Turf Matters January February 2024

TURF

THE INTERNATIONAL MULTIPLE AWARD-WINNING MAGAZINE

For all sports turf professionals in golf, football, rugby, cricket, tennis, horse racing, independent schools, universities and local authorities Watch our channel on

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 • Issue number 60 • £6.50

www.turfmatters.co.uk

Sentosa: The Best Golf Course in the World

Pride of Asia

10

LOOKING TO years THE FUTURE

M

Ha r gu rog id at e ea t M o t wa an he it Ex ag B s – h e IG in ibit me GA see si io n T o de n t ur ur f

Get the best from your surfaces

BT

AERATION • IRRIGATION

E

TURF

MAKING TURF MATTER

www.turfmatters.co.uk

TURF 10 TURF

WELCOME

iWelcome

years

Marking a milestone Don’t forget Sport…

In December 2013, as I was working hard on the very first issue of Turf The last two months have been a nightmare for many people in certain Matters I could only dream of a time, 10 years forward, that I’d be writing parts of the country and my heart goes out to everyone dealing with anthe editorial for the issue. Thereflooding has been so devastating much happened over aftermath of60th unprecedented and erosion. the intervening decade, not only within our industry but within the The best case scenario for many is months of temporary living.world For others, lives will never return to what theyinwere. itself, yet those 10 years seem to have passed a flash.

While the fate of sports grounds and golf clubs might seem

in the ofwe such hardship, we at Turf Matters have Butinconsequential looking back, over thatface time have won numerous awards for our a particular empathy with everyone who has seen years of agronomic features and for our design, we’ve even featured on “Have I Got News for husbandry literally washed away in the space of a few weeks.

You”Itand Turf is now regarded as one of the strongestnot andthe best must beMatters hoped that banks – the financial institutions, titles in itswhich field. edge overflown rivers – take an understanding approach things to sporting facilities which have been unable to service loans as a

I can onlyofthank who has contributed to to making Matters result themeveryone being unplayable and so unable bring Turf in revenue. we haveThose seen with recent haswithin such a whatAs it is today. whothe have givenWinter up theOlympics, time to be sport featured galvanising effect on society and can be the catalyst for so much good, our pages and those companies who, particularly at the very beginning, that it is imperative sporting facilities are not forgotten when the took a chance on advertising in is what wasallocated. the untried, untested new kid on promised assistance being the block. I hope has been sporting rewarded,facilities, as we now Ontheir the faith issuein ofus improving wehave havemany been invited

by Briggs & Stratton to become involved in itsto Pitch more companies on board, who see Turf Matters as an ideal platform to Win competition, promote their goods and services. which provides a £3,000 makeover for what is judged to be the Under 18s football pitch in most – find out more on pages 16-17. I am on the judging I thankneed you all, and invite you to join us for the next 10 years, panel and visits will be made to a shortlist of deserving where along with title,not Landscaping pitches soon.our Weyoung will besister looking so much atMatters, the we look forward to many more shared experiences.

DESSO but the desperate!

On a final note, I am thrilled by the reception that the Bestfirst wishes for I hope to catchMany up with you soon. issue of2024 Turfand Matters received. people have taken time to say how much they liked the look of the Scott MacCallum, magazine and how theyEditor 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.

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

Distributed every two months to sports turf professionals, local authorities Editor: Scott MacCallum and buyers of turfcare machinery and scott@turfmatters.co.uk products.

Design/Production Editor: Tim Moat Editor: Scott MacCallum tim@turfmatters.co.uk scott@turfmatters.co.uk Design and Production Editor: Tim Moat Sales Executive: tim@turfmatters.co.uk Marie Anderson

marie@turfmatters.co.uk Sales Manager: Pauline Thompson

To advertise in Turf Matters, Contributor: call Pauline on 07720 055676 or Summer Rogers email pauline@turfmatters.co.uk

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

www.turfmatters.co.uk Turf Matters is published by Straight Down the Middle Ltd. Down Turf MattersCommunications is published by Straight the Middle Communications Ltd. All material © Turf Matters magazine 2024.

All material ©Writing Turf Matters magazine Awarded Best and Best Design 2014. in the Turf & Ornamental Communicators Association No part of this publication may be (TOCA) Awards 2019-2022 inclusive reproduced in any form whatsoever, either or not, without written No partfor of sale this publication may the be reproduced permission of the publisher. in any form whatsoever, eitherInformation for sale or contained in Turf Matters is published not, without the written permission of the in good faith and every effort has publisher.

Information contained in been Turf Matters made to ensure its accuracy. is published in good faith and Turf everyMatters effort can accept no responsibility for any error has been made to ensure its accuracy.

Turf Matters can accept no responsibility any or misrepresentation.

All liability forforloss, error or misrepresentation.

Allor liability disappointment, negligence other for loss, disappointment, negligence or other damage damage caused by reliance on information caused by reliance on information contained in Turf Matters or in thecontained event of in Turf bankruptcy Matters or inor the event of any any liquidation or bankruptcy cessation or liquidation cessation of trade of anyorcompany, of trade of or any company, individual firm individual orisfirm mentioned is hereby excluded. mentioned hereby excluded.

Printed by Warners Midlands PLC. Printed by Warners Midlands PLC.

Scott MacCallum, Editor You can follow me on Twitter @TurfMatters

Inside issue Insidethis this issue News..........................................................4-13 News .........................................................4-15 Irrigation...............................................16-17 Pitch to Win........................................16-17 Sentosa.................................19-22, Golf Club...........................18-26 Mowing 24-27 Aeration. . ...............................................27-31 Tea Break Teaser ......................................29 Looking to the future....................32-38 Gleneagles..........................................30-35 Testing times......................................39-40 BTME review ......................................36-41 Grinding................................................42-43 Diary of a Golfing Nobody.................42 BTME preview....................................44-47 As seen on Twitter..................................43 BTME exhibitor profiles................48-63 Buyers’out Guide. ...................................65-66 Check our .website: Check out our website: www.turfmatters.co.uk

www.turfmatters.co.uk The majesty of Gleneagles, pages 30-35 Next magazine distributed 2 May The future: A Fastrac hydrogen refueller: pages 32-38 Next magazine distributed March 2024 Subscribe FREE to our e-zine: Details at www.turfmatters.co.uk

Turf |Matters | March-April 2014 TURF MATTERS JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024| 3 |3

NEWS

CHANGEABLE WEATHER IS A CONCERN, SAYS TGA The Turfgrass Growers Association (TGA) has noted a concerning trend following a year of unpredictable and extreme weather conditions across the UK in 2023.

Members of the association have reported that the changeable weather, combined with other factors, is likely to lead to an increase in turfgrass prices in 2024. The past year saw a spectrum of climatic challenges, from prolonged summer droughts to heavy rainfall in autumn and winter.

The Met Office has highlighted the visible effects of climate change globally.

Predictions of warmer, wetter winters, hotter, drier summers, and more frequent intense weather events add further pressure to turfgrass cultivation.

“Our members are finding 2023 to be a particularly challenging year for turfgrass production. This trend is expected to continue, necessitating an industrywide adjustment in turfgrass pricing,” said Richard Owens, Chair of the TGA.

MAKING TURF MATTER

www.turfmatters.co.uk

Plumpton have best Groundstaff team Plumpton Racecourse has been named Champion Groundstaff team of the year, culminating another year of excellence in the field as part of the Racecourse Groundstaff Awards, jointly sponsored

by Agrovista Amenity, DLF and Duralock.

Plumpton, already a winner in the Racecourse Groundstaff Awards as the Jump Racecourse of the Year, faced off competition from the other two individual category winners - Hamilton Park, flat racecourse and Ayr, dual purpose racecourse - to receive the Champion crown.

The award was presented

at the Racecourse Association’s Showcase Awards ceremony held at Aintree Racecourse.

The Racecourse Groundstaff Awards judges commented on Plumpton’s proactive and forward-thinking attitude and their exceptional work on the track. The racecourse grounds team has been innovative and has invested time and energy into producing a safe track with equine welfare at the forefront.

The team carried out drainage works, they changed all their hurdles to padded hurdles, in turn reducing their faller rate significantly and they have also installed a new surface on their two road crossings which can be manipulated to create a more consistent Going.

Ayr, Hamilton and Plumpton were visited by an independent agronomist, who reviewed their soil test results and fertiliser

WHY SEEDING IS SIMPLE WITH THE DENNIS 500 The Dennis S500 Plus seeder is helping to get the lawns into shape at Cheltenham Ladies’ College according to Ross Spry, Head of Grounds and Gardens.

After initially starting his career in greenkeeping, Ross Spry has been working for various colleges in the UK for over a decade. At Cheltenham Ladies’ College he oversees a grounds team consisting of seven members of staff who tend to the sports facilities and gardens.

Somewhat of a perfectionist, Ross recognised that the College lawns needed some attention and was quick to act.

“The lawns were not in the best shape, and there was a lot of weeds and moss, and thatch build-up in them,” he said.

“We bought a scarifier and an aerator to try and alleviate this problem, but I wanted a machine to put seed back into the ground effectively rather than just broadcasting it.

“We looked at various brands of seeders and we found the Dennis S500 Plus to be the best for us.”

4 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

Ideal for bowls, cricket, golf and other fine turf and ornamental lawn areas, the dual-purpose Dennis S500 Plus has a 510mm operating width complete with interchangeable spiker and slotter reels. The spiker reel punches through the ‘surface pan’ allowing air, water and fertiliser to penetrate the root

programmes as well as assessing each racecourse against the Performance Quality Standards, the results were very close and identified Plumpton as the Groundstaff Champion.

“Winning the Champion Groundstaff Award is an amazing achievement and I am so proud of all the team for all the hard work they out in through the year,” said Marcus Waters, Plumpton’s Clerk of the Course.

“The backing we have had is second to none. It is clear that they truly value the importance of the racing surface. Thank you to all the sponsors and horsemen for all their support.”

Holly Cook, Racecourse Services Manager at the RCA, said the award recognised the contribution of racecourse groundstaff teams, sending congratulations to Plumpton. n www.agrovista. co.uk/amenity

zone, while the slotter reel creates ideal seed germination pockets thus reducing seed wastage.

“We normally seed in the spring and autumn and before using the S500 Plus we apply a selective weedkiller to try and get rid of the weeds and moss,” said Ross.

“It is so simple to use, and it does exactly what we want it to do. It’s not heavy and it is nice and compact.

Some of the lawns at the school are very small, so to have a seeder the size of the S500 Plus is ideal. It is also a lot more accurate than doing it by hand – you get more contact with the soil and better germination.

“The S500 Plus’ best feature is just how user friendly it is and it makes the task of seeding enjoyable.” n www.dennisuk.com

NEWS

MAKING TURF MATTER

www.turfmatters.co.uk

GroundsFest’s education fund is the way forward O

rganisers of GroundsFest have announced that event profits are being reinvested back into the industry to form The GroundsFest Education Fund.

The GroundsFest Education Fund has been designed to provide support to help students at landbased colleges overcome specific barriers to participation so they can remain in education. The aim of the Fund is to not only support and enhance a student’s education experience but to encourage more people into the industry by making education more accessible.

Through profits generated from GroundsFest, students will be able to reach their full potential by obtaining funding for a wide range of items such as course literature, stationary, tools, laptops, computers and other electrical goods, driving lessons, and accredited training courses on subjects including machinery, weed management, sports turf maintenance, lawn care, arboriculture and many more.

“Unfortunately, the number of young people embarking on a career in grounds management is in decline and, collectively, we should be doing 6 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

all we can to change this. Education is the first step into the industry but the numbers coming through and qualifying are worryingly low,” said The GroundsFest Education Fund, Event Director Christopher Bassett.

“After several conversations, we were shocked to hear that students are being forced out of education or are being prevented from entering

education due to not having the money to purchase necessary items. Our aim was to always give back to the industry through the event and therefore we are extremely proud to be launching The GroundsFest Education Fund.”

The scheme will be trialed for the first year at Wiltshire College & University Centre before being rolled out nationwide. Victoria Fiander, Assessor in Horticulture, and Bradley

Tennant, Sports Turf Lecturer, both from Wiltshire College, were instrumental in the development of The GroundsFest Education Fund.

Bradley said that The Education Fund was a fantastic initiative.

“Coming from a public school, and a council area background, I would have loved to have had an opportunity like this, having personally paid for my own certificates such as spraying, tractor driving, and chainsaw tickets.

“Working with students, I know they often can’t find work due to travel arrangements. We are located in a very rural area, and having access to The GroundsFest Education Fund has the potential to bring more young people into our industry.

“Land-based colleges are the point of entry for the vast majority of horticulture, from sports turf stadiums to the local garden centre.

It’s vital we support our colleges.

There are currently only 12 landbased colleges within the UK, which is a worrying number considering you can’t turn your head without seeing something that’s been involved with horticulture in some form.

“Education is the way forward.” n www.groundsfest.com

NEWS

MAKING TURF MATTER

www.turfmatters.co.uk

Trench scoop the best kept green in Shropshire award T

rench Bowling Club in Telford has recently celebrated its 100th anniversary and to top off this special year, has been judged The Best Kept Green in Shropshire 2023.

The club has 45 playing members and competes in the Mid-Shropshire Bowling Leagues.

Greenkeeper David Evans and a team of volunteers have been preparing the green since 2014.

“The green is in the best condition it has ever been, I want to thank Origin Amenity Solutions for their support. In 2018, Symbio was recommended to me by the greenkeepers at Bowring Bowling Club in Wellington, Telford.

They were using Symbio products, and the green was in excellent condition.

“I wanted to move away from synthetic fertilisers and pesticides and work with OAS to produce an integrated management plan. I also wanted to try to make cost savings and reduce

8 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

the use of topdressing.”

David had several problem areas that he was looking to improve.

“I wanted to reduce thatch, improve drainage, reduce dry patch, promote greater root development, sward density, and reduce, but ideally, prevent moss growth during the winter period. I also wanted to improve the overall presentation and reduce the need to top-dress.”

OAS is a leading supplier of professional turf management products and technical advice. The microbial arm of the business specialises in selecting and applying the mycorrhizae, soil bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms found in healthy soil.

With the help of

Technical Sales Advisors Jeremy Hughes and Andrew De Wet from OAS several products were recommended, and a programme was compiled which David is happy to share.

“I use Symbio Compost Tea and Fungal Additive monthly from April through to September.

I complemented this with CMS Shoot, Super Seaweed, Supa Yucca and Liquid Aeration.

From March through to June, Incision wetting agent is applied and then from September to December, Symbio HydroAid Plus wetting agent.

An application of Mycogro organic granular fertiliser at the start and the end of the playing season, and a turf hardener

over the winter period.

David, who also doubles as the Club Secretary and Bar Coordinator, said that in 2018 they implemented the Origin programme and have seen a gradual improvement in the playing surface ever since.

“We have significantly reduced the thatch layer to an acceptable level, improved percolation, and green speed.

