Golfdom’s top 10 from 2019
(Photos clockwise from top left: Jim Henderson, Toro, Golfdom Staff, Golfdom Staff, The PGA of America, Cub Cadet, Alan FitzGerald, Golfdom Staff)
Golfdom saw a ton of news in the last year but what was the most exciting? Below are the top 10 articles from 2019. Enjoy.
10. All in the family: Turfco celebrates 100 years
Turfco celebrated 100 years of business last year. Brothers George and Scott Kinkead looked back on the past while planning ahead to the future.
(Right to left) George and Scott Kinkead are following a path in the turf industry pioneered by their father and grandfather. (Photo: Jim Henderson)
9. Echo introduces robotic mower and range picker
Robotics and autonomous machines were a big interest in 2019 so it only makes sense that this would be featured in our top 10 articles (spoiler alert — it’s not the only article to feature an autonomous mower on this list).
Echo Robotics’ RP-1200 range picker was on display during Echo’s #20for2020 media preview event. The company is launching the product for the North American golf market. (Photo: Golfdom Staff)
8. Half-life is not the whole story
Rick Latin, Ph.D., discussed how superintendents should consider more than fungicide half-life when it comes to disease control and fungicide resistance risk.
(Source: Rick Latin)
7. 2019 Herb Graffis Businessperson of the Year: Alan FitzGerald
Alan FitzGerald, head superintendent at LedgeRock Golf Club, was honored as the 2019 Herb Graffis Businessperson of the Year. The award included a Golfdom cover story celebrating the honoree’s accomplishments, as well as expenses-paid trips to the Golfdom Summit and the Golf Industry Show. Learn how he earned this much-deserved award and hear his story.
Alan FitzGerald (Photo courtesy of Alan Fitzgerald)
6. A preview of Bethpage Black Course, host of the 2019 PGA Championship
Senior Editor Abby Hart interviewed Bethpage’s director of grounds Andy Wilson just a few months before his course would host the 2019 PGA Championship. Hear how he approaches his greenkeeping team and prepares the course before the pros arrive.
The Wanamaker Trophy, the top prize at the PGA Championship, at 2019’s tournament site, Bethpage’s Black Course. (Photo: The PGA of America)
5. The industry loses 2 celebrity superintendents
2019 saw the loss of two celebrity superintendents: Jimmy Ellison and Steve Wright. This article discusses their contributions to the golf course industry.
Steve Wright (left) was a friend to many in the golf industry. (Photo: Seth Jones)
Jimmy Ellison’s distinguished career led him from superintendent at Bay Hill Golf Club to golf executive to
golf course design and agronomy consultant. (Photo: The Ellison Family)
4. Toro rolls out new line of greens mowers
At the start of last year, Toro launched its Greensmaster 1000 Series fixed-head walk greens mowers, and it had people buzzing.
(Photo provided by Toro)
3. GIS Highlights: Cub Cadet’s next gen robotic mower
We told you there would be more about robotic mowers. This one comes from last year’s GIS.
The Cub Cadet RGX (Photo: Cub Cadet)
2. John Deere unveils autonomous mower
At the 2019 John Deere Golf Technology preview, John Deere showed off the 7500A precision cut fairway mower integrated with technology to make it autonomous. There were audible gasps and a few wows from the crowd. Check out a video of the mower in-action.
(Photo: Seth Jones)
1. Bayer announces Women in Golf attendees
50 women from the U.S. and Canada were carefully selected from a broad field of applicants to attend the exclusive Bayer Women in Golf event on Sept. 18-20, 2019. This earned the most attention online from our readers in 2019.
(Photo: Golfdom staff)
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