After a week of walking and talking nearly constantly at the big GIS event in Anaheim, I’m sitting here with sore feet and almost no voice left and thinking about the changes in the industry we saw in recent days.
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First, as you probably know by now, after almost 20 years of being named Golf Course News, our publication has officially morphed itself into Golf Course Industry. As a columnist and consultant to the editorial staff, I saw this happen from the inside. You have no idea how much thought and work went into this change. This was hardly a matter of slapping a new logo on the cover and fixing the size (which will now fit more conveniently on your bookshelf or in your files). It’s really a reflection of the industry and of modern times. The industry is evolving toward a team-driven management system, and we’re realigning ourselves to meet that need. Plus, the fact that you’re reading this right now proves that the Internet has become the primary source for fresh news. It was a logical change, but one the magazine staff took seriously. I hope you like the new look and content.
Second, we had the first big show that also included the members of Club Managers Association of America and related exhibits. It was a bit surreal seeing a booth for silverware sitting next to Syngenta and beef suppliers offering samples within a wedge of the Jacobsen pavilion. That said, I was extremely impressed with the club managers I talked with during the show. They seemed committed to the joint endeavor and enthusiastic about learning more about the turf side of the business. Say what you will about having the boss looking over your shoulder or the loss of individuality on the show floor, this concept might be a winner as long as it doesn’t erode the ability of superintendents (and assistants) to attend throughout time. Plus it was kind of nice having people handing out samples of single-malt scotch on the show floor.
Third, unless you’ve been under a rock, you’ve probably heard Lesco, as we knew it, has ceased to exist. The big green monster that’s John Deere scarfed them up like John Daly inhaling a hot dog at the turn. What does it mean for golf? Probably not much. Just my opinion (nobody from either company is really talking because all of the legal details aren’t final), but I doubt you’ll see nearly as many of the big Lesco trucks under the Deere system. Deere is all about selling iron, ultimately, and you really can’t do that off the back of an 18-wheeler. Also, there are a ton of issues to be resolved about how the existing One Source dealer set-up will be integrated with the Lesco supplier relationships. All that said, the bigger issue is how this will impact Deere’s positioning in the lawn and landscape market. That’s where the real opportunity is for the Green Machine.
Those are my snapshot observations, but I’m be interested to hear what you think about the new magazine, the new show and the new Deere-Lesco role in the market. Click through now to post your thoughts on the GCI forums – which, by the way, are free and easy-to-use – to share your reaction to the news of the week. Now I’m going to go soak my feet and try to get my voice back.
