TurfOps Science & Data Reference
Understanding spatial imagery, index formulas, interpretation guidelines, and sources.
Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI)
Sentinel-2 Satellite
NDVI = (NIR - Red) / (NIR + Red)
NDVI measures photosynthetic activity and plant vigor. Chlorophyll absorbs visible red light for energy, while leaf mesophyll structures reflect near-infrared (NIR) light to prevent vegetation overheating.
Interpretation:
Interpretation:
- 0.6 to 0.9 (Emerald/Blue): Healthy, dense, highly active turf canopy (greens and fairways).
- 0.35 to 0.55 (Green/Yellow): Dry, stressed, or low-density turf canopy.
- Under 0.2 (Tan/Blue): Bunkers, water, buildings, or dormant soils.
Turf Moisture Index (NDWI)
Sentinel-2 Satellite
Moisture = 1.0 - (NIR - Green) / (NIR + Green)
A modified Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) sensitive to liquid water molecules within vegetation canopy and open soil. Green light reflects moisture, while NIR tracks cell structures.
Interpretation:
Interpretation:
- High (Deep Blue): Waterlogged soils, drainage pooling, or water hazards.
- Medium (Teal): Well-irrigated, highly hydrated healthy turf.
- Low (Yellow/Tan): Under-watered turf, localized dry spots, or hydrophobic sand profiles.
Near-Infrared Reflectance (NIR)
Sentinel-2 Satellite
Reflectance = Band 8 (842nm)
Displays the raw reflectance values of the near-infrared spectrum. Cellular structures of plants reflect up to 50% of NIR light.
Interpretation: Since changes in cell wall structure affect NIR scattering long before chlorophyll content decreases, the NIR band is a leading indicator of crop stress, disease, and drought before visual symptoms appear.
Interpretation: Since changes in cell wall structure affect NIR scattering long before chlorophyll content decreases, the NIR band is a leading indicator of crop stress, disease, and drought before visual symptoms appear.
True Color Imagery
Sentinel-2 Satellite
RGB = Band 4 (R) + Band 3 (G) + Band 2 (B)
Combines the natural visible bands of the Sentinel-2 satellite to form an authentic snapshot of the course coordinates, exactly as seen by the human eye from orbit.
Note: TurfOps strictly forbids synthetic fallbacks for this band. If real orbit captures are not cached or query times out, this mode reverts to None with a toast warning to prevent misleading layouts.
Note: TurfOps strictly forbids synthetic fallbacks for this band. If real orbit captures are not cached or query times out, this mode reverts to None with a toast warning to prevent misleading layouts.
Aerial Layout Classification
MNRF Orthophotography
Supervised ML Pixel Classification
Supervised machine learning algorithms process ultra-high-resolution (10-25cm) aerial orthophoto maps provided by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNRF).
The layout segments coordinates into five functional golf course categories: Water (Blue), Sand Bunkers (Tan), Roughs (Dark Green), Fairways (Light Green), and Greens (Emerald).
The layout segments coordinates into five functional golf course categories: Water (Blue), Sand Bunkers (Tan), Roughs (Dark Green), Fairways (Light Green), and Greens (Emerald).
Infrastructure & Streets Overlay
OpenStreetMap
Overpass Geometry Querying
Vector road lines and highway overlays are fetched dynamically around each course's bounding box using OpenStreetMap (OSM) APIs.
Interactive Hover: Sweeping the cursor over any road segment triggers a client-side geometric projection that matches the pixel distance. If within 12px, it displays the road name and legal speed limits.
Interactive Hover: Sweeping the cursor over any road segment triggers a client-side geometric projection that matches the pixel distance. If within 12px, it displays the road name and legal speed limits.
Course Name
Access Type
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Directory Sources
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Address
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Phone
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Website
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Seasonal Turf Health Trend
Avg NDVI: 0.74
Apr
Jun
Aug
Oct
NDVI Index
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