Click the image above to enlarge!
This lab based in Palo Alto, CA uses a laser particle counter to breakdown how many solids are in the water and specifically, the size of those particles. This is important because we work very hard through topdressing and greens aerification to create larger pore spaces by incorporating sand. On a larger scale, think of the rootzone (the sand) of a green like a jar of marbles. The marbles have all lots of air space between them for water to move through the system. Now take something finer, like M&M's and dump them into the jar of marbles. The M&M's settle out between the marbles in what once was used for grass roots and water movement. Now take something finer than that...and hopefully you see that we can wind up real trouble if we aren't aware of what is ending up on the turf. Eventually, all the pore spaces will be clogged and water will just sit on the surface, unable to move downward. At this point, fungus damage is going to be an issue because of excess moisture and the greens will ultimately fail. Not to mention, they won't be fun at all to play on because they'll become soft and slow. As a superintendent, this is one of the most important objectives we manage.