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Turf Tech News
2014
Tu r f E q u i p m e n t T e c h n i c i a n s A s s o c i a t i o n o f t h e C a r o l i n a s
w w w . TE T A C . o r g
800-476-4272
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President
Preston Burl –
MacGregor Downs Country
Club
Vice President
Bryan Dishmon –
Greensboro National Golf
Club
Secretary/Treasurer
Clayton Ennis –
Devils Ridge Golf Club
Past President
Gene Westbrook Sedgefield Country Club
Executive Director
David PrekopSecession Golf Club
Directors
Eric Duncanson
Allen Reece
Greg Womble
Bill Ledford
Burke Anders
Michael Hileman
Greg Barnes
Donald Gunther
Mac Canon
Wes Oliver
●
P.O. Box 210
●
Li b e r t y, S C 2 9 6 5 7
Presidents Message
by Preston Burl
Greetings,
Well, it’s that time of year again! I hope you all had a great summer
and things are starting to cool down a bit. We are looking forward
to a great conference in November and hope you all are planning
on coming to the beach for 3 days of golf, education and
networking.
We will start things off on Monday with the golf tournament at
Arcadian Shores which is sure to be a great time of fun and
fellowship provided by Revels Turf & Tractor. Come on out for a
good time! Tuesday will begin our conference with an all day of
education and lunch graciously provided by Smith Turf & Irrigation.
Following lunch we will have our Annual Business Meeting and
presentation of our Turf Tech of the Year Award sponsored by TriState Pumps. We will also present our first TETAC Scholarship
Award during this time. You will not want to miss it! On Wednesday
will continue with our educational seminars and offer the EETC
Hydraulics test that afternoon.
Please make an effort to attend what is sure to be a great
conference. Don’t forget to stop by the TETAC booth #2013 at the
Carolinas GCSA Tradeshow at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center.
Should you need assistance in attending, please contact any
director and they will be able to assist you. Make it a great fall!
Blessings,
Preston Burl
TETAC
TETAC
Storing Bedknives….Do’s and Don’ts
Michael Hileman, JRM, Inc. Senior Field Specialist
Bedknives and reels can be a huge expenditure during the growing season for many golf courses. With the
influx of Bermuda putting surfaces in our region, we are seeing more and more topdressing than ever
before. We all know what sand does to bedknives and reels, so the ability to stretch the life of a bedknife is
paramount to stay within budget constraints. With that being said, the most commonly overlooked practice
to overall bedknife consistency and longevity is how we store them. I have been asked about storage more
than ever before and wanted to give you a few key tips that you can incorporate into the day to day
operation.
The most common mistake we at JRM see is taking the bedknives out of the box and setting them directly
on a shelf or table. If you are not using them immediately and don’t need to break into that box, then I
suggest leaving them in their packaging. With our HOC’s becoming lower and lower, the bedknives are
becoming thinner. Thin metal will conform to the surface it is sitting on over time. Particularly in an
environment that is not temperature controlled. Most of our shelving units and work benches are not
parallel so the likelihood that your bedknife will take that shape is heightened. The more a bedknife is out
of parallel the longer you have to spend grinding to get it back to true form. The more grinding you do in
initial set-up equates to less metal to work with over that bedknife’s lifespan.
When bedknives are packaged by most manufacturers, you will notice oil on those parts similar to a WD40. This is necessary to ward off rust. Our environments in the Carolinas can get very hot and humid in the
summer thus leading to extensive corrosion in some cases. With the oiled bedknives in the box, it will stay
in an environment that is conducive to warding off corrosion. If you do plan to unbox your bedknives, I
recommend applying a rust inhibitor--such as WD-40 or similar--periodically to the bedknife’s top and
bottom surfaces. Just remember to make sure the bedknives are washed free of oil and dried prior to use.
If you do plan on taking your knives out of the packaging, besides oiling them periodically, we recommend
hanging them. You have less change of distortion or warping by hanging them and letting gravity take
over. I recommend doing this through the screw holes or the construction holes. Some manufacturers do
have construction holes on the bedknives which enable them to lock the blanks into place when machining
your critical angels (Drag, Top Face, and Front Face). I was curious to see if I could find any other good
examples of storage racks and a quick Google search of bedknife storage returned a multitude of great ideas
and designs. Below you will find a couple great examples of storage from my good friend Robert Smith of
Merion Golf Club, sight of the 2013 US OPEN. Perhaps a winter project is in store!
Remember three keys to proper bedknife storage:
1- Leave in packaging as long as possible.
2- Keep them well-oiled to avoid rust.
3- Hang them from screw holes or construction holes after opening box.
TETAC
SUPERIOR
QUALITY-OF-CUT.
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AFFORDABLE.
