Lochemse raise standards with Jacobsen

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Lochemse raise standards with Jacobsen: After greenkeepers and members became frustrated with the quality of cut and condition of the fairways at Lochemse Golf Club, head greenkeeper, Geert Olthuis, switched brands to Jacobsen and has used a Fairway 305 to turn things around.

No stone was left unturned by Geert in his search for a new fairway mower. He trialled five machines from different suppliers before the cut quality, and simplicity of the Jacobsen 305 was picked to elevate the fairways aesthetics and performance.

Lochemse raise standards with Jacobsen

Initially, Geert was sceptical about the mower specification compared to the machine he had been using, but he explains how his opinion was soon changed.

“When we saw the cutting finish, we couldn’t believe it because it was so good. I was unsure of the Fairway 305 when I first saw it because it only had seven blades and no groomers, but it cut better than our mower that had groomers and 11 blades.

“We were looking for a simple machine with a better quality of cut and higher capacity. We had demos of four other mowers but the 2.94m cutting width, cut quality and simplicity of the 305 really impressed us.

“Nicely cut fairways make a course better, but our members, and us as greenkeepers, weren’t happy with the results of our old machine, even when we were mowing three times a week. Now, we as greenkeepers and our members are very happy with our fairways again.”

The success of the 305 stems from its simplicity. It’s a machine that’s built to be reliable and gives operators unsurpassed productivity while providing an unrivalled quality of cut.

This cut quality comes from the five 66cm floating head cutting units that follow all contours and undulations to ensure an even cut on all areas. The floating head system works with the four-wheel-drive – provided as standard – which provides greater traction and causes reduced turf compaction.

Productivity is increased across the machine in several areas, including the cutting units that don’t require any tools to adjust the reel to bedknife. Quick changes from collection to rear discharge can be easily made using the adjustable grass discharge section, and for prolonged use, the radiator pack and hood have been optimised to increase airflow in hot, dusty conditions, preventing downtime due to overheating.

Because of the increased productivity of the 305, operators spend less time cutting the course, but operator comfort remains a priority. An arm-rest mounted joystick is used for all mower lift and lower functions, and a deluxe adjustable high-back suspension seat has been fitted for optimum operator comfort.

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Hole in one at BTME for Sherriff

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Hole in one at BTME for Sherriff: Sherriff Amenity will be on Stand 164 in the Blue Zone at BTME 2020 and visitors can look forward to new product information, refreshments and will also be able test their golfing skills on the putting green.

Visitors will be able to pick up a copy of the recently launched 2020 product brochure – which features an all-encompassing range of products for turf managers.

Hole in one at BTME for Sherriff

As the industry leading supplier of professional products and specialist advice, Sherriff Amenity has an extensive range of products and solutions which are trusted by turf managers throughout the UK and beyond.

The new 2020 brochure contains in-depth information on the complete range of products which includes granular fertilisers such as the Marathon range and Evolution range; liquid and soluble fertilisers such the E2 Pro range and iNTrench range, wetting agents featuring the highly regarded Aqua-Zorb; herbicides, fungicides, grass seed and much, much more.

The brochure will also contain valuable advice on how to get the best results from the products, including recommended period of use, directions for use and application rates.

Sherriff Amenity’s established team of BASIS qualified Amenity Specialists, will be on hand throughout the event to provide professional technical advice and recommendations based on each customer’s specific requirements.

On the stand, why not also grab a much-needed coffee from the barista team and go for glory on the putting green?

For further information, please contact Sherriff Amenity on 01638 721 888 or visit www.sherriffamenity.com

For more news and insightful views, you can follow Sherriff Amenity on Twitter @SherriffAmenity.

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Toro a driving force at The Drift

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Toro a driving force at The Drift: The Drift Golf Club in Surrey has continued its investment in Toro as it embarks on a £1 million project to bring in new facilities and continue the improvement in the course seen over recent years.

In an enduring relationship with Toro, the club has purchased some equipment to run alongside its Toro lease deal, citing the brand’s quality and longevity.

