Polaris adds Gammies Groundcare to dealer network

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Polaris adds Gammies Groundcare to dealer network: Polaris Off Road is pleased to welcome Gammies Groundcare to its UK dealer network. Based in Forfar, Scotland, Gammies Groundcare provides its products and services in the surrounding 50-mile radius including across Angus, Fife, and Aberdeenshire.  

After being founded in 1968, Gammies Groundcare began with a focus in agricultural equipment. As the business grew, the focus changed from agricultural machinery to groundcare equipment and Gammies was soon acknowledged as the equipment specialists in and around Aberdeen and Angus.

Polaris adds Gammies Groundcare to dealer network

Polaris adds Gammies Groundcare to dealer network

Supplying a huge variety of equipment including lawn, garden, agricultural, horticultural and groundcare equipment as well as being part of the A.M. Phillips group, it seemed only fitting to expand the range to offer Polaris Off Road Vehicles.

“Polaris provides such a great depth of vehicle range which our customers are looking for,” said Les Gammie, Branch Manager. “The product development and innovation is incredible it is something we feel our customers would benefit from. We really like the way that Polaris vehicles can be customised with the hundreds of accessories they offer.”

Gammies Groundcare will offer the full Polaris line-up including the RANGER, Sportsman and RZR brands as well as the Youth line-up.

As well as offering the full line-up, Gammies has its own workshop which is filled with experienced engineers who provide servicing, repair and maintenance of an extensive variety of equipment, including the brands they sell and more. Gammies’ engineers provide services both onsite and in the workshop.

For more information on Gammies Groundcare visit: https://gammies.co.uk/.

For more information, please contact the Polaris ORV Media Office at press@polaris-orv.media.

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Microdochium Trials Days at Origin Amenity Solutions fully booked

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Microdochium Trials Days at Origin Amenity Solutions fully booked: Origin Amenity Solutions (OAS) has run its second successful event looking at the current UK research into Microdochium management on Tuesday 21st and Wednesday 22nd November.

The informative trial days were held at the state-of-the-art OAS Turf Science & Technology Centre in Dunmow, Essex.

Microdochium Trials Days at Origin Amenity Solutions fully booked

Microdochium Trials Days at Origin Amenity Solutions fully booked

OAS Research & Development Director Geoff Fenn comments, “We have been overwhelmed by the positive response to our ‘Microdochium Trial Days’.  We initially marketed this as a one-day event, but the places filled up incredibly quickly, so we extended this to a second day, which again was full in no time. In total, we hosted almost 200 delegates over the 2 days.”

The informative event offered delegates the opportunity to visit several stations around the research centre, discussing products and best practices to manage Microdochium and maintain healthy turf over the Autumn/Winter period.

Geoff Fenn discussed the importance of collecting data to optimise application timings. Discussions included growth ratio, clip volume, nitrogen inputs, and potassium inputs. The new OAS Agronomic Tracker to record this information is now available – use the QR code below. If you need any support on how to use this, please contact OAS on 0800 138 7222.

Agronomy and Technical Manager, Kelly-Marie Clack presented the 2022/23 trial results of adopting the 20-20-30 + Mantle programme using UK Growth Potential to build an IPM plan. Kelly discussed how to integrate the new biocontrol, Harmonix from Envu, into programmes successfully. Elsewhere, Trials & Digital Platform Manager Angus Finlayson demonstrated the positive results of using OAS Dewcure, penetrants, and robotic dew removal, to reduce leaf wetness.

OAS Product and Sales Manager Kevin Scarce gave an overview and demonstration of TurfKeeper, the company’s web-based portal that gives turf industry professionals a fully integrated operations and management solution. The system provides complete control and transparency over staff management, task planning, machinery management, inventory control, chemical applications, and budgeting. He explained how information can be recorded in Turfkeeper.

Dr. Deidre Charleston, Research Manager from the microbial arm of OAS delivered a workshop on building a suppressive soil to support your disease management plan.

