Turf Matters January February 2022

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Raising the bar Bright new future for The Hertfordshire Golf and Country Club

AERATION – THE SIGN OF THE TINES

IRRIGATION: IMPROVING YOUR FLOW

DURHAM SCHOOL: TOP OF THE CLASS

38

46

50

All the latest

Winter maintenance tips

In shadow of cathedral

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WELCOME

iWelcome

Goodforget times are coming Don’t Sport…

A Happy New Year to you all.

The last two months have been a nightmare for many people in certain Normally thiscountry time of year gearing fortoHarrogate BTMEwith but, parts ofatthe and we myare heart goesup out everyoneand dealing as the wasaftermath the case lastofyear, it has fallen foul of Covid on this occasion it would unprecedented flooding and–devastating erosion.

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Asedge you can see below, he is– atake littlean bigger now compared to last to Over sporting facilities which unable so to many service loans as times a year. the last 12 months wehave havebeen experienced wonderful result unplayable and soon unable to bring in revenue. with him,of asthem well asbeing seeing financial outlay, essentials like treats and toys, we have seenproportions. with the recent Winter Olympics, sport has such a take As on eye-watering galvanising effect on society and can be the catalyst for so much good, it is imperative sporting facilities are not forgotten when the Butthat for Mungo that’s never enough.

He has taken promisedatassistance is which being allocated. to staring longingly the top shelf holds On the issue of that improving sporting facilities, we have been his stash of goodies in the hope something invited by Briggs & Stratton to become involved in its Pitch new and exciting will come his way. He’s usually competition, which provides a £3,000 makeover for not disappointedto forWin long. what is judged to be the Under 18s football pitch in most find out more on than pages 16-17. I am on the judging So, for 2022 I can’tneed think–of anything better and visits will be made to a shortlist of deserving to hope that you allpanel get something you want pitches soon. We will be looking not so much at the from your own particular top shelf.

DESSO but the desperate!

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

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

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

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Inside issue Insidethis this issue News..........................................................4-23 News .........................................................4-15 Tea Break Teaser.......................................14 Pitch to Win........................................16-17 SALTEX review...................................24-27 Mowing .................................19-22, 24-27 Hertfordshire GCC...........................30-37 Tea Break Teaser ......................................29 Aeration.................................................38-44 Gleneagles..........................................30-35 Irrigation...............................................46-48 BTME review ......................................36-41 Durham School.................................50-57 Diary of a Golfing Nobody.................42 Sub Air....................................................60-63 As seen on Twitter..................................43 Buyers’ Guide.....................................64-66 Golfingout Nobody’s Blog..........................67 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 All matters aeration go under the spotlight, pages 38-44 Next magazine distributed March 2022 Subscribe FREE to our e-zine: Details at www.turfmatters.co.uk

Turf |Matters | March-April 2014 TURF MATTERS JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022| 3 |3

NEWS

FAMILIAR FACE JOINS GREENTEK GreenTek, the Leeds based turf machinery manufacturer, has appointed Jeff Anguige as Business Development Director. Jeff, a familiar face within the industry, brings with him 46 years of turf industry experience.

“Jeff will have responsibility for managing the GreenTek business, reporting directly to the board and myself, and his brief is to increase the global market penetration of our range of ever-popular turf improvement equipment,” said David Michel, founder and Chairman of GreenTek. “Jeff’s appointment is a further demonstration of our continued commitment to the turf industry. He is looking forward to meeting all our dealers and providing a superior level of dealer support and marketing.”

GreenTek are also looking to further strengthen their existing Dealer Support Team and are currently recruiting for a Territory Manager to cover the South of England.

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Agrovista ‘delighted’ to become Jubilee Partner Agrovista Amenity has joined The Tree Council as a Jubilee Partner.

The Tree Council is an official delivery partner of the Queen’s Green Canopy – a unique tree planting initiative created to mark the Monarch’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022. People from across the UK are invited to “Plant a Tree for the Jubilee”.

Everyone from individuals to groups will be encouraged to play their part to enhance the environment by planting trees during the winter tree planting season.

By becoming one of the Jubilee Partners, Agrovista Amenity will be playing an integral role in planting trees and hedgerows in honour of Her Majesty’s service to the nation, creating a lasting legacy which will benefit future generations for years to come.

The aim is to achieve 70 Jubilee Partners, whose collective impact will ensure the planting of an incredible 35,000 trees and seven kilometres of hedgerows.

Ed Smith, Landscape Team Manager for Agrovista Amenity, revealed his delight at becoming a Jubilee Partner.

“It is such a wonderful initiative. We see tree planting as a real benefit to the environment and with everything that is going on in terms of COP26, we have a real opportunity to make a change. The direction we are heading in terms of our bio-degradable tree guards, best practice and our commitment to sustainability reflects

this,” said Ed. “Our planet is changing.

We are on a journey and want to play our part.

Supporting the likes of The Tree Council is very much part of that journey. This initiative will signal a huge amount of environmental, biodiversity and other ecosystem services benefits.”

The Agrovista Amenity team celebrated becoming a Jubilee Partner by attending a corporate planting day in Bicester, Oxfordshire in December. n www.agrovista.co.uk

NEW TECHNICAL MANAGER FOR ADVANCE GRASS SOLUTIONS Advance Grass Solutions has appointed Phil Logan to the role of UK Technical Manager.

A former greenkeeper with a first class degree in Turfgrass Science, Phil (pictured) brings a wealth of agronomic and practical skills to AGS. ‘’Phil’s appointment is an exciting one for our business. It’s very unusual to find a candidate with both a high level of technical ability coupled with senior management commercial experience,” said Sam Honeyborne, AGS MD. “He has coordinated

many turf grass research trials during his time at the STRI which will enhance and develop our current, exclusive range of products.

We very much look forward to working with Phil.’’

Formerly, Phil worked at Barenbrug as Sales Manager for Ireland and Northern England.

Phil is very excited to be joining AGS. “Their growth in recent years has not gone unnoticed and I see this as a great opportunity to influence and support future success.

They have built a reputation

4 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022

on sustainable agronomic principles, that align with my own ethos, with a very sound product portfolio,’’ he said.

Advance Grass Solutions is a leading provider of agronomy services, products and customersupport throughout the UK, with loyal customers from lawncare and small bowling clubs to Ryder Cup venues and Premier League football clubs.

AGS supplies a UK exclusive range of highquality products including: Growth Products, Sustane Natural Fertilisers, Polyon

controlled release technology, in addition to well-known UK based suppliers such as Barenbrug and Aquatrols.

Staff hold industry recognised qualifications such as BASIS and FACTS alongside honours degrees in turfgrass, soil science and ecology disciplines. n advancegrass. com

NEWS

GroundWOW collect their tenth award for innovation North-West autonomous technology innovators, GroundWOW, was a winner of TheStadiumBusiness Innovation Award 2021.

Now in their 12th year, the awards recognise a spectrum of achievements from across the stadium industry. They are nominated by the industry to recognise leadership, innovation and achievement in the design, delivery and operation of sports and entertainment facilities globally.

“To be nominated by the industry in such an innovation rich environment was already incredible. To actually win is an enormous and hugely valuable recognition of our development of this point,” said GroundWOW’s Chief Commercial Officer, David Pritchard.

The judging panel was made up of well-respected worldwide stadium professionals and the award was presented by David Manica, of MANICA Architecture, designers of the Wynn Field Club at the Allegiant Stadium home of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders.

There is no better tribute to the work of GroundWOW’s talented team than to be featured on such a stellar list of organisations, projects and individuals as this one. Launched in 2019, the Stockport-based company took home their 10th innovation award for the AV/AI-driven ground printer, which activates underutilised real estate.

Toro selected as R&A founding partner The R&A has named The Toro Company as a Founding Partner and Official Golf Course Maintenance Partner for its planned community golf facility at Lethamhill in Glasgow.

The development aims to make golf more accessible, appealing and inclusive for people of all ages and backgrounds by creating an open and affordable pathway into golf that helps drive the future of the sport.

At the heart of facility, The R&A is committed to showcasing the gold standard in golf course maintenance, turf care, equipment innovation and development. To that end, they have selected Toro to join them in the development and

WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING ALONGSIDE THE R&A IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW VENUE AND PROVIDING GOLFERS WITH EXCELLENT FACILITIES

6 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022

fulfilment of their mission.

As part of this role, Toro will be the exclusive supplier of all course maintenance equipment to the new facility. Development is now underway for this new family-focused venue, which is to include a nine-hole course, putting greens, short game area, adventure golf and a driving range for visitors to enjoy a wide range of golf activities, including shorter forms of the sport.

In addition to providing an equipment fleet and irrigation products, Toro will have the first option to partner with The R&A on potential future developments. Toro also plans to provide a grant to be used toward the development of a greenkeeper apprenticeship, as well as for efforts that promote the global development of golf.

“We are delighted to become a Founding Partner of this unique project,” said Peter Moeller, Vice President of International at The Toro Company.

“The R&A’s commitment to developing the game of golf and making it accessible to the broadest possible community is very much in line with Toro’s own mission and objectives.

It is both humbling and exciting to see Toro’s equipment and irrigation solutions advance The R&A’s sustainability efforts, and we look forward to helping its team bring plans for the new facility to reality.”

Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, explained why Toro had been chosen.

“Toro has a reputation as a supplier of highquality equipmen and so was a natural choice for us in selecting a partner for the new facility. We look forward to working alongside them in the development of the new venue and providing golfers with excellent facilities so that they can fully enjoy playing the sport in a variety of formats with family and friends.” n www.randa.org n www.toro.com

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ICL’s ProSelect has ‘vastly improved fairways, greens’ James Bonfield, the Course Manager at Hertfordshire Golf and Country Club, has revealed how utilising ICL’s range of ProSelect grass seed has resulted in vastly improved fairways and greens.

James has been at the Hertfordshire Golf and Country Club for just over 12 years and claims that the new owners, Elysium Golf Limited, have signalled exciting times.

“We have new fleets of equipment, new budgets, new ways of working, new holes to build and it is a fascinating time to be here. The owners have really backed us and now the course is reaping the rewards.”

The 18-hole parkland course was designed by renowned course designer Jack Nicklaus II and has been in play since 1995.

Membership has steadily risen over the years but has nearly doubled since the new owners came in.

With more resources at his disposal James was insistent on first targeting the fairways.

“The fairways were always lacking behind everything else, so that was our main priority.

Choosing the correct seed was imperative,” he said.

Working alongside Matt Nutter from ICL, James decided on the ProSelect Classic – a multi-purpose seed blend which contains Torsion TRT Perennial ryegrass offering the unique Turf Repairing Tiller growth habit.

He overseeded the fairways with this mixture in late April and explained that the sowing rate was adjusted dependent

on the condition.

“Some areas were weaker than others, so they needed more seed; others were stronger so needed less – each fairway got exactly what I thought was required,” he said.

Once the overseeding had been completed, James maximised the results of the seed by applying a granular feed to the fairways. The fertiliser he used, ICL’s Sierrablen Plus Spring & Summer CalMag 23-0-5, has proven to be extremely popular with many greenkeepers and course managers this year.

“The seed and the granular feed went hand in hand to give the full effect.

Sierrablen Plus allowed us to get nutrient into the soil to give the seed something to kick off and it came through beautifully. We now have a nice, uniformed consistent growth whereas before we had a lot of patches.

“In the space of six months we have gone from fairways that were really struggling to some of the most envied in Hertfordshire. That is a major step forward.”

Following his work on the fairways, James’ attention turned to the greens and alongside Matt, the two of them worked together to identify the most suitable seed.

“Based on the pH levels we have round here, which are between 6.5 and 7.5, we felt that creeping bent was going to be the best for the greens. Anthracnose is also an issue, and with this in mind, we felt that the ProSelect Piranha creeping bent would be the best option.”

“The plan was to move away from fungicides where

possible and to instead try and get more creeping bents into the greens because they will help with playability and ease the stresses that Poa can cause,” said James.

“We’ve seen great results from the Piranha already, but it is going to be a long-term commitment.

Matt and I have already discussed the possibility of sowing ProSelect Riptide creeping bent, at the start of the year and then continuing with ProSelect Piranha in September.” n Our Hertfordshire Golf & Country Club feature starts on page 30.

James Bonfield, Course Manager at Hertfordshire Golf and Country Club

TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022 | 7

NEWS

MM60 helps Pilgrims’ progress

MM60 grass seed has been the ideal mixture to help get Boston United FC’s new pitch off to the best possible start – according to Head Groundsman Jim Portas.

At the end of the 2019/20 season Boston United, nicknamed The Pilgrims, left their York Street home to move to a new stadium – the Jakemans Community Stadium. It was an investment with the aim of providing Boston United and its community foundation a secure future.

Anticipation was high but unfortunately the pandemic meant that the first season in the new stadium was somewhat quiet, much to the regret of Jim. “The fans were not allowed in, and it was a shame, especially as

it was a new era for the club,” explained Jim. “From the players point of view, it was also unfortunate because they had started really well up until the season became null and void.

It was a fantastic new pitch, with MM60 seed at its foundation.”

MM60 is the UK’s leading winter sports renovation mixture and can be attributed with playing a key role in many of the finest sporting venues you see today. The 100% Ryegrass formula, which is perfect for divot repair, is renowned for its extremely fast germination and its high wear tolerance. It produces fantastic aesthetic qualities, and its high disease resistance provides

ultimate protection.

MM60 is also treated with Headstart Gold, which is a further development of the well-recognised Headstart treatment and has been developed using the latest scientific findings and field experience. It is a natural revolutionary grass seed treatment that ensures rapid germination.

It is perfect for enhancing performance sports fields, golf courses, lawns and amenity turf.

Jim admitted that he can’t take credit for the initial decision to use MM60, but he will certainly be continuing to use it for a long time to come.

“The seed was selected

by Fine Turf (the chosen sports turf contractor), but from what I have seen,

they absolutely made the right choice. In that first year the seed germinated after just six days, and it gave us fantastic coverage.

