Without soil data? Then you start with a backlog

Smart choices for healthy greens

"You can have such a good salesman or a perfectly written fertilization plan ... without soil analysis, you don't really know anything." Speaking is Nicolas De Schutter, manager of NDS Solutions and consultant for numerous golf clubs, sports fields and public green spaces. His mission: to wake up the sector to the importance of measuring, understanding and only then adjusting.

According to De Schutter, it remains surprising how many decisions in green management are still made on gut feeling. "Every green is different, and so is every golf course. Even on one course there are big differences in acidity, moisture, salt, compaction or microbiological life. If you ignore that, you're working with the blunt axe."

What then? "Start with measuring. A correct soil analysis gives you a starting point as well as an evolution. You know where you stand, you see how the soil responds to interventions, and you can make much more focused choices. Less waste, more effect."

One prick doesn't say it all

Yet even analysis is not a miracle solution, warns De Schutter. "Some have one sample taken and think, 'done.' But a one-time sampling is like taking one picture and hoping you understand the whole film. Actually, you have to monitor: at least seasonally, preferably at fixed points and always in the same way. Only then will you gain insight into trends."

That approach makes all the difference in identifying underlying problems. "Poor growth can come from salt accumulation, poor drainage, low CEC or calcium-magnesium imbalance. Without data, you're left guessing. So measurement is not just for 'nerds,' it's just professional management."

Fertilization? Only after analysis

NDS Solutions works exclusively with fertilization schedules that start from a current soil scan. "We are brand-independent, so we don't prescribe products because we have to sell them. Everything starts from the needs of the field itself. That also means: sometimes we say not to fertilize. Because over-fertilization is at least as harmful as a shortage." And yes, that sometimes leads to difficult conversations. "A customer sometimes expects a 'package' or a calendar with standard solutions. But good management is not a straightjacket. It is a process of observation, analysis, adjustment. And as a greenkeeper or groundsman, you have to be willing to step into that."

Sensors and satellites? Sure, but critically

De Schutter is not against technology, quite the contrary. "Sensors, satellite imagery, apps with AI - these are fantastic tools. But even there, use them consciously. Data is only valuable when you understand it and connect it to what you see in the field."

His advice: combine classic sampling with new technology, but never lose connection with the site itself. "Walk around. Smell the soil. Feel how wet or dry it is. Talk to your crew. Technology is not a replacement for craftsmanship, but a reinforcement of it."

Being mindful of budget

Finally, measurement costs money. How do you justify that as a greenkeeper? "By demonstrating how much you avoid it," De Schutter says firmly. "Those who fertilize or spray blind often literally throw money at the ground. A targeted approach means less product, less labor and less long-term damage. And that's the language every club management does understand." 

Good management begins with understanding. And understanding starts with measuring. "Those who really want to improve their greens must dare to look under the turf," concludes Nicolas De Schutter. "Because that's where the game really begins."