Finally, Phil Logan from Envu and Origin Amenity Solutions Technical Manager for Chemicals Peter Corbett spoke in detail about the latest technologies in biocontrols. They discussed managing disease and the benefits of Harmonix Turf Defense, exploring a Preventative versus Curative approach to turf management.

Geoff concludes, “OAS is fully committed to continuous improvement within the industry, exploring new product solutions; testing, and producing data for the market. These trial days are a prime example of this, and the team and I are delighted with how successful they have been and the positive feedback we all received.”

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Could grass intruder cause the trend of plastic carpet?

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Could grass intruder cause the trend of plastic carpet?: Look all around you and there is grass thriving everywhere – on road verges, in parks and on hillsides. And 40 years ago, it was the same in our gardens. Back then, your average lawn was an amazing thing. It might not always have been in tip-top condition, but it soldiered on, year after year.

So why do so many modern lawns fail? Why is failure almost built-in?

Could grass intruder cause the trend of plastic carpet?

Could grass intruder cause the trend of plastic carpet?

Welcome to one of the biggest mistakes or cons in the history of lawn care.

The idea is brilliantly simple – sell a product you know will eventually fail, let the users blame themselves for not doing things right – and they’ll keep coming back to buy some more. And what is that product?  Ryegrass; is a grass sold for its strength, its fast germination and its good colour. But ryegrass was never intended for lawns and wasn’t used in lawns before the 1990s. And it has NO place in them today.

Let me tell you about this ‘apparent ‘wonder grass…

Some say it is a native species, having been around since at least the 1600s. But back then this coarse perennial grass was sown and grown as cattle feed. Yes, you read that right!  Fast-forward to the 1980s and some enterprising seed breeders created a much finer ryegrass specifically for use on winter sports grounds. It’s a tough grass, just what’s needed to cope with the rough and tumble of football.

Just ten or so years later, in the 1990s, this wonder grass suddenly starts to flood our gardens, added to our native fescue seed mixes.  Hurrah, they cry, it’s just what gardeners have been asking for, a tough and fast-growing grass that can withstand the rigours of modern family living!  And a drought-tolerant species too. That’s all true, but…

… it’s what they didn’t tell you that counts.
In the 1600s, farmers were sowing new ryegrass each and every year. And today the footie pitch maintenance crews are sowing new pitches each and every year. Because if they didn’t, they would soon have bare soil.

The science is really simple to understand. All grass plants have a finite life and need replacing. But our traditional grasses do most of that all by themselves. A brand new bent or fescue plant grown from seed will grow more plants (sideways) through shoots and stolons, and these in turn will grow more plants sideways, and so on – hence, a healthy native lawn is pretty much self-sustaining.

Ryegrass doesn’t do this. One plant is only ever one plant. When it dies, that’s it, no little baby grasses to carry on the family line. No, the only option is to go out and spend more money on more seed and start again.

That’s why the grass is killing your lawn

Keeping a ryegrass or majority ryegrass lawn thick and lush requires repeated reseeding. So, as your lawn starts to look thin and bare, you go off to buy some more of this “wonder grass” seed. Ker-ching go the shop tills, and up go the shareholder dividends as gardeners buy more grass seed than ever before.

So, avoid the ‘failure’ seed and buy instead what has always worked.

What about those hillsides, mountains, parks, road verges and all those houses pre-dating 1990? Why aren’t those grasses dying off each year? It’s because they are predominantly traditional British bents and fescues and other native species– the same grasses we always had in our lawns until the great ryegrass robbery took off.

Don’t let your lawn fail!

We need healthy living lawns. They oxygenate the air we breathe. They remove CO2. They support biodiversity. They play a key role in our collective battle to stop killing the world and everything that lives on it.  Listen to what nature tells you!

