I think courses are communicating better about when they plan to aerate so we just take a week off to allow them to heal.

I thought it was interesting the golf village I frequent in Arkansas with my posse sent their aeration schedule for all 6 courses AND are offering discounted fees for the first few days after the work is done. I give them an A++ for this policy change.

We also have two premier semi-private courses in my area, rated as 2 of the top 'courses you can play' in Kansas, that have gone to a new putting surface grass that does not require aeration. These greens are true gems, are always consistent, and smooth. I've never talked to the pros about more details on why they don't become compacted and stunt root development. There is a great turf grass lab at Kansas State University and I guess a Dr. Golfenstein has come up with this new carpet.

    We just live with it Doc. Usually have to hit it harder is all. Sometimes the ball hits an aeration hole and kicks it in the cup....u never know.

    A few weeks ago they did ours and I made everything...we were laughing.

    If the time is taken to do it right, it shouldn't be too bad. Ours will be all healed up in 2 weeks.

    Our regular group of Seniors do the automattic 2 putt, bang the heck out of first putt, the pick up for a two putt.

    As for me, my stroke gets totally destroyed. When putting on 9 to 11 speedx then going to a 6 or less, wet sand, bumps and hokes, well I prove to be one of worst putters, a stroke that resembles a crazy person blindly swing at a swarm of bees.

    I plan on taking two weeks off or find a course that hasn't been aerated.

      My first choice is to avoid those courses until they heal. If I have to play there, I usually pull a heavy putter out of my garage for aerated greens. I don't want to mess up my normal putter stroke, so I go with something completely different.

        Martee Our regular group of Seniors do the automattic 2 putt, bang the heck out of first putt, the pick up for a two putt.

        this...............

          Martee Same for my regular group of geezers - the 2 putt rule and we are on to the next tee.

            We just grind out teeth and putt a little firmer after our greens are plugged and sanded. It's only a short while that putting is much affected. Our grounds crew does a pretty good job of filling the holes without making piles of sand on the green.

            Evidently the crews where you guys play aren't very meticulous.

              LBlack14

              They're mostly volunteers around here. Only the higher end courses have full time staffs.

                My club is private, so I'm lucky in that the maintenance staff do take pains to make the greens somewhat playable following aeration. Our greens were just aerated a few days ago... despite the light top dressing they're still very slow and bumpy, especially in the mornings with the dew on the ground.... but it's a necessary evil we have to deal with a couple times per year.

                A course where I used to play got into the habit of double-punching their greens when they'd do aeration... and they always did the deepest tines. Those greens had twice as many holes, took twice as long to recover, and they always put either too much sand on them or not enough. It's basically why I stopped being a member there - they'd aerate in May, greens would finally recover around July, then we'd have good greens in July-August, then they'd double-punch again in September.

                So two months of nice greens my last two seasons there. They had nary a clue about wtf they were doing, so I left.

                  Played on one of my fav courses this weekend and it was already done....ball plinkos around....not much you can do.....liberal gimmies. It is frustrating, but does not deter me from playing.

                    LBlack14

                    They would punch each green twice when they did them, in the spring and fall.

                        ode - were you informed that the greens had been top dressed before you paid? I guess that is one of my big gripes and personally seek alternatives when I know in advance if a course has just recently aerated.

                            PA-PLAYA at what spacing? You can't be precise like that. Double punching would tear the shit out of a green. In 30 yrs of doing this shit, never heard of that.

                                LBlack14

                                Me neither. But that's what they did. I asked why... told them I'd never heard of such an extreme practice. "To help remove thatch" they said. So... they'd do 'em once, then go back over and do them again in another go-round. They annihilated em. That's why it would take two months for them to recover.

                                I left for a reason.

                                PS - one year they aerated in November! We're in f**king Northeast PA... how much growing weather do we have in November through May? LOL... Those greens wouldn't be playable until June.

                                Hellacious operation they had going there. I think they've since hired a new Super and are actually doing very well. The Super they had prior was an alcoholic who was basically allowed to do whatever he damned well wanted.

                                You get what you pay for.

                                    PA-PLAYA
                                    I've punched and then verticut, but NEVER heard of dbl punch. I think someone may have been misinformed. To double punch would cause more damage than benefit.

                                        mikeintopeka nope, all good though, as the course it beautiful and one of the best I've played for pure fun. Aeration should be noted when making a tee time, whether it be online or call in....at least then a golfer can opt out and be spared some irritation. We only paid 27 to ride.