Vandals Cause Golf Club Closure

/in , , /by

Vandals Cause Golf Club Closure: A popular golf course heavily damaged by vandals in Skagit County is now temporarily closed while crews replace more than a dozen greens.

Roll by roll.

Green by green.

A transformation is underway at Swinomish Golf Links.

As soon as a row of new sod is put down, crews pull it into place.

They then trim each of the edges.

It’s a process they’ll have to repeat 16 times due to the extensive damage vandals caused at the course last month.

“7-10 days…we’re hopeful we can get all of the replacement and repairs done,” Dallas Widmark, Lodge General Manager for the Swinomish Casino and Lodge.

If that timeline seems quick, it is.

Employees made the difficult decision this week to temporarily close the course after vandals sprayed a grass-and-weed-killing compound called Glyphosate on 16 of the course’s greens last month and spelled out a swear word on the 11th hole.

Damages could climb to more than $400,000, Widmark told KOMO News. About one-third of that will likely be in lost revenue, he added.

“Historically, in this part of the state, this part of the country, your golf season is really Memorial Day through Labor Day. And the fact that it happened when it did and being closed essentially 1/3 of the summer… maybe more… it’s incredibly impactful,” Widmark said.

The clubhouse and the driving range will remain, Widmark said.

So golfers like Jeff Yoder can continue to take lessons.

“I was angry. Wondering why somebody would do that to the golf course. I don’t know what they’re trying to prove, but it just seemed to me like a stupid move,” Yoder said about the damage caused by the vandals. “It’s a good course. People that work here are good to work with.”

Some of the greens will require new drainage systems, Widmark said.

Crews will try to salvage what they can, he added.

The hope is to get the course back open in early July after the new greens have been watered and given time to settle, Widmark said.

“I really think we’re going to do everything we can to turn this into a positive,” Widmark told KOMO News.

It’s a setback Widmark wishes would have never happened.

But he and his crew are already making plans for a big reopening, that could include a free day of golf for the entire community, he said. Donations could be collected to give to various charities and fundraisers that host their golf tournaments at the course.

“The support that we have received from the community has been amazing,” Widmark said.

The course does have insurance, so that could cover some of the cost for repairs, Widmark said.

The Swinomish Indian Tribal Community is still offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest in the case.

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Dennis Razor Top Of The List

/in , , /by

Dennis Razor Top Of The List: After Richard Ayling, grounds manager at Merchant Taylors’ School, compiled a shortlist of new potential machinery to purchase, the Dennis Razor fine turf mower beat the competition to receive a unanimous vote from himself and his team.

The illustrious Merchant Taylors’ School in Hertfordshire has a glowing reputation for good reason. It boasts first-class results both in the classroom and outside on the magnificent playing fields.

Dennis Razor Top Of The List

The site in total including the prep school is approximately 280 acres and that comprises of 80 acres of sports fields on the main school site, 20 acres on the prep school site while the rest of it is made up of buildings, lakes, lawns and woodland.

In managing the maintenance and upkeep of this vast area, it is safe to say that Richard, who has been working at the school for nearly 23 years, certainly has his work cut out. He heads up a team of ten which consists of groundsmen and gardeners – all of whom play a vital role. Therefore, when it comes to purchasing new machinery, Richard insists that it must be a team decision.

“We were looking for something that was fairly simple to use, had easy height adjustment and a nice balance,” he says. “I took my staff to SALTEX in November last year and had a good look round the show to see what was on the market. We looked at various machines and drew up a shortlist. After a couple of demonstrations we were all in favour of the Razor.”

Superbly balanced and ideal for cricket pitches and other fine turf surfaces, the Razor features a 560mm (22in), 11 blade cutting cylinder for a perfect finish. An ultra-short wheelbase ensures easy manoeuvrability and excellent performance, even on undulating surfaces. The Dennis Razor encompasses the simple ‘no tools required’ click height adjusters for quick and easy operation, a feature which particularly struck a chord with Richard and his team.

Dennis Razor Top Of The List

“Its ease of use is the best feature and I particularly like the click system on the height adjustment setting. The Razor was exactly the machine we were looking for.”

Richard purchased four Dennis Razors – one for the school’s lawn areas and three for cricket pitch preparations. The team normally start using the Razor 8-10 days prior to a game taking place and Richard was quick to praise the machine’s quality of cut.

“For cricket preparation we use the Razor to cut down to 3-4mm but they are superb for trimming off the squares as well and they cut nicely at 15mm too. Ultimately they produce a fantastic finish on every occasion.”

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact Dennis 01332 824 777 or visit www.dennisuk.com

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Family Business Wins Award

/in , /by

Family Business Wins Award: Small family business, Clearwater Pond & Lake Management, has earned the prestigious title of 2018 Otterbine Contractor of the Year.

The Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire-based team of four achieved the highest Otterbine sales figures by a considerable margin this year thanks to a passion for the brand, a drive to succeed, and support from Otterbine and its distributor Reesink Turfcare.

Clearwater owner, Tim Soane, says: “We are delighted to have won the award. It wasn’t without hard work, but selling such great quality products really helps. I think when you believe in Otterbine as much as we do, you’re half way towards being a successful contractor.

