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Ballybunion – A Focus On Quality

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Tom Watson famously said of the Old Course at Ballybunion Golf Club in south-west Ireland: “It is a course you will always enjoy and never tire of playing. I know I never will. Ballybunion is a course on which many golf architects should live and play before they build golf courses. I consider it a true test of golf.”

The Old Course at Ballybunion – ranked by 2016Golf.com at #17 in the Top 100 golf courses in the world – has been subject to a complete renovation of the greens and surrounds under the stewardship of course manager John Bambury, together with course architect Graeme Webster and construction firm Atlantic Golf Construction, which was achieved in under 16 weeks.

This was designed to replace the old poa annua surfaces with 100 per cent fine fescue greens, which were mapped and reconstructed to appear exactly the same as they were before. At the same time course manager John Bambury, who arrived in October 2014 from Trump International Aberdeen, reviewed the equipment at both the Old and Cashen courses, much of which was at the end of its usable life.

“Really I was coming back to my roots, as my father use to live just 15 minutes away from Ballybunion and it was the first golf course I ever set foot on as a child,” says John. “In my job interview I said the course needed to reclaim its top 10 position in the world, and we’ve developed plans to achieve this over time, with the full approval of the membership.

“A key element of this was the reconstruction project, and we have also reinvested in the machinery fleet after conducting the usual tender process. As a result, John Deere and dealer Seamus Weldon of Killarney were selected as the preferred supplier to Ballybunion for 10 years.

“I wanted to get the club onto a sustainable fleet management and replacement programme, and you can’t really do that properly over five years, particularly with the initial need to replace a lot of the older machines. We know what the expenditure will be over this extended period, and this helps the club to budget accordingly.

“It’s a comprehensive fleet and we have chosen all the key machines John Deere has to offer the golf course.” These include the new A Model fairway, rough and surrounds mowers, walk-behind and ride-on greens mowers including hybrid electric triplex machines, Gator utility vehicles, compact and utility tractors from 35 to 75hp and amenity turf sprayers.

“There were a number of reasons for the choice,” says John. “Obviously the quality of the equipment, which is a given, but primarily the local dealer service and support is a very important part of the equation. I’ve always maintained this doesn’t end the day the kit is delivered, and we know we can call Mike Weldon at the dealership if a problem arises and he’ll get it sorted, which is absolutely vital.

“One of the other big focuses of the reconstruction project was the replanting and regeneration of the dunes, and as part of this we planted and hydroseeded 10,000m2 of marram grasses last winter. There were also a lot of hard core pathways on the course, which are not as pleasing as grass, so we’ve been replacing and installing 4m wide grass pathways across the course as we go. The John Deere 7200A PrecisionCut triplex mower is perfect for cutting these, and works very well in this environment.

“The 7500A fairway mowers also really work a treat. We keep cutting heights to between 8 and 10mm, and with four-wheel drive and a special conversion to run on smooth tyres, these machines work very well on our undulating terrain. It’s a very challenging environment for mowing, especially when the fescue grass is dry, but they work particularly well in these conditions without marking.

“The new TechControl feature is great too – the operators know a lot more about it than I do, but it helps produce a consistently high quality finish and maximises productivity across the course in all conditions.”

Ballybunion is a very busy golf course, with the biggest membership in Ireland plus high levels of overseas visitors during the playing season, so good time management of the course maintenance operation is critical. “The 7500A mowers have proved to be able to cover a great deal of the surface area quickly,” says John. “We have around 600 acres of grounds to manage across both 18-hole courses, so this ability is crucial.

“The course is well known for its history and landscape – management decisions are therefore based on what will be the lasting legacy, not what might seem the best short-term solution. We need to deliver the goal of quality all the time, and that’s always our main focus.”

Devon Based Tree Care Company Invests In Först

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Teign Trees and Landscapes has continued to provide tree care, landscaping and emergency call out services in the South West area with the help of its Först woodchippers, with the business recently placing an order for two new Först ST6s, bringing its total number of Först machines to seven.

Managing Director and Founder, Paul Wright, started the company 22 years ago with just a van and an acquired set of skills. Paul started as a climber and worked for various companies, gaining invaluable experience in the field that he could take into his start up company.

After a number of years shaping the company together and recruiting a reliable team of employees, the business has continued to grow and grow, eventually receiving its Arb approval in 2010. Today, operating out of its headquarters in Teignmouth, Teign Trees employs 15 tree surgeons, 4 landscapers and 4 permanent office workers.

