An Update From Scott MacCallum

An Update From Scott MacCallum: Most of the major sporting events for the year have concluded, the schools are back and the universities are preparing to welcome back their students.

So what to make of 2018? Well, from a sporting perspective it’s been pretty exciting. The World Cup was exciting, or being a Scot, I’m told it was exciting, with Gareth’s boys exceeding expectations. As it progressed through the knock-out stages, those expectations had shot up again and many thought the 52 years of hurt were going to end.

An Update From Scott MacCallum

Glasgow’s European Championships were a success while I don’t recall any of the regular sporting calendar highlights letting the side down in the football, rugby, tennis, golf, cricket, horse racing. That said, Andy Murray’s non appearance at Wimbledon did reduce excitement at SW19, but we are going to have to get used a life post-Andy going forward I’m afraid to say.

But the point I was going to make was that, as far as I can recall, there were no negative headlines from a turf management side of things.

No complaints from disgruntled losers, no injuries directly attributable to a surface, no Head Groundsman or Course Manager being named and shamed in public. That’s not to say that everything went perfectly in every instance.

Of course, things went wrong. You don’t need highly talented people in position if everything were to go swimmingly on every occasion. You guys are paid to resolve problems, but to do it, more often than not, quietly, efficiently, without fuss and without headlines.

Looking forward it’s hard to see how the quality bar can be raised much more but we can probably look to attain the same standards with fewer chemical applications – both for environmental reasons and the fact that it is likely that we will see costs rise as we stumble through Brexit.

On an artificial turf perspective the Rubber Crumb issue will continue to run. A six month consultation process on reducing acceptable levels of carcinogens has just started and I just hope that the safety of the end user – groundsman and sportsman – is placed before cost when a final decision is made.

So as greenkeepers start planning their winter programmes and groundsmen continue to turn out super surfaces in all conditions I wish you all well going forward.

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Mark Harrod At Molineux

Mark Harrod At Molineux: Wolverhampton Wanderers FC’s Premier League campaign is underway after winning promotion last season, and have kicked off with upgrades at their Molineux Stadium home, which include new match goals.

Leading sports equipment manufacturer Mark Harrod Ltd delivered and installed the socketed goalposts, nets and net support posts ready for Wolves’ first home game of the 2018-2019 season, against Everton FC.

Mark Harrod At Molineux

“Once Wolves had been promoted to the Premiership, we began upgrading various elements at Molineux to meet higher-level requirements ready for the new season,” said Head Groundsman Wayne Lumbard.

“Our match goalposts were showing their age so I turned to Mark Harrod Ltd for help. They surveyed the site and delivered and installed brand new replacements ready for our first home fixture on the Saturday. They are the cherry on top of the cake and compliment the Desso Grassmaster pitch laid a year ago.

“Every Premiership club has to conform to set criteria for stadium provision,” Wayne explained. “Goal nets have to be uniform white and grounds teams can only mow match pitches from goal to goal or across their width, for example.”

The aluminium powder-coated white 24ft x 8ft match goalposts form part of a package of provision for the Midlands club that includes warm-up goals for their pioneering Sir Jack Hayward training ground and academy base nearby.

With its host of pitches, including three equivalent Desso Grassmaster full-size surfaces, the training base hosts a season-full of competitive matches across the U7 to U18 age groups.

Mark Harrod At Molineux

“Wolves has enjoyed a long and happy association with the company stretching back many years,” added Wayne, who moved into post nine years ago.

The training centre includes Mark Harrod Ltd’s Ball Stop net system, freehanging 420S Box Nets and aluminium 1m x 1.2m Target goals. “The latest warm-up goals will help limit wear and tear in the goalmouths,” he said.

Mike Bugajski, Mark Harrod Ltd Head of Sales, noted: “The old Molineux match goals had passed their sell-by date. Under their programme of improvements, Wolves needed new ones in time for their first home game of this Premiership season and we were more than happy to oblige.”

Wayne adds: “I’ve known Sean Wallett, Mark Harrod Ltd’s managing director, for many years and can rely on the company to supply a premier service for what is now a Premier club. If I call Sean about something, he will come here the same day.”

