ICL Scholars Revealed For Continue To Learn

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ICL Scholars Revealed For Continue To Learn: The British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association and ICL have confirmed the five successful recipients of the third ICL Continue to Learn scholarship.

The ICL Continue to Learn Scholarship offers five BIGGA members the opportunity to attend the Continue to Learn education programme. Taking place at BTME 2019 in Harrogate, the world-leading education programme features more than 250 hours of education, making it the most influential event in the turf management calendar within the United Kingdom.

ICL Scholars Revealed For Continue to Learn

The scholarship, worth approximately £500, comprises three nights’ hotel accommodation and a 15-hour education bundle.

The successful BIGGA members are:

  1. Blair Shearer, assistant greenkeeper, Dunbar Golf Club
  2. Dan Dooley, greenkeeper, Mount Murray Golf Club
  3. David Stewart, deputy head greenkeeper, Walmley Golf Club
  4. Jorge Manso, deputy head greenkeeper, Coombe Wood Golf Club
  5. Andrew Brown, course manager, Boundary Lakes

Sami Strutt, BIGGA’s head of member development, said: “The ICL Continue to Learn Scholarship is a great initiative, providing five BIGGA members with the chance to attend education classes that have been specifically designed with greenkeepers in mind.

“Staying in Harrogate, visiting BTME and networking with like-minded colleagues and peers is a fabulous way to ignite the passion of this great industry for the year ahead. Our thanks go to the sponsor, ICL, for enabling this desirable opportunity.”

Michael Hughes, deputy course manager at Scotscraig, was an ICL Scholar at Continue to Learn 2018. He said: “The scholarship was priceless for me because I knew my golf club couldn’t afford to send me to Continue to Learn. When you add up the cost, including a hotel for the week, what ICL and BIGGA do for anyone in my position is just priceless. Just those few days in Harrogate benefit your career immensely because you take so much away from them.”

Ed Carter, UK sales and development manager for ICL, said: “We are delighted to be involved with the scholarship for the third year running. The feedback we received from previous scholars has been excellent and we hope those chosen for 2019 get as much out of it as the previous 10 did.”

Continue to Learn at BTME will take place at the Harrogate Convention Centre, Crowne Plaza Hotel and The Majestic Hotel from Sunday 20 to Wednesday 23 January 2019. The extensive programme will run alongside BTME, the largest indoor exhibition in Europe for the sports turf industry.

The Turf Rewards loyalty scheme from ICL and Syngenta enables BIGGA members to claim Continue to Learn education vouchers with reward points for buying products that are used on golf courses. For further information visit www.turfrewards.com

For more information about BTME and Continue to Learn, visit www.btme.org.uk

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GTC Release New Training Materials

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GTC Release New Training Materials: The Greenkeepers Training Committee (GTC) has released a revised set of best practice learning materials for all levels of student greenkeepers.

Although originally inspired as the underpinning knowledge for the Level 2 qualification, the GTC Board of Directors and the Employer Group championed the revision of the copyright Learning Materials.

These will be made available not only to learners undertaking the Level 2 Greenkeeping qualification, but will also be available to all golf clubs to be used as best practice.

Prepared by industry specialists and based upon best principles and practices for golf course maintenance and management, the copyright materials are divided into eight chapters, ranging from health and safety, golf course preparation and maintenance to preparing a tractor with attachments.

The 327-page publication is available to purchase in digital format to anyone through the GTC’s shop for £150. For more information, see www.the-gtc.co.uk/shop/

All GTC Quality Approved Centres will receive a copy of the of Learning Materials, for use with all sports turf students on the various greenkeeping courses.

The GTC is supported by England Golf, Scottish Golf, Wales Golf, The PGA and BIGGA.

GTC Manager Fiona Lyttle said: “Each of the original chapters has been meticulously reviewed and updated by specialists from within the sports turf industry. Following consultations with our Employer Group, it was suggested we incorporate some additional aspects of what a fully-qualified golf greenkeeper should know. With this in mind, we have included more detail on soil science, as well as basic drainage and irrigation. Changes in technology, equipment and machinery have also necessitated an extensive update. The GTC has ensured the materials are suitable for everyone from apprentices to golf course managers with all subjects comprehensively covered.”

For further information on the GTC’s Learning Materials, contact GTC Administrator Emma Willis on 01347 838640 and emma@the-gtc.co.uk

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Reform Launch Metron At Galabau

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Reform Launch Metron At Galabau: Revealed at the recent Galabau Exhibition in Nuremburg for green urban open spaces equipment, specialist bank tractor manufacturer Reform Werke has launched the Metron P48 RC as the first radio-controlled equipment carrier with real hybrid drive. 

Simon Richard, UK Sales Agent for the Reform range says, “Metron’s concept is based on a 48hp Kubota petrol engine powering a generator which supplies energy to the battery pack and the electric wheel motors. The generator also has a direct drive which drives the mechanical front PTO shaft allowing Metron to operate all attachments mechanically.

