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Sustainable Earth Course enhancements

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Sustainable Earth Course enhancements: The Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates has undergone a sustainable rejuvenation ahead of the DP World Tour Championship, the final event in this year’s Race to Dubai.

With multiple course changes designed to improve the aesthetic and playing experience, one of the notable upgrades is the complete replacement of sand in all 100 bunkers on the Earth Course. In a commitment to environmental responsibility, the additional sand is both new and recycled, with a particularly vibrant white appearance that complements the desert backdrop. On the 10th hole, the bunkers have undergone a more comprehensive refurbishment, to ensure optimal playing conditions and a strategic challenge.

Sustainable Earth Course enhancements

Sustainable Earth Course enhancements

The main playing areas on the course are flanked by wood chips that add a contrast to the green course and sandy desert. To recreate the bright red aesthetic that has become synonymous with the Earth Course, the team has replaced all wood chips surrounding each hole on the course ahead of this year’s DP World Tour Championship. The red-coloured wood chips provide a vivid colour contrast and are all produced on-site by the maintenance team.

Stephen Hubner, Club Manager at Jumeirah Golf Estates, commented: “The Earth Course is recognised around the world as being home to the DP World Tour Championship and conclusion of the Race to Dubai. One of the course’s most redeeming features is the wonderful colour contrast that we can achieve with the bright white sand and the deep red-coloured wood chips which line the side of each hole – providing the earthy look.”

Stuart Horwood, the club’s Superintendent, added: “It is a huge undertaking for us to totally remove and replace the woodchip around the course and the sand in each bunker, but something that we feel is crucial in order to maintain the famed aesthetic that the Earth Course has earned. It was also important that we completed this task in the most sustainable way possible, so we used recycled sand and produced our wood chips on-site. The team have done a great job of enhancing the course for what is a key date in our calendar.”

The Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates has been host of the DP World Tour’s pinnacle event for more than 10 years and will remain the host venue until 2031. In that time, some of the game’s biggest names have hoisted the Harry Vardon Trophy, for the champion of the Race to Dubai. In 2022, Rory McIlroy was crowned champion for the fourth time in his career. Other recent winners include: Jon Rahm, Collin Morikawa, Jon Rahm, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose, and recent Ryder Cup winning Captain, Luke Donald.

The 2023 Race to Dubai is also set to go to the Northern Irishman, as the points standings after Max Homa’s first DP World Tour victory in South Africa mean that world number two, McIlroy, cannot be caught by second placed Jon Rahm. This will mark his fifth Race to Dubai title.

Jumeirah Golf Estates is a world-class residential golf destination offering luxury homes and leisure facilities amidst two internationally acclaimed championship golf courses, creating an unmatched lifestyle experience in the heart of new Dubai.

Set across 1,119 hectares of lush green landscape, the development is an unrivalled destination offering attractive investment opportunities and world-class amenities. With 700 families and more than 1,835 homes, Jumeirah Golf Estates currently comprises of 16 unique communities, which overlook two of the world’s finest golf courses, Earth and Fire.

As home of the annual DP World Tour championship since 2009, Jumeirah Golf Estates rivals the best golfing destinations in the world.

For more information on Jumeirah Golf Estates, head to: https://www.dubaigolf.com/jumeirah-golf-estates

Jumeirah Golf Estates, in addition to Emirates Golf Club, and Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club are owned and operated by Dubai Golf. Viya Golf, a business of Dubai Golf, also owns and operates Yas Links, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, and Yas Acres Golf and Country Club in Abu Dhabi.

For more information on Dubai Golf and its properties, head to: www.dubaigolf.com 

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Trio of INFINICUT’s deliver impressive quality

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Trio of INFINICUT’s deliver impressive quality: Three 22” INFINICUT® golf cutting units are described as delivering outstanding cut performance on the 18 greens of Hallamshire Golf Club.

The trio of battery powered mowers are the latest step in the club’s environmental strategy and are giving Course Manager Ben Burrill and the team not just quality of cut, but enough run-time to mow all greens and return to the shed with as much as 60% charge remaining!

