Young greenkeepers day a success

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Young greenkeepers day a success: The greenkeeping industry is in good hands if the first Young Greenkeepers Education Day is anything to go by.

The event earlier this year was supported by Toro and Reesink Turfcare, who were also two of the sponsors, and organised by Ryan Neale, greenkeeper at Blackwell Golf Club in his role on the BIGGA Young Greenkeeper Committee, Alex Brougham from Trentham Park Golf Club and Danny Patten from Huyton and Prescot Golf Club. It was designed to inspire and educate young greenkeepers through a series of interactive sessions, machinery, irrigation and tractor demonstrations and career development advice.

Young greenkeepers day a success

Young greenkeepers day a success

Rochelle Bedford, marketing manager at Reesink Turfcare, the sole distributor in the UK for Toro’s golf and sports fields equipment and irrigation, and TYM products, says: “The initiative of these three young greenkeepers to have come up with the idea for this and to implement it, is really inspiring and it’s a great match for our company ethos to promote and support the future of the industry.”

Ryan says: “The idea developed over a pint of Guinness after a day volunteering at last year’s Open Championship at Royal Portrush. I was with Alex and Danny talking about how great it would be if there was an exclusive event focussed entirely on content specifically for young greenkeepers. We wanted to encourage networking, improving confidence and sharing experiences to help with their own careers.”

The event, held at Blackwell Golf Club in Bromsgrove where Ryan works, was designed for greenkeepers aged between 16 and 30. Volunteering advice and personal development was provided by Ryan, a career development presentation by Alex and an inspirational chat on the 10 minutes that changed his career was led by Danny in relation to his successful application to the 2018 Young Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Award. Machinery demonstrations and an irrigation display were conducted by representatives for Toro machinery, Toro irrigation and TYM tractors from Reesink Turfcare.

Ryan continues: “We all also agreed that not many of us get the chance to have a go on the latest equipment and how great it would be to give attendees the chance to see and operate the latest kit. Jon Lewis from Reesink Turfcare put a list together of the latest Toro and TYM machines available to demonstrate and the machinery station consisted of the Toro Outcross with ProCore 1298 aerator, two pedestrian mowers including the new Toro Greensmaster 1021, a Toro Greensmaster eTriFlex series ride-on mower, and two TYM tractors with various attachments. There was an irrigation display and presentation on different heads, set up and maintenance.”

Reesink’s Pete Newton, who was there on behalf of Toro irrigation, says: “The day had a bit of everything in it and worked really well. We broke down the concept of irrigation, explaining how to set valves, open sprinklers, set their arcs and manage basic irrigation problem solving, while also demonstrating some of Toro’s irrigation products.” While Scott Turner representing TYM tractors says: “It was great to meet the faces of greenkeeping for tomorrow, it represents a promising future for the industry, and we were delighted to be involved.”

Rochelle continues: “We had a range of Toro machinery and TYM tractors there for attendees to try. Giving these young greenkeepers the chance to experience these machines gives a feel for what’s possible with the right equipment and sets a benchmark for quality.”

Ryan concludes: “We are very pleased with how the day went and look forward to planning, and helping others plan, similar events in the future. We were really lucky to have not just such influential players in the industry such as Reesink and Toro, ICL and Syngenta support and sponsor us, but to have such a good turnout of young greenkeepers keen to learn and network. The combination made for an incredibly successful day.”

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Japanese excellence at Whitefield GC

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Japanese excellence at Whitefield GC: Whitefield Golf Club, one of the longest established golf courses in the North West have invested in a brand-new fleet of machinery with a retail value in excess of £250,000 to futureproof the club.

The prestigious 18-hole mature golf course, which boasts superb putting surfaces, undulating, partly tree-lined fairways and spectacular views is also renowned for its par 3 and has a reputation as being deceptively difficult, with golfers coming from miles around to take on the challenge.