And it’s so easy! All you have to do is read what it says on the packet. If the seed includes ryegrass, we’d suggest to put it back on the shelf.

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Gleneagles state-of-the-art irrigation system

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Gleneagles state-of-the-art irrigation system: Gleneagles, the iconic Scottish hotel and global luxury destination, has commenced a state-of-the-art irrigation project on its Jack Nicklaus-designed PGA Centenary Course, former host to both the Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup.

The significant five-month project will further enhance playing conditions across the 18-hole championship golf course and will see the installation of a new, highly-efficient Rain Bird irrigation management system that will help reduce both water usage and power consumption.

Gleneagles state-of-the-art irrigation system

Gleneagles state-of-the-art irrigation system

Beneath the golf course, 24.5 miles of new pipework will be laid along with 33.5 miles of cabling, and 1,414 individual sprinkler heads will be strategically positioned so water can be applied more accurately over an eight-hour cycle, without the need to close the golf course.

Director of Golf at Gleneagles, Andrew Jowett, commented: “As we’ve come to experience prolonged dry spells in recent years, our significant investment in the latest irrigation technology will ensure we’re fully prepared to maintain the golf course to the very highest standard in the years to come.

“From a practical perspective, the new system will allow us to irrigate every mown area of the course, including greens and surrounds, tee complexes, approaches and fairways, under the control of individual sprinkler heads, from a handheld device, at any time.”

The PGA Centenary Course will re-open for play in April 2024. Tee time bookings can be made here: https://gleneagles.com/offers/tee-time/

Located in the heart of Scotland, and an hour from Edinburgh and Glasgow airports, Gleneagles remains the only venue in Europe to have staged professional golf’s most important team events (the Ryder Cup in 2014 and Solheim Cup in 2019). It also continues to be independently ranked as the UK & Ireland’s #1 Golf Resort*.

In addition to the PGA Centenary Course, members and guests can also experience two Top 100 ranked 18-hole James Braid classics in The King’s, a fast-running inland links-style design, and The Queen’s, regarded as one of the finest par-68 layouts in the UK.

Beyond the fairways, Gleneagles’ guests can unwind and relax at the award-winning hotel, where a wealth of food and drink options await, including The Strathearn, the theatrical Franco-Scottish dining experience, the Birnam Brasserie, a relaxed Mediterranean style restaurant serving the best Italian and French-style cuisine, or toast the day’s play in Auchterarder 70, overlooking the 18th greens of The King’s and Queen’s.

Gleneagles also boasts over 50 pursuits, including fly-fishing, falconry, cycling, off-roading, equestrian experiences and archery. Guests will also have use of a range of leisure facilities, including the pitch-and-putt course, lawn games and outdoor tennis courts.

*Golf World Top 100 Best Golf Resorts UK & Ireland ranking 2023.

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Polaris’ all-new Youth offers for Christmas

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Polaris’ all-new Youth offers for Christmas: With Christmas fast approaching, Polaris UK announces all-new offers on its Youth lineup with savings of up to almost £1,300 on select models when purchased from an official Polaris dealer, available until 24th December 2023.

Aiming to encourage young riders to take the games outside and discover new adventures in the beautiful countryside, Polaris has given parents even more reason to give the gift of adventure this Christmas with incredible discounts across its Youth side-by-side and ATV models. Customers can get almost £1,300 including VAT off the retail price of a RANGER 150 EFI, and almost £1,000 including VAT off the retail price of its Outlaw 70 EFI, Outlaw 110 EFI and Sportsman 110 EFI Youth ATVs.

Polaris' all-new Youth offers for Christmas

Polaris’ all-new Youth offers for Christmas

Providing the perfect gift for adventurous, adrenaline-seeking kids, Polaris Youth vehicles combine off-road fun with important safety, technology and performance features for parent’s peace of mind. Not only does an off-road vehicle give young riders a reason to get outside, but it is also a gift that will grow with them through the years thanks to adjustable riding options and flexible parent-adjustable speed limiters that can be used to adapt the machine to suit their age, experience and skill. With the entire full-size Polaris Off-Road line-up also available, it’s an activity the whole family can enjoy.