Trio of INFINICUT’s deliver impressive quality

Trio of INFINICUT’s deliver impressive quality

Nestled between Sheffield and the Peak District National Park, Hallamshire’s heathland course boasts year-round condition, with their greens renowned in the region for speed and consistency. Proudly hand-cut, this has been executed with the new fleet of INFINICUT® 22” mowers, since their delivery in May 2023 by local dealers Balmers GM. “Our previous pedestrian mowers were reaching the end of their working life and, with the club actively encouraging more sustainable alternatives, I had demonstrations of the different battery options available” explains Ben. “The price point of the INFINICUT® was better and, compared to the other brands we tried, the battery life impressed us straight away.”

“In practice, we can get as many as nine greens done with one mower which, with three in the shed, is above and beyond what we need. Even working on a 25% reduction in battery life over the next five years, we’ll still be able to cut all 18 greens relatively comfortably.” He continues, “Charging them has just become part of the daily routine. They return to the shed with anywhere between 40-60% charge left, we plug them in, and they quickly get to full charge and sit ready for the next day.”

Launched in early 2023, the INFINICUT® 22” cutting unit promises even more refinement for turf management, incorporating many of the features synonymous with the INFINICUT® range together with precise cut quality from the dynamically-balanced SMARTCut™ reel. “We opted for the 14-blade cutting reels which increases the clips per inch and works really well for us, delivering an outstanding quality of cut and finish.”

“We were also able to specify 3mm groomer spacing to manage the lateral growth on our bent greens which other manufacturers would have been unlikely to be able to accommodate.” Ben adds, “The team have been very impressed with the simplicity in functionality, things like the sensor in the floating head which automatically slows the mower down when lifted for easier end of line turning. They’re well designed and will be critical to the delivery of our course, in a more environmentally-friendly way, for the years to come.”

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Seeding is simple with the Dennis S500

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Seeding is simple with the Dennis S500: The Dennis S500 Plus seeder is helping to get the lawns into shape at Cheltenham Ladies’ College according to Ross Spry, Head of Grounds and Gardens.

After initially starting his career in greenkeeping, Ross Spry has been working for various colleges in the UK for over a decade. At Cheltenham Ladies’ College he oversees a grounds team consisting of seven members of staff who tend to the sports facilities and gardens.

Seeding is simple with the Dennis S500

Seeding is simple with the Dennis S500

Somewhat of a perfectionist, Ross recognised that the College lawns needed some attention and was quick to act.

“The lawns were not in the best shape, and there was a lot of weeds and moss, and thatch build-up in them,” he said. “We bought a scarifier and an aerator to try and alleviate this problem, but I wanted a machine to put seed back into the ground effectively rather than just broadcasting it.

“We looked at various brands of seeders and we found the Dennis S500 Plus to be the best for us.”

Ideal for bowls, cricket, golf and other fine turf and ornamental lawn areas, the dual-purpose Dennis S500 Plus has a 510mm (20″) operating width complete with interchangeable spiker and slotter reels. The spiker reel punches through the ‘surface pan’ allowing air, water and fertiliser to penetrate the root zone, while the slotter reel creates ideal seed germination pockets thus reducing seed wastage. Using the optional seed box attachment will ensure grass seed is dropped onto the ground at the prescribed rate and brushed into the pockets.

“We normally seed in the spring and autumn and before using the S500 Plus we apply a selective weedkiller to try and get rid of the weeds and moss,” said Ross.

“It is so simple to use, and it does exactly what we want it to do. It’s not heavy and it is nice and compact. Some of the lawns at the school are very small, so to have a seeder the size of the S500 Plus is ideal. It is also a lot more accurate than doing it by hand – you get more contact with the soil and better germination.

“The S500 Plus’ best feature is just how user friendly it is and it makes the task of seeding enjoyable.”

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

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow Dennis on Twitter and Instagram @DennisMowers and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/DennisMowersUK. You can also view the latest Dennis videos by visiting www.youtube.com/DennisMowers

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Fortrose & Rosemarkie GC selects Wiedenmann GXi8 HD

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Fortrose & Rosemarkie GC selects Wiedenmann GXi8 HD: Only a handful of top golf courses can boast a lighthouse at the end of their road. Fewer still have pods of dolphins swimming regularly on a rising tide, literally, minutes away.

The award-winning Fortrose & Rosemarkie Golf Links, on the Black Isle, near Inverness, is steeped in both history and nature.

