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Field Note

Research drives sustainable turf management

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By Frank Rossi
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  • School of Integrative Plant Science
  • Horticulture Section
In 2025, evidence-based turf solutions from Cornell’s Bluegrass Lane research center and field sites across New York advanced environmentally sound athletic field and golf course management.

The turfgrass program at Cornell University continues to address the most pressing challenges facing golf course superintendents and athletic field managers today. With a long history of translating scientific inquiry into practical management strategies, this year's set of projects reflected our commitment to providing data-driven solutions that improve playability, sustainability and long-term turfgrass performance. 

Precision Management Through Technology

Decision support tools created by Cornell for grass growth prediction continue to evolve, offering superintendents data-driven guidance for nutrient management and mowing schedules. The irrigation tool now enables managers to compare evapotranspiration and soil moisture-based water budgets against traditional irrigation programs, promoting resource efficiency.

Breaking new ground in 2025, a new remote sensing project at Fairview Golf Club evaluates three sensor technologies: passive L-band microwave radiometry for soil moisture, canopy reflectance for nitrogen management multispectral satellite imagery for turf health assessment. This work identifies practical barriers and opportunities for integrating precision agriculture technologies into golf course management.

Image below: The turf forecast tool database models evapotranspiration. Fairview Golf Club in Connecticut host new sensor technologies for testing. 

potential ET map of northeast
green scene with roses

Applied Solutions for Athletic Fields

On Cornell's Men's Practice Soccer Field, a fraise-mowing demonstration showcases an aggressive renovation approach, removing 0.25 inches of surface, applying non-selective herbicide for annual bluegrass control and reseeding with perennial ryegrass. Fall results demonstrate dramatic improvements in wear tolerance and playability, with annual bluegrass populations declining from 70% to 10%, offering athletic field managers a proven renovation pathway.

Image below: Soccer practice on Cornell’s soccer field in Ithaca. 

soccer balls with net in background

Surface Performance Optimization

An investigation into rolling practices on fine turf examined extreme treatment rates on both putting greens and fairways. The research challenges conventional wisdom about rolling limitations and provides superintendents with quantitative data on the dose-response relationship across multiple surface performance measures. This work empowers managers to expand rolling programs confidently beyond putting greens.

Conducted at 18 Metropolitan area golf courses, our two-year surface disruption study, or Shoe Trials, evaluates how different golf footwear designs impact turf surfaces. By identifying how surface properties and maintenance practices influence playing surfaces – the project is developing modern shoe technology to accommodate evolving footwear trends. 

Image below: Our shoe trial testing kit is showing how different designs affect turf wear and tear.

 
golf cleats and bag on turf

Industry Intelligence and Benchmarking

The New York Golf Course Industry Economic and Environmental Impact Study represents a landmark achievement with approximately 20% industry response. This comprehensive survey, co-authored by Cornell and Radius Sports Group found high level of best management practice adoption including ones widely supported over the years with Cornell research and education efforts, such as, resource utilization, decision support tool usage and risk-based pest management. 

golf report cover with body of water and hills

Long-Term Partnership and Stewardship

Under Chase Skrubis' current leadership, the 25-year partnership with New York State Parks exemplified sustained commitment to public golf thus year. Annual site visits to 15 courses, improvement planning, soil monitoring, performance assessment and integrated pest management implementation—including product selection based on Environmental Impact Quotient—demonstrate how university expertise can elevate public facilities. The intentional marketing program launched during the Ryder Cup further showcased these courses to wider audiences.

Image below: State Park golf sign stands at James Baird State Park Golf Course. 

park sign