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NEWS ARTICLES

BIGGA teams up with The R&A

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BIGGA teams up with The R&A: The British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association’s (BIGGA) Continue to Learn education programme, which takes place each January, has received the support of The R&A as part of its commitment to a sustainable future for golf and golf courses.

Held in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, Continue to Learn runs alongside the BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition (BTME), itself the leading trade show for golf course professionals in Europe. Continue to Learn provides more than 140 hours of learning opportunities for golf greenkeepers and groundspeople, making it among the most influential events in the golfing calendar.

BIGGA teams up with The R&A

BIGGA teams up with The R&A

The R&A is a long-time supporter of BIGGA and its members and in recent years has demonstrated its commitment to BTME and Continue to Learn by hosting presentations that offer guidance based on expert research and experience of staging major events. R&A representatives have been a mainstay on the Continue to Learn programme for many years, providing world-leading agronomic advice and hosting panel discussions in the context of historic championships held throughout the year. The Golf Course 2030 programme was launched at Continue to Learn in 2018 and research participants have returned each year to discuss their findings and proposals.

For the first time, in 2025 The R&A will be recognised as formally supporting the Continue to Learn Conference programme, which comprises of a major two-day learning event and a separate New Greenkeeper Conference. Additionally, R&A representatives will participate in various Classes and contribute towards cost-free learning opportunities such as the Seminars and the BTME Breakfast Session.

Next year (2025) will also mark the 20th anniversary of The R&A’s Greenkeeping Scholarship and events are anticipated to take place at BTME and Continue to Learn to mark the occasion. To date, over 500 greenkeepers from 30 countries have benefitted from this influential scholarship opportunity.

Jim Croxton, BIGGA CEO, said: “As a governing body for golf, representing over 61 million golfers in 145 countries, we’re proud The R&A has recognised the pivotal role greenkeepers play in the success of the sport through this commitment to supporting the Continue to Learn Conference programme and wider education opportunities provided by our annual gathering, BTME.

“Creating our annual programme of learning experiences and hosting it within the context of a massive trade show takes significant effort and we’re proud that for many years The R&A has recognised just how valuable BTME and Continue to Learn have become to the entire golfing industry. We thank everyone at The R&A for investing in our members and the wider turf management industry in this way as it will only enhance the BTME experience for everyone involved and help ensure the game is still thriving in 50 years’ time.”

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INFINICUT® to make impressive return to SALTEX

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INFINICUT® to make impressive return to SALTEX: DEWALT INFINICUT® are set to make an impressive return to SALTEX this October with a showcase of their latest innovations.

Long time exhibitors at the show, INFINICUT® will for the first time be joined by their parent company, DEWALT, who will be bringing an exciting range of complementary outdoor and power equipment to stand E065.

INFINICUT® to make impressive return to SALTEX

INFINICUT® to make impressive return to SALTEX

Well-known and regarded for their innovative flair and industry-leading collection of pedestrian cylinder and rotary mowers, INFINICUT® will be bringing the latest iteration to the NEC this year. Following on from the launch of their hugely successful FL22” mower last year, SALTEX will see the introduction of a new 26” Fixed Head (FX) model, utilising the company’s new dedicated cutting head technology.

Incorporating many of the features synonymous with the INFINICUT® range, the new 26” FX will feature a newly designed cutting unit platform that can incorporate a much wider variance in cutting height without compromising attitude angle. The TMSystem™ remains able to be integrated easily and quickly, while an all-new grass basket utilised high-end computational fluid dynamics during the design process and minimises air turbulence to further enhance clipping collection. These features make the new INFINICUT® FX26 ideally suited to the precision cutting on golf, tennis and cricket surfaces.

Not content to stop there, INFINICUT® will also be bringing a further, much-awaited, addition to their mower line-up, as well as making their first foray into app-based disease control. While details on both innovations are being kept closely under wraps at this time, visitors to stand E065 can be the first to find out more by speaking with a member of the technical team, on hand across the two days.

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GKB to showcase solutions for all at SALTEX

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GKB to showcase solutions for all at SALTEX: Whether aeration, overseeding or topdressing of natural surfaces is on the agenda, or routine brushing or more intensive renovations of synthetic surfaces is required, visitors to SALTEX are guaranteed to find robust and reliable solutions on the GKB Machines stand, H053, this October.

From the natural portfolio, a particular highlight promises to be the GKB Combislit, which will be making its SALTEX debut. With the climatic challenges driving an ever-increasing requirement for regular aeration, the Combislit delivers fast and effective relief to depths of up to 15cm (6”) with minimal surface disruption. Available in 1.6m and 2.0m working widths, the Combislit uses GKB’s unique Evolvente® blades to spike and open all types of natural and hybrid surface ensuring optimal oxygen and moisture movement and linking up with deeper decompaction work conducted throughout the season.

GKB to showcase solutions for all at SALTEX

GKB to showcase solutions for all at SALTEX

The Combislit joins the Deep Tine Aerator (DTA) and the multi-functional Sandfiller in the GKB aeration portfolio, offering effective solutions for sports pitches, golf courses and other intensively managed green spaces.

Also on display will be the GKB Combitool. The Combitool gives turf managers the option of conducting multiple operations such as slitting, raking, rolling and brushing in one quick and simple pass. Delivering versatility and value for money, the Combitool is available in 1.2m, 1.6m, 2.0m or 2.4m working widths and is ideal for multi-sport venues, schools, local authorities and contractors.

