Jacobsen Impresses At Golspie

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Jacobsen Impresses At Golspie: Golspie Golf Club, which is located on the Dornoch Firth in Scotland, is a versatile course which boasts a beguiling mix of classic links, heath and parkland holes. The Club has invested in a Jacobsen Eclipse 322 and a Jacobsen LF550 fairway mower from Textron Golf to maintain the different surfaces on the James Braid design 18-hole golf course.

“Jacobsen has provided us with the quality and versatility we need to maintain all areas of the course,” Alexander MacDonald, Head Greenkeeper at Golspie Golf Club said. “We face many challenges such as maintaining the correct and uniformed moisture levels over varying terrains, so when it comes to cutting grass, we want reliable equipment that produces a really good finish with minimal fuss. I am proud to say we’ve achieved that with the Jacobsen machines that we have purchased.”

Jacobsen Impresses At Golspie

Previously using alternative fairway mowers, Alexander observed that it took the team 40 minutes to set a machine before it was ready to cut the fairways. Conversely, the new Jacobsen LF550 is easily set in five minutes, with adjustments rarely having to be made to the cutting units.

Routine service items, including spin-on filters, are all easily accessible meaning that there’s no need for a lift. The FlashAttach™ Reel Mounting System allows for quick reel removal, and the active monitoring system provides full text diagnostics making the LF550 easy to monitor and maintain. Additionally, hard tubing with bulkhead fittings to hoses make long-term maintenance easier with fewer service parts to stock.

“We only have three full-time greenkeeping staff, so we can’t be wasting time repairing and setting machinery. This is where the LF550 has really helped us; it’s reliable, it produces a brilliant finish, and it doesn’t demand a lot of time to maintain and set-up.

“The Eclipse 322 is the best cutting machine in golf. It’s a pleasure to use on the greens, and the team loves the satisfaction of producing first-class greens which the golfers often compliment them on. Of course, having good machinery is important, but the back-up from the dealer is even more so. Our local dealer Fairways has been brilliant. Fairways has been very efficient and helpful, and if we need anything the dealer is with us within a day, meaning there isn’t any downtime.”

Alexander has been at the club for 10 years, having spent 3 ½ years at Royal Dornoch and 6 ½ years at Wentworth. Golspie Golf Club is celebrating its 128-year anniversary and was voted number 54 in Golf World’s “Scotland’s Top 100 Courses” in 2015.

For more information, visit: www.textron.com

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Football Pitches Vandalised

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Football Pitches Vandalised: Junior football clubs in the Bristol area have been hit with a large bill after vandals used a car to turn their pitches into a “mud bath”.

Seven pitches at Pomphrey Hill in Mangotsfield were damaged after a car managed to access the site in the early hours of Saturday, January 13.

Football Pitches Vandalised

The pitches are used by hundreds of youngsters every week, playing host to Bromley Heath Football Club and Mangotsfield Football Club matches.

Jamie Andrews-Britton, chairman of Bromley Heath FC and the Pomphrey Hill Sports Community Association, said the repairs will cost thousands.

“It happened in the early hours of Saturday morning,” he said. “A car came in at approximately 1.30am and left the property by 1.55am.

“It was 25 minutes of fun for the people in the car, but 25 minutes of fun that’s caused thousands of pounds worth of damage.

“It’s definitely a single car. We have got three levels of pitches and it’s on the bottom pitches where they’ve caused the most damage – it’s unplayable.

“Two football clubs uses these fields and if there’s no games, there’s no revenue coming in.”

The car was caught entering the site on CCTV cameras installed at the Pavilion, opposite one of the pitches, but it was too dark to identify the vehicle’s make or model.

Jamie said it looked like the vandals had driven across the pitches while attempting high-speed manoeuvres and handbrake turns.

Due to the recent rainfall, the 38-year-old said the fields had been reduced to a “mud bath”.

An online fundraising page has since been set up to help cover the repair costs.

Jamie said he had been inundated with messages of support from other football teams, offering him use of their pitches and even pledging to help with the fundraising.

“The response we have had has been outstanding – we really didn’t expect it,” he added.

“We have set up the fundraising page and it’s already had over £300 donated, and I’ve had so many calls and messages from other football clubs.

“One manager offered to take his team bag-packing to help raise funds.”

Police are now investigating the matter, and have appealed for anyone with any information to come forward.

A spokesperson for Avon and Somerset police said: “A vehicle got on to the grassed area overnight on Friday, January 12 in the Pomphrey Hill area of Mangotsfield and damaged a football pitch.

“Police enquiries are continuing into the incident. Anyone with information is asked to call us quoting 5218009691.”

You can donate to Pomphrey Hill Pavilion’s online fundraising page here. Organisers are hoping to raise £1,000 to offset some of the repair costs.

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Tribute To John Harriss

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Tribute To John Harriss: John Harriss, a lifelong Bournemouth supporter who once held roles at the club as both head groundsman and referee liason officer, has died at the age of 88.

John, who spent 37 years as the club’s groundsman, passed away on Sunday evening, hours after watching Bournemouth record a historic first win over Arsenal at his home.

Tribute To John Harriss

Back in 2013, John was awarded with a high commendation for the Unsung Hero Award at the Football League Awards in London, and has been a regular visitor to the Vitality Stadium this campaign.

An AFCB Club statement read:

“The club would like to offer their sincere condolences to John’s family and friends, and thank him for his hard work and commitment during all of his years with the football club.”

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