LF510
™
TSP AD
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and a reliable Kubota diesel Tier 4 final engine – making it easy to afford, use and maintain through its
entire life. The LF510’s clean and consistent quality-of-cut is provided by the new TrueSet™ cutting units with
Classic XP™ reels that boast an industry-leading 425-lbs. of holding power. Mow your fairways without
scalping your budget with the new Jacobsen LF510. See your local Jacobsen dealer for more information.
™
Tripp Cobb, Sales Manager
800.868.4631
Tri-State Pump & Control
Liberty, SC
www.tsppumps.com
©2013 Jacobsen, A Textron Company/Textron Innovations Inc. All rights reserved.
1.888.922.TURF | www.jacobsen.com
TETAC
Turf Tech of the Year
Is your tech the best of the best?
Will your technician be added to the growing list of legendary professionals?
2003 Clayton Ennis, Devils Ridge GC, Holly Spring, NC
2008 Jerry Blackwelder, Quail Hollow CC, Charlotte, NC
2004 Melvin Cheatham, Forest Creek, Pinehurst, NC
2009 Gene Westbrook, Red Tail Mountain Club, Mountain City, TN
2005 Butch Trogdon, Starmount Forest CC, Greensboro, NC
2010 David Johnson, Arcadian Shores GC, Myrtle Beach, SC
2006 John Axtell, Charleston Municipal GC, Charleston, SC
2011 Mike Neely, Country Club of Salisbury, Salisbury, NC
2007 Gerry Rickard, St. James Plantation, Southport, NC
2012 Paul Dalton, Highlands Country Club, Highlands, NC
2013 Danny Epps, Furman University Golf Course, Greenville, SC
Superintendents and businesses with technicians are invited to nominate
candidates for the award by completing this nomination form (additional pages can
be attached). Please detail why you think your technician should receive this
prestigious award. This person must be a TETAC member.
We are looking for people who have demonstrated leadership in:
*Work Ethic
*Equipment Maintenance
*Cost Control-Budgeting
*Professionalism
The TETAC Board of Directors will review the entries and determine the final vote. Annual award
is presented at the Carolinas GCSA Conference in Myrtle Beach.
Nomination Fact Sheet
Superintendent’s Name
Phone
Company
Title
Email
Address_________________________City
Name of Technician being Nominated
______
State
Title
Zip
The reason why my technician should be considered for this award is:
____________
Superintendent’s Signature:
Date:
_______
Must be received by November 1st!
Mail to: TETAC, PO Box 210, Liberty, SC 29657 or Fax to 864-843-1149.
TETAC
WES OLIVER
TETAC Technician Spotlight
By Greg Barnes
This session of the Tech Spotlight will focus on the equipment technician at Primland Resort in The
Meadows of Dan, VA. He is also on the board of directors of TETAC, and his name is Wes Oliver. Wes
was born in Leaksville, NC (which is now Eden, NC) and was raised in Ridgeway, VA. While growing up
there and attending school he began working on his own vehicles, and of course like the rest of us, he
started playing around with them and has admitted to having a couple of hot rods, mostly Chevy’s he
added. After graduating high school, he attended Rockingham Community College and received his
Associate’s degree in Textile Technology Management. Once he completed college he went to work with a
local textile company and worked with them for 20 years.
This is the part of the story that lets us know how he got into this line of work and is still working in
it now as we speak. In 1990, he and his wife purchased a company that bought and refurbished golf course
equipment for resale and also included working on homeowner’s mowers and lawn equipment. During this
time he also worked with G.L. Cornell, a Jacobsen dealer in Maryland, while his wife helped him manage
the operation of a driving range and 9-hole par 3 course. This was all part of his life until the year 2000
when his wife became sick and lost both kidneys. They knew they had too much going on and had to focus
on more important things that were at hand. Wes and his wife sold the business in 2004, but he still grinds
reels and helps out other golf courses that don’t have grinders. He also helps the local high schools with
their equipment. Wes then took the job at Primland Resort in 2004 till present. I had the opportunity to go
visit Wes at Primland this year and let me tell you this golf course and club is the first place I have been
that doesn’t have a signature hole. Every hole at the golf course should be a postcard, absolutely gorgeous,
every hole in every direction. I know, and we all know that without a knowledgeable superintendent like
Brian Kearns, and a dedicated equipment manager like Wes Oliver that this would not be possible. The
entire staff there does a wonderful job and it is truly a gem hidden in the mountains of Virginia.
Wes now helps his wife at home with the dialysis that has to be done 5 days a week and takes
approximately 4 to 5 hrs each time. He still works on equipment for other golf courses and high schools
when they need him to do so. Wes has been at Primland for 10 years now and said that he has enjoyed it.
