Firm to expand customer service in Yorkshire

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Firm to expand customer service in Yorkshire: GGM Group continues to demonstrate its commitment to service excellence and support for its customer & supplier partners with the announcement of its intention to open a new service centre this Spring, in a move that will also bring jobs to the area.

The forthcoming launch of the new centre, in the Wakefield MBC area, which will have a focus on serving customers throughout Yorkshire in Groundscare, Agriculture and Arboriculture with after sales support, including mobile engineers and spare parts supply.

Firm to expand customer service in Yorkshire

Firm to expand customer service in Yorkshire

GGM offer a comprehensive portfolio of leading land-based machinery including Kubota and Baroness in Agriculture & Groundscare and Golf respectively as well as many others; together with cutting-edge solutions from FSI stump grinders, and TP Woodchippers within Arboriculture. With an extensive product offering, GGM can provide machinery of superior quality, that is both high performing and offers increased levels of efficiency.

As a tractor and machinery dealership, GGM supply equipment to sectors including professional groundscare, estate management, golf and other sports clubs, local authorities and the agriculture and arborist markets. The business has served Yorkshire for many years and with a growing portfolio of Yorkshire-based customers, the Service Centre aims to localise and improve customer support and GGM’s ability to meet customer needs in the region.

GGM Group have recently been awarded the 2024 Service Dealer UK Professional Turf Care Dealer of the Year award. Having also won the award in 2014 and 2019 this accolade recognises the company’s ongoing commitment to excellence in the industry. The company also achieved the Kubota Gold Plus Service Excellence Standard in 2023, awarded only to companies who offer the highest after sales service levels, so whether customers are looking for parts, service or technical advice GGM are committed to exceeding customers’ expectations.

Drawing on the vast experience and knowledge of the award-winning teams in Colne and Haydock, the company aims to create a team to ensure customers will be looked after at every step of their journey, with on-the-doorstep expertise at hand.

Chris Gibson, Managing Director of GGM Group said:

“This an extremely exciting time for the GGM Group. We already have a strong customer base in Yorkshire and it seemed the right time to enhance our customer service offering in the region. As a business, our competent team are committed to delivering first class customer service and support and the Yorkshire service centre will only add to this”.

The new service centre will open up job opportunities for service and support staff in the area and interested applicants should visit https://www.ggmgroup.com/about-us/job-vacancies/

GGM is a specialist supplier of tractors and high-quality professional equipment for commercial use in Groundscare, Tree care and Agriculture across Yorkshire and the North-West of England, with existing depots in Colne and Haydock.

With a proven record of delivering a trusted service and exceptional after sales support, driven by a set of deep-rooted values, GGM takes pride in building long lasting customer relationships, based on anticipating needs, solving problems and delivering on time, every time.

GGM Group are also proud to be a living wage employer, as well as being an ISO and CHAS accredited supplier.

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Wiedenmann Super 500 to super charge rough management

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Wiedenmann Super 500 to super charge rough management: Panmure Golf Club in Carnoustie, Angus, has added a Wiedenmann Super 500 sweeper collector to its fleet, principally for rough management duties.

“Our last machine had over 30 years’ service; but as conditions needed to be dry for it to collect, it limited us to cutting rough in September. Changing the dynamics of the golf course at that stage of the season, didn’t suit, so we knew it was time for a replacement,” explained Head Greenkeeper, Gary Nicoll.

Wiedenmann Super 500 to super charge rough management

Wiedenmann Super 500 to super charge rough management

With the arrival of the Wiedenmann Super 500 in mid-January, Gary says it has brought renewed vigour to their programme.

“Our programme was in a good place, but a few areas had become tricky and unmanageable. I always knew the new machine would turbo-charge efforts. We can work in different conditions, even when it is damp or if there’s frost. It just powers through. When you start it up, it just sounds efficient and full of energy, literally, it is tearing through everything, cutting and collecting in one pass. We cut against the way the grass is lined up, so it’s a more aggressive cut. We are also reaching into areas previously off limits. We run it with our Wiedenmann Terra Rake. We’re about to spray sulphate iron as we have a bit too much moss. Our rake will take out rank grasses and we’ll  go in again with the flail and give it another tidy up. We’re just mastering how to judge the hopper capacity, but I couldn’t be more pleased with our choice.”