The GKB technical team will be on hand across the two days to discuss the full range of equipment available for natural turf, together with maintenance machinery for synthetic surfaces – such as the GKB Deep Clean. The Deep Clean quickly and effectively screens and cleans out contaminants from all types of synthetic pitch. The combination of a vibrating screen and vacuum unit removes dirt, dust and detritus returning clean, de-compacted infill to your surface for optimal play performance.

More information is available on stand H053 as SALTEX returns on the 30th and 31st October 2024.

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DrainTalent return to SALTEX

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DrainTalent return to SALTEX: Following their announcement of an exclusive UK partnership with Hewitt Sportsturf, DrainTalent return to SALTEX to showcase their sustainable, circular soil management system.

The team will be on hand on stand F107 to discuss the benefits of balancing moisture content and how their award-winning system can contribute to high quality surfaces, capable of hosting more play with fewer cancellations.

DrainTalent return to SALTEX

DrainTalent return to SALTEX

Professional clubs throughout Europe are already experiencing the difference DrainTalent can make to pitch quality and plant health, with installations at a number of elite venues including FC Utrecht and FC Twente. With their stadium pitch due for renovation, FC Twente opted to invest in an improved drainage system which would enable the club to control and regulate the field conditions in detail. The answer was DrainTalent Pro – incorporated as part of a hybrid pitch installation during the summer break of 2024.

DrainTalent monitors the moisture within the profile in real-time to keep the soil conditions balanced, based on the pitch requirements and live weather conditions. Innovative and unique in its operation, the fully automated DrainTalent system can effectively extract water from the top layer of the pitch during periods of rainfall or re-infiltrate water when required, to support healthy growth and recovery. In addition to moisture management, DrainTalent can also pull air into the subsoil and through the profile to create conditions for vigorous growth and a more stable, hardwearing pitch.

The DrainTalent unit is compact and can be safely located indoors or outdoors pitch-side and is connected to a bi-directional under-pitch drainage system. Control of the system is simple, by adjusting settings on the digital panel on the unit itself, or remotely via your smart device. Either way, the outcome is a surface that is healthier, stronger, denser and more resilient to turf diseases and, in the longer-term, a pitch that is more sustainable to operate.

SALTEX will also be the launch platform for a brand-new innovation in undersoil heating technology. DrainTalent’s sister company HeatTalent will be discussing their electric field heating system – a never-before-seen concept which utilises renewable electrical energy to improve efficiency and reduce emissions and dependence on fossil fuels. Installed at FC Utrecht last year and proving to be the perfect partner to DrainTalent’s moisture management system, HeatTalent delivers uniform heat to the profile with optimal moisture content.

More information on the sustainable solutions available from DrainTalent is available by speaking with the technical team on stand F107 at the NEC this October.

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Strong eco-friendly sprayer line-up for Techneat

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Strong eco-friendly sprayer line-up for Techneat: Cambridgeshire based manufacturer Techneat Engineering will be displaying their full range of pedestrian sprayers on stand G040, including 3 new high performance, eco-friendly models; the Pro-Espray electric drive sprayer, the Weed Wizard and the Prodrift shrouded sprayer.

The Pro-Espray electric drive sprayer offers operators the flexibility of an 80L or 120L tank, 3m or 4m horizontal folding booms and low decibel / low vibration operation. Key features include a high-capacity Li-on battery and a diaphragm pump specifically designed to offer excellent flow and pressure outputs. The Pro-Esprays’ control systems are based on the companies well established engine driven SPPS model, offering ground care professionals individual three-way boom section controls. Advanced safety features include a built-in auto brake, emergency stop and a resettable fuse to protect the operator.

Strong eco-friendly sprayer line-up for Techneat

Strong eco-friendly sprayer line-up for Techneat

Alongside their range of world class pedestrian sprayers will be the Weed Wizard, a high-performance utility sprayer that also offers significant environmental and economic benefits to users via highly targeted weed control and minimal use of chemicals.

This ATV-mounted spraying system identifies weeds through digital imagery and makes a direct application onto weeds via multiple pencil jet nozzles. Each individually-controlled nozzle treats a specific area of 100mm across the machine’s width. The Weed Wizard targets weeds with a high degree of accuracy using ultra-low-drift nozzles combined with computer-aided spot spray technology to minimise overspray and reduce environmental impact. The intelligent application system is automatic, allowing the operator to focus on driving the vehicle.

Strong eco-friendly sprayer line-up for Techneat

Strong eco-friendly sprayer line-up for Techneat

Completing the line-up is the new Prodrift shrouded sprayer. With outstanding eco-credentials it offers users low-decibel operation combined with superior build quality including a tough rotomoulded boom cover and flexible integrated skirt for maximum accuracy around boundaries. The Prodrift keeps spray drift to an absolute minimum, allowing it to perform in less favourable weather whilst maintaining maximum accuracy and delivering unparalleled manoeuvrability due to its unique 3-wheel set up.

Using a high-power Li-on battery to power a 12v pump supplying 4 spray nozzles mounted into a spray hood, the Prodrift has 2 fixed rear wheels and a front mounted, single pivot wheel enabling it to spray up against boundary edges. Pressure control is easy to adjust using a highly visible pressure gauge.

All new models come with the Techneat guarantees of superior build quality, precision accuracy and drift reduction technology.

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