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Phosphorus is an essential element for healthy turfgrass plants, but phosphorus can also contribute to algal growth in natural water bodies, so turfgrass managers should try to apply only the amount of phosphorus that is required by the grass.

The Sritrang Golf Course in southern Thailand’s Trang province is a low maintenance golf course on an army base, using native grasses, including a native manilagrass (Zoysia matrella) on the putting greens.

This photo is of the shiba-yaki ceremony at Korakuen Garden (後楽園庭園) in Okayama, Japan. This is some of the most beautiful noshiba grass (Zoysia japonica) I have seen, maintained using traditional and simple methods.

Another article about sodium chloride applications as a method of weed control in seashore paspalum has been published in Weed Technology. This research was done in Hawaii by Dr. Jim Brosnan, and I did some additional testing in Thailand and helped with the paper entitled Sodium Chloride Salt Applications Provide Effective Control of Sourgrass (Paspalum conjugatum) in Seashore Paspalum Turf.

I made a trip to Dubai in 2009 to see some golf courses and to learn more about turfgrass management there. There are many camels in the desert—these ones are just outside the Al Ruwaya golf course at The Tiger Woods Dubai, which I visited for two days.

There is a great article in the USGA Green Section Record about cost savings and turfgrass maintenance. Sometimes golf courses must find ways to reduce expenses on turfgrass maintenance, and the article Dollars and Sense: Making It in a Tough Economy provides a number of tips to save money.

Did you watch the Masters Tournament in April? Did you notice the immaculate appearance of the wide fairways? Please have a look at the photo below, taken from behind the 9th green during one of the practice rounds of the 2009 Masters Tournament.

One of the challenges in managing seashore paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum) turf is weed control. There are not many herbicides that can be used without damaging seashore paspalum. I worked with Dr.