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GGM Group spring forward with growth

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GGM Group spring forward with growth: Leading Groundscare specialist GGM Group has reported growth and expansion as the business enters its busiest season, with the introduction of a series of new initiatives to benefit customers.

The organisation, with sites in Colne and Haydock, has expanded its team with the appointment of new members of staff throughout the business including in parts, workshop and accounts departments in a bid to support business growth and offer job opportunities in the local area.

GGM Group spring forward with growth

GGM Group spring forward with growth

The new roles come after a busy first quarter for the business which has seen the unveiling of a refurbished showroom in Haydock, created to enhance the overall customer experience.

Recent months have seen the launch of three exciting new franchises for the group. Last year, they announced their appointment as a Honda authorised dealer for the lawn and garden range, which includes walk-behind lawn mowers, ride-on lawn mowers, robotic mowers, tillers and a range of handheld equipment including brushcutters, hedge trimmers and blowers.  The new expanded range of TP Chippers offers customers a range of high-performing on the road chippers including a 100% battery model and the recent inclusion of the FSI range of stump cutters cements GGM’s commitment to providing the ARB sector with a range of quality market leading machinery for all tasks.

The business also reports a huge uptake in the recently launched LANTRA accredited training academy, which provides delegates with the skills and knowledge required to safely operate and maintain relevant machinery through courses that deliver both practical skills and health & safety guidance. All training can be carried out on customers premises, using the equipment that team members will be using on a day-to-day basis or at the dedicated GGM training centre.

The LANTRA accredited training courses ensure that operators are trained to a national standard whilst fulfilling the organisations legal obligations with regards to the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulation 1998 (PUWER).

In order to continue to offer customers a first-class service online, the business has launched a brand-new website, designed to further enhance the customer experience. The navigation makes it even easier for customers to find their favourite products and access GGM’s many services.

Managing Director Chris Gibson says:

“While many businesses have struggled over the past 12 months, we are delighted that GGM has continued to thrive. We have done this thanks to our fantastic team and our focus on innovation, always keeping us one step ahead of the game. In addition, we decided to recruit for these roles to help the local job market, as well as to facilitate business growth and our future plans”.

GGM is a specialist supplier of tractors and high-quality professional land-based equipment for commercial and domestic use across the North-West, Cheshire and Merseyside, with depots in Haydock and Colne. With a proven record of delivering a trusted service and exceptional after sales support, driven by a set of deep-rooted values, GGM takes pride in building long lasting customer relationships, based on anticipating needs, solving problems and delivering on time, every time.

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Alderney Golf Club’s Triumph with Origin Amenity Solutions

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Alderney Golf Club’s Triumph with Origin Amenity Solutions: A stunning coastal golf course located on Alderney Island, the third largest of the Channel Islands, Alderney Golf Club is a haven for golf enthusiasts seeking both challenge and natural beauty.

In recent years, the club faced a persistent threat to its greens in the form of Dollar Spot, a fungal disease notorious for its detrimental impact on turf health and playing performance.

Alderney Golf Club's Triumph with Origin Amenity Solutions

Alderney Golf Club’s Triumph with Origin Amenity Solutions

Dollar spot causes small tanned spots about the size of a Dollar coin (Dollar Spot!) around 2-5cm in diameter.  It is spread through small bits of mycelium moving to a new plant host. They move in water and can also be spread on shoes, golf equipment, and turf management equipment. Spots can typically coalesce which can wipe out large areas of turf.

At Alderney Golf Club, both Poa and Bent grasses contribute to the botanical sward composition. Unfortunately, Dollar Spot threatens both grass species and their susceptibility to the disease necessitated a targeted management approach.

Dollar Spot has plagued Alderney Golf Club for half a decade. Despite efforts to control it, the disease was historically initiated in June. In response to this challenge, Alderney Golf Club sought the expertise of Origin Amenity Solutions (OAS), a leading provider of turf management solutions. Working closely with OAS technical advisor Marcus Hewitt, the club devised a proactive strategy to combat Dollar Spot and rejuvenate its greens.

OAS recommended the implementation of Exteris Stressgard, a potent fungicide, applied in mid-May with a follow-up application two weeks later. This pre-emptive approach aims to suppress the Dollar Spot before it gains momentum.

Maintaining a healthy plant is extremely important when managing Dollar Spot so the Course Manager Paul Flairclough focused on enhancing turf health. A tailored regimen comprising Liquid N, Seaweed, and Elevate Fe, supported by a wetting agent programme featuring Tricure AD and Seaquest, strengthened the turf against disease while promoting vigour and resilience.

The results were remarkable. Paul comments ‘Since working with Marcus from OAS the course has been in immaculate condition. Marcus’ support with Dollar Spot management has improved summer playing conditions on the greens and our membership and visitors have provided excellent feedback.’

As autumn approached, Dollar Spot pressure continued due to the high humidity. Dedicate fungicide was applied with Trimate in September keeping the greens Dollar Spot free and prepared for any Microdochium Patch outbreaks that would often start in late September.

