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INDUSTRY NEWS |
A legendary superintendent from the Carolinas, James E. “Ernie” Hayes, has been honored with a scholarship endowment in his name. Hayes, 85, who learned of the endowment at a recent meeting of the Western North Carolina Turfgrass Association, is a past winner of the Carolinas GCSA’s Distinguished Service Award. He still works part time at Linville Land Harbor’s 18-hole golf course. The Ernie Hayes endowment opens with $7,000 and a commitment from the WNCTA to raise that amount to $25,000. Hayes was joined at the meeting by his three sons, all of whom have strong golf backgrounds: Michael, a former superintendent, is a grounds and site consultant to Laurelmor, a new resort project; Jim is a former Class A PGA professional; and Wally is the owner and operator of HydroLinks Irrigation, installer of golf course irrigation systems.
The University of Massachusetts turf program recently received a donation of $20,000 from the Alumni Turf Group, which came from proceeds from the group’s annual fundraiser, the Joseph Troll Turf Classic. The fundraiser was initiated in 2004 as a means to raise money for the Dr. Joseph Troll Turf Research Center at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. The Alumni Turf Group, formed in 2005, is made up of turf professionals who are graduates of the Stockbridge School of Agriculture and UMass and is dedicated to furthering research and education and promoting UMass alumni in turf management. Find more information at www.alumniturfgroup.com.
Nominations for the annual Edwin Budding Award, sponsored by Ransomes/Jacobsen, are now being accepted by the International Golf Course Equipment Managers Association. Honoring Budding, inventor of the reel mower in 1830 and the adjustable wrench, the award recognizes those who have made significant contributions to the golf course equipment industry, including those who have excelled in the business, history, design, engineering and maintenance of equipment. Membership in the IGCEMA is not required. Deadline for nominations is Oct. 1, and they should be sent to nominations@igcema.org.
The Center for Environmental Health has filed legal action in an effort to force artificial turf makers to reformulate products under California law. According to the CEH, its testing found high levels of lead in turf installed on ball fields and in turf carpet sold for residential use.
Following its annual tradition, Rain Bird, irrigation products and services provider, has officially announced its participation in the 120th Tournament of Roses Parade and unveiled its color rendering of its 2009 parade float entry, titled, “Entertaining Expedition.” The float entry, in accordance with the “Hats Off To Entertainment” theme of the 2009 Rose Parade, will showcase an African safari and its ties to water conservation and preservation of endangered species. This year’s entry will feature 1,500 gallons of flowed recycled water cascading over waterfalls in the safari landscape.
The Golf Channel has entered a partnership agreement with GolfersMD.com, a health, fitness and medicine-related Web site exclusively for golfers, in which the site will provide information and content to the TV channel. Under the agreement, GolfChannel.com will feature videos and features by experts at GolfersMD.com to help grow The Golf Channel Web site’s health and fitness section.
The Irrigation Association’s Smart Water Application Technologies initiative has closed its public review of testing protocols for smart climate-based controllers. The protocol represents a step toward the group’s goal of submitting the industry’s first testing protocols to the EPA. Submission will allow the EPA to consider weather-based controllers as the first irrigation product for its WaterSense labeling program. So far, 13 products have been voluntarily tested by irrigation manufacturers at an independent testing facility. For more information, visit www.irrigation.org/SWAT/industry.
The LPGA State Farm Classic recently joined efforts with the Clothes Off Our Back Foundation to raise money for children’s charities through an online auction of memorabilia donated by the players. Auction items include golf shoes donated by Natalie Gulbis, a shirt and sweater vest from the Solheim Cup donated by Betsy King, a Nike Golf shirt and visor worn and donated by Michelle Wie, and more. Clothes Off Our Back Foundation works with athletes and celebrities to raise money for children’s causes such as autism research, hunger relief, critically ill children and girls’ scholarship programs in Africa.
A rule that supports technologies to prevent industrial emissions of carbon dioxide has been proposed by the EPA. The regulation provides a framework for the injection of carbon dioxide underground and protection of underground drinking water resources as a way of lessening the effects of climate change, and the rule would create a new class of injection wells under the authority of the Safe Drinking Water Act’s Underground Injection Control program. The rule would apply to owners and operators of wells that will be used to inject carbon dioxide into the subsurface for long-term storage. For more information, visit www.epa.gov/safewater/uic/wells_sequestration.html.
