The Groundsman - March 2020

THE

GROUNDSMAN WWW.IOG.ORG

MARCH 2020 £4.00

ACHIEVING EXCELLENCE IN GROUNDS MANAGEMENT HAVE YOUR SAY

Don’t miss your chance to vote on the IOG’s new name at our EGM see page 4 and pages 20-21

DREAM TEAM

Teamwork makes all the difference at Sussex CCC

IOG name change “would be a game-changer”

INS IDE

MORE FUNDING FOR GRASSROOTS FOOTBALL PITCHES LIFE AT INTER MIAMI STAYING SAFE AND LEGAL WITH KNAPSACK SPRAYER UPKEEP MAINTENANCE ADVICE FOR APRIL PRODUCT SHOWCASE: PEDESTRIAN MOWERS AND UTILITY VEHICLES

Contents

March 2020 REGULARS 04 Industry news

The latest news from the IOG and the world of turf care

Welcome

12 SALTEX news

Time to change AS A RESULT of our research in 2019 into the industry, and the recommendation that the IOG should consider a new identity, we subsequently set about reviewing our name and how people (within and outside the industry) perceived it. We carried out focused research among many groups, including stakeholders, those within all categories of membership and volunteers at sports clubs – of all ages – as well as people who had not heard about the IOG or the industry. We then analysed their responses and arrived at a list of possible new names for the IOG. Some may recall that the proposed new name – the Grounds Management Association – is not a million miles away from what the IOG used to be called up until 1969 (the National Association of Groundsmen). The Board unanimously believes that the recommended new title will help to portray a modern, dynamic, diverse and forward-thinking organisation, and a profession that will attract much-needed new entrants to the industry.

The new name will be put to the vote at an Extraordinary General Meeting being held on Thursday 2 April (see page 4 and 20 for full details of the venue and how to vote).

The IOG is a not-for-profit organisation and we’re here to help everyone in the industry stay one step ahead of the game. Our Board has unanimously voted to change our current trading name and believe it is in the best longterm interest of the profession.

More live demos than ever at SALTEX 2020

14 GaNTIP update

New funding for community pitches

16

24 Technical update Maintaining knapsack sprayers

26 Grow with the IOG Andrew Peirson on being an IOG tutor

28 In action

Pellenc, Limagrain GKB, SGL, Headland Amenity and GrasPro

20

33 Product showcase Pedestrian mowers and UTVs

42 Tools and guidance Turf care advice for April

FEATURES 16 Best practice

Andy Mackay on First Class Sussex CCC

22

ON THE COVER

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

The new name for the IOG is being put to the vote: see page 4 and page 20

The latest pedestrian mowers and utility vehicles page 33

20 What’s in a name?

CEO Geoff Webb explains the research behind the IOG’s proposed new name

22 USA groundscare

Progress at Inter Miami’s new facility in Florida

THE GROUNDSMAN

Editorial address: 28 Stratford Office Village, Walker Avenue, Wolverton Mill East, Milton Keynes MK12 5TW t: 01908 312511

t: 07785 293077 t: 01225 337777

Geoff Webb Chief Executive The Institute of Groundsmanship

KEEP IN TOUCH

www.iog.org

Managing editor Karen Maxwell

Features editor Colin Hoskins e: editor@iog.org

Product editor Lizzie Hufton e: lizzie.hufton@jamespembrokemedia.co.uk

IOG membership and general enquiries t: 01908 312511 e: membership@iog.org

Magazine subscriptions Jo Cornford t: 01908 312511 e: accounts@iog.org

£82 Europe, £112 rest of world

Publisher James Houston

Published by James Pembroke Media

Subscriptions £72 UK,

Head of design Simon Goddard

To advertise in this magazine:

t: 020 3859 7097 e: sales@jamespembrokemedia.co.uk

The Groundsman is published monthly by the Institute of Groundsmanship. All material is copyright of the Institute of Groundsmanship and may not be reproduced without permission. The publishers do not accept responsibility for any advertisement appearing in the journal and cannot be held liable for editorial omissions or errors. The views expressed in the journal are not necessarily those of the Institute of Groundsmanship.

www.facebook.com/theIOG

Institute of Groundsmanship

twitter.com/the_iog

Update

READ MORE

IOG NEWS

Read all the latest news and updates, and discover what members are entitled to www.iog.org

THE LATEST HEADLINES FROM THE IOG AND THE INDUSTRY

NEWS TRAINING

The EGM will take place at Edgbaston on 2 April 2020

IOG NEWS

You are invited to an Extraordinary General Meeting IOG MEMBERS ARE invited to attend the IOG’s Extraordinary General Meeting – to vote on a special resolution to change our name from ‘The Institute of Groundsmanship’ to ‘Grounds Management Association Limited’ (see page 20).

This meeting will take place on Thursday 2 April in Room 1882 at Edgbaston County Cricket Ground.

Please arrive in time for coffee and networking for a 12 noon start.

During the meeting the special resolution will be put to a vote and the votes counted will be added to

“During the meeting the special resolution will be put to a vote”

4 THE GROUNDSMAN March 2020

any proxy postal votes. Lunch will be served after the meeting.

Please note that only paid-up Individual members, and appointed representatives of paid-up Associate members are eligible to vote, either in person or by proxy at the EGM. Corporate Members and members with Student Status, Under-16 Status and/or Domestic Status shall not be entitled to vote but can still attend the EGM. If you want to attend please register your details, including membership number, by emailing iog@iog.org or telephone us on 01908 312511. If you are unable to attend, proxy and postal voting forms are available via our website or by contacting the office as noted above. All proxy postal forms must be received by no later than 3pm on Tuesday 31 March 2020. We look forward to seeing you!

FREE AMENITY FORUM EVENT JOIN US AT the free-to-attend, half-day IOG-organised Amenity Forum Updating Event at Leicester City FC’s King Power Stadium on Thursday 12 March.

The educational event, supported by Advance Grass Solutions and Cub Cadet, will cover pesticide, herbicide, fungicide, insecticide and algaecide best practice for the control of pests and diseases.

A free pitch-side tour at the stadium has also been arranged for delegates after lunch.

Places are limited so email admin@amenityforum.net to secure your free place.

CORRECTION

PETER DURY IN THE OBITUARY for Peter Dury published in the February edition of The Groundsman, it was incorrectly stated that Peter was born in 1942. He was in fact born in 1935. We would like to apologise for this error.

U P D AT E

The conference included a tour of Slovan Liberec’s ground

CONFERENCE

stadia’ and Mick Higgins from Sibelco Co discussed ‘Suitable sands for turf’.

Branch awards were presented: Pitch of the Year, First League – FK Mladá Boleslav Football Club Pitch of the Year, Second League – FC Vysocina Jihlava Football Club Groundsman of the Year – Jakub Cajnak, SFC Opava Football Club Lifetime Achievements – Jan Chladil, technical director at Sigma Olomouc Stadium and Miloslav Zeman, groundsman, Slovan Liberec Football Club.

ICL AND SYNGENTA have announced updates to the Turf Rewards loyalty scheme, which gives customers the chance to earn points from purchases that can be exchanged against a selection of agronomic or turf-related items and learning opportunities. New rewards include: £350 F R Jones voucher £150 Sports Metals voucher Turfgrass Management book.

New qualifying products for 2020 include the Sportsmaster fertiliser range and new pack sizes of Ryder turf pigment (5 litre). www.turfrewards.com

STADIUM

ANFIELD PLANS PROGRESS

IN MEMORY

PETERBOROUGH UNITED PAYS TRIBUTE TO GROUNDSMAN PETERBOROUGH UNITED FOOTBALL Club will pay tribute to 21-year-old groundsman Will Whitney, who died in a road accident last month, at its home game against Portsmouth on 7 March.

In a statement, the club said it was “shocked and saddened” by the death of Will, who it described as “not

only a friend and colleague but also a supporter of the football club”.

A club spokesman said: “Everyone connected with the football club was shocked to learn of Will’s death. We are in constant contact with the family at this incredibly difficult time and are offering support to colleagues affected by his tragic death.”

AWARDS

CRICKET WORLD GROUNDCARE AWARDS 2020

Alastair Symondson launches the Awards

THE CRICKET WORLD Groundcare Awards 2020 were launched at last month’s Dennis and SISIS groundcare seminar at Durham CCC by Cricket World head of media Alastair Symondson.

There are several categories and the judging process will take KEEP IN TOUCH

LOYALT Y SCHEME

ICL AND SYNGENTA UPDATE TURF REWARDS

SUCCESSFUL IOG CZECH EVENT THE IOG CZECH Republic Branch’s two-day conference in February was attended by more than 160 groundsmen, writes Branch chairman Michal Kotan. The first day’s seminars were followed on day two by a visit to the stadium and training complex of Slovan Liberec.

The first day included talks by IOG chief executive Geoff Webb, who discussed the findings of the IOG’s 2019 research ‘Groundsmanship – sport’s vital profession’, while consultant Krzysztof Puzio talked about testing pitch quality, Forrest Scott from SubAir Systems presented ‘New technology for

NEWS

www.iog.org

into account the quality of the playing surface, general upkeep of the ground, longevity of service, an ‘against all odds’ and an overall Groundcare Person of the Year.