As well as a Wiedenmann Terra Rake and Super 500, the club has a Whisper Twister Blower and a Terra Spike GXi 8 HD deep aerator.

Installation and induction training was by Wiedenmann UK’s lead demonstrator, Andy Kerr and Mike Lindsay, Area Sales Manager, from local dealer. Fairways GM, at Kinross.

The Carnoustie site has 14 acres of managed grassland. The historic course combines the best elements of links and heathland, with tight fairways, challenging carries, undulating greens and sandhills forged by nature.

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Toro irrigation delivers immediate results

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Toro irrigation delivers immediate results: The new Toro irrigation system at Royal St David’s has brought almost immediate changes and noticeable results to the traditional links course on the west coast of North Wales.

The project involving Toro, Reesink Hydro-Scapes, Adrian Mortram Associates and Green Irrigation has increased membership, income and ranking for the club.

Toro irrigation delivers immediate results

Toro irrigation delivers immediate results

Links Manager Rhys Butler says: “The goal was to irrigate just the right amount to keep the grass alive, we wanted to promote the fast-running links game, without overwatering and having soft surfaces.

“We suffered a series of dry springs and droughts, and the fairways especially were struggling for recovery. We needed a system that could give us control of the moisture on all areas to keep good grass coverage and consistency of playing surfaces even in times of drought.”

With an incredible 46 years of service from the club’s previous Toro system, Rhys was impressed with Toro’s performance and longevity and how it had met the course’s needs. He was also impressed with the service from Reesink Hydro-Scapes, which meant he didn’t look anywhere else when the time came to proceed with the full upgrade.

The project commenced in the spring of 2022 and completed in early November of the same year. All new mains and controls were required as was full fairway irrigation for the first time. The club chose the Flex series of sprinklers on greens and fairways, T5 Rapidsets sprinklers on all tee surfaces and 590GF sprinklers for newly installed walkways and the entire system is controlled using Toro’s Lynx Control System with LSM technology.

Robert Jackson, Division Manager for Reesink Hydro-Scapes, explains how the system has provided Rhys and his team with to-the-second runtime accuracy across all newly installed stations via either the central controller or remotely using Toro’s smart app.

He says, “Using the app in the field gave a level of flexibility and control to be able to water dry spots, water in wetting agents and be minimalistic with water application as is natural for a links course. Water is now used wisely, as and when it is needed.”

At conception of the installation the grass was visibly starting to strain and as each hole was turned on the difference was almost immediately noticeable to members thanks to the new irrigation system accuracy and targeted watering.

The result is healthy turfgrasses and maximised efficiency of resources, to which Rhys adds: “The project was a resounding success and has transformed Royal St David’s Golf Club: membership has increased, visitor income has doubled, and our rankings have improved. This is because the irrigation system has given us moisture control on the golf course to produce great playing surfaces.”

Further details on the project can be found at reesink-hydroscapes.co.uk.

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George Browns delivers the full package

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George Browns delivers the full package: A package of Baroness and Kubota equipment, supplied by George Browns Ltd, is playing its part in the ongoing investment and development across 11 courses that make up Mytime Active.

More than just supplying first-class machinery, Regional Grounds Manager for the midlands Dave Cole emphasises the importance of the ‘outstanding’ back up support and service they’ve received from all George Browns departments which has helped to keep their ambitious maintenance plans on track.

George Browns delivers the full package

George Browns delivers the full package

Mytime Active comprises of 11 sites – offering nine and 18-hole rounds together with footgolf at locations throughout Birmingham, Bromley and Hampshire. Specifically in the midlands under the remit of Dave and his team of 20 are six courses, three of which are the beneficiaries of the latest batch of machinery upgrades. “In taking our greenkeeping practices to new heights, we’ve completely re-kitted out three courses with the expert help of George Browns” he explains.

