Each February, I start to apply fertilizer amendments to the greens to build up the soil leading into the season. These decisions are based on soil test results. Highlands is a little more unique compared to most climates when it comes to balancing the soil due to the amount of rain we get. The 100" of rain we are accustomed to acts as a stripper, removing nutrients from the soil. Nitrogen, the primary nutrient that drives green growth, is not included in this because we will supply that to the plant primarily through liquid applications. We really do not use any granular nitrogen sources for a number of reasons. Today, we put down a total of 2 products. Gypsum (Calcium amendment), an 0-0-13 fertilizer (Potassium supplement) and finally, ProMag 36 (Magnesium supplement). Calcium, Magnesium and Potassium are three cations that can have a profound effect on the soil pH. When the soil pH gets too high (basic) or too low (acidic), the availability of all nutrients is profoundly affected. Keeping the soil pH around the 6-6.5 range leads to the optimal availability of nutrients. simple soil test will give you all of this information.
I've used this example before that illustrates the same type of occurrence in a golf green: old concrete swimming pools required the owner to balance the calcium in the water. There is one reason for this. If the water itself has low calcium levels, in effort to achieve equilibrium, it will pull the calcium out of the concrete walls. Overtime, this leads to the deterioration of the pool itself. As water moves through the soil profile it does the same thing, stripping calcium particles from the soil.