Find out more and nominate a groundsman for an award at www.cricketworld.com

www.facebook.com/theIOG

Institute of Groundsmanship

PLANS BY LIVERPOOL Football Club to continue the expansion of its Anfield stadium reached another stage in February, with the end of a consultation period on the next phase of development.

The club has revised proposals to add 7,000 seats to the Anfield Road stand, taking the overall capacity to more than 61,000.

RUGBY

ISEKI SUPPORTS RUGBY PROGRAMME ISEKI UK & IRELAND will continue to support the RFU’s Rugby Groundsmen Connected (RGC) scheme in 2020 and beyond, the firm has announced. RGC is the main channel for the RFU to provide advice and information to groundsmen and has special offers and exclusive benefits for members. ISEKI has supported the scheme for six years, providing discounted maintenance equipment and attending educational events throughout the year. twitter.com/the_iog

www.iog.org THE GROUNDSMAN 5

U P D AT E

NEWS

INVESTMENT

TIVOLI ANNOUNCES £5M SPENDING PLAN

Clubs whose grounds have een oo e can get help

FUNDING

Sport England to help fund storm repairs SPORTS CLUBS WHOSE facilities have been damaged by February’s storms can apply for Sport England funding to carry out repairs.

Grassroots clubs around the country have been hit by floods and wind during Storm Ciara and Storm Dennis, causing thousands of pounds of damage to grounds, stands and equipment. Organisations can apply for a grant of up to £5,000 to put towards the costs of any repairs.

Tim Hollingsworth, Sport England’s chief executive, said: “We know from the floods in 2013 and 2015 that flood water can cause significant damage to

sports pitches and pavilions, changing and social facilities.

“We’re making emergency funding available now so when the time is right sports organisations can pay for rebuilds and repairs quickly. We want to ensure that the facilities in local communities that help keep people physically active are not forgotten in the floods so they are ready to use as soon as people want them.”

Projects could include restoration of grass pitches, repair of flood- or wind-damaged clubhouses and replacement of electrical systems.

Read more at www.sportengland.org

HONOUR

GROUNDSMAN NOMINATED FOR AWARD STAFFORDSHIRE FOOTBALL CLUB Abbey Hulton United has nominated head groundsman John Wightman for an award in recognition of his devotion to the club.

John has been nominated for the Tom Brennan Service to Sport Award in The Sentinel/City of Stoke-onTrent Sports Personality of the Year Awards by the club’s press officer Dave Baskeyfield.

The club was formed by John’s dad in 1947 and he attended his first match there at the age of four. At 15, he began playing for the club and he

6 THE GROUNDSMAN March 2020

went on to become manager, leading the club to the Midland League title in 2003/2004. He eventually became club secretary and head groundsman.

Now 70, John spends a minimum of 20 hours a week outside of his matchday duties and secretarial role looking after the pitch. Dave Baskeyfield said: “John has been a part of Abbey Hulton United Football Club since he was a young boy and has served the club for well more than 65 years. He’s a legend in local football and has even got a stand named after him at our ground.”

GROUNDS MAINTENANCE firm Tivoli has announced a restructure of its staff training, recruitment and community engagement programmes with a £5 million investment on its machinery, systems and fleet. CEO Darren Cunningham says: “We’re going to invest in apprenticeships and try and get some people from disadvantaged backgrounds, among others, interested in what we do. This, linked with ongoing career development with existing employees, will give us a double win.”

EVENT

SUCCESSFUL DENNIS & SISIS GROUNDCARE SEMINAR THE ANNUAL DENNIS and SISIS groundcare seminar took place at Durham County Cricket Club’s Emirates Stadium last month and was attended by over 150 volunteer and professional grounds keepers.

Inspirational and informative speakers included Marcus North, Durham director of cricket; Iain James from TGMS Ltd; and the IOG’s Ian Powell. A panel of experts answering delegates’ questions included Vic Demain, Keith Kent, Jim Dawson, Karl McDermott, Sean Williams and Gordon Gill.

STADIUM

NEW MILLWALL PLANS MILLWALL FOOTBALL CLUB has unveiled designs for the proposed redevelopment of its stadium, The Den, to make the ground suitable for Premier League football. The plans by AFL Architects would increase the capacity to 34,000 and include improved facilities as well as a new public plaza.

U P D AT E

NEWS

MOVERS & SHAKERS Meet the people taking on new challenges in the industry

4JILL HEWITT NAAC

1 JIM MAYNARD REESINK

JILL HEWITT HAS been appointed CEO of the National Association of Agricultural Contractors (NAAC), following the retirement of Duncan Russell. Jill has a wealth of experience, having previously run the organisation from 2000-2013.

She said: “I am delighted to be back at the helm of the NAAC at such a critical time for the industry.”

REESINK UK HAS recruited Jim Maynard as a tractor specialist, a position created due to the company’s growing prominence in the sector. Jim spent 16 years specialising in John Deere machinery and has strong experience in customer services and a sound technical ability, the company says.

Steven Haynes, sales manager, said: “We’re confident his technical knowledge and customer relations experience will translate well to his new position at Reesink.”

Jim Maynard

2 BRIAN D’ARCY, JOANNE GREGORY & RICHARD JOHN DEERE

CHARLETON

From left to right: Brian D’Arcy, Joanne Gregory and Richard Charleton

FOLLOWING A STRATEGIC reorganisation of John Deere Europe, Brian D’Arcy has been appointed as turf division sales manager for the newly created Region 2 Sales Division 1.

Richard Charleton has been promoted to strategic account manager for golf and turf covering the UK and Ireland.

Joanne Gregory has replaced Richard Charleton as new turf territory manager for Scotland and the north of England.

3 MARKUS DEIMLING RSI

RECREATIONAL SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAl (RSI) has strengthened its LED Grass Grow technology for sports fields team in Germany by appointing Markus Deimling as new business manager for stadium pitch concepts.

Markus is well-known by the German sports venue fraternity.

“As country manager for RSI I will be in the position to draw from the best minds and scientists available to determine the best treatment for grass pitches,” he said.

Jill Hewitt

5 ANDREW DE WET & DR DEIDRE CHARLESTON SYMBIO

THERE HAVE BEEN two new appointments at Symbio. Dr Deidre Charleston has joined as research and technical manager, bringing over 20 years’ experience of field trials, data collection and product development. Andrew de Wet has been appointed as technical sales manager for the Midlands. A former golf course manager with a passion for sustainability, Andrew went on to launch a successful turf care and landscaping company before joining Symbio.

Markus Deimling

Dr Deidre Charleston

8 THE GROUNDSMAN March 2020

Andrew de Wet

U P D AT E

NEWS

PRODUCT UPDATE

PRODUCT S H OWC A S E

Pedestrian mowers and UTVs, p33

New tools and technologies to make your job easier

Valdor Flex controls weeds on a range of surfaces

3 VALDOR FLEX

AGROVISTA AMENITY

1

ECHO

ECHO IS CUTTING a competitive edge by expanding its X Series range with bestin-class products and revised pricing, widening the access of commercial products to a larger market. Echo hopes the move will enhance its reputation for creating products that have balanced, ergonomic

design for manoeuvrability and precision that will stand up to the harshest environments.

In the brushcutter range, for example, the SRM-420TESU, with its 41.5cc engine, is ideal for contractors looking for a machine with plenty of power at a competitive price. www.echo-tools.co.uk

4 SUBSOIL

ROUGH 2 AR530 MOWER JACOBSEN

JACOBSEN HAS STARTED a new era of end-user focused products with the launch of the AR530 rough mower.

The AR range has been redesigned from the ground up, but to achieve this, customers and dealers participated in one of the largest ever research programmes commissioned at Jacobsen to establish the everyday challenges greenkeepers and groundsmen face.

Product manager, Lee Frie, says: “We’ve improved the cut quality as well as the after-cut appearance with grass clipping dispersal. We’ve also improved the traction system and the ergonomics – it’s much easier for operators to get on and off.

10 THE GROUNDSMAN March 2020

RESIDUAL TURF HERBICIDE, Valdor Flex, which promises weed-free soil with just one application, is now available.

Valdor Flex was introduced to the UK turf and amenity market last year and has been praised for providing residual control for hard-to-manage weeds.

Turf and amenity managers are encouraged to improve the efficiency of their herbicide programmes by using the product, which is active on open soil, gravel and industrial areas.

It contains two synergistic active ingredients, diflufenican and iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium, which help to minimise the risk of resistance through two complementary modes of action. www.agrovista.co.uk

BRITISH SUGAR TOPSOIL

The new AR530 rough mower from Jacobsen

BRITISH SUGAR TOPSOIL has launched two new products, which will complement the company’s Landscape20 topsoil and HortLoam planting soil.

General Purpose SubSoil is BS8601:2013 (Table 1 Multipurpose subsoil) compliant.