“It was so good that I made the decision to overseed with it in May in preparation for the new season.

“This time around it took slightly longer to germinate because of the weather conditions but as soon as it came through, it really took off.

“It was put to the test pretty quickly because the fans had been away for so long, the club arranged for four pre-season friendlies to take place all at home – we just wanted the fans back.

“We allowed eight weeks for the pitch to establish and then the games came thick and fast. It stood up incredibly well with no problems at all.

“The seed was brilliant in the first year and has been even better in the second year - the colour of it, the strength of it, and the consistency have all been faultless.

“I will continue to use MM60 for renovations, and in the meantime, I’ll put some down in the areas that need it – in the high usage areas throughout the season.

“Overall, the fans love the stadium, and the players love the pitch. It’s a good time for Boston United FC.” n www.mm-seeds.co.uk

JCB notches 3/4 million production milestone JCB is celebrating a major milestone for its award-winning engine.

The 750,000th engine has just come off the line at JCB Power Systems in Derbyshire where production first began in 2004.

Engine production was extended to India in 8 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022

2011- helping to power JCB to the landmark figure.

“750,000 engines is quite some milestone when you consider that we only started manufacturing 17 years ago.

So much has been achieved over that time with our engines including two world land

speed records,” said JCB Chairman Lord Bamford.

“With the development of our new hydrogen motor, there is so much more to come and the future for our engine business looks very bright.”

More than half of the 750,000 engines have been made at JCB

Power Systems which produces a range from 55-212kW. The engines are used to power JCB’s products as well as those of customers producing equipment as diverse as road sweepers and screeners through to crushers and water going barges.

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Futureproofing at The Grove The Grove has made two important promotions within its greenkeeping team to continue its long-running heritage of developing the golf industry’s stars of the future.

Since opening in 2003, a host of young talent have crafted their skills at the Top 100-ranked venue, under the leadership of Golf Course and Estate Manager, Phillip Chiverton, who has been at the forefront of The Grove’s greenkeeping operation for 20 years.

The latest to rise through the ranks are 27-year-olds Sam Reid and Callum Herbst.

Sam is The Grove’s new Head Greenkeeper, and Callum is promoted to Deputy Head Greenkeeper. Both joined The Grove in 2012.

Sam’s rise has seen him help prepare the championship course for The British Masters in 2016, achieve an R&A Greenkeeper Scholarship in 2018, and work with the course’s world-renowned architect, Kyle Phillips, during a bunker redesign and rebuild project in 2020.

Callum’s journey has included being a Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year finalist, along with work experience during the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow in the USA, and at the French Open at Le Golf National.

Commenting on the promotions, Phillip Chiverton, said that in Sam and Callum they had two certain agronomy leaders of tomorrow.

“The Grove has always invested in young talent and we

have a rich history of coaching greenkeepers through the early stages of their careers.”

A consistent development programme with scope for continual internal promotion has seen many of The Grove’s young stars go on to secure senior industry roles at other world-renowned golfing destinations, including Trump International Golf Links in Scotland, Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai, San Roque Club in Spain

and Abu Dhabi Golf Club, UAE. “While our day-to-day objectives always remain keeping The Grove in pristine condition all-year-round – something our customers consistently recognise us for – it is also important we offer the next generation of greenkeeping stars a platform from which to succeed and prosper. Seeing young talent develop at The Grove and then go on to prosper in all corners of the globe is hugely rewarding.”

Part of the award-winning greenkeeping team at The Grove, from left, Stephen Haire, Callum Herbst, Golf Course and Estate Manager Phillip Chiverton, Sam Reid, and Neil Corley

TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022 | 9

NEWS

High tech partnership promises pristine playing surfaces US-based SubAir Sports Systems has entered into a partnership with wireless underground soil moisture sensor startup Soil Scout, to give turf managers unprecedented control over their operations and turf with automated subsurface monitoring and ventilation.

Soil Scout’s sensor transmits moisture, temperature and salinity data in real-time from up to two metres below the surface, while SubAir’s subsurface aeration and moisture removal units guarantee ideal pitch conditions, automatically adjusting the moisture levels of the turf according to live, real-time soil conditions.

In a sudden downpour, the vacuum systems activate to eliminate excess moisture in the soil profile, with 36x faster drainage than natural drainage alone.

This combination of cuttingedge turf technology enables turf professionals to provide pristine

playing surfaces for professional teams and players, thus creating entertainment that creates important memories for fans and players alike.

“Working with Soil Scout has so far been one of the best partnerships we’ve ever had in the entire turf industry. With both companies being the industry leaders in their respective fields, I’m super excited to work together to provide one of the most powerful solutions on the market to help turf managers achieve their goals based on real-time data from Soil Scout’s sensors and our aeration units,” said Brad Dennis, President of SubAir Sports Systems.

“Turf managers expect tools to be able to do their job efficiently and effectively as possible – our partnership provides the data and operational performance to ensure that ideal pitch performance requirements are met. Working with SubAir has been brilliant, and they’re true innovators in

their industry – this partnership provides an unrivaled offering and we’re very excited to deploy this solution combination around the world together,” explained Jalmari Talola, CEO of Soil Scout.

SubAir Systems and Soil Scout have been chosen to support all eight of the stadium venues at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Soil Scout recently announced its partnership with US-based provider of autonomous aerial intelligence services, GreenSight, as well as expanding its US operations with an aim to accelerate its go-to-market efforts and combat the ongoing drought in California.

Backed by Husqvarna, Soil Scout was co-founded by Finnish agrotechnology Ph.D. and 19th generation farmer Johannes Tiusanen and electronics expert M.Sc. Eng Jussi Sirkiä with a mission of giving soil experts the information they need to effectively manage their lands.

Petrol switch means 95% reduction in workshop and servicing costs

Grounds Maintenance Contractors Weedfree Landscapes have reported a 95% reduction in servicing and workshop costs thanks to switching to Aspen Alkylate Petrol.

For the last two years, they’ve been using Aspen to power all of their 2-stroke equipment which has not only contributed to more efficient machinery performance, but made for a safer and cleaner operator experience.

10 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022

Weedfree Landscapes undertake a wide variety of ground and winter maintenance services for a number of commercial customers in and around the East Midlands and South Yorkshire.

Commercial Director Tim Bower explains that he was familiar with the Aspen product but that it was following a demonstration at SALTEX that they decided to trial Aspen 2. “Straight away we noticed the reduction in noxious fumes. For the operator this brings fantastic health benefits, especially during prolonged periods of exposure, but it also makes for a cleaner working environment which is desirable when we’re working in public spaces such as schools for example.”

Being virtually free from sulphur, benzene and solvents, Aspen Alkylate Petrol is 99% cleaner than regular pump fuel when comparing the level of hazardous hydrocarbons. This means that Aspen burns cleaner, not only reducing the harmful impacts for the operator and the environment

but helping to preserve and extend the life of engine components.

“Without doubt, we are definitely seeing a reduction in the number of faults and replacement parts we’re using. With Aspen being premixed with a premium biodegradable 2-stroke oil means you know you’re getting the perfect mix every time eliminating issues with equipment clogging up, reducing downtime and giving us quite substantial cost savings.”

Tim orders Aspen by the pallet, which is then stored safely on-site in a dedicated cabinet meaning it couldn’t be quicker or simpler for the team to fuel up for the day ahead.

“There’s no unnecessary trips backwards and forwards to the filling station which again results in more time and cost savings. When you begin to add up the savings that come with using Aspen – the convenience factor and the associated financial benefits, together with the improved efficiency of our machinery, it really makes commercial sense.”

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‘Revolution’ for grass pitches The Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation has launched its ‘Power Up Your Grass Pitch’ campaign, aimed at revolutionising the state of grass football pitches in England.

The country’s biggest sports charity is on a mission to improve over 7,000 grass pitches by 2024 and 20,000 by 2030, to ensure the 12 million grassroots football players across the country have great places to play.

Around 87% of affiliated football is played on grass pitches, and with over 150,000 matches cancelled due to poor pitch quality during the last football season alone, play is often brought to a halt.

The improvements brought about thanks to the Football Foundations work will make these cancellations a thing of the past. Further more if the improvements are achieved, by 2030 grassroots football pitches in England will be able to facilitate an additional 30,000 matches per week.

Improving facilities means that more people across England will get to enjoy playing the nation’s favourite sport, transforming people’s physical and mental wellbeing, as well as

supporting local communities and economies.

To help make this ambition a reality, the Football Foundation has developed an app which is now being rolled out across the country. ‘PitchPower’ is an online tool that gives every community football club and organisation in the country the ability to carry out their own grass pitch inspections, providing fast and accurate data which is less time intensive and more efficient than in person inspections.Once an inspection is submitted, Regional Pitch Advisers at the Grounds Management Association produce an assessment report with bespoke advice and recommendations to improve the grass pitch quality at a site.

By using this tool more widely, the Football Foundation anticipates it will be able to carry out as many as 20,000 inspections a year, five times as many as in the past.

In its trial phase, PitchPower has helped to inspect almost 5,000 pitches. These inspections have led to 446 grants being issued worth £8.6m, all of which has gone towards improving 1,564 pitches.

Once inspections have been completed

via the PitchPower app – clubs and facilities are then eligible to apply for funding from the Football Foundation to support pitch improvements identified through the app.

Along with PitchPower unlocking funding, clubs and organisations will also be encouraged to upskill their workforce by having access to a range of free courses from the Grounds Management Association and join a community of professional and amateur groundskeepers on the free Football Foundation Groundskeeping Community App. “Millions of players are left disappointed every year when their matches are cancelled due to poor quality pitches,” said Robert Sullivan, Football Foundation Chief Executive Officer.

“We have made some ambitious targets when it comes to improving grass pitches – we want to get 20,000 pitches to ‘good’ quality by 2030 – to ensure no games are called off because of a poor quality pitch.

“Our dedicated teams will be working hard to ensure clubs and facilities across the country have the support and resource they need to power up their grass pitches.”

TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022 | 11

NEWS

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Circularity for engine oil A new UK based technology, Fargo, provides circularity and efficiency to engine lubrication

C

urrently, only one third of used engine oil is re-refined. This means that every year over six billion litres of dirty used oil is generated from the internal combustion engine market, this is the largest amount of liquid, non-aqueous hazardous waste in the world, that is the equivalent amount of over 20 super tankers This is a real issue for the industry due to the large environmental impact, proposed new legislation, and access to limited resources.

So, as we know, sadly the used oil either ends up lost in the environment, burnt, or re-used. One gallon of used oil dumped in water can contaminate up to one million gallons of clean water. If we do the maths, with the current number of litres of used lubricant that get ‘lost’, the results can start getting intimidating. If instead the used oil is combusted as a fuel, this will create Greenhouse Gas emissions.

However, according to the API, the re-refining process requires 50% to 80% less energy than what is needed for refining crude oil (to produce base oil), setting the option of re-using the waste lubricant as the best alternative.

With the answer being so obvious, why aren’t more people doing this? Why isn’t there an increasing amount of used engine oil ready to be re-refined and used? Perhaps the technology hadn’t been developed.

The good news is there is now an alternative in the market that will not only bring circularity and a more sustainable option for oil changes, but that will increase efficiency by making the oil change process itself as short as 90 seconds, without the hassle of specialist equipment.

If the push for protecting the environment isn’t enough, you will be pleased, but perhaps not surprised, to learn that the governments around the world are reinforcing the need for a switch to protect our environment. They are doing this through upcoming legislation around circularity and oil-reuse, that will clearly affect every business in the industry.

“WITH CIRCULOIL, WE AIM TO SAVE THE OPERATOR MONEY AND DELIVER THE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS” 12 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022

The change to comply with these won’t be easy, but businesses are already feeling the pressure to come up with solutions or face the implications of noncompliance.

Looking ahead to 2028, re-refining rates are expected to grow, thanks to an increase in re-refining capacity, growth in demand for re-refined products, the increased availability of higher quality used oil and stronger legislations as well as enforcement of regulations.

“Most businesses are under significant pressure to demonstrate environmental improvements in operation, but this can come at a cost in operational efficiency or large investment, with CirculOil, we aim to save the operator money, and deliver the environmental benefits,” explained Steve Goodier founder and CEO CirculOil comes into play with their new Fargo technology, or as they describe it ‘Your oil change companion’.

The simple and flexible pricing model adapts to each customer to ensure all businesses regardless of their size and the environment are protected.

Oil is finite, and, burning it makes little financial and environmental sense. In addition to this, oil price will increase as the resource depletion increases, and with this we can foresee tighter environmental legislations will come along.

With this future ahead, the switch to a sustainable machine operation and maintenance only gets more critical and placed it as a priority for business owners in 2022. But as anticipated before, the market is now ready to offer a technology that will alleviate this pressure from the landscaping industry. With this new technology, engine oil becomes a renewable resource.

“In fact, it is possible to re-refine used engine oil restoring it to a good-as-new quality, that can be reused over and over

again,” said Alessandra Scotese, Circularity & Partnerships, Co-founder at CirculOil. As you can see, there are many benefits from using re-refined oil., the re-refining process of used oil is 50% to 80% less energy intensive than the production of virgin base oil.

By re-refining it we are transforming a hazardous waste product into a feedstock material, while reducing CO2 emissions. In addition, it is contributing to preserving our finite natural resource, oil. Through a robust supply chain, we can also keep this precious natural resource as long as possible as highgraded material within the circular economy.

CirculOil’s closed loop supply chain makes it possible for 100% of the collected used oil to be re-refined into new, highquality lubricant. The major benefits for the environment that CirculOil’s unique ecosystem brings are: – Multiple re-use of oil packaging – Virtually zero waste oil lost in the environment (as there is a 100% collection) – Highly segregated used oil becomes a valuable resource rather than a waste stream – Energy saving in the rerefining process vs the extraction process of new fresh oil – Reduction of natural resources extracted from the soil – 100% closed-loop ecosystem, with used oil being collected, re-refined, and blended back into formulations for use in our product.

