Tag Archive for: GC

Wycombe Heights GC and BGL drive sustainability

Wycombe Heights GC and BGL drive sustainability: Wycombe Heights Golf Centre, owned and operated by BGL (Burhill Group Limited), has unveiled a series of sustainability commitments as part of a continued journey towards achieving a net zero status.

The club has committed to seven fundamental aspects that will be implemented throughout and around the facility. These are: planning, policies and procurement, staff and golfer engagement, taking climate action, conserving resources, fostering nature, strengthening communities, and tracking and reporting.

Wycombe Heights GC and BGL drive sustainability

Wycombe Heights GC and BGL drive sustainability

Some of the key initiatives that are underway have already begun to have a positive impact. A switch to an electric greens mower has allowed the club to substitute diesel for zero carbon electricity as the energy source, irradicate the use of hydraulic fluid which is harmful to local habitats, and reduce noise which is positive for both neighbours and operations. Eventually, the club plans to run an entirely electric fleet.

Furthermore, the transition to an off-site renewable energy supply has helped reduce club emissions by over 51 tCO2e per year, a reduction equivalent to flying 15 times from London to Hong Kong, and 150,000 kms by car.

The most recent initiative has been the construction of a 12,000-metre cubed reservoir to enable the club to irrigate the course using a sustainable water source. Thanks to the investment, 100% of the water used on-site is derived from sustainable sources. This has also allowed the club to avoid supply and demand issues in drier periods.

Commenting on the club’s sustainability journey, Operations Director for BGL Golf, Guy Riggott, said: “Our success with sustainability initiatives so far is something we are very proud of, and we are excited to continue to follow our seven step commitment as we take that to the next level. Through these efforts, our goal is to benefit the environment as well as our employees, members, and visitors.”

Riggott, added: “The work and commitment from Wycombe Heights towards improving sustainable practices is incredible. Across the group, we’re passionate about finding new ways to reduce energy, water consumption, and overall carbon footprint. We are excited to see the continuation of this programme with new initiatives that align with our seven step commitment to sustainability.”

Wycombe Heights Golf Centre is located in High Wycombe, in the heart of Buckinghamshire. The property boasts two 18-hole courses, including a main and short course. In addition, Wycombe Heights has an impressive driving range, fitted with state-of-the-art TrackMan technology.

BGL’s seven step commitment to sustainability is group-wide, across the portfolio of 10 BGL Golf venues around the UK. BGL is a pioneer in the UK golf industry, currently operating 22 golf courses at 10 venues around the country. The company has been a flag-bearer for sustainability, becoming the first and only major multi course operator to have all its venues GEO certified, in 2016.

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Prestwick GC futureproof their fairways

Prestwick GC futureproof their fairways: While only launched in the summer of 2023, the new hard fescue J Sustain-Fairway mixture from Johnsons Sports Seed is already making a strong first impression at the birthplace of The Open Championship.

Delivering quick germination and coping with the challenges of the undulating links course, Prestwick Golf Club have commended the blend of top-rated cultivars and the role they’ll play in futureproofing their fairways.

Prestwick GC futureproof their fairways

Prestwick GC futureproof their fairways

By name Dave Edmondson is Prestwick’s Head Greenkeeper, supported in his role by a team of 10, but by nature he considers himself merely ‘a guardian’ of the venue – rich in prestigious golfing history. “I very much follow the Old Tom Morris approach to maintenance, working with nature and continuing the methodologies of my predecessors to run the course in a minimalist way” says Dave. “We don’t use any pesticides, fungicides, hardly any fertilisers and very limited water.”

“My pursuit of traditional greenkeeping techniques led me to have a conversation with our golf course consultant about our fairways, and specifically any mixtures which could help to boost the hard fescue and sheep fescue populations which are proven to thrive in low-input and links conditions. That’s where I discovered Johnsons J Sustain-Fairway.”

J Sustain-Fairway, available from DLF, has been designed to suit golf clubs looking to significantly boost the population of resilient varieties, providing a foundation of quality and strength with an increased tolerance to a broad range of turf stresses. “A chat with my DLF Technical Manager Stuart Yarwood made it clear that this mix would tick a lot of boxes, so we opted for this for our main annual fairway overseed.”

