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Bernhard Academy launches educational workshops

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Bernhard Academy launches educational workshops: The Bernhard Academy, the turf industry’s foremost education provider, has announced a pair of upcoming educational workshops designed to offer expertise on a range of key topics.

The Bernhard Academy will be running two, one-day courses, on Tuesday April 25 and Wednesday April 26, at its satellite training facility, at Moortown Golf Club in Leeds. The courses, designed for operators of cylinder mowers and anybody wanting to gain a better understanding of turf appearance through quality of cut, will operate on a first come, first served basis, with limited space available.

Bernhard Academy launches educational workshops

Bernhard Academy launches educational workshops

Director of Education for the Bernhard Academy, Craig Haldane, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for greenkeepers and grounds people from around the country to join us for a day of enlightening education. This facility at Moortown is a great space to come to learn, and enhance your knowledge of mower set up, the importance of grinding, and how to communicate with stakeholders.

“There are a great number of learning outcomes,” he added. “These include the agronomic benefits associated with quality of cut, best modern practices in mower set up, the skills to effectively communicate with your stakeholders, and what impact you have on the day-to-day running of the business.”

Attendees will be introduced to a wide range of information they can take away, while learning the correct way to set up units, depending on site conditions and/or turf species and time of year. They’ll better understand the principles of cutting units and be able to take control of their cutting unit maintenance regime by understanding the fundamentals of using grinders to get the best out of mowing equipment – ensuring the highest quality of cut year-round.

These one-day educational workshops are aimed at course managers, equipment managers, deputies, mechanics, greenkeepers, apprentices, and anyone who operates cylinder mowers and wants to gain a better understanding and appreciation for turf appearance through quality of cut.

Attendees can find sign up links below:

Sign up for workshop on Tuesday 25th April – https://www.eventbrite.com/e/day-1-cutting-unit-set-up-grinding-perfection-communication-tickets-595859811737

Sign up for workshop on Wednesday 26th April – https://www.eventbrite.com/e/day-2-cutting-unit-set-up-grinding-perfection-communication-tickets-591569198397

Alternately, to submit your interest in attending one of these workshops, email hello@bernhardacademy.co.uk

Both workshops will take place at Moortown Golf Club Maintenance Facility, The Fairway, Leeds, LS17 7PE. A light lunch will be provided between 12pm-1pm. Tea and coffee will be available throughout the day.

The Bernhard Academy will be launching further educational content, designed to offer the turf industry valuable information to take back to their facilities. A key part of this will include ‘The Bernhard Academy Leadership & Management Series’. This series of interactive and engaging workshops will provide guidance to those in supervisory, middle management, and senior management positions, supporting the transition through their careers.

For more information on the Bernhard Academy, head to https://www.linkedin.com/company/bernhard-academy/

You can find the Bernhard Academy on Twitter at @BernhardAcademy or on Instagram at @bernhard_academy

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BGL apprentice greenkeeper selected to work at The Open

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BGL apprentice greenkeeper selected to work at The Open: BGL (Burhill Group Limited) is delighted to announce that a member of the greenkeeping team from its Abbey Hill Golf Centre in Milton Keynes has been selected to be part of the support team at this year’s Open Championship.

Sam Norman, who joined the BGL group and Abbey Hill in 2018, has been selected as one of just two apprentices who will join the support team at Royal Liverpool Golf Club in the week prior to the 151st Open. At the event, he’ll share responsibilities such as hand-mowing Hoylake’s greens, before joining the famed bunker raking squad that follows each group during The Open Championship tournament days.

BGL apprentice greenkeeper selected to work at The Open

BGL apprentice greenkeeper selected to work at The Open

Norman’s selection further demonstrates BGL’s continued commitment to supporting staff development across the group, by providing its teams with the best opportunities to grow their skillsets and enhance their CVs.

“I’m very excited to head up to Royal Liverpool Golf Club for this summer’s Open Championship,” commented Norman. “To be selected as one of just two apprentices to join the greenkeeping team in July is a great honour, and I’m looking forward to having the chance to represent Abbey Hill and BGL, and hopefully learn a huge amount at such a high-profile event.”

