Turf Grass Industries

The handle of turfgrass science, and play course management has became very sophisticated in dear the few short years that I have been involved. Much of the equipment has at peace(p) higher tech, as far as electric motors, and more data processorized technology. many an separate(prenominal) golf course superintendents now atomic number 18 , online via the web. If on that point is a question concerning a in the buff disease or fertilizer unrivaled trick log on to Texas emailprotected home page and hopefully line up a solution to the problem. The technology in the computer field has to a fault advanced the irrigation technology in the agriculture field.Irrigation dodgings displace now be turned on with the touch of a aloneton through IBM or MACINTOSH Personal computer. New computer technology leave behind stick some to switch leaps and bounds for the turfgrass industry. Ransome Industries, maker of fine turgrass mowing equipment, has come out with the foremost elec tric mowing machine. I myself am not in favor of this, or I would guess anyone in the petroleum industry is either for that matter. there has been a greater demand for environmental concern along the lands coastlines, and nation wide. Most of the worlds great golf courses are located along the coasts.Ransome was banking on that an electric mowing machine would fit that need. It has been slow to catch on as of late. Its services are an almost quiet no noise machine. (Beard 302). umpteen country club members would become outraged when the superintendents would send out the greensmowers day-by-day at 600 A. M. The diesel and gasoline power engines are noisy, and would inflame up many members that live along the golf course. The second benefit is no cost of gasoline or oil, and therefore no lot of a petroleum leak or spill. There downf entirely lies in there initial cost,$15,000 for a gasoline triplex mower, and $20,000 for an electric powered mower.Another real downf each is tha t they can only mow golf club holes, then they have to be charged for ten hours, rendering them unprofitable for the rest of the day. Hopefully technology can produce an environmental p entirelyy machine, while not putting the oil industry in a bind, And also keep the governments hands out of the cookie jar with reinvigorated environmental taxes The Internet has become a very important shit to the people in the turfgrass industry. At any given time a golf course superintendent can log onto various companionships home pages to learn something about their product.If one day I am searching for a new fairway mower, I can shunt the phone calls and written estimates, and go strait to the information. Toro, Ransome, Jacobsen, and even John Deere all have home pages. You can inquire on a authentic mower model, engine size or anything you need to know. It will numerate a price and even the shipping and handling and the salesmans commission. perchance the outstrip part about the I nternet, is all the turfgrass related information that is at your fingertips. (Beard 120) One can access the three dominating turfgrass schools in scantily seconds.Those three schools would be Texas emailprotected, Mississippi State, and Oklahoma State. If it is in the middle of the summer, and there is a big tournament coming up they can be of great help. If your putting greens start to die in espy in the heat of the summer, one could log on to Texas emailprotected home page, and rootage around for some information, on what type of disease might be causing it. (Beard 420) They give identifying characteristics for each disease that is helpful in a quick diagnoses of the problem. They even mangleer helpful tips on what chemicals will best control the problem, and how much to spray.If thats not enough they give tips on employee management, and possible job opportunities with the college. How can the Internet and computer technology peradventure make my future job any easier, I mi ght ask. wholesome that is an easy question to answer. Toro, Rainbird, and Flowtronics PSI, have found a way to make water management an easy task. Automatic water irrigation systems have been around since the early seventys. First they were maneuver off a robotic pin and timer system for home lawn use. This was a very legitimate system, but it lacked flexibility. (Wikshire95) Next came the automatic timer systems.These run off an electronic timer from a 110 volt wall outlet. These are assuage in use today, and it is a very good system. (Wikshire 112) Last but not least has come the water management system run from your personal Macintosh or IBM compatible computer. The personal computer in reality works as the brain for the irrigation system. (Wikshire200) You down load the program into the computer, and bam it does all the work for you. It has a water sensor located outside that spread abroads the system to shut off if it has rained to much, or to come on if it is getting extremely dry on a hot summer day.It also can measure the amount of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium in the soil, if necessary. It will test the water, and tell you the amount of salt or nitrates located in the water. Once a watering program is started it is also easily changed to another program if so desired. (Wikshire202) This has benefited the turfgrass industry in many ways. It has rescue superintendents from having to come and shut the irrigation off in the middle of the night if it starts raining hard. Most importantly it has providedd money in the labor part of the budget.It keeps hourly employees occupied with other tasks, other than having to turn on individual sprinkler heads every day. The most everyday program by far is the Rainbird Vari-Time V and VI programs. (Wikshire250) These two programs are leaps and bounds above the rest. Having experience of computers and computer related programs will be very beneficial to me in the turfgrass industry. The technology w ill benefit me and others. From new high tech electric mowing machines, to non hydraulic mowers. The Internet could be the most useful tool for me in my job.It will give me useful knowledge on what is going on in the world. Also it could help save me from a costly mistake when it comes to disease control that could cost me my job. The computer industry has also made great accomplishments when it comes to water conservation management. These programs can be downloaded into your personal computer. They are great labor savers, and most of all effective time management tools. I hope that the technology will keep advancing, and make my future job as a golf course superintendent much easier.