Redexim fleet completes year-round maintenance

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Redexim fleet completes year-round maintenance: Frequently ranked among the top 20 courses in England, Royal West Norfolk sets the bar high when it comes to the play and presentation characteristics of links golf.

Maintaining the 18-holes for the last 37 years is Gavin Playford, who is supported by a team of five and a fleet of Redexim equipment which, he says, gives them complete control over tasks around the site and throughout the maintenance calendar.

Redexim fleet completes year-round maintenance

Redexim fleet completes year-round maintenance

The unique location of Royal West Norfolk Golf Club, along the picturesque Brancaster coastline, means that access to the private members course is off-limits during certain times of the day due to hightide. While this creates a headache for delivery drivers, the biggest challenge for Head Greenkeeper Gavin and the team is the exposed location and sandy soil profile. “The warm, drought-like conditions over the last few years has driven a big increase in the amount of overseeding we’ve been doing as we undertake recovery work, and attempt to increase fescue populations around the site” explains Gavin.

A pair of Redexim overseeders have been helping with the project – a Double Disc 1430 and a Speedseed 1500. “The DD 1430 we’ve had for roughly five years now and is our go-to for work on the fairways and the greens. We like the weight of this machine and the small spacing between the discs which has been critical to regaining coverage on our fairways and some of the greens following the severe drought of 2018.”

“For smaller, more targeted overseeding we’ll then switch to the Speedseed dimple seeder, which we purchased though Ben Burgess Groundcare last year.” The individual conical ring sections of the Speedseed create pockets in the soil into which seed is accurately delivered. The holes are then closed with a rear roller, safely concealing the seed and creating the optimal conditions for germination. “This machine complements what we’re doing with the disc seeder, allowing us to focus on particularly problematic areas such as perimeters, where we can incorporate finer seed varieties.”

With overseeding work complete, come the Autumn the team will then switch their attention to an intensive aeration programme, delivered by their Redexim Level Spike and trusty Verti-Drain® 7416. “From October, we’ll be conducting frequent slitting and verti-draining on greens, tees and fairways. This will continue until the New Year when preparations are then put into place for renovations.”

“On top of that, we also have a Redexim Turf Tidy which we purchased two years ago, again from Ben Burgess” Gavin adds. “This has been brilliant in helping us to thin out some of our roughs in an attempt to encourage finer grasses.” In its cut and collect set-up, the Turf Tidy features a powerful flail rotor. Alternative rotors for fast, effective leaf collection or scarification are also available.

Gavin concludes, “We like the Redexim kit, we’re familiar with it, the build quality is great and we can trust that it’s going to do the job. We also like the brilliant back up from Ben Burgess, particularly our local area Sales Manager Stuart Edge, whose advice and support is second to none.”

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Ryder Cup on course with Capillary Bunkers

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Ryder Cup on course with Capillary Bunkers: Next week’s Ryder Cup at the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club outside the Italian capital, Rome, will again be played on a course whose bunkers have been lined with the Capillary Bunkers system.

Marco Simone, originally designed by American architect Jim Fazio, was completely rebuilt by Dave Sampson of European Golf Design during 2019 and 2020. The course’s back nine was entirely grassed by the end of the summer of 2019, but the Covid-19 pandemic made phase two, the front nine, a little trickier.

Ryder Cup on course with Capillary Bunkers

Ryder Cup on course with Capillary Bunkers

“I was on site in March 2020, the day Italy shut its borders, so I had to get out of the country very, very quickly,” says CapillaryFlow EMEA sales manager Kneale Diamond. “But SOL Golf, the contractor who built the course are very experienced and extremely good at what they do, so all was well.”

Around 8,000 square metres (86,000 square feet) of bunkers were built and lined. “Obviously, the bunker drainage is vital for the Ryder Cup – given the time of year when it is played, there isn’t a lot of spare time if it rains heavily,” says Diamond. “But even more important than that is the quality of surface in the bunkers. This level of competition demands a perfect sand surface, and only Capillary Bunkers can combine outstanding drainage performance with world-class, consistent surfaces.”