“The areas of dry patch that were prevalent in some areas of the green are no longer a problem. Culminating in an improved root depth and sward density. I am incredibly happy and thoroughly delighted to have independent thirdparty endorsement after receiving The Best Kept Green in Shropshire 2023.”

NEWS

Why the Avant 755i loader is a transformative tool W

ith a deep-rooted history in agriculture, the Overton family has witnessed the evolution of their business from its humble beginnings, where Richard’s grandfather toiled to expand their landholding, to the present day, marked by a diverse portfolio of activities ranging from potato cultivation to cold storage, a livery yard, landscaping, and more.

The turning point in their operations came with the decision to diversify, a strategic move that required a versatile and reliable piece of equipment. Richard, having previously relied on two 3.5-tonne machines, sought something more adaptable to the dynamic needs of the business.

“I always had an eye on the Avant.

We tried one out, we liked it, and so we bought one. We required one we could put on a trailer and tow because we needed it at both of our sites, so we went for the 755i model because I believe it’s the biggest you can legally tow. It fits great on our trailer,” explained Richard.

The decision to invest in the

10 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

Avant 755i Loader, part of the 700 series, proved to be a gamechanger for the Overton family.

The Avant 755i Loader, renowned for its high lift capacity and drive speed, belongs to the 700 series designed for multi-use tasks across various industries. Richard highlights the machine’s ability to seamlessly transition between cleaning, property maintenance, farm operations and landscaping.

Its compact design, coupled with high-flow auxiliary hydraulics, ensures unmatched versatility in handling diverse attachments.

The decision to opt for a cabequipped model reflects the Overton family’s commitment to year-round productivity.

“Because we are going to be busy in the summer and the winter, we thought we needed a cab – so we could be warm in the winter but have air conditioning in the summer.

We ended up buying the best machine we could get,” said Richard.

He opted for the GT cab which comes with heating, sound-absorbing

interior, windscreen washer and wiper, cab air filter and front and rear mudguards as standard.

What sets the Avant 755i Loader apart is its compatibility with over 200 attachments, turning it into a true Swiss Army Knife of agricultural and landscaping equipment. Richard proudly details the array of attachments they employ, including the brush, the leveller, the lawn mower, the 4 in 1 bucket, and the root grapple. Each attachment serves a distinct purpose, showcasing the machine’s adaptability.

“The root grapple isn’t just for roots; it is also used for picking up round bales of straw and logs. It has a great feature where the top grapple closes in two bits so if you have an uneven piece of wood, it doesn’t just grab one side of it; it works independently, which is really clever,” he noted.

“Just the other day we were able to deliver and unload 16 tonnes worth of slabs round the back of a private property in no time at all.”

Richard emphasises the costeffectiveness of the Avant 755i Loader, asserting that every machine has its limitations.

“But I think the Avant Loader does every job more than adequately. It has saved us money because we don’t need five or six machines – the Avant can do them all.”

The manoeuvrability, diesel efficiency, and ability to navigate tight spaces make it an indispensable asset for the Overton family business.

In praising the local Avant dealer, Ben Burgess, Richard underlines the importance of reliable support.

“Back-up is crucial when purchasing a new machine, and I get a great service from Ben Burgess.”

The Avant 755i Loader stands as a testament to the innovative approach of a family business that has spanned generations. In choosing the Avant Loader, the Overton family has not only embraced a versatile and efficient tool but has also set the stage for sustained success in the years to come. n www.avant.co.uk

MAKING TURF MATTER

www.turfmatters.co.uk

GXi8 HD aerator makes it a Wiedenmann double at Whitecraigs GC W

hitecraigs Golf Club has doubled its Wiedenmann Terra Spike fleet, from one to two. Proud owners of a 15-year-old XD6, the club has added a GXi8 HD to help the aeration needs of both their 18-hole and 9-hole courses.

“Some fairways are a built on rocky terrain so a robust aerator, like the XD, brought peace of mind. We’ve had it since 2008 and it still does a great job on the fairways but it’s not the quickest or lightest,” explained Course Manager, Peter Hall.

“The new GXi8 is for our greens, tees, and aprons.

We do aeration monthly on greens from September until March with 12 mm tines to varying depths, then maybe twice through the summer with 8 mm tines.

“We had it out as soon as ground conditions allowed.

Previously, to do all greens on our big course, one of the team would start them at 5.30 am to allow us to finish for 4.30 pm, so 11 hours.

“With the new machine, we started at 8 am and finished at 3.30 pm. They were back in play again immediately;

the following morning we gave them all a roll, and no issues or disruption to golf.

“We’ll be permanently leaving the 20 mm tines on the XD until the summer. They weren’t hard to switch but it’s all time we can get back to use elsewhere on the courses.”

Peter, who will celebrate 30 years at the parkland courses next year, is supported by his deputy, Andy Wilson, and four other qualified greenkeepers and two apprentices.

The honours of being first out on the new Terra Spike fell to Andy.

“I was in the cab the whole time for that first run it was entirely smooth. No vibration, just quick and efficient,” he confirmed.

Peter and Whitecraigs GC have been long standing customers of dealer Fairways GM at Inchinnan, who are Wiedenmann UK’s Scottish representatives. Working with Area Sales Manager, Stuart Cameron, the East Renfrewshire club has a full-maintenance contract with Fairways GM. n www.wiedenmann.co.uk TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 | 11

NEWS

MAKING TURF MATTER

www.turfmatters.co.uk

‘Exceptional’ Gleneagles holds on to prestigious accolades G

leneagles, the iconic Scottish hotel and global luxury destination, has again been recognised as the ‘World’s #1 Golf Resort’ outside the USA, a title it has now held for four consecutive years.

Coming soon after being named ‘Best Golf Resort’ at the 2023 Business Traveler Awards, this latest accolade from the raters at Golf World described the 850-acre Perthshire estate as a ‘bewilderingly extensive’ luxury experience with ‘sumptuous rooms and a feeling of grandeur’.

‘The Glorious Playground’ received full marks in both the amenities and accommodation categories which helped it to #2 in the overall global rankings, which were topped

by Bandon Dunes in Oregon, USA. Conor O’Leary, Managing Director at Gleneagles, said: “To be consistently critically-acclaimed as one of the world’s leading golf and leisure destinations, benchmarked against a host of incredible resorts across the globe, is welcome praise for the luxury experience we offer our guests, and wonderful recognition for our dedicated team.”

Gleneagles is the only venue in Europe to have staged both The Ryder Cup (2014) and The Solheim Cup (2019). It also welcomed the

Senior Open Presented by Rolex to The King’s Course in 2022, and remains the clear #1 golf resort in the UK & Ireland, a title it has held for eight consecutive years.

Gleneagles’ three championship golf courses all feature in numerous Top 100 rankings in their own right.

The King’s and The Queen’s courses, regarded as James Braid classics, have benefitted from significant renovation projects in recent years, restoring them to their original ‘inland links’ and heathland designs.

Gleneagles also boasts more than 50 pursuits, including fly-

fishing, falconry, cycling, offroading, equestrian experiences and archery. Guests have use of a range of leisure facilities, including the pitch-and-putt course, lawn games and outdoor tennis courts.

Golf World’s Top 100 World Resorts editor, Chris Bertram, concluded: “Gleneagles is an incredible World #2 and it offers a wonderful all-round golf package with something for everyone, supported by hospitality and leisure pursuits that are simply first class. I have visited on numerous occasions and the experience really is exceptional.”

Pellenc products certified LONGTIME Committed for many years to the durability of its products, Pellenc have now obtained LONGTIME certification for four of its professional tools.

The certification includes the Helion 3 electric hedge trimmer, the Airion 3 electric blower and ULIB 1200 and

12 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

1500 batteries. It is the first manufacturer of professional tools, motors and batteries to benefit from this label.

One of the most effective strategies to reduce the environmental impact of a product is to extend its lifespan. Pellenc has been mobilising its R&D teams for many years in order to offer equipment that is ever more durable, robust and repairable over time.

The demanding LONGTIME process assesses the compliance of products with its 41 criterial, which focus

on robustness, repairability and the monitoring and maintenance of the tools.

• The Helion 3 hedge trimmer has a reliable brushless electric motor, a robust cutterbar, and the materials of which it is composed, insensitive to corrosion, have been selected for their compatibility with intensive use and for their resistance to impacts.

• The Airion 3 blower features replaceable and repairable magnesium parts.

• The ULIB 1200 & 1500 batteries are composed

of very high-capacity lithium-ion cells and offer a lifespan of more than 1,300 charge cycles.

The design of Pellenc products is based on a long service life and ease of repair under professional operating conditions. By voluntarily committing to their sustainability approach, Pellenc goes beyond the regulation of the repairability index and is fully committed to the fight against planned obsolescence and respect for the environment. n www.etesia.co.uk/pellenc

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS

MAKING TURF MATTER

www.turfmatters.co.uk

Outstanding service leads to an outstanding surface at Hove Prep School A

fter intensive in-house operations to relieve severe compaction failed to deliver the desired results, the decision was made to undertake a full renovation on one of the pitches at Hove Prep School in Sussex.

Word of mouth led Grounds and Gardens Manager Adam Bedson to speak with AMS Contracting Ltd whom he cites, from the outset, delivered outstanding customer service and confidence in their capability to fix the situation to the standards required – which they did, to the satisfaction of the school and pupils alike!

Hove Prep School is one of three sites belonging to Lancing College,

14 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

with its own sports facilities supporting a packed programme of year-round play and coaching.

“It became evident that years of overuse had contributed to severe compaction problems that became almost impossible to recover” explained Adam, who has been at the college since 2019.

“Kit we hired failed to rectify the problem so we reached out to Ashley and Myles Strange at AMS who immediately put us at ease.”

“Having not conducted a project of this scale for a good number of years the Bursar naturally had a lot of questions, which the AMS team answered in-depth and in a timely manner.

“The level of care and knowledge shown definitely helped to secure the funding we needed to get the project underway in the summer of 2023.”

The full pitch renovation included surface removal, soil profile upgrade, laserlevelling, seeding and nutritional

programme, conducted by a team of four operatives under the guidance of Ashley and Myles.

“We felt in safe hands every step of the way. What really stood out for me was the hours the team were prepared to work – on site from sunrise and nonstop until the early evening.

“They understood our need to get the work, which also included renovating our cricket square, complete in the window available in order to get the surfaces back into play as quickly as possible.”

The results, Adam says, speak for themselves.

“Within seven days we went from a sandy field to seeing the green hue of germination. Since then, we’ve nurtured the pitch to full strength and coverage and the pupils are now enjoying playing on it,” he revealed.

“This wet start to winter has also highlighted how incredibly well the pitch drains now. Within an hour of the rain stopping, the pitch is playable which was previously unheard of.

“The sports staff are over the moon and everybody is really invested in protecting the asset we now have. The success of this project signals the start of a fantastic partnership between ourselves and AMS Contracting, and we’re already in touch with the team about what’s next!”

IRRIGATION

Hat-trick for Toro at Middlesbrough FC

F

our pitches at Middlesbrough Football Club’s training ground at Rockliffe Park are seeing the results from improved accuracy, full coverage and the powerful control from a new Toro irrigation system.

According to Jack Cunningham,

16 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

Senior Grounds Supervisor, the growing-in process was the best it’s ever been, management and players, including the first team, have nothing but good feedback and the problems caused by having a windy site have become a thing of the past.

The club invested in the Toro Lynx LAC control system, 54 Infinity sprinklers and 74 B Series sprinklers with Turf Cups in phase one of a project which will, in time, see another two pitches follow suit.

Here, Jack discusses the highlights of the new system.

“There’s a lot to like about this combination.

We’ve never had this level of consistency.

The LAC system and being able to control the water application with pinpoint accuracy from a desktop or mobile device is a game-changer.”

Then there’s the B Series sprinklers with their trajectory settings, about which Jack says.

“We have a windy site and the B Series trajectory settings means that’s now not a problem. They’re easily altered to counteract the wind and achieve consistent coverage.

“We also love how

using the back nozzle doesn’t affect the front nozzle and how we can use the same set of parts for the perimeter and in-field sprinklers.

It makes life really easy.”

As expected a highlight of the Infinity sprinklers is that they’re top accessible: “Being able to take the top off, which is easy by the way, change the decoders, alter trajectories, all without having to dig the heads out and risk damage to the turf is very very good,” Jack explains. “On top of that, it’s possible to turn the sprinkler by hand and not damage the gearing.”

All in all, it’s a winning combination for the club as Jack confirms.

“Getting the surfaces ready for day-to-day training now is easy and we’ve benefitted massively from essentially being able to personalise the irrigation to suit the site and its specific requirements.

“Using the moisture control I put the water where I want it, in the quantity I want it, which means it’s not just the grow-in which has been the best ever but the subsequent maintenance of the quality of the playing surfaces.”

Choosing Toro was an easy decision for Jack, fueled by the relationship, back-up and aftercare service he knew he’d get from distributor Reesink Hydro-Scapes, says Jack: “We trialled the sprinklers and they were the most effective, and that coupled with the technical support and how nothing was too much trouble meant I just had faith in them from the beginning.” n reesinkturfcare.co.uk

MAKING TURF MATTER

www.turfmatters.co.uk

New controller offers host of water saving features T

he ESP-TM2 Indoor has been added to Rain Bird’s range of Smart Irrigation Controllers and joins the RC2 indoor version which was introduced earlier in 2023. They replace the ESP-RZX controller range.

Designed specifically for installation inside or under cover, the ESP-TM2 Indoor does not require outdoor weather or IP (Ingress Protection) features. As such, it is a competitively priced controller that is WiFi ready, simple to program and offers a number of water saving features. It is designed for both homeowners and landscape contractors looking for a basic residential irrigation controller with multiple customisation options.

Just like the established ESPTM2 outdoor version, the indoor

model is available in 4,6, 8 and 12 station capacities, each with three independent programs and four start times per program. A simple one touch manual watering feature is also included. With this flexibility, users can create watering schedules that meet precisely the watering needs of their landscapes.

A new large back-lit LCD display for good visibility, which may be experienced indoors, is included. The user interface is in the familiar, easy to navigate and clean Rain Bird design.

Compatibility with the Rain Bird LNK2 WiFi fully encrypted wireless communication module is a major benefit. Simply plugging it into the ESP-TM2 Indoor’s accessory port enables users to download

the Rain Bird Mobile App for both iOS and Android platforms. Set up is simple with Rain Bird’s Quick Pair technology that connects the controller to the phone or tablet.

Users then have full remote control of their irrigation installation from anywhere in the world.

As well as providing simple and quick programming, the App enables users to access the more advanced irrigation control features available with ESP-TM2 Indoor.

ESP-TM2 Indoor can be installed by residential users themselves.

Rain Bird residential or commercial rotors, valves, nozzles, sprays and drip irrigation products are compatible as well as recommended accessories including rain sensors. n www.rainbird.eu

TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 | 17

SENTOSA GOLF CLUB

The best golf in the world

Scott MacCallum chats with Andy Johnston, the man who has steered Sentosa Golf Club to the top of the golfing tree

18 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

MAKING TURF MATTER

www.turfmatters.co.uk

course

TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 | 19

SENTOSA GOLF CLUB

I

t’s just after Christmas so I’m guessing that your quizzing skills are still fairly sharp.

