Multi-Seeder delivers for Eyemouth GC

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Multi-Seeder delivers for Eyemouth GC: Head Greenkeeper at Eyemouth Golf Club Keith Burgon has praised the Redexim Multi-Seeder for transforming overseeding operations at the Scottish club.

Where previously, overseeding the 18 greens would have taken the team of three more than a day to complete, with the Multi-Seeder the task takes just a matter of hours – not just resulting in major labour savings but improvements in germination too!

Multi-Seeder delivers for Eyemouth GC

Multi-Seeder delivers for Eyemouth GC

Eyemouth GC is a clifftop/links course perched on the top of Gunsgreen Hill in the Scottish Borders. Their exposed coastal location means that when it comes to seed, it’s salt-tolerant Fescues required for the greens – however without a seeder at their disposal, overseeding was limited by resources to an annual operation. “We would aerate, then broadcast the seed with a spreader, then have to manually brush the seed in and topdress which was all hugely time consuming” explains Keith, who has been at the club for seven years.

“I have used the Multi-Seeder before and have seen first-hand the fantastic results it achieves at other clubs. After speaking to Ian Lauder from Redexim, we had one in on demo from our local dealer Hendersons, so that we could check it would suit our course conditions. We had the opportunity to try it on a couple of our greens and tees, and the whole team were immediately impressed by the minimal disruption it left and the great germination that followed.”

Since taking delivery of the 1.2m wide Multi-Seeder 1200 in September 2021, it has already helped to deliver important fescues into some of the courses most exposed greens. “The twin sarel roller set-up is creating double the holes, so double the opportunity for getting seed into the ground. This undoubtedly helped us to see good germination, despite us not getting out with it until late November. The fact it is equipped with two brushes also means that an additional member of staff isn’t required to follow the Multi-Seeder round. What was previously a three-man job, is now complete in one pass.”

Keith adds, “With the growth in golf, it’s more important than ever to be able to get jobs such as overseeding done as quickly and effectively as possible. Now that we have the Multi-Seeder, not only can we overseed more frequently throughout the year to boost course condition, the clean finish means we can complete the operation prior to play commencing, and the golfers will barely notice anything has been done!”

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Toro chosen by West Sussex Golf Club

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Toro chosen by West Sussex Golf Club: The intricacies of selecting and installing the right irrigation network are no more pronounced than for West Sussex Golf Club, a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), which recently completed the installation of a full course Toro irrigation system.

Set on the very rare terrain which is Lowland Heath with extensive heather, Scots Pine and birch, the club had very clear expectations of what it wanted for both the course and its members. The new system also had to meet the specific requirements of Natural England in their approval of the required work.

Toro chosen by West Sussex Golf Club

Toro chosen by West Sussex Golf Club

Kerr Rowan, course manager at West Sussex Golf Club, elaborates: “We are fortunate to be one of a small number of traditional heathland golf clubs in the country. Our players gravitate towards the firm, fiery and fast fairways.

“By their very nature, these areas turn brown, particularly in summer, and there was concern from the club that a new irrigation system would make them too green. However, the incredibly hot summer of 2018 proved that rather than turning areas green, irrigation was vital to keeping those naturally dry areas alive. As a result of that hot dry weather, we lost a lot of grass and it highlighted the importance of having a premium irrigation system in place.”

The system was designed by irrigation consultants, Irritech Limited, who used their expertise in understanding the resident natural flora and fauna to handle the challenges of the course.

Roger Davey, managing director at Irritech Limited, comments: “The project required an advanced level of diligence and care. This is because a large part of the course is within a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest and therefore Natural England insisted that water should not be sprayed or allowed to leach on to the heather areas, falling only on the fine grass fairways.

“Water throw had to be carefully calculated so a three-row system was installed on the fairways instead of a two-row alternative. This provided greater accuracy and efficiency. We couldn’t simply install pipe wherever we liked, it had to be planned with precision and out of respect for the natural surroundings. For example, we had to be mindful of large, deep tree roots when installing pipework along the tree lines. Plus, as the site is not blessed with an incredible amount of water, we had to design a system that was efficient and sustainable for the club.”

With these considerations in mind, the club, led by the Green Committee, undertook a thorough process to find the right products to replace the old system which at 40 years old didn’t cover the fairways. After a series of meetings, presentations and sourcing references from other clubs, the board at West Sussex opted to use the market-leading equipment offered by Toro.

Kerr continues: “What impressed me most about the Toro irrigation products was the Lynx central control system. Five of our greenkeeping team use the control system app, enabling us to do so much at the touch of a button including operating the sprinklers remotely.

