This episode explains the steps I'd take to change greens from too hard (surface hardness and ball bounce, not hard as in difficulty) to just right. It follows that the opposite steps could be taken to move greens from too soft to just right.

The blog post discussed is https://www.asianturfgrass.com/post/to-keep-green-soft/
The ball bounce video from Dan Dinelli is at https://youtu.be/r1LV77z_Ziw

Read more about all kinds of turfgrass topics at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/
Find a suite of decision-making tools at https://www.paceturf.org/
Get free ATC newsletters at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/newsletter/

Find out more about soil tests with ATC at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/project/soil-tests/
See GCSAA Conference seminars at https://gcsaaconference.com/

Expressing sand quantities as a depth makes communication easier. But to know the depth, you need to know how much sand was applied to begin with. I've been surprised at how many turf managers don't know the exact amount applied. This short episode explains why I think you should measure sand amounts.

• Blog post discussed was https://www.asianturfgrass.com/post/sand-topdressing-by-depth/
• Sand rate unit conversion calculator at https://asianturfgrass.shinyapps.io/om246/
• USGA video on measuring sand https://youtu.be/7tPilHP5QiA
• ATC video on measuring sand by exact methods https://youtu.be/6LurONpyg5M
• Read more about all kinds of turfgrass topics at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/
• Find a suite of decision-making tools at https://www.paceturf.org/
• Get free ATC newsletters at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/newsletter/

Find out more about soil tests with ATC at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/project/soil-tests/
See GCSAA Conference seminars at https://gcsaaconference.com/

I explain how I answered a couple questions about how much N and how much sand a particular grass might require. Specifically, I recommend adjusting N based on #ClipVol and sand based on #OM246.

Blog post discussed: https://www.asianturfgrass.com/post/sand-nitrogen-measuring-guessing/
OM246 calculator: https://asianturfgrass.shinyapps.io/om246/

Read more about all kinds of turfgrass topics at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/
Find a suite of decision-making tools at https://www.paceturf.org/
Get free ATC newsletters at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/newsletter/

Find out more about soil tests with ATC at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/project/soil-tests/
See GCSAA Conference seminars at https://gcsaaconference.com/

The New York Golf Economic & Environmental Impact Report has interesting results for MLSN and ClipVol usage in New York. 58% of golf courses measure clipping volume and 47% interpret soil tests using MLSN.

Blog post: https://www.asianturfgrass.com/post/survey-says-mlsn-clipping-volume-golf-courses-new-york/
Full report: https://www.newyorkgolfimpact.org/

Read more about all kinds of turfgrass topics at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/
Find a suite of decision-making tools at https://www.paceturf.org/
Get free ATC newsletters at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/newsletter/

Find out more about soil tests with ATC at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/project/soil-tests/
See GCSAA Conference seminars at https://gcsaaconference.com/

Piper and Oakley wrote that "there is nothing mysteriously beneficial in their formulas" and that mixed fertilizers are "extensively advertised" but "are not to be recommended." Arthur wrote that soil testing is a "commercial gimmick" and that fine turf with clippings collected needs only "a little nitrogen in spring, no phosphates, and very little potash."  I recommend an article I wrote that attempts to explain this in the context of #MLSN.

Blog posts discussed are:

- https://www.asianturfgrass.com/post/very-generally-used-not-to-be-recommended/
- https://www.asianturfgrass.com/post/jim-arthur-mlsn-and-precision-fertilization/

• Read more about all kinds of turfgrass topics at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/
• Find a suite of decision-making tools at https://www.paceturf.org/
• Get free ATC newsletters at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/newsletter/

Find out more about soil tests with ATC at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/project/soil-tests/
See GCSAA Conference seminars at https://gcsaaconference.com/

I explain why I recommend collecting soil nutrient samples to a 10 cm (4 inch depth). I also discuss the importance of repeated soil sampling in order to check the change in test results over time. I look at a photo gallery from the 2025 Danish Golf Championship.

Posts discussed include:

• https://www.asianturfgrass.com/post/recommended-soil-sampling-depth-for-turfgrass/
• https://www.asianturfgrass.com/post/a-pesticide-free-golf-course/

PACE Turf post about Vixen 7x stand loupes: https://www.paceturf.org/memberedition/where-to-find-small-magnifying-loupes

• Read more about all kinds of turfgrass topics at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/
• Find a suite of decision-making tools at https://www.paceturf.org/
• Get free ATC newsletters at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/newsletter/

Find out more about soil tests with ATC at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/project/soil-tests/
See GCSAA Conference seminars at https://gcsaaconference.com/

My Short Grammar of Greenkeeping book is one of the required books for turf class at Horry-Georgetown Technical College in South Carolina. Professor Jim Huntoon joined me to discuss the book, why he uses it for teaching, and how the internship (or summer cooperative work experience) program works.

• We discussed this post: https://www.asianturfgrass.com/post/i-wrote-a-book-and-you-can-read-it-this-weekend/
• Get your own copy of the Short Grammar at https://leanpub.com/short_grammar_of_greenkeeping
• For more about the turf program at Horry-Georgetown, see https://www.hgtc.edu/academics/academic-departments/engineering-technologies-sports-turf-management/golf-sports-turf-management.html
• See more from Professor Huntoon at https://www.instagram.com/huntoonjmsc/, https://www.instagram.com/hgtcgolfsportsturf/, and https://x.com/huntoonjmsc

• Read more about all kinds of turfgrass topics at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/
• Find a suite of decision-making tools at https://www.paceturf.org/
• Get free ATC newsletters at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/newsletter/

Find out more about soil tests with ATC at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/project/soil-tests/
See GCSAA Conference seminars at https://gcsaaconference.com/

Janne Lehto from Hirsala Golf in Finland attended the 15th International Turfgrass Research Conference (ITRC) in Japan. We discussed the heat and humidity in Japan during summer, saunas, his golfing experiences in Japan, and the ITRC.

The blog post with information about heat and humidity is: https://www.asianturfgrass.com/post/japan-hot-humid-latitude/
Read more about all kinds of turfgrass topics at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/
Find a suite of decision-making tools at https://www.paceturf.org/
Get free ATC newsletters at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/newsletter/

Find out more about soil tests with ATC at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/project/soil-tests/
See GCSAA Conference seminars at https://gcsaaconference.com/

John Forrest and Jeff Austen joined me from Western Australia to discuss layers in the rootzone, the educational system and apprenticeships, and sand.

• We looked at photos of layers in this post: https://www.asianturfgrass.com/post/layers-in-the-rootzone/
• Read more about all kinds of turfgrass topics at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/
• Find a suite of decision-making tools at https://www.paceturf.org/
• Get free ATC newsletters at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/newsletter/

Find out more about soil tests with ATC at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/project/soil-tests/
See GCSAA Conference seminars at https://gcsaaconference.com/

How do you compare sands to show to what degree one is finer or coarser than another? I've been trying to figure out an easy way to visualize this with comparison to reference materials. Adam Moeller joined me to discuss sands, Ksat, the coefficient of uniformity, particle sizes, and more.

• We discussed this blog post: https://www.asianturfgrass.com/post/sands-coarse-fine/
• This is the Frankly Speaking episode with Norm Hummel that covers fine sands and coefficient of uniformity: https://www.turfnet.com/podcasts/rossi/hummel2/
• Read more about all kinds of turfgrass topics at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/
• Find a suite of decision-making tools at https://www.paceturf.org/
• Get free ATC newsletters at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/newsletter/

Find out more about soil tests with ATC at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/project/soil-tests/
See GCSAA Conference seminars at https://gcsaaconference.com/