So here’s one for you.

Which of these golf courses is the odd one out? The Old Course, St Andrews; Augusta National; the Serapong Course at Sentosa Golf Club, Singapore; Shinnecock Hills, New York; or Carnoustie?

The answer?

None of them! They have all been voted the Best Golf Course in the World by the World Golf Awards.

Of course, Serapong is also the only course among that elite group not to have hosted a Major, and the only one in Asia, but it’s my quiz and I decide the answers!

Seriously though, with The Old Course having won the category each of the first five years following

20 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

the Awards’ inception in 2014, Carnoustie was the next winner, then Augusta National who retaining the title the next year, before its American cousin, Shinnecock.

The triumph of Sentosa Golf Club, the first Asian winner, late last year, did raise a few eyebrows.

Not least from the Club’s own General Manager and Director of Agronomy, Andy Johnston.

“Best golf course in the world. I mean, Holy Smoke – really? I was pinching myself,” recalled Andy.

“I was floating on Cloud Nine, and still am,” added the American, who, as a golf course architect, first became associated with the club when he was brought in to do some remodelling work in 2014, and never really left.

He was also blown away by

the reception he received from the Sentosa team when he arrive back from the airport having collected the Award.

“It takes a world class team to make a world class club and when you talk about the best in the world the greeting I got from 80-plus of them was pretty special.”

Being the first Asian golf club to win the award, and following in such illustrious company is significant.

“It shows that the growth of Asian golf is gathering pace and how much more progress we are making. It also shows that we are getting to the point where we are becoming competitive within that ‘Big Boy’ fraternity.”

So what it is about Sentosa Golf Club, and the Serapong course in particular, that has

MAKING TURF MATTER

enabled this huge geographic breakthrough? Who better to tell us, than Andrew himself.

“It’s one of those tracks that touches your soul. As soon as you head off to the 1st tee you are thinking that this is something special – you know immediately that it is special. Then when you get to the 2nd you get a peek at what’s coming. Hit the 3rd and you have the entire world in front of you. You’re looking down on the town three kilometres away and you are on an elevated spot which sits over the entire bay. You see the shipyards down below you and, downtown, all the skyscrapers. The next five or six holes are all different, and each one memorable. The whole course has a unique playing strategy and you can’t wait to play it again and again.

www.turfmatters.co.uk

“IT’S ONE OF THOSE TRACKS THAT TOUCHES YOUR SOUL. AS SOON AS YOU HEAD OFF TO THE 1ST TEE YOU ARE THINKING THAT THIS IS SOMETHING SPECIAL – YOU KNOW IMMEDIATELY THAT IT IS SPECIAL. THEN WHEN YOU GET TO THE 2ND YOU GET A PEEK AT WHAT’S COMING…” “You just can’t get enough of it,” enthused Andy.

But that wasn’t always the case for the Serapong, and Sentosa Golf Club, founded by the then Prime Minister of Singapore and which celebrates its 50th birthday this year.

“Back in 2005 the Serapong wasn’t even the best course in town,

never mind the world, but at the time I was working on a project in Beijing when I got a call from a friend of mine saying that Sentosa was looking for an architect. They weren’t looking at a huge project just some fairly small tweaks so I jumped on a plane and made a pitch to the Green Committee. } TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 | 21

SENTOSA GOLF CLUB

MAKING TURF MATTER

www.turfmatters.co.uk

} “I must have made a really

compelling case because we signed an agreement, almost on a napkin and I got to work the next day.”

With the project completed, six months later the club called Andy to say that he was still the club’s architect and that they wanted to renovate the Serapong fully and was he interested. Was he ever!

“I literally got on a plane that night and came over. The club had a new business plan and wanted to get into hosting tournaments,” said Andy.

The course had been designed originally by Ron Fream and was built on 80% reclaimed land.

“Ron did an unbelievable job because he tracked the course when it was basically still in the ocean. I’ve seen pictures of him

22 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

“WE MADE SOME SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE COURSE’S PERSONALITY. THAT’S WHEN THE COURSE STARTED TO GET GOING TO WHERE IT IS TODAY.” in a boat pointing out a green.

How he was measuring, in the life of me, I have not a clue.”

But while the course was excellent, it had really small greens which couldn’t take the traffic and while the bunkers were okay they didn’t support modern day golf strategy.

“So we made some significant

changes to the course’s personality.

That’s when the course started to get going to where it is today. We introduced massive greens with subtle undulations, we increased the bunkering and made these huge tees so we could take the traffic and have surfaces fit for championship golf. That’s when the engine really }

SENTOSA GOLF CLUB

Andy Johnston } got running,” said Andy, who General Manager, added that they now cut the tees Director of Agronomy to the same height as the greens. and Resident Golf Course Designer at SGC The tees are Platinum Paspalum,

because it recovers quickly from divot damage, with the rest of the course Zoysia.

It wasn’t an overnight success, however, and from 2006 to 2010 it was a difficult time for the club.

Then, with 60 days to go until a Singapore Open, and having just lost their Superintendent, Andy took another phone call 24 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

from the club asking for help.

“The previous General Manager called me and asked that, as nobody knew the property as well as me, would I help them out.

“I have an agronomy background – of all the skills I have, design, operation, agronomy, agronomy is the thing I really excel at, and ultimately we were able to pull a rabbit out of a hat On the Monday pro-am we were running at 13 on the stimp. Singapore had never seen speeds faster than that.

“We’d exceeded everybody’s expectations when it came to conditioning and I just never went home after that, and I hadn’t meant to stay!” he revealed.

And not only that, in addition to his role of Director of Agronomy he found himself General Manager when his predecessor left.

“I didn’t mean to become GM. I was just told that I was going to be GM, even when I told them I didn’t want to be GM. Even today I hate being GM… kind of!” he added with a smile.

MAKING TURF MATTER

But it is still the golf courses, there is also the 18 hole Tanjong course, rather than the food and beverage side of things, which rocks his boat.

“I’m the first person here every morning at 5.30 and that has never changed in the 14 years I’ve been here. I get every morning started with the crew and work closely with our Superintendent, Irishman Rodney McEwan.

“I couldn’t have a better sidekick, if I could call him that. He takes it personally and it means something to him. No matter what I dish out to him it gets done and it’s quite incredible how he does it.”

And it’s not an easy gig maintaining a golf course on the equator.

“I’ve worked in every corner of the world and I think this is the most

challenging. We have every disease known to man sitting in the soil 365 days a year, just waiting for the right conditions to flourish.

“Everything is full on. Most of the world goes through the seasons and there are times when you have to work hard and there are heavy growth periods but there are also off periods and simpler windows. It never stops here for us. Every day is full on.

“To put it in a UK context. August is probably the most difficult time of the year for you, because it is the hottest and the most humid. Guys are chasing hot spots and there are disease pressures coming out of their ears. Every day is August for us and our aim is to be thinking ahead of Mother Nature. That’s the goal. If you can be ahead of

www.turfmatters.co.uk

“I’VE WORKED IN EVERY CORNER OF THE WORLD AND I THINK THIS IS THE MOST CHALLENGING. WE HAVE EVERY DISEASE KNOWN TO MAN SITTING IN THE SOIL 365 DAYS A YEAR, JUST WAITING FOR THE RIGHT CONDITIONS TO FLOURISH.” Mother Nature you will win.”

With two golf courses and the surrounding grounds to maintain Andy has an agronomy team of 75. } TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 | 25

SENTOSA GOLF CLUB

MAKING TURF MATTER

www.turfmatters.co.uk

“WE HAVE SOMETHING CALLED THE 10 FIVE STAR TOUCH POINTS. IN AT NUMBER EIGHT IS ‘EARN YOUR FIVE STARS EVERY DAY’. I SAY THIS TO THE TEAM ON SUCH A ROUTINE BASIS THAT THEY ARE SICK OF ME.”

}

“It sounds a lot but if you break it down it’s probably comparable with a South Florida course. We have 25 guys on each course, there are eight mechanics, four in the admin office, then there is a small landscaping team of six or seven.

So it’s not as big as it sounds.”

So how does he keep everyone motivated to achieve the standards that takes a course to Best in the World status?

“We have something called the 10 Five Star Touch points. In at number eight is ‘Earn Your Five Stars Every Day’. I say this to the team on such a routine basis that they are sick of me.

“No-one gives a rat’s ass about the awards we’ve won - and they have won a plethora of huge awards including World’s Best Eco-Friendly

26 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

Golf Facility three years in a row after that day. They measure us by the experience they have had on that day. So every morning I tell them to wake up and earn their five stars.”

Having reach the pinnacle what now for Sentosa Golf Club?

“The Chairman asked me the same thing not long ago and I said that the runway was still very long and we still had a lot to that we could do. We may not win awards like this every year but we are attempting to build a brand and it is extremely important that we can continue to expand upon that and deliver the best service possible and produce the best conditions possible.

“The ceiling is unlimited on what we are going to achieve.”

Key to that is Sentosa’s

position on the planet.

“When you look at Asia, albeit Singapore is a small city state, we are in the best spot. We have the best airport, which is a hub where everything comes in and out. It is the safest city in Asia. You don’t have to worry about that when you get here whole at the club we are surrounded by 17 high end hotels. We have everything at our fingertips to continue to grow.

“We are no longer just a great golf course. We are a brand, and that is what I want to continue to develop.”

And with the attraction of playing the best course in the world, golfers will be swarming around Sentosa like bees to the honeypot and spreading the name of Sentosa to all their golfing buddies.

AERATION

Verti-Drain 2519: Reliable, efficient A

fter 15 years of reliable service running a fleet of smaller Redexim Verti-Drain models, Martin Guy, owner of Grass Plant Ltd, says that the addition of a high-speed Verti-Drain 2519 has brought new-found efficiency to both internal contracting operations and external hire projects… so much so, that plans are already in the pipeline to add more!

Martin leads a team of 25, undertaking construction and ongoing maintenance of all types of natural turf sports surface, working with venues across the Southeast.

“Across the board, agronomic expectations are on the rise but due to play demands and climatic conditions, the time available to deliver these standards is getting ever smaller” he explained.

“This meant increasing demand was placed our high-speed aerator, but the competitor model we were running was not delivering what we needed it to. As soon as the 2519 was introduced we were straight onto our local Redexim Partner Tuckwells, and

we were one of the first to try it.”

Offering a PTO speed of up to 540rpm, the Verti-Drain 2519 can cover up to 8739sq.m per hour when spaced at 165mm making it the most productive aerator in its category. Its ability to accept a range of tine options and working to variable depths of up to 250mm mean the 2519 is well suited to an array of applications – something thoroughly tried and

tested by the Grass Plant team.

“It’s adaptable, which is critical for us considering the broad spectrum of places we work at. On a golf course for example you can start on a tee, then use the same machine to aerate the fairways and the greens.

There are very few machines that allow you to do that,” said Martin.

“You tend to find that the higher speed these machines operate at, the more there is that can go wrong, but the build quality of the Verti-Drain® is as solid as ever and, since taking delivery of the 2519 close to three years ago, we’ve seen very little downtime,” he added.

This reliability has found favour both internally and with self-drive hire customers.

“We get a lot of repeat business on our hire fleet and we wouldn’t get that if we were giving them machines that weren’t fit for purpose or were falling apart in front of their eyes! Trouble is, everyone is so impressed with just how much the 2519 can do that now we need more of them!”

SISIS success for Worcestershire FA Two SISIS machines have led to impressive pitch improvements at Worcestershire FA’s headquarters at Claines Lane, Worcester.

Worcestershire FA’s new state-ofthe-art headquarters has been designed to provide a positive football hub for the community for years to come.

The facilities include both a full-size natural pitch and a 3G pitch, as well as floodlights, a covered seating area, modern changing rooms, community areas, office areas, and training facilities.

Paul Loader, Site Co-ordinator for Worcestershire FA, is the man responsible for maintaining the site.

“This pitch is my life – it’s my little baby. My main role is to make sure that the 3G pitch is maintained correctly and that the grass pitch is in the best condition it possibly can be for games.”

Paul’s job was made that little easier after Worcestershire FA received funding which enabled them to invest in some new turf maintenance equipment. Included within the new fleet of machinery was a tractor, a SISIS Quadraplay and SISIS Multitiner.

The multi-functional SISIS Quadraplay single pass maintenance system is perfect as it 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.

Compact, robust, versatile and with the ability to carry out up to four operations simultaneously - the Quadraplay can make life a lot easier.

For further aeration requirements Paul relies on the SISIS Multitiner 1.8m - a tractor mounted drumtype aerator. It has three drums with independent rotation and its interchangeable tines with a maximum depth of 100mm ensure excellent turf care when the time comes to aerate.

“Since we’ve invested in new kit, the pitch has improved massively. The SISIS Multitiner and the Quadraplay work brilliantly together,” he explained.

“On the Quadraplay I mainly use the slitter and the brush which is great for matchday presentation. The brush leaves a lovely stripe and is

particularly helpful if I haven’t been able to cut the pitch for a few days.

“At least once or twice a month between cuts I will use the Multitiner to get some holes on to the surface of the pitch - it is excellent at getting air in to the ground.

“The pitch used to be quite uneven, but these machines have helped to level it all off. When I go over the pitch, I can no longer feel any bumps.

“Both of these SISIS machines have been fantastic and I can easily understand why they are being recommended to FA counties across the whole of the UK.” n www.sisis.com TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 | 27

AERATION

Aeration with a Groundsman G

roundsman 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.

28 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

The elliptical plunge action mechanism of the Groundsman range of surface aerators enabled them to penetrate the soil down to five inch depth with the minimum of surface disruption. Groundsman produce long versions of their standard tines, the depth can be adjusted down as the tine wears giving extra life.

It is however important to fit the machine with the correct tines and holder combinations. Triple holders fitted with 3/8” solid long length tines will produce a hole spacing of about 2” this would be a good choice in a Groundsman machine to perform a summer aeration programme on a fine turf surface.

Varying the aeration depth can help avoid creating a hard pan and if a hard pan exists, fit the machine with twin tine holders, this will increase the hole spacing to 3” but it will give the machine a better chance of punching through those stubborn hard layers.

Groundsman aerators have an elliptical plunge tine action which means that the tine moves horizontally as well as vertically and the horizontal movement is synchronised with each tine entering

the ground every 75mm of forward travel.

Therefore with Twin Tine Holders fitted, this forward speed will produce a hole spacing 75mm x 75mm ie. a square hole pattern.

This is the correct synchronised forward speed and it should remain constant for all the tines and holders to produce the least surface disruption and have the least chance of lifting shallow rooted turf.

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 as preferred.

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 especially in confined spaces. n www.groundsmanindustries.com

MAKING TURF MATTER

T

he year 2022 was the hottest on record in the UK and experts are warning the unprecedented heat is a sign of things to come. With the ground dried out and continued heavy footfall, amenity areas, sports fields, golf courses, parks, other tree lined spaces and even domestic back gardens suffer heavy soil compaction.