Toro a driving force at The Drift

Course manager Mark Ogden says: “We see the value in both leasing and purchasing Toro. With a lease deal we can spread our budget across the year and upgrading to new machines every five years decreases the maintenance time needed and ensures the best quality cut at all times.

“I’ve always been a big fan of Toro as the quality of their machines is clear. We’re so confident with the quality and robustness of the Toro machines we bought some equipment alongside the lease deal, so we’re in a win-win situation.”

The new fleet comes at a prime time for The Drift, with the course undergoing extensive improvements and developments, as Mark explains: “We’ve just started work on our driving range, which is a £1 million project to bring in new facilities, and part of a wider plan to improve the course. Having new Toro machinery is a large part of that process. Ensuring we have high quality equipment to keep up with the maintenance of the improved course is vital.”

With a Groundsmaster 4300-D, two Greensmaster TriFlex 3400 mowers, two Reelmaster 5610-D mowers and two Workman MDX-D utility vehicles, it’s a fleet more than capable of not only maintaining but also improving the impressive 18-hole championship course.

“Most of these machines are like-for-like upgrades,” says Mark. “Which is great for us because it means the whole team is familiar with them. We’ve also brought in two new Toro Greensmaster TriFlex 3400 machines for the tees and approaches and we’re already seeing a huge difference in both the aesthetics and quality of the playing surface.”

Mark concludes by saying: “The course has really flourished recently with a growing membership to prove it. Having Toro on board keeps the team and our members safe in the knowledge the course will be maintained to a consistently high standard.”

And with Toro clearly more than worth the investment, the owner of The Drift has also chosen Toro for its second club – Badgemore Park Golf Club in Oxfordshire!

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Mansfield Sand head to BTME

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Mansfield Sand head to BTME: Mansfield Sand will feature a wide range of innovative products for sports, landscaping and equestrian uses on Stand 126 in the Blue Zone at BTME 2020.

Pioneers in the development and production of premium quality silica sand-based products for over 170 years, Mansfield Sand is the market leader in supplying to some of the most prestigious sporting venues across the UK and Europe.

Mansfield Sand head to BTME

Here is a taster of just some of the products that could well make a significant improvement to your turf.

Mansil Silica Sand Sports Range

Sourced from the company’s Two Oaks Quarry in Mansfield where the Mansil range of Silica Sands is produced. These products are predominantly used in the construction and maintenance of a wide range of sports surfaces – from winter sports pitches, golf courses, bowling greens and all amenity turf areas.

Top Dressing

Produced for the fine turf market, Mansfield Sand’s Soil Top Dressing is a manufactured homogenous product made from their own premium silica sands combined with top quality soils. All passed through a sterilising unit, over a 3mm screen to produce an easy to spread, stone and pebble free dressing. Mansfield Sand can also produce bespoke dressing blends and combine soil amendments into any product.

Sand Soil Rootzones

Mansfield Sand understands exactly what is needed to achieve the surface that turf managers require week-in-week-out and that is why their rootzones contain only the best quality materials to meet that demand. For renovation or construction, the company’s superior rootzone blend Mansil 40 Silica Sand with a quality screened topsoil, guarantees the perfect start.

Sand Compost Rootzones

A range of premium quality sand organic material blends which are perfect for creating a rootzone where an organic rich material is required within the profile, aiding in the retention of nutrients whilst providing increased drought resistance.

Reinforced Rootzone

A range of reinforced rootzones developed to obtain greater use from natural turf surfaces whilst maintaining the high standards demanded by today’s sports industry and meeting the expectations of ground staff at all levels. Mansfield Sand’s reinforcement technology provides stability and durability to all sand dominated rootzones allowing the pitch to remain free draining and consistent over the whole surface.

Products include Fibre Reinforced Rootzone – reinforced with polypropylene fibres; Fibrelastic Rootzone – reinforced with polypropylene fibres and flexible elastane fibres and Fibresand – particularly advantageous when grass cover has been reduced due to heavy usage and wear during the winter period.

This is just a snapshot of what visitors can expect from Mansfield Sand at BTME 2020. If you are involved in groundscare, sports turf, amenities, estates or green-space management, then ensure that a trip to Stand 126 in the Blue Zone is on your BTME 2020 agenda.

