Course Manager Brian Owen Retires

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Course Manager Brian Owen Retires: As Tadmarton Heath Golf Club’s course manager Brian Owen retires after 44 years in the industry, 25 years at the club and 15 years using Toro machinery exclusively, he looks back at the biggest change he has seen in his accomplished career.

Brian has worked at a variety of courses across the country, beginning at Southerndown Golf Club’s championship links course in Wales and finishing at the Oxfordshire-based, heathland course of Tadmarton.

Course Manager Brian Owen Retires

And throughout almost 50 years in the business, it’s the dealer support and service Brian thinks has changed the most and made the biggest difference to working life. He recalls: “Working at a remote Cornish links golf club in the eighties, you were lucky to get any service at all; we had to be very self-sufficient. Nowadays you can completely rely on your distributor or dealer for all your maintenance needs, just as we have at Tadmarton with Reesink Turfcare and Toro for many years.”

Changing the way Tadmarton purchased and maintained its machinery has also made a big difference. When Brian joined as course manager in 1992, the club was buying one machine a year, had a fleet twice as big as it does now, and yet the condition of the course still needed a lot of work.

Brian explains: “I convinced the board to lease hire instead of owning machines, meaning service came fully included, and gradually turned the fleet completely Toro to keep the course in the best possible condition. When it comes to machinery, quality over quantity is key, as is reliability.”

And so it happened that five years after becoming all-red, Tadmarton switched to Toro UK distributor Reesink Turfcare for back-up services who, Brian says, have been incredibly supportive: “Reesink offers the best support in the industry. I’ve worked with Reesink’s Robert Rees for ten years and he’s been brilliant on a professional as well as personal level.

“In fact, we met at a local pub the other day with Reesink’s regional manager John Pike and they presented me with a Toro decanter for all the work we have achieved together. It was a marvellous surprise and I shall think of them every time I pour a glass of port.”

On a personal level, a particular highlight of Brian’s career was driving the recently completed bunker renovations forwards at Tadmarton: “The bunkers hadn’t undergone any big changes since the course was established in 1922, so they needed to be brought up to the same standard as the rest of the course. The renovations began five years ago and, this year, we completed the 64th and final bunker. To see it finished is the perfect sign off to my career!”

For more information, visit: reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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New Solid Gear Safety Shoe

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New Solid Gear Safety Shoe: The ONE GTX from Solid Gear is a superbly constructed safety shoe with seven integrated layers to deliver excellent comfort and protection.

It’s designed and built for active professionals who need a highly breathable, light and flexible safety shoe. With a GORE-TEX SURROUND membrane they’re fully breathable and ideal for warmer weather and combined indoor/outdoor activities.

New Solid Gear Safety Shoe

The shoe’s stretchable upper is water-resistant with amazing performance when it comes to breathability, fit and flexibility. What’s more, it has a honeycombed sole for enhanced grip and a composite midsole. It also has a stabilising heel support to minimise injuries from twisting.

The ONE GTX also comes with Solid Gear’s newly developed NANO Toe-Cap. It’s 40% stronger than fiberglass, lighter than other materials and thinner than other non-metallic toe-caps.

So get to know more about the quality and innovation plus the top class safety functionality in every Solid Gear product – your feet will notice the difference.

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‘Augusta Syndrome’ Solution

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‘Augusta Syndrome’ Solution: Each year, `Augusta Syndrome` can cause greenkeepers grief as the new golf season gets underway.

Those pristine greens and fairways millions marvel at during the Masters tournament can trigger despondency in even the most upbeat greenkeeper.

'Augusta Syndrome' Solution

Not at Harpenden Common Golf Club however, where, on the eve of the first of the Majors, the turfcare team is gazing over lush greens to rival those of Augusta National itself.

“We are enjoying our fastest-ever start-up to the season in our history,” states Course Manager Steve Brocklehurst. “The recovery we are experiencing is fantastic. Our greens look magnificent and members are amazed by the quality so early on in the year.

“In terms of colour, grass growth and coverage, the greens are in their finest condition in my 45 years at the club.”

The transformation follows the club’s switch to a soil biology management approach introduced by treatment specialists Soil Biology Ltd.