Japanese excellence at Whitefield GC

Japanese excellence at Whitefield GC

The club’s ageing fleet had started to become an issue, failing to deliver the standard required and with a prestigious tournament booked for this summer, the team realised that a sizeable investment in an entirely new fleet was required.

Course Manager Danny Chamberlain called upon award winning fine-turf specialist supplier GGM Groundscare. Several considerations had to be taken into account when selecting the best machinery for the job, with reliability and productivity of equipment being key. In addition, being based in the North West of England, it was key for the machinery to perform well in all-weather conditions. The club trialled a range of products from leading manufacturers Baroness and Kubota and the Greens team instantly saw the great results, with the machines staying on cut for longer and giving a precise finish, which is so important for maintaining the image of the course”

Danny was particularly impressed with the results from the Baroness LM2700 Fairway Mower, which  delivers a high work rate while delivering exceptional quality of cut, low whole life service costs and also long life and the Baroness GM2810 Rough Mower, renowned for its fast speed when cutting extensive areas of fast growing  rough, the design of the decks allows cleaner discharge of grass giving a high quality stripped finish.

“It’s the simplicity that I love – not only will it reduce downtime, maintenance and service costs – the Baroness is far easier and safer for the team to use and gives a truly outstanding quality of cut”

Additionally, the Kubota L2501 tractor, RTV X900 Utility vehicle and ZD1211 Zero turn mower are all excellent machines and provide the club with the quality and efficient solutions that it needs. The Baroness and Kubota products work so well together and gives the ideal package to golf clubs.

It was this, along with the reliability and output of all the machines the club trialled and the fixed-cost service and support package that was available that were key factors for Danny. It allows the club to budget better and gave the team peace of mind that they won’t be receiving unexpected repair bills that gave him the confidence to place an order to replace the full fleet.

“It was a huge step for the club to move away from the previous manufacturer, and particularly when it came to making an investment of this size however, GGM Groundscare made the process so easy. Working with the right dealership is essential – after all, they become an extension of your own team. Service levels, parts back up and sales advice are all absolutely crucial. It’s fantastic to know that we’re heading into the future with the very best fleet for our club.”

Chris Gibson, Managing Director at GGM Groundscare said:

“We are absolutely delighted to supply this fleet of machinery to Whitefield Golf Club. It is well known as one of the most prestigious courses in the North West with a reputation for pristine greens, and we are thrilled to play a part in the maintenance of them. It really is Japanese excellence working together with Kubota and Baroness as there are no better machines for golf clubs to use to maintain one of their biggest assets – their course”.

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JCB support the homeless

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JCB support the homeless: JCB has stepped up its food aid programme to cater for homeless people in North Staffordshire.

Since the launch of the JCB ‘Food for our Communities’ programme – the idea of Lady Bamford, wife of JCB Chairman Lord Bamford – the company has provided more than 3,600 cottage pies for disadvantaged people across the area.

JCB support the homeless

JCB support the homeless

Now JCB is expanding the initiative by adding sandwiches to the menu – making 500 every week for distribution across Stoke-on-Trent.

One of the first recipients of the sandwiches is the Brighter Futures organisation, which has co-ordinated the provision of accommodation for homeless people in hotels and hostels to enable them to safely self-isolate during the Coronavirus crisis.

The organisation is including the sandwiches in daily food parcels being distributed to homeless people in Burslem and Hanley and, according to company director Maureen Eastgate, the support is “really appreciated.”

She said: “It means on a daily basis that the people who need food, are getting good quality food from a very reliable source. Without the help of JCB and others, we would be struggling, given the extra demand brought about by this crisis. What the company is doing is very much appreciated by everyone who needs the food.”

The sandwiches are being lovingly prepared on behalf of JCB by partners Sue Hodgkinson and Brian Stephenson, of Oakamoor, near Cheadle, whose company Tier Solutions are the contract caterers at JCB’s Global Learning facility next to the World HQ at Rocester.