Colin Mayes, CEO of BGL (Burhill Group Limited), added: “Everybody at BGL is extremely proud of Sam for being selected as one of just two apprentices to work at golf’s most historic event. We’re passionate and committed to supporting our staff in their endeavours to develop their careers. Whether it be via our internal learning platform or national programmes, we’re delighted to offer opportunities for personal and professional development and champion the success of our people.”

Since joining in 2018, Norman has grown to become one of Abbey Hill Golf Centre’s most valued employees. He secured a full-time role on the greenkeeping team in 2021, and his stellar efforts saw him recognised as Abbey Hill’s Employee of the Year for 2022.

In early 2023, Norman’s BIGGA membership gave him the chance to apply to be part of the greenkeeping team at The 151st Open. He was one of more than 60 applicants and, following a conversation with Royal Liverpool Golf Club’s Links Manager, James Bledge, he was selected for the role.

The BGL group continues to be an industry-leader in personnel career development. The group offers an Online Training Academy platform, which contains more than one thousand training courses which are accessible to team members throughout the group. It also actively encourages employees to explore external development opportunities that they find interesting and feel will further their careers.

For more information on BGL (Burhill Group Limited), visit www.bglcompany.co.uk

For more information on Abbey Hill Golf Centre, visit www.abbeyhillgc.co.uk

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Hundreds of brands commit to GroundsFest

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Hundreds of brands commit to GroundsFest: Over 100 exhibitors have booked to attend GroundsFest 2023 with more confirming their presence each week.

The event, which is the talk of the industry, will be held at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire on 20 and 21 September 2023.

Hundreds of brands commit to GroundsFest

Hundreds of brands commit to GroundsFest

Over 9,000 square metres of space has already been taken by a wide range of exhibitors with over 75% of allocated space accounted for as the event continues to grow.

These impressive figures are testament to just how well the show has been received by the industry. Close to 5,000 visitors, which includes grounds staff, greenkeepers, landscapers, local authorities, estate managers and contractors, have already signalled their intention to attend by registering for the GroundsFest visitor newsletter.

Attendees can expect to see hundreds of brands at the event. Some of the latest names to confirm their presence at GroundsFest include Honda, STIHL, AMS Robotics, The Pitchmark Group, KAR UK, Wicksteed Leisure, ICL, Dennis & SISIS, Shelton Sportsturf Drainage, Origin Amenity, Kress UK, EGO, Makita, Greenbest, Soil Scout, Karcher UK, Foley Grinders, RT Machinery and Etesia UK.

Commenting on Etesia UK’s decision to exhibit at GroundsFest, Managing Director Les Malin, said:

“I believe GroundsFest could be exactly what the groundscare industry needs in terms of trade shows. We have all been attending the same existing shows which have not changed for several years. Therefore, I think we should all be looking forward to something different.

“There is no such thing as too many shows in my opinion; it is more about having events that work for individual companies. We are all different, but we all want to give our customers the chance to experience something new and exciting. GroundsFest will offer exactly this.”

The indoor halls and outside areas of GroundsFest will not only feature hundreds of exhibitors and products in action, but it will also include a free-to-attend LANTRA accredited education programme, free practical training sessions, the largest retail area ever to be seen at a groundscare event, a dedicated landscaping zone, a music festival and much more.

Commenting on the event’s promising start, GroundsFest’s Event Director Christopher Bassett, said: “GroundsFest continues to grow, and the sales team are receiving new enquiries every week. We have also been upbeat about how much interest we are receiving from visitors. There promises to be a diverse visitor profile at GroundsFest this year and we can’t wait to see the magic unfold in September.”

For more information, please visit www.groundsfest.com

You can also follow GroundsFest on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @GroundsFest for much more news, reviews and insightful views.

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Trilo offering the scarification solutions

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Trilo offering the scarification solutions: The start of spring growth signals the safe return for some of the most critical mechanical maintenance operations – which can bring a significant boost to plant health.

