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Charlotte, N.C.-based Jacobsen opened its doors recently to local high school students studying turf management in a program designed to prepare them for future careers. Students from Nation Ford High School in Fort Mill, S.C., one of only a few public high schools offering golf course management programs, received a behind-the-scenes tour of Jacobsen’s manufacturing plant and headquarters. Nation Ford’s agri-science program is designed to give students a jump-start in the career and the skills and work ethic needed to start a job out of high school or pursue higher education. Jacobsen offers an on-site, hands-on training facility called Jacobsen University.
The American Society of Irrigation Consultants invites any irrigation practitioner, including purveyors, architects, designers, contractors and managers, to submit entries for its 2008 National Excellence in Irrigation Awards Program. The awards, which will be presented at the group’s annual conference in Napa, Calif., in May, are based on quality of project planning and design in functionality, environmental responsibility and relevance. Award categories are golf, commercial and public works, planning and analysis, research and student/graduate awards. Award submission deadline is March 15. For more information, contact ASIC at 508-763-8140 (www.asic.org).
Superintendents attending Ewing Irrigation workshops can now accrue education points for GCSAA. Any 2008 Ewing Irrigation one-day or two-day Irrigation Troubleshooting workshops will qualify superintendents for point credit. GCSAA members will receive one half-point of education credit for a one-day workshop and 1.4 points for attending a two-day workshop. To maintain Class A membership status, GCSAA members must accumulate five points during their five-year renewal cycle, while certified superintendents need 15 points during the five-year renewal cycle. For upcoming Ewing Irrigation workshops, visit the company’s Web site at www.ewingeducationservices.com.
In its annual tradition of entering a float in the Rose Parade, Rain Bird won the parade’s 2008 Tournament of Roses Sweepstakes Trophy for the most beautiful float entry. Rain Bird’s float, titled, “Preservation Celebration,” paid tribute to the role water plays in sustaining life. In accordance with the parade’s theme, “Passport to the World’s Celebrations,” the float celebrated India’s heritage of weaving water into the fabric of its cultural celebrations, the company says. This marks the 11th time in 12 years that Rain Bird has been awarded for its Rose Parade float entry, and the seventh time the company has won the parade’s top honor.
After establishing 100 new Sticks for Kids programs in 2007, the Golf Course Builders Association of America is adding 170 additional programs this year, with the added commitment of 100 more programs to be added in 2009. This year’s additions will bring the total number of programs to 280. Sticks for Kids now is operated in 48 states and eight military bases. Last year, more than 20,000 children nationwide were trained through the seminars. Sticks for Kids provides 10 sets of golf clubs with bags to each hosting program. GCBAA estimates that donated clubs were used more than 15,000 times by junior golfers in the events. The group also announces a new scholarship program for students interested in pursuing golf course construction industry curriculums at 20 universities. Matching scholarship funds from GCBAA members brings the total to 37 $1,000 scholarships granted last year. To learn more, visit www.gcbaa.org.
LidoChem Inc.’s Performance Nutrition Division has expanded its service to the Northeast by naming True Organics in Stamford, Conn., a dealer. True Organics specializes in developing and implementing environmentally sound landscape management programs for turf and ornamental markets. LidoChem’s Performance Nutrition Division offers applicator and environmentally friendly bio-pesticides, micronutrient solutions and specialty performance fertilizers.
Reinders Inc. continues to expand with the acquisition of Toro commercial equipment and golf irrigation distributorship for Chicago, northeast Illinois and Lake County, Ind., areas previously handled by Turf Professionals Equipment Co. Reinders will continue to operate the Turf Professionals Equipment location in Franklin Park, Ill. That company’s employees joined Reinders at the start of this year, and both companies’ employees will work together to ensure a seamless transition, the company says.
Continuing its support of golf course owners and operators, Club Car announces an extension of its status as the exclusive Premier Partner of the National Golf Course Owners Association. A partner of the association since 2002, Club Car’s multiyear sponsorship extension will continue its availability of products and services that promote the growth of the game and the success of members’ businesses, the company says. Club Car supports education programs and networking opportunities at national and chapter levels of the association, and also provides owners and operators access to a range of complementary products and services through its Club Car Solutions Network.
Novozymes Biologicals launches into the agriculture market with the acquisition of Canada-based Philom Bios, an inoculant company that will become the cornerstone of Novozymes’ BioAgriculture business, it says. The purchase has been in the works since 2006, when the company planned its entry into the organic and sustainable agriculture market, says Ted Melnik, president of Novozymes. The merger provides future growth opportunities for Novozymes, it says, adding that no immediate changes are planned. Philom Bios will continue to work out of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and Novozymes’ business will continue out of Salem, Va. Philom Bios employs more than 70 people in North America.
