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NEWS ARTICLES

Dennis Mowers helps Leicester City Earn their stripes

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Last season, Leicester City FC shocked the sporting world by winning the Barclays Premier League and according to grounds manager John Ledwidge, Dennis Mowers helped his grounds team playing a key role in the club’s triumphant season.

It is safe to say that the 2015/16 Premier League campaign was one to remember for Leicester City FC. With a squad valued at a fraction of their rivals, the team exceeded all expectations and lifted the most sought after trophy in English football. However, it was not just the players who were grabbing all the headlines – the pitch designs at the King Power Stadium were also consistently praised by footballing fans and media around the world.

The grounds team’s artistry was exceptional and quite rightly, John and the team won many plaudits for his creativity and intricate, dazzling designs.

In revealing his mower of choice for preparing the pitch for Leicester City’s heroes, John said: “To get the results, the Dennis G860 was our predominant mower and we used them throughout the season. They’ve been a good part of my career for a long time and I’m sure they will continue to be. They are a great company that manufacture great machines.”

Last season John and his team had a fleet of seven G860 cylinder mowers – four at the club’s training ground and three at the stadium. This season, with the grounds team expanding, the club added to their fleet by purchasing a further three G860’s as well as a Dennis G34D cylinder mower. Designed and built following the same concept as the Dennis G860, the new dedicated G-Series mower incorporates a large-diameter eight-bladed cutting cylinder to cater for a wide range of uses.

Commenting on how the two machines are used harmoniously, John said: “We never really take the life out of the pitch but we do shift an awful lot of grass and sometimes, if for example, over the weekend it’s been left for a day on a Sunday when we’re not in, we will come in on the Monday and use the 6-blade cutting units in the G860. This is to really get through the thick of it and then as we move more towards the end of the week we’ll use the G34D’s to refine the cut closer to the game.”

“Don’t get me wrong, the quality of cut on the 6-blade cassettes for the G860’s is still incredibly good, but when you want to take it to the next level with the intricate finer details of getting the precision of cut, then the dedicated 8-blades on the G34D will do that for us. Following a game we will use the G860s for the post-match clean-up. We’ll pop the brush cassettes into the G860’s to ensure that we collect all the debris.”

“The two Dennis machines just offer us excellent versatility – the G34D is a dedicated unit for cutting so you’re not taking units in and out and then the G860 allows us to complete so many other key maintenance tasks.”

As John says, the G860 presents groundsmen with a multitude of options meaning that they can rely on just one machine for a number of maintenance tasks. Fitted with an interchangeable cassette system, and with a simple one minute changeover, users have the option of fitting eleven different types of heads including scarifiers, verticutters, brushes, spikers, and slitters.

A big fan of the interchangeable cassettes, John and his team recently added to their collection.

“We’ve had an influx of new cassettes which included three more 6-blade cutting units, four brush units and more verti-cutter units – just to give us a bit more armoury to choose from. It’s been a bit of a busy one for Dennis, because we’ve had another influx of products but we like them and they’re tried and tested. We like the quality of finish that they give us and that’s why we’ve gone with them again.”

“They’re a long standing company that I’ve had a great relationship with for a number of years, and their machinery has always been exceptionally good. Alongside my team and the people that use them, Dennis have played a part in the club’s success just as much as everyone else.”

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

Premium Machinery For Premium Plans

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New John Deere course maintenance equipment bought from dealer F G Adamson & Son using a John Deere Financial package has enabled Waltham Windmill Golf Club to address the issue of an ageing machinery fleet and implement a plan to make MF Strawson Ltd’s 20 year old American-style parkland course a premium golfing venue in north-east Lincolnshire.

“Niel Strawson’s aim is to take the course to the next level and the greens in particular needed improving,” says the club’s head greenkeeper Robert Welford, who moved in 2015 from Cleethorpes Golf Club, where he had gained a reputation for creating some of the best putting surfaces in the county.

“He was therefore prepared to make a serious investment in new machinery to help achieve this objective and improve the course in general. We considered buying individual machines on a five-year rolling replacement policy, but decided it was better to replace the entire fleet in one go. We looked at other manufacturers, but elected to stay with John Deere.

“The greenkeeping staff’s familiarity with the machines was a key factor in the decision, and through Niel Strawson’s longstanding close relationship with Adamsons, we know the high level of service and after-sales support the dealership provides. In addition, financially it was the best package – with this new deal we have interest free finance over two years, after which we will own the equipment outright.”

There was also no need for a full service package, due to the machines being under warranty for the length of the agreement and the skill sets within Robert’s group of four full-time greens staff, who have attended John Deere’s tailor-made product training courses.

