Private Club Rises from the Ashes with a Little Help from Jacobsen
Jacobsen cutting units were the deciding factor for the new fleet
June 01, 2009
When Lake Forest Yacht & Country Club’s maintenance facility burned to the ground back in February, Jacobsen’s local dealer was on hand to offer tangible support. Jacobsen is a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company.
Super Bowl Sunday was a day to remember for all Pittsburgh Steelers fans, but it’s also one that Derrick Sammons, Golf Course Superintendent at Lake Forest Yacht & Country Club will never forget; this was the day his maintenance facility was destroyed by fire. After surveying the damage, one of his first phone calls was to Bobby Farley, Territory Sales Manager of local Jacobsen dealer, Kilpatrick Turf Equipment, Inc.
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The maintenance facility at Lake Forest was |
The private course located in Daphne, Alabama has been in business since 1968. The property, which consists of two courses - the 18 hole Forest and the 9 hole Lake - was obviously in dire need of a replacement fleet and urgently. With all his turf maintenance equipment lost in the fire, Derrick Sammons literally had to start from scratch; “It certainly didn’t feel like it at the time, but it was actually an opportunity to rethink everything,” he said.
Bobby Farley was a Golf Course Superintendent for 14 years before joining Kilpatrick’s team, and his last six years were at Lake Forest. The course had previously used all major brands including Ransomes, John Deere and, most recently, Toro equipment. All was lost in the fire so Lake Forest was starting with a blank sheet.
Ultimately when they looked at what was out there in the marketplace, they decided to start afresh with Jacobsen. When asked why he made the choice Derrick explained, “That’s simple: the Jacobsen cutting system outperformed the competition. The Classic XP reels with advance relief technology gave me the performance and healthy turf conditions that I required.”
Together Bobby worked with Derrick developing an entire new fleet of Jacobsen turf equipment that would suit Lake Forest’s needs. The fleet included two LF-3800 fairway mowers, two GA-24 aerators, four Greens King IV greens mowers, an AR-522 rough mower and some Cushman Trucksters with a sprayer. Five E-Z-GO golf cars completed the sale.
“Today we have surpassed our pre-fire conditions. I am really pleased with the help Kilpatrick and Jacobsen have provided to our team,” said Sammons. Perhaps there is a silver lining in every black cloud?
About Jacobsen
With over 90 years of experience in the turf maintenance industry, Jacobsen has built a legacy of precision craftsmanship, legendary quality of cut and unmatched expertise. Dedicated solely to delivering perfectly groomed turf, Jacobsen equipment is used on some of the finest golf courses, sports fields and other formal turf areas across the United States and the world, through an extensive distribution network and the international Ransomes brand. Additional information about the company can be found at www.jacobsen.com.
About Textron
Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell Helicopter, Cessna Aircraft Company, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, and Textron Systems. More information is available at www.textron.com.
For further information, please contact:
Adam Slick, Public Relations and Communications Manager
Jacobsen
704-504-4867
aslick@textron.com
