Product News

Program gives cash back for retrofitting FCI nozzles

A new rebate program that helps southern California golf courses save water while improving distribution uniformity has been launched by the state’s Metropolitan Water District and local water agencies.

Entitled "Save Water – Save a Buck," the program encourages golf course superintendents to replace plastic nozzles on large turf rotors with solid metal FCI Profile nozzles. The metal nozzles have been shown in testing by the Center for Irrigation Technology, California State University, Fresno to improve irrigation distribution uniformity while conserving water and energy.        

Golf courses receive a $13 rebate per replacement set of metal nozzles with a 25-nozzle set minimum. There is no maximum on the metal nozzle sets that can be retrofitted. With the average southern California course using 1,500 sprinklers, the nozzle savings are substantial.

The program is currently offered in Los Angeles County, Orange County, Riverside County and southern Ventura County.

Underhill International, the maker of FCI Profile nozzles, says they are the only nozzles that have been tested by the CIT and approved by MWD for this rebate program.

The "Save Water – Save a Buck" program was implemented following a two-year study of irrigation performance on five California courses. The study concluded that Toro and Rain Bird golf rotors retrofitted with FCI metal nozzles performed with higher distribution uniformity. The golf courses in the study saved an average of 6 million gallons of water annually.

Southern California superintendents who are interested in switching out their plastic nozzles to FCI metal nozzles (and earning the rebate) can find out more at http://www.bewaterwise.com or by calling 877-728-2282.

 "Some superintendents are hesitant to apply for the rebates because of the MWD paperwork involved, however, we have customer service reps who can facilitate the documentation and handle it all," said Underhill.

Syngenta Professional introduces new packaging

With the launch of Tenacity herbicide, packaging engineers with Syngenta Professional Products introduced new packaging for the liquid product marketed in one-gallon bottles.  Through ongoing research and customer feedback from golf course superintendents, Syngenta found that customers wanted bottles that were more ergonomically correct, easy to recognize, and provided a smoother pour of the product into a sprayer mixing tank.

Tenacity is the first product to feature the ergonomically-enhanced design. There eventually will be 12 key Syngenta brands of herbicides, insecticides, fungicides and plant growth regulators available in the new bottle.  The improved design provides:

• A textured and larger grip allowing users to pour product without removing work gloves
• An angled neck for ease of pouring with directionality
• A color-coded cap and label to reduce the risk of confusing product types
• A  63-mm opening to provide smoother, faster pouring without "glugging" of product
• Calibrated markings to help measure product

The new packaging went through extensive testing to ensure the bottles withstand transportation, delivery and the rigors of handling by the end-user. 

"Syngenta believes in making products that work at every level – from the bottle to the product inside. This improved design is just another way we help golf course superintendents do their job more efficiently," said Jason Monsees, packaging engineer for Syngenta Professional Products.

Contact  866-SYNGENTA, http://www.syngenta.com.

Updated Golf Rules Quick Reference available

The handy, plastic-coated flip guide answers every rules question at a
glance, as each rules situation is illustrated.

"The fact is, most golfers, including many tour professionals, don’t have a thorough knowledge of all of the Rules of Golf, other than the basics," says Yves C. Ton-That, author and an international rules official for more than 10 years. "The ‘Golf Rules Quick Reference’ provides quick answers to rules questions thanks to its 170 illustrations and easy-to-understand language instead of dry, legal verbiage nobody understands. Storing ‘Golf Rules Quick Reference’ in your golf bag will enable you to avoid embarrassment and arguments, and will also allow you to take full advantage of the various relief procedures and free drops you weren’t aware of before."

The user-friendly booklet, written in easy-to-understand English, is organized into eight sections, just as a course is laid out, among them Tee, Fairway and Rough, Bunker, Water Hazard and Green. This guide belongs in every golfer’s bag because the numerous relief procedures help save strokes and prevent arguments among players.

In fact, the innovative overview chart on the last page answers 80 percent of golfers’ questions—without even having to flip open the booklet. http://www.golfrulesmadeeasy.com/index.asp.

AMMOS offers cost effective fertilizer solution

Growth Products says it has the solution to ever-rising fertilizer costs. Its AMMOS 22-0-0 combines the best benefits of slow-release nitrogen with the quick and cost-effective green-up provided by ammoniacal nitrogen and urea nitrogen.

The clear liquid solution contains nitrogen and 4 percent sulfur in a neutral-to-slightly-basic pH (7.5 – 8.0). The ammonium sulfate decomposes quickly when applied to soils, providing immediately available sulfur for turf uptake, while the elemental sulfur provides a longer-term sulfur release. The company says it is ideal for all areas of the county with alkaline soils.

The product was specifically created for golf course fairways, lawn care applications, and sod farms and provides a half pound of nitrogen per 38 ounces. Contact www.growthproducts.com.

Turf Canada to distribute Western Pozzolan soil amendments

Western Pozzolan Corp. has added Turf Canada Inc. to the Lassenite distribution network.

"We are very excited about this relationship and the chance to expand our presence in Canada," said Steve Beck, president and CEO of Western Pozzolan.  "When you couple the solutions that our soil amendments provide with the distribution and "know-how" of such a well respected group such as Turf Canada, one can expect nothing short of success,"

"Our evaluation of Lassenite involved test plots verses competitive products.  We are very pleased with the results of these trials," said Trevor Parkes, president of Turf Canada.  "We consider Lassenite Soil Amendment to be the best in the business."

Contact http://www.westernpozzolan.com/.

Bio Green delivers green plant nutrition nationwide

Bio Green USA is taking its bio-based plant food formula nationwide in 2008.

John Perry, founder and CEO sayshe developed the product in his own backyard and began by selling it door to door to customers who wanted to go green with their lawn fertilizer.

Now the company is represented in more than 24 states and has launched a national advertising campaign on Direct TV. The bio-based organic product is made from all natural domestic renewable and sustainable ingredients and does not contain any animal by products. 

In May, Bio Green earned a listing with the USDA’s BioPreferred program which provides a list of "Green" products for government use. Visit www.biogreen.com.