When the rains come, water is unable to penetrate the soil and sports grounds in particular turn into quagmires, stopping play and resulting for many in lost revenue.

Flood waters are heavy enough to force the oxygen out of the soil structure, leading to dead or dying turf and trees showing signs of severe stress, leaf fall and rotting roots. No amount of normal aeration, spiking or decompaction of the topsoil is going to solve a problem that goes much deeper.

That is where deep aeration specialists are called for and one company, Terrain Aeration, has been solving these problems for well over 30 years.

Take some typical examples. A bowling green in Wales that has seen over 90 years of play. Built on shale, like so many, even with regular vertidraining, the ground had become compacted at depth. The club treasurer remembers well the day in 2018.

“The green was filling with water before my very eyes and after the heavy showers it remained quite sodden and unplayable. It seemed no amount of

www.turfmatters.co.uk

After the flood

work could get it back into shape.”

This left 50 or so members without playing facilities until it dried out.

One contractor working with London councils has among the sites under their watchful eye many of the city’s sports pitches, of which there are 95 football pitches, ten cricket squares, bowling greens and running tracks.

“A lot of the sites are on made up ground and experience major problems with drainage,” says their parks officer. “We have carried out aeration down to 300mm, but it’s not enough to get to the pans.”

So what’s the answer? Terrain Aeration has a range of machines with the ability to send a probe to a depth of one metre.

It penetrates the ground with the help of its built-in JCB road breaker, reaching the pan. Here it injects compressed air, working on a grid system and fragmenting the ground into fissures. These interlink to help restructure the soil and let in vital oxygen.

Turf roots will grow stronger and uniquely the soil structure is kept open by Terrain Aeration’s Terralift machine process, which has proven itself over the past 30 years.

Again, vital oxygen is injected into the soil along with other products to help with the root system in re-establishing itself. The results being a healthier and stronger root growth, a visibly stronger canopy and even more fruit on the trees. Diseases such as Phytophthora (water borne problems for Yew trees) can be stopped as opening the soil structure and injecting oxygen back into the soil is beneficial to the health of the tree.

Terrain Aeration’s system has come to the rescue after the flood for sports grounds, parks and gardens. n www.terrainaeration.co.uk

Before and after the flooding

TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 | 29

AERATION

T

The tine is right…

30 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

asked with delivering reliability and efficiency for both contracting and self-drive hire, a Deep Tine Aerator from GKB Machines has so far ticked every box for Cleveland Land Services in Teesside. Purchased to replace another aerator in the summer of 2021, the robust versatility of the 2.1m DTA has seen it well used on a variety of projects and sports surfaces including football, racecourses and golf course fairways.

Cleveland Land Services have earned a reputation for industry-leading innovation and outstanding customer service across their three divisions – CLS Landscape & Earthworks, CLS Sports and CLS Selfdrive – providing a high-standard of completion on all projects, undertaken nationwide, for over 50 years.

With an equipment bank spanning the group, it was the task of Andrew Willis, General Manager of the Selfdrive Division, to find the replacement for a well-utilised aerator on their hire fleet.

“We had a good look at the alternatives and, following a demonstration of the DTA 210 from local dealer Russell’s, decided that the price, the build quality and the specification of the DTA was a great fit for us. With a range of operators and applications, we could tell this would be capable of delivering

any and every task we put it on.”

The DTA 210 combines a 2.1m working width and maximum working depth of up to 40cm making it an excellent solution for large and/or heavy compacted applications.

One of a range of deep tine aerators from GKB, the DTA features hydraulic height adjustment and a range of tine options for complete versatility – making it a popular choice with contractors.

“We’ve been using it on our own contracting work, primarily football pitch maintenance, and when not used internally it’s been on hire with a whole host of turf managers who all find the machine incredibly efficient and simple to operate.” Andrew continues, “One thing we really noticed was how smooth the DTA runs. There isn’t the typical ‘bouncing’ you get with some brands.”

The DTA was the first GKB machine purchased by Cleveland Land Services, more recently joined by an SPM 400 topdresser.

“This is another fantastic piece of kit – high capacity and high productivity which is just what we need to ensure jobs get completed on time, and to a high spec.

The support from GKB and Russell’s is also brilliant, quickly answering any questions we have and providing valuable advice to keep everything ticking along as it should.”

MAKING TURF MATTER

www.turfmatters.co.uk

Luxury lawns and great greens A

round 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 hire 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,” Donald explained.

“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. n www.campeyturfcare.com

TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 | 31

THE FUTURE

10 years TURF

Vision of the future 32 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

MAKING TURF MATTER

www.turfmatters.co.uk

With Turf Matters celebrating its 10th birthday, thoughts go to 10 years down the line and what life will be like in the mid-2030s. Scott MacCallum was given a glimpse into the future by Husqvarna and JCB.

TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 | 33

THE FUTURE

10 years TURF

I

This page: Husqvarna grass cutter. Opposite: A mobile hydrogen refueller joins the hydrogen powered JCB Loadall and backhoe

n many ways, 2014 seems like ancient history. Back then, we saw Scotland voting to remain as part of the United Kingdom; Brazil were tonked 7-1 in the semi-final of a World Cup… held on home turf in Brazil, and Conchita Worst, sporting a very fine gown and a very fine beard, won the Eurovision Song Contest for Austria.

It was also the year that Turf Matters was launched, and this issue represents the 10th anniversary of the magazine.

With so much, good and bad, occurring over the last 10 years, it led to me to ponder where we might be 10 years from now.

Could we be being picked up from the pub in our driverless car; might we have all our mail and deliveries dropped down to us from drones, while might we all have chips inserted in our wrists, thus removing the need for all money, keys and forgettable passwords?

But what about our industry?

What are some of the things that we might expect when the 20th anniversary Turf Matters drops to you from your friendly drone…

Hang on… will we still have printed magazines in 10 years’ time?

Now I don’t have a crystal ball but I have been lucky enough recently to attend two events which shed some considerable light on what developments are being made towards 2034 and beyond. A quote which is attributed to either science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke or Bill Gates, and raised in Paris, and tweaked slightly for our needs is also worth re-stating.

“We tend to overestimate what can be achieved in two years but underestimate what

34 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

BUT WHAT ABOUT OUR INDUSTRY? WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE MIGHT EXPECT WHEN THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY TURF MATTERS DROPS TO YOU FROM YOUR FRIENDLY DRONE… HANG ON… WILL WE STILL HAVE PRINTED MAGAZINES IN 10 YEARS’ TIME? can be achieved in 10.”

Husqvarna’s Living City 2023, held in the wonderfully nostalgic Jardin d’Acclimatation, in Paris, was a two day look into the future, while a couple of weeks later I was one of a select group of journalists invited to attend a briefing at JCB’s Headquarters, in Staffordshire, to look at the extraordinary progress they have made in hydrogen power.

What I discovered was that 10 years is well within the scope of some amazing advances in technology and thinking. Looks like Arthur or Bill might have been spot on.

Living City 2023, saw 160 people attend for 13 different countries and covered a range of topics from global change and how that was impacting cities – the temperature rise in northern hemisphere cities

is four degrees against a global rise of one and a half degrees – to how biodiversity 10 years down the line will be increasingly seen as the lifeline for the future of the planet.

Paris has a target to be the greenest city in the world by 2030 while London Mayor Sadiq Khan has promised to plant two million more trees in the city. New York has a policy of every missing tree having to be reported.

One speaker was Douwe Snoek, a renowned Dutch landscape architect, who told the audience that we had been building our cities all wrong. Douwe will be featured in the next issue of our sister publication, Landscaping Matters, but in essence he said that too much influence had been given to the car and future cities should give limited access to the car.

MAKING TURF MATTER

Opening the Conference Yvette Hensall-Bell, President Global Professional for Husqvarna, revealed that more than one million species were at risk of extinction if the status quo was maintained and said that the company had set up a Biodiversity Advisory Board, pulling together some of the finest minds on the subject to work on finding solutions and lobbying Governments.

They also presented papers on how there will be a return to quietness, with the removal of the brute force of engines and all the toll that puts on the body.

Gent Simmons, Vice President Global Product Management & Development – Professional, spoke on the need for sustainability in all areas, even citing safety trousers which currently tangle in a chainsaw to bring it to a sharp

stop, at the overall expense of the trousers. Building sensors into safety trousers would instantly bring the chainsaw to a halt and not damage the trousers.

“It is about encouraging customers to move from more of a business model approach to a more sustainable one and adding customer value is how this is achieved,” explained Gent, adding that no new project at Husqvarna progresses now, until it is proven to be fully sustainable.

“No project will be started without a plan to have fossil independence,” said Gent, who added that the philosophy at Husqvarna is to encouraged engineers not to make “new stuff” but to make “stuff better”.

Gent’s closing words were that his greatest wish was to return nature’s

www.turfmatters.co.uk

balance, something which we’d lost over recent years.

So what else?

Well, we’ve had robots for a number of years now which have become adept at cutting lawns or amenity areas before heading back to their base to recharge.

Well how about, in 10 years’ time, a team of robots which will carry out a range of different turf management practices – aeration, chemical application etc – silently in the middle of the night?

And these robots won’t need to be guided by satellite or guide wires, they will be using AI to work autonomously able to identify where } TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 | 35

MAKING TURF MATTER

THE FUTURE

Lord Bamford with a hydrogen engine

10 years TURF

} they can and cannot go and, in

a golf environment, know the difference between fairway, greens and bunkers.

The robots will arrive in a mini vehicle which will act as their recharging base while they are on site.

With the current recruitment crisis within the industry, it will allow human staff to get on with important jobs during their regular working hours.

For more remote working Husqvarna’s R&D has given thought and provided solutions to the challenge of powering chainsaws and the like for a full working day.

Among those was a fully kitted out vehicle with recharging points and storage for all manner of spare batteries and equipment itself.

Much of the pathway to progress revolves around battery power, something which Husqvarna believes will be essential for hand tools for the foreseeable future, and which is make more possible by innovative ways of recharging and supplying sufficient batteries for an entire day’s work. It is worked that is being mirrored at many of the most innovative hand tool companies in the world including Stihl and Pellenc, both of whom are well advanced with their own battery power development work.

Interestingly, however, they believe that hydrogen is the ultimate fuel to provide fossil independence. The problem for the hand tool industry is that currently a hydrogen powered hand tool would need to be six times larger than they are at present.

That obvious limiter to progress does not stand in the way of JCB, whose range of vehicles

36 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

are sizeable enough to cope with a hydrogen engine.

How do they know? Well they’ve built one and it is already powering prototype JCBs at their testing quarry a few miles from their Headquarters.

In fact, a fully-fledged hydrogen engine was not the first option considered when viable alternatives were being assessed by the JCB engineers. Further up that list were indeed, battery and hydrogen fuel cells, which initially ticked a lot of boxes and where thought be a quicker route to zero carbon fuel.

While extensive research determined that battery is still the optimum non-fossil option for smaller vehicles, including in that category, domestic cars, it is not practical for equipment with an operating weight of over six tonnes.

JCB’s chief innovation and growth officer, Tim Burnhope, one of the most decorated engineers in the country, explained that with domestic cars now averaging 8,000 miles a year, a drop from the pre-Working from Home era of 12,000 miles, battery power remains more than a viable option.

“At JCB, we believe that it is important to use the right technology for the right application.

For low power applications, close to built infrastructure, and potentially with additional demands on product such as noise, and where fume extraction is an issue, battery-electric technology is applicable,” said Tim. “These machines tend to be more compact, due to the nature of the work, and while are onsite all day, generally only work a couple of ‘power hours’ in a day.

An example of this in the turf and landscaping industry would be electric ‘golf’ buggies, which have been commonplace for many years due to their low power application, low noise and proximity to charging infrastructure.”

For huge excavators, which in countries like India car run for 22 hours a day, lifting and emptying fully loaded buckets every 21 seconds, batteries wouldn’t cut the mustard.

“For larger machines and equipment, the job site tends to be more remote, building the infrastructure need (e.g. utilities, road, rail, and housing) for the first time. As such fuel needs to be mobile and fast to replenish to enable machines to operate

www.turfmatters.co.uk

whenever and wherever they are needed to. Hydrogen is a zero carbon fuel, which can be brought to machines and refuelled in a matter of minutes – making it an ideal future fuel for construction and agricultural machines.”

The example Tim gave was of a busy quarry with 100 excavators. The required recharging points would mean that power would require to be drawn from a considerable distance at a current installation cost of £1 million a mile. Of course, when the quarry was drained of resource the expensive recharging infrastructure would be redundant.

“Continuing down the battery power route would also mean that net zero by 2050 would not be achieved, as predictions suggest that it would stop at around 10%,” explained Tim. The hydrogen fuel cells also had similar success-limiting deficiencies.

“We worked at developing a machine which would work for 16 hours a day, not even the 22 hours that is required in places like India. However, even that would require £400,000 worth of fuel cells – 4.3 times the cost of an existing excavator, and it would weigh 10,000 kilos.”

Machines must also have a resale value to make them viably options for customers and having been worked at such a rate they wouldn’t be an attractive proposition without a hugely expensive replacement battery pack.

“Hydrogen fuel cells were therefore too complicated, not robust and too expensive,” explained Tim. And so it was that during a break in Covid lockdown in 2020 a team of JCB engineers sat down with Lord Bamford, JCB’s Chairman “It was July and Lord Bamford laid down his Chairman’s Challenge. He wanted us to produce a hydrogen engine by Christmas,” recalled Tim. Now, rather than leave the meeting with spinning heads and a desire to find the nearest darkened room in which to lie down, the team of engineers got to work and met the Challenge. Not surprising when you appreciated the desire and ability of the JCB engineers to the push the envelope. The world’s fastest diesel vehicle, as driven

by Andy Green, sits in the corner of the factory floor. It achieved a speed of 365 mph on in Utah, USA, in 2006, if you are interested.

The engine they produced has the same dimensions as that }

TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 | 37

MAKING TURF MATTER

THE FUTURE

www.turfmatters.co.uk

THE LANDSCAPE OF OUR WORKPLACE, AND LIFE IN GENERAL, WILL BE MARKEDLY CHANGED } used in fossil fuel-operated JCB

10 years TURF

machinery, so can be fitted into the same chassis while they have the same level of performance.

It is a huge breakthrough and JCB is now just the first of at least 130 hydrogen development programmes going on around the world at some of the biggest companies in a range of different usages so progress will undoubtedly intensive.

The one challenge which is still to be met satisfactorily is refueling.

An extensive nationwide set of hydrogen filling stations is a long way off so a solution for the early adopters of hydrogen powered machines had to be found.

JCB have come up with, and built, a mobile hydrogen filling vehicle which would travel around an area refilling hydrogen machines thus ensuring that down time for those valuable workhorses is minimised.

That may be a useful option

38 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

for operators of a large fleet of machines or those who tap into a refilling service but the dream of freely available hydrogen filling stations is still a little time away.

