Efficiency meets durability with GKB Sandspreader

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Efficiency meets durability with GKB Sandspreader: Maintaining top-tier playing conditions at North London’s Stanmore Golf Club is a constant balancing act – particularly with the ever-changing challenges posed by the climate.

After 31 years at the club, Course Manager Barry Neville know what it takes to keep the course in shape, which begins with the right machinery to deliver both efficiency and outstanding results. With a new SP100 from GKB Machines, the team now have a robust, versatile topdressing solution to support ongoing course renovation and drainage works.

Efficiency meets durability with GKB Sandspreader

Efficiency meets durability with GKB Sandspreader

Set on challenging London clay, the course — originally an inland links — has evolved into a mature parkland layout, now grappling like most with more prolonged periods of rainfall and the need for drainage improvements. Together with seeking to improve efficiency of routine topdressing, Barry explains that this multi-year programme drove the demand for a new, reliable solution. “Our previous dresser had served us well for close to two decades so the process of finding its replacement wasn’t taken lightly. We looked at a good few options, but the GKB Sandspreader really stood out. Seeing it at BTME 2025 then again at the Doe Show, the build quality was apparent immediately” he says.

“Not only could you tell the steel construction was robust, we also liked the fact the Sandspreader uses hydraulic controls rather than electric. A lot of modern kit is becoming more complex which is fine when it works, but in the real world with the weather and conditions in which we operate, things eventually go wrong” Barry says.

The SP100 was delivered by dealers Ernest Doe in June 2025 once the machine had been fully equipped to meet the club’s unique requirements. “Filling the trenches after the installation of the new drainage has been a labour-intensive task, with a lot of barrowing, tipping and backfilling by hand. This is manageable on greens but for fairways and larger areas, it just wasn’t efficient” he explains. “The ability to swap out the spinning discs of the SP100 for a cross conveyor has proved to be a gamechanger.”

Together with transforming the task of topping up trenches, the SP100 has also been impressing with the routine topdressing around the course. “We’ve dressed the greens twice with it and it’s gone faultlessly. If we get out first thing in the morning, the job is done by 9:00am and within a couple of hours the light dressing is brushed in so the golfers hardly even notice.”

“In addition, we’ve been using the conveyor system to top up bunkers which is already presenting a major time saving.”

Looking ahead, Barry foresees the versatility of the Sandspreader will pay dividends across the course. “Together with routine topdressing every couple of weeks, we’ll be looking to put 100 tonnes of material through it during our maintenance week in August. With the hopper slightly larger than our previous machine, we also have the potential to dress our fairways in the future. It’s a futureproofed purchase.”

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Trilo appoints Ravenhill as new dealer

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Trilo appoints Ravenhill as new dealer: Trilo are pleased to announce the appointment of Ravenhill as their new authorised dealer for customers in the north and north-east of Scotland.

With immediate effect, the team will be responsible for the sales, support and service of the full Trilo portfolio of vacuum collectors and multipurpose maintenance equipment adding to a well-established line-up of leading groundcare brands.

Trilo appoints Ravenhill as new dealer

Trilo appoints Ravenhill as new dealer

With multiple depots across Scotland and a strong reputation in the agricultural, construction and groundcare sectors, Ravenhill is ideally positioned to expand Trilo’s presence and provide localised expertise to end users including contractors, landscapers, sports and amenity grounds teams. With an extensive range of compact tractors, mowing equipment, utility vehicles and more, the expert team at Ravenhill are well placed to support and supply machinery to suit requirements around the maintenance calendar.

On their appointment, Ravenhill commented “We are delighted to welcome Trilo on board further strengthening our groundcare product line across the region. We are excited to showcase the Trilo range of machines over the coming months and demonstrate their performance and versatility to our customers.”

Jeremy Vincent, UK Sales Manager for Trilo added, “With years of proven experience, we are confident that existing and new Trilo customers will be in safe hands with the team at Ravenhill. Their reputation for excellent customer service combined with their in-depth knowledge of the local market makes them an ideal partner to represent the Trilo brand.”

