Page 10 - GM Fall 2025 flipbook

u COVER STORY u MIKE KOOY, AGRONOMIC CONSULTANT | OWNER | KOOY AGRONOMY
OM246
A Deeper
and Putting
Figure 1: A soil sample reveals each rootzone distinctly segmented
into 2cm intervals giving insight into organic matter (OM) across
the three key depths that most influence putting surface performance.
Maintaining a high-performing putting surface is a core
goal for every turf manager. Firmness, consistency and the
ability to withstand traffic are all directly influenced by
organic matter (OM). OM accumulates over time and turf
managers undertake disruptive practices, such as aeration
and sand topdressing, to manage it. Proper testing is
essential to ensure the time, money, and disruption
invested in OM management are worthwhile.
ANOTHER PIECE OF THE PUZZLE
Traditional soil reports usually give a single OM value from
a 0–10 cm or 0–15 cm sample. While helpful, this value does
not change much annually and does not account for where
OM is truly accumulating, at the surface.
OM246 analysis is a tool developed specifically to
bridge this gap. It gives you layered insight into OM at the
three most critical depths for putting surface performance:
0–2 cm, 2–4 cm, and 4–6 cm.
This article explains what OM246 is, how to understand
the data, and how real courses are using it to improve
playability and consistency. Ultimately, it is not about
reducing OM — it is about finding your course’s target OM
and managing toward it.
WHAT IS OM246?
For turfgrass managers, controlling the organic matter
(OM) in the soil is crucial for maintaining ideal surface
performance. OM246, developed by Dr. Micah Woods in
cooperation with Brookside Laboratories, offers a
sophisticated approach to measuring total OM at various
soil depths (0–2 cm, 2–4 cm, and 4–6 cm), allowing for
targeted management strategies such as sand topdressing,
verticutting, and aeration.
Measuring OM annually can enable informed
maintenance decisions. Because most OM builds up in the
top 2 cm of the profile, it significantly impacts on surface
firmness, moisture retention, and overall playability.
To warrant accurate OM management, collecting
representative samples is essential. The sampling process
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