Greenkeepers selected to support The R&A

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Greenkeepers selected to support The R&A: Royal Liverpool Golf Club will host The Open for the 13th time in July and the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) has revealed the team of almost 50 greenkeepers, gathered from all over the United Kingdom, who will be on hand to support the home greenkeeping team for the duration of the championship.

Each year The R&A requests the assistance of BIGGA members in the staging of the event. Every full BIGGA member who has been with the association for at least two years is eligible to apply for a place on the Volunteer Open Support Team and those who are selected are given incredible access to golf’s oldest major, supporting every match with bunker raking duties.

Greenkeepers selected to support The R&A

Greenkeepers selected to support The R&A

Rory McIlroy was victorious the last time Royal Liverpool hosted The Open, in 2014, when BIGGA members raked the course’s 82 bunkers a total of 945 times. BIGGA members were even busier in 2006, when Tiger Woods claimed the Claret Jug and the team raked 1,092 bunkers across the four days of the championship.

In January, previous members of The Open support team were given the opportunity to stand beside the Claret Jug as it made an appearance at the BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition, the annual trade show and education programme that provides incredible learning opportunities to those working in golf greenkeeping and sports turf management.

BIGGA is delighted that this years’ Volunteer Open Support Team will feature a large number of first-time team members as a place on the team is inspiring and showcases to greenkeepers what they can achieve through continuing professional development and by engaging with the numerous exclusive opportunities made available to members of BIGGA. Throughout the tournament the team members will be provided with accommodation, subsistence and uniform for the event.

BIGGA CEO Jim Croxton said: “The team at Royal Liverpool has the unenviable task of following in the footsteps of St Andrews, who last year created a truly historic championship. Yet I’m confident that the team led by Links Superintendent James Bledge, who is preparing to host his first Open Championship, will set a world class stage for what is sure to be an exciting event.

“I’m thankful to The R&A for once again inviting so many BIGGA members to participate in The Open support team, particularly given we have so many first time members this year. Is there a better way of inspiring the next generation of greenkeepers and showcasing what can be achieved in your career with a lot of hard work and dedication, than an up-close look at the world’s greatest major championship? I’m thankful on behalf of the BIGGA members who have been selected and I’m proud to be able to invite them to represent the entire association on this global scale.“

The 151st Open takes place from 20 to 23 July 2022. Applications for the BIGGA Volunteer Open Support Team for The 152nd Open at Royal Troon will open later this year.

Here are the BIGGA members who will be assisting the home greenkeepers for the duration of The 151st Open:

  • Aaron Allibon, first assistant, Orsett Golf Club
  • Jake Austin, first assistant, Royal Wimbledon Golf Club
  • David Ball, senior greenkeeper, Thetford Golf Club
  • Adam Barton, greenkeeper, Conwy Golf Club
  • Andy Bate, greenkeeper, Hesketh Golf Club
  • Jamie Blake, head greenkeeper, Broadway Golf Club
  • Paul Boozer, head greenkeeper, Sheerness Golf Club
  • Tom Bromfield, first assistant, Trentham Golf Club
  • Daniel Bungay, greenkeeper, Hockley Golf Club
  • David Collins, head greenkeeper, Lickey Hills Golf Club
  • Aaron Cross, assistant greenkeeper, Thorndon Park Golf Club
  • William Curran, deputy course manager, Royal Ashdown Forest Golf Club
  • Marcus Davies, assistant greenkeeper, Wentworth Club
  • David Duke MG, superintendent, Golf & Country Club Seddiner See
  • Daniel Evans, head greenkeeper, Maesdu Llandudno Golf Club
  • Tom Evans, course manager, Wexham Park Golf Centre
  • Paul Fowkes, deputy head greenkeeper, Scraptoft Golf Club
  • Paul Gater, first assistant, Caldy Golf Club
  • Richard Goddard, deputy course manager, Ashridge Golf Club
  • Lee Greveson, course manager, The Manor Golf Club
  • Craig Hempseed, estate manager, Mortonhall Golf Club
  • Rob Jones, deputy course manager, Enville Golf Club
  • Richard Keith, assistant greenkeeper, Ferndown Golf Club
  • David Leach, first assistant, Ruddington Grange Golf Club
  • Sam Ludlow, assistant greenkeeper, Luffenham Heath Golf Club
  • Adam Lund, head greenkeeper, Dinsdale Golf Club
  • Benn McLeod, first assistant greenkeeper, Musselburgh Golf Club
  • Scott McTaggart, course manager, Sandyhills Golf Club
  • Jake Messenger, assistant groundsman, Tottenham Hotspur Football Club
  • Ashley Millar, deputy head greenkeeper, Churston Golf Club
  • Danny Millar, deputy head greenkeeper, Rudding Park Golf Club
  • Darren Miller, first assistant, Farnham Golf Club
  • Jason Norwood, greenkeeper, Reay Golf Club
  • Ryan Oliver, assistant greenkeeper, Hornsea Golf Club
  • Peter Pattenden, greenkeeper, Carden Park Golf Club
  • Steven Penman, deputy head greenkeeper, Thornton Golf Club
  • Scott Rigby, head greenkeeper, Gathurst Golf Club
  • Luke Sheldon, head greenkeeper, Beau Desert Golf Club
  • Curtis Small, greenkeeper, Stover Golf Club
  • James Stratford, greenkeeper, Broome Manor Golf Club
  • Craig Surgeon, head greenkeeper, Kirkcaldy Golf Club
  • Mark Tyson, deputy course manager, Oakmere Golf Club
  • Ken Ward, head greenkeeper, Harrogate Golf Club
  • Sam Wilkinson, deputy course manager, Ponteland Golf Club
  • Ryan Williams, first assistant, Caldy Golf Club
  • Lewis Whatsley-Parsons, greenkeeper, Queenwood

