Bayco Golf is proud to welcome Andrew Hunt to our customer service team, where his deep knowledge of golf makes him a valuable asset.
A native of Warren, Manitoba, Andrew has worked in every nook and cranny of golf course operations at outstanding facilities such as Tuxedo Golf Course (Winnipeg), Bel Acres Golf & Country Club (Winnipeg), Hecla Golf Course (Riverton) and South Interlake Golf & Country Club (Warren). He’s given lessons, manned the pro shop and picked the range as an assistant pro; he’s gotten his hands dirty with the grounds crew, too, and has a commanding grasp of Bayco’s entire product range.
In his new role, Andrew upholds Bayco’s exceptional standards for customer service. From responding to emails, to taking phone orders, to helping course managers better understand our products, Andrew is Johnny-on-the-spot when a customer’s in need.
In short, Andrew fits Bayco like a new Cabretta glove. Of course, most of his co-workers need a few strokes when we hit the course. Andrew was a competitive amateur golfer who now holds CPGA professional status — and a 2 handicap. When Andrew brings his A game, we average Joes and Jills don’t stand a chance.
Lucky for us – and you, our customer – Andrew brings his A game to work each and every day. We’re delighted to have him on board.
The golf industry goes to great lengths to protect the environment. Sometimes, that means you need great lengths (of rope) to sequester sensitive areas from trampling feet and crushing golf carts.
No doubt, keeping delicate parts of the course off-limits can be difficult. All too often, “Keep Out” signs are overlooked — or ignored entirely — in the passionate pursuit of lost balls. Not only do golfers trounce on prohibited ground, some even whack away when they find a ball, shrugging off injured flora and fauna as collateral damage.
The best way to assure the safety of your precious acreage is by roping it off. Even the most oblivious golfers usually get the message then. But the old rope-and-stake method can be more trouble than it’s worth, especially if your equipment is tangled, cut into odd lengths or otherwise inconvenient.
If you’re looking for an answer to this issue, you’ve come to the right place. Say hello to Bayco’s E-Z Stake system, an incredibly simple, time-saving way to defend those fragile environs. Here’s a quick video showing how easy it is to use the E-Z Stake: http://www.baycogolf.com/video
See what I mean?
Of course, E-Z Stake has a world of additional applications. Use it to rope off:
Ground under repair
Muddy areas around the course or clubhouse
Walkways and cart paths
Group gatherings (weddings, tournaments)
So arm yourself with E-Z Stake – and make sure your “Keep Out” message gets across.
Most golfers are familiar with the teaching concept of KISS – Keep It Simple, Stupid. In other words, don’t cloud the mind and turn the body into a pretzel with a bunch of complicated swing techniques.
Modern technology helps golf course maintenance crews apply the KISS method to many tasks. Unfortunately, using ropes and stakes hasn’t been one of them. Until now.
Bayco’s E-Z Stake system makes this once-annoying chore a breeze thanks to its innovative design. The E-Z Stake features retractable rope housed in a compact compartment attached to each stake. Pull the rope’s end from one stake and attach it to the next, then unhook it and watch the rope spool back into its compartment. Simple as that.
Say goodbye to yards of tangled, knotted twine and lengths that don’t fit your space requirements. With E-Z Stake, you can cover up to 50 feet of turf in a matter of seconds – and uncover them just as quickly. The posts slide easily into and out of the ground with a push or pull of the foot.
E-Z Stake’s simplicity removes hassle while adding efficiency. Don’t be surprised to cut 50 percent off the time needed to set up stakes around walkways, restricted areas or ground under repair.
Frankly, my description doesn’t do the E-Z Stake justice. Watch this video to see just how thoroughly it can simplify an often maddening mission: http://www.baycogolf.com/video
Chances are, your greens aren’t as fast as Oakmont’s. Legend has it the fabled Pennsylvania club has to slow its greens down when hosting a U.S. Open, lest the world’s greatest golfers find them unplayable.
It’s only fitting that the idea for the Bayco Speed Meter was hatched during one of Oakmont’s Opens, in 1935. When Edward Stimpson watched Gene Sarazen putt his ball off a green and into a bunker, the wheels started turning. Stimpson soon devised the forerunner to today’s Bayco Speed Meter and the rest, as they say, is history.
Far from an obscure tool used primarily by course superintendents and tournament setup officials, the Bayco Speed Meter just may be the best known implement in golf (aside from clubs, balls and other playing equipment). Anyone who plays or watches golf regularly is familiar with it, and most have a solid grasp of what constitutes a slow, medium or fast putting surface.
What’s that mean to you? It means you should be using Bayco’s Speed Meter on a routine basis. For starters, golfers love knowing a course’s green speeds – what they’re “rolling,” in today’s lingo. Posting the day’s readings in the pro shop or online is a cool way to not only inform golfers of conditions, but to get them talking about your club.
From a practical standpoint, gathering frequent data keeps maintenance staff up to speed (so to speak) on the playability and consistency of the greens. Wouldn’t it be helpful to know if you had 17 greens rolling around 10 feet on the Bayco Speed Meter, and one at 13?
That’s not an issue at Oakmont, where daily green speeds are purportedly in the 14-15 range. God forbid one should slow to a 12… The super would never hear the end of it!
Not so long ago, green speeds were described in general terms: fast, medium or slow. Then a 40-year-old invention was dusted off, made a few modifications and the concept was introduced to the golf world, forever changing how greens are measured. And maintained.
