Setting the Standard in golf

Standard Golf, a manufacturer of golf course accessories, hosted a tour of their Cedar Falls, Iowa facilities and unveiled the Magnum Harvester Ball Picker.

Matt Hurley, vice president and general manager at Standard Golf, says he was looking into expanding the company’s offerings in the driving range market and was presented with an idea to improve on the industry norm.

Standard Golf unveiled its Magnum Harvester Ball Picker, which works in forward or reverse and has been tested to be 30 percent faster than the other pickers on the market.

“We want to build the best damn ball picker in the world,” the engineers told Hurley. “I said ‘let’s go,’ and that’s what we’ve done.”

According to Hurley, it’s 30 percent faster than the typical ball picker and can go from the package to operational in 30 minutes or less.

The Magnum Harvester, available as a three- or five-gang picker, has swiveling gangs that reach under trees and sweep close to yardage markers. With its flat-tire enabled feature, the Magnum Harvester’s front tire can go flat, but the gangs keep rolling. Its dual integrated gang technology also makes it easier to pick balls in short or longer grasses. What sets the Magnum Harvester apart from other ball pickers is its ability to work in forward or reverse without tangling or damaging the gangs.

The 105,000 square foot Cedar Falls, Iowa plant is fully automated.

“The Harvester has allowed me to go from two hours and 15 minutes to pick my range to one-and-a-half hours. That’s a huge savings for me,” says John Bermel, PGA professional at Pheasant Ridge Golf Course in Cedar Falls. “Not only can I pay my workers less, I can leave the range open longer. Standard Golf has changed the way ranges can operate.”

Also new to Standard Golf is the Backyard Golfer Web site (www.backyardgolfer.com) that can also be reached via the company Web site (www.standardgolf.com). Mike Doyle, director of sales development, says the site is designed for homeowners who want to buy a single flagstick or cup – more of a novelty than a necessity. The site receives anywhere from 3,000 to 4,000 hits each day, according to Doyle.

John Kelly, director of marketing, says this is a way to grow horizontally – selling products already in the catalog to a new market.

In addition to that site, Standard Golf is now offering SG Express, enabling the company to take orders in-house, rather than the customer initially going through a distributor. This is not “direct,” as the distributor is still involved, but Standard Golf is able to provide added personal service.

Along with the Magnum Harvester, Standard Golf is introducing a new wood-grain FatStik, a bigger and more visible flagstick; a curved rake handle that allows golf balls to roll underneath the rake; and teeSignage – disposable, recyclable signage made of corrugated board.