Makita’s garden redemption has launched

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Makita’s garden redemption has launched: Leading power tool manufacturer Makita UK has launched its hugely popular winter cordless garden redemption promotion. With the purchase of selected products, end users can claim FREE LXT and XGT products, making this an attractive deal for those looking to start or expand their existing Makita cordless kit.

Makita’s latest garden machinery promotion gives end users the chance to claim ether a free 5.0Ah (BL1850B) 18V LXT Battery, or two free 5.0Ah BL1850B 18V LXT Batteries, or a free DMR110N DAB+ Job Site Radio with the purchase and registration of a wide selection of its leading LXT outdoor garden products – including cordless blowers, hedge trimmers, split shafts, chainsaws and more.

Makita's garden redemption has launched

Makita’s garden redemption has launched

Makita has also extended the promotion to offer a free 2.5Ah (BL4025) 40V XGT Battery to those who purchase selected XGT 40VMax outdoor equipment, including chainsaws, hedge trimmers, post-hole borer and even the latest 40VMax XGT Telescopic Pole Saw.

Kevin Brannigan, Marketing Manager at Makita UK said: “We are delighted to offer our valued customers a fantastic choice of free products this winter with our latest cordless garden product redemption. Claimants can purchase from a range of over 40 selected LXT products to receive 18V LXT batteries or a DAB+ radio, and 16 selected XGT products from our 40VMax XGT line up to receive the XGT battery.”

Makita’s latest redemption offer will run until 31st December 2022. Customers who have purchased any of the qualifying models from an authorised dealer between 01.10.22 and 31.12.22 should register their purchase online within 28 days of making their purchase to claim their free product. On successful application, customers will receive their free gift after 30 days.

For more information on the promotion and its terms and conditions, visit: www.makitauk.com/redemption.

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Sustainable Saints

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Sustainable Saints: Southampton Football Club, nicknamed The Saints, is the first club in the Premiership to invest in Toro’s all-electric Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370 riding mower. It has purchased two, has plans to order two more – and according to head groundsman Graeme Mills – it won’t be long until other clubs follow suit.

Like more and more clubs in the Premiership, Southampton FC has an all-encompassing sustainability strategy. Called the Halo Effect, the thinking is that by making the right choices now, it paves the way for a better tomorrow – and one crucial aspect is clean energy.

Sustainable Saints

Sustainable Saints

And if there’s one thing the Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370 brings to the equation, it’s clean energy, as Graeme, who has been at the club for almost 30 years, explains: “It was a big investment for Southampton FC to purchase the two Toro eTriflex mowers and I personally believe this shows our commitment to reducing the carbon footprint of the company. I think it will encourage other clubs to follow suit. When I was looking into the Toro eTriflex, there were a number of other clubs doing so too.

“Battery technology has advanced in recent years, sometimes people are put off by battery-operated equipment – what if it runs out half-way through the job? It’s not like you can just add more fuel to get it going again! I had concerns myself at first, but I have been extremely impressed with the battery outputs of the Toro – they are more than sufficient to cover our daily workload.”

But it wasn’t just ticking the box for clean energy from a reliable, high-performing energy source, Graeme had another problem on his hands – noise pollution. “With the old diesel machines, we were getting noise complaints when using them first thing in the morning, at weekends, or on bank holidays,” he explains. “The complaints were from local residents and coaching staff using the pitches close to where we were working. The Toro eTriflex mowers are very quiet when being operated and no noise means no complaints.”

Positive feedback from the team of 12 who are using the machines as the main cutting units for the nine pitches at the Staplewood training ground includes how the fitted rear roller brushes don’t seem to get any grass debris drop off the cutting units, even on damp wet mornings, and how there is easy access to all the grass boxes.

Graeme goes on to explain how he plans to bring further sustainable choices into his department: “As a department that uses grow lights, undersoil heating and irrigation systems, it can be hard to tick all the sustainability boxes but changing from diesel machines to electric/battery operated equipment is a way for us to reduce our carbon output.”

As a customer of Toro’s and distributor Reesink’s for a quarter of a century, the combination of the two is well-suited to aid Graeme in his journey to build a more sustainable fleet, with an extensive range of battery-powered equipment to choose from. And Graeme is clearly happy to continue buying clean: he has his eye on some battery-powered pedestrian equipment to join the other two e-TriFlex machines planned.

To talk to someone about Toro technology and how the Toro range could suit your course, call 01480 226800.

