Powerful new electric utility vehicles are conquering the challenges posed by 36 holes of constant activity at Canoe Brook CC.
Operators of stranded vehicles can usually count on getting assistance—or at least being noticed—pretty quickly in northern New Jersey, where traffic congestion is pretty much a 24/7 norm. But while the property occupied by Canoe Brook Country Club in Summit, N.J., is surrounded by major roads filled with New York-area residents and commuters, members of the club’s grounds staff can frequently find themselves in very isolated locations, as they tend to management duties for the club’s two 18-hole golf courses.
So when Canoe Brook’s grounds department was ready to purchase some new utility vehicles earlier this year, a primary consideration was to make sure there wouldn’t be any breakdowns, even though the vehicles’ expected routines would call for as many as 50 miles of heavy-duty use each day.
“Our utility vehicles get probably three times the number of hours as on a normal course,” says Jamie Devers, Canoe Brook’s Director of Grounds. “We’re always doing something to try to improve our courses, whether it’s to the bunkers, greens or fairways, or for the master tree program we’ve had in place over the last seven years, to improve turf health by removing some trees and replanting others.
“So from sunup to sundown, our vehicles don’t stop; they’re in motion all the time,” Devers adds. “And both courses are fairly undulating, so [the vehicles] have to go over some pretty tough terrain. Still, we want vehicles that will get us around quickly, and quietly, without having to worry about calling for service or getting back to our maintenance shop, which can be well over a mile away from some of the places we have to go.”
When considering its latest utility vehicle purchase, Canoe Brook at first felt it would have to go with gas machines, because of the disappointing limitations it had experienced with its previous fleet of electric vehicles, which had 48-volt DC motors. But then a sales representative for Cushman offered to drop off a new model, the Hauler PRO 72V AC utility vehicle, as a demo for the club to try out.
“We put them through the gauntlet, and we could tell right away they would have the performance and durability we’d require,” Devers recalls. Canoe Brook then bought four Hauler PROs that were delivered in mid-April—and haven’t stopped running since.
“What sold us was the 72-volt capacity,” notes Michael McCarthy, Canoe Brook’s Turf Equipment Manager. “That, and the AC motor and powertrain, make [the vehicles] much more powerful and energy-efficient.
“With our older electric vehicles, you could always count on the battery life starting to go, especially on summer afternoons or when we used them to haul rollers, blowers or other special equipment,” McCarthy adds. “But [the Hauler PROs] have all held up phenomenally; we haven’t had one in the shop yet.”
When the Hauler PROs need a charge, Canoe Brook’s grounds crew staff loves the standard on-board charger feature. “They can just find a 110 wall outlet at the side of the clubhouse or other building and plug in, to recharge while they’re having lunch or doing something else,” McCarthy notes. Battery fills and maintenance have also been greatly simplified, he adds, by equipment and connections supplied by Cushman as part of the purchase package. “One connection, which they give you, fills all the batteries,” McCarthy says. “We just have to do that once a week, and we can top off when needed in 30 seconds, using a special hose they’ve provided.”
Other features that the Canoe Brook crew has quickly learned to like, McCarthy and Devers report, include the Hauler PRO’s regenerative braking system; the large (9.6-cu. ft.) and durable poly cargo box that is easier to hose off and clean and much less susceptible than aluminum to rattles, dings and dents; and a smoother suspension and ride, even when traveling over bumpy terrain, thanks to a durable steel frame and enhanced roof structure that is not only “more sturdy and doesn’t squeak,” Devers notes, but also provides better protection from the elements.
With over 200 total pieces of course maintenance equipment that the Canoe Brook grounds department must maintain, however, the most-appreciated feature has been the Hauler PRO’s as-promised reliability. “They came with two-year warranties, one year for the batteries,” McCarthy says. “But overall, we expect them to have an 8- to 10-year lifespan. Based on what we’ve seen so far, we’re confident we’ll get that—and maybe much more.”
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