For more information visit www.mansfield-sand.co.uk

You can also follow Mansfield Sand on Twitter – @MansfieldSand

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A win for Dorset Soils & Aggregates

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A win for Dorset Soils & Aggregates: BALI Registered Affiliate, Dorset Soils and Aggregates, have been awarded the British Association of Landscape Industries’ (BALI) prestigious award for Exceptional Affiliate Service.

Much excitement and anticipation was felt amongst the team as it led to the day they’d receive this respected award from the BALI adjudicators.

A win for Dorset Soils & Aggregates

This significant award ceremony was the 43rd annual BALI National Landscape Awards, held on Friday 6th December at the iconic JW Marriott Grosvenor House, Park Lane, London.  Sponsored by BALI Registered Affiliate, Green-tech, it was this glamorous event that saw the celebratory awards ceremony for the skills, hard work, quality, commitment and successes of BALI Registered members. This is the largest landscape Awards in Europe, being an association which recognises excellence in landscape design, construction and maintenance both in the UK and overseas, as well as awarding Affiliate customer service and employer excellence.

Dorset Soils and Aggregates are a national supplier of soft and hard landscaping materials, ranging from specially blended soils, to their flagship Wessex® Coolfresh turf to a vast range of both porcelain and Indian sandstone paving. The business began in 1998 and has since expanded year on year to now consist of 3 different branches, a recycling yard/ distribution centre and head office. Their three branches are based in Ferndown, Dorchester and Bournemouth, all of which have inspirational display areas created by their landscaping customers and a friendly team of customer advisors with many years of training and experience behind them.

Dorset Soils and Aggregates stand for two things: unbeatable prices and the highest levels of customer service. This was consistently demonstrated to the BALI adjudicators and led to the success of winning this highly respected award. As the South’s leading supplier of landscaping materials, this company could give examples of regular, returning customers that gave outstanding testimonies to the business, highlighting their ability to source any required products from around in the world, along with their friendly and knowledgeable manner.

The staff members possess over 75 years of experience in the landscaping and building industry between them, ensuring Dorset Soils and Aggregates are able to give the best possible service from start to finish. Offering an inviting and friendly atmosphere for both the trade and DIY enthusiasts; their customer advisors are always on-hand to offer advice, source products at the best prices, arrange fast and efficient delivery and guarantee the customer received a good experience.

This was the second year the Awards were successfully delivered in-house by the team at BALI’s Landscape House. Events Project Manager Leah Brookes, who attended the 2018 Awards and project managed the 2019 event said, “It has been an immense pleasure managing the BALI Awards 2019. From attending the event last year, to meeting and working alongside the expert adjudicators, to managing the whole entry process and advising members on their submissions. To see the fruition of a year’s work come together on this special day and celebrate together with each and every member is fabulous. I send my heartfelt congratulations to all our winners and thanks to all our sponsors, adjudicators and stakeholders for their continued support of the prestigious National Landscape Awards.”

Sport and lifestyle presenter Mark Durden-Smith played host for the afternoon’s proceedings in front of over 1,000 BALI VIPs, members and guests, including Adam White MBALI, President and Fellow of the ‘Royal Chartered’ Landscape Institute and BALI Registered Designer; Chair of the Society of Garden Designers, Sarah Morgan; Rod Winrow, Chairman of the Association of Professional Landscapers; Sue Biggs CBE, Director General of the Royal Horticultural Society and Gerald Bonner, President of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture (CIOH).

This is a great accolade for Dorset Soils and Aggregates and gives them the recognition and credit that each member of staff has worked so hard to achieve. This year, BALI saw a record-breaking amount of first-time entries; receiving a total number of 145 entries to go through, making it even more impressive that Dorset Soils and Aggregates secured the Exceptional Service Award.

Paul Miller, Managing Director: ‘Well done to all our staff for helping achieve this prestigious National Award – twenty-one years in the making. We’ve come a long way since one man and a transit tipper!’

www.sandandgravel.uk.com

A full list of award-winners and a description of the winning schemes is available on the BALI Awards website here.

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