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Headline sponsor revealed for BIGGA celebration

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Headline sponsor revealed for BIGGA celebration: The British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) is delighted to reveal leading turf machinery manufacturer Jacobsen as headline sponsor of the BIGGA Celebration, taking place on the opening evening of the BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition (BTME).

BIGGA’s free-to-attend welcome event is held in the Harrogate Convention Centre and is an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of BIGGA members from throughout 2023. Hosted by a golfing celebrity, the BIGGA Celebration with Jacobsen is an opportunity to celebrate everything that’s great about the greenkeeping industry, which is key to growing a thriving sport for years to come.

Headline sponsor revealed for BIGGA celebration

Headline sponsor revealed for BIGGA celebration

BTME is the premier turf management exhibition in Europe and provides BIGGA members and the wider sports turf industry with an unmissable mix of exhibition, Continue to Learn education, conferences and legendary networking opportunities.

At the BIGGA Celebration, the association will reveal the winners of the BIGGA Awards 2024 as well as recognising the latest life members, Master Greenkeepers, the FTMI Class of 2023, BIGGA Photography Competition winner and others.

Jacobsen is the UK-based division of Textron Specialized Vehicles, a leading global manufacturer of machinery including golf cars, utility and personal transportation and professional turfcare equipment. Its vehicles are found in environments ranging from golf courses to factories, airports and theme parks.

BIGGA’s Head of Business Development, Lauren Frazer, said: “I am incredibly proud to welcome Jacobsen as headline sponsors of the BIGGA Celebration. BIGGA members do extraordinary things every day of their working lives and this event is an opportunity for the association to celebrate their achievements. The BIGGA Celebration is a wonderful event that is growing in popularity each year and I’m thankful to Jacobsen for their incredible support.”

Jacobsen’s International Marketing Manager Adam Underwood said: “The significance of BIGGA’s role within the greenkeeping industry and their vision of elevating the recognition of association members for their exceptional contributions as custodians of the game of golf, align seamlessly with our core values at Jacobsen Fine Turf Mowers. We take great pride in our longstanding sponsorship of the Future Turf Manager’s Initiative and we eagerly anticipate extending our support to the industry by sponsoring the BIGGA Celebration at BTME in Harrogate.”

For more information, visit the BTME website.

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International representation at SALTEX

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International representation at SALTEX: Organisers of SALTEX, Europe’s largest free sports turf, amenities, and landscaping trade exhibition, have announced that currently there’s a 16 percent increase in international exhibitors attending the 2023 show from 2022.

Sarah Cunningham, director of commercial and events at the GMA, says: “Not only is the exhibitor list internationally diverse, but there are visitor registrations from 39 countries already too. Statistically, this makes 2023 the most internationally-recognised show in the grounds care sector – that’s with weeks still to go until the show and the potential for more to come.”

International representation at SALTEX

International representation at SALTEX

So, what’s the reason for sports turf management personnel from around the world making the journey to SALTEX in Birmingham in November?

Aside from it being the longest-standing and largest trade show for the sector, SALTEX is internationally renowned, strengthened by its long history of success and being the exhibition of choice for five of the UK’s National Governing Bodies (NGBs), SALTEX has location on its side.

Geoff Webb, CEO of the GMA, adds: “SALTEX isn’t just a show for the UK, it’s a show in the UK for the entire industry worldwide. Author of FIFA’s official handbook on pitch maintenance, Richard Hayden’s comments about the UK being the global leader in grounds management, are true. The UK is 10 years more advanced than anywhere else in the world and has expertise like no other when it comes to sports-turf management.

“He is absolutely right that ‘if you want to work in technology, you go to Silicon Valley and the UK is the Silicon Valley of turf’ – the UK and specifically SALTEX is where you go to learn and network with some of the greatest in the business.”