This means that there is potential for the same hydrocarbon molecules to loop through the re-refining cycle multiple times. In addition, the maintenance process is now quicker, cleaner and cheaper than today’s system. n About CirculOil: We provide a revolutionary oil management system that brings efficiency and circularity to engine lubrication to help reduce its environmental impact. CirculOil is a UK-based company. n www.circuloil.com

NEWS

TEA BREAK TEASER

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Tea Break Teaser HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Two little ducks!

All our questions involve the number 22 somewhere, as a tribute to a new year which we hope is better than its predecessor!

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

1. At which famous ground did Huddersfield Town defeat Preston North End to win the 1922 FA Cup? 2. Which women’s tennis star has a total of 22 Major Singles titles to her name?

3. How many players have won more than 22 titles on the European Tour – more or fewer than 10?

4. Which French club scored 22 points on the way to winning the 2003 Heineken Cup final against Perpignan?

5. Which legendary Manchester United player carried the number 22 on his shirt?

6. Which swimmer became the first man to break the minute barrier for 100 metres in 1922?

7. How many players have scored more than 22 goals for Scotland in the last 60 years?

8. Who became the first American born winner of the Open Championship when he won at Royal St George’s in 1922?

9. Which was the host city of the 22nd Summer Olympics?

10. Which pest were we all so thankful to have avoided 22 years ago?

11. Who was the World Heavyweight Champion in 1922?

12. What was significant about the 22nd playing of the Ryder Cup in 1977?

13. Which Croatian won 22 titles on the ATP Tour, including one Wimbledon singles title?

14. Which of the home nations has won 22 Triple Crowns as part of what is now the Six Nations Rugby Championship?

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15. Who won the English League Championship in 1922?

Answers on page 66

TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022 | 15

NEWS

Christmas cheer and exciting future for GreenMech

Europe’s leading woodchipper manufacturer GreenMech invited the industry media to join them at a venue close to their production site in Warwickshire, for an update event with a festive feeling!

The assembled journalists discovered how GreenMech have overcome the numerous challenges encountered since the event last took place five years ago, together with having an opportunity to get hands-on with some of their latest innovations – including the EVO 205D and brand-new EVO 205D SURE-Trak.

In his presentation, Sales Director Martin Lucas outlined three major factors which have all had an impact on business in recent years. The first of which, and perhaps the biggest challenge for the engineering team, was the introduction of Stage V engine compliance. The need to fit new certified Stage V engines required the re-engineering of in the region of 20 GreenMech models – a massive task that he explained required careful consideration to balance customer expectations, unit performance and cost.

While the transition period of Stage V was extended due to COVID-19, the wider impact and knock-on effects of the pandemic 16 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022

were also discussed. With their own dedicated manufacturing facility, Martin detailed how GreenMech endeavour to produce as much as they can themselves, however like a lot of manufacturers, rely on the availability of third-party components – some of which, including hydraulics and electric components, remain in short supply.

This meant lead time management was another hurdle GreenMech have had to overcome, with the proactiveness of their dealer network noted in helping to shorten the customers exposure to long delivery times.

The third area discussed was Brexit. With exports accounting for roughly 70% of their business, the implications of the new European guidelines have seen added complexities and a big increase in the amount of paperwork GreeMech need to complete to get a machine to its final destination. However, there are indeed reasons to be chipper, as Martin explained that the appetite for UK manufactured product remains strong, with a keenness from their European distribution partners to remain committed to the brand.

Despite the adversity, the creativity of GreenMech shone through as Martin and members of the marketing team discussed the launch of the highly successful EVO series – with a new market image and approach meaning the EVO now accounts for a significant proportion of all orders placed. First launched

at the 2019 Arb Show, the EVO 165D set a new precedent for GreenMech, in terms of the specification which delivered more aggressive torque, bite and throughput.

A tracked version, the EVO 165DT followed, then shortly after a 37hp petrol engine was introduced to bring the new EVO 165P into the sub-750kg category. More recently the ‘big brother’ came to market in the form of the EVO 205D – an 8” unit powered by a 50hp Kubota diesel engine.

The newest launch, the EVO 205D SAFE-Trak and SURE-Trak models, provides the operator with ultimate safety and stability when working across slopes of up to 35o. The media became some of the first to see the brand-new EVO 205D SURE-Trak in the flesh as this was lined-up, alongside other models from the EVO range, for a series of working demonstrations.

After getting hands-on, the press were then given an insight into how the machines are made with a stepby-step virtual factory tour. Jonathan Turner, GreenMech Managing Director, closed proceedings.

“We’re proud of our achievements and how we’ve overcome such a challenging couple of years, but now is the time to be even more positive and excited about our future. We will be continuing to work on industryleading new products, designed to perform without compromise with the support of a great network of colleagues and dealers around us.” n www.greenmech.co.uk

Festive jumpers from the more adventurous assembled journalists at the GreenMech event. Our man Scott MacCallum is in red on the back row

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Mayoral approval for Ventrac Brightlingsea’s mayor, Councillor Jane Chapman, was present at the official handover of a Ventrac all-terrain compact tractor and selection of attachments.

Delivered by local dealer, Upson Mowers, the equipment will be used for mowing the town’s recreation fields, maintaining local cycle paths and keeping the beach promenade free of sand and other debris.

The ever-versatile compact tractor was specified with a MU rotary mowing deck, a Power Brush and a V-blade, to provide specific solutions for some unique challenges faced by the seaside town’s council.

“We had two demonstrations and on both occasions the council leaders were very impressed, especially with the machine’s versatility,” said Councillor Graham Steady, portfolio holder for the town’s western promenade.

“We haven’t just purchased a mower; we’ve effectively bought three different machines. During higher-than-average tides, the promenade around the children’s paddling pool can become

covered with sand and shingle making it impossible for pushchairs and accessibility buggies to negotiate this area.”

Brightlingsea’s Grounds Manager, Terry Hamilton agreed that they now had a very versatile piece of kit.

“We’re replacing an aging triple reel mower with this Ventrac and the MU deck, which provides the same level of finish, so we’re not sacrificing quality or overall presentation. We have two recreation grounds to maintain, one of which is on clay and just above the water table, so can be very wet at certain times of the year. The Ventrac, in its eight-wheel configuration, has an exceptionally low ground pressure of just 6 psi, enabling us to mow, whatever the conditions.

“We have now taken responsibility for this and the Power Broom will be used to keep it debris-free and usable at all times.

Another use for the Power Broom is as a scarifier; by setting the brush to a position that’s just tickling the sward, it’s possible to remove thatch build-up,” added Terry.

Mayor Jane Chapman said that

Brightlingsea was renowned for its fishing, sailing and seaside leisure activities and attracted thousands of visitors during the summer months.

“We are proud that our green spaces, especially along the seafront and the approaches to the town, are maintained to high standards and are attractive,” she said.

le s ib d e e rs l a th l ve b in ri Re tom ble Ap t a m b o a i l fr o av UK TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022 | 17

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Campey appoints 15 new international distributors Campey Turf Care Systems has appointed 15 new dealers across the Middle East and Pan-Asia as part of their new rationalised international dealer network, providing customers with Campey’s renowned service wherever they are in the world.

This new initiative is being led by Campey Export Sales Manager Nick Brown, the move to expand the international dealer network to 32 has been made to give customers a personalised experience from country to country and ensure they are being advised by professionals who understand their needs.

“We’ve put in 15 new distributors since July of 2020 with more to come, and we’ve enhanced the sales channel – we haven’t taken anything away. I’ve looked at areas where we haven’t had representation and put a distributor in to work the market instead of just leaving it to one individual who lives in the UK to understand all the different cultures and scenarios,” explained Nick.

“I would say by giving one dealer responsibility for Campey products in a given area, you’ve only got one channel, and then they can go out and support the market with the knowledge that they have the full backing of Campey Turf Care Systems.

An early example of this method in action was Nick’s first international trip for Campey’s since his appointment, which had unfortunately coincided with the beginning of lockdown.

Together with Lee Morgado, Director for Campey Turf Care, Nick arranged a demonstration event in the Middle East which brought contractors and clubs together at Trump International in Dubai to experience the Campey product line first hand.

“The Middle East trip was the first time Campey had ever held a demonstration day in the region. We had an excellent turnout, ranging from contractors like SIS, Desert Turfcare, Future Landscapes and representatives from the Troon Golf Courses, Dubai Golf and Trump International, who hosted us.

“For me, the interesting thing was to talk face to face with people and discuss their issues, and when we started speaking about sustainability, the Koro Recycling soon came up. This is a machine that has been out for some years, but they had little to no knowledge of it, and that highlights the importance of what we’re doing because this product has the potential to make a significant difference in their

push towards sustainability, with its ability to reuse the sand on golf courses and pitches without the need to import.”

The main revelation from the event is the positive environmental impact the Koro Recycling Dresser can have in the region.

“I think after spending 18 months at home looking after the export region for the business, going back in front of customers is great for us because it is what Campey does best.” says Nick “Customer relationships are a key part of what I do and what I believe in, and fortunately, the company I work for really believes in it as well. And I didn’t want Campey just to allow the distributors to look after their customers. I wanted to make sure that customers understood that Campey is backing them on the ground with Campey people helping them with demonstrations, helping them with relationships and ultimately building trust between Distribution and the end user.

“I hope as we visit more people in different countries, we can offer a different perspective and deliver practical alternatives with innovative, reliable products. Campey’s great customer service will continue to make a difference in these new markets.” concluded Nick.

Etesia scoops innovation award The Etesia ET Lander utility vehicle has won the SALTEX 2021 Innovation award within the vehicle category, while also finishing second within the

18 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022

environmentally friendly category.

The SALTEX innovation awards were introduced to reward companies launching innovative and technologically advanced equipment within the grounds management sector. Since its launch in 2018, the awards have grown year on year, with 2021 now boasting several different categories for exhibitors to enter.

A panel of expert judges chose the Etesia ET Lander as the standout product within the vehicle category.

Built for use on road and off road in both the town and countryside, the ET Lander is 100% electric, spacious, well-equipped and userfriendly. It is built on a robust chassis and has an array of options including a three-way tipper bed with dual control from the fullyfitted two-seater cab or by remote

control when outside the vehicle.

With a length of just 3.72 meters, the ET Lander is very compact.

Thanks to the power steering, the short turning radius of 4.40 meters and 360° visibility, it goes anywhere. Fitted with lead acid batteries the autonomy of the vehicle lasts for a full working day – without noise pollution.

The ET Lander can transport loads of up to 940kgs and can also tow up to 750kgs. With its all-road tires and powerful transmission, it is a real all-terrain vehicle for use in a variety of conditions on slopes and difficult terrain.

Furthermore, life is made easier for its users through the integrated loading ramps – which allow for the transport of materials, rideon mowers and other grounds maintenance equipment.

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Enclean exceeds expectations

Peter Corbett, of Origin Amenity Solutions

Enclean, a plant origin-based biocide from Belchim Crop Protection, picked up the innovation award in the consumables category at Saltex.

“The successful launch of the product in 2020 has culminated in recent approval for use by Organic Farmers and Growers Limited across all organic systems and this prestigious award,” said Peter Corbett, of Origin Amenity Solutions.

Having personally witnessed the development of Enclean from initial trials in 2017 Peter is well placed to discuss the merits of the new biocide, now widely seen as a “game-changer” in the professional biocide market.

Peter, who manages the commercial, technical and marketing of the chemical products portfolio for Rigby Taylor (now part of Origin Amenity Solutions) first saw the biocide in its development phase four years ago and was impressed with both its speed of action in eradicating algae and its positive effect on dealing with other green deposits that often build up on hard surfaces.

“From the outset when manufacturer Belchim Crop Protection first began trials on the active nonanoic acid, from which Enclean is derived, I saw the potential and, as a company, we recognised that there was a gap in the biocide market for it.

“Most de-greening chemicals

20 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022

require large volumes of product and water to break-down algae and green deposits. However, Enclean is fundamentally different in that it can be applied at low water volumes.

One litre of Enclean mixed with water will treat well over 500m2.

Being able to use a small knapsack sprayer fitted with a red 80-degree nozzle allows the operator much easier access to narrow pathways where algae can often build up.

“Enclean is plant derived, safe to use, and it has no environmental hazard classification. It’s fast acting and, once applied, it quickly degrades into natural elements leaving behind no harmful residue.

Using a red 80-degree nozzle and maintaining the correct speed of application, 555m2 of coverage is readily achievable, and this is especially important for sprayer contractors who need to limit downtime spent on refilling” he confirmed.

Now 20 months on from its launch, two key pieces of customer feedback on Enclean, that Peter has specifically noted, have been its speed of activity, and the wider range of weather conditions that the biocide can be successfully applied in.

“Many traditional biocides cannot be applied in frosty conditions, or within 24 hours of rain. But with Enclean the application window is much wider, and very good results can be achieved even when temperature and weather conditions are far from perfect.

Again, this is ideal for sprayer contractors who need to minimise down-time between jobs” he adds.

Peter’s positive feedback on the new biocide has now been reinforced by many recent customer testimonials, including both Royal Norwich Golf Club

and Plymouth County Council.

“During the 2020 lockdown the club house patio became covered with algae. Due predominantly to lack of footfall, our high-quality stone slabs had become discoloured and slippery when wet,” said Peter Todd, Director and Estates Manager at Royal Norwich Golf Club, where Enclean was first trialled last year.

“We sprayed with Enclean and over the next two-three days the algae had been controlled and the wet surface was no longer hazardous. The product removed the algae completely giving us lasting control. The treated area remained clean, and the surface regained its original colour despite the cold and wet conditions being less than ideal for biocide application.

“We also applied the product on the edge of the club’s parking area which had a mixture of algae and moss.

Again, the control was rapid despite the wet and cold weather conditions.

Using a shroud on the knapsack boom allowed us to spray neatly and obtain a sharp edge alongside the fine grass” he confirmed.