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STIHL launches new battery-operated blower

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STIHL launches new battery-operated blower: STIHL’s BGA 160 battery-powered blower offers landscaping teams a convenient and quiet means of cleaning surfaces and paths, effortlessly tackling such tasks with a high air flow rate of up to 940 m3/h. When compared with the powerful BGA 250 hand-held blower, the BGA 160 offers longer working times and a lower blowing force.

A welcome support for removing leaves, grass cuttings and debris from paths, driveways, and green spaces, the BGA 160’s blowing force can be controlled using the trigger and locked into place with a built-in cruise control.

STIHL launches new battery-operated blower

STIHL launches new battery-operated blower

A boost mode can be activated by fully compressing the trigger for 21 newtons of blowing force, with the setting constantly available over the tool’s entire operating time, should it be required.

For ultimate ease-of-use, this new professional machine has a compact design and a curved blower tube, resulting in reduced wrist strain and excellent manoeuvrability.

In addition, thanks to STIHL’s Sound Engineering, the blower’s higher pitched frequencies and noise peaks have been eliminated, making it exceptionally quiet to operate, ideal for noise-sensitive areas.

As part of STIHL’s AP System, the BGA 160 meets the requirements for professional use, drawing power from a 36 V lithium-ion battery. Use with the AP 300 S is recommended, which provides sufficient energy for up to 110 minutes on the low power setting and up to 15 minutes in boost mode.

The battery-operated BGA 160 can also be used in the rain and is IPX4 certified, enabling it to meet the professional user’s needs all year round.

To find out more about the STIHL BGA 160, visit www.stihl.co.uk

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Hunter Irrigation Makes an Instant Impact

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Hunter Irrigation Makes an Instant Impact: Keith Porter, Grounds Manager at Leigh Sports Village in Greater Manchester, is celebrating his 18th year at the helm of one of the UK’s fastest-developing sporting venues – and with the installation of a new Hunter irrigation system supplied and supported by KAR UK, he’s now seeing the benefits of precision technology across every blade of grass.

The new system has delivered a game-changing level of control and consistency for Keith and his dedicated six-person grounds team. Installed by Irrigation Control as part of a major hybrid pitch redevelopment in June last year, the Hunter system includes GT-885 and I-80-ON sprinklers designed to deliver performance, reliability, total top serviceability, and full even coverage of the pitch. It is combined with the ACC2 controller and Centralus software.

Hunter Irrigation Makes an Instant Impact

Hunter Irrigation Makes an Instant Impact

“We’d seen the technology at the BTME event in Harrogate and knew it was a step up,” says Keith. “You can access the heads without digging up the pitch – which is massive on a hybrid surface – and the throw from the heads is brilliant. With the I-80s, even the central sprinklers reach right out to the touchline. We’ve now got 100% coverage, and that makes a huge difference.”

Previously, uneven watering created inconsistency in turf condition, with areas occasionally drying out and underperforming. The new system has eradicated that issue.

“With the old irrigation system, it was hit and miss – now it’s perfectly even. No dry patches, no burning off. It’s not just about aesthetics, it’s about performance and safety too. Even in windy conditions, the whole playing surface is getting what it needs. It’s transformed our matchday prep.”

Leigh Sports Village – home to rugby league club Leigh Leopards and Manchester United’s Women’s and Development teams – has experienced a steady rise in profile and popularity, with regular games, training sessions, and even film shoots becoming part of the busy schedule.

The small team manage far more than just the stadium pitch – the entire site includes additional grass and synthetic pitches, a leisure centre, hotel, supermarket, and even a college campus. Despite the workload, Keith credits the investment in technology and ongoing support as vital to keeping up with demand.

“We’re left to manage things ourselves, and we’ve always had the backing when we’ve made a case for investment,” he explains. “The irrigation system was another example of the council trusting us to choose the right tools for the job.”

Control and ease of use have also proven key benefits. With Hunter’s Centralus control system, the team can operate the irrigation from anywhere – even at home – via smartphone, handheld remote, or laptop.

“It’s really simple. Any of the lads can pick it up and use it,” Keith adds. “You can run individual heads or sections for spot treatments or liquid feeding. You’re not restricted to a one-size-fits-all cycle – it’s totally flexible. That saves water, time, and effort.”

