Sand Isn't Always On A Beach

     It's that time of year again.  The flowers are starting to bloom and Daylight Savings Time starts this weekend. I realize some of you don't participate in Daylight Savings Time, but for us in this part of California it means warmer weather and more time to tee it up. Spring also means another thing to us West Coasters and that is time to aerate the greens.  The holes and sand are coming, and very soon.
     When do they aerate the greens in the colder climates? I have kind of wondered that for years. How long does it take before the greens are not frozen anymore and the grass on the greens start to grow? How long does it take for the grass to start growing on the whole course as well? I feel for you guys as your golf season is so short. I will and always have shed a tear for you. Cheer up, Spring is on it's way. We play golf year round out here, although we have to contend with dormant burmuda grass during the winter.  The courses stay mostly green on the Pacific Coast, but here in our lovely Central Valley they over seed the greens and tees.
     It happens every year.  You go out to the course on a warm, sunny day and are expecting to play a great round of golf on a beautiful course with almost perfect greens.  Last week you missed the sign, "Course will be aerating Tuesday front and Wednesday back".  Thursday is your normal day to play and you come out only to find that the course was been aerated yesterday. The greens now are holy as if they have been blessed by the Pope and there is enough sand on them to bring a beach chair, cooler (filled with soda as the Alcohol Beverage Control Bureau won't allow under the courses liquor license outside beer but that's OK because I don't drink), umbrella, beach towel and sunscreen. We have to putt on these greens?
     Oh well you decide, let's play anyway.  Today is Thursday and we always play on Thursday so why not.  All bets are off though.  I'm not going to sacrifice a dime for the front, a dime for the back and a dime for the round. After all, I'm not made of money. It's just not worth it. Golf is fun!
      Aeration is very important to the health of the greens.  It has to be e golfers just have to learn to get used to the fact that it is a necessary thing.  We wouldn't want to play on greens that haven't been aerated. The thatch begins to build and water doesn't get down to the roots. The green also can't breath since the grass is so thick. That thatch has to be broken up.  The sand replaces the grass taken out of the hole made by the aerating tool because the sand is less dense than the grass removed by the machine.
     Playing on greens that have been aerated is a lot of fun.  First, if you are not the first to play on them, you can get a sense of  putts by the sand trails of those putts that have gone before you. I like seeing the funny little rooster tail behind the ball as it rolls over the sand.  You don't have to worry about the speed of the green either. You just hit the crap out of the putt, even from six inches. This too shall pass, my son--uh, and daughter as we don't want to leave the ladies out of this.
     Ah yes, the coming of Spring with flowers blooming and greens being aerated.  I took twenty-five putts that Thursday by the way.  I love aerated greens.

Beautiful greens like these have to be aerated. What am I saying?  All greens have to be aerated.