International ‘Thank a Golf Course Superintendent Day’

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International ‘Thank a Golf Course Superintendent Day’: Golfers are asked to show their support on social media using #ThankASuper and #ThankAGreenkeeper

As a healthy outdoor activity that can adhere to social distancing, golf has seen a worldwide resurgence in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. On 23 September, the British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA), in conjunction with other global greenkeeping groups, is recognising those who keep the game going and enjoyable with “Thank a Golf Course Superintendent Day”, encouraging all those who love golf to thank their course’s greenkeeping team.

International ‘Thank a Golf Course Superintendent Day’

International ‘Thank a Golf Course Superintendent Day’

In addition to BIGGA, other groups taking part in the global event include Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA), the Australia Sports Turf Managers Association (ASTMA), the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association (CGSA) and the Federation of European Golf Greenkeepers Associations (FEGGA). All together the groups represent more than 31,000 golf course management professionals in 78 countries around the world.

The celebration of 23 September will include a commercial that will begin rotation on the Golf Channel in the United States and other media outlets. Social media messages will demonstrate the many ways that greenkeepers make the game more enjoyable and sustainable. Golfers and others are encouraged to join in the conversation on social media using the hashtags #ThankASuper or #ThankAGreenkeeper depending on their country’s terminology.

As courses reopened after the early months of the crisis, the demand for golf was clear. In the United States, golf rounds in June and July were up as much as 20% over the same time period in 2019 and in the United Kingdom, July rounds were up 40% over last year.

In addition to dealing with new pandemic procedures, greenkeepers continually strive to keep golf courses healthy and playable with environmental stewardship as a primary focus. Golf courses provide an abundance of habitats for wildlife and contribute significantly to biodiversity, as well as providing the platform for one of the world’s most popular sporting pastimes.

BIGGA CEO Jim Croxton said: “The incredible surge in popularity of golf this summer has seen people of all ages get a first look at our wonderful sport and all the health and social benefits it can bring. Golf is a tricky game to learn and you’ll never truly master it, but the fun is in the trying and thousands of people have found relief from the stresses of this year as they embarked upon their journey in the sport.

“Ever since courses reopened post-lockdown I’ve enjoyed a number of Sunday afternoon rounds with my family and I know that’s been replicated not just all over the UK, but all over the world. Those experiences have been made possible thanks to the BIGGA members and greenkeepers who continued to work throughout the UK lockdown to keep courses in a condition that meant they could quickly be returned to play when restrictions eased.

“The association and its members have also played a key role in developing and maintaining the safety protocols that allow golfers to return to the nation’s fairways in a safe manner and I’m excited that the golfing world is uniting on Wednesday 23 September to say thank you for everything they do to allow families like mine to enjoy the wonderful sport of golf.”

To learn more about BIGGA and the role greenkeepers play in the enjoyment and sustainability of the game, visit www.bigga.org.uk

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Fourth-time lucky Allett Creative Lawn Stripes winner

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Fourth-time lucky Allett Creative Lawn Stripes winner: The quintessentially British striped lawn is idealised across the world and in celebration of this Allett Mowers opened up their annual Allett Creative Lawn Stripes competition internationally.

This year’s stiff competition attracted a truly global set of entries in what has been a tough year for everyone going through the coronavirus pandemic. It has meant, however, homeowners around the world have been able to get into their gardens and work on their competition entries. Spending time in the garden can be great for mental health and there is surely no better way of relaxing than mowing the lawn.

Fourth-time lucky Allett Creative Lawn Stripes winner

Fourth-time lucky Allett Creative Lawn Stripes winner

This year everyone has been forever grateful for the NHS and the competition’s winning entry is a fitting tribute to them. Andrew Wain, Head Gardener of Euridge Manor, has placed high in the stripes competition for the past three years and this time takes the top prize. Euridge Manor is a private estate in Chippenham, UK. The estate regularly holds weddings and has 40 booked in for next year. Andrew has faced the battles of having the wear and tear of weddings and marquees on the lawn

“I first entered the competition four years ago to have some fun.” Says Andrew. “Straight lines can get a little boring sometimes and that year I came second so I decided to stick with it. It’s exciting to win at last, for both me and my employer. As a wedding venue, the lawn has become a real talking point among guests. This year, with Covid and the NHS being so fantastic I felt that this was my opportunity of saying THANK YOU to all those in all departments of the NHS that have put themselves in harm’s way to look after us. It is also my way of saying thank you to all those in the NHS who have cared for relatives of mine who in the last few years and indeed weeks lost their battles with cancer. So that is where I came up with the idea of the butterfly, to carry the thank you message with an NHS rainbow on each side. The Allett creative stripes competition has encouraged me to turn the lawn at Euridge Manor into a piece of art. I encourage anyone to have a go, as it is great fun and adds a whole new dimension of creativity to the garden. I’m over the moon with winning such a fantastic prize and thank Allett for running the competition.”

