TopChanger proves its value at De Hooge Rotterdamsche

ARTICLE

GARDEN AND PARK TECHNOLOGY

Wijnand Meijboom, Wednesday 29 October 2025

159 sec

The TopChanger XP is used on golf courses all over the world. This spring, the 200th unit was delivered by VGR Equipment. Remy de Milde, head greenkeeper at De Hooge Rotterdamsche, knows what it's like to work with this remarkable aeration machine.

The TopChanger is filled with sand using the Bunkerbuddy

For readers who are not yet familiar with the TopChanger XP: the machine aerates greens using water pressure and immediately fills the resulting holes with sand. "This creates a level and stable playing surface, with a soil that allows sufficient air exchange and provides good drainage. The thin layer of sand that remains can be brushed out and used as a topdressing. In this way, you achieve three treatments at once: aeration, sand injection, and topdressing," explains Ruud de Deugd, managing director of VGR Equipment.

Height differences

De Hooge Rotterdamsche is a golf course with significant height differences. During heavy rain, this often led to puddling on some of the 22 greens. The course also struggled with disease pressure from fusarium and dollar spot. "A combination of these factors and the fact that we must work without chemicals — under the principles of Integrated Pest Management — meant I needed a machine that could inject sand to improve drainage and create a sandier top layer on the greens," explains experienced head greenkeeper De Milde. This brought the TopChanger to his attention.

"I then did a simple calculation and found it was more economical to purchase the machine ourselves. You earn back the rental costs in just a few years."

Remy de Milde

De Kuip

Years ago, when he worked as groundsman at De Kuip stadium, De Milde first encountered the TopChanger's predecessor: the DryJect. This machine was supplied by Arwin Verschoor of VGR, who later developed and launched the TopChanger. De Milde recalls: "I tested the machine on the goal areas of the training pitches. That version only worked with dry sand, but the newly developed TopChanger can also work with wet sand — and that saves a lot of money. It's about three times cheaper than dry sand."
Thanks to his positive experience with the earlier model, De Milde decided to use the new TopChanger on his golf course to tackle the issues mentioned above. In 2022, he hired a team and machine from VGR to aerate the greens. "I saw how well the device performed and how precisely it worked. I then calculated that buying our own machine would be more cost-effective — you earn back the rental costs in just a few years." His calculations convinced the management and board of De Hooge Rotterdamsche, and since March 2023, the course has owned its own TopChanger.

De Milde and his colleagues have had positive experiences, although they have since adjusted their approach with the TopChanger. De Milde explains: "At first, we used it in spring and autumn — in March and September. Now we use it in spring just for deep aeration without sand, and three times during the summer with sand. The more often you use it, the more sand channels you create, which improves drainage. If weather conditions allow, we might use it a fifth time in November, again just for aeration."
This higher frequency of use was inspired by his colleague Chris Nueboer in Zeewolde, who also uses a TopChanger.

The Aquabuddy is essentially a large hose reel

Aquabuddy and Bunkerbuddy

De Hooge Rotterdamsche not only owns a TopChanger but also purchased its accessories, the "Aquabuddy" and "Bunkerbuddy," around the same time. The Aquabuddy is essentially a large hose reel mounted in front of the tractor, holding the hundred-meter-long water hose. "It's extremely handy for rolling up the hose and also serves as a counterweight when the TopChanger is filled and attached to the tractor — especially when working on slopes," says De Milde.
The Bunkerbuddy is a conveyor belt that De Milde mounts on his Toro topdresser to load sand into the TopChanger's hopper. "It all works very efficiently, although it does take some time. Altogether, it takes three of us four days to treat all the greens with the TopChanger. One person drives the TopChanger, another supplies sand, and the third sweeps, rolls, and blows away excess sand."

Resilient greens

When De Milde purchased the TopChanger, he initially thought that hollow-tine aeration would no longer be necessary — but he still does it. "I've realized it's not a matter of choosing one or the other; both treatments complement each other. That's why I still hollow-tine three times a year." The TopChanger, combined with the other treatments, has resulted in more stable and resilient greens with less thatch and lower disease pressure. "I'm very satisfied and happy with this machine. I'm surprised it's used more often abroad than in the Netherlands. I can wholeheartedly recommend it to all my colleagues."

This article was previously published on 29 October 2025 on the Greenkeeper(https://www.greenkeeper.nl/article/51787/topchanger-bewijst-zijn-waarde-op-de-hooge-rotterdamsche]Greenkeeper[/LINK)] website.

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