Ravens rave about the Dennis G860

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Ravens rave about the Dennis G860: Sean Kauffman, Head Groundskeeper for National Football League (NFL) side Baltimore Ravens has revealed how two Dennis G860 cylinder mowers have significantly helped the grounds crew to improve the standards of the pitch at the M&T Bank Stadium.

M&T Bank Stadium is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the home of the Baltimore Ravens of the NFL, and Sean has been working for the organisation for seventeen years.

Ravens rave about the Dennis G860

Ravens rave about the Dennis G860

After originally starting as a First Assistant, Sean finds himself in the top position overseeing a busy schedule.

“In the average season we generally have twelve NFL games and training sessions,” he said. “On top of that we put on concerts, events, soccer games, NCAA college football, lacrosse and monster truck shows.”

It is safe to say that Sean and his two members of staff have their work cut out and so therefore he admits to always being on the lookout for equipment that can make his maintenance programme easier and better.

“We were previously using a ride-on mower on the stadium pitch, but I felt this was certainly one area where we could upgrade.

“I first saw Dennis Mowers at the Golf Industry Show (GIS), and we got a good look at the machines. We felt the G860 cylinder mowers would be a better option than what we had and knew that it would certainly help to keep some weight off the pitch.

“A demonstration was arranged, and we really liked what we saw. I also spoke to some people who had worked with the G860’s and they encouraged the purchase. We ended up purchasing two.”

Sports turf managers have relied on the G860 to provide the perfect cut; and the popularity of the machines in the States is growing all the time. Lightweight at just 166kg; it is easy to manoeuvre and comfortable to operate. The handlebar console houses the controls for – throttle, parking brake, roller drive and cutting cylinder drive.

The mower features a large diameter front roller with an adjustable scraper which has been designed for a precise height of cut control, giving an excellent finish on every occasion. The Dennis G860 also features an interchangeable cassette system to assist with a wide range of tasks such as including cutting, de-thatching, verticutting, brushing, spiking, and slitting.

Sean revealed that the spring tine cassette and the 8 bladed cutting cassette are the two that he most relies on.

“As one game ends, preparation for the next one begins immediately and this is where the G860 comes in,” he said. “Following games, both of the Dennis mowers will give the pitch a sweep to clean the debris off and then we will repeat the process a couple of days later.

Then we’ll use the 8 bladed cutting cassette to mow the pitch to prepare for matchday. We absolutely love the quality of cut and the presentation it offers. I also like how easy they are to manoeuvre; and it is very easy to switch the cassettes around.

“Our pitch has been better since using them,” continued Sean. “Everything has been great; the machines have been running brilliantly and hopefully that continues for a long time.”

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact Dennis 01332 824 777 or visit www.dennisuk.com

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow Dennis on Twitter @DennisMowers and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/DennisMowersUK You can also view the latest Dennis videos by visiting www.youtube.com/DennisMowers

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New sales operation for EcoBunker

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New sales operation for EcoBunker: Leading creator of synthetic bunker edging technology, EcoBunker Ltd, is reinforcing its commitment to the North American market by creating a directly owned subsidiary to support customers across the continent.

Inventor and CEO Richard Allen was the first to install synthetic bunker walls on US soil and his company, EcoBunker Ltd, has been delivering highly successful projects across the continent consistently since 2014.

New sales operation for EcoBunker

New sales operation for EcoBunker

After a short period trading under a different brand name through a distributor, Allen recognised that a better operating model was needed. EcoBunker Ltd has consequently removed its support for the alternative brand and withdrawn the privileges associated with its patented and solely owned patent pending construction methods.

The new approach will to be sell directly to market. This is being done through a new American company, EcoBunker USA LLC, which will be headed by Jay Morgan, (who until now has been running EcoBunker’s Canadian operation), and a commitment to hold stock of the EcoBunker product at several strategically selected locations across North America, ensuring that clients can be serviced as quickly as possible. Another benefit is that trading will be in dollars, making the purchase of EcoBunker as simple as possible for clubs right across the North American continent.

