It is well known that aeration is one of the most important practices carried out by greenkeepers, and that fact is why Woodhall Spa Golf Club has acquired an Air2G2 from Campey Turf Care Systems, via the dealer Burdens.

The sprawling 36-hole complex includes the world renowned Hotchkin Course, and is home to the National Golf Centre. It is located on the rare Lincolnshire heathland, giving a fantastic setting for the many amateur Championships held at the venue over the years.

The vast site is managed by course manager, Sam Rhodes, where he and his 17-staff work to keep the courses at a standard befitting of the tournaments they host, with the Air2G2 now an integral part of the maintenance operation.

The importance of the machine comes from the expectations of golfers. Gone are the days when winter golf is seen as a bonus, and in are the demands for perfect putting surfaces all year round. This expectation is managed by Sam and is the reason the Air2G2 is an exciting addition.

“The reason the machine gets me excited is because aeration is one of the most important things you can do on a golf course,” Sam explains. “A lot of the aeration machinery out there works very well but causes a lot of surface disturbance.

“In modern day golf the condition of the greens is important throughout the year. Years ago, winter golf was a bonus, now there is a lot more pressure on turf professionals to maintain good quality playing surfaces 12 months a year.

“The beauty of the Air2G2 is I can go out there now, I can do the work on a green to break up any compacted layer underneath and help with the drainage, come off, cut the green and you wouldn’t know I’d been on it.

“Even taking it a stage further, we are a championship golf course and we host several national amateur events every year, and if I’ve got a tournament on and know there’s a massive amount of rain coming I can go out mid-tournament and aerate the greens.

“We’ve seen it this winter when there’s been heavy rain the day after we’ve done the work, and the greens have been absolutely fine, so it does give you that option. The lack of disturbance means you can aerate 12 months of the year and do it when you really need to.”

Sam first witnessed what the machine could do two-years ago at a Campey demonstration, which prompted him to use a contractor to aerate his greens with the product. But the more he saw the results the more he realised the benefits of having one of his own.

Because the size of the site it was only possible to have each green aerated once in a season, but having only had his machine since December it became apparent that other areas of the course can also benefit.

Time has been taken to figure out exactly where the pan layer is, and then with the three varying size of tines Sam has cracked that layer and experimented with depth to reduce compaction as much as possible.

By doing this he now has well-draining greens with the added ability of reacting to any heavy rain fall before or during tournaments, giving him a 12-months a year aeration operation.

Jacobsen announces the continuation of its support to the Golf Environment Organization

Jacobsen, a Textron Specialized Vehicles brand, has announced the renewal of its long standing global partnership to advance sustainability across golf with GEO (Golf Environment Organization).

GEO, the international not-for-profit organisation dedicated to sustainability in golf, provides practical tools and expert support to help golf unlock and celebrate its social and environmental value.

“As a Founding Partner in the highly valuable work GEO undertakes, we are thrilled to be able to demonstrate 10 years of commitment to golf and sustainability,” said Andre Andrade, director, international golf sales for Textron Specialized Vehicles Inc., which designs and manufactures Jacobsen equipment.

“As the only international supplier of turf equipment to hold the coveted ISO 14001 standard for our Environmental Management System, and as a leader in fuel-efficient and hybrid machinery coupled with our efforts to prioritise recycling on-site, we are extremely proud to be able to demonstrate our commitment to the environment as well as having our name alongside GEO,” Andrade said.

“As a direct result of this we know just how important a sustainable business approach is to our customer’s reputations and profitability, as well as long term industry growth,” he said.

“From the start, Jacobsen have shown truly unique and outstanding leadership and commitment to support golf, and other sports and amenity sectors in this field,” said GEO CEO Jonathan Smith. “It continually goes above and beyond, whether it’s in its own internal operations and innovation, or in education, capacity building and solutions. We are very proud to be able to represent them as a founding partner, and look forward to continuing to drive sustainability results with them on the ground around the world of golf.”

The announcement was made at the BTME in Harrogate in January which both Jacobsen and GEO attended.