GSV Series can withstand up to 25kV or surge.
Rain Bird Golf announced new GSV Series plastic and brass valves that include numerous advanced features designed to enhance durability even under the most challenging conditions.
“Valves are the heart of any irrigation system,” said Altan Tolan, product manager for Rain Bird Golf. “On a golf course, a valve failure can have significant repercussions and require additional money and labor to repair. That’s why we built our new GSV Series Valves with a collection of upgrades that ensure optimum reliability, performance and peace of mind.”
Rain Bird’s new GSV Series Valves feature unmatched protection to withstand up to 25kV of surge. A pre-installed PRS-DIAL regulates and maintains constant outlet pressure between 15 and 100 psi while reducing the affects of water hammer. A waterproof dial cartridge eliminates fogging and binding.
The GSV Series includes three plastic models with NPT or BSP thread options and one red brass model with BSP threads only. All GSV models feature a chlorine-resistant diaphragm that protects the valves against harsh chemicals and reclaimed water.
The Scrubber mechanism (on plastic models) encapsulates a stainless steel screen to dislodge grit and plant material protecting the valve from debris. Built-in filtration on the GBS25 solenoid and the adapter offer two additional levels of debris protection. An extra purple flow-control handle (handle cover for brass model) is included for use with non-potable water.
“Irrigation system valves aren’t often thought of as particularly ‘innovative’,” Tolan said. “With the new GSV Series, we’re changing that by incorporating unique features that will enhance irrigation system performance and reliability, year after year.”
Douglas “Dak” Kaye promoted to regional President as Spencer Vance will remain on board of directors and handle new director of customer engagement role.
Albaugh announced a transition in the leadership of its North American operating unit as Spencer Vance will continue a role on the company’s board of managers and Douglas “Dak” Kaye will be promoted from group COO to replace Vance as regional President.
Vance will also serve in the new role of director of customer engagement for North America. The position allows him to continue his efforts of ensuring customers have full knowledge of Albaugh’s portfolio and capabilities, cultivate both existing and new customer relationships in all market segments, and craft high-quality solutions for customer needs.
“After 30 years with Albaugh, it is the right time for me to focus my talents in these critical areas,” Vance said. “I’m as excited today as I ever have been to continue to bring the high quality and compelling value of Albaugh ‘Your Alternative’ to customers in the US and Canada."
“Words cannot express how grateful Sue and I are for Spencer's three decades of service to my company," founder and chairman Dennis Albaugh said. “Under Spencer’s leadership our company has reached unparalleled levels of success in serving agriculture in the US and Canada, and I know that Dak will build upon Spencer's legacy to continue our outstanding performance even further.”
Kaye began his career in crop protection in 2009 and came to Albaugh in 2011 as CFO for the European region. He then became the President of the European region in 2012 and was appointed to the position of group COO in 2019.
“I’m looking forward to this new challenge to lead the North American business, and I am very pleased to be able to count on Spencer’s continued support,” Kaye said. “I’m grateful to him for his achievements and look forward to many more years working together to serve our customers.”
66.6 million people are playing the sport worldwide, according to new research released by The R&A and Sports Marketing Surveys.
New research revealed by The R&A and Sports Marketing Surveys show golf has enjoyed a significant increase in popularity worldwide since 2016 with over five-and-a-half million additional participants taking up the sport.
The number of total golfers globally has increased from 61 million to 66.6 million in a five-year growth period, surpassing the previous high mark of 61.6 million set in 2012. The measure includes club members and non-member independent golfers playing nine or 18 holes and users of driving ranges in markets where course availability is limited.
The new figure reflects a positive trend in golf in which participation levels are now rising worldwide after a period of decline. This was recently highlighted in the 2021 European Golf Participation Report, which highlighted that over 10.6 million golfers now enjoy playing full-length courses on the continent – a healthy increase from the 7.9 million last monitored in 2016.
“Golf is enjoying a real boom in popularity at the moment and we are seeing substantial increases in participation in many parts of the world, particularly in the last two years when the sport could be played safely outdoors during the Covid-19 pandemic,” R&A chief development officer Phil Anderton said. “The new figures are very encouraging but we need to work together as a sport to make the most of this opportunity by retaining those people who have returned to golf or tried it for the first time. We can achieve this by offering a variety of attractive and flexible options that encourage golfers to play more regularly and enjoy its many health and wellbeing benefits with family and friends.”
SMS collected participation data reported by national federations in different regions around the world, using nationally representative studies and expert estimates to calculate the global number of total golfers.
Regions experiencing the largest rises include Asia (20.9 million to 23.3 million); Europe (7.9 million to 10.6 million – driven largely by Great Britain and Ireland 3.6 million to 5.7 million); and North America (29.9 million to 30.6 million).
The research figures indicate the growth trend began before COVID-19 and then accelerated during the pandemic as the popularity of golf grew due to golfers being able to socially distance in a safe outdoor setting and stay active to boost their physical and mental health.
In Great Britain, the number of adults playing a nine or 18-hole course began to gradually increase before the onset of COVID-19, rising from 2.5 million in 2017 to 2.8 million in 2018, then to 3 million in 2019, before surging to 5.2 million in 2020.