Hunter Irrigation Makes an Instant Impact

Hunter Irrigation Makes an Instant Impact

KAR UK, the UK’s leading supplier of Hunter irrigation equipment, played a key role throughout the project. Their technical support and advice proved instrumental in the system’s successful integration.

“Lee Williams from KAR UK has been great,” says Keith. “He was involved right from the start and has always been on the end of the phone. Any advice we needed, he was there. It’s been a smooth process.”

With the stadium pitch now fully covered and performing better than ever, Keith is already looking at future upgrades. “Our external pitches are older systems, but as heads start to go, we’ll be replacing them with Hunter – it’s the way forward.”

As Leigh Sports Village continues its impressive rise, Keith’s team – and their irrigation – are keeping pace.

“With the Hunter system in place, we’ve got confidence in the coverage. It’s made a big difference,” Keith concludes.

For more information, please visit www.karuk.com

You can also follow KAR UK on X and Instagram @KARUK_LTD for much more news, reviews and insightful views.

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Dunstall Park Teams Up With STRI Group

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Dunstall Park Teams Up With STRI Group: The team that supports the Wimbledon Championships’ world-famous lawn tennis courts has been appointed to oversee the development of the UK’s first greyhound racing track in a decade.

Based in Yorkshire but operating internationally, STRI Group specialises in the design construction and management of natural turf and artificial sports surfaces with more than 96 years’ experience.

Dunstall Park Teams Up With STRI Group

Dunstall Park Teams Up With STRI Group

Its team still contributes to the management of Wimbledon’s grass courts, with other projects including the most recent FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the 2022 Commonwealth Games and 2012 London Olympics.

Now, the group will help construct the UK’s newest greyhound racing track at Dunstall Park in Wolverhampton in partnership with Arena Racing Company.

The new track is being developed using the latest welfare driven evidence and sustainability practices ahead of a planned autumn launch. It will feature 75-metre straights, with a bend radius of 47-metres and width of 5.6 metres and sit inside the venue’s horse racing track in full view of its 25,000 capacity grandstand.

Dr Christian Spring, STRI Group Principal Scientist, joined in 2005 and has been working closely with the greyhound racing industry for seven years.

“Our understanding of greyhound racing tracks and how they can operate to the best of their ability on a consistent level has shifted significantly in recent years,” said Dr Spring.

“We factor in all aspects when striving to deliver the highest quality welfare driven racing surfaces, from weather patterns to bend widths and radius plus camber and the sand we use.

“Dunstall Park will deliver the blueprint for an optimal greyhound racing surface designed to host several weekly fixtures under the widest possible range of conditions.”

Once open, Dunstall Park will host four weekly fixtures and operate as one of five greyhound stadia under the management of Arena Racing Company – the UK’s largest racecourse operator.

As part of ARC’s existing partnership with STRI Group, Dunstall Park’s grounds team will work closely with Dr Spring and his team to ensure year-round best practice is applied using the latest evidence-driven track maintenance guidance.

The new track will also be capable of recycling 700,000 litres of water through a purpose-built attenuation tank which will capture disused water and rainfall to minimise the impact on the environment.

Dr Spring added: “Greyhound racing stadiums were typically built decades ago when weather patterns we experience were very different and more seasonal.

“We’re far more susceptible to prolonged periods of wet and dry weather, as this year has proven. It’s prompted everyone to consider how we source water when preparing tracks for racing so stadiums can be resilient to the weather.

“It might sound basic, but the attenuation tank has been designed using cutting-edge technology so water loss to evaporation and soil absorption is minimised and provides the grounds team with enough water to operate for days, enhancing the tracks water resilience.

“We’re turning a pipe dream into reality, and it’s an exciting project for the team to help deliver.”

An opening date for Dunstall Park Greyhound Stadium will be confirmed in the coming weeks.

The track will host its first major competition on Friday, October 24, with the 93rd renewal of the £20,000 Premier Greyhound Racing Oaks. To celebrate the track’s first Category One final, free admission will be available to all racegoers.

Additional information will be released nearer the time.

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