MAKING TURF MATTER
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TURF Halting the loss of talent Don’t forget Sport… Like many other industries, the sports turf industry is suffering from staffing The lastand two months have been nightmare for many people to inwork certain shortages Course Managers andaHead Groundsmen are having parts of the country and my heart goes out to everyone dealing with miracles to produce their usual top quality surfaces with diminished resources. the aftermath of unprecedented flooding and devastating erosion.
It is tough, butcase morescenario than thatfor it is, as Geoff Webb describes, “a ticking time The best many is months of temporary living. For others, never to surfaces. what they were. bomb” for lives sportswill which relyreturn on grass If sufficient numbers cannot be While the fateto ofmaintain sports grounds and and golf sports clubs pitches, might seem found and retained golf courses the ability to inconsequential in the face of such hardship, we at Turf Matters have play sport on those surfaces may be lost – unacceptably long grass and modern a particular empathy with everyone who has seen years of agronomic day health and safety legislation may make play impossible. husbandry literally washed away in the space of a few weeks.
It must be hoped that are banks – the institutions, not the Neither the GMA or BIGGA sitting onfinancial their hands, with both bodies things which edge overflown – takeother an understanding approach exploring potential solutions and rivers encouraging stakeholder bodies to to sporting facilities which have been unable to service loans as a take whatever action is in their gift. Hopefully that action will work towards result them being unplayable and so unable to bring in revenue. long termofsolutions.
As we have seen with the recent Winter Olympics, sport has such a Turf Matters looks intoonwhat can legitimately be described as aso crisis in this galvanising effect society and can be the catalyst for much good, that it is imperative sporting facilities are not forgotten issue and shines a spotlight on some of the solutions which arewhen beingthe mooted. is being allocated. And, it’s notpromised all down assistance to higher wages! On the issue of improving sporting facilities, we have been We have again picked upby major awards in the annual International invited Briggs & Stratton to become involvedTOCA in its Pitch competition. TimtoMoat Best Design for our front cover “Light at the Endfor Winwon competition, which provides a £3,000 makeover of the Tunnel”, also winning the Gardner Award for18s Best in Competition, while what is judged to be the Under football pitch in most needBest – find out more onthe pages 16-17.ofI BT amMurrayfield”. on the judging your Editor collected Writing for “In Shadow panel and visits will be made to a shortlist of deserving Turf Matters has now won Gardner Awards in each of the pitches soon. We will be looking not so much at the competitions since 2019 well as numerous category wins. While DESSO but the as desperate! Awards are what is more still is reception the great support we Ongreat, a final note, I amgratifying thrilled by the that the receivefirst fromissue the industry fromreceived. our readers. of Turf and Matters Many people have taken time to say how much they liked the look of the Scott MacCallum, 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.
WELCOME
iWelcome
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. Customer Editor: ScottRelations MacCallumManager: Sinead Thacker scott@turfmatters.co.uk sinead@turfmatters.co.uk Design and Production Editor: Tim Moat Sales Executive: tim@turfmatters.co.uk Marie Anderson Sales Manager: Pauline Thompson marie@turfmatters.co.uk
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All material © Turf Matters magazine 2022. Turf Matters is published by Straight Down Awarded Best Writing and Best Design in the the Middle Communications Ltd. 2019, 20, 21 and now 2022 Turf & Ornamental Communicators Association (TOCA) Awards All material © Turf Matters magazine 2014. No partFollow of this publication may be us on Twitter reproduced in any form whatsoever, @TurfMatters either for sale or not, without the written permission of publication the publisher. No part of this mayInformation be reproduced contained Turf Matters is published in any formin whatsoever, either for sale or in good faiththe and everypermission effort has been not, without written of the made to ensure its accuracy. TurfinMatters publisher. Information contained Turf Matters can accept no anyeffort error is published in responsibility good faith and for every hasmisrepresentation. been made to ensure accuracy. Turf or All its liability for loss, Matters can acceptnegligence no responsibility for any disappointment, or other error or misrepresentation. All liability for loss, damage caused by reliance on information disappointment, damage contained in Turfnegligence Matters ororinother the event of caused by reliance information contained in any bankruptcy or on liquidation or cessation Turftrade Matters or incompany, the eventindividual of any bankruptcy of of any or firm or liquidation or of trade of any company, mentioned is cessation hereby excluded. individual or firm mentioned is hereby excluded. Printed byWarners WarnersMidlands MidlandsPLC. PLC. Printed by
Scott MacCallum, Editor You can follow me on Twitter @TurfMatters
Inside issue Insidethis this issue News..........................................................4-22 News .........................................................4-15 Fertiliser and chemicals...............24-33 Pitch to Win........................................16-17 Open Championship. .....................34-38 Mowing .................................19-22, 24-27 Grass seeds.........................................40-42 Tea Break Teaser ......................................29 Rugby School pitch........................43-45 Gleneagles..........................................30-35 Compact tractors..............................48-50 BTME review ......................................36-41 Recruitment crisis............................52-54 Diary of a Golfing Nobody.................42 Battery powered equipment.....58-62 As seen on Twitter..................................43 Measure of success................................63 Buyers’out Guide. ...................................64-66 Check our .website: The majesty of Gleneagles, pages 30-35 Compact tractors, but ambitious workloads: pages 48-50 Subscribe FREE to our e-zine: Details at www.turfmatters.co.uk
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