Its low organic matter content makes it ideal as a subsoil for general landscaping purposes, such as planting trees and shrubs, and the turfing or seeding of amenity grass.

Free-Draining SubSoil has a slightly higher total sand content (95%), comprising predominantly medium sand and coarse sand. It is ideal for tree pits, lawns and sports pitches. www.bstopsoil.co.uk

All of the controls are at the user’s finger tips, so it’s very easy to operate.” www.jacobsenbuilt.com

Two new SubSoil products are available

U P D AT E

S A LT E X

By Chris Bennett SALTEX press officer

MORE DEMOS FOR 2020

This year’s SALTEX will see more live demonstrations following 2019 exhibitor feedback that said they helped generate brand awareness

The latest products and technology will be showcased following the success of last year’s Eco Village area

D

UE TO POPULAR visitor demand, show organisers have revealed that an increased number of indoor demonstrations will be taking place at SALTEX 2020 in a large, dedicated arena on the show floor.

At SALTEX 2019 the Eco Village demonstration area offered visitors the opportunity to experience the latest green technology in groundscare and played host to daily demonstrations of cutting-edge sustainable products, which included electric mowers, loaders, brushcutters, hedgecutters, chainsaws and woodchippers.

EXHIBITOR BENEFITS

This new feature proved to be a huge success and attracted large crowds of onlookers, which gave exhibitors the opportunity to promote their products in more detail. In fact, every exhibitor that participated in the Eco Village reported an increase in footfall to their stand and claimed that it helped them generate a significant amount of sales leads.

At last year’s SALTEX event, Avant UK demonstrated its new electric loader in the Eco Village and John Spencer, national sales manager, felt that it put them directly in the spotlight.

12 THE GROUNDSMAN March 2020

“SALTEX is the UK’s flagship event in the groundscare industry and when the opportunity arose to promote our products within the Eco Village, we jumped at the chance,” he said.

“A working area is a great show feature – visitors love live demonstrations. It’s good to see all the machines and equipment on static stands, but getting the chance to see them in action is a great opportunity.

“Last year’s Eco Village proved popular with the visitors, as a good-sized crowd gathered each time we demonstrated. Not only did this boost interest in our electric models, but it also drew the visitors to our main stand to look at all our other diesel and petrol models, too.”

BRAND AWARENESS

Allett Mowers used the Eco Village to showcase its walk-behind electric cylinder mower, and its managing director, Austin Jarrett, also felt that it maximised the company’s presence at the show.

“It certainly drove more visitors to our stand. We were busy on both days, right up until the end of the show. It helped visitors put us on the tick list in terms of exhibitors they wanted to see on the show floor, and it gave us the opportunity to talk to more people about our products,” he said. Already, many exhibitors are already

signing up to the new demonstration feature, which is set to be more than twice the size of the Eco Village.

ENHANCED EXPERIENCE

Commenting on the enlarged demonstration arena, SALTEX and events director, Luke Perry, said: “The success of SALTEX is achieved by listening to every single piece of feedback following a show. According to the post-show visitor survey there is a real desire to see more indoor demonstrations on the show floor.

Therefore, for SALTEX 2020, we have taken the decision to display more indoor demonstrations and make the experience even better.

“Not only will it be a fantastic attraction for visitors, but it will also be a great opportunity for exhibitors to proudly put their products directly in front of over 9,000 relevant visitors who have the appetite and budget for new equipment.”

SALTEX 2020 will take place at the NEC, Birmingham on 4 and 5 November.

For more information visit www.iogsaltex.com. Follow SALTEX on Twitter @IOG_SALTEX and Facebook – www.facebook.com/IOGSALTEX

i

ADVANCED

GRASS PITCH REVOLUTION New funding to improve football pitches has the power to transform lives

Pitch would be considered very good for ‘community’ football

GOOD

Pitch meets the desired standard for ‘community’ football

BASIC

Pitch requires improvement

POOR

Pitch requires significant improvement

NB: Other standards/descriptions exist for higher levels of the game

N

ew and unprecedented funding to improve 20,000 community grass football pitches up and down the country over the next 10 years has been pledged by the Premier League, The Football Association (The FA) and the Government’s Football Foundation.

It is added to the £684 million of these partners’ funding that has been invested over the past 20 years in over 17,300 grassroots football projects.

The aim is to improve 20,000 grass football pitches across England so that they all meet the IOG’s “good” standard. The target is to: Improve the overall football experience for everyone (players, coaches and match officials) Reduce fixture postponements resulting from poorpitch quality Provide clear actions to pitch maintainers, helping them prepare better-quality pitches.

By Tom Rowley Key account manager (football)

By unlocking the power of pitches, the lives of players can be transformed and communities can be strengthened. To make this happen, The FA,

GRASS PITCHES TODAY Cuts in local authority funding have led to a decline in the quality of grass pitches in England.

Grassroots football clubs tell us that pitches are their biggest issue.

1 in 8 1 in 3 150,000

grassroots clubs are satisfied with the quality of their grass pitches

grassroots pitches are rated as ‘good’ quality

14 THE GROUNDSMAN March 2020

matches were postponed last season

the Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) and the Government charity, the Football Foundation, have joined forces to create the pitch quality standard (PQS) at Step 7 and below, i.e. football played at local community/league level. This is referred to as ‘community’ football. This grass pitch revolution is being instigated by: A new performance standard – identified from the IOG’s pitch grading framework for monitoring football pitch quality Working in partnership with the IOG through the Grounds and Natural Turf Improvement Programme The creation of a new digital tool (due this summer) to support site owners to assess the quality of their pitches and receive recommendations.

WHAT IS AVAILABLE?

A 10-year maintenance plan to improve pitches provided by the IOG regional pitch advisors A six-year grant, providing up to £2,100 (excluding VAT) for every 11-a-side pitch in the first two years and scaled down over six years (£1,785 for nine-aside and £1,470 for mini soccer) Grants to employ contractors and purchase materials Additional grants for 75% of the cost for new pitch maintenance equipment and machinery The grants are to improve grassroots community pitches; pitches used for Step 7 sites are also eligible if the predominant usage is for grassroots community teams. Applications are welcomed from clubs, leagues and other voluntary organisations. Public sector partners are encouraged to work with eligible applicants to take advantage of this opportunity.

Don’t miss out: contact your local County Football Association to discuss how you can join the grass pitch revolution!

i

For more information, visit www.thefa.com/CountyFA

ELITE CRICKET

BEST PRACTICE

TEAMWORK COUNTS Sussex CCC head groundsman Andy Mackay stresses how teamwork prevails in the continuing achievements of his team – especially when music concerts decimate the pitch

16 THE GROUNDSMAN March 2020

BEST PRACTICE

ELITE CRICKET

By Colin Hoskins Features editor

M

aintaining a First Class cricket pitch, including net areas and an outfield, is no easy task. But that’s not all Andy Mackay and his team have to manage.

At Sussex CCC there are also three satellite grounds covering 10 hectares, the surfaces for First Class cricket festivals at Arundel Castle and Eastbourne CC, and, perhaps their biggest challenge of all, restoring the main pitch after music concerts decimate the surface midway through a season. However, the skill of Andy and his 10-strong team has never been in question, especially over the past two seasons – which goes some way to explain why they have been crowned the 2019 IOG Headland Amenity Professional Cricket Grounds Team of the Year.

“Everything we achieve – at the Brightonandhovejobs.com County Ground, the Allfield academy ground, the Brighton Aldridge Cricket Academy (BACA) and at Preston Nomads CC – really is a team effort,” says Andy. And that includes how the team deals with the aftermath of having crowds of up to 20,000 pound the County Ground pitch during music concerts.

“Having two concerts one after the other really batters the turf,” he says. “With a typical eight-day build-up, the trackway causes the most damage and invariably leaves a disease-prone surface that is akin to silage rather than grass. We had two all-seater concerts in 2018 with the builds either side of a six-day gap and in the middle of the cricket fixtures. Again, in 2019, we had two concerts, this time with a threeweek gap between builds and with games in between.

www.iog.org THE GROUNDSMAN 17

ELITE CRICKET

WHO IS ANDY MACKAY? Andy joined Lytham CC multisports venue for a summer job while studying A-levels and attending university. He then moved to St Annes CC as a full-time groundsman. During this time, he completed his HND in turf science at Myerscough College, before taking on Blackpool CC. He joined Sussex CCC in 2006, becoming head groundsman in 2008, and re-entered formal education in 2014 to undertake a BSc in Turf Science, again at Myerscough College, which he completed in 2015.

With such a CV – including a BA in Ancient History and Archaeology – it is no surprise that Andy is an advocate for training and education; his deputy and two senior groundsmen are accredited to Level 3, while the senior groundsman at Preston Nomads CC is undergoing his Level 4. Everyone else in the team either has, or is, studying towards a Level 2, except an apprentice on a higher apprenticeship qualification.

Andy points out that apprenticeships have been a focus at Sussex CCC since 2009 and 18 apprentices have successfully completed the programme. “Our apprenticeship programme brings immense value to the team; it means that members are refreshing their knowledge as they are always being questioned by the apprentices.