Summarising the products recent impact on the biocide market Peter Corbett concluded that Enclean looked to have a strong future in the amenity sector once customers understand that the cost of application per m2 is cost-competitive.

“One litre of Enclean treats 5-10 times the area of most competitor products and, due to lower water volumes, it can be applied much quicker and more efficiently.

When customers recognise its greater sustainability and level of performance over market alternatives then I’m sure it will gain an even greater level of acceptance.”

“TRADITIONAL BIOCIDES CANNOT BE APPLIED IN FROSTY CONDITIONS… BUT WITH ENCLEAN THE APPLICATION WINDOW IS MUCH WIDER”

NEWS

Reesink introduces a STAR, both by name and by nature Reesink e-Vehicles’ new STAR player, the Capella Work Machine was launched at Saltex.

This all-electric and versatile model from the award-winning brand STAR EV is the latest plug-in electric utility vehicle for the UK market, purposefully designed to help move people and equipment around grounds quietly, safely and efficiently.

The Capella Work Machine is powered by a 48v 5kW motor and comes with a choice of two high powered lithium-ion batteries charged via an on-board Lester charger. With a 450A AC Curtis controller and direct drive, the Work Machine offers a range up to 60 miles of travel going at a maximum speed of 20mph for the ultimate productivity from an electric workhorse. Plus, it has a climbing ability of 20%.

This noiseless and emissionsfree utility buggy can take two passengers at a time and has a hydraulic lift rear cargo utility box with an impressive 670kg carry capacity.

The Capella Work Machine represents a range of 28 lithium and sealed battery-powered utility vehicles from STAR EV and available from Reesink e-Vehicles,

which includes electric passenger buggies and small, medium and large capacity electric UTVs and people carriers for up to 23 people. All come with a rapid charge, good mileage per charge, and an extensive warranty – up to six years on batteries.

Dave French, Reesink e-Vehicles’ new electric vehicle expert, said: “Wherever you are and whatever sector you’re in, the ability to work more quietly, earlier and for longer will be an advantage.

Specifically, urban sports stadiums and training grounds and golf courses and resorts with guest rooms or neighbouring residential areas will notice a big difference by switching to electric power.

“STAR EV is a brand that delivers strong technology, innovation, breadth of range, value proposition and, importantly, peak performance.

Electric-powered

technology is a fundamental part of the future; it’s growing rapidly, with customers keen to switch and the arrival of the STAR EV range brings more choice.

“The Capella Work Machine is a standout model for any maintenance team looking to get around the grounds easily and efficiently all day long all on a single charge and is well worth booking a demonstration.”

Allett Mowers’ versatility acknowledged Allett Mowers launched its range of latest battery powered mowers at Saltex.

22 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022

The Uplift 86E is the new 82V li-ion battery powered stadium rotary mower, designed for debris collection after matches and built on the experience gained with previous models.

It features twin contra rotating blades for a high lift cut and vacuum for increased efficiency, while a full width rear roller produces perfect stripes.

The cutting width is 86cm and there is a single point, robust and effortless height of cut adjustment between 20mm – 50mm. The Uplift 86E power source is an 82V

battery system which features four quick change battery docking stations and the mower can use any number of batteries from one to four.

The batteries connect to a phone app via Bluetooth enabling the operator to check battery life, battery temperature and even the batteries’ location.

There are three brushless motors for maximum efficiency and reliability, two powering the blades and one powering the rear roller.

The Allett C34E is a large area

walk-behind electric cylinder mower. Utilising the latest Lithium-ion battery technology it’s designed for quiet operation in sports stadiums, training grounds and for prestige lawns.

One of the Allett range of eco-friendly professional mowers, it has all the power to run a series of interchangeable cartridges to verticut, rake, aerate and brush as well as mow with strong striping and an impeccable cut. Operation is easy with variable speed control of the cylinder and roller. n www.allett.co.uk

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On the far right - Sandy McCubbin Head of Maintenance and team with New Foley Grinders

“GRINDING IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS WE DO” One of golf’s greatest venues, Carnoustie Golf Links, has invested in automatic quality with the Foley Company 653 ACCU-Master Reel Grinder and a 673 Bed Knife Grinder.

In-house grinding has been an integral part of machinery maintenance at The Open Championship venue for 40 years and has played a pivotal role in providing a world-class course for the greats of golf.

Away from The Championship Course, which has hosted the Senior Open Championship and Women’s British Open in the last decade, Head of Maintenance and Estates Sandy McCubbin and his team also prepare machines for the Burnside Course, Buddon Links course and The Nestie a short, free to play, five hole course.

Ensuring the fleet of John Deere mowers and their 112 units are sharp and ready for action is about more than just presentation for Sandy, with disease prevention and the quick turnaround of reels also high on the list of reasons he went for Foley.

“Grinding is actually one of the most important things that we do in the workshop because if you don’t have a good quality of cut on your unit, it can lead to disease on the green,” explained Sandy.

“So, a properly sharpened cylinder and a bottom blade will give you a better finish to look at and also a healthier plant on the green itself.

“We’ve been grinding in-house here for about 40 years, and it is a really established part of what we do. When it came to getting a new cylinder grinder, we were looking for something that we could use for all of our grinding throughout the year.

During our winter maintenance, we take the blades out of the cutting units, but in the summer, we leave them in, so we were looking for a grinder that would give us a good quality finish on the blade, whether it was in the unit or out of the unit and the Foley gave us that, and it was the far better option by a long way.

“Having the Foley 653 speeds up the whole process, especially for tournament preparation.

In the week up to big tournaments, we tend to do a lot more sharpening, so they are ready for that week, and that is where the Foley comes into its own.

“I would say per set of units, and they usually come in threes, we’re probably saving three hours from getting the units from the machine, sharpened and back on.

And that’s a considerable amount of time that we’re able to save, and the finish on the blades is phenomenal.

“Another thing we considered was noise. Our machine has a soundproof cabinet, and you can work around it without wearing ear defenders.

Obviously, the lower the sound level, the easier it is for the operator working around it, so it makes for a much better working environment.” n www.prosportukltd.com

Foley provides championship quality for Carnoustie

TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022 | 23

SALTEX REVIEW

SALTEX A

fter a year’s absence, SALTEX roared back into life and celebrated a very memorable 75th anniversary.

Put back a year due to the pandemic, the buzz was certainly back on the show floor as SALTEX 2021 reunited the industry and brought together almost 7,500 attendees across two days.

It was apparent among exhibitors and visitors that Europe’s largest annual turf management event was exactly what the grounds

24 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022

management industry needed.

New and inspiring technology was celebrated through the SALTEX Innovation Awards; a prestigious hallmark for products showcasing the future of groundscare. From robotics to battery-powered mowers, tractors to utility vehicles, grow lights to chain saws, the entries included a wide variety of high-quality products, services and equipment.

Judged by an independent panel of industry experts, the

following innovations at this year’s awards ceremony took the glory. n Machinery – Ritchie & Ritchie Products LTD – Reversible Bottom Blade n Consumables – Belchim Crop Protection – Enclean n Vehicles – Etesia – ET Lander n Environmental & Sustainability – Reesink Turfcare – Farmtrac FT25G n Information Technology – SGL – TurfPod n Equipment – EGO – EGO

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Back in style Professional-X CSX3000 Top-Handle Chain Saw n Robotics – AMS Robotics – Bigmow RTK and Parc mow RTK n Special recognition – Origin Amenity Solutions – Origin Amenity Solution Turf Science and Technology Centre.

Innovations continued to flourish throughout the event and the ever-popular Eco Village attracted a large amount of footfall. Visitors were able to see cutting-edge sustainable technology in action by

GroundWOW, Dennis Mowers, Allett Mowers, Campey Turf Care Systems, Overton UK, Toro and Avant UK. Every person who registered for SALTEX was in with a chance of winning the battery-powered E6 compact loader from Avant UK on loan for a period of six months, and after being selected by random on the first day of the show, Richard Mason from Sedbergh School was handed the keys to his new prize.

Elsewhere on the show floor, Learning LIVE, SALTEX’s

all-encompassing education programme featured over 30 sessions and a number of highprofile speakers who tackled a number of key issues such as the future workforce, climate change and mental health.

Other show features on the GMA Hub, including Pathology and Soil Science Live, Ask The Expert and the Job Clinic, offered invaluable free advice and career progression opportunities.

Many exhibitors reported } TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022 | 25

SALTEX REVIEW

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SALTEX is back, and back in style } that a substantial number

of visitors were high-quality buyers with serious intent.

Commenting on the vast number of business leads he received, Rupert Price, Managing Director of Price Turfcare, said: “At the end of the first day at the show, we were returning to the hotel and reflecting on the high level of business and number of visitors that we had seen.

“Honestly, we were sceptical about the possible visitor numbers prior to the show but were very pleased with the footfall across the stand and the number of demonstration requests received.”

Echoing Rupert was Caroline Shaw, European Marketing Manager at Trimax Mowing Systems. She said: “SALTEX is about is all about

Sprayer training and safety focus

Operator training and safety figured strongly throughout Saltex on the Hozelock-Exel stand, which featured Cooper Pegler and Berthoud knapsack and pressure professional sprayers.

In what proved a busy two days, grounds professionals were eager to learn latest trends and innovations across the sector.

“Our cutaway sprayer training units are attracting keen interest from industry trainers looking to heighten awareness among those taking PA1 and PA6 certification,” reported Allan Wainwright, Hozelock’s UK National Account Manager.

Leading centres like Harper Adams University have adopted the cutaway sprayers as training aids, while training body LANTRA is soon to follow suit as

26 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022

getting people together. It is a great opportunity for us to network with our dealers, existing customers and new potential customers. SALTEX is a great place for us to entertain, which is always really important.”

The overwhelming consensus was that SALTEX 2021 successfully re-united every corner of the grounds care industry and demonstrated to newcomers just how great the sector is.

“I have been coming to SALTEX for many, many years and I never get bored of it – it is a great opportunity to see what is out there in the industry,” said Ted Mitchell, national facilities development manager at the RFU. “This year has been great, and particularly because we have

demand grows for operators to know sprayers’ inner workings so they can improve maintenance regimes.

“Moves towards a sustainable, circular groundscare sector are sending messages to private and public sector contractors to improve sprayer lifetime expectancy by moving from a throwaway culture to a more sustainable one,” Allan added after the show.

Operator comfort and safety is also of growing concern among contractors and landscapers, given that operators often put in full-day shifts carrying considerable weight of liquid on their backs.

Berthoud knapsacks all include ergonomically designed upper body support to spread loading away from the

gone through a restructure at the RFU, and we have new members of the team. SALTEX has really opened their eyes to the sector and the wider industry.”

Geoff Webb, GMA CEO, reflected on what may well have been the most meaningful SALTEX yet. “On behalf of the GMA we want to extend our thanks to exhibitors and visitors that have showed their support for SALTEX this year. It has been a turbulent period for us all and we are delighted that we got the opportunity to celebrate the 75th edition with so many of you.

“I believe SALTEX 2021 has brought hope for the future and has showcased what our industry is capable of overcoming.” n www.gmasaltex.co.uk

shoulders to the waist, reducing risk of long-term postural and spinal distortion.

“Several landscape contractors asked us how they could adapt their existing shoulder-strap cylinder sprayers to redistribute upper body forces,” Allan said.

“Clearly the sector is starting to take on board the importance of ergonomic design to longer-term operator health and safety.”

Key visitors during Saltex included Hozelock-Exel dealer Progreen and wholesalers Spindrift Sprayers, who carry a weight of expertise about the Cooper Pegler and Berthoud brands.

“We’re delighted to support our dealer network at the show by promoting two of the UK’s top professional sprayer brands,” Allan added.

MAKING TURF MATTER

MAKING TURF MATTER

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Half century of service SALTEX Operations Director, Derek Walder, also known as ‘Mr SALTEX’, has become the third inductee into its industry Hall of Fame.

This latest honour – the most significant gesture of appreciation the GMA can award – follows Derek’s IOG Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014 and was awarded to Derek as an acknowledgement of an illustrious career in the industry spanning more than half a century.

Derek’s career has seen him involved in many corners of the groundscare sector, including 26 years as the Grounds Manager at Wimbledon Football Club’s training site during a legendary period in the club’s history which involved working alongside the notorious group of Wimbledon players known as the ‘Crazy Gang’.

Derek first got involved in SALTEX operations in 1970 as

one of many members dedicating their own time in order to ensure SALTEX was a success.

His time involved in SALTEX has seen him deal with many important moments in the show’s history, like when the show moved from outdoor venues to an indoor one and, most recently, the challenges posed by the Covid-19 public health crisis and ensuring the safety of visitors at this year’s show. This year, marks his 40th delivery of the annual trade exhibition.

His induction into the GMA’s Hall of Fame means that Derek joins legendary grounds managers, the late Eddie Seaward MBE, former Head Groundsman at the All-England Lawn Tennis Club and Steve Braddock, Head of Grounds Management at the Arsenal Football Club training centre. His award represents the

many crucial roles being played behind the scenes that keep the sector, and its events, running. G MA CEO, Geoff Webb, said: “Our Hall of Fame recognises outstanding contributions to the industry and Derek’s achievements go far beyond turf management by bringing together the groundscare sector successfully under one roof year on year.

“Derek has shown unswerving dedication to the success of SALTEX, and this award is richly deserved.”

On receiving his honour, Derek, was keen to share the accolade.

He said: “There’s no ‘i’ in ‘team’; I am surrounded by a great bunch of people who consistently commit 100 per cent to the show.

“I’ve been delivering SALTEX for a long time, but at the end of the day we’ve got a good team and that’s what makes it a success.”

Derek Walder, right, with GMA CEO Geoff Webb

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GRINDING

Maximise workshop efficiency: Relief grind your cutting units

Ian Robson, of ProSport UK Ltd, the UK & Ireland Importer/Distributor for Foley Company, explains why relief grinding maximises the performance of reels by giving a factory finish every time.

