Midwinter Norfolk morning wins photo competition

/in , /by

Midwinter Norfolk morning wins photo competition: A drone image showing the beautiful but harsh conditions faced by greenkeepers throughout winter has been revealed as the overall winner of the British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) Annual Photographic Competition 2023 sponsored by Syngenta.

Thetford first assistant greenkeeper and BIGGA member David Ball’s image was chosen by competition judges as the overall winner, with the selection committee also taking into account the results of a public vote, held across BIGGA’s social media accounts.

Midwinter Norfolk morning wins photo competition

Midwinter Norfolk morning wins photo competition

The image was taken by drone in January 2023 over Thetford’s 5th hole at around 7.30am. It shows sunlight breaking through the clouds as a layer of mist rolls into shot. The fairways and surrounding trees are crisp with a layer of frost.

David said: “We greenkeepers are privileged to experience these times of day that most people don’t get to see during their working hours. I was just lucky and in the right place at the right time on this beautiful morning. It is such an honour to win this award, so thank you to BIGGA and Syngenta.”

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 winners also chosen in the separate categories of Greenkeeping, Landscape and Wildlife.

  • Landscape: Alistair Morrison, head greenkeeper, Durness Golf Club
  • Greenkeeping: Peter Meek, greenkeeper, Bath Golf Club
  • Wildlife: Elliot Walters, greenkeeper, Robin Hood Golf Club

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

A downloadable version of the calendar for use on your desktop background is available here.

BIGGA CEO Jim Croxton said: “BIGGA members work in some spectacular environments and each year the judges struggle to separate the entries, such is the quality of submissions. It’s always fascinating to see how the public votes when we post the finalists on our social media channels.

“David Ball’s entry stood out to us as it showcases the beautiful golf course at Thetford at a time that golfers will rarely see it – deep in the depths of winter – yet there are greenkeepers present, putting in the hard work that makes golf possible when warmer weather returns.

“Congratulations to all the winners and thank you once again to our valued sponsors at Syngenta.”

As overall competition winner, David has won a DJI Mini 2 SE Drone and a framed print of his image to be presented at BTME 2024, the greenkeeping community’s annual gathering in January.

Each of the category winners receive a £150 Love2Shop voucher.

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 2024 and the associated Continue to Learn education programme is open. The event takes place from 21 to 25 January 2024 and you can find out more by heading to the BTME website, www.btme.org.uk

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Polaris RANGER XP Kinetic arrives in dealerships

/in , /by

Polaris RANGER XP Kinetic arrives in dealerships: Polaris has announced that dealerships across Europe have started to receive the first shipments of the all-new fully-electric RANGER XP Kinetic vehicles, ready to be collected by customers.

Homologated models specifically for European markets are manufactured at Polaris’ more than 33,000-square-metre manufacturing facility in Opole, Poland—the first Polaris factory built for the production of off-road vehicles outside of North America—with production of the fully electric model starting in August this year.

Polaris RANGER XP Kinetic arrives in dealerships

Polaris RANGER XP Kinetic arrives in dealerships

Rodrigo Lourenco, Vice President of Polaris Off-Road Vehicles EMEA, said: “Our customers are now going to be able to experience the extraordinary performance advantages that the electric powertrain in the RANGER XP Kinetic can provide. We know this vehicle is highly anticipated across our international dealer network, so we’re pleased to see the first shipments arriving in showrooms and looking forward to seeing them in action across our utility customer base.”

RANGER XP Kinetic is available as a 3-seat model in Premium trim and top-of-the-range Ultimate trim, which will be arriving in Europe shortly after. The Premium trim contains a single 14.9 kWh lithium-ion battery that offers an estimated range of 45 miles (70 kilometres), while the Ultimate trim delivers 29.8 kWh of battery capacity and offers an estimated range of 80 miles (130 kilometres)*.

The Ultimate trim also offers a bright 18-centimetre infotainment screen powered by RIDE COMMAND technology, offering configurable gauges to monitor ride activity, as well as camera integration, Bluetooth connectivity to wirelessly stream music and stay connected with call/text alerts, and plow mode to make snow removal even easier by automatically lowering and raising the plow when shifting between low gear and reverse.