The success story of Alderney Golf Club stands as a testament to the power of strategic collaboration and innovation in turf management. By partnering with Origin Amenity Solutions and embracing cutting-edge solutions, the club not only conquered Dollar Spot but also elevated the overall quality of its greens. Today, Alderney Golf Club continues to shine as a beacon of resilience and excellence, offering an unrivaled experience amidst the unspoilt terrain of the Channel Islands.

Paul concludes, “Exteris worked extremely well on our golf course and we had good control over Dollar Spot for the first time in five years on this site. Due to the Stressgard technology, the grass was healthy and looking amazing.”

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ICL launch two new hand-held spreaders

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ICL launch two new hand-held spreaders: ICL is pleased to announce the addition of two new hand-held spreaders to its comprehensive range of spreaders: the ShakerPro and the HandyPro. These compact tools are designed for turf managers and landscaping professionals looking for a convenient solution for small-scale applications.

‌The HandyPro is a hand-held rotary spreader. It allows for the easy application of ICL fertiliser or grass seed with just a turn of the handle. Its design focuses on ease of use and comfort, making it an excellent choice for quick and small-scale spreading tasks. Its portability and straightforward mechanism make it a valuable tool applying products to small areas.

ICL launch two new hand-held spreaders

ICL launch two new hand-held spreaders

‌Similarly, the ShakerPro is a shaker style spreader, offering users a simple and efficient way to apply the ICL range of fertilisers, granular wetting agents, and seeds to small areas. Its hand-held design is particularly suited for tasks such as divot repair, where targeted application is more important than extensive coverage. The ShakerPro stands out for its ease of handling and for making fertilisation and seeding on small areas hassle-free.

‌The ShakerPro and HandyPro and are now available through ICL’s network of distributors.

‌Both spreaders have been added to Turf Rewards. The ShakerPro can be claimed for just 5 points and the HandyPro 10 points.

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

For more news and insightful views, you can follow ICL on Twitter @ICL_Turf

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New Sales manager appointment for Simon Richard

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New Sales manager appointment for Simon Richard: Simon Richard Ltd have confirmed the appointment of Will Davies as Southern Area Sales Manager.

Commenting on the appointment Simon says, “Will has a huge wealth of knowledge and respect within the Agricultural and Groundcare markets. I first met him twenty eight years ago when we were both working for a Batwing and Flail Manufacturer. He then went to work for a John Deere dealer and since then has been working with another manufacturer whose range also included Batwings and Flail Mowers.

New Sales manager appointment for Simon Richard

New Sales manager appointment for Simon Richard

We as a Company are known for our range of Flail Mowers and batwings so Will’s wealth of knowledge and experience is a perfect fit to expand sales in our Muthing flail and mower range, the market leading range of Reform banking tractors and our new and exciting heavy Duty Sauerburger Batwing rotary mowers. Northern Area Sales Manager Richard Fairnie, left, is pictured greeting Will Davies

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ZLine bunkers ‘great’ during Chevron tournament

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ZLine bunkers ‘great’ during Chevron tournament: Nelly Korda’s victory in the recent Chevron Championship at Carlton Woods outside Houston was her fifth straight tournament win (and her second Major title), equalling the LPGA record previously held by Nancy Lopez and Annika Sorenstam.

Between the 2023 and 2024 iterations of the tournament, the bunkers on the Nicklaus Signature course at Carlton Woods were reconstructed using the ZLine bunker liner system.

ZLine bunkers ‘great’ during Chevron tournament

ZLine bunkers ‘great’ during Chevron tournament

“We have known for some time that we needed to redo the bunkers on the Nicklaus course because of their age, the effects of storm damage, edging, and contamination,” says club director of agronomy Tim Huber. “We took the decision to renovate as far back as 2021, but with the Chevron tournament coming here in 2023, we obviously had to plan the project carefully, so we scheduled it for after the 2023 championship. The 2023 Chevron ended on April 23, and we started the rebuild on May 1. Chris Cochran of the Nicklaus company oversaw the work, which was carried out by contractor Sanders Golf. The build wrapped on November 1 last year, and the course was perfect for the championship last week.”

The Nicklaus course opened in 2001, the first of Carlton Woods’s two eighteens, and the bunkers were initially lined with a textile liner, but Huber says that two decades in the ground had left this practically non-existent. “There were traces of the liner left under the bunkers, but it was in no sense a barrier, and there was no way it could be patched, so it had to be replaced,” he says. “I chose the ZLine system because it has a long lifespan and is extremely resilient – it carries a fifteen-year warranty and even if you use a mechanical rake in the bunkers you’d have a hard time tearing it – because it is very competitively priced, and because it is low visibility. We chose ProAngle sand from Ohio, which is a very high-performance sand, and is very white. ZLine customized the liner to match the sand color, so if by chance a small amount of liner gets exposed on the face of a bunker, there’s no way the golfer would notice, and there’s no UV degradation.”

“I think ZLine is flat out the best bunker liner on the market,” he adds. “High performance sands are great, but they are extremely expensive – especially when they have to be transported a long way, which is the case for us as we simply don’t have good sands available locally – and if you are going to install them, you need to be very confident that your bunkers won’t contaminate and will keep the sand in place – you need to trust your liner. The bunkers were great during the tournament, and I’m confident they will continue to be great for our members.”

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