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Distributed every two months to sports turf professionals, independent schools, universities, local authorities and buyers Distributed every two months to sports of turfcare machinery and products. turf professionals, local authorities and buyers ofMacCallum turfcare machinery and Editor: Scott products. scott@turfmatters.co.uk
I just want to start by congratulating Alejandro Reyes and his The last two months been a nightmare people inCup. certain wonderful team for thehave magnificent job theyfor didmany at the Ryder parts the the country my heart goes a out to everyone dealing with Not onlyofwas golf and superb, and from European perspective the the aftermath unprecedented flooding and devastating result ideal, butof the course drew nothing but praise fromerosion. everyone, case scenario forPhil many is months of temporary living. For evenThe thebest vanquished! Sure, Mickelson had his customary others,moan lives will never return to what they were. boorish at the end, but Phil, listen, most of us have to play While theare fatetoo of difficult sports grounds courses that for us. and golf clubs might seem
DesignScott and Production Editor: MacCallumEditor: Tim Moat tim@turfmatters.co.uk scott@turfmatters.co.uk Customer Manager: Design andRelations Production Editor: Tim Moat tim@turfmatters.co.uk Sinead Finnin sinead@turfmatters.co.uk Sales Manager: Pauline Thompson
inconsequential in the face of such hardship, we at Turf Matters have No, it was a superb example of greenkeeping and years course a particular empathy with everyone who has seen ofpreparation agronomic and will certainly have put Golf Club National on the map husbandry literally washed away in the space of a few weeks.for many golfers. They have tobanks make–sure that theyinstitutions, take plentynot of the balls It must bejust hoped that the financial with them. things which edge overflown rivers – take an understanding approach to sporting facilities which beento unable service loans a And so to SALTEX. Won’t ithave be great catchtoup with all ourasfriends result of themonce beingagain unplayable unable to bring in revenue. and colleagues for ourand twosoday jamboree? As we have seen with the recent Winter Olympics, sport has such a Shows, and ineffect particular SALTEX andbeBTME, play afor huge role in our galvanising on society and can the catalyst so much good, industry. Yes, we can now do an awful lot of our business over the that it is imperative sporting facilities are not forgotten when the web and very efficient it is too, isn’t it nice to speak to someone promised assistance is but being allocated. face to face, catch up with them as people, ask about their On the issue of improving sporting facilities, wefamilies have been and their latest holiday? That is what this industry is all about invited by Briggs & Stratton to become involved in its– Pitch human interaction, and while we do want the best products at the for to Win competition, which provides a £3,000 makeover best price we also likeisto buildto relationships the people what judged be the Underwith 18s football pitchwith in most whom we deal. need – find out more on pages 16-17. I am on the judging panel and visits beamade to of a shortlist deserving Shows allow us to do that albeitwill only couple times a of year. pitches soon. We will be looking not so much at the Finally, and forgive mebut forthe a little self-indulgence, I just want to DESSO desperate! pay tribute to aOn person a thrilled huge supporter of oursthat since a finalwho note,was I am by the reception the we launched five years ago and who has been so pleased see first issue of Turf Matters received. Many peopletohave Turf Matters grow to to what it is today – myliked Mum, who died at taken time say how much they the look of the the beginning of October. Thanks, Mum,the forarticles. all yourWe’re love and magazine and how they enjoyed all support.pleased you found it to your liking and we will work hard to maintain the high standards. Thank you all very much.
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Turf Matters is published by Straight Down Turf MattersCommunications is published by Straight the Middle Ltd. Down the Middle Communications Ltd. All material © Turf Matters magazine 2018. All material © Turf Matters magazine 2014. No part of this publication may be No part of this may be reproduced in publication any form whatsoever, reproduced in any form whatsoever, either for sale or not, without the written either for sale without Information the written permission of or thenot, publisher. permission of the publisher. Information contained in Turf Matters is published contained in Turf is published in good faith andMatters every effort has been in good andits every effort has made tofaith ensure accuracy. Turfbeen Matters made to ensure its accuracy. Turf Matters can accept no responsibility for any error can accept no responsibility for any error or misrepresentation. All liability for loss, or misrepresentation. All liability for loss, disappointment, negligence or other disappointment, negligence or other damage caused by reliance on information damage caused by reliance on information contained in Turf Matters or in the event of contained in Turf Matters or in the event of any bankruptcy bankruptcyor orliquidation liquidationororcessation cessation any of trade trade of of any any company, company,individual individualororfirm firm of mentioned is is hereby herebyexcluded. excluded. mentioned Printed by by Warners WarnersMidlands MidlandsPLC. PLC. Printed
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It’s only OK if you happen to be a duck
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Improving on a masterpiece
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A SWISS ARMY KNIFE, BUT BIGGER
For all sports turf professionals in golf, football, rugby, cricket, horse racing, independent schools, universities and local authorities
Easy Ryders
“We want the golf course to prove the critics wrong – it truly is a great course and will provide a Ryder Cup venue like no other” Scott Fenwick,
Turf Matters at Gleneagles in preparation for the Ryder Cup
RUBBER Steve CRUMB: Chappell What do we know?
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The Beast on the East Charting the rise of the multi-use stadiums TurfMattersAugSept2016 TIM.indd 1
MOWERS AT THE READY FOR NEW SEASON
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GRASSROOTS RUGBY CLUB’S GREAT EXAMPLE
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Will Carnoustie live up to its fearsome reputation at the 2018 Open?
GETTING TO GRIPS WITH POWERGRASS
OVERSEEDING AND FENCING TO THE RESCUE
ALL SET FOR WIMBLEDON FORTNIGHT
FACTS, FICTION AND SEED MANAGEMENT
FOOTBALLING GREATS CALLED DENNIS
ARTIFICIAL SURFACES IN REAL-LIFE USE
39 New system in focus
32 Renovations and repairs
50 Neil’s finishing touches
42 Chemicals analysis
28 The World Cup is coming
14 Synthetics in focus
AUSSIE RULES: GROWING TURF DOWN UNDER 42 Climate challenge
The majesty of Gleneagles, pages 30-35 IN THE NEWS: Five years of Turf Matters, pages 78-79 Subscribe FREE to our e-zine: Details at www.turfmatters.co.uk
News..........................................4-15, 26, 74 News .........................................................4-15 Ryder Cup review............................17-19 Pitch to Win........................................16-17 Tea Break Teaser.......................................21 Mowing .................................19-22, 24-27 Estate management.......................23-25 Tea Break Teaser ......................................29 Education and training.................27-30 Gleneagles..........................................30-35 SALTEX preview. ................................31-64 BTME review ......................................36-41 Hagg’s Castle......................................65-66 Diary of a Golfing Nobody.................42 Fertilisers and chemicals.............68-72 As seen on Twitter..................................43 Synthetic surfaces...........................75-77 Buyers’out Guide. ...........................................80 Check our .website: Check out our website: www.turfmatters.co.uk www.turfmatters.co.uk Next magazine distributed 2 May
Next magazine distributed January 2019
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NEWS
NEW DIRECTOR OF GREENKEEPING AT ST ANDREWS LINKS St Andrews Links has appointed Sandy Reid as Director of Greenkeeping at the Home of Golf. A hugely experienced figure in the greenkeeping industry, Sandy (pictured) will make the move from Carnoustie Golf Links where he has worked as Links Superintendent since 2012, and prepared the course in magnificent fashion for this year’s Open Championship won by Italian Francesco Molinari. “We are delighted to welcome Sandy to the Home of Golf. He has an outstanding track record at Carnoustie Golf Links, as evidenced by the wonderful condition of the Championship Course for The Open this summer,” said St Andrews Links Chief Executive Euan Loudon. “Sandy has a great deal of experience of operating within a multi-faceted golf venue such as ours and shares our commitment to delivering unique and memorable experiences to every golfer. He is passionate about the game of golf and is committed to delivering the highest quality results in golf course maintenance and improvements to all our courses, operations and staff.” Sandy originally hails from Blair Atholl and trained at Elmwood College, in Cupar, before starting his career at Letham Grange. He joined Carnoustie Golf Links in 1997, becoming Head Greenkeeper of the Championship Course in 2005. “I am extremely honoured and excited to be joining the hard working and dedicated team at the Home of Golf,” said Sandy.
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Royal Dornoch and Castle Stuart to host top pro-am
Two of Scotland’s finest links courses will host a prestigious Pro-Am tournament next year in honour of Donald Ross, one of golf’s most acclaimed architects. The four-day event will be held in September at Royal Dornoch Golf Club and Castle Stuart Golf Links and will feature 16 teams from across the world. Players will also hold a practice round at Brora Golf Club. Donald Ross, who was
born in 1872 in Dornoch, grew up playing on the famous links and as a young man was the “Keeper of the Greens”. He was the first golf professional at Dornoch and went on to become one of the finest golf architects, designing courses in America, Scotland, Canada and Cuba. He was a founding member and first president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects and was admitted to the World
Golf Hall of Fame in 1977. Among his many achievements, Ross designed and rebuilt four courses at the Pinehurst Resort. His masterpiece was #2 at Pinehurst which is one of the world’s most celebrated golf courses. The inaugural Donald Ross Invitational, organised by Carr Golf, was held last year at Royal Dornoch and Brora and has been extended to include Castle Stuart for 2019.
ICL TURF & LANDSCAPE APPOINT ANDREW PLEDGER
Andrew Pledger
4 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018
ICL Turf & Landscape has appointed of Andrew Pledger as their new Technical Area Sales Manager covering the South East of England including Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Kent and East London. Andrew has worked in the industry for many years and brings with him a wealth of
valuable experience. Toro Student Greenkeeper of the year in 2002, Andrew studied at the University of Massachusetts before embarking on a number of greenkeeping roles which included the position of Deputy Course Manager at The Wildernesse Club and the Deputy Superintendent at The
Hertfordshire. He then spent six years as Head Greenkeeper at Frinton Golf Club before moving to Chelmsford Golf Club as Course Manager – a position he held for seven years. Andrew has also enjoyed many years of being a volunteer groundsman at West Ham Utd FC.
Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018 | 5
NEWS
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Football club ups its game after promotion Kubota UK’s B Series is proving to be a key player for Melksham Town FC after the Wiltshire club secured promotion to the highest league the team has ever played in – the Evo-Stik Southern League. The club recently completed its first full season at its new £7.3m Oakfields facility, one of the best sporting facilities in the South West of England, following a grant from the Premier League and FA Facilities Fund. Helping to keep the 16 pitches in perfect condition all year round is Kubota’s B3150, supplied by local independent Kubota groundcare machinery dealer Lister Wilder. “Oakfields is a fantastic facility, one which the players, our supporters and everyone involved at the club is immensely proud of. To ensure the club continues to be a centre of excellence in the South West, it’s absolutely vital we utilise the best groundcare equipment on the market,” said Melksham Town FC’s Chairman Darren Perrin.
“This is where our Kubota B3150 compact tractor comes into its own. We need to have quality pitches for our players to train on as this is crucial in preparation for match days. With the Kubota, we get exactly that. The machine is simple to use, comfortable, and most importantly, maintains and keeps our training pitches in great condition.” With three senior men’s sides, a women’s team and 44 youth teams, Melksham Town has over 500 registered players of all ages. The pitches are therefore put through their paces over the course of a season so it’s a busy job for Head Groundsman Paul Brinkley and his volunteer grounds maintenance team. “Being able to utilise our Kubota enables us to keep on top of everything and complete our jobs to the highest standards,” said Paul. “It’s a vital bit of kit for us. We need machines that make our lives easier and won’t let us down and the Kubota does that, ticking all the right boxes in terms of performance and reliability.
Testament to the work of the Melksham Town FC grounds team and the quality of the playing surfaces at Oakfields is the fact that professional clubs like Swindon Town FC and Bristol Rovers now use the facilities at the club on a regular basis. The ground is also used
machine benefits, we also get a fantastic service from Lister Wilder, providing first class back up and support.” The Kubota B3150 tractor is part of the Kubota’s popular B50 Series range, which was superceded earlier this year by the machinery manufacturer with the
“This is making a massive difference to our operational efficiencies.” by the Wiltshire FA to host important cup competitions. “With the previous compact tractor we used, it could take over an hour and a half to cut a pitch. With the Kubota B3150, it only takes 40 minutes and is a better cut,” added Paul. “This is making a massive difference to our operational efficiencies. By saving an hour cut time per pitch, with an average cut cycle of at least twice a week, we are saving over 30 hours of time each week. That is absolutely unbelievable! On top of that and the
introduction of its premium B2 Series. The B2 Series builds on from the industry leading B50 Series, with four models ranging from 20-31kw. The B2 Series boasts a wide range of features, including Kubota’s unique Bi-speed turn. This enables operators to achieve a significantly reduced turning radius for increased maneuverability in tighter spaces. Three of the models feature Kubota’s renowned 3-cylinder diesel engine, while the 31hp model is powered by Kubota’s powerful 4-cylinder diesel engine.
GOLF SALES SPECIALIST APPOINTED BY RAIN BIRD EUROPE Matt Gilks has been appointed by Rain Bird Europe as Golf Sales Specialist for the UK and Ireland. Closely involved in golf course irrigation throughout his career, Matt (pictured) joins from Farol where he specialised in sales to golf sector customers. Prior to that, his 6 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018
engineering roles at The Belfry and MJ Abbott respectively were focused on water resources and construction. “Irrigation is my specialism and having been involved with every aspect of golf course systems, from construction to water management and greenkeeping,
I understand the challenges golf clubs face. I’m delighted to join the Rain Bird team,” said Matt. “In my role I’ll be supporting clubs with their existing systems alongside Rain Bird’s expert technical team to ensure irrigation systems are running at their most
efficient. I am also looking forward to supporting clubs looking to upgrade or renovate systems with Rain Bird’s latest technology,” he added. “Matt brings valuable, practical experience,” said Jimmy Sandison, Regional Golf Sales Manager.
Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018 | 7
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Dennis Sisis bring in Foley for perfect OEM grind
Dennis Sisis Senior Grinding Technician, Tony Snaith. “I’ve been delighted with the performance and speed the blades can be set-up and ground,” he said
Dennis Sisis has added a Foley Accu-Pro 673 from ProSport UK, to its production line to ensure perfect OEM specification grinding. The mower manufacturer had very specific requirements when it came to choosing the machine that would grind all of the bedknives for their
having already delivered between 500 to 600 blades in its first three months. These blades are manufactured in-house through Dennis Sisis’ sister company, Crocodile Precision Ltd, and Ian Howard, Managing Director of Dennis Sisis, explained the importance of having a high-
mowers, citing reliability, flexibility and accuracy as the top three priorities. As part of the production line, the Accu-Pro 673 fully automatic Bedknife grinder is in constant use and will grind thousands of bedknives a year, with the machine
quality reliable grinder as the company moves through their busiest year to date. “Our specification for a grinder differs slightly from a golf course or football club because of the amount of time our grinders are working,” said Ian.
“We’re having our busiest year to date, our order books are full, sales are booming, and demand is increasing all the time, so this increases our need for reliability and quality in the production line. “Every bedknife we produce has to be individually ground to the correct OEM specification on the bedknife carrier, prior to mower assembly. We need a grinder that makes efficient use of workshop time by being quick and easy to set-up particularly as we are constantly swapping between different length blades. “Our customers expect accurately ground relief angles on the blade, and the Accu-Pro 673 consistently delivers topquality performance.” The robust construction and features of the Foley machine made it a more attractive grinder for Ian and the Dennis Sisis team. The innovative mounting system uses powerful electromagnets to hold the bed bar in place and Positive Gauge Stops to make set-up simple and fast. Fast angle set-up provides repeatability without recalibration. Set the Angle Stops once and the 673 will grind the same angle over
and over. Changing from grinding the front face to the top face is as simple as pushing a button and watching as the powered Tool Bar rotates into the position. Automation is at the core of the 673’s success, with the pre-set programmes automatically starting the grinder, traversing the grinding head, in-feeding the grinding head and stopping the grinding process. One man who experiences the full benefit of these features is Dennis Sisis Senior Grinding Technician, Tony Snaith. “I’ve been delighted with the performance and speed the blades can be set-up and ground,” he said. “The Accu-Pro 673 has performed consistently, efficiently and accurately and has coped with the constant demands of the production line. It has really proven itself to be the perfect machine for what we need.” Foley grinders claim to deliver the best grinding solution available on the market, for high output in a production line, local authority or the more measured approach of in-house grinding for golf courses and football clubs.
YMCA: opportunities for job seekers and organisations Having supported the training requirements of businesses for almost 40 years, YMCA Training has established itself as the hallmark for quality in the apprenticeship training sector. Apprenticeships are a costeffective way for businesses to develop their new and existing staff and hire fresh talent, while giving someone a life-changing opportunity. As a leading national charity, YMCA has a proven track record of successfully training thousands of apprentices 8 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018
every year who go on to build rewarding and fulfilling careers. Among the portfolio of qualifications available at YMCA Training are Level 2 apprenticeships in Horticulture, Golf Green Keeping and Sports Turf Operative. Having recently changed from ‘frameworks’ to ‘standards’, these programmes are now written by employers and academics within the sector which means they’re specifically designed to meet your needs as an employer.
The charity has recruited dedicated apprentices to golf clubs, nature industries and sports organisations all over the UK, including delivering sports turf apprentices to Manchester United Football Club, for 29 years. Apprenticeships are open to anyone aged between 16 and 65 and – what some employers don’t realise – are an excellent way to upskill existing staff. Not only will this show a real investment in staff, but it will also help employee
motivation and staff retention. At YMCA Training, the commitment which employers make when they engage an apprentice is recognised and YMCA fully understand the processes around funding and the potential challenges. This is why they are able to offer high-quality training and support regarding contributions and funding, and why we invest fully in assisting employers with accessing available funding options.
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Renovations are ‘plane’ sailing for Sportsfields
Sportsfields Ltd. has added a new Koro Fieldtopmaker with Terraplane Rotor to their fleet as they continue to adopt the industry’s most innovative technology. Since 1991 Sportsfields has evolved from their beginnings in agriculture and landscaping to become a leading specialist in sports pitch construction and maintenance. To do this company founder, Geoff Collins, has embraced the latest technology to enable his workforce to deliver the exacting standards required in today’s market. To match the needs of the company’s client list of professional and amateur clubs, schools,
10 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018
colleges, local authorities and specifying architects Geoff once again turned to Campey Turf Care Systems and the new Koro FTM.“We have had Koros before and have added the new Koro FTM to the fleet with its Terraplane rotor,” he said. “It’s a fantastic machine and makes an exceptionally clean job of ‘planing’ the surface and it’s particularly requested by groundsmen wanting to remove poa as part of their end of season renovations. “The new Koro is faster and appears to cope with even more difficult conditions with ease. “Equipment has become more technical and job specific to achieve the
tolerances demanded by the local authorities and private architects, groundsman etc from amateur and professional club levels. We work at all levels to all budgets and find the knowledge and demand for high standards is there from the Premier League down to the primary schools questioning why they can’t play on the field because it’s flooded again.” Using the Terraplane Rotor is the most efficient to subtract poa from the surface with the carbide tipped blades ensuring all organic build-up is removed, leaving a clean and level surface. The advancement in technology that Geoff always strives to meet is
clearly evident when it comes to the enhanced Koro FTM. The new angled cross conveyor has been introduced to move material evenly with perfect belt tracking with front and rear roller blades contributing to the cleanest pass available on the market. The weight and balance have been analysed resulting in a lighter, steadier machine with the redistribution of weight using a removable 100kg meaning a much smaller tractor can be used to run the Koro FTM. This is because the centre of gravity has been shifted, making it easier to lift. Even when the weight is removed it still has improved balance against previous models.