It means we never get stale; we are forever thinking about what we do and why we do it.”

Head groundsman Andy with West Indies batsman Chris Gayle

18 THE GROUNDSMAN March 2020

Excellence in performance and presentation are what the grounds team strive for; all 18 wickets have been re-laid

“But the team negotiated these events very well, thanks to a combination of well-planned pre-stress conditioning of the turf, a proven post-concert recovery plan and... plenty of graft. Even where we lost grass cover on parts of the stage area, we managed to re-establish it and got the surface fit for play very quickly, without any fixtures being affected.”

QUICK TURNAROUND

Indeed, in 2019, the team had to bring the surface back and ensure it was functional for a televised game scheduled just seven days after the second concert.

Andy says: “In an ideal world, we would have Koro’d the surface but, with such a short gap, there was no time for that. So, we reduced the height of cut and heavily overseeded – 100 gms/m2 – then applied water and fertiliser (during the season, our entire fertiliser programme is derived from liquids, to give us the most accurate application). Luckily, we had a very warm spell, so the seed germinated well and we had grass cover for the game. We couldn’t cut it, but it striped well with brushing and it looked OK. The outfield is normally kept at 9mm during the summer, but we left it alone while the concerts were on.”

Aside from such musical ‘hiccups’ in the groundscare regime (as well as around 30 days of other non-cricket events at the Hove site near Brighton), Andy and

his team religiously present outstanding pitches at all the venues they maintain, especially the County Ground, where the 18 wickets are well used throughout a typical season. In 2019 this extended from 25 March through to 26 September, plus three additional days for corporate and children’s matches. The ground hosted: 51 days of pro-cricket, three days of women’s cricket (including the Kia Super League Finals day), 10 days of other cricket games and 25 days use of the outfield for community or corporate events, as well as 50 practice days. In addition, the off-field turf net area was used six or seven days a week The academy grounds (two sites) accommodated more than 100 match days, plus 30 training sessions – the off-field net area was in use five days a week

“In 2019, the team had to bring the surface back for a televised game scheduled just seven days after the second concert”

BEST PRACTICE

ELITE CRICKET

WICKET WIZARDRY

Deputy head groundsman Greg Denton

BACA hosted 50 match days – the ground was in use five afternoons a week Preston Nomads CC saw more than 120 adult matches over two grounds plus 40 colts games.

“Presentation of the playing surfaces is prioritised second only to the performance of the surfaces,” says Andy. “I’m proud to say the quality of the playing and practice surfaces has been consistently outstanding. We continue to have some of, if not the, best practice nets in the country, and the same can be said for our outfield, both in terms of presentation and performance.”

Groundscare expertise aside – and there’s no doubt that the grounds team has this in abundance – the consistent performance of the surface is also undoubtedly down to a square rebuilding plan that was instigated in 2009 by Andy.

The process of rebuilding two to three pitches at a time was completed in 2016 (see above right) and it has transformed the “low, slow wickets” into ones that are quick and bouncy, and “widely acclaimed as being exciting to watch cricket being played on”.

THE LONG GAME

Included in the site’s regeneration process over recent years – which has also seen the outfield remodelled (at a cost of just £50,000, compared with the ‘usual’ £600,000) from “a poorly-draining outfield characterised by heavy thatch” to one with automatic irrigation and reconstructed practice nets – has been the installation of hybrid pitches. There are three, so far, at the County Ground, plus three in the nets, and one at an academy ground.

“Hybrid surfaces are not a silver bullet,” says Andy, “but they do result in a surface that is more resilient and harder wearing than natural grass, plus we’ve seen an increase in surface hardness of about 20 per cent on the Hove pitch, installed in 2019, and also greater pace from the

The County Ground’s 18 wickets have all been re-laid to Andy’s specifications.

“In the ‘70s and ’80s, the wickets were renowned as being very quick, but they slowed down tremendously during the ‘90s,” he says. “However, the expectations continue to rise for everyone involved in the game and I didn’t want this ground to get left behind. I knew we had to do something.”

He says most of the wickets were as old as the site (more than 130 years) and while two pitches were re-laid in 2000, the rest of the square had ‘grown’ out of the successive layers of topdressings.

“The total depth of appropriate cricket loam on the square was about 80mm – very shallow and not enough to produce

bouncy wickets.

But the main problem was a severe horizontal fracture in the soil profile at 25mm, probably caused by the use of Marl as a topdressing in the past, as well as several other fractures through the profile.”

Two designs of wicket were applied; one sitting on a 120mm base of coarse grit (to create a solid base) enabling the wickets to dry to depth more effectively.

The downside of gravel rafts, says Andy, is that the soil above this layer will not be able to draw moisture up from below via capillary action and, therefore, the soil could dry out too much and, contrary to what most people might think, this layer actually impedes drainage

surface, due to the ball-fibre interaction.

“Hybrid turf is great for one-day matches, but the four-day game needs a pitch to wear and therefore offer all things to all people (in terms of the bowlers).

Hybrid surfaces for cricket were instigated

by Chris Wood, the recently retired pitches consultant for the England & Wales Cricket Board [see February 2020 issue of The Groundsman] and what a fantastic legacy that is for the sport.”

Andy comments that the grounds team has also been proactive at the satellite sites, “where all of the squares and practice facilities are between five and 15 years old and are playing at their peak. This has included building a separate, off-field practice facility at an academy ground, alongside installing additional primary and secondary drainage to the outfield and improvements to the irrigation.

It is, he says, a case of continual

from a cricket soil rather than improves it. To overcome this the loam was installed deeper than necessary, at 250mm deep, using GOSTD (Graded Organic Sports Turf Dressing) Supernatural, which has a 30-32 per cent clay content.

The second type of wicket has been constructed directly onto the native soil using 100mm of the lighter GOSTD 75 loam (23-25 per cent clay) in the base and topped off with 25mm of GOSTD 125 (27-29 per cent clay). These, dry out quicker because of the lighter natured soil and are used during early season.

improvement in everything the Sussex CCC grounds team does: “At BACA, for example – which is home to the women’s team, as well as being a cricket academy for the school there – we are looking to install hybrid pitches on the square. We want to create a second ground for the younger children, install 30m of off-field turf nets and improve the groundsman’s stores.” Also, at the County Ground, Andy is eyeing up the possibility of installing a roof over the outdoor nets – “to effectively create indoor turf nets” – and he’d like to design a ‘pitch preparation tunnel’ to eliminate the vagaries of the weather from pitch preparation.

STOP PRESS As we go to press we learn that Andy Mackay has been appointed pitches consultant for the England & Wales Cricket Board, succeeding Chris Wood. www.iog.org THE GROUNDSMAN 19

IOG U P D AT E

What’s in a name?

EVERYTHING!

The IOG is calling an EGM to vote on its proposed name change to the Grounds Management Association.

Chief executive Geoff Webb explains more...

W

By Colin Hoskins Features editor

e are at a critical juncture of our existence. Extensive research shows that we need to change in order to survive. The proposed new name, the Grounds Management Association, is fresh and modern while remaining true to our rich heritage and history. It’s vital that we attract a new pipeline of recruits to the profession and an army of volunteers.

We are confident that the new name will: Appeal to a younger generation. We urgently need to attract more young people to the industry as only one in five working in groundscare are below the age of 30, and 40 per cent of our current workforce are aged over 50. One in five grounds managers will be leaving their jobs within the next five years Show to governing bodies and the general public that they need to value the vital work that grounds staff do, which should lead to more investment and recruitment Remove gender from our title – one in five respondents to a recent survey said ‘groundsmanship’ is a barrier to attracting new talent.

The industry’s demographic is compounded by the fact that some employers are choosing not to recruit new, replacement staff when an existing member leaves or retires.

So, it is clear: we have a crisis looming – and that time bomb doesn’t just apply to professionals: more than two-thirds of community grounds volunteers are aged over 60, and almost all are over 50. We need to address these issues now.

20 THE GROUNDSMAN March 2020

NEW OBJECTIVES

It is imperative to the continued success of the industry that we attract new recruits, including women (only 2% of grounds professionals and volunteers are female) and BAME groups (only 1%), while promoting the great work and the innovative and highly technical pitch care regimes that are performed daily by individuals and teams up and down the country. We will also continue to shine a light on the companies that provide the world-leading products and services that help make the UK the turf sector’s world leader.

The suggested new name (and the clarity it brings) will also enable us to assume the best possible, strongest position to promote our ‘Grounds for Sport’ campaign to the public through, for example, national media. The campaign seeks to underline how the improvement and maintenance of natural and artificial turf surfaces are vital to sport nationwide. In addition to promoting the status of the profession, the campaign – in terms of natural turf provision alone – is designed to ‘re-boot’ the benefits of grass pitches by working to create: Better pitches More investment More and higher qualified grounds staff And to raise the status of the profession.

The IOG Board – which includes practising grounds managers representing all sectors of the industry – has voted unanimously for the name change.

