A unique soil aeration treatment has cured the problem of water retention on the greens of Copt Heath Golf Club near Solihull, West Midlands.
The recent pattern of wet winters had led to excessive moisture in areas where constant use compacted the sub soil. Clive Hadley, the club secretary says, “Many of the greens had being going soft over the winter period and with the course in constant use this caused real difficulties.”
Several types of draining treatment were tried without success but last autumn the Suffolk-based specialists, C&P Soilcare were contracted to provide a solution. As an initial step, the seven most affected greens were treated by Soilcare using their Terralift process.
General manager John Warren explains, “This sort of water-logging is often linked to long-term compaction of the sub-soil. Our Terralift machine drills a series of 40 mm holes, each a metre deep. We then blast in compressed air which breaks up the panning and creates additional lateral fissures.
“The cavities are then filled under pressure with a specially developed seaweed mixture that assists root growth for the turf while sustaining the newly created drainage network.”
The restoration of the surface was left to the club’s green keepers who back-filled with their own mix of aggregate suitable for the swift re-establishment of the turf. Clive Hadley is well pleased with the results. “The worst affected green is now in better shape than any of those that were not given the treatment,” he says.
“The club now plans to go ahead and have the remaining 11 greens dealt with,” he adds, “with repeat treatment every three years or so to maintain the improvements.”
Greenkeeper at the club, Paul Loffman, said, “This process definitely works. We have got rid of the water, making the greens much firmer. It’s a very satisfactory outcome.”
C&P Soilcare is based at Nedging, near Ipswich in Suffolk. The company was established in 1991 with the aim of providing solutions to deficits in plant growth and drainage caused by soil compaction.
The unique Terralift process drills deep holes and blasts compressed air to create vertical and lateral fissures, which are then filled with flakes of dried, milled seaweed. This results in the prevention of water-logging and the promotion of healthy root growth for shrubs, turf and trees.
C&P Soilcare Ltd www.soilcare.co.uk
Copt Heath Golf Club www.coptheathgolf.co.uk
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