Turf Matters September October 2023

TURF

Don’t forget Sport…

Always a silver lining

I’d like to both commiserate with and congratulate the England Women’s Football team on their exploits Down Under. They may not have won the World Cup, but they came damn close. What they have done, though, is give the women’s game such a boost in profile and popularity that more pitches will undoubtedly be required up and down the country to cope with the demand of girls wanting to take up the game. Those pitches will need to be maintained so that’s more work coming the way of our industry!

The last two months have been a nightmare for many people in certain parts of the country and my heart goes out to everyone dealing with the aftermath of unprecedented flooding and devastating erosion.

The best case scenario for many is months of temporary living. For others, lives will never return to what they were.

While the fate of sports grounds and golf clubs might seem inconsequential in the face of such hardship, we at Turf Matters have a particular empathy with everyone who has seen years of agronomic husbandry literally washed away in the space of a few weeks.

Distributed every two months to sports turf professionals, independent schools, universities, local authorities and buyers of turfcare machinery and products.

Editor: Scott MacCallum scott@turfmatters.co.uk

Distributed every two months to sports turf professionals, local authorities and buyers of turfcare machinery and products.

Editor: Scott MacCallum scott@turfmatters.co.uk

Design/Production Editor: Tim Moat tim@turfmatters.co.uk

Design and Production Editor: Tim Moat tim@turfmatters.co.uk

Sales Executive: Marie Anderson marie@turfmatters.co.uk

We have just entered one of the busiest sporting months of the year. We have the Rugby World Cup in France, and all the very best to all those grounds’ staff who will be maintaining the pitches for the tournament.

It must be hoped that banks – the financial institutions, not the things which edge overflown rivers – take an understanding approach to sporting facilities which have been unable to service loans as a result of them being unplayable and so unable to bring in revenue.

We also have three huge golf team events. By the time you read this the Walker Cup will have been played – special because it is being held over the Old Course in St Andrews. Then we have the Solheim Cup and the Ryder Cup in consecutive weeks at the end of September. They are being hosted by Spain and Italy and will be spectacular events showcasing some spectacular golf. Again all the very best to Ignacio and Lara, both Spaniards, who are in charge of the wonderful courses at Finca Cortesin and Marco Simone golf clubs respectively.

As we have seen with the recent Winter Olympics, sport has such a galvanising effect on society and can be the catalyst for so much good, that it is imperative sporting facilities are not forgotten when the promised assistance is being allocated.

On the issue of improving sporting facilities, we have been invited by Briggs & Stratton to become involved in its Pitch to Win competition, which provides a £3,000 makeover for what is judged to be the Under 18s football pitch in most need – find out more on pages 16-17. I am on the judging panel and visits will be made to a shortlist of deserving pitches soon. We will be looking not so much at the DESSO but the desperate!

And finally, we can look forward to GroundsFest at Stoneleigh this month. It is a new concept, incorporating much that the industry has been demanding over recent years, and I wish everyone connected with the event every success. I’d also urge anyone who has the opportunity to go along and take a look.

Scott MacCallum, Editor

On a final note, I am thrilled by the reception that the first issue of Turf Matters received. Many people have taken time to say how much they liked the look of the magazine and how they enjoyed the articles. We’re all pleased you found it to your liking and we will work hard to maintain the high standards. Thank you all very much.

Scott MacCallum, Editor

Contributor: Summer Rogers

Sales Manager: Pauline Thompson To advertise in Turf Matters, call Pauline on 07720 055676 or email pauline@turfmatters.co.uk

To advertise in Turf Matters, email marie@turfmatters.co.uk

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Turf Matters is published by Straight Down the Middle Communications Ltd.

All material © Turf Matters magazine 2023.

Awarded Best Writing and Best Design in the Turf & Ornamental Communicators Association (TOCA) Awards 2019-2022 inclusive

Turf Matters is published by Straight Down the Middle Communications Ltd. All material © Turf Matters magazine 2014. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form whatsoever, either for sale or not, without the written permission of the publisher. Information contained in Turf Matters is published in good faith and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. Turf Matters can accept no responsibility for any error or misrepresentation. All liability for loss, disappointment, negligence or other damage caused by reliance on information contained in Turf Matters or in the event of any bankruptcy or liquidation or cessation of trade of any company, individual or firm mentioned is hereby excluded.

No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form whatsoever, either for sale or not, without the written permission of the publisher. Information contained in Turf Matters is published in good faith and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. Turf Matters can accept no responsibility for any error or misrepresentation. All liability for loss, disappointment, negligence or other damage caused by reliance on information contained in Turf Matters or in the event of any bankruptcy or liquidation or cessation of trade of any company, individual or firm mentioned is hereby excluded. Printed by Warners Midlands PLC.

Printed by Warners Midlands PLC.

Next magazine distributed 2 May

The majesty of Gleneagles, pages 30-35

Cover picture: Finca Cortesin, venue for the Solheim Cup

AUTUMN BLUES FADE AWAY

As the nights start drawing in, in our industry thoughts turn to leaf collection.

The beauty of the horizontal SmartCut flail rotor is the vacuum effect generated by the fast-turning blades that simply lift the leaves and transfer them into the collection hopper.

Adding an additional scarifying knife can help lift any leaves run over by passing feet or traffic thus leaving a much cleaner finish as well helping to shred the leaves down into small pieces in order to get more capacity in the collection hopper.

So irrespective of whether it is a Profihopper selfpropelled flail collector or one of the extensive 21 model Groundkeeper range in cutting widths of 1.35m up to 2.1m, there is a model in the range to suit all applications and budgets.

Judges announced for GMA’s awards

The GMA’s annual awards will take place later this year when industry excellence across sports turf and artificial surfaces will be celebrated.

With the closing date to submit applications for the GMA Industry Awards fast approaching, the Grounds Management Association has announced the judging panel for this year’s ceremony.

The ten judges have been tasked with selecting 17 worthy winners from an industry-wide talent pool who, among them, represent every corner of the sector. Comprising of leading industry professionals, the stellar line up includes seasoned professionals, some with long and distinguished careers; many have judged the annual awards several times before and keep coming back!

The 2023 judges include:

• Neil Stubley, Head of Courts and Horticulture

at the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club

• Adrian Kay, Head Groundsman at York Racecourse

• Meg Lay, Groundsperson at Gloucestershire County Cricket Club

• Lee Metcalfe, Senior Grounds Manager at Manchester City FC

• David Roberts, Director at Training Unlimited

• Anthony Facey, Area Sales Manager at Tuckwells

• Stuart Kerrison, Head Groundsman at Essex County Cricket Club

• Derek Walder, Operations Director at SALTEX

• Nasa Hussain, Head Groundsman & Facilities Manager at Yorkshire County Cricket Club

• James Wright, Senior Maintenance Manager at Leeds University “To be invited to judge the Industry Awards applications this year is a real privilege. Having worked in the industry for over 56 years, it’s fantastic

PLAYABILITY IMPRESSES AT JOHN O’GAUNT GOLF CLUB

The Course Manager and Head Greenkeeper at the John O’Gaunt Golf Club in Bedfordshire believe that Attraxor plant growth regulator has played a major part in all the positive feedback they have received this year.

The club is set in over 300 acres of tree-lined parkland and boasts two renowned 18-hole golf courses. The two courses are maintained by an outstanding greenkeeping team.

Nigel Broadwith is now in his 15th year as the Course Manager and values the input from his Head Greenkeeper, Kevin Armstrong, and together they identified Attraxor as a product which could potentially signal some improvements.

“Poa annua seed heads are generally a problem in the

UK and most courses suffer from them,” said Kevin.

“We are no exception, and we were having to verticut weekly, if not more, just to keep on top of them. Mike Williamson, from Agrovista Amenity, suggested that we try Attraxor and we started using it in March this year.”

Kevin’s view was backed up by his Course Manager.

“We had full confidence from

the trial work we had seen from Agrovista Amenity. We have used other similar products, but we quickly found Attraxor to be the best at supressing seed heads,” said Nigel.

Attraxor is a plant growth regulator containing the active substance, prohexadione calcium and can be used to regulate growth of all managed amenity turf. This active substance inhibits the gibberellic acid pathway, which results in a reduction of turf height and turf biomass. Root growth is promoted while turf colour and quality are maintained.

“We have seen a massive seed head suppression. By the second application it was beginning to be highly noticeable. I do know from other courses in the area that seed heads have been rife this year, but

to be able to play a part in supporting the sector by recognising the hard work and dedication of those who contribute so much to maintaining the grounds they manage,” said Derek Walder

“I’m very much looking forward to the judging process, as well as attending the ceremony in November to celebrate the profound and often unnoticed achievements of the industry.”

Geoff Webb, CEO of Grounds Management Association said that he was delighted to have had such wonderful support from established industry professionals:

“Each judge comes with years of insight and invaluable experience from across all areas of the industry that will be put to good use when carefully considering applications and selecting our 2023 Industry Award winners,” he said.

we haven’t experienced that since applying Attraxor,” explained Nigel.

“A major improvement has been the playability, and the feedback we have had this year has been really positive in relation to the green speed and trueness. We believe that Attraxor has had a major part to play in that positive feedback.

Attraxor can also be tank mixed with other products, something with which Nigel and Kevin are particularly impressed.

“We use Attraxor in a tank mix with a liquid feed and this is a huge bonus. John O’Gaunt is a very busy golf club, and we don’t always have time to go out with a sprayer, so the more products we can apply at one time the better,” said Kevin. n www.agrovista.co.uk/amenity

Reesink awarded outstanding sales achievement from Toro

Pitched against Toro distributors from across the globe, Reesink has been awarded by Toro the International Outstanding Sales Achievement award for 2023 – high praise indeed for the company.

In order to qualify for the award, distributors must have exhibited excellence in sales growth, a positive market share trend, and win rate – which includes new projects, large fleet replacements, and renovations. They must have participated in relationship building activities and delivered

solid industry support.

Reesink Turfcare has succeeded on every level in demonstrating these core components.

“To be considered for this award at all is an honour, and to win it is a massive achievement for our sales team and dealer partners,” said Jon Cole, Reesink Turfcare’s Divisional Business Manager.

“The number of machines we’ve managed to get into clubs, even amid the challenges of industry wide shortages, speaks for itself and is testament to the hard work our sales team

and dealer partners put into building those relationships with our customer base.

“Over the past year we’ve seen more and more clubs invest in electric models and increasing numbers turning red as they look to invest in quality machines. I cannot emphasise enough just how thankful we are to all our customers for their patience and understanding in what have been, and remain, extremely challenging circumstances.

“Our aim is always to set the customer up with the right machines for their course, and deliver

to them a product that is going to perform, and last a very long time. This sales achievement award is a reflection of those values and the passion Reesink and our partners share in delivering quality equipment.”

After choosing Aspen Fuel to power their business just six months after opening in 2017, Cain Markings are now firm believers of the product and the benefits it brings to the operator, their machinery and the surrounding environment. Fuelling a range of 2 and 4-stroke equipment for sports maintenance and line marking, Owner Sam Cain explained how efficiency and reliability have improved thus saving the team time and reducing costly repair bills!

Young GMA Board Member Sam founded Cain Markings alongside his parents six years ago, the threestrong team providing a range of contract services to commercial customers in Hertfordshire and across the South East.

The perfect choice for a clean working environment

“We were undergoing training on some new equipment with High Five Training who asked us whether we’d considered using Aspen Fuel,” said Sam.

“The first thing I thought was the advantage of Aspen 2 being premixed which eliminates the risk of getting the ratios wrong but the more I read, the more benefits I discovered, and it quickly became a no-brainer. We’ve never looked back.” Being virtually free from sulphur, benzene and other solvents means Aspen Alkylate Fuel burns cleaner, reducing harmful emissionsimportant for many businesses, but a necessity for Sam who delivers a large number of contracts in schools and other enclosed environments.

“The reduction in pollution and smell is a major plus and makes for a much more pleasant environment for the operator and those in and around the worksite.”

“We’re using Aspen in all of our petrol equipment including blowers, strimmers, hedge cutters and some of our ride-on artificial turf equipment. The majority of our work is conducted between the spring and autumn which sometimes means our kit will spend periods of the year in storage. Because Aspen is ethanol-free, we find that we can get equipment out after being dormant for months and it will still start first-time.”

Sam purchases the Alkylate Fuel from Hertfordshire Garden Machinery.

“It’s great!”

Mansfield Sand stalwart Sharon retires

After 43 years of working for Mansfield Sand, the everpopular Sharon Morris is retiring.

Sharon originally trained to be an accountant before working for Mansfield Sand. She started as a credit controller for the company and worked her way through the accounts department in various roles before eventually becoming the office manager. Sharon didn’t stop there, however.

“I had so many different positions to start with because I wanted to learn absolutely everything about the business. At some point I was offered the opportunity to get out on the road and the rest is history.

I had so many years of doing figures and sitting in front of a computer so going out on the road and being involved in sales was something I was really interested in. It was a bit of a lightbulb moment.”

Sharon’s professionalism and personality quickly shone through in her new role. In fact, she grew her first account into a million-pound-plus customer.

Throughout her career Sharon specialised in sports turf and most of her customers were based at football and golf clubs. As a huge sports fan there couldn’t have been a better job.

“It gave me a special tingle whenever I went into those wonderful stadiums and golf

clubs that I would see on television all the time. I felt so privileged and never once took it for granted.

“One of my proudest moments was when we started dealing with premier league clubs Arsenal FC and Liverpool FC via a contractor.”

“It has certainly been a very unique job and I’m proud of the career I’ve had. No one knew me at first, but now wherever I go everyone makes me feel so incredibly welcome.

“Special thanks must go to Mansfield Sand Company and everyone I have worked with over the years, all who have contributed to making my 43 years so enjoyable.”

n www.mansfield-sand.co.uk

Reliability essential to Massey Ferguson investment

A move to Massey Ferguson tractors in 2015 for Lakeside Grounds

Maintenance has offered unrivalled reliability, while maximising work

efficiencies and improving timeliness of operations.

Lakeside Grounds

Maintenance, based in Coventry, is run by Gareth Fowler-Simons, who says

that 95% of its work now relates to sports grounds maintenance, with 3m-wide implements, such as vertidrainers and overseeders, along with 6m mowers.

To operate this larger kit, the business has invested in a fleet of modern Massey Ferguson tractors, with reliability and ease of use key factors in doing so.

“Reliability is essential for my business and breakdowns are something I can’t stand, so faultless performance is what I look for most in a tractor.”

The first Massey Ferguson tractor was a MF 5610 that offered ease of use coupled with good outputs and operator comfort.

The six-strong fleet is now split between three compacts and three larger MF tractors. The compacts are replaced every five years with current models including an MF 1525, MF 1740, and MF 1750, while the trio of larger machines consist of an MF 5709, MF 6715, and a 2023 MF 6S.180.