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Stressbuster and Primo Maxx success Brian Scott, Course Manager at the Rosemount course at Blairgowrie Golf Club, in Perthshire, believes that the success of his greens is largely thanks to a tank-mix combination of ICL’s Vitalnova Stressbuster and Syngenta’s Primo Maxx II growth regulator. The renowned heathland course is set through mature pines, silver birch and heather and has many admirers across the world. One of Rosemount’s greatest attributes is its immaculate greens which are frequently praised by members and guests alike. For the past three years Brian has been applying a tank-mixture consisting of Vitalnova Stressbuster and Primo Maxx to the greens – which was a combination recommended to him by Jamie Lees, ICL’s Technical Area Sales Manager in Scotland. “A few years ago; we were looking for something we could
use consistently instead of mixing four or five products. Jamie suggested the combination of Stressbuster and Primo Maxx and in the first year we had such good results it made sense to continue with it,” explained Brian. He applies a mixture of both Vitalnova Stressbuster and Primo Maxx II at half rate (0.2 L/ha Primo Maxx II & 20 L/ha Stressbuster) every two weeks from May through to September and believes the two products perfectly complement one another. While Primo Maxx II helps keep excessive growth at bay, Vitalnova Stressbuster preconditions turf against stress and helps generate a quick recovery. Featuring iron which provides an instant colour, Vitalnova Stressbuster also contains a unique combination of macro and micro nutrients, wetting agents, biostimulants and amino acids which help to fight off unwanted stress as well as stimulating the good bacteria in the soil.
With a hectic maintenance schedule and the un-predictable Scottish weather, Brian believes that flexibility is key to keeping the greens in impeccable condition throughout the year. “I particularly like how you can be so flexible with this tankmixture. Depending on how your growth is, we might up the Primo
application, add an extra bit of nitrogen or if it is dry then we might add more wetting agent. “Since we have been using this formula we haven’t suffered with any disease or loss of colour – in fact after applying it we see colour up in just a couple of days. We wanted longevity and it provides us with exactly that.”
Cleaner exhaust emissions with Aspen Aspen Fuel supplies clean burning, low emission alkylate petrol for small engine machinery, originally created in 1988 to tackle the health problems which forestry workers were encountering when working in an environment filled with fumes from their two-stroke chainsaws. Available as a ready
mixed two-stroke fuel and a straight petrol replacement, it has quickly become the industry standard of petrol for anyone working behind petrol powered, handheld machinery in Sweden, Finland, Norway, Switzerland, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Italy and France. To date, more than 350 million litres of Aspen Fuel has been sold
worldwide. In the UK, Aspen fuel is distributed by Anglo American Oil Company Ltd and is sold throughout the country by over 350 dealers. Businesses and local authorities can benefit greatly by having Aspen fuel delivered directly to their site, saving the time spent going to get petrol and avoiding
the possibility of damaging two-stroke equipment due to an incorrect fuel/oil mixture. Aspen fuel contains 99% less harmful hydrocarbons therefore machines running on Aspen fuel will emit much cleaner exhaust emissions compared to standard petrol, making working with these machines a much safer and more pleasant experience.
Watch out ATVs – Redstone is coming Redstone Tyres has come a long way since it was founded 23 years ago. Back then, they spotted a gap in the market and an opportunity for a trustworthy, reliable company to supply the grounds maintenance industry with good quality, good value tyres. Since then, the company has become one of the UK’s leading specialists in the
grounds maintenance sector. They quickly realised that stock availability and fast delivery was the key to success. That and the company’s strong service-driven ethos and its insistence to carry a broad range of tyres and sizes. With the ability to cater for just about every machine from every major manufacturer, it’s no wonder they are the go-to specialist for
a wide spectrum of companies. Now, Redstone Tyres is using its expertise in another sector, the ATV market. “We are immensely proud of how we have developed and grown over the years and I think our service to the grounds maintenance sector is second to none. We would now like to use this experience to better serve the ATV market, bringing
the familiar brands as well as some exciting new options,” said Director, Marcus Hull. “Our customers know us as the company that listens. We actively ask what our customers need – a cheaper option, a different size, or a new tread pattern for example – and we provide it. We’re looking forward to doing that in the ATV market,” he added. Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018 | 11
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Producing excellence in rare conditions at Carnoustie
Sandy and his team at St Albans
Sandy Reid, Links Superintendent at Carnoustie Golf Links, was met with an unusual set of circumstances in the lead up to, and during, this year’s Open Championship. The hot, dry spell had produced the fast-running links conditions many had dreamt of, but the turf was so dry it was barely growing, and vehicles travelling over the course were causing damage. “We were delighted with the conditions as it shows links golf off to the very best,” says Sandy. “But we were also apprehensive because we weren’t used to it and we had never prepared the course in conditions like that before. It was just so dry.” So, to give the fairways all they needed throughout the Championship – a gentle
trim – the Toro Reelmaster 3555-D fairway mower was perfectly suited for the task. “We brought in a vehicle and buggy ban inside the ropes for a week in advance of the Championship and for the week itself, and this applied to everyone from the contractors, the TV camera crews, the R&A and ourselves,” explains Sandy, who together with Championship Course Head Greenkeeper, Craig Boath, managed a large team, and support staff for the week. “The RM3555 fairway mower was absolutely perfect as, with three wheels and slick tyres, we could use it with the confidence that it was not going to damage the turf and as it uses the same cutting units as the Reelmaster 5410 we knew we
“The RM3555 fairway mower was absolutely perfect as, with three wheels and slick tyres, we could use it with confidence that it was not going to damage the turf.” 12 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018
would get consistency of cut.” As usual Carnoustie produced an exciting Open with Italian, Francesco Molinari, producing a bogey-free weekend to top a leaderboard stacked with big names. Before Molinari had holed his final putt both Tiger Woods, leading with just nine holes to play for the first time in 10 years, and Rory McIlroy, tied second, had the galleries roaring their approval. With three courses to maintain, Carnoustie Links have a substantial fleet of Toro equipment from a long-standing agreement with Reesink. But for such a huge championship extra equipment, plus Toro tournament support staff, were brought in for the week. “It was great to have this equipment ready and waiting even if it wasn’t used as much as other tournaments. However, there was rain overnight on the Friday, which created some growth, and having additional fairway mowers meant that we could cut them from one direction, tee to green,” said Sandy. And, of course, the work didn’t stop when the
players and public galleries returned home – then began the recovery work! “We had the ProCore 648s doing solid tining and mini coring in some of the welltrafficked areas, so we could get some air into them and some seeding done. The HydroJect have also been very useful. We’ve got a couple of pedestrian ones, but we still have a trailed one which we put on the back of a Workman with some wetting agent in the tanks for some of the barer spectator routes.” Sandy is well placed to assess the development of equipment in the intervening 11 years and, as reported on page 4, he has since been appointed Links Superintendent at St Andrews Links. “We’ve moved to 11-blade units, even on our triples, while we find the latest machines’ ability to follow contours and curves, so much better.” He is delighted with the support Carnoustie gets from Toro and distributor Reesink Turfcare, while the quality of the equipment itself pleases not only him, but his team.
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Dennis combination gets results Ian Smith, Turf Consultant for St Albans School, Woollam Trust Playing Fields, has reported excellent results from using the combination of a Dennis G860 cassette system and a Dennis Razor fine turf mower on the cricket pitches. The Woollham Trust Playing Fields are the largest development of their kind ever undertaken in a single phase in Europe. The school’s outstanding facilities include a huge pavilion, 22 winter pitches for rugby and football, an all-weather hockey pitch and eight cricket squares. Not only is the magnificent 73 acre site shared with the Old Albanians Club but it is also the training base for Saracens Rugby Club. “Standards are exceptionally high and we take our pitch preparations incredibly seriously,” said Ian.
“You can imagine the situation if someone like Owen Farrell was to turn an ankle on an uneven pitch. Of course, it is great to have fabulous presentation but player safety is paramount.” In preparing the cricket pitches, Ian first of all uses the Dennis G860, which is the ideal machine for someone looking to complete a number of tasks with just one power unit. Featuring an interchangeable cassette system, users have the option of fitting different types of cassettes including scarifiers, verticutters, brushes, spikers, and slitters. “We purchased the G860 because of its versatility,” said Ian. “We can use it for cutting the squares, cutting the outfields, but then we can also use it to scarify. For pre-season we have a cassette which has 1mm scarifying blades so we will use that at the start of the season to
thin the square a little bit. We’ve also got the new spring tine rake cassette which we also use for cricket pitch preparation. “As the pitches are drying out we use the brush cassette to flick out a lot of the older dead grass, and generally to clean them up and make the grass stand up for when it is time to cut with the Razor.” Superbly balanced and ideal for cricket pitches and other fine turf surfaces, the Razor features a 560mm (22in), 11 blade cutting cylinder for a perfect finish. It encompasses the simple ‘no tools required’ click height adjusters for quick and easy operation, a feature which Ian is particularly fond of. “The Razor is great because we are starting on turf that has been cut down to 12mm by the G860. With the click system of the Razor, it is very simple to
change the height. In a matter of seconds we can go down from 12mm to 10mm and then you give it a couple of clicks and then you are down to 8mm and then a couple more clicks and you are down to 6mm, it’s as easy as that. No tools are required and any of the staff can use it without any problems whatsoever. “The cutting cylinders on both mowers are as good, if not better, than anything I have used before.”
Ian and his team at St Albans
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NEWS
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Marathon is front runner at Hamilton Park Stephen Fyles, Track Manager at Hamilton Park racecourse, has noticed significant improvements since switching to a variety of Marathon Sport extended release fertilisers from Sherriff Amenity. With a glowing CV including roles at the Jockey Club and now Hamilton Park, it’s safe to say that Stephen knows a thing or two about preparing a horse racing track to the highest possible standard. Along with three other members of staff, Stephen oversees the meticulous operations at the 4.8 hectare site which includes the maintenance of
the track and all surrounding lawns and grounds. Hamilton Park’s race season consists of 18 days a year throughout the summer months which Stephen says is the most intense time in the grounds team’s diary. Then there are non-race events such as functions, Christmas parties and weddings which the team also have to prepare for. As you would imagine, the track faces a great deal of stress and wear so choosing the correct products in his maintenance programme is essential. “I came into this role three years ago with the mindset of giving the existing
“I had seen the Marathon fertilisers in action in a previous role at Epsom and knew what I could expect from them.” 14 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018
fertiliser programme a chance,” he said. “I gave it two years but unfortunately I was just not seeing the results I wanted. “I had seen the Marathon fertilisers in action in a previous role at Epsom and knew what I could expect from them. Therefore I made the switch last year and they have worked incredibly well.” For a number of years, turf managers have reaped the benefits of Sherriff Amenity’s range of Marathon fertilisers – the Marathon Sport range of extended release fertilisers provide long-lasting, balanced growth on golf fairways, tees, surrounds, sports fields and ornamental lawns maintained at a height of 10mm and above. “We went with an all Marathon feed for the track over the course of the summer with four feeds and the results have been fantastic. It’s been a very positive
year – the track has stood up to the heavy use and at the same time it is helping me meet the requirements of our soil analysis tests because at the moment the phosphate levels in the soil are high so it requires us to have a low phosphate fertiliser to stop them from getting locked in.” Stephen chooses to use Spring 16.4.8; Summer 10.0.15 and Autumn 7.0.21 and applies them anywhere between the recommended rate of 20 – 35g/m2 dependent on conditions. In conjunction with the Marathon base feeds, Stephen regularly applies long-lasting iron liquid in the form of Sherriff Amenity’s GoGreen Energy and GoGreen Plus. “Essentially, the Marathon products are giving me a balanced feed at the same time as giving us what we require going forward. The site has looked amazing all year.”
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NEWS
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SISIS key to cricket maintenance Merchant Taylors’ has purchased a range of SISIS equipment to help maintain the top class cricket facilities on offer at the prestigious school in Middlesex. To date there are currently 17 competitive teams throughout the school who enjoy playing the game across 12 grass cricket squares, indoor and outdoor (all weather) nets, grass nets, and 3 bowling machines. Such is the quality of the cricket facilities that Middlesex County Cricket Club train regularly at the school and use it as a pre-season training camp. “This only benefits the school because of our need to be at the top of our game,” said Grounds Manager Richard Ayling. “If you are going to host
these kind of top sportsmen you have to provide the very best surfaces for them. They wouldn’t come here unless they were right and that is, I believe, a reflection on the work carried out by my team.” Richard and his team of ten have exceptionally high standards. “I like to think that all of our sports surfaces are good but we are always striving for that bit more. I have a great Deputy in Scott Patterson who was the former Head Groundsman at the Oval and he has really pushed the cricket on. As a result, Richard invested in a range of heavy duty SISIS scarifiers – two self-propelled Auto Rotorake MK.5s and a tractor mounted Rotorake TM1000. The SISIS Rotorake TM1000
is a tractor mounted heavy duty scarifier and linear aerator and is un-rivalled when it comes to removing and controlling thatch. “The TM1000 is predominantly our main cricket scarifier and the ability to change blades is very convenient. The TM1000 serves us incredibly well.” Over recent years Richard has been a big fan of the Auto Rotorake MK.5 and the two new machines were brought in as direct replacements for two older machines. Its contra-rotating reel has specially designed tipped blades for clean, consistent cut and maximum thatch removal. Furthermore, the Auto Rotorake MK.5 features a selection of seven different interchangeable reels which enables the
machine to carry out a variety of maintenance tasks. “We use the Brush Reel, Scarifying Reel, VertiCutter Reel and we like the Spring Tine Reel. “The staff use the Auto Rotorake MK.5’s a lot – everyone has their own little quirks on how they like to do things and the Auto Rotorake MK.5 gives them the versatility to do so.”
Richard Ayling at Merchant Taylors’
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Greenkeepers’ acclaim for meeting Ryder Cup challenge
For years the greenkeepers have remained the ‘unsung heroes’ behind tournaments and big events. For sure this year’s Ryder Cup coverage was focussed on the players and the matches, but there has been far wider acknowledgement of Le Golf National as perfect hosts, and unprecedented praise for the role of the greenkeeping team. During his opening speech, European Captain, Thomas Bjorn, singled out Alejandro Reyes, Golf Course and Estates Manager at Le Golf National, with appreciation for his pivotal contribution in crafting the course setup. In the final euphoria, Ian Poulter took the time from his jubilant celebrations personally to meet, greet and embrace the greenkeeping team on the 18th green. This time, the European Tour created its own promotional video of what goes on for course preparation behind the scenes. Other broadcasters and media took advantage of a peak into life in the greenkeeping sheds, to show video footage of turf management practices and personal experiences from the Turf Team Challenge website. Syngenta’s Daniel Lightfoot, using his Master Greenkeeper experience gained as Course Manager of Bearwood Lakes Golf Club, spent a full week with the LGN greenkeeping team in its preparations and over the full tournament. “It has been a fantastic experience, to share such an incredible week with so many highly talented and fully committed greenkeepers,” he said. “And it has been very
welcome that all the work has been so widely appreciated.” Daniel believes volunteering at Le Golf National has been an extremely valuable experience for greenkeepers’ personal and career development. “You get to learn new skills and techniques from the best in the business – both the resident teams on the course and from the other volunteer greenkeepers involved. But equally valuable is learning to work as a team and the great comradery and friendships that develop from meeting the challenges of preparing and delivering a great tournament venue.” And it doesn’t get any bigger or better than Le Golf National. Alejandro Reyes himself has been a keen volunteer at events across the world, citing it brings a new perspective for greenkeepers, and can be an inspiration to introduce new things on their own courses. “For sure, I love to do tournaments! Between the European Tour and the PGA Tour, I’ve lost count of the number of tournaments I’ve worked on. And every time you work on one you see something different,” said Alejandro. “You get a picture of something and think ‘ah, that could work on my course’ or ‘we could do it better if we did it like this’. “I am incredibly grateful for all the courses and superintendents who gave me the opportunity to see what they did through volunteering, so it’s a chance to give something back.” Alejandro acknowledged it’s an investment in time for greenkeepers to be away from the course. “But
the experience that they bring back is extremely valuable. Also it’s good for the team to welcome other people and to share experiences.” Kerr Rowan, Course Manager at Sand Golf Club, near Jonkoping in Sweden, pointed out his key learn from working at Le Golf National has been to focus on attention to detail. “I think we run at a pretty high standard, then you come here and you think, ‘No we don’t!’. Out there it’s fantastic, so for me it’s about being a little bit more switched on.” If there is one thing he’ll take back on the turf quality, it would be the incredible density of the turf surfaces across the Le Golf National course. “I’m just amazed by it. They’ve really tuned in their fertiliser strategy and it’s got me thinking a lot about fertiliser, brushing and density and watering and thinking, how can I be as good as here, or at least as good as I can be for the resources I have?” Improving turf density, smoothness and consistency for players has been the key driver for using Primo Maxx II for Tournament preparation at Le Golf National. The team pointed }
One team on one hole on the Sunday morning of the Ryder Cup at Le Golf National
If there is one thing he’ll take back on the turf quality, it would be the incredible density of the turf surfaces across the Le Golf National course. Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018 | 17
RYDER CUP REVIEW
“The networking here can change your career; it’s not just one week’s work, it’s a potentially life changing opportunity.” } out that players would experience
the same playing conditions and pace in the morning, as the last players out in the afternoon. Lucas Pierre, Alejandro’s righthand man and Head Greenkeeper for the Albatros Course, also reported the difference with the fairways this year using Primo Maxx II, compared to last year without. “When you were cutting the fairway every day, you had to empty the box every five minutes; this year, it’s like the guys are saying ‘you never empty the boxes’ it’s perfect for us. “You save on time; the quality of cut is better; turf looks better; you have better roll. We have more consistency. It really helps.” For Lucas, the relationship he has developed with Syngenta has been very important. “For us, this could be one of the successes of the Tournament,” he said. Managing such a big greenkeeping
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team – of some 180 volunteers and course greens staff – has been a challenge in itself. Stefan Carter, Senior Greenkeeper at Wentworth, highlighted the atmosphere had been fantastic. “There’s been a lot of people, putting a lot of hours in. It’s a great bunch of guys and women from around the world. We all shared stories and shared experiences, which has really made it a happy place.” He welcomed the chance to see the range of jobs involved and the opportunity to do a bit of everything. “!t’s the way that they refine every detail and the finishing touches that sets it apart. To be part of the biggest golf event in the world has just been so fantastic,” reported Stefan. “The networking here can change your career; it’s not just one week’s work, it’s a potentially life changing opportunity.” For Swedish greenkeeper and mechanic, Johan Olsson, the mantra
learned at his Le Golf National time has been to ‘check, check and check again’, just to make sure everything is set up precisely and will work perfectly and consistently out on the course. “Then, when they’ve finished the morning session, it’s check it all again, ready for the evening. It’s just been the biggest thing you can experience, as a greenkeeper or mechanic. “Watching 180 guys move out in the morning; it’s unbelievable, and something I can really recommend,” he added. Wendy O’Brien, Golf Course Superintendent at Jurmala Golf Club in Latvia, highlighted just how much fun the whole greenkeeping team had, but also the opportunities for seminars and career development, along with the chance to glean the knowledge of others. “For example, I have capillary concrete in my bunkers back home, so it’s been great to talk to
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others about their experiences and how they best manage them.” She welcomed the professionalism of all the greenkeepers and organisational staff that had ctively encouraged and integrated women working on the team throughout the preparations. “We are all used to working as a minority group, but to be treated exactly the same and given the same responsibilities and jobs for our skills alone has been a great experience,” added Wendy. Chloe Gallagher, of Sunningdale Golf Club, concurred. “Being part of a team
with a dozen or more women has been really different and a great experience. “It’s a fantastic industry for women and it’s given a showcase for what we can achieve. In the future the industry is going to be equal across the board, which I think is really good.” South Africa’s Leopard Creek Country Club Golf Course Superintendent, Neville Wenhold, found the whole process of handling the pressure of a big tournament fascinating. “Alejandro has made it a lot easier
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for us because he’s so professional at what he does. He makes it clear what expects from the team. He prefers for us to make sure that we are doing the right thing, rather than just pushing, pushing, pushing and making a mess along the line. “He’s the key to everyone doing such a good job. The standard out here has been unbelievable. I’m taking a lot back home; new ways of doing things. It’s been really good learning from these guys.” The BBC on-line commentary team summed-up the team’s performance perfectly at the end of the event: “As the sun sets on Le Golf National, the Ryder Cup organisers are getting the presentation ready on the 18th green. The greenkeeper must be having kittens.…” “He deserves a pint or 10. What a course it has been this week. I’d say it’s the best course I’ve ever seen in a Ryder Cup. Let’s get it back again asap.”
