GTC Release New Training Materials

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GTC Release New Training Materials: The Greenkeepers Training Committee (GTC) has released a revised set of best practice learning materials for all levels of student greenkeepers.

Although originally inspired as the underpinning knowledge for the Level 2 qualification, the GTC Board of Directors and the Employer Group championed the revision of the copyright Learning Materials.

These will be made available not only to learners undertaking the Level 2 Greenkeeping qualification, but will also be available to all golf clubs to be used as best practice.

Prepared by industry specialists and based upon best principles and practices for golf course maintenance and management, the copyright materials are divided into eight chapters, ranging from health and safety, golf course preparation and maintenance to preparing a tractor with attachments.

The 327-page publication is available to purchase in digital format to anyone through the GTC’s shop for £150. For more information, see www.the-gtc.co.uk/shop/

All GTC Quality Approved Centres will receive a copy of the of Learning Materials, for use with all sports turf students on the various greenkeeping courses.

The GTC is supported by England Golf, Scottish Golf, Wales Golf, The PGA and BIGGA.

GTC Manager Fiona Lyttle said: “Each of the original chapters has been meticulously reviewed and updated by specialists from within the sports turf industry. Following consultations with our Employer Group, it was suggested we incorporate some additional aspects of what a fully-qualified golf greenkeeper should know. With this in mind, we have included more detail on soil science, as well as basic drainage and irrigation. Changes in technology, equipment and machinery have also necessitated an extensive update. The GTC has ensured the materials are suitable for everyone from apprentices to golf course managers with all subjects comprehensively covered.”

For further information on the GTC’s Learning Materials, contact GTC Administrator Emma Willis on 01347 838640 and emma@the-gtc.co.uk

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Match Off After Pitch Vandalism

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Match Off After Pitch Vandalism: Ongoing damage at Putaruru’s Totara Park is angering the community and sparking fears public access could be restricted.

In the latest incident a vehicle damaged the football pitch so badly that the Rangers team had to cancel its final game of the season.

Manager Derek Roberts, who has been with the club since the 1960’s, said although not the first time vehicles have damaged the grounds, it was the worst he had seen.

South Waikato District Council parks and reserves manager Phil Parker said the damage was “frustrating”.

“Staff and contractors find this behaviour equally annoying as park users,” he said.

“Our staff and contractors work hard to maintain our parks, reserves and sports grounds for our community and to see them treated with such disrespect is very frustrating.”

Parker said prior to the latest incident the council’s contractor was due to begin the bi-annual turf renovation programme.

“This will continue, however, obviously, this part of the grounds will now require some additional work and effort,” he said.

He said the ongoing damage was costing ratepayers.

“Sadly this is not an isolated incident,” he said.

“There is a cost to ratepayers to repair this kind of damage which is unfortunate, but the greatest cost in this instance is that the Putaruru Rangers had to forfeit their last game of the season. That’s really disappointing.”

Parker said the council was disappointed that the actions of a few people were ruining things for the majority.

“Those responsible for this vandalism should be held to account. Unfortunately without eyewitnesses that is close to impossible,” he said.

“We would encourage anyone who knows anything to contact the council or the police.”

Senior Sergeant Jason Henderson said he wasn’t aware of any reports being made to police.

“We haven’t received any report as yet. That is quite often the thing, if we don’t know about it we can’t actually do anything about it,” he said.

“More often than not we find people don’t want to bug the police because we are already busy and all the rest of it but if there is a trend and it is annoying people then we need to know so we can look into it.”

Henderson said such incidents could lead to public access being restricted to such facilities.

“These people will end up ruining it for everyone,” he said.

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CPL’s Best Groundsman Award

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CPL’s Best Groundsman Award: The Hero Caribbean Premier League has created an award for the groundsman that has overseen the greatest improvement in the pitches at tournament venues since the league’s inception in 2013. The award will see the winning head groundsman being flown to New Zealand to work with world renowned pitch expert Mark Perham.

The winner will visit New Zealand for three weeks spending time in both Christchurch and Auckland to see how pitches in other countries are prepared. This is an amazing opportunity for professional development and further cements the Hero CPL’s commitment to improve pitches across the region.