There is a lot of road haulage due to most sites being spread from Tamworth in the north to Daventry in the south and the higherpowered tractors, including the latest Massey Ferguson 6S.180, are purchased with this in mind.

The 6S will cover around 1,000 hours per year and was the first tractor that Gareth specced to include features that have increased operational efficiency, such as a Datatronic 5 screen, MF Guide and a 50kph Dyna-VT gearbox.

“Adding the extras to the 6S has represented a big step forward for us. Having MF Guide GPS means we now use

it on almost every task and the efficiency and accuracy gains are obvious. Especially with our 6m set of mowers, we can now miss every other pass to avoid scuffing the ends with tight turns.”

Another area where MF Guide has shown its benefits is reseeding with the 3m drill.

“Some reseed rates are as low as 10g/sqm, using seed that costs £90/bag, which means we must get it right.

One job used 95 bags of seed, and, at the end, we had no more than a teacup full of the seed left in the hopper. That wouldn’t have been possible without GPS accuracy.”

One area that has improved logistics and job monitoring is the telematics now fitted to each tractor, as Gareth explained.

“It records when the tractor left the yard in the morning, how long travel times were, when work started, fuel used and idle times, so we get a complete picture of the day’s work and can feed that back to customers if required, which is helpful if we are working on satellite sites. It also means we aren’t having to call operators and stop them from working to check progress.”

The Massey tractors are well liked and hiring smaller ones has been met with positive feedback.

ICL and Agrovista maintain standards

Stuart Hogg, Course Manager at The West Lancashire Golf Club, believes that ICL’s products and Agrovista Amenity’s service help to keep course standards impeccably high.

Founded in 1873, The West Lancashire Golf Club in Liverpool, is one of the nine oldest clubs in England and is currently ranked 28th in Golf World Top 100 in England.

The club has also recently been selected as one of four golf clubs to stage final qualifying for The Open.

Stuart, who has been at the club since 2015 and manages a team of seven staff, underlined the importance of keeping up standards at such a highly regarded club.

“It certainly puts pressure on us to deliver. As a business, we have grown massively, and so has the reputation. We have to keep standards high and constantly need to deliver high-end surfaces and to do that we need to rely on proven, quality products.”

Stuart sources all his ICL products

through Agrovista Amenity and he has reported excellent results from Qualibra wetting agent and Sportsmaster WSF SMX 20-00 – a beneficial nitrogen source in the form of ammonium sulphate coupled with SMX – an effective and sustainable seaweed concentrate.

“The standards and expectations here are so high that I need to be using market leading products. I like the fact that its widely tankmixable with other products and I can buy it in bulk, ensuring we keep within budget.

“We always make sure that we get plenty of applications of Qualibra throughout the course by the end of May, so we are

prepared for any further dry spells ahead of us,” he explained.

On SMX, Stuart said that after some trial work with ICL they started to incorporate WSF SMX 20.0.0 into their programme.

“I like the makeup of it because it is environmentally friendly, and it is in line with traditional greenkeeping. It’s delivering sufficient nutrition and helping mitigate stresses on the turf which is hugely beneficial because we are quite a stressful site.”

“I buy the products through Agrovista Amenity, and I have their support, but I also have the back up from ICL. I believe all Course Managers need to trust the companies they deal with in product deliveries, and I have never had any issues at all.

“Having two of the industry’s biggest companies helps our golf course – that’s for sure. There is absolutely no reason to move away from ICL and Agrovista – everything works incredibly well for us.”

Bernhard helps deliver at the British Masters

The Belfry in Warwickshire is no stranger to hosting major golf events. Including a record four Ryder Cups, but more recently, it’s once again become a regular feature on the DP World Tour schedule as host of the British Masters.

The team at The Belfry deliver a world-class playing experience for members and visitors to the club, dayin-day-out. But preparing to host a DP World Tour event brings with it a number of additional challenges.

With 150 years of turf grass industry experience, Bernhard and Company is the leader in the sports turf solutions market and one of the world’s most influential forces in the presentation and quality of turf grass.

As well as renowned day-to-day support for customers, in the run up to major tournaments Bernhard provides an extra level of support to alleviate some of the pressure those customers are under, in order to keep maintenance and presentation at its absolute best. During these demanding times, Bernhard helps by sending its own expert teams and equipment to support customers with the sharpening, setting, and preparation of cutting units.

We spoke to Angus Macleod, Director

of Golf Course Estates at The Belfry, prior to the playing of this year’s British Masters, to discuss preparations and his excitement at hosting the event.

“Everybody aspires to run tournament events, the standard that players demand is ever-changing and what we’re trying to do at The Belfry every time tour players come here, is provide a different golf course experience. We have held tournaments here over the last four years, and that’s given us opportunities to make changes. The team are as passionate and excited as I am - we are excited to showcase our skills, talent, and presentation on TV,” said Angus. “I was 30 when I got my first course management position and not long after that I realised that I really need my machines sharp. When we moved to The Belfry, Bernhard were ready to assist us straight away and our partnership has now been going for 15 years.

“People come here for the Ryder Cup experience and with 100+ units and three golf courses, we can’t afford to falter for one day. It’s all about our turf quality and health, and having sharp mowers which helps us get that precise cut.”

Scott Purdy is the Business Development Manager EMEA for Bernhard and Company. He spoke about his relationship

with The Belfry and its staff, in addition to the role he played in assisting with preparations for the British Masters.

“We were at The Belfry providing tournament support for Angus, as well as Matthew Axton and his team of mechanics. We brought a set of 4100 (Express Dual and Anglemaster) grinders into The Belfry as those complimented the machines the team already have, and that helps Matt and his team have one less thing to stress about,” said Scott.

Matthew, Workshop Manager at The Belfry, oversees the management of people, and the important equipment that gets all three courses to the standard that is expected. We spoke to him about how Bernhard and its machinery aid him in busy weeks such as the British Masters.

“Here at The Belfry, we already do a lot of our own grinding in-house due to the size of the complex and the size of the fleet we have. For the tournament, all the support machinery (mowing equipment) is brought in which doubles the amount of grinding we have to do. We have a very good relationship with Bernhard and their expertise is second to none. They relieve a huge amount of stress for me when the tournament is on,” said Axton.

“We wouldn’t be able to run efficiently or

keep the golf courses at the standard that is expected without Bernhard grinders. They are probably two of the most important pieces of equipment we have. I’ve been in the industry for 20+ years and I’ve always used Bernhard grinders – they are the easiest to set up and use, and with the expectations for the course and the amount of turf that has to be cut, without those grinders we wouldn’t be able to present the golf course to the standard we want.”

Matthew explained how they also

use four other pieces of equipment from Bernhard, including the Macroscope and the Prism Gauge.

“They help me check the quality of cut to make sure everything is level and true. The height cut bar is one of the best height bars I’ve come across, as it doesn’t have any flex in it, which allows us to get a true height reading,” he said.

“Finally, the most important piece of equipment for us out of the four is the Rapid Facer tool - which is a game changer. It allows us to keep all our cutting units sharp without grinding our blades as often. The sharper the blades on the bed knives, the less likely it is that we will have diseases spread on the course.”

Angus added that the support that they get from Bernhard is invaluable, and that they would’ve struggled to achieve the real high standard that they did when big tournaments have been hosted over the Brabazon over the years without them.

“The partnership is going from strength to strength, and we have even had Bernhard in to do a workshop for my team as well as teaching the importance of sharpening machines to achieve high quality on the course. They take that little bit of extra care because they understand what goes on in the engineering side of a golf course.”

Cramer saw has all the right features

TECH SPEC:

Motor type:

Brushless

Performance: 1.5 kW

Torque: 1 Nm

Chain speed:24 m/s

Trigger: Variable

Oil tank: 150 ml

Blade length: 10”/25 cm

Tank cap: Flip up cap

Chain tensioning:

With tool

Chain pitch: 1/4”

Chain groove width: 1.3 mm

On/Off switch: Yes

Weight: 2.1 kg

The 82TCS15 is an exceptionally lightweight and powerful tophandle chainsaw designed for professional arborists. To minimise weight during use, the battery mounts onto a low-profile backpack harness, offering freedom of movement while working in trees.

The Cramer 82TCS15 is an 82V high-performance top-handle battery chainsaw that is designed specifically for the professional arborist. Offering an industryleading power-to-weight ratio, thanks to the 1.5kW digital brushless motor and exceptionally low weight of just 2.1kg.

With Cramer, even the most demanding arborist jobs can be carried out quickly, efficiently, and safely.

The Cramer 82V technology rivals an equivalent 35cc petrol

chainsaw yet has significantly lower running and ownership costs, making it a viable option for any professional user or business. As well as the cost and performance benefit the Cramer 82V range offers additional safety in the workplace, with low vibration, low noise, and zero emissions or harmful fumes for the operator when cutting.

Additionally, the 82TCS15 features an integrated chain brake, patented palm lock to avoid accidental start-up, and secure climbing hook as well as being IPX4 rated.

As part of the Cramer 82V

professional line-up, the battery is interchangeable in any of the 82V ranges from lawnmowers, hedge trimmers, blowers, and even power cutters. Offering one battery for multiple professional applications. n https://cramertools.com/

Flexibility, freedom of cordless

Business Development Manager for Outdoor Power

Mark Earles,

Equipment at Makita UK explains why cordless machines are a more flexible and greener choice for professionals, and shares his highlights from Makita’s expanding landscaping line-up. Battery technology and product design have significantly advanced in recent years - so much so, that many battery powered machines are now just as powerful as petrol alternatives and can now reliably achieve the level of performance and torque that professionals require.

A key enabler of this shift has been the adoption of lithiumion batteries, which are more ‘energy dense’, allowing greater power and capacities to work for long periods of time without the need to re-charge.

Opting to use machines that use battery power completely eliminates

the need to transport and handle petrol and no fumes are omitted during operation - making cordless machines a much safer option for operators. Trailing cables and power supply or fuel needn’t be managed, and tasks can be tackled anywhere at any time - without restriction. Furthermore, zero gas emissions and reduced noise levels will please those demanding a cleaner and quieter alternative to petrol-powered tools.

Another benefit is the ability to switch between jobs easily and quickly when working with a variety of cordless tools that are powered by the same battery system. For example, all of Makita’s cordless tools are driven by either one of

three lithium-ion battery platforms: CXT, LXT and XGT. These three battery platform systems, at 12VMax, 18V and 40VMax retrospectively, can be applied to over 125 different products across Makita’s CXT, LXT and XGT power tool ranges offering a solution for any type of application. Users can use the same battery across multiple products within the system, meaning less kit and better cost efficiencies, as the need to constantly buy additional new battery packs for each new tool is not necessary. In recent years, Makita has focused on developing and enhancing its technology and products for the landscaping sector. Its growing outdoor and landscaping range now comprises over 85 machines across its 18V and 36V LXT platform and over 25 landscaping products within its 40VMax and 80VMax XGT battery system, to ensure that there is a tool to meet the daily demands of every job when working outdoors, including: UH006G 40VMax XGT 60cm Brushless Hedge Trimmer, LM002G 40VMax XGT Brushless Lawn Mower, UR014G 40VMax XGT Brushless Linetrimmer and DUC101 18V LXT Brushless Pruning Saw. n www.makitauk.com

Playing our part with ecofriendly school

Iain Ellis, Head Groundsman at Hutchesons’ Grammar School, has highlighted the many benefits of using a range of Pellenc batterypowered equipment.

Hutchesons’ Grammar School is a coeducational, independent school in the south-side of Glasgow. Founded in 1641, it has a long-held record of academic achievement and offers pupils a wide choice of extra-curricular activities. Many of these are focussed on sustainability – a topic the school cares deeply about.

Sustainability isn’t just limited to the pupils, as Iain revealed. “Hutchesons’ is a very eco-friendly school, and we all have a part to play. I have wanted to go down the battery-powered route for a long time now.”

Approximately six months ago, Ian got the go ahead to purchase a range of Pellenc battery-powered equipment. Organised and supplied by Allan Wright of Agrovista

Amenity, Ian purchased an Airion blower, an Excelion strimmer, a Helion compact hedgecutter as well as the Helion telescopic model, and the Rasion pedestrian mower.

“I was instantly impressed as to just how quiet the equipment was. In this respect it is brilliant because we simply couldn’t use our old two-stroke machinery when classes or exams were in progress.”

Light, odourless, noise-free, with no starting problems and enough power to enable professional users to work for a full day on a single charge, it’s no wonder more and more professional users like Ian are turning to Pellenc.

Iain was quick to point out the advantages. “The Rasion lawnmower has surpassed itself completely – especially on the huge banks we have at the school. The Rasion is so light, and it turns on a sixpence.

“Then there is the Airion blower which

offers us far more control than our old twostroke blower. We have many stone areas on site and with the low power setting we can easily blow grass off without moving the stones. This wasn’t possible with the two-stroke blower.

“We also like how light the equipment is,” continued Iain. “Our old petrol machinery was so heavy compared to the Pellenc equipment. We are no longer having to transport fuel so that is good from a health and safety point of view. Plus, we are saving a lot of money on fuel. The batteries don’t cost much to charge and the life on them is really good – we’ve never ran out of power.

“Overall, I can’t speak highly enough about the Pellenc equipment - it has made a huge difference to the work we do. The other bonus is the warranty and I’m looking at purchasing more Pellenc tools this year.”

n www.pellencuk.com

New ultrasonic flow sensor series

Rain Bird’s Flow Sensor technology is designed to both monitor and track water usage in an irrigation system, as well as identify and warn of any emerging problems.

By using a sensor to monitor high or low flow rates, issues such as leaks, line breaks or blockages can be identified. Detection of underflow means that a

landscape may not be getting enough water while on the other hand, detection of overflow may result in a flooded landscape and wastage. Rain Bird’s new Ultrasonic Flow Sensor Series uses ultrasonic waves to sense flow rates.

This not only enables the sensors to read a wider flow range, but also ensures significantly more accurate readings when detecting flow rates.

The series is compatible with the IQ4

platforms, ESP- LXD, LXME2 PRO, LXMEF, ESP-ME3 and LX-IVM controllers. Pairing with Rain Bird’s Mobile App for iPhone or Android, gives the contractor or end user convenient control of flow settings from any location.

Rather than relying upon the traditional “paddle wheel “ impeller design of irrigation flow sensors, the Ultrasonic Flow Sensors have no moving parts.

n www.rainbird.eu

Crucial role of distributors within our industry

In a market where products journey from manufacturer to end user, distributors play an important role. These links of supply chains are pivotal in ensuring products reach their intended destinations efficiently, bridging the gap between manufacturers and consumers.

One of the most significant contributions of product distributors is the ability to extend market reach. Distributors possess the necessary networks, logistical capacity, and market insights to navigate all areas of the industry. They have a duty to offer a wide range of products with a single thing in common; inarguable data backed

performance. End users will each have different needs and preferences and distribution must ensure that all these needs are catered for.

