Belle Haven Country Club

Agronomy Update — May 22, 2026

Course Operations

This week we introduced new technology to improve fairway firmness while enhancing water efficiency. The system, called turfRad, uses advanced soil moisture sensing to help us make more precise irrigation decisions.

turfRad measures root-zone moisture without contacting the turf or emitting any signal. It uses a passive L-band microwave radiometer adapted from climate science, meaning it simply reads naturally occurring energy from the soil. This allows us to accurately assess moisture levels in the top 3–4 inches of the root zone—where it matters most for turf health.

The sensor collects data continuously as we drive, capturing high-density moisture readings across entire fairways with minimal added labor. Each reading is paired with GPS coordinates, and once uploaded, the system generates detailed moisture maps within minutes. These maps allow us to pinpoint dry or overwatered areas and fine-tune irrigation at the individual sprinkler-head level.

Chris with turfRad sensors scanning the fairways


turfRad data from fairway scan on Thursday

Over the next few weeks, turfRad will integrate with our Toro Spatial Adjust irrigation system. This will enable automatic adjustments based on daily moisture readings, current weather conditions, and short-term forecasts. The result will be more consistent playing conditions and improved water management. It will also make hand watering more targeted and efficient by focusing only on areas that need attention.

We also applied a preventive fungicide and growth regulator to tees, greens, and fairways in advance of the forecasted wet weather. The growth regulator slows vertical growth by limiting cell elongation while maintaining healthy turf density.

You may notice dark green rings or arcs in the rough and on tees. These are known as fairy rings, caused by naturally occurring soil fungi that release nitrogen. While often harmless, they can sometimes create water-repellent soil conditions that stress the turf. To manage this, we apply fungicides and wetting agents three times at 21-day intervals beginning in early spring, once soil temperatures reach 50°F.

The dark green arcs is Fairy Ring. 


We appreciate the recent rainfall and hope you enjoy the course over the Memorial Day weekend.

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