Sown at a rate of 7g/m2 in early September, germination was visible in just over two weeks, with the seedlings then under the stewardship of Dave to thrive and establish. “So far it’s been so good! The natural undulations here at Prestwick have often seen certain species struggle, particularly with coverage on the tops of the hillocks, so we’ve sown some additional J Sustain-Fairway here to help and, to date, it’s all working brilliantly.”

“The hard and sheeps fescue like a nice, settled environment and that’s exactly what we can give them.” Dave adds, “If we can keep building those populations with top-rated cultivars, then we will be much better placed to withstand environmental challenges and safeguard the course for the future.”

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Turf professionals gather at Dun Laoghaire GC

Turf professionals gather at Dun Laoghaire GC: Dun Laoghaire Golf Club recently played host to the insightful Turf Science Live seminar, an event co-organised by ICL and Syngenta. With the goal of sharing the latest knowledge and trends in turf management, the seminar proved to be a very useful gathering for industry professionals.

Attracting around 100 participants, the event brought together greenkeepers and groundsmen from sporting venues across Ireland. The day was packed with lively discussions and opportunities for collaborative learning.

Turf professionals gather at Dun Laoghaire GC

Turf professionals gather at Dun Laoghaire GC

The day commenced in the impressive Dun Laoghaire clubhouse, setting the tone for the informative sessions that were to follow. Attendees were divided into four groups, ensuring an intimate and comprehensive learning experience. The four groups rotated through different stations, two in the morning and another two after lunch.

Speaking of lunch, it wasn’t all business. Participants had a chance to engage in a ‘nearest the pin’ golf competition, adding a bit of fun and friendly rivalry to the day.

Four key sessions were on the agenda, each covering a specialized topic in turf management:

  • Station 1: Revolutionary insect control’, presented by Sean Loakes, Syngenta’s Technical Manager for the UK and Ireland.
  • Station 2: ‘Trial updates from eqo.s, the new environmentally friendly outfield nutrition, presented by ICL’s Henry Bechelet and Colman Warde.
  • Station 3: From soil analysis to turf nutrition programmes ‘, presented by Fergal Greenan from ICL.
  • Station 4: ‘Preparing for autumn: A comprehensive guide to fungicide planning’, led by Glenn Kirby of Syngenta.

David Callanan CGCS MG, Course Manager at Beech Park Golf Club remarked, “It was a great event and I’d like to thank ICL and Syngenta for their continued support to the industry here.”

“It was a top-class event and venue, with great presentations,” commented Richard Doyle, Head Groundsman at RDS.

Special thanks were given to the club’s course superintendent, Des McGann, and his team for helping host the seminar.

Events such as Turf Science Live play a pivotal role in enhancing the standards of the turf industry by ensuring professionals are equipped with up-to-date knowledge and practices.

Please contact ICL on 01473 237100 or visit www.icl-growingsolutions.uk and icl-growingsolutions.ie if you are in Ireland.

For more news and insightful views, you can follow ICL on Twitter @ICL_Turf

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Helly Hansen the perfect fit for West Lancashire GC

Helly Hansen the perfect fit for West Lancashire GC: A range of Helly Hansen workwear clothing supplied by Agrovista Amenity has been well received by the greenkeeping team at The West Lancashire Golf Club in Liverpool.

Helly Hansen workwear, available from Agrovista Amenity, has been specially designed by a team of experts to be of the highest quality workwear and outdoor clothing available.

Helly Hansen the perfect fit for West Lancashire GC

Helly Hansen the perfect fit for West Lancashire GC

Their ongoing product development means they are always on the cutting edge of outdoor clothing technology, meaning you can rest assured the outdoor wear you’re looking at is superb value and allows the team to work productively year round, in challenging weather conditions.

Stuart Hogg, Course Manager at The West Lancashire Golf Club, believes that nothing compares to the quality of the clothing.

“We’ve always had Helly Hansen workwear clothing,” he said. “They are good quality and reliable for the weather we encounter here. The team have enjoyed wearing the gilets and the soft-shell jackets over the years, and they have lasted the time which means that we are not always buying these items every year.

Helly Hansen the perfect fit for West Lancashire GC

Helly Hansen the perfect fit for West Lancashire GC

“This year we have started using Helly Hansen trousers and shorts which have gone down really well with the team. To have all the staff feeling comfortable while they are working is great – the cost becomes insignificant.