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New addition to the GroundsFest team

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New addition to the GroundsFest team: GroundsFest has welcomed the experienced Millie Genner to the team.

Millie has been working as a sales manager in the landscaping and horticulture sectors for over five years. She will be working alongside Jessica McCabe on The Landscaping Zone – an entire hall within GroundsFest dedicated to those involved in the planning, design, and construction of outdoor environments in the landscaping sector.

New addition to the GroundsFest team

New addition to the GroundsFest team

Millie’s appointment signals the huge support the event has received to date and accommodates the strong demand for exhibitor space. Over 75% of the floorplan has already been accounted for, and potential exhibitors continue to register their interest due to the exciting event concept and the cost-effective stand prices.

Millie, who is also a social media influencer and enjoys travelling, said: “I’m really looking forward to seeing the event come together. It’s so exciting to be working on something new with an amazing team of such talented people.

“One of the main reasons for wanting to work on GroundsFest is because I believe that the industry is ready for an event of this kind – it is long overdue in fact. The feedback so far has been incredible and thousands of landscaping and groundscare professionals will be in attendance. GroundsFest is the future and I’m proud to be a part of it.”

The Landscape Zone at GroundsFest is set to spotlight the latest landscaping technologies, solutions, and innovations, and will be a must-attend feature for landscape architects, local authority landscaping professionals, garden designers, landscape contractors, interior designers, facility managers and many more.

Millie can be contacted on 07746667128 or millie.genner@groundsfest.com

For more information, please visit www.groundsfest.com

You can also follow GroundsFest on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @GroundsFest for much more news, reviews and insightful views.

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BASF education for Agrovista Amenity customers

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BASF education for Agrovista Amenity customers: Several Agrovista Amenity customers recently visited the BASF production facility in Littlehampton where they got the opportunity to find out more about the processes behind producing some of the industry’s leading pest control products.

BASF is the largest producer of organic pest control products in the world. Driven by the principles of innovation, sustainability, and collaboration, BASF is constantly investing in the research and development of new products. Some of that research and development takes place in Littlehampton, West Sussex and it is also the largest nematode production facility in the world.

BASF education for Agrovista Amenity customers

BASF education for Agrovista Amenity customers

Agrovista Amenity has a strong relationship with BASF and continues to see a huge demand for their innovative products. Several of the company’s customers were recently invited for a tour around the impressive facility, which was organised by Amenity Specialists Joseph Dormer and Andrew Norman.

The day consisted of learning more about the procedures involved in manufacturing the Nemasys® nematode product; a technical deep dive into the Green Lawnger® range of turf pigments and discovering the latest developments and research involving Attraxor® plant growth regulator.

Toby Martin, an Assistant Greenkeeper at Pyecombe Golf Club in Brighton was particularly interested in the nematodes. “I recently started my NVQ Level 3 and I found this to be a great learning experience. With the recent changes in legislation into what chemicals you can and can’t use, we have started investigating different methods of controlling pests on our course. Nematodes for us seem to be the way forward. Therefore, it is important to fully know what we are doing and to make sure we are doing it properly.

“The presentation we have seen today will help us to apply them on our course in an even more effective way.”

Danny Negus, Grounds Manager at Devonshire Park in Eastbourne, said: “This was a wonderful opportunity laid out by Agrovista Amenity to gain a better understanding of what we are trying to achieve, and how we achieve it. To receive a breakdown on how BASF are producing their products was a real eye opener, and the level of knowledge they communicated was excellent.”

