THE INTERNATIONAL AWARD-WINNING MAGAZINE FOR THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR For all sports turf professionals in golf, football, rugby, cricket, tennis, horse racing, independent schools, universities and local authorities
November-December 2020 | £4.95
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Dumbarnie: A century in the making An amazing addition to the Home of Golf
MASTERING ESTATE MANAGEMENT
SPORTING PRIVILEGES OF TOP SCHOOLS
TECHNOLOGY OF FUTURE HAS ARRIVED
37 Learning from the best
42 Brilliant facilities on offer
52 Hi-tech ways of working
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iWelcome
Looking for silver linings Don’t forget Sport…
As we move towards the end of a year which will never be forgotten for allThe the wrong reasons I look atbeen the insignificant which got me last two months have a nightmarethings for many people inhot certain parts of the– the country andamy goesnow outbe toblasted, everyone with and bothered distance golfheart ball can fordealing one, which the aftermath of unprecedented flooding erosion. exercised me greatly in the March-April issue.and If it devastating was appropriate to TheI best case scenario for many is months of temporary living. For chuckle would – little did I know. others, in lives return what they Indeed, thewill firstnever issue of 2020 Itowas going onwere. about what a fantastic year While fate of sports grounds and and golf Paralympics, clubs might the seem it was goingthe to be with the Tokyo Olympics Euros etc. inconsequential in the face of such Turf Matters have These are all now (probably) going to behardship, happeningwe in at 2021, along with both a particular empathy everyone whoand hasanticipation seen years of agronomic Ryder and Solheim Cups, with but the excitement just isn’t there. husbandry washed away in the spacepotato of a few Don’t get meliterally wrong. I’ve enjoyed being a couch andweeks. watching the It must hopedfootball that banks – the financial notsame. the It’s televised golf,berugby, and horse-racing, butinstitutions, it just isn’t the which edge overflown rivers –although take an understanding approach notthings the fact that there are no spectators, I would have loved getting facilities which have been unable British to service loans a that outtotosporting watch Tour golf on the extremely welcome swing, it’sas just result of them being unplayable and so unable to bring in revenue. it doesn’t seem right for sportsmen to be doing their stuff, while the rest of us seen with the recent Olympics, sport has such a maskAs up,we tiphave toe around each other andWinter self-isolate when required. galvanising effect on society and can be the catalyst for so much good, I’m conflicted. Playing sport while people are dying seems wrong, but that it is imperative sporting facilities are not forgotten when the on the other hand it keeps up the morale of the nation (and contractual promised assistance is being allocated. obligations fulfilled). I can remember deep into lockdown the feeling that a On the issue of improving sporting facilities, we have been Saturday afternoon without Jeff Stelling was the same as the day before and invited by Briggs & Stratton to become involved in its Pitch the day after, and the one after that… to Win competition, which provides a £3,000 makeover for That sport only goes ahead is thanks to the work of you guys. Producing what is judged to be the Under 18s football pitch in most world class surfaces in the most something which need – find outtricky moreofoncircumstances pages 16-17. I is am on the judging we’ve all come to expect, but visits hopefully take for panel and willnot be made to granted. a shortlist of deserving Can I also take this opportunity congratulate Moat, pitches soon. Wetowill be lookingour notDesigner, so muchTim at the on picking up twoDESSO first places in the International TOCA Awards. Looking but the desperate! through the mag I think seeIwhy. We also by collected two other first On a you finalcan note, am thrilled the reception that the places and, for thefirst second year took the overallMany top International issue of running, Turf Matters received. people have prize – the taken Gardner Award. allmuch of us on Turf Matters it is of a bit time to sayFor how they liked the look theof a silver lining around a very magazine and how dark they cloud. enjoyed the articles. We’re all pleased you found it to your liking and we will work hard to maintain the high standards. Thank you all very much.
Scott MacCallum, Editor
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 andof Production Editor: Tim and buyers turfcare machinery andMoat tim@turfmatters.co.uk products. Customer Relations Manager: Editor: Scott MacCallum 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
To advertise in Turf Matters, call Pauline onin07720 055676 or To advertise Turf Matters, email pauline@turfmatters.co.uk call Sinead 07841 927500
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All material © Turf Matters magazine 2020. Turf Matters is published by Straight Down Turf Matters was awarded Best Writing and Best the Middle Communications Ltd. Design in the 2019 and 2020 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 Inside this thisissue issue News..........................................................4-25 News .........................................................4-15 Tea Break Teaser.......................................15 Pitch to Win........................................16-17 Dumbarnie Links..............................26-35 Mowing .................................19-22, 24-27 Estate management.......................37-41 Tea Break Teaser ......................................29 Radley College..................................42-49 Gleneagles..........................................30-35 Training and ......................................36-41 education.................52-54 BTME review Synthetics............................................55-58 Diary of a Golfing Nobody.................42 TOCA award winners......................62-63 As seen on Twitter..................................43 Buyers’ Guide.....................................64-65 Golfingout Nobody’s Blog..........................66 Check our website: Check out our website: www.turfmatters.co.uk
www.turfmatters.co.uk The majesty of Gleneagles, pages 30-35 Next magazine distributed 2 May KEEPING ON TOP, estate management, pages 37-41 Next magazine distributed January 2021 Subscribe FREE to our e-zine: Details at www.turfmatters.co.uk
Matters | March-April 2014 Turf MattersTurf | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2020| 3 |3
NEWS
EQUIPMENT JUST TOO GOOD NOT TO HAVE After Ian Fraser, Head Greenkeeper at Pitmedden Bowls Club in Ellon, Aberdeenshire, trialled the Dennis Razor Ultra 560 for just a weekend – he quickly decided he couldn’t be without it. Ian has long been associated with his beloved Pitmedden Bowls Club. He’s been a player, and still is, a member of the committee and now Head Greenkeeper. Therefore, he smiles more than most when people lavish praise on the outstanding playing surface at Pitmedden. Ian has transformed the greens over recent years. Determination, the willingness to learn and his love for the club have all been vital ingredients in his success. However, the modest greenkeeper also claims that the upgrade of various turf maintenance equipment has also been key – perhaps none more so than the new Dennis Razor Ultra 560 mower. “I trialled a Razor Ultra for a weekend and from that moment I could tell just how good it was. “It is just so simple, especially if you cut at different heights like I do. I normally cut at 5mm but when it’s competition time I cut it down to 4mm, and then maybe 3mm in the height of summer when the grass is quite sturdy and growing thicker. Even if you cut at 7mm with this mower, you can still play a good game of bowls. www.dennisuk.com
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SALTEX postponed again – now it’s November 2021
Geoff Webb, GMA’s Chief Executive
Due to mounting pressure from the global Coronavirus pandemic, the GMA regrettably announces that it has taken the decision to move SALTEX to 3-4 November 2021, from its planned dates next March. The GMA has been planning for every eventuality to ensure the exhibition is a bio-secure event, in partnership with the NEC and internationally recognised professional events bodies, however ongoing Government restrictions and local and national lockdowns, as well as rising cases of Coronavirus have highlighted the immediate challenges to stage a successful event in March. This decision has factored in analysis from both exhibitor and visitor surveys, as well as discussions with relevant parties. Organisers have been re-negotiating with the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), returning the exhibition to its original autumn dateline. When visitors were asked on date preferences to attend a trade event, November was the first option – followed by October and September. Exhibitors also echoed this, with 64% stating a preference to attend SALTEX in November 2021 due to latest news and restrictions. In addition, latest visitor research showed that an overwhelming majority (80%) stated that attending an
New date: Visitors will have to wait a further yearto experience the SALTEX buzz
indoor trade show was their number one preference. In more usual circumstances, SALTEX attracts over 9,000 visitors across two days with around 400 brands exhibiting, and visitor attendance at the NEC has grown year-on-year. The next show will be its 75th anniversary marking the longstanding contribution to the grounds sector. “We are ready, willing and able to put on a trade show and have taken all the mitigating action that goes alongside that, but we have to act responsibly and given all the research, I think it is the right decision,” said Geoff Webb, CEO at the GMA “As hard as this decision was to make, we knew it was important to act quickly and responsibly so we can begin looking to the future and stage a successful event once restrictions ease again. We have recently seen confidence eroding despite early optimism.” The decision means that the GMA will be losing its
main revenue generator for a year but Geoff is bullish that the successful work over previous years will be a key to moving forward. “We have good reserves and that is always the key to managing our business. So we’ve taken account of the prevailing circumstances and made decisions based on our business model,” Geoff told Turf Matters. “It is hard. We’d much rather not take the hit, but I think we are taking the responsible course of action.” Exhibitors have the option to carry over their March 2021 booking to the November show at a preferential rate and retaining their stand location. There is also the added option to secure a two-year SALTEX loyalty deal for those transferring their booking (for November 2021 and 2022), with improved benefits for GMA Corporate Plus members. Alternatively, exhibitors due to showcase in March 2021 can apply for a full refund in writing.
SPORTS FAN TAKES TOP FINANCE AND OPERATIONS JOB AT BERNHARD Bernhard has appointed Patrick Collins as its new Director of Finance and Operations. Patrick, pictured left, joined the company in September and will oversee finance and operations 4 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2020
at the company’s manufacturing plant, based in Haverhill. He has worked in a variety of industries, and his financial experience in manufacturing companies such as Telefonica UK Ltd, BWI
UK Limited and Honda UK, will bring valuable experience to the team. A keen golfer, he also coaches rugby and cricket; his interest in sports will be a great asset to Bernhard. “Patrick joins us at a
challenging time, we are all very excited to welcome him into the business, his skills and experience will reinforce our ambitious strategy,” said Company Chairman, Stephen Bernhard.
NEWS
Jacobsen boosts UK manufacturing In a major boost for UK manufacturing in general and the sports turf industry in particular, Textron Specialized Vehicles Inc., is relocate all manufacturing of Jacobsen professional turf equipment to its facility in Ipswich, which for many years has manufactured Ransomes machinery. The move will be completed in stages over the next several months
and is designed to enable the company to focus its investments, skill, and improvements in mower production on a single facility, and leverage existing resources and expertise at its Ipswich facility. Ipswich will now produce mowers for all regions, including North America. Jacobsen will maintain its sales and customer-care teams in North America,
and its network of North American distributors, to serve its customers in the United States and Canada. “We are excited to establish our Ipswich, UK facility as the worldwide manufacturing centre of excellence for Jacobsen equipment,” said Simon Rainger, Vice President, Turf for Textron Specialized Vehicles. “This move will enable us to operate more efficiently
and expand on the legacy of innovation and quality that our Ipswich plant has built over its long history.” The brand will launch a robust slate of new mowers this year, including the quiet, highly efficient Eclipse 360 ELiTE electric greens mower powered by Samsung SDI lithium-battery technology, and the new AR530 and AR730 contour rotary mowers.
‘Game changer’ at La Grande Mare The Air2G2 GT Air Inject from Campey Turf Care Systems has played a significant role in transforming the greens at the La Grande Mare Golf Club in Guernsey. When he arrived at his new job two years ago, Course Manager, Rick Hamilton, spoke to the members about their main concerns and the quality and playability of the
6 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2020
greens was top of the list. Because the course is built on marshland, the soil is very silty heavy clay, making it a problematic soil profile to produce a healthy root zone. The dense profile was causing the greens to hold moisture in the winter and hardpan in the summer, meaning there was little control of how they performed throughout the year. From his previous experience in Asia, Rick knew the Air2G2 was precisely what was needed to open up the soil profile and bring life back into the greens. “When I first analysed the greens, I knew we had to take action. It was at the point that when we tried to change the holes, we would sometimes
snap the blades in the hole cutter because the greens were that hard,” explained Rick. “The greens are old – 25 to 30 year old push-ups – so there is no drainage, and the soil type doesn’t help with that. “For me, the Air2G2 is a game changer. Every now and then over the years, different machines come into the industry, and I would say it is one of those game changing machines. I brought it over on hire from a dealer in Jersey and went out, and I could hardly get the probes to inject at first because the surface was that hard. “But I managed to do it with the deep probe and close spacing to really get through into the greens and loosen them up.
“The members couldn’t believe there was no disruption to the surface at all, and they were surprised with how clean it was. “The difference in the greens is massive in terms of playability, root development, the health in the root zone and getting the water to penetrate.” For Rick, the impact of the Air2G2 was immediate, and the difference is obvious for everyone who plays. Because of the course construction and location, there is an extensive aeration programme in place that sees the Air2G2 used regularly along with needle tining, a combination that has made members the happiest they’ve ever been with the greens. www.campeyturfcare.com
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Why Agrovista Amenity is the winning formula Steve Lloyd, Course Manager at The Worcestershire Golf Club, admits to ‘sticking’ to what he knows works best and it is for this reason that he relies on a range of products from Agrovista Amenity. Steve has been the Golf Course Manager for six years and oversees a greenkeeping team consisting of five full-time members of staff, a mechanic, and a summer casual. He claims that the robust and highly skilled team plays an integral role in the well-groomed fairways and meticulous greens. “I’ve been working with Agrovista Amenity for the past three years, ever since Ray Hunt, Amenity Specialist for Agrovista Amenity, began coming to see me,” he said. “Through Ray I had the opportunity to find out more about the company and products and it was very impressive. I carried out some trials and thought that it was a good fit. “I don’t tend to chop and change products and once I’ve found ones that suit the course then I continue to use them.” One of the first products Steve started using from Agrovista Amenity, and one which he particularly singled out for praise, is Humimax – a liquid humate product derived from a naturally occurring source. It operates both in the soil and the grass plant, and the micronised formulation is highly efficient for foliar absorption, making it especially useful for tank-mixing – which is exactly what Steve does.
Steve mixes Humimax with Biomass Sugar – a product which stimulates growth of both leaf and root. It is a unique natural formulation of sugars, macro nutrients and trace elements, approved as a biostimulant within the UK and used on many highprofile golf greens and sports pitches throughout Europe. Steve is about to enter his second winter with Agrovista Amenity’s Bullet Phosphite after being impressed with his first taste of the product last year. Bullet Phosphite is a superconcentrated form (37%) of stabilised phosphite (PO3) derived from a blend of ammonium and potassium phosphate which is taken up quickly and mobilised around the whole plant. This provides protection for new and existing growth by assisting the plant in periods of stress, thereby increasing metabolic responses to pathogens. It is also a potent stimulator of plant root growth and unlike a lot of other phosphites, this formulation contains zero aluminium phosphite. “We apply it at a rate of 20 L/ha and combine it with a turf hardener and a little bit of seaweed – just to strengthen things up in the colder months. “Fundamentally, since we’ve been using this product as part of our IPM programme, we have seen very little disease and along with our other cultural practices, it has helped us to keep the greens as clean as possible.” www.agrovista.co.uk/amenity
Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2020 | 7
NEWS
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Towards the perfect shot Waterton Park Hotel, in West Yorkshire, has benefited from a set of new decorative Kasco water fountains, supplied by Water Garden UK. The hotel is a popular venue for weddings and boasts an idyllic lakeside setting – the perfect backdrop for photographs. This has been enhanced by the installation of two fountains with Redwood Nozzles. The Kasco 1HP 4400EJF decorative fountains are a perfect way to beautify any larger pond or watergarden. The fountains have been improved through the enhancement of the housing, impeller and nozzles. Both flow rate and pattern size have been improved without increasing amp
draw. This improves aesthetic appeal without increasing operating costs or fountain pricing. In addition, assembly, as well as nozzle changes are faster and easier. This versatile fountain comes with six interchangeable nozzle heads, giving you the option to choose and change the spray pattern as you wish. There are also optional lighting packages available. “The fountains look incredible. As you walk over the bridge you are now greeted by these wonderful fountains either side which have a high-rise effect. They offer an opportunity to get the perfect picture,” said Jack Wooller, of Water Garden UK. www.karuk.com
Nothing compares to MM seed Andy Richards, Grounds Manager at Haileybury School, insists that grass seed is the first place to start in producing the best possible sports pitches and he believes that nothing compares to Limagrain’s MM brand of grass seed. Andy was renowned for producing sports pitches of the highest quality in his previous role at Shrewsbury School and after recently celebrating his one-year anniversary at Haileybury, he is hoping to raise the bar even further in his new role. “I introduced Limagrain’s MM50 and MM60 seed mixtures at Shrewsbury six years ago and they made a huge difference to the pitches,” he said. “I recommended the MM range to so many other schools and clubs across the country from Wales to the South Coast because it is so reliable, and the recovery rate is better than anything I have ever used. “I’m now using the mixtures 8 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2020
During seed
14 days later
here at Haileybury and I’m hoping that with a bit of time, we can match those highly regarded pitches at Shrewsbury and go one step further – in fact I’m confident that we can better them eventually.” Introducing Limagrain MM seed was one of Andy’s first actions when he took the reins at Haileybury and although he had every faith in the mixtures, it was not plain sailing to start with. “In the time that I’ve been here, we have fraise mowed all five cricket squares, taken off 20mm of thatch and organic matter, and re-seeded with Limagrain’s MM50.
