Nitrogen (N) fertilization of turfgrass continues to be scrutinized due to environmental concerns. Practices that reduce fertilizer inputs without sacrificing turfgrass quality are needed. But, a reliable test of N status in turfgrass is not currently available. The Illinois soil N test has been developed to predict crop response to applied N by measuring the amount of amino N in the soil. Amino N does not fluctuate as rapidly as other forms of N in soil. Our objective is to determine the spatial variation of amino N in soil in order to determine sampling frequency requirements for use of the Illinois soil N test as a management tool on golf course fairways. Soil samples from 0-15, 15-30, and 45-60 cm were collected from golf course fairways in Minnesota and analyzed for amino N concentration. Our initial data indicate that amino N concentration decreases with depth and that the special variability will permit routine soil test procedures when gathering samples for predicting amino N status of soils.