Members firmly believe that the suggested new title will not only enable us to appeal to a wider and more diverse audience, but that this more ‘current’ name will also attract greater inward investment and support, as

U P D AT E

EGM

HAVE YOUR SAY The Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) will be held on Thursday 2 April 2020 at Edgbaston County Cricket Ground at 12pm prompt.

The address is: Room 1882, Edgbaston Road, Birmingham B5 7QU. All eligible voting members are welcome; please arrive in good time for coffee and networking.

If you are unable to attend the EGM, you can vote by post.

Download your voting form at www.iog.org. All forms must be received at the IOG Head Office by no later than 3pm on Tuesday 31 March 2020. Send your completed form to The Institute of Groundsmanship, 28 Stratford Office Village, Walker Avenue, Milton Keynes MK12 5TW.

he icon is inspire pla ing fiel markings and intersecting grass patterns. his creates a nifie ar s olising teamwork and partnership with the i erent ele ents or ing together

some stakeholders have suggested. Importantly, it does mean that our membership offering will alter for the better; and it will be the name, the visual identity and the way we communicate with you and the wider public that will be changing.

RESEARCH RESULTS

The industry ‘shortcomings’ that have spurred this change to a new identity were revealed by our industry-wide research in 2019. The ‘Groundsmanship – Sport’s Vital Profession’ study revealed all these aspects as direct challenges to the future of our industry. What also came out of that research was the view that our current name was holding us back as an organisation, holding little relevance for groups, such as the younger generation, women, sports bodies and government decision-makers. So, effectively, we are responding to the industry’s views and needs, and are aiming to keep the sector alive and thriving.

We also embarked on further research into the perception of the title of the Institute of Groundsmanship and the attitudes towards that name. We created focus groups and spoke with a wide range of stakeholders as well as members (across all membership categories), grounds volunteers at sports clubs and people from a diverse range of backgrounds who had not heard about the profession or our organisation. We also studied what was being said about the IOG in the media and on social media.

Indeed, one respondent said: “The word ‘institute’ sounds pompous and old-fashioned; that word is never going to appeal to anyone under the age of 30.”

We left no stone unturned trying to find the best way forward to help lift the profile of the industry and

For further details see page 4 or call 01908 312511.

“This more ‘current’ name will also attract greater inward investment and support” to attract more professionals and volunteers. The new title of the Grounds Management Association came about after several other permutations were considered and, taking into account market research, debated by working groups and the IOG Board.

Indeed, the IOG Board feels that the new name is unambiguous – it does ‘what it says on the tin’. It also stays true to our rich heritage and history (some may remember that the IOG was, until 1969, called the National Association of Groundsmen). In addition, the inclusion of ‘Association’ creates a sense of community, and we want to go forward and build on that spirit. Another key point is that the new name is equally applicable to everyone involved in managing sports pitches at every level – all pitches, and therefore the outcome of the sports played on them – have to be managed, whether by professionals or volunteers.

We all know that the dedication of UK grounds staff, both professional and volunteer, is unquestionable and critical to ‘making sport possible’. The time has come for us to not only tell the wider world how vital we are, but also to communicate and attract a new, younger and diverse generation of grounds professionals.

Download your voting form at www.iog.org/iog-extraordinarygeneral-meeting

i

www.iog.org THE GROUNDSMAN 21

USA GROUNDSCARE

BEST PRACTICE

BUILDING FROM THE GROUND UP

With the opportunity to be fully involved with the brand new stadium design and its impact on the surface, Matt Bruderek also has the privilege of ensuring Inter Miami’s grounds are unrivalled...

22 THE GROUNDSMAN March 2020

BEST PRACTICE

USA GROUNDSCARE

By Geoff Webb IOG chief executive

G

eoff Webb caught up with Matt Bruderek (right), recently appointed director of turf and grounds at Inter Miami, for a chat about the American Major League Soccer club’s new stadium complex on the Miami Freedom Park, which is scheduled to be operational in 2022.

Could you outline your career and tell us what attracted you to the role at Inter Miami?

I graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Horticulture & Turfgrass Management from the University of Rhode Island. While at school I enjoyed two internships on the golf side of things, but I took up my first paid position in Major League Baseball with the Baltimore Orioles, where I worked three seasons as a groundskeeper. I then moved to the University of Central Florida and spent two-and-a-half years there as assistant director of sports turf and grounds before becoming head groundskeeper at Orlando City SC. I joined Inter Miami in October 2019 and was attracted to the role because of the increased responsibility that the job presents and the challenge of building a grounds department from the ground up.

How do you go about recruiting for the support positions you need?

Firstly, I look at the applicant’s relevant experience. I want as much practical skill as possible because I believe job experience is the best teacher. A good level of education is also important – for every member of staff – but in addition I try to find people who care about their work.

Is it hard to attract people to the roles?

Yes, this is a hard and often thankless job, and not everyone can do it.

You will clearly have a high-profile venue when the stadium is built – will you have an input into the playing surface, to maximise its potential?

Yes. I am lucky to be working with great leadership; people who understand how

“I put more pressure on myself than anyone has ever put on me” challenging surface maintenance can be.

I am fully involved with stadium design in terms of its impact on the surface, and I have been working with construction to plan the grass selection, subgrade, irrigation and lighting requirements.

How many games are planned to take place each year at the site?

We will host 40-50 matches, including Major League Soccer, United Soccer League and international games at the stadium. The remaining seven fields will be for training (for all teams) and for home games for our six academy teams. The plan is to also host American football and rugby matches, as well as other events, such as music concerts, at the stadium.

What led you to choose Latitude 36 Bermuda grass for the stadium?

I chose it because of its recovery, cold tolerance and growth habit. Although we don’t have a ‘cold’ winter, Latitude 36 grows and holds its colour year-round, with no need for overseeding. It also recovers quickly from damage and doesn’t have as much ‘tufting’, which helps with ball roll.

Have you got the desired facilities to house your plant and equipment and cater for your staff?

Yes, we have the facilities we need and, because we’ve started from scratch, I have established the equipment budget in line with the club’s expectations.

How many hours a week are you contracted to work?

We are contracted to work a 40-hour week, but due to play happening seven days a week, I expect my hours will be higher.

We will rotate guys so that the facility is always covered.

Do you agree that mental health and wellbeing are issues for people in the sports turf industry?

Yes. The demands of the job are stressful, and with more and more events, the level of stress increases. Having the right calibre of staff and paying them properly can reduce stress on the man in charge, as can having more family time and periods away from work with the confidence that the people on site can cope. I think a lot of the responsibility also rests with us as individuals, too. I put more pressure on myself than anyone has ever put on me. Sometimes you have to be okay with small imperfections and things you cannot control.

How would you promote the role of a sports turf manager to encourage others to enter the profession?

This is the hardest question because I believe you either do or do not have this job ‘inside’ you. However, I think one of the biggest problems is the way in which the profession is looked at from the outside.

People think we mow and water and not much else. It is important that we promote the science behind what we do; the amount of skill and knowledge it takes to make the correct decisions is not easy.

If you were granted three wishes, what would you wish for?

Great health for everyone in my family; grass repair at the snap of my fingers; and no hair loss! Everything else isn’t too bad.

For more information and to follow the progress of Inter Miami, visit www.intermiamicf.com

i

www.iog.org THE GROUNDSMAN 23

TECHNICAL U P D AT E

PUT YOUR BACKPACK INTO IT

Checking and maintaining sprayers will save you money in the long run

Don’t let your knapsack sprayers gather dust for half the year – regular maintenance not only meets legal requirements but makes your job easier, too

By Paul Bannister Amenity Training and Consultancy

M

any still view knapsacks as exempt from regular testing, and over the last 20 years, I have seen, on numerous occasions, sprayers that have not been cleaned after use – with filters full of debris and dilute chemical left in the sprayer for extended periods of time. All these factors will contribute to the machine not working as expected; it increases the number of defects and faults because the chemicals will erode and eat away at the seals and metal components.

The primary excuse is, “We don’t have the time to clean and service the machines”. But taking the machine out of service will lead to loss of time and money in finding the fault, then ordering and waiting for new part(s), as well as the time taken to repair and check before use.

FREE CHECKLIST

As part of the ongoing attempt to raise awareness of the importance of checking knapsacks, the National Sprayer Testing 24 THE GROUNDSMAN March 2020

Scheme (NSTS) provides a free online hand-held routine checklist – look for the Knapsack Sprayer Check List at www.nsts. org.uk/Documents-Links – designed to provide a written record for the operator.

It can be completed and handed to the employer to demonstrate compliance. This is further supported by Cooper Pegler and Berthoud professional sprayers, which have stickers to be added to the tank to identify the machine and the date of inspection.

Knapsack checks are straightforward and take very little time to complete. They cover visual checks, with the aim of uncovering damage and defects, followed by wet checks and calibration, to ensure the machine’s functionality and accuracy – something I consider essential with the growing cost of product and the need to ensure accurate application.

Despite the absence of mandatory testing under PPP(SU)R 2012, there is still a requirement under The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) Regulation 5 - Maintenance,

where equipment must be “maintained in an efficient state and good working order and in good repair”. A breach under PUWER (unlike PPP(SU)R2012) is subject to charges, and if found to be in breach, you will have to pay for the time it takes the Health and Safety Executive to identify the breach and help you put it right.

