Meet the technology that’s pushing superintendents above and beyond

Golf course superintendents navigate an increasingly complex and dynamic landscape, facing escalating pressures from economic uncertainty, rising resource and material costs and evolving accountability requirements. Fortunately, a paradigm shift is underway, driven by advancements in turf maintenance technology, sophisticated data analytics, autonomous systems, robotics and artificial intelligence.

These innovations aren’t just bells and whistles. They’re powerful tools that optimize resource use, minimize environmental impact and proactively mitigate pest and disease outbreaks while empowering superintendents to become more effective stewards of the game.

These tech innovations are not mere enhancements but rather critical levers that fundamentally reshape golf course turf management. They not only enable precision resource optimization but empower superintendents to elevate their role as strategic resource stewards who enhance course resilience and, most importantly, the player experience.

To effectively address the challenges confronting today’s golf courses, superintendents must embrace and integrate these cutting-edge technologies. Read on to learn more about three innovations revolutionizing aspects of turf management, offering tangible solutions to intricate challenges that fortify long-term turf health, enhance course management and improve playability.

Building Better Storytellers

taskTracker Digital Job Board Update

Often, it’s the details that make a good story more compelling.

Since its 2013 inception, taskTracker has focused on providing superintendents with the data to close the gaps in their stories, often centered on operational realities and a course or club’s stakeholder understanding, says Jaime Sharp, founder and president of ASB taskTracker, headquartered in Hailey, Idaho.

Over the years, superintendent demand spurred the integration of equipment management, staff scheduling and real-time equipment reporting, transforming the taskTracker platform into a comprehensive operational solution. Recognizing the limitations of static reporting, which required laborious data interpretation, Sharp unveiled a robust software update to its taskTracker business analytics platform at this year’s GCSAA Conference and Trade Show in San Diego.

This upgrade, rolling out in late June for superintendents using the platform, provides detailed insights into labor and equipment usage. Sharp says that this quantifies work in terms of people rather than just dollars and hours, enabling turf managers to demonstrate their needs to boards and stakeholders more accurately.

“We moved beyond mere financial metrics to illustrate the actual labor required for each task, demonstrating the true scope of staff contributions,” says Sharp about the two-year endeavor to roll out the update. “This is particularly vital in an industry known for demanding long hours and often under-recognized efforts of superintendents and their staffs.

“Our platform now provides concrete evidence of superintendent and staff workload, revealing instances where teams consistently perform the equivalent of nearly double their headcount,” he adds. “This data empowers superintendents to advocate for necessary staffing adjustments more effectively.”

By enabling year-over-year comparisons, the platform offers unprecedented insight into operational changes, providing a critical tool for strategic decision making and stakeholder communication. Sharp says this evolution represents a significant leap forward in empowering superintendents with the data they require to optimize operations and advocate for their teams.

“Working tirelessly before dawn and after dusk, superintendents and their teams operate largely in the shadows, their efforts frequently overlooked,” Sharp says. “This platform aims to illuminate the sheer volume and critical importance of their work. Superintendents can now precisely pinpoint cost drivers, analyze task-specific resource allocation and, crucially, quantify the human element of their work.”

Michael Wolpoff, CGCS, who has used taskTracker for roughly 12 years, test-drove the updated version at this year’s GCSAA show and is eager to apply the upgrade’s added functionality to his decision making and workflow justification.

“The fact that you can get that data and put it into a PowerPoint and then get it in front of your stakeholders is invaluable when you’re trying to do something or asking for something or defending something,” says the superintendent of Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club in Mission Viejo, Calif. “If you’re being asked to cut labor, then you need to show what will be affected by those actions. Just saying that is one thing, but being able to compare it with visuals gives more credence to what the superintendent is saying … that those opinions aren’t based on estimations but actual data.”

Maximized Efficiency, Minimized Error

Smitchco’s Star Command II 4.0 spray system

Steven Johnson jokes that Smithco’s new spray guidance system is responsible for producing lazy spray techs.

“It makes spraying a no-brainer (task),” says Johnson, Smithco’s vice president of Southwest sales. “It takes the human error out of it, so good spray techs become lazy spray techs because they get used to the technology.”

For nearly a decade and a half, Smithco has pioneered GPS integration for golf course turf management. Its most recent innovation, debuting in San Diego at the GCSAA Conference and Trade Show in February, involves a strategic partnership with Ag Leader Technology. This Ames, Iowa-based tech company specializes in precision agriculture.

