Innovation Day

Last month, I escaped Cleveland’s dreary “spring” for Vero Beach, Fla., to attend a cool event hosted by Syngenta. By now, you’re probably aware of what took place at their Innovation Day but here’s a recap.

First, they wasted no time in introducing Heritage Action, a new formulation with the same extra plant health characteristics as Daconil Action. Not only a promising product with additional stress management benefits for supers, but clearly a smart way to continue the success of the Heritage product in its post-patent life. Also a sign the company is not going to roll over in the face of competition from new stroby products.

Second, they made Appear reappear. The pigmented phosphate fungicide had been introduced a couple of years ago and then sales were suspended because of a legal dispute. Apparently the lawyers made the Appear injunction disappear (Har!) and it’s back as a rotation product to help turf handle summer heat.

Third, they’re close to getting full registration for Avid to control nematodes. Syngenta’s Lane Tredway said that, when mixed with Heritage Action, the results are excellent due to a combination of knocking out nematodes and sealing off the root damage caused by stings and preventing further infection of the plant.

Finally, they reviewed two big earlier launches: Velista and Ference. Velista is, of course, a broad-spectrum SDHI primarily for dollar spot but also effective on a range of diseases in tank combos. Ference, quite simply, kills the crap out of annual bluegrass weevils when the timing and application are done right.

It was an impressive product briefing featuring many of their best science minds. It was also a statement to the industry that they’re going to continue the R&D investments they’ve always made and take full advantage of the active ingredient portfolio they gained from DuPont a few years ago.

My friend Dave Ravel, the head of sales for Syngenta’s professional group, asked me to stick around Florida for an extra day and do a state of the industry briefing for his team. As you know, I jump at any chance to flap my gums.

Some of you have heard me pontificate at length about the state of the golf market, the trends hurting/helping us and what our future may look at. Frankly, it’s nothing revolutionary. Here’s the very short version: “The market is shrinking incrementally and will continue to shrink until supply meets demand. Nothing suggests that demand is going to either skyrocket or plummet. However, there are big opportunities for clubs and facilities to succeed in the leaner, meaner business of the next decade.”

I knew my old boss Steve Mona would also be there to speak to the Syngenta group about We Are Golf and other initiatives under his direction at World Golf Foundation, so I added something to one of my slides almost as an afterthought:

Steve’s Role: Help Grow the Game

Our Role: Help Grow the Business

When I wrote that “our role” is to help grow the business, I meant not just GCI but also committed suppliers who are focused on helping superintendents and golf facilities succeed on an individual level. That’s a critically important distinction. Why?

As supportive as I am of big grow-the-game efforts, any course operator sitting around waiting for those national programs to drive rounds and revenues may be in for a long wait. Yes, golf’s associations should aggressively promote golf as a fun, healthy, outdoor activity for everyone. But, the most important thing we (the industry) can do is help facilities develop new customers, manage themselves more professionally and make the cash registers ring more often.

Growing the game means spreading the word globally. Growing the business means finding smart, effective ways to get customers in the door locally (at your place) and keep them coming back because they’re satisfied with what you sold them. Honestly, overbuilding was only half the problem we created for ourselves in the ‘80s and ‘90s. The other half was lousy business management, poor marketing and abysmal customer service.

The Recession was a wake-up call. Those who were passionate about surviving and succeeding got their financial house in order and looked at new ways to make the total product more attractive ranging from course renovations to adding pools or changing membership structures. They created vanity outings, leagues, women’s group lessons, family nights…even footgolf and giant cups. In short, they got innovative. That’s why the number of profitable facilities has grown by 25 percent in the past three years.

Think about it: Innovation Day shouldn’t be the exclusive territory of a company like Syngenta. Innovation Day should be every day at your golf course.

Pat Jones is editorial director and publisher of Golf Course Industry. He can be reached at pjones@gie.net or 216-236-5854.