Rootzone Selection

Abstract

One of the most important components of a successful sports or golf venue is providing exacting soil water management. Events often involve lucrative media contracts, thus, need to be played on time under desirable competitive field conditions. Proper rootzone selection is one of the most misunderstood and least appreciated portions of successful field management. This largely dictates if events occur on time and to a large extent, the safety of the playing surface. Too often, the only drainage provided is several inches of a river-bottom sand applied to the soil surface and roto-tilled in. As discussed in this chapter, this recipe is almost always a blueprint for failure. Concepts covered in the chapter include correct profiles for golf putting greens and the various means of determining a proper rootzone mix by using the soil analysis concepts covered in Chap. 1. In addition, proper evaluation and selection of soil amendments and gravel with a complete coverage on determining if bridging of soil rootzone with gravel will occur. Other topics covered include proper selection of bunker sands and sports fields, plus sand capping, and the various means of determining sufficient rootzone depths. Extensive examples and questions at the end of the chapter cover actual field situations where the scientific principles and concepts covered are integrated into making the best decisions for various budgeted operations. Numerous illustrations and photographs help visualize topics covered in the chapter.