Every year, the Turfgrass Science division of the Crop Science Society of America awards graduate students in the field for oral and poster presentations at its annual meeting. Last year’s awards for the Turf Physiology, oral competition, went to Aaron Johnsen, University of Minnesota, first place; James McCurdy, University of Tennessee, second place; and Yan Xu, Rutgers University, third place. In the poster competition in Turf Management, Benjamin Wherley, North Carolina State University, took first place; Bradford Young, Auburn University, took second; and Kelly O’Connor, University of Guelph, placed third. In the Soils and Greens Mix category of poster presentations, Charles Schmid, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, took first place; Jason Lewis, Kansas State University, took second; and David Moody, Pennsylvania State University, took third place.
In its 50th anniversary year, Bobcat Co. is awarding customers through its How Bobcat Unleashed Me Contest. This year, Bobcat will commemorate its partnership between Melroe Manufacturing and the Keller brothers, which led to the creation of the skid-steer loader and eventually the compact equipment industry. The company says it has unleashed generations of customers in many markets from the drudgery of hard labor. The contest asks customers to share how Bobcat equipment has helped them to perform smarter, better and faster. To enter for the grand prize of a $75,000 Bobcat gift certificate, customers are asked to write a brief essay about their experiences with Bobcat equipment and fill out an entry form at the contest’s Web site, www.bobcat.com/50. Five second prize winners also will be selected to receive $1,000 gift certificates, 10 third prize winners will receive a Bobcat jacket and 50 monthly winners will receive the limited tailgate edition of the book, “Bobcat: 50 Years of Opportunity, 1958-2008.” Weekly winners will receive a hat, and the grand prize winner will be selected from the weekly winners. The contest ends May 30.
The New York State Turfgrass Association recently presented its Citation of Merit Award to James Hornung Sr., past president of NYSTA and owner of Elbers Landscape Service Inc. and Great Lakes Athletic Fields. The group’s most prestigious award, the Citation of Merit recognizes Hornung’s dedication to turfgrass research and education, involvement in and support of association activities, interest in promoting careers in the turfgrass industry, community involvement and admiration and respect of his peers and colleagues, the group says. The association also honored Larry Wilson, chairman of the New York Alliance for Environmental Concerns, with its Friend of the Green Industry Award. Wilson is a member of separate industry groups working in environmental horticulture in the state.
People news
Frank Eck, chairman of the board of Advanced Drainage Systems Inc., died Dec. 13, 2007, from complications following open heart surgery. He was 84. Eck started working for ADS in 1973 as its vice president of sales and marketing. He is credited with taking a small regional manufacturer for the agricultural market and turning it into the world’s largest producer of corrugated high-density polyethylene drainage pipe, the company says. An alum and major supporter of the University of Notre Dame, he was the principal benefactor of its Eck Hall of Law, currently under construction and set to open next spring; the Eck Tennis Center and Baseball Stadium; and the Eck Center of Notre Dame. He is preceded in death by his wife, Bryce Leavitt Eck, in 1999. He is survived by his daughter Kelly Eck; his daughter and son-in-law, Candy and Ron Kinder; two sons, Frank Eck Jr. and Daniel Eck; and many grandchildren.
Matt Nelson, previously a USGA Green Section senior agronomist, has joined the technical staff of Grigg Bros. Foliar Fertilizers. Nelson will serve the company as a technical representative and agronomist. Nelson also is a co-owner of Magic Valley Bentgrass, an Idaho-based commercial putting green sod operation.
E-Z-Go has hired Ronald L. Otten as its vice president of engineering. Otten comes to E-Z-Go from Mitsubishi Caterpillar Forklift America Inc., where he worked as director of product development and corporate quality, leading the company’s engineering function.
Jacobsen announces Deanna Duke as its new product manager for the fairway product category. She previously has held management positions with Goodrich Corp., Nissan Motor Corp. and Sea-Land Services.
Chuck Crary, president of Crary Industries Inc., a subsidiary of Echo Inc., stepped down as president recently to become chairman of the board. Keith Nilson, formerly vice president of operations at the company, replaced him as president. Crary started at the West Fargo, N.D.-based company in 1979 with his cousin when it was a small machining shop for area agriculture. In 1999, the company was acquired by KRG Capital Partners LLC, which combined it with other companies to form TerraMarc Industries. Nilson joined the company in 2004 as vice president of operations. Echo purchased TerraMarc in 2006 and renamed it Crary Industries.