Following the easing of lockdown restrictions, The R&A sought to carry out additional research into this rise in demand and how different types of golfers were engaging with the sport.
The Post Covid Opportunity Research, along with findings from Bayfirth Research, details experiences of golfers during the pandemic, motivations for playing and long-term plans for the future. Among new golfers, 98 percent of those interviewed identified they are enjoying playing golf and 95 percent see themselves playing golf for many years to come.
The research also outlined recommendations clubs can take to retain new players, including feeling welcome and valued; a friendly culture and relaxed atmosphere; participation options based on ability and experience; good customer service; having an efficient booking system; the quality and maintenance of the course; and, importantly, playing in an encouraging environment.
The R&A also launched a COVID-19 Support Fund to help golf deal with the impact of the pandemic, with the $9.272 million funding package largely aimed at national federations and other affiliated bodies in Great Britain and Ireland.
Further support for national federations is set to come in 2022. The R&A is creating a series of new assets to help market and promote the sport so that more people are encouraged to take up golf and existing golfers are retained.
With The R&A governing the sport worldwide outside of the United States and Mexico, the data from the United States was taken from the 2020 National Golf Foundation Participation Report, where SMS completed the fieldwork for the NGF and were involved in producing the report.
New Palmetto location is 250,000 square feet and allows for finished cars to be stored indoors.
The Yamaha Golf-Car Company hosted a grand opening event Thursday for its new YGC Specialty Vehicle & Distribution Center – Palmetto. The event was open to all YGC team members and additional members from third-party companies, other Yamaha business units, and local media.
Located about 10 miles northeast of YGC’s original facility, Yamaha Motor Manufacturing Corporation in Newnan, Georgia, the new Palmetto location provides more opportunity for the growth of YGC’s future business. In YGC’s previous manufacturing location, it slowly outgrew its limited space and needed to find a new site that would accommodate its goals of streamlined production, improved shipping efficiency and more.
All YGC production team offices are now in one central location, allowing for improved communication, which is a stark contrast to its three separate buildings back in Newnan.
“YGC’s new Palmetto operation, along with our new online business portal, will allow us to expand and improve our operations,” YGC COO Doug Griffin said. “This helps us meet our goals of making it easier and more efficient for our customers to do business with us.”
The Palmetto location is 250,000 square feet, with the ability to expand, and can accommodate the increasing demand of the golf car business. Palmetto now offers the space needed for YGC to bring in a used car operation, purchase material directly from suppliers, and provide proper storage for both parts and vehicles. Previously in Newnan, completed vehicles were stored outside and subject to the weather; Palmetto provides various indoor storage enhancements that improve the overall presentation of cars to customers, saving on scrap and rework due to fading, water damage, etc.
YGC also commissioned the help of Georgia Institute of Technology to ensure the new layout and flow of the cars, materials, etc. were optimized to be as efficient as possible. Labor requirements are reduced due to the restructuring of the assembly line, the workforce no longer needing to wash and clean as much or work outside in the elements. Additional trailer spaces, dock doors for unloading material, and dock doors for shipping/loading directly from inside the plant allow YGC to facilitate the safe movement and production of more product.
Situated near the Baltic Sea, Värmdö’s Fågelbro Golf and Country Club installed EcoBunker’s synthetic edging.
Fågelbro Golf and Country Club, located in Värmdö, Sweden, about 20 miles east of Stockholm and hard on the coast of the Baltic Sea, has completed a project to install EcoBunker synthetic edging solution in a number of its bunkers.
Swedish architect Johan Benestam handled the design work on the project, and he tapped a regular collaborator, Scottish consultant Alan Strachan, to help with the bunker construction work. Along with the club’s greens staff, Strachan used the EcoBunker solution to build some very dramatic bunkers.
“Fågelbro is about 30 years old, and is owned by Stefan Persson, the chairman of H&M,” Strachan said. “The project was to rebuild five bunkers around the double green of the ninth and eighteenth holes. The bunkers that were there previously were Pete Dye-style timbered bunkers, and over time the timber was starting to decay and was slippy underfoot. So Johan and I figured that EcoBunker was a good choice. Once the bunkers have been constructed with EcoBunker, you don’t need to go back to them for a long time.”
Strachan had significant input into the final styling of the bunkers. “I get a drawing from Johan and then interpreted it,” he sais. “I’m not trying to be overly fancy but I want to get some life into them, while still prioritizing maintenance.”
Most EcoBunkers are constructed using a double stacked method — two pieces of artificial turf to form each layer of revet. Fågelbro’s bunkers — which are large, with a total perimeter of more than 800 feet – use an unusual triple stacked method. “We triple stacked and built three to five layers of revet,” Strachan said. “I felt that triple matches a thick natural turf on top better. It gives a better finish.”
“I like the chunky look that triple stacking give,” said EcoBunker founder and CEO Richard Allen, who conceived the idea of synthetic revetting. “We did it first at Burntisland in Fife several years ago. It really resembles a very thick cut sod. It’s for those clients who want to see the stripes.”