With a mobile-first design, real-time responsiveness, and detailed mapping, Toro’s new Lynx Drive software is revolutionizing golf course irrigation management.
Toro has long been a leader in turf management, but its latest innovation, Lynx® Drive, is less about sprinklers and more about software. The new platform is a complete redesign of golf irrigation management, built for the modern superintendent who needs to monitor, adjust, and act without being chained to an office computer.
Lynx Drive is mobile-first by design, which means it works natively on smartphones and tablets. The interface is bright, intuitive, and emphasizes the functions course staff actually use in the field. It puts an entire irrigation system into the palm of your hand, whether you’re in a car on the 9th hole or walking along a fairway.
But this isn’t just about convenience. Lynx Drive was engineered for speed and precision. Real-time updates allow superintendents to respond instantly to weather changes, course conditions, or emergencies. With the unpredictability of modern climate and play schedules, that kind of flexibility isn’t just helpful it’s essential.
Kyle Macdonald, superintendent of Bobby Jones Golf Course in Atlanta, Georgia, put it simply: “The new Lynx Drive system makes it possible to respond to issues in real time with nearly pinpoint accuracy while keeping the entire crew updated on needed actions.” And that’s the heart of it: efficiency and communication, boosted by software.
One of Lynx Drive’s standout features is Smart Notes. Instead of scribbling on notepads or relaying verbal instructions that can get lost in translation, team members can leave detailed digital notes (complete with time stamps and photos) attached to specific map zones or irrigation stations. Everyone sees the same information, and accountability is built into the system.
These aren’t static notes either. The platform keeps a full history of them for up to a year, allowing superintendents to track patterns, document recurring issues, and plan better for seasonal changes. The inclusion of user tags ensures teams know who made which changes and when.
Lynx Drive also elevates mapping capabilities. The course map isn’t just a visual reference, it’s interactive and layered with data. Smart flags and markers can be dropped onto specific areas to match physical irrigation zones or problem areas, ensuring that the right fix is applied to the right place the first time.
For now, Lynx Drive is compatible with Toro’s two-wire Lynx Smart Module (LSM) systems, but additional support for satellite and hybrid systems is on the horizon. Toro has made it clear: this is a platform that will continue to evolve.
The goal? A connected, fully informed crew, capable of managing water resources more precisely than ever. With golf courses under increasing pressure to balance pristine conditions with sustainability, tools like Lynx Drive will be vital to meeting both player expectations and environmental responsibilities.
With this launch, Toro isn’t just selling software, it’s giving course managers the power to manage water like a utility, not just a necessity. And that might just be the future of golf course operations.
