Turf Guard Sensors "Buy 2, Get 1 Free" Ends April 30

It looks like we've got a great week of weather ahead of us, so hopefully everybody can catch up on projects that have been pushed back. This week I just want to give everyone the heads-up that some of Toro's Marketing Programs are coming to an end. The one that will affect the most courses is the "Buy 2 Sensors Get 1 Free" program for Toro's Turf Guard Soil Monitoring System. I have previously discussed the benefits of Turf Guard & how it will help you make better decisions when it comes to your irrigation, which will ultimately help you save water.

Many of you are taking advantage of the Turf Guard Starter Kit or already have Turf Guard set up at your course. This program is a great opportunity to expand your system to get more data from more areas & make even more educated decisions with your irrigation. In addition to soil moisture, you will also be able to track soil temperature & salinity. All the data & trends recorded from these sensors will not only help you make better decisions with your irrigation, but will also help you with your entire agronomic plan. The more information we can gather, the better decisions we can make.

On another note, I will be drawing for the 32" LED TV out of all my current Lynx customers on Wednesday, April 1. Since I announced the drawing last month, 4 more courses have switched over to Lynx. I've talked with a lot of you about upgrading to Lynx, so I hope the trend continues. I think any of the superintendents operating their irrigation on Lynx will tell you how much they like it & how it allows them to be more efficient.

I hope everyone has a great week & let me know if there's anything I can do to help!

Free Shipping w/ a Case of Infinity Heads *THIS WEEK ONLY*

March Madness is underway, most of our brackets are already busted, & spring is officially here, even if the weather will keep playing games with us for another month or so. I know this means aerification, fertilizer, pre-emergent, & firing up irrigation systems. Some of you may have already been through all of this & some may be holding off a little while longer. Either way, it is time to stock up your inventory of sprinklers & irrigation parts.

This week only (March 23-27), I am offering Free Shipping for anyone ordering at least one full case of Infinity sprinkler heads. In order to take advantage of this offer, you must call or email your order to me (not customer service) and mention that you heard about the deal on the blog. As a reminder, all Infinity models are eligible for Buy 3 Sprinklers, Get 1 Free. It's also important to remember that the Infinity sprinklers come in ACME threaded inlets only (1" & 1.5"). For more info on the Infinity, visit www.toroinfinity.com.

Also remember that we are hosting our Irrigation Renovation Seminar in Richmond this Wednesday, March 25 from 9:30-1:00. I hope to see several of you there & I invite you to bring someone with you. Have a great week & let me know if I can help you in any way!

PondHawk Solar-Powered Pond Aeration

I hope everyone is drying out & enjoying these warmer temperatures. I know some of you are getting your aerification started & probably firing up your irrigation systems. Be sure to keep me in your speed dials as you fix all your problem areas & leaks that will come up as you begin using your systems again.

This week I just want to let everyone know that Smith Turf & Irrigation will be your contact & distributor for PondHawk Solar-Powered Pond Aeration Systems. Aeration is a very important part of pond health, & also keeps the ponds on your golf courses looking clean & beautiful. The PondHawk system uses subsurface diffused aeration to keep your ponds healthy & helps control algae without chemical treatments. By using solar energy, these aeration systems can be installed anywhere on your course without the need to run wires to an electrical source, making them ideal for ponds in remote areas of your golf course. They also have minimal operating & maintenance costs and are designed to operate year-round, even in cloudy conditions!

You all may have seen PondHawk at different events over the past year, such as the VGCSA Joe Saylor Tournament at The Federal Club, the VTC Trade Show in Fredericksburg, & the GIS in San Antonio. A few courses in the area have already installed PondHawk aeration systems on their courses, including Hermitage Country Club & The Federal Club, both in the Richmond area. If you would like to find out more about PondHawk & how it can benefit your golf course, visit their website or give me a call.

Have a great week & let me know if I can help you in any way!

NSN Lynx & SitePro Classes

Hopefully we've seen the last of the snow & warmer temperatures are on the way! I will be sending out this information to everyone by email as well, but I want to go ahead & let everyone know about the NSN classes we will be hosting in Richmond later this year. We will have a SitePro Intermediate class November 3 & 4, and a Lynx Level 1 class November 5 & 6. I know this is a long way off & everyone is more worried about the upcoming season, but we have to schedule these classes well in advance. I have gotten a lot of requests to have these classes in Richmond, so I hope we can fill both classes. Each class will hold a max of 16 people, so reserve your spot early. Cost for the 2-day class is $595 per person (not per golf course), unless you have credits available from NSN. The credits are based on what NSN contract you currently have & you can contact me to find out if your course has available credits.

 

Everyone that has been to these classes in the past will agree that they are very beneficial, even for those that have a decent grasp of their system. There are always new tips you can pick up that can help you be more efficient. Look for the email with sign-up information that I will be sending out. I hope you all will jump on this opportunity! Let me know if there's anything I can do to help!

 

Golf Course Irrigation Renovation

First, it was great seeing several of you down in San Antonio for the GIS last week. I know the week was very beneficial for me & I hope that everyone that went felt the same way. It was a great week (minus the weather & flight issues), but I'm glad to be back in VA.

This week I wanted to let everyone know that we are going to be hosting a Golf Course Renovation Seminar on Wednesday, March 25 at our Richmond STI location. Our goal is to focus on how the latest irrigation technologies can help maximize your Return On Irrigation Investment. Advances in control systems, sprinklers, & pump stations can help manage resources more effectively & efficiently, and in turn save you money. The article below from the American Society of Golf Course Architects goes more in depth on how to approach an Irrigation System Renovation:

Making Your Case For An Irrigation Renovation, by Kenne James, Senior Marketing Manager, Golf Irrigation International Business, The Toro Company

Everything on the golf course has a finite life span, & you need to plan ahead to renovate or upgrade. The ASGCA also compiled this list of Expected Life Cycles for Golf Course Items:

For our seminar, we will be touching on all facets of an irrigation system renovation, including central control systems, sprinklers, pump stations, pond health, & financing. If you feel like this seminar would be beneficial for your golf course, I encourage you to attend & to bring your owner, general manager, or board members with you. For more information or to sign up, contact me at (804) 382-9551 or matt.pound@smithturf.com.