One month later
The results were very good; the grass was healthy, they played well, the Director of Cricket was pleased with them and aesthetically they looked brilliant. “However, there was an underlying issue in the sense that the squares were not constructed correctly to start with. Therefore, we started the process of relaying them from scratch and then reseeded again with MM50. Now we are in a position where we can kick on and improve the squares even more. “In my mind MM50 is the best seed mix for cricket and fine turf, there is
nothing else that can touch it or even compare to it.” This hard-wearing MM50 mix has rapid germination, very fine leaved appearance, high shoot density and is tolerant to very close mowing, along with high disease resistance. When it comes to his winter pitches Andy relies on Limagrain’s MM60; a 100% Ryegrass formula which is perfect for renovation and divot repair, has a high disease resistance, fantastic aesthetic qualities and offers extremely fast germination: “We have overseeded with MM60 on all of the pitches and the grass coverage has improved by around 40% in the 12 months I’ve been here. It offers fantastic colour and is the perfect mix for rugby and football,” said Andy. With both MM mixtures at his disposal, Andy feels that they allow him to create the best possible sports pitches – something he believes is vital for private schools. www.lgseeds.co.uk/mm
NEWS
The key to keeping blades sharp at minimal cost
T
he main requirement for a mower is of course to cut grass, therefore Baroness always make this their primary objective when designing cutting units. The main criteria to consider during the design phase of a cutting unit is: • A high quality of cut thus ensuring a healthy grass plant and a superior presentation. • Simple and infrequent blade adjustments. • Low maintenance costs. The common denominator between all three of these is the material used to make the blades from, which in turn allows other design features to be exploited:
Back-Lapping
KŶůLJ ƚŚŝƐ ƐŵĂůů ĂƌĞĂ ǁŽƵůĚ ŶĞĞĚ ƚŽ ďĞ ƌĞŵŽǀĞĚ ďLJ ďĂĐŬͲůĂƉƉŝŶŐ ƚŽ ŵĂŬĞ ƚŚĞ ůĞĂĚŝŶŐ ĞĚŐĞ ƐŚĂƌƉ ĂŐĂŝŶ͘
ŶĚ ǀŝĞǁ ŽĨ Ă ƌĞĞů ďůĂĚĞ ǁŝƚŚ ƌĞůŝĞĨ ŐƌŝŶĚ
ůƵŶƚ ůĞĂĚŝŶŐ ĞĚŐĞ
dŚŝƐ ǁŽƵůĚ ƌĞƐƵůƚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ďĞĚŬŶŝĨĞ ŬĞĞƉŝŶŐ ŝƚƐ ĐƵƚƚŝŶŐ ĞĚŐĞ͘
Relief grinding
ůů ƚŚŝƐ ĂƌĞĂ ǁŽƵůĚ ŶĞĞĚ ƚŽ ďĞ ƌĞŵŽǀĞĚ ďLJ ďĂĐŬͲůĂƉƉŝŶŐ ƚŽ ŵĂŬĞ ƚŚĞ ůĞĂĚŝŶŐ ĞĚŐĞ ƐŚĂƌƉ ĂŐĂŝŶ͘
ŶĚ ǀŝĞǁ ŽĨ Ă ƌĞĞů ďůĂĚĞ ǁŝƚŚŽƵƚ ƌĞůŝĞĨ ŐƌŝŶĚŝŶŐ ůƵŶƚ ůĞĂĚŝŶŐ ĞĚŐĞ͘
Relief Grinding Relief grinding is a process that not all reel mower operators support, usually due to bad experiences in the past and not fully understanding the science behind the practise. As most reel mower operators will be aware, blade relief is where the trailing edge of a reel blade is ground away at an angle to reduce the surface area of the cutting
“Achieving a hard blade is not just a matter of using a heat-treating process. Whilst heat treating will make any steel hard, it can also make it brittle…” 10 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2020
dŚĂƚ ǁŽƵůĚ ƌĞƐƵůƚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ĐƵƚƚŝŶŐ ĞĚŐĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ďĞĚŬŶŝĨĞ ďĞŝŶŐ ŐƌŽƵŶĚ ĂǁĂLJ͘
No-relief grinding
tip. The thinner the cutting tip surface area is, the less friction will be produced between the cutting reel blades and the bedknife, and this in turn will reduce wear to the bedknife. This is important because the bedknife is the blade which will lose its edge first due to it being subjected to multiple reel blade passes per single reel revolution, and if you can keep the edge of the bedknife sharp then you will maintain a high quality of cut and a healthy grass plant. To reap the maximum benefits from relief grinding the blade material used must be of a very high quality. If the blade was made of a soft material, then the very thin cutting edge produced by the relief grind process would wear away very quickly, and
this would result in constant blade adjustments being required, which would then increase operator workload and frustration. Achieving a hard blade is not just a matter of using a heat-treating process. Whilst heat treating will make any steel hard, it can also make it brittle, so to make a blade hard and strong it is crucial to use a suitable alloy coupled with a carefully controlled heat treatment process. Baroness use a carefully formulated alloy of Nickel, Chrome and Molybdenum to make their blades from, and this very hard wearing and tough material allows the cutting edge to be relief ground down to just 0.5mm, thus keeping friction, heat and wear to a minimum.
Back-lapping is another process that not all reel mower operators support, and this is usually because the reels that they have been trying to back-lap are not compatible with the process. A reel blade which has not been relief ground will be very wide at the cutting tip, but when it becomes blunt it is usually just the leading edge of the blade that becomes rounded. However, to make this reel blade sharp again, all the material back from this rounded tip will need to be removed. To remove all of this material using back-lapping alone would take a long time, and by the time this material was removed, the back-lapping paste would have worn away the cutting edge of the bedknife, thus making the process counter-productive. If on the other hand the reel blades have been relief ground, then the cutting tip would be very thin and will therefore only require minimum material to be removed to make the reel blade sharp again, which could be done very quickly without wearing the cutting edge of the bedknife away. As the blade material that Baroness uses enables the relief grind to be taken down to a cutting edge of just 0.5mm, the full benefits of back-lapping are utilised. Therefore, relief grinding, coupled with a good quality blade material, is key to quickly and easily keeping your blades sharp at a minimal cost, which in turn will improve the health of your grass plant. www.baronessuk.com
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Underground marathon success A world record was set at Boulby Polysulphate mine in east Cleveland to mark World Mental Health Day. Two army cadet national ambassadors, Sally Orange and Jordan Wylie, alongside a small team of runners from ICL UK, ran a marathon at the bottom of the deepest mine in the country. Running 26 miles in any circumstances is a challenge but doing it a 1,000 metres under the surface of the earth in temperatures which can reach 40 Celsius – while dressed in safety equipment – is not for the faint hearted. On top of that, because of the pandemic, those taking part had to observe social distancing, wear face coverings and sanitise regularly – masks only being removed briefly for photo opportunities. “It was hot, sweaty, dark and
very tricky. We weren’t trying to set a record for speed so we took it steadily just to make sure we could complete the challenge and raise awareness of how mental illness can have hidden affects on people of all ages,” said Sally. She explained why the attempt was called ‘Beneath the Surface’: “We thought it perfectly encapsulates the way we never really know what is going on underneath the surface of an individual’s mind. “Not all injuries are visible. And problems with mental health often carry a stigma which we are striving to overcome.” A second world record was also set on the day as the army cadets force delivered the largest-ever online mental health awareness training course, breaking the previous record of 2,000 students set in India three years ago.
Scott Garnett, agronomist at ICL UK, organised the Boulby side of the event. “We are very proud to be part of setting this world record at our mine,” he said. “Obviously it was a unique occasion which couldn’t have happened without so many of our staff getting involved.
Proof positive that ‘team work makes the dream work’.” The entire event was to raise awareness and funds for three charities; SSAFA, Young Minds and Frontline Children. You can still support the attempt at virginmoneygiving.com and then ‘beneath the surface marathon’.
ICL runners during their underground marathon
Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2020 | 11
NEWS
Henderson help Charleton rise from the ashes Pictured with equipment to get them back on their feet are Graeme Millar and Scott McNeil of HGM Ltd; Brian Heggie and owner of Charleton, Michael Bond
When fire destroyed the clubhouse of Charleton Golf Club, near Leven, in January, the club must have thought they’d used up all their bad luck for the year in one fell swoop… then came Covid-19, and the work, and plans, to get back on their feet were stopped in their tracks Now, the club is fighting back. A new clubhouse is rising from the foundations of the original and, thanks to local machinery dealer, Henderson Grass Machinery, Head Greenkeeper Brian Heggie has the tools to get on with the job of maintaining the course. “After the fire, and when lockdown eased to make it possible, I sat down with Scott McNeil, of Hendersons, we looked at the older machinery in our sheds and established how much of money it would raise for a deposit on some good quality second
“Brian and I both knew what was needed… and we worked closely together initially to generate the funds for the deposit…”
12 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2020
hand machinery,” explained Brian, as he sat aboard a Toro 45100, one of the results of the negotiations. “We had a limited budget, so if what we have bought takes us through the next three years we might then be in the market to buy slightly newer machines. Had we committed ourselves to a fleet of brand new machines the lockdown and pandemic would have meant that we would have struggled to pay for it,” he said. Brian maintained the course singled-handedly during lockdown and has now appointed a Deputy and taken on two apprentices. In the end, the club purchased a new 60hp Kubota tractor with a Vertidrain; the Toro 4500 rough mower; a Toro 3100 tees mower; a Toro 3400 greens mower; a SISIS scarifier, with more pieces of kit due to arrive over the next few months. “We tried to take the used machinery from some of the bigger golf clubs and resorts because they had the full maintenance packages so the machines were well maintained and within their hours – and with it being Toro kit, you knew it was going to last.” Henderson Grass Machinery has had a longstanding relationship with the Charleton Estate and Brian is delighted to have the company on his side. “I can’t fault them. If I ever need a
machine, like a seeder for example, they will lend it to me while Scott (McNeil) being an ex-Head Greenkeeper himself, knows what it is like to run a golf course on a limited budget and tries to help as much as he can,” said Brian. Charleton Golf Club is just the type of golf club that Hendersons are keen to support and their preowned machines are perfect for a golf club with tight budgets. “The clubhouse fire was a huge blow to the golf club and we immediately felt that we should help as much as we could to get them back on their feet,” said Scott, who was Head Greenkeeper at Brechin Golf Club in Angus, and another Fife club in St Michaels Golf Club, near St Andrews, before joining the sales team at Hendersons. “My aim is always to try and find exactly the right machinery to fit the needs of the golf club,” he explained. “Brian and I both knew what was needed to bring the course on to the next level and we worked closely together initially to generate the funds for the deposit and then secure the machines that were needed. “We want to continue to work with Charleton to help them overcome both the fire and the consequences of Covid-19 and then kick on to the next level,” said Scott.
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Royal Liverpool stay at sharp end Grinding is an important aspect of maintenance at Royal Liverpool Golf Club – aka Hoylake – and to take their in-house operation forward, they have chosen a Foley Company 633 AccuPro from ProSport UK Ltd. Course Manager, Craig Gilholm, has prepared Hoylake for multiple high-profile events, and grinding during that time played a significant role in course preparation and its condition throughout competitions. Away from the course, Craig and his team have always tried to help local clubs with their grinding needs from other sports. Now with the new Foley, they are better placed to achieve the highest standards of speed and accuracy for these activities too. “When Ian Robson came and introduced us to the Foley, we were already familiar with other grinders. So, discovering how
Ian Robson, ProSport Uk Ltd and Graig Gilhom, Course Manager, Royal Liverpool
great the Foley is, is a reflection on Ian. It was my confidence in him my trust in his ability and the back-up service for the machines he sells, that really sold it to me,” said Craig, who has known Ian for over 20 years. “For us, our grinder is the most important tool in the shed and reliability is all. That is why, when we change our bottom blade grinder, we will
again be looking to Foley. “We started to do a lot of maintenance work for other clubs such as bowling and cricket and it is important to us to deliver. In addition to our own 34 units, we are probably putting at least another 40 to 50 through the grinder from other sources and this is growing rapidly. “One of the problems we have assisting smaller local clubs, is
their equipment is old and not easily mounted in any grinder. Ian took this on-board and has developed an out of situ jig to accommodate a whole range of sizes, age and make of mower which can now be easily mounted in the Foley and the quality of the grind is always fantastic. Ian has shown an understanding of the issues we face which is brilliant, and his solution has proved invaluable and financially beneficial.” The 633 ACCU-Pro comes with ACCU-Touch 3, an automated computer system that provides a step-by-step tutorial for new technicians and a quicker setup and spin grind feature for the more experienced operators. You select the program for the mower that you want to grind, and the Foley automatically spin or relief grinds to completion. www.prosportukltd.com
Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2020 | 13
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Relying on the data Why Covid-19 means this is the time for greenkeepers to utilise datadriven sports turf management practices. Soil Scout’s Adam Sedgwick talks through the benefits of soil sensors
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Adam is pictured above, at work at The Belfry
t seems every article you read these days begins with a sombre announcement about the latest sector of society to feel the impacts of Covid-19. And yes, while golf in many ways has proved to be a sport wellsuited to players living in a socially distant world, revenues have dropped considerably. In an attempt to survive and adapt, golf clubs around the world are facing difficult decisions on what expenses they need to cut. These are felt both on the commercial and course maintenance sides of operations, and many greenkeeping teams are now facing the possibility of new rounds of layoffs and budget reductions. Turf is not a commodity where cuts can be made if standards are to be maintained. If things stay as they are, smaller greenkeeping teams will have to work longer hours just to maintain the standards they have, let alone make improvements. And while Covid-19 sprang seemingly out of nowhere, climate change, sustainability targets, and water scarcity are real issues that haven’t disappeared. In exceptional times, it is those willing to try new things that are more likely to find a lasting solution. As sub-soil conditions can greatly vary from area to area, this usually means travelling out to several locations across the course and using hand-held sampling devices to take readings on underground moisture, temperature, and salinity levels. These readings are then used to guide the distribution of resources such as water and fertiliser.
