Niagara Falls February 2025

The Canadian Golf Course Management Conference

seminar OM246 ClipVol
Micah Woods
2025-02-24

Predicting, checking, and adjusting growth rate with clipping volume and growth potential

I’ve discussed clipping volume and growth potential at events across Canada over the past eight years. For a review of that material, see:

In this presentation (slides here, 4.7 MB PDF file), I presented some of the real techniques that people are using to get every bit of useful information out of the clipping volume measurements.

Predicting

One can use temperature, GP, and the Turf GvX to predict how much the grass will grow and how much N will be used. One can also reverse that, and from the amount of N applied, one can predict the maximum amount of clippings that could be produced. For every 5 kg N applied per ha (or the equivalent 0.1 lbs N/1000 ft2), I expect creeping bentgrass can produce a maximum clipping volume of 165 mL/m2.

Checking

You will find it useful to check the variation in clipping volume from green to green and from machine to machine. You will also find it useful to check the clipping volume totals on a year to year basis.

Adjusting

Because the clipping volume is related to green speed, you can make adjustments to the N and mowing and PGR inputs to keep the clipping volume within a range that works for your upcoming events.

Members, Guests, Championships, & OM246 (with Chris Tritabaugh)

The handout with slides is available here as a 1.1 MB PDF file.

Notes

Get all the latest turfgrass information from ATC through our email newsletters.

Find reference information, site-specific weather and climate appraisals, and weekly updates at PACE Turf.

For more about ATC’s soil testing services, and example reports, see our soil tests page.

See more about OM246 testing, including sampling instructions and a sample report, at the OM246 project page.

For even more information, see:

Previous