The new Vstrong Doesn’t Miss An Inch

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The new Vstrong doesn’t miss an inch: Every turf professional is naturally looking to preserve their sports pitch in excellent condition. The problem is dealing with weed, thatch and moss requires a continuous maintenance regime.

The new Vstrong doesn’t miss an inch

You need to ensure there is the maximum amount of activity from bacteria and micro organisms to decompose thatch. Whilst aeration combats soil compaction and bad drainage, and the consequent reduction of bacterial activity, scarifying is the route to chemical-free weed management and the prevention of spreading thatch and moss.

The latest GKB Vstrong improves on already proven technology to offer the professional a robust and reliable scarifying machine that swiftly deals with the problem with the minimum waste flow. Operating speeds up to 7.4mph/12km/h mean you can quickly cover a lot of ground for maximum productivity. You can even use the Vstrong on hybrid pitches, stitched or with a carpet, thanks to the height adjustment with two rollers and the facility to lock the working depth.

Richard Dexter, Grounds Manager at Oakham School, who uses a Vstrong for winter renovation on sports pitches has this to say:

“We use the Vstrong initially to remove dead, organic matter and we can work much more quickly. We can do in two passes what used to take four or five with a rake. It’s been fantastic, excellent quality and well-built yet simple and really, really fast.”

At the heart of the Vstrong is the CombiRotor with generically developed 3mm carbide scarifying blades. The blades, in turn, are attached to the rotor by means of the QuickLock system which allows you to attain a depth of 5cm. In combination with the reversed rotation direction you’re guaranteed you don’t miss an inch. There is also the option of 2 or 4mm blades and you can alter the centre-to-centre distance of the scarifying blades.

Vstrong’s patented roller pendulum system puts you in control of the operating depth and as a unique bonus the scarifier comes with a hydraulic adjustable slide, for scarifying close to the edge of the pitch without swiping and soiling advertising boards and pathways. GKB recommends allowing the scarified material to dry before removal to allow nutrients to benefit the turf and to help reduce the expense of removing waste material. It’s worth noting as well the Vstrong is produced in the same innovative manner as the GKB Combinator in energy neutral, sustainable production facilities and developed from the experience of GKB’s own contractor division.

For more information, visit www.gkbmachines.com

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Ransomes Donates to Local Bowls Club

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Ransomes Donates to Local Bowls Club: Ransomes, a Textron Specialized Vehicles brand, has donated a Ransomes Super Bowl pedestrian cylinder mower to Waldringfield & District Bowls Club based in Ipswich, Suffolk, after the club relocated itself to unused land which members have since renovated at Ransomes Sports Club on Sidegate Avenue.

Ransomes Donates to Local Bowls Club

Originally based in Waldringfield, the club was forced to move to Felixstowe & Suffolk Bowls Club, where they rented the use of a bowling green. In September 2016, the decision was made to relocate to Ransomes Sports Club due, primarily, to ever-increasing rental fees. An area of unused land was renovated by members of the bowls club to provide the nomadic club with a permanent home.

With limited funds to facilitate the relocation, Bert Warne, President of Waldringfield & District Bowls Club, and David Schofield, Treasurer of the Club, wrote a letter to Alan Prickett, Senior Director at Ransomes Jacobsen based in Ipswich.

“I wrote to Ransomes on the off chance that they might have an old mower laying around that we could put to use on our recently renovated green,” Warne explained. “I was overjoyed when I received a reply from Mr. Prickett offering to help us out, but I was even more ecstatic when they delivered a brand-new Ransomes Super Bowl to us! Everyone at the club is extremely grateful for the generosity and support that Ransomes has given us.”

Commenting on the donation of the mower, Alan Prickett said:

“Ransomes is one of the oldest established businesses in Ipswich, and has employed thousands of local people over the years. It is in our DNA to support local people, local clubs, and the local community in general. When I was approached by the club, I was touched by the lengths that its members had gone to in ensuring that the club could continue to provide enjoyment and pastime to so many people’s lives.

Renovation work included re-fitting the kitchen in the clubhouse and cladding the roof. Trees, hedges and weeds also had to be removed or relocated, and pipes fitted to provide water access to all four corners of the green. After seeking the services of sports ground contractor Ross Stannard, the green was scarified, top soil applied, and then a total of 100kg of grass seed was spread onto the surface. Commenting on the renovation, Ross said:

“I am very proud to be involved with this particular project. The dedication of the members is testament to the club, and the donation from Ransomes was an extremely kind gesture. I have personally used Ransomes equipment for many years, and I know that the machines are the best on the market for maintaining bowling greens, and sports grounds in general. I’m very happy to have played my part in this inspiring journey.”

For more information, visit: www.jacobsen.com/europe

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Toro Classic Leading The Way Nearly 30 Years Later

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Toro Classic Leading The Way Nearly 30 Years Later: Revolutionary design of Greensmaster 1000 still influencing greens cutting.

