Golf Course Greens Aerification 101

More Adventures of The World of Turf. We explore our fall aerification practices. Watch from your desk as the whole process unfolds.

[@bdub440]

As a casual player, I had no idea the process is so labor intensive. Enlightened.

[@NonnyStrikes]

It's actually a lot easier with a Drag Mat. There is also something else coming out... HEMP GREENS. Hemp oil would allow the smoothest greens this planet has ever witnessed.

[@joshhuettl8084]

It’s not, most courses don’t manually broom the greens the have a cart with a brim attachment on the back that brooms the greens in 10-15 minutes

[@SilverCymbal]

Awesome video, great information to share for us lawn nuts!

[@lasgolfer8639]

As i pro-am golfer and a Chicano thank you to both the boss and the labor, for pouring so much of themselves into the course....pinchi Raza Chingon!

[@patrickdabs]

These look incredible even pre-roller. No big hops or direction changes in the ball you showed. I would definitely play this course after punching, you guys are great greens keepers.

[@chosen1one930]

Yea it's fine to play on, it won't be perfect but still playable after a week it's usually healed, but sometimes takes two

[@bernardsaucier2062]

Thanks for showing. Good instructional video!!

[@Chilly7170]

great video. Enjoyed watching.

[@Sleeperking05]

Cool video. Keep posting more. I've always liked this kind of stuff. It's getting close to punch time down here in FL.

[@anadvils9287]

I’m doing this tommorow at my course, thanks for the info

[@KrazyPolak87]

This video brings back so many fun memories of working on a golf course!!

[@roberthutchins3435]

Yeh, Did 23 Years. I Wish We Had This Type Of Gear. In The Early Days We Did It All By Hand. Lots Of Shovel Work

[@michaeljo6617]

I use to do this type work, very fun working on a golf course, plus you get to golf for free but the one thing I don't miss is arefication of the fairways, you had to walk up and down the fairways all day everyday for 2 week's until all 18 wholes we're done. You also had to use a push broom to sweep the plugs into piles, then pick up all the plugs by hand and load em into the golf carts, it was a long and exhausting process, I was happy they only did it every 2 years lol.

[@X10Pro]

We were having the rut problem as well. What we tried is top dressing first then aerifing. Then we drag the sand with a drag mat behind a golf cart then roll. It came out nicely.

[@jimbob1427]

Those greens look mint. !

[@DysonGolf]

Great tip!! Im doing that to my backyard!!!💯💯⛳⛳👊🏿👊🏿

[@az0970449]

The dog is the best part of the video !!

[@vivianeb90]

There is much more work behind golf courses than I first thought.

[@joshuadickinson]

thanks for giving those hard working guys a job

[@6153calme]

I put green grass plugs on the lawn once. I done with a metal hollow pole and watered the plugs everyday for about a month. I they didn't grow and the other grass covered the grass plugs up. Years later finally it they have grown and speared all over that small patch of lawn. Next time when I get some more of those golf course grass plugs I put them on some of the bare spots on lawn to get full grass coverage through out the entire lawn.

[@adamwhite503]

Very helpful video!

[@fallguy100000]

Thanks for posting. I have been wondering whether to plug or spike new greens. I'm going to spike after watching the vid. But I don't understand why you wouldn't drag mat a criss cross (one pass each way). The drag mat I use is a driving range mat turned upside down with a 2x6 on the leading edge. I have a 50" and an 8'. The greensmower pulls the 50" no problem. You don't need to lift or move it just turn like the greensmower on apron edges. It catches any large sand pile and moves it. I pull it behind a greensmower with a welded on hitch. It would be less damaging and go a lot quicker for you. For 27 holes, you'll still need the crew of brooms to keep the greens from flattening out, but they are going to be more effective and a lot quicker, too. And you'll know in a hurry if you are short on sand. Anyhow, thanks, again. Hope I helped-the drag mat suggestions are good ones.

[@RetreatfarmFarmvilleVirginia]

Back in the old days of the 70's-80's we would top dress then water in and touch up any missed or low spots, then we would put on an old set of reels or use another old machine and cut the greens to even them out then over the next few days make touch up adjustments. Then just to punish the old men crybabies i'd let the greens grow long for a couple days between cuts to aggravate them.....lol. I Always told them it was part of the "Recovery process".

[@Tommy192ify]

Good job man!

[@reesebaird]

have you ever though about using a sweepn fill brush does a great job without injuring the plant and gets the sand down fast

[@hudsonjamesc]

It's nice that implement also collects the cores.

