Rob Groves, Course Manager at Letchworth Golf Club, Hertfordshire, says his team has found an easy rhythm when it comes to aeration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t let it cause any fuss,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rob joined Letchworth GC in 2022, having previously been Course Manager at Spalding Golf Club in Lincolnshire. Upon arriving, he was fortunate to inherit two Wiedenmann Terra Spikes: a GXi8 HD and an SL6.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The GXi8 HD, Wiedenmann\u2019s top-selling aerator, offers a 1.8 m working width and reaches depths of up to 25 cm. The SL6 is the lightest machine in the Wiedenmann fleet, weighing just 610 kg, but still delivers a tine depth of up to 21 cm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDuring the summer, we spike the greens once a month using the SL6 with solid tines. It helps us stay on top of cultural practices. We alternate the depth \u2013 20 cm one time, then 10 cm the next,\u201d says Rob. \u201cThat continues right through to late September, when we switch to hollow coring and do an annual run using the same machine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The team has developed a clear, efficient routine for aeration days. \u201cTake this morning. One of our team starts early at 4:00 am and works through to 1:00 pm. Another colleague takes over to finish off the last couple of hours. It means we\u2019re all done by around 2.30pm. In fact, we\u2019ve got a junior tournament coming up, and we\u2019re right on schedule.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rob adds: \u201cOne of the best investments we made for the SL6 was adding turf retainers with tine holders. They\u2019ve made a real difference\u2014especially on one green that tends to retain more water. It\u2019s allowed us to give that area the extra attention it needs. That said, even without the turf retainers, the SL6 delivers excellent results without affecting ball roll.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Multi tine holders attach to each of the SL 6\u2019s six legs. Rob chose the narrow configuration, where each head carries four tines spaced 55 mm apart. This setup delivers a denser and more targeted aeration pattern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn summer, after aerating the greens, we follow up with a double roll using our Smithco Ultra XL,\u201d Rob explains. \u201cIt\u2019s my favourite iron by far. I\u2019ve tried most of the manufacturers, but the XL stands out. It\u2019s extra wide, so it really speeds things up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While the SL6 is reserved exclusively for greens, the GXi8 HD is deployed more widely across the course\u2014on tees, fairways, and occasionally the greens when deeper aeration is needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rob and his team of six use the GXi8 HD on all fairways at least once a year, often revisiting more challenging areas as needed. Tees, collars, and approaches also benefit from the GXi8 on a regular basis, and Rob appreciates having the flexibility to choose the right tool for each task.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since joining Letchworth, Rob has conciously stepped up the club\u2019s aeration programme\u2014and the results are clear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve made good progress in developing healthier greens with deeper, stronger root systems by letting the air through. Using temporary greens is now a thing of the past.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With aeration running smoothly and without disruption, Rob and his team have been able to focus on other key projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve pushed ourselves quite hard,\u201d he says. \u201cOur bunker renovation project has just been completed, and last summer we installed a new irrigation system, which took us right through the winter. We also tackled one of the greens with rope drainage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s been a busy period of improvement\u2014but Rob is pleased with the direction things are going.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s satisfying to see the results of our work and know we\u2019re moving the course forward.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Rob Groves, Course Manager at Letchworth Golf Club, Hertfordshire, says his team has found an easy rhythm when it comes to aeration. \u201cWe don\u2019t let it cause any fuss,\u201d he explains. Rob joined Letchworth GC in 2022, having previously been Course Manager at Spalding Golf Club in Lincolnshire. Upon arriving, he was fortunate to inherit […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":913,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[74,461,329,146,269,460,464,463,459,312,466,153,168,468,465,462,75,120,467],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wiedenmann.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/912"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wiedenmann.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wiedenmann.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wiedenmann.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wiedenmann.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=912"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/wiedenmann.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/912\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":914,"href":"https:\/\/wiedenmann.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/912\/revisions\/914"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wiedenmann.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/913"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wiedenmann.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=912"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wiedenmann.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=912"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wiedenmann.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=912"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}