King David Mowbray Golf Club | Urban Golf Course in Cape Town
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King David Mowbray Golf Club | Urban Golf Course in Cape Town

Why We Hollow Tine in Spring

As we move into spring, one of the most important cultural practices on the greens is hollow tining. While the work creates some short-term inconvenience, it is an essential part of maintaining healthy, high-quality putting surfaces.

The photograph below shows a typical core removed from one of our greens. Looking closely at the profile, you can see how fine and tightly packed the rootzone has become. Over time, foot traffic, mowing, irrigation and natural settling gradually reduce the amount of air-filled space within the soil.

King David Mowbray Golf Club | Urban Golf Course in Cape Town

Why do it?

Hollow-tining removes small plugs of soil and organic material from the green, creating open channels through the surface. This helps to:

  • Relieve compaction and restore porosity.
  • Improve air movement and oxygen availability around the roots.
  • Improve water infiltration and drainage.
  • Encourage deeper and stronger root development.
  • Remove accumulated organic material from the upper rootzone.
  • Provide pathways for topdressing material to work into the profile.
  • Create a better environment for beneficial soil biology.
  • Improve the green’s ability to cope with heat, traffic and periods of water stress.

 

Why spring?

Spring gives the grass an opportunity to actively recover and fill the holes as temperatures and growing conditions improve. Carrying out the work during active growth allows us to perform necessary maintenance while giving the turf the best opportunity to recover quickly.

 

What happens if we skip it?

The inconvenience of hollow tining lasts for a relatively short period. The consequences of repeatedly avoiding it can last much longer. Without regular aeration, compaction and organic matter can gradually build up. Water movement becomes more difficult, oxygen availability decreases and roots are encouraged to remain closer to the surface. This can leave the greens less resilient and more susceptible to stress, disease and poor recovery, particularly during hot or dry periods.

 

In simple terms: we are temporarily disturbing the green today to protect its health and performance for the rest of the season.

The holes will disappear. The benefits to the rootzone remain.

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