So, that question of where we will be when Turf Matters celebrates its 20th birthday…

“The landscape in 10 years’ time will certainly be a growing mixture of both technologies; where the line is between the two will be highly dependent on application, location and cost,” predicted Tim. Overall the glimpse into the

Solar charger

future, as offered by both Husqvarna and JCB, is fascinating and shows that the landscape of our workplace, and life in general, will be markedly changed. Husqvarna’s work on battery development and holistic lifestyle changes and JCB’s progress on ensuring that large vehicles will emit steam rather than fumes should assist in achieving, or getting close to, nett zero. n Many thanks to Husqvarna and JCB for inviting Turf Matters to two extremely interesting events.

TESTING TIMES

Well known industry figure Richard Fry had a 2023 he’d rather forget as he was diagnosed and then treated for prostate cancer. He talks about the lessons he has learned and what we should all do to give ourselves the best chance to recover.

Testing times P

rostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, with more than 52,000 being diagnosed with the disease every year on average – that’s 144 men every day. I am one of these men.

The prostate is a small gland found only in men and is the size of a walnut. It lies below the bladder and its function is both for reproductive purposes and in the control of passing urine.

Many of you reading this will know me, the majority will not but I have worked within the industry for over 50 years in a marketing and business management role with a number of high-profile companies.

I am a fit, active 77-year-old (only recently retired) who did not have any of the risk factors (obesity, lack of exercise, high calcium, low vegetable diet) that are considered influencing factors in contracting Prostate cancer….bar one, hereditary.

My father had the disease in his 70s but he lived to be 89.

The key and single motivating factor as to why I am writing this is to encourage all men over the age of 50 to get a ‘Prostatespecific-antigen’ (PSA) blood test.

I did not have one single symptom that indicated I had the disease.

In fact, if it was not for my wife Cheryl and a male family friend constantly badgering me to get tested, and the increased media exposure following the death of the BBC presenter Bill Turnball, I would not have thought I was at risk.

I made an appointment to see my doctor and had a PSA blood test which showed that I had an elevated ‘score’ of 7 which was above the normal and this was followed by an internal examination (finger up the bum) that indicated I had an enlarged prostate. This was followed by an MRI scan that though it can’t tell for sure if you have the cancer, it does show up any abnormalities.

As the scan did show that I had areas of concern on the gland itself, and it was enlarged and pressing up against the bladder wall, it was decided that I required a biopsy as on the 1-5 Likert score, the MRI scan indicated a score of 4 that was very likely I had the disease.

The biopsy involves a transrectal ultrasound guided and transperineal procedure, from which a number of samples are taken for analysis under a microscope.

For this procedure you are placed in very uncomfortable and embarrassing position in stirrups (a position a female partner who has given a natural birth will recognise) and a rectum ultra sound probe is inserted to guide the technician as to where to take the biopsy samples.

A needle is then inserted that scrapes small amounts of tissue from the prostate. A local anaesthetic is given and the needle insertion is painful but only for about five minutes.

The result of this procedure showed that I did indeed have the disease and it had a high Gleason

score indicating it was a particularly aggressive form. However, the prostate had not penetrated the bladder wall and therefore had not infected the bones or lymph glands which was the good news.

The result of this biopsy scan was notified to me whilst I was attending the 2023 BTME and I was given a date to meet with a consultant urologist and an oncologist.

At these appointments, two options were presented, neither of which I particularly wanted to make.

Do I go for the complete removal of the prostate and therefore have the site of the disease totally removed or shrink the cancerous cells through a combination of hormone therapy (injections) and radiotherapy (external radiation), followed by regular check-ups?

It is so important at this time to have family and friends support to be able to talk openly about these choices and your own concerns }

THE RESULT OF THIS BIOPSY SCAN WAS NOTIFIED TO ME WHILST I WAS ATTENDING THE 2023 BTME AND I WAS GIVEN A DATE TO MEET WITH A CONSULTANT UROLOGIST AND AN ONCOLOGIST. TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 | 39

TESTING TIMES

MAKING TURF MATTER

www.turfmatters.co.uk

AFTER SIX MONTHS OF HORMONE THERAPY AND A MONTH OF RADIOTHERAPY ENDING IN SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR, MY PSA LEVEL HAD REDUCED FROM A HIGH OF 14 TO 0.02 AND I AM NOW SCHEDULED ONLY FOR REGULAR CHECK-UPS. } and fears. I am very fortunate

Ring that bell. Three rings to announce the completion of the ratiotherapy treatments

to have such people around me.

There are downsides (side effects) from both options and this needs to be discussed with and explained to those closest to you.

After much deliberation and discussions with the consultants and close family, I decided on the hormone/radiation treatment. The main reason I chose this option was that the prostate gland was sitting right up against the bladder wall and sandwiched between a web of cells and nerves that control bladder function and the production of testosterone. Due to this positioning,

40 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

the surgeon could not guarantee that with the removal option, side effects such as loss of libido and degrees of bladder and bowel incontinence, would not be permanent.

That said, the hormone/radiation therapy is not without its temporary side effects, which include peeing more frequently (important to undertake pelvic floor exercises), potential bowel issues, tiredness, hot flushes, loss of muscle mass, increased waist size and also the temporary loss of libido.

After six months of hormone therapy (one injection each month) and a month of radiotherapy (20 zaps) ending in September of this year, my PSA level had reduced from a high of 14 to 0.02 and I am now scheduled only for regular checkups. The majority of side effects experienced over these past eight months have largely disappeared.

My experience during the treatment has shown how important a close and caring family is during these testing times. Also, how vital it is to keep busy and active which, is in itself, a form of therapy. Yes, I have had low times but have always felt positive about the outcome. As the oncologist said at the end of the treatments ‘you may die with prostate cancer but unlikely to die because of it!’

My focus for compiling this article is to encourage every male over 50 to get tested and for them to encourage other male family and friends. Please note, this is not just an old man’s disease and testing from the age of 50 can identify a potential problem at its early stages; Wives and partners also have a vital role in providing encouragement to get the test. Genes for this disease can run in families.

Of all the major cancers, prostate cancer is the most heritable: 58% of prostate cancer is driven by genetic factors. Men who have a close relative with prostate cancer may be twice as likely to develop the disease, while those with 2 or more relatives may be nearly four times as likely to be diagnosed.

It is your right to get a PSA test

so don’t let your surgery put you off. Check if any close male relative has ever been diagnosed. I had no indication that I had this disease growing inside me. If I had not had a loving family who had my best interest at heart, I would not probably have got tested and the disease would have kept growing and would have penetrated the bladder wall and infected the bones and lymph glands…and that is a scenario I do not ever wish to consider!

Every 45 minutes one man dies from prostate cancer – that’s more than 12,000 men every year. One in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.

Prostate cancer incidence rates are projected to rise by 15% in the UK between 2023-2025 and 2038-2040. There could be around 85,100 new cases of prostate cancer every year in the UK by 2038-2040, projections suggest.

Prostate cancer accounts for 27% of all new cancer cases in males in the UK (2016-2018). Since the early 1990s, prostate cancer incidence rates have increased by almost half (48%) in males in the UK (2016-2018).

Almost 8 in 10 (77.6%) men diagnosed with prostate cancer in England survive their disease for ten years or more, it is predicted (2013-2017).

Some 9 in 10 (90%) men in England diagnosed with prostate cancer aged 15-54 or 55-64 survive their disease for ten years or more, compared with around a quarter (25.6%) of men diagnosed aged 75-99 (2013-2017).

Prostate cancer survival has tripled in the last 50 years in the UK. This is probably because of PSA testing, which can result in earlier diagnosis and is therefore associated with higher survival.

Each year around a third (34%) of all new prostate cancer cases in the UK are diagnosed in males aged 75 and over (2016-2018).

WEB SOURCES AND CONTENT:

https://www.cancerresearchuk. org/health-professional/ cancer-statistics/statistics-bycancer-type/prostate-cancer

GRINDING

Quality of cut is so important T

here are few greater events in golf that match The Open. For many greenkeepers, it is the pinnacle of their careers, but to make it a success, tireless work goes on behind the scenes to have mowers ready for cutting each day.

When the 151st Open began in July last year, every Toro and John Deere mower used at Royal Liverpool was ground by a Foley under the expert eye of ProSport UK’s Ian Robson. More than ever, speed and accuracy are crucial during a tournament, and it’s then the 633 ACCU-Pro with ACCU-Touch 3 comes into its own.

The machines come with an automated computer system that provides a stepby-step tutorial for new technicians and a quicker setup and spin grind feature for the more experienced operators. You input the details of the unit you’re working on, and it automatically spin or relief grinds to completion. Pre-programmed spin speeds, relief torque, and in-feeds are only a few of the features found in the ACCU-Touch 3 system that ensures efficiency and guarantees a quality grind with every use.

With Foley grinders at four Open Championship venues, Ian knows the

importance of tournament support and the difference it makes. “An Open Championship is a unique event that calls for a team effort to make it a success,” Ian explains. “In my experience, it’s an intricately planned but

high-pressure environment, and we’re there to make sure everything runs smoothly.

“We want to ensure every unit that goes on the course is at its best because the quality of cut is so important to turf health

and the presentation. Using the ACCUPro 633 means we can turn around the units quickly and efficiently while always guaranteeing the best quality, and that is the key thing. Course conditions are the biggest variable during a tournament, and we can very easily adjust our grinding to suit what the course team needs.

Royal Liverpool is the second successive Open host to use Foley, following St Andrews, who used the American-made machines during the 150th Open.

Customer support ranks highly at the home of golf, with the personal counting as highly as the ability to provide solutions for Head of Maintenance Lani Togi.

“When it comes to buying machines, it’s not always about the cost of the item; it’s the personal side of things as well,” he said.

“You buy from people, and we’ve worked with Ian for many years, and we know we can rely on his backup service.

“One of the biggest things that’s helped us get the results is the Borazon stone we have for the 673 bottom blade grinder.

The new Toro E-Reels use a tungsten mixture that makes them very hard, and that stone really cuts it in well.”

G N I P A C S D N A L

ISSUE 2 NG OF YOUR EXCITIE! NEW MAGAZIN

tters.co.uk capingma

www.lands

LANDSCAPING

LANDSCAPING The newest title in the landscaping sector is here. Landscaping Matters is a website and e-zine aimed at offering those within the landscaping industry news, views and information sharing opportunities.

SAL T V EX

PRE

IEW

Issue 1 OF YOURW EXCITING NE MAGAZINE! tters.co.uk capingma

www.lands

42 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

We aim to use the same model which has been so successful with Turf Matters and grow Landscaping Matters to be a key title within the industry.

Visit landscapingmatters.co.uk

MAKING TURF MATTER

www.turfmatters.co.uk

Sami’s new role at Bernhard T

he Bernhard Academy has announced the appointment of Sami Strutt as its new Education Director.

Sami joins the Bernhard Academy - based in Suffolk, at the Bernhard and Company production factory – with a wealth of experience, having performed numerous roles in a 30-year tenure at BIGGA, most recently as the organisation’s Chief Operating Officer.

“We’re delighted to be appointing Sami as our new Director of Education, in what is a really exciting period for the Bernhard Academy,” said Steven Nixon, Managing Director.

“There is absolutely no doubt that Sami has the experience and tools required to take the Bernhard Academy to the next level, as we continue to roll out new programmes and workshop opportunities around the globe.”

Sami added that it was an opportunity that she never imagined would be made available to her and so was one that she couldn’t turn down.

“The Bernhard Academy is proof of Bernhard and Company’s commitment and

investment into enhancing the careers of greenkeepers and sports turf professionals, from those with decades of experience, all the way to those who are just starting out. The Bernhard Academy is providing something really positive to the turf industry, so I’m really excited to be part of that.”

Sami will take the reins at the Bernhard Academy in spring 2024. Current Director of Education for the Bernhard Academy, Craig Haldane, will be taking a step back from running day-to-day operations at the end of January.

The Bernhard Academy is located at Bernhard and Company’s factory in Haverhill, with further satellite training facilities around the UK at Moortown Golf Club, Royal Norwich, and Gleneagles. Sami and her team will continue to develop new training modules, to complement the fantastic range of existing programmes designed to help greenkeepers, equipment managers, and turf professionals take their performance to the next level.

The new courses will offer valuable opportunities for attendees to take away real-world skills and solutions that

can enhance performance of their turf maintenance facility on a daily basis. The new programme includes workshops that fall under two categories: Management or Technical. Both categories will cover a range of essential topics to help achieve success in turf maintenance.

The Bernhard Academy workshops ‘Grinding Perfection and Cutting Unit Setup’ - available to book as part of BIGGA’s Continue to Learn programme at BTME 2024, were among the first to totally sell-out due to extremely high demand.

Seize the opportunity to enhance your turf maintenance career by securing a place in one of the Bernhard Academy’s educational courses today and embark on a journey of professional growth. n www. bernhardacademy.co.uk

TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 | 43

BTME

The start of the year just wouldn’t be the same without the prospect of a visit to Harrogate for BTME. It has been a firm date in the calendar since the early ‘90s and but for a Covid cancellation and a delayed March event the following year, it has been a constant January diary commitment for so many who work in the industry.

Of course, it has evolved and developed over the years, each tweak to take account of changes and developments within the industry. BTME provides a reassurance to us all when we arrive in North Yorkshire’s Mecca, in thick winter coats with our breath visible against the dark sky, that time spent over the next three days or so will be of the well spent variety.

Learn from The Open THE AGRONOMIC STORY OF THE 151ST OPEN AND AIG WOMEN’S OPEN HOSTED BY GARETH ROBERTS TIME: 8AM-9AM | CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL Come along to the BTME Breakfast Session and hear about the behind-thescenes work that went into presenting the golf course at Royal Liverpool for The 151st Open and the AIG Women’s Open at Walton Heath. Course managers James Bledge (Royal Liverpool) and Michael Mann (Walton Heath) will be joined

by The R&A’s Sustainable Agronomy Team of Alistair Beggs, Adam Newton and Richard Windows. They will all share their experiences and learnings from the staging of these events. This event is free to attend for all visitors and there is no need to book a ticket.

44 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

Bring your running shoes BTME RIPON ROAD ENTRANCE, HARROGATE CONVENTION CENTRE 6:30AM - 9:00AM, 24 JAN 2024 Get ready to run at BTME and you can raise money for the BIGGA Greenkeepers Benevolent Fund.

Everyone who takes part in the 5K Syngenta Early Bird Run at BTME on the Wednesday morning will earn £10 from Syngenta for the fund - along with a fantastic warm hat to add to the Hicure Run Club kit provided in previous years.

The Greenkeepers’ Benevolent Fund provides invaluable support for those in financial need.

At BTME ‘23 runners raised over £900 from Syngenta, which we’re looking to beat and raise up to £1,000 in 2024.

Intended to encourage everybody to benefit from the health enhancements and stress relief of regular exercise, especially through the dark winter months, the Syngenta Early Bird Run has become one of the main events at BTME. BIGGA CEO Jim Croxton said: “I am grateful to

Syngenta for continuing to support the BTME 5K Run in aid of our Greenkeepers’ Benevolent Fund.

