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The Doublecut with Micah Woods

Micah Woods

I discuss turfgrass management topics, usually starting with a blog post, sharing supplementary information, stories, and the reasons why I thought the topic was worth writing about, and worth reading about. Thus, a doublecut of these topics. This covers grass selection, playability, and all the work done to create a certain type of turfgrass surface.

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#214
September 24 · 26 min
More about green firmness, 3 principles, and topdressing once a year
I go back five years to another video showing ball reaction on greens topdressed once that year. The post discussed with embedded video, is https://www.asianturfgrass.com/post/what-happens-if-you-dont-sand-greens/ 2026 video at https://youtu.be/3UL6euRZJko 2021 video is at https://youtu.be/bbcJhA1zqNo Firm greens, three general principles: https://paceturf.org/updates/firm-green-fundamentals/ Find a suite of decision-making tools at https://www.paceturf.org/ Read more about all kinds of turfgrass topics at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/ Get free newsletters at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/newsletter/
#213
September 18 · 34 min
Following the water: how calcium gets to the root and stays there
Calcium is an essential element that is almost never required as fertilizer for turfgrass. This episodes explains how mass flow of Ca in the soil water creates an accumulation of Ca at the root surface. The post discussed is https://www.asianturfgrass.com/post/calcium-accumulation-root-surface/ Find a suite of decision-making tools at https://paceturf.org/ Read more about all kinds of turfgrass topics at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/ Get free newsletters at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/newsletter/
#212
August 21 · 20 min
No rain, one boar, and 40 years of summer precipitation
The KBC News TV station did a profile of Keya GC greenkeeper Andrew McDaniel. Watch that (with an English language soundtrack, if necessary) and hear about the driest summer in at least 40 years (I didn't look back farther than that). The post discussed is https://paceturf.org/updates/day-in-the-life/ Direct link to the KBC News profile at https://youtu.be/8RjcS21Mvos Find a suite of decision-making tools at https://paceturf.org/ Read more about all kinds of turfgrass topics at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/ Get free newsletters at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/newsletter/
#211
August 11 · 27 min
Phosphorus, rootzone volume, and algae
I discussed grass responding to P at establishment, but not at maturity, as a function of soil P combined with rootzone volume. Posts discussed are: https://www.asianturfgrass.com/post/rootzone-volume-and-p/ https://www.asianturfgrass.com/post/algae-sand-fertilizer/ Find a suite of decision-making tools at https://www.paceturf.org/ Read more about all kinds of turfgrass topics at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/ Get free newsletters at https://www.asianturfgrass.com/newsletter/
#210
August 3 · 28 min
When the soil report is not really about extractable vs. available nutrients
The topic of nutrient availability and extractable vs. exchangeable vs. available nutrients used to come up a lot, and I'm glad I haven't been asked this question as frequently in recent years. Fortunately, I have a long list of blog posts about this topic, and a good starting point is the one reviewed in this episode : https://www.asianturfgrass.com/post/its-not-really-about-extractable-or-available/ 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/
#209
July 29 · 14 min
Stressed turf and nutrient supply
This episode discusses Grime's definition of stress as "external constraints which limit the rate of dry matter production" and how this is related to nutrient supply/demand/requirement for fine turfgrass. The post discussed is https://www.asianturfgrass.com/post/does-stressed-turf-require-more-or-fewer-nutrients/ 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/
#208
July 20 · 19 min
What happens to sand particle sizes after topdressing
I looked at sand particle sizes at the top of putting green rootzones, and compared those particle sizes to what is in the sand topdressing. The average results of this analysis are presented in this episode. The chart discussed is available at https://www.paceturf.org/gallery/detail/particle-size-change-from-topdressing-to-om2 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/
#207
July 13 · 28 min
Wet air, summer, and dew point depression
I looked at the temperatures and dew points for a range of cities around the world during the first month of the most recent meteorological summer. June 2026 in the northern hemisphere, and December 2025 in the southern. The blog post discussed is: https://www.asianturfgrass.com/post/first-month-of-summer-dew-point-depression/ Also see the day in that month with the highest average dew point: https://www.paceturf.org/gallery/detail/first-month-of-summer-2026-maximum-dew-point 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/
#206
July 6 · 26 min
Putting green firmness and surface organic material (OM246)
The firmness of putting greens varies with the surface organic material. More organic material in the top 2 cm (0.8 inches), and greens are softer. I discuss terminology, the relationship between firmness and organic material, and what you can do about this. The blog post discussed is https://www.asianturfgrass.com/post/om2-and-firmness/ 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/
#205
June 1 · 47 min
Sand topdressing matched to clipping volume, with Bjarni Hannesson
I've updated my recommendation for the sand quantity to apply for every unit of clipping volume harvested, if your goal is to keep surface organic material constant. Bjarni and I discussed topdressing by this method and the new equation that finds this sand amount. We discussed this post: https://www.asianturfgrass.com/post/sand-topdressing-ratios-clipping-volume/ The PACE Turf table of sand rates based on surface organic material is at https://www.paceturf.org/public/sand-and-clipping-volume Bjarni and I discussed the spring green-up and growth from adding sand: https://www.asianturfgrass.com/post/turfgrass-mystery-the-case-of-the-greener-grass/ 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/
#204
May 25 · 28 min
Post-rain growth flush: 12 mL from water, 8 from mineralized soil N, & 2.5 from N in the rain