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Tea Break Teaser This is our final magazine of 2018 – what sporting highlights can you remember from this year? Answers on page 81 1. How many Premier League goals did Mo Salah score in the 17/18 season? 2. Francesco Molinari won The Open at Carnoustie, but who remembers who came second? 3. Which horse won the Grand National? 4. What was the score in the World Cup final? 5. Place the Six Nations countries in the order they finished the Championship. 6. Who was the umpire Serina Williams called a thief, among other things? 7. Which golfer won two Majors this year? 8. How many goals did England score during the World Cup finals? 9. How many Test Hundreds did Alastair Cook scoring in his illustrious career? 10. Whose record did Jimmy Anderson beat to become the leading Test seam bowler? 11. How many PGA titles does Tiger Woods now have to his name following his Tour Championship win? 12. Which horse won The Derby? 13. How many games were there in the final set of Kevin Anderson’s remarkable semi final win against John Isner at Wimbledon? 14. Who was the youngest member of Gareth Southgate’s World Cup squad? 15. Justin Rose has won the end of season US Tour Fed Ex play-offs. In which year did he win the European Order of Merit? Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018 | 21
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Estate Management Top marks for Etesia from Solihull School Karl Brotherhood, head of grounds at the prestigious Solihull School, has claimed that his new Etesia Hydro 124 DN ride-on mower is ‘perfect’ for helping him fulfil a number maintenance tasks. Solihull School is a coeducational independent school situated near the centre of Solihull, West Midlands. Founded in 1560, it is the oldest school in the town and its outstanding academic results and first-class sporting facilities have made it one of the most respected schools in the UK. The school is surrounded by a 50 acre site including a floodlit artificial pitch, five rugby pitches, four cricket
pitches, and four junior school football pitches, which all play host to the school’s successful sporting teams. After ten years of using a zero-turn mower to keep the grounds intact, Karl felt that the time had come to invest in a new multi-purpose machine. He then proceeded to research a number of suitable replacements and also sought advice from Etesia dealer Midlands Grounds Machinery who recommended the Etesia Hydro 124 DN. “I’d seen the Etesia machine in a number of trade magazines and it had caught my interest. I had a chat with Dave Tullett from Midlands Grounds Machinery who brought the machine down to the school for a demonstration along with Ian Collington (southern area sales manager for Etesia) and it was obvious that this machine was perfect for what we wanted. “I looked at another machine from a very well-known brand but I suspected that it would block up quite easily. On the other hand, Ian from Etesia knew everything about the machine and we were really pleased with his knowledge. A big factor in buying a new machine is the back-up you receive from not only the dealer but also the manufacturer and I could tell that we would get a great service if we bought the Etesia machine.” The Etesia Hydro 124 DN features a 1.24m cutting width with two counterrotating blades which provide the
ultimate mowing experience. A cutting deck with rear ejection guarantees a quality finish with excellent collection even in long and wet grass. This multi-functional machine, which can work to speeds of up to 16km/h, is also extremely versatile – something which Karl is particularly impressed with. “We use it to cut the cricket outfield and then with the minimal of adjustment; we can use it for the rugby pitches – it’s that easy. We can also pick up leaves, twigs, acorns and other forms of debris – it picks everything up – even in wet conditions. “In fact, the first thing I noticed was how much better it was compared to the zero turn that we had. With our other machine we had to have perfect conditions for it to do a good job otherwise it just wouldn’t do it. “I like the fact that the grass box tells you when it’s full and the high lift is a massive help for us too because it saves us double moving everything.” As a first time user of Etesia machinery, Karl believes that the Hydro 124 DN certainly won’t be the last product he purchases from the company. “It will be used all year round because it is so versatile. You can tell that this a premium piece of kit and I’ve been genuinely impressed with it. Who knows, in a year or so I may just have another one – that would be nice.” he said. Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018 | 23
ESTATE MANAGEMENT
Estate Management Simple way to clear debris The latest innovation from Imants joins a highly successful portfolio of exclusive products including the Koro FIELD TOPMAKER, ShockWave, SandCat and RotoKnife. The RotoBlast adds to this impressive line of machines with a 3,750-rpm blower that produces an air velocity of 130m3/ min. The tractor mounted blower is typically used for clearing greens and tees, fairways,
pathways and other sports turf areas, but it is also designed to move leaves, grass clippings, thatch, litter and other unwanted surface debris from any area that requires clear access or to be kept tidy. As with all Imants machines, the RotoBlast has been designed with the practical user experience at the forefront. Attached by a 3-point linkage, the powerful blower is mounted on a wheeled chassis
to enhance its ability to follow contours on undulating terrain whilst maintaining a constant nozzle height above the ground. There is also an option to invert the wheels and revert to a fully mounted operation. The lightweight machine weighs 100kg and can be lifted by one person when not mounted on the tractor. It has a capacity of 300m2/min with an operating speed of 0.6 -6.2mph.
Radio controlled bank tractor Announced at the Nuremburg Galabau Exhibition for green urban open spaces equipment, specialist bank tractor manufacturer Reform Werke has launched the Metron P48 RC as the first radio-controlled equipment carrier with real hybrid drive. “Metron’s concept is based on a 48hp Kubota petrol engine powering a generator which supplies energy to the battery pack and the electric wheel motors,” said Simon Richard, UK Sales Agent for the Reform range. “The generator also has a direct drive which drives the mechanical front PTO shaft allowing Metron to operate all attachments mechanically.” Control is via a powerful, ergonomic radio hand-set with integrated colour display and a working range up to 400metres. The hybrid drive also allows the Metron P48 RC to operate purely electrically. If more power is required, the petrol engine can be switched on quickly and easily. Permanent all-wheel drive to four same size wheels, low centre of gravity and five different steering modes combine to give optimum slope capability. A range of attachments such as flail mowers, rotary mowers, snow blowers and ploughs, brooms and much more can be easily mounted and Metron’s compact dimensions and 1,000 kg weight make it is easy to transport and operate in tight conditions. Pictured right, the Metron P48 RC – a radio-controlled equipment carrier with hybrid drive
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Fairytale castle kept in check Machinery manufactured by SCH is helping to maintain the historical De Haar Castle. De Haar Castle is the second most visited castle in the Netherlands. The gothic fairy-tale castle we see today was rebuilt from ruins in 1892 until 1912, with the designs sticking closely to historical accounts of the castle’s 15th century appearance. Many grand and luxurious features have been added inside, and the grounds that the castle sits upon have changed drastically during the renovation. The castle is now surrounded by a large park, but this wasn’t always so. From medieval times until 1898 a village had been situated around the castle. The entire village was torn down and rebuilt 1.5 kilometres to the west so that the park could be created. To create a fullygrown appearance of the park as soon as possible, 7,000 40 year-old trees were
transported to the surrounding land. Looking after the 135 acre park surrounding De Haar Castle is a monumental task. The park includes many ponds, canals and bridges, as well as the famous Rose Garden and Roman Garden. The impressive park requires a large maintenance team, and the Dutch agent of SCH has recently supplied a fleet of trailers to help the ground keepers keep the site in perfect condition. The trailers will soon become an essential part of so many tasks around the park, and SCH are proud that British machinery is helping to maintain the historical site. The
heavy duty turn table trailer has its wheels mounted under the chassis so that the sides can be dropped down unhindered. The high mesh covered extension sides more than double the trailers carrying capacity, which is good news as the autumn leaves from thousands of trees will soon need removing. The wide profile wheels give the trailer stability over rough or wet ground, and the chassis is of welded steel construction. The trailer is usually fitted with a clevis hitch so that it can be pulled by a small tractor or ride on mower, but the groundsmen at De Haar requested a ball hitch instead.
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Belchim’s Katoun Gold is much needed option Belchim Crop Protection has significant experience in the industrial and amenity markets, particularly in the weed control sector via the market leading broad-spectrum residual active ingredient flazasulfuron, sold as Chikara Weed Control and Katana. A new offering from Belchim in the amenity market is Katoun Gold containing 500g/L pelargonic acid for use as a
non-selective contact herbicide for use on amenity vegetation (bare soil around trees and woody shrubs), natural surfaces not intended to bear vegetation and permeable surfaces overlying soil including gravel pathways, forest nursery and hardy ornamental plant production. Katoun Gold is a natural product and also has a low rate of use (22.5L/ha). Another benefit of this active is the low
water rate of 225L/ha delivering a high work rate with a knapsack sprayer. It gives users a much needed additional option in a market where there are a limited number of alternatives. It is also a contact acting product that rapidly breaks down the plant cuticle wax layer leading to loss of water by evaporation. Visible symptoms are evident after a few hours with complete control of smaller weeds after a few days.
New chippers have flotation tyres and quality components Skarper’s two new chippers, the T90 Estate Pro and T120 Estate Pro, have just arrived from Austria. The two new models come complete with flotation turf tyres, which won’t sink on soft ground so you can take them off road during the winter months, the adjustable tow bar means that you can put them behind a quad bike, Tractor or 4 x4 and maintain the perfect working angle. Using the best quality components like Honda Engines and SKF bearings, Skarper’s Patented Cyclone airflow system gives thee chippers increased efficiency. “If we get it right first time, our customers can get on with the work they need to get done – efficiency is key to modern business and especially to landscaping professionals as they have limited time in the chipping season due to shorter days and inclement weather. Our goal is to provide the best chippers on the market at competitive prices for Landscape and Arb professionals,” said Jim Upson, of Skarper UK. 26 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
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Student greenkeepers claim top Toro awards Daniel Ashelby, of Wilmslow Golf Club, has been proclaimed the 30th winner of the Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Award while at the same time, Danny Patten, of Lee Park Golf Club, became the third winner of the Toro Young Student Greenkeeper of the Year Award. Daniel, 25, joins a proud tradition of former awards winners that stretches back to Mark Proctor, who won the very first hosting of the award in 1989, while a student greenkeeper at Portal Golf Club, in Cheshire. The Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Awards is a nationwide contest hosted by greenkeepers’ association BIGGA and sponsored by turfcare machinery and irrigation manufacturer Toro alongside its official UK distributor Reesink Turfcare. Each year, a selection of the best student greenkeepers, selected from regional interviews hosted across the country, descend upon BIGGA House at Aldwark Manor in York for the two-day finals of the event, where they complete a variety of tasks. A second-generation greenkeeper, whose father was Course Manager at Gatley Golf Club, Daniel impressed the judges with his knowledge and passion for the profession. The presentation he delivered in front of the awards judges showed his dedication to greenkeeping and his eagerness to do well in his chosen career. “I can’t believe I’ve won it to be honest. There was a really strong line-up and I couldn’t tell right until the end who had won because everybody else was fantastic. I’m absolutely delighted and I’d like to thank Toro, Reesink Turfcare and BIGGA for everything they’ve done this week, it’s amazing,” said Daniel. As part of his prize, Daniel wins a seven-week scholarship at the University of Massachusetts in the USA, as well as a trip to the GCSAA’s Golf Industry Show, in San Diego, and a trip to Toro’s headquarters in Minneapolis.
The Toro Young Student Greenkeeper of the Year Award is open to students under the age of 20 and as winner, Danny receives a two-week work placement at the exclusive Vidauban Golf Club, in France, as well as a trip to BTME in Harrogate. “I’m shocked to have won. I thought I had done a good course walk but wasn’t sure it would be enough. Then when they announced my name to say I had won it was just the best feeling in the world. I’ve been greenkeeping for just over two years so to get this award is really promising for my career and I’m looking forward to what the future holds,” said Danny, 20. “Congratulations to Daniel and Danny, who showed outstanding passion and commitment, both during the finals of the awards and at every stage of the competition, to be crowned worthy winners of this year’s awards,” said BIGGA Head of Member Learning, Stuart Green. “To be crowned Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year isn’t just two days’ hard work; rather you must dedicate yourself to the greenkeeping profession every day of your working life and so both winners and everyone who made it to the finals should be incredibly proud of their achievements. “Each year the finals of the competition get harder to judge, which gives me confidence that the future of the industry is in very safe hands.” The runner-up in the Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Award was John Scurfield, of Morpeth Golf Club. The runner-up in the
Toro Young Student Greenkeeper of the Year Award was Liam Pigden of Burnham & Berrow Golf Club. “Every year the challenge of selecting one winner from each category becomes greater. This tells us that the greenkeeping baton is being passed to safe hands by virtue of the commitment we see in front of us,” said David Cole, Managing Director of Reesink Turfcare and award judge. “Congratulations, not only to the winners and runners-up, but to the whole group in reaching the final in what is a competitive awards competition”
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EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Career change worked out for t A career change in his early 40s has led to trainee greenkeeper Gregg Hood winning SRUC Elmwood’s annual John Deere HNC Student of the Year Award, also sponsored by Scottish turf dealer Double A. Gregg was selected for his conscientious and enthusiastic approach to his programme of studies during the 2017/2018 academic year. Born and bred in Glasgow, Gregg had a successful career as a qualified accountant and then a mortgage broker before making the jump into greenkeeping at the age of 42. “It was one of those life changing decisions that I just had to make. I had thought for a couple of years that it was time for a change. I’ve always loved my golf, and thought it was a great environment to work in. I was also interested in how golf courses are put together, how they’re looked after and made to look so good,” explained Gregg. “My partner, Lisa, was very supportive, so I finally left work in
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June 2017 and applied to the SRUC, having been in contact with Elmwood’s Greenkeeping Coordinator, Mike Clark, for a year or so before that. We agreed that the HNC in Golf Course Management would be the best entry level course for me, combined with volunteering on a golf course to get some practical experience.” That golf course turned out to be St Andrews Links. “It’s been fantastic, and Course Manager Kevin Muir and his team couldn’t have been more helpful. Everyone’s been very happy to give me the benefit of their time and knowledge, so it’s been an absolutely brilliant opportunity. “Going in I was obviously a little apprehensive about my age, but both Mike and Kevin said if you show a good attitude and you’re there to learn, then as long as you can do the work and be a part of the team, there are no issues. I haven’t given it another thought since. “I’ve never been part of anything like this before, certainly not in
accountancy, where there’s always that element of competition, even when you’re working in a team. The only competition on a golf course is to improve your skills and make yourself a better greenkeeper. People at St Andrews Links and the college are really impressive, and all round I’ve found it to be a very encouraging environment to work in – I’m still very excited by it all. “I’m now a BIGGA member and contracted at St Andrews Links until November 2018, and if a permanent position became available then I’d definitely apply. If not, then I might try a warm weather grass course abroad over the winter months. Ultimately I would like to hone my skills and get more experience, including tournaments at other courses.” Course Tutor Paul Miller, who is based at SRUC’s Elmwood campus in Cupar, explained that Gregg’s decision to change career was made after a great deal of research, preparation and consideration of all the implications.
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the best “This thoroughness of preparation soon became evident in his course work, which he produced most conscientiously and to a very high standard right from day one – his commitment to making the most of the learning opportunity was impressive,” said Paul. “Quickly realising that he would also need to build up his practical skills and his industry networking, Gregg volunteered to work at St Andrews Links, again demonstrating his enthusiasm and willingness to learn in that environment as well as in the classroom. “He also applied for and was successful in gaining an R&A Greenkeeping Scholarship through SRUC. “Having also secured a seasonal position on St Andrews Links, Gregg’s development continues apace. We all look forward to watching his growth in the industry and the contribution that he will make to greenkeeping as his career progresses.”
Freelance Apprenticeship Tutors YMCA is one of the most recognisable and iconic of all global charity brands. The YMCA movement started with us, Central YMCA. We’re a team of dedicated professionals who strive to reach that goal through creative health, wellbeing and education programmes. These range from fitness qualifications through to apprenticeships – everything from childcare to horticulture. We award qualifications in fitness and leisure for educational institutions in the UK and abroad. YMCA Training was created during the deep recession and mass unemployment of the late 1970s to help young people find new opportunities through work and training. Do you want to be a part of this? We have some exciting opportunities for Freelance Apprenticeship Tutors, to join our team of professionals delivering Horticulture Level 2 across multiple regions of the UK. You will be able to effectively manage a caseload of learners at various locations. You will assess and coach all learners individually or within a group, conforming to current Awarding Organisation, national occupational standards and YMCA guidelines; motivate and support learners to achieve their Apprenticeship; identify and encourage further employees to undertake these qualifications/assessments and match their needs to the most appropriate qualification for their role.
If this sounds right for you send a copy of your cv and covering letter to great. staff@ymca.co.uk telling us why you are the perfect candidate for the role! Please also include your location and preferred regions of work.
You will be able to: • Manage apprenticeships for the lifecycle of their programme, from sign-up to qualification, including all associated administration; • Robustly assess and develop learner competency for a range of qualifications; • Provide training for all components throughout the apprenticeship, in line with our quality standards; and • Work with current and prospective employers to identify and secure additional apprenticeship opportunities. You will need: • Qualifications in a range of Level 2 disciplines – including Horticulture and Landscaping Operative L2, Golf Green keeping L2, Sports Turf operative L2; • A recognised teaching qualification; and A1 assessor or equivalent qualification. Central YMCA is committed to championing equality, diversity and inclusion in all its forms. For those who would like to work with us, Central YMCA welcomes applications from all sections of society. We believe that our Charity is greatly enhanced by the varied backgrounds, experiences and views represented within our team; we aim to appoint individuals based solely on their applicable skills, experience and attitudes. For any individual who will be working, volunteering or freelancing with us, all recruitment and engagement processes will include pre-employment checks (including referencing and an appropriate level of disclosure via the Disclosure and Barring Service). We also ensure that all subcontractors and agencies are appropriately vetted.
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EDUCATION AND TRAINING
GTC champions best practice
Picture shows the GTC board and staff
The GTC has released a revised set of best practice learning materials for all levels of student greenkeepers. Although originally inspired as the underpinning knowledge for the Level 2 qualification, the GTC Board of Directors and the Employer Group championed the revision of the copyright Learning Materials. These will be made available not only to learners undertaking the Level 2 Greenkeeping qualification, but will also be available to all golf clubs to be used as best practice. Prepared by industry specialists and based upon best principles and practices for golf course maintenance and management, the copyright materials are divided into eight chapters, ranging from health and safety, golf course preparation and maintenance to preparing a tractor with attachments. The 327-page publication is
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available to purchase in digital format to anyone through the GTC’s shop for £150. For more information, see www.the-gtc.co.uk/shop/ All GTC Quality Approved Centres will receive a copy of the of Learning Materials, for use with all sports turf students on the various greenkeeping courses. The GTC is supported by England Golf, Scottish Golf, Wales Golf, The PGA and BIGGA. “Each of the original chapters has been meticulously reviewed and updated by specialists from within
the sports turf industry. Following consultations with our Employer Group, it was suggested we incorporate some additional aspects of what a fullyqualified golf greenkeeper should know,” said GTC Manager Fiona Lyttle. “With this in mind, we have included more detail on soil science, as well as basic drainage and irrigation. Changes in technology, equipment and machinery have also necessitated an extensive update. The GTC has ensured the materials are suitable for everyone from apprentices to Course Managers with all subjects comprehensively covered.”
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See you at the
Show! It is now firmly inked into the diary at the beginning of every year. Whether it touches on the last knockings of October or fill a couple of days at the beginning of November, visitors and exhibitors to SALTEX now know what they must do to avoid any unfortunate diary clashes. Missing SALTEX would be tantamount to a professional disaster and something to be avoided at all costs. How would you keep up to date with the latest innovations in machinery, battery power, chemical legislation, PPE equipment if you didn’t have your two days at NEC Birmingham to catch up on everything? That’s before you take on board your chance to acclaim winners of IOG Awards and catch up with colleagues and friends.
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34-PAGE PREVIEW
Shows take criticism from many quarters for being expensive to attend, whether it be as a visitor or an exhibitor, but human contact, and a desire and ability to kick a few tyres, would be sorely missed if Shows disappeared into the digital stratosphere. There is now a place for both on-line and exhibition contact and those who embrace both equally will have the best opportunities of making the most of their valuable time. Turf Matters will be at the Show in force so please look out for Sinead and myself. We would be delighted to have a chat and take on board your thoughts about our magazine.
