Three alternative cutting decks for Burnham Beeches

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Three alternative cutting decks for Burnham Beeches: Burnham Beeches Golf Club is located in the Thames Valley in south Buckinghamshire, 25 miles west of London, and is one of the latest clubs to take a package of Ventrac equipment. Delivered by local dealer, RT Machinery Ltd, the package includes a Ventrac 4520 all-terrain compact tractor unit together with a three different cutting decks and a trencher attachment.

Now in his 24th year at the club, Lee Bishop is the Course Manager where he leads a team of seven greenkeeping staff. Later this year the team will be expanding with the addition of a further experienced greenkeeper, an apprentice and two summer staff. He began his career at the nearby Harry Colt-designed Stoke Park Golf Club in 1992, before moving to Burnham Beeches as an assistant greenkeeper back in 1999. He then made the amazing leap from assistant greenkeeper to his current position of Course Manager in 2006.

Three alternative cutting decks for Burnham Beeches

Three alternative cutting decks for Burnham Beeches

“We are an established parkland course, now over 130-years old, and situated mainly on clay,” he said. “Therefore, we have a requirement to manage the trees and woodland margins that line the fairways and frame the greens. We can be wet after heavy rainfall.

“I first saw the Ventrac on social media and then I was invited by a very good friend of mine, Stuart Langhorn, the Course Director at Beaconsfield Golf Club to see the machine that he had bought. I was extremely impressed and contacted our local dealer, RT Machinery to arrange a demonstration. The management team were so impressed and we purchased the package within a couple of weeks of the demonstration!

“The Ventrac is so versatile that we purchased three different cutting attachments in the package; the Tough Cut deck is superb for managing our woodland margins; it takes down brambles and young saplings with ease and this helps to keep up the pace of play, making it easier for our golfers to find their balls after a wayward shot.

“The Contour deck is articulated at both ends and that makes it ideal for bunker surrounds and tee banks, but it has been a godsend during the winter months as we have been using it on our fairways when it is too wet to cut with our fairway mowers. We can get out when it’s wet and put some definition down; the members have noticed and we’ve had many favourable comments. The Triple Cylinder unit will be used for the perimeter fairway cut and this has enabled us to remove a dedicated machine from our fleet.

“The Trencher has been outstanding this winter. As I said earlier we can be wet after heavy rain, but the trencher enables us to get out and drain the wetter areas when we want. We are not reliant on contractors, we can do it in-house and in a timely fashion. I would recommend not severing power cables, though; National Grid are not too happy when that happens!

“Finally, a shout-out for Price Turfcare, RT Machinery and Tom Stidder. Price Turfcare, the importer, have been so reactive and professional to work with; RT Machinery are renowned for the way they treat customers and we can certainly support that and Tom Stidder, who did the installation training was extremely thorough and knowledgeable. That’s formidable support, all round.”

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Two new Corvus UTV dealers announced

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Two new Corvus UTV dealers announced: BOSS ORV continues to grow their UK dealer network with the announcement of two new Corvus Off-Road Vehicle dealers. The latest dealer in the South-West is I J Jones Engineering Ltd. Based near the south-west coastline between the towns of Totness, Kingsbridge and Dartmouth.

“Ian Jones will provide Corvus Off-Road-Vehicles’ coverage for BOSS ORV across South Devon,” says BOSS ORV MD Phil Everett. “It’s a big welcome to the Corvus family for Ian, Lexi and the team in Blackawton.”

Two new Corvus UTV dealers announced

Two new Corvus UTV dealers announced

I J Jones specialises in servicing, repairs, and spares for tractors, ATV and UTV vehicles, machinery and air conditioning. The company has more than thirty years’ experience having come under new ownership when Ian Jones took over on the retirement of the previous owners. Ian’s experience extends across the agricultural engineering and machinery sector in the UK, USA and Australia. When he took over the company, it became I J Jones Engineering and continues its legacy as a trusted maintenance and service provider as well as adding equipment hire and sales.