14 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2020
Even so, an understaffed team will find it difficult to consistently cover such a large area and take samples from the exact same measuring spots, reducing the consistency of manually-collected data. As a result, optimal turf conditions cannot be achieved, water is wasted, and repetitive maintenance activities will increase costs. If the problem is logistics, then the solution needs to reverse the flow of information. Instead of driving out to specific locations to sporadically collect sample data, one solution could be to permanently position sub-soil monitoring devices that stream readings from multiple key locations across golf courses in real-time. If a reading deviates from normal parameters, the team gets alerted and work can be prioritised. This way, greenkeeping teams will always have up-to-date knowledge of their course’s underground moisture and salinity levels, as well as the temperature needed to support optimal conditions across all soil variations course-wide. Water consumption is a sensitive issue in many markets, and “too much is better than not enough” – is not good enough anymore. Greenkeepers who have a detailed view of the in field variation of their courses can accurately irrigate exactly where needed according to live current levels. Optimal irrigation helps reduce the risk of compaction and has positive knock-on effects for soil aeration. Over irrigation can also lead to increased salinity levels, making it more challenging for plants to take up moisture. Sub-soil salinity data gives greenkeepers the opportunity to proactively alleviate this potential issue, for example with the inclusion of salt-resistant grass varieties. More precise irrigation will, in turn, lead to reduced fertiliser leaching by preventing overwatering. Real-time soil temperature data will also help greenkeepers decide when to best apply fertiliser products to ensure better plant uptake. Ensuring consistent surfaces coursewide is challenging when the soil’s growth
potential and current conditions are unknown. When data is streamed from across a course in real-time, proactive agronomic turf improvement can be achieved as predictions can be made for plant nutrient and moisture requirements. Low-cut, fine-turf areas like greens walk a fine line between pristine quality and breeding grounds for black thatch. Saturated soils with low oxygen levels are the culprits, so accurate aeration and top dressing regimes are essential. Permanently positioned underground soil monitoring devices will allow greenkeepers to ensure their surfaces are supported by optimal sub-soil conditions. Real-time data also allows you to improve work efficiency in maintenance, reduce labour costs, finish those tasks that never get done, and devote more time to proactive turf development. This sub-soil data can also automate irrigation and sub-surface air systems, thus providing more accurate and timely usage and potential labour-saving benefits. This information leads to an evidence-based approach that can be used to justify the applications of costly resources. Underground soil sensors can also lead to reduced energy consumption. By optimising irrigation, you can reduce pumping time, and consume less energy. Better management practices can reduce the number of above surface operations, including mowing, aeration, and the application of fertilisers and pesticides. Data-driven sports turf management is a real option for greenkeeping teams looking for ways to adapt to today’s world. Yet it is not a compromise. Tighter conditions tend to create efficiency improvements that can have long-lasting benefits. For instance, a golf course that has collected several years of historical data will have a clearer view of overall trends and the tendencies of each area’s soils. Instead of reacting to changes, greenkeepers will be able to proactively work towards even greater efficiencies and improvements that will compound with each new year.
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TEA BREAK TEASER
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Tea Break Teaser HHHHHHHHHH
Outsiders! HHHHHHHHH
1. Name the horse that was the 100-1 winner of the 1967 Grand National after a pile-up at the 23rd fence? 2. What was the nationality of John Bradbury, the short course speed skater, who won a Gold Medal in the 2002 Winter Olympics when everyone else in the final, fell? 3. Who did Keith Deller defeat in the final of the 1983 World Darts final? 4. In which year did qualifier Terry Griffiths win the World Snooker Championship at his first attempt? 5. Who did Greece defeat in the final of the 2004 European Championships, having started as 150-1 outsiders? 6. What was the nickname of James Douglas, who knocked out Mike Tyson to become World Heavyweight Champion? 7. Who was the young amateur American golfer who defeated Harold Vardon and Ted Ray in a play-off to win the 1913 US Open at The Country Club in Brookline? 8. Where had Leicester City finished in the Premier League, the season before they were stunning 5,000-1 winners in season 15-16? 9. Who did Boris Becker defeat in the Wimbledon final when he won at the age of 17 in 1985? 10. In which year did USA produce the Miracle on Ice when the defeated six-time Champions, Soviet Union, in the Winter Olympic Ice Hockey final? 11. In which of the golf Majors did YE Yang, defeat Tiger Woods, down the stretch to become the first Asian male to clinch a Major? 12. Which country ended the USA’s hold on the America’s Cup when they won the yachting event in 1983? 13. Who was the last man into the 1991 US PGA Championship and went on to win the title? 14. Name the Dutchman who ended Rafa Nadal’s chances of winning five French Opens in a row in 2009. 15. Name the horse who won only four of his first 40 races but went onto be the 1938 American Horse of the Year… and had a film made of his career? Answers on page 65 Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2020 | 15
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Biocide gains momentum after F
ollowing its recent launch, new biocide Enclean has made a successful introduction into the amenity sector following positive reports from early adopters, says agronomist Robert Bone, Amenity Specialist with Agrovista. Robert, pictured, who has over 35 years of industry experience, first saw the biocide in its development phase 18 months 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. “I followed Enclean’s progress across a number of trials during 2019 and although it’s designed primarily to remove algae, trials have consistently shown the biocide’s main active ingredient, Nonanoic acid, also has a secondary effect on breaking down other green deposits that can accumulate on hard surfaces. “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,” he said. Since the March launch, Robert has been working with his customer base of ground maintenance contractors, county councils and local authorities conducting operator training courses to help them better understand the new biocide, its efficacy and level of control under different operating conditions and on different surfaces such as pavements, the outer surfaces of greenhouses, wooden decking and fence panels. Despite the restrictions on faceto-face meetings due to Covid-19 he believes that Enclean has rapidly gained wide acceptance amongst his clients due to the success of the training courses and product demonstrations. “Application advice is a key part of the agronomic service I provide to
customers and the training courses are a good way of promoting best practice. Although there are a number of established biocides able to deal with algae, Enclean’s very low dilution requirement of 1L of product to 14L of water offering users over 550m2 of coverage is a potential game changer allowing the operator to apply the product using a small knapsack sprayer. “Often, when there is a build up of algae, it occurs in narrow pathways that have limited access to sunlight or wind. Many biocides tend to require large water volumes and that can be a serious problem if the large tank on an ATV or UTV mounted sprayer can’t access the area you need to treat. If you’re working in a relatively remote place, far away from a water source, another potential issue is accessing significant volumes of water to be able to do the job. Using a biocide that requires a relatively small amount of water from a knapsack sprayer can be a major advantage,” he said.
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feedback Simon Race, Director of Sports Turf Services Limited – a family run business based near York, also found that tank cleaning post application was time consuming when using biocides that required large water volumes. “We used to use Qualgex but, although it performed well enough, it foamed in the tank leaving a residue that required significant washing of the tank and pipes after the product was applied. We wanted something that was both quicker to mix and easier to apply using smaller quantities of water. Enclean was the obvious answer. “As long as you apply at the advised rate in dry conditions you should see the correct visual signs of the algae and other green deposits beginning to turn brown and decay after just 2-3 days. Whilst one application will generally clear most surfaces we did find that when dealing with black algae engrained into older stone surfaces a follow up application will often be required to complete the job,” he said.
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Crystal Palace look to Reesink In its biggest deal with distributor Reesink Turfcare yet, Crystal Palace Football Club has chosen TYM tractors for grounds maintenance at both its Selhurst Park stadium and training grounds in Bromley, south east London. The deal, which includes Toro machinery, comes as the club works toward becoming one of the country’s leading academies. As part of this, the club has invested in its academy site, expanding its football facilities to include a full-sized pitch and nine additional pitches of varying sizes. Bruce Elliot, Head of Grounds and Estates, explained that the club is investing a lot, with a new stand at the stadium and the academy training ground expanding. “We first added Toro and TYM to our fleet in 2016 and have been consistently impressed
by the work they’ve done, so we decided to make our biggest purchase yet at the end of last year,” said Bruce. “We needed to replace some older machines at the academy and we also wanted to expand the fleet at our main training ground and stadium.” And it’s certainly a large investment, with the club having purchased a TYM T293 tractor and the Toro ProCore 648 for the stadium and TYM T393 tractor, alongside two Greensmaster TriFlex Hybrid 3420 mowers and a tractor-mounted ProCore 864 which will be used on the T393 for aeration at the main training ground. A Toro Reelmaster 3575D mower and Workman MDX utility vehicle for the academy grounds are included in the deal. Having seen TYM and Toro in action at the club for several years already, the combination of the two was
the first choice for Bruce. “We’ve always found TYM tractors to be reliable and adaptable. The fact that they work so well in conjunction with Toro for things like aeration is a winning combination.” With the new machines in use across the grounds, now, Bruce is looking to the future. “We’re confident that we’ll be able to rely on TYM and Toro to provide the excellent standard of turfcare maintenance we need and it’s highly likely we will be investing in more Toro and TYM as the club’s facilities expand.”
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Polo club’s first renovation Having been in place for over 25 years and showing the signs of significant thatch build-up, the fields at Billingbear Polo Club were fully renovated for the first time. Part of the King Power Polo group, the renovation was conducted by Shorts Agricultural Services, with a bespoke 100% perennial ryegrass mixture by DLF delivering the deep-rooting, hard wearing coverage demanded for equestrian use. “A renovation of this scale had never been conducted before but with the field becoming slippy and areas breaking up easily, the time was right,” explained Billingbear Head Groundsman Damian Chec. Long-standing contractor partners Shorts were called in, to fraise mow, aerate, seed and topdress the surface. “When it came to the seed, we had a
specification to work to which we gave to Craig Spooner at DLF Seeds,” said James Winfield, Manager at Shorts. “I’ve worked alongside Craig on a number of projects in the past and know that DLF will deliver a mixture that meets the spec provided but that also takes into consideration any complexities of each individual site. The support and advice we received was excellent and is part of the reason we wouldn’t use anyone else for our seed requirements.” To deliver rapid establishment, quick germination and a hard-wearing sward, Craig blended a bespoke 100% perennial ryegrass mix featuring toprated Johnsons Sports Seed cultivar Monroe – adding exceptional recovery and disease resistance to the list of mixture properties. James and the team applied the seed in September
and, despite very challenging weather conditions over the winter, only minor overseeding was required in the spring in one particularly compacted area of the pitch. “We achieved good, strong and even growth and coverage that looked superb,” said James. The deep rooting nature of perennial rye has also improved the surfaces playability when fixtures recommenced in early September 2020. “The condition of the field has dramatically improved. The issues we were having with divots and areas breaking up have been completely eliminated,” added Damian. The recent renovation marks the start of a broader programme of site improvements, including plans to install a brand-new drainage system in the not too distant future.
West Cornwall invests in Toro machinery West Cornwall Golf Club, the oldest club in its county, has invested in Toro machinery to ensure maximum efficiency. With a small team of four greenkeepers, West Cornwall Golf Club knows the importance of machinery that can get jobs done quickly without sacrificing on quality. Which is why Course Manager Lawrie Tremlett championed investing in Toro when he joined the club. “I joined West Cornwall four months ago with an aim to make it the best it could be,” said Lawrie. “But it was taking half our team two and half days a week to cut the aprons using hand mowers and a trail-behind rough mower, that just wasn’t efficient and didn’t leave much time for other tasks.” 18 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2020
With support from the club, Lawrie contacted Devon Garden Machinery. “I’ve always thought Toro provided superior cut to other brands. So it was exciting to get Toro machines onto the course to see how they fared. We opted for the Greensmaster TriFlex 3400, which followed the contours of the course beautifully, the Reelmaster 3100-D which worked well on the banks and was very versatile, and the Groundsmaster 3400 which was not only powerful but cut very well in the wet. “All of the machines impressed us, so it was an easy decision to add them to our fleet. They’ve been incredibly reliable and we can see a big difference already. The quality of the course
has improved and we’ve had brilliant feedback from our members.” Club secretary, Gareth Evans, added that the club hadn’t had Toro machinery at the club for nearly ten years. “However, taking into account the cost, overall package and the quality, it was clear Toro was the best choice. The service from Devon Garden Machinery and Reesink has been fantastic, and we’re excited to see the course continue to improve.” With Toro machines helping the team to be more efficient than ever, Lawrie is now looking to the future: “It’s fantastic to see how the course has improved, but I’m not done yet. This partnership is just the first step as we work to continue improving the course.”
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Etesia dealer network continues to expand T
he Etesia UK dealer network continues to grow and the company is delighted to strengthen its relationship with current dealer Sharrocks and welcome Powercut to the family. Sharrocks continues to go from strength to strength as an Etesia and Pellenc dealer. The company is a specialist machinery supplier of tractors, professional and domestic turf machinery and both agricultural and arboricultural kit. For over 55 years the family owned business, which is now in its fourth generation, has delivered a well trusted and respected service. The company was first appointed as an Etesia dealer back in 2017 and saw instant success – so
“Local authorities and contractors have been the largest growth areas… the Etesia brand is once again recognised as market leader in those sectors.”
much so, that just last year the company expanded its areas. This second expansion now sees Sharrocks supplying the full range of Etesia and Pellenc equipment to the areas of Birmingham, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Lancashire, and West, East and North Yorkshire. JOIN THE CONVERSATION Commenting on the company’s second expansion in three years, Managing Director, James Sharrock, said that it had been a very busy year and that both Etesia Turf Matters on Twitter and Pellenc sales had 10,900 followers increased substantially. “Both brands have been an exceptionally Turf Matters email newsletter good fit for us. 26,615 subscribers “Local authorities and contractors have been Turf Matters on Facebook the largest growth areas 2,102 followers and certainly the Etesia brand is once again being recognised as the market Turf Matters on Instagram leader in those sectors. In 2,722 followers addition, there has been more of a demand for Etesia Turf Matters on YouTube in the domestic market. 120,075 views “We’ve also seen strong growth in Pellenc as groundscare companies We want to hear what you have look to move away from to say. All of our social platforms petrol. Both Etesia and are open forums where we Pellenc are investing encourage people to share heavily in battery-powered knowledge and experiences… equipment and they make sure you’re part of it! have some exciting new www.turfmatters.co.uk releases on the horizon. “This expansion is part of our continued growth ANY PLACE, ANY TIME, ANY DEVICE and we are glad to be 20 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2020
associated with companies like Etesia and Pellenc, who have the same shared vision of the future as us.” In further good news, the Etesia dealer network continues to grow after Powercut, based in Cwmffrwd, Carmarthen, was announced as a new dealer for the full range of Etesia pedestrian mowers. Powercut started trading in 1984. It offers a huge array of parts on site and a comprehensive service facility offering diagnostics, scheduled maintenance and repairs for all types of horticultural machinery. Renowned for first-class customer service, Powercut insists on working only with the highest quality brands, and when a void in their pedestrian mower portfolio arose, there was only one option – according to Sean Brown, commercial equipment specialist. “A manufacturer we were working with pulled out of the pedestrian mower market and we were looking for something to fill the void,” he said. “We know that the Etesia pedestrian models are very good. “Etesia was always our main competitor in the commercial mower market so we knew the brand very well indeed. From a business point of view, it made complete sense and we are pleased to be working with Etesia.” Etesia pedestrian mowers provide absolute efficiency, excellent ergonomics and top-quality standards. The mowers are designed to offer unique cutting capabilities in all weathers – even the wet. They offer unrivalled reliability and productivity. The full range of Etesia pedestrian mowers are now available from Powercut. www.etesia.co.uk
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Hybrids prove their worth R
oyal County Down is one of the finest golf courses in the world with the club lucky enough to have two superb courses, the Championship Course and the Annesley Links. Eamonn Crawford has been Links Manager for 10 years but has worked at the club for 45, maintaining not just his beloved links to the highest standards but also a consistent approach to the purchase of new course equipment. “Every golf course is different, but I like to have a mixture of machinery and if it’s good enough I’ll use it. My approach is very much horses for courses, and I aim to buy the right make for the jobs that need doing, to get them done properly,” explained Eamonn. As a result, one of the club’s most recent investments has been in a fleet of four new John Deere 7500A E-Cut hybrid electric fairway mowers, delivered by local dealer Ricky Neill of Johnston Gilpin & Co at Lisburn. These have joined seven of the company’s TH 6x4 Gator utility vehicles as well as two vintage 1200A bunker rakes, which are approaching 15 years old and still doing a good job. “I’ve dealt with the dealership for nearly 20 years. Service and back-up are very important to us, and Johnston Gilpin have always proved their worth on that score, particularly with loan equipment. “Generally, we need demo machines for more than just one or two days, preferably three or four weeks so we can test them properly in all conditions, and that’s what happened last year with the 7500AE mower. “We get a lot of rain here and cutting in the wet is just the worst job. Fairway mowers in particular can leave a lot of mess, but the collection on these new machines is very good, the grass gets thrown right to the back of the boxes. We box off all the cuttings on the Annesley Links, which we’ve never done before, and people have been commenting how good the fairways are playing there now.”
