Announcement of resignation of chief operating officer

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Announcement of resignation of chief operating officer: The British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) has today announced the resignation of Chief Operating Officer Sami Strutt.

Sami (née Collins), will depart the association in February 2024 before taking up a role as education director at the Bernhard Academy.

Announcement of resignation of chief operating officer

Announcement of resignation of chief operating officer

Sami joined the association in 1993 as an administration assistant. Over the ensuing 30 years Sami rose through the organisation, being appointed chief operating officer in 2022.

Notable successes of her time with BIGGA include the development of the world-leading Continue to Learn education programme, BIGGA’s innovative Continuing Professional Development system and the Future Turf Managers’ Initiative. She has been instrumental in the development of the Master Greenkeeper Certificate, the Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Awards and the BIGGA Delegation to the GCSAA Conference and Trade Show with Bernhard and Company.

In 2019, Sami was invited to officially open the Bernhard Academy at the company’s headquarters in Haverhill, Suffolk.

In recent times Sami assisted BIGGA Chief Executive Jim Croxton as the association navigated the COVID-19 pandemic, hosting webinars to give BIGGA members ongoing access to digital learning despite the enforced cancellation of BTME 2021.

Upon being appointed chief operating officer in January 2022, Sami gained responsibility for a wider portfolio, overseeing the activities of BIGGA’s membership team with a remit to advance the operational structure of the association.

Sami is a graduate of The R&A’s Women in Golf Leadership Programme and has since progressed to become a coach for participants of the programme.

Sami said: “I have loved working for BIGGA and I anticipated spending my entire career with the association. Being able to have so much input into a business that I joined when I was so young was amazing, but I’m certain that this move is the right decision. This opportunity with the Bernhard Academy is one that I never imagined would be made available to me, so it is one that I couldn’t turn down. My certainty that this is the right decision is testament to what I have achieved with BIGGA, as the association has given me the experience and ability to take this next step.”

Jim Croxton, BIGGA chief executive, said: “When many people think of BIGGA, they think of Sami Strutt. She’s been a fundamental part of our team for over 30 years and has been at the heart of many of the things that are good about our association. She’s a hugely popular and important member of the BIGGA family and we’re disappointed to lose her, but thrilled that she’s got an opportunity to make her mark on the wider industry and one that will hopefully align with BIGGA’s strategic ambitions going forwards.

“I’m sad to lose a valued colleague but glad that we’ll still be in regular contact. She’s had a wonderful journey with BIGGA and I’m proud that the Bernhard Academy has chosen her to take on this key role.”

For more from Sami, including recollections of her time at BIGGA and her thoughts on the future of the association, head to the BIGGA website.

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New Maver M1302 Mow-Scarifier Wagon

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New Maver M1302 Mow-Scarifier Wagon: Schouten Machines B.V, known for its multifunctional mow-loading wagons, is launching a new mowing-scarifier combination: the Maver M1302. The name Maver is the combination of mowing and scarifying and that is what this machine does. The first machines have already been sold in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.

The Maver mow-scarifier is a compact version for scarifying, mowing grass and picking up leaves in one operation. The Maver is equipped with a mowing-chopping blade set as standard. The scarifying blades can be ordered optionally. These knives can be changed without the use of tools. By tilting the ejection mouth backwards you can safely reach the front of the mowing rotor to change the blades. The cutting width of the Maver is 1.30 meters and the total width is only 1.50 meters. The machine has large wheels with dimensions 26×12.00-12 for the lowest possible ground pressure. The wheels are placed close to the mowing rotor to properly follow contours on golf courses, for example. The mowing unit has a roller at the rear which the cutting height can be adjusted.

New Maver M1302 Mow-Scarifier Wagon

New Maver M1302 Mow-Scarifier Wagon

The collection container has a capacity of approximately 2,000 liters and tips out at a height of approximately 1.80 meters. The Maver M1302 is attached to the 3-point of the tractor and can rotate around a pivot point that is determined in such a way that the mowing and loading wagon meticulously follows the track of the tractor. This makes it easy to mow around posts and trees. The Maver is hydraulically controlled by its own hydraulics from the tractor’s cabin.

The Maver is equipped as standard with lightning, signaling and a preperation for a license plate, is RDW approved and permitted up to a speed of 40km/h.

Schouten expects great interest in the international market from municipalities and sports field contractors.

For more information:

Schouten Machines B.V.
Uddelerveen 65
3888 ML Uddel
Tel. 0577-408080

www.schouten.ws

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Toro helps Lewes Golf Club

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Toro helps Lewes Golf Club: East Sussex-based Lewes Golf Club has brought in a small but mighty fleet of Toro machinery to help with its winter development project, the first goal of which will be to recondition eight of the club’s 11 bunkers.

When it comes to turfcare machinery, course manager Tim Brewster, knows he can rely on Toro’s extensive range of mowers and utility vehicles. He’s of the view that it’s important to work with the best when looking after a course steeped in history: the work never stops.

Toro helps Lewes Golf Club

Toro helps Lewes Golf Club

Although Tim’s relatively new to the club, having joined just before the pandemic, he has big plans to execute this winter. Fortunately, Lewes recently brought in a small but robust Toro fleet – Groundsmaster 3500 and 4500, Reelmaster 3575, TriFlex 3420, and Workman HDX – with the assistance of Reesink.

Tim’s a career-long Toro user. Since 2005, he’s relied on the brand to deliver a consistent and professional cut. On top of the club’s new fleet, Tim also runs a 12-year-old Toro tees mower, which he argues still performs like it did on day one. For his latest project, though, the star of the show won’t be a mower.

“In total, we have 11 bunkers,” says Tim. “Last year, we revamped three, so that means eight more to do this winter. While we’re a relatively small team, it’s a fairly big job. However, with the new Workman HDX, we’re now best placed to complete it.

“As the name suggests, it’s a total workhorse,” he adds. “We can put a top dresser on it, load it up with sand and top-up bunkers with ease. It’s going to be a huge help when we begin the bunker revamp project this winter.”

Tim’s also quick to praise Reesink’s help with finding the right machinery for the club. Over 125 years old, Lewes Golf Club is a varied, downland course; players need to think their way through each tee. “Every green is different,” Tim reveals. “Some are built on clay; others have four inches of root zone and chalk or a ballast mix of soil and sand.

“The diversity makes it interesting for golfers,” he continues. “But it also affects how we look after the course. Each green dries and drains at different rates, so we have to treat each on an individual basis. It’s a unique groundskeeping experience.

“Reesink’s advice and customer service throughout the process was fantastic. When we started looking for a new fleet, we came up with a checklist that covered various factors (quality, fuel consumption, and comfortability, for instance) and we sampled lots of brands from various retailers. Needless to say, Reesink and Toro came out on top!”

To learn more about Toro’s package deals, call 01480 226800 or visit https://www.reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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