Last fall we constructed several new tees in addition to leveling some of the more uneven tees on holes #11 and #18. Each of these projects involved sodding of the surface in order to get the tees open for play as soon as possible. Sod is great from an instant gratification standpoint, but from an agronomic stand point it presents several challenges.
Aerifing Sodded Tees
Cleaning Up Of Cores
The most significant problem occurs when the new sod comes in with an overly established thatch layer that impedes water and fertilizer infiltration. In order to correct this situation an aggressive aerification program needs to be established to help physically remove the excess thatch. Once the thatch levels have been reduced, better water and fertilizer movement will occur into the rootzone allowing for a stronger root system to develop.
The reclaimed green surface on hole #18 also was aerified in efforts to help with establishment. Overall the sod has done ok with the exception of a few spots that have been plugged out.
Aerifing Sodded Area Under Close Supervision
Additionally several high traffic areas on the golf course were also aerified such as the bottleneck in the second fairway on hole #5. This is an area where excessive cart traffic occurs due to this being the primary location of the approach shot into the green.
Bottleneck Area On #5
These newly sodded areas will be aerified on an as needed basis that will be determined based on the overall health and quality of the turf.
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