From cart tires to netting to the accessories and parts for your mowers, carts and utility vehicles, golf course superintendents know that sometimes the devil is in the details. Little things can make a big difference in how a day comes together (or sometimes falls apart).
Over time, every superintendent develops a list of “go-to resources,” those representatives and vendors who are reliably there for them, year in and year out. A good list usually includes a mix of small businesses as well as key contacts at very large companies, but they all share one common quality–they have earned their spot on the list by consistently delivering reliable service.
Here’s a look a three companies who may be on your go-to list.
The Products You Want and the Parts You Need
It’s been more than 90 years since Knud Jacobsen demonstrated the first machine equipped with a motor specifically tailored to power mower components. He called it the Four Acre Mower, appropriately named as the machine could mow four acres in one day, which was considered to be an incredible feat at the time.
Today the Jacobsen brand is widely recognized as a cornerstone in the turf maintenance industry with the distinction of having launched the industry’s first riding greens mower, first lightweight fairway mower, first turf groomer, both the first riding and the first walking electric greens mowers, the first magnetic bedknife, and the first applications of factory-filled biodegradable hydraulic fluid.
Offering an assortment of mowers, utility vehicles, sprayers, aerators and bunkers rakes, Jacobsen not only handles the big issues on your golf course but also helps you take care of the smaller ones with parts, accessories and a range of support services.
Learn more about all of the products and services from Jacobsen, a Textron Company, here www.jacobsen.com/americas and about buying genuine Jacobsen parts here www.shopjacobsen.com.
Rollin’ On the Golf Course
What’s important when it comes to the tires that go on a golf cart? How about these top three qualities:
A great golf cart tire should minimize turf damage.
It should have a nice longwearing tread, so that golf courses aren’t looking at the need to replace tires frequently and cart users are assured that the cart’s tires are safe and provide good traction and stability.
The tire should roll smoothly to afford the smoothest ride possible, accommodating paved areas, gravel, turf and light rough.
When golf tires roll easily, resistance is reduced, theoretically making the cart more energy efficient whether that efficiency gain is measured in lower gasoline consumption or fewer batteries used by electric carts. In short, an exceptional golf tire is green-focused, treating golf greens, greenbacks and the environment all gently.
Affordable Turf & Specialty Tire is a primary supplier of the tires you find on many golf carts today, along with mower and utility vehicle tires. The company markets mainly to golf courses, sellers of golf carts and landscapers. Offering tire products from eight different suppliers, you could describe the Affordable Turf & Specialty Tire business model as “open architecture,” which makes the company well positioned to help a golf course find the tires that best serve its usage and terrain needs by offering a broad selection of brands and options.
Company owner, Bob Slagle described Affordable Turf & Specialty Tire, a division of S & S Tire and Auto Service Center, saying, “From day one, almost forty years ago, our plan was to point out our customer’s needs and let them decide whether they wanted to repair their vehicle. Hence the Phrase: We advise, you decide.
“We put you in charge. We will inspect your vehicle on every visit and tell you what we find. You decide if or when you want us to make the repairs. No pressure. We’re all in it for the long haul.
“Our company has been family owned and operated for more than 36 years. We are a customer driven and service oriented company based in Peoria, Arizona, but over the years, we have grown to serve a global marketplace. We have more than 400 accounts throughout the U.S. We also ship to customers in Canada, South America and some islands in the Pacific.”
Among the company’s most popular tires for golf carts is the Carlisle LinkSport, an 18×8.50-8 tire with a progressive interlocking matrix tread design, created to reduce turn marking and offer effective weight and pressure distribution.
To learn more about these and other products offered by Affordable Turf & Specialty Tire, including an extensive line of tires for mowers and utility vehicles, visit their website at www.sstireaz.com or contact them at 623-500-4123.
Did We Get the Golf Cart Before the Horse?
As we look at golf cart tires and accessories, we realize that in this discussion, we’ve let the cart get in front of the horse. We’ve talked about golf carts before getting around to our next topic, Cross Country Cowboy, Inc., the golf course netting company whose name was inspired, in part, by a horse.
Patented Professional Specialized Golf Barrier Netting
In September of 1974, young Sam Diamond rode his faithful horse, King, across the U.S., commencing his journey in Atlantic City, New Jersey and ending on Mission Beach in San Diego, California. Sam and King followed the original Southwest route favored by many of America’s early pioneers, with Sam carefully documenting the journey along the way.
The trek took 749 days–or a total of two years, two weeks, and five days. By the time, he reached the Pacific Ocean, Sam had met countless strangers, many of whom have now turned out to be his lifelong friends. Seven years later, when Sam launched his construction netting company in Hammonton, New Jersey, it was only fitting that he would pay tribute to his momentous expedition, by naming his company, Cross Country Cowboy, Inc.
Cross Country Cowboy, Inc., is the developer of the, “Golf Barrier Cross Brace System,” a type of golf course netting that is so distinctive, it carries patent #5,732,935. Although the company originally began by offering various types of netting, in 1990, Sam made the decision to focus his time and energy on golf range netting, with the goal of perfecting the Cross Country Cowboy design. In 1998, the patent was finalized.
Today you will find Cross Country Cowboy protection netting in use as:
- Fairway and driving range netting
- Litter control netting
- Baseball or soccer field netting
- Baseball or golf cage netting
Cross Country Cowboy’s one-inch, black, heavy-duty poly netting has a double salvage edge to provide added strength to the installation. Instead of entrusting installations of its exclusive cross brace design netting to subcontractors, the company uses only its own equipment, staff and field crew to safeguard the quality and standardization of each set up–no matter where in the U.S. that installation occurs. Not only are Cross Country Cowboy’s turnkey installations a boost for busy golf course superintendents and crews but the patented design offers a distinctive feature that is especially appealing for golf course use.
Nets have a four-foot chain link mesh border that is always positioned on the bottom or groundside of each installation. The chain link mesh works in conjunction with the proprietary net design, enhances wind resistances and is cable-hung, pole to pole, eliminating the need for posts. The chain link, which is actually part of the wind protection mechanism, adds a professional finish to the net border. Just as importantly, the placement of the mesh edging means ground crews aren’t likely to accidently cut the net with range ball pickers, mowers, trimers, or other equipment.
Company Vice President, Lucrecia Codario, explained, “Our turnkey installations offer you peace of mind, because our system has proven to withstand wind loads where others fail. Cross Country Cowboy, Inc., is the nation’s number one netting installer.”
You can find out more about Cross Country Cowboy’s netting by calling 1-877-NETS-411 or on their website at www.crosscountrycowboy.com.
