Headland Deliver Strong Fairways At Abridge GC

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Headland Deliver Strong Fairways At Abridge GC: In what was a challenging year for Greenkeepers up and down and the country, Course Manager at Abridge Golf Club Geoff Smith had no complaints with the way the course emerged from the prolonged period of hot weather. The fairways, in particular, came out looking better than ever, which he puts down to the timely installation of a new Perrot irrigation system, and his tried and tested nutritional programme from Headland Amenity. 

Geoff joined Abridge, a Regional Open Qualifier 2009-2013, as an assistant greenkeeper 17 years ago, on the back of learning his trade at The London Golf Club. “When I took charge 12 years ago in the autumn of 2006, I found out within my first 3 months at the helm that we were going to be hosting a large national tournament in the summer of 2007, which was a daunting challenge to say the least! I decided to call on the expertise of some trusted industry contacts – one of whom was Claire Harley of Headland Amenity.”

Headland Deliver Strong Fairways At Abridge GC

“All those years ago she recommended we apply Multigreen® 28-3-15 temperature-controlled release fertiliser on the fairways, a programme we still follow to this day.” Multigreen® is the only long-term fertiliser where nutrient release is governed by soil temperature only and not affected by other factors such as moisture, pH or microbial activity. Ideal for use on fairways, coarse turf or winter sports pitches, the prills contain their nutrients within a permeable resin-coating to prevent severe leaching loss.

“Abridge can be a bit of a grass factory but with the controlled release of Multigreen®, we get a consistent, healthy growth on the fairways that continues for months. Last year was a great test for our nutritional programme and we’ve emerged with flying colours!” Geoff applies Multigreen® once a year, and compliments this with a tank mix of TriCure and Elevate Fe, applied in September/October, to help in the management of Dollar Spot – another recommendation from Claire.

Geoff adds, “I have a great working relationship with Claire and know she’s always on the end of the phone if I need help or guidance. Undeniably, the Multigreen® feeds, together with a verti-drain and scarification programme, has helped me to produce fairways that our visitors and members describe as carpets! They love to play on them and that’s really what counts.”

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Vandals Cause Golf Course Closure

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Vandals Cause Golf Course Closure: Golf course bosses have been left gutted after vandals went on a spree at the site, forcing the course to close.

Bishopswood Golf Course, in Tadley, had to be closed today after, overnight, vandals caused extensive damage to the course’s greens.

Rakes and flags were used to cause the damage before they were either broken or thrown into the water hazards at the course.

General manager at the course Kevin Pickett said: “We have greenkeepers here who work hard and give a lot of dedication and then they come into work to see this, it is just gutting for them and for everyone.

“It is just malicious vandalism.

“We have had to close for the day which means there are loss of earnings for us, but it is more the time it takes to repair all of the damage.

“It has happened before with damage done to the course, but this is a bit more.”

Police say the damage was believed to have been done from between 7.30pm on Wednesday and 7.15am today though the golf course staff believe it was more likely to have happened yesterday evening.

It is hoped the course will reopen on Friday.

Anyone who saw anything suspicious or who may have any information about this crime is asked to call 101, quoting reference 44190062690.

Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Celtic Repair Vandalised Youth Pitch

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Celtic Repair Vandalised Youth Pitch: Celtic have stepped in to help out over 60 youngsters of Torrance FC whose pitch was vandalised recently, leaving their teams without a venue to play their games.

The pitch, which is near Celtic’s Lennoxtown complex, was turned over by tyre tracks at the weekend meaning that the Torrance club, founded by two Dads nine years ago for the local kids, faced heartbreak.

Celtic, along with turf care contractors, Allgrass Scotland, have stepped in to help Torrance FC who have youngsters from Torrance, Bishopbriggs, Kirkintilloch, Milngavie and Lennoxtown playing for the side.

The damage was discovered on Sunday morning, and David Gibson, coach at Torrance FC said: “When we went down there my heart just sank. Why would anyone do that, it’s mindless vandalism. They don’t care what effect it’s going to have on us or the boys.

“There is a lot of disappointment there in the parents. They’re all gutted to see that happening to the club, what a shame for the boys, we just don’t have anywhere now to play games, we don’t have a pitch to call our own.”

A Celtic spokesperson said: “We have no idea who was involved in this vandalism but we just wanted to help in some way.’

“Torrance sits very near our Lennoxtown training base and with the local club being set up with such positive aims to give local kids the chance to play football, it’s very important that they continue to have this opportunity.

“We are very happy to provide some assistance.”

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Borough Council Choose Imants ShockWave

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Borough Council Choose Imants ShockWave: Ribble Valley Borough Council has invested in their own Imants ShockWave to help alleviate compaction and get games on.

Chris Shepard, Head Gardener at Ribble Council has 14 sports pitches and the fields at Clitheroe Castle, a medieval construction that has been in place for 800-years, to look after as well as other non-sports areas across the Ribble Valley.

