Check out the December issue

Hey everyone,

We're still here, it's just been a busy time this week -- trying to get out from under a PILE of receipts and expense reports, and then the double whammy yesterday... my five-year-old has a mild case of pneumonia. YIKES! She's doing better right now, but yeah, this week has been a mess.

The Golfdom office is officially closed next week, but I'll still be around here and there, trying to get caught up on some things while the office voice mail is saying, "We're closed this week! Woo-hoo!"

In the meantime, here is the December Golfdom, if you haven't seen it hit your mailbox yet. It should be there any day now, I've received mine already. Check out Clark's piece on painting greens, good stuff there!

-Seth

'Tis the Season?

I was at a course last week, hanging with the superintendent. He got stopped three, maybe even four different times by members. Not to ask about the new irrigation system, or how the late aeration was working out for him, or even about his day... but to ask about the gift baskets.

Yes, the gift baskets, as in the Christmas gift baskets. Turns out the women's club made a pretty nifty gift basket for all of the crew that came with fresh cookies, hand warmers, gloves and a gift card to the local grocery store. The golfers kept asking, "Did you hand out the gift baskets?" "What did the guys think of the gift baskets??" "The cookies were fresh, you have to hand out the gift baskets!!!" (The super was patient, but had to chuckle about the stress that these gift baskets were causing.)

Gift baskets are nothing new, I know I'm not breaking any news here ("We landed on the MOON!!!") but it did make me wonder what you guys do for your staff when the holidays roll around.

So, a new poll. Check it out and vote, let me know how you and your course handle the holidays.

Hendren's Hyperbole! -- Episode 45: So What, Tiger?

Professional golf in December has always been kind of a joke, and I don’t think this December is any different than any other except for the fact Tiger managed to win a golf tournament. I am referring to the Chevron World Challenge, of course. It was big news for all of a day. Jones asked me what I thought about it the other day, so I thought I'd share some of my thoughts...

So Tiger managed to beat 17 other golfers, which did not include the top four players in the world, at a track he had already won at four times before and just happens to benefit his foundation……so what?!? So what if every golfer in the field had a higher world golf ranking than Tiger. So what if Tiger sank a 6-foot putt on the 18th for a one stroke win over Zach Johnson. Isn’t that what Tiger is supposed to do? Can someone please explain to me how Tiger’s world ranking jumped from 52nd to 21st with one win?

You don't know me!

I'm on a top secret mission for Goldom today. I'm in my second airport of four for the day. I've got my hat and my sunglasses on. 

I'm off to a good start. The hotel had a stretch limo waiting for me this morning.

I'm undercover, baby.

Sent from my Samsung Epic™ 4G

Riding in style with Senior Editor Beth Geraci

This is how we roll when we're in South Beach. When we're offered a ride in a Ferrari, who are we to refuse?

Taking care of bid'ness

It's been an awesome couple of days in Cleveland! I always enjoy my time up here...

Thanks to everyone who filled out our survey. Wow, we got a lot of great feedback! 

We spent part of the day talking about our covers... What did YOU think of our covers thi year???

Sent from my Samsung Epic™ 4G

David Phipps checks in with Golfdom TV

My Mexican beer of choice

My 18-pack of Miller Lite promoted... Chivas, from Guadalajara, Mexico?!?

Check out the box! I never thought I'd be able to buy an 18-pack of beer in KANSAS that promoted a Mexican soccer team. Sweet!

But then, just as I was really getting excited, I tried entering their contest to win something, free soccer tickets, who knows what? ...AND the web address wouldn't work. What the?!? Then I looked closely at the rules... The contest ended three months ago!

Great. So, what you're telling me is, I bought old leftover beer from Mexico? 

Aye, caramba.  

I sent my senior editor to Miami

And all I got was this photo of Dennis Rodman!

Golfdom senior editor Beth Geraci is down in Miami on assignment for our sister publication, Landscape Management magazine. Apparently The Worm is Beth's neighbor. The Worm was chilling out at her resort, killing time until his tee time with none other than... Michael Jordan.

Toro acquires Graden greens rollers

The Toro Company today announced it has acquired the Graden greens roller product line, which includes the GSR 1200 greens roller. The acquisition provides entry into a new product category and broadens Toro’s offering to golf customers worldwide. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“This acquisition fills an important product gap in our core golf business and helps further strengthen our offering in the greens care category,” said Darren Redetzke, vice president of Toro’s Commercial Business. “Rolling greens has become an important agronomic practice for golf courses that improves the health and playability of the greens. By leveraging our brand strength and extensive global distribution, we are well positioned for growth in this new segment.”

Graden’s other turf maintenance product lines, which include zero-turn mowers, verticutters and sand injectors, were not associated with this acquisition.

Do you blog?

The question was raised at the Syngenta Business Institute -- do you keep a maintenance blog? Several hands went up -- almost a third of the room said they did. A discussion followed about why maintenance blogs are useful.

Bill Davidson, CGCS, told the room that his blog on the maintenance at the Country Club of Naples had developed a cult following among members. His blog can be found here.

The best line was from Jim Alwine, superintendent at Stockton (Calif.) Golf and Country Club. When asked if many people read his maintenance blog, he smiled and said, "My Mom loves it."

2011 Sygenta Business Institute class

Check it out... see who you know!

Stand in your corner

The room splits into different generations at the Syngenta Business Institute... Notice almost evryone in this group is a Gen X, very few baby boomers...


Sent from my Samsung Epic™ 4G

Live from the OTF

We're checking out a few new products at this year's show and are about to hear about new heat-tolerant bluegrasses. We'll see what they say.

Syngenta Business Institute week

Hello to all of you out there in the Golfdom...

I'm in Winston-Salem this week, attending the third annual Syngenta Business Institute. We're at the Graylyn Conference Center -- the second largest house in the great state of North Carolina (second to the largest house in all of America, the Biltmore). Tomorrow morning the classes begin. We've been told to be ready, so all of the superintendents -- approximately 30 -- listened, and called it an early night. Class starts tomorrow morning at 8:30 a.m. The first class is "Financial Management."

I'll have lots more this week from the SBI. Stay tuned!

The weather outside isn't frightful

Just chatted with a GM/superintendent in Pennsylvania... they're enjoying better weather here in early December. In fact, he told me they had as many rounds of golf today as they had in the entire MONTH of December 2010.

"But nothing can make up for what we had in April and September," he said.

Here in Lawrence, Kan., yesterday it was nice to see my friend Bill Irving's course, Lawrence CC, on the front page of the paper. The story was about how nice and mild the weather has been lately. 

Meanwhile, I just got off the phone with Clark Throssell... he's experiencing better weather in Billings, Mont. right now -- to the tune of 30 degrees!