(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – WE ARE GOLF – a coalition of the game’s leading associations and industry partners – met with Members of Congress during the sixth annual National Golf Day on April 16 to share stories and new data about golf’s diverse businesses, employees, tax revenue creation, tourism and charitable benefits, and environmental leadership.

WE ARE GOLF brought a cast of storytellers to Capitol Hill to discuss what golf has meant to them. Reports about golf’s economic contributions to cash-strapped states around the nation were shared with influential policy makers who may not have otherwise been aware.

“Our primary goal is to communicate to Congressional members that golf is a $68.8 billion per year industry and generates almost $4 billion annually for charities, the majority of which is donated to causes unrelated to the sport,” says Steve Mona, CEO of World Golf Foundation (WGF) and administrator of WE ARE GOLF. “Today’s event highlighted our six-year-long initiative that has brought industry stakeholders, large and small, to Capitol Hill to describe how the game affects their lives and should be regarded like any other small business.”    read more….

To learn more about We Are Golf and how you can participate go to their website

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For the first time since its initial release, the USGA has updated the Stimpmeter. The new version allows for greater flexibility in measuring green speed, especially on undulating surfaces that have smaller areas of level turf, a necessity for measuring green speed.  We want to share with you the recent article from the USGA introducing this new Stimpmeter and details on how to use this device on your courses.  To obtain your new Stimpmeter contact the us at Kenney Machinery today.

Read more…

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GOLF COURSE WORK CONTINUES IN THE OFFSEASON

By Adam Moeller, agronomist, Northeast Region
January 23, 2013

Many superintendents are also busy creating maintenance guidelines in collaboration with course officials. Maintenance guidelines/standards are something every golf course should have because they clarify maintenance priorities and keep the entire facility moving in the right direction.  Read more

Things I Wish My Superintendent Understood

Perspectives from the Greens Committee, by Patrick J. Gross

Superintendents like to think they are in the golf course maintenance business, but they are really in the customer service business. As any successful businessperson knows, an important part of good customer service is listening to your customers. Superintendents usually hear from the very vocal 10 percent of golfers or committee members who are not shy about expressing their opinions. But what is the other 90 percent thinking?  Read more

Irrigate for Playability and Turf Health, Not Color

Automatic irrigation systems should be utilized to keep turf alive and achieve firm playing conditions, not to produce the color green.  

By Adam Mueller

Firm conditions and fine-textured turf have long been the foundation for ideal playability. Over time, many golfers have forgotten the value of firmness and replaced it with the desire to have a visually appealing golf course. The ability to irrigate has enabled golf course superintendents to produce amazingly resilient, uniform turf despite low mowing heights, extreme heat, drought, undulating terrain, variable soils, traffic, etc.  Read more

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This year our hearts are heavy and our prayers go to the families and the community of Newtown, Connecticut as they struggle to put their lives back together after the tragedy they have suffered.  As we Pray for the victims and all people who are suffering around the world we pause to reflect upon our blessings, especially the relationships in our own lives.

We are thankful for the blessings of family and friends. With that in mind, we want to thank you for the business you’ve given us, but more importantly, thank you for your friendship.

Friendship is a gift from God and as you pause during this holiday season we pray that every one of all faiths is able enjoy this special time and pray that you have a bright New Year.

Sincerely,

Mike Kenney

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We’d like you to meet  Dan Gamble, Vice President of Commercial Equipment for Kenney Machinery.

EDUCATION

Ball State University, Muncie Indiana

Business Administration and Marketing Major

MILITARY

Sergeant, U.S. Army, 1st Air Cavalry Infantry Division Vietnam

Bronze Star Recipient

Air Medal Recipient

Vietnam Campaign Medal

PROFESSIONAL
ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

1981 – Jacobsen/Textron Midwest Salesman of the Year
1984 – Jacobsen/Textron National Salesman of the Year
1985 – National Salesman of the Year
7 Year Affiliate Board Director for the Indiana Golf Course Superintendents Association
10 Year Board Director for the Midwest Regional Turf Foundation Purdue University
1994 – President of the Midwest Regional Turf Foundation Purdue University
2002 Distinguished Service Award Winner, Midwest Regional Turf Foundation

Currently holds 2 US Patents on Turf related products
Recognized seminar speaker for Turf Schools and Turf Managers Organizations

Q: What is one thing you do everyday?

A: Sell something!

Q: If you could met anyone living or dead, who would it be?

A: Vince Lombardi

Q: If you had to eat the same lunch everyday for the rest of your life, what would you pick?

A: Steak burger

Q: Where would you go if you could go anywhere in the world?

A:  Alaska

Q: What is the one super power you would chose if you could chose anything?

A: To move any object with my mind.

Q: How did you get started in the green industry?

A:  I started as a golf caddie.

Q: What do you enjoy about your job?

A: Talking to customers and providing a solution to their problems.