This includes investigating and taking enforcement action and is called fee for intervention (FFI). The FFI hourly rate is £154. In many cases, the cost of a sprayer is less than the FFI rate, and the cost to maintain, service and calibrate is far less.

As a move to aid compliance and to help with the checking and calibration of knapsack sprayers, Amenity Training and Consultancy (www.amenitytraining.co.uk), along with spraying specialists Cooper Pegler and Berthoud, are planning a series of events at various locations throughout the UK later this year. Details will be posted via Twitter @amenitytraining @cooperpegler and @berthoud_uk

i

GROW WITH THE IOG

By Karen Maxwell Managing editor

MEET THE TUTOR Andrew Peirson had a long career in cricket grounds management before deciding to tutor for the IOG

T

hirty years ago, I helped out at Redcar Cricket Club and then a committee member offered me a full-time role, which included an opportunity to do my NVQ Level 2 in Amenity Horticulture and Sports Turf Management at Askham Bryan College.

I also attended IOG/ECB cricket grounds management training days, and I owe a lot to a gentleman called Jack Walsh, who sadly died in the late 1990s.

Throughout my career I worked at several clubs in the NYSD Cricket League, including Marske CC and Middlesbrough CC, with both venues hosting Yorkshire CCC 2nd XI games. Middlesbrough CC was also the home of Middlesbrough Rugby Club, which meant I was also able to work on winter sports pitches.

In 2000, I moved to Ealing Cricket Club in London, and from 2002 to 2009 I was head groundsman at Kent County Cricket Club’s Beckenham ground. This club was used as an academy ground for all Kent teams, including the 1st XI cricket team, and it won the ECB outground of the year in 2004. It

“I do believe there is an army of very passionate people out there” 26 THE GROUNDSMAN March 2020

Andrew brings a wealth o first han e perience to his IOG courses

was testament to my hard-working team, which included Lee Fortis, the current head groundsman at The Oval.

After leaving Kent CCC, Beckenham, I became ground co-ordinator for Kent CCC, spending most of my time at the St Lawrence Ground in Canterbury and overseeing any ground where Kent played 1st Class cricket. I then became an ECB county pitch adviser.

By 2013, I was back in the North East and worked at Seaton Carew Sports Club, before joining Cleveland Land Services as a fine turf advisor. Then, in January 2018, I set up Ap Sports Turf Maintenance Ltd, whose customer base includes Great Ayton CC, Sacriston CC, Durham University and Durham CCC. I’ve also managed end-ofseason renovations at many NYSD Cricket League grounds near Redcar.

What courses do you run as an IOG tutor?

I have been an IOG tutor for about four years and I mostly run the Level I and Level 2 Cricket courses.

What are the key challenges for grounds personnel at cricket clubs?

Some clubs are blessed with all the machinery and are able to employ grounds personnel, while other clubs are run purely by volunteers who have limited time to produce surfaces for matches.

I do believe that there is an army of very

passionate people out there, but they are often put off because of what others may think about their quality of work.

How do the IOG courses address this issue?

The IOG courses provide a good level of knowledge to allow ‘everyone’ to learn.

The course content highlights best practice in performing certain tasks and allows delegates to learn from each other, too.

You’ve recently received your Highfield Level 3 Award in Education & Training – how will this benefit IOG course delegates?

It was interesting to be back in the classroom as a student. It reminded me that delegates may be nervous, and it’s my job to ensure that they’re relaxed so that they can enjoy the course and get the most from it.

It also highlighted the fact that delegates have different learnings styles, so I learned how to adapt my delivery accordingly.

What do you like doing in your spare time?

I still play cricket and I’m heavily involved at the club I play at. I also try to watch my two boys play, when work permits. And then there’s nothing that beats a good box set and a nice glass of red wine to unwind.

Visit www.iog.org/learning for more on the IOG’s training and sports turf-specific qualifications

i

IN ACTION

The team from Peter O’Brien & Sons Landscaping is enjoying using its new range of Pellenc equipment

GOING GREEN Peter O’Brien & Sons has turned to Pellenc for planet-friendly kit Peter O’Brien & Sons Landscaping, one of Ireland’s leading landscape and sports ground companies, has invested in a large fleet of Pellenc battery-powered equipment.

Peter O’Brien is a family-run business, with over 100 members of staff. Andy Jones, maintenance supervisor, believes the company has a responsibility to manage its impact on the environment. “We are always conscious of looking at our carbon footprint,” he says.

The company embarked on an extensive search to identify a new fleet of battery-powered equipment, as Andy explains: “We carefully read product specifications, spoke to end users and attended SALTEX in order to

pinpoint the leading manufacturers.”

Local dealer Leinster Turf Equipment visited a company site in Dublin to give a demonstration and Peter O’Brien invested in a fleet of Pellenc equipment including Rasion Basic pushmowers, Excelion 2000 brushcutters, Helion 2 Compact hedge trimmers, Helion Telescopic hedge trimmers, Airion 2 hand blowers and Selion polesaws.

“The feedback from everyone is that we should have done this sooner,” says Andy. “From the weight of the product, the finish of the product, the lack of noise pollution and the most important thing, the battery times.

We can easily get a full day’s work out

of these products and we don’t have to worry about the hassle of charging them while on a job.

“The Pellenc products have also increased productivity – particularly in the city centre and the residential areas. Before we had these products, it used to be a case of the staff members sitting in the yard until 8am before they could get into these highly populated areas. However, now we can get to the sites at 7am and we are not waking people up or disturbing anyone. This has been a huge benefit.”

i

For more information visit www.pellencuk.com

FIRM FAVOURITE MM60 has been used at Cheltenham Racecourse for over 25 years Ben Hastie, head groundsman at Cheltenham Racecourse, has reported great results after embarking on a long-term strategy of scarifying and overseeding with Limagrain UK’s MM60 grass seed.

MM60 has been relied on at Cheltenham for over 25 years and Ben recalls a rigorous seed trial early in his tenure when MM60 proved exactly why it has been the number one choice for so long. “The climate at Cheltenham can be a little bit different to everywhere else – the highest point of the track gets very windy and it can get incredibly cold. We trialled eight to 10 different mixtures and we did tests in numerous conditions. We found that MM60 was by far the best for what we needed, and we haven’t looked back since.”

28 THE GROUNDSMAN March 2020

Limagrain’s leading MM60 winter sport mixture is a 100% ryegrass formula which is perfect in Ben’s quest to achieve consistency throughout the whole course. A strict regime of scarifying and overseeding during renovations has been key, according to Ben. “Doing this consistently over the years has resulted in the ryegrass holding up more than it ever has. It is helping with disease, helping to keep moisture in where it is needed, helping the recovery rate and providing a better coverage which makes the course look so much better.

“You know with MM60 that you are going to get great growth and the colour is brilliant. Because we are predominantly a winter sport, we need germination at low

Ben Hastie, head groundsman at Cheltenham Racecourse, says MM60 grass seed is a key ingredient in keeping the course healthy

temperatures and I know that the MM60 will still be growing even if soil temperatures are 5 or 6 degrees when we are racing in December or January.”

i

For more information visit www.lgseeds.co.uk/mm

WITHAM HALL BRUSHES UP The GKB Rotobrush has revitalised the school’s surfaces Tackling a full-sized Astroturf, grass cricket wicket and an all-weather wicket, there was no better match than the GKB Rotobrush for Witham Hall Preparatory School.

Alex Exton, groundsman at the school, explains that the GKB Rotobrush perfectly fits his needs. “It is a compact and efficient machine that it is perfect for what I wanted it for. This machine was affordable too, which was a big appeal.” He describes it as an impressive machine for a great price.

As your synthetic sport pitches get used, dirt becomes apparent.

From moss and algae to general wear and tear, this can affect the technical characteristics and authentic

The GKB Rotobrush keeps synthetic surfaces clear

appearance of the turf. The GKB Rotobrush restores this by tackling persistent contamination.

Alex explains that at Witham Hall they use their GKB Rotorbrush to clean the Astro. Due to the size of the grounds cleaning can take a while, however, they say that it does a really great job.

The GKB Rotobrush enables you to brush deeper and more effectively where needed, with a rotating brush disc

that is provided with extra rigid bristles.

Alex says: “The GKB Rotobrush gets so close to the edges of the Astroturf, especially where the carpet meets the fence kickboard and also on the artificial for the cricket.”

i

For more information visit www.gkbmachines.com

SHEDDING LIGHT ON THE ISSUE Dutch football club AZ Alkmaar uses UV-C light from SGL units to beat leaf fungi In recent years, the restrictions on the availability and use of plant protection products in Europe have increased. Two years ago, experienced groundsmen Jan Dijkhuizen and Mathieu van Borkulo of Dutch football club AZ Alkmaar took an important

The UVC180 unit helps to prevent fungal disease

step in anticipation of this European policy. They exchanged fungicides for preventive treatments against grass fungi with UV-C light.