“A mention has to go out to Otterbine’s Reg Varney, Reesink’s Pete Newton, and Caroline Gilmore and Kevin Denton from the Reesink Parts department for all their support. We couldn’t do it without their help – the latter especially, as they ensure we receive the correct orders on time.”

When delivering high levels of customer service, Reesink’s back-up support is another helping hand that is, Tim says, ‘second-to-none’: “Knowing help is always on hand gives us and our customers great peace of mind. Add the invaluable knowledge we gained from Otterbine water management and product training courses to that, and we can confidently deliver smooth projects from start to finish.”

Reesink’s National Sales Representative for Otterbine, Pete Newton, comments: “Clearwater is incredibly deserving of this year’s award. It is a delight to work with them and reassuring to know how invested they are in the Otterbine brand. We hope our close partnership continues for many years to come.”

Clearwater’s highlight installation of year was at wedding venue Colshaw Hall in Over Peover, near Knutsford in Cheshire. Tim recalls: “The customer wanted a fountain in their lake for aesthetic reasons, providing a striking backdrop for wedding photographs. They have been delighted with the result. Then again, I haven’t had a single customer who hasn’t!”

As far as sales trends go, he notes: “The fountain units are always popular because they look so good. The bigger the better, they really capture the customers’ attention.”

For more information on Otterbine aerators and aerating fountains, contact Reesink Turfcare on 01480 226948, or visit reesinkturfcare.co.uk

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Toro Stays At Yeovil GC

/in , , /by

Toro Stays At Yeovil GC: Yeovil Golf Club in Dorset has been a long-term Toro customer and that remains the case with the arrival of new course manager Jason Connaughton who, within days of his arrival, placed an order for a Toro Groundsmaster 4000-D.

Jason says it was an exciting time to join the 27-hole parkland course as the club was undergoing a management restructure. He says: “The club is in a very exciting position. There has been a management restructure and we are working together to move the club forward in a positive way. Plans to buy in new machinery are well supported, and we are all in agreement that investment should focus on our number one asset: the course.”

As mentioned, first up is a Toro Groundsmaster 4000-D, which Jason had the pleasure of using extensively at his previous club, Saffron Walden Golf Club in Essex: “I have experience with most machinery brands and for me the Toro GM4000-D is the number one rough mower. We had just replaced like-for-like at Saffron Walden, so when I arrived at Yeovil and spotted the gap for a roughs mower I turned straight to Toro and the GM4000-D again.”

Jason didn’t have to wait long, Elliot Wellman from local Toro dealer, Devon Garden Machinery, was on site by Jason’s second day to discuss what was needed. Elliot says: “Over the last six years Yeovil Golf Club had gradually been filling the shed with Toro, and there is quite a comprehensive fleet now in place. Jason needed a roughs mower, and it’s no surprise his first order is a Toro GM4000-D, as he was already very familiar with its capabilities.”

Next, comes a bigger and more detailed decision to make: a five-year machinery replacement plan. Jason explains: “While the shed is looking good, the time comes when replacements need to be made. The board trusts us to pick the right machines for the right jobs, and we think a five-year plan will best serve the club and the results we want to achieve.”

In the meantime, we leave Jason and his greenkeeping team of eight continuing to move the club forward with the help of two Toro TriFlex 3400 mowers, a Groundsmaster 3500-D, two Workman MDX-D UTVs, a Workman with ProPass 200 sprayer, a Workman with ProPass spreader, a Reelmaster 5610, and last but not least a Reelmaster 3100-D.

For more information, visit: reesinkturfcare.co.uk

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

GKB Combinator Does What It Says

GKB Combinator Does What It Says

/in , , /by

GKB Combinator Does What It Says: Landscape and sports surface contractors Mumby Landscapes have taken delivery of a new GKB Combinator. Based at Deeping Gate just north of Peterborough, the company undertakes projects over a wide geographical area and initially purchased the Combinator for a project in Wales. Working with grass seeding, natural and artificial turf, Mumby Landscapes Ltd. regard the GKB machine as an essential addition to their range of specialised landscaping equipment.

“We tried the Combinator last year and were immediately impressed. It’s very well made and does everything it says. It’s an easy machine to work with and matches all our expectations.” Says Mumby’s Director, Mark Dew. The Combinator is a multifunctional fraise mowing machine with the option of three types of blade or chisel used in conjunction with the CombiRotor. It offers the capability of fraise mowing the surface layer of a natural sports pitch, or the natural grass and surface layer of a hybrid grass pitch without damaging the remaining synthetic fibres. You can also use the rotor shaft for scarifying and there is also a special brush for synthetic turf which enables you to remove sand, cork and rubber infill. Material removal is by way of conveyor belts and the working depth of the Combinator is easily controlled with the pendulum system of the conveyor rollers.

GKB Combinator Does What It Says

“The Combinator is such an all-round machine it’s ideal for our type of landscaping and sports pitch contracting,” says Mark. “We currently have plans for a joint venture in artificial pitch maintenance and the Combinator will be used for rubber and sand surface work. We’re confident the machine will stand the rigours of what’s ahead.”

For more information, visit: www.gkbmachines.com

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.