Terrain Aeration celebrates 50 years

Terrain Aeration celebrates 50 years

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Terrain Aeration celebrates 50 years

Terrain Aeration’s Terralift system celebrates 50 years of successful deep aeration treatment of bowling greens, sports turf, golf clubs, parks, trees and more.

Terrain Aeration celebrates 50 years

Terrain Aeration celebrates 50 years

At the end of September, when bowling clubs are thinking about carrying out end of season maintenance, aeration is a concept that is thought about but rarely addressed. Scarifying, re-seeding, and top dressing are on the front line of the main budget planning. Forgotten are the days when games had to stop play because the ground was waterlogged. A nuisance at the time, but now is the time to bring this problem up at a committee meeting and address it.

The Terrain Aeration Scamper Terralift machine was designed 20 years ago to be able to access most bowling greens. The Scamper Terralift machine hammers a hollow probe (1 1/2″ ( 37mm width) one metre into the soil before releasing a controlled blast of compressed air, to a maximum of 20Bar/280 psi. This pressure is monitored or changed by the operator, so there is a slight movement of the top surface before the turf settles back down. Then, the operator knows that he has aerated the ground from one metre to the top surface. On the tail end of the release of compressed air, dried seaweed is incorporated which sticks to the walls of the fractures and fissures created by the main air blast.

Over a period, the seaweed expands and contracts with the moisture content of the soil, swelling and contracting – similar to breathing underground, helping to keep the fissures open longer. The machine uses 2m centre spacings on a staggered grid pattern, each shot interconnecting with the previous ones, ensuring the whole area is aerated and decompacted. The probe holes are backfilled with an aggregate, with the top 1″-2″ backfilled with normal top dressing material. Once this deep aeration treatment has taken place, it would not be required for at least another 10-12 years, so it is extremely cost-effective. Deep aeration treatment of a green takes around 5 to 6 hours. The engine/compressor unit is kept off the green with an umbilical air hose to supply the compressed air, thus reducing weight on the green as well as having to start and stop the machine every two metres.

It is preferable that the greenkeeper slits or hollow tines before the Terrain Aeration treatment, to relieve the surface tension so the air can gently blow through those top holes. The treatment can take place before top dressing and re-seed. but if ground conditions at that time deem the green too wet, then the end of season maintenance can continue and later, the Scamper Terralift can come in and aerate the green. There is enough time to fit this in before March of the following year. Terrain Aeration has at times even treated a bowling green mid-season – one had a black squidge where the bowler’s back foot was placed. If the treatment hadn’t taken place, that green would have played itself out until the end of the season. It would not have been repaired/replaced. That green survived and is going strong many years later. One club commented that after Terrain aerated their green on one of their matches, rain stopped play. They found that they could only have one pint from the bar before the green had drained away of water and play could continue.

A final point. Clubs considering laying in drains will have disruption to their green, but still have compaction panning in between the drain runs. With a track record of treating greens for over thirty years, it’s certainly worth Terrain Aeration taking a look before committing to the expense of laying drains.

Terrain Aeration works nationwide, providing deep aeration relief for waterlogging and flooding  for bowling greens, sports grounds, amenity areas, golf courses, public spaces and house builders.

Terrain Aeration 01449 673783 www.terrainaeration.co.uk

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Gullane reclaims 40 hours a week using Toro

Gullane reclaims 40 hours a week using Toro

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Gullane reclaims 40 hours a week using Toro

Gullane Golf Club in East Lothian, which operates three championship courses, took delivery of four Turf Pro 500 robotic mowers in April following a successful trial programme with Toro and the autonomous technology specialists from Reesink Turfcare. Since then, it has seen savings of up to 40 labour hours every week.

Gullane reclaims 40 hours a week using Toro

Gullane reclaims 40 hours a week using Toro

The introduction of this new technology reinforces the club’s commitment to innovation just a year after completing a full Toro fleet refresh.

“I’m always considering what’s best for the golf course, what’s best for the golf club and what’s best for the staff,” says Paul Armour, Course Manager. “We’re constantly looking at ways to move things forward and I think this is definitely the future.

“Ten years ago I wouldn’t have believed we’d see this so soon, but the industry is facing ongoing staffing challenges and technology like this helps us use our people more effectively.”

Working overnight across 16 fairways, the autonomous mowers allow the greenkeeping team to focus on detailed course presentation and agronomic work.

“We’re saving between 30 and 40 hours a week during the growing season,” Paul confirms. “The four machines are cutting four fairways each, overnight, so the golfers never see them working.

“When we first discussed the technology, some of the team asked if it would replace greenkeepers,” he says. “The answer is absolutely not. We’re still looking for staff and, with three golf courses to maintain, we never have enough people.

