 |
The Grasshopper Co.’s new hydrostatic drive system, T2, is incorporated into a new AntiVibe Power Platform in certain 2008 models of the company’s zero-turning radius mowers, including the 721DT (pictured). The T2 system features a tandem pumps-in-reservoir design with an integral filter direct-driven from the engine crankshaft, which is said to eliminate many moving parts and increase power transfer efficiency. An inline fan completes the system’s cooling features, while a space-saving modular design is engineered to improve serviceability. The system eliminates vibration to the operator for all-day mowing, the company says. Contact The Grasshopper Co., 620-345-8621 (www.grasshoppermower.com).
Transport Ultra from Precision Laboratories is a low-use-rate herbicide activator adjuvant designed to replace ammonium sulfate. Combining nonionic surfactant, water conditioning agents and ammonium ions in a premix formulation, Transport Ultra is said to enhance the performance of weak acid herbicides such as dicamba, phenoxies and glyphosate. Benefits include the improvement of early weed control, reduction of callbacks, extra surfactant for performance against tough weeds and effectiveness at low use rates. The product won’t plug nozzles and also reduces product handling, the company says. Contact Precision Laboratories, 800-323-6280 (www.precisionlab.com).
Outdoor Water Solutions Inc. has added the 12-inch Backyard Windmill to its line of windmill products. Easy to assemble and convertible to aerate ponds, the windmill is available in a variety of powder-coated options such as bronze, red and white, green, yellow, galvanized steel and the John Deere yellow and green color scheme complete with a John Deere logo, the company says. A self-governing design turns the windmill’s head to protect from wind and weather damage. With an authentic four-leg tower design and a simple anchor system, the windmill is also available with an aeration kit to convert it to an aeration windmill. Contact Outdoor Water Solutions, 866-471-1614 (www.outdoorwatersolutions.com).
Turf Pride LLC’s MMS-4400 material management system, designed to spread both sand and fertilizer, features dual spinners and a stainless steel floor chain. With a capacity of 4,400 pounds, the MMS-4400 also includes pre-programmed off-load control and recording functions that can be downloaded to a PC for filing and reviewing. GPS tracking allows users to stay on course, eliminates overlap or under-coverage and saves on over- or under-application of materials. A GPS rate control monitors speed, density of material and spread pattern. It also automatically controls spread rate per acre. Weight monitoring is optional. Other features include a stainless steel body, an epoxy-coated rust-resistant main frame, flotation tires, a 6-gallon fan-cooled hydraulic reservoir and a fully adjustable metering gate opening. Contact Turf Pride LLC, 888-427-7605 (www.turfprideusa.com).
The new Terra Brush from Wiedenmann North America LLC promotes healthy growth and is suitable for brushing in sand, rubber infill and topdressings, the company says. It also is said to level off and break down cores, disperse dew, improve ball performance and reduce mower maintenance. The Terra Brush includes four rows of brushes: two perpendicular to the direction of travel and two mounted in a zig-zag arrangement to ensure an even distribution of sand or rubber infill lengthwise or crosswise. The Terra Brush can be fitted with soft and hard bristles and can be fitted with an optional comb for loosening rubber infill for artificial turf applications. Other options include a mounting frame for attachment to the tractor’s three-point hitch or with a bogey and hitch. The unit’s working width can be increased from 74 inches to 160 inches with optional, articulated extensions. Contact Wiedenmann North America LLC, 866-790-3004 (www.terraspike.com).
New on-demand customer training for golf mowing equipment and irrigation products from John Deere Golf is available in distance learning modules at www.johndeere.com/training. The same modules used to train John Deere distributors’ technicians to increase productivity and decrease diagnostic error, the training tools offer voice narration and diagrams with color and motion. Available in English and Spanish versions, the training provides customers the flexibility to train at their convenience and allows users to pause and resume the modules at any point within a course. Training covers both electric and hydraulic operating systems for all major riding mower product lines of golf equipment and selected irrigation products. John Deere will continue providing factory in-person training on golf products. Contact John Deere Golf, 800-537-8233 (www.johndeere.com).
Max sunscreen from Progressive Products Inc. is hypoallergenic, non-oily and vitamin-enriched. Designed to replenish the skin’s appearance and moisture while protecting against future signs of aging, Max is recommended for daily use and also offers UV/UVB protection. Contact Progressive Products Inc., 863-412-0058 (www.maxtherapy.com).