Fortrose & Rosemarkie GC selects Wiedenmann GXi8 HD

Fortrose & Rosemarkie GC selects Wiedenmann GXi8 HD

Unsurprisingly, its golfing pedigree is also on point; a Championship links course, it is the 15th oldest recorded club (1793) and was redesigned by the legendary James Braid in 1932.

Head Greenkeeper, George Paterson, knows a thing or two about links golf. His greenkeeping journey includes spells at The County Sligo Golf Club, Rosses Point, Scotscraigs Golf Club and Moray Golf Club.

In September, George said goodbye to his 20-year-old Wiedenmann Terra XP6 deep aerator, trading it in for a new GXi8 HD.  The deal was struck with John Morton, Regional Sales Manager at Wiedenmann UK’s Scottish dealer, Fairways GM, who sold him a Wiedenmann SL6 Terra Spike six years previously.

“This investment is about productivity,” said George, “We’ve chosen the best tools that let us mix and match our approach to aeration.  Speed is now more important than depth because of the shingly nature of our soils.

“Compared to the XP6, the GXi 8 is much quicker. Being 20 cm wider is helpful, but ultimately our focus is to cover large areas very neatly in a shorter amount of time. With a narrower, slower machine, intentions were always to get around as many fairways when we could, but for lots of reasons we’d get diverted or miss the window. We’ll be far more efficient and get aeration done. This fits our John Deere 4610 perfectly, just skirts outside the tractor wheels and leaves very little disruption, even with a fair amount of heave.

“The SL6 is on our John Deere 2720 compact tractor and does a great job on hard-to-reach tees and greens. Mid-October we cone tined greens prior to overseeding and top dressing, so it’s still very much in our plans. The GXi 8 will take over some of its work though, it can do places where access isn’t an issue.

“We purchased multi-tine heads, nail tines and solid tines for the GXi8 to bring variety. The cluster heads (multi tine holders) were the first thing we used. Our greens were still reasonably firm, so didn’t want too much disturbance, but we gave them a quick treatment to help any heavy or freak showers to drain quickly from the surface. We inserted four 5 mm nail tines (5 mm/135 mm) to each multi tine head, set to 50 mm spacings, to a depth of about 100 mm on two rows of the machine.

“It’s not quite the same as deep aeration, but a very useful exercise. It just gives the tops of the greens a bit of air.  Annually, we’ll do that twice across the summer.  The greens have now also been solid tined with 12 mm tines to a depth of 180 mm with 4% heave.

“For the fairways, we’ll take a bigger solid tine, so 20 mm, but work will be much faster than before. We need to be mindful of play.  Even in winter our course remains very busy, visitor traffic tails off a little, but we stay open when weather affects other courses nearby, so we don’t see a big drop in numbers.”

George is assisted by a team of three qualified greenkeepers and a new apprentice.

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Enjoy free beverages courtesy of Green-tech at Futurescape

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Enjoy free beverages courtesy of Green-tech at Futurescape: Green-tech will be exhibiting at Futurescape 2023 on stand E50, and visitors will have the opportunity to meet the team, view the latest products, and enjoy freshly brewed coffee from their new Barista.

Futurescape 2023 is being held at ExCel London and is heralded as the UK’s largest landscape expo & trade event, with seminars and live debates planned across two days – the 21st and 22nd of November.

Enjoy free beverages courtesy of Green-tech at Futurescape

Enjoy free beverages courtesy of Green-tech at Futurescape

The team will be profiling the recently launched TreeParker® Cell System; a structural soil cell system that offers the most ideal circumstances for trees to thrive beneath the pavement in an urban environment.

As the UK’s leading provider of tree planting materials, Green-tech offers a comprehensive choice of urban and rural tree protection products. Over the last few years, the company has been focusing heavily on providing sustainable and environmentally friendly choices.  On their stand, they will showcase their range of biodegradable tree-planting shelters.

A comprehensive seminar and product demonstration program is scheduled across the two days, and Green-tech’s Specification Manager Seraya Sigsworth will be in the Soft Landscaping Demo area at 11 am on Wednesday 22nd to discuss the TreeParker® system. The demonstration will showcase the system where simplicity characterises the system.

Green-tech is also the headline sponsor of The Pro Landscaper 30 Under 30: The Next Generation initiative, which searches for the most impressive young people in landscaping and shines a spotlight on the future of landscaping. An award ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday 21st at Futurescape at 12pm to celebrate the 30 winners, including Green-tech’s own George Barton.

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