What’s one innovation or trend in modern turf management that excites you most about the future?
I have laughed off Autonomous Mowers for a few years until today at a “First Green” function by Ryan Kraushofer – the Certified Golf Course Superintendent at Westminster National golf course. Genesis Distribution was supporting a “First Green” function where I saw a demo of two different mowers sold by “Green Industries Equipment.”
There were three men teaching the kids and their teachers about the benefits of purchasing one of these machines, not just commercially but for your home lawn. (Approximately $3000 for your home lawn).
Seems expensive but when you read up – or hear what the kids and I did, I WAS SHOCKED! I WANT ONE! The kids were so engaged… “This will save on manpower”, “You can mow at night or in wet grass because they are so light”, “No gas or fumes in the environment”.
After watching and listening to this, I can see this GPS controlled equipment being everywhere.
I felt like a kid in a candy store and thought how great it would be to be a Golf Course Superintendent in the Modern Age! (I will talk to my wife about one later when she gets home!).
P.S. – The electric mower on the right in the picture above mows the driving range in the background twice a week. Golf balls don’t have to be picked while mowing. The mower does not cut up golf balls!
-Mark S. Merrick, CGCS Retired
Introducing ‘Merrick Mondays’, a segment where we hear from Mark Merrick, our resident brand Ambassador, Chief ‘Cool” Officer, and general source of wisdom and secrets of the universe, to spotlight a dose of interview-style content, weekly.