Over the last month we have been preparing the golf course for the Match Play Tournament and the Highlander. There was a good amount of hand watering, double mowing greens and detailing every corner of the property.
Now that these events have past we wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to remove thatch and add sand to the greens by aerifying them. Excess thatch causes the greens to be soft so being able to physically remove it as many times as possible is ideal. The sand also aids in firming up the greens by filling in the void where the thatch was. This time we used tines that make a hole half of the size as the aerification we do in the spring and fall. As a result, the healing process should be faster.
We also add fertilizer to the greens to help them recover. Soil tests are sent out every six months to tell us what nutrients the soil is deficient in. This determines what fertilizer we put out. The tests showed that we were low in Potassium and Calcium so we made sure the fertilizer had the proper amounts of those nutrients in it.
We really appreciate the patience that every member has during this process. We would not do something so destructive if it wasn’t very important to the condition of the greens. I always do everything I can to make the greens heal as fast as possible. They will be back to normal soon.
Sonoma Agronomy 