Six of Royal County Down’s 17 full-time greenkeeping staff are dedicated 7500AE operators. All four mowers are set to cut the fairways at 9mm on both 18-hole courses every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, plus all the pathways. “One of our greenkeepers, Mark Kennedy, is very mechanically minded and has done a lot of product training with Johnston Gilpin learning about the machines and how to set them up, so he looks after them all,” said Eamonn, adding that all the operators know their machines well and are very good at their job. “They’ve got to be comfortable using the mowers, given how much time they spend in the seat all day, and they always report back, good or bad! The 7500AEs hold their cut well, especially down to the bottom of the contours and hollows. Golfers like a tight lie, and the new mowers give us consistent quality of cut. “The E-Cut hybrid electric system also saves fuel and produces very low emissions. We’re very pleased with these new John Deere fairway mowers, and I’m very confident that they will be with us for a long time, particularly with Mark looking after them so well.” Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2020 | 21
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A socially distanced handover at Chinnor RFC, from left, Richard Thorpe, Director of Rugby, Chinnor RFC; Rob Edwards, Marketing Manager Kubota UK Ltd; Brian Taylor, voluntary groundsman, Chinnor RFC; Simon Vickers, Chairman Chinnor RFC; Alex Dymott, Kubota and John Nicholson, voluntary groundsman Chinnor RFC
Partners in the community at a vital time for us all T
he challenge for community sports has never been greater, with fixtures and fundraising opportunities disrupted by Covid-19. However, leisure activities’ ability to bolster mental and physical well-being is universally acknowledged. So it’s especally timely that Kubota UK has presented its local community sports club with a new tractor to raise pitch standards. Chinnor Rugby Football Club is a relatively young organisation at 57 years old, but its ground near Thame, Oxfordshire – on Kubota UK’s doorstep – has become a hub for the whole community with wide participation in rugby from the youth to the Kites women’s team and a first XV doing well in English National League 1.
“Our goal is to give back to the local community, and Kubota is a very important part of that” 22 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2020
In addition to four pitches, the 10 acre ground, purchased from local farmers in the 1980s, saw the development of the Rectory Pavilion clubhouse in 1986, the centrepiece of a community sports facility which also hosts activities including military-style fitness. “We’re a not-for-profit organisation so we’re reliant on our partners for support and have had a fantastic relationship with Kubota for many years,” explained Chairman Simon Vickers, who played for the club in the 1980s. “The pitches are used almost every day, with Sunday traditionally the the big day for youth rugby and without revenue from fixtures which are currently on hold, Kubota’s backing is even more important.” In September, Kubota presented the club with a new M4062 utility tractor. Powered by a 66hp Kubota four-cylinder engine, the tractor is the ideal sportsground workhorse, compact and lightweight but mighty enough to handle a range of implements. “It’s a bit smaller and the lighter
footprint makes it ideal for work on the pitches,” explained Simon. “We’ve also ordered a new mulching mower and turf renovation implement, so we are going to be able to repair the pitches after play and present them in first class condition for the next session.” He pointed out that grounds maintenance is carried out by the ‘Friday Club’, an enthusiastic team of volunteers, so the straightforward operation of the tractor, with its 18x18 speed transmission with shuttle and its electro-hydraulic pto engagement offers a significant advantage. “Ease of use and reliability are of the utmost importance, and we know that Kubota is just down the road if we have any queries.” “In such difficult times it’s important to still be able to enjoy sport – our community touch rugby sessions on a Friday have been extremely popular, and were also launching walking rugby. Our goal is to give back to the local community, and Kubota is a very important part of that,” added Simon.
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Daneshill School appoints Kestrel Kestrel Contracts has been appointed by Daneshill School to build a range of new sporting facilities. These include a large new Multi Use Games Area, a new 5-a-side grass football pitch and the renovation of an existing MUGA. In addition, Kestrel will be designing and building a new cricket pitch for use next year and developing the school’s tennis courts. Hampshire-based Daneshill School, which is owned by the Duke of Wellington, awarded the contract to local firm Kestrel after a comprehensive and competitive tender process. Work started with Kestrel surveying the relevant sites in conjunction with the architects to plan and design the pitches’ location and orientation. Once those stages were complete all necessary levelling, stabilisation and excavation were carried out under the close direction of Kestrel’s on-site management. Commenting on Kestrel’s contract win, Bryony Ellison, Bursar at Daneshill,
explained that Daneshill provides an intensive programme of sport for all pupils enabling each child to learn new skills while keeping them fit, active, healthy and happy, no matter what their level of sporting ability is. “With sports as diverse as football, lacrosse, rugby, hockey, tennis, rounders and gymnastics being taught, the school’s sporting facilities must be flexible, durable and of the highest quality. It is on these facilities that Daneshill’s teams compete at area, county and even national levels,” said Bryony. Lord Mornington of Stratfield Saye, added that he was delighted with the work undertaken by Kestrel so far. “They renovated our old pitch very quickly to provide an all-weather surface ready for the start of the new term. In addition, the school children loved watching all the machinery from the viewing platform that Kestrel erected, and I am looking forward to trying out our wonderful new pitch.”
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Savings with Power Box Rake With two major soft-landscaping projects in the diary, the decision to purchase a Power Box Rake 150 from BLEC was a timely one for Worcester based contractors, Chemquad. Owner Tom Jennings estimates that the PBR’s ability to cultivate and grade even the most compacted ground saved one client almost £30,000, converting topsoil considered ‘unsalvageable’ into ground fit for seeding once again. Chemquad started out 21 years ago carrying out commercial weed spraying but now mainly undertake commercial landscaping projects large and small, for clients in and around the Midlands. “We have a couple of bits of BLEC kit on our fleet already but were looking for something manoeuvrable but powerful enough to handle a variety of ground conditions” explained Tom. “I’d seen the PBR at SALTEX a few years back and knew of a couple of other contractors using it, so when I learned that BLEC had launched a
new lightweight, tractor-mounted model, it was a perfect fit.” Without even having a demonstration, Tom purchased a PBR150 from his local Tallis Amos dealer in the middle of the Covid-19 lockdown and it was put to work on a problem area almost straight away. “We were working on a housing development which has a gas line running through the centre of it. We needed something that could deal with the compaction but nothing too heavy or that worked too deep in the ground. The adjustable throw plate on the PBR meant we could rake surface stones to begin with and gradually lower it to grade stones from deeper in the surface. It did an incredible job.” “It’s a simple, robust unit that gives us accuracy and efficiency in operation. The savings we have made by not having to hire specialist equipment or purchase tonnes of new topsoil means the PBR has already paid for itself, and more.”
Unveiling SAGE, 2021 trade show newcomer Set for 27-29 July 2021, industry buzz is building around trade show newcomer the Sports and Grounds Expo. To be held at the Three Counties Showground at the foot of the Malvern Hills, the show has a focus on hands-on demonstrations and experiences, offering visitors the chance to see and test out the latest products and ideas within the industry while maintaining a safe environment. The target of SAGE is to bring together grounds personnel from a broad range of sectors and provide an engaging and well-resourced environment. Many companies are looking to improve efficiency and cost effectiveness and this is a key area, which SAGE is focusing on; exploring and showcasing the products that allow this to actually happen across the industry. 24 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2020
“Our motivation is to give visitors a hands-on experience as much as possible, without compromising on safety, while it has always been the case, the pandemic has created extra pressure for many companies that are looking to streamline operations and ensure cost efficiency,” said Event Manager Vicky Panniers. “With our industry adapting at pace, SAGE provides the perfect environment for everyone to be able to experience the latest innovations on the market,” she added. “The renowned outdoor venue provides reassurances to both the visitor and exhibitor alike. Visitors will be impressed by the abundance of space and the diversity of products on show, whilst exhibitors will be astounded at the value for money on offer!” www.sportsandgrounds.co.uk
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NEWS
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Rigby Taylor introduce the first, 4 cultiva, tetraploid perennial ryegrass blend Changes in climatic conditions are proving increasingly challenging for turf maintenance. In recent times weather patterns have fluctuated from one extreme to the other. Late frosts, snow or drought in spring, summer heatwaves accompanied by prolonged drought and periods of intense rainfall are all becoming commonplace.
Tetraploid perennial ryegrass has double the number of chromosomes (4n) compared with diploid perennial ryegrass, resulting in high vigour, extremely stress tolerant plants. One of the main benefits, increased cellular chloroplast, boosts chlorophyll production to aid energy absorption and processing. The outcome is a robust, hard-wearing, healthier plant that can better withstand climatic fluctuations. Tetraploids germinate and grow in colder temperatures down to 40C and produce a stronger, deeper, denser root mass, increasing drought tolerance and tensile strength. The ability to perform in colder temperatures and survive periods of heat and drought makes tetraploids indispensable. Four cultivars are now available in the 100% tetraploid ryegrass blend 4Tetra, the fundamental choice for turf performance and recovery throughout the seasons.
The BLEND 4Tetra 25% Fabian 25% Tetrastar 25% Tetragame 25% Tetragreen
Germin-8T treated tetraploid perennial ryegrass tetraploid perennial ryegrass tetraploid perennial ryegrass tetraploid perennial ryegrass
APPLICATIONS • Repair and renovate high impact wear surfaces • Transitional autumn/winter seeding for winter wear recovery • Increased heat, drought and disease tolerance • Ideal for sports pitches, racecourses, golf tee, fairways and walkways.
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Dumbarnie: It’s worth the wait Scott MacCallum CELEBrates the opening – at last – of a fine addition to the long list of magnificent scottish golf courses, uncovering AMERICAN connections along the way…
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T
here is a beach in Fife which is only really known by locals. Shell Bay, on the East Neuk of the Kingdom, doesn’t have the iconic status of the West Sands at St Andrews, but it does have all you would ever want from a beach. I know this because I was brought up not 15 miles away and spent the occasional sunny Sunday afternoon enjoying the delights of the beach. But just between Shell Bay and the village of Lower Largo is a stretch of land, at one time unassuming fields occupied by cattle and sheep, which has just been turned into Scotland’s newest and most talked about golf course – a wonderful addition to the unbeatable stable of courses the Home of Golf has to offer. Dumbarnie Links opened to the public in May and there can be noone prouder than Grahame Taylor, who has been with the project from the turning of the first sod. He was
appointed Course Manager, initially being in charge of the “Seed in the Ground” contract, before taking on the day-to-day maintenance. A born and bred Fifer, Grahame already had a stellar CV, containing the names Leven Links, Polaris WorldSpain, Gleneagles and The Old Course St Andrews. Then came along the amazing opportunity to be involved in a fantastic new project that could not be overlooked at Dumbarnie Links. It was while at Leven that the jungle drums about a new course near Shell Bay started to beat a little louder, reaffirming a plan which had its origins back in the 1920s, and which had it come to fruition would have changed the landscape of Scotland’s hospitality and golfing sector. The story goes that the Directors of Caledonian Railways were travelling through Scotland looking to identify a location for a fabulous new hotel
A consortium was put together and the land, part of the 5,000 acre Balcarres Estate, was purchased from Lord Balniel. Planning for the new course was approved in 2017. 28 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2020
they hoped to add to their property portfolio. They came up with two places, Dumbarnie and Gleneagles. It was the Perthshire site that was chosen and the iconic Gleneagles Hotel, with its wonderful Scottish Open, Ryder and Solheim Cup courses, was the result. It may have taken a full century to do so but Dumbarnie is now fulfilling that potential. “I first learned that a golf course was being planned over 10 years ago when I heard that the land had potential for golf,” explained Grahame, as we spoke in his superb new maintenance facility, full of brand new John Deere kit, supplied by Double A, based not far away in Cupar. What had put the spark back in the plan was down to an old boss of mine. Malcolm Campbell, a former Editor of Golf Monthly magazine and a highly respected golf writer, lives close by and had, like Caledonian Railways, known for some time of the golfing potential of the land. Close friends with former Ryder Cup player, Clive Clark, now golf course architect, based in the United States, Malcolm tipped Clive off about the site, and he became equally enamoured. A consortium was put together and the land, part of the 5,000 acre Balcarres Estate, was purchased from Lord Balniel. Planning for the }
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DUMBARNIE LINKS
The men who made it happen
The eighth hole – before, left, and after. Opposite page, the 16th hole
When Malcolm Campbell struck the official first drive to open Dumbarnie Links in early summer it was a proud moment and one that he sometimes felt he wouldn’t be around to see. Malcolm, a respected golf writer, who had the dubious pleasure of being my boss in the mid 80s, had been the driving force behind the golf course and the man who had experienced first-hand the highs and lows of turning a dream into reality. “We moved to Lower Largo in 1993 and had a disused railway line at the bottom of the garden. One day we walked about a mile along it towards Elie and I came across land that I thought was just waiting to have a golf course built on it. It was all fescue bent on pure sand and you could see where sheep had dug out what could have been old fashioned bunkers,” recalled Malcolm. In many ways, however, having identified the land for a potentially world class golf course was the easy bit. Who owned the land? Could they be persuaded to turn it over to a golf course? Who would invest the type of money required to build such a course? Would it get through planning? Will the various pressure groups be appeased? Who could design a golf course to fulfil the potential of the land? That last question was the only one with a straight-forward answer. Malcolm had long been friends with Clive Clark, the former Ryder Cup player, BBC commentator and awardwinning golf course architect. “I visit Clive every year at his home in Palm Springs, California and one evening we were sitting having a gin and tonic and I started telling him about this piece of land. I told him that he’d make a great job of it but that we’d need to find a developer, investors and convince the owner,” explained Malcolm, who had by this stage found out that Lord Balniel, the owner of Balcarnes Estate, was the
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Malcolm Campbell (standing) who discovered the site and Clive Clark, the golf course architect who designed the course – two great friends
There was no use just building another golf course. It needs to be ranked in the top 100… man who would need to be persuaded. One might have thought that dangling the carrot of a new Fife links course in front of potential investors would have drawn quite a crowd but Malcolm and Clive found it harder than they had hoped and the initial investor actually pulled out when the project was well into the planning process.
“It then took another year for Clive to put together another group of private investors and we had to start the planning process again from the very beginning.” Having been persuaded that his land would make a world class golf course, Lord Balniel was on board, even agreeing to free up more land when Malcolm showed him what moving the original site up to some higher ground could offer. “It was a huge site and from the escarpment the views were incredible stretching all the way from Elie across the Firth to Edinburgh. When I visited it with Lord Balniel he said we could take what we needed. So I went back to Clive and we reappraised the plans and he did a fantastic job on the newly agreed land, with 13 holes looking out to sea and only two holes, the 7th and 17th playing uphill,” explained Malcolm, who had ladled more pressure on his old friend by saying that it needed to be a course ranked in the world’s top 100. “There was no use just building another golf course. It needs to be ranked in the top 100 to tap into the American market and, let’s face it, if you are going to build a links golf course near St Andrews it would have to be in the top 100 worldwide.” But judging by the now completed and opened course, neither Malcolm nor Clive need worry. It is stunning and there is one other course somewhere out there, which is going to drop out of that elite listing. Due to Covid, Clive couldn’t make it over to the grand opening so it was left to Malcolm to play the opening shot but while he was disappointed not to have his old friend there doing the honours Malcolm revealed that they had played many rounds the previous summer, with only minor tweaks being made by Clive along the way. Malcolm can rest happy that golf course he “discovered” is now being shared by golfers and will be for as long as golf continues to be played.
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} new course was approved in 2017.
Remarkably, the construction and overall management was and is conducted by American companies – Nebraska-based Landscapes Unlimited constructed the course and it is operated by OB Sports Golf Management, which is based in Scottsdale, Arizona. It was designed by Clive Clark who was on site for the construction phase and had Paul Kimber also on site throughout as Project Manager. “I think they wanted someone with a lot of Links golf experience and ideally a local guy to manage the course and I’d been at Leven for 10 years, had Open and Ryder Cup experience and was also very experienced in irrigation,” explained Grahame.
