Reesink & Toro At Ham Manor GC

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Reesink & Toro At Ham Manor GC: A five year commitment is a big thing, and is not something that should be taken lightly. Trust and confidence are key components, and Ham Manor Golf Club is convinced it has the best combination in Reesink Turfcare and Toro.

Paul Brown, who has been course manager at the West Sussex club for two years, says it was the right time to commit, but the big decision was to whom? “You place a lot of trust in your package partner and ask a lot from them so it’s important to feel comfortable they can deliver. I’ve previously used Toro equipment and I had no doubt that Toro would deliver for us here at Ham Manor, but the primary drivers behind this decision were the trust and confidence we have in Reesink’s area retail sales manager Jon Cole and Toro’s unequivocal reliability.

Reesink & Toro At Ham Manor GC

“You put your reputation on the line when you embark on this sort of package deal. It’s a massive financial commitment over a long period of time, and you’ve got to be sure you’re not going to be let down. I hadn’t felt the time was right to make that sort of commitment, until now.”

In the order are a Reelmaster 3575-D, TriFlex 3400, two Workman MDX-D and one Workman HDX utility vehicles, the Multi Pro Workman sprayer and ProPass 200 topdresser. These machines add to the Reelmaster 3100-D and two Groundmaster 360 Quad Steers acquired over the last 18 months.

Positioned where it is nestled between the coast and the South Downs, Ham Manor is a parkland course a mile away from the sea, which Paul says: “has its own microclimate. Out of ten we’re an 11 when it comes to how much grass growth there is here. We could easily cut the fairways five days a week and still have work to do!”

Add to that the general trend of wetter winter months and it’s clear to see why Paul has opted for the combination of Toro’s Reelmaster 3575-D and TriFlex 3400: “We can struggle to get equipment on the course, but the RM3575-D is light with a larger footprint, and its three-wheel design and turf-friendly tyres mean we can rely on it to not damage the ground. Both machines make light work of the amount of grass.”

“When I started here there was a ‘mix and match’ range of kit, and this batch of machines are like-for-like replacements of those while we begin the process of investing in one manufacturer for the majority of our equipment. When our existing lease arrangements have run their course, the intention is to renew the entire fleet in one package. I feel this is the most cost-effective way to bring reliable machinery management to the club.”

Complementing the machinery lease deal, Ham Manor has completed phase one of its irrigation installation. This is a three-phase process to renew the entire system. Back to back Toro Infinity sprinklers have already been installed on the club’s new academy area and brand new 18th hole and up next is a Toro Lynx central control system and then Infinity sprinklers, back-to-back on the greens, tees, aprons and partial fairways of the 18-hole course.

Paul says: “Replacing our irrigation system is the biggest single investment the club will make in the next 30-40 years. Due diligence was essential in the evaluation process and we were thorough in our research. We viewed all the major brands and even travelled overseas visiting factories to see how sprinklers are made, but when it came down to it, Toro had everything we needed, including first class support from Reesink’s Rob Jackson which of course, is an essential component of the whole process.”

It’s common sense that when making an irrigation decision to consider sustainability too. With that in mind a new irrigation lake has been built and a borehole installed and Paul is actively investigating running grey (roof) water into the lake to further enhance the club’s ability to be less dependent on a mains water supply. That, however, is a story for another day and we look forward to bringing you the latest at Ham Manor when phase two of the irrigation installation commences!

For more information, visit: reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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SALTEX Innovation Award Entries

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SALTEX Innovation Award Entries: SALTEX plays host to the most technologically advanced-equipment showcase in grounds management. After a successful first outing at last years show, the SALTEX Innovation Award returns for 2018 and visitors will get the chance to cast their eye over every entry at the show.

Here is a snapshot of some of the exciting entries:

SALTEX Innovation Award Entries

Sherriff Amenity – PrecisionPro; a dedicated spots turf app designed to help users measure, calibrate and apply granular products.