BOSS ORV is excited to announce another new dealer with top ground care dealers, Stuart Taylor’s based in the heart of Lancashire. “We are looking forward to working with Tom Taylor (pictured), Sarah, Martin and all the team in developing the Corvus brand throughout the region,” says Phil.

Established in 2003, Stuart Taylor International has a wealth of knowledge and experience in all types of grass care and ground care machinery, from tractors and diggers to pedestrian mowers. The company prides itself on its extensive coverage of the industry with a full range of pre and post-sales services. They are agents for many high-profile premium brands supplying new products and an extensive range of second-hand stock.

For more information about the Corvus Terrain range, you can call 01785 561046 E-mail: sales@bossorv.co.uk  Web: www.bossorv.co.uk

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Versatility when managing natural turf areas

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Versatility when managing natural turf areas: Managing a property with a huge variety of habitats and landscapes, sports fields, a golf course, formal gardens, lakes, woodlands and heathland areas, is the responsibility of Mark Dodd, the grounds and Gardens Manager at Wellington College in Crowthorne, Berkshiire. He and his team require different management techniques when maintaining the divesre areas on the 410-acre site.

To assist with this complex management puzzle, he has purchased a package of equipment from his local dealer, RT Machinery Ltd, which includes a 4520 all-terrain compact tractor unit, with attachments that includes a 72-inch Finishing deck, a Tough Cut deck and a Stump Grinder.

Versatility when managing natural turf areas

Versatility when managing natural turf areas

“We initially hired-in a machine with a Tough Cut deck to work on the banks clearing scrub on our 9-hole golf course, but quickly appreciated the opportunity the versatility of the machine could provide across the estate,” he said.

“Unfortunately for our Golf team, the machine is used almost exclusively by the Grounds team and that’s simple down to its versatility. The Finishing deck was initially purchased for use on our formal lawns, as it leaves a very pleasing stripe and presentation is very important here at Wellington.

“We used to cut our pitches with a ride-on cylinder mower, but the quality of cut from the Finishing deck is excellent and now we use it extensively on our winter pitches. The light footprint of the machine is another factor and we can continue our maintenance regimes, even in inclement weather.

“We hosted the Women’s Rugby Under-18 Six Nations Festival in April, which included three back-to-back matches over 10 days. It’s a quick turnaround and we cut the main pitch with the Ventrac and finished with our Dennis hand mowers.

“The design of the Ventrac has been well thought through; maintenance is easy and the mounting system allows for a quick and easy exchange of attachments. Add to this the responsive support from our dealer, RT Machinery, and we have a package that we are delighted with.”

Mark Dodd heads a team of 16 across three departments: Grounds, Gardens and Golf. He has been in his current role for the past two years, having joined Wellington in 2015. Prior to this he spent seven years at Benenden School and three years at Epsom College as Head of Grounds & Gardens.

www.priceturfcare.com

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Exhibitor demand fuels growth of SALTEX

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Exhibitor demand fuels growth of SALTEX: SALTEX is on track to have one of its biggest years yet as exhibitor demand sees the floor plan for 2023 increase by 20 percent to accommodate bookings.

Show organisers at the Grounds Management Association have confirmed early bird bookings are up ten percent from the 2022 show and there’s a 12 percent increase in exhibitor numbers with 6000 sqm of hall space already sold.

Exhibitor demand fuels growth of SALTEX

Exhibitor demand fuels growth of SALTEX

Sarah Cunningham, director of commercial and events at the Grounds Management Association, who has been joined on the sales team by Jill Rodham, comments: “Thanks to the early interest in the show the footprint has been increased by 3000 sqm to accommodate the extra demand for space from exhibitors, making it 20 percent bigger than the 2022 show. And plans are well underway for this year’s event with visitor registration due to open in early June.”

