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.

Sprayer Boom Pressure Gauges

Superintndent Stephen Killingsworth and his staff at the Tempest Golf Club in Gladewater, Texas, like to monitor the operating pressure on all three booms on the John Deere HD 200 SelectSpray Sprayer. Three individual Equus Model 7244, Series-034-0148-0 Oil Pressure Gauges were installed on the dashboard. Each gauge ($15) was hooked up to each respective spray boom using clear plastic drip irrigation-type tubing tied in to each ¼-inch mainline hose using an adapter, which was protected by a skid plate. It took less than two hours to install.




Bunker Pumping Quick & Easy

This great idea pumps bunkers out during frequent summer heavy rainfall in southwest Florida. A portable, lightweight (3.8 pounds) very quiet Rule 2000 Non-Automatic Bilge Pump ($180) 12 Volt DC 8.4 Amp is placed in the center of the surface water that is hooked up to a 25-foot long, 1-inch diameter hose ($50). Twenty-five feet of number 12 gauge wire, with alligator clips ($8) with a 15 amp fuse ($10), is used so the 12 Volt Deep Cycle Battery (recycled) is placed outside the bunker to keep it dry. No priming is necessary and it does not get plugged up. The flow rate is 2,000 GPH. It took about 30 minutes to rig it up. Jesse Metcalf, superintendent at the Bonita National Golf & Country Club in Bonita Springs, Florida, and his team produced another great idea.

Terry Buchen, CGCS, MG, is president of Golf Agronomy International. He’s a 51-year, life member of the GCSAA. He can be reached at 757-561-7777 or terrybuchen@earthlink.net.

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Dear Dad

June 2021
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