From the Fairway to the Future: Biochar Is Rewriting Golf Course Management

In August 2016, more than 300 biochar producers, researchers, and enthusiasts gathered at the US Biochar Initiative Symposium under the theme The Synergy of Science and Industry. Among the sessions that drew the most attention: a presentation on live test plots at North Shore Country Club in Glenview, Illinois, where USDA Agricultural Research Service scientist Steve Vaughn and course superintendent Dan Dinelli were putting biochar to work on USGA-standard golf greens.

Vaughn and Dinelli co-authored peer-reviewed research published in Industrial Crops and Products (Elsevier, 2017) examining how biochar-organic amendment mixtures added to simulated golf greens increased creeping bentgrass growth under reduced chemical fertilization. Results were clear: biochar improved water and nutrient retention in sand-based root zones, reduced leaching of fertilizers into groundwater, and supported healthier turf with fewer synthetic inputs.

Why Golf Courses Are Natural Test Beds

Golf courses make ideal proving grounds for biochar. USGA greens are built on sand-based root zones designed for drainage — but that same structure requires heavy fertilizer and pesticide inputs that can leach into groundwater. Biochar, with its porous structure and enormous surface area, acts as a sponge and a bank: holding water longer, binding nutrients available to roots, and supporting the microbial life that keeps soil productive. Research shows biochar can save golf courses an estimated 30% in water consumption while reducing fertilizer and fungicide use significantly.

The Research Keeps Growing

A 2022 study published in Plant Disease (American Phytopathological Society) found that monthly topdressing with biochar-compost mixtures suppressed foliar pathogens in creeping bentgrass fairway turf without synthetic fungicides. At Okehampton Golf Club, biochar trials achieved up to 100% fungicide reduction and 20% reduction in fertilizer use (Carbon Gold, 2023). In July 2025, Pyrocal's Terix Biochar was incorporated into new green construction at Glenelg Golf Club in Adelaide — with Course Superintendent Tim Warren, recipient of the 2025 ASTMA Excellence in Golf Course Management Award, reporting no additional granular fertilizer was required after grow-in. The Chicago District Golf Association (CDGA) is also conducting ongoing research at Bob Berry Sunshine Course in Lemont, Illinois, examining biochar in topdressing sand and root zone mixes.

Closer to Home: Columbia, Missouri

Columbia, Missouri is home to several notable golf courses including A.L. Gustin Golf Course at the University of Missouri — the first college golf course in the United States certified by Audubon International, recognized for excellence in wildlife habitat management, water conservation, and environmentally friendly turf management with approximately 29,000 rounds per year. Lake of the Woods Golf Course and L.A. Nickell Golf Course at Cosmo Park both feature bentgrass greens and zoysia fairways — exactly the turf types where biochar has shown the strongest performance benefits. The University of Missouri is also home to active biochar research funded by a $960,000 USDA grant, testing biochar from various agricultural feedstocks to improve soil fertility.

What This Means for Terra Char

Terra Char is headquartered in Missouri. Our Iron-Modified Biochar (Fe-BC) extends the legacy of traditional biochar into water treatment — with greater than or equal to 5% Fe by weight, greater than or equal to 8 mg/g arsenic adsorption capacity, and NSF/ANSI 61 certification. Iron is exactly what Dan Dinelli noted turf grass loves. Biochar's persistence in soil makes it a uniquely durable investment — one application that keeps working for decades. If you manage a course in the Columbia area and want to explore a trial, contact us at terracharinfo@gmail.com

Sources & Further Reading

1. Vaughn et al. (2017). Industrial Crops and Products, Elsevier. sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0926669017307951 | 2. US Biochar Initiative (2016). biochar-us.org/conferences-events | 3. APS (2022). Plant Disease. apsjournals.apsnet.org | 4. Pyrocal (2025). Glenelg Golf Club Trial. pyrocal.com.au | 5. CDGA Turfgrass Research (2025). turfresearch.medium.com | 6. Carbon Gold (2023). carbongold.com/biochar-trials-golf-club-biochar-lawn-improver | 7. Driving the Green (2024). drivingthegreen.golf | 8. BioCycle (2017). biocycle.net/compost-use-turf | 9. ATTRA (2026). attra.ncat.org/missouri-project-exploring-biochar | 10. Visit Columbia MO. visitcolumbiamo.com/directory/a-l-gustin-golf