Stuck in Neutral

       The unofficial start to the golf season, Good Friday, has passed and we are still stuck in neutral! After hearing a story this past week of a course in New Jersey aerifying in the snow, I know that people have gotten past the point of frustration. Many clubs have pushed back aeration a few weeks. It is really brutal with predictions of highs next week in the mid 40's! Sometimes you just have to work with the circumstances you have been given.....
       After last years extended playing season, each day with this gloomy weather puts some clubs in a tougher situation. The interesting thing to see will be if the               US Open has as much an impact on the local golf economy as some expect. Interestingly enough, I have heard from many superintendents that their clubs are swamped for the week of the US Open. Clubs have multiple outings and events have filled the calendars. Now if you just had a big parking lot and a bunch of vans you could really make a killing. For those of you who have not been to the area, parking will be at a major premium!

Hope you and your family have a healthy & happy Easter!

WJC

CHA CHA CHA Changes

       This past week The Toro Company hosted a training event for their commercial distributors in the USA and Canada know as Toro University. It was held at Barton Creek Resort in Austin, Texas. The week was split between two groups of a Monday-Wednesday and a Wednesday-Friday group. I was in the second group. I believe I have been an attendant at everyone of these events over the past 21 years....
       Some years there are more new products and changes and other years there may only be a few things that change. One thing you can see over the years is the rotation on the R&D money and which line will be having new products in the near future. So with the new restrictions coming with the Tier 4 emissions standards the biggest changes are in the 25-75 HP diesel traction units (large rotaries & fairway mowers). Now Toro has done a great job communicating with their distribution on how this transformation would take place but maybe it is just the way my mind works and seeing the new products in action helped to make me really grasp the change that is coming to our industry. With lots of cool new abilities like to be able to control speed, find intermittent faults and track real use hours, all electronically. It is going to be really amazing what you will be able to do! What was cool for me to see was Toro took the mandates caused by Tier 4 and used it as an opportunity to make some big improvements to products in other ways in the process and still meeting the new standards.

       Thanks to all the people at Toro for a first class training event!
      

 

Master Salesman Lou Bosco tests out one of the new Toro Reel Masters!


*Just a reminder that we will be hosting Jim Nedin Sprayer Calibration Seminars over the next 2 weeks in PA/NJ/DE/MD & VA! All will have each state's Department of Ag Pesticide License credits & .40 GCSAA continuing eductaion credits available too. Hope to see you at one of the locations!*
http://www.turf-equipment.com/xCourseSchedule2.htm





WJC



  

Goal And An Assist

       Congratulations to the Philadelphia Area Golf Course Association for the new Assistant Superintendent Outreach program! With Jim Lynagh and Rob Nolek leading the committee and Assistants Nick Lubold, Cedric Karp & Derrick Mohler playing a big part in trying to grow the involvement and numbers of Assistant Superintendents in the Association, I think it is going to be very successful.

       I know that time line has really changed in the career path of an Assistant from where it was 10 years ago. With the loss of clubs and the 300+ resumes that are sent in for an open position, it is easy to get frustrated. So what do you do? Keep attending as many educational events as you can, become part of the local associations, continue to network! The biggest thing that came out of our Future Superintendent Academy experts back in December was differentiate yourself.
       So when you feel like you are stuck....change something! Think about what you have done lately to improve your chances of getting where you want to be.


Happy St. Paddy's Day!

       

 WJC

 

 

 

Politics, Religion & Grinding

       This past week we had visit from some of the factory people from Bernhard & Company. They have recently come out with a stand alone unit that you can relief grind a reel mower and this was the focus of the visit. As you might be aware, Bernhard has done very well in the golf business through the years in preaching their spin grinding program. They can point to all of the many top 100 clubs that use their system and the amount of pro tournament events that are hosted by users of the product. Now if there is a few things I have learned over the years it is to avoid in my visits is discussions of politics, religion and I am now starting to believe grinding practices might fall under that umbrella!
       Obviously the manufactures requirements of bringing things back to factory specifications sometimes when there is a quality of cut complaint plays into it but the real thing is giving people what they ask for. Lately I have found some more people who swear it is only one way or the other that works....I know one thing that is true, if you are happy with your turf quality and your Technician is grinding your reels with a hand file then GREAT! It is what works for you. I do know one thing....Sharp reels are good for you turf's health. Using tools like macro scopes & prisms to see how your reels are treating the turf is something if your not doing, I would urge you to start.
       Years ago I was at a golf course where the Superintendent had just been fired after they had had a bad year. The new Superintendent was letting us host a Jim Nedin training event in his shop. As we began to talk about the topic, the Superintendent said lets take a ride out and see the course. As we came up to one of the crew mowing a green, the Super said what do you think? Jim went down to the greens mower and took a handful of clippings. He spreads some out on his hand and took out his hand held microscope. You could see the clipping were torn off and the cut was anything but clean. Jim then took a look at the mower (wasn't even Red..) and found the reel ground down to the spiders. They ended up spending some money immediately replacing reels that were all way out of spec and proceeded to purchase a new set of grinders in the near future. That Superintendent is still there and I do believe it helped him turn things around for the better.

       I will steal one of Jim Nedin's favorite terms in his talks "Happy Grass". If your grass is happy, your members are happy and you are happy! Spin or relief is your grass happy???


Bob Beven of Bernhard & Company at the Dual Master 3000iR Demo Day at Aronimink GC

WJC

       




  

Spring Knocking At The Door

       Well the days are getting a little longer, it is just a bit brighter each morning and tine catalogs have gone out to our customers. To me it sounds like spring! Even though the current long term forecast does not show the jump in the temps, the normal buzz about the the start of the season is building. Last years early start had a positive impact on clubs bottom lines. Seems like most clubs that have not spent capital in the last few years have at least one new piece of equipment in the works.
       
       Before you know it we will be in June and the US Open will be here in Philadelphia at Merion GC. I would equate getting tickets to finding a golden ticket to the Willy Wonka Factory! Luckily or unluckily, I live a few blocks away. If you have ever been to the area you know how congested it is going to be. There will be many of the main roads closed for the week too.
So it will be an interesting week and not just the golf....

Here is a link to some great pictures of Merion GC.
http://www.myphillygolf.com/uploads/bausch/MerionEast/index.html



WJC