The work the company carries out includes all aspects of tree surgery, such as tree felling, sectional felling, tree pruning, stump grinding and tree stump removal. Larger jobs involve crown reductions and work on mature and dangerous trees. More recently, Teign Trees has specialised in highway work, focusing on public safety and utility work, comprising of line and site clearances, including several large contracts with public services covering the area from Bristol to Landsend.

The company started working with Först 3 years ago as it was in need of a more reliable and hardworking machine to cope with the increasing work demand and for the business to have high performance chippers available 24/7. The woodchippers are vital for Teign Trees’ line of work as they’re out on site chipping vast amounts of wood, and also offer a 24hr emergency call out service for storm damage.

Paul commented: “The two ST8s are great for domestic work, for example private work on hedges, the chipper can just pull it all straight through with ease. The ST6 machines are fantastic for our highway jobs and residential work. Not only are they easy to transport behind a vehicle on long journeys out, but also they’re also lightweight, which is much better for fuel consumption.

“The ST8 is really beneficial to our site clearances and larger hedge jobs. The large aperture means the chipped wood can feed through the system very quickly and efficiently. For forestry jobs the TR8 is incredibly effective as its transport system allows it to access awkward sites that other machines would not have the capability to access.”

Teign Trees made the decision to use Först based on positive reviews and the good reputation Redwood Global has built up through quality service, all of which was relayed by other local contractors and clients of the brand.

Paul continued: “Redwood Global’s aftersales service was also a factor in our decision to work with the Först machines. With both the 3-year warranty and excellent customer care, we felt confident that we were in good hands. If parts are required for the chippers, we can expect delivery the next day, with the knowledge that someone will be there to help resolve maintenance issues within half an hour if a problem were to arise.

“I cannot praise Först enough. When we were in need of a new chipper, we were looking for a solid, well-made piece of kit that not only has a good chip capacity, but can work very fast and effectively as well. The Först machines tick all these boxes and are a significant asset in helping us deliver great results for our private customers and big contracts.”

Reesink Awarded For ‘Outstanding Performance’ By Toro

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Reesink Turfcare has been recognised by The Toro Company for its outstanding performance in Parts, Service and Technical Training in 2016.

It is, says Reesink’s managing director David Cole, a tremendous accolade for the company pitched as it is against all Toro EMEA distributors and coming in Reesink’s first year after purchasing the Lely Turfcare business, successfully continuing the sole distribution of Toro products in the UK and Ireland.

David, who received the award from Brad Nagel, director of customer care – international division, The Toro Company, at the Golf Industry Show in Florida, says: “The customer is at the centre of all that we do and we work to achieve the best outcome for our customers that we can. As a distributor, our strategy is to ensure that we deliver strong customer service with all our business partners including Toro and our Authorised Service and Dealer Locations (ASL).

“We are always looking to continually improve on our customer experience after a sale completes, and our Service Level Agreement outlines the core customer service standards, goals and considerations adopted by all our ASLs, which helps to earn the loyalty of our end user clients.

“These common goals, targets and values are our collective benchmark for supporting the end user of any of the commercial turf products distributed by Reesink Turfcare, wherever they are in the UK.”

2016 was also the year Reesink started development of its Master Service Technician programme, due for roll out this spring, which provides a strategic career pathway for technicians within the dealer, service centre and Reesink workshop locations. The programme demonstrates the company’s investment in the people who ultimately deal with the customer, ensuring the best possible service.

Add to all this, Reesink’s focus on keeping the customer’s total cost of ownership as low as possible – a shared philosophy with The Toro Company – and it’s clear why Reesink was nominated and ultimately won.

But that’s not all; Reesink’s Denmark office also won the prestigious Distributor of the Year Excellence award, Toro’s top honour, awarded to four international distributors out of Toro’s 150 in four global markets, which totals more than 90 countries.

David concludes by extending congratulations to Denmark managing director, Carsten Brandt, and specific thanks to David Jackman, Reesink’s turf equipment aftermarket manager, and his team for their development of the SLA programme.

New Polaris Offers Single-Seat Freedom For Kids

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Polaris, the industry leader in youth off-road vehicles, has announced another first, the single-seat Polaris ACE™ 150 EFI, the industry’s only single-seat youth model with a protective cab frame.

Modelled after Polaris ACE vehicles, the new Polaris ACE 150 EFI gives kids 10 years old and older (varies by market) the single-seat freedom enjoyed by their adult counterparts. Parents will love the included safety features and kids will love how fun it is to drive.

“Polaris continues to innovate its youth line up to provide a wide variety of safe, fun options for kids,” said Craig Scanlon, Polaris Off-Road Vehicles Chief Retail Officer. “The new Polaris ACE 150 EFI is another way for families to share the off-road riding experience together.”