“Our experience with them as a dealer has always been second to none; whether that’s William Montgomerie giving us the tailored, expert advice when it comes to machine specification and on-site training, or James Bailey in their Daventry service department who is phenomenal at technical support. As we all know, the grass doesn’t stop growing if your equipment goes down! George Browns understand the pressure of time and the importance of getting fast answers, resolving any issues quickly and going above and beyond to get us up and running.”

The new fleet of equipment installed in September 2024 consists of a Baroness GM2810, LM331 and two LM311 all-hydraulic triplex mowers along with an RTV-X1110 from Kubota. “We’ve run Baroness mowers for years and find them to be bulletproof.” Dave continues, “The cutting cylinders are industry-leading and we’ve definitely witnessed a reduction in disease occurrence on our greens because of the outstanding sharpness and cut quality.”

“The Baroness machines alone give us fantastic versatility on our fleet. They’re capable of working on all ground conditions, and by adjusting the height of cut we can mow multiple areas on our multiple sites to a very high level.”

On his Kubota RTV-X1110, Dave describes it as a fantastic all-rounder! “Like the Baroness machines, the RTV is incredibly comfortable and easy to operate, and it’s become our main method of transporting people and materials around the course. It was thoroughly put through its paces over the wet autumn and winter months and it never let us down, no matter how wet it was.”

He summarises, “As we continue to develop our sites around the country, we’re delighted to have the right equipment and support around us thanks to George Browns, helping us to achieve our goals both on and off the course.”

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Kyle Walker To Host GMA Industry Awards

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Kyle Walker To Host GMA Industry Awards: The Grounds Management Association (GMA) is delighted to confirm that renowned sports broadcaster Kyle Walker will host the GMA Industry Awards 2025.

With a broadcasting career spanning Sky Sports, Premier League Productions (PLP) and the BBC, he has become a familiar face to sports fans, presenting programmes such as The Transfer Show, Saturday Social and Sky Sports’ ePremier League coverage.

Kyle Walker To Host GMA Industry Awards

Kyle Walker To Host GMA Industry Awards

His love for football has led him to interview many high-profile figures in the sport, including his namesake, AC Milan and England defender Kyle Walker.

In 2018, he landed his own show on BBC Radio Manchester, The Dead Good Show, before moving to BBC 5Live to host Talking Balls from 2019 to 2020. He also became a regular reporter for BBC Football Focus and Match of the Day.

He soon became the presenter of Sky Sports’ Transfer Show, the host of the Sky Sports ePremier League Show and a regular on Saturday Social and The Early Kick Off Show. His on-air talent was recognised when he was nominated for an SJA Award in The Ones to Watch – On-Air category.

2022 saw him co-present Sky Sports’ ‘Good Morning Euros’ and he was also a key part of Sky Sports’ coverage of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Kyle Walker, GMA Industry Awards host, said: “I’m really looking forward to hosting the GMA Industry Awards and celebrating the work of grounds teams up and down the country. These are the people who make sure playing surfaces are in top condition, and their work often goes unnoticed. It’s going to be a fantastic night, and I can’t wait to be part of it.”

The GMA Industry Awards, the leading celebration of professional and volunteer grounds staff, return in 2025 to recognise contributions across a range of categories within the industry.

Taking place at the iconic Anfield Stadium, home of Liverpool Football Club, on Thursday 13 March, the awards are an unmissable occasion to acknowledge the talent within the entire grounds management sector.

Geoff Webb, CEO of the GMA, said: “We’re really pleased to have Kyle Walker hosting this year’s awards. He’s got a fantastic energy and a real appreciation for the work that goes on behind the scenes in sport. The GMA Industry Awards are all about celebrating the people who make sport possible, and I know that Kyle will help us to shine a spotlight on their achievements.”

Tickets for the GMA Industry Awards 2025 are available from £110 (GMA Member price). Experience the awards amongst the industry’s finest and celebrate the achievements of grounds staff at every level.

Further details about the awards, including ticket information and sponsorship, can be found here: gmaindustryawards.uk

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