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His boss is Luke Beardmore, Senior Vice President of Agronomy, Construction and Landscape with OB Sports Golf Management. “Luke interviewed me on site, and we have built a great working relationship, even though he is 5,000 miles away. We speak every day, either by phone, Zoom or Facetime. I feel really privileged to have such a great working relationship. Luke is an agronomist and has grown-in around 30 golf courses. OB Sports have been a fantastic support for me on site.” Turning bland fields into a characterful golf course is no mean feat but in the case of Dumbarnie, in part due to the dry summer of 2018, it was constructed in a remarkable 12 weeks – the first sod
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was turned on June 1, 2018 with the final green seeded on October 8th. “Shapers, four of them, were brought in from the States and the site was swarming with 30 tonne dumper trucks and dozers. They moved 600,000 cubic tones of dirt and in doing so created a dune-scape indistinguishable from the land which previously existed,” revealed Grahame. With the construction moving at such a pace it would have been easy for Grahame to lose focus, however taking one day at a time and staying organised was key to a successful day. “To be on site from day one was very important to see where everything from drainage to irrigation is going in the ground. “Working as one team with Clive } Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2020 | 31
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The Dumbarnie team, above. Opposite page: Grahame Taylor, Course Manager
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“you were left hoping that nature would provide some rain to germinate the seed before the winds arrive in the spring.” } and Paul was a good opportunity to
put forward my views on any contours that would affect the maintenance of the course moving forward, Clive would sometimes ask me ‘Is it maintainable?’” said Grahame. “If they perhaps needed a slight tweak they could be softened off a little. It was quite straightforward and the consultation worked well.” The areas in which Grahame’s views were considered most valuable where in ensuring there were sufficient pin positions on greens and would fairway mowers cope with some of the undulations the shapers had created. When it came to the seeding of the greens and surrounds Grahame and his team took it upon themselves to complete the job and were delighted with the results. “It is important that you get it right the first time as you get one shot at it.” Barenbrug supplied the seed. The greens and surrounds were fescue – chewings and slender with a very small percentage of Charles bent. “I asked for some bent as it gives us a little more scope as there would otherwise be a greater risk of balls oscillating in high winds. In terms of wear having a bit of bent in there gives you more options.”
Those winds were such that they did cause issues during the grow in, a problem caused by the fact that the dunes were brand new and initially didn’t have anything to bind them together. “The dunes were all hydro seeded but had no irrigation, so you were left hoping that nature would provide some rain to germinate the seed before the winds arrive in the spring,” revealed Grahame, adding that the course had wall-to-wall Toro irrigation, which offers him excellent control. Unfortunately some winds did prove to be an issue in the spring of 2019 and, despite miles of fences, and piles of pallets, acting as wind breaks, Grahame and the team would come in and discover entire fairways were buried in up to four inches of sand. In his own words, “It was a like a war zone out there at times” sums up the scene after the winds had done their damage. “The fescue was at a young stage and any amount of brushing the sand off was not ideal.” This was the toughest spell during the grow-in phase for the agronomy team. “I have a fantastic team who I work alongside with who gave everything to the course during that difficult spell.” “Take one day at a time and feel like you have won the battle when you head home. The next day is a new set of challenges to overcome. There is always a solution, you just have to find it.” His philosophy during the growin period was to be aggressive from the start in terms of agronomy. “There is no point in pussy-footing around. You have to take control right from the beginning, or you will get beaten up. I always went with my gut instinct and stuck to that, if you are second guessing yourself you are not going to win the battle.” The course itself is stunning. Designed to be an enjoyable round for most standards of golfer the length is a spread from 5,334 yards, off the front tees, to an eye-watering 7,620 yards from the Championship tips. That would even have Bryson DeChambeau reaching for a mid-iron occasionally and perhaps hints at }
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Clive Clark comments… What was it that Malcolm told you that particularly paid your ears prick up? Malcolm had known of the site for a number of years, as he lives nearby. What intrigued me the most was that it was a genuine links site nearby to St Andrews (11 miles away). Links sites, where permission could be possible, are very rare indeed. Did the site live up to the reputation Malcolm gave it when you saw it in the flesh? When I was first able to visit the site (as I live in California, I only visit the UK every couple of years), the fact that it was on two levels connected by a sweeping escarpment was a large bonus. There was a substantial area that offered elevated views of the coastal plain and magnificent panoramic views across the Firth of Forth. Both of these plains were relatively flat in nature; however, I have designed courses with very flat sites on sand here in the desert in Southern California, so am very familiar with moving earth to create golf courses with interesting natural-looking features. Looking at the site as it was, and how it looks now that the course is completed, you will notice a remarkable difference! What was it, if anything, that you particularly focused on when designing the course? Many of the great links golf courses in the UK play out along the coastal dunes, and then return to the clubhouse. With the land at my disposal it gave me the opportunity to design six holes which played from elevated tees with a backdrop of views directly over the Firth of Forth. I also wanted the course to be playable for all levels of golfer, and hence most of the fairways are at least 40-yards wide. In short, the course has magnificent views, yet with the way the sand was moved, the dunes make each hole individual such that the golfer whilst playing feels he is the only one on the course. Another factor I focus on is ‘memorability’ for the player. Many who have played at Dumbarnie have already commented that with each hole having its own features, the holes are very memorable. Malcolm said that you’d need to produce a Top 100 course – how did you deal with that pressure? We were aiming high from the outset! I’ve been fortunate to have had the experience of being involved in the design of 35 golf courses in Europe and the USA, over a 30 year period – most of which have won national and international Awards. Therefore, by nature I am competitive and given that this was a genuine links site, we were off to a great start. Now finished, where does it fit if your portfolio of courses and can you sum up your feelings about it? I love links golf and through my golf career, plus commentating for BBC for 18 years, I am very familiar with top class links. TIn fact, there are likely only around 40 top class links in the entire world. Because of the rarity of links golf (only about 250 out of around 34,000 courses in the world are links), it is every course designer’s dream to have the opportunity to design a course on a genuine links site. As such, I feel fortunate to have been granted just such an opportunity and am delighted to include Dumbarnie Links in my portfolio of designs. I know you and Malcolm “Christened” the course last summer, but now, open to the public, when do you hope to be back to see it again? As I live in Southern California, Covid-19 had a severe impact on overseas travel. I had originally planned on being there when it opened for play in May, and was disappointed when I was unable to. I have plans to be there when we reopen for play in spring 2021 (and may allow Malcolm to come along for 9 holes!). Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2020 | 33
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“I am honoured to be Course Manager at Dumbarnie Links. It has been a joy to be involved here from the start and I haven’t looked back.” } longer term ambitions for the course.
One of the features of the course, which is already adding to the flora and fauna on the site, is the bunkers. Half of them are beautifully revetted, while the other half are described as natural. “The revetted bunkers, 72 of them, are actually Eco Bunker, with layers of astroturf. You’d never know and they have turned out magnificently and Richard Allen has told us that they will stand for 25 years. “We keep the natural bunkers clear by hand weeding them,” explained Grahame, whose team has grown from 11 during the grow-in to 18 now, including South African Deputy Course Manager, Era van Zyl, who joined Grahame from the Castle Course, in St Andrews. Covid-19 has had an impact on Dumbarnie, although the opening only slid by a fortnight from the original date of May 16. “At that point we were still aiming
to have the course ready and, while we knew it was struggle for some of our suppliers, we were working towards that date without easing off. “The thing that sticks in my mind about lockdown was that we were on a hectic schedule to get the clubhouse finished and we thought it was achievable. There were 40 to 50 people working on the clubhouse pushing hard… and the next day everyone left. It was a very eerie feeling. All my guys had cut back on their hours and it was just Era and myself sometimes. I cannot thank Era enough for his dedication. It was a very strange feeling. We just did not know what was going to happen,” recalled Grahame. “My main concern was the guys’ health. You have to look after your team. When we started to come back, I split them into smaller groups and they were doing essential maintenance and then going home for the day.” Speaking in September with
a temporary car park packed, a clubhouse, which has been designed to look like two converted barns due for completion within a few weeks, and rave reviews for the course, Grahame could not be more pleased. “I’m incredibly proud. Our international bookings have understandably been cancelled but many have rescheduled, while we have been full with Scottish residents playing, many of them coming back two three or even four times. “I am honoured to be Course Manager at Dumbarnie Links. It has been a joy to be involved here from the start and I haven’t looked back. I never planned out my career. If a chance comes along you just have to have the courage to take it.” And take it he has. You can be sure that now that Shell Bay shares its space with a world class golf course it will no longer be just the guilty secret of the Fife locals.
Opposite page: Dumbarnie during grow-in
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ESTATE MANAGEMENT
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Estate management at the National Trust’s Waddesdon Manor L
ate in 2019, The Rothschild Foundation purchased a Ventrac 4500 all-terrain compact tractor and Tough Cut mowing deck to help maintain the gardens and grounds at Waddesdon Manor near Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire. The Foundation manages Waddesdon on behalf of the National Trust. Gardens Manager, Mike Buffin, leads a team of 14 full-time gardeners and four students on one-year assignments. His
Mike Buffin says the Ventrac is ideal because of its versatility, the ease of changing attachments and them to be maintained with ease and in safety slope mowing capabilities
impressive CV includes working at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Edinburgh; the University of Pennsylvania; the Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, and National Trust. The gardens department manages over 400 acres at Waddesdon. “We have wildflower meadows dotted around the estate, many on challenging slopes,” said Mike. “There’s also a broad expanse of lawn at the front of the house, which takes a lot of wear at our annual events, such as the Christmas Fair, Colourscape in May, Summer Fest in July and Chilli Fest each September. The initial demo highlighted the benefits of the Aera-vator in relieving the compaction and the overseeding attachment worked particularly well. However, it was on the wildflower banks where the machine really came into its own. It was a wet day and the Tough Cut deck performed admirably in these challenging areas. We have been using several different mowers to achieve the high level of presentation expected at Waddesdon. The versatility of the Ventrac has simplified this and it is now one of our principal mowers.”
The Ventrac proved so successful that the Foundation returned to local dealer, RT Machinery, in June and purchased additional attachments including a Turbo Blower, Landscape Rake and Aera-vator with seeder. “The Aera-vator and overseeder attachment for the Ventrac is an excellent piece of equipment. We are one of the National Trust’s most visited properties with over 460,000 visitors, which means that the formal grassed areas around the ornamental core of the gardens can become very compacted,” said Peter Turski, Horticultural Team Leader at the estate., “The main benefit of the Aeravator is that it simplifies the whole operation in one pass significantly reducing the time taken to a fraction of what it used to. No soil plugs are generated, so no collection required, and the over seeding attachment works in synchronicity with the aerating implement by dropping seed directly into the fractured surface of the sward assisting good contact with the soil.” www.priceturfcare.com
The Ventrac can operate on challenging slopes allowing them to be maintained with ease and in safety
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ESTATE MANAGEMENT
Cramer’s professional cordless range C
ramer has been innovating since 1835, and 185 years later sees the launch of the Cramer 82V commercial cordless platform which offers the high power and torque necessary for commercial tasks. With a wide range of over 30 products to choose from for all applications and total flexibility in the workplace. When looking at the best solution for commercial cordless products, 82V offers the perfect
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balance of power, torque, weight, cost, and durability. Lower voltage systems need to increase the current to get anywhere near the power output of an 82V system. By doing so, increasing heat and wasting energy, and having a detrimental effect on battery life. With higher voltage platforms – those over 82v – there is the disadvantage of additional weight, larger batteries, and increased cost. Having extensively analysed the performance capabilities of lithium ion batteries, Cramer created the 82V Commercial platform as the optimum solution for demanding commercial applications. The Cramer 82V range has been designed specifically for the professional user as a replacement to petrol products. Our 82V platform now offers the power of petrol equivalents thanks
to ultra-high torque motors and direct drive, but with all the benefits of cordless such as low noise for use in any setting, low vibration allowing all day use, low running costs, reduced maintenance costs, and total flexibility with a single power pack for the range. A major factor when investing in cordless tools is the depth of range. A large portion of the investment is on the power pack so the choice of products available for that power pack is crucial. The Cramer 82V range has one of the most comprehensive ranges on the market with everything from brush cutters, twin bladed lawnmowers, and chainsaws, to powered sweepers, utility carts, and telescopic pruners. Being a specialist commercial product, durability is essential. The Cramer 82V cordless range is manufactured using the highest quality materials including magnesium components and commercial grade high torque motors for the highest performance and a long working life. www.cramertools.com
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Aspen: 99% cleaner fuel H
ealth and safety is at the heart of operations for Halifax based Green Valley Arborists. Working on commercial vegetation clearance and landscaping projects, including some in environmentallysensitive areas, requires Director Luke Kendall to look at all elements of operations – from the safety of their operators to the impact their equipment has on their surroundings. That’s why 12 months ago GVA made the switch to Aspen Alkylate Fuel across their entire range of petrol-powered equipment. “As the company grew and work for associations including The Environment Agency started coming our way, it became apparent that the benefits of Aspen Fuel aligned more and more with our approach” explained Luke. 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. With
these ingredients removed, the odour and infamous ‘blue haze’ produced is minimal, reducing the impact the machinery makes on both the
operator and the environment. “Previously we would have to send one of our team to the petrol station to fill up a drum which is all time, labour and expense. When you then factor in that it needs to be mixed with 2-stroke oil, and the hazards associated with that, the costs begin racking up. Being ready mixed, Aspen 2 is quicker, easier and safer for our operators to use and gives us consistency in performance, helping our equipment to run more efficiently,” said Luke. Together with Aspen 2 in their smaller tools such as chainsaws and brushcutters, Luke and the team also use Aspen 4-stroke petrol in some larger equipment – eliminating the usage of pump fuel completely. “We purchase Aspen by the pallet, in five litre containers, which is delivered directly to our site where it can be safely stored, and its usage better monitored. When this runs low, we order more, and it will arrive in 48 hours which couldn’t be easier.” www.aspenfuels.com
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ESTATE MANAGEMENT
Reesink adds specialist kit R
eesink is the new distributor for AgriMetal blowers and collectors in the UK. A range of three low decibel threepoint linkage mounted debris blowers and two high capacity collectors, recognised for their safe, efficient
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and reliable performance for sports, grounds and other turf customers, are now available from the agricultural and turfcare distributor in time for autumn. AgriMetal was already a brand familiar to Reesink’s Managing Director David Cole. “I’ve worked with AgriMetal before and recognise it as a popular blower line with great reliability and features, so when the opportunity arose recently to bring it in under our newly formed Agricultural division here at Reesink we didn’t hesitate. Customers responded to the brand’s performance, build quality and competitive pricing in the past and I am sure will do so again.” There are three leaf and debris blowers available, all tractor mounted, with the BW2500 requiring 25hp at the PTO, BW3500 35hp and BW4500, 45hp respectively. They have an aluminium rather than steel impellor which, because it requires less energy at full throttle, delivers a quieter, smoother
and vibration free operation. This will appeal to golf courses and urban sports ground, for example, where it is important to keep noise pollution to a minimum. The lightweight construction reduces the sudden loading on the driveline and helps reduce belt wear as the PTO is engaged. The large roller on which the blower rides lets you work in the worst conditions without marking or compacting the turf, particularly useful for sports surfaces, especially on turns. In fact, in contrast to the competition, the roller will often repair imperfections on the turf. Joining the blowers are two collectors, the Tuff Vac and Multi Vac. The Tuff Vac comes in two variants, PTO driven for use with a a 35hp+ tractor, or with its own 27hp engine allowing it to be towed by a smaller tractor or larger utility vehicle. The Multi Vac is pulled and powered by any 50hp or higher tractor. www.reesinkagriculture.co.uk
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Power in paradise A
fter two unsuccessful mowers, landowner Dr Ueli Zellweger has finally found the ride-on mower he was looking for to help maintain the ‘most beautiful spot on earth’. Dr Ueli Zellweger, a retired veterinary physician, found his slice of paradise in 1995 when he and his wife moved from Switzerland to a beautiful location in Exeter. Their magnificent house is surrounded by 15 acres of land which includes paddocks, a horse riding arena and a huge man-made lake, which were created by Ueli and his wife. With so many acres of green space, it is vital that Ueli has only the finest turf maintenance machinery. However, finding a mower efficient enough to deal with the slopes, verges and tough terrain has not been straightforward – that was until he came across the Etesia Buffalo 124 HVHPX 4WD machine. “I had two previous ride-on mowers before the Buffalo and unfortunately they just were not good enough,” said Ueli. “I asked my local garden machinery dealer, Tom Williams, to give me the best and most powerful machine he had. He was quick to recommend the Etesia Buffalo 124 and after I saw it demonstrated, it didn’t take me long to make a decision.”