Arysta LifeScience has added to its turf and ornamentals business with the hire of Michael Maravich as marketing and product manager of the division. Maravich will be responsible for marketing and product management functions for current and future fungicide, insecticide and herbicide products. He previously worked in the same area for Lesco/John Deere Landscapes. The company also has hired Michael Owen as its new turf and ornamental territory sales manager in the southeast. Owen will cover an area from Virginia to Florida and surrounding southeastern states. He previously worked in sales for Bayer Environmental Science in the Southeast.
Golf briefs
The Nevada Golf Course Owners Association recently named The Golf Courses at Incline Village its Golf Course of the Year. Both courses at Incline Village were considered for the award. The Mountain Course is an 18-hole, par-58 Robert Trent Jones Jr. design, while the Robert Trent Jones Sr.-designed Championship Course is an 18-hole, par-72 course. Golf courses were judged on quality of the course, quality of ownership and management, contributions to the community and contribution to the game. The Golf Courses at Incline Village were recognized especially for their variety of programs aimed at growing the game of golf and giving back to the community.
Billy Casper Golf announces a five-year extension of its contract to manage High Bridge Hills Golf Club, High Bridge, N.J. The 6,700-yard links-style layout features rolling hills and views of the Spruce Run Reservoir. Billy Casper Golf has managed the facility since 1998. James Richardson is the superintendent at High Bridge Hills.
Troon North Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz., recently completed a multistep renovation project of its Pinnacle and Monument courses. Tom Weiskopf, who designed the Pinnacle course and co-designed Monument, led the two-year project, which reconfigured the courses, blended them together and changed their playing sequence. Both courses feature shorter distances between the front and back nines, and shorter distances between greens and tees for a more walkable Pinnacle course. New Pennlinks creeping bentgrass putting surfaces were installed for every green, and bunkers also have been reconfigured or removed on both courses. William Anderson is the Class A superintendent at Troon North.
Promontory, a luxury community with two golf courses, features a simulator that allows all-season golf. The 7,500-acre property overlooking historic Park City in Utah installed the simulator, which lets users “play” in any kind of weather and to select from one of 60 famous real courses around the world. Set in an 18-foot bay with a 10-foot-high screen, the simulator enables golfers to use real clubs and regular golf balls. The system monitors the trajectory and speed of the ball in addition to head speed and face angle. A high-speed infrared sensor and a series of algorithms transfer information to the golfer about how far the ball has gone and its location relative to the hole on a display screen. Charles O’Nan, CGCS, is the superintendent at Promontory’s The Ranch Club.
Marriott Golf announces that Grande Pines Golf Club, Orlando, has become Audubon certified through the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for golf courses. Grand Pines, an 18-hole championship course designed by Steve Smyers, is the second Marriott Golf-operated course to receive the designation. Stone Mountain (Ga.) Golf Club received the recognition in 2006. Grand Pines partnered with a Boy Scout troop and a local elementary school to build a butterfly garden and outdoor classroom. The course also works to educate students on the importance of preserving the environment. Christopher Flynn, CGCS, is the superintendent at Grande Pines.
Camp Creek Golf Club, a Tom Fazio design situated along northwest Florida’s Gulf Coast, has been selected by the USGA and the Florida State Golf Association to host a sectional qualifier this July for the 2008 U.S. Amateur Championship. Camp Creek also served as the venue for the event’s sectional qualifier in 2006 and a U.S. Open Qualifier in 2007. The course features a dunescape look and plays to 7,159 yards with a slope rating of 152. Camp Creek is a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary course, and its superintendent, Larry Livingston, CGCS, is a certified Audubon Steward.
Last fall, the Players Course at Indian Wells Golf Resort opened for play. The John Fought-designed 18-hole, par-72 course is the second of two new golf courses built at the Indian Wells, Calif.-based resort in the past two years. The Celebrity Course opened in November 2006. Features include wide playing corridors, traditional rectangular tee boxes and sculpted bunkers. With surrounding mountain ranges and Eisenhower Mountain to the south, the layout has no roads or homes intruding into it, and each hole is designed to be sheltered from the others. Indian Wells Golf Resort is managed by OB Sports Golf Management. Casey Conlin, CGCS, is the director of golf at Indian Wells Golf Resort.
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