Turf News is the perfect place for professionals working within the UK’s vibrant turf industry – keeping you up-to-date with topical news, latest market developments and much more across all areas of the industry.
NEWS ARTICLES

Club Car & London GC extend relationship

/in , /by

Club Car & London GC extend relationship: Club Car, the world’s largest manufacturer of small-wheel electric vehicles, has continued its long association with London Golf Club by delivering a new fleet of high-spec golf cars.

The fleet of 50 Tempo cars, famous for their industry-leading durability and premium comfort, feature Club Car’s innovative connected GPS technology which supports the maintenance of the club’s two Jack Nicklaus-designed courses as well as offering players a range of in-car services.

Club Car & London GC extend relationship

Club Car & London GC extend relationship

London Golf Club, a European Tour Destination and the host venue of this summer’s English Open, has chosen Club Car as its supplier for 22 years.

Stephen Follett, CEO of London Golf Club, said: “We decided to renew the fleet towards the end of last year following the huge amount of use the cars had last summer and with another busy season ahead. We viewed the reopening in March as if we were opening a new venue, and that meant reopening with a new fleet of cars. We also carried out renovations in various areas of our clubhouse, made upgrades in our IT and carried out refresher training with our staff.

“We wanted to show our members, guests, and visitors that we are a forward thinking venue that is committed to continuously investing in our product, services and people. This is our second fleet with the connected technology – we love it, our customers love it and it’s synonymous with London Golf Club.”

Kevin Hart, Director of Golf Sales EMEA at Club Car, added: “London Golf Club is one of the most prestigious venues in Europe and we are proud that Club Car has been its chosen supplier for so long.

“The club and its leadership are very much in tune with what the customers want and never fail to deliver an exceptional golfing experience. We look forward to this long relationship continuing in future.”

London Golf Club has hosted the European Open (2008 and 2009) and the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship (2018 and 2019), and will welcome the English Open from August 12-15 this year.

The newly installed fleet of Club Car vehicles marks the sixth that local dealer Bradshaw has delivered to London Golf Club over the duration of the 22-year relationship.

For more information about London Golf Club, visit: https://www.londongolf.co.uk

For more information about Club Car, visit: https://www.clubcar.com

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Fairways GM brings Jacobsen GP400 to Pitlochry GC

/in , /by

Fairways GM brings Jacobsen GP400 to Pitlochry GC: A busy course manager to two golf courses in the central Highlands has raised over £9,000 in his spare time for Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance Service.

Almost a year ago, a helicopter rescued Stuart Griffiths after an on-course accident left him trapped for nearly two hours under a machine. Emergency surgery and thirteen nights in hospital followed, with Stuart happily making a full recovery and back to work in October.

Fairways GM brings Jacobsen GP400 to Pitlochry GC

Fairways GM brings Jacobsen GP400 to Pitlochry GC

Stuart’s day job is split across two glorious Perthshire courses, eight miles apart. Pitlochry GC has 18 dramatic and scenic holes plus a tricky six-hole Pitch & Putt course while near neighbour, Blair Atholl GC has nine holes, also with stunning backdrops of the Cairngorms’ National Park.  Both courses are owned by Pitlochry contractors, RW Bell Electrical, which in the last five years has successfully harnessed positive community momentum and a resurgence of visitors from near and far, to win some prestigious tourism accolades.

“I joined Blair Atholl in 2010 as head greenkeeper. In 2015, when Stephen Carruthers, owner of Pitlochry, decided to merge the two, he asked me to manage them together, which frankly, took a lot of heat off me, as I was caring for a nine-hole course with a large expenditure,” explained Stuart.

“So, I became course manager of both; the first couple of seasons took a little bit of sorting, in respect of taking staff and machinery between two places, but soon we were in a better routine than before. We are very lucky.  Blair Atholl had a decent set of machinery prior to Pitlochry taking over, so actually, there is very little machinery swapping, only say, when we are spraying or top dressing.

“Staff wise, we work it out, essentially, everyone’s at both. We’re a team of five – full timers Billy Hoggins, Douglas Black, Sean Menzies, and Rob Coughlan, plus our long standing volunteer mechanic, and cutter of rough, Frank Brennan. Traditionally, there’s a big weekly Wednesday competition for visitors at Pitlochry, so on Wednesdays after set up, we all come to Blair Atholl.

To boost their fleet, in April, Stuart purchased a Jacobsen GP400 ride on greens mower, exclusively for Pitlochry’s greens. Mike Lindsay, Area Sales Manager, from local dealer, Fairways GM at Kinross, was on hand to provide sales support and demonstration know how.