“I like how Toro has constantly evolved its products, making them as efficient as possible. You can stop the sprinklers within a second which reduces water wastage, and if there are any technical issues the sprinklers are top-serviceable thus minimising disruption to our course and members.”

With Toro chosen and the design finalised, Irritech Limited worked alongside West Sussex Golf Club to appoint a contractor to handle the installation of the system. This was handled by Lancashire-based, Reesink-approved contractor, LS Systems, starting in October 2020 and finishing in May 2021. Despite some weather days which presented challenging conditions with heavy winter rainfall and spring frosts, the installation was mostly completed during weekdays, avoiding the club’s busy weekend periods. An unscheduled government-enforced winter lockdown also presented additional quiet spells for progress to be made.

The installation included over 27,000m of pipe, 27,000m of cable, 958 sprinklers and the state-of-the-art Lynx Smart Module; the brain of the system. Infinity sprinklers were used on the fairways, greens and approaches as well as the larger tees. T5s and T7s were used on the smaller tees.

Tim Griffiths, project manager from LS Systems, comments: “What’s key for an irrigation system of this kind is accuracy of application. In making this investment West Sussex Golf Club is now better able to manage its water resources, bringing about both environmental and cost saving benefits whilst allowing them to maintain the character of the course with pinpoint precision.”

When asked about the impact the new system has had on the club, course manager Kerr is resoundingly positive: “It has the precision we need to tailor the setup to suit the varying areas of the course. We can spot-target areas that need it and when we do water, we water less so the water goes exactly where we want it. This makes a significant cost-saving to the club.

“We appreciate the speed, responsiveness and ease of the entire system. With the Lynx app on my phone I’m able to turn on tailored irrigation as and when we need it, something which gives us ultimate control and flexibility.”

To find out more about the Toro range or the finance options available, call Reesink Turfcare on 01480 226800, email info@reesinkturfcare.co.uk or visit reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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Kubota teams up for Guinness Six Nations

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Kubota teams up for Guinness Six Nations: The Welsh Rugby Union and Kubota dealer Hopkins Machinery Ltd have enjoyed a long and fruitful partnership, dating back to the 1960s when Cardiff Arms Park was still the home of Welsh rugby.

In 2005 the Newport-based dealership took on the Kubota franchise, and Kubota machinery has been an important part of the armoury ever since. Kubota tractors and RTVs fulfil various roles at Principality Stadium, home to international rugby tournaments including three World Cups and the Guinness Six Nations, which is set to thrill capacity crowds again this spring with the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions.

Kubota teams up for Guinness Six Nations

Kubota teams up for Guinness Six Nations

“Although we use pedestrian equipment on the pitch, Kubota tractors are essential workhorses for the Stadium,” explains Head Groundsman Lee Evans. “Our relationship with Hopkins Machinery is key – if ever we need parts, service or repairs or replacement machines, their support is second-to-none.”

Evan Hopkins concurs: “Having taken the decision to move into groundcare in 1995 and then taking on Kubota in 2005, Principality Stadium is an ideal sponsorship for us, with rugby being our national sport. It’s highly prestigious and gives us a fantastic hospitality opportunity.”

Paramount in the qualities of a tractor to be used in the Stadium is dependable reliability, and the 2016 Kubota STW 40 currently in use is a perfect example.

“It’s important that we can rely on the tractor to do a job and that it is straightforward enough for any of the three groundsmen to drive,” Lee points out. “It never lets us down.”

The tractor is fitted with a Kubota LA 454 ST front end loader, and tasks range from loading grass clippings from buggies on the pitch into a skip for collection by the local authority to pulling a harrow to maintain the artificial turf surrounding the pitch and positioning goalposts.

After a match, the STW 40 gets its moment in the spotlight, pulling lighting rigs onto the pitch

while the TV cameras are still rolling.

“The pitch is on a slight incline so the nine larger rigs, which weigh two tonnes, have to be towed on with the tractor. It’s labour intensive but a crucial job as the roof makes this the darkest stadium in Europe and the light helps the turf recover quickly,” he explains.

Stadium manoeuvres are also the role of another Kubota machine, with the RTV utility vehicle used to transport Terraplas sheets used to cover the pitch for concerts.

“We don’t need the RTV all the time, so it’s a great feature of the sponsorship that Hopkins Machinery can provide one on a short term hire for jobs like this,” comments Lee.

Hopkins Machinery has a dedicated hire fleet of more than 80 RTVs, used for everything from festivals and sporting events to winter maintenance contracts, so is well equipped to be able to help out.

“With a prestigious venue like this, we’re reliant on partnerships to help us deliver high standards in a busy programme, and we really value working with Kubota and Hopkins Machinery,” he concludes.

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