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Toro stands the test of time

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Toro stands the test of time: Toro is well known in the industry for its durability and reliability, and nowhere has Toro’s longevity been put to the test quite like the machines at Westridge Golf Centre in the Isle of Wight. Several machines have been in use for over 20 years – and are still going strong – which is why the club has recently purchased another two Toro machines. 

Course manager Paul Jenkins explains: “Toro machines are so well made and are by far the most durable brand. In our experience with Toro, if you look after it, it will last. That’s why we have our own mechanic and service each machine after every 50 hours of use. In fact, our oldest machine is a Toro Groundsmaster 3000-D which we’ve had for 30 years and is still being used!”

Toro stands the test of time

Toro stands the test of time

But it’s not just the machines themselves that have lasted so long. With 44 years in the industry, Paul’s faith in the brand has also stood the test of time, and continues, as he invests in another two Toro machines.

“The first club I worked at bought one of the first Toro GM3 machines in 1975, and from then I’ve been hooked,” explains Paul. “At every club I’ve worked at, I have always strived to ensure there is at least 70 percent Toro machinery in the fleet to ensure the best possible course maintenance, and Westridge is no different.

“When I joined around 17 years ago there was a limited amount of turfcare equipment,” he continues. “Over the years we’ve invested so that we have a majority of Toro machinery, and that continues with our latest purchase of a Toro Reelmaster 3100-D Sidewinder and Reelmaster 5610-D.”

Having worked at 19 major tournaments around the world including The Open, US Open, US PGA and the Ryder Cup, all of which were Toro venues, Paul knows a thing or two about excellent presentation. And with Westridge Golf Centre in the process of expanding from a 9 hole to an 18 hole course, there was no better time to invest in more Toro to keep standards at the course high. Something which the club’s owner, Mark Wright, fully supports says Paul: “We’re fortunate to have someone like Mark who recognises the value in investing in quality equipment. He’s a pro by trade and he understands that to play on the best surfaces you need the best equipment.”

“We really pride ourselves on our presentation here, so both the new machines will be put to good use on the course, and even more so once it has been extended,” says Paul. “The new Reelmaster 5610-D is great as it’s slightly smaller and provides a finer cut than the Reelmaster 6500-D we had been using for the fairways. Despite the 6500-D being 16 years old, it’s still a good solid machine so we will keep using it on the driving range.

“The Reelmaster 3100-D Sidewinder is also brilliant,” he continues. “Every few years there always comes along an innovation that really stands out, and for me, the Sidewinder technology is one of those innovations. It’s so unique to have a machine that can slide the cutting units from side to side and cut hard to reach areas safely. As a dual purpose machine, it’s also reducing manual labour which is a great bonus.”

As the only pay-as-you-play course available on the island, with a growing membership and an expansion underway, Westridge Golf Centre certainly has an exciting future ahead, with the course set to be enjoyed by the whole community for years to come.

“It’s a very exciting time for Westridge and it’s great to have Toro on board to help with the course maintenance now and in the future,” says Paul. “Put simply, Toro machines are just designed well with durability in mind. I’ve visited the Toro factory in Minneapolis before, and I’ve seen for myself that what Toro is doing is head and shoulders above everyone else.”

To find out more about the Toro range or the finance options available, call Reesink Turfcare on 01480 226800, email info@reesinkturfcare.co.uk or visit reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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Organo-Mineral Fertilisers

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Organo-Mineral Fertilisers: Over two years ago Indigrow embarked on changing the make-up of our Impact fertilisers to take account of a move towards a more balanced approach to nutrition and soil biology, primarily by changing the base material from a chemically inert filler to an organic source.

This organic source will act as a food source for the naturally occurring soil flora and fauna. All of the organic sources we use are plant based and GM free.

Organo-Mineral Fertilisers

Organo-Mineral Fertilisers

Since their introduction in 2019, we have been supplying our ImpactPlus range to this specification. When we introduced our Quantum products for 2020, we also continued our commitment to this more organic approach.

As well as both the ImpactPlus and Quantum granular fertilisers, our Humik granular fertilisers and our Impact Organic 14-2-8 products also conform to the organo-mineral standards.

E.U. Organo-Mineral Fertilisers

To be classified as E.U. Organo-Mineral Fertilisers, Organic Carbon should be greater than 7.5% and an Organic Nitrogen content greater than 0.5%.

The Carbon/Nitrogen Ratio

The C/N ratio of all the products is extremely low, eliminating the risk that the soil micro-organisms will “steal” nitrogen from the soil and tie it up as they break down the carbon, which makes the nitrogen unavailable to a crop.