Toro Classic Leading The Way Nearly 30 Years Later

 Sometimes things happen – new products are launched, new technology is developed, or in perfect harmony the two combine – and the result is something that just can’t be beaten, even 28 years later. Toro’s Greensmaster 1000 pedestrian greens mower is one such example.

This Toro classic is as popular now as when it launched in 1989 bringing with it no less than four revolutionary and innovative design features that are now widely seen in professional pedestrian greens mowers across the world. As the saying goes, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!

Senior product manager at The Toro Company Helmut Ullrich explains: “The GR1000 introduced several new features to critical acclaim. The loop handle design and the ‘Dual Klick’ adjust of the bedknife were industry firsts. As was the front weight bias, which offsets the operator’s natural tendency to place weight on the handle, allowing the cylinder to better follow the ground’s contours for a consistent cutting height. A wide Kickstand for stationary stability to change transport wheels was new too, and all together they combined to deliver a superior quality of cut that remains unmatched today.”

It isn’t off the mark to claim the Toro GR1000 is the pedestrian mower that changed greens mowing forever. Instrumental in the appearance of the greens of many of the most prestigious courses in the world, it has earned its long-standing place in the hall of turfcare machinery fame.

Its smooth drums are gentle on the greens and grass baskets distribute clippings evenly for optimal mowing on each pass, whether the conditions are wet or dry. Even at the lowest height of cut setting, the GR1000 provides a beautifully consistent finish thanks to the machine’s well-balanced weight distribution that ensures straight-line tracking with minimal operator guidance. This, taken together with all its other features, produces the smoothest, most uniform cut possible in a greens mower.

Jeff Anguige, national sales manager at Reesink Turfcare, UK distributor of Toro, says: “The impact of the Greensmaster 1000 on greens mowing is tremendous. Its impact resonates today and has been felt on greens across the world. Age doesn’t diminish its standing; its technology is such that it keeps on delivering nearly 30 years later and that’s a fact undeniable when it is still one of our best sellers today.”

For more information, visit: reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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Jacobsen and AGCSA Deliver Successful Future Turf Managers’ Initiative

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The AGCSA, in conjunction with Jacobsen, held another Future Turf Managers’ Initiative, after the success of the inaugural event in Australia last year. With help from the NZGCSA, delegates from New Zealand were also selected to take part in this joint venture. The FTMI took place at the 33rd Australian Turfgrass Conference and Trade Exhibition at the Novotel Twin Waters Resort at Mudjimba Beach, Queensland.

The two-day educational event is aimed at up-and-coming course staff who are focused on making the career leap to Superintendent or Course Manager. Focusing on personal and professional development, the FTMI uses the expertise of respected course managers, cross-industry training specialists and industry experts to mentor and educate the next generation of industry leaders.

The event involved presentations on budgeting, an insight into the Australian job market, CV and cover letter writing and interview techniques. The speakers were Stewart Fenton, CEO of Royal South Yarra Tennis club and president of Golf Management Australia (GMA), Lee Strutt, Course Manager at the Royal Automobile Club, Jeff Blunden from the Golf Business Advisory Services (GBAS), and Susanne Macphee, a human resources management professional.

The mentors were of the highest calibre and were on hand to support the groups assigned to them. Mentoring at FTMI for the first time were Leon Hennessey, Superintendent at Cromer Golf Club, NSW, and Travis Scott of Riversdale Golf Club, Vic. Mentoring for the second time was Ben Tilley of Headlands Golf Club, Qld, and for the fourth time, after being involved in the FTMI in New Zealand was John Spraggs of Royal Wellington Golf Club, NZ.

The FTMI is the only programme available to industry professionals that provides lifelong skills to both men and women wishing to pursue a managerial career within turfcare. This year, both delegates from Australia and New Zealand took part in a joint FTMI held in Australia to further broaden networking opportunities. Commenting on the success of the event, mentor Leon Hennessey said,
“It has been a privilege to be a part of this unique event in Australia. I personally found it such a fulfilling experience to mentor a group of superintendents who are so passionate about the industry and furthering their careers.

The format really worked; there was never a dull moment, and the delegates were given a once in a lifetime opportunity to network with peers from Australia and New Zealand, and have first class speakers on hand to pass on their wealth of knowledge. I would definitely urge anyone who wants to take the next step in their career to apply for the FTMI, it prepares you for everything you’ll face as a course manager.”

Speaking at the close of the event, Jacobsen’s Marketing Manager Karen Proctor, said,
“It has been another fantastic FTMI in Australia! The delegates were engaged throughout the two days, and it was touching to hear some of the positive feedback from all involved. I would like to thank the AGCSA and NZGCSA for working with us to make the event possible, it’s an initiative we are extremely proud to be a part of.

We have been given some great news that several of last year’s delegates have already been promoted to course manager since attending FTMI, and we are confident that many more will share the same success as a direct result of attending this fantastic educational event.”

