We finally have some nice weather!! We had a great rain on Monday and are finally getting some heat. We have the May long weekend coming up with some great weather being forecast.
However with every May long weekend, come the aeration of our greens on the Holiday Monday afternoon. They greens crew will get started about 3:00 on that day and try and get done by sometime Tuesday, weather permitting. We always have some grumbling about the aeration process, but it is an essential program for keeping the greens in great shape.
Below is a question and answer from the USGA website concerning the need for aeration. It provides a nice concise answer to the question about the need to do it.
Our greens were in great shape and now our golf course superintendent ruined them by punching holes all over them. I think she is being overprotective of them and just too stubborn to change her ways. Is this aeration all that important?
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Aeration is an extremely important maintenance practice. Although it results in a temporary disruption of the green, aeration improves water penetration into the soil, reduces soil compaction, stimulates turf grass root growth for a healthier plant, helps control thatch build-up, and improves overall growing conditions. Aeration generally is done once or twice per year, and sometimes more often if certain problems exist.
Think of it like going to the dentist for your twice-yearly check-up. The same holds true for aeration. You can skip a visit to the dentist, but you will contribute to problems over the long term. You can skip one of the semi-annual aerations, but this can result in a faster turf loss. Your superintendent isn’t being overprotective. She is doing exactly what should be done to ensure long-term turf health.
