How data and tech are shaping modern turfcare
Until not long ago, the idea of sophisticated autonomous mowers, artificial intelligence (AI) and data dashboards belonged firmly to the future of turfcare.
But today, this kind of technology is no longer an emerging trend – it’s already reshaping how greenkeepers, grounds teams and course managers approach their work.
The pressures facing turf professionals are well known: limited budgets, labour shortages, rising player expectations and the growing demands of ambitious net zero targets. At the same time, climate change is bringing new challenges in the form of unpredictable weather patterns, droughts and heavier rainfall.
What has changed is the new technology in sports turf management and golf that is enabling smarter, more efficient and more sustainable decisions to be made every day.
Smarter irrigation and healthier turf with moisture mapping
It was in 2022 that the UK came perilously close to running out of water and in August this year a ‘nationally significant’ water shortage in England was announced by the government. With reservoirs at record lows, groundwater dwindling and stream flows exceptionally low, England was desperate for rain.
Forecasts indicate that by 2055 England’s public water supply could be short by 5bn litres a day without urgent action to future-proof resources, the equivalent to more than a third of the supplies available today. The effect on the economy will be profoundly negative. The thinktank Public First has estimated that the economic cost of water scarcity could be £8.5bn over this parliament.
The data is sent to the turfRad software to help provide a streamlined, more effective irrigation strategy.
No new reservoir has been built in thirty years despite significant population growth and climate breakdown meaning longer, drier summers during which the country desperately needs to store water. The reservoirs England does have are at their lowest levels in at least a decade, just 67.7% full on average.
As Sir David King, a former UK chief scientific adviser who chairs the Climate Crisis Advisory Group, says: “Drought in England is no longer a warning. It is a clear signal that climate collapse is unravelling our water, food and natural systems right now. This crisis demands a fundamental shift that places real value on our planet and environment, invests in nature, restores water cycles and transforms how we use every drop. If we rise to this moment, we can turn crisis into opportunity, delivering economic resilience, ecological renewal and climate leadership.”
So how does the turfcare industry help?
We’ve long discussed the importance of precision and targeted watering in irrigation and how smart central control systems and accurate sprinklers can help with that. Now there’s another way.
In an exclusive collaboration between TerraRad and Toro, there’s an innovative solution called turfRad which uses remote sensing technology to measure the microwaves naturally emitted by the ground to deliver highly accurate soil moisture maps across entire sports surfaces.
It integrates with the Toro Lynx Central Control platform to save natural resources and optimise turf conditions. The information it collects helps provide a streamlined, more effective irrigation strategy that eliminates the need for manual labour when it comes to moisture monitoring and sprinkler adjustments.
turfRad attaches to a Toro mower or utility vehicle to accumulate actionable irrigation information.
Why choose turfRad?
Unlike traditional probes that take readings at individual points, turfRad provides a detailed, field-wide picture of where moisture is high, where it’s low and how those patterns shift across the day or season. This data can be leveraged to optimise irrigation accuracy and minimise water waste: instead of watering uniformly and risking over- or under-irrigating in different zones.
How does it work?
Patented smart sensors are installed on Toro mowers map root-zone soil moisture levels while mowing. Each sensor takes about 10,000 single-point measurements per fairway and considers the chlorophyl content and surface temperature from the microwaves naturally emitting from the soil. This subsurface data detects early stress before it’s visible, meaning irrigation can be proactive rather than only reactive, as it is now.
This real-time data is sent to the turfRad software to help provide a streamlined, more effective irrigation strategy that eliminates the need for manual labour when it comes to moisture monitoring and sprinkler adjustments. To ensure proper irrigation customised to course needs, the software provides individual sprinkler adjustment recommendations that can be made with the touch of a button.
What are the benefits?
Information is power and never more so when it has a direct impact on the use of a natural resource. Unlike traditional probes that take readings at individual points, turfRad provides a detailed, field-wide picture of where moisture is high, where it’s low and how those patterns shift across the day or season. This data can be leveraged to optimise irrigation accuracy and minimise water waste: instead of watering uniformly and risking over- or under-irrigating in different zones, turf managers can target irrigation only where it’s needed.
For golf course management, where irrigation represents a large portion of input costs, turfRad’s insights play a pivotal role in improving profitability – and in periods of drought, when irrigation restrictions may come into play, being able to demonstrate optimal turf performance and responsible water usage can be extremely valuable.
Smart fleet and turf management
For golf clubs and sports fields, fleets are at the heart of every turf operation, but without smart management, they can also be a source of inefficiency and hidden operating costs. That’s why more and more turf professionals are adopting digital fleet management systems such as Toro Intelli360 to optimise resources and simplify maintenance.
Smart connected products are digital tools that share information in real time across your operation. For greenkeeping teams, that can mean better visibility into equipment usage, maintenance schedules, work orders and more – resulting in less downtime, better planning and a more productive team.
What’s the opportunity?
Imagine having instant access to track where machines are, what condition they’re in and what service they’ll need next. You could have a clear picture of your fleet and equipment at any given moment.
In addition, with connected work order systems, tasks can be scheduled and assigned quickly. You can account for upcoming maintenance, allocate time and labour, and even estimate costs before work begins. These features help avoid delays, reduce breakdowns and keep equipment in rotation longer. For those managing budgets, connected systems also make it easier to monitor part usage and plan for future needs.
Putting it into practice
Toro’s Intelli360 is a web-based digital toolbox that integrates several Toro applications into a single, user-friendly platform.
Intelli360 gives managers real-time data and complete visibility into machine location, status, repair needs and productivity. Instead of relying on disconnected data or reactive maintenance, teams can monitor usage hours remotely from any mobile device, flag upcoming services and prevent unexpected downtime before it happens.
With IntelliDash built into Intelli360, turf professionals can see everything in one place – including weather, evapotranspiration forecasts and irrigation data – gaining a holistic picture of their turf operations that is essential for smarter, data-driven decision-making.
Currently, Intelli360 offers equipment tracking with geolocation, allowing users to see the position, status and maintenance needs of connected equipment on a map view. Teams can manage work orders with the ability to create and assign maintenance tasks, track parts and labour, and review service history.
Navigate the latest innovations in turf management with Reesink
Technology is not replacing the expertise of grounds teams and forward-thinking greenkeepers – it’s empowering them to achieve more with less. By bringing together new solutions, digital tools and data-driven insights, turf managers can tackle today’s challenges with confidence: saving time, optimising resources, cutting costs and, above all, delivering outstanding playing surfaces.
At Reesink Turfcare, however, we believe modern turfcare won’t revolve entirely around technology: building partnerships you can rely on will remain essential. From cutting-edge Toro equipment and genuine parts to expert support, servicing and training, we’re here to help you embrace the benefits of smarter turf management.
Contact Reesink Turfcare on 01480 226800 or find us at reesinkturfcare.co.uk