“The run provides a wonderful opportunity during an intense week to clear minds, gain fresh air and exercise and raise money for an excellent cause.

“It’s always a joy to see so many people up early to enjoy the camaraderie of the run and we know that exercise, especially with other people, is an excellent method of combatting the stresses and strains of modern life.”

If you’re unable to be at BTME, there is still the chance to raise your contribution to the charity and get your Hicure Run Club beanie.

Pre-register your name on the Syngenta Turf website and join the Hicure Run Club on Strava.

Then run a 5K route at some time during the BTME event (20-25 January 2024). Your effort will automatically qualify for the £10 contribution.

Syngenta will donate £10 to the Greenkeepers Benevolent Fund for every registered runner.

MAKING TURF MATTER

www.turfmatters.co.uk

Time to celebrate BIGGA’s free-to-attend welcome event will celebrate the achievements of BIGGA members from throughout 2023.

Hosted by The Jazzy Golfer, the BIGGA Celebration with Jacobsen is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate everything that’s good about the greenkeeping industry, and we know that’s key to growing a thriving, successful sport for many years to come.

The Celebration is a free event and you don’t need an invite, just show up and receive a complimentary welcome drink on arrival.

On the evening the winners of these categories will be revealed: • Championship Greenkeeping Performance of the Year sponsored

by Bernhard and Company • Greenkeeping Project of the Year

• Outstanding Contribution of the Year There will also be acknowledgement of the efforts of other members including: • BIGGA President Andy Smith and Vice President John Keenaghan, who at BTME will become President for 2024 • Awards of Life Membership • Amenity Forum Sprayer Operator of the Year • Presentation of Master Greenkeeper Certificate to 2023 recipients • CPD Milestones and Achievers • ICL Scholars • Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year award winners • Presentation of prizes to the BIGGA Photographic Competition winner TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 | 45

BTME

FLOOR PLAN

46 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

MAKING TURF MATTER

www.turfmatters.co.uk

TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 | 47

BTME

WHO TO LOOK OUT FOR AT THE SHOW

AGROVISTA AMENITY

growing environment.

Turfgrass professionals worldwide rely on Aquatrols surfactants to optimise soil-water-plant interactions, improve irrigation efficiency, and reduce water and energy use. Find the product that best suits your needs today!

Aquatrols has hydration solutions for every need and budget. Learn more when you visit.

STANDS 120 & 125 Agrovista Amenity is set to usher in a new era of turf management at the upcoming BTME 2024.

Agrovista Amenity will unveil an innovative and high-performance turf fungicide designed to combat even the most challenging turf diseases in managed amenity turf. This innovative product launch is not only a testament to Agrovista Amenity’s commitment to excellence but also a celebration of their partnership with BASF, a global leader in the chemical industry. Those attending will get a first look at the top-of-the-range addition to the turf product portfolio; it’s guaranteed to be essential in the turf management toolkit.

Beyond the product showcase, Agrovista Amenity is offering a golden chance for attendees to earn BIGGA CPD points through a dedicated Amenity Academy course, providing in-depth insights into the innovative fungicide.

The Agrovista Amenity Academy, an invaluable resource free to all who sign up, not only delves into the intricacies of Agrovista Amenity’s market-leading products through Product courses but also offers a diverse range of Knowledge courses covering crucial aspects of turf management. Throughout the event, the Agrovista Amenity team, comprised of experts in the field, will be readily available to engage in discussions and provide guidance on individual requirements.

AQUATROLS STAND 114 Aquatrols offers a full range of proven soil solutions for every turf management need and budget. Maintaining your surfactant and bio-nutritional programme throughout the playing season can significantly improve turf and soil health by promoting natural soil biology and allowing effective water management throughout your

48 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

BARONESS STAND 624 One of the largest stands at the show and again teamed up with Kubota U.K. Baroness U.K. will be showcasing grass cutting machinery made in Japan for over 75 years with a few surprises for 2024, to also include our ever popular FS900 core collector and Agrimetal greens roller.

Baroness have developed a full range of fine turf and golf course machinery aimed at the maintenance of specific types of terrain, grass types and desired finish.

From pedestrian greens mowers to 5 gang fairway and rough mowers the range has been manufactured with three main objectives in mind, low cost of ownership, ease of use and reduced maintenance intervals, thus ensuring that the customer experiences the best value for money solution available.

Baroness U.K. are proud to be suppliers of equipment to many golf courses, sporting facilities and schools across the U.K and Europe supported by one of the strongest dealer networks the market has to offer.

Additionally, representatives of the Bernhard Academy will be positioned on the stand. The Bernhard Academy is the turf industry’s foremost education provider and has recently unveiled its all-new programme of educational courses that are now available for booking at its three Academy sites around the UK, via the new Bernhard Academy website. The Bernhard Academy team will be on hand to answer questions about the workshops and educational opportunities.

Prior to the start of BTME, the Bernhard Academy team will be delivering a threeday course as part of BTME’s Continue to Learn programme. The ‘Grinding Perfection and Cutting Unit Setup’ workshops were among the first courses to sell-out immediately after launch.

BIONEMA STAND 115 Bionema is a leading developer of biocontrol technology, specializing in crop protection and plant health solutions for agriculture. Our goal is to reduce the use of pesticides and fertilizers, which can have a detrimental impact on the environment and human health. Our mission is to revolutionize sustainable biological agriculture through cutting-edge innovation.

CAMPEY TURF CARE SYSTEMS STAND 220

BERNHARD AND CO STAND 534 As proud members and partners of BIGGA, Bernhard and Company will be showcasing its full range of turf care solutions including reel grinders, bedknife grinders, small machinery, and SubAir at BTME. For the first time ever, Bernhard and Company will be showcasing the latest upgrade to its Express Dual range this year – the Express Dual 4300.

As the distribution partner for the UK, Bernhard and Company will also be exhibiting the latest Soil Scout technology.

Bernhard and Company will be located in Hall 5, stand number 534.

Campey Turf Care Systems is planning an exciting UK Road Tour in 2024 and BTME will be the ideal platform for all greenkeepers and course managers, to register their interest in attending a demo day in your area.

For many years Campey has taken a huge number of machines across the water for various educational and sales tours throughout Europe. Most recently was an eight-country demonstration tour visiting 14 venues to provide industry-leading customer support and training.

Now it is the turn of the UK! The key to the success of all the events is working with turf professionals to solve issues specific to their sport and conditions.

Campey has chosen BTME, not only to

MAKING TURF MATTER

exhibit a selection of their extensive range of equipment, but to engage with industry professionals on the stand to discuss when and where Campey may be visiting their region. Also, to invite anyone who would like to take part in the tour, and wishes to use their own venue, to talk to their Product Specialist or anyone in the Campey team before the final list is drawn up.

Anyone who registers and attends any of the road shows will have their name automatically put into a raffle to be held at each venue. The top prize is a visit to the Imants and Vredo Head offices in Holland with a tour of the factory to see how these flagship machines are manufactured, followed by traditional Dutch hospitality to make you feel very welcome. With several runner up prizes too, it’s an opportunity not to be missed.

Campey’s team of product specialists will be available throughout the two days to provide advice on all the machinery in the range, answer questions or have a catch-up over a coffee.

CLEARWATER STAND 612 Acumen ClearWater is focusing on their class leading ClearWater Wash pad Water Recycling System at BTME 2024 and sees the show as the ideal platform to build last year’s success.

The stand will feature a mini ClearWater display unit to demonstrate new features and, yes, there will be the fantastic “Win a ClearWater system” Prize Draw again!

If you are interested in bringing your wash pad up to legal requirements, saving precious and increasingly expensive water, do make sure you visit the stand; it may not be as expensive as you thought and you could be a winner!

Acumen has attractive waste management packages available too as well as dealing with all manner of waste streams.

DENNIS MOWERS STAND 216 Dennis Mowers is set to make a significant impact at BTME 2024, in a new stand position.

The company will be showcasing its innovative E-Series range – a gamechanger in the world of turf management

machinery. These electric-powered mowers boast exceptional battery life, ultra-low noise, and minimal vibration, presenting a no compromise alternative to their renowned petrol counterparts.

The E-Series’ robust LCD keypad screen, offers operators a wealth of information options, including speed, clip rate, service checks, lifetime running reports, and battery information. The mowers also have an astonishingly quick 2-3 hour full battery recharge time.

The ES-510 is ultra quiet in operation with ultimate versatility and performance providing an unrivalled mower and turf maintenance machine. Available with a choice of 12 interchangeable cassettes, capable of scarifying down to -10mm and is ideal for fine turf, it can power through approximately 10km on a single charge.

The ES-860, reminiscent of the Dennis G860, is a 34” battery-powered turf management system with 13 interchangeable cassette options.

Capable of cutting at least 3-4 football pitches on a single charge or verticutting a full pitch with ease. This 22” battery mower with an ultra-short wheelbase is perfect for undulating surfaces.

Incorporates a tungsten tipped groomer which can be in or out dependent on conditions. Offers a quality cut for bowling greens, golf greens, tees, and cricket pitches.

www.turfmatters.co.uk

100. Suitable for use on golf greens, tees and fairways, J Ultrafine Rye 100 blends four high-performing, fast-establishing perennial ryegrass cultivars to create a high-density, hard-wearing sward.

Other highlights from the updated golf range include the new formulation of J Premier Tee to include 5% Sabrena.

Sabrena is a unique fine turf poa trivialis combining the fine leaf and shoot density of a bent grass with the rapid establishment and high wear tolerance of perennial ryegrass in shaded conditions.

The winter sports seed range has also been upgraded based on the findings of the ‘DLF Disease Watch Programme’ which is monitoring the changing disease landscape across Europe to identify resistant cultivars and varieties. Following successful screening for Brown Parch last year, DLF have this year completed a global trial looking into Grey Leaf Spot which has resulted in a new formulation for J Premier 4Turf 25. The addition of 5% Saila and 25% Fiesta 4 to an already strong blend or perennial and tetraploid perennial ryegrasses has demonstrated outstanding tolerance to GLS, together with Brown Patch, Fusarium and a range of other diseases.

FOLEY STAND 528

DLF STAND 126 Following another year of extensive trials and research, Johnsons Sports Seed return to BTME with a bolstered fine turf portfolio – including two brand new mixtures and five new formulations. Created to address two of the biggest issues currently facing the industry, drought tolerance and disease resistance, visitors can find out more about new Johnsons J SustainFairway, J Ultrafine Rye 100.

The recent launch of J Sustain-Fairway is at the forefront of Johnson’s fairway offering and offers the ideal mixture for links and heathland venues, specifically those looking to significantly boost the population of resilient Hard and Sheeps Fescues. Known for their increased tolerance to a broad range of turf and environmental stresses, J Sustain-Fairway incorporates varieties well-suited to sustainable management programmes.

For greens, ultrafine rye is the focus, with a new formulation of J Ultrafine Rye Green and the introduction of J Ultrafine Rye

Foley Company through its UK distributor Prosport UK Ltd, is looking forward to attending BTME 2024 with the launch of a new product. As well as something completely new, you will have the opportunity to see some of the finest Foley professional grinders on show in the new grey livery. 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 model for everyone at every professional level of play. 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. Many clubs across the whole spectrum, such as St Andrews, Carnoustie, the Buckinghamshire, Kingsbarns, Dumbarnie Links, and The Grove, to name but a few, have embraced the Foley method to achieve and retain the sharpest blades, longer. The recent Open at Royal Liverpool was supported by Foley Company }

TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 | 49

BTME

WHO TO LOOK OUT FOR AT THE SHOW

} throughout the week preceding the

competition, to ensure the best surfaces were delivered right up to and throughout the Championship.

Ask the question; how do I get the most out of my workshop resources? Then choose the most effective method to sharpen your cutting units.

GKB STAND 644 Time is a precious and ever-decreasing commodity when it comes to completing operations around the golf course. That’s why the multi-functional Sandfiller will be taking centre stage on the GKB stand, when they return to BTME in 2024.

The GKB Sandfiller is designed to tackle the problem of surface drainage and aeration on sports turf and golf courses, especially on greens. A true multi-tasker, the Sandfiller scarifies and simultaneously backfills with sand, or a combination of sand and seed, in a single pass. Delivering the perfect conditions for excellent root growth and optimal plant health, the Sandfiller can be operated by one person, where other similar methods demand more time and labour. Tried and tested by contractors and courses up and down the country, the heart of the Sandfiller utilises the principles of GKB’s much-praised Combinator – carbide blades effectively slitting the surface and creating channels to be easily refilled with dried sand and leaving a clean, play-ready finish in its wake. Alongside the Sandfiller will be the equally versatile Combiseeder. Four working widths of Combiseeder are available, all equipped with twin spiked rollers which create 1500 holes per square metre, and two brushes to ensure seed is

accurately deposited into the pockets for optimal germination conditions.

GROUNDSMAN INDUSTRIES LTD STAND 108 Groundsman Industries Ltd welcome you to visit our stand to see our unique range of Aerators, Sod Cutters and Accessories. On display the Turf Multi Cutter range offering excellent cutting ability and traction in all conditions with smooth operation and operator comfort.

The four wheel drive with rear blade cuts a consistent thickness even on rolling terrane as well accommodating a wide range of blades and attachments. A Guillotine attachment is available to chop the sod into pre-set lengths. Groundsman Tractor Mounting and Pedestrian Aerators all use Groundsman’s proven rugged

MAKING TURF MATTER

Elliptical Plunge Action mechanism for aeration down to 15cm depth with minimal surface disruption. Quick-change tine-holders switch between Solid, Chisel, Hollow and Cluster Tines for aeration, thatch removal or over-seeding. The Flexblade Collector is available for many aerators to Core and Collect in one pass or for use independently for Follow-up Collection of Cores or Linear Aeration Soil.

HENTON & CHATTELL STAND 543 The ‘Fortis powered by EGO’ products, alongside the Cobra Fortis fine turf mowers and the Woodbay Turf Technologies’ GreensIRON, will take centre stage on the Henton & Chattell stand at this year’s BTME. 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. The Fortis sixbladed 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. The new ‘Fortis powered by EGO mowers offer the same extensive specifications and technology as the petrol models, combining the cutting expertise of Cobra with the revolutionary power and eco-credentials of EGO’s 56volt Arc Lithium battery technology.

The greensIRON turf roller is one of the top rated golf greens rollers in the world and is used by golf course superintendents everywhere. Wood Bay Turf Technologies’ greensIRON turf roller will raise the standard of golf greens to Tour quality.

HUNTER GRINDERS STAND 216 Hunter Grinders, a leading name in precision grinding technology, is set to showcase their impressive products at the Show.

Founded on a commitment to excellence, Hunter Grinders specialises in designing and manufacturing top-tier grinders that

meet the highest industry standards.

Their dedication to precision is evident in the Jupiter ATI ‘All in One’ Grinder, an automatic relief and spin grinder that sets the benchmark for achieving optimal results.

