Coventry Hearsall Benefits From Reesink Finance

/in , /by

Coventry Hearsall Benefits From Reesink Finance: Coventry Hearsall Golf Club is one of the first clubs to benefit from Reesink Turfcare’s fixed term finance for irrigation.

Course manager Jonathan Oldknow says he is ‘delighted’ with the new Toro Lynx system including sprinklers for the tees, greens and approaches, which replaced a 40-year-old irrigation system struggling with constant leaks and breakages. In fact, Jonathan attributes the club’s ever-increasing reputation to the success of the ‘Total Solutions’ package it now boasts with its Toro irrigation system and fleet of machinery.

Coventry Hearsall Benefits From Reesink Finance

Jonathan says: “A new irrigation system is no light investment, but in this competitive industry we recognised the need for modern technology to stay at the top of our game. Miles ahead of anything we’ve ever had before, choosing the Toro Lynx system was a big statement from us saying ‘this is where we want to be heading.’”

Buying irrigation on finance takes away two of the biggest headaches Reesink Turfcare finds exist for those embarking on an irrigation installation: installation is sooner and there is less upfront capital outlay.

Brett Mander, Coventry Hearsall’s course chairman, explains further how the club arrived at the decision to go with Toro: “We launched a full tender evaluation, starting with a number of suppliers before whittling them down to three.

“UK distributor of Toro Reesink Turfcare won us over with its presentation, which gave us confidence that its package and aftercare support would best suit the needs of the club. Out of all the suppliers, Reesink offered the most flexible solution over a period of time that matches our investment and growth strategy at Coventry Hearsall.”

Gone are the days of fixing leaks, and with peace of mind that the club has water on demand: “The main beauty of the system is the accuracy it affords us,” says Jonathan. “We take moisture metre readings to identify where water is needed and adjust individual sprinkler heads accordingly, targeting areas with reassuring success.

“We are one step ahead with our new Toro system rather than on the back-foot with our previous one. As opposed to fighting fires just to keep the grass alive we are now able to focus on keeping the plant in optimum health, and will be able to do so for as long as I’m a greenkeeper, and then some.”

Flexible and transparent, Reesink’s strong relationship with a proven financial partner means it can offer some very competitive deals over one to ten years. Payment plans can be monthly, quarterly, or annually and clubs can finance through hire purchase (HP) or lease.

Alongside Toro irrigation, Coventry Hearsall plans to continue using Toro machinery long into the future, too. According to Jonathan: “Toro provides very useable machinery that is of the highest quality. With the best mowers on the market, we know we will always get the best results for our course.”

Brett concludes: “Our Toro ‘Total Solutions’ package has been instrumental in helping us to maintain and elevate our reputation as a premier golf club in the Midlands. Word is out about the quality of our greens and our membership is now full with a waiting list; put simply, the package has been successful in making us successful.”

For more information, visit: reesinkturfcare.co.uk

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Successful APF For Jensen

/in , /by

Successful APF For Jensen: The UK’s largest forestry, woodland, arboriculture and biomass show came to Ragley Estate near Alcester, Warwickshire, again this weekend, with great success. The APF Exhibition, which takes place biennially in September, hosted 320 exhibitors over 3 days at the 6,000-acre estate, welcoming 18,500 visitors this year despite heavy rain and wind as a result of Storm Ali which pounded the site but not the spirits of visitors and exhibitors.

The Machinery Imports team were pleased to hold a large demonstration stand at the event this year, with Jensen woodchippers leading the charge complemented by the array of Groundcare machinery available from brands Ferris, Wright and Spider.

Successful APF For Jensen

With over 800m2 of stand space, the team were able to showcase a large range of machines including the ever-popular Jensen A530 and A530L towed woodchippers, with sub-750kg towing weights and 6-inch chipping capacity. Representing the range of PTO chippers were the A530XL and A540 models, with the A540 model boasting a 190mm capacity and 18m3/h output for powerful chipping with only a 40hp requirement.

For off-road, sloping or unstable terrain, Jensen presented the A540 Spider, a tracked woodchipper offering superb stability with independently controlled hydraulic tracks both vertically and horizontally, making it the most versatile machine of its type in the market.

Jensen are the only manufacturer of woodchippers in the industry to offer the option of a turntable chassis for all their woodchippers between 8” and 12” capacity, and to highlight this at the APF visitors to the stand could see an A540 turntable road-towable chipper. The 270° turning ability offers the perfect solution for anybody working alongside highways and paths where safety is paramount and space is limited, enabling the users to turn the woodchipper to face an alternative, safe direction.

As well as static displays of the models on offer, the Jensen team were able to practically demonstrate the power and versatility of the range including the huge A231 model, the second largest disc chipper in the Jensen line-up and the largest feed roller aperture available of any brand in the market. With a 310 x 240mm aperture, 30m2/h chipping capacity and 75hp engine the A231 is truly one of the most powerful and robust chippers on offer today.