[@mediumgrey8674]

I recommend you look into a product called the shindaiwa power broom for faster brooming of the sand into the holes.

[@fluevedpeisen9971]

Nice job....

[@chosen1one930]

Its always best to aerate at different depths, vertidrain is great for going really deep, 10 inches or so and great for compaction or black layer

[@wjackstl]

this guy has the greatest job in the world. seriously

[@orangejoe204]

Not anymore.

[@micahthomas1030]

Alex Tocqueville What does that mean?

[@orangejoe204]

He isn't at that club anymore. He's got a sales job.

[@freeaolcd]

thanks for sharing, nice vid

[@user-ot5dy3se4v]

I work at saddle brooke ranch golf course by robson . We just started are aeration process this week .

[@cooltjh4]

your greens are huge! god if we had to shovel plugs from aerating on those we would be exhausted.

[@LoggerWade]

Nice video very educational

[@TOMVUTHEPIMP]

If you fill the holes after each pass it helps keep the tire ruts way down.

[@pethoviejo]

always wondered how you guys did that...Now I know.

[@roastitright2616]

great job...must be nice to have such a large crew and more than that, your budget is one to be envied for sure. Just wondering, what course is this?

[@orangejoe204]

Briar Ridge CC, Schererville, IN.

[@jmolson027]

haha you guys are rockin adele and pushin sand, good deal.

[@MOJUSA]

That is awesome tips about gold course

[@larrybud]

Where are you located? Couple of thoughts: A top course near me aerates half the green, then waits 2 weeks for it to heal, then does the other half, and places the pin in the good side, so at least you have a decent surface on short putts. This is a HUGE selling point for me and my guys., Two, I realize this video is 6 years old now, but I almost never see hole plugs of that size anymore. Most around here are the size of a pencil, which hardly affects the ball. These 1/2" holes are pure hell! Three, not sure where you're located, but here in MI I find most courses aerate far too late in the season, and the holes don't heal until the following MAY. So they punch them in Mid october, well shit, the snow might be flying in a month around here. My course does them day after labor day and they're good in about 10 days.

[@orangejoe204]

His name's Erwin McKone and he was the super at Briar Ridge Country Club in Schererville, IN, right on the IN/IL state line just south of where the Chicago metroland area starts. Went there for a wedding once. Nice facility, way too expensive for the likes of me, though, and I don't think I'd enjoy living that close to Gary, IN (ugh). I ended up enjoying the 3 Floyds brewpub which was right around the corner much more than the banquet. Wish I could have brought my clubs! And he doesn't super at Briar Ridge anymore. That's why he hasn't posted any new videos or since 2014. He works for a company called Turf Ventures now and presumably is under a NDA (aside from not having a course to call his baby anymore). Watch his older videos for more info.

[@moncorp1]

He said they had 27 holes. If they were smart they would just do 9 holes at a time. Shut them down for a couple of weeks, then reopen them and move on to another 9. In 6 weeks you'd be done and no one inconvenienced.

[@chosen1one930]

Im also a superintendent, we have A4 bentgrass greens but the roots reach 10 to 12 inches from the maintenance practices we do but its also a private course so far less rounds being played

[@charlesdalton6262]

As a Golfer Thank You in advance Regards to Ralphie 😉

[@neilrobertson3231]

how soon in the season can you plug the green,i made a green at my house and have been stumbiling along and I need some help.tks neil. I live in montreal Canada if this helps lol

[@TylerMWeather9102]

I’ve always wondered what those holes were for

[@DysonGolf]

P.s. The Green looked beautiful upon completion! 💯💯

[@leesunlung]

Can you use the sand from the beach? Will the salt effect the green?

[@yamaharidr450]

Some supers dont like to use drag mats because its more tracks and beats up the greens even more. Especially when the they use hollow tines and make cores

[@englishhouse7888]

I am sorry if you have answered this before but what grass species is used on golf courses?

[@rustythrombosis5417]

Neat!

[@anything7441]

fall asleep to this

[@shawndiehl1959]

Nice equipment, our stuff is 25-30 years old.

[@randalltaylor1376]

Is this using SOLID tines or something ?......How come we don't see any CORES ??? But hey - Is sure lookin' good though....Thanks

[@pharoahakhenaten6630]

We just call it aerating here in southeast Michigan Same thing

[@MrShanghai34]

I played at courses where they did this and it's like playing golf on beach sand. They don't sweep the greens nowhere near as good as you guy do

[@alt9741]

seems like the sand when wet will be worse than just leaving the whole open. I thought the whole purpose was to aerate the green. Am I missing something? Do you guys punch the green and fill the holes with sand the same day? seems like it doesn't give much time for O2 to get in to the roots.

