Under a green built to USGA recommendations there's a 12 inch sand-based root zone,at least 4 inches of gravel below that, then drain pipes. Water gets out fast, so the green
recovers quickly after rain. The catch is organic matter. It builds up near the surface over time and the green gets soft. Core aeration physically pulls that material out, and the holes get filled with sand. The USGA also warns that aerating too late in a cold fall can leave greens rough until the next May or June. How long did your course's greens take to heal after the last punch, and do you avoid playing that week?