A

vital question for a workshop manager is how to maximise efficiency and minimise labour and maintenance equipment costs. One

area to achieve excellent savings is to look at how you maintain the sharpness of your cutting units.

Firstly, why is having sharp cylinders (reels) that are the correct shape so important anyway? The answer is obvious - unhealthy turf brings a whole host of other issues which are costly to correct.

Therefore, prevention is a far more economic approach than a cure.

A huge amount of research and development has gone into designing a cutting unit to produce the cleanest cut possible with the least amount of fraying and tissue damage to the plant. The result is that all manufacturers of grass cutting equipment supply new units with relief ground edges.

WHY RELIEF GRIND?

Tests carried out by leading manufacturers have established

that relief ground cylinders stay on cut up to 3 times longer than spun ground ones and require less horse power to drive the unit, resulting in greater fuel efficiency and less stress on the hydraulic power systems. In addition, a relief ground cylinder will withstand the abrasive effects of top dressing far better than one spun ground because the relief edge on both the bed-knife and the cylinder allows the top dressing to clear the cutting blades easily, helping to prevent the dulling effect seen on spun only units.

Continual relief grinding also decreases the squeezing and tearing of the grass as the units get dull, and most importantly it allows the cylinder to be returned to a factory specification perfect cylinder as quickly as possible.

The overall cleaner cut achieved by relief grinding gives a better

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MAKING TURF MATTER

New cylinder with perfect relief ground cutting edge

after-cut appearance, increased recovery rate due to the clean cut of the grass and reduces the stress on components because less horsepower is needed to drive the cylinder.

As a reel wears flat and loses shape (becomes coned), more stress and strain is put on the cutting systems.

A 5-gang cutting unit with relief can require up to 4.5 HP (5 x 0.88HP = 4.5HP) to drive the cutting units therefore a 35HP engine has 30.5HP remaining to drive the rest of the traction system. A 5-gang unit which has been spun ground only, can require up to 13Hp (5 x 2.59HP = 13HP) leaving only 22HP to drive the rest of the traction system.

So, it has been established that relief grinding your cutting units saves you money not only by reducing workshop maintenance time with far fewer grinds but

Used and dulled edge following wear over time

also through a reduction in fuel costs and replacement parts.

It is also important to acknowledge what relief grinding does for a reel.

By removing metal from the trailing edge of the blade it forms a relief angle, which reduces the contact area of the cutting edges, resulting in less friction, longer wear life.

Typically, when a new mower is delivered the reels will be a perfect cylindrical shape. Over time the blade naturally loses shape, and the sharp edge it arrives with becomes flat and dull, often meaning the reel is no longer a perfect cylinder from end to end. This is referred to as ‘coning’ and a natural point for grinding to take place. The decision then sits between touch-up and spin grinding, or relief grinding.

If there is sufficient relief still on the reel then a quick touch-up is fine but once more than 50% of the

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Flat and dulled edge.

All shape is lost.

The sharp edge and relief is gone

relief has gone my advice would be to relief grind again and remove any coning. Failure to remove the coning will eventually be seen in an uneven cut appearance of your turf.

Foley machines are set-up for both choices, and some models, such as the ACCU-Sharp, ACCU-Pro and ACCU-Master, have automatic grinding pre-sets and adjustment systems to decrease time and labour.

But, the main question mentioned at the beginning comes back; how to get the most out of your workshop resources by choosing the most effective method to sharpen your cutting units. The answer is to trust the manufacturer’s judgement and return the reels as close to the original factory standard as possible, and for that, relief grinding is the best option. The bonus is this method also maximises performance and gives the best cut.

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HERTFORDSHIRE GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB

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MAKING TURF MATTER

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Raising the bar

Scott MacCallum headed to Hertfordshire to meet James Bonfield, a Course Manager for whom a change of club ownership has been a real tonic and a chance to set new standards

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HERTFORDSHIRE GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB

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MAKING TURF MATTER

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“WE KNEW THAT WE WERE BEING TAKEN OVER BUT DIDN’T HAVE TOO MUCH INFORMATION ABOUT THE PEOPLE WE WOULD BE WORKING FOR OR WHAT THEIR GOALS WERE – WE KNEW THEY DIDN’T HAVE A HISTORY IN OWNING GOLF CLUBS. THIS IS THEIR FIRST GOLF COURSE AND WE DIDN’T KNOW OUR POSITION IN THEIR FUTURE PLANS. “

F

inding out that your company has been taken over, or that you have a new boss to whom you will be answering in future, is an unnerving situation. You see it in all walks of life. Your face no longer fits, or you find that your name appears on the list of potential redundancies.

It never ends well. Or does it?

James Bonfield, Course Manager at The Hertfordshire Golf and Country Club, found himself in that very position three years ago and went through all the anxiety and uncertainty that goes along with the territory. However, when we spoke in the ancient splendour of the mansion house around which the course flows, you could scarcely find a happier man.

However, there is no denying that the period before Elysium Golf Ltd, a company with no previous record of golf club ownership or management, was a worry.

“We knew that we were being taken over but didn’t have too much information about the people we would be working for or what their goals were – we knew they didn’t have a history in owning golf clubs. This is their first golf course and we didn’t know our position in their future plans. So, it was all

up in the air,” recalled James.

What is never in doubt during these situations is that they inevitably become hotbeds for all sorts of rumours.

“In the months before there were rumours flying about.

Everyone who was not working here seemed to have a direct line to the owner and knew what was happening,” said James.

“We were only going to be nine holes. We were going to be closed totally. We were going to be this. We were going to be that,” said James.

Given that the land, north of London and in sight of the city of London itself, would be worth a fortune to developers, many of the rumours could possibly have carried some genuine mileage.

“The first couple of times that you hear it you think ‘Whatever’. Then, after we’d been hearing the same things for about six months, it got to some of the lads. I feel very fortunate that I still have half the team from 2019. My Deputy, my Mechanic and my First Assistant are still here,” said James, who stressed that he has no issues with those who left given the uncertainty of the times.

“You could say that we all took a chance and stayed, and we are } TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022 | 33

HERTFORDSHIRE GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB

HERTFORDSHIRE GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB WAS GOING TO CHANGE FOR THE BETTER. “WE WERE NOT TO BE DEALING WITH MEDIOCRE – WE’RE GOING HIGH-END. AND EVERY DECISION SINCE THEN HAS BEEN BASED ON THAT OBJECTIVE.” } very happy that we have. We have

rebuilt team and added to the team.

We had six before the takeover and we are up to ten now – nine greenkeepers and a gardener. It is a sign of where we are moving.”

However, they didn’t know that their coin had come up ‘heads’ until they arrived for work the first day under the new owners.

“On that first morning they had no idea what to expect of what they were going to be told. But then we found Simon Doyle from Troon Golf was there waiting for us.”

Troon Golf had been brought in for six months during the transition and to assess the skills of James and his team. A very smart move by Elysium.

“Simon gave us an overview of what would be happening,” said James “It was good to have Troon here.

They were the contact to the owner and vice versa. Simon just came in that first morning and put everyone

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at ease. When Troon walk in it’s a sign that they are not going to be closing it down soon. You don’t get Troon in for no reason whatsoever.”

It was also a sign that Hertfordshire Golf and Country Club was going to change for the better.

“We were not to be dealing with mediocre – we’re going high-end.

And every decision since then has been based on that objective.”

Simon sat down with the team and said this is the plan.

This is where the owner wants to head and we went off and went through everything.

“Lucky for myself and my background we had a good chat and he soon appreciated where we came from, our abilities and collective drive to make the courses as good as we could make it.

“It was helpful to be able to achieve our machinery needs, what we would need going forward, as the machinery had

in the sheds as a result of the sale, wasn’t fit for purpose.

“He helped us to get a machinery inventory together and get it across the line with the owners and start getting into it so we can move forward,” said James, adding that it was good that people were investing in them.

“The cost of the machinery fleet wasn’t cheap – Toro. And there were no corners cut.

Everything was Toro, other than a Kubota tractor.

“So that’s fantastic. Since then, machinery-wise, we’ve continued to add to it so we’ve got a fairway seeder, two Wiedenmann spikers – one for greens and one for fairways.

Also a trencher so we can do our own drainage works, and another tractor so that we would have more options. So we have got more and we are going to add next year.”

“Every year we continue to progress. It doesn’t always mean }

MAKING TURF MATTER

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James Bonfield, Course Manager at The Hertfordshire Golf and Country Club

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HERTFORDSHIRE GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB

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MAKING TURF MATTER

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“WE LOVE THIS PLACE AND ARE ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE IT BETTER.” } adding new machinery. We will not

just get kit for the sake of getting it. But will get what we need to will make us more effective as a team and allow us to work more efficiently.

“I don’t want to waste the owner’s money. I don’t want him coming down and seeing a bit of kit that has been sitting around doing nothing for six months. That would kill me. I want him to come in and see that everything has been used and that it is all in good nick.

That way we will build up trust.”

Having been given the tools there must be pressure to achieve great things and meet the new found expectations for the golf course.

“This is going to sound bigheaded but it’s not meant to be,” said James. “My Deputy, John Hart, and my First Assistant, Karl Vincent, and I have always tried to

be better than where we were.

“We’ve always tried to push this place forward. We play a lot of golf at other courses. All the team play from +3 to me at 16 handicap we know what better looks like and, more importantly, what it feels to play it.

“The frustration wasn’t quite having the resources to get to where you felt it could be. That is not to fault the previous owners, that’s just the market we were in at that point.

We are not in that market any more.”

How that manifests itself involves doing exactly what they’ve been doing but adding to it.

“Areas we wouldn’t have thought about doing in the past – we can dress tees now and so we discuss if we are to be doing it what do we need? We need to overseed, for example. So we need to build it all into the budget.

“And the same for approaches, because we’ve always grouped tees and approaches together. Then it was how could we improve the course, so we’ve added swales and run-offs round the greens, because we’ve got really nice undulations.”

All this work, as soon as the team were let off the lease, combined to prove to Simon, and ultimately the owner, that James and the team could be left to get on with it.

“Simon is a very knowledgeable guy and runs a lot of golf courses and after about three days he realised that we were confident in doing what we were doing. We were speaking his language. And that got fed back to the owner and he then has more faith in what is going on.

“We love this place and are always thinking about what we can do to make it better.”

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AERATION

The importance of aeration The new year brings with it thoughts of the seasonal jobs ahead that are needed to maintain turf and make sure it is healthy, vibrant and ready for the year. Aeration is an important process in growing strong turf as it allows air, water and nutrients to penetrate the grass root, so it’s a vital task.

Aeration is mainly undertaken to alleviate soil compaction as even slightly compressed soil can obstruct these important elements from reaching the grass roots. This means that grass will struggle to maintain its health during hotter weather and heavy rainfall, making it at risk of losing its quality, and ultimately causing it to die.

Turf should be aerated regularly to maintain the penetration of water and fertilisers to the grass root. However, lawns that are regularly used, such as football pitches or community fields, or those that have a spongey feel should be aerated more often to help grass maintain its strength and vibrant colour. Early spring and autumn, which are prime growing seasons, are the optimum times to aerate

a lawn. During this period, grass can recover more quickly and can better fight off the stress of the aeration process.

Billy Goat has a range of powerful aerators that help to maintain and encourage turf. For the ultimate experience, Billy Goat’s Plugr 25 Hydro Drive Series aerator provides a superior performance and a combination of productivity, operator comfort, variable hole density and is remarkably low maintenance. With the best-in-class controls and in ground steering, the 25 Hydro Drive Series also offers exceptional manoeuvrability and ease in operating.

It also offers The Patent Pending EZ Drop tine system which comes complete with a one-step tine engagement lever.

This allows tines to quickly engage when the lever is depressed, but it is also able to rapidly disengage once the lever has been released, so it can pass over any obstacles during aeration making the process smooth and uninterrupted.

For smaller lawns, the Billy Goat 18 Series aerator offers a smaller design but

supplies just as much power. The model comes equipped with reciprocating cam tines that propel the unit forward and drive cores up to 7cm deep, meaning water, air and nutrients will be able to travel a sufficient depth to the grass root.

With this smaller design, it also offers a lightweight feel so it can be easily manoeuvred around lawns and can reach in smaller, more narrow spaces.

With the ability to cover up to four acres an hour, the Billy Goat Towable 60 Series aerator is ideal for maximising large lawn aerations – helping to save time while efficiently penetrating the grass root. With the addition of swivelling tine assemblies, this model operates with ease and is able to provide a quality aeration pattern of up to 4cm deep.

The Towable 60 Series can also be mounted onto a standard tow bar or category 1, 3-point hitch and can run behind any type of tow vehicle, with the ability to run up to 8 km/h – offering a powerful and timely solution for aerating larger patches of lawn.

SISIS TM1000 is ‘perfect all-rounder’ The SISIS Rotorake TM1000 tractor mounted scarifier is the perfect ‘allrounder’ according to Christian Brain, Grounds Manager at Cheltenham College.

“In a school environment, I need

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to buy equipment that is versatile and can do different jobs on multiple surfaces. The SISIS TM1000 ticks all the boxes,” said Christian.

It was during his previous positions that he first became acquainted with the Rotorake..

“The TM1000 is a machine I have used a lot in my previous roles, and I am delighted that Cheltenham College now has one,” he said.

“The purchase of the TM1000 by the school has been justifiable because it is incredibly versatile and able to undertake both scarification, aeration and grass collection in a variety of situations,” explained Christian.

The Rotorake is a tractor-mounted heavy-duty scarifier and linear aerator and is unrivalled when it comes to

removing and controlling thatch. It includes a collector box and floating unit to follow ground contours and its contra-rotating reel throws debris forward ensuring a clean, consistent groove resulting in an excellent finish.

“I have already scarified the front lawns of the school, which helped to clear out a lot of rubbish before seeding.

“Over half term I have scheduled in a light scarification with it on all of the rugby pitches. We will then see what kind of spring or winter we have, and whether we do a bit more in-depth scarification on some of the areas in preparation for the summer term. It will also be used on the football pitches and cricket outfields.