Lantra – Integrated Weed Management is the latest training course added to Lantra’s Pest & Weed Management suite of training and qualifications.

Trimax Mowing Systems – the Snake S2; a rotary, roller mower designed for sports turf and golf courses.

Trimax Mowing Systems – the QuikLIFT; a new feature for the PegasusS4 which allows all three decks to be lifted with the blades still engaged.

Trimax Mowing Systems – the LocTEK; a patent pending stubless roller bearing system for increased retention, bearing life and replacement ease.

PSD Groundscare – ELIET Turfaway 600; with a 60 cm-wide cutter the Turfaway 600 has been designed for major lawn renovation that requires complete reconstruction.

PSD Groundscare – TS Industrie GS/Puma Tracked Remote Controlled Shredder is a remote controlled tracked green waste shredder.

Net World Sports – FORZA Alu110 Football Goals; are available in eight sizes and can be purchased as both freestanding and socketed.

Reesink Turfcare – Toro Outcross 9060; a super-duty utility vehicle, designed specifically to simplify the groundsman’s day-to-day turf maintenance jobs.

Reesink Turfcare – Toro Groundsmaster 1200; a robust pull-behind rotary mower for sports and groundscare turf maintenance applications.

T H White Machinery Imports – Spider X Line; a new remote-controlled slope mower which can climb slopes of up to 40 degrees independently.

T H White Machinery Imports – Ferris 400S; a zero-turn mower with a 48 inch cutting width developed for light commercial or large domestic mowing customers.

Allett Mowers – c34 Evolution; a new electric, large area, walk-behind cylinder mower with inter-changeable cartridges.

McConnel – ROBOCUT; an all-terrain remote-control work platform that boosts safety, productivity and efficiency.

Bulldog Tools – Mini Shovels; two brand new shovels (a square mouth version and a round mouth version) that are lightweight and very easy to carry in any transport.

Helping Hand Environmental – Street Boss; a multi-functional sustainable litter collection system which allows the operative to undertake a range of cleansing tasks.

Briggs & Stratton UK – Vanguard 200 engine; a commercial grade air-cooled petrol engine designed from the ground up which delivers significant performance enhancements.

Evopos – Evopos; a modern dealer management system providing stock control, EPOS, workshop, whole goods control, accounts, CRM, Ebay, Web and e-commerce modules.

Etesia UK – Pellenc ULiB 1200 battery; lightweight and offers increased autonomy of up to 20% – up to five hours of work with the most energy-consuming Pellenc tools in the range.

Hayter/Toro – ProStripe 560; a professional walk-behind rear-roller rotary mower, designed primarily for sports playing surfaces, to cut and collect grass, or to remove debris and divots.

EGO – POWERLOAD™ Line Trimmer; a new line trimmer with a fully automatic line re-loading system.

Block Blitz – Paving Sand; to keep paving joints clean and deter weeds and moss.

Block Blitz – Big Blitz; a jumbo dust pan and brush which is oversized, light-weight and super strong.

Block Blitz – Block Blitz Shield; new paving treatment which protects new and recently laid paved surfaces.

A panel of expert judges will select the winning product and the winners will be announced on the first day of SALTEX at a ceremony to be held on the show floor in the all new Innovation Hub.

For more information visit www.iogsaltex.com

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New Grinders At Sandy Lodge GC

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New Grinders At Sandy Lodge GC: Sandy Lodge Golf Club in Hertfordshire has reaped the benefits both on and off the course of the Foley United Accu-Master 653 and Accu-Pro 673 grinders.

The club is one of England’s finest golfing establishments and has regularly hosted the Regional Open Qualifying Rounds from 2015 and will do so until 2019, as well as being a recent venue for the English Women’s Senior Open.

New Grinders At Sandy Lodge GC

Head greenkeeper, Richard Elderfield, along with mechanic, Peter Cook, knew their previous grinders were coming to the end of their useable life and both had a strong desire to bring relief grinding to the club because of the overall benefits it has for the plant and the machines. But, Peter quickly realised the Foley models had other features that would streamline his operation and make for a better work environment.