Through this, Smithco leverages Ag Leader’s advanced DirectCommand L2 touchscreen controller and RightSpot pulse width modulation (PWM) technology into its Star Command II 4.0 spray system, providing superintendents greater efficiency in precision turf management. RightSpot is Ag Leader’s proprietary capstan technology, an advanced spray nozzle control system that utilizes electronically controlled valves to regulate the flow of liquids through spray nozzles precisely.

“While (Smithco) previously utilized capstan systems — specifically SharpShooter, which employed pulse width modulation — RightSpot distinguishes itself with enhanced precision and control,” Johnson says.

This technology is a potential game changer for golf course turf managers’ spray strategy because it does not rely solely on GPS. According to Johnson, this tech provides superintendents with greater precision and flexibility in their spray activities. Unlike conventional methods constrained by fixed spray tip mechanics, PWM achieves greater precision across a wider speed spectrum.

Similar to a car or truck’s fuel-injection system, PWM adjusts pulse duration to maintain a consistent rate, pressure and spray pattern regardless of ground speed. Johnson says this enables more precise application around challenging terrain, eliminates the need for frequent spray tip changes and provides precise droplet size control to minimize drift.

Historically, golf turf maintenance has lagged behind agricultural practices in terms of spray application technology, Johnson says, and the industry’s adoption of advanced techniques has been slow. Nonetheless, the turf industry is gradually evolving, moving away from inconsistent spray practices and overlapping applications. Agricultural-based technology such as RightSpot serves as the foundation for modernizing the spraying methodologies superintendents employ to manage turf, he says.

“Recognizing the compatibility of our flow-based centrifugal pump sprayers with Ag Leader’s advanced control systems, (Smithco) forged an exclusive OEM partnership,” Johnson says. “This integration provides a seamless, factory-installed solution, distinguishing us from aftermarket installations.”

Additionally, Ag Leader’s advanced telematics facilitate seamless sprayer-to-sprayer communication, eliminating overspray and overlap during complex course applications. Johnson notes that its cloud-based platform permits real-time data uploads, streamlining record-keeping and enhancing accountability. Overall, the system significantly minimizes the potential for inaccuracies for turf managers.

To complement this system, Johnson says Ag Leader’s remote support capabilities permit Smithco product experts to diagnose and resolve technical issues from anywhere in the world, ensuring minimal downtime. Recognizing the critical importance of expert support, Smithco has invested in its dedicated sprayer specialists, whose expertise and on-site presence are pivotal in resolving complex equipment maintenance issues.

“As a family-owned business, we understand the need to provide exceptional value to offset the competitive pricing of larger corporations,” Johnson says. “Our commitment to personalized service and expert support is not merely a differentiator, but a core principle that strengthens our relationships with superintendents and ensures long-term satisfaction.”

Johnson estimates the cost of integrating GPS and PWM is approximately $35,000, with sprayers ranging from $87,000 to $142,000 depending on capacity. Johnson emphasized the technology’s ROI, estimating a conservative 10 percent annual savings for turf managers.

“If you have a $100,000 spray budget, and you’re saving $10,000 a year, in three years, you’ve nearly paid for the tech,” he says. “But you also saved money on chemistry, and now you have greater consistency and a better product out on your golf course.”

For Alex Marshall, director of greens and grounds at Pensacola (Fla.) Country Club, the Ag Leader technology has resulted in greater efficiency and accuracy in his spray program, as well as a more effective use of his labor resources.

“You can put a less experienced operator on the spray machine, set everything up, lock it in and let them go out and spray fairways, tees, approaches, whatever, and not have to worry something is going to go wrong,” says Marshall, who has his unit retrofitted onto an older Toro Workman. “In the past, there was a lot of worry, even if we were just doing a nutrient app, that sending someone on a spray rig without a ton of experience could have catastrophic results. This tech has made spray applications dummy-proof.”

The system’s PWM technology has also been crucial to achieving more effective sprays in windy conditions.

“The PWM technology has helped immensely with drift control,” he says. “Here on the Gulf, from November to May, it can get extremely windy. So, we’re always battling drift. Anytime you can control that, it’s a great advantage, and our turf (condition) reflects that we’re doing a good job.”

Robotic Juggler

AOS Range Management System

Imagine an employee who works all hours of the day and night shagging and washing range balls while manicuring driving range turf. For most golf course superintendents and managers, this sounds like a dream solution to address a common labor issue.

Woodstock, Ill.-based Automated Outdoor Solutions (AOS), a nationwide distributor and service provider of robotic mowing solutions, has introduced a unique, three-pronged automated approach that efficiently manages range turf, gathers range balls and then washes them for the next round of players. Each component bypasses manual handling, nearly eliminating range downtime and the need for dedicated labor.