“It’s May, there’s snow on the hills and we’ve been out cutting with it twice,” laughed Stuart. “That sorts of says it all for the season so far, but we’re extremely positive and excited for warmer temperatures. Feedback from the team on the GP400 is very good. The overall cutting experience is great. Technology-wise, it is a big step up from what we’ve had; it’s got great design, is precise and clean and we’ll be able to cut the greens so much quicker.”

Fairways GM’s, Mike Lindsay, said: “It’s such an all-rounder when you’re against time and got greens to prepare. The swing-out centre cutting unit allows easy access for changing height of cut and routine inspection.  For access, there’s a neat step behind the front wheel and for visibility, the angle of the curved steering arm gives the best view of the right-hand cutting unit. Also a steering arm clamp, lets your arm take up a really comfy position.  It’s a machine that makes life easier.”

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Fields in Trust Green Space Index launched

/in , /by

Fields in Trust Green Space Index launched: At an event in Edinburgh, Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge helped to launch the Fields in Trust Green Space Index which reveals that, despite their value for health, wellbeing and climate change mitigation, some parts of the UK have access to 50% less green space than others and 2.8m people in Great Britain live more than a ten-minute walk from their nearest park.

The parks and green spaces that have been so vital to the nation’s wellbeing during lockdown are not equally accessible to all, according to new data from green space charity Fields in Trust. The Green Space Index is an annual barometer of green space provision and distribution and shows that people in the most well provisioned locations have the equivalent of 45m2 of accessible parks and green space per person compared to just 19m2 per capita in others.  Areas with the least provision tend to be those with a higher incidence of deprivation – precisely the communities who benefit most from green space access.

Fields in Trust Green Space Index launched

Fields in Trust Green Space Index launched

The visit came ahead of COP26 climate change conference, which will be taking place in Glasgow later this year, with today’s event one of several projects which have a positive effect on climate change that The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have visited across Scotland. Urban parks and green spaces boost air quality, support habitats and mitigate the effects of climate change.

At the event in Starbank Park, Edinburgh’s Lord Provost, Frank Ross, announced that the City of Edinburgh Council would be using the Green Space Index to determine strategic green space locations. He said: “Edinburgh is already a wonderfully green city, and we want to ensure it remains that way for generations to come.

“I’m extremely pleased to announce that the City of Edinburgh Council will be looking to partner with Fields in Trust in protecting in perpetuity a further 25 green spaces – adding to the 34 already protected. This will mean that almost everyone in Edinburgh will be within a ten-minute walk of a protected green space, ensuring that for years to come citizens are guaranteed a lifetime of opportunity for activity, play, learning, recuperation and community.

“Scores of volunteers across the city work alongside the Council to support our parks, green spaces and cemeteries. We are very grateful to Friends of Starbank Park their ongoing hard work and dedication and we will continue to work with them to make sure these important areas are preserved for the benefit of our future generations.”

The City of Edinburgh Council are the first Local Authority in Scotland to adopt this approach and follow the pioneering example set by Liverpool City Council in March 2021 to protect all 100 parks in the City.

During the event Their Royal Highnesses met with volunteers from the Friends of Starbank Park Group and park users of all ages who have found sanctuary in the park over the last year as a place to play, exercise, relax, and reflect.

Fields in Trust Chair of Trustees, Jo Barnett said: “Through the pandemic we’ve realised just how valuable parks and green spaces are to our health and wellbeing, yet across the UK only 6% of parks are protected and access to them is not equitable. The proven physical and mental health benefits of local parks is unchallenged. These are valuable places; places where we can all move, breathe, run and play. Fields in Trust welcome this significant commitment by the City of Edinburgh Council, we need to champion and support these precious spaces by protecting them for future generations to enjoy. Because once lost, they are lost forever.”

Full details of the Green Space Index – including an interactive web app to explore local provision can be found on the Fields in Trust website www.fieldsintrust.org

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Soil Scout celebrates US expansion

/in , /by

Soil Scout celebrates US expansion: Wireless underground soil monitoring solution Soil Scout has officially launched its full integration package with US-based provider of autonomous aerial intelligence services GreenSight.

The technology partnership gives turf and agronomical professionals a real-time understanding of how to create optimal above and below-ground conditions while increasing efficiency in water and nutrient usage.

