By Maddie Johnson
UA System Division of Agriculture
Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station

About 200 participants attended this year's Turfgrass Field Day and learned the latest research and technology to help keep their golf courses, lawns and sports fields in top shape.

A rechargeable smart golf ball was among the tools that were highlighted during the event, hosted by the U of A System Division of Agriculture and the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the U of A.

Will Green, a horticulture graduate student with Bumpers College, presented on the United States Golf Association's GS3 technology, a data-collecting golf ball that connects via Bluetooth to the USGA's DEACON smartphone application to provide data on putting green firmness. 

The technology can detect the flatness and smoothness of a course with its sensors that collect over 15,000 data points as users perform roll tests. Green said the GS3 can save golf course managers labor costs and reduce inputs.

Bringing research to life

The event kicked off with brief messages from turfgrass science faculty members and administrators, including Mary Savin, head of the Horticulture Department for the Division of Agriculture and Bumpers College. 

"Research is one thing," Savin said. "Getting it out at events like this field day is what's really important." 

She drew attention to the long-term impact of the turfgrass program, with students becoming industry problem solvers.

Savin noted that all who were recognized as this year's Horticulture Department outstanding graduate students were from the turfgrass program.

There was no shortage of student involvement at the field day, with seven current or recently graduated turfgrass students leading many of the field tour segments. 

Some of the field tour topics included: 

• Zoysiagrass disease issues 
• Application technology and sprayer calibration
• Planting date and planting method effects on establishment of a tall grass prairie mixture
• Effects of shade on warm-season grasses

Attendees also had a chance to earn pesticide recertification at the event, according to Hannah Wright Smith, assistant professor and weed specialist with the Cooperative Extension Service and Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station — the Division of Agriculture's outreach and research arms.

Razorback turf

Mike Richardson, professor of turfgrass science for the experiment station and Bumpers College, led the first of the day's field tours, which featured plots of warm-season grasses grown in Arkansas. Attendees got an up-close look at Tahoma 31, the dense, dark and fine-textured cultivar that serves as the foundation of Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

After the first session, attendees chose whether to follow different tour circuits focused on golf courses, lawncare or sports turf. 

Those who chose sports turf enjoyed a tour of Razorback athletic facilities led by Douglas Bradley, director of turf operations for the U of A.

Maintaining the greens

Wendell Hutchens, an assistant professor of turfgrass science with the Division of Agriculture and Bumpers College, presented the latest results from his putting green disease trials. Hutchens noted that with the heavy rainfall the state has experienced, those managing greens saw reduced application efficacy and increased disease pressure of issues like dollar spot and fairy ring.

Wright Smith discussed the challenges of removing perennial ryegrass from bermudagrass lawns.

To view the complete listing of presenters and topics from the 2025 Turfgrass Field Day, please visit the event website.

Mention or depiction of product names does not imply endorsement by the U of A System Division of Agriculture.

To learn more about the Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website. Follow us on X at @ArkAgResearch, subscribe to the Food, Farms and Forests podcast and sign up for our monthly newsletter, the Arkansas Agricultural Research Report. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. Follow us on X at @AgInArk. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu.

---

About the Division of Agriculture: The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture's mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation's historic land grant education system. The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three system campuses. Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.