Wes has two sons and three grandchildren. He enjoys playing golf when he can, and now that one of his
grandchildren has started playing golf he hopes to start playing more often. Wes Oliver is a great man that
we are privileged to have on the TETAC Board of Directors and wish him the best in all of his ventures.
TETAC
TETAC
NOW
&
Then
Now and then you come across companies that are built to
stand the test of time. They have what it takes to not only
survive but thrive. So what separates those companies
from the ones that don’t? Studies have shown it takes a
laser sharp focus, a willingness to chart new territory, a
passion for the industry, a continuous investment in R & D
and most importantly a culture committed to developing
innovative products that are well-suited to how humans
work, engage, and collaborate on the tasks at hand.
The Toro Company celebrates their 100th anniversary
this year and we couldn’t be more proud to have been one
of their earliest and now longest operating distributors,
beginning back in 1925. Our alliance is built on the
foundation of those attributes and brings the strength
of two of the oldest and most respected names in golf
maintenance and irrigation equipment together to help
you achieve your own long term success.
STI AD HERE
Toro Greensmower, circa 1920
Together, we look forward to the next century of our
great partnership with our mutual customers!
Office 1.800.932.8676 • Orders 1.800.232.8676
www.smithturf.com
TETAC
2014 TETAC Conference
Horry Georgetown Grand Strand Campus
950 Crabtree Lane, Myrtle Beach, SC
NOVEMBER 17-19th
MONDAY: NOVEMBER 17, 2014
Golf Tournament
Arcadian Shores Golf Club
Cost: $25 includes golf and lunch
9:00 AM Registration
10:00 AM Shotgun Start
Revels Turf and Tractor
TUESDAY: NOVEMBER 18, 2014
Conference – Horry Georgetown Grand Strand Campus
7:30-8:00 AM – Registration – Coffee and Danishes
8-9:30AM - Shop Safety and Loss Prevention: Mickey McCord, McCord Golf Services
9:30-10:00 AM – Break
10:00-11:30 AM – Preparing for a PGA Tournament: Communication is the Key
Keith Wood, Superintendent, Sedgefield Country Club
Gene Westbrook, Equipment Manager, Sedgefield Country Club
11:30-12:00 PM – Vendor Appreciation
12:00-1:00 PM – Lunch sponsored by STI
12:30 PM - Annual Business Meeting
1:30-4:00 PM – Tier 4 Engines – Greg Womble, Bill Ledford, Burke Anders
4:00-7:00 PM – Carolinas GCSA Trade Show
7:00-10:00 PM – Carolinas Night at the Beach
WEDNESDAY: NOVEMBER 19, 2014
7:30-8:00 AM – Registration – Coffee and Danishes
8:00-12:00 PM – Hydraulics – Eric Duncanson, Equipment Manager, Mid Pines CC
8:00-10:00 PM – Fuel Hygiene – Michael J. Goad, Director of Education, B3 Fuel Solutions
10:00-10:15 AM – Break
10:15-12:00 PM – Panel Discussion
1:00-4:00 PM – EETC Hydraulics Certification Test – Bill Ledford, Proctor
12:00-2:30 PM – Carolinas GCSA Trade Show and Luncheon Buffet
TETAC
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JOHN DEERE AD
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MYRTLE BEACH, SC
800-849-5469
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B0R020OCU1C51771-GTT8X110301CG-4C-00400270
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GREENVILLE TURF & TRACTOR
PIEDMONT, SC
866-485-8873
www.GreenvilleTurf.com
SHOWTURF
HILTON HEAD, SC
888-746-8873
www.ShowTurf.com
TETAC
TETAC Presents TIER 4 to Palmetto GCSA
The TETAC Board of Directors were invited to speak at the Palmetto
GCSA After Action Summer Review in Myrtle Beach, SC at Pine
Lakes Country Club earlier this month. Bill Ledford, TSP, Greg
Womble, Revels Turf and Tractor, and Burke Anders, STI presented a
seminar on Tier 4 to the superintendents in the Myrtle Beach area. We
were able to inform them on the value of TETAC membership and
what TETAC is all about. We appreciate the Palmetto GCSA for their
hospitality and the invitation present a seminar. Be sure to attend the
Tier 4 seminar at the TETAC Conference in Myrtle Beach where they
will go more in depth on the subject and what we are required to do as
equipment technicians. We want to thank our speakers and their
employers who allow them to come speak on behalf of TETAC. We
appreciate your continued support!
TETAC
TETAC NOW OFFERING EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS
The TETAC Board of Directors has announced that they will be offering two
$500 scholarships to children of TETAC members or anyone in an equipment
technician program. The deadline to submit your application is November
1st. The winners will be announced at the TETAC Conference in Myrtle Beach
on November 18th. Should you have any questions, please contact Kim
Clark at 800-476-4272.
TETAC
PO Box 210
Liberty, SC 29657