In collaboration with Radius Sports Group and funded by the New York State Turfgrass Association, the Cornell Turfgrass Team is analyzing data collected from a statewide survey of golf course superintendents. The study examines adoption rates of best management practices (BMPs), fertilizer use, and water usage. This effort builds on previous surveys from 2020 and 2023, enabling trend analysis over time and benchmarking against national data.
At Cornell’s Bluegrass Lane Turf & Landscape Research Center, trial plots are investigating how different rolling frequencies affect turf playability, organic matter accumulation, and weed suppression. Findings will help refine rolling schedules to enhance turf health and reduce chemical inputs, especially where frequent rolling can serve as a mechanical alternative to other management practices
The Cornell Turfgrass Program partners with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to improve turf quality and environmental stewardship across 23 golf courses. Each course receives several site visits per year from extension support specialist, Chase Skrubis, during which the team consults with the superintendents, collects data, and performs detailed soil and surface assessments. Public state park courses serve as sites for research plots for Cornell and Agritech research, and receive weekly communication to support management against disease, pest, and weather pressure. This long-term program accomplishes steady, measurable improvement in turf conditions, and environmental stewardship.
The State Park Agronomist is collaborating with the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) to assess the impact of elite youth tournaments on turf conditions. By collecting data before and after rounds, including turf quality, surface firmness, and player perception, the team is building a baseline for understanding how high-level junior competition traffic affects course playability and wear. The findings will inform future recommendations for course preparation and recovery in junior tournament settings.
This study models turfgrass growth under varying mowing heights to determine the optimal frequency for mowing. The objective is to balance turf health with resource efficiency by avoiding both excessive mowing, which wastes fuel and contributes to emissions, and infrequent mowing, which can stress the turf. Data from these plots also inform the team’s publicly available lawn watering and growth forecast tools. These models help homeowners and groundskeepers make more sustainable lawn care decisions.
This three-year project investigates the condition, management practices, and policy influences affecting K–12 athletic fields across New York State. Phase one involves stakeholder mapping and qualitative research to understand who makes decisions about field construction and maintenance. In year two, the team will conduct a statewide survey targeting school administrators, facilities managers, and athletic directors to collect data on field quality, decision-making priorities (e.g., cost, safety, durability), and constraints. Year three will focus on developing tailored extension programming informed by the survey results. The goal is to improve youth recreation spaces by closing knowledge and resource gaps in field management.
On the Cornell University Ithaca campus, 15 urban green spaces are being evaluated for landscape quality, usability, and environmental comfort. Regular monitoring includes visual assessments (e.g., green coverage, turf evenness), temperature and wind measurements, and human activity observations. The goal is to understand how landscape design, species selection, and microclimates influence whether people choose to use and enjoy these spaces. Findings are guiding grounds management decisions and informing future campus landscape planning that prioritizes recreation, climate comfort, and biodiversity.