Western Nonwovens Inc. recently declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy to enable the company to maintain its business operations, it says. An announcement also is pending regarding ownership of the new Western Nonwovens plant that manufactures the SandMat bunker liner. SandMat will continue to be produced and supplied, the company adds.
Bobcat Co. has announced the winners of its “How Bobcat Unleashed Me Contest,” which asked customers to share how Bobcat equipment helped them to perform work better, smarter and faster. The grand prize winner is Gregory Stone of Excavation Details, Rock Stream, N.Y., who received a $75,000 Bobcat gift certificate. Five second-place prize winners received gift certificates worth $1,000 of Bobcat products or attachments. They were Michael Lowes of Lowes’ Landscaping, Cuba, Mo.; Eric Austin of Austin’s Landscape Construction Inc., Yorba Linda, Calif.; Terry Reed, Four Seasons Construction, Whitehall, Mont.; Bob Pedatella of Kodiak Landscape Design, Haskell, N.J.; and Ray Benoit Jr., Eagle 88 Enterprises, Hay River, Northwest Territories, Canada.
Tycrop Turf announces that Georgia Turf and Tractor has expanded its equipment offering into northern Alabama and it will be selling and representing Tycrop’s turf product line. Based out of Alpharetta, Ga., Georgia Turf and Tractor has been a Tycrop distributor since 1997.
Glenn Miller, CGCS, the superintendent at La Quinta Resort and Club in Indio, Calif., was honored by the Coachella Valley Recreation and Park District for his volunteer work to lead and design a renovation of the district’s aging golf course and driving range on its First Tee Golf facility in Palm Desert. Miller also serves on the city of Indio’s planning commission and is a candidate for the Indio City Council.
The Professional Landcare Network (Planet), contributed $104,000 recently to Project EverGreen, the largest single donation the nonprofit service organization has received in its history. Project EverGreen manages several projects to raise awareness about the benefits of green spaces and the importance of preserving and enhancing green spaces, including golf courses, parks, lawns, landscapes and sports turf.
Dallas-based D.A. Weibring/Golf Resources Group Inc. has officially changed its name to Weibring-Wolfard Golf Design, reflecting the long-standing collaboration between D.A. Weibring and Steve Wolfard. The pair has worked on more than 100 golf course projects worldwide.
The Toro Co.’s Center for Advanced Turf Technology — a team of engineers and agronomists dedicated to developing turf technologies — is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. Established in 1998 with a mission to work across organizational and product group boundaries to discover new ways to help customers increase productivity, conserve water and energy, and control costs, the group is focused on emerging technologies such as soil moisture sensing, reflectance sensing, alternative fuels and labor productivity.
Vietnam’s first junior player development program is getting an extra boost from Club Car’s pledge to donate $100 to the Vietnam Golf Association for every golf car — any brand — sold in Vietnam this year. Overall, the Augusta, Ga.-based company guaranteed a minimum of $5,000 of contributions in the first year of the program, which is being administered through its local distributor, Jebsen and Jessen. At a recent golf development seminar in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam stressed its goal of developing its first professional tour player. Vietnam was named the “Undiscovered Golf Destination of the Year” in 2007 by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators. Currently, 15 golf courses are operating in Vietnam while more than 30 projects are in the planning and construction stages.
Renee Powell, PGA professional and the 2003 PGA First Lady of Golf, has become the first female golfer and ninth golf professional in history to be given an honorary doctor of law degree from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. She returned to Scotland last month with four youngsters from her LPGA girls’ program at Clearview Golf Club as part of the New Links St. Andrews’ initiative to connect youth to the historic club and with scholarships to the university. Powell’s father, William Powell, 91, is a 35-year member of GCSAA, a PGA Life Member and the only African-American to build, own and operate a golf course (Clearview GC, near Canton, Ohio) in the United States.
People news
Avendra, a procurement services company serving hospitality-related industries, has named Robert Heaton its new chief financial officer. He previously worked as the CFO for Agentrics.
Mike Parkhurst has been promoted to vice president of global sales for E-Z-Go. Formerly vice president of golf channel and branch operations for the company, Parkhurst will oversee the sales and service organizations, including specialty, used, fleet golf, corporate accounts, parts and accessories, and customer care.
