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Though a golf course superintendent focuses mainly on growing turf, that’s not his only job. He also has to do things like deal with players and balance a budget, and even if he only had to manage the turf itself, it’s not always just that simple. He has to be able to be versatile to do the job correctly.
A superintendent’s equipment needs to be just as versatile, says Brian Holby, product manager at Jacobsen.
“Everyone knows the budget is a little tighter for some supers than it has been in years past, and being able to bring in a piece of equipment that can do more than just cut grass or just one job means they’re getting more bang for the buck,” says Holby.
Picking up equipment based on its versatility makes sense for superintendents trying to get the most out of the budget. Finding that diversity with a mower means looking at a machine like the TurfCat out-front rotary mower, says Holby.
The TurfCat, for example, has multiple deck options as well as interchangeable discharge side or rear discharge options, from 60 to 72 inches, plus mulching kits. Superintendents could use the “mulching kit during the fall to help take care of the leaves, then take it off for the summer when growth is heavy,” Holby says. Superintendents can also use the TurfCat to help take the place of other specialized equipment. It carries a fine-cut flail option, which can be used to cut down native areas or roughs. The height of cut can essentially be set to zero, to use the unit to scalp down turf.
“The nice thing about a flail is that flails discharge the debris straight down into the ground, so using it as a core destroyer or in native areas, that’s very safe,” says Holby. “You don’t have the risk of throwing debris out of the chute like a golf ball – it’s just going to throw it back into the turf.”
There’s also a debris blower, a powered broom, a rear roller for striping, and with winter use, a heated cab. The point is to look for equipment that can handle more than one job, says Holby. Sales reps and distributors can work with superintendents to help find the tools to make sure tasks are covered.
“We learn a lot by visiting and actually watching operators do their tasks on any given day,” says Holby. “That allows us to look at our equipment and how we can help the superintendent finish some of those jobs.”
But making the job easier often comes down to saving time and money for superintendents, he says. When a crew member has to head back to the shop for a tool, that locks up his time as well as whatever other equipment he’s using. “Now he has to run back to the shop and use a cart for that particular task. But the superintendent is probably investing in a rough-cutting mower anyway. He’s going to need that – why not buy a mower that can also do this job?” says Holby.
“It’s about looking at how you can buy fewer pieces of equipment,” he says. “The superintendent can look at their needs, at what tasks they’re performing, and then at these opportunities where they’re bringing in different pieces of equipment. They can really look at this and find out where versatility can help them out the most.”