San Antonio did double duty as the site where new products and ideas were unveiled at this year’s Golf Industry Show and Club Managers Association of America conference.
With two of the industry’s major trade shows being held this winter in San Antonio in the space of three weeks, there was much more for the club managers who attended the Golf Industry Show (February 21-26) and Club Managers Association of America conference (March 8-12) to remember than just the Alamo. Here’s some of the notable news and announcements that could be brought back from this year’s shows:
Two Textron companies, E-Z-GO® and Cushman®, put on special displays of strength for their Texas appearances. The companies had Mixed Martial Arts fighter Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone make appearances at their booths and also sponsored the “Cushman Strongarm Showdown,” with booth visitors invited to post scores on a grip-strength measuring device. Winning Visa gift cards as the three strongest competitors were Matt Harvey, Assistant Superintendent, Cattail Creek CC (first place); Nick Folk, Golf Course Superintendent, Rochester G&CC (second place) and Randle Robinson, Superintendent, Ballard G&CC.
The shows of strength helped to highlight Cushman’s introduction of the fully electric Cushman Hauler™ PRO, a golf utility vehicle with a 72-volt AC drivetrain. “This new Hauler PRO gives superintendents the range and power of a gas-powered [utility vehicle], but in a silent, electric model that a golf course needs,” said Mike Parkhurst, Vice President, Golf for E-Z-GO and Cushman.
The new Hauler PRO’s drivetrain, upgraded from more traditional 48-volt systems, offers up to 50 fully loaded miles of range between charges. The AC Drive technology is up to 25 percent more energy-efficient than DC technology. The Hauler PRO features regenerative braking, which recharges the battery whenever the vehicle’s brakes are applied, and speed control to maintain constant speeds up and down steep slopes. An optional limited-slip differential provides greatly improved traction on wet or loose turf, while helping to protect from damage due to wheel slippage.
The Hauler PRO, which features a maximum load capacity of 1,000 lbs. and comes standard with a 9.5-cu. ft. cargo bed, is equipped with a standard on-board charger, and an optional 12V outlet is also available. A 14.9-cu. ft. aluminum cargo bed is also available as an option.
E-Z-GO also displayed its redesigned TXT® golf car, featuring Texas-sized improvements in dashboard storage (30 percent), cup holders (45 percent), seatbacks (23 percent) and front struts (25 percent thicker).
The Toro Company made multiple announcements as part of its show appearances:
•The Reelmaster® 5010-H hybrid fairway mower has been added to Toro’s commercial mower lineup, with exclusive PowerMatch™ Technology that delivers over 40 hp on-demand for climbing steep hills, verticutting, scalping or to support other peak-load situations.
• Toro also launched a dedicated Twitter account, @ToroGolf. Golf course professionals that follow Toro will receive turf maintenance and irrigation tips, product news, accessory information, video links, event details, testimonials, content from Toro’s subject matter experts, and much more.
• Toro also announced that it will soon release Version 4.0 of its Lynx® Central Control System. Enhancements will include a map interaction feature with diagnostics, control system and hydraulics, to help users ensure that critical operating system data reflects the functionality of the actual irrigation pipe and sprinkler hardware in the field. Additionally, database maintenance has been simplified with new advances in the auto population of information along with on-board GPS, to ensure greater accuracy and repeatable performance.
John Deere drew attention at its GIS/CMAA exhibits with the new Michelin® X® TWEEL® TURF™, an airless radial “tire” sold exclusively for John Deere ZTrak 900 Series models with 54-, 60- and 72-inch deck sizes. Unlike traditional pneumatic tires, the X TWEEL TURF is nearly maintenance-free, eliminating tire-related downtime on a commercial zero-turn mower fleet, even when navigating over curbs and other bumps.
John Deere also announced the 2016 availability of the new John Deere 9009A TerrainCut™ Rough Mower, which was on display. The 9009A joins the 7400A and 8800A TerrainCut Mowers in offering exceptional cut quality and productivity in rotary deck mowers.
John Deere also featured its TechControl Display for A Model Fairway, Rough and Trim & Surround Mowers, which allows superintendents to input a wealth of commands, including mow speed, turn speed, engine speed and service timers, and also provides on-board service diagnostics.
This year’s exhibits also marked the 10th anniversary of John Deere’s introduction of hybrid mowers with electric reel technology.
Jacobsen, a Textron company, launched its all-new Truckster™ XD heavy-duty utility vehicle. Serving as a replacement for the Cushman® Turf-Truckster®, the turf industry’s original heavy-duty utility vehicle, the new Truckster XD boasts a massive, class-leading 3,550-lb. standard payload capacity, supported by the toughest bed in the industry, with steel up to 75 percent thicker than comparable boxes and 20 percent more volume.
Under the hood, the Truckster XD provides 32.5 hp and 51.6 ft.-lbs. of torque (24.8 hp and 52.7 ft.-lbs. of torque for diesel). A priority was also put on operator comfort, with a cabin that provides 25 percent more room than competing models.
Jacobsen also introduced its new HoverKing™, the lightest hover mower on the market at just 26 lbs. (16-inch version). The 20-inch version weighs only 36.5 lbs. The HoverKing offers a height-of-cut of 3 inches, the highest in the industry, and three cutting system options: metal blade, metal edge with nylon blade, or nylon string.
Jacobsen’s exhibits also featured the partnership of its Certified Pre-Owned program with Patriot PAWS, which provides disabled American veterans with service dogs at no cost. In addition to making an initial contribution to Patriot PAWS, Jacobsen is donating funds for every piece of Certified-Pre Owned equipment it sells. Lori Stevens, a professional dog trainer who started Patriot PAWS in 2006, was in the Jacobsen booths along with her demo dog, Jazz.
Club Car, Jacobsen and John Deere Golf also honored top distributors in conjunction with the Golf Industry Show.
Tell Us What You Think!
You must be logged in to post a comment.