Reform Launch Metron At Galabau

Control is via a powerful, ergonomic radio hand-set with integrated colour display and a working range up to 400metres .The hybrid drive also allows the Metron P48 RC to operate purely electrically. If more power is required, the petrol engine can be switched on quickly and easily. Permanent all-wheel drive to four same size wheels, low centre of gravity and five different steering modes combine to give optimum slope capability.

A range of attachments such as flail mowers, rotary mowers, snow blowers and ploughs, brooms and much more can be easily mounted and Metron’s compact dimensions and 1,000 kg weight make it is easy to transport  and operate in tight conditions.”

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Match Off After Pitch Vandalism

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Match Off After Pitch Vandalism: Ongoing damage at Putaruru’s Totara Park is angering the community and sparking fears public access could be restricted.

In the latest incident a vehicle damaged the football pitch so badly that the Rangers team had to cancel its final game of the season.

Manager Derek Roberts, who has been with the club since the 1960’s, said although not the first time vehicles have damaged the grounds, it was the worst he had seen.

South Waikato District Council parks and reserves manager Phil Parker said the damage was “frustrating”.

“Staff and contractors find this behaviour equally annoying as park users,” he said.

“Our staff and contractors work hard to maintain our parks, reserves and sports grounds for our community and to see them treated with such disrespect is very frustrating.”

Parker said prior to the latest incident the council’s contractor was due to begin the bi-annual turf renovation programme.

“This will continue, however, obviously, this part of the grounds will now require some additional work and effort,” he said.

He said the ongoing damage was costing ratepayers.

“Sadly this is not an isolated incident,” he said.

“There is a cost to ratepayers to repair this kind of damage which is unfortunate, but the greatest cost in this instance is that the Putaruru Rangers had to forfeit their last game of the season. That’s really disappointing.”

Parker said the council was disappointed that the actions of a few people were ruining things for the majority.

“Those responsible for this vandalism should be held to account. Unfortunately without eyewitnesses that is close to impossible,” he said.

“We would encourage anyone who knows anything to contact the council or the police.”

Senior Sergeant Jason Henderson said he wasn’t aware of any reports being made to police.

“We haven’t received any report as yet. That is quite often the thing, if we don’t know about it we can’t actually do anything about it,” he said.

“More often than not we find people don’t want to bug the police because we are already busy and all the rest of it but if there is a trend and it is annoying people then we need to know so we can look into it.”

Henderson said such incidents could lead to public access being restricted to such facilities.

“These people will end up ruining it for everyone,” he said.

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Ariens Winning Dealer Meeting

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Ariens Winning Dealer Meeting: Ariens Company gathered all their dealers for Countax, Westwood, Ariens and ECHO at Whittlebury Hall, Northamptonshire on the 12th September for their annual dealer meeting. The theme of the meeting was ‘Shifting Gears’ and the day was led by Darren Spencer, Vice President for EMEA and Asia, beginning with talks on the new products available early in 2019. These included the Ariens Zenith, the largest zero turn in the portfolio, aimed at the commercial market. The new Countax C40 and Westwood T40 garden tractors were also launched along with an interchangeable cassette system attachment which allows customers to scarify and sweep their garden and grounds. The new range of ECHO Lithium Ion 58V outdoor power tools was also on display for dealers to try including chainsaws, brushcutters, hedgetrimmers and an innovative walk behind 21” lawn mower. The new product introductions are in keeping with Ariens Company’s policy of ‘continuous improvement’  

Following a short introduction, the day was structured to provide dealers with ample time to demo products and to introduce useful tools to help grow their business. There were various breakout sessions, which included a Marketing Update and focus on the latest innovative marketing tools available to dealers, including the announcement of the Ariens Market Hub. The Hub is a revision of Ariens highly innovative ‘Marketing Materials Site’, a system that enables dealers to order customised marketing materials, merchandise and promotional items. At the core of this is the latest multi-brand leaflet which allows dealers to customise their own catalogues.

Ariens Winning Dealer Meeting

“This year’s dealer meeting has been a great success with excellent attendance,” says Darren Spencer, “our dealer network is at the heart of our business, so it is imperative that we provide them with a new generation of products, services and sales tools to best serve the end user.”

During the afternoon session dealers were given the opportunity to test a range of machinery including the new C40 and T40 garden tractors, the Zoom, Ikon, Apex and Zenith zero turns and the complete range of ECHO outdoor power tools.  As the UK distributor for ECHO, this was the ideal opportunity for Ariens to showcase the new 58V Lithium Ion battery series comprising hedgetrimmer, power blower and  brushcutter. Each dealer was also encouraged to show off their driving agility by entering the Zero Turn challenge for a chance to win a Supercar Driving Experience track day and the prestigious ‘Zero-turn Cup’!

During the day the Ariens Dealer Advisory Council (DAC) led a closed discussion with dealers exploring industry issues and ideas to support the dealer network. The DAC will work with Ariens Company over the coming 12 months to devise action plans to counter these issues.

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