Optimising supply chains, managing stockholding, and co-ordinating deliveries, distributors streamline the movement of goods. This not only reduces wastage and excess inventory but also ensures that products are readily available, meeting consumer demands promptly.

In an era where e-commerce and digital marketplaces are reshaping shopping behaviours, distribution should continue to adapt. This reinforces the importance of

distributors as the link between traditional and modern landscapes.

Collier Turf Care knows what it means to be an effective distributor and believe that working closely with a few, select suppliers with whom we share an important set of core values, will result in each of our end users benefiting from the best customer experience possible.

Benefits of dealing with an effective distributor: qualified, technical advice, quality, proven range of products, stockholding to ensure quick and efficient delivery, online account management options, and excellent customer service.

AMS’s BigMow robot makes big impression with #TurfForce

Leicestershire football club Highfield Rangers’ history dates back to 1970 and to this day continues to be a much-loved well established grassroots football club.

A renovation project was organised to give a reputable local club the opportunity to provide a top quality playing ground for its team and guests. The project went Highfield Rangers’ way and was labelled with the hashtag #TurfForce by John Ledwidge, Head of Sports & Grounds at Leicester City Football Club at the time, in order to gain traction online and attract sponsors to help renovate the entirety of the playing field at Highfield Rangers. This was created to help a club

in need, promote the importance of quality and raise the awareness for grassroots football.

AMS came aboard as a sponsor once the new grass had started to develop, after visiting the club and meeting the hardworking individuals involved.

On top of this, BigMow had been made available to purchase with the support of a football foundation grant which has proved to be invaluable to grassroots clubs so it was important to show everyone the quality of turf the robot was able to provide.

Belrobotics BigMow is an autonomous robotic mower with the capacity to mow ares up to

75,000m 2 several times a week. It works continuously, self charges and does not require the collection of clippings. It will work rain or shine and can be managed from a smartphone. It is the perfect solution to managing a busy sports pitch.

As expected, Highfield Rangers were blown away with what the robot delivered for them over the year throughout the #TurfForce project and have now successfully purchased their own using the grant.

“The mower has done a fantastic job. It has helped us out so much, especially with how frequently the pitch now gets cut. It is one of the best things we have ever done for the club,” said a club spokesman.

Future of unmanned mowing... is now!

There are many applications that will benefit from Kress RTKn mowers, on any large turf area or extensive lawn. The RTKn is perfect for all larger properties, sports fields, golf courses, public parks - you name them. Unmanned mowing is the ideal solution for countless applications, providing quiet, emission-free turf management, with an operating cost that is a fraction of manned mowing.

Other robotic mowers that make use of RTK require the installation of at least one station antenna for each lawn, which needs to be powered and placed in open areas with an open sky. Kress RTKn delivers centimeter accuracy with no station antenna on site.

even if there’s poor satellite signal, due to signals being blocked by buildings and trees, inertial navigation and odometry take over to precisely route the mower until it reaches an open sky area and satellite navigation is restored.

More benefits of a Kress RTKn robotic mower include:

Quick setup: Once a Kress dealer has mapped the areas and installed the charging station, you’re done − no on-site antennas installation needed.

Zero emissions: No polluting exhaust fumes, no emission of greenhouse gasses.

The new

extend unmanned mowing to larger areas. They operate efficiently in parallel lines and autonomously move from one area to another, as if they were driven by humans. No need for boundary wires, nor on-site antennas.

RTKn is different to others, as it gives positional accuracy to the power of network. To ensure centimeter-level accuracy, Kress’s expanding proprietary network of reference GNSS receivers continuously delivers RTK correction data to each mower via the mobile phone network. The global navigation satellite system (GNSS) provides geo-spatial positioning with 2 to 5 metres accuracy, then realtime kinematic correction is applied to achieve centimetre-level accuracy. And

Quiet operation: Hotels can get their lawns manicured when customers are asleep, offices while people work, sports facilities at night while players rest and even educational institutions while people learn.

Efficiency: The mower works in parallel lines, mowing large lawns as quickly as an experienced landscaper or groundsman like yourselves and your team. Leaving you to get on with other jobs.

Operational savings: No labour costs, no grass cuttings to dispose of and minimal maintenance expense compared to combustion-engine mowers.

n https://www.kress.com/en-gb/

Kress RTKn robot mowers

SCAG mowers listen to their dealers

The dealers knew this was the sort of product SCAG would make well by maintaining the quality of design and build that is synonymous with the name.

First off was the SFC 30; a tough machine to sit between a 36” cut mower and a commercial 14”.

SCAG made a superb job of the unit, supplying it with several standard features: easy height adjustment, good range of handle angle, internally routed operating cables for snag protection and three cutting options of bag, side discharge or mulch.

STM Co now have the SFC 30 and its smaller brother the SFC 21 added to the impressive SCAG mower range. The SCAG Finish Mower is a credit to their principle of listening to the dealers. Interest had been regularly expressed in having a

small pedestrian mower to finish off after a large area cut with their other trusted SCAG machines – or just to have a regular-use walkbehind that they knew they could trust to do the job, withstand heavy use and last several seasons.

Engine options are 5 and 7hp Kohler Command units for the range. Sales for the 30 have been good, and SCAG have decided to extend the range and introduce the smaller cut SFC 21. No casters available on this model, but the three cut options of bag, mulch or side discharge remain, plus the two engine types.

n www.st-mach.com

Tantalising tournaments coming up

They are the highlight of the male and female golfing calendars and now that the pandemic has meant a switch in the two year cycle the Ryder and Solheim Cups are being played in consecutive weeks at the end of September.

The Solheim Cup is being played from September 22-24 at Finca Cortesin GC, in Southern Spain, while the Ryder Cup will see the men locking horns over Marco Simone GC, near Rome in Italy mark-ing the first time each of the countries has had the owner of hosting their respective events.

Turf Matters has interviewed both Course Superintendents to talk about their big events and learn more about what it has taken to prepare for what are two of the biggest sporting events, never mind golfing events, of the year. See these pages and pages 34-39.

It is no surprise that Finca Cortesin has at its helm, Ignacio Sota, one of Spain’s foremost and experienced greenkeepers. It is perhaps a little

First lady of the Ryder Cup

more surprising that over in Italy there is another Spaniard in charge of course preparation. It is even more surprising that, for the first time in any male of female Major Championship, of Ryder or Solheim Cup, it is a woman.

Lara Arias, is a fabulously talented and driving young woman and the Ryder Cup could not be in more capable hands.

To make Lara’s Ryder Cup experience even more memorable, she will be seven months pregnant when the matches are being played!

I must also acknowledge that the Walker Cup will have just been played when Turf Matters comes out. It is a particularly special edition of the top amateur team event as it is being played over the Old Course at St Andrews, which I’m sure will be in stunning condition thanks to the work of Sandy Reid and Gordon McKee.

Scott MacCallum

and her dog, Ryder (what else?)

Scott MacCallum caught up with history maker Lara Arias, ahead of this year’s Ryder Cup

Looking through the history books there have a been a number of women who have really made a mark –breaking through glass ceilings as they progressed. They are the ladies who through talent, will power and sheer weight of personality, have done what no woman had achieved before and taken a role which had previously only been the domain of the male of the species.

I’m thinking of Marie Curie, who in 1903 became the first woman to win a Nobel Prize; Vigdis Finnbogadottir, who became the first woman to be elected President of a country when, and it was only 1980, she won Iceland’s Presidential election; Benazir Bhutto, of Pakistan, became the first ever elected female Prime Minister in 1988.

I’m also thinking of Valentina Tereshkova, who became the first female in space in 1963, while in football just last year Stephanie Frappart was the first female to referee a World Cup match when she took control of the match between Germany and Costa Rica.

And I’m also thinking of Lara Arias who, as Superintendent of the Marco Simone Golf Club, in Rome, will become the first woman to prepare a golf course for a Ryder Cup. Extensive research has revealed that she will actually be the first woman to have prepared a course for any Major, male or female, or, a Solheim Cup.

This, well and truly, is a smashing of a long established greenkeeping glass ceiling.

So how did a young lady greenkeeper from Spain end up in the hot seat of a golf course on the outskirts of the Italian capital, for what will be the biggest sporting event on the planet this year?

Lara is one half of greenkeeping’s ultimate power couple, as fiancé, Alejandro Reyes, was the Superintendent at Golf National in Paris for the last European Ryder Cup.

Once his contract with the French Golf Federation ended Alejandro launched his own golf consultancy

company and, given his Ryder Cup experience, it was no surprise that he was approached by the owner of Marco Simone Golf Club.

“The owner wanted Alejandro here as Superintendent to be honest, but Alejandro said that he wasn’t going to leave his company. He would, however, act as consultant and place a Superintendent at the club who would be on site 24/7 with Alejandro offering support” explained Lara.

“Alejandro met with the owner and said that he would send a proposal including his work as Consultant and for a Superintendent. Alejandro included three different Superintendents and it was the owner who chose me.

“I was the youngest one it’s true and the owner wanted to have

a woman. He knew that that we were engaged and perhaps saw an opportunity to have Alejandro here more often,” she laughed.

Lara is being excessively modest. She is a highly qualified and experienced Superintendent in her own right, with a CV which would be envy of most.

Having started out as a scientist, her love of golf took her to Ohio State University’s renowned turf programme, and an internship at Quail Hollow Golf Club. She also spent time at some of the finest courses in Spain, Valderrama and, ironically, Finca Cortesin where, again as an intern, she worked under Ignacio Soto, will be recovering from the exertions of having hosted the Solheim Cup just as Lara’s Ryder Cup }

LARA, ABOVE, IS ONE HALF OF GREENKEEPING’S ULTIMATE POWER COUPLE, AS FIANCÉ, ALEJANDRO REYES, LEFT, WAS THE SUPERINTENDENT AT GOLF NATIONAL IN PARIS FOR THE LAST EUROPEAN RYDER CUP.

starts. She was also voted Italy’s Superintendent of the Year in 2021

The experience of being one of the 150 volunteers at Golf National means that Lara has seen the Ryder Cup from a number of different sides and with Alejandro by her side she is ensuring no stone is left unturned to make sure her Ryder Cup is as successful as her fiance’s.

Like Ryder Cup venues before, the hosting country’s national Open was a prerequisite for hosting the Cup and that was of particular benefit to countries like Italy.

“The Italian Opens of 2021, 2022 and 2023 taught us how to set up a golf course for tournament play, as prior to that the team here didn’t have any tournament experience. Now they have had three Italian Opens,” explained Lara.

That said nothing can really prepare you for a Ryder Cup, the sheer scale of it and, of course, the differences from a regular 72 hole event.

“Everything is different. The number of players, 156 in a regular tournament and only 24 for a Ryder Cup. When it comes to volunteers there are 35 for a regular Italian Open and 100 for the Ryder Cup,” she said, adding that Italian

Superintendents had to volunteer for the Italian Open to open the door to a place on the Ryder Cup team.

“For the Italian Open we had two teams, one for the front nine and one for the back, but for the Ryder Cup we will had three teams on the golf course, with another team on the driving range, each with a team leader.

“Each of the teams on the course will have the same six holes to work on every day and each team will have between 30 and 32 people on it. While Alejandro and I will be around supervising everything, it will be the team leaders, who will be in charge of their teams.”

With four matches of foursomes and fourballs played on each of the

opening two days, daylight can often become an issue, such is the pace of play with so much at stake but Lara is comfortable about the team’s ability to get their job done.

“We already have the schedule and the tee times and we do have plenty of time to be honest, the tee times are not too early. The most important thing in September is that we don’t have too much rain as in Italy they have heavy storms during the month. You never know about the weather, so that is our main concern,” said Lara who added that summer in the area can see temperatures of over 40 degrees without any rain.

Ironically October would have been a better month as the “Ottobrata Romana” is the Indian summer

THE RYDER CUP AT MARCO SIMONE IS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY NOT JUST TO PUT ITALIAN GOLF ON THE MAP, BUT TO DO THE SAME FOR ITALIAN GREENKEEPING, A CAUSE THAT IS CHAMPIONED BY SPANISH LARA.

The Marco Simone greenkeeping team with Ryder Cup Captains Luke Donald and Zach Johnson

invariably enjoyed by Romans with sunny days and warm temperatures. Having 45,000 spectators on the golf course will inhibit the team’s ability to navigate during the time when the gates are open.

Lara and the team have an excellent relationship with Toro who are providing unmatched support for the match.

“Our relationship with Toro, especially with Arturo Moran and Gian Domenico, owner of Pratoverde, our Italian dealer, is very good and we will have extra support during the Ryder Cup with more machinery to enable us to set the course faster

“Pratoverde, who provided mechanics for the Italian Open are doing the same for the Ryder Cup to ensure the machinery is set up correctly. Their relationship with our own mechanics is fantastic,” explained Lara, who also gave a shout out to her irrigation team of Xavier Agusti and Reg Verney.

“It is most important to us to be outside of the golf course as soon as the spectators arrive and that is one of the reasons that we have as much machinery from Toro as we have because it enables us to set up the golf course faster in the morning. If we were inside the golf course

when the spectators arrive we’d be in real trouble – we’d be unable to get back to the maintenance facility,” said Lara, who said that it was unlikely that they’d be cutting greens between the sets of matches.

“I don’t think so. Between matches we’ll be repairing pitch marks, making sure all the bunkers are good and blowing the greens.”

The Ryder Cup at Marco Simone is a wonderful opportunity not just to put Italian golf on the map, but to do the same for Italian greenkeeping, a cause that is championed by Spanish Lara.

“I am aware that in Italy greenkeeping is not regarding highly and the size of the teams at Italian golf clubs is generally small. When Superintendent visit us here they often said that we had everything you could possibly need but they had very little – four greenkeepers when we have 20.

“But when we have visitors from other parts of the world they ask how we manage to do what we do with so little and we are missing so many things.”

Lara’s attitude to resources is one which could be replicated anywhere.

“Now people come here and say ‘Wow, what a place!’ but they have no idea the work that has gone into getting it like this. We achieved it using the resources we had in the best way.”

When it comes to her own input, she is just as driven.

“I don’t want to give 100%. I want to give 150%.”

Lara is well aware of the unique position in which she finds herself regarding being the first female. She describes it as being “super special” but she is also quick to stress that she doesn’t use the #womeninturfgrass.

“It is my work and the fact is that the superintendent for the Ryder Cup is a woman. When I get my picture taken with Luke Donald and Zach Johnson they will see that I’m a women. I don’t need to tell everyone.

“It will carry all the more impact when they see that I’m pregnant!” she revealed, of the fact that she will be giving birth to her and Alejandro’s first baby in December.

Greenkeeping’s golden couple are very much the Ryder Cup’s golden couple as they actually met at Hazeltine, during the 2016 Ryder Cup and when the

Cup is raised on Sunday October 1, by either Luke or Zach they will both have Superintendent for a Ryder Cup on their CVs.

