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Replay Operator Q&A

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Replay Operator Q&A: A Q&A with Replay Maintenance operator Michael Kelly

What is your current role at Replay Maintenance? How long have you been there and what was your route into the industry?

I became part of the Replay team following a recruitment drive day that Replay held. I have now worked at Replay for two years, as a Synthetic Surface Technician.

What training did you undergo when you started the job?

I began by shadowing an experienced member of the team who taught me the principles of the job and have continued to progress through the in-house training programme. Since starting, I have gone on to learn all of the various Replay Maintenance processes and completed my telescopic handler licence and forward tipping dumper licence. I have also attended first aid and health and safety courses.

Replay Operator Q&A

What time do you start work in the morning, what does an average day entail?

Generally, my start time varies depending on the jobs I have scheduled to do that day, though it is normally sometime between 6am and 7am. My average day usually entails two jobs, one in the morning and then another in the afternoon.

How much information do you receive in advance of a site visit? What technology do you use to track and monitor your work?

All information is fed direct to me on a daily basis through the Replay PitchPassport365 system. I receive the name of the job and the address, the name of the site contact and their contact details along with any information that is specific to that site such as the size, and type, of surface. PitchPassport365 has a job timer on it to which is started on arrival at the site and is turned off on completion. This helps us to track all of our visits. The average Replay Revive® visit takes approximately four hours to complete. The PitchPassport365 system also allows me to add before, during and after photos of the job, as well as alerting the office instantly of any issues that I find on the surface during a visit – fed through using Replay Rescue.

What are the essential pieces of equipment on your truck, to complete the days task?

The Revive machine, which uses a wet and dry filter, is the core piece of equipment I use. I also carry three sieves of different sizes, which gives me the choice of which to utilise depending on the type of surface I am working on, the size of the infill and the weather conditions on the day.  In addition, I have a leaf blower, refuse sacks, weed and moss sprayer and various other items in the van which are used during a site visit.

Most of your work is conducted independently – how much interaction do you have with the facility manager and are there many decisions you have to make on site?

On arrival at a site I will report to reception who will then point me in the direction of the caretaker who facilitates my visit. Working independently, I have to use my initiative when completing the job but if any major problems arise, I will speak with the main job contact.

Replay Operator Q&A

Have you experienced any changes during your time at Replay, and if so, how have these impacted on, or improved, the service you provide?

The main improvement has been the introduction of Replay’s PitchPassport system which has significantly improved the sharing of information between the Replay office, the customer and the operators on the road. The system instantly connects us all, and the work I carry out on the pitch can be viewed ‘as-live’.

Is there a particular service you enjoy conducting? 

There are many elements I enjoy, but in particular, I get a great deal of satisfaction conducting the specialist Revive visits. It’s the service we probably conduct the most often but it’s very rewarding seeing the improvement in the appearance of a surface. I also enjoy familiarising myself with people over the visits, getting to know them, their pitches and working together with them to produce a maintenance regime that works.

In your role you spend a lot of hours travelling between sites – what do you listen to and which song can you be caught singing along to?

When I’m in between jobs, I mainly listen to Radio 1 but if you’re going to catch me singing it’ll likely be to any song by The Courteeners.

How do you spend your free time? 

I spend my spare time with my girlfriend and enjoy socialising with friends. I also follow Nottingham Forest Football Club.

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Dennis & SISIS To Exhibit At GIS

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Dennis & SISIS To Exhibit At GIS: Dennis & SISIS will be at the San Diego Convention Center on February 6-7 to exhibit at GIS (Golf Industry Show) 2019.

GIS is one of the largest dedicated golf shows in the world and offers everyone involved in the industry an opportunity to network, enhance their education and learn about the latest innovations which could ultimately improve their work.

Dennis & SISIS To Exhit At GIS

There will be a formidable line-up of turf maintenance equipment being showcased on the British Manufacturers’ stand (Booth No 1644) and company representatives will be on hand to offer an expert insight into the globally acclaimed turf maintenance machinery.