Along with the Club Managers Association of America, WeatherBug recently unveiled its WeatherBug Club Safety, a suite of solutions to help managers and supervisors handle weather-related risks, enhance member safety and improve operations. WeatherBug Club Safety includes localized severe weather alerts for lightning, high wind, heat index and heavy precipitation through WeatherBug’s exclusive national network of tracking stations, cameras and the National Weather Service. Live, local weather conditions can be forecast on courses’ Web sites or in high-traffic areas. Customized precipitation information can help turf managers improve irrigation and cut waste when applying chemicals, establishing cart rules or other operational decisions, the company says. Support from a team of trained meteorologists for customized analysis and interpretation of severe weather forecasts is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Contact WeatherBug, (www.weatherbug.com).
For the first time at the 2008 Golf Industry Show, Briggs & Stratton Commercial Power unveiled its first engine equipped with electronic fuel injection. The new gasoline-powered Vanguard 3/LC EFI model is an extension of the company’s line of three-cylinder, liquid-cooled commercial engines. The engine is capable of delivering increased fuel economy, up to 30 percent fuel savings depending on duty cycle, with increased responsiveness at all speeds. The EFI system adjusts engine settings automatically in real time for no-choke cold starts and to compensate for altitude and environmental variables. Rated at 34 gross horsepower, the Vanguard 3/LC EFI engine includes an advanced 32-bit engine control unit with responsive performance and enhanced drivability. On-board diagnostics are built for accurate troubleshooting and reduced downtime. Contact Briggs & Stratton Commercial Power, (www.commercialpower.com).
Rain Bird Corp. unveils a re-engineered series of its Eagle rotors with new materials, friction-minimizing design tolerances, new molding processes and new assembly techniques. Made with stronger components, the rotors are said to last up to 10 times longer than competing rotors and were tested to be up to 23 percent more efficient in terms of distribution uniformity. Superior distribution uniformity can lead to water and energy savings, the company says. Contact Rain Bird Corp., 520-741-6100 (www.rainbird.com/NewEagle).
A flexible container for the granular formulated Drive 75 DF herbicide from BASF gives superintendents the ability to reduce the amount of plastic introduced into the waste stream by 60 percent compared with traditional hard-plastic jugs, the company says. The new flexible packaging, which measures 6 inches long, 2 inches wide and 10 inches tall, also is designed to address golf course maintenance issues such as accurate pouring, secure storage and safe transportation. The new containers will be available starting in the second quarter of 2008. Contact BASF, (www.betterturf.com).
The new Turf Tender Fifth Wheel 410 from Dakota Peat & Equipment features a universal fifth wheel plate that fits John Deere, Cushman and Toro vehicles. The model is 134 inches long by 60 inches wide, while the hopper measures 76 inches long and 64 inches wide. The hopper’s capacity is 27 cubic feet heaped and 23 cubic feet level. An electric model allows users to control belt and spinner speed from the vehicle-mounted control panel with speed gauges, and the manual hydraulic model has valves on the side to control belt and spinner speed with vehicle-mounted on/off switches. The dual spinner system includes two throw discs, two hydraulic motors and an adjustable spreading application. Black spinners for fertilizer and green spinners for grass seed are optional. An optional parking stand features rear legs as jack stands. Contact Dakota Peat & Equipment, 800-424-3443 (www.dakotapeat.com).
Armor Access Boxes introduces its Universal 6-inch Econo Lids with a stepped locking system allowing it to fit most competitors’ valve boxes, the company says. Its universal locking system can help reduce inventory and the need to order from multiple vendors. Constructed of recycled, environmentally friendly Superflexon, the lids feature a T-top design to minimize dirt and are available in green, black, brown mulch or purple. The lids fit all 6- to 7-inch round boxes and are easily interchangeable and installable by turning clockwise and pulling. They provide greater top-load strength and are more UV- and wear-resistant than lids made of structural foam. Contact Armor Access Boxes, 800-348-7558 (www.armoraccessboxes.com).
The Golf Course Builders Association of America has more than doubled the number of line items in its 2008 construction and renovation costs guide. The new guide will feature average prices for more than 50 line items, including tee boxes, greens, bunkers, irrigation, grading, grassing, car paths and drainage. Developed to help users formulate a general budget for a project, the guide takes into account regional differences based on environmental considerations for a fairly accurate estimation, the group says. Available on a CD-ROM, the guide features information in six reports with separated information specific to four regions of the continental U.S. Data in each report are compatible with both Microsoft Excel and Adobe Acrobat Reader. Contact the GCBAA, 402-476-4444 (www.gcbaa.org).
A new 2008-2009 calendar from Hummert International has 688 pages featuring its latest horticulture supplies and equipment, including the addition of hundreds of new products, the company says. “The Growing Catalog” includes pesticide descriptions that are formatted for users to locate the ones specific to their needs. Pesticide groupings are also provided to help manage pesticide resistance. New irrigation supplies and hydroponics systems are also included in the calendar. Contact Hummert International, 800-325-3055 (www.hummert.com).
