You can see the results of a solid aerification program in conjunction with the Dryject aerification process.
The 'pockets' of white sand are areas that have no organic matter and lots of air space for roots to grow. The goal of any aerification program is to remove organic matter (also known as thatch) and incorporate sand. Organic matter naturally accumulates in sand based root systems as roots die off and clog valuable pore space in the sand. This is an ongoing process since healthy turf is constantly producing organic matter. As I mentioned before, the USGA says we need to impact 20% of the surface a year to keep up with it. If we eliminated aerification, the greens would be soft, spongy and would eventually die for a number of reasons.