“The TM1000 is the perfect all-rounder, and it does exactly what we need it to do.

It was the best one on the market for me.”

MAKING TURF MATTER

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Turf care of the future Unique in the world, the airter light 14160 loosens golf greens and turf layers homogeneously from 8cm to a depth of more than 24cm - this with adjustable compressed air and in a continuous working process.

It works through 14 specially developed injection lances with different nozzle types injecting up to one million litres of air per working process into the soil of a football field. With regard to water infiltration, an improvement can be measured immediately on the treated surfaces.

Poorly constructed golf greens that can become waterlogged due to an unfavourable structural can be “defused” by working with the airter with 2 to 9 bars of air pressure.

Also, the unwanted and harmful grubs like May and June beetles as well as the leatherjackets can be controlled effectively and biologically with the airter with 100% guaranteed compressed air.

The so important oxygen through the airing provides stronger roots and thereby a proven vital plant growth. Anaerobic bacteria are destroyed by the airter with the supplied oxygen and a black layer

can never again develop, which has a harmful effect in the soil. There are no disturbing puncture holes in the soil. This prevents the soil from drying out at high temperatures and there are no holes visible in the greens, which are a hindrance and disturbance to the course of the golf ball.

Golfers do not notice anything from this working process, even when it has been carried out on the same day. This means that treatment with the airter is always possible during on-going play without having a negative effect on the playability of the golf greens.

Scientific studies have proven a homogeneous and comprehensive loosening of the soil after tilling with airter. Measurements taken with a penetrometer result in a soil loosening of the turf base layer of at least approx. 30%, which lasts for more than three weeks.

At the same time, a 23% increase in the amount of clippings was measured, as well as up to 48% better water drainage in the soil. The professional maintenance of a biological, organic golf and soccer course in the future can only

be done with active oxygen in the soil!

The first golf operations have already successfully converted to this future form of operation with an airter and more and more are coming! Besides a better, more durable and more beautiful turf, the annual maintenance costs can be reduced.

The airter is also the only machine in the world that can demonstrably loosen hybrid turf systems homogeneously horizontally with compressed air.

TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022 | 39

AERATION

Joint effort produces new sub surface sports turf decompactor Campey Turf Care Systems has combined with British manufacturer, Sumo, to produce the Campey TDS2 sub surface sports turf decompactor, specifically for the turf care industry.

The heavy-duty twin-leg machine is designed to operate behind a 40hp tractor on turf tyres and can be easily adjusted to relieve compaction and aid drainage at depths between 9.5cm and 37.5cm.

Weighing less than 700kg and fitted with Cat I and Cat II hitch, the Campey TDS2 is designed to deliver a sub-surface shattering effect quickly and effectively with minimum surface disturbance. This creates fissures for grass roots to grow into, allows excess water to drain and links up existing drainage, all without the need for external hydraulics or PTO. It is suitable for use on all areas where subsurface compaction is a problem, including football pitches, rugby pitches and semi-rough on golf courses.

This innovative new machine joins

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Campey’s already impressive line-up of aeration equipment and directly responds to customers needs and requests.

“We’re always listening to feedback from customers about the challenges they are facing, ways their maintenance practices are changing and what they need from machines, and that’s what led us to the Campey TDS2,” explained Campey Director, Lee Morgado.

“We have been working on the concept

for some time, so it was fantastic to finally have it out on show at Saltex for our customers to see. The response from those we’ve spoken to already has been very positive, and we’re looking forward to demoing the machine out on sites to show what it can do in the coming weeks and months.

“For us as a company, it’s been a fantastic experience to work with Sumo to bring this concept to life. They are a renowned British manufacturer with vast amounts of experience and skill, and they’ve used both of those things to produce this machine,” said Lee. Designed and manufactured in the UK by their highly skilled production team, Sumo has a worldwide reputation for the highest quality, durable cultivation equipment. This, combined with Campey’s renowned reputation for innovation in the turf care industry, has brought two market leaders together to deliver a simple but highly effective subsurface decompactor.

MAKING TURF MATTER

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GKB’s sign of the tines With the Deep Tine Aerator from GKB Machines, the name speaks for itself! The DTA delivers intensive aeration, with larger models in the range penetrating down to depths of up to 400mm, delivering impressive compaction relief to surfaces across the sporting spectrum.

With the wetter months upon us, keeping surfaces clear of compaction is pivotal for maintaining percolation rates and oxygen flow to the plant and rooting system. When ground and climatic conditions allow, aeration should take place to give your turf the boost it needs to emerge healthy and strong in the spring.

Precision engineered and built for durability and strength, the GKB DTA is available in four working widths from 1.2m to 2.6m meaning

there’s a model suited for smaller jobs on golf greens right up to large scale renovations on winter sports surfaces. Smaller models like the DTA 120 offer a maximum working depth of 250mm, with the depth of the larger DTA 210 and DTA 260 models easily set via simple hydraulic height adjustment. The heave angle of up to 25 degrees is also quick and simple to change.

The unique tine mounting system, exclusive to GKB, allows for more tines per head optimising the efficiency of the operation, while also reducing downtime by improving the speed of changing between sets. In addition, when compared to more traditional ‘tine holder’ set-ups, the wear imposed on parts when changing tines is significantly reduced. A

wide variety of tine options are available, both solid and hollow, with a range of different diameters to suit applications throughout the maintenance calendar.

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AERATION

Tractor and pedestrian aerate to 15cm Groundsman Industries offer two pedestrian aerators 45cm and 60cm working widths plus two tractor mounting models 120cm and 180cm working widths.

All use Groundsman’s proven rugged Elliptical Plunge Action mechanism for aeration down to 15cm.

Quick-change Tine Holders are available for Solid, Hollow and Chisel Tining plus Cluster Tines for dense pattern aeration to remove thatch

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or preparation for over-seeding.

The Groundsman Flexblade Collector attachment is available for both Groundsman tractor mounting aerators to Core & Collect in one pass.

The new universal range of Flexblade Collectors are available for other makes of aerators and for three point mounting on compact tractors for follow-up collection of soil cores and linear aeration debris.

The Groundsman Flexblade is the most

efficient way of collecting aeration soil in all weathers with 60% entering the collector without touching the ground and the remainder scooped cleanly from the surface leaving the aeration holes or slits open.

Don’t forget to check out the Groundsman two and four-wheel drive Turf Multi Cutters, they delivering effortless precision sod-cutting with low operator handle vibration levels. n www.groundsmanindustries.com

MAKING TURF MATTER

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Company aims to be one-stop shop for maintenance services It’s been 18 months of expansions for the team at Air2Root Turfcare Limited – new larger premises, more staff and an even bigger bank of equipment from Redexim!

Among recent purchases are a Verti-Quake 2521, a SpeedSeed and a Verti-Drain 1513 complete with Carrier, which will sit proudly on their fleet alongside their OxyShot air injection unit and will help the company in their aim to become a ‘one-stop shop’ for maintenance services at venues nationwide.

Air2Root Turfcare pride themselves on using market-leading machinery, technology and products to deliver the very best results to facilities from across the sporting spectrum. Alongside developing their own performance-based fertiliser products, they’ve also recently become distributors for DLF Seeds and Boughton Loam.

“It’s been an exciting time and the range of services we can now offer our customers has grown massively” explained Director Jamie Moult.

“But to ensure we continue to deliver the quality of results our clients now expect,

we must have the right machinery at our disposal. The combination of reliability and performance, along with the working relationship we have with Andy O’Neill from Redexim and their dealer network, is the reason we keep coming back.”

Unlike other contractors that run large, heavy tractors and kit, Jamie attempts to keep the majority of his equipment relatively lightweight to minimise compaction and give him complete versatility.

“Our new Verti-Quake 2521 is flat out at the moment, in use on football pitches, rugby surfaces and golf fairways on a daily basis. The rotary action of the blades creates a wave motion which breaks through compacted ground down to depths of 10” – leaving very minimal disruption in its wake.

“We’ve had a lot of feedback from customers on the clean and tidy work the Verti-Quake has been doing, complementing the routine aeration that will have taken place throughout the year,” said Jamie.

“We’ve got such fantastic flexibility

when it comes to completing aeration work, with the selection of Verti-Drain’s, the Verti-Quake and OxyShot we now have at our disposal. As we head into the new year, we then have our Redexim SpeedSeed and a Rink DS800 topdresser to optimise new season growth and assist with spring renovations.”

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AERATION

MAKING TURF MATTER

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York Racecourse goes for second Terra Spike XD8 Head Groundsman at York Racecourse, Adrian Kay, has purchased a second Wiedenmann Terra Spike XD8 after eight years great service from his first.

Adrian explained that the XD8 was an integral part of his operation.

“It’s not a luxury to have two Terra Spikes but a necessity. We will give the original machine a little bit of TLC and then we will run them both at once.”

York’s calendar of flat races traditionally runs from May to October. Last season was unprecedented yet still brought 122 races over 18 race days. The 2021 season started with the Dante Festival in May behind closed doors, was limited to just 4,000 racegoers in June and early July and then a more normal return to racing followed July 23.

Adrian and his team have a tried and tested aeration programme that has

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brought consistency and maintained a high standard for the 15 years he has held post.

“The XD8 is out on the track after every race meeting to alleviate the compaction and damage from the various amount of horses running at about 50mph. We start the process by back filling all the damage from the hooves and then terra spike the day after. We’ve a steady team of 35 back fillers who set about the task with buckets of rootzone and seed mix.

Every hole gets filled in and then we’re good to go with the Wiedenmann.

“Sometimes we’ll be on just the 20mm tines, but we do move up to 25mm tines when required. We don’t roll our course like some places choose to do; we can achieve aeration and de-compaction as well as smoothing the surface with the one machine.”

Adrian said that during the off season the key is to go when the conditions are right and then after each meeting.

“We are out about 12 times a year aerating, de-compacting and re-levelling the surface. In total, we have over 10 hectares which gets done across four-five days, depending on conditions. Until now our mechanic/groundsperson Johnny Crowe volunteers for the job. He splits the course into segments so aeration and de-compaction is done in increments.

“The action of the XD8 is gentle and smooth, even though it is 2.1m wide, creating a lovely finish. If you walk behind, you can see how the tine action treats the ground with respect leaving clean precise holes but still getting the depth. You cannot help but be impressed. If you wanted to race again straight after, you could.”

IRRIGATION

Winter irrigation system projects

by Peter Robin, Origin Amenity Solutions Irrigation Product Manager

If you want your irrigation system to function better next season then winter is the time you can do some “housekeeping”.

However, if you don’t do any corrective work, problems will be the same next season.

My first suggestion derives from all the courses I visit where the pop-up rotors have sunk in the ground, often from years of topdressing. The top of a pop-up sprinkler should sit flush with the surface of the soil when it’s not operating.

I have seen hundreds of sprinklers that sit several inches below the soil surface.

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This means that when the sprinkler pops up, a huge amount of the water hits the turf directly in front of the sprinkler and makes a big mess. This affects the sprinkler’s ability to operate properly. Lifting a sprinkler is relatively simple if you have swing joints installed, although I’m not the one doing the digging! You’ll need to dig down far enough that you can pull the swing joint to lift the sprinkler. Use a straight edge like a rake handle across the ground surface to gauge the correct height of the rotor as you backfill the hole… leave half an inch difference to allow for the turf. Then pack the soil down hard around the swing joint and rotor. Finally, make sure the rotor is vertical; this can make a massive difference to its throw and uniformity of coverage.

The benefit of this work is that you don’t need the irrigation system to be operating to make this important adjustment. You will also probably know of sprinklers that have been playing up or are just getting really old… it’s a chance to change them out for new ones.

While you’re in the process of lifting sprinklers, take a look at your solenoid valve boxes. These house all your solenoid valves, isolating valves and cable connections under the ground.

They are designed to take the weight of your machinery driving over them but

are notorious for having slumped over time and can become a hazard to players.

Digging up the box, cleaning out the soil from the solenoid manifold and reinstating the box at the correct height will make the area look much better and safer.

Rain Bird supply replacement lids so you don’t have to purchase a complete new box when the lids get lost or broken.

However if valves or boxes are broken, now is the time to install new ones.

Rusty gate valves can be replaced too.

Lots of courses have automatic control systems that aren’t working properly anymore. If you have areas of the course that used to be automatic but now the system won’t talk to the controller, it’s likely to be a solenoid cable fault. Often this is caused by cable connections that have corroded over time. Use a cable locator }

MAKING TURF MATTER

} to track the cable path; you should

be able to hire one. Most cable locators will tell you when there is a significant earth leakage and this is where you should start digging.

If you repair a cable, always install the cable connections in a valve box so you can find them again.

Most irrigation cable connectors are filled with grease. Don’t reuse the cable connectors. You can buy new irrigation cable connectors designed for decoder systems for around £2.50 each. If the copper in a cable joint is black from water ingress, cut the cable back a few

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inches and make a new connection.

Most controller systems on golf courses use decoders. If you have a solenoid valve that isn’t responding to your controller but you have power getting to it, the simplest way to test it is to swap the decoder for a new one that you know is working.

Winter is a great time to give some love to your irrigation system, before the stress returns. If you have questions, contact your Rigby Taylor or Headland Amenity manager (Origin Amenity Solutions), or your preferred irrigation contractor. n www.originamenity.com

Unique solenoid technology at a competitive price Rain Bird’s ESP- LXIVM two wire irrigation controller, with smart valve technology, features a Solenoid module that remains in continuous two way proactive contact with the controller. This provides real-time, highly efficient irrigation with immediate diagnostic feedback to identify problems quickly, simplify troubleshooting, automatically restart irrigation without manual intervention and shut off valves to avoid leaks in the event of power failure.

The availability of this unique solenoid technology, now at a highly competitive price thanks to manufacturing efficiencies, means that those involved in landscape and sports turf irrigation management can invest without compromise in Rain Bird’s most advanced best in class controller that offers significant advantages over other controllers in terms of stations, programming and diagnostics.