[@robmaxwell9076]

The sand has large enough particles that the water in theory will drain through it

[@vanceporter8689]

Anyone that thinks talking care of a golf course is the greatest job in the world should try it. Most people don't last it is physically and mentally demanding. Countless things can and will happen that can't b planned for and ur a prisoner t the conditions, I know I've been doing it for over thirty years. Shoulda stayed in school. Oh and u have t deal with people that think it just about cutting grass.

[@anadvils9287]

Agreed it’s not for everyone

[@albinoraichu328]

I’ve been working at a course for almost 6 months and I’ve seen so many young guys come and go. Waking up at 4 everyday isn’t as easy as people think

[@Guillotines_For_Globalists]

@@albinoraichu328 It's not worth it as a laborer for the low pay, that's for sure.

[@masonw6900]

So on a sand based green, how deep is the soil until it gets to sand?

[@kerryeklundable]

We did that on a fotbollarena in sweden in my youth on a tusday on friday we were supost to meet another country in a fotbollmatch in the arena what nobody told us was that 5 cm (2 inch) under the grass there was antifreeslines 35 procent of the grass died .

[@cdnsk12]

It PMO when our golf club Micro Perfs our greens at the beginning of the season when the greens are in great shape. Why don't they wait until the greens are a bit stressed a month or so later?

[@johntandycrabtree392]

They want to insure the water is able to infiltrate into the root zone, and not just roll off the green, BEFORE the stresses of heat and drought occur during the coming summer months

[@davidcataldo1222]

Ralph is cool

[@sayhoman]

The local courses that i go to does not seem to broom the sand nicely like how its done in this video. When they do it, there's tons of sand on the green

[@warriors2st79]

Hate playing on greens like this tho, but nice video!

[@kasterchoi7952]

Which fertilizer do you use? Numbers please!

[@seajan808]

explain how you aerate with zero plugs ??? if the aerator is making a hole to fill with sand, then the plug has to pop out of the tine to make room for next plug and hole . been working golf course for 25 years .... never seen aerated greens without a ton of plugs to pick up and remove ????

[@kevinqueen6246]

How do you feel about rolling and it's damage done to the greens?

[@WorldofTurf]

It actually has many benefits.. www.turf.umn.edu/sites/g/files/pua2626/f/media/lightweight-rolling-around-the-world.pdf Like anything, it has to be managed and the operator(s) properly trained. Love rolling!

[@stupac10]

Why do you do this? How often do you do this?

[@gregorydiehl3737]

So the holes filled with sand then explain how grass regrows in those sand filled holes

[@bauergraczyk8681]

How do you like the turf co top dresser

[@robertproctor1358]

Why don't you put the sand down first so you don't close up some of the holes running over them with the sander?

[@braddalton9283]

I want to do my own small putting green in my backyard what type of grass is good to use that can withstand hot and cold dry and humid weather and can be cut to putting greens short length.

[@frandanco6361]

Pretty sure its a bentgrass variety..

[@sgtdarkness1]

You would do best by developing a new yard green using peat moss and sand. Bermuda would be my choice for the grass surface. Hope you have completed your green by now.

[@hype_henry]

how come you don't use a mat? drag the mat around on your golf cart works like a charm, must faster one person

[@jasont9045]

I would think the drag mat has a higher chance of injuring the green. Looks like a high end club with a big staff. Can probably afford to broom it in gently.

[@cameronp5728]

he put down 25 tons in 1 day, with a crew, I can do 12 on my own in one day lol I can only imagine getting that sand moved is where most of the time is at.

[@nhltalk9915]

1000 subscriber

[@robertramos630]

What type of sand do you use? Thx

[@wojomojo]

"Makes for a long day pushing all that sand"......for the landscaper doing the actual physical work!

[@hallnoats4ever942]

wlai looks like he hired every Mexican in Loews parking lot

[@User-hd9rh]

hallnoats4ever Racist fuck. Learn to spell bitch

[@OdinsCloud]

It did look like they hired every Mexican in the Lowes parking lot. He spells fine, he just made typographical errors and could care less what politically correct leftists like you think so he did not edit and correct. People like you seem to always point out the inconsequential when you don't like the content of a comment.

[@moncorp1]

Stop being an over-sensitive sjw type beastmde. Was what he said the truth? Yes it was.

[@MrHankHill]

@@OdinsCloud I happen to agree with Mr. Beastmde. He is an idiot. It's Home depot not Lowes where you get *quality* Mexicans.

