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There are several possible reasons why your Bermuda grass is not thick, with the biggest reasons being too little water, too much shade, compacted soil, drainage issues, and too few nutrients in the soil. Bermuda grass needs frequent and direct sunlight to stay thick, so thinning grass is likely the result of a lack of sun. 

Whether or not grass will fill in bare spots itself depends on the type of grass you have. For example, grass with rhizomes (e.g., Bermuda grass) and stolons (e.g., Saint Augustine grass) will naturally fill in bald spots as it spreads laterally. However, clump-forming grasses will not spread. 

When it comes to combatting the effects of soil compaction, core aeration does a far better job for a longer period of time—because it actually removes dirt rather than just pressing holes into it. By taking dirt out from under your lawn, core aeration allows more light, air, water, and nutrients to penetrate into the soil below and help your grass’s roots grow even stronger.

Each type of grass has its own specific needs regarding the timing of aeration, but in general, late summer to early fall is the best time to do so. For most lawns, that means sometime between September and November, though certain types of grass, like St. Augustine Grass, do better with aerations in late spring and early summer.