To start, AOS integrates mowing and picker technology supplied by Echo Robotics, a division of outdoor power equipment manufacturer Echo, that specializes in robotic turf management equipment designed for golf courses, sports fields and large lawns. AOS is the nationwide distributor of these automated ball washing and retrieval solutions.

AOS CEO Joe Langton explains that Echo’s robotic range mowers are outfitted with floating cutting heads, allowing them to cut range turf while balls are still on it and avoiding “plowing” them out of the way. This can result in balls piling up, which makes retrieval difficult. Instead, these floating cutting heads are positioned to allow balls to either navigate around their strategically spaced discs or be gently lifted and then released, ensuring a smooth and consistent passage and alleviating potential turf damage.

On days when the mower isn’t scheduled to cut range turf, it can be assigned to maintain roughs around nearby holes or other turf areas, further increasing its value to superintendents.

The robotic range picker, which mirrors the mower unit’s unassuming profile, features a unique lift mechanism for its picking wheel, a design element Langton says is unmatched in the market. This innovation reduces costly and time-consuming turf repairs that result from traditional pickers that drag their picking wheels during turns.

“It’s the only range picker on the market right now that lifts the picker wheel every time it turns,” he says. “So, there’s a significant increase in turf health. A lot of the repair on driving ranges — or disrepair — is from the range picker. Every time it turns, those (picker) wheels don’t lift, and they rip the turf.”

A picker can collect 300 range balls every seven minutes and pick roughly 15,000 balls over the course of a single day, Langton says.

However, the AOS systematic approach was incomplete. Langton says cutting and collecting wasn’t a comprehensive solution that would satisfy both superintendents and course managers. At high-volume clubs that employ shifts of people to manage range balls, employees tasked with opening the driving range faced the daunting challenge of manually washing thousands of golf balls accumulated overnight by the automated picker, a stark contrast to the previous practice of collecting and washing balls in the evenings.

“I realized I needed a third piece to all of this,” Langton says. “If I’m cutting and picking, I have to automatically wash and deliver the golf ball so the people on the range embrace the automation, not just the people counting numbers.”

This led Langton to AMS Robotics, a U.K.-based company with a proven range ball washing system. Despite AMS’s sole focus on the U.K. market, Langton recognized the system’s potential for the U.S. and successfully negotiated its importation. To overcome the logistical challenges of nationwide distribution, AOS strategically partnered with SiteOne Landscape Supply, eliminating the need for AOS to build a costly distribution footprint.

Now, when the capacity is reached, the ball picker deposits its cargo of collected range balls into a designated ball pit. There, a vacuum transportation system conveys the golf balls through an automated washing unit, ensuring they are thoroughly cleaned and then deposited, completely bypassing any manual handling until they’re ready for pickup, distribution and range play.

Crunching the numbers, Langton says the washing management system runs about $79,000 installed, the range picker is around $35,000 installed and the range cutter is $30,000 installed.

Additionally, AOS offers this as a subscription-based service, which includes a cutter, two pickers (for a redundant picking loop) and a washer. Langton estimates this calculates out to around $16.33 per operation hour. Compared to the hourly wage required to staff a range ball operation, as well as the rate for a maintenance crew member to mow a range once or twice a week, Langton says a financial case could be made for a course to consider the AOS system.

“Also, (these systems) are sustainable,” Langton adds. “They’re all electric. They’re quiet, and they can operate all night, which allows the driving range to stay open longer so they don’t have to shut down for staffing.”

Amy Volk, director of golf course maintenance at Hunters Run Country Club in Boynton Beach, Fla., has been impressed with the operational efficiency of AOS’s ball retrieval, washer and turf maintenance system at her course.

The automated cutter mows nightly, ensuring a uniformly consistent cut that dramatically enhances the range’s aesthetic and playability. She also notes that the implementation of robotic ball pickers has effectively eliminated repetitive traffic patterns and associated turf wear previously caused by human-operated machines.

“With the two (ball) pickers, you don’t see that wear anymore,” Volk says. “The range looks phenomenal the same day, every day, even with (retrieving) as many golf balls as we are right now.”

Additionally, the club now keeps the range open longer for members. Previously, it was closed twice a week for maintenance.

“(The system) allows us to redirect our team members to focus on other details like keeping the divots filled and keeping the edging in perfect condition,” Volk says. “In fact, we’re looking at adding another (robotic) cutting unit so we can mow rough areas and a median of St. Augustine grass that runs through our property.”

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Mike Zawacki is a Cleveland-based writer who has covered various aspects of the turf, golf, landscape and agricultural industries over the last 20 years.

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