Chris Hogg wrote in
:
I fancy getting one of those three-pronged spring-loaded corer things
that removes plugs of soil. I certainly don't fancy stamping all over
the lawn wearing crampons,

Tried it, failed.

and I doubt that those little spiky roller
jobs would penetrate tissue paper, let alone our lawn.

That's my experience.

In the past
I've used a fork, driving it in and wiggling it, but the argument
against that method is that it compacts the soil in the immediate
vicinity of the hole. No, I want one of those corer thingies!

I'm using what is effectively a fork with five hollow times.
No springs, but the previous plug is (in theory) expelled
when it is next pushed into the soil. Currently it is extremely
easy to get it into the soil, but it is significantly more
difficult when the soil is hard and dry.

Once there's a hole, I'm filling it with horticultural sand
using a crude homemade funnel. Hopefully this will keep the
drainage channel open over time.

Will it work? I wish I knew. But I'm also spreading sand
and mosskiller. I'd appreciate other people's experience...