Soil profiles

When moving holes it is a good opportunity to look at the hole plug that is removed to visually check the thatch layer, rooting, aeration holes, affects of topdressing and colour of the soil profile(which can show any black layer or other chemical build up), other things that can be checked whilst the plug is removed is a simple smell test, this can tell you weather the soil, root zone and thatch layer is aerobic or not. If the sample smells of rotten eggs this can mean it is anaerobic, lacking in oxygen. A sweet smelling plug is aerobic and healthy. A more serious problem in the soil is black layer. Black layer appears as a black, foul-smelling continuous or discontinuous subsurface layer in turf grass root zones. Chemically, black layer is a deposit of metal sulphides, which form when hydrogen sulphide gas reacts with metal elements in the soil. For hydrogen sulphide to be released, the root zone conditions must favour the growth of sulphur reducing bacteria, which requires water and soil organic matter.
The organic matter provides the food for the microbes, and water keeps the microbes hydrated. Soils must be relatively anaerobic (low in air) since these sulphur reducing bacteria do not survive very well in well aerated soils. The anaerobic conditions can be caused by numerous factors such as compaction, excessive irrigation, organic matter accumulation, thatch build up, sulphur application or movement of colloidal particles. Coupled with this, sulphur must be available within the soil. The growth of algae is favoured by wet soils. Algae can produce substances that interfere with the movement of water in sandy mixtures, consequently reducing water movement, causing an anaerobic soil. 
After the work we have done to the greens over the previous years we have limited problems and continuous but less disruptive aeration will keep the root zone healthy. There are a few green which still require more work but the majority improving year on year.

There is no doubt we have still work to do but we are certainly taking them in the right direction.