The overall capability of ESPLXIVM is reflected in the 240 station capability of the large scale Pro version, comparing favourably with many other controllers that are limited to a 200 stations or less and with significantly lower programming capacity. Up to 40 irrigation programmes can be set, with each program offering up to eight start times per day across 10 flow zones, making it an ideal solution for sports grounds and similar installations where a range of irrigation regimes are required to provide exactly the right training

surface. The low power usage of the IVM Solenoids mean that 16 stations can be operated simultaneously.

Even the Standard version of ESP-LXIVM can offer 60 stations as standard and 10 independent programs for less intricate training requirements as well as for medium size real-time irrigation control applications in areas such as landscaped housing developments and gardens, parks, schools and commercial sites.

Wireless communication with a network communication cartridge means that the ESP- LXIVM can be used with Rain Bird’s IQ4 central control browser based irrigation management system. This gives the user remote internet control from a smartphone, tablet or desktop PC. The controller’s IVM-SEN interface allows real-time flow sensing and management tools to be used, including Rain Bird’s FloWatch and FlowManager, to guard against high or low flow conditions. Interface with a weather sensor will also promote water conservation through a reduction in total watering times. n www.rainbird.eu

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IRRIGATION

MAKING TURF MATTER

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A winning combination

Course manager John Smith operating Toro’s Lynx central control system from his phone

Reesink Turfcare has long recommended renovation for irrigation wherever possible. It solves a multitude of issues, keeps costs down, minimises disruption and brings the system bang up to date. And with Reesink’s training support on hand too,

it’s been a winning combination for Breadsall Priory Golf Club.

Renovating its irrigation was an approach recommended to John Smith, Course Manager at Breadsall Priory, by Reesink when the system started experiencing communication errors and electrical breakdowns on both its systems on both its courses in 2018.

“Completely replacing everything would have resulted in huge costs, but with the help of Reesink’s Toro irrigation team, including Peter Newton and Cevan Edwards, we discovered we only needed to upgrade the two control systems and we’ve saved a lot of money thanks to renovating rather than replacing,” explained John.

The existing wiring and pipework were found to be compatible with being updated to Toro’s Lynx central control system which would control the irrigation on both courses.

“The biggest difference is that now we can water both courses at

the same time. Before we had to water the courses over alternating nights, so this is game-changing.”

Another benefit to having the system come into its own over the Pandemic.

“The remote control aspect has always been really useful and convenient, but never more so than during the Pandemic,” said John.

“It meant that irrigation was never disrupted even with a reduced team and restricted access to the club over certain periods. I could activate it throughout and even put ‘rain hold’ on when the weather changes and I wasn’t on site. It played dividends to the state of the turf over that period.”

Since 2018, John has been updating the sprinklers on the course to Toro Infinity for the Championship Priory course and T7s on the Moreland course.

“It’s an ongoing project, we’re replacing 20 a year until they’re all done.”

Lee brings wealth of knowledge to KAR UK KAR UK, a leading wholesaler of irrigation equipment, has boosted its team with the appointment of Lee Williams who joins as a new area sales manager.

Lee (pictured) will be covering the areas of North England, North Wales and Scotland, and brings with him a wealth of experience.

After studying for a Diploma in Horticulture at the prestigious Myerscough College, Lee started his career as an apprentice greenkeeper. He then switched golf for football when he accepted a position at Manchester City FC’s Carrington training ground – a role which saw him progress to Head Groundsman after just 12 months.

With further roles at Oldham Athletic FC, and as a contractor, a Sales Manager and a Technical Sports turf journalist, Lee has remained in the groundscare industry for the entirety of his career.

He revealed that the opportunity to join 48 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022

KAR UK was just too good to turn down: “Having been in the industry a long time, it is a company I know very well,” said Lee. “I have heard a lot about the products, particularly Hunter irrigation, and everyone who has used the equipment is always full of praise. The company also has a market leading reputation and that really drew me towards accepting the job.

“KAR UK is a small but highly professional team and it has a family feel to it - everyone is there to support and help one another, and that really appeals to me.

“I’m looking forward to getting back out there and meeting new people and customers,” continued Lee. “It is a new challenge, and in a way, it will be like going back to school for me as there will be a lot to learn, but I’m looking forward to the future and hopefully playing my part in growing the business.” n www.karuk.com

DURHAM SCHOOL

WHAT IS IT ABOUT DURHAM?

Scott MacCallum talks cricket with Durham School’s Head of Grounds Barry Boustead, learns how a merger with the city’s Chorister School has brought together 600 years of heritage, and muses about THAT song...

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MAKING TURF MATTER

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Leaving, said Roger Whittaker. Leaves, says Barry Boustead

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DURHAM SCHOOL

ONE MAN WHO HAS NO INTENTION OF LEAVING DURHAM ANY TIME SOON IS BARRY BOUSTEAD, HEAD OF GROUNDS AT DURHAM SCHOOL, FOR WHOM GAZING OVER HIS VIEW AFTER A FULL DAY’S GRAFT IS VERY MUCH BALM FOR THE SOUL.

O

ne of renowned singer songwriter (and whistler) Roger Whittaker’s most famous pieces of work was Durham Town, in which he sang “I’m going to leave old Durham town.” It’s a lovely song, but having been to Durham recently, I can’t see any reason why anyone would wish to leave.

There can be few more beautiful places in the country in which to earn a crust than Durham – named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986. The sheer beauty of the famous cathedral, which sits majestically above the historic buildings, give it a mystic which would be hard to replicate anywhere. Oh, and it’s a City despite what Roger says. Probably “city” didn’t scan as well as “town”!

One man who has no intention of leaving Durham any time soon is Barry Boustead, Head of Grounds

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at Durham School, for whom gazing over his view after a full day’s graft is very much balm for the soul.

“My place of work really is quite spectacular. There are not many better settings than this,” said Barry.

“Like many jobs you can occasionally get a bit fed up, but then I just look out over our main rugby pitch to the cathedral and everything seems a little bit better.”

But the fact that Barry has been at the school for 13 years suggests that those days when a “fix” of the view is very much required are few and far between.

“It is a good place to work. I wouldn’t have stayed so long otherwise,” he said, before admitting that his original Plan A had been to remain for around four years and then emigrate to New Zealand!

The job Barry started out with has changed since he began as Head of

Grounds, however. He has added the Gardens portfolio too, while a merger with The Chorister School in the city, just last September, bringing together a shared heritage of over 600 years, has increased the number of children using his beautifully prepared pitches and grounds, while adding to the complexity of his role.

“We have inherited two playing fields, one of which has three junior rugby pitches, while I don’t know what the plans are for the other as yet. Personally, I’d like to be a training area to keep them off my rugby pitch, but it will be down to the sports department at the end of the day,” he laughed.

As part of the merger Barry has acquired one new part-time member of staff, Jon Bland, who had been working at The Chorister School, but with Barry himself and two other staff, Damian Merrigan }

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Barry Boustead, second left, and his team at Durham School.

Right, the magnificent cathedral stands proud over the city

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DURHAM SCHOOL

} and Darren Keeler, they are certainly kept extremely busy.

“Even visiting the new fields can be a challenge as they are on a busy road and at peak times, or as was recently the case, when a bridge was closed and traffic diverted, it can take 10 to 15 minutes just to make the right turn before we can get back. That sort of time can add up and over a week can be quite significant.”

And time is one thing the team can’t really afford to lose.

Particularly over the autumn period when, on a site with so many mature trees, clearing leaves is the Durham School equivalent of painting the Forth Rail Bridge.

“It’s a daily job from October through to January and we clear every leaf off the site pretty much.

We collect them and put them in a pile behind our shed which just builds up and then rots down.”

How many man hours a week are devoted to the task?

“This week for example two of us have been on the job and

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OTHER JOBS DO TAKE PRIORITY BUT SO MUCH TIME IS DEVOTED TO LEAF CLEARANCE. I ALWAYS HAVE A TARGET OF GETTING EVERY LEAF CLEARED BY CHRISTMAS, BUT I’VE NOT DONE IT YET all we have done is leaves so it’s anywhere upwards of 50 hours a week. Other jobs do take priority but so much time is devoted to leaf clearance. I always have a target of getting every leaf cleared by Christmas, but I’ve not done it yet!”

The other on-going issue, also tree related, is the school’s artificial hockey pitch, which sits in a lovely, secluded site surrounded by trees.

“Being surround by trees means that silt – dust or sap – has collected within the profile. Then when we get a heavy downpour the silt rises to the top and it gets very slippy – not something you would want on an artificial pitch.

“We’ve tried different brushing

machines and it has improved slightly but we are going to see how this winter goes before we see what our next step is. We are using a SISIS Twinplay with stiff brushes and it seems to do a good job. Ideally, we’d like to do it twice a week but pressure of work means that we can only fit it in once a week. It’s an on-going problem.

“One solution would be to take out the existing sand and replace it but that is costly.”

With leaves taking up a significant part of the year it is grass cutting which occupies the rest and with cricket, in particular, it is an intense fixture list.

“We can have three or four fixtures }

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View of the cathedral from the school grounds

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DURHAM SCHOOL

} a week and we have 12 match strips on our main cricket ground and three down on the bottom ground,” explained Barry, adding that the main cricket pitch shares its space with the first team rugby pitch – which boasts sets of posts which reach a remarkable 17 metres – the same height as those found at top grounds such as Twickenham.

To prepare the cricket wickets Barry and the team rely on a single Allett C20 wicket mower, which makes advanced planning an essential part of the job and leans heavily on the reliability of the mower.

“I get the fixtures in at the beginning of the season and then fit in the Cup fixtures as the teams progress through the tournament. I do have a good relationship with the Director of Cricket so he has a good idea of what we are capable of producing.

We can hold three fixtures at once – two on our upper field and one down in the other field.”

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On the reliability? Well, that’s not always down to the machine itself.

“I did clip a stud and bent the bottom blade on our Allett,” confessed Barry.

“Fortunately, we do have a good relationship with the University. I started my career there and was at school with the Head Man, Paul Derek’s, kids, and we do help each other out. They helped me with a wicket mower after the bent bottom blade incident, and last summer they had a problem with their tractor, which they use to cut their big fields with gang mowers, so they were able to use our Kioti.”

That kind of mutual back scratching can help solve immediate problems, but also ease the budgetary strain on hire fees which can, with the now longer lead times on spare parts, mount up quickly.

If pushed, Barry would say that his first love is cricket and his aim is always to produce the best surface possible.

“I’m a big believer that a good

cricketer will be able to react to any situation and while I do talk with the Director of Cricket I’m never under pressure to produce a wicket to suit our own team. What they see is what they get,” said Barry, who while he didn’t ever play the game, has a real passion for preparing cricket wickets.

So much so, in fact, that he spent a week with Vic Demain and his team at Chester-le-Street working at a Durham county match.

“The week I had was really good. I learned so much, mainly from seeing how the team all operate and come together to work towards the same goal. Vic and I are still in touch and he helps run the Durham Groundsman Association. He is a great communicator and having come from grass roots level has a real affinity with guys in our position – those working with one wicket mower!”

Barry’s arrival in the industry came about very much by chance.

He’d begun a degree course in business management at Sunderland which involved a placement working

MAKING TURF MATTER

for a year at a local council.

“It was working in the marketing department, but I soon learned that being stuck behind a computer just wasn’t for me. I left and found a position on a summer contract working on the grounds’ team at Durham University.

“When a full time contract came up I got the job and loved it.

They put me through my NVQs at Haughall College, which was just across the road. I did my NVQ 2 in sports turf and my NVQ 3 in sports turf management. I knew at that stage that it was the career for me,” said Barry, whose previous experience had amounted to cutting his dad’s lawn on a weekly basis!

After four and a half years the Durham School position came up and Barry got the job.

As he looks out at the fabulous view of the Cathedral, he has never had any doubts that he chose the right career and is very happy at Durham. Roger Whittaker on the other hand…”

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EQUIPMENT INVENTORY JCB 354 tractor JCB Workmax Major tractor mounted roller mower Toro 6500d Kioti WD 1260 ride on mower 3 x STIHL battery pack blowers STIHLl BR 600 petrol blower Billy Goat blower 2 x STIHL strimmers 2x Honda rotary mowers Ferris FW25 mower SISIS Twin play SISIS Rotorake Allett c20 Dennis 36inch cylinder mower And my most important and favourite tool in the shed, says Barry, the SISIS Combi Rake.

TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022 | 57

NEWS EXTRA

Robot saves time and T

he Lilywhites’ home ground Deepdale, holds the title of the ‘world’s oldest professional footballing site in continuous use’ with Preston North End FC remaining loyal to the plot of land that [former cricket] club members leased in 1875.

Today, PNE Head Groundsman Pete Ashworth and his team of six, are ensuring that the site continues to remain ‘fit for purpose’ by maintaining excellent pitch standards at Deepdale – as well as those at the club’s Springfields academy site and newly acquired firstteam training ground in Euxton.

Both sites feature four, natural turf and fibresand pitches and are located a few miles apart, which can cause a timemanagement issue for Pete, although he’s now able to reduce pitch-marking man hours – thanks to Rigby Taylor’s robotic line-marking technology.

Pete’s team includes Sam Newton who oversees the Deepdale stadium, 19 year-old Luke MacDonald looks after the Springfields site, while Dean Ash and Dan Mahoney manage the new Euxton

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site – assisted by two willing apprentices, Harry Duckworth and John Paul Mcavoy, who are given work experience across all sites, as and when required.

When the club took over the Euxton pitches in September last year [it was previously owned by Bolton Wanders and more recently Wigan Athletic FC] Pete explained that the site hadn’t been renovated, and that there was a high population of meadow grass and no fertiliser had been applied since February that year.

Dan, a former Wigan Athletic FC groundsman, joined the grounds team around the same time, and Pete said that his knowledge of the site helped to get the pitches back on track with an agreed well-balanced fertiliser programme that mirrored the one used at the Springfields site – before raking out and lightly top dressing the pitches ready for use.