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Tennis A Priority In London Transformation

Tennis A Priority In London Transformation: A long term masterplan is set to take place in a London borough, and the redevelopment of Tennis courts is the top priority.

The London Borough of Hounslow’s planning committee approved Gunnersbury 2026 in January 2016 to unlock the potential of sports facilities at Gunnersbury Park – with tennis courts the first priority and a new indoor community sports hub.

Tennis A Priority In London Transformation

Essex-based ETC Sports Surfaces has completed the eight outdoor tennis courts with floodlights, while the sports hub is scheduled to open in summer 2019.

ETC worked alongside Zaun Ltd, who manufactured and supplied 414m of 3m high Duo6 Advantage tennis sports fencing with six single leaf gates and two divider fences with a central 3.5 m wide walkway between courts.

Zaun’s Advantage tennis court fencing system can withstand heavy use with a 42.85mm x 200mm twin wire mesh pattern that won’t let balls through yet allows a great view of on-court action.

It offers better whole-life value than chain-link fencing, which is easily cut with pliers for unauthorised use, and deforms quickly when people lean against it.

Ten grass football and rugby pitches, four cricket pitches and two full-size 3G artificial grass pitches with floodlights are also planned.

Gunnersbury Park, jointly owned by Hounslow and Ealing councils, features one Grade I listed and one Grade II listed Georgian mansions, as well as many historical buildings all set within the stunning community park.

The site is undergoing major transformation since the councils secured two grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund in 2014 to overhaul the museum and make major improvements to the park landscape.

The aim of the project is to transform Gunnersbury Park into a sustainable, high quality public space that serves the local community.  The plans include the creation of a diverse mix of culture, heritage, events, sports and recreational activity to add to a rich history that the councils want to preserve.

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Dundee City Council’s Second Reform

Dundee City Council’s Second Reform: Through Cupar based Double A Trading, Dundee City Council have taken delivery of a Reform Hydrostatic, 4 wheel drive, 70hp H7X bank tractor.

For the council Fraser Crichton says, ‘’we have had a Reform for fifteen years and it has proved to be a real workhorse across our grassed areas, including large areas of sloping terrain. Based on that performance we had no hesitation in adding the Metrac H7X model to our fleet’’

Dundee City Council's Second Reform

Simon Richard UK Agent for the Reform range adds, “the 4 cylinder H7X covers all eventualities for the amenity, utility, contractor and golf sectors. A range of optional implements, combined with  Metrac’s light footprint and ‘crab-steer’ mode for working on sloping terrain at up to 45 degrees, give a multitude of work options from the one machine, while also addressing operator health and safety issues”

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Price Turfcare Return To SALTEX

Price Turfcare Return To SALTEX: Price Turfcare, the UK and Ireland distributor of the Ventrac multi-implement compact tractor and Ryan turf maintenance equipment, is returning to SALTEX on stand B124 on 31st October and 1st November 2018. With the business set to celebrate its second anniversary in January 2019, it’s been an exciting time for Managing Director Rupert Price.

“What is particularly pleasing is that some of our early Ventrac customers are coming back to add further attachments or in some cases, buying another machine. For instance, Darren Baldwin, at Tottenham Hotspur Football Club has added a couple of Power Brooms for maintaining the pathways, parking areas and synthetic pitches at their training centre, while Peter Pattenden at Carden Park has purchased a second machine, because he has been so impressed with the versatility of his first machine. Chris Brook of The Club Company purchased two machines; one each for courses in the group that needed a machine with a light footprint in wet conditions. Angus Lindsay of idverde purchased a machine for a new contract with Northampton Borough Council, which requires considerable bank mowing and we’ve been successful with several local authorities in the north of England.”

Price Turfcare Return To SALTEX

“We have come a long way in a short space of time,” he said. “It’s been a roller coaster ride establishing a network of dealers and doing demonstration tours across the UK, but it has worked. We realise that prospective purchasers of the Ventrac have to see the machine in action and we have travelled the length and breadth of the UK and Ireland establishing the brands credentials. Also, the addition of the Ryan franchise last year has broadened our product portfolio, enabling us to offer customers a comprehensive range of turfcare equipment.

To understand why these respected businesses have been impressed by the Ventrac product and to see the latest equipment from Ryan come along and visit stand B124.

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