Hollow Tining and Top Dressing
- Thread starter Britishshooting
- Start date
Carpfather1
Head Pro
My home course (parkland )has been done this week with the weather being so good .
back on grass tees on masters weekend too thank god the winter mats are disgusting they need to replace the majority of them .
back on grass tees on masters weekend too thank god the winter mats are disgusting they need to replace the majority of them .
backwoodsman
Tour Winner
In short, solid tining (pencil tining or other names) to improve drainage; hollow tining (coring) to remove thatch & organic content. Top dressing to fill the "voids" with sand. Together, they aid grass growth & health.
Timing is a matter of discussion and somewhat subjective. Needs to be done when ground conditions and weather will allow good growth to aid quick recovery. Generally needs a bit of warmth. Trouble is, this often coincides with peak playing season. So good compromise is often spring or autumn.
Both operations totally necessary to ensure good greens, but sadly members & players only perceive the short term disruption.
Timing is a matter of discussion and somewhat subjective. Needs to be done when ground conditions and weather will allow good growth to aid quick recovery. Generally needs a bit of warmth. Trouble is, this often coincides with peak playing season. So good compromise is often spring or autumn.
Both operations totally necessary to ensure good greens, but sadly members & players only perceive the short term disruption.
Britishshooting
Club Champion
I suppose doing them early this week was a good move at the course i'm at now then, abundance of sun and I guess they can control how much they need to water the greens.
I don't mind any disruptions caused, we were put on makeshift temp greens which I understand and have no issue with. just found it interesting how different clubs and groundsman tackle this necessity a span of 3-4 months for the same undertakings just seemed surprising to me.
Tashyboy
Please don’t ask to see my tatts 👍
Spoke to our Head GK before about this and he has said it is always about the weather, tries to get it done when the weather looks like it is gonna be warmer than normal for a good period of time. EG compare this February to last years when we had glorious sunshine this year but last year was the " Beast from the east".
One of the lads was telling me about a system they are looking at where they don't do the normal hollow tining and top dressing, but do something else which is supposed to be better. Forgot what it is called though 😖
One of the lads was telling me about a system they are looking at where they don't do the normal hollow tining and top dressing, but do something else which is supposed to be better. Forgot what it is called though 😖
Blue in Munich
Crocked Professional Yeti Impersonator
This sums it up very well. We changed the time we do ours in order to try & ensure good conditions for growth but you are at the mercy of the weather. We also top dress with a fine sand throughout the season to improve the quality of roll throughout the main season.
Homer
Active member
I think you have to do the continuous top dressing on your type of greens.
Blue in Munich
Crocked Professional Yeti Impersonator
Homer
Active member
What are my type of greens?
USGA spec. Sand based. Drain well. Little organic thatch. Need constant sand replenishment. Most similar courses do every/every other Monday but use so little sand that unless you followed the sandman round that you would never really know.
richart
Major Champion
Times of hollow timing are in our club diary, and I avoid the course those weeks. Mid April, and early September normally the dates.
upsidedown
Tour Winner
We do ours first week in August and by end of the month they are recovered .
AmandaJR
Money List Winner
Ours are usually worked on the Monday after the Men's monthly medal to ensure they're healed and in good nick by the next one
JohnnyDee
Tour Winner
We've gone around 3-4 weeks earlier this year (we normally do crossover week end of August start of September) but we got a new brilliant HGK last Autumn and he has opted for an early wielding of the knife, so we've had all greens hollow tined and heavily top dressed this week.
We played yesterday and they were surprisingly puttable although obviously slower and a bit bobbly, but fingers crossed they will be back up to snuff in 10-14 days allowing us to enjoy the last 10 days of August and all of September on nippy and well-conditioned surfaces.
Has you place started yet?
We played yesterday and they were surprisingly puttable although obviously slower and a bit bobbly, but fingers crossed they will be back up to snuff in 10-14 days allowing us to enjoy the last 10 days of August and all of September on nippy and well-conditioned surfaces.
Has you place started yet?
jim8flog
Journeyman Pro
Our greens week is next week
We went to August a few years ago, as have the majority of courses in this region, and have seen the benefits through the winter.
By overseeding in August the grass has a better chance to germinate and grow to a reasonable length rather than leaving it to the end of September, as well as allowing existing grasses to regrow well.
We went to August a few years ago, as have the majority of courses in this region, and have seen the benefits through the winter.
By overseeding in August the grass has a better chance to germinate and grow to a reasonable length rather than leaving it to the end of September, as well as allowing existing grasses to regrow well.
clubchamp98
Journeyman Pro
I always make a point of telling the green keepers how good the course is when it’s good.
I find when I ask them something they tell me the answer in a layman’s terms.
Ask them in a friendly way what they are doing ,why and what’s the benefits!
Most people just moan at them , but I have learned a lot from them about grass and trees and my garden is lovely now!
Hollow tinning has to be done when the grass is still growing.
The holes they make removes dead grass and anything stagnant this improves the drainage ,they are filled with a mixture of things.
This allows the roots to grow into the holes and strengthen the plant.
The size of the holes are dependant on a soil analysis the Head Greenkeeper then decides his course of action.
It’s got to be done but most golfers don’t understand why because they have never asked the GK.
HomerJSimpson
Hall of Famer
We had the monthly report out yesterday and we're doing our greens next week. They aren't quite as quick as they want and a couple of patches of silver moss appearing which need attention but all in all the head GK is happy with their condition and they are definitely putting well. Like clubchamp98 I always make sure I compliment the staff and if I have a question they are always happy to stop and discuss it in simple terms. It's a shame that the majority of members at most clubs will only ever moan about the course and never realise the hard work and planning along with the personal pride of those doing the work that goes on
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