Scott MacCallum Editor Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018 | 31
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We don’t allow ourselves Exclusive interview with Geoff Webb on what makes SALTEX so successful… SALTEX is upon us once again and while we all wonder where the years since we waved goodbye to Windsor have gone, IOG Chief Executive, Geoff Webb, is putting the final touches together for what should be another fabulous week in Birmingham. He took some time out of his day to talk with Turf Matters, and in a wide-ranging interview we discussed the success of the move to the NEC Birmingham; Brexit; rubber crumb; the growing profile of groundsmanship while he revealed some exclusive news on the future of the SALTEX. Oh yes,and how the Show has impacted upon his once boyish good looks! Turf Matters: Are you still working through wrinkles which have emerged over the last three years of Shows at the NEC? Geoff Webb: The only wrinkles that I can think of are the ones which emerge on my forehead every year with the stress of managing the Show and the expectations there are of it now. The honest answer is that we always do a wash-up, a review after each Show. We look at where we have strengths and weaknesses and we try to be as honest as we can be on everything. That’s the way we work. TM: Is there anything specific you can point to over the last three years as something which you wanted to improve upon and then made active strides in doing so? GW: There are always little things.
The education facet of the Show, as everyone knows, is ever increasing and we must make sure that the relevant subjects are covered and that people have a good choice and go away having learned something. 32 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018
In the first year we had quite big queues outside the front entrance and as a result have worked to improve on getting people into the Show as quickly as possible. That helps both the visitor and the exhibitor as the visitor wants to see what is going on inside and the exhibitors want busy stands from as early as possible. We’ve also introduced pre-registration for the Learning Live Seminars which we didn’t have in the first year. We trialled it last year, it was a success, so we’ve brought it back this year. We always carry out visitor surveys on the back of each Show which can highlight issues that we may not have appreciated ourselves. I’d also like to turn the question around and say that if there is anything people want to bring to our attention please get in touch because we are always keen to hear. It is fair to say that when people arrive at the Show they see the end result of a great deal of work. Derek Walder, who is an unbelievable individual when it comes to organising trade shows, gets to the NEC at midnight on the Sunday and works tirelessly right the way through to when we close. That’s one of the things I love about the Show. Groundsmen volunteering and using their skills to ensure that the Show is a success. Derek has been doing this for many, many years but I do believe he’s only about 40. TM: What is new for this year’s SALTEX from previous years? GW: A couple of things actually. We have the Innovation Hub, as we call it, looking at what innovation is in the Show. It is separate from Learning Live and we are going to have some very interesting presentations about it. The College Cup is extending as well and we have more teams entered this year than in previous years. The education facet of the Show, as everyone knows, is ever increasing and we must make sure that the relevant subjects are covered and that people have a good choice and go away having learned something. Another thing we are doing this year is having the Lawn Care Legends in attendance which is reflective of the rise of social media groups. We know that they are very excited about coming along and it’s
another way for people to engage. It’s really interesting that they, as a social media group, want to come along and it shows that human contact is always going to stand the test of time and, as a Show, SALTEX is there to provide that. TM: We all know we are in difficult times with austerity and Brexit looming but is the Show still growing? GW: Attendance has been increasing incrementally over the last three years. We are pushing 9,000 and have always been there or thereabouts. The first year was around 8,500 and the last two Shows were up at 8,700. TM: With exhibitors is it a case of everyone you know about are in and new exhibitors come from those new to the industry or from a slightly different sector? GW: We’ve got quite a lot of new business this year actually, but there is always an attrition rate and you have to accept that as an exhibition organiser. The skill is to pick up new business and we have a good team behind the scenes who are able to do that. We have at least 20 companies coming along this year just to have a look with a view to attending in 2019. I do believe that we have a very good spread of companies now and I think the move from Windsor to the NEC has made it a more turf centric Show. We are getting a consistent number of exhibitors, as we are visitors. The model seems to be there and working. TM: In the first couple of NEC years you couldn’t have been 100% sure that it would be 100% successful but surely now you must have a little bit more peace of mind? GW: I think that the industry looks at us through a magnifying glass when it comes to trade shows. I guess it has to really. So you are there to be judged and you are only as good as your last trade Show. What we try to do is look at the content side as much as we do the exhibitor side. TM: Does Birmingham feel like home now? Are you happy with your hotel, your journey to and from the Hall and are you comfortable coming into your fourth year? GW: If we ever get comfortable we probably need to be sacked! Funnily enough we are at a different hotel this
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year. We’ve moved the Awards’ Dinner to the Metropol and got a very good deal there. We are used to the ins and outs of the Show but something always creeps up at the last minute but then I
go back to the days of Windsor and one year we actually cut through the main electricity line and had no power at all. That’s not the kind of experience we have at the NEC, thank goodness.
The NEC is central and we believe we made the right decision. I think the industry is beginning to realise that we took a decision which was a bold one at the time and is starting to embrace what we’ve got. We are in a position where we need to promote ourselves as a sector in as professional way as we can and the NEC offers that opportunity. We are a working Show and we get high quality visitors with buying power – those who have survived the recession and the austerity it brought and faced that life has thrown at our profession. We still have people who want to buy machinery, supplies and equipment. TM: What sort of year has it been for British groundsmanship? GW: Where do I start? The weather has tested everybody in all seasons }
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It’s such a welcoming industry and if you are strong enough of mind and body then you have a fantastic potential career ahead of you. } since last year so I think it has been
really tough. The prospect of Brexit looms large over the sector and is still there for us to discuss fully. We are still in a holding position with regard to Brexit. We have to accept that there are huge pressures on modern day groundsmanship and we’ve got to be able to help people through the hard times. TM: What issues are you dealing with now compared with when you came into your role 13 years ago? GW: Brexit is a big one but none of us really know how to deal with it. Synthetics are now more front and central than they were 13 years ago. The world has shrunk through social media and we see what is going on in America and in Europe around synthetics and that has a direct impact on the UK. Some people want to see outright bans, others are somewhat in the middle while others are fiercely
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protective, and that would be the industry itself. Our challenge is to look at the left and the right of the argument and examine the evidence. It is right that concerns are raised so that people in positions of power can be challenged and corrections made if necessary. While we don’t do that through the pages of your magazine, we do challenge behind the scenes, make our views known and our questions heard. I hope common sense prevails and I do believe we are going to see voluntary codes of practice on rubber crumb being introduced. That will be good news. TM: What would you say to a young potential grounds person to encourage him or her into the industry? GW: It’s such a welcoming industry and if you are strong enough of mind and body then you have a fantastic potential career ahead of you. I look at the formation of the Young IOG group
which came about through a phone call to David Withers in America and which saw a group of young groundsmen, including John Ledwidge, going across to America for a Future’s Conference. That one phone call has done a lot of good for a lot of young people. It is a very good community and while it is hard work we need to project our industry in a modern and attractive way using all the mediums available to us to ensure that groundsmanship is seen as attractive as any other industry for a young person to get into. TM: Promos on Sky Sports and the BBC regularly now feature snippets of groundsmanship in action which is another positive step. GW: Following the Awards’ Dinner we now the results running across the bottom of the screen on Sky Sports News which is just great. We are working to raise the profile but we have to ensure that it is now just a }
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We want to ensure that people are properly trained, have the right COSHH assessments, and PPEs, for the tasks they are required to carry out. } one-off event. We need to promote the successes better – we
maybe have a glass half empty approach in this sector. We have a lot of great examples especially in the voluntary sector thanks to Jason Booth, and his team in the Grounds and Natural Turf Improvement Programme, who go around providing reports for local community sports clubs. We are primarily talking about football at the moment and we are making real differences without really talking about a lot of financial investment. We are putting people on the right path and explaining the hows and whys of bringing about better surfaces. Expertise in conjunction with a little bit of money – a pitch can be turned around for roughly £2,500 – can make huge differences. TM: I know you are really keen to push best practice. GW: We’ve been trialling our Natural Turf Pitch Grading Framework and we are in discussions with a variety of sports bodies who will be coming to talk at SALTEX. We want to develop a very simple pyramid system which allows people to look at what education or qualification, up to foundation degree, they should be looking to achieve. In the voluntary sector this could be a workshop or certification for a day’s attendance at a seminar. We want to ensure that people are properly trained, have the right COSHH assessments, and PPEs, for the tasks they are required to carry out. TM: Have you got any other news that you can reveal to the readers of Turf Matters? GW: I can exclusively reveal that we have signed an extension with the NEC for SALTEX. We’re in it for the long term and the extension equals the length of deal we signed initially and we are very happy. TM: Thank you for that exclusive, thank you for your time and good luck for another successful Show.
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So, how prepared are you? As a shop window for our industry, SALTEX has a tremendous amount to offer not just visitors but exhibitors too. The key to making the event work is thinking ahead and planning at least part of your visit so you ensure you get to see the people and equipment that interests you. The key to making the event work for you is to think ahead. James de Havilland offers some valuable advice to making the most of your time at the Show.
Travel When visiting SALTEX, a key first job is to work out when to arrive and when to leave. Open from 9am on both days, the event closes at 5pm on Wednesday 31 October, and at 4pm on the following day. For many that means arriving good and early so you can gain entry as soon as the doors are open. Pre-registration makes getting in faster and easier so there should be few hold ups. The snag is rush hour traffic. Getting to the NEC is eased by its location but the M42 can be really busy between 7-9.30am. So why not plan your journey differently? Consider travelling by train as access to the NEC by rail is brilliantly easy and you will not sit in traffic. Arriving by road? Why not plan to get to the NEC a bit later in the morning? Hit the M42 at 9.30-10am and much of the rush hour traffic will have died down. When you get to the NEC you may well have to park a bit away from the main hall entrance but would you rather walk a few yards more or sit in a queue? Similarly, a bit of thought can ease your journey home. Leave when the doors close and you will join everyone else. Leave earlier in the afternoon and you will have less traffic to deal with. }
Equipment on a show stand is very different form the machine in action. SALTEX is a great place to think ahead and plan a demonstration. Suggest you share a demo with someone else as it may make it easier for the supplier to get a machine out to you when you want to see it.
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Make a list of what to see and look at the plan of stands to help you navigate a route to see what you want. } Blindingly obvious but easily ignored. Who and what to see There will be people and equipment you will want to see as well as seminars to attend. There are some cracking events at SALTEX this year, but it is all too easy not to plan attendance and then miss the chance. So take a look at what is on and, if something interests you, plan attending into your visit. For many, however, the main draw is being able to meet up with friends, colleagues, customers and suppliers. If you are keen to see a new piece of kit or talk through your needs for this coming season, don’t waste time ambling along the aisles and the casually drifting onto a stand an expecting a royal welcome. Ring up the people you want to see before the event. Tell them you are attending and let them know what you will want to talk about. If you are expected then the person you want to talk to will look out for you and prepare so they can answer a few questions, plan a demonstration or even bring along that small spare part you are after. You also need to plan ahead if you are looking at specific items of equipment. Make a list of what to see and look at the plan of stands to help you navigate a route to see what you want. If a given piece of kit is not on the stand it is tempting to just move on. But don’t. The exhibitor may not have enough room on their stand for some kit, but instead may have what you are after on the outside demo area.
Can you share a demo? It costs time and money to arrange a demonstration and it can also take a while for a machine to be available. When arranging a demo at SALTEX, suggest to the supplier that they can also invite others along as well. Sharing demo time with like-minded colleagues not only helps spread costs to the supplier or dealer 40 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018
but also enables you to compare notes with an independent third party. The beauty of SALTEX is that suppliers will typically have all key personnel on hand to allow them to put something in the diary then and there. If you can chat through what you want to see it is so much easier face to face than arranging the same job through a ‘phone call, email or whatever.
The computer in your pocket When you see a new version of a piece of kit you are using, take a few pictures of it on your phone, homing in on the more important developments. Leaflets and flyers end up in files, drawers and bins. A modern phone is with you and you can look up a picture and compare the photo with what you have. This way you can see a detail improvement, such as easier access to a grease point or pto shaft. Want to see how a specific adjustment is made? Ask if you see it being carried out or explained next to a given piece of kit. Take a video to help when you next need to do the job. See a new attachment that could help? Take a picture of it The same goes for business cards. You may not have time to punch in a new contacts details but if you snap a business card on the phone you have everything you need.
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Make the most of meeting with those who tend and care for our turf and greenspaces. } Should you keep your hands in your pocket? If you are in buying mood, then it follows that SALTEX can be a great time to strike a deal or even secure a piece of show kit that otherwise will need to be ordered and so take a while to turn up. The downside is committing to a deal that actually is not really the right one. Not so much in terms of price but perhaps compromising on the kit in some way or spending extra for an attachment or feature that will never get used.
Do not forget the ‘smaller’ stands A joy of SALTEX is coming across the smaller specialist suppliers. Often dedicated to an aspect of turf care, specialists may not have the resources that will bring them to your attention, so now is a great time to find a new contact.
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Use the show guide
Have a day out
It takes hours and a lot of work to put the SALTEX show guide together. Most of us fold it open at the hall plan and leave it at that. But there is wealth of info in there. When your feet give out and you need a break, browse through its pages.
SALTEX is only as good as you make it. Our industry can be lonely at times, working on your own for hours at a time. Make the most of meeting with those who tend and care for our turf and greenspaces. If you have a problem, there is every chance you will not be the only one trying to sort it out. Communication is the key and SALTEX is a brilliant, utterly brilliant, event to share experiences and opinions with others in the industry.
New machinery A big star or banner proclaiming a bit of kit is new is a real draw. Sometimes it is worth taking a look. Others you know all that is new are the decals and tinwork. But stop and think. If a bit of kit has been refreshed, take a look and see what has changed. Do not be afraid to ask the exhibitor a few questions. A new look can hide a performance gain or resolve a problem change mowing heights, aeration depths, awkward top dressing spread patterns or resolve material bridging in a hopper. If you don’t ask you may miss something.
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saltex’18 the ones to watch
mowing stadium surfaces quicker than ever before. Both machines deliver strong striping expected by our customers from their Allett mowers. Other Allett mowers for bowling, cricket, tennis, football, rugby, baseball stadiums, grounds and gardens will be on display.
AGRIPOWER Stand F187
Good grounding since 1964. For expert advice on natural or synthetic sports pitch construction, drainage, irrigation, lake and reservoir construction please visit our stand at For upcoming projects speak to our team and book a no obligation site visit to your club, school, college or university. We look forward to seeing you there! Recent project: Hereford Racecourse Reservoir Construction.
Director, is presenting a seminar on “Grass & Rootzone Management on Hybrid Pitches” on the Wednesday at 10.40am. Scott MacCallum, of Turf Matters, will be conducting the interview in which David will share his knowledge and experience and there will be the opportunity for a Q&A session. Agronomic will also be showing a cost effective new product, Green Screen. A pigment dye that protects the plant from harmful UV rays just like a sun screen, it gives colour to the sports turf which increases photosynthesis and reduces disease pressure and can be tank mixed with all foliar products. Call on to Stand F100 to learn more and discuss your individual Turf Action Plan.
needed to help turf professionals take it a step further. As well as their leading presence in sharpening systems, they are now bringing more knowledge to turf specialists to improve their playability through air movement and lighting solutions. For more information on how Bernhard and Company can help you with solving shade issues, lack of air movement and quality of cut, visit: www.Bernhard.co.uk
Campey Turf Care Systems Stand G100
Bernhard and Company Stand D097
Bernhard and Company is one of the world’s most influential forces in the presentation and quality of turfgrass. They have always supported major international events. Already this year they have been assisting at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, the Tennis Championships in Wimbledon, Le Golf National with the Ryder Cup 2018. Their globally recognised sharpening systems are used in many eminent venues across the world. Bernhard and Company clearly know what is
Campey Turf Care Systems will be back at the Show with their range of industry-leading machines. Throughout the year Campey products have made an impact at major sporting events including the use of the Air 2G2 GT Air Inject in the build-up to the Ryder Cup at Le Golf National, Paris. Innovation and application have both continued to evolve, with the Koro FIELD TOPMAKER now being used with great success to renovate cricket squares as well as further use in golf. These sports have been able to adopt the machine due to the introduction of a smaller and lighter Koro FTM that was specifically designed with finer turf in mind, offering }
Allett Mowers Agronomic Services Stand F100
Customers visiting Agronomics can enjoy a “Perk Up” energy drink to give them a boost whilst visiting the Show. “Perk Up” energy drink will revive visitors to SALTEX and is based on the clever Floratine foliar product “Perk Up” which is designed to perk up your sports turf. When your turf grass plant has to run a marathon “Perk Up” creates the solution reducing plant stress and disease. David Snowden, Managing
Stand K009
Visit the Allett Mower stand this year to see the latest innovations in sports turf mowing and maintenance. We are launching two brand new stadium products: the new C34Evolution battery electric mower with interchangeable turf cultivation cartridges offers a pollution-free, quiet and efficient operation at a new level of affordability with an 86cm cutting width. The sew Allett Uplift 86 is the latest generation 86cm rotary mower with high levels of vacuuming for cleaning and Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018 | 43
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} the industry as a whole the cleanest renovation possible. A selection of Campey machinery will be on display at Stand G100 along with the Campey Product Specialists, who will be on hand to answer any questions and advise on the best machinery for your situation.
Case IH Stand D032
Case IH will be exhibiting for the first time at the Show. The brand, which has been producing agricultural machinery for more than 175 years, produces a range of tractors from 55hp to 628hp, with the 55hp to 150hp models perfectly suited to many applications in amenity use. All these models share the Case IH tradition of safety and operator comfort and can be specified with a range of implements including loaders, as well as tyres to match the demands of every application. Case IH tractors have proven reliability and are supported by a network of 81 dealers, providing a guarantee of personal and professional after-sales support. Visit the stand and take a look around the Case IH Farmall 75C, fitted with a loader.
Natural & Artificial Sports Surfaces Agripower Contractors Est. 1964
Craigmarloch Stand D087
With over 130 solid years of manufacturing excellence, Chapin is proud to provide market-leading products that are rugged and reliable. Following the UK distribution deal with Craigmarloch, we now have the ability to distribute quality sprayers and spreaders on a next day delivery service throughout the UK. Chapin engineers and manufactures products specifically designed for lawn and ground maintenance, snow and ice, and gardening. Our sprayers and spreaders meet the needs of every home owner and professional. Distributor opportunities available.
Design – Construction Drainage – Renovation Maintenance
Natural, Hybrid & Synthetic Sports Surfaces Design – Construction Drainage – Renovation Maintenance
Visit us at SALTEX Visit us at no SALTEX Stand F187 Stand no. F187
Phone: 44 (0)1494 866776 Email: info@agripower.co.uk www.agripower.co.uk 44 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018
Demon International Stand F105
Demon International are the leading UK manufacturers of high pressure cleaning equipment. Their revolutionary range of pressure washers will be on display at the Show, including the Hurricane Combi Flat Surface cleaner. This award-winning innovation combining the rotowash floor cleaner with a pressure washer, allowing the user to wash flat surfaces using a high pressure cleaner and then quickly converting to a pressure washer for cleaning buildings, street furniture and vehicles with the addition of a lance. The Combi is fast and efficient and is the ideal solution for cleaning walkways, paths, car parks, public areas, stadiums and more! Also on display is the LPG Green cleaning pressure washers. With
current emission laws being tightened and the increasing cost of fuel, the LPG engine offers a creditable alternative. The new Honda GX 200 Gas engine offers the market a green alternative. With the ever-increasing demands on noise and emissions, Demon International are again leading the way in green cleaning. Current restrictions within the capital and other cities in the UK will make the use of standard diesel and petrol driven machines harder. Using LPG meets the needs to reduce noise and emissions to an acceptable level with minimal cost implications.
Dennis Stand E070
A visit to the Dennis stand will show how the company’s range of world class turf maintenance equipment enables turf professionals to benefit from cutting edge technology. Taking centre stage on the Dennis Mowers stand will be the new PRO 34R rotary mower. Following the launch of the prototype model at last year’s Show; the professional rotary mower has been refined and developed with feedback from groundsmen over the past 18 months. The PRO 34R is a 34” rotary mower designed to help groundsmen achieve an aesthetically pleasing appearance and desired playing surface and is ideal for sports pitches and lawns producing the enviable ‘Dennis Stripes’ while a powerful vacuum flow collects debris quickly and efficiently. Also on view will be the G860, G34D and the Premier professional cylinder mowers along with the the FT510, Razor Ultra, and S500 Plus seeder, which creates ideal seed germination pockets whilst reducing seed wastage. In addition to the range of Dennis }
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} products on show, the combined display with SISIS will also show a range of natural and synthetic turf maintenance machinery.