These days, the speed and consistency of a course’s greens go a long way in determining golfers’ opinions about the facility. In other words, a set of greens that are uniform in speed and smoothness gives a course a leg up on competitors. If you don’t use a Speed Meter like Bayco’s – or if yours is bent, dented or otherwise damaged and inaccurate – then your greens could be hurting sales.
Our Bayco Speed Meter is built to industry specifications (36 inches and V-grooved, with a precisely placed ball-release notch, milled aluminum surface and tapered end), so it’s deadly accurate and highly durable. Few items this simple – or affordable – can match the Bayco Speed Meter’s impact on a course’s conditions, budget or bottom line.
OK, back to the story. During the 1976 U.S. Open at Atlanta Athletic Club, pin placements were being settled with USGA Executive Director P.J. Boatwright. “The greens are slower than last year,” Boatwright said.
“How fast were they last year?” He was asked.
“Faster than this year,” said Boatwright, leading to a device that’s as familiar to golf superintendents as a driver or wedge is to a golfer.
Are your greens slow, medium or fast, or do they roll at 7, 9 or 11? That’s need-to-know information, and Bayco’s Speed Meter can provide it with precision.
Do you know what speed your greens are reading at today?
You should, since green speed is a key factor in how golfers perceive a course. If the greens are too slow, players will grouse about leaving putts short. Too fast, and an otherwise great experience can be marred by a parade of eight-foot comebackers.
How do you know when the greens are just right? By testing them with a Bayco Speed Meter of course.
Bayco Golf’s Speed Meter is a precision instrument that provides spot-on green speed measurements. Use it regularly to guide course maintenance practices and you’ll deliver putting surfaces golfers appreciate.
Of course, different golfers favor different speeds. Some like fast greens that break the 11-foot barrier on the Bayco Speed Meter (if only because that’s what the pros play on). Others are more comfortable with greens rolling around 8 or 9. All golfers, though, share one wish: that a course’s green speeds are consistent from hole to hole.
You probably know which greens on your course are slower than others, and which ones can get uncontrollably quick under certain conditions. But without a Bayco Speed Meter, you’re just guessing at the differences. Our Bayco Speed Meter can tell you precisely how far any green is from a given baseline, providing the info needed to adjust fertilization, watering, mowing heights and other variables.
Get your greens running at a smooth, steady speed and watch those golfers smile.
Chances are you’re familiar with the Bayco Speed Meter and its general purpose. But how much do you really know about this simple yet important contraption?
For instance, did you know:
In 1976-77, the average golf course had Speed Meter readings around 6.5 feet.
Today, the average is close to 10 feet.
The average PGA Tour site features green speeds around 11; major championships sites reach the 12-14 range.
For a 36-inch piece of aluminum, the Bayco Speed Meter sure gets a lot of attention. Golfers often boast that their club’s greens are the fastest in town, making pronouncements that non-golfers would find utterly baffling. “Ours were running at 13 last weekend,” for example.
Course maintenance pros, however, know the Bayco Speed Meter is about more than bragging rights.
The device’s primary function is to help superintendents maintain all greens at a consistent pace, which can be a lot trickier than golfers realize. Things like microclimates, sunlight exposure and moisture retention can make greens on one part of the course roll differently than those in another area.
Of course, it helps to have a consistently accurate device to get consistently accurate readings. Bayco’s Speed Meter is made from extruded aluminum alloy and features a milled base, which reduces bounce as the ball rolls onto the green. The Bayco Speed Meter comes with detailed instructions, so operator error doesn’t enter the equation.
We will be attending the GIS (Golf Industry Show) in Las Vegas on from February 29th to March 1st at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
The Golf Industry Show is a true international event. It brings attendees from across and the US and more than 60 countries. Featuring the largest exhibit floor in the industry, the event combines education, networking and solutions for golf course superintendents, equipment managers, owners/operators, general managers, chief operating officers, and architects and builders. Find out more on the conference at http://www.golfindustryshow.com
Please be sure to stop by Booth Number 1670 and talk to the Cal Surgenor, General Manager and Shelley Drul, Customer Service Manager. We’d love to fill you in on some of our new and innovative products such as the E-Z Stake and the Pro-Hole Cup with Internal Speed Wrap Liner.
Bayco Golf’s Speed Meter is a 36 inch aluminum alloy precision instrument that provides spot-on green speed measurements. Use it regularly to guide course maintenance practices and you’ll deliver putting surfaces golfers appreciate.
Attracting frequent tournament play is vital to any golf course’s ability to turn a profit – or merely survive – in today’s market. Every detail counts when competing with other clubs for tourney dollars. How quickly you get players onto the course; the uniqueness of player gifts; food quality… Little things like these go a long way in building your reputation as a host site.
In fact, something as seemingly trivial as the delivery and presentation of driving range balls can make an important impression on visitors.
Most courses simply hand out bags or baskets of balls to tournament golfers, who dump them on the range, hit a handful, and leave the rest scattered about. Here’s a better idea: Send golfers directly to the range, where they’ll find balls piled neatly in pyramids. Bayco Golf’s Original Pyramid Stacker makes it incredibly easy to decorate your range with these cool-looking figures, giving players an experience usually reserved for tour pros.
What’s more, balls stacked in pyramids don’t end up all over the place. Typically, golfers will grab a few off the tray and hit them, rather than knocking down the whole thing. Once the player has hit to her heart’s content, the remaining balls sit in their tray, nice and orderly, a cinch to pick up and put back where they came from.
Will a pyramid-stacked driving range boost the number of tourneys you host? Probably not on its own. But it will certainly enhance your efforts to stand out from the crowd.
