ShowTurf named North American Distributor of the Year



During the 2011 Golf Industry Show, John Deere Golf held its annual awards presentation and proudly recognized ShowTurf of Boynton Beach, Fla., as the 2010 North American Distributor of the Year.

All distributors were considered for this award based on annual sales, market share growth and overall customer satisfaction. But ShowTurf, who takes “great pride” in delivering “a level of personal attention rarely seen in the industry,” came out on top.

“We are pleased to honor both ShowTurf for their outstanding performance in 2010,” said Gregg Breningmeyer, group director, global sales and marketing, John Deere Golf. “This distributor exemplifies our core values of integrity, quality, commitment and innovation; and our dedication to our customers and this industry.”

John Deere Golf becomes Platinum Partner of CMAA



John Deere Golf is pleased to announce that we are now a Platinum Corporate Advantage Partner of the Club Managers Association of America (CMAA).

e participated in our first CMAA World Conference and Club Business Expo, February 24-28, 2011, in Orlando, and are looking forward to a long and productive relationship with this forward-thinking organization.

Our first contribution is as a participant in the Corporate Advantage Program, a collaborative effort among the CMAA, The Club Foundation and corporate entities that have demonstrated a leadership role within the club industry. The program creates a bridge between club management professionals and the companies most dedicated to serving them. The monetary contributions by the Corporate Advantage Program partners support professional development programs offered and funded by the CMAA and The Club Foundation.

Since 1837, John Deere as a company has delivered innovative products and services of superior quality built on a tradition of integrity. We at John Deere Golf aim to continue that commitment by offering expansive resources, a global reach, innovative thinking, industry-leading technology, and a true focus on partnership.


John Deere Golf Becomes Initiative Sponsor of Audubon International

John Deere Golf is proud to support an effort to publicize and renew participation in the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Certification Program by golf courses.

The program encourages environmental management practices in five key areas, including:

• Site Assessment and Environmental Planning
• Wildlife and Habitat Management
• Water
• Resource Management
• Outreach and Education

John Deere Golf Realigns Irrigation Distribution Channel

Assistant Superintendents Gain Valuable Insight at Green Start Academy

Usually, a course can achieve this prestigious certification within one to three years, depending on how quickly they plan, organize, implement, and document their environmental practices.

The benefits of becoming certified often go far beyond just its effect on protected wildlife - which of course is worthwhile by itself. Certified courses usually receive widespread positive publicity for their efforts, which helps inspire new members to join and existing ones to renew. Additionally, many times, the focus on sound environmental practices can uncover substantial cost savings for a course's bottom line.

Interested in learning more or getting started? Visit the website for Audubon International.

John Deere Golf Realigns Irrigation Distribution Channel

Reinforcing its commitment to provide the best products, services, and support for the ongoing maintenance of golf courses around the world, John Deere announced it is realigning the irrigation distribution channel for customers in the United States. As of November 1, 2010, all John Deere golf irrigation sales and support will come directly from John Deere Golf representatives and John Deere Landscapes branch locations.

"This adjustment allows our golf distributors to focus on equipment needs in the most efficient and meaningful manner. And our irrigation, agronomic, and landscape product customers will now be supported by a dedicated irrigation and agronomic team of experts," says Gregg Breningmeyer, global director of sales and marketing, John Deere Golf. "With this realignment, we are capitalizing on years of irrigation experience - both from our internal team and our John Deere Landscapes branch locations. And ultimately, we believe our customers will find more benefit than ever before."



The company believes - based on customer and distributor input - this change in the distribution channel will provide even more support across the course for its customers, bringing additional resources and expertise to bear.

Assistant Superintendents Gain Valuable Insight at Green Start Academy

On September 29, 2010, assistant superintendents from around the country came together for the 5th Annual Green Start Academy, co-hosted by John Deere Golf and Bayer Environmental Science. The event was held in Clayton, NC at the Bayer Environmental Technical Training Center and in Fuquay-Varina, NC at the John Deere Turf Care manufacturing facility. In order to be selected for the academy, assistants were required to write an essay on a pre-selected industry topic. The essays were evaluated by industry leading golf course superintendents and the top 50 were selected to attend the well sought-after event.



It was a packed two-day event that left attendees equipped with best practices and insight to take back to their courses at home. It offered these assistants the unique opportunity of networking with peers from around the country and participating in round tables and professional development sessions with industry leaders, including Ken Mangum of the Atlanta Athletic Club, Bob Farren of Pinehurst, and Thom Nikolai, Ph.D. of Michigan State University. They also learned about John Deere Golf and Bayer Environmental Sciences' leadership within the golf industry - from new product advancements to sponsorship and support.

Here's what a few of the attendees had to say about the event:

• "You can't beat the networking! It's great to talk with people from around the country that deal with the same issues you do on a daily basis." - Joe Schneider, Beverly Country Club, Chicago, Ill.
• "Seeing the John Deere facility, research and manufacturing process was really interesting. There's a lot of moving parts that come together for that end product." - Chris Freeman, Philadelphia Cricket Club, Philadelphia, Penn.
• "I really enjoyed listening to Bob Farren talk about Pinehurst #2. It's a big step in the sustainability direction, considering these economic times." - Tyson Cain, West Shore Country Club, Camp Hill, Penn.
• "The networking and camaraderie was really valuable. Especially after a long hard summer, it was great to hear what worked for everyone in the unique situations at their courses." - Tyson Cain, West Shore Country Club, Camp Hill, Penn.

At Green Start Academy, assistant superintendents learn best practices and insight to take back to their courses at home.