DLF Stand J100
Following a year of extreme weather conditions, a stop by the DLF stand will be a must for Turf Managers preparing for autumn and winter overseeding operations.
46 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018
When it comes to winter overseeding, the aim should be preventative, rather than reactionary. Ideal for a pre-winter programme, Johnsons J 4Turf has been rated top in European turf trials for disease resistance. DLF’s 4Turf tetraploid ryegrass cultivars are of particular interest to groundsman looking for mixtures that are hard wearing, germinate quickly and offer extreme winter hardiness. 4Turf tetraploids develop a stronger and deeper rooting system which also improves the efficiency in which nutrients, including Nitrogen, are utilised. If winter conditions are particularly extreme and cause loss of the turf surface, it is critical to re-seed quickly to prevent further damage. Johnsons J Rescue 100 is designed especially for winter
overseeding. It incorporates next-generation turf type annual ryegrass Quickston, which delivers fast lowtemperature establishment, down to 3 degrees. DLF are also once again proud to be sponsoring the IOG Groundsman of the Year award at the annual IOG industry award ceremony.
Etesia UK Stand C050
Etesia UK has announced that
two new Attila pedestrian brushcutter models will be launched at SALTEX. With built-in rugged reliability as standard, the new Etesia AK60 and AH75 pedestrian brushcutters have been designed to work in the toughest of conditions. These powerful workhorses effectively deal with clearing vegetation from a wide variety of sites – long grass, weeds, bracken and brambles on woodland paths or orchards. Ease of operation and manoeuvrability ensure total efficiency and high output. Both models will be fitted with a T3 transmission with differential lock and front wheel locking system with a simple height of cut adjustment from the new handle bar design. The AK60 model is fitted with a Kawasaki FJ180 OHV engine }
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} with a 60cm cutting width,
while the AH75 is fitted with a Honda GXV 390 engine with a 75cm cutting width. Both new models also feature a new handle bar system with central cable protection allowing movement into offset and storage positions. The two new models join the Attila AK51 Kawasaki 51cm cutting width model already in the range. Also available to view at the 2018 Show will be a range of Etesia pedestrian and ride-on mowers.
48 | Turf Matters | SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2018
New product brochures ahead of the 2019 season will also be available.
EverEdge – Steel landscape edging systems
is usually, but not always, galvanised and/or powder coated in a range of colours. We work closely with architects, designers and contractors to help you build beautiful landscape projects.
Stand K190m
500mm high with a 300mm base Corten steel angle edging might not be an everyday product, but EverEdge can supply it along with just about any other sized steel edging imaginable. From our ever popular Classic 1mtr range for gardens worldwide, to our 2.5mtr ProEdge range for driveways and paths and our Titan range for heavy duty commercial projects, EverEdge has the answer for all landscape edging requirements. Steel is used in civil engineering projects for its strength. Our edging is UK designed and built with longevity, function and service in mind. EverEdge
Germinal Stand A130
With the loss of iprodione as the industry’s go-to curative active ingredient for fungal sward infections, greenkeepers can no longer rely on remedial solutions to eradicate diseases. Instead, they need to adopt a proactive control strategy to prevent diseases from taking hold. As well as using preventative fungicides, greenkeepers should also ensure the sward receives an effective supply of nutrients, trace elements and bio-stimulants
to safeguard the sward’s natural defence mechanisms. And to enhance the sward’s ability to fight-off infection, naturally disease tolerant species should be used when over-seeding. High-performance bentgrasses such as UK-bred browntop cultivars, AberRegal and AberRoyal, and creeping bentgrass varieties like 007, exhibit exceptional resistance to diseases such as anthracnose and fusarium. They also offer the benefit of being able to outcompete undesirable species like annual meadow grass, whilst requiring minimal inputs and maintenance. These three cultivars are available together in Germinal’s Forefront Greens seed mixture: a unique combination which maximises the disease tolerance of all soil and sand-based golf greens.
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as the ultimate machine for the maintenance of the sports pitch or golf course. Problems with a compacted synthetic turf pitch, such as compacted infill responsible for a reduced water permeability, is dealt with by the GKB Renovator. A fast, efficient way of seeding and surface aerating is achieved using the GKB Combiseeder.
GKB Stand H057
GKB have a formidable line-up of their natural, synthetic and hybrid turf machinery on display. The now well-known Combinator combines fraise mowing and verticutting grass areas, typically sports turf, while removing and loading the complete upper layer of unwanted turf. Introduced at the Show is a new hybrid blade option for the
Combinator, for use on stitched, carpeted and hybrid grass. Quick Clean is a threepoint CAT I/II PTO operated machine for quick and thorough cleaning of artificial turf, sweeping up leaves, branches and dirt in a single pass. The GKB Rotobrush RB120 is designed to rejuvenate and maintain sports field artificial turf and help keep it in top condition. The multiple-operation GKB Ecodresser can be described
GrassMaster Solutions by Tarkett Sports Stand E190
GrassMaster Solution, the hybrid grass division of Tarkett Sports, continues to lead the hybrid sports grass industry since 1989. Their expertise has been used on more than 700 pitches worldwide of which 15 are football clubs within the English Premier League and 15 pitches used in past World Cups.
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The stitched hybrid grass system GrassMaster contains 100% natural grass, reinforced with 20 million in-house produced High Performance PP fibres with a proven lifespan of 15 years and more. The natural grass roots entwine with the fibres building a stronger and healthier rootzone, ensuring an always even and stable surface with a fast recovery. PlayMaster is the carpet-based hybrid technology that provides a horizontal reinforcement that offers fast installation and instant playability.
}
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} Both systems offer a tailor-made solution for the requirements of professional stadiums, training pitches and multifunctional venues. To help extend the lifespan of a hybrid pitch, GrassMaster Solutions also employs in-house professional pitch consultants to offer product specific training, guidance or assistance with the aim of maintaining a perfect pitch, anytime and|anywhere. Bios�mulants We�ers
Fer�lisers | Greenbestproducts over 50 professional Stand F101
www.velvit.co.uk Available through your local distributor
50 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018
Following the success of last year’s exhibition, Velvit is returning and will be featuring an exciting new range of Onyx granular biostimulant fertilisers. Onyx granules can be applied at any time throughout the growing season and will not scorch even in dry conditions. With its biostimulant properties and gentle nutrient profile, Onyx is ideal for application to stressed areas and areas undergoing renovation, where it will promote resilience, rapid establishment or recovery. Onyx granules are now available in 1-2mm and 2-3mm sizes: Onyx Mini (1-2mm) has an analysis of 14-0-2 with 10% amino acids and 10% humic acids. Onyx Granular (2-3mm) has an analysis of 10-0-4 with 11% amino acids. Velvit is a new range of over 50 fertilisers, wetting agents and
biostimulants, designed to offer a complete solution to the turf care specialist.
ICL Stand K030
Hayter and Toro Stand E065
It’s set to be an exciting SALTEX this year – particularly for Toro, a global leader in garden and landscaping equipment, and Hayter, known for creating Britain’s finest lawn mowers. At the November event, both of these well-known brands will be Showcasing new products on stand E065 – including a selection of mowers being revealed publicly for the first time. Hayter will be Showcasing some exciting and highly anticipated additions to its established collection of mowers. These new machines will be the latest to join a rich heritage of topquality British mowers. They are designed to be hard-wearing and high performance, but also easy to use, so that anyone can create a professional finish to their lawn. Landscaping equipment leader Toro will also be Showcasing a multitude of products, with the newest reveal in the form of the Grandstand stand-on mower with rear discharge. There are two new Grandstand models available, the 36” (91cm) and 48” (122cm), each with a rear-discharge rotary cutting deck. They are also quick, comfortable and easy to use, offering higher levels of manoeuvrability in small spaces.
Leading the way in offering the very best in product innovation, visitors to the ICL stand will get the chance to discover a wide range of solutions. At this year’s Show, there will be a particular focus on Ecoplug Max, a patented product for tree stump control. Ecoplug Max is a patented tree stump control application method which delivers glyphosate directly into the tree stump, killing its root system and preventing re-growth. Each plug contains 300mg of granular glyphosate which are simply placed into holes drilled into the stump using the Ecoplug drill bit. Ecoplug Max supports requirements of the Sustainable Use Directive to minimise use of pesticides. With the glyphosate encapsulated inside the unit, it never gets in direct contact with anything else but the plant, minimizing the risk of the operator coming into contact with chemical or chemical spillage. As well as Showcasing their ever-evolving product ranges, the ICL technical team will be on hand at SALTEX to talk all things turf and landscape. The stand will also feature a coffee barista.
Iseki Stand E057
ISEKI UK & Ireland will be exhibiting for the first time at the Show and will be displaying the established range of ISEKI compact tractors and ride-on professional mowers. On the
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stand will be the ISEKI SF450, a class leading out-front mower with a 1300 litre capacity collector, which can tip at a height of 2.1 m. Also there will be a SXG 326 mower, an example from the extensive SXG range of mid-mount mowers. The range topping ISEKI TG6675 Power Shuttle will be featured alongside the compact but powerful ISEKI TM3267, complete with mid-mounted deck and front-end loader, a truly versatile machine for sports turf and amenity use.
For further information please visit the ISEKI UK team on stand E057.
John Deere Stand E080
Available in Europe from 2019 exclusively on John Deere’s ZTrak 900 Series commercial zero-turn rotary mowers, the new Michelin X Tweel Turf airless radial tyre virtually eliminates tyre downtime and is nearly maintenance free. A new Z994R ZTR model equipped with X Tweels makes its UK & Ireland Show debut on the John Deere stand at SALTEX 2018, alongside the company’s latest compact tractor and lawn tractor developments. Offering a combination of operator comfort, productivity and a high-quality finish, the Z994R is designed to provide
a compact solution to working in restricted spaces, while the X Tweel avoids downtime from punctures when compared to traditional pneumatic tyres. It has the same dimensions and bolt pattern as a standard tyre, but features automotive rubber technology that allows the tread to last up to three times longer. The X Tweel also reduces ground compaction and increases ride quality, enhanced by the mower’s new ComfortGlide seat.
Limagrain UK Stand G041
Limagrain UK, one of the world’s largest seed companies, will be Showcasing its impressive range of grass seed mixtures, including the market leading MM60 and MM50. MM60 is a 100% Ryegrass formula and the UK’s leading
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winter sports renovation mixture which is perfect for divot repair. It is also well-known for its extremely fast germination and its high wear tolerance. It produces fantastic aesthetic qualities and its high disease resistance provides ultimate protection. MM50 is ideal for cricket squares, tennis courts, tees, fairways, outfields and even golf greens. This hard-wearing mix has rapid germination, very }
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} fine leaved appearance, high
shoot density and is tolerant to very close mowing, along with high disease resistance. For new pitch constructions, football and rugby groundsmen may well be interested in MM25. This ryegrass and fescue mixture will establish quickly giving a dense, hard wearing sward that has strong root growth in the early stages of sward development.
Nufarm Stand A030
Whether it’s making sure your turf is looking its very best or keeping your other amenity areas clear of undesirable weeds, Nufarm aims to bring effective broad spectrum weed control to your amenity land. While a global company, Nufarm has strong ties to the UK, having a global manufacturing site based in Wyke, Bradford. The site is the largest flexible phenoxy herbicide production unit in the world and manufactures many of the products that we use in our robust amenity portfolio. If you are managing a sports field, golf green, tee or fairway then Nufarm can offer a range of selective herbicides that are effective across a broad spectrum of weeds. Several of our products are also approved
for use through a knapsack sprayer. For more details on what Nufarm has to offer, come visit our stand or visit our UK website.
Pellenc Stand E055
Pellenc, which is distributed in the UK and Ireland exclusively by Etesia UK, will launch a new range of battery-powered hand tools. Full details are being kept under wraps until the Show opens, but visitors will be excited to hear of three new products to join the portfolio. A forerunner when it comes to lithium-ion technology and high efficiency ‘brushless’ motors, Pellenc has established itself as the number one choice in the ‘zero emission’ professional power tools market for the maintenance of urban and green-spaces. Other products on the stand will include the Airion 2 new generation hand-held blower and the Rasion Smart and Rasion Basic pedestrian rotary mowers, the Helion hedgecutter, Selion chainsaws and polesaws and the Prunion and Vinion pruning shears will also be available to view. The company’s experienced and knowledgeable staff will also be on hand to offer valuable advice, along with finance options, and all visitors to the stand will be able to get their hands on the new product brochures.
Ransomes Stand H090
Price Turfcare Stand B124
Price Turfcare, the UK and Ireland distributor of the Ventrac and Ryan turf maintenance equipment, returns to the Show on stand B124. “We have come a long way in a short space of time. Prospective purchasers of Ventrac need to see the machine in action and we have travelled the UK and 52 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018
Ireland establishing the brands credentials. The addition of the Ryan franchise last year has broadened our product portfolio, providing customers with a comprehensive choice of turfcare equipment,” said Managing Director, Rupert Price, of the business which was launched in January 2017. “Some of our early Ventrac customers are coming back to add further attachments or in some cases, buying another machine. Darren Baldwin, at Tottenham Hotspur Football Club has added two Power Brooms for the pathways and synthetic pitches at their training centre. Peter Pattenden at Carden Park has purchased a second machine, having been so impressed with the versatility of his first one. Chris Brook of The Club Company purchased two machines and Angus Lindsay of idverde purchased a machine for a new contract with Northampton Borough Council.” To understand why these respected businesses have been impressed by the Ventrac product and to see the latest equipment from Ryan come along and visit us. We look forward to seeing you.
Ransomes will be Showcasing its full range of turfcare equipment on stand H090 at the Show. The equipment on display includes the newly launched Ransomes HM600 and Ransomes TR320, the successful Ransomes MP series and a selection of Cushman utility vehicles and Turfco, Smithco and Ryan products. The Ransomes HM600 was launched at SALTEX in 2017. Created on the foundations of the Ransomes MP wide area mower platform, the HM600 builds upon this, providing users with the ability to run three heavy
duty flail mowers with mulching technology from Müthing. The Ransomes TR320 was also launched at SALTEX in 2017. It is one of the lightest machines on the market in its category, ensuring minimal compaction to turf, keeping surfaces in pristine condition. The MP Series, first launched in 2014, includes the MP493, MP653 and MP653XC. These highly productive wide area rotary mowers are ideal for cutting overgrown areas and sports fields. Ransomes is proud to be sponsoring the SALTEX College Cup for the third time; introduced by the IOG in 2016 as a national student-led sports-turf challenge that will take place on the first day of SALTEX 2018.
Rigby Taylor Stand G060
Visit Rigby Taylor at the Show for an interactive experience! Exciting new product launches will be the Show highlights, both on the stand and in the outside demonstration area. The TinyMobile, is a next generation fully autonomous pitch linemarking robot; It’s faster, lighter, more flexible and more economical. In addition, the company is also launching Armaline GPS for multiple pitch marking using a multi-purpose utility vehicle. In addition, visitors will be able to learn about Rigby Taylor’s range of Carbon4Grass, environmentally responsible grass seeds, its leading range turf fertilisers, interactive preventative turf fungicide programming and water management products …and much more! A cup of freshly made coffee will be available to all visitors on the stand and company personnel will be on hand to offer information and advice and provide on-stand
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presentations, through the use of touch screen TV monitors. For the first time, Rigby Taylor is linking in with the industry charity Perennial as sponsor of a football simulator where prizes will be awarded each of the days in a penalty shoot-out competition.
SCH (Supplies) Ltd Artificial pitch care specialists SCH (Supplies) Ltd are delighted with the opportunity to sponsor the SALTEX 2018 Best Managed Artificial Surface award. As manufacturers of both real and artificial pitch care
machinery, the choice of award was an easy one to make. The Artificial Surface Grooming Rake is designed to carry out routine maintenance on artificial playing surfaces with a sand base. The two rows of spring tines tease through the playing surface to remove surface compaction and aid drainage, and the trailing brush will level and groom the play area. The Triangular Brush is a small, basic machine which gives artificial and natural grass areas that vital ‘scratch’ in between major services. The wheels on the upper side of the brush make it an easy task to transport it to the storage area – simply turn the brush onto the wheels. SCH products have simple designs for low maintenance. The robust welded steel frames and their dedicated spare parts
team will help ensure the life of the machine year after year.
Sherriff Amenity Stand E060
Visitors to the Sherriff Amenity stand will get the chance to find out how they could improve their turf significantly through a range of unique products and some new dedicated apps. The company has announced the launch of two new apps, which are set to increase efficiency and improve operations for sports turf managers. PrecisionPro is a dedicated app for sports turf to measure any area, guide you in calibrating your spreader for any granular product and also help you apply fertilisers as accurate as ever. PrecisionPro allows turf managers to have an accurate measured area by simply
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opening the app and walking the perimeter of the green. Also being Showcased on the stand is Sherriff Amenity’s all new ParryMeter football app – which is the world’s first dedicated measurement device to accurately measure the ball roll performance of football pitches using a real football. }
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} Sherriff Amenity will be joined on
the stand by Carbon Gold – the world’s leading biochar company. Sherriff Amenity are the exclusive UK distributors of Carbon Gold’s Enriched Biochar Turf Improver.
STIHL Stand H070
This year STIHL, Stand H070, will be Showcasing its collection of new professional mowers including the RM 756 GS and RM 756 YS, as well as the RM 4 RTP mulching mower and RM 655 RS rear roller mower. Visitors to the stand will also be able to see STIHL’s comprehensive range of high-performance and robust Lithium-Ion PRO Cordless tools and personal protective equipment range, including the new ADVANCE Vent and X-Vent helmet and BT ear defenders with Bluetooth connection. For more information please visit www.stihl.co.uk.
award-winning 2017 stand. Our range of our innovative mowing solutions will be on display including Ferris zeroturn mowers, the only brand in the industry with patented suspension and exclusive use of the Vanguard Oil Guard System. Launching at SALTEX will be the brand-new Ferris ISX®800Z zeroturn mower and the Spider X Line, their smallest commercial mower with integrated winch for slopes up to 55° and productivity rivalling thr operatives with brushcutters! The stand will also feature Wright stander mowers, offering zero-turn ability, free-floating cutting deck and uncompromised speed, control and traction. Finally, the Jensen team will be on hand to discuss their range of German-engineered woodchippers, boasting the largest range of chippers in the industry from 6” to 12” towed, tracked or PTO driven. Visit us on stand H190 and find out more about our ranges.
TH White Stand H190
The team that bring you Ferris, Wright and Spider mowers, and Jensen woodchippers, are pleased to invite you to our stand H190, which is over 50m2 larger than the
54 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018
Timberwolf Stand G070
The TW 280TVGTR features Timberwolf’s renowned TW 280 performance with the ability
to move the tracks in and out, raise the height of the machine off the ground and alter the angle, making tackling difficult ground conditions easy! The Wolftrack variable tracking system features heavy-duty twin arms supporting each track, with dynamic control over track width, ground clearance and machine tilt angle, giving you greater control and comfort, particularly while navigating uneven and sloping ground up to 30 degrees. The extra-wide feed funnel and open top section combine to provide users with better visibility and ease of feeding, whilst the class-leading 280mm by 210mm in-feed aperture can process up to 6.5 tonnes per hour. Designed with the user in mind, the TW 280TVGTR has a low vibration and ergonomically designed ride-on platform for ultimate comfort and safety. There are also additional safety controls, such as reverse feed rollers overriding the stop bar or the carefully positioned air filter intakes to draw in cool, dust-free air. The devil really is in the detail!