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Misty morning wins photo competition

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Misty morning wins photo competition: A greenkeeper heading down the 2nd hole at Ipswich Golf Club on a misty morning has been revealed as the overall winner of the British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) Annual Photographic Competition 2022 sponsored by Syngenta.

Ipswich greenkeeper and BIGGA member Joe Simpson’s image was the unanimous choice among the competition judges and also received the most likes when put to a public vote across BIGGA’s social media accounts.

Misty morning wins photo competition

Misty morning wins photo competition

BIGGA’s annual photographic competition is a celebration of the wonderful golfing landscape and the role greenkeepers play in shaping it for golfers and the wider public to enjoy. Twelve images were selected in total for the annual BIGGA calendar, with golf courses represented including a nine-hole course on the north coast of Scotland through to next year’s Open Championship venue.

As overall competition winner, Joe has won an Insta360 Ultra HD action camera worth £429.99 and a framed print of his image, to be presented at BTME 2023, the greenkeeping community’s annual gathering in January.

Three category winners were also chosen, with Tom Wright of Clevedon Golf Club winning the Greenkeeping category, Craig Sinclair of Camberley Heath Golf Club winning the Wildlife category and Martyn Taylor of Wallasey Golf Club winning the Landscape category. Each of the category winners receive a £150 Love2Shop voucher.

Joe is now a two-time champion, having previously won the competition in 2020. He said: “I’m really surprised to have won as I thought the quality of all the photographs that got shortlisted was fantastic with some really strong contenders.

“I think it’s a fantastic competition and I love entering and try to encourage others to enter as well. Greenkeepers are really lucky because we’re up in the early hours and get to see some fantastic sights and this competition is an opportunity to share them.”

You can view all 12 images selected to form the BIGGA desktop calendar on the BIGGA website.

BIGGA’s Annual Photographic Competition sponsored by Syngenta will return next year, so greenkeepers are encouraged to get snapping now to be in with a chance of winning more great prizes.

Registration for BTME 2023 and the associated Continue to Learn education programme is open. The event takes place from 22 to 26 January 2023 and you can find out more by heading to the BTME website, www.btme.org.uk

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ICL ITM programme kick-starts new pitch

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ICL ITM programme kick-starts new pitch: An ICL integrated turf management programme is helping Millwall Football Club’s new stadium pitch get off to the best possible start.

Steve Chalk has been at Millwall FC for nearly 12 years and in that time he has worked his way up to the position of Grounds Manager. Steve oversees all three of Millwall’s sites, and works alongside Stadium Head Groundsman Charlie Burrage, Steve explained the importance of having a new pitch installed.

ICL ITM programme kick-starts new pitch

ICL ITM programme kick-starts new pitch

“With most pitches now being hybrid, we felt we were falling behind,” he said. “We would be OK until late October / November time but then the majority of grass coverage would be gone during the winter period.”

Two years ago, a new hybrid pitch was installed and Steve saw this as an opportunity to explore and implement new products.

“We thought the time had come to bring everything under one umbrella and just use products from one supplier,” said Steve. “For us it was about making things as simple as possible and using one company seemed the best way forward. We decided that this company would be ICL and therefore we worked with Craig Lalley (ICL Technical Area Sales Manager) to devise a bespoke integrated turf management plan.”

Many turf managers have benefitted from an ICL ITM programme and Steve is no exception.

“With the new stadium pitch, we wanted a ITM programme that ticked all the right boxes. It helps us with moisture management and rooting, base feeds, and conventional fertilisers.

“All the products are proven and tested, and quite simply the programme makes our lives easier,” continued Steve. “It is peace of mind, and we know that we will have no problems with the products. I’m not saying products from other manufacturers are bad, but we just know that the ICL products have a proven track record. We use them and we know what we get from them.

ICL ITM programme kick-starts new pitch

ICL ITM programme kick-starts new pitch

“For us, we wanted someone with the knowledge and experience to advise us on a suitable programme – we get this from ICL. When we speak to Craig we know he is going to give us the best advice for our situation.

“Furthermore, it is nice for the Millwall Football Club board to see the great results and see the pitch in an excellent condition. They put their faith in us and back us with investment, and in turn they have been rewarded.”

Please contact ICL on 01473 237100 or visit www.icl-sf.co.uk or www.icl-sf.ie if you are in Ireland.

For more news and insightful views, you can follow ICL on Twitter @ICL_Turf

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