“The Ryder Cup means a lot to us because of all the work we have done before we got here and starting from zero to going on to host the first Italian Ryder Cup. There are many things so special for us and we met in 2016 at the Ryder Cup; we worked together in 2018 in Paris.

“With the Ryder Cup we will reach the goal, it has been very hard but at the same time very special to see this project from the beginning, in the middle of a global pandemic to the Ryder Cup ,” she said.

The couple will be getting married next year having been engaged since 2019 but without the time to organise a wedding. One thing, however, they did do was get themselves a dog.

“We got our Australian Shepherd in 2020 and she’s four years old.” Her name?

You’ve guessed it.

“Ryder”, of course.

Whether she likes it or not Lara is a superb ambassador for women greenkeepers the world over and her achievement in becoming the first to manage a course for such a prestigious event is something of which she should be amazingly proud.

Versatility and value for money

Proving that multi-purpose certainly doesn’t have to mean compromise, a CombiTool from GKB Machines has been delivering on every front since its delivery at Rookery Park Golf Club earlier this year.

Head Greenkeeper Neil Davey explained how the ability to conduct multiple operations in a single pass is not only saving them labour hours, but the flexibility to adjust the working depth of each attachment independently is delivering even better results than they’d hoped for across greens, tees and approaches.

The heavy clay profile of the club in Lowestoft, Suffolk, is the number one challenge for the greens team – with anything allowing them to get some wellneeded extra drainage a welcome addition to Neil, his fleet and the team of five.

“You see this kind of equipment in use a lot at football and sporting venues and, after seeing it for the first time at SALTEX, I thought why are we not using this sort of machine to slit and roll tees and approaches on a golf course!” said Neil.

“The build quality of the GKB kit always impresses me so having seen it on the stand, and thinking about the uses for the various attachments we purchased

the CombiTool without even having a demonstration. It hasn’t disappointed… in fact, since it was delivered by Stuart Paterson, at Ernest Doe, it’s been out on the course more than it’s been in the shed and has exceeded all of our expectations!”

Launched in November 2022, the CombiTool features four attachment slots which can be tailored to the venue or task at hand, offering versatility and value-formoney while allowing multiple maintenance operations to be completed in a single pass.

“We opted for the 1.6m working width with mini-slit on the front, followed by harrows, then a roller and the brush at the rear for presentation and to stand everything up ready to cut behind. We’ve so far passed over the tees and

approaches a couple of times, along with two operations on the greens, where we simply raised the brush and harrows to make the operation less invasive.”

“That’s the real beauty of this machine – the versatility and ability to control the depth of each attachment means you can be as soft or aggressive as the surface demands. You could also swap different attachments in or out to suit, making it super simple for us to get some slits in the ground for additional drainage or ahead of applications of wetting agents or topdressings,” he said.

“The possibilities of this unit are endless. We’re going to try it out on the fairways once the current spell of dry weather is over. We’re also going to remove the roller and use the harrows and brush to see how that combination gets on with wormcasts.”

“Not only does this machine give us so much flexibility, the convenience of it is another major plus. If I wanted to slit and brush ordinarily, this would be two people running two separate machines. With the CombiTool, it’s all done in one pass, with a second team member following on behind with a mower, leaving an incredible quality of finish” he added.

Kit is perfect for multi sport use

Around the South East of Scotland, Luxury Lawns are the go-to company for bowling greens, and to keep play going during difficult weather, the company is the first in the UK to receive the new Foley Air2G2 336 in corporate grey, from Campey Turf Care Systems.

Luxury Lawns owner Donald Campbell started the company in 2009 with 20 years of greenkeeping experience behind him. In the 14 years that followed, the company has grown from providing impressive lawn transformations to completing contracting work on bowling greens and football pitches. Working closely with Richard Heywood, Area Manager for Campey Turf Care, Donald initially hired an Air2G2 from local machinery dealer Double A Trading Company, but with increasingly wet summers, common compaction issues among new bowling green contracts and the need for no disruption to play, he knew the time was right for his own Air2G2.

“With the way the climate is changing, I knew I needed to be able to react

to it, and the Air2G2 is the perfect tool for that,” explained Donald.

“It operates with minimal disruption and is doing a lot of good underneath the surface, and that’s what I really like about it.

“In many areas we work the popularity of bowls is on the rise resulting in greens being extremely busy so we needed a machine we could use during the season to keep the surfaces healthy and draining without stopping play.

“Some of the bowling and golf greens we work on are old, and they’ve developed black layer over time. In the borders, there’s been a lot of industry - with industry comes a lot of ash, and a lot of these greens have been built on it. That layer needs to be broken up so we can produce healthy routes which in turn will give us strong surfaces, and the Air2G2 does a good job of it.”

Consistent use of the Air2G2 is proven to create healthy, firm, and free-draining surfaces. This happens over time because the pressurised air fractures the

hardpan layers without disrupting roots while increasing pore space, promoting faster drainage and root development. This respiration forces oxygen in and pushes CO2 and other anaerobic gases out for root zone gas exchange. The optional probe lengths and fully customisable pressure setting to meet virtually any turf condition make it perfect for multi-sport use, and it will be key in the continued growth of Luxury Lawns & Great Greens. With his own machine, Donald anticipates an increased amount of reactive aeration contracts on football pitches during the winter as well as preventative work on a weekly basis.

Aeration with Groundsman

Since 1990, Groundsman Industries have specialised in researching and developing machines and accessories that can be applied to maximum effect to implement a year round aeration programme.

An informed assessment of the condition and problems facing the green being tended is the first step. Compiling a 12 month plan of action is the second step. Thirdly and most importantly, sticking diligently and

determinedly to that plan is vital. Results will not be instantaneous like cutting the grass but vast improvements will be noticeable in a matter of a few months if not weeks, especially those carried out during the summer months when root growth is most vigorous.

The elliptical plunge action tining mechanism of the Groundsman range of surface aerators enabled them to penetrate the soil down to 5 inch depth with the minimum of surface disruption.

It is also important to remember not to slow the forward speed of the aerator. Groundsman aerators have an elliptical plunge tine action which means that the tine moves horizontally as well as vertically and the horizontal movement is synchronied with each tine entering the ground every (3” of forward travel. Therefore with Twin Tine Holders fitted, this forward speed will produce a hole spacing 3” x 3” i.e. a square hole pattern. Hollow coring is more labour intensive but generally only needs to be carried out once a year. It is a very effective way to relieve compaction, prunes the roots and enables soil exchange. Groundsman produce the Flexblade Core Collector

attachment which is available to fit most aerators to core and collect in one pass saving a lot of time. The Flexblade can also be mounted on a compact tractor for followup collecting of core and linear aeration debris. Hollow coring should be followed by top dressing and over-seeding.

The continual development by Groundsman of new tines and holders and their effects has resulted in the most useful range of aeration accessories available.

Groundsman offer a Seeding Attachment to fit on the front of the 345 and 460 pedestrian aerators to distribute seed evenly across the swath width ahead of micro hollow cluster heads which create a dense pattern of uniform shallow holes or pockets into which the seed is encouraged by a stiff bristle bush attachment on the rear of the aerator. Top dressing may be applied before or after this operation.

The latest attachment from Groundsman is the Caster Wheel attachment, it fits onto the front support tube or bumper bar on the 345 and 460 pedestrian aerator models making light work of turning around at the end of each aeration pass.

n www.groundsmanindustries.com

Just right for every condition

Turf compaction and grass damage over the winter months caused by foot or vehicle traffic and other stresses can be an issue and needs to be alleviated to keep the turf healthy. Aeration helps create healthier turf and reduces maintenance requirements through improved air exchange between soil and atmosphere, better water intake, improved fertiliser intake and use, and reduced water runoff and puddling. This creates a stronger grass root structure while reducing soil compaction.

The new 4520 Ventrac multi-purpose, all-terrain compact tractor has two attachments specifically designed to help with aeration on any terrain.

The EB480 Aerator, with its working width of 1.22 metres, offers the perfect tools to address your turf conditions. No matter what aeration treatment your turf requires, coring, slicing, or fracturing, the EB480 can be easily configured to suit your requirements. The tines are replaced either individually or by quickly changing the entire mounting heads. This gives the EB480 both versatility and longevity to

best accommodate your aeration needs.

The EA600 Aeravator is designed to vibrate and loosen the soil beneath the grass without destroying the turf. It creates a hole without bringing a core to the surface, leaving the turf ready for use immediately following aeration.

With a working width of 1.52 metres and a depth of 70 mm, the vibrating heads create six holes every 300 mm (66 holes per square metre) with the hole size regulated by the drive speed. The slower the forward speed of the Ventrac tractor unit, the larger the hole.

The tines can be replaced individually or by quickly changing the entire mounting heads, providing the versatility required for efficient operation. The Aeravator is built with the Ventrac Mount System, allowing for easy attachment changes, and comes with a standard jack stand for easy mounting. With the optional Gandy Seeder, you can save time by reseeding while aerating, increasing the odds of germination for a thicker and healthier sward.

Peter Turski is the Horticultural

It’s all we need

Head Greenkeeper, Jonathan Barbour, and Deputy, Campbell MacBrayne, at Dunaverty Golf Club enjoy a spectacular backdrop when they go about their business.

Their course is situated by the village of Southend, in a glorious setting on the south coast of the Kintyre peninsula. A 360° of their natural links course shows Sanda Island to the south, Ailsa Craig and Ayrshire to the east and Northern Ireland to the southwest.

Last month they took delivery of a Wessex International CRX 320 sports turf mower, specifically for their rough and semi rough to replace a 25-year-old machine.

Marketed as Wessex’s most nimble, smooth and ground hugging machine to date, according to Jonathan, Wessex have that just about right.

“So far, so good. At demo we specifically tried it over our undulations. It passed that test and now it’s here, it does everything we need. We’re enjoying a high quality of cut, even in the damp. The rollers are impressive and make for a neat finish.”

The rough and semi-roughs are cut

once a week and, thanks to the 3.2 m width and newer machine, Jonathan and Campbell can cut the whole course in six hours instead of eight.

“When there’s only two managing 18 holes, those two saved hours make a vital difference. We’ve also now got cover if anything should happen to our fairways mower; another huge positive.”

Stuart Cameron, from dealer Fairways GM’s Inchinnan depot, who installed the CRX 320 and delivered familiarisation training, said:

“Dunaverty truly deserves its ‘hidden gem’ status. It’s an amazing place to attend. It’s not just a fun test for golfers, but some elevations make it a real test for machines, too, and the CRX 320 is a great match.”

Team Leader at The National Trust’s Waddesdon Manor. Commenting on machine said that the Aeravator and overseeder attachment for the Ventrac was an excellent piece of equipment.

“We have some heavy footfall across the estate especially at our annual events. We are one of the National Trust’s most visited properties with over 460,000 visitors, which means that the more formal grass areas can become very compacted.

“The main benefit of the Aeravator is that it simplifies the whole operation, reducing the time taken. No soil plugs are generated, so no collection required, and the over seeding attachment works in synchronicity with the aerating implement by dropping seed directly into the fractured surface of the sward assisting good contact with the soil.”

n www.priceturfcare.com

Golf club’s ‘most important’ kit

Constructed on the site of a former gravel quarry, the greens at Kilworth Springs Golf Club in Leicestershire are incredibly mobile and free draining which, despite having some perks, also means they are prone to compaction.

That’s where the Carrier and Verti-Drain 1513 from Redexim comes in! Head Greenkeeper Joel Chappell claims this combination delivers effective compaction relief and versatility for aeration tasks around their busy course, making it the ‘most important piece of kit’ in their shed!

Founded in 1993, Kilworth Springs delivers a challenging 18 holes of play overlooking the Avon Valley. Because of the nature of the soil and sand foundations, the main issue for Joel and his team of four is that for 12 months of the year, the course is always bone dry.

“We can support year-round play where other courses local to us sometimes struggle during the winter months” explained Joel.

“This sustained level of traffic means compaction is our biggest hurdle. As a club, we needed

something that could get aeration completed quickly whilst leaving a minimal imprint on the greens.”

The Redexim Carrier was delivered by Ben Burgess just prior to Joel joining the club in July 2022, but he was instrumental in the purchase.

“We were impressed with this being light weight, yet robust to deliver impressive aeration on our hard ground. We’ve hired machines that have succumbed to the tricky conditions and fallen apart after a week where the Carrier and 1513 Verti-Drain® stands up to the task with ease.

“When ground conditions allow, we can also use the VertiDrain with our compact tractor which frees the Carrier up to be used with other implements which we’re now exploring.”

Effective aeration from Smithco

Aeration is essential to healthy turf maintenance. Smithco’s high-quality, durable aerators keep your sports surface in excellent condition, season after season. The Aer-8 units are designed to suit individual equipment needs, and with four different tines, accomplish a range of essential aeration operations.

Aeration promotes healthy root growth by pumping more oxygen to the roots while relieving compaction. Additionally, aeration helps to remove unwanted thatch material while improving water infiltration and soil exchange.

The Aer-8 is available as a pull-behind unit or with a 3-point hitch frame. There are four type of tines available:

TURF QUAKE - an 18 cm tine with a twist and lean to fracture the soil profile laterally and vertically to establish percolation. It is available on both 13 cm and 19 cm centres.

ALL STAR - a 15 cm tine, available

on 13 cm and 19 cm centres, used to manage surface compaction and maintain infiltration rates all season. It is recommended that this tine is used in conjunction with the smoothing roller for optimal depth setting and maintenance of surface playability.

AER FINE - an ultra-thin tine, on either 8 cm or 13 cm centres used to manage thatch between verticutting or coring-tine treatments. It reduces run off and maintains infiltration rates on all surfaces. It is recommended that this tine is used in conjunction with the smoothing roller.

• CORING TINE - a 2 cm x 10 cm tine, on either 8 cm or 13 cm centres, used for preparing the the soil preparation for top-dressing and over-seeding, or for de-thatching.

Significant advantages include the variable ballast weight and high aeration speed.

n jm@smithco.com

SISIS Quadraplay is helper at Belper

Chris Jordan, Head Groundsman at Belper Town Football Club in Derbyshire, believes that the SISIS Quadraplay helps him to maintain the pitch after high usage on at the Raygar Stadium.

Chris has been working for Belper Town FC for just over a year and he says that he jumped at the chance of helping his local club. In addition to his role at Belper Town he also carries out a lot of other grounds maintenance work for the local council including four other football pitches. However, the pitch at the Raygar Stadium is by far the most used of the pitches he tends.

“We had over 70 games on the pitch last season, and you never know what you are going to turn up to after a game. The ground was very bumpy when I first arrived and so the playing surface was the first thing I wanted to focus on,” he explained.

