Tomorrow afternoon, once the Clambake tees off, we will aerify the putting green in advance of the Labor Day Putting competition that begins Saturday, August 24th.
On Monday and Tuesday we will aerify all the greens, approaches, tees and fairways. All of the above playing surfaces will be aerated to a depth of 3" 2-3" with holes ranging in size from 3/8"-5/8. The soil plugs that are pulled out of the green will be removed and the holes will be back-filled with sand that is swept into the holes. The areas will then be seeded and fertilized.
The photo below demonstrates the importance of aeration in the stimulation of new root growth as we transition from summer to fall.
The red line illustrates the timing of
aeration at NHCC
The physical process of pulling cores allows for the removal of dead/decaying root mass, it relieves compaction, and it promotes increased gas exchange in the soil- chiefly increasing oxygen. This in turn promotes a healthier environment for summer stress recovery and root regeneration/elongation in the fall. These processes are essential in the production and storage of carbohydrates as the turf recovers from the summer and preps for winter dormancy.
Weather depending, we expect a 10-14 day recovery in all areas.
As a reminder the course will be closed Monday, August 19th- Thursday, August 22nd to expedite the process. Your patience, cooperation and willingness to allow for the course closure is greatly appreciated.
We're looking forward to a great finish to the summer and start to the fall with competitive Club Championship rounds in the month of September! Enjoy the rest of the summer, fall is a comin'!
