DryJect Application on Greens

Last week, the grounds staff brought in Robert Main, with Turfgrass Solutions, to use DryJect machines on select areas on the greens.  The DryJect process uses water pressure to fracture the ground and decompact the soil.  This water then creates a void that is filled with sand or another amendment.  The quick blast of water creates a vacuum which pulls the sand from the hopper above, down with it as it leaves the nozzle.  The graphic to the right shows the process.

Although the process is violent and is aggressive in the soil, at the surface all that is left is a small amount of sand at the top of each hole.  After the machine is through, the green is then rolled and brushed to smooth the surface farther.  We completed this project last Thursday and did not close any holes.  In fact, the member skins game played on the competed greens hours after we'd finished and they couldn't believe how smooth and fast they were.  Then on Saturday morning, while I was on the 1st tee chatting with members about the process, I was very pleased to hear the number of compliments on the process and final result.

Although the DryJect process creates channels of sand in the profile similar to a traditional core aeration, it is not meant to replace the traditional hollow tine core aeration process.  Rather, it is meant to be a supplement to an already established program.  After discussing the process with the rest of the staff, we feel that this process could be a great option if our soil tests dictate more aeration is needed but cannot withstand the amount of surface disruption and lost revenue from discounted rounds and lost play during the height of the golf season.