Allen says: “Obviously North America is the biggest golf market in the world, and figuring out how best to support that market has been an important question for us to answer throughout our history. We have developed very successful relationships with distributors across the world, but we have learned over the years that America really needs a different approach and more commitment. Setting up our own operation is a massive investment for us – the largest in the company’s history – but we have done some fantastic projects that provide a strong foundation and the potential for us to grow our business in America is huge. I know that when people think about a synthetic bunker edge, they think first about revetted pots on links courses, but when I first conceived the concept, I was thinking primarily about setting a firm, low edge for bunkers on parkland courses. With our own network of technical experts on hand, we are well placed to solve bunker edging problems for courses across North America.”

The LLC of EcoBunker USA will be established within the next week.

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Customised Polaris Sportsman for Alba Deer Stalking

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Customised Polaris Sportsman for Alba Deer Stalking: Over the years, Highlands Polaris dealer, McLaren Tractors, has made various modifications to Polaris’ range of off-road vehicles to make them more suitable for specialised customer requirements; including a recent Sportsman 6×6 570 EPS build for their customer Alba Deer Stalking.

Alba Deer Stalking has been a long time user of Polaris vehicles due to their off-road capabilities and dependability year-round.

Customised Polaris Sportsman for Alba Deer Stalking

Customised Polaris Sportsman for Alba Deer Stalking

George McLaren, owner of McLaren Tractors said: “In 2015, Robert HcHardy of Alba Deer Stalking came to us looking for a budget side by side ORV, and bought his first Polaris Ranger – a Ranger ETX with a basic semi-cab. He then upgraded in 2017 to the Ranger XP 900 with full cab heater, Polaris multi-mount winch system and shooting lamp on the roof.”

In 2020, Alba Deer Stalking realised it also required a sit-on off-road ATV. The Polaris Sportsman was the obvious solution for Alba Deer Stalking thanks to its reliability, as they knew the machine was going to have to take on treacherous terrain with heavy loads.

“We supplied Alba Deer Stalking with a Polaris Big Boss 570 6×6 as they needed a sit-on machine with additional capacity and for carrying the stalker & a guest. As it was to be working in felled forestry areas, we fitted this machine up with a full aluminium belly, an A-arm skid pan and fabricated a front hitch receiver for mounting a multi-mount winch system.”

The vehicle boasts the powerful ProStar 567cc engine as well as technology like all-wheel drive for more forward traction when it is needed most.

By the end of last year, Alba Deer Stalking has purchased two specialised Sportsman 6×6 570 EPS machines from McLaren Tractors; further-developing the winch system to enable the multi-mount winch to load the rear box.

“This has proved a game changer in allowing one person loading of carcasses. We are now fitting Alba’s 2020 machine with the same capability.”

McLaren Tractors are now developing a similar system for the Polaris Ranger to help future customers with similar needs.

For information on the Sportsman and Ranger, please visit www.polarisbritain.com

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Barenbrug seminar at BTME

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Barenbrug seminar at BTME: A highlight at BTME this year is a presentation by Barenbrug’s Dr David Greenshields, explaining how the latest ryegrasses open-up new opportunities for golf course managers to improve both sustainability and performance on the course.

Ryegrass breeding is developing at a rapid pace, and programmes aimed specifically at the needs of golf courses are delivering new grass varieties with a range of valuable characteristics. The seminar looks at the latest varieties, how they were bred and how their traits can be best exploited for sustainable turf management and improved turfgrass performance.

Barenbrug seminar at BTME

Barenbrug seminar at BTME

“It’s pretty hands-on,” says Dr Greenshields “I’m also going to be covering practical issues such as how you can renovate various turf surfaces with ryegrass, and how you can incorporate more sustainable grasses into your courses, using actual case studies.”

Entitled ‘Modern ryegrasses for golf course management’, the seminar will take place in the Blue Zone of the Harrogate Convention Centre from 12 ‑ 12.45pm 23rd March. It is part of the event’s Continue To Learn education conference and earns one CPD point.

As the leading provider of grass seed to the golf industry, Barenbrug will also be exhibiting on Stand 315 in the Green Zone, where their team will be able to discuss specific solutions for individual golf courses. BTME (The BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition) returns to Harrogate after a two-year gap.

Specialising entirely on developing innovative UK grass seed solutions, Barenbrug UK is now recognised as the leading grass seed breeder and grower in the UK. As part of the wider Barenbrug Group, grass experts since 1904, their worldwide research and plant genetics network includes dedicated UK trials of amenity varieties and mixtures, providing a solid testing ground while drawing on knowledge and expertise from across the globe.

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