“I have eight members of staff – all of whom want different features, and each do a variety of jobs from mechanics to bunker raking. For them to all be happy means that I will keep on going back to this range.”

From base layers to boots, a complete range of high quality Helly Hansen clothing is available from Agrovista Amenity. The clothing can also be personalised with logos, names and sponsors.

The new Agrovista workwear catalogue can be viewed by clicking here.

For more information about Agrovista UK, visit www.agrovista.co.uk/amenity

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Kubota at Harpenden Common GC

Kubota at Harpenden Common GC: Ask the team at Harpenden Common Golf Club about their favourite and most adaptable pieces of equipment, and it’s Kubota that wins the day – with the club loyal to ‘orange’ when it comes to both tractors and course utility vehicles.

Head Greenkeeper Olly Claridge explains how their current fleet of three compact tractors and two RTV’s bring versatility, efficiency and ultimate manoeuvrability to year-round maintenance of the Hertfordshire club.

Kubota at Harpenden Common GC

Kubota at Harpenden Common GC

Olly has been at the 18-hole common land course for the last 11 years, starting as an apprentice and working his way through the ranks to Head Greenkeeper, now supported by a full-time team of six. “It has always been Kubota here – my predecessors and now myself working closely with David Fisher at local dealer George Browns Ltd, to exchange and upgrade equipment as and when required” Olly explains.

“We currently have three Kubota tractors – an STW40, L2501 with front loader attachment and the newest addition is an L2622 – and they’re all brilliant!” Olly explains how the fleet, ranging from 40hp to 61hp, powers the entire maintenance operation. “The compact STW40 has wide tyres which is perfect for spreading the load, making it ideal for work on the greens. We use this one for brushing and towing smaller implements and trailers, as well as equipping it with the spray tank for all of our fertiliser applications.”

“Moving through the range, the L2501 is incredibly versatile. The loader is a godsend for winter construction projects, and for quickly and easily filling the topdresser etc. The loader bucket can also be swapped for pallet forks or removed completely. Also, the tractor has outstanding pulling ability for use with more power-hungry implements such as the Verti-Drain or our Trilo leaf collector.”

The newest tractor for Olly and the team to put through its paces is the 61hp L2622 – the largest model in Kubota’s L2 series. The L2622 combines robust, reliable technology with a high degree of comfort and efficiency making it ideal for a vast array of tasks. “When we need big power, we turn to this tractor and it’s just a pleasure to use.” He continues, “As time goes on, you see how Kubota are always innovating and delivering new features to enhance the operator experience.”

One feature Olly notes is the two-speed engine memory, which allows you to set and switch between low revs and working revs at the touch of a button improving functionality, fuel-efficiency and saving the time ordinarily taken to throttle the engine down to the required speed. “It might not seem like a big thing, but using this function saves so much time in the long run and makes life easy for the operator.”

Besides their tractors, the club also run two Kubota RTV’s – a petrol RTV 500 and diesel-powered RTV X900. “Again, we have the versatility of a smaller, faster vehicle or a slightly larger capacity one with a bit more oomph! These RTV’s are used anytime we need to get people or tools from A to B and like everything from Kubota, give us outstanding reliability and service.”

Olly emphasises, “In all my years here we have rarely had any issues from any of our Kubota machines and on the odd occasion where we’ve needed advice, the support from George Browns has always been excellent. We have nothing but positivity for Kubota machinery!”

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Less thatch at Linlithgow GC

Less thatch at Linlithgow GC: Linlithgow Golf Club has taken delivery of a 2.3 m width Wiedenmann Terra Rake, from Wiedenmann UK’s Scottish dealer, Fairways GM at Kinross.

Course Manager, Phil Montgomery said “I’d been eyeing one up for a while. The rake pulls up a terrific amount of thatch. Take the day it arrived; the difference it made to the practice ground in one session was amazing: just so much. Over the next few years, it will enhance the entire site.”

Less thatch as Linlithgow GC

Less thatch as Linlithgow GC

The West Lothian club is located on a hill side, high above the Royal Burgh of Linlithgow. Its elevation and undulations give Phil some additional challenges.

“A handful of fairways can be affected by moss,” he said. “A few are rocky, and sitting slope-side, they can really dry out in summer, and turn brown.