Fourth-time lucky Allett Creative Lawn Stripes winner

Fourth-time lucky Allett Creative Lawn Stripes winner

This year’s judging was done by Edgbaston Cricket Ground’s very own Head Groundsman Gary Barwell. Allett are proud partners with Edgbaston and felt Gary’s expertise was perfect for the role of this year’s judge. An internal vote was done at Allett with the top 6 entries being forwarded to Gary to pick his overall winner. Gary comments: ”The standard was truly outstanding and the time and work that was put into these was on another level it was so difficult to decide but the winner showed craft, flair, knowledge and relevance”

Creativity is the key to this competition as well as using current themes to design patterns around. The top 6 show just how creative they really are. Andrew, who is a brand ambassador for Stihl, used a Stihl rotary mower and hand trimmer to create his pattern.

Striped lawns used to be the preserve of the British garden, but now keen gardeners from around the globe compete each year for what is now a coveted green award. This year’s competition saw entries come in from USA, Wales, England, Denmark, Australia, Belgium, France, Sweden, Netherlands, Scotland and Ireland. Andrew wins an Allett Liberty 43 battery powered cylinder mower alongside the ALLETT Complete Lawn Care System of six interchangeable cartridges consisting of an aerator, a scarifier, a lawn brush, a dethatcher, a verticutter and a 10–blade cartridge together with two cartridge stands. He will also get ‘a day in the life of a groundsman’ at Edgbaston alongside Gary and his team.

”The rise in international competitors in this competition is in line with the rise in demand our company has seen for our mowers from overseas lawn-fanatics” says Austin Jarrett, Managing Director at Allett Ltd. Allett recently won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise – International trade because of the increase in overseas demand and consequently export sales. Allett Mowers is a leading manufacturer of cylinder, walk-behind mowers – the ultimate tool for creating perfect stripes. The first Allett mower was launched in 1965 and the brand has since firmly established itself as being synonymous with creating stripes on lawns and sports grounds around the world.

Fourth-time lucky Allett Creative Lawn Stripes winner

Fourth-time lucky Allett Creative Lawn Stripes winner

The winning entries in the competition with Gary Barlow’s comments:

1st Andrew Wain, Chippenham,UK- ”The standard was truly outstanding and the time and work that was put into these was on another level it was so difficult to decide but the winner showed craft flair knowledge and relevance”

2nd- Edward Aitken, Cheltenham, UK- Truly outstanding work time and effort needed is amazing

3rd– William Axmacher, USA- ‘To craft something that totally works from the air is great time and effort

4th– Cooper Thomson, Australia (Design in USA)- Batavia Muckdogs Baseball, New York, USA ‘’Brilliant despite it being created by a skilled professional grounds team’’

5th Niklas Andersson, Sweden- ‘This design looks stunning, hard to create and inspired

6th – Dennis West,USA – ‘The waves looks stunning and original’

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OxyShot® helps Air2Root reach new depths

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OxyShot® helps Air2Root reach new depths: Air2Root Turfcare Limited pride themselves on using market leading machinery to bring a ‘breath of fresh air’ to compacted sports surfaces in and around the West Midlands.

The latest weapon in their armoury is an OxyShot® from Charterhouse Turf Machinery which, with enhanced manoeuvrability and air-injection down to 500mm (20”), is helping them to shatter compaction easier and deeper in the profile than ever before.

OxyShot® helps Air2Root reach new depths

OxyShot® helps Air2Root reach new depths

“We first saw the OxyShot® at a demonstration event with Charlies Groundcare last year and it impressed us straight away” explains Air2Root Director Kevin Moult. “Aeration continues to be recognised as one of, if not the most, important operation we can do which not only enhances growth but improves all elements of turf management – this combined with the increasingly unpredictable wet weather patterns means that we are seeing demand that warranted us to take delivery of our own unit earlier in the year.”

The OxyShot® uses a single 25mm probe to inject air into the soil in four directions, at a pressure of up to 110psi and to a maximum depth of 500mm (20”). It can also be fitted with an optional 14mm probe, to reduce the working depth to 250mm. “The OxyShot® penetrates much deeper than any of our other air-injection machinery and gives us a more user-friendly, and less labour-intensive, tool to deliver spot treatments in restricted access locations.”

Together with use on cricket outfields, football and rugby pitches, Kevin also notes the demand for the OxyShot® to deliver targeted air-injection around trees on golf courses and estates. “Our goal is to help things grow better – whether that’s turf or woodland. An established tree may need some extra help getting air down to the roots so with a 30m air-line between the tractor and the OxyShot®, we can access tight spaces and inject the air exactly where it is needed with minimal effort and maximum results.”

