Writing

A writer shares what they’ve been reading during a difficult week of writing, offering a glimpse into the books currently on their desk.

A September 2017 Bizgolf magazine cover feature, written by Aman Misra, profiles the author and their work related to turf, with the full issue available to browse online or download as a PDF.

The author announces that their Japanese-language book Micah no jikan is now complete and available for worldwide order on Amazon.co.jp, and also highlights a wave of internationally-inspired new convenience store snacks in Japan, including wasabi potato chips, Korean barbeque chips, English cheddar chips, and Coconut Cream-O cookies.

A turfgrass researcher describes a month of studying grasses between 44–49°N latitude, from sea level to high elevations, while also reading about turfgrass management principles and consulting at Hazeltine National Golf Club during Ryder Cup preparations, including firmness testing across the course.

A Euro Biz Japan article from August 2016 explores the distinctions between different types of turf grasses used in Japan, based on an interview conducted by Fred Varcoe.

The MLSN (Minimum Soil Nutrient) guidelines for turfgrass have been formally documented in a new preprint paper, presenting the methodology and data behind nutrient sufficiency levels derived from Mehlich 3 soil test results to help turf managers avoid over-applying fertilizer.

A golf course consultant reflects on reviewing their Japanese-language Golf Course Seminar articles while in Japan, and highlights two case studies they authored for The Banyan Golf Club in Thailand and Wack Wack Golf and Country Club in the Philippines, now featured prominently on The R&A’s new Golf Course website alongside Royal St. Georges ahead of The Open.

A turfgrass writer documents heading to a Thai island for a self-described sabbatical to focus on several writing projects, reflecting on a productive similar retreat in Italy that yielded over ten published articles on turfgrass science and agronomy.

Findings from the 150-year-old Park Grass experiment at Rothamsted suggest that common fertilizer and lime recommendations for cool-season turf may actually promote weed growth, with potassium and lime applications linked to increased dandelions and weedy species, while ammonium sulfate alone favored finer grasses with fewer weeds.

A January 2011 issue of Greenkeeper International features Blue Canyon Country Club in Phuket on its cover, with an inside article on turfgrass management practices in Southeast Asia written by the blog’s author.