Flights and favorite turf photos of 2022

Thailand bermudagrass carpetgrass organic matter Zoysia Stenotaphrum Turf tourism Spain Portugal USA Japan Denmark New Zealand
Micah Woods
2023-01-02 3 min read

I got to see a lot of beautiful and interesting turfgrass around the world in 2022. I looked through my photos from the year and chose these as my favorites.

Before getting to the turf photos, though, I like to check where I went by air. There was so little air travel in 2020 and 2021 that I did not bother making a map for those years. It was a relatively busy year for travel in 2022—my 2019 flight map was 56 flights for 161,473 km, by comparison.

Now for the photos.

This is actually a capture from a video I took of cup cutting at Camiral during the Catalunya Championship. The bentgrass greens were superb; I wrote a blog post about [the conditions that week](https://www.asianturfgrass.com/post/our-vip-tent-seminar-at-catalunya-championship/).
This is actually a capture from a video I took of cup cutting at Camiral during the Catalunya Championship. The bentgrass greens were superb; I wrote a blog post about the conditions that week.
I was surprised to find *Stenotaphrum secundatum* growing wild at the northern edge of the West Cliffs property in Portugal. I had also seen this grass on a hotel lawn in Porto, and in the Algarve, and in central Tokyo, and of course in Florida, earlier in the year.
I was surprised to find Stenotaphrum secundatum growing wild at the northern edge of the West Cliffs property in Portugal. I had also seen this grass on a hotel lawn in Porto, and in the Algarve, and in central Tokyo, and of course in Florida, earlier in the year.
I made my first trip to Tifton, Georgia. There's a grass garden there---or should it be called a grass museum?---with *the* official grass material for famous varieties used all over the world.
I made my first trip to Tifton, Georgia. There’s a grass garden there—or should it be called a grass museum?—with the official grass material for famous varieties used all over the world.
I got a tip about a grass shipment happening one day in the Strait of Malacca. I chartered my own boat and went to take some photos. I ended up making [this video](https://youtu.be/5rWaSy8eRQ0) about that day.
I got a tip about a grass shipment happening one day in the Strait of Malacca. I chartered my own boat and went to take some photos. I ended up making this video about that day.
These are crucibles at Brookside Labs in New Bremen, Ohio, USA, used for the measurement of soil organic matter. I made a visit to the lab in March and learned more about the details of the testing procedures and sample processing.
These are crucibles at Brookside Labs in New Bremen, Ohio, USA, used for the measurement of soil organic matter. I made a visit to the lab in March and learned more about the details of the testing procedures and sample processing.
In my runs around home in southern Thailand, I see plenty of *Zoysia* growing wild. This driveway provides a particularly good example of the dramatic effect of rolling on *Zoysia* appearance.
In my runs around home in southern Thailand, I see plenty of Zoysia growing wild. This driveway provides a particularly good example of the dramatic effect of rolling on Zoysia appearance.
I saw the Rock of Gibraltar for the first time this year. I also saw some well-maintained *Cynodon*.
I saw the Rock of Gibraltar for the first time this year. I also saw some well-maintained Cynodon.
Another excursion into the Strait of Malacca brought me to a small island in the Andaman Sea with some monostands of fine-bladed *Zoysia* growing right up to the beach.
Another excursion into the Strait of Malacca brought me to a small island in the Andaman Sea with some monostands of fine-bladed Zoysia growing right up to the beach.
*Zoysia matrella* lawns in central Tokyo and pine trees glittering in the summer sun.
Zoysia matrella lawns in central Tokyo and pine trees glittering in the summer sun.
Near Copenhagen in July, I took a field trip at the International Turfgrass Research Conference that brought me to a grassed ski slope that is [on top of a power plant](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amager_Bakke). Extraordinary!
Near Copenhagen in July, I took a field trip at the International Turfgrass Research Conference that brought me to a grassed ski slope that is on top of a power plant. Extraordinary!
We've all heard about the courses in New Zealand that are grazed by sheep. In August, I stopped by Taihape Golf Course and saw one for myself.
We’ve all heard about the courses in New Zealand that are grazed by sheep. In August, I stopped by Taihape Golf Course and saw one for myself.
There are two different varieties of fine-bladed *Zoysia* invading this Tifeagle green near Bangkok.
There are two different varieties of fine-bladed Zoysia invading this Tifeagle green near Bangkok.
This lawn in Bangkok was planted more than a decade ago to *Zoysia matrella*. It is now primarily tropical carpetgrass --- *Axonopus compressus*. I check this lawn when I am in Bangkok for species composition, and in 2022 I also checked for seasonal zoysia seedhead production and made some observations of leaf wetness.
This lawn in Bangkok was planted more than a decade ago to Zoysia matrella. It is now primarily tropical carpetgrass — Axonopus compressus. I check this lawn when I am in Bangkok for species composition, and in 2022 I also checked for seasonal zoysia seedhead production and made some observations of leaf wetness.
Another beautiful morning at Camiral. Also, check the overlap on this half freaky doublecut.
Another beautiful morning at Camiral. Also, check the overlap on this half freaky doublecut.

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