This is about partitioning the growth flush after a rain. What's causing that growth flush? I made some calculations, using New Forest GC in the UK as an example. The increased soil water content from a 20 mm rain, in this example, would increase daily clipping volume from 10 mL/m2 to 22 mL/m2, a 12 mL increase. The blog post discussed is https://www.asianturfgrass.com/post/nitrogen-in-rain-or-nitrogen-from-the-soil/ See also https://www.asianturfgrass.com/post/how-much-n-is-in-rain-and-snow/ for information on atmospheric deposition of N 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/
#203
May 13 · 32 min
More air in the soil with frequent irrigation
It sounds counterintuitive at first, that you can maintain a lower average water content in the soil, and a higher air content in the soil, by applying irrigation every day. Once upon a time, I thought the way to keep soils drier and with more air was to implement deep and infrequent irrigation. The blog post discussed is: https://www.asianturfgrass.com/post/deep-and-infrequent-or-light-and-frequent-irrigation-which-is-better/ I also mentioned John Jordan's research, see: https://tic.msu.edu/tgif/flink/RECNO/59354 Paul Johnson article about irrigation frequency: https://usgatero.lib.msu.edu/v02/n06.pdf 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/
#202
May 8 · 42 min
Why you should know standard sand amounts but not necessarily copy them, with Brian Whitlark
Brian Whitlark joined me to talk about sand topdressing of putting greens and especially about sand amounts. The blog post we discussed is: https://www.asianturfgrass.com/post/standard-sand-amounts/ Listen to Brian's recent appearance on the Frankly Speaking podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/lt/podcast/firm-fast-desert-with-brian-whitlark/id1793571091?i=1000743219832 OM246 calculator web app with sand quantity conversion calculator: https://asianturfgrass.shinyapps.io/om246/ How to measure topdressing rates: https://youtu.be/6LurONpyg5M?si=LW4IPwzzXbVAOn-m Managing salinity in putting greens article by Brian: https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/course-care/green-section-record/64/issue-08/managing-salinity-in-putting-greens.html Terminology of turfgrass organic matter: https://youtu.be/tMfby5xR2IM?si=8aOQ-Ju6A_cLib8M Whitlark and Thompson article from 2019 on topdressing: http://gsrpdf.lib.msu.edu/ticpdf.py?file=/article/whitlark-thompson-light-5-3-19.pdf 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/
#201
April 30 · 31 min
Competition, stress, disturbance, species, strategies, and Grime
High maintenance turf often requires a high disturbance and high stress environment. Grime's CSR theory says there are "no viable strategies" for plants in such an environment. I discuss the implications of this. Blog post discussed is https://www.asianturfgrass.com/post/competition-stress-disturbance/ 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/
#200
March 5 · 1 hr 3 min
Downward trend in OM2 and varying sand and N rates by green with T-Jay Creamer
T-Jay Creamer is the golf course superintendent at Olympic View Golf Club on Vancouver Island. He's seen a steady decrease in OM2 in response to his N and sand rates, along with substantially more consistent OM2 values green to green. We discussed the results and what he does to accomplish this. The blog post we discussed is https://www.asianturfgrass.com/post/gvx-and-sand/ The OM246 calculator Shiny app is https://asianturfgrass.shinyapps.io/om246/ Exact sand topdressing rates https://www.asianturfgrass.com/post/sand-topdressing-measurement-by-exact-methods/ Three ways to measure sand 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/
#199
March 3 · 1 hr 3 min
Averages, river crossings, fescue, nutrients, spot spraying, and snow mold with Jason Haines
Jason Haines is the Links Superintendent at Cabot Cape Breton. We had a wide ranging conversation about blog posts from 2025, a new #MLSN article, controlling snow mold, things that look easy but aren't easy, and more. The blog post we discussed is https://www.asianturfgrass.com/post/ten-posts-no-one-read-in-2025/ The spring 2026 article in GreenMaster about MLSN: https://online.flipbuilder.com/gbcmagazine/rpae/#p=16 Video with Jason that shows the control of snow mold on greens in BC with minimal pesticides: https://youtu.be/L8Q8v5SAzSo?si=Jm8Vinz6fKZImH3P 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/
#198
February 20 · 54 min
Firmness, sand, and zoysiagrass with Stewart Naugler
Stewart Naugler is the Director of Agronomy at Loraloma in Texas. We talked about zoysiagrass as a golfing surface, playability, and maintenance requirements. We started by discussion my "Achieving the warm-season links" article, available here: https://www.asianturfgrass.com/publication/woods-2013-gca/ 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/
#197
February 16 · 20 min
Total organic material, soil organic matter, and screens
Thatch and mat at the top of turfgrass rootzones are removed from soils prior to testing for soil organic matter. Total organic material (OM246) testing is designed to measure the soil organic matter plus the thatch and mat. The blog post discussed is https://www.asianturfgrass.com/post/organic-matter-and-screens/ 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/
#196
February 9 · 28 min
GCSAA seminar overview, condition-based maintenance, and PAR
This gives an overview of the seminars I presented at the GCSAA Conference in 2026 and discusses updated PACE Turf site analyses of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). Seminar handout page: https://www.asianturfgrass.com/seminar/gcsaa-2026/ Example PAR site analysis in the PACE Turf gallery: https://www.paceturf.org/gallery/detail/site-par-analysis 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/
#195
January 15 · 1 hr 2 min
Research words, a new Turf Twitter analysis, and tropical grasses with Maggie Reiter
Maggie Reiter joined me to discuss her "Finding Turf Twitter" analysis, her analysis of current turf research topics at the ASA-CSSA-SSSA meetings, tropical grasses, and irrigation water requirements. We discussed: https://www.asianturfgrass.com/post/a-brand-new-turf-twitter-analysis/ https://maggiereiter.com/ https://www.asianturfgrass.com/tag/carpetgrass/ https://www.paceturf.org/gallery/detail/five-year-map https://www.paceturf.org/public/university-research-location-climate-appraisals 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/

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