What to do about Holes and Gouges

As a groundskeeper you are working to build the turf over time. However, time and use can cause major issues and can tear up your turf. Some common causes of gouges or holes are listed below with short term fix options.

Wear and tear from use causes gouges and divots. Fill gouges with a mixture of 80 percent native soil, 20 percent soil conditioner such as Profile™ Field & Fairway™ and your seed. Frequently walk your field with a bucket of mix to fill holes as they are created to avoid bad ball hops and uneven surfaces.

Moles, gophers, skunks and other animals will burrow and tear up turf in order to feed on grubs and your tender roots. Consult with your distributor to develop a plan to eliminate the food source, which should result in less damage to your turf.

Bare patches form as a result of compaction and over use. These areas are difficult to fix due to the impossibility of taking the area out of play for the appropriate length of time required to regrow grass. They most often require a renovation of the soil and turf. See the "Complete Soil/Turf Renovation" and "Progressive Soil/Turf Renovation" sections for more details.