Effective scarification can encourage healthy growth, tackle weed ingress and create an environment less favourable to fungal activity. Among the range of scarification tools from Trilo are solutions for both fine turf and sports turf applications which, when combined with effective husbandy, can have not just environmental benefits but financial savings too!

Trilo offering the scarification solutions

Trilo offering the scarification solutions

For flat surfaces, the Trilo VCU range offers effective scarification down to depths of 40mm. Available in 1.5m or 2m working widths, PTO drive provides reliable power to the rotor – equipped with 3mm thick manganese steel knives, capable of cutting through thatch layers and opening the surface up for more effective overseeding and better penetration for moisture and nutrients. The robust design delivers rigid strength, while the working depth of the VCU150 and VCU200 is simple to adjust via the threaded spindle, accessible on the sides of the unit. An optional undulation kit, comprising of gauge wheels, can be fitted to the rear of the frame for improved results on uneven ground.

Working up through the range and offering verti-cutting and collection in a single pass, is the 1.5m Trilo C15. Ideal for sports fields and local authority applications, the C15 offers a compact and versatile solution for scarification, utilising 3mm thick blades and wind paddles to effectively remove large quantities of thatch up and into the 1m3 hopper. Emptied easily via hydraulic lift and tip, the hopper also features a dust cover which makes for a more pleasant operator experience when working in dry conditions. The knives can be quickly accessed for simple cleaning, maintenance or changing for twisted flail blades, converting the C15 into a cut and collect machine.

Moving up again and proving that multi-function doesn’t have to mean compromise is the Trilo M4 vacuum collector which, when fitted with scarifier shaft, allows for effective scarification on large areas such as parks and fairways. When not in use for leaf collection through the autumn and winter, consider equipping the M4 with one of Trilo’s many scarification blade options for quick, single-person, thatch removal and clean collection via its large 4m3 hopper. The scarifier shaft can then be easily swapped again, for a flail shaft – delivering quick and convenient cut and collection throughout the summer months.

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Terrain Aeration injects polymer

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Terrain Aeration injects polymer: While it may be wet, water everywhere at the moment we will soon be heading into the summer months. That’s when the problems begin for turf and trees. Increasingly, year on year, we are seeing the effects of global warming across our landscape as droughts persist.

Sports pitches, golf courses, trees in parks, amenity areas right through to lawns in private gardens will all suffer from the lack of rainfall. Ground becomes hard and compacted to considerable depth and when the rains do come, this often leads to standing surface water and waterlogging.

Terrain Aeration injects polymer

Terrain Aeration injects polymer

Suffolk-based Terrain Aeration has specialised in one-metre deep soil aeration to relieve compaction, panning, and waterlogging nationally for over thirty years. While that takes care of the drainage and aeration when it’s very wet there remains the opposite problem of grass and tree roots not getting enough water in periods of drought. It’s a problem addressed by the same machine, Terrain Aeration’s Terralift system, that aerates the soil at depth by releasing compressed air via its one-metre depth probe. As that fragments the soil to create fissures and cracks to allow drainage and aeration, the probe can also inject water-storing polymer. Once in place, the polymer will expand one-hundred fold with rainwater or irrigation water which it stores for the turf or tree roots to take up as needed. It’s a one-way system, so the polymer does not take water from the roots.

In this way, we will be able to make better use of what water we have and it’s a very long-term process as the polymer takes a long time to degrade. Spreading the polymer on the surface is not practical, as when it rains it turns into a gel, making the area dangerous to walk and play on. Injecting it into the ground using the Terralift machine offers the best, most beneficial, and wholly cost-effective method, says the company. Terrain Aeration is the only operator of the Terralift in the UK and the treatment has proven itself since 1985. There are different versions of the machine to treat large open spaces such as sports grounds, golf courses, and avenues of trees to narrow accesses onto bowling greens and gardens. Anywhere from airports to zoos.

Terrain Aeration www.terrainaeration.co.uk  01449 673783

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