06/17/2026
What if the most chemically dependent turf in your community isn't a farm — it's a golf course? And what if the superintendents who manage it are quietly making a different choice?
Golf courses are often held up as examples of chemical-intensive land management — and historically that reputation was earned. Synthetic fertilizers, fungicides, herbicides, pesticides applied on a rotating schedule to keep 150 acres of turf looking immaculate under constant pressure.
But something has been shifting quietly in the turf management world for the last decade.
In 2014, Jeff Corcoran, the grounds manager at Oak Hill Country Club — host of multiple US Opens and PGA Championships — became the first golf course superintendent to test vermicompost extract on his greens. What he saw was increased root activity shortly after application. His conclusion: 'The science behind it makes it replicable, verifiable and consistent.'
That was 2014. Since then the research and the adoption have grown significantly.
A golf club in Sweden documented a 48% reduction in fertilizer applications over four years using vermicompost extract. In the same period they saw a 73% reduction in fungicide costs — often the single largest chemical line item after labor on any maintained course.
Dr. Jim Brosnan at the University of Tennessee — right here in our state — has collaborated on research evaluating the effects of vermicompost extract on turfgrass. Research has shown that treated turf develops longer root systems, less disease pressure, and higher density than synthetically managed turf.
This is not fringe science. This is peer-reviewed research backed by $3 million in funding and 17 federal and state grants.
We produce the same category of product right here in Jackson, Tennessee. And we're having these conversations with local course superintendents.
If you're connected to the golf industry in West Tennessee — or know someone who is — we'd love an introduction. 🌱
