Customers Praise AMS Robots

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Customers Praise AMS Robots: AMS Robotics are the UK distributors of Belrobotics robot technology, they offer automated turf maintenance and ball management solutions for large green spaces such as golf driving ranges and sport facilities.

Golf clubs and sport pitches across the UK have immensely benefitted from the AMS’s robot technology. Clients both old and new have given their feedback on the significant differences and improvements it has made to their outfields and maintenance methods.

Customers Praise AMS Robots

First to give their input is one of AMS’s oldest customers the China Fleet Country Club, Dean Bennett the general manager had this to say;

“China Fleet Country Club installed the range robots over 5 years ago, in this time we have seen significant improvements in the efficiency in ball replenishment and service as well as a reduction in man hours required to collect balls. We have also seen great improvements in the condition of the outfield as heavy machinery isn’t required any longer.”

The positive assessment of the robotic system highlights how successfully it has integrated into their workforce and is the reason it continues to work perfectly for them and their outfield. As one of AMS’s initial customers China Fleet has been utilising the older Belrobotics Classic Line, this includes the robot ball collector BallPicker along with its sister the BigMow robotic mower. For ball washing and transportation back to the dispenser they are utilising AMS’s automated ball wash and return system.

Key benefits for golf facilities employing robot technology is better ball management resulting in time and cost savings. Improved turf health due to the robot’s lightweight design, minimising its impact on the outfield. Thus, eliminating the occurrence of soil compaction caused by traditional heavy ball collecting and mowing equipment.

Steve Tebbutt, the director at Fernie Fields Football Club was second to comment on how robotic mowing has been working for them;

“We have been highly delighted with the system since installation last August. Throughout the season it has performed beyond our expectation as a replacement for a traditional man and machine. The pitch is in much better condition and the support from Automated Managed Services has been absolutely brilliant.”

Fernie Fields were one of the first football pitches to take on the new Big Mow connected line as a mowing alternative and because it has worked so well for them, they are planning on taking on another BigMow for their training pitch.

AMS’s mowing maintenance packages includes either the Belrobotics BigMow or ParcMow robotic mowers and is designed for large green spaces such as sport pitches. The robotic mowers are a lightweight, quiet, cost and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional ride-on mowers. They constantly mow and finely mulch clippings to promote healthy turf, leaving no green waste to collect or remove.

Next to give their evaluation was Colin Jenkins from Grimsby Golf Club. They have had the system installed for several years.

“I am absolutely delighted with my automated range system. It allows my maintenance team to concentrate on the presentation of the range, rather than the messy expensive business of collecting range balls. The outfield is in much better condition than it was when we picked up using a traditional picker.”

The robots have been a great success for Grimbsy Golf Club and has allowed them to focus their efforts on other aspects of running the facility.

In conclusion, it is clear that the feedback regarding the condition of the outfield considerably favours the robots over the traditional man and machine. This coupled with the cost and time savings, means the AMS robotic system look set to continue to be the most efficient and sustainable choice for any forward-thinking modern facility.

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Campey’s New Uni-Scratch

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Campey’s New Uni-Scratch: Campey Turf Care Systems’ latest innovation, the Campey Uni-Scratch, is the ideal solution for those looking for a professional and effective maintenance of natural and synthetic grass surface.

The Campey Uni-Scratch can be used for organic matter removal on natural grass hybrid carpet pitches when carrying out annual renovations.

Campey's New Uni-Scratch

Regularly maintaining synthetic pitches is vital because it prevents infill compaction. When a synthetic surface is regularly used the infill can become lodged and cause uneven hard and soft areas that eventually leads to drainage issues and flattening of the artificial fibres.

To prevent this, the Uni-Scratch has been developed to provide essential maintenance by de-compacting and redistributing the infill. The machine can also be used to evenly distribute the infill in synthetic carpets during installation.

idverde UK who manage a growing portfolio of sports pitches and facilities on behalf of several local authorities, is the first company in the United Kingdom to purchase the Uni-Scratch and operations manager, Steve Tingley, explains why.