Simone Staples, AGCSA Events and Education Manager added,
“We are delighted once again that Jacobsen has supported FTMI in Australia. It’s becoming the number one educational event within the industry for those wishing to make the step up to course manager, and the results are already showing. The AGCSA is pleased that there is so much enthusiasm for educational and networking opportunities within the industry, and we very much look forward to working with Jacobsen on this event again next year.”

This year’s delegates were: Luke Nowlan, Mathew Soles, Thomas Bickerdike, Brittney Goldsworthy, Ryan Pantic, Brenton Clarke, Tim Hoskinson, Simon Work, Jason Berkhout, Jacob Burridge, Rob Arestia, Matt Pollock, Danny Adams, Nick Launer, Garry Kunz, George Flynn, Alex Yates, Connor Scott, Kiel Stechman and Lance Morrin.

These delegates join a cohort of more than 160 greenkeepers from around the globe, who have graduated from the Future Turf Managers Initiative during the past five years.

For more information, visit: www.jacobsen.com/europe

Dennis Mowers Integral For Stoke City FC

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Dennis Mowers integral for Stoke City FC: Both the Dennis G860 and the Dennis Premier play an integral role in maintaining Stoke City FC’s bet365 Stadium pitch and training ground, according to grounds manager Andy Jackson.

Dennis Mowers integral for Stoke City FC

Having joined the club as an apprentice on a YTS scheme, Andy Jackson now oversees all of Stoke City FC’s grounds maintenance – which includes the pitch at the bet365 Stadium and the multitude of facilities at the Clayton Wood training ground. Andy has twelve members of staff across the two sites and they work together as one team. He insists that no-one should be dedicated to one specific site, claiming that it enables them to deal with every situation and ensures that not one person is limited to having knowledge of just one site.

“Personally I think this method works for us,” says Andy. “It provides the opportunity to work in different environments which improves their skill set and it also takes out the mundane task of just looking at one site all the time.”

“Obviously it is important that we’ve got the correct staff in place but it is absolutely essential that we have the right machinery and that everything is reliable.”

Andy has a fleet of Dennis mowers which sees four Premier’s and three G860’s based at the training ground, while the stadium has two G860’s.

“I feel that the Premier’s do a very good job on the soil based pitches,” he says. “We also use them on the Desso Grassmaster pitches if we need to firm them up a little bit – especially when we’ve been growing pitches in. We use the Premier in conjunction with the G860 and the two machines give us plenty of options.”

Fitted with either a powerful Honda Petrol or Kubota diesel engine, the Dennis Premier is available in 30” and 36” cutting widths. A three section rear roller and steering brakes make it easy to manoeuvre giving an excellent stripe pattern and rolling characteristics. Complete with a large diameter front roller with adjustable scraper, for precise height of cut control, the machine is easy to adjust on both sides with the use of a single spanner.

Equally impressive is the G860 which features an interchangeable cassette system, giving options to fit a variety of heads including scarifiers, verticutters, brushes, spikers, and slitters as well as 6, 8 or 11 bladed cutter cassettes. The operator can use the mower for a number of tasks with a simple one-minute changeover of cassettes.

“We have the Verti-Cutter cassette and the Brush as well as the cutting cassette,” says Andy. “We use the Verti-Cutter cassette at the stadium and at the training ground and use it quite intensively in April, May and then again in September or October. It’s a very effective tool and I find that we get really good results from using it after a match.”

“We also have the 6 blade and the 8 blade cutting cylinders – and which one we use purely depends on the density of the grass. So we might use the 6 bladed option in winter and for the first couple of cuts after we’ve grown a pitch in. If the density goes up then we might switch to the 8 bladed option so we have more cuts per square inch.”

The G860, weighing in at just 166kg, is renowned for its ease of use and groundsmen from grass roots to professional level have praised the machine for not only providing first-class results but also for its comfort.

“They are so easy to use – I like the fact they’ve got an open box at the front so I’m in control of everything I’m doing. We string cut so I can see the string, I can see the roller, I can see the blade, I can see the box in front of me – everything is visible at all times. The other thing for me is the setting – the adjustment of the height of cut is very simple yet effective. They also have low vibration levels which is great if you are using them for a long time like we do.”

“Each G860 probably does a distance each week from Stoke to Manchester and back. For a mower that is some mileage – they just keep going and going and reliability is key for me.”

“The most important thing is that the players have a good surface to play on every week – that the pitch is cut at the right height and that it is nice and flat. They just want the pitch to be 100% for every game and Dennis help us massively in doing that.”

“To be honest I don’t think I’d even look at a machine other than a Dennis. I get tremendous back-up from them and they are forward thinking. Personally I think they are the world’s best company in supplying mowers for groundsmen.”

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact Dennis 01332 824 777 or visit www.dennisuk.com

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