Soil Scout celebrates US expansion

Soil Scout celebrates US expansion

“Our technology partnership has combined Soil Scout sensors with GreenSight’s TurfCloud platform, providing a cutting-edge machine vision analysis of the entire grounds captured by drone-mounted sensors. Now it’s possible to see everything in their soil – and be able to plan their day’s work – before setting foot outside. This is a major step forward in both smart farming and turf management sectors in the US for Soil Scout” says Soil Scout CEO Jalmari Talola.

GreenSight’s drones have three high-resolution infrared-NDVI cameras, and a radiometrically calibrated thermal camera; paired with an industry-leading flight time of 60 minutes. Combined with Soil Scout’s soil sensors that have solar-powered base stations and repeaters that have a 20-year in-ground battery life, we can provide users with a comprehensive, real-time understanding of their grounds through the GreenSight dashboard.

GreenSight CEO James Peverill commented, “We look forward to helping customers manage their soils more efficiently and improve their facilities across the world. We’re equally excited to be able to distribute their intuitive soil condition sensors to our growing customer base.”

Soil Scout has also expanded its US operations with an aim to accelerate its go-to-market efforts and combat the ongoing drought in California while adding feet on the ground in New England, Texas, and Arizona with the new hires of Kevin Hauschell, Dan Jennings, Zach Sevens, and Joe Lazzaro.

“I’m excited to join the team and bring this incredible technology to farmers, turf managers, vineyard managers, and orchard managers alike throughout the US. In drought years like we are experiencing currently in the Western US, making more informed decisions with regards to water is vital. If we don’t start monitoring and becoming more efficient in our water use in industries like golf, viticulture, and farming; we will see golf courses close, farmland sit barren, and wineries close their doors,” says Kevin Hauschel, West Coast Sales Lead for Greensight Ag / Soil Scout.

“Industries will have to justify their water use to ensure the sustainability of the golf, viticulture, and farming industries in California, so the time is now to use tools that conserve water, improve fertilizer timings, decrease fungicide and chemical use, and increase profitability,“ continues Hauschell.

A report from the Drought Monitor shows 97.5% of California is in some stage of drought, with 87% of the state in severe drought and 52% in extreme drought. In addition, the past two years in California have been extremely dry and the state relies on ‘wet years’ to replenish its water supply.

“Plants are sucking water out of the soil to survive, and that dry soil needs to be irrigated more and more to keep them alive. Agriculture relies heavily on groundwater during droughts in California, but until recently, groundwater hasn’t been regulated so they haven’t had a chance to recharge. More sustainable groundwater management is needed to maintain these key drought reserves. Understanding when and how much to irrigate with smart solutions such as Soil Scout and GreenSight is critical if places like California are to sustainably improve their water usage,” says Adam Sedgwick, VP of International Sales at Soil Scout.

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Bernhard strengthens relationship with Delta Turf Care

/in , /by

Bernhard strengthens relationship with Delta Turf Care: Industry-leader in turf sharpening equipment and management solutions, Bernhard and Company, has strengthened its relationship with Saudi Arabia-based distributor, Delta Turf Care, which has been appointed as the official distributor for the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Bahrain.

New to the UAE, Delta Turf Care has been the company’s distributor in Saudi Arabia for over a decade and has played a crucial role in the development of the Bernhard and Company brand and product presence in prestigious golf venues throughout the country.

Bernhard strengthens relationship with Delta Turf Care

Bernhard strengthens relationship with Delta Turf Care

This appointment comes as Bernhard and Company looks to ensure it can service current customers more efficiently, while also helping to increase sales through improved contact with new prospects. Delta Turf Care will be responsible for direct sales and customer relations in the Middle East and will demonstrate the knowledge and passion that Bernhard and Company possess for its grinding philosophy.

David Murphy, Managing Director of Delta Turf Care, said: “We are delighted to be strengthening our partnership with Bernhard and Company to help them take their business to the next level in the Middle Eastern region.”

Scott Purdy, Business Development Manager EMEA for Bernhard and Company, added: “It’s crucial to us that we align ourselves with partners that reflect our core values of support and education. Delta Turf Care has been a fantastic partner to us in years past and we are proud to be expanding our relationship.

“We look forward to growing our presence further in the Middle East and working with some of the area’s most prestigious venues to deliver first-class turf management solutions.”

Bernhard and Company grinding machines are used by more than 65 of the world’s top 100 golf courses to ensure perfect, tournament-ready playing conditions year-round, while the company’s turf management solutions and educational support are utilised at major sporting events around the globe.

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.