John Deere Golf is excited to announce its new seed line, LESCO Supreme Golf Seed, created specifically for use by golf course superintendents.
"We're excited about this launch, as it's our first agronomic product introduction since we acquired LESCO," said Steve Vincent, North American golf sales manager, John Deere Golf. "And because the LESCO brand is now a part of John Deere Golf, we have expanded capabilities, providing more individualized ground support and expertise to our customers. This new seed line is just one example of what our team has to offer and we look forward to many more accomplishments."
LESCO Supreme Golf Seed is a first of its kind. This comprehensive product line incorporates advanced generation turfgrass varieties for fairways, tees, greens and roughs. Varieties include elite, low-mow Kentucky bluegrasses, gray leaf spot-resistant perennial ryegrasses, and high endophyte fescues for improved drought tolerance and insect resistance.
Also featured are creeping bentgrass varieties with excellent National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP) performance, outstanding seedling vigor, and improved disease resistance.
"I'm especially pleased that Authority Creeping Bentgrass scored a Mean Turf Quality Average of 6.4 over four years in the NTEP Greens Test that has just been completed," said Evelyn Dennis, category manager for seed. "This score puts Authority in the top ranked group of creeping bentgrass cultivars in this trial."
Additionally, products for overseeding dormant bermudagrass are also available, as well as low-maintenance wildflower and native grass mixtures for out-of-play areas.
All turfgrass seed in the Supreme product line is selected, produced, harvested and blended with the highest standards. Those standards include being:
Produced directly with seed growers under contracts that demand high quality standards.
Selected from top turf breeding programs to meet the needs of customers.
Submitted through at least one cycle of testing in the NTEP, as well as regional university trials.
Tested at least twice to ensure all seed is free of undesirable seeds.
The new product line is available through John Deere Golf Stores-on-Wheels and sales representatives, as well as John Deere Landscapes locations.
John Deere Golf Superintendent Pro-Am Provides Relationship Building Opportunity
Celebrating industry partnership and leading up to the John Deere Classic, the 2008 John Deere Golf Superintendent Pro-Am saw its winning team earn a combined score of 53 on the par 71 layout and secure the win after a scorecard playoff with the difference coming on the third playoff hole.
Held at the TPC at Deere Run in Silvis, Ill., the winning team included: Kurt Desiderio, golf course superintendent, Saticoy Country Club; Shawn Emerson, director of agronomy, The Desert Mountain Club; Jay Delsing, PGA TOUR professional; Tom Comalli, national account manager, John Deere Golf; and Matt Armbrister, marketing manager, John Deere Golf.
More than 80 superintendents and other golf course industry professionals came from the United States, Argentina, Canada, Great Britain, Spain, Singapore and Sweden to participate in the tournament. One of 28 TOUR professionals who participated, Jay Delsing is a long-time PGA TOUR member and two-time Nationwide Tour tournament winner.
"We hold this tournament annually to celebrate our partnerships with golf industry professionals - from our customers to industry leaders to TOUR players," said Gregg Breningmeyer, director of sales and marketing for John Deere Golf. "It's always exciting to forge relationships across the world and do it while playing a sport we all can truly appreciate."
The 2008 John Deere Golf Superintendent Pro-Am, which fosters meaningful industry relationships, was won with a combined score of 53. Held at the TPC at Deere Run in Silvis, Ill., the winning team included (l to r): Shawn Emerson, director of agronomy, The Desert Mountain Club; Tom Comalli, national account manager, John Deere Golf; Jay Delsing, PGA TOUR professional; Kurt Desiderio, golf course superintendent, Saticoy Country Club; and Matt Armbrister, marketing manager, John Deere Golf. As the official golf course equipment and golf irrigation supplier to the PGA TOUR, John Deere provides tournament-level quality resources for today's golf courses.
John Deere Golf Equipment Lends Finishing Touch to U.S. Open Course
With the right support, you can do anything. Just ask Mark J. Woodward, CGCS, the golf operations manager responsible for elevating a tournament-quality municipal golf course to one worthy of hosting the 2008 U.S. Open.
Only the second public and first city-owned course to host the Open, Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego looked as good as its predecessors thanks to Woodward's management, his support team, and grooming from a fleet that includes John Deere equipment.
When Woodward first came to San Diego three years ago, the city was dedicated to improving the South Course at Torrey Pines, having completed a complete renovation by Rees Jones in 2001. But even for a man with more than three decades of experience, nurturing the course to championship condition was a challenge. He credits the course's successful transformation to the support of his team: Jon Maddern, the city's assistant golf operations manager, who also served as GCSAA president in 2003; Candice Combs, superintendent of the South Course; and the rest of the staff at Torrey Pines.
Support for the turf has also come from Woodward's John Deere fairway mowers. "We spent years working on the course from an agronomic perspective, so ensuring that the turf was shaped perfectly for the U.S. Open was vital," said Woodward. "Both my team and the players were very pleased with the cut quality our John Deere fairway mowers have delivered."
Gregg Breningmeyer, director of marketing and sales, John Deere Golf, noted that his company is "proud once again to support the best golfers in the world with the best equipment in the industry. The story of Torrey Pines and Mark Woodward exemplifies what can happen when knowledge, dedication, and hard work come together, and we're honored to help support Mark's efforts."
Woodward's life seemingly mirrors the story of the Torrey Pines course, having climbed the proverbial ladder from humble beginnings all the way to the top. He is the first superintendent to work his way through the ranks to become the CEO of the Golf Course Superintendent Association of America (GCSAA). He will assume the title on July 1, having spent his life improving municipal courses to look and play like their privately-funded cousins, proving that true value and investment is not merely about dollars but quality.
"When you work hard for something, you want it to be perfect," Breningmeyer said. "And John Deere is pleased to ensure that someone who's worked as hard as Mark Woodward achieves perfection for the U.S. Open."
John Deere Introduces Irrigation Update
Providing superintendents with a variety of technologically advanced irrigation features, John Deere's new 5.50 firmware is now available for all Aurora® series irrigation field controllers. The new firmware is fully compatible with Aurora Professional Software and eAurora™ Online Management Systems.
"At John Deere, we're constantly absorbing market feedback to better meet the needs of superintendents," said Brian Birdwell, irrigation business manager, John Deere Golf. "Thanks to that feedback, John Deere's new 5.50 firmware offers even more advanced functions and convenience with improved radio communications reception and additional programming capabilities.
The most compelling function of the new 5.50 firmware is the ability to use program link starts between controllers without any central control software. This feature allows linking of program starts between field controllers in a peer-to-peer controller network. Additionally, it provides shorter watering windows and improved pump usage.
With a multi-manual feature that uses existing programs, John Deere's 5.50 firmware has six new dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) programming commands for handheld maintenance radios. In addition, two additional remote sensor outputs have been added, bringing the total to two direct sensors and four remote sensors for each field controller. This advanced sensor capability for "on-demand" irrigation now allows even more convenience for superintendents from anywhere on the course.
In addition, with the expanded 32 independent program capability added to the Aurora ALT and AUT series field controllers, superintendents now have even more flexibility to develop customized irrigation across the course, allowing irrigation of specific areas such as greens, tees and fairways more efficient independent programming.
John Deere firmware Version 5.30 will continue to be available through John Deere Golf distributors.
