Golf maintenance

Air2G2 Air Inject is perfect choice

Since a £1.2m course redevelopment in 2019, the popularity of Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society has surged, along with the importance of the Air2G2 Air Inject.

The work carried out by Mackenzie & Ebert was done while preserving previous developments by Willie Park Jr., Alister MacKenzie, James Braid and Fred Hawtree. The world’s fourth oldest golf club had 80 bunkers redesigned and repositioned along with the addition of seven new greens, tee boxes and half of the irrigation system.

Although the pedestrian aerator had been supplied to the Edinburgh club before the renovation, through local machinery dealer Double A, its use has become paramount since work was complete. Course Manager, Neil Hogg, is into his third season in charge and arguably knows the course better than anyone, having spent 33 years at the club.

Now, the greenkeeping team’s most significant challenge is working between the old and new areas of the course. But to manage this, Neil has utilised the versatility of the Air2G2 as it has become a machine he wouldn’t be without.

“We’ve got our challenges with adapting from our old course to our new course, and the Air2G2 is perfect for that,” Neil explained.

“The course is a heavy parkland clay. All of our greens are USGA specification, and we have some established older tees and some brand-new tees. So, we’ve got a bit of both across the course which is on two tiers with a higher area and a lower lying area.

“We have a lot of pinch points on our greens where it is quite narrow walking in and out. We’ve got a lot of bunker surrounds where members and visitors tend to walk up and around. The Air2G2 can really target these areas and open up the soil again, relieve the surface tension and get some valuable air down and obviously, water goes down as well.

“We had the machine before we did the redevelopment, but the reason we got it was because of its versatility, it’s quick, and once you’ve been over the greens, no one knows you’ve been there. This year during the knock-out part of our Club Championship, I ran it over the greens, and nobody mentioned it because there was no impact on the play.

“It’s such a quick, clean and easy machine to use. You can get out early in the morning, and you can get your job done on it and get ahead of the golfers, and they don’t even know you’ve been there.”

Consistent use of the Air2G2 is proven to create healthy, firm, and free draining surfaces. At Bruntsfield Links, Neil sees this effect on greens, bunker tops, tees and pathways using a little and often approach.

“After having it for six years, it is a machine I wouldn’t be without now. Over time it’s become a popular in the industry, and we’ve had courses local to us asking to use it, which is the best evidence you need for what a great job it does.” n www.

campeyturfcare. com

Neat way to avoid slips and trips

Gripclad’s aim is to prevent slipping on hazardous elevated stepped access in any spectator sport, or tripping or falling from steep sided golf club tees.

“We believe that coatings are no longer the way forward in slip resistance due to the eventual depletion of the wearing course and it simply isn’t thick enough to hold an aggregate in the long term,” said Barry Eagle, of Gripclad.

“Our neat and tidy GRP composite retrofit covers are a solid preformed anti-slip tread that has so far solved this problem for over 800 golf clubs so far. We want to extend this product to all other sports from football, rugby, cricket, hockey, and wherever a pedestrian crowd may gather. The more footfall the more likely a slip or trip,” he added.

This 4mm to 5mm thick product is easy to fit with a few screws. It is tough and extremely durable and resistant to high impact, frost and high foot traffic. The product has no weak spots, no chipping, no peel back, no layering, just the toughest, most durable and longer lasting anti-slip product available up to 15 years easily.

“These treads are all precut in accordance with your specification. Installation is easy and straight forward. Most of our customers report that it takes much less time to install than previous methods,” concluded Barry

Call Barry Eagle at Gripclad on 023 8040 6796.

60 years of topdressing and much more

Turfco built the world’s first mechanised topdresser in 1961 and now, over 60 years later, manufactures a range of broadcast topdressers, drop spreaders, blowers, overseeders and edgers.

“Our philosophy is to design and build equipment that increases productivity, saving work hours while reducing fuel costs when operating on fine turf surfaces,” said John Moore, Turfco’s European Sales Manager.

“Our WideSpin topdressers reduce the number of passes and compaction to complete the job, while ensuring an even distribution }

60 years of topdressing and much more

of material in all conditions.

“Our Torrent 2 powerful all-purpose blower has been designed with significant input from golf course, grounds, and turf managers. Available in tow-behind or tractor-mounted pto-driven formats it delivers unprecedented control over air speed, air direction, noise management and fuel consumption. This is a precision clean-up tool that can used year-round to give golf courses or grounds a new level of polish and playability,” explained John.

The TriWave 60 and TriWave 45 are a new breed of overseeder that can significantly increase the success of overseeding operations by up to 30%, especially on contoured ground.