“What it’s done is free our team from spending hours sitting on machines. Instead, they’re hand mowing more areas, spending more time on bunker maintenance, trimming and presentation work, and focusing on the finer details that make a difference to golfers.”

Beyond labour savings, the club is already seeing additional operational benefits. “These mowers are rotaries not cylinders, yet the quality of the cut is very good. They don’t collect the grass clippings; these are left on the surface and that’s potentially feeding the grass and improving it. Results from this will take some time but it looks like it could be another promising benefit to using these machines.”

The autonomous fleet complements the club’s wider sustainability programme, including solar-powered charging infrastructure. “We installed solar panels in 2025 and are increasingly using renewable energy to power our growing fleet of electric equipment, the Turf Pros included. This brings significant fuel savings and there’s less oil and less servicing.”

The Turf Pro fleet is currently operating across Gullane No.1, No.2 and No.3 courses, with charging stations located around the site. Following installation and mapping support from Reesink Turfcare, all four machines were operational within 10 days.

While the technology required an initial learning period, Paul says performance has exceeded expectations.

“It’s been pretty seamless,” he says. “Like anything new, there’s a learning curve, but the support from Toro and Reesink has been excellent. The team has embraced it and some of them now help manage the machines, monitor schedules and look after the fleet, which increases their skill set.”

Discover how Toro autonomous and robotic solutions could benefit your course by calling distributor Reesink Turfcare at 01480 226800, emailing info@reesinkturfcare.co.uk or visiting reesinkturfcare.co.uk.

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Avant Tecno’s Charity Golf Day raises over £10,500

Avant Tecno’s Charity Golf Day raises over £10,500

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Avant Tecno’s Charity Golf Day raises over £10,500

Manufacturer of compact multifunctional loaders, Avant Tecno, recently held a charity golf day with the goal of raising funds for the East Anglian Air Ambulance.

Avant Tecno’s Charity Golf Day raises over £10,500

Avant Tecno’s Charity Golf Day raises over £10,500

Held at Suffolk Golf Club in Bury St Edmunds on 9th July, the event brought Avant dealers, partners and industry contacts together for a day of golf, networking, food and fundraising in support of the lifesaving charity.

With fundraising initiatives including sponsored holes, a raffle and a charity auction, Avant exceeded its target, raising an impressive £10,526.

“What a fantastic day – it was an honour to bring our network together to play golf for a good cause! A huge thank you to everyone who attended, donated and helped us surpass our fundraising goal for such an important charity that helps save countless lives around East Anglia” says Raimo Ala-Korpi, Managing Director of Avant Tecno UK.

The East Anglian Air Ambulance charity provides advanced critical care to the most seriously ill and injured people in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk, by air and road.

Funded by public donations, the charity’s specialist doctors, critical care paramedics and pilots deliver advanced treatment, equipment and medication directly to patients, giving them the best possible chance of survival.

Following the announcement that Cambridge Airport – one of their bases of operations – is closing, coupled with rising fuel costs, the East Anglian Air Ambulance now relies on public support more than ever.

“Without funding, the East Anglian Air Ambulance simply couldn’t continue providing the rapid, lifesaving care that so many people depend on. That’s why we’ve stepped up to show our support, holding an event that not only raises money, but also spreads awareness for the incredible work that the charity delivers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year” adds Raimo.

After the round of golf, the charity event moved from the green to the clubhouse, featuring a BBQ, a charity raffle and auction, with prizes including a signed England rugby shirt, a golf holiday in Portugal, a luxury spa break and a week’s hire of both an Avant loader and a Leguan spider lift.

The tournament’s top golfers were also announced, with the Longest Drive going to Harrison Ferris, an impressive individual score of 44 points for Dan Hill and the Norwich City team taking top honours with 94 points to lift the coveted Avant Trophy.

“We’re incredibly grateful for the generosity shown by everyone who attended. After the overwhelming support, we’re already looking forward to hosting another charity golf day in 2027!” concludes Raimo.

Founded in Finland in 1991, Avant Tecno are the world’s first producer of the compact loader – a multi-functional machine built to tackle a wide range of tasks with ease and efficiency.

With over 200 attachments designed to meet the needs of their customers, Avant loaders support productivity across construction, plant hire, agriculture, landscaping, equestrian and property maintenance applications.

For more information about Avant Tecno, visit https://www.avanttecno.com/uk

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Sandwell Park Golf Club Appoints Greg Evans

Sandwell Park Golf Club Appoints Greg Evans

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Sandwell Park Golf Club Appoints Greg Evans

Sandwell Park Golf Club has appointed Greg Evans MG Ltd under a Level 2 management agreement, which commenced on 1 January 2026.

Sandwell Park Golf Club Appoints Greg Evans

Sandwell Park Golf Club Appoints Greg Evans

The agreement includes twice-monthly visits, agronomic advice and management support. Working closely with Course Supervisor Alex Brasenell and the greenkeeping team, Greg will advise on course management and help guide the club’s long-term development programme.