“If growth doesn’t come back, and rain returns, moss starts to creep in…. all compounded by the same fairways sitting ‘wet’ through the winter…

“We plan to attack the moss there head-on with the Terra Rake on a regular basis. Even though we rota-knife and spike them, until now the surface tension is just too much. The rake will help alleviate that problem and sort them out.”

Beyond the fairways, Phil has an ever-growing list of duties lined up for his new kit addition which means it will be in use all year-round.

“I like the versatility of the rake; it’s great value. I’ve seen it take on many different jobs on YouTube and Twitter. It will be good for standing the grass up prior to cutting, we will use it for presentation and once our new tractor- mounted blower arrives, we will use it for rough management, thinning out and tidying up.

“However, leaf management will be a big part of its work. We are surrounded by trees. With the rake, the blower, and the collector, together the way we clear the leaves this autumn will be far more successful. If you don’t get a chance to clear the leaves they can get trampled into the rough. Again, the rake will help us if that occurs, too.”

This is Phil’s second spell at Linlithgow. His first spell began as a 16-year-old apprentice, staying until he was 22. He returned in 2016 and was promoted quickly through the ranks to Course Manager. Working alongside him are greenkeepers, Colin and Connor, and all three are joined by a small group of volunteers who help for two hours on a Tuesday and Thursday morning.

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TurfKeeper keeps things easy at Warrington GC

TurfKeeper keeps things easy at Warrington GC: The TurfKeeper platform from Origin Amenity Solutions (OAS) has been praised for delivering new efficiencies to task allocation and stock management for the team at Warrington Golf Club.

The more that Course Manager Ben Goodchild explores the cloud-based software, the more time-savings he finds – with holidays, consumables and labour-hours now all logged in double-quick time and reports available at the touch of a button.

TurfKeeper keeps things easy at Warrington GC

TurfKeeper keeps things easy at Warrington GC

Ben has held the role of Course Manager for the last three years and heads up the maintenance of the 18-hole James Braid designed site alongside a team of seven greenkeepers, technicians and mechanics. “I originally saw TurfKeeper demonstrated at an event in the States” he explains, “so on my return, I spoke with Kevin Scarce of OAS and we quickly introduced in here at Warrington GC as a great way to allocate the jobs. We have a large TV on which we can project TurfKeeper so during our morning meeting we can all easily see and discuss the tasks for the day and week ahead.”

“While this in itself was a much more efficient way of working, it was clear that there was so much more we could potentially do with the software. It’s certainly one of those tools where the more you put in, the more you get out so we’re now managing items like staff absence, orders, stock, machinery and budgets all through this one TurfKeeper platform.”

Driven by a desire for better information and knowledge to inform future decision making, TurfKeeper is the leading online software system to monitor and control all key areas of day-to-day operations. An integral part of turf operations around the world, new modules are being introduced regularly to reflect changing requirements and full data and reports are quickly and easily available to download – something Ben has found particularly useful.

“One of the functions which has proved to be very enlightening is the greens report, which gives me a breakdown of labour hours spent on different course jobs such as divoting the fairways or looking after the bunkers” he explains. “When you go to greens meetings and the condition of the bunkers is brought up, I can show them the numbers which is critical in justifying why something is looking a certain way, or what is needed to raise the standard.”

Ben concludes, “What would have previously been documented in hundreds of ExCel spreadsheets is now all safely in one place not just for the team to access, but the General Manager also has all of the information they want on the budget at their fingertips. When much of our job is getting more challenging, TurfKeeper is one tool that keeps things easy!”

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Vandals slammed for targeting Elderslie GC

Vandals slammed for targeting Elderslie GC: Mindless vandals have been slammed for causing hundreds of pounds of damage at Elderslie Golf Club.

Read the full article from The Gazette here

Vandals slammed for targeting Elderslie GC

Vandals slammed for targeting Elderslie GC

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ISEKI hard to beat at South Beds GC

ISEKI hard to beat at South Beds GC: Tom Hooper, Course Manager at South Beds Golf Club in Luton, claims that his new ISEKI tractor is one of the best he has seen throughout his long and illustrious career.

Tom has been working at the club since 1896 and was appointed Course Manager in 2003. Throughout his tenure he has overseen many course improvements and has seen many technological advancements in terms of equipment. A wide range of equipment has come and gone at South Beds, but there hasn’t been many that has lived up to one of his newest purchases.

