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New stuff from GIS show floor

By |  March 15, 2017 0 Comments

If an airless wheel seems futuristic, wait until you see these products.

While traversing the Golf Industry Show trade show floor, we kept a lookout for the next new — and unusual — products that could help readers make their operations more efficient. We found new products from the Netherlands, New Zealand, France and even one that has been tested in… outer space.

While we haven’t had to rocket a copy of Golfdom to space (yet), here are a handful of products we believe could make a world of difference.

Trimax Snake

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Former Texas-based (and third-generation) superintendent Jamie Kizer was at the GIS wearing a new hat: that of New Zealand-based, family-owned mowing company Trimax. Kizer says the Snake, a heavy-duty tow-behind rotary mower that cuts a 127-inch width, was a “game changer” for his golf course, and now he’s full-time selling the mowers.

Kizer says the Snake is built by hand and built to last. The Snake increases productivity, allowing some superintendents to reduce mowing times by up to 50 percent. Full-width rollers allow the Snake to mow over extreme undulations without blade strikes. The “Kerb Jump” function enables all three mower decks to be lifted just off the ground without disengaging the PTO for quick turns or traveling paths.

Zeblaster

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The amount of water used to wash dirty equipment, golf course accessories or crewmembers’ shoes can add up quickly when using a simple hose around the shop.

The Zeblaster, from French company Zelup, is a three-in-one washer, scrubber and dryer cleaning system that uses water efficiently. When the two-fold trigger is fully locked in position, the Zeblaster propels extremely fine droplets of water at .06 gallons to .26 gallons of water per minute. Bristles on the end on the device provide scrubbing abilities. To dry, holding the trigger in the intermediate position releases a stream of compressed air.

Vredo Seeder

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The Netherlands-based Vredo introduced its Vredo Seeder to the U.S. golf market thanks to a partnership with Aqua-Aid. The Vredo Seeder is a lighter, more agile inter-seeder, according to Vredo Export Manager Pieter-Teunis Hoogland, that places grass seed in direct contact with the soil and results in about a 96-percent germination rate.

Hoogland says there’s no plowing, cultivating, leveling or rolling out with the Vredo. Two discs in the shape of a “V” make a narrow slit in the turf. The support wheel provides the propulsion of the cam wheel, giving a nearly perfect seed application. The seed is guided between the V shape of the discs and is then dispersed into the slit at the correct, adjustable depth. The inter-seeder is equipped with skids to preserve the structure of the existing turf. The compaction roller seals the slit and presses the turf back into place.

Exteris Stressgard

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Bayer Green Solutions Specialist Robert Golembiewski, Ph.D., showcased Exteris Stressgard at work via seven hydroponic cylinders at the company’s GIS booth. Combining two AIs — fluopyram and trifloxystrobin — the Exteris fungicide features Leaf-Cote Technology to enhance spray droplet dynamics (droplet coverage, adhesion, etc.) and Stressgard Formulation Technology for enhanced plant health and the alleviation of abiotic, biotic and wear stresses.

“It’s clear ‘the control’ — the untreated creeping bentgrass plug in cylinder 1 — has nowhere near the root depth or density that the Exteris-treated creeping bentgrass plug has in cylinder 2,” Golembiewski noted. “The Exteris-treated turfgrass plug in cylinder 2 also has far superior turf color, quality and density.”

Polyworx

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The new Polyworx line of fertilizers from Howard Fertilizer and Chemical Co. features the latest polymer-coating technology, GAL-XeOne. Available to golf courses throughout the Southeast U.S., Polyworx is formulated to emit a gradual and controlled release of nutrients into the soil for robust growth.

The GAL-XeOne technology allows water to seep into the fertilizer prill, and then carries nutrients out through a semi-permeable membrane into the soil. Brian Buchanan, director of sales, says Polyworx performs effectively in a variety of weather conditions and soil types, and even in outer space (really). And depending on the formulation, it can deliver nutrients for up to 18 months, which helps reduce labor and logistics costs. As an added feature for golf courses, Polyworx’s yellow prills easily blend into bunkers — which improves course aesthetics.

Productivity Plus

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Launched at the 2017 GIS, Productivity Plus from Cub Cadet is an online work board that superintendents can update from near and far, and employees can access from their smart phones.
Cub Cadet spent months observing superintendents and the way they assign daily tasks each morning on the white board in the maintenance building. Jeff Everett, Cub Cadet’s director, golf products, says the company saw an opportunity to cut that time in half and give superintendents the ability to adjust job duties on the fly, from their homes, based on changing weather, absent employees, etc. Everett notes that one Indiana-based superintendent beta-tester was able to assign job duties every day, even though he was on a 10-day business and vacation trip out west. (No word on if it can be changed from outer space.)

— S.J., M.W., E.H., G.G.

Photos: Golfdom

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