The immediate priority is to improve the condition and presentation of the greens, tees and approaches. To support this work, the club is also strengthening its greenkeeping team under Alex’s leadership.

Over the last two years, Sandwell Park has installed a new Toro Lynx irrigation system across the greens, tees and approaches. Installed by Green Irrigation, the system allows more precise irrigation management, improving turf health while making better use of available water.

Planning is underway for the next phase of the club’s course improvement programme, funded through the sale of surplus land. The programme follows a design audit undertaken by leading golf course architects Mackenzie & Ebert.

Planned work includes bunker improvements, tee reconstruction and levelling, tree management, selective tree removal and improvements to greens drainage. The plans will also reopen historic vistas and help restore the course’s original heathland character.

The club’s soil-based greens date back more than 125 years and are a key focus of the long-term investment programme. Improving their drainage will enhance year-round performance while preserving their character.

Terry Bray, Course Director, said:

“The appointment of Greg Evans MG Ltd is an important step in the continued development of the golf course. Greg’s experience and independent advice will complement the work already being carried out by Alex and the greenkeeping team, helping us deliver our immediate priorities while planning for the future.

“We’re looking forward to working together as we continue to invest in the course for the benefit of our members and visitors.”

George Hogan, Chairman, said:

“This management agreement forms part of the club’s long-term commitment to improving the course. Alongside our recent investment in irrigation and the wider course improvement programme, Greg’s appointment brings additional expertise to help guide our plans.

“We are committed to preserving the character of Sandwell Park while investing carefully in its future.”

About Greg Evans MG Ltd

Greg Evans MG Ltd provides independent agronomy, management and advisory services to golf clubs across the UK. Its services include agronomy audits, management agreements, course development planning and project management.

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DSV – EuroGrass to showcase the latest innovations in premium turfgrass

DSV – EuroGrass to showcase the latest innovations in premium turfgrass

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DSV – EuroGrass to showcase the latest innovations in premium turfgrass

Visitors to GroundsFest 2026 will have the opportunity to discover the latest developments from DSV – EuroGrass in Hall 1, Stand 29, where the team will be showcasing market-leading grass seed varieties and mixtures designed to deliver exceptional performance across the sports turf, amenity and golf sectors.

DSV – EuroGrass to showcase the latest innovations in premium turfgrass

DSV – EuroGrass to showcase the latest innovations in premium turfgrass

A key focus on the stand will be two exciting grass varieties, EUROGALA and FLANELL, both of which are exclusively available in EuroGrass mixtures. Attendees will be able to view samples, speak to the DSV team and find out why these varieties are generating so much interest throughout the industry.

FLANELL has already established itself as one of the UK’s top-performing perennial ryegrass cultivars, ranking second in the prestigious S1 Sports Table in the BSPB Turfgrass Seed Booklet, sitting just behind another outstanding DSV variety, Euromagic. Exclusively available within the EuroGrass PRO Pitch mixture, FLANELL delivers exceptional sports turf performance, making it an exciting addition for grounds professionals seeking elite playing surfaces.

Alongside FLANELL, EUROGALA continues to impress across both ornamental and sports turf applications. The variety became the first in Germany to achieve the highest possible rating of 9 out of 9 for ornamental turf in the country’s official recommendation list and has also excelled in trials conducted by the German Football Association, demonstrating rapid, reliable germination, excellent winter establishment and fast ground cover. EUROGALA also holds one of the highest average scores in the STRI turf variety rankings, combining outstanding visual quality with excellent wear tolerance, an attractive mid-green colour and superb all-round performance, making it a highly recommended choice throughout Europe.

Golf course managers should also take the opportunity to learn more about EuroGrass PRO Links Fairway, a specialist fescue-only mixture developed specifically for links golf fairways and roughs. Designed for low-input maintenance regimes, the mixture delivers excellent drought tolerance while maintaining outstanding turf quality. It includes the newly listed MENTOR hard fescue alongside carefully selected creeping red and Chewings fescue varieties, providing exceptional density, resilience and year-round performance for fine turf environments.

The full EuroGrass range reflects DSV’s ongoing commitment to breeding and developing high-quality turfgrass varieties that combine excellent establishment, wear tolerance, disease resistance and visual appeal. Whether maintaining elite sports pitches, golf courses, landscaped areas or public spaces, visitors will be able to explore mixtures tailored to a wide range of applications and discover how the latest breeding innovations can help deliver stronger, healthier and more sustainable turf.

Visit DSV – EuroGrass on Hall 1, Stand 29 to explore the latest varieties, speak with the experts and discover the next generation of high-performance turfgrass solutions.

Please visit www.dsv-uk.co.uk for more information.

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