ISEKI hard to beat at South Beds GC

ISEKI hard to beat at South Beds GC

“Having experienced using many different tractors throughout my career, I would say ISEKI is one of the best,” said Tom. “It performs so well and is very spacious inside with a good flat floor, no trip hazards and is extremely comfortable.

“We decided to invest in the ISEKI tractor to replace our old tractor, which was very outdated and too large for the golf course. It just ticked a lot of boxes for us, including the price, the performance and the lift capacity was ideal because it needs to be able to lift a 400-litre tank.”

Tom purchased the TG6407 IQ which features an ISEKI Stage V, 3 cylinder 40hp diesel engine with IQ Dual-Clutch transmission F24/R24 that offers the control of a manual with the convenience of an automatic. There are 8 clutchless speeds and 3 ranges. Gears are changed by simply moving the gear lever through the straight shift gate. If ‘D’ is selected, then gears 4-8 are operated automatically – ideal for roadwork or towing. TG6407 IQ is available with ROPS or an air-conditioned Category 2 cab.

A front loader joystick, draft control, up stop PTO and linkage lift in reverse are all supplied as standard. The tractors are offered with either Ag or Turf tyres as standard. Optional loaders, either standard or with parallel lift are available.

“The IQ gearbox is very efficient,” continued Tom. “It is easy to operate, and you can go up and down the gears nice and smoothly.

“We use the tractor for all kinds of work including spraying, vertidraining, and lots of other tasks where we need to attach implements to it. It gives us plenty of horsepower but at the same time it is a nice and compact tractor which can go on all the greens in many different conditions.

“I would recommend it to any golf course or sports ground – its range of use is exceptional. All the staff are very happy with it.

As well as being pleased with the tractor, Tom was quick to praise ISEKI dealer RT Machinery – the company who he purchased it through.

“We were introduced to RT Machinery a couple of months before we purchased the ISEKI tractor – they were very friendly, very helpful, and easy to get on with.”

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Newark GC note improvements in reliability

Newark GC note improvements in reliability: Newark Golf Club are one of a growing list of UK courses discovering the many benefits that Aspen Fuel brings to the operation of their petrol-powered equipment.

It’s been three years since Course Manager Alex Clarricoates made the switch to Aspen 2 and Aspen 4 for a selection of their machinery and hand tools – including seasonal equipment which now starts first time, every time, even after significant periods in storage.

Newark GC note improvements in reliability

Newark GC note improvements in reliability

“We were familiar with Aspen and decided to give it a try during COVID, when we started to encounter difficulties in accessing pump fuel” explains Alex, who has been at the 18-hole parkland course for 15 years. “It’s not until you incorporate it into the day to day operations that you really begin to appreciate the improvements that an ethanol-free alkylate fuel can have for both the operators and the equipment. The biggest benefit for me is the shelf-life of Aspen, which has seen us get equipment out of the shed which has been dormant for a year and starts again with no trouble at all.”

Together with damaging plastic and rubber components, ethanol binds moisture which then acidifies, causing the issues commonly experienced with ‘gummy deposits’, reliability issues and reduced storage life. Being free from ethanol as well as benzene, sulphur and many other harmful substances, Aspen Alkylate petrol offers a clean alternative for both 2 and 4-stroke engines – available in a range of pack sizes and bulk ordering available, which includes safe and convenient delivery to site.

“We use roughly 400 litres of the 4-stroke Aspen, and 200 litres of the 2-stroke each year, both delivered in 200 litre barrels and stored exactly where we need it. Another benefit we’ve found is the Aspen 2 being pre-mixed which has eliminated issues we’ve experienced in the past where incorrect fuel to oil ratios have resulted in faults with some of our 2-stroke engines.”

Along with reduction in service time and the associated costs, Alex notes that improvements have also been observed to the operator working environment. “The cleaner burn results in a big reduction in noxious fumes so, when you’re working with a chainsaw in dense woodland for example, you’ll notice that come the end of the day you don’t have headaches.” These qualities have also been well received by the club. “Like a lot of venues we’re looking at sustainability and ways of reducing the impact we make on our surroundings. Aspen Alkylate powering our petrol equipment is a great step forward in us being more environmentally friendly.”

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