Turfgrass efficiency: the best playing conditions with the fewest inputs Micah Woods 12 December 2018 Chief Scientist Asian Turfgrass Center www.asianturfgrass.com 

Golf Course Seminar magazine, Japan 

“The BOOK”, photo by Jonathan Smith 

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Today’s “Table of Contents” 1. Defining turfgrass management 

Today’s “Table of Contents” 1. Defining turfgrass management 2. Two uncontrollable factors influencing grass growth 

Today’s “Table of Contents” 1. Defining turfgrass management 2. Two uncontrollable factors influencing grass growth 3. Managing water in the soil 

Today’s “Table of Contents” 1. Defining turfgrass management 2. Two uncontrollable factors influencing grass growth 3. Managing water in the soil 4. Managing soil organic matter 

Today’s “Table of Contents” 1. Defining turfgrass management 2. Two uncontrollable factors influencing grass growth 3. Managing water in the soil 4. Managing soil organic matter 5. Measuring soil water to estimate soil air 

Defining turfgrass management 

Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland 

Kashima Stadium, Japan 

Royal Bangkok Sports Club, Thailand 

Greenkeeping is managing the growth rate of the grass to create the desired playing surface for golf. 

creeping bentgrass, Japan 

bermudagrass and seashore paspalum, Thailand 

manilagrass putting green, Thailand 

seashore paspalum and bermudagrass, Thailand 

Penn A-1 creeping bentgrass, K deficiency 

creeping bentgrass, PGA Catalunya 

Two uncontrollable factors influencing grass growth 

What affects growth? Growth is a function of photosynthetic light, plant water status, temperature, and a nutrient index.1 This can be represented as the environmental productivity index (EPI). 1Each of these factors can be represented by an index that takes a value from 0 to 1. Thus, the EPI will also have a value in the range of 0 to 1. The nutrient index is primarily a function of leaf N content. 

What affects growth? Growth is a function of photosynthetic light, plant water status, temperature, and a nutrient index.1 This can be represented as the environmental productivity index (EPI). (light)(water)(temperature)(nutrient) = EPI 1Each of these factors can be represented by an index that takes a value from 0 to 1. Thus, the EPI will also have a value in the range of 0 to 1. The nutrient index is primarily a function of leaf N content. 

Poa annua & kikuyugrass, Gran Canaria, November 

storm approaching, Bangkok, September 

creeping bentgrass 5 cm soil temperature, Japan, July 

Festuca & Poa annua near Reykjavik, May 4 

Simplified EPI   XXXX X (light)(water)((((((((( ( hhhhhhhhh h (temperature)(nutrient) = EPI 

Managing water in the soil 

80 year old rootzone, Sydney 

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Managing soil organic matter 

golf course construction, Thailand 

seashore paspalum, Hong Kong 

First, manage the grass growth to be as slow as possible. 

Second, add sand topdressing to mix with the organic matter as it is produced by the grass. 

Third, there is coring or scarification to physically remove organic matter from the soil. 

Measuring soil water to estimate soil air 

Novotek bermudagrass, Thailand 

The best playing surface will be produced when the soil has just enough water to keep the grass from wilting, and the remaining soil volume will be filled with air. 

creeping bentgrass, Kunming, China 

For more, please see www.asianturfgrass.com. 

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