With features such as ‘in-situ’ grinding, automatic traverse, indexing, and infeed, the Jupiter ATI ensures cylinders and bottom blades are restored to the original manufacturer’s specifications. The machine’s stability, accurate grinding, and operator comfort underline its position as the ultimate ‘All in One’ grinder in the industry.

Hunter Grinders will also present the Amazon bottom blade grinder, engineered to save time without compromising performance. Boasting two powerful motors and dual speed traverse motors, the Amazon offers fast, accurate sharpening with a guaranteed quality finish. With automatic in-feed and down-feed, along with a user-friendly push-button control station, this grinder is designed for efficiency and operator safety.

Both the Jupiter and Amazon models are built with a cast iron bed giving great stability and ensuring an impressive parallel grinder.

www.turfmatters.co.uk

nights’ hotel accommodation and 15 hours of training and development within the educational programme.

Furthermore, ICL will host a series of informative seminars: Turf nutrition masterclass; What’s in a soil analysis? and The power of water: Wetting agent trials and technology

INDIGROW STAND 232 Indigrow are specialist manufactures of fertilisers and nutrients for the sportsturf market and agriculture & horticulture markets, with over 75 years’ experience of operating around the world. Covering five continents and over 40 countries, we employ over 35 staff with qualifications covering all the aspects of agronomy required to promote healthy growth.

Indigrow are leaders in product innovation with a desire to produce more natural, sustainable products to help turf managers produce world leading playing surfaces }

ICL STAND 224 The ICL Stand will serve as a vibrant hub of knowledge and practical advice, offering attendees a chance to network and enjoy a coffee brewed by expert baristas.

Visitors to the stand will have the opportunity to learn more about the many benefits of using Controlled Release Fertilisers and will also be able to pick up a copy of the new ProSelect grass seed brochure in which they can learn about the new and improved mixtures that are ideal for golf courses, sports fields, turf growers and landscape contractors. ICL has been a long-standing supporter of BIGGA’s Continue to Learn education programme and will be playing a significant role in the 2024 edition. This year, five greenkeepers will embark on the ICL Continue to Learn Scholarship 2024, receiving a generous package of three

TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 | 51

BTME

WHO TO LOOK OUT FOR AT THE SHOW

} without detriment to the environment.

We work alongside a range of research and development institutes and academic facilities in the UK and globally. Our longterm aims are to satisfy turf managers’ increasingly complex requirements.

Indigrow will launch its latest innovation, a new range of gel-based foliar fertilisers.

These concentrated products offer a wide range of nutritional advantages to the turf grass plant.

INFINICUT STAND 614 This year promises to follow on from a stellar 2023 for Infinicut with the INFINICUT 22” FL and golf cutting unit

52 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

taking centre stage– showcasing the very best in cut quality, technological advancement and operator experience thanks to industry-leading innovations such as the ‘tilt and turn’ feature.

Twelve months on from making its debut, INFINICUT 22”, is now proving itself with a number of customers with its golf cutting unit perfect for achieving low heights of cut. Engineered to suit the specific set of requirements needed for fine turf, this new floating head model delivers accuracy and cleanliness of cut and unparalleled contour following ability when married to the INFINICUT traction unit. With the focus firmly on finish, the cutting unit is equipped with INFINICUT’s SMARTCut reel – produced in-house and dynamically balanced for ultimate accuracy. Appreciating that every golf course is different and the fact that course managers don’t necessarily follow the same maintenance doctrine, the INFINICUT offers the ability to quickly and easily alter a range of mower parameters

via the InfiniApp. Settings can also be stored for retrieval and/or simultaneously sent wirelessly to multiple machines in a fleet, reducing time and all-but eliminating differentiation between mowers.

ISEKI STAND 646 We’re pleased to be exhibiting at BTME 2024. We’ll be featuring the SF544, a 42hp collecting mower with a high tipping 1300 litre container. It will be fitted with the Muthing collecting flail which allows cut and collect or cut and drop, both with a stripe thanks to the rear roller.

Alternatively scarifying blades may be fitted so that the grass maybe scarified and collected in one pass.

The new SXG327 ride-on mower with hi tip collector and parented handy hatch, the 49hp TG6507 CAB IQ with an IQ

MAKING TURF MATTER

transmission for precise speed control will also be featured.

Other machinery included, is the TH5420 ROPS, a compact and manoeuvrable tractor perfect for golf courses, and the Raymo Torpedo, a remote-control electric mower perfect for slopes and wildflower areas.

Lastly, the Addax MT15x Combi tipper, a road-legal 1 tonne all-electric vehicle will also be displayed.

complete line of current commercial OPE as well as our exciting new products launching this year will all be on display at our stand. Come and view the range and chat to our friendly team.

Kress is dedicated to the commitment towards a future that will forever eliminate the need for petrol-powered equipment.

Start your transition to zero-emissions landscaping today.

KRESS

www.turfmatters.co.uk

to undulating ground, offering an effective solution to cut and collect tasks around the golf course including rough and heather management.

Innovation will be visible across the Kubota portfolio, in particular in the recent expansion of their electric offering – with both the LXe-261 electric compact tractor and Ze series of electric zero-turn mowers making their BTME debut.

LANTRA

STAND 342

STAND K146 A game-changer in every way, Kress is leading the charge with breakthrough innovation in battery-powered technology, built to deliver the performance and power of petrol. As a part of the wellestablished Positec family of brands, Kress is recognised for its superior quality engineering that has been synonymous with reliability, quality, and industryleading standards for over 50 years.

The line of Kress commercial-grade outdoor power equipment, and the Kress 8-minute CyberSystem deliver unmatched power in record time, setting the standard for commercial equipment. Kress’s

KUBOTA STAND 624 The stand is set to be a platform for Japanese excellence as Baroness and Kubota team up once again to showcase a vast array of equipment solutions critical to successful fine turf maintenance.

For Kubota, the highly productive FC3 and FC4 out-front centre-collect mower range will be making a popular return.

The FC3-261, and larger FC4-501, feature a high-capacity hopper and ‘floating’ outfront flail deck which promises to conform

Lantra is an independent, awarding/ accreditation body which exists to help the land-based and environment industries meet their skills needs. We develop and certify specialist training and qualifications for a range of industries.

Over the coming months Team Lantra will be out and about at several trade events sharing our latest developments in training and qualifications, while also inspiring visitors with our careers information.

We will also be providing information on exciting career opportunities which could lead to becoming a Lantra freelance }

BTME

WHO TO LOOK OUT FOR AT THE SHOW

} Instructor or Assessor.

As a not-for-profit organisation, we are uniquely placed to take an objective stance on the varied needs of the land-based and environment sector. Whether it be conducting research with trusted partners or working with education providers to ensure our training keeps pace with the latest innovations, Lantra can always be relied on to put sector needs first.

explore their commitment to providing solutions for maintaining fine turf.

Featured on the stand will be the Paladin 21” & 24” Mowers. The Paladin series sets a high standard for self-propelled mowers. The Paladin’s single ‘click adjuster’ facilitates seamless height changes, making it ideal for fine turf.

With options in 21” and 24” widths, its short wheelbase ensures easy manoeuvrability. Remarkably lightweight, the Paladin excels even in wet conditions, showcasing one of the industry’s lightest designs. With various cutting cylinder options, Lloyds ensures adaptability to cutting frequency.

LLOYDS

MAKITA

STAND 216

STAND 338

Lloyds Mowers is set to showcase their world renowned and highly respected grounds maintenance machinery at the Show. Visit them at their new location to

Makita will be showcasing its 40VMax XGT platform and range of cordless equipment.

Aimed at providing professional users with the power and the run times needed

54 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

to tackle the toughest of applications, visitors can learn more about the XGT range. Currently, over 125 products can be used within the XGT system, including lawn mowers, line trimmers, as well as a new cordless scarifier, all powered by the same battery platform, allowing users to switch between tools and tasks simply by changing over the battery. Each tool is engineered with built-in programming, that provides digital communication between the battery and the tool, so that both work together for optimum performance. The 2.5Ah 40VMax XGT battery charges in just 28 minutes, and only 45 minutes for the 4.0Ah version with larger capacity batteries also available: Spend less time waiting, more time working.

MAKING TURF MATTER

www.turfmatters.co.uk

MARTIN LISHMAN STAND 248

MAJOR

MANSFIELD SAND

STAND 104

STAND 242

Major will showcase the Contoura Roller Mower at the Show. The Contoura is an exceptional versatile mowing solution on undulating terrain. The multi-pivoting frame enables the Contoura to follow ground contours easily and efficiently. Six rotors and 12 blades fit under the three pivoting decks. The gearbox driveline delivers blade tip speeds of 76 m/s to ensure a high-quality finish in challenging golf rough, fairways and sports grounds.

Full length rollers follow undulations and deliver a striped presentation across the 3.6m working width. Made of high-performance Strenx 700MC steel and galvanized, the Contoura Mower is built to withstand working in corrosive environments.

To learn more about the Major range of golf mowing solutions visit www.majorequipment.com.

Mansfield Sand invites you to explore their stand, where a comprehensive array of innovative products for sports, landscaping, and equestrian applications will take centre stage. With a rich history spanning over 170 years, Mansfield Sand has consistently pioneered the development and production of premium silica sand-based products. Mansil Silica Sand Sports Range play a pivotal role in constructing and maintaining various sports surfaces. Mansfield Sand’s Soil Top Dressing, crafted for the fine turf market, is a homogenous product made from premium silica sands and top-quality soils.

Mansfield Sand’s rootzones are crafted with only the highest-quality materials.

Whether for renovation or construction, the Mansil 40 Silica Sand, blended with screened topsoil, ensures the perfect start for a flawless surface.

Sprayer manufacturers Martin Lishman Ltd are thrilled to be showcasing their new Nano-Spray, along with a small selection of their compact amenity sprayers.

The little sibling to the industry-leading Micro-Spray, the Nano-Spray is an ultra-compact, 36 litre, fully-electric self-propelled sprayer that delivers a high precision spray application with no impact on fine turf. Targeted for use on smaller amenity areas and serving as an invaluable tool for contractors, the Nano-Spray is small enough to fit through most gateways and comes fully equipped with an array of professional-grade features.

MM SEED STAND 126 Attendees visiting DLF’s stand can anticipate a showcase of cutting-edge

}

TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 | 55

HAND HELD TOOLS BTME

MAKING TURF MATTER

www.turfmatters.co.uk

WHO TO LOOK OUT FOR AT THE SHOW

} products from the world’s premier grass

seed breeder and producer. In the face of increasing demands and pressures on modern greenkeepers to maintain a consistent playing surface, the pivotal elements for a top-tier golf course are seed quality, purity, and vigour. The MM range of seed mixtures stands out by utilising materials from the DLF Select programme, ensuring high purity and germination rates. For over three decades, greenkeepers and course managers have reaped the benefits of choosing the MM brand and its superior quality varieties. All MM varieties undergo thorough testing at the Sports Turf Research Institute, guaranteeing that the final product meets the requirements for play, appearance, and maintenance.

Leading the way for golf greens is MM9, a three-way Browntop bent mixture that remains a top choice for renovations and species exchange. MM8 offers a threeway fescue mix with excellent disease resistance, drought tolerance, and minimal fertiliser requirements. For course

56 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

managers, MM Supreme Ryegreen mix is the answer. It includes Singapore Perennial Ryegrass, known for its fine leaves, good shoot density, high disease resistance, and wear tolerance. If you’re in search of a mixture ideal for tees and fairways, consider MM50, a 100% ryegrass blend. It boasts rapid establishment, quick recovery from divot scarring, high wear tolerance, and an extremely fine appearance.

ORIGIN AMENITY SOLUTIONS STAND 230 Origin Amenity Solutions will be profiling their wealth of product expertise. The OAS range of product solutions combines over 100 years of experience and product development from brand leaders Rigby

Taylor, Symbio, and Headland Amenity.

With a core range covering fertilisers, seed, fungicides, soil microbial, and plant protection, the company will be highlighting solutions for the turf industry including the new Cirrus Pro Digital Irrigation System from Rain Bird, robotic linemarking, and Origin’s Integrated Turf Management Plans. During BTME week, the OAS product development specialists will be delivering six Continue To Learn seminars and classes covering fertiliser plans, the future of synthetic fungicides, irrigation maintenance, carbon mitigation through grass seed and microbiology. All subjects that are topical and relevant for grounds management and greenkeeping practices today. OAS has an additional stand in Hall 2 to demonstrate their online turf management system, Turf Keeper.

The industry-leading way to monitor and control staff management, turf maintenance tasks, machinery, inventory, and budgets in one easy-to-use digital platform. }

HAND BTME HELD TOOLS

WHO TO LOOK OUT FOR AT THE SHOW

}

PRICE TURFCARE STAND 122 Price Turfcare, the UK and Ireland distributor of the Ventrac multi-implement, all-terrain compact tractor, returns to BTME with the Ventrac 4520 compact tractor unit and a selection of attachments.

Since its launch in 2017, this combination of highly manoeuvrable compact tractor and multiple attachments has quickly established a recognised place in UK turfcare industry.

With the capability of working on 30-degree slopes, low ground pressure and over 30 attachments, it’s the most versatile equipment combination for the busy course manager. This is a machine

that can mow in multiple formats, blow leaves, move snow, reinvigorate pathways, aerate, cut turf, dig trenches, grind stumps and prepare seedbeds … everything a golf course of any size, can utilise all-year round. Peter Pattenden, Golf & Estate Manager at Carden Park says, “I can honestly say this is one of the best machines I have ever bought! Summed up in three words, it’s exceptional, versatile and robust.” To understand why Peter and the industry have embraced the Ventrac product, come along and visit the stand.

RAINBIRD STAND 132 Rain Bird’s sports turf irrigation solutions are just one of the highlights at the Show. Alongside the new 11000 Series Rotor range and 952 Series rotors, the company will also be introducing new low cost Pressure Compensating surface Dripline and unveiling Application

Programming Interface capability for the IQ4 central irrigation control platform.

For those looking for high specification sports turf irrigation packages, the introduction of the 11000 Rotor Series is highly significant. The range addresses familiar issues such as wind drift, irrigation distribution uniformity and the need to conserve water – and these are achieved without the higher operating pressures required by many other irrigation rotors. To provide complete control and flexible irrigation programming, Rain Bird’s ESP-LXIVM controller features a smart Solenoid module for real time diagnostics with simplified troubleshooting. With wireless communication via a network cartridge, contractors and grounds staff can also capitalise on the benefits of IQ4 central control platform and manage installations remotely. For irrigation and professionals looking for value for money, low water volume irrigation, the new Pressure Compensating Dripline ticks all the

MAKING TURF MATTER

boxes. It offers the same fast installation, durability in performance and water saving characteristics of the established XFD On-Surface Dripline range – but is around just two thirds of the cost.

Many customers now want information on irrigation performance and Rain Bird is addressing requirements with its API for IQ4. This enables communication with a Building Management System and interface with other third party systems to export detailed irrigation data.

