Industry News

Audubon certifies golf courses

Since October 2007, the following 18 properties have been designated as Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuaries by Audubon International: 

• City of Fort Collins - City Park, Fort Collins, Colo. - Robert Burkhardt, crew chief
• Wooden Sticks Golf Club, Uxbridge, Ontario, Canada - Scott Clayworth, GCSAA superintendent member
• Turtle Point Golf Club at Kiawah Island, Kiawah Island, SC - Steve Agazzi, GCSAA Class A superintendent
• Silvertip Resort, Canmore, Alberta, Canada - Sean Kjemus, GCSAA superintendent member
• The Golf Club at Sanctuary Cove, Waverly, Ga. - Carl Boria, GCSAA Class A superintendent
• Napa Golf Course at Kennedy Park, Napa, Calif. - Raymond Layland, GCSAA Class A superintendent
• The Golf Club at Oxford Greens, Oxford, Conn. - Bryan Barrington, GCSAA Class A superintendent
• Oak Point Golf Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort, Johns Island, S.C. - Gene Pickard
• Bellevue Golf Course, Bellevue, Wash. - Randy Leifer, GCSAA Class A superintendent
• Osprey Point at Kiawah Island Golf Resort, Kiawah Island, S.C. - GCSAA Lance Stone, GCSAA
• Clear Creek Golf Club, Houston, Texas - Harvey Rose II, CGCS
• Ritz-Carlton Golf Club at Orlando Grande Lakes, Orlando, Fla. - Andy Ragsdale, GCSAA superintendent
• Algonkian Regional Park Golf Course, Sterling, Va. - Bryan McFerren, GCSAA Class A superintendent
• Brambleton Regional Park Golf Course, Ashburn, Va. - Bryan McFerren, GCSAA Class A superintendent
• York Downs Golf and Country Club, Unionville, Ontario, Canada - Manuel Fernandes, GCSAA superintendent
• The Wilderness Golf Course, Lake Jackson, Texas - Blayne Sparks, GCSAA superintendent
• Lebanon Country Club, Lebanon, Pa. - Daniel Brickley, GCSAA Class A superintendent

Old Corkscrew Golf Club, Estero, Fla., was designated a Certified Signature Sanctuary - Christopher Hughes, GCSAA superintendent.

2,303 properties representing over 540,000 acres of land are enrolled in the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Programs.  A total of 618 golf courses, 52 businesses, four cemeteries, and 11 schools have been designated certified sanctuaries. For a list of all the certified sanctuaries, click here.

Toro and Flowtronex form alliance

The Toro Co. has formed an alliance with ITT Flowtronex under which Toro distributors will now offer Flowtronex pump stations when golf courses are purchasing Toro irrigation products in the U.S. and Canada.

"By offering industry-leading Flowtronex pump stations as part of a complete irrigation package, our Toro distributors will be able to give superintendents tremendous value and efficiency.  In addition to having one point of contact when acquiring a Toro irrigation system and Flowtronex pump station package, customers will also be able to realize the benefits of further product integration," said David Angier, marketing manager of golf irrigation for Toro. 

"As part of this agreement, we are working closely with Flowtronex to increase the level of product integration and communication between Toro control systems and Flowtronex pump station software," Angier said. "Superintendents will have an unprecedented level of integration and control when they use Toro irrigation systems and Flowtronex pump stations."

Toro will be looking at additional enhancements in the future, such as expanding its National Support Network to include support for Flowtronex pump stations and extending the alliance to international markets.

 "This new relationship with Toro will help golf course superintendents become more comprehensive water managers," said Dan Driscoll, president of ITT Flowtronex. "Bringing our two companies together will offer our customers the benefits of convenience, productivity and efficiency." Contact http://www.toro.com.

DuPont attains GCSAA Silver Partner status

DuPont joined GCSAA's Partner Recognition Program at the Silver level.
 
GCSAA CEO Steve Mona, CAE, said, "These resources are put to work to develop education programs, conduct research, offer career resources, create information resources and develop tools to assist our members. That's why we call our friends in the industry partners."

DuPont is a long-time supporter of GCSAA and The Institute. DuPont is recognized at the Champion's Club level for organizations that have contributed between $250,000 and $499,999 since 1987. DuPont sponsors the Internet Cafés at the Golf Industry Show and is a Double Eagle donor to the Golf Industry Show Silent Auction.

"We’re pleased to support today’s superintendents through our involvement in the GCSAA and its Environmental Institute for Golf," said Mike McDermott, global business leader for DuPont Professional Products. "DuPont is committed to bringing effective and environmentally sound products to the golf industry, and this Silver level partnership is one more way for us to advance the profession."

Deere posts record first quarter earnings

Deere & Co. has announced worldwide net income of $369.1 million for the first quarter ended Jan. 31, compared with $238.7 million for the same period last year.

Worldwide net sales and revenues increased 18 percent to $5.201 billion for the quarter compared with $4.425 billion a year ago. Net sales of the equipment operations were $4.531 billion for the period compared with $3.815 billion last year.

Net sales of the worldwide equipment operations increased 19 percent for the quarter, including positive effects for currency translation and price changes of 6 percent. Equipment sales in the United States and Canada were up 9 percent for the quarter. Net sales outside the United States and Canada increased by 37 percent, which included a positive currency-translation effect of 11 percent.

Deere's equipment divisions reported operating profit of $457 million for the quarter compared with $270 million last year.

Company equipment sales are projected to increase by about 17 percent for full-year 2008 and to be up approximately 23 percent for the second quarter. Currency accounts for approximately 3 percent of the sales increase for both periods. Deere's net income is forecast to be about $2.2 billion for the year and in a range of $700 million to $725 million for the second quarter.

Commercial & Consumer Division sales were up 16 percent for the quarter. Lesco operations, acquired in the third quarter of 2007, accounted for 14 percent of the sales increase. The division had operating profit of $8 million for the quarter, compared with $38 million a year ago. The profit decline was primarily due to higher selling, administrative and general expenses from Lesco, partially offset by higher sales volumes.

Commercial and consumer equipment sales are projected to be up about 8 percent for the year, including about 7 percent from a full year of Lesco sales. Sales gains from new products, such as an expanded line of innovative commercial mowing equipment, are expected to more than offset market weakness related to the U.S. housing slowdown and rising costs for fertilizer and other lawn-maintenance supplies.