Complementing the Jensen line up at the APF Exhibition were a range of Ferris, Wright and Spider mowers, including the Wright Stander I and Sport I models – the original zero-turn stander mowers in the industry, and Spider Mini, ILD01 and ILD02 remote-controlled, robotic slope mowers.

From Ferris, visitors could see a variety of pedestrian, ride-on and stand-on mowers including the new-for-2018 Ferris 400S with 4-way deck discharge options; larger models including the stand-on SRS™ Z1 and ride-on, zero-turn IS®700Z, IS®2600Z and IS®3200Z models. For those who prefer walk-behind grass cutting, the popular pedestrian mowers, FW25, FW35 and FW35 Flail were available to view, offering 18.5hp and 26hp petrol engines respectively and deck sizes from 36” to 52” for all mowing situations.

Bill Johnson, Business Manager for Jensen in the UK, found the show to be hugely successful for Jensen, commenting “I am delighted with the enthusiasm and loyalty shown by the Jensen users from around the UK and abroad who visited our stand and shared their Jensen stories with us. A particular highlight was meeting a terrific Jensen owner who happily uses his 31-year old Jensen A111Z woodchipper almost daily with no problems – a testament to not only his care for the machine but the durability and longevity of our premium chippers.”

“The 2018 APF Exhibition was hugely successful for us, giving us the opportunity to speak to industry professionals about the USPs of the Jensen brand as well as offering demonstrations to see the machines in action again on home-turf and welcoming visitors to enter our competition to win £1000 of arboricultural equipment, a great talking point with which to further engage customers.”

Clive Carter, General Manager for the Ferris, Wright and Spider brands in the UK, was also happy with the outcome of the event, adding “As an arboricultural-focused event we knew that the principal brand of interest would be Jensen however we were delighted to not only showcase our range of groundcare machinery which may be of interest to many woodchipper users too, but also to show our support for the Jensen brand which is growing ever more popular in the UK. We’re looking forward to seeing many visitors again at demonstrations and site visits which were organised as a result of attending the exhibition.”

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Get Straight With Glyphosate

/in , , /by

Get Straight With Glyphosate: Glyphosate has been in the news again recently, and as groundcare professionals look to their 2019 weed control programmes, Roundup Technical Development Manager Barrie Hunt gives an update on legal and best practice information to help plan ahead.

Q. What is the legislative situation with glyphosate at the moment?

A. Glyphosate was formally re-Approved on 12th December 2017 by the European Commission.

Q. How long has glyphosate been approved for and what does that mean for Roundup products?

A. Glyphosate, as an active substance, has been approved for a period of 5 years. The second stage of the process is the reauthorisation of the individual glyphosate products and this is currently ongoing. Both Roundup ProVantage and ProActive have been submitted for reauthorisation and we expect that process to be completed by the end of the year. In the meantime, both products continue to be fully available.

Q. Are they stocked by the same range of distributors?

A. Yes, there have been no changes to distribution agreements and you can still order Roundup products from your usual merchants.

Q. Are there any new restrictions on using glyphosate products?

A. The major change to product availability affected glyphosate products containing POE-t, also known as ethoxylated tallow amine, which is a surfactant to help wet the leaves. Since the end of June 2018 products containing POE-t are no longer authorised for use or storage. No Monsanto amenity glyphosate products contain POE-t.

We are not aware of any changes of use or label restrictions and in our product re-authorisation applications we have applied for the full range of existing uses.

Q. One of my local authority clients has expressed concern about using glyphosate in public open spaces such as parks. How can I put their mind at rest?

A. Roundup has been used successfully and safely for more than 40 years. Roundup ProVantage and ProActive act on the target’s enzyme system, which is unique to plants and not found in humans, animals, fish or insects. Roundup products have been widely used for over 40 years and their safety has been assessed by Pesticides Regulatory Agencies from all over the world, including the World Health Organisation.

As part of the recent re-Approval process, the European Food Safety Authority and the European Chemicals Agency both assessed glyphosate in detail and concluded that it can be used safely and does not cause cancer.

People, pets and wildlife need not be kept out of treated areas, although it is best not to walk in areas where the spray is still wet as transfer to other vegetation may lead to unwanted damage to other foliage. Once the spray is dry this cannot occur.
A leaflet explaining how Roundup works is available to distribute to clients and to the public – contact the helpline on 01954 717575 for copies.

Q. Is there anything I can do as a contractor to help ensure that glyphosate remains available for use in the future?

A. Always use chemical products in accordance with the label recommendations and all applicable pesticide legislation, and in conditions where the active ingredients can work most effectively to avoid the risk of resistance.

Although there are no known cases of glyphosate resistance in the UK, it is a very real threat, and amenity professionals should have a Resistance Management Strategy in place.

