Golf Club’s New Wiedenmann XF

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Golf Club’s New Wiedenmann XF: A golf club based in Hertfordshire has replaced its existing Wiedenmann Terra Spike XF with a newer version after 14 years of success.

Craig Betts, Course Manager of Aldwickbury Park GC, Harpenden, said he had no hesitation in making a repeat selection: “Our original machine never let us down. Knowing the machine could deliver all we wanted made it a straight forward update.”

Golf Club's New Wiedenmann XF

“Aside from additional tines, we’ve only needed to replace the bearings on the rollers. Running costs matter so I know first-hand we’ve had versatility and value.   Mark House at our dealer Ernest Doe in Benington sorted the switch, so here’s to another 14 years.”

Changes to the XF in the interim include hydraulic depth control giving infinite depth adjustment from the cab as well as a two piece heave bar system bringing additional shock absorbers.

With vistas across the Lea Valley, Aldwickbury Park’s two busy courses – the 18 hole ‘Manor’ and the par 3 ‘Park’ – both open 365 days a year. Craig Betts and his team don’t leave aeration to chance.   Slots to deep tine all tees, greens and approaches are timetabled to cause least disruption.

“We start early and keep our heads down.  We know the XF to be quick and that’s what we need.  This past month we’ve gone to 275 mm deep but we vary it according to the time and conditions.”

Aldwickbury Park shares its Terra Spike XF with fellow Burhill Golf & Leisure Group club, Redbourn GC, also Harpenden.

For more information, visit: www.wiedenmann.co.uk

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Robot Ball Tackles Winter

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Robot Ball Tackles Winter: AMS’s automated ball management system a success with driving ranges during the winter season.

The robotic ball collector distributed by AMS (Automated Managed Services) is part of their outfield maintenance solution for driving ranges. Tasked with the collection of range balls on the outfield, its purpose is not only to allow for time and cost savings, but its lightweight design minimises the impact on the outfield that can occur with traditional heavy ball collecting equipment.

Robot Ball Tackles Winter

It is usually coupled with the robot mower BigMow, which can cut 2.5 hectares three to five times per week. However for the winter season the mower is stored away, leaving robot ball collector to work the outfield on its own. Once the balls are collected they are dropped into the AMS ball management system for washing and transportation back to the ball dispenser.

We contacted four driving ranges with the AMS system to give their perspective on how the Ball Picker handled the unpredictable winter weather.

First to give their feedback was Slinfold Golf and Country Club based in Horsham. They have had the automated system for over two winters now and general manager Luke Blacker gives us his insight into its performance:

“We have been able to use the Ball Picker during the winter season, however for the last couple weeks we have sensibly done some handpicking due to the muddy conditions of the outfield caused by the horrendous weather.

I would say in order for any driving range to get the benefits from the robots, you have to know how to manage the outfield. So it’s not just a case of us sending them out on a whim, it’s about taking into consideration things like the weather and outfield conditions.  So if it snows or the outfield is muddy, we look at the ball levels in the dispenser. Then decide if the levels are sufficient enough to wait till its drier to send the robots out or will we need to hand pick. Overall for this winter season I’d say the ratio for us has been 75% to 25% in favour of the robots.

In closing, while managing the outfield is key, the robots are better for the overall health of the outfield and we look forward to seeing its health improve over the coming seasons.”

Second to give their input was Waterfront Golf, located in the heart of South Yorkshire they have had their robots running for two years or so. Richard Jones, Head Green-keeper was very positive in his response stating:

“Ball Picker has been used all through the winter season. Our outfield has been designated into two zones. So the first larger zone is where the ball picker collects, we haven’t needed to hand pick there at all. The second smaller zone is sectioned off from the robots as it is a known wet spot, so we did some hand picking in this area. However this just takes me 30 minutes to clear in the mornings when it is really wet.

All in all the robots are perfect; since they have been installed they have been great. I mean previously we had to hand pick all winter because we couldn’t have heavy machinery out on the outfield. So they definitely save us a lot of time as it used to take 4 people 2 hours to go out and hand pick the balls. The health of the outfield has improved, so yes I can say we are really happy with AMS and their automated golf range system.”