“It is incredibly powerful, the most powerful machine I have ever had.”
Fitted with a 124-cm overlapping cutting deck and a powerful 23-hp two-cylinder Briggs and Stratton engine with catalytic converter as standard, the Etesia Buffalo has a high hourly mowing output of up to 15,000 sq m. per hour, and an unequalled weight-to-power ratio. The efficiency of the cutting system allows the operator to work faster (up to 12 km/h) and to improve productivity and output – the Buffalo excels even in wet conditions. Furthermore, this unique ride-on mower is fitted with a builtin grass collector with a capacity of 600 litres, and the hydraulic emptying system is controlled from the driver’s seat up to 1.8 metres. “We have the most beautiful spot on earth here, so we are deeply passionate about our land. We spend a lot of time in the gardens and therefore it is essential to have the correct equipment in place to help keep it maintained. This Etesia Buffalo is the one. “It is incredibly powerful, the most powerful machine I have ever had – it glides over uneven ground and slopes effortlessly. One area on the estate – a field next to the house – consists of very dense, coarse grass. The Buffalo cuts it brilliantly. Every other mower I have used in the past had failed. Whether it is short grass, long grass, rough grass, wet grass – it cuts absolutely everything, and the quality of cut is always fantastic. It is also good to have the peace of mind that I am no longer going to get stuck on a slope. “I like the versatility of being able to change the height of cut depending on the situation and the operator controls are very user friendly. There are two levers on the right-hand side – one is for emptying the grass box and one is for raising it. Everything on this machine is so easy to operate. To complement Ueli’s Buffalo, he and his wife also rely on the
Etesia Duocut Battery NACTS pedestrian mower. This batterypowered walk-behind mower is environmentally responsible, compact, rugged and efficient. It can easily handle collection, mulching and mowing without the need of any additional attachments. “There are smaller areas that you can’t get to with the rideon mower and this is where the Duocut comes in – it is fantastic at doing the tight edges or small pathways. It is powerful and light, smooth and silent,” said Ueli. www.etesia.co.uk
The Etesia Duocut Battery NACTS pedestrian mower and, top, the Etesia Buffalo
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RADLEY COLLEGE
Honour and a privilege
Scott MacCallum talks WITH adam King, head of grounds at Radley College, in Oxford, and learns THAT WHILE THERE IS COMPETITIVENESS TO DO YOUR BEST, THAT DOESN’T NECESSARILY MEAN WITH EACH OTHER 42 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2020
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RADLEY COLLEGE
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Radley is one of only four all boarding boys’ schools in the entire country – the others being Eton, Harrow and Winchester.
I
had a pretty normal school education. I got sufficient grades to go on to do the journalism course that I wanted to take, while I also enjoyed the sporting side of things, playing rugby for the school in my early years. In fact, I enjoy all sports but, to be perfectly honest, I’ve never been very good – the archetypal Jack of all Trades… You know the rest. But things might have been different. I enjoy golf, but grew up in a town where the golf club had no professional, so my swing was, and still is, hand built – more Heath Robinson than Rolls Royce. At my school our PE staff were more facilitators than coaches, allowing us access to sport but without any genuine coaching, while our playing fields were sloped to such an extent that I could run 100 metres in around 11 seconds in one direction and 22 seconds in the other. So, while I’ve always been grateful
for the education I received, I am, and have always been, envious of those people who benefited from a private education. And even more so, of those who boarded. Nothing to do with Harry Potter, but these guys had access to fabulous sports facilities, plenty of time for sport on the timetables and coaches to ensure that proper foundations are put into technique, whether that be batting, scrummaging or golfing. Not so sure about quidditching. I certainly don’t feel underprivileged, but those thoughts did come flooding back when I spoke with Adam King, Head of Grounds at Radley College, in Oxford, and particularly resonated when he talked about two of the newest additions to facilities, neither of which, funnily enough, require input from himself from an agronomic perspective. “We used to include pictures of well presented pitches on our school prospectus. Now we have pictures
of our Strength and Conditioning Unit, which cost close to £1 million, and our rowing tank, which enables the boys to train right the way through winter,” explained Adam. Strength and Conditioning Unit! What I would have given to have had access to that. I went from scrawny to overweight in the blink of an eye. Radley is one of only four all boarding boys’ schools in the entire country – the others being Eton, Harrow and Winchester. There are currently 737 boys on roll and this will grow to 750 when the latest boarding house becomes fully operational. Among the Old Boys are Peter Cook, Ted Dexter, Andrew Straus, Brough Scott, Nigel Twiston-Davis and Lord Scarman. “Sports plays a major part of what the boys do here,” said Adam, merely confirming my long-standing jealousy. “They are out four afternoons a week, plus Saturdays and when we are }
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RADLEY COLLEGE
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Adam King, Head of Grounds
} playing against our big ‘rival’ schools
there can be 24 rugby teams out at the same time. It’s a great sight.” With everyone on site including the teaching staff, who all live in school houses, retaining a school bubble is easier than for some. “We are a campus school, spread over 800 acres, so we don’t have the same worries that Eton, Harrow and Winchester, for example, have of boys walking around the town. We are in one massive bubble and with so many sports on offer – touch rugby only at the moment; football, cricket, hockey, athletics, tennis, golf and rowing it means that the boys are nicely spaced out and can enjoy what they are doing,” said Adam, who has been at the school since 2000. During the March to June lockdown Adam’s regular staff of 19 was reduced to four to enable essential work on the gardens and grounds to be carried out, and two greenkeepers to maintain the school’s nine hole golf course, which
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has its own membership of 350. “In many ways it took me back to my days back in 1989 at Stowmarket Golf Club, sitting on a tractor pulling a set of Lloyds gangs. Tranquil times, with no phone, no interruptions. It was quite surreal, but quite pleasant at the same time,” he recalled. “Then it dawned on us that the boys weren’t coming back for the summer term and that we were, therefore, not going to have any cricket, and the mood went the other way. Everyone got a bit down and the implications of what was happening began to hit home. It was a really odd summer. “At times we were wondering where it was all leading and whether the boys would be coming back in September. “We are in a much more fortunate position now and, as a school, we are the fullest we have ever been. We only have 10 or 12 of our international students who are currently distance learning.” Staff gradually began returning }
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“As a school we are very keen that every boy does something every day – we can’t have them sitting around their boarding houses…” } and the Grounds Team had a full
complement by mid September, when work on cricket pitches began in earnest in preparation for matches later in the year. “The Old Boys played a Twenty20 last week against another school and there are another few fixtures planned for the next few weeks,” said Adam, speaking the day after the Prime Minister had announced further restrictions which could stretch well into 2021. “Our plan was to go to play touch rugby until half term in October and then go to rugby after half term at the beginning of November. What we’ve heard now is that that is probably not going to happen
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and we will continue to play touch rugby or go to football or hockey. “As a school we are very keen that every boy does something every day – we can’t have them sitting around their boarding houses,” said Adam, whose advice to anyone new to school groundsmanship is to get involved with the school as much as possible. He himself coaches cricket and football. The pandemic came on the back of a period of weather which had had Adam bemoaning the wet weather of last winter and spring. “We are always in the hands of Mother Nature and she was working against us but ironically she then worked with us for a long time. We had a hot dry spell in April to May. It was a Godsend. If there had been a flush we would have been in all sorts of trouble trying to keep on top of things with our reduced numbers. Then there was a flush in August which was brilliant which got everything up and running.” It is possible to give the weather credit for doing its best to assist there are many more elements which have gone towards the improved standards that can be seen at schools up and down the country. “I do wonder what Jim Arthur
would be thinking now, with all the technology that is available. Things have move on massively in the last 20 years and we are lucky to have all the tools in the tool box that we need to create the top sports surfaces we want for the boys to play sport on,” said Adam, who name checked the Koro and Primo Maxx as two of the significant developments in recent years. That ability to produce surfaces across a range of sports is one of the things which marks a top school and university groundsman out from the crowd. Radley is just completing a five year deal with Toro for machinery while what can’t be done with the machinery in house – Koroing is carried out by ALS, who have been working at the school as long as Adam has been there. “Being multi skilled is what keeps us all in the job but you grow into some of those skills. For example, cricket and rugby pitches were easy, but I didn’t know much about astro pitches when I started. You grow into those roles. “The nice thing about the groundsmen on the circuit is that there is competitiveness to do our best but not with each other. Some do great jobs on much smaller budgets than I have, and probably do a better }
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“Being multi skilled is what keeps us all in the job but you grow into some of those skills.”
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} job but ultimately everyone is always judged on the cricket season,” said Adam, who added that he and his Deputy would visit other grounds two or three times a season to watch games and share thoughts and ideas with fellow groundsmen. “All the guys are pulling hard to produce the best surfaces they can and it is fantastic for the industry.” It is an industry, however, that Adam feels is not supported as well as it should be. “We’ve never been well supported by the organisations and we’ve always had to fend for ourselves,
Adam considers himself extremely privileged to be working at such an extraordinary place… 50 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2020
but I could talk about that for two weeks,” said Adam, who added that a notable exception was ICL who host an annual Schools’ Seminar. As an explanation, Adam points to the fact that other sectors have a much higher profile with the top football and rugby groundsmen having their work seen on television on a weekly basis during the season. “Whereas here, nobody sees our work apart from the boys, their parents and ourselves. That said we don’t crave that sort of exposure.” Adam considers himself extremely privileged to be working at such an extraordinary place, a place where work on the sports surfaces has to be combined with maintaining the grounds of the numerous properties in the Radley portfolio. “The summer is the time when many staff come and go and we have to ensure that their gardens are neat and tidy, so it is a major project for the
gardening team. We’ve just finished laying 3,000 square metres of turf around the new Boarding House.” Variety is very much the spice of life and Adam is grateful to his superb team – many sportsmen in their own right – who, in addition to being skilled gardeners, greenkeepers and groundsmen, contribute to a great team spirit. Looking ahead Adam see the industry flattening out over the next five year. “I can’t see companies investing millions in producing a new machine at the moment because they are not going to sell too many,” said Adam, while acknowledging that the move towards hybrid and electric will be maintained. Despite the pandemic, and the uncertainty caused, Adam sees a great future ahead for the school, while I’m hoping to do some sort of Benjamin Button so I can go back and enjoy all the benefits of being a boarding school boy.
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NEWS
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It’s what’s underneath that counts… Ed Mowe, Head Groundsman at Leicester Tigers, believes that a good sand is integral to the performance and health of a sports pitch – and it is for this reason that he has relied on Mansfield Sand products throughout his career. Before joining the Tigers, Ed’s career had seen him work on the grounds at Leicester City Football Club and at England FA’s St George’s Park. He has now been with Tigers since 2016 and as well as looking after the pitch at the Tigers’ famous Welford Road stadium, he and his team also look after the seating and terracing areas at the ground, all the surrounding car parks and public access ways, as well as the training pitches and facilities at Oval Park. It’s safe to say that Ed and his team have their work cut out, and therefore they insist on using high performing products that will help make their life easier. Ed claims that products from Mansfield Sand have always given him a certain peace of mind. “I’ve been using Mansfield Sand products for 24 years, from when I was at Leicester City FC and St Georges Park and now here at Leicester Tigers. “You might not actually get to see what using a good sand does when you look at a pitch but if you don’t have a good sand product then I guarantee that you will soon run into problems. It’s what is underneath that counts.” Ed chooses to use Moist Mansil 35 which is part of the Mansil Silica Sand Sports Range. Sourced directly from the company’s Two Oaks Quarry in Mansfield, the Mansil Silica products are predominantly used in the construction and maintenance of a wide range of sports surfaces – from winter sports pitches, golf courses, bowling greens and all amenity turf areas. He uses MM35 for end of season renovations but always keeps some in reserve for the season ahead – as he explains.