Borough Council Choose Imants ShockWave

The council had a desire to improve the drainage on the pitches and prevent fixture cancellations while improving other areas that were less problematic. To achieve this the decision to purchase a ShockWave was made and it has had a busy start to life during its first three months in Lancashire with the difference already visible.

Chris said: “There were some pitches that had some standing water, but it had got to a point where we needed to do something regarding drainage for all of the pitches and the land to put money back into it and improve our facilities and we thought to get better use in the winter periods that the ShockWave was the way to go.

“There has been a difference in some of the pitches we’ve used it on. There was one area that would always hold water but that’s gone now. It’s still a bit softer underfoot than the rest of the field but you’re not squelching water like you would have been.

“Once we go on that area again, we’ll be able to go deeper and get down to 18 inches and that’ll definitely help.”

The ShockWave is specifically designed to revitalise heavy wear areas by relieving soil compaction and in turn improve aeration and remove surface water. When doing the linear aerator causes very little disturbance, to the point that play can continue virtually straight away.

Borough Council Choose Imants ShockWave

For Chris this is an important factor when deciding when to deploy the machine because it can used close to fixture to provide maximum benefit without any risk of causing injury to players.

He said: “People can use the pitches on the same day we’ve used the machine and that’s a massive benefit because we don’t have to shut a pitch down for a week. It allows us to make a solid plan with the machine and work on the pitches when we want to and if an area needs to be worked on close to a fixture then we know that’s fine.”

The ShockWave comes in five different models with the depth ranging from 120mm-380mm. Often it is best to start at a shallower depth to relieve compaction before setting the machine to go deeper on a second run and alleviate any remaining problem areas.

For more information, visit: www.campeyturfcare.com

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Attila 98X A Hit At Glanusk

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Attila 98X A Hit At Glanusk: Harry Legge-Bourke, custodian, managing partner and trustee of the Glanusk Estate, believes that the ride-on Attila 98X brushcutter from Etesia has exceeded all expectation at the truly prestigious venue.

Situated in the beautiful countryside of the Usk Valley, Crickhowell, South Wales, Glanusk, which has been in the ownership of the same family since 1826, boasts 400 acres of private parkland, 800 acres of forestry, 3,500 acres of lowland and hill farms, the Park and forestry, 16,000 acres of Common Land hills and 5 miles of the River Usk. It also contains an array of historic buildings, including the iconic Tower Bridge, the ancient Celtic standing stones, the private chapel, farm buildings and stables, all of which are either Grade II listed or Grade II starred.

Attila 98X A Hit At Glanusk

Today, Glanusk features a multi-diversified business portfolio that includes weddings, farming, festivals, fishing, corporate events, unique holiday cottages and residential lettings. Within the Estate’s grounds there is also the third largest selection of Oak trees in the United Kingdom. This wondrous display of Oak is set to be unveiled to the public and it is for this reason that the Estate was in need of some new groundcare equipment.

“I was looking for a machine for a very specific requirement, owing to the fact we are opening up the Oak Collection,” said Harry. “I needed a machine which could prepare the ground for visitors.

“By chance, after looking on the internet, I came across Etesia. I then looked at the videos, found out a bit more about the product and contacted the company. It was an absolute priority of mine to see the machine in action and so within days Etesia, along with our local dealer Forest Park and Garden, came to the Estate to carry out a demonstration.

“On the day of the demonstration we were faced with horrendous weather conditions but the 98X absolutely proved its worth.”

Etesia’s Attila 98X ride-on brushcutter is reliable, efficient, comfortable and safe. The output, combined with 4-wheel-drive and performance makes it ideal for some of the toughest jobs. The 98X has a 98cm cutting width for more efficient working while eight cutting heights are available between 50mm to 120mm, with one transport position, which is easily adjusted with a centralised lever.

It can be used on slopes up to 30% and its strengthened structure welded tubular chassis offers its operators a better driving position. Furthermore, the electric start offers a high comfort level, rack and pinion steering, plus hydrostatic drive. Special attention has also been paid to sound and vibration levels to reduce them to a very low level – making it ideal for public areas.

“I have been using the Attila 98X throughout the Oak Collection, new plantation sites in the park and along the river bank – all day every day,” said Harry.

“I’m sceptical and I really didn’t think the machine would be able to do what it did. The demo was great but it is different when you sit on the machine yourself, and I have managed to do exactly what I wanted to do. The machine just cruised up and down and it destroyed everything that it needed to. The work would have normally been done by hand on that bank and taken two weeks, but that work with the 98X was completed in an hour.

“It has exceeded all expectation and you wouldn’t recognise the areas where we’ve used it. It is an outstanding bit of equipment.

“The Oaks area I could open tomorrow, with access right up the trees and pathways all clear – no hairy moments on that bank in the brambles either! I now consider myself an expert with the 98X and really know how to use it to its maximum capability.

“I would say that the stability and the cut are the best features of the machine.”

For further information, please contact Etesia UK on 01295 680120 or visit www.etesia.co.uk.

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow Etesia UK on Twitter and Instagram @EtesiaUK and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/EtesiaUK. You can also view the latest Etesia videos by visiting www.youtube.com/EtesiaUK.

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