Sue said: “As a contractor we very much see ourselves are part of the JCB family and as such had no hesitation offering our services to such a great project inspired by Lady Bamford.”

Each week the pair are getting through 1,500 slices of bread, 11 kilos of butter, 12 kilos of ham and cheese and 25 kilos of tomatoes.
It’s all part of an initiative that started more than two weeks ago with the company’s catering staff in the UK and India preparing more than 37,500 meals a week for distribution around towns and villages located close to its plants.

JCB’s kitchens in Staffordshire are being supported with the provision of food from organic farms at Daylesford in Gloucestershire. So far, Daylesford – founded by Lady Bamford – has supplied more than half a tonne of organic beef mince to the project, with staff working seven days a week to support the food aid initiative.

In the UK, JCB is also working with the The Hubb Foundation in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, to distribute food to children and families, as well as Stoke-on-Trent City Council, which is distributing JCB meals to vulnerable adults and children across the city.

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Lighter weight. Reduced emissions

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Lighter weight. Reduced emissions: ECHO has introduced a new range of three domestic and semi-professional use double-sided hedgetrimmers: the HC-2020, the HC-2020R and the HC-2320.

These hedgetrimmers, which replace existing models, are lighter in weight and feature a reduced emissions engine which has to be a major consideration in present and future times. The HC-2020 replaces ECHO’s HC-1501. With its new engine design for lower emissions and 534mm length cutting blades, you get a hedge trimmer with improved ergonomics and better precision for tackling those small to medium jobs. The Japanese double-edged cutter blades offer sharpness and durability while overall the hedgetrimmer is balanced and lightweight at just 4.5kg dry weight. The HC-2020 makes an ideal choice for domestic use and medium-sized professional jobs.

Lighter weight. Reduced emissions

Lighter weight. Reduced emissions

The HC-2020R replaces the ECHO HCR-1501, offering a rotatable handle version of the HC-2020 double sided hedgetrimmer. It’s a lightweight, highly manoeuvrable double-edged trimmer specifically designed for medium-sized jobs and ideal for domestic users or professionals working on small to medium-sized hedges. The rotatable handle may be a small feature but it makes a huge difference. The 5 position handle allows you to find the most comfortable position for cutting at different angles. The HC-2020R weighs in at just 4.6kg dry weight with an even distribution for optimal comfort and performance. The renowned quality of Japanese blades offers super sharpness making precise and clean trimming a breeze.

Replacing the HC-156 the new ECHO HC-2320 is a lightweight, double-sided hedgetrimmer with an extra-long 639mm blade for tackling larger, taller hedges. The lighter weight and ergonomic construction combine with robust components to give you a rugged yet easy to use hedgetrimmer, again with sharp Japanese blades for precise cutting and higher productivity. All the new hedgetimmers come with the latest ECHO low-emission engine for cleaner operation and reduced impact on the environment. Each machine has an industry-leading 5-year domestic or 2-year professional warranty.

Find out more from your local authorised ECHO dealer. You can also visit www.echo-tools.co.uk or call 01844 278800 for more information.

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Free Hand Sanitiser

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Free Hand Sanitiser: To support the essential workers in the sportsturf industry at this time and help maintain the high hygiene standards required at work and keep colleagues safe, Indigrow has a limited quantity of FREE pocket sized Hand Sanitiser Rub Duo Packs to give away! 

These have been manufactured in the UK to WHO standards, containing 75.2% alcohol formulation with hydrogen peroxide.

Free Hand Sanitiser

Free Hand Sanitiser

How to apply?

We just need to know which club or course you’re working at, and we’ll put some hand sanitiser in the post direct to your work or home address (please ensure you specify which club you work at, even if we’re delivering to your home address!).

Please do not apply for this offer if you are currently one of the unfortunate workers who has been placed on furlough, we would like to get our hand sanitiser to as many essential workers as possible. This offer is for customers in the UK only and available whilst stocks last.

Click here to request one free Hand Sanitiser Pack

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