Aerated Greens

[Duck4cover]

Hi all, had a game yesterday and the course was generally great, but looked to have recently aerated greens. The ball seemed to be bobbling around all over the place. I'm normally better at putting than other parts of my game, but this was a clear weak spot on this day. However, this was the first time playing with a new grip, so I can't quite work out if the problem is me, or the greens... It's obviously parts of both! I'm just trying to establish if its fair to say aerated greens can cause issue to the ball rolling? Great to hear feedback from others on this. I'm gonna head down to my local club to use there greens later on, as I'm surprised how poor I was yesterday!!!

 

[HeftyHacker]

New putter time, your current one clearly isn't working any more.

In all seriousness I wouldn't take anything from putting on aerated greens, see how it goes tonight and use that as a basis (assuming they've not also had work done). Not much can be learnt off greens like that as line and pace goes out the window.

Our gimmie range increases to about 5 foot when we've had ours done (casual games only obviously). We'll have a go at it but if it takes any ridiculous bobbles etc we'll just tell them to pick it up.

 

[CliveW]

What type of aeriation are you talking about? We have micro tining throughout the year which makes holes the size of a pencil. Coring which removes cores of approx 12mm diameter normally in Spring and Autumn, these are filled with sand and then the greens are ironed. We also use air injection whereby tines goes approx 150mm under the surface and injected with dry sand. Apart from the greens looking poor, I can't say I have any putting issues with any type of aeriation. Perhaps the bobbling you refer to is where the surface has risen when the tines have been removed and the green requires rolling or ironing.

 

[jim8flog]

We do hollow tining and sand filling in August. I never worry about my putting for the 2 weeks following it being done.

 

[clubchamp98]

Taking cores from the greens will cause the ball to bobble about.

the level of the sand is lower than the level of the grass so the ball is going to jump around.

Dont worry about your putting.

Its normal to do this spring and Autumn , just one thing some golfers don’t understand is
This must be done while the grass is still growing, it grows over the filled holes then.

The number of times I have heard golfers say “ why are they doing that when the greens are lovely”
But the greens are lovely because they do that.

 

[Deleted member 31467]

Whether you are new to golf or not it's pretty obvious that a ball isn't going to roll smoothly over bumpy greens.

 

[Golfnut1957]

What type of aeriation are you talking about? We have micro tining throughout the year which makes holes the size of a pencil. Coring which removes cores of approx 12mm diameter normally in Spring and Autumn, these are filled with sand and then the greens are ironed. We also use air injection whereby tines goes approx 150mm under the surface and injected with dry sand. Apart from the greens looking poor, I can't say I have any putting issues with any type of aeriation. Perhaps the bobbling you refer to is where the surface has risen when the tines have been removed and the green requires rolling or ironing.

We do, have done that, in the past with the green staff doing all the work, but I have received an email today outlining the programme that will be carried out from the 11/09 and has outside contractors injecting sand to a depth of 12 inches, which is a new one to me and something that I'm looking forward to seeing the results of, both short and long term.

 

[MattSmith]

Interesting... you sure you weren't just having a bad putting day. It happens to the best of us!

 

[Slab]

Ours get done on Monday so I'll get last regular round on Sunday before 2 weeks of 'that would've gone in if it wasn't for...'

The green at the short game area was done yesterday. so that area is out of play for a couple of days. Luckily there's two large practice putting greens & they'll do them a week or so apart so we've still got one running normally

 

[Duck4cover]

Thanks all (or nearly all). The club I’ve spent majority of my time at hasn’t tended to their greens the same way, hence this has been a new experience to me. I appreciate this might seem an obvious question, but not so obvious to me hence asking (I’d always assume work done plays minimal impact to performance).
With the additional spanner in the works of having a new putter grip, I’m sure that has also contributed somewhat. But nice to know it’s not entirely me.

 

[Jigger]

Don’t take any feedback from aerated greens! I see people doing serious practice on them and wonder why they would wast the effort. By serious effort I mean full line above ball and mirror out. The feedback is going to be rubbish.

You’ve picked a bad time to change the grip as greens are only going to get worse now. You either need to go to a links course or get a putt out device and mat to practice at home. This would be my advice and in all honesty. Changing your grip at home on a nice level mat will give you much more confidence to bring it to the course.

 

[Duck4cover]

Don’t take any feedback from aerated greens! I see people doing serious practice on them and wonder why they would wast the effort. By serious effort I mean full line above ball and mirror out. The feedback is going to be rubbish.

You’ve picked a bad time to change the grip as greens are only going to get worse now. You either need to go to a links course or get a putt out device and mat to practice at home. This would be my advice and in all honesty. Changing your grip at home on a nice level mat will give you much more confidence to bring it to the course.

Yeah thanks. I hadn’t really considered timings, but I’ve only been playing for a year now - a literal rookie error .

Luckily I do have a puttout mat and device at home. So plenty of practice to be had in the warmth (and level rooms) of my home I guess.

 

[Jigger]

Yeah thanks. I hadn’t really considered timings, but I’ve only been playing for a year now - a literal rookie error .

Luckily I do have a puttout mat and device at home. So plenty of practice to be had in the warmth (and level rooms) of my home I guess.

Definitely better off. My advices is not to worry about your putting too much other the winter and make firm putts during that period to try and keep them straighter. Then when the season comes around, hit the practice green.