Caterpillar will equip most of its new core industrial machines in the U.S. and Canada with EquipmentManager and Product Link, a remote asset management solution. Product Link will be available as an option on the remaining Caterpillar machines, it says. The first machines to come with the added products are the wheeled hydraulic excavators and articulated trucks. Remaining machines will be phased in throughout 2008. Caterpillar’s EquipmentManager and Product Link system provides a full-depth program of asset management, maintenance and health information for equipment managers to manage their fleets effectively. A secure, Web-based application, EquipmentManager uses key indicators from equipment such as hours, location and diagnostic codes. It can quickly sort through machine data to identify events that require attention. Product Link is the hardware that enables information flow between on-board systems and the Web-based application. Contact Caterpillar, (www.caterpillar.com).
Floratine Products Group unveiled a new corporate logo with a more accurate visual representation of the company’s brand platform: commitment to turf health and customized turf solutions, it says. The stable logo plate is designed to depict Floratine’s customized solutions for plant strength, while the soft curves of the logo represent the company’s use of organic products, it adds. Contact Floratine Products Group, (www.floratine.com).
Dynamic Seawall Maintenance System Inc. offers a noninvasive solution to retaining wall repairs. The company says its service is five times faster to install than traditional tie-backs that can cause damage to golf courses and is less expensive than full wall replacement. Also said to be environmentally friendly, the system can eliminate heavy equipment on golf courses common with other methods that require trucks or other machinery. DSMS technology allows installations to be made from the waterside of the wall. Contact DSMS, 239-394-8885 (www.dsms1.com).
Kawasaki Power Products recently unveiled its KBL27B/BC trimmer with a TJ027E engine with a displacement of 1.6 cubic inches. Built to be lightweight and produce low noise and low vibration, the KBL27B features a convenient control location, a 0.5-liter fuel tank, hollow-steel drive shaft system and a variable position loop handle type with a safety bar. Blade and attachment capable, the trimmer uses air/fuel technology. The TJ027E engine features a heavy-duty crankshaft with roller main bearings, a chrome cylinder with a two-ring piston, an easy access air filter cover and a felt panel air filter. Contact Kawasaki Power Products, 800-433-5640 (www.kawpowr.com).
The Toro Co.’s new Turf Guard Wireless Soil Monitoring System offers new technology to let superintendents know what’s going on beneath the surface of their turfgrass. Using buried wireless sensors, Turf Guard measures precise underground levels of soil moisture, salinity and temperature, enabling superintendents to use the information to manage irrigation run-times, fungicide or pesticide applications, aeration procedures, flushing of dangerous salts and more, the company says. Each sensor is about the size of a paperback and can be quickly installed using a standard cup-cutting tool, Toro adds. To install, bury the sensors a few inches under the turf. Then, a tiny built-in microprocessor and radio antenna allow each sensor to measure elements of the soil at two depths. It transmits the data in real time to an ethernet base station. Data collected by Turf Guard also can detect abnormalities that may signify a damaged sprinkler, heat stress or high salt levels. Contact The Toro Co., (www.toro.com).
The Shelton chain trencher from Port Industries Inc. is designed to install pipes and other services on turfgrass. The trencher’s digging chain is PTO-driven and fits onto the tractor’s three-point linkage. Trench width is adjustable from 4 to 7 inches, while trench depth can be hydraulically adjusted up to 40 inches deep. A digging boom and crumber leg can be moved up and down independently of each other, enabling a clean entry into the ground, the company says. A 10-inch-long spoil conveyor features a robust endless belt, is hydraulically driven and is capable of discharging soil up to 6 to 8 inches high. The Shelton chain trencher is engineered to operate on tractors with a hydrostatic drive or creep gearbox with engines from 45 hp and higher. Contact Port Industries Inc., 800-562-8713
(www.portindustries.com).
GreenMaker Greens is a new indoor or outdoor putting green system launched by Turf Evolutions. The patented modular putting greens can be set up in minutes and replicate an authentic putting green experience, the company says. Available in a variety of sizes from 6- by 10-feet to 14- by 18-feet, GreenMaker Greens are constructed with a Berrasof core, a proprietary foam panel designed for strength, flexibility and a realistic feel beneath synthetic bentgrass. The company can customize each GreenMaker with company logos or crests. Contact Turf Evolutions, 866-966-8873 (www.greenmakergreens.com).
RECENT issues
 |
 |
March |
February |