The TriWave 60 has three, 460mm wide patented floating heads which move independently and blade spacing at 38mm; it doesn’t miss low spots, it won’t destroy high areas or unmarked sprinkler heads, offering unmatched consistency in seed density and depth.

The TriWave 45 is self-contained overseeder, which can be towed behind a utility vehicle, quad bike, bunker rake or tractor, and provides versatility and easiest operation of any overseeder on the market. Power comes from an 18.4 kW (25 hp) Briggs and Stratton Vanguard petrol engine and is convenient and efficient to use. n jmoore@turfco.com

Even favourable comments being received from golfers

Over the past couple of years, the True Fit Golf Centre, at Cuerdley near Warrington, has purchased two Ventrac allterrain compact tractors and a selection of attachments from local dealer Cheshire Turf Machinery, to maintain their 18-hole Fiddlers Ferry golf course and 22-bay driving range.

The True Fit Golf Centre was originally formed in 1985 as a golf club assembly business by engineer Mark Overton, before he added a 9-hole golf course, which quickly turned into 18-holes of golf when a local farmer sold him some adjoining land.

The small course maintenance team were using an eclectic mix of mowing equipment before the engineer in Mark decided there must be a more cost-effective way to manage the 5,500-yard course.

“I followed Ventrac on YouTube long before I decided to have a demo, as it appealed to my engineering instincts”, he said.

“I liked the fact that you have a single power unit and multiple attachments to do various jobs around the course. We purchased our first unit back in 2020 and it quickly became apparent that we needed another one. We were considering the purchase of a new fairway mower from a major brand, but for the £80,000 purchase price we can have a Ventrac with a selection of attachments that do more than just one task. It just made sound commercial sense.”

Ian Millington added that they had the two tractor units and added more attachments over time.

“So we now have a Contour deck, which we set at 35mm for the semi-rough and the triple Reel mower, which is set at 14mm for the fairways. The triple cuts as well, if not better, than some of the major brands. The Tough Cut deck is used on overgrown areas, and the Trencher is used for creating drainage bands, as we are situated very close to the river Mersey and it can be wet at times.

“Our final attachment is the Power Rake which we use for reinstating gravel pathways or preparing new areas when we need to break up the soil. It really has added to the overall presentation and playability of the course; even the golfers have made favourable comments!”

Mark added that they were a Pay-andPlay course with many regulars using our seasonal pass, creating a membership feel.

“All greens and tees have been built to USGA specifications and it has been designed to suit all levels of golfer from the beginner right through to the regular enthusiast. We’re not a long course by any calculation, but the Ventrac is the ideal solution for cost-effective course maintenance.

“Covering over 120 acres, the course has many water features and can be quite wet due to our proximity to the river, as Ian alluded to earlier. Now, with the Trencher, we have the flexibility to install drainage when we want to and are not reliant on contractors. And we can get the machine out when it’s wet due to its incredibly low ground pressure. It’s robust, very well built and, as we have proved, it’s not just a machine for highend clubs. Yes, we definitely like it.” n www.priceturfcare.com

Smithco has the answer

There’s no finer sports turf than that found on golf greens and for the discerning golfer, true greens with consistent ball roll are more important than fast greens. Rolling will immediately produce a smoother, truer surface with the improvements easily measured using a Stimp Meter.

Perhaps less well known is that this effect will last on the green for up to 48 hours after the roll, leaving a residual effect and higher than ‘normal’ speeds, improving the standards of the playing surface, without requiring daily use of the roller.

Smithco’s Tournament greens rollers provide consistent and true putting surfaces. With rolling widths from 91 cm to 1.78 metres, there’s a machine ideal for maximum efficiency on any golf course.

Smithco were one of the first companies to introduce GPS technology for spraying, when their Star Command system debuted in 2012. Today they are on the third iteration of the system on their Spray Star range of industry-leading sprayers.

The popular Spray Star 1200 features the most accurate spray technology at your fingertips, while the GPS-enabled state-of-the-art Star Command 3.0 ensures a precise application every time. Superior construction materials combine to ensure industry-leading longevity across all product lines.

The cab-forward design provides superior visibility, handling, and operator comfort, providing and excellent platform that makes the work simple, comfortable, and enjoyable.

The Sand Star E bunker rake emphasises Smithco’s commitment to cutting-edge technologies and environmentallyconscious products. While the Sand Star E is primarily for use on golf course bunkers, it is also ideally suited for shaping contours during golf course construction and for landscape contractors when preparing sites for seeding and turfing.

jm@smithco.com