Tyre-Line Stand D082
Tyre-Line will again be exhibiting at this year’s Show, bringing their extensive knowledge and product portfolio to the UK’s Premier Turf Management exhibition. With tyres available from brands including Carlisle, ITP, Marastar & Wanda, this year Tyre-Line will be showcasing their range of ECE Homologated tyres for both O.E. and Aftermarket applications. With new legislation being recently introduced for certain machine types and their respective tyre fitments, tyre markings and homologation testing have seen a huge overhaul over the past 12 months, with many new or updated tyre markings and alternative sizes being produced. With groundscare and utility vehicle sectors being some of the largest to be affected by these changes, Tyre-Line will be on hand to answer all your questions and offer advice on any of the aspects that may affect users and manufacturers now these new tyre legislations are in place.
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Saltex’18 exhibitor listing Exhibitor
*All information correct at time of going to print.
Stand No
A.B.A Science Play – Playgrounds of tomorrow
C134
Advanced KFS Special Vehicles Ltd
M025
AEA
M145
AES
J005
Agralan Ltd
K005
Agria-Werke GmbH
J190
Agrigem
E110
Agripower Ltd
F187
Agronomic Services Ltd
F100
Air-Seal Products Ltd
C030
Allett Mowers
K009
Amazone Ltd
K111
Apex Soil Solutions Ltd
F110
Aquatic Solutions Uk
C191
Aquatrols Europe Ltd
D062
Ariens Company
D117
ArmaTrac
J052
AS Communications (UK) Ltd
E005
Aspen Fuel
M055
ASTROSPORT LTD
F194
AstroTurf Europe
F192
Autoculture
K020
Automated Managed Services Ltd
A090
AVANT Tecno UK Ltd
E135
BAGMA
G203
Barenbrug
G055
Baron UK
G192
Bayer Cropscience Ltd
G030
Belchim Crop Protection Ltd
A100
Exhibitor
Stand No
Bernhard and Co Ltd
D097
Blade Machinery Ltd
J182
Blakedown Sport & Play
F192
BLEC
M080
Block Blitz Ltd
M180
Bomford Turner Ltd
J124
Boningale Ltd
K190i
Boston Seeds Ltd
D067
Boughton Loam
G050
Branson Tractor UK
K180
Brendon Powerwashers
C100
Briggs & Stratton UK Ltd
L077
British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association
E220
British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI)
K190b
British Sugar TOPSOIL
K190c
Broxap Ltd
A050
Campey Turfcare Systems
G100
Case IH Agriculture
D032
Catalyst Computer Systems Ltd
H012
CCGrass
C195
CEMO Safe Storage Ltd
K100
Chapin UK
D087
Charterhouse Turf Machinery
K070
City & Guilds
E222
Clever Pasture Ltd
E186
CLS Sports
C115
Collier Turf Care Ltd
C035
Consolidate Turf
E196
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saltex’17 exhibitor listing } Exhibitor
Stand No
Exhibitor
Stand No
Cottam Brush
H187
Easy Petrol Post Driver
D118
County Sports Surfaces Ltd
H032
Edwards Sports Products
F180
County Turf Ltd
F132
Ego
J062
Covermaster Inc
F183
English Braids Ltd
C105
Craigmarloch Nurseries Ltd
D087
Etesia UK Ltd
C050
CRAMER
G186
European Golf Group
L183/L180
Cub Cadet
H075
European Panel Systems
L183/L180
CWS Group
K190k
European Sports Dome
L183/L180
Danarm Machinery Ltd
C065
European Turf Group
L183/L180
Demon International Ltd
F105
EVENTS FOR YOU
Dennis Mowers
E070
EverEdge
DJ Turfcare Equipment Ltd
M060
Evopos UK Ltd
K122
Domo Sports Grass
C190
Ferris, Wright and Spider Mowers
H190
Duralock
M075
FGM Claymore
D012
DW Tomlin
A065
Fine Chemical Co Ltd
E122
E P Barrus
F022
Fleet (Line Markers) Ltd
A070
Earlsmere Ltd
C060
Flower Your Place BV
C130
M182 K190m
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}
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saltex’17 exhibitor listing } Exhibitor
Stand No
Exhibitor
Stand No
FORST Woodchippers
K010
Gripple Ltd
E031
Forthroots Ltd
J186
Groundsman Industries Ltd
K078
Forza Goal
C107
Groundwater Dynamics Ltd
Outdoor Demo 9
Fusion Media
Press Office
Garden Hire Spares Ltd
H055
Gekko Industries Ltd
J107
Georipper
B220
Germinal Amenity
A130
Gianni Ferrari S.r.L
A040
GKB Machines Ltd
H051
Global Recycling Solutions Ltd
G110
Granuflex
F191
Grasshopper Turf Equipment
M095
GrassMaster Solutions by Tarkett Sports
E190
Green-tech Ltd
K190g
Greenacres Artificial Grass
F013
Grillo Agrigarden
K080
Grundon Sand & Gravel
J191
Harrod UK/Harrod Sport
K095
Harry West Prees Ltd
E045
HATKO
F190
Hayetr/Toro
E065
Headland Amenity Ltd
H050
Healthmatic Ltd
M105
HeBlad-UK
K120
Helping Hand Environmental
M040
Henry Sheach Ltd (BOBCAT)
K040
Herbatech SRL
E102
HillTip
H030
Honda Engines
E090
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}
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saltex’17 exhibitor listing } Exhibitor
Stand No
Honda UK
E010
Horticulture Week
M035
Hozelock Exel
F125
Husqvarna UK Ltd
H040
Ibcos Computer Ltd
H082
ICL
K030
Idverde
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Outdoor Demo 1&3
Indigrow Ltd
D122
Inscapes
H052
IOG (Institute of Groundsmanship)
C180
IRUS Mowers UK
H189
ISEKI UK & Ireland
E057
Jac Uittenbogaard + Village Sensation
K123
Japanese Knotweed Control Ltd
J189
JAS P Wilson Forest Machines
C086
Javelin Irrigation Systems Ltd
A051
Jo Beau
G110
John Deere Ltd
E080
Johnsons Sports Seed/DLF Seeds Ltd
J100
KAR UK Ltd
E053
Kersten UK Ltd
K075
King Feeders UK
H085
Kioti UK Ltd
A190
Kirkby Tyres
E097
Kirkland UK
D022
Kubota (UK) Ltd
C070
Kubota Engines
G085
Landscape & Amenity Product Update
H080
Landscape & Urban Design
E024
Lantra
E112
Lastec UK
G080
Leica Geosystems
H202
Limagrain UK
G041
Live Trakway
E020
Lloyds/Hunter Grinders
L057
Loncin-Barrus
C090
Loxston Groundcare Ltd
H189
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Exhibitor
Stand No
Exhibitor
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Stand No
LS Systems Ltd
F008
MTD Specialty Turf Products
H075
Lubbe & Sons (Bulbs) Ltd
G025
Muck-Truck UK Ltd
H005
LWS Irrigation
J187
Mumby Machinery Ltd
H203
Lyster Lawnmowers DAC
K190
Myerscough College
C220
M&M Timber
G052
Natural Grass
F220
Magic Distribution – Robotic Lawnmowers
H120
Net World Sports
C107
Magnation Water Technologies
E032
New Holland Agriculture
H180
Major Equipment Ltd
J112
NGK Spark Plugs (UK) Ltd
K055
Makita UK Ltd
K190d
Nilfisk
J052
Mark Harrod Ltd
G181
Nomix Enviro Ltd
E040
Martin Lishman Ltd
D092
Nufarm
A030
McConnel Ltd
A095
Nurteks Carpet Industry
J184
Melcourt Industries Ltd
H057
Oak Garden Machinery
F113
MESTO Spritzenfabrik Ernst Stockburger GmbH
H083
Oregon
C040
Overton (UK) Ltd
M050
MH Goals
E095
Overton (UK) Ltd
M110
MJ Abbott
} B102
}
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saltex
saltex’17 exhibitor listing } Exhibitor
Stand No
Exhibitor
Stand No
Overton (UK) Ltd
K050
Rigby Taylor Ltd
G060
P Dot Wolf Ltd
K190j
Roadphone Ltd
D102
Pellenc
E055
Roberine BV
G090
Perennial
K189
Rochford Garden Machinery Ltd
C080
PG Horticulture Thorntrees Amenity
H121
Rollins Bulldog Tools Ltd
C85
Phil Day Sports Ltd
H100
Rover
F022
Pitchmark
E125
Ryetec Industrial Equipment Ltd
K121
Plant Food Company, Inc.
M181
SALTEX 2019
M182
Postpullers (UK) Ltd
H185
SAPCA
E114
Poweroll
H110
Select Imports Ltd
M140
Precision Microbes
E195
Selectline
B112
Price Turfcare Limited
B124
Service Dealer
M030
Prodata Weather Systems
E185
SGL B.V
E195
PSD Groundscare"
G120
Sherriff Amenity
E060
Ransomes
H090
SISGrass
G222
Recreational Systems Europe BVBA
C193
SISIS Equipment
E070
Turf Matters Forum – have your say If you fancy airing your views, want to talk shop or need some advice, why not discuss it on the Turf Matters Forum? We’ve had some great discussions on the Turf Matters website and across our social media platforms and we love hearing your views. Now you can talk about what you want, when you want, on the Turf Matters Forum. How can I take part? You need to register to use the forum. It’s a simple process that will let you post and reply across all the topics. Just go to the website address below…
www.turfmatters.co.uk/forum 62 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018
making turf matter
Exhibitor
Stand No
www.turfmatters.co.uk
Exhibitor
Stand No
SKARPER
E100
Tobroco-Giant UK
D022
Smart Direct (Europe Ltd)
G020
Toro/Reesink Turfcare UK Ltd
H010
Solidur
E030
Total Play Ltd
A052
Solis Tractors UK Ltd
C131
Tracmaster Ltd
G095
Southern Machinery Ltd
A060
Trilo
G010
Spaldings Ltd
A085
Trimax Mowing Systems
C055
Spearhead Machinery Ltd
L107
Tudor Environmental
M090
Sports & Stadia Services
E182
Turf Business
F185
Sports Metals
M010
Turf Pro
M030
Springmasters Ltd
F028
Turfcare
G180
Stem Injection Systems (Europe) Limited
J189
Turfdry Ltd
A125
Stens UK
F006
TYM Tractors/Reesink Turfcare UK Ltd
F041
Stihl GB
H070
Tyre-Line Ltd
D082
STM Co Ltd
K090
Uni-Power
K007
Stuart Canvas Group
B089
Upson Mowers
E100
Suregreen Ltd
F115
Velvit Ltd
F101
Surrey Loams Ltd
D133
Vitax Supaturf
C120
Symbio
G040
Votex
K182
T H WHITE Machinery Imports – Ferris, Wright, Spider and Jensen
H190
Walker Mowers UK Ltd
F030
Wessex International
K060
Talbot Farm Landscapes Ltd
D117
White Hrse Contractors Ltd
E127
Talurit UK Ltd
K105
White Moss Horticulture Ltd
J005
Tarmac Topsport
A110
Wiedenmann UK
A080
Team Sprayers Ltd
C095
Wildflower Turf Ltd
M085
Techneat Engineering Ltd
K110
Wilson Machinery
C086
The Children’s Playground Co. Ltd
C020
Wox Agri Services Ltd
H188
The Landscaper
J185
XL Probio
H027
Tildenet Ltd
B107
Yanmar/Kawasaki – Barrus
H081
Timberwolf
G070
YMCA Training
K190a
The turf matters website will be regularly updated during saltex. check out www.turfmatters.co.uk
Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018 | 63
64 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018
making turf matter
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Hagg’s Castle’s silver lining It wasn’t the best day that Scott Ballantyne, Course Manager at Glasgow’s Hagg’s Castle Golf Club, had ever experienced, and the fact that it was just before Christmas merely compounded his misery, but there has been a glorious silver lining to that particular cloud. “It was the Friday before Christmas 2016 and someone popped in to tell me that there was a burst drain at the back of the 1st green,” recalled Scott. “We went to investigate and what we found was just like a river spewing out sewage and it was coming from the Shieldhall Tunnel project, the £100 million city sewage project which involved a tunnel being dug under the city,” explained Scott, adding that he has since become something of an expert on the Shieldhall Tunnel. The tunnel, now completed, runs underneath a significant part of the golf course, including the 7th hole, the 2nd tee, the 17th and 18th tees, the 16th and all the way up the length of the 17th, in total around 600 metres of golf course. Issues occurred when the drill bit struck unexpected rock. “I’d never been given an indication that there might be a problem but it happened and we had to deal with it. We dealt with the mess that Friday and then shut down over Christmas
for two weeks,” recalled Scott. With festivities over everyone returned to work and when the tunnellers turned on their drill it all happened again – an illsmelling recurring nightmare. “We cleared it with squeegees for the second time and sacrificed two bunkers which we decided we’d have to rebuild. We told the tunnel constructors that we couldn’t keep clearing up the mess every time it happened so we told them just to go for it and we’d sort it out at the end. We shut down the 16th and 17th holes while they worked and insurance paid for the damage to the course.” With the course returned to its full glory there was some revenue left over and this was put to good use with a superb new chipping area alongside the club’s brand new maintenance facility. “It was always the plan to make the existing practice green bigger, but when we looked at it we realised we could put in what we have now – a bunker and full size pitching area surrounded by a fence, much of which we’d already bought to protect the workers who were building the maintenance facility.” Knowing that the club had the money for the project but still looking for the best result without spending
money unnecessarily, Scott turned to Rigby Taylor to examine the options and it turned into a great opportunity to use a new product – Rigby Taylor’s R Duo 50-50 blend of poa reptans and Browntop bents. Everyone was confident having witnessed successful trials of the mix a Loch Lomond Golf Club during which it was starved, fed and shaved but what it hadn’t faced was the hand which the Beast from the East dealt it. “It was March and we had just put down a bag of seed when the weather turned and the temperature went minus for a couple of weeks A couple of days after it went in the ground froze solid }
Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018 | 65
stadium HAGG’s CASTLE of light GOLF CLUB
“The mix is clever because the germination point of fescue is slightly earlier than the bent so it accelerates the ameliorating process and you get a quick maturation process at a cost which is not breaking the bank.” } for a couple of days,” recalled Scott. But what do you know? It came through it beautifully to the extent that David Carson, Scott’s Rigby Taylor man, and RT’s top man in Scotland, thought that the club had changed course. “I drove past one day and when I looked in I could see a beautiful green sward on the new area. I immediately thought that they’d decided to turf the area and not tell me!” he said. He was wrong and if the extreme weather had allowed doubts of its success to enter his head they soon disappeared as he saw first hand the cover that the seed had produced and chatted to Scott about how well the R Duo had come through. Had they gone down the route that David had falsely suspected and turfed the area it would have cost around £6,500 to turf to the standard a club of Hagg’s Castle’s standing expects but by seeding it cost a few hundred pounds – and
See you at the Show REMEMBER, The turf matters website will be regularly updated during saltex. check out www.turfmatters.co.uk 66 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018
Scott still has the other bag he thought he might need but didn’t. “The mix is clever because the germination point of fescue is slightly earlier than the bent so it accelerates the ameliorating process and you get
Technical details n Greens seed: R Duo mixture of poa reptans and Browntop bent 50/50 blend. n Rootzone materials: LMC ( Lanark medium coarse ) 230 tonnes rootzone. n 10 x 20kg Apex Organic 4-6-4 and n 6 x 20kg Convert Gold 16-4-13 n 4 mats of Golf Tee Grass from Grass 4 Life n Golf Netting from Huck Nets a quick maturation process at a cost which is not breaking the bank. What you are doing is eliminating the battle of having to rid of the cauliflowers and getting it down to acceptable poa,” explained Scott, adding that he’d be more than confident about putting using R Duo on putting
greens as well as chipping greens. David also looks on the work at Hagg’s with a considerable amount of pride. “Jayne Leyland was confident that it would do well but if you were playing by strict agronomy rules you are not going to get the STRI saying put poa on but this is the modern world and demands change. “We have played it low key, we didn’t even put the mixture in our catalogue, and just thought we’d see how it went and are delighted with the results we’ve seen here,” said David. Money was also saved on the new chipping area by merely adding another 25 yards to the three metre high fencing which had been bought to protect the guys building the maintenance facility from errant shots from the adjacent driving range. All in all the project has been a huge success and turned what was a foul smelling disaster into a major plus for the golf club.
Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018 | 67
FERTILISERS AND CHEMICALS
It’s time to fight fungi with fungi With multiple chemical fungicides getting banned, professional sports turf managers’ arsenals against fungal pathogens are shrinking. Craig Sams, Executive Chairman of Carbon Gold, explains why it’s time for the turf industry to adopt a biological approach to pathogen control… Alexander Fleming’s discovery of penicillin in 1928 was a godsend but, after nearly a century of overprescription, bacteria are becoming resistant and superbugs like MRSA are haunting our hospital hallways. We are threatened with a return to the pre-penicillin days when we were completely unequipped to deal with infection. When they first reared their heads, the medical community reacted to superbugs with blanket sterilisation, but by simultaneously killing benign and beneficial bacteria, they were inadvertently giving superbugs grounds to flourish, making the problem worse. With experience we grow wiser and now, in the place of alcohol rubs, hospitals will soon have microbial soaps to beat the superbugs at their own game. Literally fighting bacteria with bacteria. The healthcare industry’s rapid progress in its approach to tackling super-resistant pathogens is not replicated in the world of turf however, which has been in a state of arrested development for some years. The number of fungicides available to deal with troublesome pathogens, such as fusarium, (which leaves unsightly brown patches on green grass) outstripped the speed with which the fungi could adapt and outweighed
Digging deep AQUA-AID’s EU Director Hans de Kort explains why Worm Power Turf, a vermicomposted liquid compost, is different from other tea-based products on the market, and how the product benefits root system development to create a stronger, healthier strand of turf and healthier roots.
68 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018
their ability to develop resistance. Greenkeepers could cycle through six or so chemical fungicides, switching from one to the other every time their effectiveness declined. By the time they’d got through them all the fungi would have lost their resistance to the first fungicide in the sequence, and so the cycle starts again. Apart from being expensive to do so many applications per year, it may seem like a perfectly balanced system but balance, as always, is delicate. Fungicide after fungicide is being found to be carcinogenic or harmful to people and the environment and their approval for use in the EU is being revoked. The greenkeeper’s arsenal is rapidly shrinking. The threat now is that there are no longer enough fungicides in the cycle to keep pathogens like fusarium at bay; they will adapt faster than we can keep up, possibly even becoming resistant to all our chemical treatments. So, what then? We could try to put off the inevitable a little longer by developing more chemical fungicides. We could continue to fight on the back foot, barely keeping up with nature, while exposing golfers and the like to more potentially hazardous chemicals. A better approach is to take a blade from the medical community’s pitch and fight fungi with fungi. Biostimulants are very much the cutting edge of agritech. We now know that incorporating beneficial microbiology around the roots of grass ensures the turf is all around healthier. The microbiology competes with pathogens, making
the grass better equipped to fight off pests and diseases. Prevention is better (and cheaper) than cure. The best performing biostimulant has been repeatedly shown in independent studies to be Carbon Gold’s enriched biochar. This is because microorganisms and nutrients normally leach away with rainwater and irrigation, but biochar, which is a highly purified and porous form of charcoal, provides beneficial soil biology with permanent and recalcitrant housing. Carbon Gold’s biochar is enriched with mycorrhizal and trichoderma fungi (the fungal ‘good guys’), seaweed and wormcasts – a combination that enables faster establishment and root growth, and improved grass health. Following successful trials, enriched biochar has been incorporated on all the greens at Okehampton Golf Course and this year Royal Ascot reports a significant improvement in the quality of its racecourse. The STRI testing enriched biochar in its turf trials right now, so official confirmation is on its way. Biochar is more effective than standard agrichemicals at keeping turf healthy and, because it is organic, there is no risk of it being found to be carcinogenic somewhere down the line. The risk of it being banned is zero. Yes, the arsenals of groundsmen and greenkeepers are shrinking, but when a superior alternative exists, what does it matter? For forward looking sports turf managers, the arrested development is coming to an end. It’s now time to end the fungicide cycle. It’s time to fight fungi with fungi.
What exactly is Worm Power Turf?
With other teas and products like it, the big goal seems to be that if billions of microbes are a good thing, then trillions are better. So people want microbial blooms in their products. In our opinion, that’s really not the important thing. The numbers aren’t important. The important thing is the broad spectrum of colonies that we achieve, and the viability of those colonies once they hit the soil.