“Complimenting other forms of aeration, we are looking forward to putting the OxyShot® through its paces as we head into the autumn and winter months” Kevin concludes.

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It’s what’s underneath that counts

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It’s what’s underneath that counts: Ed Mowe, head groundsman at Leicester Tigers, believes that a good sand is integral to the performance and health of a sports pitch – and it is for this reason that he has relied on Mansfield Sand products throughout his career.

Before joining the Tigers, Ed’s career had seen him work on the grounds at Leicester City Football Club and at England FA’s St George’s Park in Burton-upon-Trent. He has now been with the ten times English champions since 2016 and as well as looking after the pitch at the Tigers’ famous Welford Road stadium, he and his team also look after the seating and terracing areas at the ground, all the surrounding car parks and public access ways, as well as the training pitches and facilities at Oval Park.

It’s what’s underneath that counts

It’s what’s underneath that counts

It’s safe to say that Ed and his team have their work cut out, and therefore they insist on using high performing products that will help make their life easier. Ed claims that products from Mansfield Sand have always given him a certain peace of mind.

“I’ve been using Mansfield Sand products for 24 years, from when I was at Leicester City FC and St Georges Park and now here at Leicester Tigers.

“You might not actually get to see what using a good sand does when you look at a pitch but if you don’t have a good sand product then I guarantee that you will soon run into problems. It’s what is underneath that counts.”

Ed chooses to use Moist Mansil 35 (MM35) which is part of the Mansil Silica Sand Sports Range. Sourced directly from the company’s Two Oaks Quarry in Mansfield, the Mansil Silica 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.

He uses MM35 for end of season renovations but always keeps some in reserve for the season ahead – as he explains.

“MM35 is an essential part of our renovations each year,” said Ed. “At the stadium pitch, we’ll clean it up, remove all the vegetation and then apply 40 tonnes of sand. That will then be Vertidrained and we will brush the pitch so we can incorporate the sand into the Vertidrain holes.

It’s what’s underneath that counts

It’s what’s underneath that counts

“We also use MM35 on our training pitches,” continued Ed. “Each year we purchase approximately 200 tonnes from Mansfield Sand. We’ll get the main bulk of this spread during renovations, but we always make sure that we have a little stockpile left over.

“We then can use this throughout the season if there are any areas which need dressing. It is particularly useful for any hollows or low divots.

“I find the quality of products from Mansfield Sand always very good – they are incredibly consistent, which is what we look for.

“I also believe that the sand plays a massive role in the playability of the pitch. It aids drainage, keeps the pitch healthy, and helps us achieve the levels we need during renovations.

“I wouldn’t have been using Mansfield Sand for so long if their sand didn’t make such a difference.”

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

You can also follow the company on Twitter – @MansfieldSand and Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MansfieldSandSportSurfaces/

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Orpington groundsman wins top award

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Orpington groundsman wins top award: Orpington Football Club’s Paul Wade has been named groundsman of the year.

He beat 50 others shortlisted for the national award and was chosen by a national panel as the Grounds Team of the Year at the FA and McDonald’s Grassroots Football Awards.

Greenkeeper retires after 47 years

Greenkeeper retires after 47 years

Mr Wade said: “There is lots to do. You only get back what you put into it. I do it out of love for the football club, I don’t do it for any other reason.”

A volunteer at the club for over 15 years, he has fulfilled several roles, including club secretary and welfare officer.

As groundsman, he dedicates up to 15 hours a week over three days to single-handedly maintain 16 pitches at Goddington Park for over 450 players. He also helps maintain the pavilion, toilets and changing rooms.

The judging panel paid homage to his intuitive knowledge of the park and its drainage systems, the relationships he has built with park users and the local borough council and his ability to make tough decisions when it comes to calling games off.

Chairman of the club Richard Kettle said: “Orpington Football Club are extremely proud of our groundsman Paul for winning this award. Paul has been a wonderful servant of the club for nearly two decades and is the lifeblood of the club and the community we serve.

“We couldn’t offer football to the amount of people we do without Paul, so it really is wonderful to see all his hard work rewarded. We would like to once again thank Paul for everything he does for the club.”

The club’s head of football Simon Morris added: “I’ve never seen a man work so hard and give so much back to the community.”

Under-10 manager Dean Francolini added: “You take Paul out of the club everything falls apart.”

Darryl Haden, Kent FA chief exec, said: “The team at Kent FA would like to offer our congratulations to Paul Wade and Orpington FC.

“Grassroots football would not exist without the commitment and dedication of volunteers like Paul and we are pleased that he has been recognised for his service to the grassroots game at Orpington FC.”

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