Q: What do enjoy doing when your not working?

A: Spending time with my 6 grandchildren.

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To find out more about these turf options read the full report that covers everything you need to know about the new varieties of Zoysiagrass and Bermudagrass turfgrass:

-          Advantages

-          Fertilization

-          Fungicides

-          Insecticides

-          Herbicides

-          Irrigation

-          Mowing

-          Wear tolerance

-          Disadvantages

-          Winterkill potential

-          Winter color

-          Thatch Accumulation

-          Establishment

Click here for the full report.

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We recently came across an article entitled “Five Hiring Mistakes to Avoid” on the Golf Course Industry website that speaks to these subjects. The article raises awareness of the increase in employment-related litigation cases that have risen since the economic downturn. Here are some of our takeaways from the article:

• When interviewing a potential candidate, be mindful of the Federal Laws  that prohibit an employer from asking questions about race, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, whether the applicant has children or intends to have children, or any questions related to an applicant’s health.
• Building on the previous point, employers should avoid researching candidates’ social media profiles, as this may provide the employer with answers to information that is unlawful to consider when hiring. Once you know the information, it cannot be undone and can be held against you.  If a legal dispute does arise, this could work against the employer.
• It is critical to collect all the proper documentation including I-9’s, W-2’s and any state-specific documents. It is helpful to create a hiring checklist that includes a list of all documents to be completed.

These are just a few of the important points to keep in mind during the hiring process.  To read more, see the full article here.

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Aeration achieves three important objectives. It relieves soil compaction, it provides a method to improve the soil mixture around the highest part of a green’s roots and it reduces or prevents the accumulation of excess thatch.

Like so many things, the quality of a good putting green is more than skin deep. In fact, the condition of a green has a lot to do with what goes on below the surface. In order for grass to grow at 3/16-inch, it must have deep, healthy roots. Good roots demand oxygen. In good soil, they get the oxygen from tiny pockets of air trapped between soil and sand particles.

Aeration is a mechanical process that creates more air space in the soil and promotes deeper rooting, thus helping the grass plants stay healthy. In most cases, it’s done by removing half-inch cores (those plugs you sometimes see near a green or in fairways) from the compacted soil, allowing for an infusion of air and water that brings a resurgence of growth. The spaces are then filled with sand “topdressing” that helps the soil retain air space and makes it easier for roots to grow downward.

There are many types of aerifying machines with different attachments that address different problems in the various stages of the life of a green. So the next time you’re ready to bring the aerifiers back to the course, remember that Kenney Machinery has these short term Toro rental options:

The bottom line is that aeration is a necessary practice. Contact Kenney Machinery to get the right equipment for fall aeration.

The post Short-Term Toro Aeration Equipment Rentals: For Golf Course Aeration Needs appeared first on Kenney Machinery.

Crooked Stick Golf Club is ready for the best PGA players in the world, and Kenney Machinery is proud to have helped prepare the Pet Dye designed course for the honor of hosting one of the most prestigious golf tournaments of the year.

In order to keep the greens looking its best, Crooked Stick needed to double their equipment fleet. Kenney Machinery supplied an additional fleet of turf equipment to accommodate the tight timeframes the grounds crew has for course maintenance. In order to have the greens ready for the pros to tee off at 7 am, two separate grounds crews are working through the night. The extra fleet includes: two 5410 Fairway Mowers, four Flex 2100 Greens Mowers and three Workmen 2110 Utility Vehicles.

Kenney has arranged to have a maintenance technician from its Your Turf Mobile Technician Service on site all week. If there are any maintenance issues with Crooked Stick’s machinery, the issues can be dealt with on site and remedied quickly.

Kenney Machinery sponsored an orientation dinner for the 85 grounds crew volunteers last Sunday, September 2, 2012. The volunteers will help meet the needs of the tournament throughout the event. Toro has supplied apparel for the grounds crew volunteers to wear during the event.

Crooked Stick Golf and Club has been planning for the event since 2004 when club officials met with the PGA about hosting the tournament. Course renovations began last fall, including 5 new tee boxes, adding some bunkers and narrowing some fairways.

The BMW Championship is the third of four events in the PGA FedEx Cup, which is the PGA playoffs. The top 70 players in the world will compete over four days to decide the top 30 who continue to the championship two weeks after the BMW Championship.

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Go by the numbers to remove guesswork when it comes to topdressing and core aeration.

BY BOB BRAME

Golf turf professionals understand the importance of putting green topdressing and core aeration operations, but a lack of information combined with golf facility politics can compromise what is actually accomplished. Often the leadership of a facility underestimates the importance of aeration and topdressing programs. Since these programs are critical to the performance of the greens, it is vital that the superintendent does a good job of communicating the need for these admittedly disruptive practices. Physical soil testing can provide scientific evidence of the need to continually cultivate the rootzone and provide a means of measuring the impact of such programs over the long term.  Read more…

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