Campey's New Uni-Scratch

He said: “We install and maintain a lot of hybrid carpet surfaces and we are always looking at new machines and how they can improve our operation. We bought the Uni-Scratch specifically to speed up and improve our maintenance procedure and it has met the aims we had for it.”

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Edgbaston GC Extend Toro Link

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Edgbaston GC Extend Toro Link: Having been at Edgbaston Golf Club for 31 years, course manager Eddie Mills knows more than anyone what’s best for the club, which is why he recently signed a second five-year agreement plan with Toro.

Just one mile from the centre of Birmingham, the course provides golfers with 144 acres of stunning parkland, including a lake and woodland nature reserve, so keeping the maintenance up to a high level is no easy feat.

Edgbaston GC Extend Toro Link

“I’ll have been at the club for 32 years this August and course manager since 2007, so I know the course pretty well to say the least,” says Eddie. “Before we signed our first agreement, we had a real mix of things in the shed, but we always preferred Toro.”

Despite seeing early on the clear benefits of Toro, the club needed to wait for the right circumstances in order to sign an agreement deal. But it was only a matter of time, says Eddie.

“Since our first agreement we’ve had a great relationship with Jon Lewis at Reesink Turfcare and our back up service provider, Redtech Machinery. With the first agreement we saw a real improvement to the course, and I predict we’ll experience the same outcome with the updated fleet.”

The club’s comprehensive fleet is a mix of like for like renewals and some new additions, including three Greensmaster TriFlex 3420 mowers, one of which is set up for surrounds and approaches with universal groomers. Plus, three GR1600 hand mowers, a Reelmaster 3575-D fairway mower with groomer brushes, Groundsmaster 4000-D, Groundsmaster 3500, Reelmaster 3100 Sidewinder, Groundsmaster 7210 zero turn rotary mower, Multi Pro 5800-D sprayer and a new TYM T654 tractor to boot.

“We are constantly trying to improve the club and the course,” says Eddie. “So maintaining and updating the fleet on a regular basis is really important.

“I particularly like the Reelmaster 3100-D Sidewinder, it’s compact, really economical fuel wise and leaves an excellent finish. The new TYM T654 we have is another of our favourites, it’s versatile, robust and really comfortable to use.”

With the club’s 125th anniversary coming up in a couple of years, there are big plans in the works for the future, and it’s likely Toro will be a part of that.

“Now that we’re close to reaching such a milestone anniversary, we’re starting to look at what the next 125 years will look like for the club,” Eddie concludes. “If Toro continues to deliver on performance and price, that partnership has the potential to continue as we take that next step for the future of the club.”

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Rid Slugs From Your Plot and Pots

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Rid Slugs From Your Plot and Pots: Slugs can be active throughout the year, but they cause the most damage when the weather is humid and wet.

The slimy gastropods will make a meal of a huge variety of vegetables, even when you think that your plants are large enough to have escaped the threat. They will munch through peas, beans, lettuce leaves and tomatoes, and are partial to underground potato tubers; so even plants that you think are safely buried underground are at risk from the hungry pests. This is because, at any one time, 95 percent of the slug population lives underground, feeding on plant roots and potatoes.

Rid Slugs From Your Plot and Pots

The answer to stopping further damage is easy as watering on a simple, environmentally sound, pest control product – Nemaslug. Not only are nematodes extremely effective when they come into contact with slugs, but they can also reach the places that other slug control methods simply can’t.

When nematodes are watered on, they don’t simply lay on the surface of the soil like pellets and other pest control options do, they travel down through the soil to the pest and attack them before they get a chance to damage your plants. Also, nematodes are naturally occurring worms already present in the soil, so using Nemaslug helps top them up!

Gavin Wood, business development and key account manager for nematodes, said: “Unlike pellets, Nemaslug can be used as a preventative pest control, so even if you are lucky enough to have not seen any damage caused by slugs, treating the garden to a dose of Nemaslug will keep the critters at bay before they become a real problem. All of our nematode products are organic, pet and child friendly and easy-to-use.”

The best time to target slugs is when they are newly hatched, so the period between March – October is ideal. A regular regime of using Nemaslug every six weeks is the most effective way to protect plants throughout the growing season and will help to ensure that your vegetables survive long enough for you to eat them!

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