DryJect Aeration Process at Glen Echo

Yesterday was the second aeration completed to our greens in a week's time. We contracted with DryJect of Tennessee to inject sand into our greens.

The process involved about 20 tons of sand, 800 buckets full of sand hand loaded into the machine by our staff. The machine uses a 3000 psi bead of water injecting the sand into holes which were over 1/2" in diameter approximately 4" deep spaced about 3"x4".

We had 2 units and 8 of us working with the 2 units loading sand into buckets, into the hopper and letting it fly. As the greens began to dry, we brushed them to help smooth the sand out that had been pulled up from last weeks aeration plus excess sand from the work performed yesterday. The process uses water which of course will pull up any existing sand which requires a brushing to smooth back out. We are in growth regulation time which slows the healing process but its still better than a million seed heads which we would be facing if we weren't applying this spray. I think a good trade off in the end, especially since it is very early in the season.

We've placed about 60 tons of sand in and on our greens the last 9 days.

Over the next seven months, we will be performing at least five venting procedures on the greens involving small needle tines and hydrojecting(water) to help them survive the season. These are very minor in nature and do not create some of the disruption you've seen over the last week. By the way, this past weeks work is absolutely necessary for many of these greens which are over 100 years old to survive the stress of a St. Louis summer.

Staff had to keep sand in the hopper continuously. 3-4 bucket fulls per pas on the green.

9th green. A little more sand visible because the unit uses water and as it rolls along, it picked up sand from the surface of last weeks work.

After brushing. Still some sand on the surface but we expect that this time of year after aeration. It also helps to smooth out some imperfections this time of year. 

Most of the new aeration holes are a little difficult to see because the hole is not as large of an opening on the surface as the normal coring tine but explodes out as it entered the sand profile.

Alphonso poring sand in the hopper with Chad Gamble, owner of  DryJect Tennessee working his way across the green.

Finished product with some dyed sand showing the spread and depth.

I've been informed that as the water begins to shoot into the surface, sand is vacuumed through the white hose and into the ground.

https://youtu.be/wKd2hxBrtbk