Paul Langford appointed at Redexim

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Paul Langford appointed at Redexim: A well-known industry name has joined the team at Redexim to support their continued growth and spearhead the UK’s commercial activities.

As the new Director of Commercial Operations, Paul Langford will be leading the team of Regional Sales Managers and in charge of the development of the overall sales and marketing strategies to further cement Redexim’s position at the heart of the natural and synthetic turf maintenance sectors.

Paul Langford appointed at Redexim

Paul Langford appointed at Redexim

Formally the Managing Director of TigerTurf UK, Paul has an illustrious track record for building successful B2B and B2C relationships and proactively driving business change, which has resulted in over 20 years of commercially-driven experience in leadership and sustainable growth. Alongside his position at TigerTurf UK, Paul held the role of Manufacturing Group Chairman at The Sports and Play Contractors Association (SAPCA) for six years – during which he also represented the synthetic turf manufacturing sector on the FIFA Turf Advisory Group (TAG).

On his appointment, Paul comments “In Redexim, I have found a like-minded company that have a pedigree of high-performance products and ambitions to grow in what is an ever-changing marketplace.”

“I’m a big believer that business should be approached with a strong sense of purpose, the right tools and the right plan to deliver excellence – but not forgetting to have some fun along the way!” he adds.

Paul lives in Northampton with his wife of 25 years and son who is a trainee lawyer and when not working, can often be found on the golf course at weekends or indulging in his passion for guitars and all things cars.

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Steve Braddock – 1964 – 2022

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Steve Braddock – 1964 – 2022: One of the most influential figures on our industry, Steve Braddock, has died, following a long illness.

Steve was synonymous with Arsenal and was a significant figure in the move from Highbury to The Emirates, and in making the training ground at Colney such a success.

Steve Braddock – 1964 - 2022

Steve Braddock – 1964 – 2022

He won countless awards for the quality of his pitches; was voted the turf’s top influencer in 2019, and became only the second inductee to the GMA’s Hall of Fame the following year. The respect in which he was held could be seen as Arsenal wore black armbands in his honour in their match away at Bournemouth, while tributes appeared in the national press.

Steve had been brought to Arsenal by former manager, George Graham, but the man who was closest to him throughout his career was Arsene Wenger, who was as much a close friend to him as he was a mentor.

While the work he carried out on the Arsenal pitches was universally regarded as gold plated, it was his nurturing of talent that he will be perhaps best remembered. There are so many Head Groundsmen at home and abroad who owe their success to the education they received at the feet of Steve Braddock.

Our thoughts are with Steve’s family and friends at this very sad time.

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International Thank a Greenkeeper Day

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International Thank a Greenkeeper Day: The British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association, in conjunction with other global greenkeeper and course superintendent groups, is recognising those who help keep golf courses enjoyable and sustainable with an international ‘Thank a Greenkeeper Day’.

BIGGA, the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) and other partner associations are encouraging those who love golf to take a moment to thank their course’s greenkeeping team.

International Thank a Greenkeeper Day

International Thank a Greenkeeper Day

Thank a Greenkeeper Day will be celebrated on Tuesday 13 September, which also marks the GCSAA’s 96th anniversary.

The celebration will include a commercial that will appear on the Golf Channel and other media outlets and social media messages touting the many ways that greenkeepers benefit the game and their communities’ golfers. Others are encouraged to join in the conversation on social media using the hashtags #ThankAGreenkeeper or #ThankASuper depending on their country’s nomenclature. In addition, golf courses and other groups are encouraged to provide special recognition for their greenkeeping teams on 13 September.

During the 2021 Thank a Greenkeeper Day, social media messages reached more than 9 million followers around the world.

To learn more about BIGGA and the role greenkeepers play in the enjoyment and sustainability of the game, visit www.bigga.org.uk

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Kubota excels on historic estate

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Kubota excels on historic estate: Kubota’s ZD1211 zero turn mower is showing its versatility on a busy estate in South Wales which is a popular and picturesque events venue.

The Glanusk Estate, near Crickhowell, totals 3000 acres, of which 350 acres is parkland, much in demand for everything from weddings to festivals and as a set for film and television work. There’s also a busy caravan site and holiday cottages with stunning views, while the park boasts the second largest collection of oak trees in the UK.