“MM35 is an essential part of our renovations each year,” said Ed. “At the stadium pitch, we’ll clean it up, remove all the vegetation and then apply 40 tonnes of sand. That will then be Vertidrained and we will brush the pitch so we can incorporate the sand into the Vertidrain holes. “We also use MM35 on our training pitches,” continued Ed. “Each year we purchase approximately 200 tonnes from Mansfield Sand. We’ll get the main bulk of this spread during renovations, but we always make sure that we have a little stockpile left over. “We then can use this throughout the season if there are any areas which need dressing. It is particularly useful for any hollows or low divots. www.mansfield-sand.co.uk
Before and after at Leicester Tigers
Praise for Koro TopDrain Sports turf and land drainage contractors, AMS Contracting, needed a secondary drainage machine that could work at 1m and 0.5m spacings and got that and more with the Koro TopDrain 1000, supplied through Campey Turf Care Systems. The West Sussex based company had been using other secondary drainage machines, but customer demand for 1m spacing led them to consider the TopDrain 1000. Secondary drainage is a relatively quick and affordable drainage solution that can be implemented with minimal disruption to a surface. Because the TopDrain creates open channels up to 260mm in depth to the primary drainage, it can be an extremely important tool for pitches because it offers a quick response to rainfall which often reduces postponements
or areas being unusable. Ben Taylor, Product Specialist for Campeys accompanied Ashley Strange with his brother Myles, co-owners and managers of AMS Contracting, to view the machine in action in Holland. “We found that not all of our clients wanted or needed 0.5m spacing, so we wanted to find a solution to offer them,” Ashley explained. “There were factors like the build quality, labour time and availability of the machine that were high on our list. “We had quite a few pitches to get through in early spring so a quick turnaround time for us was essential and Campey had the machine with us a week after we viewed it. “Now, we’ve already used the TopDrain on cricket and football pitches and it will soon be working on some rugby pitches. It’s dealt really well with tough
compacted surfaces and because it’s fully operated from the cab the labour time when using it compared to our other machines has been significantly reduced. “It’s very easy to set up and changing the spacing to suit what each of our clients want is quick and easy because you don’t have to remove any parts. Wearing parts are quick to change as well, and whenever we’ve needed replacements, we’ve received them the next day.” The TopDrain provides a complete one-pass surface drainage system. It trenches, removes spoil and injects sand before re-compacting the surface in one pass. Its operation reduces material costs and labour with faster processing and less surface contamination than conventional methods. www.campeyturfcare.com
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TRAINING AND EDUCATION
Embracing new technology One silver lining among the heartache of the pandemic is an acceleration in the adoption of new – and better – ways of working…
Craig Earnshaw is pictured top right (opposite page). Right, using TurfKeeper on a mobile phone app
Craig Earnshaw, Course Manager at Harleyford GC, in Buckinghamshire, is a man on a mission and has been fast to embrace the modern approach to managing, communicating and training that today’s advancing technology can offer. Communicating daily tasks to the team was always a fundamental activity practised by Craig, but he felt that this could not only be improved but made more relevant in the digital age where everyone has a mobile phone and many have tablets. Craig’s aim was never to replace the daily verbal brief, however, when looking at digital software systems and what they can offer, the digital whiteboard aspect and the power of reporting and communicating remotely was an area of significant interest. Having looked at various options, Craig decided TurfKeeper offered exactly what he was looking for and saw that the system offered a major leap forward in complementing what
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he was doing on a verbal, face-to-face or messaging on a whiteboard basis. On a more personal note, Craig explained that the system has helped his communication as he is dyslexic and no longer had to rely on his deputy to write up his instructions on the white board. “This harnessing of digital technology benefits me as a manager, my team and therefore ultimately the club.” To start with, a large screen TV was installed in the clubs new maintenance facility and with the use of the digital whiteboard feature the day’s preplan activity can be done online and
displayed. This is then is keyed into the system and displayed on the TV so the whole team can see what has been assigned; any key notes, machinery and stock to be used is also displayed as well as the weather forecast and such important direction of cut details for any area are to mowed. “A key to success of this system has been the staff ‘buy in’ and them seeing the benefits beyond the traditional whiteboard and pen,” said Craig. “It also offers the ability to view the tasks out on the course via the phone and this has not just increased efficiency and productivity, but has been a real game changer during the
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the web-based TurfKeeper technology allows the inputting of a task via the phone and have it appear on everyone else’s, including also the jobs board. Covid-19 crisis,” he added. “Using the TurfKeeper system, we have been able to plan and communicate from a far. The team can log onto the system and know what task or activity is required even before they arrive at work, in some cases even before they leave home!” Avoiding close contact during this pandemic is a must and by utilising modern technology
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such as this, the team has been able to work around it. “If I am out on the course and forget to add anything or maybe a new task has cropped up, the web-based TurfKeeper technology allows the inputting of a task via the phone and have it appear on everyone else’s, including also the jobs board.” The TurfKeeper ethos is directed towards the modern, digital, web-based way of planning, recording and communicating. There is nothing wrong with a paper diary and handwriting, but when you need quick fire information to fan out the flames, the digital approach delivers with speed and ease. “Take for example the preCovid-19 situation. Seven staff members working 40 hours per week at a total of 280 hours. In a usual year, bunkers need daily raking, greens rolled 2-3 times per week, empting bins, ball washer and moving tee blocks prior to cutting and all that jazz,” said Craig. “And oh yes… of course… working around the golf! When all the aforementioned is factored in, this takes a huge amount of time, and hence the good reason why we need all the staff. “Now cue Furlough… no need to cut daily, certainly minimal } Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2020 | 53
TRAINING AND EDUCATION
With TurfKeeper, instructions via mobiles can be relayed to all staff anywhere on or off the course
} to zero rolling or bunker raking. No
course furniture to move or service in the way of bins and ball washers, and oh yes… no golfers. Never have courses been easier to maintain in terms of bare minimum and cutting. No golf to work around, so less waiting time and the result… cutting the time in half it usually takes to mow most of the areas. Cue now to the inquisitions… do we need that many staff members? Course looks good to me and there is only three of you. what did you do with all those labour hours before? “These are not unreasonable question to be fair. We are lucky in the
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fact that staff numbers have not been brought into question. I did get asked how come we can get everything cut with only three staff but it was a light hearted comment. Nonetheless, that is where the advent of modern technology plays it part. Unlike a traditional paper diary, I can just enter a date range, click a button and the data instantly; all the labour hours, costs, effort, stock used etc. Looking through the reports, I can balance off last year v this year and communicate to the board exactly where all of the hours go, as the reports detail every last task. It’s very clear to see how long bunkers took this year v last year or even identify work that hasn’t needed to be done. It really helps to hammer home the facts,” he explained. “So, to sum it all up, it’s quite simple for me. I rely heavily on irrigation software system, digital moisture meters and various other technological tools to monitor surface performance, so why not also other aspect of the job? “TurfKeeper allows me to extend the technological side of management and communication but in
addition, the planning, budgeting, stock control, machinery maintenance and reporting. Such a system is a valuable asset and working example of the technology we should all be embracing in the modern age in which we now operate.” The greenkeeping team at Harleyford Golf Club in Buckinghamshire won the 2019 BIGGA Championship Greenkeeping Performance of the Year award for its work in preparing the course for The Matchroom Sport Championship. TurfKeeper is a web-based management system that provides turf industry professionals a fully integrated operations and management solution. Designed by turf industry professionals, the system, in a completely personalised, single environment, provides complete control over and insight into staff management, task planning, machinery management, inventory control, chemical applications planning and recording, and budgeting and expense management. With detailed reporting on all areas readily available, and a resource library provision, the system becomes the home of all turf management planning, actions, and facility history. www.turfkeeper.com
Harleyford Golf Club, where Craig is Course Manager
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SYNTHETICS
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A fleet of machines perfectly suited for artificial sports turf GKB
Machines provides groundsmen with a trustworthy range of machinery to rejuvenate, decompact and assist in the deep cleaning of artificial sports turf. Consisting of the GKB Rotobrush, Quick-Brush and QuickClean, this combination of machines leaves grounds in prime condition. Built with a straightforward and simple operational principle, the GKB Quick-Clean is a synthetic turf cleaner made for powerful in-depth cleaning of all types of synthetic turf pitches. Hitched within two minutes and thanks to the high max operating speed of 5 km/h, this machine
can work quickly and effectively. Cleverly engineered the GKB Quick-Clean features a synthetic turf brush, this works to brush the infill material to remove contamination that is within the layers and throws it onto a vibrating screen. Also featured on this innovative machine is a collection container which helps to remove coarse dirt and for dust and other lightweight dirt, the GKB Quick-Clean houses a suction unit with a dust bag. Enabling to brush deeper and more effectively is the GKB Rotobrush. This machine uses the
rotating brush disc to provide rigid bristles which are pressed into the synthetic turf. No matter the requirements, the GKB Quick-Brush allows the carry out of correct synthetic turf maintenance. Included are a spring tine rake bar, two brushes and rubber finishing mat, this machine gives you the ability to adjust the height of the modular brush to suit each specific task. The cleverly engineered ‘flip-over tool,’ means the GKB Quick-Brush is also able to add infill material easily to new fields and always orientates itself in the operating direction. www.gkbmachines.com Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2020 | 55
SYNTHETICS
RTC brush unit aids longevity B
ishopsgate School in Surrey have taken delivery of a Redexim RTC brush unit to keep on top of the maintenance of a brand new artificial surface, opened for use this September. With a high wear pattern of both pupil and community usage, the RTC will become the foundation of the ongoing maintenance programme – keeping the surface looking and playing at its best. It has been a busy time for School Bursar, Charlie Carver, not only overseeing the handover of the sand-dressed synthetic pitch, but also a brand-new indoor sports hall complex, completed at the end of August. “This new surface is going to be in use very heavily – not just for sports usage but also for break periods and, as such, we knew from the outset that we would need to keep a fairly rigorous maintenance
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schedule to keep it in the best possible condition” explained Charlie. “We spoke to the installers, S&C Slatter, to get advice on maintenance equipment and they pointed us in the direction of Redexim and the RTC quickly became the ideal choice. As a dedicated, self-contained unit it means our on-site groundsman can drive it from the store onto the pitch and brush the entire surface in 30 minutes – fitting in quick, convenient maintenance during gaps in the timetable.”
The RTC’s tractor and brush combination gives the user complete control over the process and the pressure applied during operation. The brushes can be lifted to allow storage and access through gaps as narrow as 90cm, though when folded out the unit will cover an impressive 200cm in one pass. Charlie hopes that brushing the surface twice weekly with the RTC will maintain the play and aesthetic qualities and prevent the requirement for more invasive work further down the line. “Our groundsman is delighted with it and uses the RTC as the foundation for all of the artificial programme – while brushing he will survey the surface, check seams and any high wear areas and if the surface needs any backfilling, then that can be done with the RTC also. It’s going to be key to ensuring the safety and longevity of our install.”
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Maintenance solutions offer peace of mind W
hen looking to get the maximum use from your sports facility you need a company to provide surface maintenance solutions tailored to your needs, budget and timings. Replay provides experienced and dedicated on-site teams and equipment for that one-off rejuvenation of artificial turf, or the cleaning of athletics tracks, right through to emergency repairs and service agreements – both across the UK and globally through our network of international licensees and most recently, a franchise in the USA. Investment and knowledge have succeeded in providing the very best techniques and advice for synthetic sports maintenance, propelling Replay to becoming the UK’s market leader in maintaining
synthetic sports surfaces. Avaiable to help and ready to respond, advise, survey, and plan, whether it’s maintenance related or something of a safety nature – the company has a personal service that you won’t find with any other company. They are happy to discuss new or existing synthetic surface machinery requirements and have great industry connections with leading suppliers. Over the years Replay has been awarded Supplier Recognition for its track cleaning services – projects like the Olympic Park during the London 2012 Games; FA Accreditation and more recently becoming an ‘Official Pitch Maintenance Supplier’ for England Hockey, plus other great industry partnerships.
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Because Turf Matters… Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2020 | 57
SYNTHETICS
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Leather Jacket
Brush-Pro keeps it clean at Worksop Town A
fter a new synthetic pitch quickly turned fortunes around for Worksop Town Football Club, the club’s attentions soon turned to the maintenance of their new pitch. Life President and Groundsman Keith Ilett explained why they chose the SISIS Brush-Pro. It is safe to say that over recent years, Worksop Town FC had fallen on hard times. In fact, the club was close to liquidation and arguably, no-one was more saddened than life-long fan, Keith. “It was a very difficult period. I’ve been supporting the club since 1954 and I was four years old when my dad and my grandad started to bring me along to watch the games. I then got more involved with the club in the 70’s and actually celebrated my 50th year
Brushing synthetic surfaces is essential to keep infill mobile, lift the pile and prevent algae accumulation… 58 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2020
at the club just a couple of months ago. “Fortunately, Pete Whitehead (new owner), came in and he has completely turned the club around.” One of the first actions under Pete’s new ownership was to remove the natural grass pitch and install a new synthetic pitch in a bid to make the club more self-sufficient. “The revenue that the club receive from hiring the pitch out to the local community will hopefully keep the club surviving,” said Keith. With a tremendous amount of usage building on the pitch, Keith required a machine to keep the surface at the highest possible standard, and this led him to the SISIS Brush-Pro. It is a very common misconception that synthetic surfaces require very little attention but, just like natural turf, they require maintenance as soon as they are constructed if they are to perform to the standard expected of them. Regular and periodic upkeep is required because it ensures a safe playing environment, retains the performance characteristics as well as prolonging the longevity of the surface. The SISIS Brush-Pro is a ride-on brushing system comprising a pair of mid mounted oscillating units and three rear mounted brush units that that have been specifically designed
for maintaining synthetic surfaces. Brushing synthetic surfaces is essential to keep infill mobile, lift the pile and prevent algae accumulation, surface compaction and loss of porosity. The Brush-Pro has been designed for maximum manoeuvrability and operator comfort with features such as an electric start, hydrostatic drive for forward/reverse and its brush combinations – oscillating for thorough periodic work and rear mounted brushes for routine frequent work which cause less compaction than conventional drag brushes. “I’m so happy with the BrushPro. It really does leave you with an immaculate pitch once you’ve used the machine and we tend to give it a good brush after every ten hours of usage,” he said. “I like to take it nice and slow when I’m using the Brush-Pro and I tend to brush in different directions in order to get the best results – it is fantastic breaking up any compaction which could potentially cause problems. “This is the start of new beginnings. We’ve got a great new pitch, brilliant equipment and a new owner who knows his football and knows his business – we couldn’t be in a better place.” www.sisis.com
NEWS
Deep GXi8 aerator from Wiedenmann for Bentham Lancashire’s Bentham Golf Club has chosen a Wiedenmann Terra Spike GXi8 HD to help its team make the most of weather windows. This summer, the family run club with its backdrop of the Yorkshire Three Peaks, proximity to the Dales and Forest of Bowland has attracted golf tourists from across the country. Its ‘on course’ cottages and high-end vacation pods have offered something different and proved hugely popular. The course, too, has seen additional member traffic, prompting the purchase of a deep aerator. For head greenkeeper, Shaun Conway it marks another positive step for the northern club. “I joined Bentham in April during lockdown, which was a little strange to say the least. Initially, my family and I lived in one of the lovely holiday cottages,” said Shaun, “so it really was an unusual, but memorable, beginning. “But it’s all gone well. Lots of good
things are happening; a new practice putting green is almost built; the course is looking sharper and the arrival of the new machine means a huge boost to our aeration programme. “This is my first Wiedenmann. I’ve known Terra Spikes by reputation but it’s the incredible smoothness you notice... when you leave the cab you don’t feel shaken up. I actually tried the ‘Wiedenmann tea cup test’ where you place a full cup of tea on top and set off across a green. I tried mine with a flask cup. Not a drop lost! An unexpected stone halfway through your trial isn’t good though, then it definitely spills … “Immediately after installation we got all tees spiked with 20 mm tines to 10 cm with 5 degrees of heave. Next day, one of the lads started tackling the fairways to 15 cm. You don’t need extra spanners; it’s a tool free and runs quietly and quickly. The speed is just great… it buys peace
of mind that the job will get done. “We’re a small team, mostly three, but sometimes four. This autumn when conditions allow, we’ll be all over if we can, targeting known wet spots. A network of paths around the course means we can pretty much access all areas. For now, we’re operating with 8mm and 20 mm tines but next year 12 mm tines will come in handy. After the initial phase, the aeration programme going forward is to be out little and often. The speed and easy operation mean every three to four weeks. Even across the summer, we can get some discreet work done without golfers knowing.” Bentham Golf Club is supplied by local dealer Balmer’s Garden Machinery, at Burnley. Balmer’s golf and turf machinery sales specialist, Ben Cook, and Wiedenmann UK’s demonstrator, Andy Kerr, together did the installation and operator training.
Golf Le Touquet invests in consistency Le Touquet Golf Club is one of the most beautiful of European sites. The 45hole seaside resort comprises three very different courses, each bringing a different playing experience. The three courses – the 18-hole La
60 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2020
Mer Course, a typical British links course (built in 1931 by the renowned architect Harry Colt); the 18-hole La Forêt Course, set out in the heart of the superb pine forest of Le Touquet; and the 9-hole Manoir Course, laid out within the dunes, present Head Greenkeeper Ian Barnard and General Manager Charles Debruyne with some interesting challenges. Quality of cut and consistency are the two goals the team is keen to achieve. In an environment where soil profile, shade and drainage are so different from one course to the other, the greenkeeping team has opted to invest in consistency through quality of cut. Being in control of their sharpening is the way they have decided to do so. They considered different options before settling on the Express Dual 4250 coupled
with the Anglemaster 4100 to start improving the quality of cut from the off. “The sharpening equipment is quickly becoming a key part of our maintenance programme and we are very keen to be able to grind and keep our mowers sharp as and when we need it and as regularly as possible. The ease of use and speed of the machines have allowed even the least experienced staff to be comfortable with the principles of grinding,” said Ian. Paul Wilcox, from Bernhard Company, said that the training and installation had gone really well. “We provided the team with the techniques for them to achieve their goals on the golf course. Their set up and maintenance programme is already very well organised, the sharpening programme will just give them the edge.”
making turf matter
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Not a level playing field Working on steep slopes no longer need be on the dread list for contractors, estates managers or local authority managers. The remote controlled agria 9600 hybrid rotary banks mower instantly overcomes many H&S issues while being both neat and highly productive. Thanks to its hand-held remote control, the operator can be up to 100 metres away, maintaining a safe position. Workers are also protected against dust, vibrations, noise and exhaust fumes while the robot mower, with its robust heavy-duty design, can get on with the business of cutting and mulching. Slopes of up to 53% are effortless for the agria 9600, due to its balanced weight distribution, crawler tracks and a low centre of gravity. Cleverly positioned rotary blades between the crawler tracks allow it to mow in both forward and reverse directions at good speeds. Operators subsequently save precious time with far fewer manoeuvres and
an additional benefit is that this in turn prevents too much soil disruption. In either of its working widths – 80 or 112 cm – high area coverage is achieved making it a huge step forward from the exhausting and time-consuming era of brushcutters. Morrice Diplexcito, General Manager at Proserv, a Scottish grounds maintenance contractor which operates from Perth to Aberdeenshire, has now completed two seasons with his 112 cm wide agria 9600. “Instantly everyone on our team was fine with it; it felt safe, even on the tallest and steepest banking. Our operators could stand secure on flat ground well away from risk. And that’s principally why we got it, to prioritise H&S. This cuts forward and back, mulches on demand and will see us tackling terrain previously out of reach, meaning our operators will be able to make an even better job while keeping out of harm’s way.” Director, Stephen Walker from contractor GMC, based at Bathgate, West Lothian, says the all-weather machine has
revolutionised much of their work. “Our agria has made everything easier and safer. Dangerous banks and slopes can be tended from a healthy distance. I’m so much happier knowing we can deal with work on steep areas with a lot less risk to everyone,” said Stephen. “Because it could operate in the wet were able to keep going through the wet summer months. With the remote feature you take up a safe position on the level.” Both Proserv and GMC had their machines supplied by dealer Fairways GM.
