Clean Me!

       To quote the great Jim Nedin " You check your greens mowers everyday, how often do you check your sprayer"? This past week, I got the chance to work with Jim on some customer visits. Midway through the morning, I got an email from a customer about a sprayer having pressure issues that they needed to resolve ASAP. Luckily we finished ahead of schedule and had time to make a quick visit.
       With his incredible diagnostics skills, Doctor Jim, proceeded to walk through the spray system, tracking what was causing the problem. The flow meter had some wear issues, but as seen below, the main problem was clogged agitation nozzles inside the tank!
       One of the biggest things taken for granted in my experience is that the performance of the sprayer is correct. A greens mower can give you a bad cut that will grow out in a day or two, but a bad application will take weeks to recover or worse. Add some time into you spray program schedule to do more catch tests, review your cleaning process and send your Raven and flow meter in to get re-calibrated each off season. And oh yeah....Give it a bath!

 

 

WJC

Almost Bulletproof

       I have often said the ProCore 648 is probably the most innovative piece of equipment that Toro has come out with since I started back in early 1990's. However, for one of the most bulletproof units, there is a misconception of no service needed. As with any type of machinery, there is always adjustments that are required over time. After working with Jim Nedin this Friday, as he went over a customer's 2 ProCore 648's, it made me realize how many units are starting to get some time on them and should be checked. On a side note, every time I work with Jim, I am amazed by how knowledgeable he is on so many products. On this visit, it was really incredible to watch his diagnostic skills at work!
       I have seen already a few times where 2 units are set at different depth settings to try and make them perform the same. This should throw up a red flag that you need to get them back to spec! You can take a look at your owners manual or contact your local Toro service department and get your units back to the way they were the day you got them.

       Even if it just running the unit at a lower RPM or using the extended taper tines when it is wet, the unit has multiple adjustments and options to help you aerate with optimum results.

                        The amazing Jim Nedin at work!

WJC

On Board with The First Tee

       Recently, I was fortunate enough to join the board of The First Tee of Greater Philadelphia. I was introduced to The First Tee program a few years back when I was invited to play in an event at Walnut Lane Golf Club by Frank Shuman. Frank is the former owner of Philadelphia Turf Company and is a big supporter and board member of TFT of Greater Philadelphia. He has been generous enough to invite me to multiple First Tee events and was kind enough to nominate me.
       So what does an equipment salesman with a golf game that rarely breaks 100 anymore bring to the table?(Just for the record, pre-kids I could shoot in the 80's!). Hopefully, we will be able to do some things from the maintenance side that will continue to help, the program grow. What is really exciting is that I was already contacted by a friend, who just happens to be a customer, about working with TFT of Greater Philadelphia to host a first of it's kind event later in 2014. We also have some other ideas from the Turf angle that are really exciting.
      With all the talk about growing the game of golf, how better than to get more kids into golf?

     
                        This is a photo from the "Live Green" event at Walnut Lane GC this past fall

WJC