Rob Neill has been appointed global head of marketing for Syngenta Crop Protection based in Basel, Switzerland. He previously served as general manager of professional products, NAFTA region. David Stanley will succeed Neill in his former role. Stanley previously served the company as its global head of lawn and garden.
Zac Fellabaum has been appointed to the newly created position of sales manager for U.S. and Latin America for LawnGrips LLC. Fellabaum previously worked with public accounting firm KPMG.
PBI/Gordon Corp. announces that William “Bill” Brocker, vice president of marketing, has retired from the position but will remain involved with the company as a technical adviser. Brocker joined the company in 1979 as a representative for the concentrates sales division and later became vice president of commercial sales. He served in the position of vice president of marketing for the past 15 years.
M.G. Orender, president of Hampton Golf Inc., has joined the board of directors of ProLink Solutions. Orender also is a past president of the PGA of America and a PGA golf professional Hall of Fame inductee.
Ewing Irrigation Products announces changes to its staff. Jeff Zwick has handed off his responsibilities as Phoenix regional manager to J.R. Richards, while Zwick will become national key accounts manager of the company’s new key accounts sales division. The new division was developed to target the sales and operational needs of multiterritorial landscape and irrigation companies. Zwick has worked for Ewing for seven years, while Richards has worked in the distribution channel in the Phoenix landscaping market since 1998.
Golf briefs
Golf Inc. recently named Binks Forest Golf Club, Wellington, Fla., as a finalist in its fifth annual Renovation of the Year competition. After being closed for more than five years, the South Florida championship course was acquired last year by Aquila Property Co. Gene Bates, a Florida-based architect and one of Binks Forest’s original designers, modernized the features and playability of the 7,150-yard layout while preserving its original integrity. KemperSports served as the course manager. Future plans at the course include a 90-unit residential golf course community.
Hong Kong-based Mission Hills Golf Club — the world’s largest collection of golf courses with 12 layouts — has donated more than $3 million and hosted a charity tournament to benefit orphans of the May 12 Sichuan earthquake disaster. Proceeds went toward the establishment of Dr. David Chu’s Care Fund for Orphans. Chu is the chairman of the Mission Hills Group. The charity tournament took place on seven courses on the property, featuring 800 participants teeing off simultaneously. More than 20 golf associations in China and Hong Kong supported the event, which raised $800,000 for the cause.
SBC Development has selected KemperSports to manage The Vineyards Resort Golf Course in Yakima, Wash. The championship golf course will be the centerpiece of The Vineyards Resort, a 500-acre master-planned wine and golf community two hours southeast of Seattle. A Hurdzan/Fry Golf Course Design project, the course is a 7,500-yard, par-72 layout scheduled to open next summer. It will feature distinctive high-desert landscapes, wine country vegetation and views of Mount Adams and Mount Rainier.
ValleyCrest Golf Course Maintenance has added Prestwick Village Golf Club, Highland, Mich., to its portfolio of courses under a five-year contract. Prestwick Village, an 18-hole, 7,142-yard Scottish-style course, was built in 1996 and designed by Ron Garl. ValleyCrest will provide comprehensive agronomic services for the golf course, driving range and clubhouse area. Ben Neuman, an eight-year GCSAA Superintendent Member, is the regional superintendent at the course.
The historic Atlantic City Country Club, Northfield, N.J., reopened last spring after undergoing several improvements, including new car paths, a new golf shop and patio. The 110-year-old golf course sits on 170 acres and is said to be the place where the phrases “birdie” and “eagle” were coined. The course hosted the 1901 U.S. Amateur and six U.S. Women’s Opens. In 1998, the course was completely renovated by Tom Doak of Renaissance Golf Designs. Charles Fahey is director of golf operations at Atlantic City CC.
Keowee Springs Golf Course will be unveiled this month at The Cliffs Communities, a collection of eight private, mountain lake residential communities located in the Carolina Preserve between Asheville, N.C., and Greenville, S.C. The course will be part of The Cliffs at Keowee Springs on the shores of the 18,500-acre Lake Keowee. Designed by Tom Fazio, the course offers a family tee and back tee for golfers of all ages. The Cliffs is the only community in the country to offer two Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Courses and two Tom Fazio designs.