REDEXIM

other equipment from the Redexim fine turf portfolio. The flagship high-speed Redexim Verti-Drain 2519, with its 1.9m working width and ability to accept a wide range of tine options promises to be a stand highlight. Also on show will be the Redexim Carrier equipped with Verti-Drain 1513, set up to show impressive capability for hollow coring. With a working depth of up to 6”, this combination is ideal for sensitive or soft areas, offering a fast, efficient and reliable solution for soil exchange programmes or maximum compaction relief with minimal ground pressure. Besides effective aeration solutions, visitors can also expect to find the highly versatile, popular, 6m wide Top-Brush. Redexim will also be launching a new cost-effective tool to tackle multiple maintenance tasks around the golf course.

STAND 532 While some maintenance practices come and go, aeration remains essential to retaining course condition and playability - arguably more critical than ever following a year of record rainfall across many parts of the UK! With that in mind, aeration solutions are set to take centre stage for Redexim, featuring the iconic Verti-Drain alongside a vast selection of

REESINK STAND 622 & 636 It will be a record-breaking year for Reesink Turfcare as five new equipment launches from Toro happen at the Show, which seems fitting coinciding with a now

www.turfmatters.co.uk

40-year strong partnership, too.

Never has there been so much come at once from Toro, the leading worldwide provider of turf maintenance equipment, and BTME couldn’t be better placed to showcase it all to the industry.

Under wraps until showtime, Reesink will be announcing another mower that removes fuel from the equation and offers the solution to English Premier League guidance for noise generation Two trusted vehicles for the fine turf market have had an electric makeover.

Now Toro’s patent-pending lithium-ion HyperCell batteries power the Workman MDX Lithium. There’s good news for owners of the popular Toro ProCore 648 or 648s aerator, there’s now an easy transport option. The TransPro 648 is just what’s needed for transporting these aerators around the course. There’s new technology in the form of Toro’s Geolink precision spray system as spraying efficiency and precision coverage of the Toro Multi Pro sprayer reaches new heights thanks to the addition of autonomous functionality.

Years in the making, as Toro finetuned the technology to deliver the ultimate spraying solution. Completing the line up with a new entry point to market, customers can even add passenger vehicles to their fleet with the arrival of Toro Vista. Now }

TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 | 59

HAND BTME HELD TOOLS

MAKING TURF MATTER

www.turfmatters.co.uk

WHO TO LOOK OUT FOR AT THE SHOW

} there’s the option for members and guests

to experience the smooth ride of a Toro.

Available for four, six and eight passengers.

Also, on the stand will be the effective BioCircle GT Maxi, to keep parts and machines clean the environmentally friendly way – with no chemicals.

SISIS STAND 216 SISIS will be presenting a selected range of products designed for fine turf surfaces and sports pitches.

With a rich legacy in the industry, SISIS is renowned for its commitment to simplicity and efficiency, and these attributes can be seen in the range of products on display at

60 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

their new location.The 1.2m Multitiner, a drum-type tractor-mounted aerator, stands out for its uncomplicated design and low maintenance requirements. Ideal for fine turf and sports fields, this aerator offers versatility in various aeration methods, including solid, chisel, and hollow tining, with a maximum depth of 100mm and minimal surface disturbance.

The TM1000, a tractor-mounted scarifier and linear aerator, takes centre stage with its unrivalled ability to remove and control thatch, helping to reduce standing water by improving water infiltration.

Ideal for renovation and repair work, SISIS also presents the Variseeder, a versatile tractor-mounted seeder with a variable seeding rate, perfect for golf course maintenance, lawns, and amenity areas.

The SISIS Flexibrush, a tractor-mounted brush with a 5.35-meter working width, emerges as an ideal solution for both synthetic and natural turf surfaces.

SMITHCO STAND 604 The Smithco range of golf course maintenance equipment will be at the Show. The Spray Star range features four industry-leading, self-propelled, GPScontrolled sprayers with numerous control options and the industry-leading 25cm nozzle spacing offering a 100% greater accuracy than competitors. Smithco’s Tournament greens rollers provide fast, consistent and true putting surfaces.

Their commitment to cutting-edge technologies and environmentallyconscious products, such as the Sand Star 48V Electric bunker rake, places their equipment in a class of its own.

With 50 different attachments, Smithco’s bunker machines will meet any and all of your course’s needs.

}

HAND BTME HELD TOOLS

WHO TO LOOK OUT FOR AT THE SHOW

} SUSTANE STAND 170 Visit the stand to learn about the cutting-edge research behind Suståne Natural Fertilisers. As one of the most comprehensively researched organic fertiliser ranges available in today’s market, a stop by the Suståne stand at BTME is a must for anybody looking for organic solutions to plant nutrition and soil management. The focus for 2024 will be products to help with essential postrenovation recovery, including Suståne’s unique Turf Revival 6-2-4.

Turf Revival is used for post renovation recovery on the golf course and a range

62 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

of other professional and commercial lawn situations. Its balanced WSN to SRN supplies a balanced N release without excessive yield, and supplies organic-rich and biologically stable humus, humic acids, beneficial microorganisms, VA mycorrhizae and other organic nutrients to recovery plants from all renovation practices.

Another product developed to assist plant establishment is Suståne® 4-6-4 organic granulated slow-release nitrogen fertiliser. 4-6-4 is formulated to be gentle on plants, making it the perfect solution for spreading with seed and applying to seedlings in both fine turf and landscape environments. This ‘complete’ blend contains slow-release nitrogen and is derived from purely beneficial aerobically composted material, allowing for organic microorganisms to help replenish life in poor soils. Turf Revival 6-2-4 + VAM and 4-6-4 are just two products in a comprehensive portfolio, designed to bring maximum microbial benefit and nutrition, with minimal environmental impact.

TEAM SPRAYERS STAND 518 British sprayer manufacturer Team Sprayers will be showcasing their range of pedestrian, mounted and self propelled ground care sprayers; all designed to provide precision application for your golf course or sports pitch.

Among their range Team will have the bestselling Demount Pro on display.

Highly versatile and fitting a range of utility vehicles, the Demount Pro is a compact demount model, making it easier to spray difficult area. It is available with manual, electric folding or covered boom systems, all with break back pivot points and features a flattened tank - in

}

MAKING TURF MATTER

sizes 400l to 800l; offering total vision across the back of the machine. Available with an auto-rate control or GPS mapping system greenkeepers and groundsmen can ensure efficient use of time and chemicals.

TURFCO

WIEDENMANN STAND 524

VANMAC STAND 526

STAND 608 Turfco built the first mechanised topdresser in 1961 and continues as the first choice of professional turf managers worldwide. Turfco designs and manufactures products that help do jobs more efficiently and effectively in topdressing, seeding, debris blowing, application and renovation. We work with you, and deliver the equipment and services you need to be successful.

We’re driven by a passion for improving the health and playability of your turf, and this commitment has yielded a continuous series of breakthroughs; that’s quality innovations rewarded by 16 patents.

In the UK we are primarily known for our highquality range of trailed and truck-mounted WideSpin 1550 series top dressers, Torrent 2 debris blowers and our TriWave overseeders. We also manufacture the CR-15, a combined material handler and top dresser for fairway maintenance, the Mete-R-Matic range of top dressers and pedestrian edgers and turf cutters.

www.turfmatters.co.uk

Whether mowing, cut and collect or scarification are on the agenda, then a conversation with Vanmac at BTME 2024 is a must – with a range of solutions including Progressive and Trilo. A highlight promises to be the Progressive TDR-X which leads the way for cut quality, finish and contour-following ability. The Progressive TDR-X roller finishing mower features three independently floating decks which deliver outstanding cut quality over large areas, closely following undulations to leave a superior finish.

A combined cutting width of 3.2m and an easily adjustable HOC from 10mm to 85mm makes the TDR-X a versatile and highly productive choice on all types of fine turf and sports turf surface.

Also on show from the Progressive range with be the Pro-Flex 120. With five floating rotary decks delivering outstanding uniformity of cut, including on uneven ground, the Pro-Flex 120 has become the go-to for courses looking for a highly productive solution to contour and rough mowing.

Wiedenmann UK has reserved more space this year to show its ever-increasing range. Best selling Terra Spike – the GXi8 HD- with its access all areas credentials, will take centre stage alongside the Terra Float Air, the pneumatic overseeder which doubles as a surface conditioner.

Consistently, Wiedenmann machines maximise efficiency and versatility. The ‘throuple’ for rough management – the Terra Rake, the Super 500 sweeper/ collector and the Mega Twister blower -are greenkeeping favourites. Each can be used across the seasons for a variety of uses independently or in tandem.

Wiedenmann UK dealers also stock the Maredo STrac 700 system, a pedestrian motorised guiding handle with eight changeable 65 cm wide cassettes which carry out tasks such as aeration, seeding and sand-filling.

Don’t miss the all-new carbon neutral electric agria 9700e tool carrier which works remotely on the flat and on slopes with the operator standing up to 100 metres away. The equivalent of a 30 hp tractor, implements weighing less than 300 kg that are PTO driven can be attached via 3pt linkage (Cat 1). Perfect for flail mowing, seeding and blowing areas which were previously unreachable or are in low/no noise areas.

TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 | 63

MANAGEMENT MAKING TURF MATTER

www.turfmatters.co.uk

BUYERS’ GUIDE Golf Course Management Consultant

Golf Course Advice; Locum Greenkeeper Service; Project Management; Practical Solutions for Genuine Problems www.billymcmillanassociates.co.uk Tel: 07774 632747

To advertise here contact Marie Anderson – email: marie@turfmatters.co.uk FERTILISERS AND PESTICIDES

MACHINERY MACHINERY

MOWERS

GRASS CUTTING MACHINERY

Toro Reelmaster 5010-H with PowerMatch

Horsepower on Demand

as arrived.

ble 1

www.etesia.co.uk

EQUIPMENT

TC1038 Turf Matters Buyers Guide.indd 1

ble 2

0118 3914540 jamie@advancegrass.com

www.toro5010.com

GRASS SEED 21/12/2015 17:35

Bringing technical excellence and service to turf and groundcare

WETTING AGENTS SOIL SURFACTANTS ORGANIC FERTILISERS

www.wiedenmann.co.uk 0141 814 3366

01233 633267 UK.aquatrols.com

www.pellenc.co.uk GOLF BUNKERS

www.mm-seeds.co.uk/ EQUIPMENT

People with something to say, say it Turf | February-March 2016 | 33channel onMatters the Turf Matters YouTube

AERATORS 04/03/2016 14:05

andy@whitemosseco.org.uk www.CompleteBunkerSolutions.com

SCARIFIERS

www.campeyturfcare.com

Telephone: 01260 224 568 Email: info@campeyturfcare.com

TYRES

MOWERS

www.dennisuk.com TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 | 65

BUYERS’ GUIDE

MAKING TURF MATTER

AERATION

GRASS CUTTING MACHINERY

SYNTHETIC SURFACES

EQUIPMENT

Equipment built with experience

www.turfmatters.co.uk

Invicta Groundcare Equipment Ltd

www.sisis.com EQUIPMENT WASH DOWN

www.synprobysisis.com SPRAYERS AND SPRAYING

One of Europe’s largest quality used golf machinery buyers

PROFESSIONAL SPRAYERS

www.berthoud.fr/en/ IRRIGATION

FERTILISERS AND PESTICIDES

InvictaTurfcare

Call us on 01474 874120

Invicta_groundcare

www.invicta-groundcare.co.uk

TURF RECRUIT Looking for your next move?

Turf Recruit has quickly become the largest resource for ALL industry jobs. With EVERY job in one place you’ll never miss an opportunity again.

Simply browse hundreds of jobs and find the one for you!

Are you an employer looking to recruit?

FERTILISERS AND PESTICIDES

l Featured in the Turf Recruit section of the website –our most visited page

TRACTORS

l Featured in our monthly dedicated jobs e-shot – sent to over 26,000 industry professionals l No time limitations – the job remains listed online until you FILL IT l Regular social media promotion of your job to an audience of over 15,000 and growing

Kioti UK Ltd Abbotsley Golf Hotel, Potton Road, St Neots, Cambs PE19 6XN Telephone 01480-401512 www.kioti-uk.com

66 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

To find out more contact Marie Anderson

Email: marie@turfmatters.co.uk Tel: 07841 927500

www.turfmatters.co.uk

TALKING HEADS

How do you think the industry has changed over the last 10 years?

It’s certainly become a lot more quality orientated. The quality of playing surfaces have improved dramatically over the past ten years and continue to do so. New technology is out there and the effect of TV on sporting events worldwide, certainly now with smart phones, means more people are watching more sport day and night, which puts more focus on the playing surfaces.

Do you think that it will change over the next 10 years?

I think sport will become even more dominant as developing nations need to keep the population happy. We are certainly seeing this in the Far East and Middle East where investment in sport is growing each year. We are seeing a lot of levelling up of sporting facilities elsewhere in the world with investments by those governments.

New innovations will undoubtably develop in pitches and sports facilities in general. I see that as a continuing evolution of where we are today.

In what way has Brexit impacted on the way you operate as a business?

It’s made it more challenging in some ways, but actually given us more opportunities in others. For example, if we are wanting to carry out a demonstration in Europe, it is a lot more painful to carry out pre Brexit with all of the Carnet forms we now have to fill out. It is also more costly, but I also think it has given us more opportunities to go out elsewhere in the world, and in Europe too, as other manufacturers sometimes don’t make the investment in filling out the forms and sending staff out. The results that we’ve had of doubling in size since 2019 are not because of Brexit or in spite of Brexit.

New challenges come up, so you’ve got to think of ways of over-coming them – Brexit is just one of those challenges.

Do you think the impact of Covid is now behind us?

Covid caused a lot of chaos. As a company, we needed to be nimble to overcome those challenges. Lead times

IAN HOWARD

Chairman and CEO of the Howardson Group extended because of lack of availability of parts. We are still suffering with some supply chain parts – some suppliers are no longer operating, while some wanted to cut back on what stock and range that they hold. Is it behind us?

I’d like to think we are on the home straight, but I think we need to be prepared just in case something else like Covid comes along.

What do you think is the greatest strength of our industry?

People. We have some very dedicated people are involved in manufacturing components, manufacturing machines, out there maintaining all of the sporting venues to a fantastic standard. Some really great people who ultimately become friends of the business and the people within it. So team is all. That’s a massive strength when you have to go to an exhibition, people are there shaking your hand and saying hello, so I think people is a huge strength of our industry. People may move around the industry, but you keep in contact with everyone, because generally they stay within the industry.

What do you think you would be

doing if you weren’t in this industry?

If I hadn’t been invited to join the family business back in 1985, I would have continued within the mining industry and would probably be retired by now. it’s difficult to say as you never have the opportunity to see both sides of the coin at the same time.

What one achievement can you name of which you are particularly proud?

Building a £17million business out of a £40,000 business.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

I think to quote a speaker that I have seen several times: ‘you can if you think you can and if you do as you always did you will only get what you always got.’

Those are the two things that always resonate with me. You need enthusiasm to move forward all of the time.

How would you like to be remembered?

My involvement in successfully re-polishing great British brands within the groundscare industry that had fallen on tough times.

TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 | 67