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March-April 2008

News & Notes

Industry News | New Products


Robots on the Range
The BigMow and BallPicker from SofTee Manufacturing are the worldís first robotic lawn mower and golf ball picker, respectively. The machines are designed to maintain a five- to seven-acre area while reducing impact on the environment. They are battery-powered and recharge themselves, reducing labor as well as gasoline and oil costs. The SofTee BallPicker will be available for range owners and operators this summer. The picker is designed to retrieve 250 to 300 balls and then return to the charging station, where it dumps them. One charge lasts about two and a half to three hours.

The BigMow, available now, is able to mow for more than 12 hours a day in a random pattern, and manufacturers say by mowing the grass as it grows, the tiny particles that are cut decompose faster and keep nutrients in the soil. This results in a thicker, greener lawn and allows range owners to use fewer chemicals. The cutting height on the BigMow ranges from 3/4inch to 33/4inches, and it is designed to be as quiet as a golf cart, making mowing possible day or night.

For an informational DVD, e-mail info@softeeautomation.com. For more information, visit www.softeeautomation.com.

Golf's New It Club
Golfballs.com expects to have interchangeable drivers ready for golfers in March. The drivers are the newest craze to hit the golf industry since the USGA changed the ìRules of Golfî to allow for club manipulations such as the adding of lead tape and the changing of club heads and shafts. Now, thanks to Golfballs.comís a la carte style selection, the average golfer will have the ability to pick and choose what he or she wants to play with, and address different playing conditions. Golfballs.com was founded in 1995 and carries a complete selection of golf-related items.
For more information, call 888-429- 9920 or visit www.fastnine.com.

Smart Target
Fast Nine Golf Inc.ís Genesis Target is designed to offer competition, excitement and accurate feedback for golfers and a small, portable system that is cost-effective for range owners through the companyís new golf target featuring advanced microprocessor technology. The targets respond instantaneously to balls hitting the 80- foot impact zones.

The targets illuminate different colors of high- intensity light to the tee box area, indicating the proximity of the ball impact within the target zones. Standard range balls can be used with the target, and its fast response lets golfers distinguish which light was the result of their shot.

The Genesis Targets are portable battery-operated units that can be charged overnight and deployed onto the driving range greens each morning. The batteries are created to be powerful enough to last all day. The targets are about 20 inches in diameter and weigh about 10 pounds. Next up for Fast Nine Golf are digital scorecards, wireless transmitters and PC programs created to make the driving range even more competitive.


For more information, visit www.golfballs.com.

Golf Instructor Endorses New Training Aid
Dr. Jim Suttie, one of the worldís best-known golf instructors, says he believes every golf facility should be equipped with an Explanar training aid.

Suttie experienced the Explanar, available in a home training system or professional package, for the first time during this yearís PGA Merchandise Show and was especially impressed by how the Explanar speeds up the motor learning process. The training system by Luther Blacklock focuses on the fundamental principles of the golf swing plane and the biomechanics of the body. 

It consists of a hoop and a strut with calibrations that allow the user to set the Explanar to his or her optimum swing plane. The Radial Stance MatTMenables the user to practice intentional draw and fade shots, and The Plane FinTMacts as an indicator that shows whether or not the user is swinging on his or her optimum plane, promoting the ideal movements required for the golf swing.

Suttie was named the PGA of America National Teacher of the Year in 2000 and is a three-time winner of the same award from the PGAís Illinois section; is included among GOLF Magazine's Top 100 Teachers; and is ranked as one of the Top 20 teachers in America on Golf Digest's 50 Greatest Teachers list.

For more information, call 866-975-2627 or visit www.explanar.com.

Send your news and information on new products to info@golfrangetimes.com.

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