Johnsons delivers tried and trusted performance

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Johnsons delivers tried and trusted performance: A programme of Johnsons J Fairway has been praised by the team at Woodbridge Golf Club, after delivering tried and trusted performance for more than a decade.

Such is the consistency and quality of results from the 100% fescue blend on the fairways, Course Manager Paul Lawrence is now employing another 100% fescue mix from the Johnsons Sports Seed range on the clubs 27 greens as they seek to improve drought and disease tolerance.

Johnsons delivers tried and trusted performance

Johnsons delivers tried and trusted performance

Woodbridge Golf Club boasts a 9 and 18-hole course, well renowned for its exciting play and stunning heathland surroundings. When Paul joined the club in November 2014, Johnsons J Fairway was already extensively used across the fairways and, ten years later, remains the only mixture that suits their conditions. “It would be remiss not to keep an eye on new mixtures, but we continue to find that nothing performs like J Fairway year-in, year-out” says Paul.

He continues, “It gives us fantastic, hard-wearing surfaces and has demonstrated outstanding tolerance to drought over the years.” Paul emphasises that this was particularly evident during the summers of 2018 and, more recently, 2022. “Despite the extreme drought, as soon as the rain returned the fairways came back in a flash which is testament to its recovery, and the deep rooting nature of fine fescues. It can also be sown late into the year and it’ll establish and germinate as soon as conditions are right.”

Johnsons J Fairway blends five top-ranking fescue cultivars to deliver sustainable fairways with improved sward quality and reduced management cost. Ideal for heathland and parkland courses, J Fairway has high visual merit and shoot density, along with industry-leading tolerance to drought and turf diseases including Fusarium.

“Because of how well this mix performs, we are now in a position of not having to conduct much in the way of overseeding – more just monitoring and spot-treating certain ‘bottleneck’ areas.”

In attempts to replicate the resilient results on the greens, Paul has recently embarked on an overseeding programme with Johnsons J Fescue on the back of advice of DLF’s Craig Spooner and local distributor Aitkens. “We’d like to achieve a bent/fescue composition which, moving forwards, will put us in a better position to withstand environmental pressures and lower our inputs of water and fertiliser. We’re overseeding twice a year and are already seeing fantastic results!”

For more information on all the high-performance mixtures available across the Johnsons golf and sports turf seed range, visit www.johnsonssportsseed.co.uk

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Expansion of INFINICUT® mower fleet

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Expansion of INFINICUT® mower fleet: It’s an exciting and busy time for the team at Cabot Highlands, as work is well underway on the construction of a second 18-hole course to complement the renowned and outstandingly picturesque Castle Stuart Golf Links.

Investment from the new ownership has also extended to the electrification of the club’s mower fleet, with eight FL22 pedestrian mowers from INFINICUT® handling the undulating greens to deliver a best-in-class cut.

Expansion of INFINICUT® mower fleet

Expansion of INFINICUT® mower fleet

Tasked with the construction of Old Petty – set to open fully in 2026 – is Course Manager James Hutchison, who is assisted by a team of 16 on the daily maintenance of the Castle Stuart course. “We were keen to explore electric options so had demonstrations of the INFINICUT® along with other electric hand mowers” James explains. “There were a few things that the team and I liked about the INFINICUT® – it felt lighter and followed the contours of our greens to deliver a really consistent cut. The range of the INFINICUT® battery was also far better. It ticked a lot of boxes.”

Following the successful demonstration, the club purchased eight FL22 mowers from the INFINICUT® golf range, which were installed by local dealers Fairways GM. “The support from Fairways GM is fantastic and this goes a long way when you’re running a pay and play – we need the peace of mind that back-up is swift and professional should we ever need to call on it.” He adds, “We’ve also developed a great relationship with Alan Jack at INFINICUT® which, together with the performance of the machines, is another reason we’ll be adding more units to our fleet in the not-too-distant future.”

The INFINICUT® FL22 offers industry-leading cut quality, contour-following ability and unbeatable precision for the preparation of fine turf surfaces. James and the team are using the mowers on the greens and tees daily throughout the summer, and when conditions demand during the cooler months. “We like to keep the height of cut relatively high year-round to reduce stress of the turf. The finesse and cleanliness of cut and finish delivered by the INFINICUT® allows us to do that without detriment to pace or presentation.”

“We host a number of amateur events throughout the year which the mower fleet are imperative to in terms of preparations. Moving forwards, we’ll be adding more INFINICUT®’s to our fleet as we prepare to open the new course and potentially welcome more, bigger and even better events into our calendar.”

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Hayter Set to Unveil Exciting New Innovations at Saltex

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Hayter Set to Unveil Exciting New Innovations at Saltex: This year’s Saltex Trade Show, taking place at the NEC Birmingham on October 30th-31st, will mark a special moment for Hayter, the renowned British lawn care brand known for its professional-quality lawnmowers. As Hayter gears up to celebrate a major milestone, the company is teasing some exciting new developments that promise to make waves in the landscaping world.

Professional landscapers and contractors are invited to join Hayter at Stand K080 to be among the first to witness the launch of innovative updates to a line of products that have been trusted by professionals for decades. Known for continuously evolving to meet the demands of a fast-paced industry, Hayter’s newest product developments have been carefully designed with the modern landscaper in mind.