The new Dennis PRO 34R was the machine that everyone was waiting in anticipation for – and now it is here. Officially launched at the end of 2018, this 34″ (860mm) rotary mower has been designed to help turf managers achieve an aesthetically pleasing appearance and desired playing surface.

Versatile, precise and comfortable: The Dennis G860 cylinder mower comes with an extensive range of unique features and benefits. With the interchangeable cassette system; the user has the option of fitting 11 quick changeover cassette including de-thatchers, verticutters, brushes, spikers, and slitters as well as 6 or 8 bladed cutting cassettes.

For ultimate aeration look no further than the SISIS Javelin Aer-Aid 1500. This tractor mounted vertical action aerator injects air directly into the root zone speeding up the aeration process, moving air uniformly throughout the root zone for complete aeration and not just where the tines have penetrated the surface. Those operating the Javelin Aer-Aid have the flexibility to alternate tines for other operations such as hollow coring prior to top dressing.

Also featuring on the stand will be a leading range of tractor mounted and pedestrian equipment which have been expertly designed for the removal of thatch.

The SISIS Veemo HD is a tractor-mounted de-thatcher used for removing thatch from large areas of turf, such as golf course fairways. The Veemo’s strong cutting blades are designed for minimum surface disturbance and maximum thatch removal via three floating heads which are independent from the main frame.

For clean, consistent performance with a selection of blades to suit key seasonal tasks, the SISIS Auto Rotorake MK5 works on the successful contra-rotating principle. This self-propelled heavy duty de-thatcher is ideal for removal and control of thatch on fine and other quality turf.

Last but certainly not least, the SISIS Rotorake 600HD and 600HDX will be featured on the stand. Both models are superb thatch removers for regular routine use when used at a shallow setting, but also have the capacity to work deeper where severe thatch problems occur. A range of interchangeable blades are available for year round use. The HD and HDX incorporate the well proven SISIS Rotorake contra-rotation principle, whereby the reel rotates at high speed against the direction of travel. The blades therefore cut upwards continuously throwing the thatch forwards rather than pushing it into the surface.

Further information about the range of maintenance products available can be found by visiting www.dennisuk.com / www.sisis.com.

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Rigby Taylor’s ‘Must Have’ Brochure

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Rigby Taylor’s ‘Must Have’ Brochure: Rigby Taylor’s 2019 Professional Products range brochure – the ‘must-have’ reference document for every turf manager – is now available free of charge.

The most comprehensive yet, the fully-illustrated 176-page brochure is packed with essential information in an attractive and easy-to-read format.

Rigby Taylor's 'Must Have' Brochure

Each of the company’s products is described in detail indicating what they do, where, when and how they should be used – including spray and spreader rates and, where appropriate, water volumes and pack coverage.

Many pages are devoted to technical information on turf diseases – their recognition and details of high-risk periods – as well as nutrient delivery technology, soil analysis, grass seed selection, pH chart, plus nutritional content and conversion tables.

Each section has an easy to follow Range Selection chart to guide the reader to the choices available, and each group of products has a Selector table that describes in detail each individual product.

In addition, a number of testimonials are included that describe the successes that greenkeepers and groundsmen have had using the products.

For your free copy, contact your local Rigby Taylor area manager or:

Freephone 0800 424 919

E.mail: sales@rigbytaylor.com

For more information, visit: www.rigbytaylor.com

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City of Espoo Opt For Ransomes

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City of Espoo Opt For Ransomes: Espoo, the second largest city in Finland after Helsinki, has chosen Ransomes to maintain its extensive parkland areas as well as school and nursery green spaces. Local dealer J Trading supplied the new range of machinery.

The city chose the Ransomes MP653 XC and Jacobsen HR600 to maintain the 173-acres of land in Tapiola, a suburb of Espoo. The Ransomes MP653 XC is the world’s first and only wide area rotary mower with a 4.27m cutting width, increasing productivity by up to 25% (up to 2.5 acres/hr more) over traditional 3.4m mowers.