RANGER 150 EFI

For side-by-side performance that kids will love, the RANGER 150 is the industry’s first youth vehicle with smart safety features, making it the ideal vehicle for children to enjoy safely.

The RANGER 150 EFI is ahead of the safety game with Polaris’ all-new Helmet Aware technology which allows parents to pre-set the vehicle’s controls so it won’t start when the helmet beacon is out of range. Not only that, the RANGER 150 also features geofencing capabilities so parents can keep their kids in safe, set parameters whilst riding. From the Ride Command app, parents can control the ride boundaries and set specific speed limits for both inside and outside a geofenced area. Digital speed limiting ensures that kids are riding at the appropriate speed for their age, experience and terrain, and can be easily increased as they grow. The Youth RANGER also features password protection for the engine start, meaning that parents can control when the vehicle is being operated by simply entering a passcode to allow the engine to start.

At 150cc of power with electronic fuel injection, 8” of ground clearance and 22.7kg of storage capacity, the RANGER 150 EFI is ready for a full day of safe riding. Easily operated with automatic PVT transmission (forward/neutral/reverse), plus hydraulic disc brakes on the front and rear and adjustable seats with a tilt steering wheel for the perfect fit. For ultimate safety, every purchase of a RANGER 150 comes with two youth helmets, a safety flag and a training DVD.

Until 24th December, customers can save £1,279.80 on the purchase of a new RANGER 150 EFI, including VAT.

OUTLAW 70 EFI / OUTLAW 110 EFI

Delivering industry-leading safety features and benefits that are designed to grow with young riders, the Outlaw 70 EFI provides reliability you can trust for the next generation. The child-friendly ATV is equipped with advanced safety features for parents’ peace of mind, delivering convenient and reliable single-lever disc brakes, an enclosed engine, a parent-adjustable speed limiter to fit the rider’s age and skill level, and an industry-exclusive safety kit with a Polaris youth helmet, safety tether, training DVD and whip flag.

The upgraded 70cc engine and new ergonomic design are specifically sized for a wider age range for riders aged 6 and up, enabling young riders to enjoy the machine for longer. The Outlaw 70 also comes with electronic fuel injection (EFI) offering improved cold starts and LED lighting for improved visibility. All-new accessories include front-and-rear bumpers, a storage bag, a windshield and a decal kit that allows kids to customize the machine and make it their own.

The Outlaw is also available in a larger engine size – the Outlaw 110 EFI – to provide the next step up for the next generation. Featuring a reliable 112cc 4-stroke engine with electronic fuel injection, the Outlaw 110 EFI is aimed at riders aged 10 and up.

Until 24th December, customers can save £959.80 on the purchase of a new Outlaw 70 EFI, including VAT, as well as saving £999.80 on the purchase of a new Outlaw 110 EFI, including VAT.

SPORTSMAN 110 EFI

The Youth version of Polaris’ bestselling Sportsman ATV; the Sportsman 110 EFI features a reliable 112cc 4-stroke engine ideal for riders aged 10 and up, and boasts the same legendary handling prowess as its adult equivalent. Packed with youth-centred safety features that come as standard, like a speed limiting adjuster, safety flag, daytime running lights, a safety tether, a Polaris youth helmet as well as a training DVD led by Polaris certified trainers, the Sportsman 110 EFI is the ideal machines for kids looking for a comfortable ride and effortless handling whilst out on a big adventure.

Until 24th December, customers can save £999.80 on the purchase of a new Sportsman 110 EFI, including VAT.

Forget video games this Christmas; nature is our playground!

Find your local Polaris dealers on the Polaris Britain website here.

For more information on this offer, please contact your local dealer. Read the full terms and conditions here.

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