“The biggest thing for me is that when we stage the International it leaves a very large footprint, and we don’t have long before we stage the next event. So, we are looking at ways to mitigate some of the damage that has been left, and I am very interested in the way the BASF products protect the leaf. Today has given me lots of ideas and I’m looking forward to getting back and exploring them in depth. “

Pete May and Toni Norris from Lawntech were also upbeat about the experience. “We came today to look into the option of using nematodes,” said Pete. “The factory is fascinating, and the talk was particularly beneficial because we would not have received that level of detail from just reading the back of a product or looking online.

Toni agreed: “We are constantly looking at new products to enhance the service we can offer our customers, so it has been a really useful experience for us. At Lawntech we pride ourselves on having a deep understanding of products, and that is why we want to educate ourselves as much as possible.”

Agrovista Amenity will continue to run educational events throughout the year for customers.

A video of the event can be viewed by visiting https://youtu.be/SOQP4Ug-1l8

For more information about Agrovista UK, visit www.agrovista.co.uk/amenity

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Make a difficult job easy with myTurf Pro

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Make a difficult job easy with myTurf Pro: With economic uncertainty as it is, it’s never been more important to consider more than just the equipment’s purchase price. Now, with Toro’s myTurf Pro, working out the cost component of a club’s assets has never been easier.

myTurf Pro is a powerful, easy-to-use software application that tracks and manages all a club’s assets, regardless of brand. With access to real-time data, it’s possible to improve staff efficiency, lengthen the life of equipment and reduce overall maintenance costs across the entire range of equipment and assets.

Make a difficult job easy with myTurf Pro

Make a difficult job easy with myTurf Pro

Total Cost of Ownership is a vital part of the decision-making process when looking to invest in a new equipment, but certainly never before has the concept had such weight, as Jon Cole, divisional business manager – turfcare at Reesink Turfcare, UK distributor of Toro equipment, explains: “The cost of living crisis impacts businesses as much as consumers so it’s never been more important to consider more than just the purchase price of a club’s equipment. The net purchase or financed value is important, but often no more than 35 percent as a cost component of the equipment’s operating life.

“It’s equally important to look for value with features that enhance performance, productivity, reliability, downtime, durability and longevity for residual value.”

With robust record keeping it’s possible to balance investment, component costs and residual value, but with Toro technology in the form of the web-based asset management system, myTurf Pro, there’s no limit to what can be tracked, from equipment, irrigation, vehicles, attachments, hand tools and more, across one or more locations – and it’s so quick.

A decade in the making, the level of informational detail myTurf Pro provides is unrivalled by any other asset management system. Order parts, schedule service activities, track inventory, monitor fleet health and labour expenses or generate reports that demonstrate operational access, 24/7.

Customisable tools deliver interactive alerts, automated and proactive notifications, labour management and expense tracking, and instant access to service documentation and operational reports.

Jon continues: “myTurf Pro was designed to make our customer’s difficult job easier. It puts the optimisation, efficiency and effectiveness of the operation at the course managers’ fingertips and allows customers to track the total cost of ownership, depreciation, maintenance and operating expenses for the real value of machinery for its expected lifetime.”

And all of that is backed up by Toro NSN technical and customer support, by phone, email or chat, and up-to-date reference materials. It is available through Reesink Turfcare with flexible finance deals with deferred start dates, subsidised rates or those that can be aligned to peak income months to help manage cashflow. It only takes a conversation. Make contact online at via reesinkturfcare.co.uk, by phone on 01480 226800 or by email at info@reesinkturfcare.co.uk.

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New home for Boss ORV

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New home for Boss ORV: BOSS ORV, the sole UK distributor of Corvus Off-Road Vehicles, has moved into new headquarters. The move is another major landmark for BOSS, which started trading in 2019 importing the Corvus Terrain 4×4 side-by-side utility vehicles, the first to be manufactured from the ground up in Europe.

“We have had three years of extraordinary growth,” says Phil Everett, the BOSS ORV Managing Director. “We have managed to outgrow our existing facilities in half the time we expected. The opening of new offices in Staffordshire puts us right at the heart of the UK and central to all the major road networks. All our dealer support functions will be based here, including a brand-new stores facility which allows us to stock a much larger quantity and diversity of spare parts and accessories.” Phil attributes the exceptional expansion of the business to the rapid acceptance of the Corvus Terrain vehicles by both dealers and users as a major contender across a wide range of markets.

New home for Boss ORV

New home for Boss ORV

“The Corvus dealer network has grown substantially to meet the needs of users in agriculture, groundscare, construction, amenities and private estates to name but a few,” says Phil. “The Corvus brand stands for quality, innovation and sound ecological principles which have been well-received by everyone,” he adds. The Terrain range comprises diesel, petrol (launches summer 23) and the electric version introduced at the end of 2022 and available spring 23.

For more information about the Corvus Terrain range, you can call 01597 810188

E-mail: sales@bossorv.co.uk  

Web: www.bossorv.co.uk

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