Water – Our most valuable resource

In golf course maintenance, water is more than a necessity – it’s a lifeline. Maintaining lush greens and fairways requires efficient water management, especially as concerns over sustainability grow. For Sports Turf Solutions (STS), the journey towards delivering efficient and sustainable solutions has led to a strong partnership with Hunter Industries, a global leader in irrigation technology.

Through this collaboration, STS has brought innovative systems like Hunter’s smart controllers and automated sensors to golf courses and sports fields across Southeast Asia. These technologies are designed to make every drop count, ensuring turf remains in top condition while supporting environmentally friendly practices.

But what makes the partnership between STS and Hunter so impactful? How do these systems perform in real-world settings, and why have they become the preferred choice for turf farms and golf courses? To find out, we sat down with Mr. Brad Burgess – CEO/ Founder of Sports Turf Solutions for an inside look at their story.

1. How did the partnership between Sports Turf Solutions and Hunter Industries begin?

“In 2008, Sports Turf Solutions experienced significant success in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia, which prompted our expansion into Vietnam and Thailand. During this period, I had the opportunity to meet Mr. Mike Steele from Hunter Industries at a trade show in the United States. Mr. Steele had learned about our initiatives through Mr. Paul Dugmore of Floratine, and as a result of our conversation, we were presented with the opportunity to become their dealer in Southeast Asia.”

2. What makes Hunter Irrigation stand out in the industry?

“I have extensive experience in managing golf course construction projects, serving as both a Construction Manager and Superintendent. Throughout my career, I have successfully overseen the implementation of irrigation systems from Toro, Rain Bird, and Hunter. Each of these brands has performed admirably in my projects.

While I have found that Toro and Rain Bird often offer competitive pricing and strong representation in the regions where I have worked, I believe that Hunter deserves greater recognition. The brand is distinguished by its simplicity, robust construction, and the uniformity achieved through the engineering expertise of its team.

In regard to budget, I prefer not to compete solely on price, instead, I often advocate for what I believe to be the best value system available in the market.

Additionally, I am particularly impressed with the surge protection systems that we have implemented in collaboration with Hunter. This feature has significantly enhanced our clients’ confidence in the reliability and performance of Hunter products.”

3. Could you highlight specific projects where Hunter systems have been implemented?

“As a newcomer to contract installations, we initially submitted bids for two projects in Thailand, anticipating that we might secure one. To our surprise, we were awarded both contracts. Given the importance of delivering a high-quality installation, I felt a significant responsibility, as any shortcomings could have long-lasting repercussions for our reputation. Therefore, we committed ourselves to setting a high standard for these projects.

The courses in question are Phoenix Gold Golf & Country Club and Royal Lakeside Golf Club in Thailand. Since completing these installations, we have successfully executed the installation of irrigation systems at several other prestigious locations, including Vietnam Golf and Country Club, Blue Canyon Country Club, Royal Springfield Country Club, and Thana City Golf and Sports Club, among others. Additionally, we utilize Hunter Pilot systems across all five of our turf farms, and I am pleased to report that we have encountered no issues with their performance.”

4. Managing turf farms can be challenging, from ensuring consistent growth to conserving resources. How have you tackled these challenges on your farms?

“Like any operation, we prioritize both performance and value. Hunter offers a reliable solution that is user-friendly, making it easy to operate and troubleshoot in the event of any issues. The Hunter Pilot Decoder system provides us with the flexibility to manage up to 999 stations from a single field controller. Additionally, the decoders are straightforward to program, read, and interchange, and they come equipped with built-in surge protection, enhancing their overall reliability.”

(Pilot-DH Decoder Hub)

5. As water conservation and sustainability become more critical in the industry, how is Sports Turf Solutions preparing to meet these demands in the future?

“Sustainability is at the core of our operations. We partnered with Floratine Products Group, a company renowned for providing environmentally friendly and efficient nutrient and water aids, to introduce the most water-efficient turf grasses from BladeRunner Farms to Asia. Hunter’s philosophies align closely with our own; their rotors and operating systems offer the flexibility needed to customize solutions for various applications.

Precision in water distribution is essential to the effectiveness of any irrigation system. We take pride in the training provided by Hunter, as well as our comprehensive water audits. Ultimately, our primary objective is to reduce water consumption while promoting sustainable practices.”