I was visiting a golf course the other day that had just started to top dress when a member came up to me and said, “I hate when they do this, but we have the best greens in town.” He told me that just three years ago, the greens were puffy, slow, grainy, and had diseases all the time. But now? They were perfect. He continued with his story, saying that three years ago the course did top dressing once or twice a year, but now they lightly top dress every two to three weeks and once a year on fairways.
I was impressed by how much the member was watching the course and of their knowledge, but I came to find out he lived next to that green and would watch out his window at daily operations. I explained to him why they top dress and that some courses are starting to eliminate top dressing due to budget cutbacks during these challenging times. He said they needed to come sit on his back patio and see the difference.
Why should you top dress
The main reason for topdressing is to dilute the layer of thatch that’s below the turf’s surface. This increases green smoothness and firmness, while also improving the green’s overall performance and health. Here are the most important benefits of top dressing.
What are the benefits from top dressing?
Putting green firmness is one of the critical performance factors that influence how challenging the greens will play on a day-to-day basis. Many variables can contribute to the firmness of a putting green—such as weather, overwatering, the lack of cultural practices, and the total amount of play.
Regular sand top dressing and core aeration can improve surface firmness and resiliency to wear and ball marks. Top dressing will fill the core space between turfgrass plants within the turf canopy. This creates a cushion of protection for the plant’s crown, dilutes thatch, and smooths out the gaps for a tighter, firmer surface.
Dilute thatch buildup over time
Thatch is a layer of dead and living plant material found between the grass blades and soil surface. This buildup of plant material happens over time, but overfeeding and overwatching the surface can accelerate it. Simply put, building a large thatch layer is a ticking time bomb for plant health and playability.
An area of thatch can host turf disease and insects, while also blocking air and gas exchange to the soil below. You will also observe excessive footprinting, scalping of mowers, and irregular playing conditions.
With all that said, a small amount of thatch can prove beneficial. A thin layer of thatch helps greens handle high traffic situations (except high lofted shots), resist ball marking, and protect the plant. Finding the correct level is a balancing act, but it’s a must for the long-term playability of your golf course.
Recovery of the turf surface
Disease, humidity, high traffic, players not fixing ball marks, excessive rainfall, and overwatering are just a few examples of the stresses that a putting green faces on a daily basis. Regular and light top dressing will help mitigate these issues and lessen the cost of maintaining greens.
How often should you top dress your greens?
While many factors come into play for this decision. We all know that golfers become very agitated when we topdress greens or aerate. By educating golfers and pro shop staff, they can also see the benefits of this much-needed cultural practice. To ensure proper dilution of thatch, good playability, and improved plant health, you should top dress every 7 to 14 days. This will keep the playing surface at its highest quality.
However, with the increase of players, loss of staff, lack of equipment, and lower maintenance budgets, this interval might be hard to maintain. We understand that, but it’s vital that you attempt to do it at this interval to keep your golf course at its peak. You must top dress for the longevity of the greens and for player satisfaction. Educating your players and club staff about the long-term benefits of top dressing will also help. In the long run, players will notice the difference—and so will you.