“Although relief grinding was our first priority it wasn’t the only aspect that attracted us to the Accu-Master 653,” Peter explained. “We also like the enclosed cabinet on the cylinder grinder with the noise and dust protection it offered and we found the set-up of both grinders to be quick and easy, especially with the 653’s built in training programmes.

“Grinding is very important to us when it comes to the health of the course and the machinery. The quality and cleanness of cut will determine the smoothness and speed of the playing surface and it helps prevent turf infections and diseases.

“Relief grinding has made a lot of difference and the mower manufacturers also recommend it. We tend to put a lot more top dressing on our greens now and the relief grind allows the excess sand to be cleared away, so it’s not wearing the cylinder down and going off cut as quickly. It also means we have less potential contact between cylinder and bedknife therefore less heat build-up as there’s reduced contact area with the bedknife, so it makes the mower a lot more efficient overall.”

Talking about efficiency Peter adds, “We also see this in the grinders, as both machines are fully automated, with auto-start, traverse, infeed and shut down built in to the grinding programmes alleviating any need for any human input between phases.  We can have both grinders running at the same time allowing us to carry out other tasks therefore saving more time.

“I can now grind far quicker than before. If I’m doing a 5 head fairway machine once you set the 653 for the first unit it will then be set for the remainder.

“It’s easy to access the machine and I have a winch to lift the reels in and out which makes the entire process easier. There is also an option of a lift-table if you prefer.

The automation is a huge benefit and as we are limited for space in my workshop and with the 653 being fully enclosed means there is very little noise coming from the grinder, allowing me to comfortably work close by.

“I thought I would struggle with the relief grinding as I had never done it before, but the training was excellent, and I picked it up very quickly”

Both Peter and Richard have been impressed by the quick and reliable service they have received from Ian Robson of ProSport UK, the Foley United importer both throughout the purchasing phase and the aftercare.

ProSport UK focus strongly on aftercare with an emphasis on supporting their customers and training them how to operate grinders they may not be familiar with. All geared to getting the best out of their new machine as quickly as possible.

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Coventry Hearsall Benefits From Reesink Finance

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Coventry Hearsall Benefits From Reesink Finance: Coventry Hearsall Golf Club is one of the first clubs to benefit from Reesink Turfcare’s fixed term finance for irrigation.

Course manager Jonathan Oldknow says he is ‘delighted’ with the new Toro Lynx system including sprinklers for the tees, greens and approaches, which replaced a 40-year-old irrigation system struggling with constant leaks and breakages. In fact, Jonathan attributes the club’s ever-increasing reputation to the success of the ‘Total Solutions’ package it now boasts with its Toro irrigation system and fleet of machinery.

Coventry Hearsall Benefits From Reesink Finance

Jonathan says: “A new irrigation system is no light investment, but in this competitive industry we recognised the need for modern technology to stay at the top of our game. Miles ahead of anything we’ve ever had before, choosing the Toro Lynx system was a big statement from us saying ‘this is where we want to be heading.’”

Buying irrigation on finance takes away two of the biggest headaches Reesink Turfcare finds exist for those embarking on an irrigation installation: installation is sooner and there is less upfront capital outlay.

Brett Mander, Coventry Hearsall’s course chairman, explains further how the club arrived at the decision to go with Toro: “We launched a full tender evaluation, starting with a number of suppliers before whittling them down to three.

“UK distributor of Toro Reesink Turfcare won us over with its presentation, which gave us confidence that its package and aftercare support would best suit the needs of the club. Out of all the suppliers, Reesink offered the most flexible solution over a period of time that matches our investment and growth strategy at Coventry Hearsall.”

Gone are the days of fixing leaks, and with peace of mind that the club has water on demand: “The main beauty of the system is the accuracy it affords us,” says Jonathan. “We take moisture metre readings to identify where water is needed and adjust individual sprinkler heads accordingly, targeting areas with reassuring success.