CAPABILITY, DURABILITY AND PERFORMANCE

The RANGER XP Kinetic delivers uncompromised capability, unrivalled durability, and refined performance. With its all-electric powertrain, engineered for off-road use through Polaris’ exclusive 10-year partnership with Zero Motorcycles, the RANGER XP Kinetic offers the most horsepower and torque ever found in a utility side-by-side, with a class-leading 110 horsepower and 140 lb-ft of instantaneous torque that delivers maximum power and quick acceleration when it’s needed, including the ability to effortlessly tow up to 1,134kg and boasts an industry-best 680kg payload capacity. Thanks to being fully electric, the RANGER XP Kinetic also delivers smooth, precise control when operating at low speeds, especially useful in scenarios like towing or backing up to a trailer.

RANGER XP Kinetic also features a class-leading 35.5 centimetres of ground clearance and 25.4 centimetres of suspension travel to confidently rise over obstacles and smooth out the bumps, and is equipped with 74-centimetre, 8-ply Pro Armor X-Terrain tyres for maximum traction and durability to crawl over rocks and ruts. With regenerative braking, electric power steering, on-demand all-wheel drive and VersaTrac Turf mode as standard, as well as three driving modes—ECO, Standard and Sport—riders are in complete control of their ride, depending on the terrain and task at hand.

In addition to its unmatched performance, customers will appreciate the quiet electric powertrain for easy conversations with passengers and minimal disturbance to others, allowing customers to work in the early morning or late evenings without waking the neighbours, and avoiding startling horses and livestock when working around the farm. An electric powertrain also means fewer moving parts for lower maintenance costs, and is backed by a one-year factory warranty, three-year electric powertrain coverage, and five-year battery coverage**.

CUSTOMISATION

With even more tools to get the job done, RANGER XP Kinetic is compatible with 95% of RANGER XP 1000 accessories, including windshields, roofs, winches, plows, and Lock&Ride storage options to keep important cargo organised and secure. Polaris also engineers accessories specifically for RANGER XP Kinetic, including a fast-acting electric heater kit, and upgraded charging systems.

AVAILABILITY

The following models are now available in dealers across EMEA – please confirm with your local market for specific regional homologations available:

RANGER XP Kinetic Premium in Icy White Pearl (MD homologation)
RANGER XP Kinetic Premium in Icy White Pearl (Tractor T1a homologation)
RANGER XP Kinetic Premium in Icy White Pearl (Tractor T1b homologation)
RANGER XP Kinetic Premium in Icy White Pearl (ZUG/LOF homologation)

Shipments of the following models will start soon and be available in the coming months:

RANGER XP Kinetic Ultimate in Icy White Pearl (MD homologation)
RANGER XP Kinetic Ultimate in Icy White Pearl (Tractor T1a homologation)
RANGER XP Kinetic Ultimate in Icy White Pearl (Tractor T1b homologation)
RANGER XP Kinetic Ultimate in Icy White Pearl (ZUG/LOF homologation)

For availability and pricing in your market, please speak to your regional Media Contact or contact the Polaris EMEA Press Office at press@polaris-orv.media.

If you would like to register your interest, please visit your local market Polaris website.

* Range estimates based on manufacturer data on typical customer driving usage and conditions. Actual range varies based on conditions such as external environment, weather, speed, cargo loads, rates of acceleration, vehicle maintenance, and vehicle usage.

** Warranty coverage period, terms and conditions may vary by market.

For images of all European homologations, please visit the RANGER XP Kinetic product page.

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Green-tech Specifier signs up to NBS

/in , /by

Green-tech Specifier signs up to NBS: Green-tech Specifier has recently signed up to NBS Source – a tool that provides a single source for product information for architects and specifiers.

NBS Source includes over 1,100 manufacturers and 33,000 products and is free for Specifiers to use.

