Air2G2 336 and VGR TopChanger Drive Long-Term Surface Improvements at Whitecraigs Golf Club
Whitecraigs Golf Club has strengthened its aeration and renovation programme with the introduction of the VGR XP TopChanger and Air2G2 336 from Campey Turf Care Systems, helping Course Manager Andy Wilson and his team deliver firmer, healthier and more resilient playing surfaces throughout the year.
Located on the outskirts of Glasgow, Whitecraigs is one of Scotland’s classic parkland courses. Established in 1905, the club’s 27 holes are set among mature trees and gently undulating ground, providing a picturesque yet demanding layout. The heavy rainfall typical of the west coast, combined with clay-based soils, makes maintaining surface firmness and consistent drainage a continual challenge, one that Andy and his eight-strong team have focused on addressing through a long-term approach.
For Andy, who has been Course Manager for eight years, improving the rootzone while maintaining playability has always been a balancing act. “Our aim is to alleviate compaction, dilute thatch, improve drainage and create firmer surfaces,” he explains. “This in turn should help to facilitate deeper rooting and a denser, healthier sward that is less susceptible to outbreaks of turf disease.”
The club has been using the Air2G2 for the past three years, and it has become a key part of their aeration strategy. By injecting air directly into the soil profile, it relieves compaction and encourages deeper rooting without surface disruption, an important factor for a busy members’ course.
“I wanted to be able to improve our surfaces in a meaningful way without compromising the surfaces golfers play on for an extended period of time,” Andy says. “Although we still micro core and needle tine, we are now able to complete less disruptive aeration during the playing season, which is important to our membership.”
The Air2G2 is primarily used on greens and approaches, with plans to extend to tees and high-traffic walk-on and walk-off areas during the winter months. Its ability to deliver measurable benefits without visible disruption has made it popular with both the team and the membership, who have seen gradual improvements in firmness and consistency.
Building on that success, Whitecraigs recently invested in the VGR XP TopChanger, , becoming the proud owner of the 200th unit sold worldwide. Andy first saw the machine demonstrated at Trump Turnberry and was impressed by its precision and sand injection system.
“After several demonstrations on-site, we realised that as we intended to use the machine on many different areas of the course a number of times each year, it made financial sense to purchase the VGR,” he says. “So, we started using our own machine in September 2025.”
The TopChanger was supplied through local groundscare machinery dealer The Double A Trading Company and will be used three times a year on putting surfaces and on other areas. By injecting sand and water directly into the rootzone, it improves infiltration, dilutes thatch and reduces the mess and downtime associated with traditional topdressing.
“Both machines are easy to operate,” Andy adds. “Once the correct setup is established, operation is straightforward, and we make a conscious effort to involve all staff, including apprentices, as part of their training and career progression.”
Over time, Andy expects to see continued gains in turf health and playability. “They complement each other perfectly, one achieving deep aeration and the other improving the composition of the rootzone,” he says.
“The membership is incredibly positive about our programme and is seeing gradual improvements in surface quality. We’ve used the Air2G2 for three years, and now the VGR takes that to another level.”