Worm Power Turf is a vermicomposted liquid compost that boosts microbial life in the profile. It’s made strictly from our own OMRI-listed vermicompost, which is produced on site in our facility, and water, which are the only two ingredients in Worm Power Turf. This sets it apart from a lot of other vermicompost products, and we refer to our product as a liquid extract. You’ll hear in the industry, the jargon is compost tea. For us, we view that as kind of a pejorative.
How does it work? What the liquid really is, is a vector for
making turf matter
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Never settling for less than the best
RIGBY TAYLOR PRODUCTS SCORE CONSISTENTLY WELL FOR LEICESTERSHIRE COUNTY CRICKET CLUB
Having spent his complete working life at Leicestershire County Cricket Club, Head Groundsman Andy Ward is unswerving in his dedication to keep The Fischer County Ground’s square, outfield area and nets up to first class standard. He and his five-strong grounds team’s implementation of a methodical pitch maintenance regime is coupled with the use of the appropriate machinery and equipment, as well as amenity supplies to ensure this is the case, year-in and year-out. Andy joined the Leicestershire Foxes’ grounds team in 1985 on a youth training scheme and has gradually moved up the ladder, beginning with tasks that included cutting the surrounds, outfield and practice area. After being appointed Deputy Head Groundsman he progressed into the position of Head Groundsman in 2009. With 21 wickets – 15 of them being for first-class games – Andy reflects that “there’s a lot of variation in the job over an annual eight-month season. And this year it has been particularly tricky weather-wise, with ice and snow followed by a period of heavy rain then drought! “This has played havoc with wicket preparations – from April onwards we’d
normally spend 12/13 days preparing individual wickets, but that’s not always been possible – for a ground that is heavily used for a variety of games by the Leicestershire CCC teams as well as, for example, T20 games and England Women’s matches in addition to nonsporting events such as music concerts. “But with a great grounds team who between them have a lot of experience, complemented by the use of some superlative amenity products from Rigby Taylor, we’ve been able to keep pace with the demands while also be able to present a top-class playing surface – which has resulted in us winning the ECB 1 Day pitch award alongside Nottinghamshire in 2017 and being outright winners in 2013.” Andy says the use of Rigby Taylor supplies – especially the R range of seed mixtures that have been developed using highly rated, top performing cultivars – has been a constant at the club even before he became head groundsman. “We’ve always used R9 (100% ultra-fine rye) on the square and nets, and R11 (100% perennial rye) on the outfield – R11 being especially hardwearing and drought-tolerant.” In addition, Microflow and Fineturf fertilisers are used alongside a programme of Fusion fungicide and the Mascot Hi-Aktiv and Chikara herbicides (glyphosate, and contact/residual, respectively). Also, Duraline Dazzle linemarking paint is used on the wickets. ”I also know that Rigby Taylor’s technical sales representative Carl Chamberlain is always available by ‘phone, and that’s a great reassurance when I need to discuss an issue or order something quickly.”
thousands of microbial communities that will essentially colonize the root zone of any plant they’re applied to. They have a particularly beneficial effect on turf, in that it creates very strong root systems without any undue top growth. That’s really been one of the things that’s been a boon to golf course superintendents. It doesn’t do them any good to have a good root system, but then have to go out and double their labour costs by mowing twice as much as they used to. It’s really an effective tool in terms of solely focusing
on the increased root mass and increased development that helps promote a stronger plant, but not overly vigorous growth. These benefits accrue to the soil through our product, but really, these benefits come from the worm. But why not just use compost? After the composting process, you have achieved a level of microbial inoculation that is specific to the high temperature ranges that occur in composting, what we call thermophilic microbes that operate above 50 degrees C. Worms, however, live in the rhizosphere of
This year’s first-class wickets have been reduced to 13 after two were re-laid last year when the top seven inches were removed and replaced with Ongar loam [all wickets are Ongar; the nets – “some of the best in the country” are of Boughton loam]. “The plan is to put a (second team) game on them this year. This is in stark contrast to what we used to do with new wickets – and that is to leave them for four or five years before staging a game on them,” said Andy. Wicket re-laying is part of an ongoing plan to renovate the complete square. “The square has historically received so many different topdressings over the years, with no real science behind the applications, and with nine of the 15 squares being at least 50 years old the plan now is to gradually renovate them all to give them a new lease of life.” This is part of the club’s ongoing improvement programme which, in 2016, saw the installation of floodlights. Going forward, with the use of new wickets year-on-year, Andy and his team obviously have pitch care down to an art.
With 21 wickets – 15 of them being for firstclass games – Andy reflects that there’s a lot of variation in the job over an annual eight-month season. the plant, and all the microbes that are both in the worm and on the worm, the same are imparted to the vermicompost. Those are the microbes are the ones that live and thrive in the middle temperature ranges, the mesophilic microbial communities. Once our product goes into the soil, those are in an environment that they’re able to thrive.
What kinds of rates are effective? The most effective application rates that we’ve seen, is 50 litres of Worm Power Turf } Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018 | 69
FERTILISERS AND CHEMICALS
ICL takes Downfield to next level John Watson, Course Manager at Downfield Golf Club, in Dundee, has been using ICL products for the entirety of his 20 year greenkeeping career and has recently singled out H2Pro TriSmart and Greenmaster Pro-Lite Invigorator for particular praise. John has been in the industry ever since leaving school and after landing the Course Manager position at Downfield he revealed that he was keen to further improve the course. “I’ve been a greenkeeper for 20 years and have used ICL products throughout my career. All three of my main areas (greens, tees and fairways) are covered by ICL products.” John firstly focussed on his greens and has noticed a significant improvement since applying H2Pro TriSmart wetting agent. “My greens have always performed well but I am of the mind-set that there is always room for improvement. I started using TriSmart and it has worked really well for us. The greens are not drying out as quickly as they used to and even the greens that are
prone to drying out because of nearby tree roots are retaining moisture better. “We go with our first application in April and continue to apply it on a monthly basis until September at 10L/ ha. We try to get it on early because the greens tend to dry out in April when the spring winds start coming in.” For his tees and aprons, John has reported fantastic results from using Greenmaster Pro-Lite Invigorator 4-0-8+2MgO+4fe. Over recent years, Greenmaster Pro-Lite Invigorator has gained a reputation as an outstanding microgranular fertilizer for high quality, fine turf nutrition and just last year ICL launched Greenmaster Pro-Lite Invigorator Plus 4-0-14+2MgO+8Fe. This new formulation features a higher iron and potassium content
than the original Invigorator. “We used the original Invigorator last year at the start of April after aeration work and we saw a very good recovery, good colour and it lasted for over six weeks which I was extremely happy with. “This year, we had a prolonged spell of rain through the winter, so I decided to go with an application of Invigorator Plus as it has a higher iron content and because we had a bit of moss on the tees. In the past I haven’t used granular feeds on my tees but the more experience that I have gained, the more I have learnt about the course and what it needs. “With the added iron content, we saw a good bit of colour within a couple of days and then we saw the growth within a week or so. I actually decided to apply it to the greens as well.” The new Invigorator Plus contains the mineral polyhalite, which has been found to bring enhanced turf colour and quality responses. It is a complex crystal product discovered at a depth of 1300 metres below the earth’s surface under the North Sea and is mined at ICL’s own mine in Cleveland – a site which John has been fortunate enough to visit. “I went down the mine recently and it is great to be in a position where I have seen how it goes from a raw product through to a final product suitable for an end user. I’ve also been over to the laboratory in Holland and after seeing both of these I would say that it gives you confidence in just how good the ICL products are. You see first-hand exactly what goes into a producing a bag of fertiliser for example. The research and science behind this process really is quite remarkable.”
Digging deep continued… } per hectare per month. Whether
it be greens or fairways or tees, if you’re going to do that, the application rate breaks down to two things: Either 25 litres every two weeks, or 50 litres every four weeks. Really, which way the superintendent chooses to do it is dependent on a couple of different factors. The effectiveness of our product for thatch reduction is more clearly visible when you do the 50 litres rate every four weeks. At the same time, if what they’re really after is increased root mass and
70 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018
density, then we’ve found that 25 litres every two weeks will promote better root development than 50 litres every four weeks will. Both are effective rates, and certainly outperform other applications and any control in testing.
Can it be mixed with other products? We’ve had great success when it’s being mixed with surfactants, especially with the notion that the material is supposed to work in the root zone. Anything that helps with
making turf matter
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Sherriff tank-mixes a ‘game-changer’ at Sweetwoods Park Allan Tait, Course Manager at Sweetwoods Park Golf Club, in Cowden, Kent, has reported excellent results from using two tank mixes containing a range of Sherriff Amenity products. Situated on the borders of Kent and Sussex in an area of outstanding natural beauty, Sweetwoods Park boasts a fantastic golf experience through its par 72, 18-hole golf course. Widely praised by its 450 members, the Championship course is kept in impeccable condition from season to season thanks to Allan and his greenkeeping team. Allan, who has been the Course Manager at Sweetwoods Park for just over four years, predominantly uses Sherriff Amenity products on key areas of the golf course and has singled out two tank mixes for particular praise. “The majority of products I use on my greens, fairways, tees and approaches are all from Sherriff Amenity and I’ve always had consistently good results. I’m a fan of foliar feeding as I feel I have more control over growth and more flexibility with regards to tank-mixing,” said Allan. Therefore, on his fairways, tees and approaches he relies on a liquid tank mixture which consists of Evolution Xtra 46.0.0 Soluble, Ferromel 20 – a water soluble formulation of iron sulphate hepta-hydrate and Primo Maxx II growth regulator. “I use this mix for recovery in spring; Evolution Xtra encourages steady growth, whilst Ferromel 20 provides colour and discourages moss. The
that soil penetration is fantastic. We’re seeing great results with a number of AQUA-AID products tank-mixed with Worm Power Turf. There’s also work that’s been done with NC State. One of our early recommendations was not to tankmix with fungicides. That becomes a labour issue for superintendents, if it requires another pass. Over multiple facilities throughout the US over the past two years, Agronomic programs have mixed fungicides with Worm Power and have seen zero negative effect ... this real-world research
Evolution Xtra provides rapid greening, while the iron in the Ferromel 20 discourages the moss and the Primo Maxx II keeps control of the growth. “For fairways I normally budget for two applications per year of this mix and that is more than enough because it has great longevity. It is nice and controlled and you don’t get a flush from it. I also like how soluble the product is. With some solubles you really have to grind them down but with the Evolution Xtra 46.0.0 Soluble, you simply run a hose over it and it disperses perfectly into the tank. I never get any blockages either. For me, it’s been a game changer.” Allan admits that he prefers the preventative route, but most recently, following a prolonged dry spell, he turned to a tank-mix containing Aqua-Zorb 45 wetting agent, Rootmass Plus soil and plant conditioner and Amino Turf – a bio-stimulant. “I’ve experimented with wetting agents before but for the past couple of years I’ve not really touched them – I’ve mainly used penetrants. However, after the recent weather conditions the greens were beginning to show signs of heat stress, drought stress and disease. I had watered them quite heavily and it was clear that it wasn’t enough or that it wasn’t getting into the right places so I decided to look at Aqua-Zorb 45 as a solution. I had heard of numerous golf clubs reporting great results from it so thought I would give it a go. With the seaweeds and amino acids in the mixture, which have been proven to reduce the stress and
along with the statistical counts we have proven through university research in multiple trials ... we are confident that Worm Power Turf can be mixed with any products that have to be incorporated into a soil-drench program.
What should greenkeepers keep in mind when using it? In the summer of 2015, I was responsible for traveling to golf courses in our course trials, and interestingly, as I was following up with them, I heard, “I’m not seeing
lessen the chance of getting disease, it seemed like a perfect tank-mix. “We applied it down and the next day, literally within 24 hours, the greens had a completely different look to them – they were so much healthier. I will continue to apply that mixture every four to five weeks right through until the end of the season. It has made a huge difference to the greens and it means that I could sleep easy at night!” Ever the perfectionist, Allan is always looking at ways in which he can take the course to another level and he believes that the technical support he receives from Amenity Specialist Joseph Dormer is another benefit in his decision to work with Sherriff Amenity. “I like to think I’m quite technically minded and I like to know every product inside out – Joseph is exactly the same and we are quite often having discussions about the technical aspects of greenkeeping. It’s great to be able to bounce ideas off one another.”
anything. Nothing’s happening.” And I knew why they were saying that, because they weren’t looking below the surface. Anyone who tries this, if they don’t do a cup cut and pull some plugs, they’re not going to see what’s happening. Look below the surface and you’ll find the benefits. Don’t think you’re going to see it manifest itself in a physical plant response above the surface. The top growth is not going to change a lot. You’ll find that the top growth responds over time by being more drought-tolerant and standing up to traffic better and things like
that, but you just don’t get that visible response on the top growth. The main thing is that you want it to be used as a soil spray. It can be effective as a foliar application, but it works in the root zone. We want it working in the soil. Watch the root zone. That’s where you’re going to see the benefits, and over time you’ll realise the benefits of a healthier root zone. Don’t expect to see a growth explosion right under your eyes. Get a cup cutter out there and start taking some cuts, you’ll see the benefits pretty quickly.
Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018 | 71
stadium FERTILISERS of light AND CHEMICALS
Spotting the early signs of
disease
With the risk of Microdochium Patch peaking this autumn there is no time like the present for greenkeepers to hone their disease identification skills to assist in rapid identification and treatment. Dr Colin Mumford, Bayer Technical Manager, gives his top tips on spotting the signs of Microdochium Patch, in order to help tackle the disease in the most effective, preventative way.
Stage one “Before signs of disease start to occur in turf, it’s highly likely that Microdochium disease spores will be present, but dormant among the sward. “This is the prime time to ensure that all cultural and biological practices have been carried out, in order to achieve the healthiest sward possible and minimise environmental conditions that aid the spores in developing into disease,” said Colin. “I’d recommend ensuring that your cutting blades are sharp enough to give a clean cut, as blunt edges can tear the grass leaf tissue, leaving a larger wound than necessary. This gives a greater surface area for disease to infiltrate the plant.” Colin explains that carefully managing nutrition levels can assist in preventing certain diseases such as Red Thread (Laetisaria fuciformis) and Anthracnose (Colletotrichum spp.) as well as help maintain good turf health. “Excess fertility, however, can encourage Microdochium Patch, so it’s important that nutrition is adequate, but not in excess. When it comes to biological practices there are a couple of options. Firstly, consider introducing new grass species that are tolerant
72 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018
to stress factors, such as drought or shade, that can make turf more susceptible to outbreaks of disease. “In addition to this, the use of microbial inoculants can help to enhance the microbial population in the root zone. This aids in the breakdown of organic matter to release vital nutrients to the plant. However, it’s important to analyse the turf properly to determine if this treatment is appropriate,” noted Colin. “Following the cultural and biological practices, when the weather is right, generally in temperatures below 15.5°C in still and damp conditions, a preventative fungicide, such as Exteris® Stressgard, is the best way to tackle Microdochium Patch before it can do any damage.
Stage two The second stage of Microdochium Patch sees the very first signs of disease developing. These will be visible to the naked eye in the form of slight discolouration or browning of the turf. “At this point, a fungicide with early curative properties can be used to help stop the disease continuing to develop. Again, I’d recommend using Exteris® Stressgard (fluopyram and trifloxystrobin) or alternatively Dedicate® (tebuconazole and trifloxystrobin).”
Stage three “Once the first signs of Microdochium Patch can be seen, it can quickly start spreading, so it’s essential to try and spot the signs before the brown or
bronze coloured patches spread. “This is because, following the loss of the popular curative fungicide active ingredient, iprodione, there are very few products remaining on the market to treat this damaging disease, after the early stages of development.”
Stage four At the penultimate stage, the patches continue to spread and darken in colour, often joining into larger patches. “It’s not uncommon to see mycelial growth surrounding the patches, especially when there’s dew on the ground, which shows as a white, slightly ‘fluffy-looking’ fungal growth.
Stage five “During the fifth and final stage of Microdochium Patch, the circular brown areas can reach up to 20cm wide if left untreated. A orange or ginger coloured ring forms around the edge of the spot, with the inner circle remaining a shade of brown, often developing a wet or greasy look. After this stage, it’s likely that scarring will occur on the turf, negatively affecting playability due to the uneven surface created. This damage isn’t completely irreparable. When conditions are right and grass growth is active, the turf can recover from the disease. “However, as this most commonly occurs in the autumn, subsequent cool temperatures can often mean that full regrowth won’t happen until the following spring, hence the importance of preventative or early treatment,” explained Colin.
Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018 | 73
NEWS EXTRA
IT’s a draw in the clearwater cup The annual ClearWater Cup took place at Corhampton Golf Club with The South Coast Greenkeepers playing The Wessex Managers. The club is set in an area of outstanding natural beauty and aims to provide members and
guests with a quality golfing experience within a friendly and welcoming environment. Highcliffe Castle’s Mike Cartwright captained the Greenkeepers and Barton on Sea’s Sean Trussel captained the Managers.
Despite everyone’s best efforts, however, the match ended in a draw and so the Greenkeepers retained the trophy. Acumen ClearWater’s Matthew Mears presented the cup.
key issues drive trend towards battery power Chainsaws, chippers, blowers and vacs are known to be noisy. In extracts taken from its recent whitepaper: Lithium-Ion Battery Versus Petrol Powered Outdoor Equipment, EGO explores the impact that noise can have on the working life of a professional landscaper. The World Health Organisation considers noise to be second only to air quality as the largest environmental cause of health problems. The new Physical Agents (Noise) Directive 2003/10/EC currently sets a maximum exposure limit of 87dB in working environments. Petrol powered equipment exceeds this at operator level (one metre away). This can mean reduced operating hours, to limit the harm to workers and limit the noise in the wider environment. Quite apart from the comfort and health benefits, the lower noise levels of battery powered equipment mean that it can be used at times, and in places, where petrol powered equipment may be prohibited – typically
early mornings near sensitive areas such as hospitals, schools and visitor attractions. European noise legislation is becoming ever more stringent on this with both the European Commission’s Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC and the Outdoor Noise Directive 2000/14/EC (OND) looking to regulate noise emissions caused by some 57 types of outdoor equipment – including those used in parks and gardens. The equivalent cordless equipment manufactured by EGO falls within the set limits. Battery powered cordless equipment is subject to same restrictions but is better able to meet the stringent requirements. The net result is that workers can enjoy improved comfort, communication and teamwork, while their business benefits from less disruption and a continuous working schedule. The new EGO Power Plus commercial
series of outdoor power tools has been specially developed to meet the needs of the professional market. The LBX6000 leaf blower has a maximum air force of 21 Newtons, outperforming many of its petrol equivalents – but with a sound level that, at 80dB, is among the quietest on the market. In the world of professional landscaping and grounds maintenance, petrol has been the fuel of choice for over 100 years – mainly because there has been no viable challenger. Recently however, battery powered cordless equipment has begun to gain worldwide popularity and increased market share, signalling the most significant shift in the sector for decades. There are four key factors driving this trend: health & safety, user comfort, the environment and economics, all outlined in a dedicated whitepaper commissioned by EGO, which looks at how to increase safety, productivity, sustainability and costeffectiveness in commercial gardening. The whitepaper is available to download via the EGO website: egopowerplus. co.uk/whitepaper or pick up a hard copy from EGO at stand J062 at SALTEX.
GOING In search of ‘bunker nirvana’
Imagine that a builder walks into your house to discuss an extension. He runs through some basic principles, explains where and how deep the foundations would go, what construction materials would be used and what finished looks could be achieved. Then he says ‘Mind you, depending on weather and a few other factors, within a year or so there will be damp showing, drainage may get blocked, some cracks will appear in the walls, so we’ll probably have to re-visit in two to three years’ time to repair or rebuild.” 74 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018
Nobody in their right mind would give this the nod, yet when it comes to bunker construction and renovation, that is essentially the situation in which most clubs find themselves. The reasons behind the passive acceptance of this ‘norm’ are varied, but one of the primary issues is that golf courses are built on natural landscapes. Soils and grasses are susceptible to natural elements, and do not have the permanency that lends itself well to building durable and long lasting structures. Rhydian Lewis, founder of Durabunker Ltd, is responding to a growing realisation that traditional bunker construction practices are not yielding acceptable results. “Almost every single course we visit is suffering similar problems, bunkers are not draining, sand is contaminated, the list goes on, yet many courses simply repeat what they have been doing for decades when it comes to bunker work, resulting in a temporary fix at best,” said Rhydian.