Agronomist Gerard van ‘t Klooster of SGL says: “Simple organisms, including fungi, arm themselves against everything that occurs in nature, but not against UV-C light. UV-C light is part of the sun’s UV radiation, but is blocked by the ozone layer. If you affect the DNA in a simple organism, the entire organism is disrupted and dies. That is why you can destroy the DNA of fungal spores with the correct dosage of UV-C light, without affecting the grass plant.”

Leaf fungi can ruin an entire football pitch within 48 hours. Therefore it is important that preventive action is taken in times when fungi thrive. AZ Alkmaar uses the UVC180, a machine

developed by SGL, in combination with the SGL grass disease forecast. The grass disease forecast calculates which diseases are likely to develop over the next seven days on the basis of weather forecasts and sensor measurements.

Based on this, the correct frequency and intensity of the use of the UVC180 is calculated, so that the machine can be used in the most efficient way.

AZ Alkmaar trialled the UVC180 three years ago and it kept the main pitch free of fungi. One month after the test expired, grass diseases developed.

AZ no longer use fungicides to combat grass diseases. Jan Dijkhuizen concludes: “With the UVC180 we have everything under control.”

i

For more information visit www.sglsystem.com

www.iog.org THE GROUNDSMAN 29

IN ACTION

Headland Amenity’s programme keeps the Oval Park pitch perfect

THE RIGHT ADVICE Headland’s experts help keep Leicester Tigers’ ground healthy The facilities at Leicester Tigers Rugby Club play host to a packed schedule of training and matches, with the Oval Park training ground alone hosting over 200 games last year. Despite this, the pitches are appearing to stay stronger for longer which head groundsman Ed Mowe attributes to Headland Amenity’s input into the club’s nutritional programme.

“Along with two soil-based pitches, we have one Desso surface at Oval Park, which was struggling to cope with the rigorous demands of winter training,” Ed explains. He contacted Alex Hawkes, Headland’s sports turf

specialist, who came in and conducted soil analysis. “Following this we structured an overarching feeding programme, along with looking at some specific products to target the problems we faced.

“We’ve been using C-Complex during our renovations, which helps with microbial activity and root development, and Terafirm soil penetrant which has improved the moisture draw-down on the surfaces.

For a particularly waterlogged patch we had behind the dead-ball area on the stadium pitch, Alex suggested we try Xpedite which dramatically improved water infiltration.”

Following the success here, Ed applied Xpedite on some of the line-out and scrummaging areas at the training ground to good effect.

i

For more information visit www.headlandamenity.com

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER The GrasPro Pitch Management system records essential data for Forest Green Rovers

The organic pitch is easier to manage with reliable data

30 THE GROUNDSMAN March 2020

GrasPro Pitch Management System has become a vital data collection tool for Forest Green Rovers’ head groundsman, Adam Witchell.

Adam is into his fourth season with the League Two football club, and he has used GrasPro throughout that time to record data from the club’s stadium and training pitches. The system has saved time recording data and generating reports.

“It’s one of my main tools as a head groundsman,” Adam says. “I’ve trialled other data collection systems and for me this is the best one. It takes away data recording in the evening because it doesn’t take long to put it into the GrasPro system, so it saves me time and energy that I can concentrate on other parts of my job.

“I can look back on things that worked and didn’t work by doing pitch

quality standards on the pitch. I think I’m the only person working with an organic vegan pitch. It’s a very heavy clay pitch, it has its problems, but you can look at when disease might be in and then you can look at how the pitch performs with some of the products you’ve used.

“Another part of it was getting to speak to Einar Brynjarsson at GrasPro. Working closely with Einar means if there are bits that aren’t in the system, I can contact him. [For example] they’ve come up with an excellent machinery section of the system which takes a lot of headache away. I have a lot of plate spinning in my job, and it’s something that I don’t have to worry about now.”

i

For more information visit www.gras.pro

www.infinicut.com

@Infinicut

®

The INFINICUT® range provides more functionality than any other pedestrian mower - while providing an unrivaled quality of cut.

Fixed Head

The Cub Cadet Professional Sports Turf range is proof positive of innovation through experience.

Rotary Floating Head

GOLF & SPORTS TURF

Product showcase

READ MORE

IOG NEWS UPDATES Go to the IOG website www.iog.org

PEDESTRIAN MOWERS AND UTVS

PELLENC

EASY DOES IT!

The Dennis G34D in action

DENNIS

World-class cuts LAST YEAR WAS testing for Durham CCC head groundsman Vic Demain and his team at the Emirates Riverside Stadium: they had the pressure of hosting games for the Official ICC Cricket World Cup 2019.

However, they managed to rise to the challenge, and they received a number of plaudits along the way.

“We had three World Cup matches, but in addition to that we had approximately 20 days of World Cup practice sessions,” says Vic. “When the World Cup is on TV, viewers might see a game at Lord’s one day and then the next day they will watch a game here at Durham.

That’s a lot to live up to, especially with the game being viewed by a global audience.”

KEEP IN TOUCH

www.iog.org

For that all-important matchday presentation Vic relied on the Dennis G34D, which has been designed and built following the same concept as the popular Dennis G860 cylinder mower.

It’s available in three different cutting sizes – 26”, 30” and 34” – and incorporates a large-diameter, eight-bladed cutting cylinder to cater for a wide range of uses, always leaving a precision cut.

The handlebar design makes manoeuvring easy and the wide adjustment makes it comfortable for all cutting heights.

“The G34D offers superior presentation – it’s always a pictureperfect cut,” says Vic. www.dennisuk.com

www.facebook.com/theIOG

Institute of Groundsmanship

PELLENC UK HAS launched the Rasion Easy 2. The popular model was originally launched in 2016, and is now back with new key features.

For noise control, it has a silent brushless wheel motor with direct drive: noise levels stay at 91 dB at speed 3 and 93 dB at maximum power.

The vibration rate is slow, at 0.7 m/s², and the single front wheel, with two locking positions, facilities stability.

The model also brings new electronic management from the IMS (insulated metallic substrate) circuit board. This allows for improved heat dissipation, absorbing power peaks during intensive mowing without reducing the blade speed. There’s also an anti-jam system, which allows reverse rotation of the blades to remove excess grass from the housing while the mower keeps running.

What’s more, ICC (intelligent cutting control) sensors will now be available as an option (not standard) on the Easy 2. This patented feature allows the mower to detect the height and density of the grass and change the engine speed accordingly. This saves power, as you don’t have to run the machine under full-load unnecessarily. www.pellencuk.com The Pellenc Rasion Easy is back, bigger and better than before

twitter.com/the_iog

www.iog.org THE GROUNDSMAN 33

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

PEDESTRIAN MOWERS

ETESIA

PEDESTRIAN POWER

WHEN IT COMES to professional pedestrian rotary mowers, Etesia has two that will step up to the job.

The PHTS3 is a single-speed, selfpropelled mower, while the PHE3 is a push variant.

Both models feature strong Xenoy cutting decks, shear washer crank protection, individual height of cut adjusters, a new 22mm handlebar design, the latest Honda GCV170 engine and both are supplied complete with 80l grass box and rear deflector as standard.

According to Etesia, the Honda GCV series of engines provide best-in-class power and torque with reliable starting and reduced noise levels, and they are easy to service and maintain. A large petrol filler cap allows you to view the fuel level while filling, while an extended oil dipstick makes filling easier, and there are a host of other features expected from a professional machine.

The Etesia PHE3 push mower

Both new models are capable of mowing with or without collection in all conditions, or for high-quality mulching, with the addition of a mulching plug kit accessory (PR46E). www.etesia.co.uk

“Both Etesia models feature strong Xenoy cutting decks and shear washer crank protection”

INFINICUT

Greener and cleaner

A TRIO OF Infinicut electric mowers are delivering a more comfortable and effective mow at Reading FC. According to grounds manager Adam Grantham, the 34” Fixed Head mowers offer reduced noise, handarm vibration and have lowered the club’s fuel costs. For, as well as ticking a number of environmental boxes, the mowers have also achieved a significantly improved quality of cut.

Adam says: “There’s no denying that the industry is moving towards the

KEEP IN TOUCH

www.iog.org

electric route. We have to be mindful, in a stadium environment, of the decibel levels and the way this pollutes and echoes.

“We trialled a couple of different Infinicut models before deciding that the Fixed Head machines were the best fit. They handle well, dealing with the camber and ‘shelf’ that surrounds the pitch,” he explains. The lithium battery power means quiet operation comes as standard. www.cubcadetturf.com

www.facebook.com/theIOG

Reading FC has three nfinic t i e ea mowers in use

Institute of Groundsmanship

twitter.com/the_iog

www.iog.org THE GROUNDSMAN 35

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

PEDESTRIAN MOWERS

TORO

EARNING ITS STRIPES THE TORO PROSTRIPE 560 mower is designed with premier sports venues, municipalities, resorts and golf clubs in mind; combining the benefits of a precise cut and clean striped finish with the simplicity of a walk power mower.

