle sand that helps relieve subsoil compaction and
improves drainage and air exchange.
These deeper, larger columns allow for water to move through the greens
profile faster which improves the overall health of the green.
Q: Why are we performing this process?
A: We are
adding this process to our aeration program to address the issue of drainage/water
movement through the greens. When a golf
greens is constructed, the sand is broken into five categories ranging from
very coarse to very fine. A better
explanation is to think about a large box filled with basketballs. The basketballs represent very coarse sand,
baseballs represent average size sand particles, and marbles represent very
fine sand particles. In an ideal
situation, there would be a balance of these particles that allow for water and
air to move freely down through the profile.
The sand that was used to construct our greens has more of the very fine
sand, or marbles, that clog up the open space and prevent this free water and
air movement. When water and air cannot
move, the greens stay wet, thus preventing the development of deep healthy
roots and quality putting conditions.
Poor rooting leads to deteriorating conditions during periods of stress. Drill & Fill will improve water and air
movement by incorporating larger (basketballs) size particles. This is the same principal that we have
employed during the core aeration process.
The Drill and Fill is more beneficial than a classic aeration in the
sense that more sand is incorporated deeper in the green.
Q: Does Drill & Fill replace normal core aeration?
A: No. We will still perform fall aeration; however,
smaller holes will be used after the Drill & Fill process has been
completed. During the three closed days
in September, all greens will be Drill & Filled, followed by small ¼” core
aeration. The purpose of this small
aeration is to provide additional columns for gas exchange and to help smooth
the surface after Drill & Fill is completed.
Q: How long will it take the greens to recover?
A: Recovery
will take about two weeks. This process
is being performed at the time when we are taking advantage of good growing
conditions that will allow for a quicker recovery. Our fall golf calendar is very busy, and we
do not expect this process to interfere with any of the scheduled events.
Q: How often will the Drill & Fill process be performed?
A: Currently
we are scheduled to perform the Drill & Fill process this fall and next
March in conjunction with our normal spring aeration. After the second time, we will evaluate the
process and perform on an as needed basis moving forward.
Attached is a link to the Drill and Dill process. This video gives a good explanation of the process and what we can expect to see as a finished product. More information before, during, and after the process will be posted on the Golf Course Management Blog. If you have any additional questions, you can forward them to Eric Frazier, our Director of Agronomy.
