First let me introduce this new segment, ‘Super Tools’ which will highlight many of the devices I use to grow better turf. Every superintendent relies on more than than his or her eyes and ears to measure the health of the grass they grow. Visual interpretation alone leaves a lot guess work which will lead to mistakes and poor course conditions. If you walk the course thinking you’re clever enough to predict disease, stress, insect damage, and fertility, than prepare for a swift kick in the ass by all of the powers of mother nature. I’ve been kicked a few times before, and I’ve learned from the bruises.

Out of all the tools I have at my disposal, the Campbell HydroSense is my absolute favorite. This hand-held instrument measures volumetric water content by averaging the reading between the two prongs from end to end. We insert the metal rods at a slight angle to reduce the depth to four inches to mimic our root zone. From the reading, we can decide whether the green needs to be hand-watered, needs over-head water that night, or can go another day.
Many superintendents say there is no substitute for an old fashioned soil probe that pulls a plug that you can hold in your hand and put up to your nose.  Well, they are right.  That's why we will pull a plug on the green also in a few places.  However, I can take over twenty readings with the HydroSense in less than a minute and cover the entire green.  It is fast, effective, and removes any guesswork. 

Using a moisture meter has greatly improved uniformity on all greens from left to right, front to back, and low to high.  Inexperienced staff members dragging a hose around for the first time are given a baseline number that is directly related to our anticipated high temperature of the day.  Eventually, they become less dependant on the tool, but it sure is nice to have that extra security blanket.