With the tool shed containing just a drag mat and a compact tractor, it is fair to say that it was somewhat empty on his first

day. As a result, the club quickly applied for and received an FA grant, and Chris was left to choose which equipment he wanted. The SISIS Quadraplay was top of his list:

“I researched the Quadraplay and I’ve seen them in the press a lot. There was nothing but good reports about them so I thought it would be ideal for us.”

The SISIS Quadraplay multiplepurpose, single-pass maintenance incorporates a mounted frame for up to four implements such as grooming rakes, spikers, slitters, rollers, and brushes.

The implements can be fitted to the mainframe in any order and can be independently adjusted to achieve the desired effect. Compact, robust, versatile and with the ability to carry out up to four operations simultaneously the Quadraplay makes life a lot easier for many groundspersons.

“Time isn’t always on my side, and the Quadraplay allows me to carry out essential maintenance tasks quickly,”

said Chris. “More importantly it enables me to put right all the damage which has been done following high usage.

“After a game I will often see how bad the pitch is. Sometimes it just needs a light roll and a brush, or sometimes we wind the roller right down to put the divots back. Other times it will need a good rake.

“The Quadraplay allows you to alter settings easily to suit the task at hand,” continued Chris. “You can put all four implements to play, or you could just use one of them - the versatility of it is incredible.”

“It’s also so strong, robust, and simple to use. I can get volunteers to drive it as well, which does help me a lot. Once it is setup, anybody can use it.” n www.sisis.com

Respect for your turf with Turfco

Whenever aeration is undertaken, be it slitting, solid tining or coring, followed by topdressing, there’s sure to be a reaction from the golfers and, in all likelihood, it won’t be a positive one. However, vast improvements in aeration quality and speed of operation together with the introduction of fast, wide area spreading topdressers has ensured that turf maintenance programmes are much less disruptive to both the golfer and the playing surface. Aeration relieves soil compaction, helps in thatch management, increases nutrient availability, promotes a thicker sward and reduces water runoff and puddling. Compacted soil can prevent air, water and fertiliser from reaching

the turf’s root system, causing dead spots, patches and/or thinning. By removing cores in the aeration process, soil density is decreased, thus relieving compaction.

Generally, a freer draining substrate will be one with a high sand content and low clay/silt content. Laboratories who can run tests and provide a detailed soil profile. Low pore space soils, those that contain a higher percentage of clay/silt can sit wet for longer periods of time and these surfaces will be slow playing, soft, have a high risk of disease encroachment, and poorer turf quality.

In this instance, modifying the soil through aeration and topdressing with sand will provide a significant benefit. The aeration procedure carried out would normally be hollow coring to remove material, leaving open holes into which sand can be introduced. The sand will help to create a drier surface by increasing the total pore space. The higher percentage of air and water movement gives a higher percolation

rate (the rate in which water drains through the profile).

Top dressing is a small cog in the big machine of turf maintenance. No operation has a greater immediate effect on the surface and turf health than top dressing, but like all greenkeeping disciplines, it begins with an understanding of the existing soil structure.

Choosing a compatible material is essential, whether it is a sand/ soil mix or pure sand. Removing organic matter and then topdressing stimulates microbial activity. This activity reflects the flux of carbon through biotic systems. This may sound technical, but basically the microbial biomass (bacteria and fungi) decomposes the organic matter. With thatch levels reduced, the organic matter left in the profile will hold the required moisture. A dry soil is inactive and will not stimulate microbial activity. A reduction in thatch, produces a firmer, faster surface that recovers better, uses moisture and nutrients more effectively, and produces a healthier, stronger plant. Beauty through productivity as they say at Turfco.

Spanish greenkeeping mastery in the spotlight

Scott MacCallum speaks with Course Superintendent Ignacio Sota about what the professional women golfers from Europe and the United States, competing for the Solheim Cup, might expect in the tournament’s first outing to Spain

‘We need to explain what goes on here and as loudly as possible’

Course Superintendent Ignacio Sota on using water at his Spanish course to prepare for the Solheim Cup while Europe burns

Given the heritage of Spanish golf, it was a real shock to realise that the Solheim Cup, to be played at Finca Cortesin GC later this month, will be the first time the event has been hosted in Spain.

And judging by the great work Course Superintendent Ignacio Sota and his team have done in preparation for the match, you’d be forgiven for asking why it has take so long to visit the home of Severiano Ballesteros and Carlota Ciganda.

But now that wrong has been righted and Finca Cortesin will join Valderrama, which hosted the Ryder Cup in 1997, as the Spanish standard bearers for the two top team events in golf.

Finca Cortesin, near Malaga and not far from Valderrama, is no stranger to hosting top class matchplay golf, if not in a team format, as it hosted the World Matchplay from 2009, 2011 and 2012, which crowned Ross Fisher, Ian Poulter and Nicolas Colsearts winners.

Speaking with Ignacio around two and a half months before the Solheim Cup, but before the heatwave which engulfed much of continental Europe, he was in a good place, but not totally without a few concerns.

“We were really worried two months ago about the water situation but we had one week of rain at the end of May, beginning of June which was really useful,” he explained.

Access to water is a tremendously contentious issue in Spain with the media putting golf under a lot of pressure for its water usage.

“They don’t really know the truth, but in reality, they don’t really care. They just say that golf courses are watering every day and that’s stopping people from having water to drink.”

The truth, that Ignacio mentions, is that the course gets its irrigation water from a recycling plant which serves the city of Manilva, five miles from the golf course.

“It’s 100% recycled and I’m very, very happy to have it. We are allowed 2,000 cubic metres per day and if we don’t use the water it goes directly into the sea so we are very sustainable and not stopping anyone else from using it. We need to explain what goes on here and as loudly as possible,” said Ignacio.

Unlike the links courses of the UK Finca Cortesin is a golf course which can become a little unfair if it’s too dry, because of its slopes and undulations.

“I think it will be good to show the media and the spectators that we have been through a long summer just before the tournament, while September is not the ideal month from an aesthetic point of view.

“It will be a great opportunity to present the course in great condition, but let the public know that we are very concerned about water use and water conservation.”

If the fairways are a little bit thirsty and brown for the week of the Cup, Ignacio is adamant that his greens will be perfect for the top 12 golfers from Europe and the USA.

“We made the change to Bermuda greens in 2017 because we were really struggling to grow cool season grasses – Bentgrass – in Spain,” he said of a move which was the first club in Europe to adopt the grass, although there are now around a dozen more in Spain going down the same route.

Ignacio spent a great deal of time in southern USA studying Bermuda once he came to the conclusion that

his Bent greens were struggling in the warm Spanish sun.

“In Texas and California they are 15 to 20 years ahead of us in growing warm season grasses and now the varieties of Bermuda as much better now than they were 20 years ago,”

“We made the transition within a five week period. We ordered on hectare of Bermuda from a turf farm and they grew it for us over the course of a year. We then brought the sod to Finca and laid the greens keeping the same shape and design. We did nine holes in a couple of weeks and then the other nine holes in two weeks and then

gave a week for the 18 holes to rest. It was a good five week process.

“We now have great surfaces all year round. The greens are different and people like different things and enjoying playing on them, while they are much easier to maintain, so I can sleep much better now,” he laughed, of his new greens, which ensure that a player must learn to read the grain as well as the break of a putt.

The maintenance benefits are massive.

“Being a warm season grass in a warm place means that they grow a lot more than a Bent grass in a warm place, but on the other side,

if you have Bent grass in this area you have to apply more pesticides to keep the grass healthy. Bermuda grass just grows and grows so it involves a lot of mechanical work – mowing and verticutting – and a lot of top dressing.

“In the winter the Bermuda’s playability is very good and we save a lot of money as we only need to cut them once or twice a week as they grow very little. We do more rolling than mowing and it makes it much easier in winter time.”

The fact that Finca Cortesin is such good match play course makes it perfect for the Solheim

Cup and Ignacio is excited about seeing how the matches play out.

“All the holes are different and we have many holes which are risk and reward. You can make birdie but also a double bogey. It is around the greens where most of the trouble is. The girls are so straight off the tee but from 100 metres in is where the excitement is going to be.”

For the week itself the Finca Cortesin team of 25 will be joined by 40 volunteer greenkeepers from all over Europe.

“Mostly they will be Head Greenkeepers and it is important that we have them for the full

week, Monday to Sunday, to ensure that we manicure the course to a high standard and have uniformity all round,” said Ignacio who holds great store in gathering data of green speed, weight of clippings, firmness, conductivity and humidity of the greens.

“We test every green individually with our own equipment and we will have 10 to 15 people working on that side of things.”

All 115 bunkers will be raked by hand.

The team will have an early start and will mow and roll again between matches because }

“WE NOW HAVE GREAT SURFACES ALL YEAR ROUND. THE GREENS ARE DIFFERENT AND PEOPLE LIKE DIFFERENT THINGS AND ENJOYING PLAYING ON THEM, WHILE THEY ARE MUCH EASIER TO MAINTAIN, SO I CAN SLEEP MUCH BETTER NOW!”

the grass will be growing.

“We want the same conditions at 8am in the morning as we have at 1pm in the afternoon but we have time enough to do it.”

He is also ready if the weather turns against them during the week.

“We have plenty of squeegees and pumps in case we get unlucky.”

The fact that the Solheim Cup has finally reached Spain has been embraced by the country as a whole

“Spanish golf is doing a great job in marketing the Cup. Even people who don’t know anything about golf know about the Solheim Cup. It is a great time for ladies’ golf all over the world at the moment and here in Spain,” who counted his own family among those non-golfers who are now converts to the Solheim Cup.

“We have a group of ladies here at Finca and they come and play every day. It is growing a lot and is a good market. Maybe because they are new to the game but they seem

to enjoy it more than the men, and it’s great because they don’t cause much damage to the course and they spend a lot of money in the shop and in the restaurant,” he laughed. He also recognises what a great time it is for Spanish greenkeeping with the Ryder Cup in Italy following on from the Solheim Cup and the course being managed by fellow Spaniard Lara Arias and her partner and last Ryder Cup

Superintendent, Alejandro Reyes.

“Lara worked for me a few years ago and did an Internship at Finca Cortesin. She spent a year here and she is great. I’m very happy for her and she is doing a great job. It’s not easy in Italy,” he said.

At the time of talking, and this was before the recent heat wave, there was still much to be done and Ignacio admitted that it was going to be a long hard summer, but he was looking forward to enjoying the week itself.

“There might be little things to do like changing the greens from 11.5 to 12 but that’s not an issue for us but I just want to make sure that I enjoy the tournament and those around me enjoy it too.”

With the Solheim Cup growing in stature each time it is played you can be sure that the Finca Cortesin edition will be an event to savour and that Spain will not have to wait as long for the next time it hosts.

}

“I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I ENJOY THE TOURNAMENT AND THOSE AROUND ME ENJOY IT TOO” – IGNACIO SOTA

Different event is to be embraced

There have been several attempts to add a serious new addition to the industry’s exhibition portfolio over the years, but I think it’s fair to say that none has come closer to achieving that goal than the offering that GroundsFest is providing. Yes, I’m speaking ahead of the event which is dangerous ground on which to walk ,but the organisers, among whom there is a serious amount of exhibiton experience and knowledge, are certainly not mucking about and everything has been considered.

They even chose their date having studied weather patterns for the time of year and, although we all know it’s anything but an exact science, have chosen a time when records show rain is less likely.

But then, should the weather Gods let them down, the indoor element of the GroundsFest will come into its own and there will be shelter from any storm.

The mid-show festivities are also something which is different and to be embraced, with music, food and the odd libation, so those staying close by can let their hair down for a few hours.

I would encourage those who can to pay a visit to Stoneleigh and hope and expect that GroundsFest will live up to all expectations.

Scott MacCallum

Get ready for GroundsFest

The countdown is on and it’s time to get ready for the most anticipated event of the year. GroundsFest is set to be the largest, annual, free must-attend event for grounds staff, greenkeepers, landscapers, gardeners, local authorities, estate managers and contractors.

Taking place at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire on 20 – 21 September, here is a snap-shot of what attendees can look forward to.

Hundreds of brands and demonstrations

Hundreds of brands will be on display, and you will be able to see a wide range of products in action. If you want to dig it, move it, cut it, mow it, climb it, mulch it, or build it, it’s ALL at GroundsFest. The event will give you the opportunity to not only see a wide range of machinery in action but get up close and personal with it. In addition to the outside areas there are two large indoor halls featuring exhibitor stands, a BAGMA Dealer Hub, catering outlets and seminar theatres.

GroundsFest will feature a wide range of exhibitors showcasing machinery, power, and hand tools; seeds, turf, aggregates, and treatments; landscaping materials; arboriculture, horticulture, and

forestry products; playground equipment; irrigation and drainage equipment, and much, much more.

Practical training sessions

Carried out by Grounds Training, the programme will feature free handson, training sessions on a range of groundscare topics including line marking, pedestrian mowers, ride-on mowers, handheld machinery, and the calibration and use of knapsack sprayers and boom sprayers. The sessions will be delivered by a fantastic team of Lantra approved instructors which includes Keith Kent, Martin Sampson, Chris Parry, and Steve Potter.

Free education and CPD points

With five seminar theatres, outdoor practical sessions, and an abundance of land-based education providers

in attendance, GroundsFest is set to have the largest display of educational opportunities ever seen at a groundscare event. GroundsFest’s all-encompassing education programme has been designed for all sectors of the groundscare and landscaping industry. In addition to the seminars, there will also be an education area featuring many of the UK’s leading land-based colleges. BAGMA (British Agricultural and Garden Machinery Association) will be offering advice about its specific industry training courses, and We Are Land-Based Engineering by the AEA (Agricultural Engineers Association) has a stand to provide information on a career in land-based engineering.

The free-to-attend, CPD accredited education programme is set to be a major attraction at the event and will feature many expert speakers including representatives from the Amenity Forum and the STRI (Sports Turf Research Institute), Geoff Fenn (Origin Amenity Solutions), Adam Witchell (The Nurture Landscapes Group/Harlequins Rugby), Wayne Grills (BALI), Keith Kent (Grounds Training), plus many more.

The Landscape Zone

An entire hall dedicated to all those involved in the planning,

Easy to get around, prizes, live music and free parking

design, and construction of outdoor environments in the landscaping sector. The Landscape Zone will spotlight the latest outdoor environment technologies, solutions and innovations and will be a must-attend event for landscape architects, local authority landscaping professionals, garden designers, landscape contractors, interior designers, facilities managers and many more. Some great speakers at the top of their game will also be taking to the stage in the Landscape Zone seminar theatres.

Live music festival

After an action-packed day at GroundsFest,

unwind and continue networking with live music, and sumptuous street food. There will be great selection of DJs and live bands taking to the stage and there will also be beer tents and drink stalls. The festival will start at 5pm on the first day of GroundsFest.

