Potential Paradigm Shifts for Golf Turf Management

Our topic for this week is the potential paradigm shift for our own area. To make a reasonable prediction,I studied a little bit about some emerging technique in golf turf management.

1)Mobile asset management using on golf cart and triplex mower.
Mobile asset management has been around for a long time. It is a tracking technique achieved by GPS and analysis and maping software. Now it can be used on golf carts to track the drive habbits of the golfers, or on a triplex mower to learn about the work efficiency of the turf manage practice, so the most efficient route could be chosen which means a lot saving on the fuel.

Source:http://i.imgur.com/ii1Mxl4.jpg

Mowing route can be detected and valued for efficiency inprovement.

2)Precise Soil Management

Different from original soil data collecting method, the new model could gather information at a higher speed by driving through the cource compared with data collection manually. All the soil data could be combined with the location information which is gathered from GPS, then be generate into a map. It offers a more precise information system of the golf course soil condition.

Source:http://www.usga.org/uploadedFiles/MicroSites/Pace_Of_Play(1)/Overview/Article%20-%20Precision%20Turf%20Mgt%20and%20Water%20Audit.pdf

USGA,Precision Turf Management: A New Water Audit Based on Soil Moisture

3)Electric Powered Mower

Electric powered automobiles have achieved their recognition by the public. It is becoming more and more competitive against traditional internal-combustion engine models because of a huge progress in the battery capacity. The existing electric mowers are still some simple models, which can only be used for home lawn. (45 mins of use needs 12 hours of charging!) More technique transplantation is needed  from the automobial industry to the lawn care industry.

Source:http://media.treehugger.com/assets/images/2011/10/tesla-eckh-01.jpg

In conclusion, the future of turfgrass management relies on the new techniques and the key point is a more precise and efficency management practice achieved by the information exchanging technique and new energy technique.

What is your new year resolution？

Happy 2014 everyone!

I am back writing! Not noly becaurse I said I would keep on writing, The main reason I think is that I still have to take 5902 this semester. We have not been assigned any topics yet, so why not talk about the new year resolutions.

We were talking about new year resolutions when we were on the way back home from the new year party last Saturday. Everyone seems to have one. Most of them is going to gyms and keep fit. Robert, the husband from Radella's host family, was joking while he was driving."Now is the most busy time for gyms.In Janurary, you can see people crowding there. In Feburary, still some. Then in March, not that many any more." Annette, the host lady, is more realistic:" That's why I decide my new year resolution to be going to gym from June." It is a good idea, if she can remember. Then they asked me about my resolution. The fact is I do not have any. It must be a little disappointing, but it is ture. I explained myself as I know myself, I just want to be ture to myself that I will not keep those words, so why do I make any promise in the first place.

Is the new year resolution a lie? I would not deny that some people would keep it. I am saying for the majority, it never works, and everyone knows about this, because it happens again and again and again every year. If the new year resolution is a lie, why would people bother making it every year? I think there is something more about it. It is more than a promise that we know we would fail. It is hope that we hold to be a better self. It is a sign that we have not given up on self-development and a better life.

The last thing at the bottom of Pandora's box, hope. It is definitely the most beautiful thing in the world. It is a sign of persistence. It is a fire burning in the heart. Hope cannot help us with our difficulties. Hope cannot even do my homework. However, without hope, with out an expectation for better, life will pass through without passion, time will fade away without memory. Not only the memory of ture achievements, but also the memory of trying. For those people who do not have a new year resolution, perhaps they would never fail, but at the same time they would never die with the satisfaction that "At least I have tried."

Now, I do think I need a new year resolution, even though I have no idea what it should be. I will make some whenever I have a good idea. How many new year resolutions I still have? 40? 60? I think I would take good use of them from now on. How about you then?