The Polaris ACE 150 EFI has several features to provide a safe, enjoyable ride. The 150cc, Electronic Fuel Injected (EFI) engine has four speed-limit modes. Standard from the factory the vehicle is limited to 16 km/h (10 mph). Adults are able to adjust the top speed to 24 km/h (15 mph), 35 km/h (22 mph) or 47 km/h (29 mph), based on the skills of the rider. Other safety features include LED daytime running lights, seatbelt, side nets, whip flag and parking brake. Additionally, the vehicle comes with a video explaining safe operation and a helmet to reinforce the importance of wearing proper safety gear.

The Polaris ACE 150 EFI offers a large ergonomic range of adjustability to grow with the driver. This includes ample amounts of headroom, tilt steering wheel and pedals, and adjustable bucket seat for growing riders. Likewise, the vehicle is the most capable youth model, featuring (15.2 cm) 6-in. of rear suspension travel, (22.9 cm) 9-in. of ground clearance, and large 22-in tires. The features enable easier maneouvrability over obstacles and provide easier handling for youth riders. For added customisation, the Polaris ACE 150 EFI can be accessorized with poly roof, half-windscreen, and front and rear bumpers.

The Polaris ACE 150 EFI will be available in Indy Red and initial units are expected into Europe in April, 2017 with full availability later this year. It joins the Phoenix 200, RZR 170 EFI, Outlaw and Sportsman 110 EFI, and Outlaw 50 as part of Polaris youth lineup.

Dennis makes Tigers more self-sufficient

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After having to rely on outside assistance for the past few years, Castleford Tigers RLFC are now able to keep all of their turf maintenance tasks in-house after purchasing a brand new Dennis G860 cylinder mower.

Stuart Vause has been involved with the club for 13 years part time and 3 years as head groundsman after 30 years in the trade working for a local authority. In that time it is fair to say that he has had his work cut-out, which has not been helped by an ageing pitch and an overload of fixtures.

“The season runs from February until the back-end of September and the first-team has approximately 17 home games. In addition, the Under 19’s and Under 16’s play their home games here and the first team also train on it four times a week during the season. Sometimes the pitch can be used up to six times a week and that is quite a lot for an ageing pitch which has no drainage or irrigation system.”

Without having the equipment to hand, Stuart would have to rely on favours here and there from fellow local groundsmen and would also have to call in outside contractors With limited resources Stuart continued to do a remarkable job but when his ride-on mower appeared to have had its day, he knew the time had come to seek investment and look for a new machine.

“Our previous machine wasn’t really the ideal tool and we were having a lot of break-downs,” says Stuart. “My main aim was to become more self-sufficient and I wanted one machine that I would be able to complete a range of tasks with.”

“I looked at a whole range of mowers. I spoke to other groundsmen and got their advice; I did my own research looking online and comparing various mowers and looked at what other users had said about them. The Dennis G860 kept coming up and from my previous position of working for a local authority I was already familiar with the brand. We used to have Dennis mowers for a number of bowling greens and cricket wickets so I knew that they were robust, performed excellently and any replacement parts were easy to get hold of.”

As Stuart says, his research led him to the Dennis G860, which is the ideal machine for someone looking to complete a number of tasks with just one power unit. Featuring an interchangeable cassette system, users have the option of fitting different types of heads including scarifiers, verticutters, brushes, spikers, and slitters – something which Stuart is particularly impressed with.

“In my opinion, the G860’s best feature is the interchangeable cassette system – it’s unbelievable. It means that you’ve got one machine for so many jobs and it’s just so easy – one-out-one in – and if you have a good day at it, you can scarify, brush, and cut all in one day.”

“I’ve got the 8-bladed cutting cylinder, the verti-cutting cassette, the tungsten tipped verti-cutter and the soft brush – which has made my life a lot easier in clearing debris from the pitch after a game. Before I would have to use a hand-held blower and walk round the pitch blowing the debris into piles and then gather it all up. So instead of it taking me approximately three hours after a game, I can now get it done in no time at all and can collect it at the same time as well.”

“The G860 got delivered in June this year and since then, our supporters, players and even away players and coaches have commented on how the pitch has never been this good before. It’s made a massive difference.”

“I’ve always wanted to be more self-sufficient, and I now feel as though I finally am and the grass is the healthiest it has ever been. The improvements that I’ve had in just six months have been amazing so I’m looking forward to seeing how much more of a difference it will make after having the G860 for a whole year.”

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