Golfdom, July 2017

GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY Continued from page 27 As Miller suggests Teds entrepreneurial start was a quintessential American story but for those in the business it was more about a man who loved golf and was driven to make the games courses easier to maintain Smithco was founded in 1967 with the Red Ryder but well before the product was introduced Smith was on the course visiting with superintendents Most of Teds really good ideas came from the field from talking to superintendents says Miller Ted spent time learning what they needed and thought about what would ultimately make their jobs better He learned from them and imagined more efficient tools for the tasks of maintaining a golf course Fifty years later the Red Ryder remains a symbol of Teds curiosity and accomplishments rooted in one common theme appreciation for maintaining the field A family affair A family man Ted raised three children in Wayne Pa he played countless rounds at St Davids Golf Club and loved to have a good time Ted was a great guy great guy to work for good sense of humor I never heard him play the piano but I hear he was a hell of a piano player says Miller a 25 year veteran of the company I cant say enough good things about Ted Hed tell stories about the old days Id sit around and listen Before long the family mans company became a family affair in 1971 Teds youngest son Don Smith joined the company after returning home from the Vietnam War I think the most interesting thing about Smithco is that my father was 54 when he started the company says Don Smithco president The uniqueness of him being at that age was in itself something special It was special it illustrated a certain drive that was likely ever present in Ted It created a visionary who didnt cave easily Don along with Bill Kenney vice president credit the hardworking employees of Smithco for the companys positive reputation in the turf industry Ted was a good judge of character aiding in building the right team He chose the right people and he told them that if everyone does the job they are supposed to do we will succeed everyone did what they were supposed to do says Don For Don the employees are one of the major factors of Smithcos 50 year success During Smithcos growth Ted acquired manufacturing factories in Kansas Wisconsin and Texas today two are still in operation With each acquisition came the employees many of whom still work for the company The core employees are very dedicated and on the manufacturing side of the business because of the length of time that everybodys been there it certainly runs itself says Miller of the well oiled machine currently employing 70 people The little machine that could Serendipitous to the Smithco story is that the Red Ryder was actually born at its Kansas factory in the 1960s Ted saw the machine at the Kansas City superintendents trade show where a small manufacturing company was showcasing a small utility vehicle built in a factory located in Humboldt Kan It was the plant manager that had this idea for a vehicle that literally he wanted to give to missionaries in third world countries It was a little machine that was very low to the ground you could load a lot of stuff into it easy to operate says Miller Ted realized what it could do for the turf industry in those days There was literally no riding greens mowers until 1967 when Smithco started so the walking greens mower was a perfect fit Once developed the three wheel motorized vehicle with a small tow trailer revolutionized golf course maintenance Previ 28 Golfdom July 2017 Golfdom com PHOTOS COURTESY OF SMITHCO Today Smithco sells its Sand Star line of bunker rakes but it all started with The Easy Rider This bunker rake was the first model the company offered Center Ted Smith founded Smithco in 1976 and his son left Don Smith now serves as president The father son duo are pictured with Plant Manager Larry Johnson