This programme included Rigby Taylor’s Activate biostimulent, ConVert and ConVert Gold, Apex and Nutri-Link liquid fertiliser – and this, plus other turf-related issues are discussed on a regular basis by Pete

and former Preston Golf Club Course Manager, Andy Merry, who is now Pete’s local Rigby Taylor Sales Technician.

“I’ve worked with Rigby Taylor for most of my time at Preston and trust the products because they have always performed.

Andy and I have a great relationship. We have regular sit-down chats and plan what we think the pitches need the month ahead. We look at the weather forecast, compare it with the year before, and decide which products to use,” said Pete.

Pete uses Rigby Taylor R14 grass seed on the Deepdale pitch and likes to mix up the grass seed on training ground pitches to “see what works best” – using Rigby Taylor’s R140 grass seed on half of the natural turf and fibresand pitches. Andy is also working with Pete to get the best product colour and longevity by conducting trial plots on the Springfields and Euxton sites.

Regarding grounds team time management across the extended training ground sites, Pete says available man hours can be a problem – particularly when marking pitches in the height of

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money the summer when the grass growth meant cutting the lines out every day.

He saw a potential solution when he was introduced to Rigby Taylor’s robotic Tiny Line Marker at SALTEX 2019 and after subsequent demonstrations, advised the club that it would be a cost-effective time saver for the grounds team.

“Getting the robot is quite innovative for us and we’re pleased the club supported us. We now take the TLM to mark out twice a week at each site – it’s used on the first team training ground on a Monday and Thursday, and the academy on a Tuesday and Friday. If there’s only one lad at the academy site, he can just set it off while he gets on with the cutting or vertidraining – it’s definitely helping us a lot.”

When the TLM Sport arrived, Pete and his team had a ‘hands-on’ TLM Sport training day at Euxton. Andrew showed the team how to use the accompanying tablet, access the football pitch templates and how to plot bespoke pitch markings.

“We literally turn on the tablet, click on the required pitch template and

press start – it’s so easy,” Pete says, adding that he also uses Rigby Taylor’s IMPACT paint for vibrant lines.

“Now all the pitch templates are stored in the tablet for each site, if we ever lose one – for example, if we were cutting and didn’t mark it, we know we can put the robot back out and it will mark it up from scratch within half an hour.”

The grounds team’s hard work doesn’t

go unnoticed either. West Ham FC’s first team recently trained at the Springfields site before their mid-week game against Man United FC and their Saturday fixture with Leeds FC and as well as some of the players. West Ham manager David Moyes remarked on how good the pitch was – compared to when he was managing the club 20 years ago. n www.originamenity.com

Preston North End Head Groundsman Pete Ashworth with Rigby Taylor’s Tiny Line Marker

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SUB IRRIGATION AIR

The ultimate aerification system for natural grass pitches and golf courses Steve Wilson, PAC-Asia Business Development Manager from Bernhard

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We want to hear what you have to say. All of our social platforms are open forums where we encourage people to share knowledge and experiences… make sure you’re part of it! www.turfmatters.co.uk

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“THERE ARE THREE THINGS THAT GRASS PLANTS NEED: SUNLIGHT, MOISTURE AND FRESH AIR. WE CAN’T GIVE YOU SUNLIGHT, BUT WE CAN PROVIDE AND CONTROL THE TWO OTHER KEY ELEMENTS OF EFFICIENT GROWTH IN THE ROOT ZONE.”

S

ubAir Systems, a high-tech system provided by Bernhard and Company to EMEA and parts of Asia, is one of the most revolutionary products in the turf industry, being trusted by some of the most famous golf courses and natural grass stadiums around the globe.

We sat down with Steve Wilson, PAC-Asia Business Development Manager from Bernhard and Company, and Matt Cindea, Global Project Consultant from SubAir Systems, to learn more about the product and why it is the ultimate aerification system for natural grass pitches and golf courses.

“As a concept, SubAir is a vacuum and aerification system for natural grass pitches and golf courses,” said Matt.

“In pressure mode, the system simply pushes clean oxygen into the selected root zone of any pitch or green, encouraging the best possible growing conditions for the grass plants. This is extremely important, as grass naturally develops waste gas that formulates around the root zone – even more so during high temperatures. Being able to remove these gases and replace them with fresh oxygen means that the growing conditions

can be regulated continuously and kept at optimal levels.

“The vacuum mode essentially works in the complete opposite way, by pulling air out and away from the bottom of the root zone.

When you remove air from this zone, it also pulls moisture away at the same time, which allows the user to be very calculated when determining the amount of moisture they want within their soil profile.

“This use of SubAir Systems is perhaps the most globally recognised and is certainly one that our customers appreciate, because it allows them to maintain }

Matt Cindea, Global Project Consultant, SubAir Systems

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SUB AIR

} a constant moisture level despite

The SubAir System lives underground

any large storms or deluges of water that might otherwise flood their pitch or course.

“We also install sensors in the playing surfaces that can monitor the salinity, moisture, temperature and oxygen levels of the turf. The information collected by those sensors then directly feeds into our system which can create an autoresponse. For example, the system can be programmed so that if there is a spike in moisture levels, the vacuum will automatically pull air out until the moisture level drops back down to the desired number.

“Initially, the SubAir product was created purely to push air into a root zone. The prototype product was actually derived from a powerful leaf blower, which was used to blow air through a drainage system to provide fresh oxygen to a green

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that struggled particularly badly with flooding each year. Over the course of a couple of months, it became obvious that the green was able to recover quicker due to the better-quality air circulating beneath the soil. From that came the realisation that if you could push oxygen into the subsoil, with a reversed power source you could just as easily remove air and water.

“Every SubAir System that we install has to contend with a different growing environment. We have systems all over the world, in Asia, North America, South America and Europe. The systems in each of those locations need to be programmed differently to tackle each totally unique climate.

We work very closely with the turf manager at each individual site to determine their exact treatment requirements. With so many variables in play at each location, it is extremely important for us to go through a rigorous consultation process to understand the bespoke needs of each client and how we can deliver the best possible results.

“An example of the differing climates and how they have totally unique requirements would be with one of our more recent installations

in Qatar. The amount of rainfall each year in Qatar is extremely low and the temperature rarely drops below 25 degrees Celsius.

This kind of installation very much goes against the misconception that SubAir Systems are all about moisture control. In Qatar, the turf management teams will be using the system almost exclusively in pressure mode, to provide fresh, cool oxygen to the pitches and help remove the waste gases that build up much more quickly in intense heat.”

Steve added that they had learned a lot from installing SubAir in Qatar.

“At one particular venue that is located by the coast, there is a very high water table. At this time of year in Qatar, they will overseed with Rye grass, which means they are watering the surfaces a lot. As such, the moisture levels within the turf have been very high, so they have been using their vacuum system to pull some of that moisture down which inadvertently reduced the salinity of their soil.

“In addition to reducing salinity, some turf managers will also use the vacuum system to help with their chemical applications. If they are looking to apply a root treatment, they can use the vacuum system to

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“WE HAVE INSTALLATIONS ACROSS MULTIPLE DIFFERENT PLATFORMS, FROM GOLF TO CRICKET, BASEBALL, SOCCER, HORSE RACING AND TENNIS, JUST TO NAME A FEW.”

With temperatures that rarely drop below 25 degrees, this stadium in Qatar reinforces that fact that SubAir isn’t all about moisture control

draw the chemicals further down into the root profile for maximum efficiency. I really can’t overstate how valuable it is to have control of a natural grass pitch, and the ability to pump in clean air and remove water. Not just from a maintenance perspective, but it is also so important from a safety side of things. The ability to dictate a perfect playing surface means that

the field will be in the safest possible condition for those competing on it.”

Matt explained that each system has its own control panel that is housed on-site and allows turf managers to quickly and easily control their system.

“We have access to all our installations through an oversight app that allows us to make manipulations if requested, and

we are always happy to consult with our customers on process recommendations. Ultimately though, it is a tool that we are providing to turf managers that will give them the ultimate platform to deliver the healthiest and most effective pitch or golf green.

“It’s important to note that SubAir is by no means just a product for golf.

It was developed to help and improve any natural grass pitch or green. We have installations across multiple different platforms, from golf to cricket, baseball, soccer, horse racing and tennis, just to name a few. Every installation is completely bespoke – our team of engineers will take a look at the space provided, then custom engineer a system to fit that location.

“A SubAir System is the best insurance policy in the world for sporting venues that host major events or tournaments. Events that take place on an international or global scale have millions, if not billions of dollars pumped into them – look at the World Cup for example. If the heavens opened and a deluge of rain came down, it is completely feasible that pitches would quickly become unplayable and the cancellation of games in international and global tournaments can cost organisers millions. In the grand scheme of a project, having that insurance when it comes to game day is priceless.

“The future of SubAir is extremely bright. Maintaining a pitch is far more than throwing some seed onto a field and applying some fertilisers.

Turf care is a science and modernday expectations are very high.

When new pitches and golf courses are being created, everything has to be done to the highest possible level, including the turf, and SubAir is essential if you are looking to deliver the very best possible turf.”

TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022 | 63

MANAGEMENT

BUYERS’ GUIDE

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64 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022

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Over 75% of all SALTEX visitors also had the ability to sign off purchases of up to £100,000.

As for the type of facilities that the WETTING AGENTS visitors were responsible for, it was great to SOIL SURFACTANTS see such a wide array of visitors (table 2). hat they ORGANIC Visitors also found the more central FERTILISERS new products, location of the NEC to be more accessible 0% wanted 01233was 633267 with 70% stating that the new location educational either good or excellent. Within the halls of and to receive UK.aquatrols.com the NEC, visitors favoured the more compact e IOG’s Ask setting with over 70% rating the layout of much on offer the event either good or excellent. hing for Overall the visitor survey has hat they were demonstrated just how good the was the in meeting quality of attendees – further enhancing …because SALTEX as the must attend event of the of visitors year. new products SALTEX 2016 will be held at the NEC, came to the GROUNDS MAINTENANCE SUPPLIES Birmingham on 2 and 3 November 2016. For a great way more information visit www.iogsaltex.com products and

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TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022 | 65 04/03/2016 14:05

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66 | TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022

Tea Break Teaser – the answers 1. Stamford Bridge; 2. Steffi Graf; 3. Fewer. Nine players have more than 22 wins on the European Tour; 4. Toulouse; 5. Paul Scholes; 6. Johnny Weissmuller (Tarzan) in 58.6 seconds; 7. Two – Denis Law and Kenny Dalglish, both with 30; 8. Walter Hagen; 9. Moscow, in 1980; 10. Millennium Bug; 11. Jack Dempsey; 12. It was the last one contested by GB&I alone, before the rest of Europe joined in 1979; 13. Goran Ivanisevic; 14. Wales; 15. Liverpool.

COMMENT

I don’t know if it’s because it is the game of the common man but while Scotland has stricter Covid restrictions than our friends south of Hadrian’s Wall, when it comes to golf we have had much more freedom over the last 12 months.

Sure we were limited to two balls in the early part of the year, and the gap between tee times stretched by a couple of minutes, but we soon got back to our regular fourballs and the benefits of marching seven miles around hilly terrain – plus additional mileage in far too optimistic ball searches – was hugely beneficial both physically and mentally.

Golf has come out of – or, more correctly, is coming out of – our two years of Covid in pretty good shape.

Memberships are up and the game is enjoying a real

boost in popularity.

That can’t be bad. But there is still an underlying issue with the Royal and Ancient game and it revolves around the second of those two words – Ancient!

I am within sight of the big six zero, yet I am still one of the younger members of our golfing gang. Now I don’t know about you but when I was a lad, someone of the age I am going to be later this year, was officially old. Now I reluctantly appreciate that this particular cap fits.

My childhood pictures are all in black and white; I can recall when telephones had dials; I received corporal punishment at school; I used my first cashpoint machine on my first day at college; our cars had manual chokes; how we all gathered around in the office to see our first fax be received, and couldn’t quite believe the wizardry, and how we had to queue up to use the office computer.

Try explaining that to the young nowadays.

But I digress. The point is while I’m still in short trousers in golf club terms we need to find a way of making our game attractive to the younger, and next, generation.

I started out, as did most of my generation, with cut down hickory clubs – now I really am showing my age! – but equipment isn’t really the issue for new starters. There are all sorts of junior sets available and they are relatively inexpensive.

More it is the opportunity to play in a relaxed unpressurised manner. That’s not available at many members’ clubs, where members like to preserve the course for themselves and see visitors and juniors as evils to be tolerated. But

forward thinking proprietary golf clubs are more likely to have starter par-3 courses and professionals on hand to ease youngsters into the game.

The joy of connecting with the ball and sending it airborne for the first time remains with a new golfer for a long, long time. Next in the satisfaction stakes is holing your first long putt.

Both are up there with scoring a goal or a try.

But, let’s face it. Unless you are Charlie Woods, the game isn’t easy and there is more disappointment to be had than bursts of euphoria and that is the nub of it.

We must find a way of easing new golfers through the initial pain barrier and getting to the stage where they are fit to attempt the golf course itself … and not feel the pressure of getting in other players’ way.

It is possible. We all managed and got the stage where we enjoyed the game even if we didn’t need to employ the services of an engraver too often.

However, today’s instant gratification society doesn’t lend itself to grinding it out on the range or the putting green and we need to find a way of encouraging people to take up the game otherwise this unexpected boost in popularity will disappear as quickly as we hope Covid will.

So, I would as the first of a series of “baby steps” suggest that we take time to chat with the new golfers at the club to make them feel comfortable – how about giving them a ball. It doesn’t have to be split new, just not overly scabby.

For a youngster a lost ball can be a bigger blow than it is for us hardened ball losers. It would be a nice gesture.

It would be the first step on a road which may even lead to offering to play a round with them, or marking their card if they are going for a handicap.

Every little bit might help. *As told to Scott MacCallum TURF MATTERS | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022 | 67