TURF, SOIL AND WATER QUALITY DIAGNOSTIC TESTING –A GOLF COURSE’S ANNUAL PHYSICAL

As humans, we see our Primary Care Physician on an annual basis to evaluate our vital signs, blood work, and overall physical condition to keep our bodies in good condition and troubleshoot any emerging problems. Likewise, a Superintendent should perform frequent diagnostic testing on golf courses on an annual basis, at a minimum, to collect vital information on health of the turf and soil of their golf course. Below are recommended diagnostic testing that should be performed on a golf course.

1. Soil Tests – soil testing provides a snapshot of the quantity of essential plant nutrients available in the soil to the turfgrass. These tests also provide information on pH and salinity or salt content. These tests are particularly valuable with golf courses with poor irrigation water quality to determine concentrations of Calcium, Magnesium and Sodium. It is recommended that soil testing be performed prior to any major aerification event to allow for the application of soil amendments such as lime and gypsum. These reports will often provide rate recommendations for nutrients and amendments based on the soil test results.

2. Soil Physical Testing – soil physical analyses are typically performed via in-tact soil cores (and topdressing sands) on putting greens to evaluate the physical properties of the root-zone profile. These in-tact soil cores provide important diagnostic information on the following soil physical characteristics: a) Organic Matter (Thatch) Percentage – organic matter (thatch) percentage in a putting green is a primary limiting factor to fast, firm and healthy putting greens. Due to the water holding capacity of organic matter, excessive organic matter results in putting greens which are chronically soft/wet and unhealthy due to multiple factors. Golf courses should track organic matter trends over multiple years to determine if cultural programs are having the desired impact. b) Soil Physical Properties – Sands and silt and clay percentages are analyzed at different depths to determine any layering or inconsistencies. c) Topdressing Sand Analysis – Topdressing sands should be continually tested and compared to the existing putting green mix. Topdressing with a physically different sized sand can create layering issues and long-term impact the flow of water through a root zone profile.

3. Plant Tissue Testing – plant tissue testing can be a valuable tool to determine concentrations of important plant nutrients within the leaf tissue. Due to the instantaneous nature of the test, it is important to perform these tests on a frequent basis to truly determine the concentration of these nutrients within the plant tissue over time. Plant tissue testing is often used in poor water quality situations when soil nutrient uptake is a concern.

4. Irrigation Water Quality Testing – Irrigation used on turfgrass should have a full chemical composition analysis performed on a frequent basis. Typically, golf courses with well, canal, or reclaimed/recycled water should perform water quality testing more frequently as the chemical composition of water can often change. Important chemical characteristic to be tested include: pH,