This includes using the correct dose rate of a reputable, approved glyphosate product, treating at the correct weed growth stage with correctly calibrated equipment and in good conditions; using other active ingredients and non-chemical methods of weed control as part of an Integrated Weed Management Plan.

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

STRI Scoops Award At Bradford Uni

/in , /by

STRI Scoops Award At Bradford Uni: STRI has picked up two gongs at the University of Bradford’s Summer Experience Awards, as the Bingley-based business won the Outstanding Placement Provider (SME) for its work experience internships. It also helped STRI intern, Samuel Birch, claim the Outstanding Placement Student award.

Samuel (Chemical Engineering), Malika Zahedi (Biomedical Sciences), and Steven Hopkinson (Chemistry), joined STRI as part of the Summer Experience Placement programme for six-weeks where they provided invaluable support within STRI’s research team at its world class facilities in West Yorkshire.

STRI Scoops Award At Bradford Uni

Over the course of the summer internship, the students gained knowledge on conducting scientific trials, project management and data analysis.

STRI has been running Summer Experience placements for a number of years. Former intern Sam Swires, who graduated this year, has now joined STRI in a full-time position as Trials Officer.

STRI Research operations manager, Dr Christian Spring, said: “It was a very successful night for STRI at Bradford University. It has been a great opportunity for STRI to mentor and support the next generation of turf scientists.

“I am delighted that our intern students fitted seamlessly into the research team, and that they gained such a large amount from their research experience, and that both STRI and the students have been recognised in the Summer Experience Awards. We would encourage all businesses engage with work experience students, as we have benefitted enormously from our involvement over the last few years.”

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Standards Maintained at Ladybank

/in , , /by

Standards Maintained at Ladybank: Designed originally by Old Tom Morris, Ladybank Golf Club is a rare thing in Fife, enjoying as it does a reputation as one of the finest inland layouts based in Scotland and providing a classic heathland challenge to golf lovers away from the sea.

Recently ranked #2 in Great Britain’s Top 100 Courses under £100 by National Club Golfer magazine, Ladybank is established on the Fife Open Championship Qualifying Trail, and has hosted final qualifying on seven occasions since 1978 for the Open Championship played at St Andrews. It was also a qualifying venue in July for this year’s Senior Open Championship on the Old Course.

Standards Maintained at Ladybank

Managing secretary Gordon Simpson joined the club over two years ago and carried out a comprehensive assessment of the whole club and course set-up. He knew the course and its quality from playing regularly in qualifying tournaments as a PGA professional, and immediately recognised that the combination of an ageing machinery fleet and increasing repair bills meant a replacement policy needed to be implemented.

Gordon therefore asked the six-strong greenkeeping team led by course manager Colin Powrie and head greenkeeper David Gray to put together a wish list of new machinery from scratch, that would help them to maintain the golf course to the required high standard. As a result, the club has made its first ever John Deere fleet purchase, with equipment supplied by John Deere dealer Double A of Cupar in Fife.

The new machines include a 7500A fairway mower with TechControl display and smaller QA5 cutting units, a 4049R compact tractor, a Pro Gator utility vehicle equipped with an HD200 low-profile amenity turf sprayer and two 220SL walk-behind greens mowers.

“We conducted the usual tender process and gave the different manufacturers a list of the priority kit we required to replace the older machines,” says Gordon. “Double A and the dealership’s golf specialist John Bateson were superb throughout the process, both in supplying demonstration machines throughout 2017 and in their overall level of service, support and advice to help us develop the golf course in the way we wished.

“The process was admittedly a lengthy one but the ongoing feedback we had from the membership was invaluable to me in the decision-making process, particularly with regard to the high levels of presentation and finish right across the course. This ultimately showed us that the quality of cut from the John Deere machines was far superior and sharper looking.”

“We have quite undulating fairways, so the smaller QA5 cutting units on the fairway mower suit our terrain very well by getting easily into the dips and hollows,” adds Colin Powrie. “The new hand mowers are used on the 1st and 18th tees and the collars, so these are now nicely striped up for better presentation.”

Gordon Simpson admits John Deere would not have been his original number one choice, having never done a deal with the company before in his previous roles. However, he is now happy to state that everything the club experienced over the 20-month process of choosing a new supplier proved that he wanted to partner with John Deere as a brand and Double A as a local business.

“With the volume of kit that had to be replaced, it was always the case that the club would need to spread the investment over several years to make it more manageable,” says Gordon. “With all the work they put into the tender, John Deere and Double A simply stood out a mile, and we knew this was the manufacturer and dealer we wanted to partner with.

“We were looking for a long-term relationship with our supplier, which is why it took us so long to make the decision, but we certainly feel that we’ve picked the right route for us and our ambitions for the club.”

For more information, visit: www.JohnDeere.co.uk

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.