Additional Benefits

In addition to the benefit of being classed as organo-mineral, all of the ImpactPlus products have the additional benefit of our unique bio-stimulant coating, ‘Asset’.

Our ImpactPlus ‘Asset’ coated range of fine turf fertilisers are highly effective on all soil types with differing base nutrient levels, and are proven to help improve turf vigour and root density.

When stressed, plants naturally produce osmolytes to help combat the environmental stresses. Production is favoured under water-deficit or salt stress as they provide stress tolerance to cell without interfering cellular function.

Asset is one of a group of these osmolyte compounds and is extracted from a plant species which has naturally occurring high levels.

Asset helps overcome plant stress and aids recovery by:

  • Osmotic Regulation
  • Cell Membrane Protection
  • Reduction in Free Radical Production
  • Protection of Photosynthetic Biochemical Pathways

Our bio-stimulant, Asset, has been proven in independent trials to increase ground cover of newly sown seed, increase levels of growth and recovery and improve root density.

For more information visit www.indigrow.com/organo-mineral-turf-fertilisers

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Attraxor® reduces clippings at Broadway GC

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Attraxor® reduces clippings at Broadway GC: Jamie Blake, Head Greenkeeper at Broadway Golf Club in Worcestershire, has reported impressive results after using Attraxor® plant growth regulator (PGR).

“We measured our clip rate before using Attraxor® and it was 25.9ml/m²,” said Jamie. “The day after we had applied the product the clippings had reduced to 17.7 ml/m² – an almost 32% reduction.”

Attraxor® reduces clippings at Broadway GC

Attraxor® reduces clippings at Broadway GC

Jamie first had his head turned by BASF’s Attraxor® when he heard that the product offers 70 percent biomass reduction and up to 75 percent increase in sward density. It was at this point that he sought the advice of Ray Hunt from Agrovista Amenity to find out more about the unique PGR.

“Jamie was looking for improvements with his PGR programme to achieve greater consistency from fewer applications and Attraxor was the best fit, so he decided to try it,” said Ray.

Jamie went ahead and was pleased to see quick results.

“The greens are predominately Poa annua,” he said. “We have been over seeding with Bent two or three times a year to create a stronger balance. When I looked at Attraxor® I saw it had a direct effect on the seed head production of Poa, so I wanted to be careful to not stress the greens too much. The label for Attraxor® states that a reduced dose of 0.5-0.65 kg/ha is sufficient in areas with high density of Poa annua.

“We started on 26th June with a 0.5kg/ha dose and also used five kilos of sulphate of ammonia in a 300-litre tank to counteract any potential discolouration it may have caused. It worked straight away, we saw a reduction over night and there was no discolouration to the Poa or apparent stress which gave us the confidence to continue.”

With 34 years’ experience and the son of the previous Greenkeeper, Jamie felt confident to up the dosage after the first application. “I chose to see if we could realise any benefit from increasing the dose to 0.6 kg/ha. I made the second application on 10th July at the increased dose. The clip rate on the 10th was 20.34ml/m², and ten days later it came down to 16.36ml/m²,” he said.

Since using Attraxor® he has seen no adverse effect to the colour and the sward density has remained high. “It was worth trying the higher dose rate but we don’t need it, so I will be using 0.5kg/ha in the future. Attraxor® has fitted in well and is reducing the clippings considerably whilst helping to maintain sward density,” he added.

On the tees Jamie and the team have taken a different strategy. “We keep the grass longer and have more rye on the tees, so we opted for a dose of 1.0kg/ha for the first application. We don’t measure clip rates in the same way but following the first application a week ago the reports are good, and a visible reduction has already been reported,” he said.

Attraxor® reduces clippings at Broadway GC

Attraxor® reduces clippings at Broadway GC

Commenting on the positive results, Agrovista Amenity’s Ray Hunt said: “It is great to see that Jamie has achieved greater consistency with Attraxor® through fewer applications and that he has now extended the programme to tees and aprons. By using Attraxor® throughout the course, in areas that are cut regularly, Broadway GC has experienced greater control of the turf and fewer clippings.”

Jamie will typically apply the product until temperatures start to fall in September or early October. “We have opted for a 150-growth degree day (GDD) for Attraxor® and it is working well. In the past I have used Primo-Maxx with a GDD of 100 at the start of the year and then adjusted to 150 so I may opt for this at the start of the season with Attraxor® too.