“We are one step ahead with our new Toro system rather than on the back-foot with our previous one. As opposed to fighting fires just to keep the grass alive we are now able to focus on keeping the plant in optimum health, and will be able to do so for as long as I’m a greenkeeper, and then some.”

Flexible and transparent, Reesink’s strong relationship with a proven financial partner means it can offer some very competitive deals over one to ten years. Payment plans can be monthly, quarterly, or annually and clubs can finance through hire purchase (HP) or lease.

Alongside Toro irrigation, Coventry Hearsall plans to continue using Toro machinery long into the future, too. According to Jonathan: “Toro provides very useable machinery that is of the highest quality. With the best mowers on the market, we know we will always get the best results for our course.”

Brett concludes: “Our Toro ‘Total Solutions’ package has been instrumental in helping us to maintain and elevate our reputation as a premier golf club in the Midlands. Word is out about the quality of our greens and our membership is now full with a waiting list; put simply, the package has been successful in making us successful.”

For more information, visit: reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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Get Straight With Glyphosate

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Get Straight With Glyphosate: Glyphosate has been in the news again recently, and as groundcare professionals look to their 2019 weed control programmes, Roundup Technical Development Manager Barrie Hunt gives an update on legal and best practice information to help plan ahead.

Q. What is the legislative situation with glyphosate at the moment?

A. Glyphosate was formally re-Approved on 12th December 2017 by the European Commission.

Q. How long has glyphosate been approved for and what does that mean for Roundup products?

A. Glyphosate, as an active substance, has been approved for a period of 5 years. The second stage of the process is the reauthorisation of the individual glyphosate products and this is currently ongoing. Both Roundup ProVantage and ProActive have been submitted for reauthorisation and we expect that process to be completed by the end of the year. In the meantime, both products continue to be fully available.

Q. Are they stocked by the same range of distributors?

A. Yes, there have been no changes to distribution agreements and you can still order Roundup products from your usual merchants.

Q. Are there any new restrictions on using glyphosate products?

A. The major change to product availability affected glyphosate products containing POE-t, also known as ethoxylated tallow amine, which is a surfactant to help wet the leaves. Since the end of June 2018 products containing POE-t are no longer authorised for use or storage. No Monsanto amenity glyphosate products contain POE-t.

We are not aware of any changes of use or label restrictions and in our product re-authorisation applications we have applied for the full range of existing uses.

Q. One of my local authority clients has expressed concern about using glyphosate in public open spaces such as parks. How can I put their mind at rest?

A. Roundup has been used successfully and safely for more than 40 years. Roundup ProVantage and ProActive act on the target’s enzyme system, which is unique to plants and not found in humans, animals, fish or insects. Roundup products have been widely used for over 40 years and their safety has been assessed by Pesticides Regulatory Agencies from all over the world, including the World Health Organisation.

As part of the recent re-Approval process, the European Food Safety Authority and the European Chemicals Agency both assessed glyphosate in detail and concluded that it can be used safely and does not cause cancer.

People, pets and wildlife need not be kept out of treated areas, although it is best not to walk in areas where the spray is still wet as transfer to other vegetation may lead to unwanted damage to other foliage. Once the spray is dry this cannot occur.
A leaflet explaining how Roundup works is available to distribute to clients and to the public – contact the helpline on 01954 717575 for copies.

Q. Is there anything I can do as a contractor to help ensure that glyphosate remains available for use in the future?

A. Always use chemical products in accordance with the label recommendations and all applicable pesticide legislation, and in conditions where the active ingredients can work most effectively to avoid the risk of resistance.

Although there are no known cases of glyphosate resistance in the UK, it is a very real threat, and amenity professionals should have a Resistance Management Strategy in place.

This includes using the correct dose rate of a reputable, approved glyphosate product, treating at the correct weed growth stage with correctly calibrated equipment and in good conditions; using other active ingredients and non-chemical methods of weed control as part of an Integrated Weed Management Plan.

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