Kubota excels on historic estate

Kubota excels on historic estate

Owner Harry Legge-Bourke has a long relationship with Kubota, having used a BX compact tractor with mowing deck for some 20 years.

“I was looking for a more versatile mower to work in the gardens and the areas of the parkland used for events, golf course and caravan park, and having seen a ZD at a local hotel, thought it would fit the bill,” he explains.

The manoeuvrability of the zero turn design is key, to work around obstacles such as electric hook up points in the caravan park and mow close to trees safely, Harry points out.

“It offers a good quality cut and I’ve specified a mulching kit for areas such as the caravan park, where it’s important to minimise clippings which otherwise might be walked into the vans, ” he adds.

With such a large and varied area of grass to maintain, Harry comments that the speed of the ZD1211 is its outstanding feature. Powered by a 25hp diesel engine with shaft driven two-speed HST transmission the ZD can travel at up to 17kph, making light work of long runs while turning effortlessly in its own length at the end.

“We can cut four acres of gardens in an hour for example, which helps us keep on top of mowing when we are so busy,” he comments.

The Kubota mower is also handy for topping off the park between events, and with the varied mowing requirements, the ability to swap cut height from 25-127mm just by using a convenient dial also comes in for praise. The three-blade rear discharge rotary deck cuts effectively in the wet, a useful quality in the green and lush region.

Although the zero turn lever steer design was a departure for Harry and his team, they have quickly got used to it, he comments.

“It’s very good to drive, and very comfortable with its well-padded seat. All the controls fall easily to hand.”

There’s one other factor that has brought Harry back to Kubota for this latest purchase and that’s the brand’s renowned dependability.

“The mower is built to industrial standards and that gives peace of mind. Our experiences with previous Kubota machines have shown how reliable they are and the ZD has the quality to last us for many trouble-free years.”

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Headland programme praised by Gillingham GC

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Headland programme praised by Gillingham GC: After previously suffering with the side effects of excessive thatch content, the Course Manager at Gillingham Golf Club has praised a programme from Headland Amenity for its role in transforming the health and presentation of the greens.

Together with a comprehensive cultural regime, the improvement in course condition has seen a reduction in disease activity and reduced reliance on fungicides, and saw Gillingham proudly play host to a Kent Golf Captains event for the very first time.

Headland programme praised by Gillingham GC

Headland programme praised by Gillingham GC

John Hunnisett joined as Course Manager just over a year ago, where he was faced with a course that lacked any definition – with multiple areas including bunker surrounds and tee banks left completely unmaintained. To make the transformation project even more challenging, the greens team consisted of three trainees and, 13 months on, John remains the only qualified greenkeeper out of the team of five. “I pretty much had to start from scratch in all areas” explains John. “I’d used a few Headland products previously but had the benefit of seeing a full Headland programme in action during a stint spent at The London Golf Club. It opened my eyes to a whole new range and so called in our Headland Technical Manager Andy Ward to help with the monumental task at hand.”

Soil analysis taken by Andy highlighted high levels of organic matter in the top 20mm which, combined with an increase in aeration, scarification and topdressing, has been improved with a new nutritional regime. “Our summer programme consists of Protec® Plus, TeMag™ Elite, Turfite® Elite and Ascoflex® Plus. This combination of products delivers a long-lasting, balanced supply of nitrogen together with maximising health and recovery following periods of heat and/or stress. We have received lots of positive comments from the members about the presentation, with many saying that the greens have never looked better!”

“In the autumn and winter we switch to Headland’s 20-20-30 tank-mix which is probably my favourite discovery and has made the biggest difference to the greens. The combination of reducing organic matter and enhancing plant health with monthly applications of 20-20-30 between September and March drastically reduced the amount of disease we registered – and what we did get was easily recoverable and didn’t lead to scarring.”

Headland’s industry-leading 20-20-30 tank-mix combines Liquid Turf Hardener, Turfite® Elite and Seamac® ProTurf Fe, proven to deliver enhanced plant strength and disease resistance when applied as part of a preventative approach. John continues, “The course emerged in the spring of 2022 healthier than ever, which was great as we entered preparations to host the Hampshire County Match at the end of June. Being selected for this for the first time was testament to just how far we’ve come, with the right products and the pure passion of my team.”

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