So, what does Sarah contribute this early success to? “That’s down to our incredible exhibitors. Those who are returning year after year thanks to continued success in previous years and an influx of new exhibitors who are keen to see what sales success SALTEX can bring them.”

New to the show are Asecos Limited, BigChange, EGHOLM A/S, FJ Dynamics, Grundfos Pumps Ltd, Hopespare Limited, Hubscape, QCR, Syngenta UK Ltd and Watermatic Ltd. New World Sports and Trafalgar Cleaning Equipment were last at the show in 2019 and 2017 respectively and are coming back in 2023.

A successful early bird signing period has also led to big industry names returning to SALTEX including Baroness, Dennis and Sisis, Husqvarna, ICL, Kubota, Ransomes, Reesink UK, Toro and Weibang amongst many others.

Sarah continues: “The 2022 show confirmed the confidence visitors and exhibitors have in SALTEX – it’s an event worth their time to attend. Deals happen, learning takes place and networking is enjoyed, all in a place conveniently located for most of the country. To be in the 77th year of a show and still commanding this level of commitment from the sectors we represent, is proof that the show is as relevant now as it ever was.

“I think people appreciate this is a show which contributes significantly to the growth and success of the industry. SALTEX and the Grounds Management Association work hand in hand – SALTEX is powered by the GMA and in turn SALTEX feeds into the GMA’s extensive work in supporting, and raising the profile of, the groundscare industry in all its guises.”

The show takes place at Birmingham NEC on 1-2 November 2023. Exhibitors wishing to secure their place at Europe’s largest free sports turf, amenities, and landscaping trade exhibition, should contact GMA Sales Manager, Jill Rodham at jrodham@thegma.org.uk or 07754 552405.

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Flete Estate improve environment with switch to Foamstream

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Flete Estate improve environment with switch to Foamstream: Flete Estate, home to Mothecombe Gardens, have eliminated herbicide use and created a more environmentally friendly space for both people and pollinators, by switching to Foamstream from Weedingtech.

Sustainability has always been a focus for the family-run estate situated in a picturesque part of South Devon and now, under the management of John Mildmay-White, the site is another step closer to being completely organic and chemical-free.

Flete Estate improve environment with switch to Foamstream

Flete Estate improve environment with switch to Foamstream

John took over the running of the estate from his father in 2019, which includes Mothecombe House, the public Mothecombe Gardens and a number of holiday cottages, boasting views of the beach and Erme estuary. “My father converted the home farm to organic in 1990 and my mother has been creating a haven for pollinators in the garden which is the legacy I am looking to build on” he explains. “One of the issues I was keen to tackle was the use of herbicides on areas like our gravel paths and around our holiday lets so I tasked our Head Gardener Martin Haxton with finding a viable alternative.”

Martin explains how, after trialling various alternatives, the team settled on Foamstream. “There are various tools and techniques that all claim to provide an effective non-herbicidal solution. We did some research and tried various options such as burning, which we found was very labour intensive, expensive and at the end of the day, not overly effective.” He adds, “There were lots of positives about Foamstream, firstly that it’s all organic and another is the ability to use it in all weather conditions which means you’re not reliant on the perfect weather conditions to conduct the operation.”

Foamstream is a green solution to weed and moss control, utilising a combination of hot water and a patented foam made from natural plant oils and sugars to retain heat and effectively kill a wide variety of weed species. In trials, Foamstream has demonstrated similar efficacy to glyphosate, outperforming other non-herbicidal alternatives. “It was clear during our research that Foamstream had been thoroughly tried and tested, in a range of situations and would give us the results we wanted” says John.

“We purchased an L12 in August 2022 and it’s been a brilliant investment. The set-up is quick and simple and operators have commented on how easy it is to move around the gardens meaning we can tackle weed growth in all areas thanks to the 20m hose and highly portable lance applicator.” John concludes, “We’re delighted with how well Foamstream works and how this will help in our drive to provide a cleaner environment for everybody, including wildlife, to enjoy.”

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