The third site was Horsham Golf and Fitness also based in Horsham, they’ve had the system in for two years. Neil Burke, owner of the golf facility had this to say:

“We have only had to do a small amount of hand picking, overall I’d say the robots have been used 99% of the time during this winter period.

In all honesty if you have the right outfield surface, then the robots work great. We’ve have had a horrendous winter, one the worst I’ve experienced so it has been a difficult one for us. I’m sure if you spoke to any golf manager/operator they would have said they have experienced a tough winter at least once. So while the robots haven’t improved the weather for us, not having heavy equipment going out to collect the balls will definitely improve the overall conditions of the outfield and we have definitely seen an improvement in comparison to previous winters.

Ultimately as I said the robots are great as long as you have the right conditions and if you want to improve the health of your outfield in the long run, they are a worthwhile investment.”

The fourth to share their insight was Chadwell Springs Family Golf Centre based in Hertfordshire.  They have been using the automated system for 10 months plus. Their Head PGA/Golf Manager, Dave Smith response was:

“We haven’t needed to do any handpicking at all since installation. Ball Picker is great, we have been using it throughout the winter. We have occasionally gone around the edges to knock the balls back in so the robots can collect them, but that’s it really.

The robots have been 10/10 what more can I say, we haven’t needed to hand pick during the winter. The outfield is looking great as well, you can’t get any better than that really.”

In conclusion, the automated ball management system has performed very well during the winter period in comparison to traditional ball collecting equipment.  The feedback from AMS customers has been positive; the robot ball collector has brought efficiency to their ball management practices. It has also improved the overall health of the facilities outfield in long the long run.

For more information, visit: www.automatedmanagedservices.com

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Good. Better. Best.

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Good. Better. Best: Foley United’s NEW range of grinders offers a sharpening solution for every budget and every method. Foley United is upping the game by adding three new grinders to their range, with 6 models to cater for every method regardless of budget, including the addition of their first spin only grinder in the ACCU-Spin 622 SO.

A mission to offer a machine for every budget has seen Foley United raise the minimum expectation for grinders on the market by following their own in-house standards of Good. Better. Best. This follows the principle that sharpening cylinders through spin only grinding is Good, sharpening cylinders and removing taper is Better, and sharpening cylinders, removing taper and adding relief to OEM spec is Best.

Foley United is advancing spin grinding to a new level of speed, simplicity and unmatched performance. The new ACCU-Spin 622 series is packed with design features only available from Foley United. The Patented Rear Roller Mounting System locates the reel by the rear roller, minimising issues that can arise when locating the reel by the front roller and is standard on all Foley United table top reel grinders. The Live Shaft Spin Hub design effectively and efficiently produces a sharp edge in a shorter time.

A huge benefit of the new 622 series is that all the features from the SG and SGR models can be added to the base unit as an aftermarket purchase, if and when they are wanted. These features include the L.E.D Gauging that gives the operator an easy visual adjustment process ensuring the removal of taper and a perfect cylindrical grind every time.

Also available is the Auto-Index Relief Assembly. This has long been recognised as a labour free system that allows hands-free blade to blade indexing, making the final step to returning reels to OEM specs a simple, effortless process.

This trio of reel grinders all provide a high level of health and safety with the machine doors greatly reducing noise during grinding whilst simultaneously reducing any risks to health by preventing exposure to dust and vibration.

For Ian Robson, managing director at Foley’s UK distributor, ProSport UK, the introduction of the new machines has given his customers a far greater choice when it comes to finding a grinder to match their needs and budget.

“I think the most important thing about the new 622 series is the minimum standards have been raised,” Ian said. “Spin only grinding has been popular for a long time and whilst Foley are big advocates of relief grinding they now provide the best professional spin grinder on the market.

“Allowing customers the option to add to the base model gives greater flexibility in terms of budgets and grinding requirements. There’s already been a lot of positive feedback about that as we now offer even greater choice, with more Foley models for every budget and every grinding method.”