Register and be in with a chance of winning a prize

There are multiple prizes of over £6,000-worth of battery powered equipment up for grabs.

All you have to do is register. The prizes include Etesia and Pellenc pedestrian mowers and Pellenc telescopic and fixed-poled pole saws – all of which will allow you to work for a full day in an environmentally-friendly way. Don’t worry if you have already registered – you will automatically get entered into the free draw which is taking place on the second day.

Free on-site parking and free shuttle buses

Stoneleigh Park has thousands of free on-site parking spaces. Free shuttle buses will also be available after the festival to take attendees back to their accommodation in Kenilworth, Leamington Spa and Coventry.

Accommodation and camping

There are lots of accommodation options nearby. Stoneleigh Park also has a dedicated area for camping, motorhomes, and caravans. If you are interested in this area, please contact the GroundsFest team through the website.

n Register for free at groundsfest.com.

You can also follow GroundsFest on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @ GroundsFest for much more news, reviews and insightful views.

What to look out for at GroundsFest

AMS ROBOTICS

STAND OSA760

AMS Robotics bring 21stcentury convenience to turf care maintenance. The ultimate goal is to bring efficiency to turf care practices by using automation to help save you time, money and energy resources while maintaining a beautifully cared for green area.

AMS robotics are the market leaders in the commercial robotic grounds maintenance industry with the impressive

products supplied by Belrobotics. The Belrobotics range features two variations of commercial robotic lawnmowers and a robotic golf ball collector a management system. Alongside the Belrobotics products. At this year’s GroundsFest, AMS will be showcasing the BigMow robotic mower and the SWOZI autonomous LineMarker. BigMow is the world’s highest performing commercial robotic mower. It’s robust, reliable and eco friendly nature makes it the perfect choice for sports pitches, driving ranges, turf farms, business and public estates. BigMow works completely autonomously and has the capacity to mow up to 75,000m2 several times a week. AMS have chosen to exhibit at GroundsFest this year as It’s important to support new organisations willing to help boost the platform for companies within this industry - AMS are very much looking forward to it.

ASPEN FUEL

STAND OSA350

choice for people, machinery and the environment.

Following the success of their ‘Experience the Difference’ money-back promotion over the last 12 months, Aspen Fuel are delighted to announce an extension of the scheme for visitors attending GroundsFest. This year sees Aspen celebrating 35 years as the pioneers of alkylate fuel – free from ethanol, benzene and other hazardous hydrocarbons making it a better

Many grounds contractors, landscapers and arborists are already reaping the rewards of the improvements to their working environment by fuelling their petrol-engined equipment with Aspen Fuel. Recommended by LANTRA, the cleaner burn of Aspen all-but eliminates the noxious fumes and infamous ‘blue haze’ traditionally experienced with unleaded fuel from the pump, not only improving the health and well-being of the operator but also those in the immediate environment. Visitors can find out more about the ‘Experience the Difference’ trial, which enables businesses to use the 2 and 4-stroke fuel risk-free in their own working environments and return the unused fuel if they change their mind for a refund of the cost difference. “We understand that concerns around cost or

logistics can sometimes delay the decision to give Aspen a try, however, once they do, we find companies rarely look back” explained Axel

Hildebrand, Business Development Manager for Aspen Fuel.

“We want to give all business owners at GroundsFest the opportunity to discover the difference that this fuel can make to their operation, their machinery and their workers welfare and we can do that with the assurance that the customer won’t incur any increase in their fuel costs for the duration of the trial.”

BIGCHANGE

STAND L49

BigChange is excited to announce that it will be showcasing its allin-one Job Management System at this year’s Groundsfest. Whether you’re a project manager, director, or business owner, you’re likely seeking ways to enhance operational efficiencies and boost profit margins. The single most effective way of achieving that within your turf management or landscaping business is by investing in job management software. By offering optimised job scheduling, intelligent route planning, automated customer notifications, and digital documentation, BigChange frees you from inefficient paper-based processes and simplifies your systems. No more lost or illegible paperwork, inaccurate invoicing, or missed appointments. With the all-in-one Job Management System, customer data and job information are brought together in one place, making it effortless to access and share with your team.

Its Job Management System streamlines operations and makes businesses more cost-effective. By incorporating intelligent route planning, digital documentation, and increased worker productivity, BigChange can significantly reduce unnecessary operational expenses. Thousands of businesses have already embraced it, so what are you waiting for? Visit the team of product experts at Groundsfest for a complimentary demonstration of the platform and to learn how businesses have gone from strength to strength with BigChange.

CAMPEY TURF CARE SYSTEMS

STAND OSA460

Campey Turf Care Systems is ready to take full advantage of the outdoor demonstration space at GroundsFest, with the Imants ShockWave, Dakota Turf Tender, Foley Company Air2G2 336 and Campey UNIRAKE all prepared for action. The combination of outdoor and indoor stands has made GroundsFest the perfect event for Campey to give visitors valuable in-action insights into machines, how they work and the difference they can make. Speaking about the inaugural event, Campey Turf Care Director Lee Morgado said: “GroundsFest is a new concept which puts the visitors at the forefront of the experience. One of those aspects is live demos, which makes the event more valuable to us as a company.” Campey has chosen machines that encompass a range of maintenance practices for the show. For variable organic matter removal, the UNIRAKE is the perfect choice. The latest re-designed Imants }

What to look out for at GroundsFest

ShockWave sporting its new livery, will be on show for wide area aeration, proving in person why it is the best linear compactor for heavily used areas where play can’t stop. In smaller or tighter areas, the Foley Air2G2 336 remains the industry’s finest pedestrian aerator. Instant results and the immediate continuation of play have set this machine apart since its release, making it a mainstay across most sports. Completing the line-up of mustsee machinery is the Dakota Turf Tender. The topdresser offers an impressive level of consistency with electric control boxes allowing users to set their width of spread an infinitely variable amount while ensuring that it can be changed and returned to that width at any time.

COBRA

STAND OSA580

Henton and Chattell will be showcasing the Cobra brand at two upcoming events this year. GroundsFest represents a key industry opportunity to showcase the Cobra range to customers, dealers and stockists – as well as presenting invaluable chances to network, including directly with buyers. It will also be a great chance

for Cobra to demonstrate the capabilities of the Fortis cylinder mowers and lawn tractor ranges – both of which were launched earlier this year. The Fortis range combines eight machines in one to give the ultimate package for creating picture perfect lawns, and are the first powered cylinder mowers to be launched by Cobra. What makes the Fortis machines the ultimate in lawncare however, is their ability to transform into seven other machines to ensure that lawns are immaculate and healthy. The Fortis six-bladed cassette can simply be removed and replaced with another accessory cassette in the range to switch its use. Other cartridges include a verticutter, scarifier, dethatcher, aerator, turf rake, lawn brush and 10-blade cassette. For those with larger lawns to tend to, Cobra’s new range of rideon lawnmowers provides a highquality, yet wallet-friendly option. Those with even larger areas to mow will appreciate one of the other new six ride-on tractors available. With cutting widths ranging from 33” up to 42”, and choices again being manual and hydrostatic gear changing, as well as a twin cutting blade and the option to collect the cuttings, release them back to the ground or turn them to mulch.

DENNIS STAND 50

mowers that are no compromise alternatives to its popular range of petrol machines.

Users of the Dennis G860 cylinder mower will no doubt see familiarities in the new ES-860. This 34” battery powered turf management system delivers maximum versatility and the range of 13 interchangeable cassette options provide a solution to many day-to-day maintenance tasks. The power of the battery system ensures the machine is capable of cutting at least 3-4 pitches on a single charge or verticutting a full pitch. The ES-34R rotary mower has twin contra rotating blades with the height of cut controlled by an easy to use ‘click’ system. Based on the Dennis Premier, the ES-36 provides a perfect finish every time and capable of cutting 2-3 pitches on a single charge. This new mower is based on the Dennis FT510 – which is, historically, the company’s most popular machine. With a choice of 12 interchangeable cassettes, the ES-510 is capable of scarifying down to -10mm. Users of the Dennis Razor Ultra will be familiar with this machine, which features an ultrashort wheelbase for undulating surfaces. Using a 7 or 11 bladed cutting cylinder and groomer reel, this 560mm battery mower produces a quality of cut which provides an ultra-fine finish on bowling greens, golf greens and tees, and cricket pitches. Easy to use, superb balance, control, and easy pull back for accurate alignment of next run are just some of the features of the ES-26. With a 26” cutting width, this mower is available with a standard front roller for maintaining fine turf sports surfaces such as golf greens and tees.

Dennis will be showcasing a wide-range of pedestrian battery-powered products. Since its launch, the Dennis E-Series has taken the industry by storm standing out from the competition in terms of power, battery-range and performance. Reliable and long lasting, the exciting Dennis E-Series is a range of battery powered

DLF

STAND OSA481

What to look out for at GroundsFest

to this year’s GroundsFest an exclusive preview of its new-look ProX range.

The new ProX range will launch in 2024, featuring break-through battery and charging technology and has been specifically designed to meet the demands of the professional user.

An impressive range of MM grass seed mixtures will be showcased at GroundsFest 2023, and visitors will get the chance to find out how the innovative seed technology could vastly benefit their sports pitches. Here’s a snapshot of just some of the mixtures on display at GroundsFest.

MM50 is perfect for cricket squares, tennis courts and also golf tees and fairways. This hard-wearing mix has rapid germination, extremely fine leaved appearance, high shoot density and is tolerant to very close mowing, as low as 5mm, along with high disease resistance. All these attributes together produce a fantastic sward.

MM60 is a 100% Ryegrass formula and the UK’s leading winter sports renovation mixture. It is well-known for its extremely fast germination and its high wear tolerance plus excellent disease resistance.

MM Tetrasport is a traditional repair mixture, especially useful for overseeding of high quality sportsfields to improve sward composition and aid recovery from disease scarring, Tetra Sport consists of Tetraploid Ryegrasses and is ideal for when the cooler weather arrives.

EGO POWER PLUS

STAND OSA630 & 25

EGO Power Plus will give visitors

Vince Brauns, Group Product Manager at EGO, said that they are really excited to be attending the first ever GroundsFest with a preview of our new product launches for next year.

“People visiting our stand will get the opportunity to see our industry-leading battery technology, which boasts excellent run times and performance.

“We have been able to evolve our battery and charging innovations to the point where users can work all day, every day, making our new ProX range the reliable and performance-driven fleet of tools that professional users need.”

On the stand, visitors will be able to take a spin on one of EGO’s ride-on mowers through an obstacle course and be in with a chance of winning a selection of EGO prizes.

ETESIA UK

STAND OSA150

prize, Etesia UK will be showcasing a range of its most popular products including the Electric Bahia M2EL lithium and the ET Lander electric utility vehicle. The new ET Lander models are now fully N1 homologation compliant meaning that they are fully road legal along with being able to be used off road. They also feature lithium-ion batteries which ensures that the range of the ET Landers will extend to 100km and have a charger system compatible with a standard type 2EV car charger. The Etesia Bahia M2EL – the world’s first 100% electric professional ride-on-mower with grass collection, is powered by a 48V, 100Ah lithium battery. This enables users to get up to 4 hrs 30 mins of action before it needs recharging. A pocket-size ride-on mower, just 0.82 m wide and 1.98 m long, the Etesia electric Bahia features an incredibly tight turning circle. It nips into every nook and cranny and can be easily transported. It is also highly economical – the electric Bahia’s running costs are £0.35 against £3.57 for the petrol version.

FOLEY STAND OSA540

model for everyone at every professional level of play. At Groundsfest, you will also have the chance to discuss any requirements with the UK and Ireland distributor ProSport UK Ltd, Ian Robson. Foley Company is the leading manufacturer of professional grinders delivering quality, state-of-the-art spin, and relief grinders across the world. UK distributor ProSport UK continues to supply Foley professional grinders to the top golf courses in the UK impressing greenkeepers with the speed and versatility of the Foley range. The recent Open at Royal Liverpool was supported by Foley Company throughout the week pre-ceding the competition, to ensure the best surfaces were delivered right up to and throughout the Tournament. And dealer outlets too, when looking to deliver an excellent reliable service to their customers, have chosen to go with Foley. The choice of spin or relief is no longer the question. Foley machines will do both and some models, such as the ACCUSharp, ACCU-Pro and ACCUMaster, have automatic grinding pre-sets and adjustment systems to decrease time and labour.

FULLBROOK NURSERY STAND L190

Etesia UK will have a range of pedestrian and ride-on mowers, brushcutters and the awardwinning ET Lander electric utility vehicle on display at GroundsFest 2023. In addition to the products, some lucky visitors will walk away with a section of prizes from the Etesia and Pellenc battery-powered range. The company is also participating in a GroundsFest registration giveaway which will see visitors land a range of prizes including the Etesia Duocut battery-powered mower. In addition to the registration

Foley Company through its UK distributor Prosport UK Ltd, is looking forward to attending the first Groundsfest event 2023. As a working demonstration event, you will have the opportunity to see the finest professional grinders in action. From a selection of the latest in grinding technology and technique, Foley will be showcasing the Accu-Pro 633 cylinder grinder and the Accu-Pro 672 bedknife grinder. Whatever the size of your golf club, the quality you want to achieve for your members is the same. There is a Foley

Welcome to Fullbrook Nursery, the epitome of horticultural excellence nestled near the vibrant city of Lichfield in the heart of England. With an impressive 50-year legacy and an abundance of experience, we take immense pride in providing swift, efficient, and top-notch plant supply services to esteemed Designers, Domestic Landscapers, Commercial Landscapers, and Property Developers. Join us at the spectacular GroundsFest this year, where

we’re thrilled to present an exquisite selection of high-quality plants, thoughtfully curated to cater to your unique preferences. We warmly invite you to visit our delightful stand, where our team of passionate horticulturists awaits with a beaming smile. Embrace the opportunity to explore our captivating range and share your creative ideas and planting needs.

At Fullbrook Nursery, we understand that each project is an expression of artistry, and our goal is to ensure your vision blossoms into reality with ease and joy. Our knowledgeable team is eager to provide personalised attention and expert guidance, ensuring your horticultural journey is a delightful experience from start to finish. Whether you’re an experienced landscaper seeking to elevate your projects or a designer looking for that perfect botanical touch, we are here to cater to your desires with warmth and expertise.

GRILLO STAND L86

We know, from first-hand experience, the potential pitfalls, and the subsequent headaches, of custom outdoor kitchen installations. This is why, at Grillo, we have designed a modular solution, that is both stylish and functional. Our Vantage Range has a variety of units and appliances to choose from including gas and charcoal barbecues and a pizza oven. Using our online configurator, Trade customers can combine modules to create the perfect outdoor kitchen layout which best suits their client’s needs and the available space. Grillo Vantage has the ability to integrate seamlessly into any

garden project. Our outdoor kitchens are design-led and materials have been carefully selected for both aesthetic and durability purposes. Showcasing contemporary black carbon steel with iroko hardwood inlaid throughout, to add a natural warmth, the materials and neutral colours enable Grillo kitchens to blend into any environment. We regularly work with the trade via specifiers such as Garden Designers, Landscapers, Architects, Interior Designers and Property Developers. This is for those in the trade that are looking to include our easyto-specify and fully installed kitchens in their designs.