The deal, brokered by F G Adamson & Son’s Tony Jenkins, saw Waltham Windmill take delivery of a John Deere 2500B PrecisionCut triplex greens mower, an 8000AE hybrid electric mower for tees and approaches, an 8700 PrecisionCut fairway mower, a 220SL walk-behind greens mower and a Z997R zero-turn rotary machine.

The package also included a TE electric Gator utility vehicle and a Pro Gator fitted with an HD200 low-profile amenity turf sprayer. These machines joined four more retained from the old fleet, including a compact utility tractor, another greens mower, a bunker rake and an F1145 out-front rotary mower fitted with a flail deck.

“We kept the old greens mower as a back-up and the F1145 is an old stalwart,” says Robert. “The new TE Gator enables the staff to move materials around the course without disturbing the golfers. The Z997R is the first zero-turn we’ve had, and its manoeuvrability has allowed us to halve the time it takes to cut around the trees on the course, and get a better finish.

“We’re also looking to refine the quality of cut, and the 8000AE and 8700 have definitely made a difference – they are wider than the old mowers, so they are more productive. The fairway tender conditioners and rear roller brushes on the 8700 give a good quality finish. They also increase productivity, as we can get on the fairways when there is dew on the ground without leaving clippings.”

The Pro Gator plus HD200 sprayer replaced a tractor-mounted sprayer. “This is an integral part of pushing the course forward,” adds Robert. “The new sprayer’s auto-rate controller allows fingertip control and provides precise application rates. It has enabled us to become more environmentally friendly by moving to a totally liquid regime for fertilisers, fungicides, herbicides, pesticides and feeds.”

As to the impact the new equipment has had on the course, Robert says: “All areas have improved measurably. Members have been commenting on the quality of cut on the fairways and greens, and since buying the new equipment we have hosted the Lincolnshire Union of Golf Clubs’ Lincolnshire versus Yorkshire competition, the largest county event in the club’s history. It’s down to the skill of the team and their use of modern equipment, which will enable us to fulfil Niel Strawson’s long-term plans for the club.”

Limagrain Colour Splash trial site brightens the horizon

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In the south of Lincoln lies a sight to behold – a plot of land covered in an array of magnificent colourful flower species. From a distance it may look like a Van Gough masterpiece on the horizon but for those that are in the know, they will be well aware that it is in fact the Limagrain Colour Splash trial site.

Over the past few years, Limagrain UK’s range of Colour Splash flower mixtures have been used in a broad range of landscape and amenity areas throughout the UK. The much loved brand was first established over ten years ago where the development of the mixtures were created in the beautiful county of Loir-et-Cher, in the centre of France.

To ensure that these stunning flower mixtures continue to live up to their high expectations, the company, each year, establishes a trial site in which every seed mixture in the range is sown.

“The trials in which we evaluate the Colour Splash mixtures have been running for a number of years,” says Richard Camplin, Product Development Manager for Limagrain UK. They provide information on establishment, flowering period and mixture dynamics in the differing climatic conditions each year brings.

“Customers often visit the site to view the mixtures. It is a great way to fully appreciate them instead of just looking at pictures in the brochure.”

Those who have seen the brochure will know that the Colour Splash range has a floral arrangement for every requirement – whether it be a golf course, a local authority green space or any other establishment that has an area which needs brightening up. With eight mixtures in the Colour Splash range there are collaborations such as the Festival mixture which can easily be seen from a distance; the New Wave mixture which is perfect for locations needing an abundance of flowers; the Celebration mixture which has a wonderful pastoral effect; and even a Poppy Mixture which offers a fabulous show of vivid red flowers, providing a fitting and poignant display to our fallen heroes.

The Colour Splash range of mixtures are extremely easy to sow and the resulting vigorous plants are more than capable of competing with weeds. Their vigour is equally matched by robustness; resisting long periods of drought. They are also fast flowering and cost effective.

“The range is quite extensive and it’s a low cost option for those wanting an abundance of colour in fairly quick time,” says Richard. “Another advantage is that these mixtures require minimal input – the ground is made free of weeds, worked to a fine seedbed and the seed planted. In warm conditions, with adequate moisture they grow rapidly to give an abundance of colour throughout the year. “At the height of the season the site looks very colourful. It always catches the attention of passers-by who will stop to ask about it. Apart from the floral spectacle the plots are always alive with insects, particularly bees because the flowers provide a great nectar source for them. So not only do the Colour Splash mixtures look fantastic but they also have environmental benefits.”

For further information, please contact Limagrain UK on 01472 371471 or visit the company’s website www.limagrain.co.uk.

