Dennis & SISIS conclude bowls seminar programme

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Dennis & SISIS conclude bowls seminar programme: Dennis and SISIS recently concluded their annual bowling green maintenance seminar programme, and by all accounts it was another huge success.

Committed to educating greenkeepers and raising the standards of bowling greens, Dennis and SISIS have long supported the sport of bowls. Their bowling green maintenance seminars continue to go from strength to strength with delegates praising them for helping make an improvement to their greens.

Dennis & SISIS conclude bowls seminar programme

Dennis & SISIS conclude bowls seminar programme

The 2023 programme saw renowned Turf Consultant Alan Lewis kick-start each seminar. In his presentation, which focussed on renovations and maintenance, Alan discussed best practice including tips on brushing, scarifying, spraying, verticutting, aerating and watering.

The experienced Stuart Yarwood, North West Technical Manager for DLF and Johnsons Seeds, then advised attendees on how to choose the correct grass seed and top dressing before the focus turned to mowers.

Delegates stepped on to the green to hear from Andy Walker, Field Support Manager for Dennis and SISIS, on how to get the best performance from a mower. In this popular ‘Mower School’ feature, Andy drew upon his 40 plus years of experience to provide tips on everything from operation to the maintenance of mowers.

Dennis & SISIS conclude bowls seminar programme

Dennis & SISIS conclude bowls seminar programme

After a complimentary lunch, an on-green demonstration was carried out and all delegates got to see many of the maintenance tips both Alan and Andy mentioned in their presentations performed by a range of Dennis and SISIS turf maintenance equipment.

The seminars were rounded off with the popular ‘Turf Clinic’ question and answer session, where delegates got the chance to ask some of their own questions to the experts.

It was the first ever seminar for Peter Jones from Ponciau Park Bowling Club in Wrexham, after recently taking over the maintenance from the local authority.

“We found as a club, probably due to budget constraints, that the green had been neglected so we have started to have more member involvement,” he said. “Today has been very informative, I picked up lots of tips, and I wish more of our members could have attended.”

Brian Sullivan, from Hargrave and Huxley Bowling Club in Cheshire, said: “The seminar was very detailed and there was so much information to take in. It was informative, enlightening and I learnt a lot.”

Dennis & SISIS conclude bowls seminar programme

Dennis & SISIS conclude bowls seminar programme

Echoing Brian’s thoughts was Jonathan Brown from Broughton Holdings in Stafford. “It was great from start to finish and there were so many excellent speakers. I particularly found the machinery set-up session to be beneficial and it was brilliant to see some equipment in action.”

Further information about the range of bowls maintenance products available from both manufacturers can be found by visiting www.dennisuk.com / www.sisis.com

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow Dennis on Twitter @DennisMowers and SISIS @SISISMachinery. You can like the Facebook page – www.facebook.com/DennisMowersUK and www.facebook.com/SISISMachinery. You can also view the latest Dennis and SISIS videos by visiting www.youtube.com/DennisMowers and www.youtube.com/SISISMachinery.

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More gardening power with Makita

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More gardening power with Makita: Leading power tool manufacturer Makita has expanded its impressive gardening and landscaping portfolio, with the launch of two new cordless pruning saws – the DUC101 and UC100D.

DUC101 18V Pruning Saw Brushless LXT

Designed with a 100mm bar and chain and equipped with a powerful brushless 320W motor, the new DUC101 pruning saw offers chain speeds of up to 8m/s to make garden and orchard pruning tasks a breeze. With a lightweight and compact construction, users can easily manoeuvre the tool to make quick work of pruning tree branches and thick bushes.

More gardening power with Makita

More gardening power with Makita

One of the standout features is its tool-less chain change and tension adjustment mechanism which negates the need for any additional tools. Plus, with the automatic chain lubrication and chain oil view window, users can easily keep track of the saw’s oil levels and ensure smooth and precise cutting performance.

The DUC101 features a lock-off lever accessible from both sides, a rear hand guard, and a moveable guard that gradually opens wider as the saw chain cuts deeper into the branch.

UC100D 12Vmax Pruning Saw Brushless CXT

Makita has also added the 12Vmax UC100D CXT pruning saw with 100mm chainsaw bar and chain to its outdoor line-up. With a lightweight, compact design and a soft-grip handle this tool is ideal for smaller cutting jobs. Like the DUC101, it features automatic chain lubrication and a chain oil view window, so users can ensure that the chain is always properly oiled for maximum performance.

The UC100D includes a number of safety features such as a lock-off lever accessible from both sides, a rear hand guard, a moveable guard, and an electric brake to help prevent accidents.

Kevin Brannigan, Marketing Manager at Makita UK commented: “Our cordless gardening products help our customers handle their projects with more ease, control and freedom on site. The latest pruning saws are a great addition to any tool collection thanks to their excellent design and powerful brushless motor.”

The pruning saws are part of Makita’s wider spring collection of product launches which also includes the 350mm 18V LXT DUC357 Brushless Chainsaw, which joins the 300mm DUC307 Chainsaw that was launched earlier this year.

To find out more about Makita’s latest products, visit www.makitauk.com.

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Heathland course on top form with ISEKI

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Heathland course on top form with ISEKI: Working hard to restore this beautiful heathland course back to its former glory, Ipswich Golf Club with its 9-hole and 18-hole courses just keeps getting better every year.

The driving force behind all this is Graham Brumpton, Course Manager who has dedicated his last 33 years to developing the course, gradually introducing heathland elements back and managing the woodland areas to allow the natural habitats to thrive.  With numerous industry awards for best environmental golf course and conservation greenkeeper, wildlife and environmental concerns are a high priority for the club.