UK

We are the UK importers of Antonio Carraro Alpine Tractors. Compact tractors ideal for landscapers, forestry and small holdings. Focusing on the importance of having a compact build, low centre of gravity and equal wheel distribution ensuring the operator has increased stability, comfort and traction. At GroundsFest we will have a selection of tractors to view, including the impressive Mach 4 Tony. The ultimate in traction and weight distribution, this model barely marks the ground even in very wet conditions thanks to its four independent rubber tracks and it will go just about anywhere! Designed for use in extreme conditions where other tractors cannot operate: steep gradients (including side slopes) and tough terrain. On mud, snow, and even rainsoaked ground, the Mach 4 Tony tracked tractor works with minimum ground compaction. AC was the first manufacturer in the world to introduce the reversible driving system back }

KIRKLAND

STAND OSA550

What to look out for at GroundsFest

in 1970. Simply turn the seat/ steering wheel/dash/pedal assembly 180° for an identical, but reverse, driving direction giving the operator optimal vision when using rear or front mounted attachment. Other models available to view will be the Antonio Carraro TRX 5800 , TRX 7800, SRX 6800, and SN 6800 with cab.

LANTRA

STAND OSA130 & 47

challenges and opportunities afforded by technology. We want to ensure the workforce is suitably skilled to meet the needs of employers now and in the years ahead. Therefore, we are constantly looking at ways to translate the needs of the sector into our own training courses, as well as those of reputable training partners who develop specialist courses under the Lantra brand.

LLOYDS MOWERS AND HUNTER GRINDERS

STANDS OSA170 & 50

MANSFIELD SAND STAND OSA260

homogenous product made from their own premium silica sands combined with top quality soils. Mansfield Sand can also produce bespoke dressing blends and combine soil amendments into any product.

MOASURE

STAND L42

With our Head office based on Stoneleigh Park, the Lantra Team is counting down to the inaugural GroundsFest 2023, when we’re looking forward to welcoming thousands of landscaping industry professionals to our home in the Warwickshire countryside. With over 40 years’ experience helping the land-based and environment sector meet its skills needs, our team will be on hand across the two-day event to share our latest developments in training and qualifications; inspire visitors with our careers information in landscaping, whilst gathering views and feedback from industry to inform our future products and services. Lantra acts as a catalyst for bringing different parts of the sector together and GroundsFest will be no different. We’ve invited a whole host of industry experts, employers and employees, as well as Lantra training Providers and Instructors, along to our indoor stand and outdoor demonstrator area over the 2 days. Here we will be showcasing tools with the latest battery technology and the new Lantra product suite for landscaping professionals. We are hoping visitors to the show will join the educational seminars where Lantra is keen for insights from the industry to future proof our offer, addressing the needs of the environment while keeping sight of commercial

Lloyds Mowers and Hunter Grinders are looking forward to attending GroundsFest 2023 and visitors can expect to see a variety of products on display from the two well-respected brands. Lloyds has always manufactured and supplied products that deliver on performance while requiring minimum maintenance. The Paladin pedestrian mower is a classic example of a quality product that can stand alone and deliver the cut today as it has done, for many decades. Also on show will be the Lloyds Leda Gang Mowers. Hunter Grinders is known worldwide in golf and stadia for their grinding performance on cutting cylinders and bottom blades. The company has steadily built up a reputation for supplying strong, accurate, precision grinders. Company representatives will also be on hand throughout the event to talk about the products in more detail.

Visitors to the stand can expect to see a wide range of sand-based products that are vital to the overall health and performance of a sports pitch. Mansfield Sand has pioneered the development and production of premium silica sand-based products for over 170 years. The company provides a wide range of innovative products for sports, landscaping, and equestrian uses. These include stadium and training ground facilities; championship golf courses and world class show jumping arenas. The company’s leading experts will be on hand at GroundsFest to explain how some of the following products could make a difference to your sports turf projects.

Sourced from the company’s Two Oaks Quarry in Mansfield where the Mansil range of Silica Sands is produced. These products are predominantly used in the construction and maintenance of a wide range of sports surfaces. Fibresand is a pure sand and polypropylene fibre reinforcement product that is particularly advantageous when grass cover has been reduced due to heavy usage and wear during the winter period.

A range of Fibre Reinforced Rootzones developed to obtain greater use from natural turf surfaces while maintaining the high standards demanded by today’s sports industry and meeting the expectations of ground staff at all levels. Mansfield Sand understands exactly what is needed to achieve the surface that turf managers require week-in-week-out and that is why their rootzones contain only the best quality materials to meet that demand.

Produced for the fine turf market, Mansfield Sand’s Soil Top Dressing is a manufactured

Measuring complex shapes and areas with traditional tools has so much potential for error. Thanks to its patented technology, Moasure ONE makes measuring the difficult, simple. Moasure’s revolutionary measuring device is transforming the landscape and turf management industry with its ability to measure complex and irregular spaces, simply by moving from one point to another – capturing and measuring changes in elevation as you go. As you move, Moasure’s companion smartphone app will simultaneously draw your measurements, giving you a complete and comprehensive diagram of the job site. Moasure makes light work of measuring large or small complex areas –accurately capturing measurement data and plotting a diagram as you move around. Measurements captured with Moasure can now be exported straight into design software programs including AutoCAD, Vectorworks, SketchUp and many others – without any additional cost or monthly subscription fee. Landscape professionals who previously relied on error-prone traditional measuring tools can now rapidly calculate area, measure perimeters and distance while factoring in gradients and elevations.

ORIGIN AMENITY SOLUTIONS

STAND OSA250 & 20

OAS will be exhibiting at the first ever GroundsFest with two stands. Their new branded trailer can be found in the outdoor arena on stand 250, while their indoor presence on stand 20 in hall 1 will be highlighting the wealth and breadth of the Origin Amenity Solutions brand. In an exciting strategic development for OAS, the company will be launching their new Line Marking division at GroundsFest. With an enhanced team of line marking specialists, they are positioned to provide the most comprehensive line marking product and support offering in the UK. The team will be on site

with a range of line marking machines, from pedestrian spray markers to the latest technology in GPS guided robot line markers; alongside its industry-leading line marking IMPACT ready to use paint range. Well known for their commitment to educating the industry, Chemicals & Digital Technical Manager Peter Corbett will be presenting at 2pm on day 1 in Theatre 2 about the changing face of Chemicals and the effect this will have on the industry. While OAS Research & Development Director Geoff Fenn will discuss Microdochium Disease management and winter fertiliser recovery in Theatre 1 on day 2 at 11am. Continuing on the education theme, OAS will be working with Grounds Training to support them with their line marking interactive training sessions. Grounds Training deliver independently accredited training courses across the UK. OAS will be supplying line marking machinery, paint, and accessories for participants to ‘have a go’ at their training sessions with an Introduction to Sports Line

Marking (Winter Games) on day 1 and an Introduction to Sports Line Marking (Athletics) on day 2. The company has announced it will have a number of special show offers, as well as a competition to give away a free iGO Premier pedestrian line marker and two 10 litre drums of IMPACT paint – a fantastic prize and one that is sure to keep the stands busy.

“It’s a really exciting time for OAS. The transformation within the business following the merging of four individual brands has been fantastic to see,” said Portfolio Director Jayne Leyland.

PELLENC STAND OSA150

equipment. In addition to the products, some lucky visitors will walk away with a section of prizes from the Pellenc portfolio. Over recent years, Pellenc has gained market recognition by offering a unique range of ‘zero emission’ battery-powered tools, thanks to the development of Lithium-ion ultra-highperformance batteries. Visitors to the stand will get the opportunity to see a wide range of the market leading equipment. The extensive Pellenc product range features an impressive portfolio - from chainsaws, pole saws and hedge cutters to grass strimmers, brushcutters, blowers and mowers.

At GroundsFest 2023, Pellenc UK will be showcasing its range of market leading battery-powered

The company is also participating in a GroundsFest registration giveaway which will see visitors land a range of prizes including the powerful Pellenc Rasion Basic battery-powered pedestrian mower, a telescopic saw, a fixed pole-saw and ULB40 ultra-Lithium-ion battery and harness. Every visitor who registers and attends will be in with a chance of winning. }

What to look out for at GroundsFest

The Pellenc team will be available throughout the two-day event to assist and advise on all your battery-powered questions.

SISIS STAND OSA170

SISIS has announced that, for the first time ever at a trade event, it will be showcasing its entire range of products at GroundsFest. Since 1932 SISIS has designed and manufactured a wide range of professional groundcare equipment, ideal for the maintenance of sports turf, amenity turf and artificial playing surfaces. Renowned for helping to create the perfect surface, it is used around the world at high profile stadia, top football, cricket, golf, and bowling clubs as well as local authorities, schools, colleges, and universities. The famous product range includes specialist tractormounted and pedestrian turf maintenance equipment that is suitable for natural and synthetic

SOUTH WEST PLAY STAND RB100

STIHL STAND OSA30

playing surfaces; a wide range of pedestrian scarifiers, rakes and slitters which are praised for their effectiveness and durability; tractor-mounted scarifiers, brushes, fertiliser spreaders and seeders, and a selection of innovative hand tools. There is also the SISIS Quadraplay multiple-purpose, single-pass maintenance system which incorporates a mounted frame for up to four implements such as grooming rakes, spikers, slitters, rollers and brushes.

We will be showcasing at the show our commercial basket swing, stand-alone products to include a wobble rope and slack line, we will be offering a 20% discount on all orders taken at the show and with our promotional flyer you can get a 10% discount for up to six months.

At South West Play, we pride ourselves on making quality, handmade play equipment which is manufactured for commercial and residential use. Our family run business specialises in the design, manufacture, supply, install and repair of rope and net based products using traditional methods; a standard of manufacturing that helps us create highly durable equipment for a wide variation of industries. We love working with designers, architects, landscapers, attractions, schools and councils to create highly interactive equipment for use across the country. Attention to detail, bespoke craftsmanship and a commitment to safety allow us to create areas of adventure that are trusted by parents and cherished by children.

STIHL will be showcasing its full AP System range of professional battery tools at the first GroundsFest 2023 exhibition, highlighting how cordless tools can meet the varying needs of landscapers and groundscare teams. Visitors to the STIHL stand will be able to see the new PS 3000, STIHL’s first portable 230V power supply, providing users with a quiet, low maintenance and emission-free alternative to petrol-powered generators. Weighing only 19.8kg and boasting a 3.6kW power output, the new PS 3000 offers a high power-to-weight ratio and is one of the most powerful portable power supply units in its weight class. Other new tools available for professional users to get their hands on at the exhibition will be the BGA 300 backpack blower, HSA 100 cordless hedge trimmer, and the updated

powerful cordless chainsaw, ideal for felling small trees, pruning and cutting to length. STIHL will also be showcasing a range of petrol-powered tools on its demo plot, allowing professional users to see a direct comparison between battery and petrol performance.

MSA 220 C-B chainsaw.

The BGA 300, STIHL’s first cordless backpack blower for professional users, offers high performance and a significantly less disruptive sound thanks to its innovative STIHL Noise Reduction System (NRS). Thanks to the STIHL NRS, the BGA 300 produces fewer high pitch frequencies often associated with cordless blowers, meaning operation is much more pleasant and less intrusive for bystanders. In addition, The HSA 100 boasts a 60cm double-sided, doubleedged cutting blade, which offers improved cutting performance due to the large cutter spacing of the blades, whereas the updated MSA 220 C-B is a robust and

Syn-Pro by SISIS is a range of synthetic turf maintenance equipment, ideal for sanddressed, sand-filled, irrigated and rubber crumb 3G/4G surfaces. They are used around the world for routine drag brushing, grooming, decompaction, infill distribution and debris collection of synthetic playing surfaces. With the emergence of synthetic surfaces becoming more common over the years in a wide range of sports, the Syn-Pro brand has continued to go from strength to strength. Today synthetic surfaces are playing such a large role in a groundsperson’s overall responsibilities, and many have turned to the reliable and efficient Syn-Pro range. The Osca is a tractor mounted powered oscillating brush with a 1.9 meter working width and is equally effective when used on synthetic turf with sand or rubber infill. The two oscillating brushes stand the carpet fibres up and redistributes the infill evenly, minimising compaction on the surface and improving its performance. The Litamina 1200 is a compact sweeper for efficient collection for unwanted debris from sand filled or rubber crumb synthetic surfaces. With its spiral design brush helping to stand up the pile and improve collection, and a large capacity mesh

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SYN-PRO STAND OAS170

What to look out for at GroundsFest

hopper collecting debris but allowing infill to be returned to the surface, the Litamina 1200 is ideal for helping to keep surfaces free of contamination and harmful debris.

The SISIS SSS1000 is a tractor mounted sweeper which can be pulled by any machine. There are no tools required for the adjustment of the brush or the angle of the draw bar and to make storage easy the draw bar lifts to an upright position. The Flexicomb ensures even distribution of infill materials and lifts the pile. The adjustable setting ensures the effect of a rake, but with the softness of a brush, reducing the risk of damage to the fibres. The bristle sections are replaceable and the Flexicomb is designed for a long working life with minimal maintenance.

This is just a snapshot of the products that will be on display so make sure that a

visit to the Syn-Pro stand is on your GroundsFest agenda.

TURF TANK STAND OSA191

Turf Tank, the global leader in robotic line marking, is set to unveil the industry defining Turf Tank Two at the inaugural GroundsFest at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire.

Visitors can experience the next step in GPS line marking as the company that built the world’s first robotic line marker continues to innovate.

Performance and accuracy

are the hallmarks of Turf Tank, and a combination of refinements, including two motor drives for better momentum and new wheels for improved grip and traction, have led to faster marking times with the Turf Tank Two. While the speed and accuracy of marking are paramount to efficiency, so is the usability of the Turf Tank Two. Several sprayer module upgrades have made fine-tuning simple with the twist of a knob, including disc height, width and a disc ruler for a better overview. A new front panel provides quick pause/resume options, LED indicators to show the robot status and a start/stop sprayer button while numerous ergonomic improvements have been made to make working with the Turf Tank Two quicker and easier. A tilted pump cover allows up to 20 litres of paint to be slid into the robot rather than being

lifted in and out of the top. Additionally, handles are now on the front and back to make lifting in and out of vans and buggies easier. New in-app guides are introduced to walk you through most features, and the new Wizard guides you through the cleaning and priming process of the paint system. The new software also builds on Turf Tank’s leading customer service through remote access.