City of Espoo Opt For Ransomes

Merja Myyry, Head of Green Areas for the City of Espoo said:

“There are many green spaces in Espoo, and Tapiola in particular. It has become increasingly important to invest in machinery that can help us become more productive whilst still leaving a clean finish. Our new machines are perfect for the job.

“There are many trees in and around our parks, so being able to lift each cutting unit independently to navigate obstacles is ideal. We can adjust the machine with a click of a button to either have a wide or narrow cutting width. We have been very impressed with the durability and productivity of the new machines, and the operators find them easy to use and very comfortable.”

City of Espoo Opt For Ransomes

Espoo is exceptionally green for a city spanning 312km2. Forests occupy nearly 60 per cent, or 46,210 acres, of its land mass and are enlivened with bare cliffs and marshes. The City of Espoo employs 70 permanent employees in its green spaces department, with 10 of these in charge of maintaining the land in Tapiola during the summer months.

Commenting on the relationship with their local dealer, Merja said:

“The City of Espoo has had a strong relationship with our dealer J Trading since the mid-1980’s. We are confident that we are being supplied with the best machinery at the best price and have peace of mind that the back-up support is available whenever we need it.”

To find out your local Ransomes Jacobsen dealer, visit: www.ransomesjacobsen.com

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Greenkeeper Award Nominations Double

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Greenkeeper Award Nominations Double: The number of entries into Toro’s Student Greenkeeper of the Year Award last year increased with over double the amount from employer nominations.

This is a fact attributed to commitment to career learning from golf club employers, course managers and head greenkeepers, says David Cole from award sponsor Reesink Turfcare.

Greenkeeper Award Nominations Double

“These results were hugely pleasing to us. It demonstrates the faith employers have in the abilities of their students. We’re aware that without those who nominate their greenkeepers we wouldn’t find the talent we do, hence why we applaud those who let us know about their bright and shining stars.”

Proving the point in 2018 was course manager Steve Oultram from The Wilmslow Golf Club who nominated Daniel Ashelby winner of the Student Award and course manager Jon McMullen from Lee Park Golf Club who nominated winner Danny Patten for the Young Student Award.

Steve is heading to the Golf Industry Show in San Diego in February as part of his prize for nominating Daniel, while Jon has won a trip to Vidauban Golf Club in the South of France, one of the most exclusive European golf clubs there is, for nominating Danny.

Steve views the all-expenses paid trip to San Diego for nominating Daniel in his bid to win the coveted trophy as a great opportunity to bring home to Wilmslow first-hand knowledge on the latest products and services to benefit the golf industry.

He says: “I’m really excited about my trip to the Golf Industry Show, it’s going to be really beneficial to network with some of the industry’s leading people in golf and learn about what we may expect to see in the UK, and at The Wilmslow Golf Club, in the near future.”

Meanwhile, as only the third winner of the Young Award, Danny Patten has cemented his position as one of the very best young greenkeepers in the country, and Jon is excited to have the chance to visit Danny at Vidauban Golf Club.

He says: “Vidauban is known as one of the finest golf courses in the world and it’s a very exclusive club, so to see it myself, and to hear about Danny’s time there, is something I wouldn’t miss. It’s going to be amazing to experience the course and the way it’s run; it’s an example of excellence, so taking in as much as I can while I’m there is going to be a top priority.”

David Cole, managing director of Reesink Turfcare who was first involved in the awards in 1993, says: “We are very proud of the status the Student Award holds within the industry and the opportunity it has provided for career advancement over the years. The fact that employers are showing they do too by nominating their talented greenkeepers is a promising sign for the future of the industry.

“It’s important to remember that it’s not just the students who benefit from winning, their nominators do also. Not only do they receive an all-expenses paid trip abroad, but we mustn’t forget that the winners’ success is testament to the excellent support they receive from their employers, who we are delighted to be able to recognise.”

Both employers and lecturers can make nominations. Visit reesinkturfcare.co.uk/sgoty to find out how to make a nomination into the 2019 awards.

For more information, visit: reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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