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NEWS ARTICLES

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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Greenmaster Aids Recovery

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Greenmaster Aids Recovery: Following a severe Microdochium Nivale outbreak which left scars on the greens at Blackpool North Shore Golf Club, Head Greenkeeper Andy Moore, turned to two products from the ICL Greenmaster Pro-Lite range in order to assist the recovery.

Designed by legendary golf course architect Harry Colt, Blackpool North Shore was established in 1904, and has been an Open Championship qualifying venue. The course can even boast the fact that it hosted the first ever fund raising event of The Duke of Edinburgh Awards Scheme in 1963 and attracted a number of golfing greats such as Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player. The course has continued to flourish and has been home to the PGA Lancashire Open for over 17 consecutive years.

Greenmaster Aids Recovery

Andy, who was promoted from Deputy to Head Greenkeeper in March 2017 immediately had his work cut out, as he explains:

“We got hit quite hard in autumn 2016 and almost every green was infected with Microdochium. After that we were left with a lot of scars and my first six months were all about trying to get the greens back and to try and achieve a truer surface,” he said.

As a result from the outbreak, members were forced to play on temporary surfaces for a period of six months, and Andy knew he had to turn things around incredibly quickly.

“The members knew the full extent of it and although they were understanding they still needed to see improvements. If we were going into April, May or June and we still hadn’t done anything about the scarring then the members could have remained on temporary greens for nine months. They pay good money to be part of this club and I wanted to give them something they could be proud of. I spoke to Phil Collinson (ICL Technical Area Sales Manager) and am pleased I did because the two Greenmaster Pro-Lite products have worked wonders for us.”

Greenmaster Aids Recovery

Andy and Phil decided that ICL’s Greenmaster Pro-Lite Cold Start 11-5-5 and Greenmaster Pro-Lite Invigorator 4-0-8, would be the best course of action, and it wasn’t long before Andy started seeing the results.

“Initially, I felt that we had to alleviate the disease scars and encourage the poa so that we could produce a truer and smoother surface the members could start to enjoy playing on again.As well as providing nutrition we also carried out some solid tining maintenance  along with overseeding. We started with one application of Cold Start at 25g/m2 and then we applied Invigorator at 30g/m2every four weeks. We went with both products, to get the recovery as quickly as possible. The trial work carried out by ICL backed up Phil’s recommendations and this gave me even more confidence in the approach.

“We started by applying Cold Start in February 2017 and it  gave us fantastic recovery at a time of year when conditions were challenging for growth. We followed this up with an application of Invigorator 4 weeks later to keep driving the recovery we needed. Once we got the greens to a good standard, and the recovery was gained, we appliedGreenmaster Cold Start at a low rate again in mid-April . They no longer required any further applications of Invigorator because its main use was to get the greens back to a puttable standard, and it did just that .It was at this point we switched to the ICL liquid products that have given us the consistency we wanted over the summer.”

With the greens back to the excellent standard expected by both Andy and the club members, he has since embarked on a full ICL iTurf programme, which he devised with Phil Collinson.

Greenmaster Aids Recovery

“I’m fairly new into the management side of things but I was always aware of what products worked for us and what didn’t. With that in mind I wanted to embark on an ICL iTurf programme and I always had a good relationship with Phil so it just felt right. A programme has now been put in place and we’ve had great success with it. I think the combination of the ICL products and the site conditions here have worked really well. The course is close to the best it has ever been and that is according to the members. In my opinion, that is the best feedback I can get.”

“We are now working with Phil to put in place an integrated management programme that will help avoid a repeat of the disease problems that the club experienced last year.”

Please contact ICL on 01473 237100 or visit www.icl-sf.co.uk or www.icl-sf.ie if you are in Ireland.

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Ransomes Dealer Changes

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Ransomes Dealer Changes: Ransomes Jacobsen has announced several changes to sales territories in the north of England and Wales to streamline and strengthen its U.K. dealer network.

Ransomes Jacobsen, which distributes Ransomes and Jacobsen turf-care equipment, E-Z-GO golf cars, and Cushman utility vehicles in the U.K., operates as part of Textron Specialized Vehicles Inc.

Ransomes Dealer Changes

Following a review of regional coverage, three existing dealers: F.R. Sharrock Ltd., Rickerby Ltd., and Burdens Group Ltd. will take on additional territories as part of their current dealer agreements. All three dealers are experienced with the full range of Ransomes Jacobsen products and are geographically well-placed to offer an excellent customer experience for sales and after-sales support, spare parts and service.

F.R. Sharrock Ltd, which has depots near Manchester and Stoke, has extended its current areas in the North West & Midlands to now include the areas of Lancashire, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and Derbyshire with additional responsibility for Harrogate and Doncaster.

Rickerby Ltd., which has depots at Carlisle and Hexham, has been awarded an extension to its territory to cover an area from Dumfries and Galloway down to the Lancaster district of Lancashire and North Yorkshire.

The Burdens Group Ltd. which has depots at North Kyme and Sutterton, will cover the East of England from Yorkshire in the north down to the A14 through Northamptonshire.

Commenting on the changes to the dealer network, international sales manager at Textron Specialized Vehicles Inc., John Quinton, said:

“I would like to thank our partners for their continued hard work and dedication to the Ransomes Jacobsen product range. Our dealers are very knowledgeable about the machinery, and have an excellent track record of first-class customer service and support. We are delighted with the way the dealer network is set-up, and look forward to supporting our dealers and customers moving forward.”

In addition to these changes, John Osman Groundcare will now focus on the Textron Golf family of products for North Wales, including Jacobsen turf-care equipment, E-Z-GO golf cars and Cushman utility vehicles. The Ransomes franchise for this area has been awarded to F.R. Sharrock Ltd.

GGM Groundcare and Platt Harris Groundcare have had their Ransomes Jacobsen dealer agreements terminated and will no longer represent products from the TSV portfolio.

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

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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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