USGA launches soil moisture meter

The USGA announced the launch of the USGA Moisture Meter. The tool provides golf course superintendents precise and consistent data regarding soil moisture, salinity and temperature. The data instantly uploads into the USGA’s DEACON technology platform, creating a digital record that can be used to more efficiently manage water usage, plant health and golf course playability.

The soil moisture sensors in the new tool are supplied by METER Group, a leading provider of agricultural soil-plant atmospheric data, allowing for dependable readings and low maintenance. As on-course water-saving decisions become more paramount, and influenced by the USGA’s 15-year, $30 million commitment to help courses significantly reduce their water usage, the USGA Moisture Meter will give superintendents the data they need to determine how they can irrigate more effectively.

“The USGA Green Section is fully committed to providing superintendents with the best science, best practices and best tools to meet the expectations of golfers, golf course leadership and course owners,” said USGA CEO Mike Whan. “We are constantly asked by courses to compare their approach with how we set up our competitions. Now, with the DEACON app, GS3 smart ball and our new USGA Moisture Meter, we are providing superintendents with the same tools and capabilities that we utilize at each of our 15 national championships.”

Key benefits of the USGA Moisture Meter include:

• Improved course consistency: By providing accurate and real-time soil moisture data, the USGA Moisture Meter empowers superintendents to make data-driven decisions, resulting in more consistent playing surfaces throughout the season.
• Proprietary technology: CDX technology from METER Group provides precise and consistent soil moisture, salinity and temperature readings.
• Increased efficiency: The tool streamlines the data collection process, allowing superintendents and their teams to focus on other critical tasks.
• Enhanced decision-making: The integration with DEACON provides a comprehensive view of course conditions, enabling superintendents to make informed decisions about irrigation, applications, and other maintenance practices.

"Our collaboration with the USGA comes at a pivotal time, when METER has made groundbreaking advancements in the CDX technology powering this water content sensor," said Colin Campbell, president of METER Group. "These innovations establish the USGA Moisture Meter as one of the most accurate tools for measuring water content and salinity available today. By bringing this cutting-edge technology – once reserved for premier research applications – into the hands of commercial turf managers, we are empowering them with the same level of accuracy, reliability, and precision trusted by the scientific community."

For the past 30 years, METER scientists and researchers have provided reliable, research-grade instruments that activate both in the lab and in field. The working relationship with the USGA is intended to advance the science of data collection in an affordable tool that is ready to use, streamlining the analytical process. As part of the collaboration, METER will also introduce the USGA’s DEACON data platform to its sports turf management clients.

The USGA Moisture Meter will officially launch at the GCSAA Conference and Trade Show, with live demonstrations and in-booth product discussions occurring throughout the conference’s events. Orders made by the end of the show will be delivered to customers in time for the late-spring golf season planning cycle.

Proceeds from the Moisture Meter will be directly re-invested into the USGA’s critical efforts to support golf’s resource conservation goals.