Heathland course on top form with ISEKI

Heathland course on top form with ISEKI

With all these projects and constant renovation, Graham has a team of 9 staff to carefully nurture the golf course, and with that workload they require numerous pieces of machinery.  Their previous ISEKI tractor was in need of replacement after over 25 years of hard graft.  Another compact tractor with a higher horse power was required, so following demonstrations with different manufacturers the ISEKI TH5370 ticked all the boxes!

Graham explained; “What sold it for us was the versatility of the tractor, with the 1,200kg lift capacity, loader and 35hp high torque engine. We use the machine for so many jobs on the course include aerating, brushing the fairways and topdressing.  Another reason we particularly chose the TH5370 was for the width of the tractor itself, we needed a tractor to power the Pro-core and ensure there was no overlap, at 1.3m wide it was perfect for the job!

“Alongside powering the implements it is used for all greens work, towing the trailer to carry bunker sand and divot material around the course, then transporting the greens mowers to each hole. So versatilityand operator friendly with very intuitive controlswas important asthe whole team use the tractor.

“We have a long-standing relationship with our local dealer Ernest Doe Groundcare and ISEKI, however we always ensure we buy the right equipment for the course making sure we look across the marketplace, ISEKI were hands down the best option!”

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Using Attraxor for growth regulation

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Using Attraxor for growth regulation: A Scotland based golf club has explained the key benefits of using Attraxor for growth regulation and the suppression of Poa annua.

Head greenkeeper, John Cunningham, based at the Isle of Skye Golf Club, explains that he has been using Attraxor for the past two years on golf greens and surrounds.

Using Attraxor for growth regulation

Using Attraxor for growth regulation

Officially formed in 1988, the Isle of Skye golf club boasts an 18 hole course across 9 greens, nestled at the foot of the Red Cuillins. The club welcomes golfers of all ages and abilities to visit and enjoy the wonderful scenery it has to offer.

John discussed the reason he began using Attraxor at the Isle of Sky Golf Club: “I began using Attraxor mainly as a growth regulator, and I believe it is the best growth regulator on the market. Its longevity out performs other competitors.”

Attraxor has been shown to effectively regulate growth of managed amenity turf. The active substance, Prohexadione-calcium, inhibits the gibberellic acid pathway, which results in a reduction of turf height and turf biomass. Root growth is also promoted through use of Attraxor whilst turf colour and quality are maintained.

John confirmed: “Using Attraxor has led to lower maintenance levels across the course, resulting in a reduced need to cut and roll.”

Attraxor also limits the spread of annual meadow grass, Poa annua, by reducing seed-head production and physiological weakening. John states: “Attraxor has obliterated Poa annua seed heads. It’s absolutely fantastic and very quick acting.”

John has also noticed that there has also been improvement in grass quality: “Since using Attraxor the sward has thickened, providing a smoother, more uniform putting surface”.

John was very impressed with the results from using Attraxor compared to other PGR products: “I have previously used other alternatives, and none work as well as Attraxor. Its longevity also outperforms other competitors.

“Using Attraxor has reduced costs, there’s no doubt about it. The growth regulation results in less cutting and less rolling. It’s a win-win all round.”

To find out more about Attraxor, visit https://www.pestcontrol.basf.co.uk/en/Products/Overview/Growth-Regulator/Attraxor.html#section-benefits

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Convenience is key with Toro MVP kits

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Convenience is key with Toro MVP kits: Now more than ever, any opportunity for businesses to reduce the cost of goods is welcome, so Reesink Turfcare is reminding customers about its Toro MVP kits.

Standing for Multi Value Packs, these kits save 20 percent on the cost of the individual parts for over 100 different maintenance issues such as rebuilding rollers, replacing hydraulic hoses or overhauling cutting units.

Convenience is key with Toro MVP kits

Convenience is key with Toro MVP kits

Michael Hampton, Reesink Turfcare parts manager, comments: “One of the greatest money vacuums on the golf course is machinery downtime, but with an MVP kit ready to go you can both protect your equipment and see it working all season long. The thing about machinery parts is that they’re not really needed until something has already gone wrong. With Toro MVP packs, you’ll never be caught short in a crisis – any genuine Toro part you need is right there conveniently packaged in one handy box.”

Toro’s MVP packs are all about convenience and minimising downtime, enabling customers to respond quickly to problems so that their turfcare machinery can spend less time in the workshop and more time working. Having everything in a single package makes ordering and completing the job easier.

Michael continues: “At this time of year, productivity is key so machines need to be able to perform constantly and consistently. You can’t always prevent hiccups with machines, but having an MVP kit on the shelf means you can get a machine back up and running quickly without wasting time sourcing individual parts as issues arise.”

MVP kits are also ideal for keeping on top of routine maintenance, having parts to hand making the process hassle-free. And it’s not just the maintenance itself that’s made easier with MVP kits, they allow for more accurate forecasting when setting budget aside for parts and servicing too.

“When things get busy at this time of year, there’s always that temptation to run turf machinery harder and longer without proper maintenance. The kits also provide instructions on when to carry out maintenance depending on the model and number of hours of use so that operators can prevent issues before they ever happen,” Michael adds.

Toro MVP kits are a smart investment, ordering is easy and handy presentation boxes make storage easier. For more information contact distributor Reesink Turfcare’s Toro parts department on 01480 226800, email info@reesinkturfcare.co.uk or visit reesinkturfcare.co.uk.

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