Turf Tank staff can assist in setting up fields, diagnose problems and provide support instantly wherever you are.

Second robot for CW Devon from Origin

Origin Amenity Solutions has delivered their latest GPS guided robotic line marking machine, the TinyLineMarker Pro X, to long-standing customer Countrywide Grounds Maintenance in Devon.

Steven Hurley is the Regional Manager for CW Devon. He said: “We carry out the line marking requirements for approximately 80 schools, colleges, and sports fields. There is planned acquisition of further schools this year so we need to be in a position to meet the additional requirements these will bring.”

TinyLineMarker is marketed and distributed exclusively in the UK by Origin Amenity Solutions which brings together four leading industry names - Headland Amenity, Rigby Taylor, TurfKeeper.com and Symbio.

Packed with a range of brand-new innovative features, the TLM Pro X is

an exciting new GPS robot designed to make line marking projects as streamlined and effortless as possible.

“Our first robot is the Pro which has been brilliant. After five years it is still going strong, but it was time to add to the fleet. We need to be able to offer high quality line marking to all our customers in a timely fashion,” said Steven.

“The additional robot will ensure we can do that. Our original robot is a good robust machine, but I am very impressed with the new and improved Pro X. It is efficient and easy to use. The design and light weight of the machine makes it so convenient and easy to handle and transport. It has bigger wheels that are better at handling on rough or uneven ground which is ideal and well suited for the soft ground conditions we often have here in The Southwest.”

Steven is particularly impressed with one of the new key features, the multi-select tool. This tool gives users the ability to queue up multiple pitches to be marked out in a specific order of their choosing, and the robot will then mark out the designated areas.”

The TLM Pro X also boosts many more improvements, including general upgrades to the hardware and software for a largely improved experience on what was already a solid offering from the existing range of robots. Thanks to the design upgrade, the robot offers faster deployment and maintenance has been streamlined too, making all round care as minimal as possible to ensure users can focus on their line marking projects. n https://tinymobilerobots. com/tinymobilerobots-uk/

Introducing Turf Tank 2

Hardware and software advancements ensure the New Turf Tank Two will be the industry’s leading autonomous robotic line marking robot.

Following the worldwide success of the Turf Tank One, the new machine has been designed based on robust research and development, customer feedback and enhancing the user experience.

A combination of refinements, including two motor drives for better momentum and new wheels for improved grip and traction, have led to faster marking times:

Football (11v11): 23:56 minutes

Baseball: 10 minutes

Softball: 7 minutes 30 seconds.

While the speed and accuracy of marking are paramount to efficiency, so is the usability of the Turf Tank Two. Several sprayer module upgrades have made fine-tuning simple with the twist of a knob, including disc height, width and a disc ruler for a better overview.

Tighter tolerances ensure sharper and crisp lines between 5-15cm, with the rack-and-pinion system letting you go from minimum to maximum in a single turn. The height of the sprayer discs can be easily adjusted in increments of 5mm, allowing you to approximate the correct sprayer height. Fine-grained adjustments can be made via a turning knob to get the height precisely as you want and deliver consistent results every mark.

To make maintenance more manageable, the module is now an independent part. It can be removed by loosening two screws, allowing easy access to specific parts, while one-hand solenoid removal has also been made possible for quicker working.

A new front panel provides quick

pause/resume options, LED indicators to show the robot status and a start/ stop sprayer button. An LED indicator on the battery has been fitted for a quick status check - if it’s plugged in or not - , and batteries can now be hot-swapped without needing to shut down the robot. Numerous ergonomic improvements have been made to make working with the Turf Tank Two quicker and easier.

A tilted pump cover allows up to 20 litres of paint to be slid into the robot rather than being lifted in and out of the top. The newly designed compartment increases efficiency by ensuring the suction rod can extract and use all the paint, and battery access has also been simplified, with only one movement needed to slide it in place. While on-pitch performance comes from the Turf Tank Two, the planning comes from the tablet.

This is where the user experience gets taken to the next level. You can now batch edit fields, place layouts inside layouts, set custom routes and measure on the map. All of this is done within the extensive visual layout editor that allows you to change/remove any line of a field.

Yamaha’s UMX AC light utility vehicles have proved a hit with Adam Smith, the Head of Grounds and Gardens at Bishop’s Stortford College in Hertfordshire.

He and his team now have three of these electric-powered workhorses for estate management duties, while the catering team have two. The maintenance team have taken delivery of their own unit.

“Prior to getting the UMXs we were using golf buggies adapted with a cargo box and tow bar, but they weren’t really fit for purpose; their traction under load was poor and they had limited carrying capacity,” explained Adam.

“After the decision was made to get dedicated light utility vehicles, we demoed most of the competitor machines and Yamaha came out on top. They were not the cheapest option, but they were far and away the best, with a good towing capacity, excellent storage in the side boxes and bonnet, sturdily built and with a very comfortable ride.

“We have three UMX’s for the Grounds and Gardens team and they are excellent workhorses carrying leaves, mulch, topdressing, tools and hand mowers around the school estate. The carrying capacity is just over 360kg and the aluminium cargo bed is a generous size with a one-touch tailgate latch.

Yamaha’s UMX ticks all the boxes

ideal in a school environment, comfortable, easily maintained, good on artificial surfaces, sturdily constructed, have a very good carrying capacity and the LED headlights are excellent, especially in the winter months. They tick all the boxes!”

“We also use them as the tow vehicles for our ground-driven sweeper on our two Astroturf pitches. At 100 x 70 metres, they are large areas to keep clear of debris, but the UMX’s are certainly up to the task.

“Charging is very simple; we didn’t opt for onboard chargers as we have a garage building that houses the lightweight charging units, but we will soon be erecting a dedicated parking and charging area with specific parking bays for each vehicle. Depending on use, our charging regime is usually overnight, every two days.

“Summing up, they are quiet, which is

At its heart, the UMX AC features a punchy 5.0 kW motor, that’s not just quieter and better for the environment, but has a good range and is simple to plug in and charge. It delivers smooth, flexible power that takes the operator just about anywhere in a park, resort, golf course, farm, airport, factory … just simply point and go.

The UMX AC is a strong, stylish and compact utility vehicle that is equipped to transport two people and their cargo efficiently and offers the versatility, userfriendliness and durability that professional operators require. It has been designed to handle everything from site maintenance duties and light farming through to gardening and housekeeping chores.

n www.yamaha-motor.eu/uk

It’s 29 units and counting

Reported as the first vehicles on site and the last to leave any project, a fleet of RTVs from Kubota have been described as pivotal in the delivery of works by one of the UK’s largest specialist contractors. MJ Abbott purchased their very first Kubota RTV back in 2006, and now have a total of 29 units supporting operations around the country.

MJ Abbott are renowned for delivering expertise in all areas of sports turf contracting – from golf course reconstructions and irrigation installations to pitch constructions and renovations. Over their near-on 60 years of trading, it’s not just the team and list of services that have grown but their machinery fleet has also expanded at a similar rate.

“Our requirements are unique and very different to that of most of our customers,” explained Technical Director Adrian Abbott.

“Any equipment we purchase has to deliver on a very demanding schedule, cope with challenging ground conditions and give us

the ongoing reliability we need to complete works on time. That’s why, when we find something that ticks these boxes we will be very loyal to the brand and that’s exactly what we have with our RTVs from Kubota.”

Among the 29 units are four RTV 900s, nine X900s and 13 X1110s – three of which were delivered earlier this year by local dealer and long-term support partner E G Coles.

“The majority of our fleet are running on turf tyres and are equipped to utility spec, with lights, which suits the variety of landscapes we work on. They’ll be the very first thing loaded onto the truck

and delivered to site, where they then become the go-to method of transporting both the workforce and the equipment around.”

“As well as them being heavy duty, another big thing we like about the Kubota is the hydrostatic transmission. Compared to other methods, this makes for a smoother drive and is a much more robust mechanism when operating over uneven terrain.”

With a fleet of that size, comes the necessity to service them effectively which Adrian says is successfully managed in-house with the support of E G Coles and Kubota when required.

“It’s testament to the quality of Kubota that we continue to get fantastic performance from RTVs we purchased over 15 years ago. You can guarantee it will have spent half of its working life axle deep in mud and yet, will still give us everything we ask of it which is why we continue to choose Kubota now and moving forwards,” he concludes.

KIOTI enhance operator comfort and efficiency

Designed to provide superior operator comfort and optimise operational efficiency, KIOTI CK and DK compact tractors can take away the stress of carrying out tasks such

mowing and verti-draining within the turf maintenance sector.

All KIOTI CK and DK compact tractors boast an Auto PTO system, which can be engaged with the touch of a switch.

In addition, the tractors come equipped with PTO Cruise, a stress -free function that allows operators to set the engine RPM at the press of a switch. This ensures a constant engine and PTO speed, with the flexibility to adjust the speed up or down by 50 RPM as required. The PTO Cruise is temporarily disengaged when the brake pedal is pressed, and it can be quickly brought back up to speed by pressing the ‘Res’ button when the implement is ready to resume work.

Furthermore, the incorporation of cruise control technology in the tractors adds an extra layer

of convenience for operators. With hydrostatic transmissions, maintaining a specific forward speed can be challenging, as it requires continuous pressure on the forward pedal. The cruise control feature, activated with a simple switch press, maintains the current forward speed without the need for constant pedal pressure, enhancing operational efficiency.

The CK and DK compact tractors are available in various models to suit different power requirements, ranging from 24.8 to 58.5 horsepower

The compact size, power, and impressive specifications of the CK and DK tractors make them an ideal choice for professional sports turf maintenance and larger commercial estate management applications. n www.kioti-uk.com

ET Lander cruises through streets of London

According to Jo Desborough, Head Gardener for The Bedford Estates, the Etesia ET Lander is a luxury electric utility vehicle which can be driven from site to site through the busy streets of London without worrying about the battery life.

The Bedford Estates has owned, developed and cared for much of Bloomsbury, London, since 1669. The estate also includes two public garden squares, Russell Square and Bloomsbury Square and several private garden areas.

The location of these gardens was a reason for choosing the ET Lander according to Jo.

“We chose the Etesia ET Lander because it’s a vehicle that’s easier to drive on the roads. We have to go between our gardens and in order to

do that, there are busy London roads in between, so having a cab that’s fully enclosed helps us with the traffic.”

100% electric, spacious, well-equipped and user-friendly, the ET Lander is built on a robust chassis and has an array of options including a three-way tipper bed with dual control from the fully fitted two-seater cab or by remote control when outside the vehicle.

Thanks to the power steering, the short turning radius of 4.40 metres and 360° visibility, it goes anywhere. The autonomy of the vehicle lasts for a full working day – without noise pollution – can transport loads of up to 940kgs and can also tow up to 750kgs.

The latest models are fully N1 homologation compliant meaning that

the ET Landers are fully road legal along with being able to be used off road. They also feature lithium-ion batteries which ensures that the range of the ET Lander extends to 100km and have a charger system compatible with a standard type 2EV car charger.

The battery-life on the ET Lander certainly doesn’t concern Jo and she also revealed that the team wouldn’t be without it.

“The battery life has been really good, and we hardly ever have to charge it,” said Jo.

“It’s very comfortable in the cab, very manoeuvrable and easy to drive. It also has windscreen wipers and a radio.

“It has a very luxury feel to it and it feels more like driving a car rather than garden equipment.”

n www.etesia.co.uk

Petrol has had its day. Petrol-matching power without the noise, vibrations or fumes. A range of batterypowered equipment with market leading four-year commercial warranty on all batteries.

Compiled by Summer Rogers

Where do you think a turf manager sits in status in the eyes of the general public?

It’s difficult because in my job here, the grounds manager is held in quite high regard. But in the general public a lot of people wouldn’t even know what a grounds manager is. I think within places that there are grounds managers they’re probably held in as high regard as they’ll ever be, but still in the general public people don’t, it’s still just someone who cuts grass.

Are you considered an “equal” by those people on a similar level in different departments?

Yep. Yeah, definitely in the environment I work in, definitely. Between head of maintenance and estate we all sit on the same committees, and we have the same powers and the same rights and terms of conditions, so definitely where I work.

What needs to happen to assist the turning of the job of turf maintenance into that of a true profession?

It needs to be recognised at school level, it needs to be classed as part of education, like in science. They need to show what people can get out of it as much as what they put into it. But it needs to be classed not as a last resort but marketed as it is. There’s science involved in it now, there’s big issues with sustainability and getting the most out of chemicals, the lack of chemicals. So, it’s become a lot more but it isn’t being promoted much more.

What are the best things about working in turf management?

The best things to me are the working environment; the people I work with; working with and sometimes against nature; and you know to see people using what me and my staff are producing.

If you could swap roles with someone in any other area of sports management, what would it be?

To be honest, I don’t think I’d swap with anybody. I genuinely love the job that I do in the place that I’m working and there isn’t anything that I’d swap it for. When I decide to go to another place, another school, that will be because that’s where I want to go to and I’ll be 150% focused on that place and that’ll be where I want to work. It sounds quite sad, but it is my dream job, it’s the job I’ve always wanted to do and the job I’ll do until I retire.

Five years from now… What do you think will be most noticeable in the job – fewer chemicals, more battery power or more robotics?

I think all three will go hand-inhand, I don’t think any of those three will take over the other. There will be less chemicals, the job will be harder; there’ll be less people wanting to do it so there’ll be more robotics, everything will be electric.

If there was one task, you’d love to see the back of in five years’ time, what would it be? It would have to be something to do with worms because worms are the biggest nightmare. Cleaning rear-rollers of worm casts, its horrific. Again, it goes hand-inhand with the no chemicals to treat worms anymore so all our machines get blocked up with worm casts and it’s quite distressing.

In a perfect world, what should the various R&D departments be working on, currently, to give you in five years’ time?

Worm control. Without a shadow of a doubt. Someway of controlling worm castings, you know, in an environmentally friendly way – which I don’t think will ever happen. To me, worm casts will kill the industry because it’ll become unworkable. In any soil-based sport it’s the bane of everyone’s life. It’s just so depressing. There used to be chemicals you could

ANDY RICHARDS

use but they got banned, there’s now nothing legal you can use.

In terms of working conditions, what would you like to see for yourself and your team?

To me, our working conditions are pretty good, but I think things like trying to get medical healthcare and good pension schemes are as important as anything. With the way machines will go with being battery-operated, working conditions will improve. There’s less fumes, less vibrations, for me working conditions will improve with bat-tery-power and robotic markets and mowers.

Leaving your current workplace aside, if you had a choice if five years’ time, where would you love to be turning up to work, and in whose job?

I genuinely wouldn’t know, probably at a small cricket ground which I could look after on my own and not have to deal with any staff issues. I think when I do retire it’ll be at a cricket ground and I’ll work till I die. But that would be my dream job, where I could just do the job that I love without any staff issues.

Grounds Manager at Haileybury School