Travels with Terry

Globetrotting consulting agronomist Terry Buchen visits many golf courses annually with his digital camera in hand. He shares helpful ideas relating to maintenance equipment from the golf course superintendents he visits – as well as a few ideas of his own – with timely photos and captions that explore the changing world of golf course management.

Turning Board Transport Brackets

The greens mower high-density lightweight white plastic turning boards with easy-carry cutouts measure 24 inches by 96 inches and were acquired from www.precisionusa.com at $90 each. They are attached to 10 Club Car CarryAll Turf 2 vehicles using metal brackets. Two of the easy carry cutouts slide over the metal brackets with the weight of the turning boards holding them in place. The front bracket is approximately 10 inches by 2 inches by ¼-inch thick flat steel. It has a “U” shaped groove welded at the top and it is bolted to the round tubing guard on the right-side bumper. The rear bracket is bent at an approximately 45-degree angle. It measures approximately 3 inches by 2 inches by ¼-inch thick and it is bolted to the top of the rear bed. Two turning boards are carried on each turf vehicle. The scrap flat metal steel was in inventory. It took about two hours to build the first set of brackets and less time for the remaining brackets. Steve Thomas, director of golf course maintenance, and Hector Borrayo, equipment manager, at Pelican Hill Golf Club in Newport Coast, Calif., are very creative.




Cart Path Curbing Ramp

This 60-inch by 12-inch by 4-inch high portable wooden ramp is great for the two 2001 Toro Greensmaster 3250-D triplex greens mowers to go over cart path curbing quickly and easily without damaging the front and rear rollers and bedknives. These two units mow mostly tees and some approaches, and they drive at an angle when approaching the ramp going in either direction. The wooden framework is screwed together and covered with ½-inch thick regular grade plywood that will be replaced with marine-grade plywood when the need arises. The 1-inch square tubing brackets measure 6 ½ inches by 19 inches with three 11-inch pieces, respectively, on either side behind the operator’s seat. They are bolted and pinned to the mower’s existing frame with a 2-inch by 1/8-inch thick steel plate. Materials cost about $40 and it took about three to four labor hours to build the framework and to build the ramp. John Nachreiner, director of agronomy, Tyler Gullickson, assistant superintendent, Doug Price, equipment manager, and Vicente Sandoval, head mechanic, make up the very efficient team at the Shady Canyon Golf Club in Irvine, Calif.

Terry Buchen, CGCS, MG, is president of Golf Agronomy International. He’s a 41-year, life member of the GCSAA. He can be reached at 757-561-7777 or terrybuchen@earthlink.net.

November 2017
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