The City of Austin, Texas, got more than it bargained for when it purchased six Jacobsen Eclipse 322 riding greens mowers. Originally chosen to support the city’s green initiative, the mower also proved to increase efficiencies, deliver a lower cost of ownership, provide a superior quality-of-cut and be a hit with operators.
“This mower exceeded our expectations,” superintendent Nick Smitham says. “Our operators are very excited about them, and golfers rave about the quality of our greens.”
Smitham oversees five courses in Austin, four 18-hole layouts and one 9-hole facility.
Austin is a very environmentally conscious city, and enacted a plan to be carbon free by 2020. The courses were using the gas engine model of Jacobsen’s Greens King IV+ on greens, but as a result of the initiative decided to demo the hybrid diesel model of the Eclipse 322.
“We really put this mower through its paces,” Smitham says. “We only have five-person crews at each course, so we run hard, even when it’s wet. The Eclipse 322 did everything we asked of it.”
The obvious advantage of this mower is its environmentally-friendly features — no hydraulic oil to leak or change, and significantly reduced noise and exhaust emissions.
“We’re no longer at the mercy of hoses,” the superintendent quips. “There are other environmental cost savings such as fuel, fluids and reduced maintenance.”
Smitham and his staff discovered several other value-added features of the Eclipse 322 when they put the mowers into service two months ago. Among them is the ability to independently control mow speed, reel speed and frequency of clip to adapt the mower’s cutting performance to any course condition.
“With a small staff at each course, this is a tremendous advantage for us,” Smitham says. “For some tournaments we double cut, but with the Eclipse 322’s ability to adjust clip frequency we can accomplish the results we want in a single pass. Plus, we can mow at a slightly higher height of cut, which is healthier for the turf. With our former triplexes, we usually mowed at .150 inch. We can set the Eclipse 322s at .180 inch and get a faster green speed and a more consistent ball roll.”
Not lost in the equation is labor efficiency. Because the transport speed of the Eclipse 322 is faster, the course maintenance staff gets the job done more quickly. Smitham estimates the Eclipse 322s have trimmed 30 to 45 minutes off the time it takes to cut greens every day. And, because operators are asked to perform maintenance duties, fewer parts on the hybrid mower reduce labor costs.
The operator station is ergonomically designed to optimize functionality and comfort. This reduces fatigue and provides an unobstructed view that makes it easy to maintain precise, straight mowing lines. The advanced InCommand control system allows operators to adjust speed easily and comfortably with a joy stick instead of foot pedals.
“Our operators were involved with the demos every step of the way,” Smitham says. “They take their jobs very seriously and have a great deal of pride in these mowers. Everyone says the Eclipse 322 is the easiest and most comfortable mower they’ve ever operated.”
The local Jacobsen dealer, C & M Golf & Grounds Equipment, performs any major maintenance. Smitham has been a superintendent for 25 years and has been with the City of Austin for 18 years and is very familiar with Jacobsen equipment. He says a close partnership with an equipment dealer is an important element of a successful operation.
“We have a very good relationship with C & M and Jacobsen,” he explains. “They are on the ball making sure their equipment is right for us. Along with people from Charlotte, they were very thorough in training our operators in the operation of the Eclipse 322. The mower is extremely quiet, and sometimes if an operator doesn’t hear any noise he doesn’t think the equipment is cutting. They showed us how to set up the mower to make the most of its capabilities.”
As a Class A superintendent, Smitham feels an obligation to promote his profession.
“It’s our duty to show the golf industry is environmentally conscious,” he says. “Like the City of Austin, we want to be leaders in the effort to have a carbon-free footprint. Taking steps such as switching to the Eclipse 322 is a move in that direction. I find the new technology to be very exciting, and I’m pleased to be part of this movement.”
To learn more about the Eclipse 322 riding greens mower, contact your local Jacobsen dealer.
About TSP (Tri-State Pump & Control, Inc.)
TSP is the provider of Rain Bird Irrigation and Jacobsen Turf Equipment in North and South Carolina. In addition, TSP manufactures golf course, landscape, and municipal pump stations. Our pump stations are typically developed as custom solutions for each projects needs. TSP understands the demanding work load of turf managers and makes it our business to help you meet those demands. Additional information about the company, its products and commitment to customer support is available at www.tsppumps.com.
About Jacobsen
Jacobsen manufactures an extensive range of turf maintenance equipment and utility vehicles to meet the needs of today’s grounds care professionals. Jacobsen provides dedicated support and service training and conducts thorough testing for quality and reliability. The company markets Jacobsen products in the U.S. and internationally through an extensive distribution network and the Ransomes brand through independent distribution in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, North America, Oceania and South America. Jacobsen, headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is a Textron company. Additional information about the company, its products and commitment to customer support is available at www.Jacobsen.com.