Royal Dornoch Chooses Sportsmaster CRF Mini for Longevity

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Eoin Riddell, Course Manager at Royal Dornoch Golf Club in Sutherland, Scotland believes that the use of ICL’s Sportsmaster CRF Mini granular fertilizer has significantly improved his tees.

Eoin has been at the club for an impressive 30 years since starting as an apprentice and for the past 12 years he has held the position of Course Manager. Throughout his time at the Royal Dornoch, he has helped it to become one of the most respected courses in the UK and beyond.

Formed in 1877, the club has two 18-hole courses: the Championship Course and the Struie Course. The older Championship Course is a links course located on the Dornoch Firth – which attracts players from all over the globe, while the Struie is an enjoyable and entertaining course for the whole family.

To keep the tees on both courses in the best condition possible, Eoin uses a range of Sportsmaster CRF Mini controlled release fertilizers, which he applies at a rate of 30g/ m2. In choosing Sportsmaster CRF Mini, Eoin says that he was looking for a product which provided him with more longevity than standard release or liquid fertilizers.

“It’s all down to the longevity of the product,” he says. “We can apply this product and be happy knowing that it is working efficiently away; whereas with other fertilizers we would have needed repeat applications in order to achieve the same results as we are now getting with this product.”

The Sportsmaster CRF Mini range contains a combination of Poly-S controlled release technology with conventional granular fertilizers to provide a consistent growth response for up to three months. As a further benefit, the Sportsmaster CRF Mini range was also recently boosted by the addition of Polyhalite – a naturally occurring mineral source of potassium, calcium and magnesium. This improved formulation has brought even greater results as Eoin explains.

“Not only do we get great longevity from just one application but I also really like the nice green colour it gives us. We get a fantastic growth response from the product on the tees which is really important as they aren’t particularly big and they take a lot of wear.”

“It’s important that we get recovery which is what we get from this product. We also apply it to the walkways that have heavy traffic and it’s superb. We normally apply the product at the end of May or beginning of June and that sees us through till the end of the season.”

“Overall we’ve been using ICL products for as long as I can remember and I think the products have always been good. I don’t think we’ve ever had a product that we haven’t seen a result from – if that was not the case then we wouldn’t use them.”

Please contact ICL on 01473 237100 or visit www.icl-sf.co.uk

Upton-by-Chester Golf Club Saves Time, Money and Neighbours with Jacobsen

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Upton-by-Chester Golf Club, situated on the north side of Chester in the U.K. has taken delivery of an all-electric Eclipse 322 ride-on greens mower, and an AR522 rough mower. Long-standing local dealer F.R. Sharrock conducted demonstrations of the machine and made the delivery.

Three sides of the golf course are surrounded by a residential area, and after several complaints about noise early in the morning, Head Greenkeeper Simon Ashford and Course Director Fred Hopley decided to invest in the battery-powered Eclipse 322. Commenting on the situation, Fred said:
“Many of the greens on the course are located very close to residential housing. For a number of years, Simon and his team have had to adapt their mowing routine in consideration of our neighbours. This has meant using more fuel to go back and forth between greens; on average we were using 5l of diesel per day (a cost of around £5 per day). Now, it costs us 17p of electricity per day to run the Eclipse 322, and it cuts all 20 of our greens on just one charge.”

The Eclipse 322 is available in either hybrid or electric and features Jacobsen Classic XP™ reels and allows users to electrically programme frequency of clip, mow speed, transport speed, and other settings through a password-protected menu. Battery units can lower annual operating costs by 86% through fuel savings up to 2860 litres of fuel, 118 fewer litres of waste oil and reduce scheduled maintenance.

“As well as being an extremely quiet and economical machine, the Eclipse 322 produces an incredible finish on our greens,” Hopley said. “It produces a hand-mown finish, which has been very well received during special events at the club; the quality is unquestionable. The lack of diesel and hydraulics has also been a weight lifted from Simon’s shoulders, as there is no chance of leaks now. The whole team took to the machine straight away, and given all of the benefits, the purchase was a no brainer for the club.”

Commenting on the new AR522 rough mower, Head Greenkeeper Ashford said:
“The AR522 is a fantastic machine. We have a lot of trees on the course, and it is the only mower that we have come across that mulches leaves with ease. We previously had to use a vacuum and dispose of the leaves regularly, so the AR522 has saved us a lot of time in that respect. The cut is also brilliant, and the unit is narrower than our previous mower, which makes it easy to manoeuvre in and out of trees; it is the ideal mower for our course.”

The AR522 five-gang rotary mower features five, fully floating 56 cm contour rotary decks. Also provided as standard is SureTrac™ four-wheel drive traction, weight transfer control and TrimTek™ decks, providing superior contour following and hill climbing capabilities.