It’s perfect for smaller areas of turf and tight areas. Key features include a two-piece ribbed roller, designed to give precise stripes without damaging the turf. Its three-speed transmission system helps it adapt to all weather and turf conditions and users can adjust the speed from 2.9kmph to 5kmph.

Cutting height can be quickly adjusted using Toro’s MatchCut technology, with seven halfincrement (3.7mm) settings. It’s also designed to increase productivity, with its 80-litre grass bag, and front fins, which lift the grass to

finer cut by reducing lateral blade give a clean cut and ensure efficient growth and removing surface debris collection of clippings. is also available for this model.

“The collection capabilities of www.toro.com the ProStripe 560 make post-game clean-up a breeze, with no divots left on the pitch,” adds Chris Cooper, product manager at Toro. “It’s a low-maintenance solution that’s easy to use with no additional operator training needed. And as an added benefit, striping can help reduce soil compaction and contribute to the health of the turf.”

An optional groomer brush attachment to help promote a The ProStripe is designed healthier turf, and a to give a clean, crisp finish

www.iog.org www.iog.orgTHE THEGROUNDSMAN GROUNDSMAN 37

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

PEDESTRIAN MOWERS

EGO

Lithium-light work EGO IS LAUNCHING a new 42cm self-propelled lawnmower (LM1701ESP) to add to its existing range. It’s designed to make mowing easy, with reliable collection even on slopes and difficult terrain.

In addition to the variable speed self-propelled drive system, the lawnmower has wheels with a largerthan-usual tread to give better traction. It also features adjustable handle heights and an easy-to-access battery and grass box.

Weighing just 25kg, the 42cm mower benefits from an extralarge 55-litre textile bag for grass collection and comes supplied with a 2.5Ah battery and standard charger.

You can cut up to 300m2 on one single charge. It’s manufactured from a robust and easy-to-clean polymer material, which is a proven winner when it comes to collecting, mulching

and rear discharge cutting.

Powered by industry leading 56-volt Arc lithium-ion technology, there are no power cables to get tangled in, and no petrol to deal with. It costs £529 with a five-year domestic warranty.

The LM1701E-SP joins last year’s 42cm LM1700E and self-propelled 47cm LM1900-SP, retailing at £479 and £599 respectively. www.egopowerplus.co.uk

The lightweight batterypowered LM1701E makes cutting easy

www.iog.org THE GROUNDSMAN 38

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

CUSHMAN

PRACTICALITY MEETS VERSATILITY CUSHMAN HAULER 800 Elite vehicles are activated by Samsung SDI lithium technology to power through your toughest work days. With faster charge times, consistent performance and increased range, the Hauler 800 Elite series will maximise the productivity of your crew and decrease energy costs. With a fully customisable cargo bed, highly functional dash and a broad range of accessories, Hauler 800 Elite vehicles have everything you need to finish job after job.

Both the Elite 800 and 800X have zero-maintenance batteries, an optional rear-hitch receiver to add even more hauling capacity, highly

The Cushman 800 Elite vehicles are designed to maximise your working time

functional dash with storage and control at the user’s fingertips, and an integrated tie-down system to make it easy to secure maintenance equipment or loose loads. cushman.txtsv.com

“The Hauler 800 Elite series will maximise the productivity of your crew and decrease energy costs”

UTV

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

UTV

JOHN DEERE

Easy rider

JOHN DEERE’S NEW premium XUV 865R Gator puts the operator first, with comfort and ease-of-use packed into the features.

This 23hp diesel-powered model combines the established high performance of the XUV 865M with a wide range of additional operator-friendly features, including a luxurious cab.

Standard specification includes a continuously variable transmission with on-demand four-wheel drive, power steering, fully independent suspension and an attachment-ready electrical system. The quiet, fully equipped cab provides comfortable car-style seating for up to three people when driving off-road, as well as easy-opening door handles, a fully opening windscreen and a proven, extremely efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning

Ergonomic controls and carstyle seating make the XUV 865R a pleasure to drive

system. The cab’s interior has been ergonomically redesigned with easyto-use automotive-style controls positioned in the centre of the dash.

The R trim specification also provides the fully enclosed cab with a wide range of extra standard features, including an adjustable 40/60 bench seat, tiltable steering wheel, sun visors, a windshield wiper and washer plus electrical wiring for

attachments, as well as high- and low-beam LED headlights.

The XUV 865R Gator is powered by an 854cc three-cylinder, liquidcooled OHV diesel engine producing 23hp at 3600rpm, with a top speed of 31mph (50kph) in high range. The cargo box can be easily converted to a flat-bed and has a load capacity of 454kg, while towing capacity is 900kg. www.deere.co.uk

www.iog.org THE GROUNDSMAN 40

IOG

TO ADVERTISE IN THE GROUNDSMAN CONTACT FRED COMBE:

CLASSIFIEDS

E fred.combe@jamespembrokemedia.co.uk

0203 859 7100

www.iog.org THE GROUNDSMAN 41

Tools & guidance MAINTENANCE CALENDAR FOR THE COMING MONTH

FURTHER ADVICE

Guidance on maintaining knapsack sprayers page 24

APRIL OPERATIONS RUGBY UNION

Re-commission the irrigation system, if present.

Spring fertiliser will typically be applied this month, with about 10 x 25kg required.

Mow regularly to encourage tillering and sward thickening.

Line marking should not be neglected just because renovation is imminent after the final games.

RUGBY LEAGUE

Cut regularly to encourage growth and sward thickening.

Apply a spring/summer fertiliser if conditions are suitable.

Ensure surface is flat before drying out too much.

Constant dragbrushing will stand the grass up and leave you with a bright finish.

Overseeding may be required if temperatures dictate. Try to overseed by entering the surface to give the seed a higher chance of germination.

Aerate if possible to aid air circulation and root growth.

Bright lines will give the surface a great presentation.

GOLF COURSES

Be flexible in your planning for April because the weather can be extremely variable.

Don’t be inclined to reduce the height of cut too quickly in case of a cold or wet spell.

42 THE GROUNDSMAN March 2020

Green renovation will be the main priority this month.

Consider renovating fairway ‘winter greens’ at the same time, or soon afterwards.

Winter tee renovation should take place as soon as the players have switched onto the summer tees.

Ensure the irrigation system is fully commissioned.

Vertidrain fairways.

Complete topping up the bunkers.

Any major competitions will need a period of time for bunkers to settle down, so bear this in mind.

RACECOURSES

Mow the course twice a week.

Strim around the base of all posts.

Re-commission irrigation system.

Aerate the course as part of routine maintenance.

Apply the main spring fertiliser.

This is the time to complete the main renovation of a National Hunt course, which will then be allowed to rest over the summer – assuming it does not form part of a course for flat racing.

TENNIS

Mowing frequency will be increasing, while at the same time the height of cut will be gradually lowered from the winter topping height to that required for the start of the playing season.

Rolling will be routine and carried out regularly to help firm up the court ready for play commencing.

Re-commission the irrigation system ready for early dry spells.

Apply a suitable spring fertiliser.

Most analyses will contain nitrogen at 8 to 15 per cent, but the exact analysis will depend on individual requirements. One 25kg bag per court should be ample, depending on how much of the surrounds are also fertilised.

If there are any thin areas present on the court, these should be oversown using an appropriate grass seed mixture.

FOOTBALL

Additional games will probably be required to catch up on postponed and cup matches. Don’t worry too much about excessive destruction of the surface vegetation as the season is nearly at an end.

A smooth surface that is well marked out should be aimed for, so divoting will be a main feature this month to see out the season.

Increasing the mowing frequency will also help to give a neat finish.

Letting clippings fly and spreading them evenly may make some bare areas look a little more pleasing.

Vertidraining can be planned for straight after the last game.

BOWLS

Be quite flexible in your planning for April as the weather can be extremely variable.

Complete the renovation of the greens, making sure two weeks separates the end of renovation and the first bowl being played.

This should ensure adequate time for any topdressing to be satisfactorily worked in.

Open the season on as high a cut as possible, say ¼in. This will give

the grass some insurance against cold weather returning.

Several light rollings, with a 5cwt roller, will help to firm the surface prior to the start of the season.

Ensure the irrigation system is fully commissioned.

Top-up ditch material.

CRICKET SQUARE

Continue to increase the frequency of mowing.

Scarification will be increased to remove all surface debris within the base of the sward.

Rolling should be continued to provide a solid base for the season.

Additional rolling will be carried out for pitch preparation; however, the fundamental groundwork for the season is carried out prior to the first ball being delivered.

Ensure the square is properly ‘squared up’ with the correct number of wickets being spot marked at the ends. Ensure each wicket is correctly squared.

CRICKET OUTFIELD

Measure out stripes for mowing, making sure to measure accurately to create the chequer board presentation.

Mow outfield as growth demands. Slowly reduce the height of cut to approximately 15mm throughout this month.

Monitor the outfield for weeds, and make plans to apply selective herbicide when growth is strong and conditions allow. This would usually be towards May. Only certified operatives should apply chemicals.

Repair/redress any minor areas of damage especially in and around bowlers’ run-ups.