Golf Digest Publications has generously agreed to sponsor the 2012 Research Awards for the Sixth World Scientific Congress of Golf.  An award of $2,500 will be given to the “winning” research in each of the three areas – The Golfer, Equipment and Technology, and The Golf Course.

The science awards will be evaluated on their unique contribution to science and on their valuable application to golf.  A committee of experts in each of the three areas will critique the award submissions.  Golf Digest Publications is requesting the first right of refusal to publish the research submitted for consideration. The author will agree to “not allow” this research to be published in any other consumer magazine until Golf Digest Publications has declined the opportunity to do so. If interested, the editors of Golf Digest will coordinate with the researcher to create an appropriate, fully credited article to be published in one of its magazines.

Researchers will indicate on their Research Submission form whether they request their research to be considered for the 2012 Research Awards.

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2008 Golf Digest Research Awards :

THE GOLFER:
Bob Christina

EQUIPMENT TECH:
Mark

GOLF COURSE:
Jay W

ABSTRACT

Earthworms that form casts on the surface of a golf course are considered as pest species by golf course managers, despite the numerous benefits to soil health which they provide. The relationships between the activity of earthworms, their vertical distribution and the anthropogenic soil profiles found on golf courses are not clearly understood. Microcosm investigations of these relationships were made in order to inform golf course managers with regards to targeted applications of vermicidal chemicals. Casting behavior of the anecic earthworm Lumbricus terrestris was observed for nine weeks in microcosms representing different areas of golf courses and their associated construction techniques. This indicated that earthworm casts were more prevalent in soils containing a relatively high proportion of sand (p < 0.05) and a small microbial biomass (p < 0.05). These findings are in contrast to the UK golf industry’s assumptions that earthworms will not survive in soils that have a high sand content such as a USGA specification rootzone. Earthworms were also shown to be vertically associated in the soil profile with areas that were richer in available food resources. We postulate a causal mechanism for this behavior relating earthworm foraging efficiency to the structural stability of their burrows and surface casts in soils that contain in excess of 80% sand.