“Bunker problems are varied and challenging, so much so, that one product in isolation cannot address the whole picture. Our core product, Durabunker for example, addresses the issues of bunker face stability and the inherent problems of building bunkers using natural material, whether revetted or not, turf edges will inevitably fail, Durabunker offers a permanent solution.” It was this realisation that began to drive Durabunker Ltd to offer total bunker solutions, rather than focussing solely on one area of bunker construction. “Synthetic bunker edges, will always be our core product, we have installed them at numerous PGA Tour venues and worked with high end architects such as Nicklaus Design,” explained Rhydian. “We have also created installation models to suit all budgets.” The concept of ‘The Fully Sealed Bunker’ is one that is being pioneered by Durabunker Ltd; Bunker Nirvana may exist after all.
SYNTHETIC SURFACES
making turf matter
www.turfmatters.co.uk
Sublime and
SYNTHETIC Garry Watson, head groundsman at King Edward’s School in Birmingham, has chosen the SISIS Brush-Pro ride-on brushing system, for all his synthetic surface maintenance. Situated on a beautiful 50 acre site in Edgbaston Park Road Birmingham, lies two esteemed independent schools – the boys’ school, which was founded by King Edward VI in 1552, and the girls’ school which was established in 1883. The two schools boast extremely high academic standards and are both consistently placed with the leading schools in national league tables. The schools also pride themselves on the wide variety of opportunities
they provide for enrichment outside the curriculum, which includes a number of sports. Facilities for rugby, cricket, football, hockey, tennis and athletics are all included at King Edward’s School and overseeing the maintenance of all of these pitches is Garry along with eight members of staff. Among these facilities are three synthetic surfaces which are solely used for hockey. Two are situated at the girls’ school and quite recently the boys’ school had a sand based pitch constructed. All of these pitches see a tremendous amount of usage with school teams playing on them throughout the day and local }
Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018 | 75
SYNTHETIC SURFACES
1,000 year old school with the most modern sports surfaces } hockey clubs hiring them out in the evening. It is a very common misconception that synthetic surfaces require very little attention but just like natural turf, synthetic surfaces require maintenance as soon as they are constructed if they are to perform to the standard expected of them. Regular and periodic upkeep is required because it ensures a safe playing environment, retains the performance characteristics as well as prolonging the longevity of the surface. With this in mind, Garry needed an improvement on his previous machine to keep his synthetic surfaces at the highest possible standard – and this led him to the SISIS Brush-Pro. The SISIS Brush-Pro is a ride-on brushing system comprising a pair of mid mounted oscillating units and three rear mounted brush units that that have been specifically designed for maintaining synthetic surfaces. Upon seeing a demonstration of the SISIS Brush-Pro, Garry was so impressed that he decided to purchase not just one, but two of them. “Jason Briggs, (area sales manager for Dennis and SISIS) brought it in, gave us a demonstration and straight away I knew that I wanted one. I brought Douglas Parkes, our synthetic surface specialist, out to have a look and he said ‘”Wow,
can we have one please?’” “The original plan was to just buy one and drive it from the boys’ school to the girls’ school, but because we were so impressed we bought two so that we’ve now got one at each site.” “We’ve always done our own synthetic surface maintenance in house and we’d normally use the standard, flatter brushes. Don’t get me wrong, they were good and worked well but the SISIS Brush-Pro is just so much better.” Brushing synthetic surfaces is essential to keep infill mobile, lift the pile and prevent algae accumulation, surface compaction and loss of porosity. The BrushPro has been designed for maximum manoeuvrability and operator comfort with features such as an electric start, hydrostatic drive for forward/reverse and its brush combinations oscillating for thorough periodic work and rear mounted brushes for routine frequent work which cause less compaction than conventional drag brushes. “The oscillating brush is the best feature because it lifts the pile of the carpet up. The problem with synthetic surfaces is that you get a lot of flattening but the SISIS Brush-Pro brings the fibres back up leaving it in great condition.” “I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this product,” said Garry.
76 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018
Sublime and
SYNTHETIC
The Minster School in Southwell may be one of the oldest schools in England, having been founded in 956, but its sports facilities are right up to date. To complement its natural rugby and football pitches it has a state-of-the-art all-weather pitch. After experiencing problems with it in early 2018 David Everett, Acting School Business Manager, called on Replay Maintenance. David oversees the maintenance of the playing surfaces and has a team of three site staff and a grounds person working hard to maintain the natural surfaces. “We had a problem with the all-weather surface as the sand had become very dirty and compacted due to the use over a number of years and this had a major impact on drainage. We therefore approached various companies with a view to undertaking a rejuvenation and Replay Maintenance provided the most comprehensive quotation,” explained David. “We were impressed by
the process and we’ve now entered into a quarterly maintenance contract with them for the next five years.“ The Replay Rejuvenation process can restore compacted and contaminated synthetic football, rugby, hockey and tennis surfaces to ‘as new’ performance and appearance. The first stage of the process is to extract the contaminated infill from the surface. Replays’ Beaver machines feature unique constant air-flow plenum technology and uses compressed air to remove the contaminated layer of infill and fully decompact the surface. It can extract the infill to any chosen depth, including to the carpet backing if necessary. The pile fibres are cleaned, untangled and restored to vertical. The operator will then assess the general condition of the carpet, repairing any weak or damaged seams. A purpose-built spreading machine then distributes the fresh infill to the correct depth. An integral centrallymounted oscillating brush }
“THE process can restore compacted and contaminated synthetic football, rugby, hockey and tennis surfaces to ‘as new’ performance and appearance.”
making turf matter
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The Minster School, Southwell, before and after
} then works this infill down
into the surface, completing the rejuvenation. The process can fully restore a synthetic surface’s porosity, ball bounce and roll and player comfort. Unlike replacing
a surface, the Replay Rejuvenation procedure can be completed in days, minimising downtime and the important revenue stream that a synthetic pitch can bring. It also goes without saying that it also
comes at a fraction of the cost of a full replacement. “The all-weather surface is used during the school day and also most evenings by external groups including different Football and Hockey Clubs.
With such a busy schedule it’s important that the maintenance regime keeps downtime to a minimum. The planned maintenance programme with Replay will ensure this,” added David.
Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018 | 77
FIVE YEAR RETROSPECTIVE
Five years on yet
Turf Matters For all sports turf professionals in golf, football, rugby, cricket, horse racing plus local authorities
For all sports turf professionals in golf, football, rugby, cricket, horse racing plus local authorities
It’s only OK if you happen to be a duck Pitch to win’s fnal five, page 18
Aerate to survive
Top tips, page 24
May-June 2014 | £3.95
March-April 2014 | £3.95
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JCB plans £30m championship course
Appliance of soil science
Pitch to win £3,000
See news, page 6
Biology lessons, page 34
August-September 2016 | £3.95
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Paying for kit
Mowing: Be prepared
Competition, page 16
For all sports turf professionals in golf, football, rugby, cricket, horse racing, independent schools, universities and local authorities
See page 27
Experts’ top tips, page 19
The right height of cut for you Working it out, page 30
Paws for thought
#MyKubota, page 7
A SWISS ARMY KNIFE, BUT BIGGER
Best of Britain Turf Matters at Ascot
Easy Ryders
“We want the golf course to prove the critics wrong – it truly is a great course and will provide a Ryder Cup venue like no other” Scott Fenwick, Steve Chappell
Turf Matters at Gleneagles in preparation for the Ryder Cup
Charting the rise of the multi-use stadiums TurfMattersAugSept2016 TIM.indd 1
07/09/2016 09:14
For all sports turf professionals in golf, football, rugby, cricket, tennis, horse racing, independent schools, universities and local authorities
For all sports turf professionals in golf, football, rugby, cricket, horse racing, independent schools, universities and local authorities
March-April 2018 | £3.95
www.turfmatters.co.uk
For all sports turf professionals in golf, football, rugby, cricket, tennis, horse racing, independent schools, universities and local authorities
July-August 2018 | £4.95
May-June 2018 | £4.95
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The Beast on the East
Improving on a masterpiece RUBBER CRUMB: What do we know?
The danger beneath our feet?
Why the Machrie on Islay was an opportunity too good to miss
GRASSROOTS RUGBY CLUB’S GREAT EXAMPLE
MOWERS AT THE READY FOR NEW SEASON
14 Plaudits for Shrewsbury
31 What’s available
Will Carnoustie live up to its fearsome reputation at the 2018 Open?
GETTING TO GRIPS WITH POWERGRASS
OVERSEEDING AND FENCING TO THE RESCUE
ALL SET FOR WIMBLEDON FORTNIGHT
FACTS, FICTION AND SEED MANAGEMENT
FOOTBALLING GREATS CALLED DENNIS
ARTIFICIAL SURFACES IN REAL-LIFE USE
39 New system in focus
32 Renovations and repairs
50 Neil’s finishing touches
42 Chemicals analysis
28 The World Cup is coming
14 Synthetics in focus
78 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018
AUSSIE RULES: GROWING TURF DOWN UNDER 42 Climate challenge
making turf matter
W NE
still,
www.turfmatters.co.uk
!
For all spor ts profession turf als football, ru in golf, gb horse raci y, cricket, ng plus local authoritie s
Familiar face Ransomes Jaback at cobsen See new s, page 4
The applianc of science e Muswe
JanuaryFebruary 2014
www.t
BTME 14 pre view
ll Hill GC, pag e 30
This issue of Turf Matters marks our fifth full year in production and the time seems to have just flown by. We first appeared in January 2014 with a major look at St George’s Park. I will forever be indebted to Alan Ferguson for opening his doors to a magazine which while perfectly formed in my mind hadn’t actually appeared in print. Since then we have grown issue by issue and covered many of the top sporting events the preparation for two Ryder Cups – Gleneagles and Golf Club National – two World Cups, Wimbledon, Royal Ascot, Aintree, Six Nations Rugby, Test Cricket, World Athletic Championships and a host of others. We’ve profiled Hackney Marshes, Loughborough University, and carried out an in-depth examination of the issues surrounding rubber crumb. While the magazine has developed, so has our accompanying website and the numbers of people visiting the site, or opening our ezines, have increased at an extremely gratifying rate. We’ve also added a number of comprehensive Turf Matters TV interviews within the last couple of years, as well as our fabled 20 Questions, which do draw out some fascinating confessions from the interviewee! But back to the magazine. I am extremely grateful to everyone who has contributed over the last five years whether that be by submitting to an
urfmatt
| £3.95
ers.co.u
What’s comin Harrogate, pa g up at ge 36
Turf Matte r
s at the FA ’s National
St Geo Park: Orge’s year on ne interview from yours truly, contributing articles yourself or believing in the title sufficiently to take out an advert with us. I know Sinead and Marie have worked very closely with a growing number of you and I hope that your involvement with Turf Matters has exceeded your expectations. If not we would be more than happy to sit down and have a chat about how forging closer relationships can be of mutual benefit. Finally, I’d like to pay tribute to Tim Moat. He’s the man who makes Turf Matters look as good as it does. Tim and I have known each other for close to 25 years and his work designing the
Football Ce n
tre
“I’ve worke d in for many ye football ars and yo u tend to thin k seen it all that you’ve but nothin g prepared m e for this.” Alan Fergu so Grounds a n, Head of nd Estates
magazine has ensured that we stand out from the crowd. We will continue to strive to make Turf Matters the best publication we possibly can, covering all the important turf related sporting events and delving into the work of the groundsmen who maintain our top schools and universities – the unsung heroes if you like. Thanks for reading our magazine and don’t hesitate if you feel you’d like to offer a potential feature or some advice which would help us.
Scott MacCallum Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018 | 79
k
BUYERS’ GUIDE Statistics reveal scale of
To advertise contact Marie Anderson Email: marie@turfmatters.co.uk
AGRONOMY SERVICES MOWERS
FERTILISERS AND PESTICIDES
AERATION
BUYERS’ GUIDE GRASSSEED SEED GRASS
success of Saltex 2015
n Agronomy Audits n Advisory Services n Project Management over 70% of visitors said that there was an The 70th SALTEX exhibition exceeded all n Construction excellent mix of products on display. Table 1 expectations n Budgets after an independent audit shows what visitors were looking for. confirmed the exhibition as the largest turf www.gregevansmg.com Call: 07951event 157208 Exhibitors at SALTEX 2015www.campeyturfcare.com reported management in or theemail: UK with a total gregevansmg@gmail.com Telephone: 01260 224 568 huge3914540 success at the show, suggesting that of 8,714 unique individuals attending. Now, 0118 Email: info@campeyturfcare.com the visitors were a very powerful group of the visitor surveys have been flooding in –jamie@advancegrass.com buyers. With deals being done there and revealing a fascinating and in-depth insight GOLF COURSE TYRES then on the show floor, it’s no surprise to see into the visitor profile of the show. MANAGEMENT that over 80% had purchasing responsibility. With visitors traveling from every corner Over 75% of all SALTEX visitors also had of the UK as well as every continent around the ability to sign off purchases of up to the world it was encouraging to see that £100,000. over 70% of the visitors rated their overall WETTING AGENTS As for the type of facilities that the SALTEX experience as being good, very SOIL SURFACTANTS Golf Course Management visitors were responsible for, it was great to good or excellent. Consultant ORGANIC seeFERTILISERS such a wide array of visitors (table 2). Over 65% of visitors said that they Golf Course Advice; Visitors also found the more central attended SALTEX to source new products, Locum Greenkeeper Service; 01233 633267 location of the NEC to be more accessible services suppliers, while 20% wanted Projector Management; Practical with 70% stating that the new location was toSolutions make thefor most of theProblems free educationalUK.aquatrols.com Genuine either good or excellent. Within the halls of LEARNING LIVE seminars and to receive www.billymcmillanassociates.co.uk Fer�lisers | Bios�mulants | We�ers the NEC, visitors favoured the MARKING more compact one-to-oneTel: advice 07774through 632747 the IOG’s Ask LINE setting withproducts over 70% rating the layout of the Expert feature. With so much on offerover 50 professional the event either good or excellent. at SALTEX, there was something for MACHINERY MACHINERY Overall the visitor survey has everyone and over 80% said that they were demonstrated just how good the was the successful or very successful in meeting Toro Reelmaster 5010-H with PowerMatch quality of attendees – further enhancing their objectives. Horsepower SALTEX as the must attend event of the With such a large number of visitors onSALTEX Demand year. attending to source new products Fleet Line Markers Ltd SALTEX 2016 will be held at the NEC, and services; they certainly came to the World leaders in the field of Birmingham on 2 and 3 November 2016. For right place. The exhibition is a great way line marking paints and machinery. more information visit www.iogsaltex.com to launch and showcase new products and Tel: 01684 573535 www.velvit.co.uk sales@flmuk.com www.flmuk.com Available through your local distributor
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Lead
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04/03/2016
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Bringing technical excellence and service to turf and groundcare www.wiedenmann.co.uk 0141 814 3366 Table 2 Turf Matters | February-March 2016 | 33
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TURF RECRUIT
Dennis Mowers | @DennisMowers
From tee to green, our FT Range is perfect for golf course maintenance! http://bit.ly/1uFeEKc Robert Groves | @RobGroves78
Aprons and Greens completed now onto the Tees. Core, brush, cut, overseed and dress. @ReesinkTurfcare Pro Core has put some hours in the last few weeks but still keeps performing! @Spalding__GC Trevor Dargan | @tjdargs
Greens renovation done in super quick time yesterday. Vertidrained and microtined then sanded and rolled today.
Looking for your next move? Turf Recruit has quickly become the largest resource for ALL industry jobs. With EVERY job in one place you’ll never miss an opportunity again. Simply browse hundreds of jobs and find the one for you!
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#NonLeagueDay is approaching and to support this @Barenbruguk are giving away some amazing prizes. To ENTER follow us, visit – > https://www.barenbrug. co.uk/contact-us Milford Greens | @GreensMilford
Making hay with the long rough today our greenkeeper farmer Darrell is on super 500 @ CrownGolf @MilfordGolfClub @WiedenmannUK EPC Grounds Team | @EPCGroundsteam
Preparing the courts with the @CampeyTurfCare Air2G2 – maximising drainage potential by relieving consolidation of the soil profile at depth, which in turn aids drying and reduces disease risk.
Are you an employer looking to recruit? l Featured in the Turf Recruit section of the website – our most visited page l Featured in our monthly dedicated jobs e-shot – sent to over 26,000 industry professionals l No time limitations – the job remains listed online until you FILL IT l Regular social media promotion of your job to an audience of over 7,000 and growing
Follow us on Twitter @TurfMatters Tea Break Teaser answers 1. 31; 2. Justin Rose, Xander Schaufflele, Kevin Kisner and Rory McIlroy; 3. Tiger Roll; 4. France 4 Croatia 2; 5. 1. Ireland, 2. Wales, 3. Scotland, 4. France, 5. England, 6. Italy; 6. Carlos Ramos; 7. Brookes Kuepka; 8. 12 (excluding penalty shootout scores); 9. 33; 10. Glenn McGrath; 11. 80; 12. Masar; 13. 50 – Anderson 26 Isner 24; 14. Trent Alexander-Arnold; 15. 2007
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COMMENT
Well, European Golf’s four minute mile has now been achieved. It was a long time coming. Some poor statistician worked out that it was more than 620,000 rounds but when Oliver Fisher two putted the 18th green at Villamoura, he became the first European player to break 60. It has happened many times in the States but, let’s face it, they’ve been better than us for many years. It started with Al Geiberger, who was known as Mr 59, but a few players have done it since. Jim
82 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018
Furyk actually shot a 58, but rather than become Mr 58 he is still known as the bloke with the funny swing! It shows how important breaking an established barrier can be. Sir Roger Bannister was much better known than John Landy, who knocked a significant chunk out of the four minute mile a short time after Sir Roger and held the record for a considerable time. So what is golf’s next significant milestone? Might it be Tiger surpassing Jack Nicklaus’ Major record and, with his recent return to form, bookies who thought they could breathe again on wagers from 15 years ago are once again experiencing sweaty palms? Other than that, I can offer an alternative. It’s me to break 90. I have come close on numerous occasions. There was that four putt from 20 feet in the Wednesday Medal. That time I was out in 40 and back in 52 and that forgettable time I was so excited about achieving my personal Everest that I forgot to sign my card, after a 89. I now have it as a real goal for my golfing life. I’ve even bought myself a new putter and introduced a left below right putting grip. Used to be known as the bastion of the lousy putter but now with every conceivable grip being employed
by reasonably good putters I feel vindicated with my new approach. What is it with these grips? Some look like a technique better equipped to milk a cow or provide a splint for a broken arm, but if it works – as long as you’re not anchoring… But that’s another story! I haven’t yet used it in anger but I don’t see how I can miss with my new putter. It’s got all the new technology – hinges on the face to promote topspin, perfectly balanced with heel and toe weighting, a line to assist with alignment and a thick grip. In the shop I didn’t miss although I suspect the “putting green” was designed to funnel into the hole. It’s just a case of bringing it to the course and I can immediately drop six shots and get myself within striking distance of that elusive 89. Next, and this is the clever bit, I’ve been scouring the golf guides and Trip Advisor reports to find words like “golfer friendly”, “fun” and even “great for beginners” and avoiding words like “challenging” and “memorable”. What I want to find is the easiest course in the area. Something around 5400 yards, with no real hazards and no holes where I can come a cropper. If I can find that course, and I’ve seen some from the motorway which managed to squeeze 18 holes into a standard sized field with arrow straight holes, no bunkers and plenty of par-3s, and bring my newfound putting game I think 89 or even an 88 is there for the taking. Just a case of alerting a local photographer to be on the 18th green to record the event and I can then retire my clubs – or rather put them on eBay as that new putter didn’t come cheap – and take up bowls and dominoes. *As told to Scott MacCallum