Soil, grass, and playability
In my (recorded) presentations from the ATPI conference, I explained how these are related, and how I’d manage them as part of a system.
I have recorded both my presentations from the ATPI (Association of Turfgrass Professionals Ireland) conference in Galway.
One is systematic improvement of course conditions. In that, I explained how we can only get the kind of playing surfaces we want when both the soil and the grass are in the right condition. I then went through ten things that I find it useful to keep track of, and to adjust, in order to systematically improve those conditions.
Another is Bah! Humbug, which considers how much sand topdressing and hollow tine aerification is really necessary.
It was especially interesting for me to be able to include a slide from one of my own presentations on organic matter management from 2014, and to describe what has happened since then in my thinking and advice about that topic.
In addition to the fine time at the conference, and what was certainly the best craic in Galway with the ATPI, I had a chance to visit Alan MacDonnell at Adare Manor.
He gave me a walking tour of the impressive playing surfaces there, and of the grounds, as we discussed the challenges of preparing and presenting such surfaces of bentgrass and ryegrass in the climate of western Ireland.
