16 greens aerated with virtually no interruption to play

Better greens with no disruption to the golf

Wetherby Golf Club, whose course is situated alongside the River Wharfe on the western flank of the Plain of York, called in soil aeration specialists C & P Soilcare to help improve soil structure and drainage characteristics under the greens.

Over a period of two days the company treated the 16 greens - the two others, the 5^th and 11^th, had recently been rebuilt - and within minutes of the machine leaving the green it was in use again.

"Aeration is undoubtedly the most important aspects of turf culture," saysDavid Hannam, Wetherby course manager. "In recent times the greens have only received infrequent aeration. We decided to tackle the matter from the foundations upwards and complement the normal aeration programme. During the past winter my staff and members have observed drier conditions on certain notorious areas."

Soilcare used their Terralift 2000 to break up the compacted soil base to the greens. Seaweed meal was injected into the fissures. The holes were then filled with 6mm aggregate, to ensure a permanent drainage channel, with the last 50mm finished off with finer top-dressing mix.

"On many courses greens frequently become compacted with years of heavy foot traffic," says John Warren, general manager of C & P Soilcare, based at Nedging, near Ipswich, Suffolk. "Wetherby has the additional problem that comes with being sited on a flood plain beside a river and therefore prone to suffering flooding from time to time."

"The aeration programme has considerably improved the soil structure beneath the greens which will benefit play through the year and help to reduce days lost through waterlogging after any flooding."

Wetherby Golf Club was founded in 1910 and has a reputation as one of the prettiest courses in the locality, with 743 members.

Picture (left to right) - John Warren, General Manager of C&P Soilcare, David Hannam, Wetherby Course Manager and Darren Morris, deputy course manager.

C&P Soilcare, which is based at Nedging, near Ipswich, was set up in 1991by the Chaplin family to tackle problems in drainage and plant growth caused by compaction and poor soil structure. Its Terralift and deep drill services, including use of a seaweed mix injected into soil fissures, help prevent waterlogging and encourage healthy root growth of turf, trees and shrubs.

For further information, please contact

John Warren 01449 741012 (C & P Soilcare Ltd)