The industry’s winter shows in Florida brought together bright outlooks and a heated pace of new product and service introductions that promised to provide especially good energy for the new season.
Florida’s weather was not exactly tourist-bureau perfect in early February when golf course superintendents, golf professionals and club managers descended on Orlando for the Golf Industry Show (GIS) and Club Managers Association of America (CMAA) World Conference, which were held back-to-back in that city during the same week. But the below-average temperatures and cloudy skies still felt good to many who had come from properties caught in the throes of a much more severe and extended winter. And there was plenty of lively activity on the trade-show floors to help ward off any lingering chills.
Organizers of the GIS said attendance in Orlando was up 8 percent from the 2013 show in San Diego. And many major suppliers to the industry were using this year’s trade shows to make what several of them classified as among the biggest product announcements in their history.
Here are some of the highlights of equipment-related news released at this year’s shows:
Club Car announced that its 2014 line of Carryall utility vehicles has been reengineered and restyled with a more powerful engine, a high-efficiency charging system and a bed box that protects and organizes equipment.
A 14hp-rated Subaru 404cc overhead cam engine with electronic fuel injection boosts horsepower by more than 30 percent and increases fuel efficiency by almost 50 percent over previous gas-powered Carryall vehicles, Club Car says. The redesigned bed box is sturdier, longer-lasting and quieter. Rustproof aluminum side panels feature a track-based attachment system for organizing and transporting shovels, rakes, blowers and other equipment.
Club Car also unveiled its redesigned Café Express mobile merchandising vehicle that rides on the new Carryall 500 chassis, and introduced the third generation of its Precedent golf car as the first golf car equipped with built-in connected technology. The new Precedent i3 builds on the technology Club Car pioneered with the Visage Mobile Information System, introduced in 2004.
John Deere Golf announced a new line of fairway, rough, and trim and surrounds mowers, all featuring improved control and operator experience. Features consistent across the new product line of A Model mowers include a TechControl display, AutoPedal™, LoadMatch™, internal wet disc brakes and improved operator stations that enhance training. The complete line is Tier 4 compliant.
Deere also announced product updates to its 2653B PrecisionCut™ Trim and Surrounds mower, and its 2500B PrecisionCut™ and 2500E E-Cut™ Riding Greens mowers.
As a kickoff to its 100th anniversary year, Toro had visitors to its GIS booth sign a giant whiteboard “birthday card.” Toro is also making 2014 special with these new product introductions:
• The all-new INFINITY™ series sprinklers with SMART ACCESS™
• Expansion of the Multi Pro® spray system lineup, including the stand-alone 175-Gallon Multi Pro 1750 and the skid-mounted 200-gallon Workman sprayer
• A zero-turn bunker rake, the Sand Pro® 2040Z
• The highly anticipated Heavy Duty Workman® HDX utility vehicle with automatic transmission
• A significantly enhanced, next-generation Greens Pro® 1240 greens roller
• A more productive 100-inch deck option for the Groundsmaster® 360
• The addition of the Perfection brushes to the Reelmaster® fairway mowers and new split rollers for the Greensmaster® greens mowers.
In conjunction with its 60th anniversary, E-Z-GO® hosted anniversary celebrations at both the GIS and CMAA shows, and also featured new products both for the E-Z-GO and Cushman® brands.
The E-Z-GO introductions include the redesigned TXT® golf car, featuring multiple design updates that were developed to increase golfer enjoyment and make the car simple to use and maintain. The TXT dashboard can now be equipped with an optional USB port to recharge mobile phones, rangefinders and other small electronics, while also providing 30 percent more storage (enough room for an iPad). Storage pockets are also placed higher in the dash, to protect stored items from the elements.
Cup holders in the redesigned TXT now provide 45 percent more volume and are relocated to a more central position in the vehicle, to help prevent spills. Seatbacks are 23 percent larger, and ball holders are now mounted in the outside dash pockets, for easy access from outside the vehicle. The oversized bag well accommodates larger golf bags, has fewer places for direct to collect, and new drainage holes to eliminate standing water.
The redesign also included structural improvements to increase the unit’s durability and provide easier cleaning and maintenance. The TXT’s front struts are now 25 percent thicker for longer life, and the front cowl and body panels are crafted from durable, automotive-quality materials with an attractive, painted finish resistant to scratches and fading. An optional front bumper withstands repeated 5-mph impacts, and the TXT’s steel-reinforced rear bumper is the strongest in the industry, according to E-Z-GO.
The TXT’s new sun top boasts a double-walled construction and an industry-first molded-in grab handle. The canopy is angled downward three degrees, to eliminate standing water. Built-in drainage channels and a 360-degree drip edge are placed at the top’s corner to funnel water away from golfers, while lack of an internal drainage channel ensures no golfing.
The new TXT’s 48-volt DC technology offers the most efficient and effective DC power in the industry, according to E-Z-GO, maximizing battery life and using less energy than competing models.
E-Z-GO also introduced its redesigned Freedom TXT personal golf car, and displayed the Refresher® FS4, the latest version of its innovative refreshment and merchandise car, which was featured in C&RB’s December 2013 issue (http://clubandresortbusiness.com/2013/12/12/refresher-course/). The new, larger FS4 features more drawers and new key and food warmer options.
Under the Cushman brand, E-Z-GO featured the fully electric Cushman Hauler™ PRO utility vehicle with a 72-volt AC drivetrain. The Hauler PRO can provide the range and power once exclusive to gas-powered machines in a silent, zero-emissions vehicle, according to E-Z-GO. The 72-volt drivetrain, upgraded from more traditional 48-volt systems, can now offer up to 50 fully loaded miles of range between charges, according to E-Z-GO. The patented AC Drive technology is up to 25 percent more energy-efficient than DC technology, according to E-Z-GO, and also provides for unique features such as regenerative braking, which recharges the batteries whenever the vehicle’s brakes are applied, as well as speed control to maintain constant speeds up and down steep slopes.
The Hauler PRO is equipped with a standard on-board charger, which provides the convenience of charging the vehicle at any outlet within a property and eliminates the need for a separate, bulky charger. An optional 12V outlet is also available.
The Hauler PRO’s optional limited-slip differential provides for greatly improved traction on wet or loose turf, while helping to protect fairways from damage due to wheel slippage.
The Hauler PRO features a maximum load capacity of 1,000 lbs. and comes standard with a 9.5-cu. ft. cargo bed. A 14.9-cu. ft. aluminum cargo bed will be available as a factory-installed option for facilities that require more cargo space.
To learn more about the Cushman Hauler PRO, visit http://www.youtube.com/CushmanCommunication
Yamaha drew big crowds to its booths who were entertained by videos featuring the golf car manufacturer’s new spokesman, Lee Trevino, while learning how Yamaha’s proprietary electronic fuel injection technology delivers optimal gas mileage.
Jacobsen capped an active show season by announcing its acquisition of Dixie Chopper, a manufacturer of zero-turn radius mowers.
Products highlighted by Jacobsen at this year’s shows included the new AR722T™ contour rotary mower, designed to maintain intermediate golf roughs; green and tee surrounds; and sports and recreation fields. Jacobsen also introduced a new bi-directional turf groomer and brush system that allows course managers to vary their greens maintenance program depending on turf condition, with the option of using either a turf groomer or a brush rotating in both forward and reverse directions.
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