“It is clear that Attraxor® has a strong effect and I will be using it in the future because even at a low dosage it is very effective on the green and at the higher dosage it is also working well on other areas of the course, so it’s here to stay,” he concluded.

For more information about Agrovista Amenity, visit www.agrovista.co.uk/amenity

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Calling all #MyKubota competition fans!

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Calling all #MyKubota competition fans!: The #MyKubota competition is back and Kubota UK is urging all Kubota fans to submit their entries, offering customers the chance to win a £200 retail voucher and a number of runner-up prizes.

From the 3rd to the 31st of May, users must simply send an image of their Kubota machine to the Kubota UK Twitter or Facebook page, using the hashtag #MyKubota, alongside a few words on why they love their machine.

Calling all #MyKubota competition fans!

Calling all #MyKubota competition fans!

Crucially, this year’s #MyKubota competition will be judged by a group of three independent panellists, so Kubota is encouraging entrants to be as ambitious and creative with their images and stories as possible, while following all relevant safety guidelines.

The panellists will select nine final entries (three each from construction, agriculture and ground care) for a final round of deliberation. From these top nine, one lucky winner will receive a £200 retail voucher, while the eight runners-up will receive an exclusive collection of Kubota merchandise.

David Hart, Managing Director of Kubota UK, said: “#MyKubota is a great opportunity for Kubota users of every stripe to show off and celebrate their machines alongside the entire Kubota community. Having such a diverse and versatile portfolio of construction, agriculture and ground care machinery used in an incredible number of environments and situations, we are looking forward to seeing what our customers come up with.”

To stay up-to-date with the competition, follow Kubota UK’s Twitter page at twitter.com/KubotaUK, or like the Facebook page at facebook.com/KubotaUK

For more information on Kubota and its extensive range of machinery solutions and first-class aftermarket support, visit www.kubota-eu.com or call 01844 268000.

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Search for a Star sprayer operator

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Search for a Star sprayer operator: The Amenity Forum Sprayer Operator of the Year Awards are back, with the chance to win a weekend away for two, along with essential education and useful tools to further improve the performance of what you do.

Above all, it is the recognition that sprayer operators play an essential role in the effective management of turf, landscape and amenity areas. Sharing the industry’s best practice, knowledge and practical experiences will help to raise the standards of all involved.

Search for a Star sprayer operator

Search for a Star sprayer operator

Applications should be made on the ICL website through this link or via the Syngenta GreenCast website.

It’s not about having the latest equipment or the biggest budget. The Sprayer Operator of the Year looks to identify and reward all individuals operating to the highest standards or professionalism.

The Awards are managed by the Amenity Forum, sponsored by ICL and Syngenta.

There are two prize winning categories to enter: Landscape & Industrial and Sports Turf, with both tractor-mounted and handheld sprayer operators eligible for both categories. The category winners will be announced from a short-list of finalists at the Amenity Forum Conference. The overall winner is announced at the BTME event in Harrogate.

The overall AFSOOTY winner will receive:

  • A two-night break for two in a luxury country house break*
  • A place on the Syngenta Application Academy
  • Attendance of the Amenity Forum Conference

Launching the Awards, Professor John Moverley, Chairman of the Amenity Forum said: “Accurate application ensures the best possible results from every input, whilst protecting the environment from drift or off target loss.

“Sprayer operators across the amenity sector have made great strides in recent years. Every operator has something that will add to the experience and help others.

“If you can demonstrate the ability and ingenuity to consistently achieve safe and accurate application through the whole spraying process, then you are in with a chance of winning.”

ICL Turf & Landscape Business Development Manager, Mark Pyrah, added: “We are delighted to support such an important cross-sector industry initiative with a continued commitment to raise standards and improve results.

“Importantly it has identified and recognised the range of spray application techniques and the differing skills involved across the amenity sector. It will provide a unique and vitally important resource for all involved in spray application.”

Syngenta application specialist, Glenn Kirby, commented: “In previous years the Awards has identified some exceptional operators. They have all instigated ideas and practices to make the spraying process easier, more accurate and, ultimately, safer.

“The Sprayer Operator of the Year Awards are a welcome way to recognise and reward the leading individuals and to learn from their experience.”

The on-line entry form enables operators to apply, along with anyone to nominate operators they acknowledge are doing a great job – including other members of the team; staff or people within the industry who recognise good practice with the machinery or product they have supplied.

Entries and nominations close on 30 June 2021.

After submitting an initial application form, successful entrants will be invited to answer a short questionnaire. Selected category finalists are judged on best practice and innovative ideas to improve and enhance spraying operations.

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