Hayter Set to Unveil Exciting New Innovations at Saltex

Hayter Set to Unveil Exciting New Innovations at Saltex

While details are under wraps, these new advancements are set to address the challenges faced by today’s contractors—offering solutions for time-sensitive projects, reliability in unpredictable conditions, and an unparalleled quality of finish. “You spoke, we listened,” says Chris Cooper, Senior Product Manager, hinting at Hayter’s customer-driven approach to innovation.

Why Attend?

Exclusive First Look: Be the first to see and experience Hayter’s latest innovations in professional lawn care.

Speak with the Experts: Meet the Hayter engineering team, the minds behind these cutting-edge developments.

Don’t miss this chance to discover what Hayter has been working on to elevate the landscaping experience. These new products are designed to help professionals Power Your Passion, enabling landscapers to exceed customer expectations and tackle projects with ease.

Event Details:

Event: Saltex Trade Show 2024

Date: October 30th-31st, 2024

Location: NEC Birmingham

Stand: K070

Join us for this unveiling at Saltex and make sure to mark your calendars and stop by to see what’s next in the world of professional lawn care.

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Rack up CPD points at SALTEX

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Rack up CPD points at SALTEX: Get ready for Learning LIVE at SALTEX 2024 – the biggest free educational event in the grounds management sector.

Whether you’re looking to stay up-to-date on the latest industry trends or learn new techniques, Learning LIVE is where it all happens.

With over 50 industry experts, technical specialists and pioneers speaking across three stages, this is your chance to get real insights and solutions for the big challenges in grounds management. It’s the largest event of its kind – and it’s all completely free!

Learning LIVE also gives you the chance to rack up Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points, accredited by both BASIS and BIGGA. It’s your chance to stay qualified while keeping up with the latest in the industry.

Here’s how you can earn your points:

BASIS CPD Points 

  • 2 BASIS CPD Points just for attending SALTEX.
  • 1 BASIS CPD Point for each Learning LIVE session (up to four per day).

You’ll get a unique BASIS code for each day of the event, available from the Learning LIVE Stages or the GMA Hub. Simply log in to your BASIS CPD portal, enter the codes and collect your points.

BIGGA CPD Points

If you’re a member of BIGGA (British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association), you can grab both Networking Credits and Education Credits:

  • 1 BIGGA Networking Credit for attending SALTEX.
  • 1 BIGGA Education Credit for each hour of Learning LIVE seminars you attend.

Just like with BASIS, you can get the codes from the Learning LIVE Stages or the GMA Hub and enter them into your BIGGA CPD account via the BIGGA website.

This year, Mark Clemmit will be hosting the Main Stage sessions, bringing together some of the top names in the industry. Plus, the Spotlight Stage and Community Sports Stage will be led by the Grounds Management Association’s (GMA) expert Regional Pitch Advisors, sharing their hands-on expertise.

For more information about the SALTEX 2024 Learning LIVE programme, and to see the full schedule, please visit: www.saltex.org.uk/learning-live.

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Knegt Set to Electrify at SALTEX

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Knegt Set to Electrify at SALTEX: Knegt tractors are all geared up for this year’s forthcoming Saltex on 30TH & 31ST October at the NEC in Birmingham, supported by UK partner GGM Group (stand no. E126).

Following the recent announcement of the collaboration with Massey Ferguson, along with the success at other key European shows and exhibitions, Knegt are excited to be showcasing at this year’s Saltex. The stand will feature the Knegt tractor and Eco Clipper mower, offering an all-electric solution for turf growers, popular for its run time, engine output and smaller size to avoid soil compaction.

Visitors can gain a full understanding of the benefit of the Knegt 45, and 55 horse power, emission-free tractor with quiet, 100% electric operation – the ideal solution for sustainable and efficient working in every sector.

As all industries continue to see a substantial growth in the use of electric powered equipment, tractor users can now benefit from the development of machine and battery technology. With the combination of Knegt and Eco Clipper the turf industry can now benefit from high performing e-power solutions without compromising on performance.

Within other areas of horticulture and agriculture the Knegt electric tractors offer the same high-performance solutions as more conventional diesel machines but with the added benefit of very low noise pollution, ideal for working in-doors amongst nervous, highly strung animals as well as around noise sensitive areas such as schools and hospitals.

Customers visiting the show are encouraged to come and find out more about the key benefits of battery electric powered compact tractors include:

  • Zero emissions – Electric tractors eliminate carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, unlike fuel-powered tractors, which contribute to air pollution and climate change. This is especially crucial for industries and customers seeking to reduce their carbon footprint​.
  • No noise pollutions – Electric tractors operate much quieter than traditional internal combustion engines. This reduction in noise benefits not only workers but also nearby communities, wildlife, and farm animals.
  • Savings on fuel, oil, filters and more – Electric motors are more efficient than combustion engines, converting more energy from the battery into mechanical work. Electric vehicles have fewer moving parts, leading to lower maintenance needs and a longer lifespan. This reduces the consumption of materials and resources for repairs, spare parts, and oil changes.

Knegt UK Partner – Phil Edmondson of the GGM Group said:

“We are exceptionally excited to have the opportunity to support Knegt at Saltex and to showcase this fantastic e-powered tractor. Choosing a Knegt electric tractor offers several key advantages for customers, particularly for users seeking sustainability, efficiency, and cost savings in agricultural or landscaping tasks. We have recently installed a Knegt electric tractor in the equestrian centre at Bishop Burton College near Hull giving a perfect, low-noise solution for working around the college grounds and stables as well as in the in-door horse arena.”

VISIT THE KNEGT STAND AT SALTEX: E126

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