Deep iron pan penetrated

Iron pan penetrated on Nottinghamshire course

By Carol Dutton

Deep aeration treatment has penetrated iron pan layer and severe compaction on the greens of a 100-year-old Nottinghamshire golf course.

"All heath land courses have iron pan in the ground" says Kim Kirkham, who has been head greenkeeper at Sherwood Forest Golf Club near Nottingham for the last 14 years, "it's just a natural occurring layer, which in our case is just beyond the reach of the 16 to 18 inch verti drain. We can't disrupt the surface of the greens by using the larger tined verti drain and three years ago they were treated by Richard Long's Airjet machine (now unavailable). Because of the recent wet winters the greens needed doing again. Under normal conditions, aerating down to 10 to 12 inches below the surface is fine, but once this area has reached its moisture holding capacity, the water has nowhere to go. Below 12 inches it's as if the water's sitting on concrete."

"I've nothing but praise for this idea," says Mr. Kirkham. "This tool doesn't disrupt the surface and it's doing a hell of a good job. This is why we undertook the air jet system. Our lads followed the machine filling the probe holes with Lytag. There were about 100 holes per green the size of a 50p piece, and play was resumed immediately."

Terrain Aeration continued to treat nine further greens at Sherwood and will return next year to aerate the remaining 10.

For further information on deep, compressed air decompaction treatment, contact Terrain Aeration on Tel: 01449 673783 or e-mail terrainaeration@aol.com.