Speaking about the award Mark Perham said: “I have been delighted to work with the groundsmen across the region to help improve the pitches in the Caribbean. This opportunity for the groundsman that has made the biggest improvement to the standard of wickets at their venue is just reward for a lot of hard work, but I would also like to extend my thanks to all the ground staff who have also put in a lot of hard graft over the years.”

Damien O’Donohoe, CEO of Hero CPL, said: “As a tournament we are firmly committed to playing our part in the improvement of cricketing infrastructure across the Caribbean and we are very pleased to have been involved in the improvement of pitches. This award is another example of CPL investing in the development of West Indies cricket.”

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New Lords Head Groundsman

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New Lords Head Groundsman: MCC has confirmed that Karl McDermott has been appointed as the new Head Groundsman at Lord’s.

McDermott, who will join MCC from Hampshire County Cricket Club, will replace Mick Hunt, who is retiring from the role after 49 seasons.

After beginning his career as Assistant Groundsman at Clontarf Cricket Club in Dublin, McDermott took on the Head Groundsman role in 1997, ahead of the venue hosting an ICC World Cup Fixture in 1999.

He spent seventeen years at Clontarf, working on numerous international and domestic fixtures and winning the European ICC Groundsman of the Year award in 2007, before moving to Worcestershire as Assistant Groundsman.

He then took up post at the Ageas Bowl where he was initially appointed Deputy Head Groundsman in 2009, ahead of the ground’s inaugural Test Match in 2011 between England and Sri Lanka.

McDermott became Head Groundsman in 2016 and most recently presided over England’s victory over India, the third Test Match to be held at Hampshire’s headquarters.

John Stephenson, MCC Assistant Secretary (Cricket) said: “After a rigorous recruitment process, we are delighted that Karl has accepted the role of Head Groundsman at Lord’s. He is very well respected throughout the game, having spent the past nine years producing top quality pitches at the Ageas Bowl.

“Karl emerged from a competitive field as someone who will be able to maintain the reputation of Lord’s as the ultimate ground at which cricketers of all levels wish to play.

“His first season will be a challenging one, with five World Cup matches including the Final, Ireland’s inaugural Test match at Lord’s as well as the prospect of England facing Australia in an Ashes Series but we have no doubt that he will prove himself up to the task.

“We’re very much looking forward to Karl beginning his role and working alongside Mick Hunt for a short time before Mick begins his well-earned retirement.”

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Reesink At John O’Gaunt Golf Club

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Reesink At John O’Gaunt Golf Club: Celebrating the signing of its third five-year exclusivity agreement with Reesink Turfcare and Toro is John O’Gaunt Golf Club.

After a ten year plan the club in Sandy in Bedfordshire has now established an ‘all red’ Toro fleet of machinery, installed Toro Lynx and dual trajectory series sprinklers on its Carthagena course and the truly innovative Infinity sprinklers on its John O’Gaunt course. And they turned to Reesink when needing aerating fountains for a new lake, for which Otterbine suited.

Reesink At John O’Gaunt Golf Club

Course manager Nigel Broadwith is the decision-maker with a plan in place and the full support of the club’s committee. He says of the signing, which will take the club’s relationship with Reesink and Toro to 15 years: “It was an easy decision to make. When you have a relationship with your machinery distributor which brings you a good product, good support and peace of mind, you don’t need to look anywhere else.”

Over the years Nigel has created a Toro fleet of machinery that brings the best results and the best value, he says: “When purchasing machinery in a five-year lease deal I try to juggle the budget to get the best value and the best productivity. People who know me, know it doesn’t matter to me how old a machine is, if it performs it’s got a place in the shed. We have brand new machines lining up next to 18-year old ones with over 4000 hours on the clock! It’s all about having a balance to ensure the best results for the best value your budget can bring.”

Mixing the old with the new is an approach Nigel says he’s able to with the reliable back-up of Reesink, Toro’s MyTurf fleet management programme which tracks maintenance, repairs and parts, and a full-time on-site mechanic: “This combination of support with a good product means that any issues are sorted out quickly and there’s little, if any, machinery downtime.

“Going with Reesink and Toro was the sensible and logical thing to do, it instils confidence in the team for the foreseeable future.”

For more information, visit: reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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