Physical Soil Testing Laboratories


Physical soil testing is the process of analyzing the gravel, sands, and amendments, used in green construction to determine factors such as porosity, hydraulic conductivity, whether or not the sand is calcareous, and the actual size of the materials.

The laboratories listed below specialize in physical soil analysis for the golf industry. Before submitting samples to a laboratory, be sure to contact the lab for specifics regarding the amount of materials required for testing, the types of tests they offer, fees for their services, and shipping instructions. Keep in mind that it takes time to perform these tests and that the first batch of materials you submit may not meet your construction requirements. Be sure to begin the testing process early enough to allow re-testing of subsequent materials, if necessary.


Accredited Laboratory List
What does accreditation mean? The American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) is a non-profit, professional membership society committed to the success of laboratories through the administration of a broad-spectrum, nationwide laboratory accreditation system and a full range of training on laboratory practices taught by experts in their field.

A2LA accredits testing laboratories in the following fields: acoustics and vibration, biological, chemical, construction materials, electrical, environmental, geotechnical, mechanical, metrology, nondestructive and thermal. Accreditation is available to private, independent, in-house and government labs. To learn more about A2LA, browse to www.a2la.org.

The following laboratories are accredited by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA), having demonstrated ongoing competency in testing materials specified in the USGA's Recommendations for Putting Green Construction. The USGA recommends that only A2LA-accredited laboratories be used for testing and analyzing materials for building greens according to our guidelines.  Click here to see the list of accredited laboratories.