Joining the new machines is the economical but full featured ACCU-Sharp 618 precision reel grinder. With the ability to do touch-up spin but also perform gauging and relief grinding as well as an optional bed-knife grinding attachment. The 618 is the perfect entry level grinder and is the ideal choice for operators with a limited budget or smaller operations that perform limited grinding or as an alternative to purchasing used equipment with a starting price from as little as £15,750.

The final addition is the ACCU-Pro 661 AT/MT bed-knife.  Like the 618 it has all the features required of a professional grinder but at a lower price point.  Two versions are available the AT (automatic traverse) and the MT (manual traverse).

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Snake Maintenance Reduced

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Snake Maintenance Reduced: Trimax Mowers has introduced an auto belt tensioning system for the Snake rotary mower, designed to improve performance and cut downtime.

The system ensures that the correct belt tension is always applied during operation, improving the drive to the spindles.

Snake Maintenance Reduced

There’s no risk of fitting the belts in the incorrect configuration due to the design of the idler arm, and no need to keep checking that belts are fitted and tensioned correctly.

Customers are assured this new development will boost productivity and ensure a top-quality cut for which the Snake has become renowned.

Not only is this new system fitted to all new Snake models, it’s also available as a retrofittable kit allowing existing customers to reap the same benefits. Only basic hand tools and a power drill are all that is required to perform this upgrade.

Caroline Shaw, European Marketing Manager at Trimax commented: “We’re very excited to launch this new system for the Snake. It’s a popular machine which is transforming green areas around the world. As with all new innovations, the auto belt tension system underwent rigorous testing – 100,000,000 cycles to be precise!”

For more information, visit: www.trimaxmowers.co.uk

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Duncan Ross At Hurlston Hall

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Duncan Ross At Hurlston Hall: The condition of a golf courses greens is what a head greenkeeper is often judged on, and Duncan Ross’ surgical precision has ensured they are the go to contractor for Hurlston Hall Golf Club.

The completion of the latest two greens are the latest in a project that has seen nine completed. For Chris Ball, former head greenkeeper at Hurlston Hall who recently took up the role as links manager at Hillside Golf Club, working with Duncan Ross on a long-term drainage project generated a refined understanding whilst solving the clubs’ problem greens.

Duncan Ross At Hurlston Hall

“For us they are a local company and when you factor in getting other companies in from the North West of England there’s not many specialising in drainage.” Chris said. “I think Duncan has refined his methods over the years and it’s almost like key hole surgery.

“We’d done seven greens previously with Duncan and we’ve been going around the course targeting the nine worst and the ones that have just been completed were the last two that were screaming out to be done.

“You can immediately see the difference in the greens, but you’ve still got to do your bit as a greenkeeper and maintain the organic matter.

“I can’t fault the work they do, and the fact now is that he knows what he’s doing, and we now know what he wants to do beforehand and that’s key. The first year everyone was still learning, we put holes in the greens for aeration but this would slow them down as when it came to taking the Turf up it would fall apart, and now we know not to do anything when Duncan is coming in because it makes it more efficient for them and prevents adding time onto the project.”

Having gone through the process of getting to know how one another works the other aspects of being able to use a local contractor have become more prominent. All of the materials used on the project are locally sourced, which keeps costs down with no compromise on quality.

And when it comes to drainage quality is paramount. Like everyone else, Chris was under pressure to have the course open, but because of the weather in the North East of England his focus was primarily on providing the best greens possible during the peak golf season.

“They all perform great in the summer which is key,” he said. “I’d say they’ve improved play in the winter if we have a normal winter, but what’s happening now is the greens are drier than the rest of the course and people still can’t play because the rest of the course is under water.

“We’ve definitely got better performing greens for longer but in the North West of England it’s seriously wet. But when it does stop raining they dry out a lot quicker and you know you can withstand the torrential down pours in the summer because the drains are going to take care of it.”

For more information, visit: www.duncanrossltd.co.uk

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