Green-tech Specifier signs up to NBS

Green-tech Specifier signs up to NBS

Green-tech’s Specification Advisor Alasdair Innes, comments “NBS is an integrated global platform for everyone involved in the design, supply, and construction of the built environment.  It is an investment by the business and shows our commitment to the landscape specification sector by making our products easily accessible for specifiers across the UK.”

For over 50 years, NBS has helped architects produce their specifications and connect them with manufacturers.

Green-tech has a huge choice of products listed from green screens and grilles to anchors and soils. Also listed is their latest urban tree planting cell system – TreeParker® and Green-tree Raft Soil.

TreeParker® is a versatile urban tree planting cell system distributed in the UK exclusively by Green-tech. It is a modular structural soil cell system for planting trees in city centres and other urban environments.

The system maximises the space available for the growing media and is in contact with the surrounding soil to ensure a natural growth environment.  Through a simple and smart design, the TreeParker® system can be installed into any tree planting space. It is easy to customise a tree pit design to meet individual needs. Each independent unit has sufficient load-bearing capacity, so units do not need to be linked. The load is transferred from the pavement to the underlying foundations via the system and avoids soil compaction to ensure optimum root growth.

Alasdair, concludes, “Since we signed up to the NBS platform we have seen a surge in enquiries from specifiers which is great news for Green-tech and just what we had hoped.  With all relevant information in one location, its appeal to architects and specifiers is easy to understand. We have seen a marked interest in our new TreeParker system so we’re looking forward to seeing how these enquiries develop.”

For more information, please visit https://www.thenbs.com/

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Verti-Drain® proves past, present and future

/in , /by

Verti-Drain® proves past, present and future: While much has changed in the fine turf industry over the last 40 years, one thing that has remained a constant for greenkeeper Trevor Dennis is the presence of a Verti-Drain®.

As an early adopter of the technology in his position at Kings Lynn Golf Club in 1986, the original aerator has played a major role at all of Trevor’s clubs – including Heacham Manor Golf Club in Norfolk where, on his retirement, he hands over not only the Head Greenkeeper baton, but a pair of Redexim Verti-Drain’s.

Verti-Drain® proves past, present and future

Verti-Drain® proves past, present and future

Trevor was one of the first to see the Verti-Drain® used in a golf course environment during his apprenticeship training in 1986 and, impressed by the benefits, convinced his club at the time to invest. “I had to explain the technique and what this would do for course condition… Comparing it to an agricultural plough was the only way to get the committee of farmers to understand! I have only used a Redexim Verti-Drain® since and have complete faith in it” he explains.

Inheriting two Verti-Drain’s, including a 1513 and Redexim Carrier delivered just a few weeks ago by local dealer Ben Burgess, is Tom Brooks who became Heacham’s new Head Greenkeeper in October 2023. An American Links-style course, Heacham Manor features 18 USGA specification greens which was the reason for the club’s most recent purchase. “We have a Verti-Drain 7416 and wanted to complement this with something light enough for work on the greens throughout the winter months” explains Tom. “Our new Carrier and Verti-Drain® will give us enough depth and versatility to alleviate any compaction on the greens without applying any unnecessary weight, all while freeing the tractor up for other maintenance tasks.”

Tom continues, “Verti-draining is central to what we do and now we have two machines, the 7416 can focus on the fairways and walk-off areas while the Carrier and 1513 combination promises to deliver effective relief on the greens – particularly in this very wet start to the winter.” Lightweight and robust, the Redexim Carrier utilises a 31hp engine and hydrostatic transmission to power a range of high output implements while exerting minimal ground pressure.

Along with offering year-round versatility thanks to a range of tine options, the pair also work well alongside other maintenance machines – in particular, Tom notes their Rink DS800 topdresser. “We’ll be looking to use the Carrier and 1513 as part of spring and autumn green renovations, following with the Rink to effectively incorporate accurate amounts of sand dressing into the profile.” He concludes, “The results and reliability we get from Redexim has served us well in the past and will continue to do so long into the future.”

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.