The English grounds-management sector alone is valued at more than £1bn and employs more than 27,000 people, with specialists in every area, from seed enthusiasts who can breed grasses that grow in the shade to scientists who develop chemicals to make grass greener. Representatives from all areas will be at SALTEX.

Sarah continues: “Whatever the area of interest, visitors can be assured it will be covered by exhibitors, Learning LIVE educational seminars, representatives from National Governing Bodies, and grounds people and turfcare professionals making sport possible.”

There are international exhibitors coming from Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, The Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and USA.

Specifically, there’s Kreon from Spain, a trendsetting manufacturer from an architectural perspective; DJuke, exhibiting under the name Hydrowick, with its lightweight flexible standing water solution products for improved turf quality; GKB from The Netherlands, designers/manufacturers of machines for the sports sectors and golf course maintenance, and Jacobsen from the USA, producers in lawn and light duty machinery into the sports industry, dealers and parts available.

Of course, it helps that for any visitors coming from overseas, Birmingham is conveniently centrally located. Right next to the airport, the NEC is just a four-minute walk from Birmingham International railway station and for those driving, the NEC is in the centre of the UK’s motorway network with its ample parking and GMA members parking is subsidised for the duration of the event.

Register now for Europe’s largest and leading sports turf, amenities, and landscaping trade exhibition at Birmingham NEC on 1-2 November 2023 at: https://bit.ly/456l0dA

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Johnson’s J 4Turf 25 delivers strength at Stratford

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Johnson’s J 4Turf 25 delivers strength at Stratford: J 4Turf 25 from the Johnsons Sports Seed range is ticking the boxes of wear tolerance, quick establishment and fast recovery for the team at Stratford Racecourse – as the track finds itself in the midst of a packed eight-month summer race season.

Head Groundsman Sam Linley has been relying on the tetraploid blend for the last two years, with the deeper rooting and harder wearing perennial ryegrasses providing outstanding strength to the highest areas of wear and tear around the track.

Johnson’s J 4Turf 25 delivers strength at Stratford

Johnson’s J 4Turf 25 delivers strength at Stratford

Racing has taken place at the Warwickshire venue since 1755, with the summer jumps track hosting a meet on average every two weeks between the months of March and October. While seasonal breaks present an opportunity for Sam and his team to conduct some remedial works in late spring and early autumn, the batches of fixtures leave little time in the remainder of the season for recovery. “Stratford isn’t the biggest of tracks in terms of width and total ground” Sam explains, “so quick recovery is absolutely critical – especially in the summer where meets come thick and fast!”

“We’ve been using J 4Turf 25 for two years now after struggling to find a mixture that could withstand the high impact around the fences. Our Regional Technical Manager from DLF Ian Barnett together with Adam Moss from Aitkens recommended the tetraploids for their deeper rooting and we honestly can’t fault the results we’ve had with it, particularly on the bends and the landing and take-off areas.”

The blend of highly-rated diploid perennial ryegrass, along with Fabian and Tetragame 4Turf tetraploids makes J 4Turf 25 an ideal choice for equestrian use. The sward strength, outstanding visual merit and ultra-fast establishment delivered by the tetraploid cultivars have proven their worth as both a post and in-season renovation mix.

“The sooner we can get recovery post-race, the quicker we can crack on with the other maintenance tasks we need to get done, sometimes in very limited windows between fixtures. That’s been brilliant with the Johnsons mix.”

This year, Sam has also introduced further visual appeal to the site through the introduction of a wildflower area sown with the Chameleon mixture from DLF’s ColourBoost collection. “We had a banked area in one of the enclosures which was maintained but looked a little run down. Ian and Adam suggested some high-impact wildflowers and this has transformed the space… great effect with very little effort! Not only have we had lovely comments from people admiring the display but it’s been great to see more bees, butterflies and moths around.” He adds, “It’s been a great to compliment the work we do on the track with a real array of colour along the walkway to enhance the overall visitor experience. That’s what it’s all about.”

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