Barenbrug a major player Pittodrie, the home of Aberdeen Football Club, is one of the most northerly stadiums in the UK and an inherently difficult place to present a top-class natural grass surface for Scottish Premier League football in the depth of winter. David Nicholson, Grounds Team Leader at the club, trusts Barenbrug grass seed, supplied through Neil Mitchell of Greentech Sportsturf, to stand up to the elements that his challenging location presents. Operating on a 100% natural surface with fibresand rootzone, a dedicated renovation programme is planned with Neil, which features Barenbrug’s top-rated grass seed formulation Elite Sport. “Elite Sport delivers all aspects that I look for in a stadium seed
blend – fast establishment, superb recovery during the playing season, high disease tolerance and superior aesthetics. It ticks every box and I know it’s set to get even better in the next few years, after visiting Barenbrug’s UK Research site, Cropvale and seeing their new cultivars first-hand,” said David. The new breeding material he refers to here are the #1 and #2-ranked in BSPB/STRI Turfgrass Seed, Barzico and Barbasten. In addition to Elite Sport, David relies on Barenbrug’s SOS product to see the pitch through the depths of the North-East Scottish winter. SOS features an amenity annual ryegrass cultivar, capable of germination and growth at exceptionally low temperatures. Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2020 | 61
YOUR AWARD-WINNING MAGAZINE TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
MAKING TURF MATTER
www.turfmatters.co.uk
Scott MacCallum travelled to north London to talk with Darren Baldwin about the fantastic new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2019 | 21
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TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
“IT STARTED OUT AS A 60,000 SEATER BOWL AND PROGRESSED WITH OPTIONS AND REVISED VISIONS BEFORE IT BECAME A MULTITUDE OF DIFFERENT CHALLENGES TO OVERCOME. THE WORD THAT WAS NEVER TO BE USED… WAS ‘NO’. WHAT WAS ALWAYS SAID WAS ‘HOW CAN WE MAKE IT HAPPEN?’.”
A
sk Darren Baldwin about some of the technical innovation contained within the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and his answer brings a smile to the face of many of a certain age. “It’s very much Thunderbirds stuff, if I’m honest,” explained the man who has seen it all during his 23 years as Head of Playing Surfaces and Estates at the club. Those of us who can remember the booming countdown voice of the Thunderbirds narrator not to mention the wobbly puppetry, will immediately know where he is coming from. Floors sliding open to release International Rescue vehicles from the Tracy Island headquarters, each piloted by a member of the Tracy family. I’m not sure if Darren sees himself as any one member of the cast, but given what he has to deal with in terms of the above and below the pitch
technology, he could quite easily stand in for Brains, but minus the big glasses! To replace the Tarkett PlayMaster surface, which Spurs play their matches on, with the artificial Turf Nation pitch for the NFL matches, which will be regular features at the 62,062 capacity stadium, the natural pitch is split into sections, slides out and parked in what is otherwise a car park under the stadium, where the LED grow lights, fans and irrigation ensures it thrives in its unfamiliar temporary environment. The NFL pitch is therefore revealed to create a perfect theatre for a sport which is becoming increasingly popular on this side of the pond. The NFL pitch is six feet lower than its natural turf brother, meaning those in the fi rst few rows of the stadium can see the play over the plethora of six foot five tight ends and line backers, coaches, physios etc who spend so
22 | TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2019
Further accolade for Turf Best writing and best design honours for winning team Turf Matters proved that last year’s triumph in the International Turf and Ornamental Communicators Awards was no fluke by winning big again in the delayed 2020 Awards. Simply the best: Above Turf Matters Designer, Tim Moat, and right, in the writing won two categories for Best Cover category and below, (May-June 2019) the best cover and Best Single Page Design, while Editor, Scott MacCallum, also took two Firsts – a first equal in the same category of Best Writing, for Stadium of the Future (NovDecember 2019) and What a Rush! (Sept-Oct 2019). In addition, for the second year in a row, Scott was N: awarded the ve WIMBLEDO pro im d lpe STRI has he ‘bad bounce’ Involving the Gardner d reduced the the grass an DRAINAGE: Award for the WE’RE GOING ND RIDE-ON UNDERGROU MOWERS MEET THE JA BELFRY’S ‘NIN Best Overall ’ ERS EEP ENK GRE International Entry for his Stadium of the Future, all, rugby, als in golf, footb s turf profession g, independent schools, For all sport rities s, horse racin and local autho cricket, tenni universities
| £4.95 May-June 2019
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atters.co.u www.turfm
How turf changed tennis
article which focussed on the new Tottenham Hotspur stadium and the great work Darren Baldwin and his team carry out. “Tim and I are absolutely delighted. We always strive to bring our readers the best possible magazine and we feel that by winning awards our work is rubber stamped,” said Scott. “Having independent industry experts assess our work is a useful ROYAL PORTRUSH
making turf matter
www.turfmatters.co.uk
Local heroes for an event that produced a local hero…
Scott MacCallum catches up with Royal Portrush Course Manager, Graeme Beatt, following the magnificent return of the Open Championship to the island of Ireland.
rs 46 Working wonde
THERE 22 WHAT’S OUT
TIPS 16 TOP COURSE’S
62 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2020
exercise whether we win Awards or not. That said, it is much more gratifying to win!” he added. Turf Matters was joined in the winners’ enclosure by Greenkeeper International Editor, Karl Hansell, and Designer Libbie Waddleton, who also picked up several awards. Turf Matters’ winning entries can be viewed at turfmatters.co.uk – magazine
24 | Turf MaTTers | SePtemBer-OCtOBer 2019
Turf MaTTers | SePtemBer-OCtOBer 2019 | 25
making turf matter
MAKING TURF MATTER
www.turfmatters.co.uk
www.turfmatters.co.uk
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
MAKING TURF MATTER
www.turfmatters.co.uk
IT IS PROBABLY CURRENTLY THE MOST EXPENSIVE STADIUM IN THE WORLD... £1BILLION HAS NOT BEEN DENIED Darren with former Spurs players Stephen Carr and Robbie Keane before a Legends match in March
much of their time on the touchline. That is just an example of what goes on at what must be currently the most talked about stadium in the world of sport, never mind the UK. Talking to Darren, as we stood level with the halfway line, mid-way up one of the fabulous and imposing stands, you can feel the pride and sense of achievement which he, along with everyone involved in Spurs, feels. The initial vision for a replacement for the old White Hart Lane, with its capacity of 36,284, came with the arrival of the new Chairman, Daniel Levy, way back in 2001. “He had a vision that we needed to improve facilities, both for the fans and the players, so he looked at everything from the stadium to the training ground. We also needed to increase capacity to be in the 60,000 plus bracket alongside other top
European clubs,” recalled Darren. “I’ve been fortunate enough to have been here that long so I have also lived that dream from day one, following it through to where we are today.” It’s fair to say that any vision, no matter how “Blue Sky” would not have come close to living up to reality of what the stadium eventually became. “It started out as a 60,000 seater bowl and progressed with options and revised visions before it became a multitude of different challenges to overcome. The word that was never to be used in any environment whether that be in the Board Room or on the construction site was ‘No’. What was always said was ‘How can we make it happen?’.” With Darren’s focus on the playing surfaces, that positive approach was never tested more than the day when a Concert Consultant explained that
to put on a full scale concert he would need the venue for 10 days, meaning that Darren’s pitch would have to be parked up under the stadium for all that time. At that time even the best case scenario was that a pitch could only survive under those circumstances for a maximum of three days. “After picking me up off the floor we went back to work to fi nd a way of parking the pitch for 10 days and now, having done extensive testing, and thanks to our friends at SGL lighting, we can park the pitch in the Pitch Pocket for 14 to 15 days,” explained Darren, who worked closely with Julian Franklin, Head of Horticulture and Controlled Environments, at Rothamsted Research, on maintaining turf in the dark. As a man who grew up looking after turf, being heavily involved in the concrete and steel of a major } TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2019 | 23
} them so we could work underneath
Pictured above: Behind the scenes
the lights while we also wanted the ability to irrigate from above them. “In the past we’d have occasions when the lights were operating, and the irrigation has come on. Sodium bulbs don’t like the eight bar pressure of a sprinkler hitting them and they tend to shatter. So now we have an irrigation system built into the top of the trusses,” said Darren, of the trusses which are stored under the pitch when not in use. Truly Thunderbirds indeed! Darren also ensured that the stadium had sufficient space for the machinery and equipment required to maintain the pitch. “With the new stadium we had one chance to be the kid in the sweet shop and get what we wanted and although there wasn’t a bottomless pit of money, by any stretch, we did look at what we wanted and have the machinery to carry out the job. We’ve got a mix between electric and petrol mowers – ATT on electric and Dennis Premiers for the petrol. We use the
electric ones most of the week and the petrol for the last cut before a game to get the defi ning pattern, with that little more weight, for the fi nish. “We also have storage space for the SGL lights, the fans and the mists, which we needed last summer when when it was 42 degrees pitch side. It was absolutely scorching and rye grass doesn’t like it that hot.” The desire, and “can do” attitude at Spurs, does come with a downside, however, and that came in delays and a mind-boggling fi nal bill for the stadium – it is probably currently the most expensive stadium in the world – a reported figure in excess of an eyewatering £1 billion is not denied. “It took three and a half years to build and we ended up eight months late on our target date. That was frustrating for everyone, none more so than those of us at the sharp end. But it was important that we got it right.” During that period the team played their home games at Wembley, so the team didn’t have the rush or
routine of match day preparation. “I worked at Wembley on match days for the fi rst year and also sent two guys to Wembley full time to work with the maintenance team there. It was a bit different for Karl (Stanley) and his team as they were having to deal with us as well as the international teams.” The big day came on April 3rd with the fi rst match – against Crystal Palace. “I’ve been asked many times about my emotions on that fi rst match day, and indeed, the whole project and I say ‘Give me an emotion – I’ve had it’. Excitement, nervousness, stress, worry, lack of sleep. I’ve had them all.” On that fi rst matchday, with the opening ceremony and the fi reworks, it was a fabulous launch to the new Spurs era but Darren remembers one particular element of the day. “We had a hail storm an hour before kick-off and the whole pitch was white – on April 3rd! I told the guys that we were going to need blowers and snow brushes, but we didn’t know where they were stored,” smiled Darren, as
he recalled the bizarre situation. As we stood in the most modernistic stadium in the world it was a good time to fi nd out what brought Darren, a two-time Groundsman of the Year, to the industry in the fi rst place. “I started out as a three year-old on my dad’s lap ‘steering’ a Land Rover and trailing three sets of gang mowers at Buckhurst Hill Football Club in the mid 70s. About 10 years’ later, like most groundsmen at some stage or another, my dad got the hump when the team started training in the goal area. He threw down the keys and walked off. I picked them up and, at the age of 13, carried on looking after the pitch from then on. “In October 1988 Steve Braddock gave me the chance to do three weeks’ work experience at Arsenal and he then took me on full time in 1990. I owe everything to Steve and I know that I wouldn’t be where I am today without him. He gave me six great years before I got the phone call and asked if I’d be interested in coming here – one of
the less publicised transfers between the two north London clubs!” Without wishing to make him sound like a reality show contestant, it has been a “journey” for Darren and one which he has embraced since he arrived in 1996. “Back then the club had just opened the training ground at Chigwell and it was regarded as a state-of-the-art training ground although there was no lights or running water in the grounds maintenance facility. Now we have our fantastic new training ground at Enfield with aspirations to expand it to take on Tottenham Hotspur Women, who have turned full time professional this season. “What really scares me, given how far we have come in 23 years, is what the industry will look like in 23 years from now.” Who knows what life will be like for ground staff, or anyone else for that matter, in 2042. Safe to say Thunderbirds will remain a fond memory for a diminishing few.
Watch Scott’s interview with Darren on the Turf Matters YouTube channel TURF MATTERS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2019 | 27
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Matters in top awards
Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2020 | 63
BUYERS’ GUIDE
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COMMENT
making turf matter
Well, since blogging to you a couple of months ago I can say now that I am even more encouraged about the path I’ve taken to follow Bryson Dechambeau’s approach to golf – to bulk up and give it a rip. Bryson only went and won the US Open! I do have genuine concerns, however, if his route to golfing supremacy continues and he wins The Masters later this month. The powersthat-be will need to pop down to the Augusta branch of High and Mighty to see if they can find a green blazer to fit him. As for my attempts to catch up with Bryson, as a
66 | Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2020
golfing visionary, I can only say that the need is becoming all the greater by the day. I was out yesterday playing with three guys, all in their 70s, and I was comfortably the shortest hitter off the tee. How embarrassing is that? With my changing physique a work in progress. The weight gain is now moving further up my body, as was the plan, but sadly, rather than being redistributed, is currently adding to that which has already accumulated around my midriff. My mantra of ‘Pecs and Guns’ is something I chant as I chomp through yet another mid meal calorie injection, but I am considering emailing Bryson to find out if, he too, found this to be a phase he went through. That affirmation would be good at that is particular stage in the process. But I am now looking for some interim measures. The ball! That is something which is always discussed as the element of the game which could be tweaked to bring the likes of Bryson, Justin, Dustin and co into line. Could that go the other way for the likes of me? I know they talk about the need for feel with the latest balls – how soft and reactive the outer layer is, and how that provides the control when playing into the green. Control around the green is all very well if you can get there in fewer than four shots. I’m happy to forego my pitching and
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putting if manufacturers can give me a ball which will ping off my clubface like an Exocet missile. Wouldn’t it be great to be up and around a par-4 in four or a par-5 in five. So what, if it takes me four more to get down. At least it will take some of those nasty double figure scores off my card. Can I add another couple of quick points? Hasn’t it been lovely to see golf on the telly once again? I’ve loved it. And what I’ve loved even more is watching the pros lose golf balls. With no galleries to bounce off, and only a few pairs of eyes to act as ball spotters instead of thousands, those three minutes fly by before miffed pros have to return to where they started to reload. Welcome to the real world. Talking about bouncing off, what did you make of the ANA Inspiration at Mission Hills Country Club? – an LPGA Major. They had a back stop, complete with sponsor logos, to prevent poorly hit approaches going through the green and into a pond. It looked like something from a kid’s indoor play centre and many of the players took full advantage – clubbing up, bouncing off the barrier, taking a drop, and, in the case of Mirim Lee, chipping in to win the title. The justification was that in normal years a spectator stand had always stopped balls overshooting and that the blue wall – it didn’t even attempt to blend into the environment – was merely ensuring the same conditions for the 2020 event. Really? It’s a slippery slope. Will we now get amplified recorded voices shouting “You’re the Man!”, “Koooch!” or “Mashed Potato!”, or the sound of camera or phone clicks in mid backswing, and how about the smell of greasy burgers infused into the atmosphere to give full authenticity of tournament golf until normality returns? *As told to Scott MacCallum