[@lytken]

why are you not using a a dragged broom to fill the holes it is a lot faster

[@alcraig1]

Where do the plugs go? The machine used on my course leaves the plugs all over the greens with have to be removed with a shovel (before top dressing)

[@andyedwards6124]

It's a slightly different process, these are solid tines designed to create channels to increase airflow. Hollow tines will do the same but the cores removed will reduced thatch build up under the surface.

[@paulkazjack]

bloody hell!!

[@MOTORUSA13]

So why don't you guys use a drag mat? We use a brush. It takes about 4 hours or so to aerate, top dress, and level. Next morning we mow then roll.

[@sly9263]

Why not drive a lawn sweeper instead of manually doing that for the sand?

[@gongshow20]

Looks like a relative of Jason Dufner!

[@TheFiReLoRd777]

I hate doing this but someones gotta do it

[@Darklordkime]

Why not take plugs out?

[@Ryan-yu4td]

What type of sand do you use?

[@WorldofTurf]

+Ryan Windley Kiln dried, fines free

[@denmark39]

All those workers 😦

[@paisteuser06]

It annoys me that they're not pulling out the soil plugs.

[@johntandycrabtree392]

Pulling plugs is only necessary if there is an over accumulation of thatch build up. If the thatch is not excessive, it is just desirable to provide the channels for water infiltration and air flow to the root zone, hence the solid tines.

[@randalltaylor1376]

Top comment by dirtbikefreak116 : "No plugs with that aerator ?".....Hey that's right. How come ? Me tho I liked how it was rolled after punching. Plus also the broom technique - Immediately playable

[@orangejoe204]

Errrrr.... "immediately playable" for 50% off the usual green fee and a putting experience which doesn't remotely replicate course design conditions? ... Around where I am that's how they do it, anyway. They tried hard to push the "immediately playable" angle, but the only place that doesn't lose all it's business when it aerates is the $15 public course for the lunchbox crowd.... If you're low-handicap with $15k in gear, you're unlikely to tolerate a green filled with 1/2" sand-filled holes. Hell on earth to putt through that, I usually don't even bother, but I always take the 50% discount to use the lovely fairways (which don't get aerated until end of season).

[@moncorp1]

Ralphie? Every golf course dog I've ever seen was named 9-iron.

[@blooBerry371]

whats the machine called??

[@shannonherb2048]

It has to be done.

[@tonystinge]

how did I end up here?

[@CRonoldo7]

1:40 Welcome to the gates of Hell

[@marcusseal4372]

why dont you drag mat it?

[@htown513]

Putting on a freshly plugged green is like being in hell

[@WorldofTurf]

+houstoncrawford not on these, you should see the ball roll one day after.

[@Donkeyturkeychickenhorse]

+houstoncrawford try putting on dead greens

[@mugget]

Due to the angular structure of sand it doesn't compact, which is why it allows air and water to flow. As you can see from the soil sample the roots grow into the sand, showing that it does still allow good flow!

[@luckyb3859]

Your handicap is too low. That missed putt should always be blamed on a divot jump, and not because you pushed it.

[@touristguy87]

that's real great, helps the ball track nicely and doesn't affect rolling resistance at all In fact I may just have to start going to the beach and practice my putting there to prepare for this

[@enkrypt3d]

where are the plugs?

[@benjammin4456]

Maybe solid tines

[@robynrose4607]

yay you struck oil

[@tymartinez11]

you look like Dufner

[@boogiemoto9563]

Funny to see so many comments on what you're doing wrong. Aerifying with no cores and pulling cores have different purposes...

[@oliverthompson6052]

Detroit

[@mwnciboo]

You need a drag element. Seriously, i'm counting 10 guys with brushes...

[@taylork5016]

at work we have it even worse. We we have to walk with that machine to pull the plugs up, then we push the plugs with a shovel, and the we shovel the plugs up into a workman.

[@michaelweatherspoon214]

You have Bent grass? The course I work on converted to Champion bermuda last year no more plug pushing or shoveling. I feel your pain though did it for 12 years

[@boogiemoto9563]

Taylor K We as well aerify with a walk machine but we use a buffalo blower to get them off the greens. Shoveling all those cores sounds horrific. We have Miniverde Bermuda

[@taylork5016]

Brett Hickman i love the buffalo blowers. They probably make us shovel up the plugs for extra work. We also do the tee boxes but we just leave the plugs on those.

[@TacoStacks]

I feel like 99% of the greens I putt on are like this...

[@bobhazel4507]

From the comments it sounds as if the Agronomists vs the GC Superintendent. Sort of like Monday morning quarterbacks