“We’ve applied products unique in the sector to reduce and control rootzone pH,” explains Soil Biology lead scientist Hillery Murphy. “This allows the grass plant to take up vital nutrients such as calcium, manganese, silicon and magnesium more readily, even in cold conditions. It is these nutrients that support the biological process.”

Head Greenkeeper Sean Brocklehurst adds: “The course looking this good this early gives us a head start in retaining members and attracting new ones.

“Subscriptions fall due around this time of the year and if golfers can see a level of visual definition between greens and approaches they would only expect to see at the end of April or early May, they may well want to join up now.

“Also, we can start management practices earlier in the year as the sward is already strong enough to take our triple mowers and we can begin Verticutting sooner.”

Hillery Murphy continues: “The pH in the rootzone on many courses is simply not low enough to promote thatch degradation and soil biology. Our Springload rootzone and Flex foliar treatments with added biostimulants reduce the pH of the spray water and that of the rootzone to trigger the early start-up.”

As another cold front threatens to push back onset of the 2018 golf season, Harpenden Common and other courses that adopt Soil Biology’s twin-pronged turf and rootzone treatment can enjoy watching top golf on Augusta National’s manicured holes without the notorious sector syndrome gripping them.

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Credit Only Arrives In Adverse Circumstances

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Well the clocks have sprung forward, spring has arrived and greenkeeping and grounds keeping teams throughout the land can witness the results of their winter programmes.

There is a belief, particularly in golf, that greenkeepers do little more than paint a few marker posts, indulge in a little tree management and improve their three dart average over the winter period but while their hours tend to be a little different from spring and summer the autumn and winter periods are key to all year round performance.

A message from Scott!

And it is fair to say that it is also the unseen work done in the “off-season” by grounds teams which ensures superb surfaces on pitches in all sports.

It must be frustrating to have jokes about the card schools and darts leagues but they happen because so often the work done is carried out unseen by the end user.

I’ve equated the world of turf professionals to that of wombles or borrowers, whose main aim is not to get in the way or be seen but to produce an end result which is exactly what was demanded but one which no one really notices.

A prime example was the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor in 2010. Had it all gone swimmingly – as happened at Gleneagles four years later, there would have been nothing but the odd platitude and verbal pat of the back. But because the weather was of Biblical proportions and very nearly wrecked the entire event Jim McKenzie, his team and an army of greenkeeping volunteers, were hailed as miracle workers for engineering the possibility of a Monday finish. Jim was even honoured with an MBE as a result.

So sometimes credit only arrives in adverse circumstances.

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ClearWater System At Fleetwood GC

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ClearWater System At Fleetwood GC: Terry Booth, Head Greenkeeper at Fleetwood Golf Club, was thrilled to be given the “go ahead” to order a ClearWater system recently.

The club, aware of current legislation concerning washpads and pollution prevention, wished to upgrade their facilities and believed, having read a number of articles, that a washpad water recycling system would be the future-proof solution. After a number of years, it was finally decided that funds could be made available and Terry Booth with director Brian Geddes researched the project. Details and prices were obtained, visits made and systems viewed and considered. BTME, incidentally, played an important part initially in the process as supplier stands were visited and information gathered. At BTME this year matters were finalised and an order placed for a ClearWater system soon afterwards.

ClearWater System At Fleetwood GC

Fleetwood lost no time and arranged delivery soonest having decided to “self-install” using their local experienced contractor. Terry explained that the cost savings offered on self-install by Acumen with ClearWater would be most welcome. Matthew Mears, Acumen ClearWater’s sales and development manager, visited the club soon after the show to discuss installation and delivery arrangements. The system was promptly installed and in action, much to the delight of Terry and his staff! He’s happy to show it to others interested too.

Brian Geddes expressed interest in the ECA (Enhanced Capital Allowance) scheme and the fact that the WTL (Water Technology List) approved ClearWater system qualified. Under the scheme, businesses can write off 100 per cent of the cost of qualifying plant and machinery against taxable profits in the year of purchase. This can bring significant financial savings and reduce the business’ impact on the environment. Treasurer Andy Cartwright will be “on the case” said Brian!

Despite the savings available with self-install and the ECA scheme, it was encouraging to learn that “the number one factor for buying ClearWater” as Terry put it “was the people I have dealt with and the first class service received. We have built up a good relationship.” People and Service do matter in any business relationship and not everything can be done over the internet either!

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