Critique of USGA Reco mmendations for A Method of Putting Green Construction

Abstract

The United States Golf Association (USGA) originally published specifications for greens construction in a 1960 five-page publication. The document was designed as a guide to golf course builders to ensure greens would provide good playing conditions for many years, and is based on research from the Green Section, UCLA, and Texas A & M College. Reco mmendations from this document were designed to provide a green with sufficient drainage and resistance to compaction, a combination difficult to achieve without a degree of compromise. Since this release, the original reco mmendations have been updated four times, most recently in 2018. The document gives guidance on a range of soil physical properties including bulk density, porosity, saturated hydraulic conductivity, grain size distribution, bridging factors, and amendments. The most recent version of the specifications builds on previous versions; however, some reco mmendations warrant further examination such as the statement that addition of small amounts of soil to a rootzone mix will likely reduce the infiltration rate without a significant increase in water retention.