Soil Biology Brings Rewards

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Soil Biology Brings Rewards: A greens team has seen its maintenance budget double and recruitment increase having introduced a range of soil biology methods across the course.

Harpenden Common Golf Club swept aside its existing greens renovation programme in favour of a less intrusive, environmental one based on applying compost teas, fertilisers, trace elements and zeolites.

Soil Biology Brings Rewards

“The old system of digging up our waterlogged greens twice a year to try to improve drainage had failed,” reports head greenkeeper Sean Brocklehurst, “so we invited an agronomist specialising in soil biology to take a look at the problem.”

Soil Biology Ltd’s Hillery Murphy recommended an extensive programme of boosting the microbial count across the 18-hole private members parkland course in a bid to reduce thatch and strengthen the rootzone.

Now in its fourth year of the soil biology strategy, Harpenden Common is reaping the benefits inside and outside the clubhouse, states Sean. “Poor drainage on the greens made them unplayable sometimes, forcing us to close the course and risking loss of members. Playing surfaces have improved so much that we can stay open year-round, which is great news for everyone here.”

General manager Terry Crump said: “Our key priority is to deliver the best possible course conditions and clubhouse facilities for our members. They will go elsewhere if we cannot provide golf whenever they want it.

“It’s no exaggeration to state that the club might have struggled if we had persisted with our existing maintenance strategy, which relied heavily on chemical and physical treatments.”

Year-round course playability has helped the club double the greens team’s maintenance budget, allowing it to introduce improvements across the site.

Soil Biology Brings Rewards

“We are raising standards off course as well as on to boost presentation around the playing areas,” says Sean, “and we have been able to recruit an apprentice greenkeeper to increase the team to seven. “

Harpenden Common applies Soil Biology products right across the course to raise quality throughout. “The zeolites add structural integrity to the turf and retain then release nutrients over time,” Sean explains, “also encouraging a healthy balance of beneficial bacteria in the rootzone. Members agree the state of the course is the best it has ever been.”

Hillery Murphy says: “Harpenden Common is a great testimony to soil biology.  Zeolites deliver more consistent results, creating a honeycomb in which beneficial microbes can thrive and metabolise nutrients for the grass plant to take up. This is the future for course maintenance practices.”

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MM50 Chosen For Cricket Squares

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MM50 Chosen For Cricket Squares: After a successful trial, Jamie Foyster – owner of Sportsturf Management, has taken the decision to exclusively use Limagrain’s MM50 grass seed across each cricket square he tends to.

It is safe to say that Jamie Foyster knows a thing or two about cricket squares – he was introduced to the sport at the age of 10 as a player and was then helping to prepare and maintaining pitches by 15 at his local club. This continued over two decades and even though he was working in another job he still continued to work voluntarily on cricket pitches until he had an opportunity to join Sportsturf Management in 2008.

MM50 Chosen For Cricket Squares

Jamie took over the sole ownership of the business in 2012 and it was also at this stage that he first became acquainted with Limagrain UK.

“I wasn’t happy with my existing supplier – the seed just wasn’t performing as I wanted it to. We had an incredibly wet season that year and in the autumn I trialled MM50 on two cricket squares. Very soon it was apparent that the germination rate, the development and the root density was fantastic.

“However, the real test came in the summer of the following year, and for me the wear tolerance and the recovery rate was just superb. That sealed the deal for me and since then I have converted all my squares to MM50.”

MM50 possesses exceptional shoot density along with tolerance to close mowing making it particularly suitable for cricket squares. This superior mix contains the perennial ryegrass cultivars, Venice, Alison and Malibu, which are renowned for providing a great sward for cricket use. As Jamie reports, other key features of MM50 include fast recovery from wear and damage and high disease resistance.

It is products such as MM50 which is a direct result of Limagrain’s continual investment into research and development. The company is a major supporter of research partnerships with universities and institutes which will continue to help provide new varieties through plant breeding giving groundsmen and greenkeepers solutions in future turf management.

“Products and technology have come such a long way in the past decade,” says Jamie. “Machinery, seeds, fertilisers, you name it – they have all advanced massively. For example you just have to look at germination rates now compared to a few years ago. In this respect I would have to single out HEADSTART® GOLD seed coating.”

MM50 Chosen For Cricket Squares

MM50 is treated with HEADSTART® GOLD – Limagrain’s unique seaweed based seed treatment which helps to ensure rapid and even germination. This tried and tested grass seed treatment helps the seed get off to the best possible start – making it ideal to use in the less than favourable conditions that can sometimes be found on cricket pitches during renovations.

HEADSTART® GOLD is perhaps at its most beneficial when it comes to the fourteen squares that Jamie and his team carry out renovations on each year. In addition, they maintain a further eight squares all year round  – Jamie’s work has quickly caught the eye.

“Others have seen how well MM50 has performed on our squares and they have since started using it. To be honest, I recommend MM50 all the time now and quite a lot of clubs and schools I know of have switched to it.

“It’s just a tremendous package all round from Limagrain. Richard Sheppard (Amenity Seed Sales Specialist) will often come and see me, to see how everything is going and offer advice and support. I don’t even have to ask for that but it is a great service to have.”

For further information, please contact Limagrain UK on 01472 371471 or visit the company’s website www.lgseeds.co.uk/amenity

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New Turf Rewards

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New Turf Rewards: ICL and Syngenta have confirmed some exciting developments and an increased selection of rewards for the Turf Rewards loyalty scheme in 2018. 

Turf Rewards provides the opportunity for customers to earn points from purchases that can then be exchanged against a fantastic selection of agronomic or turf related items and learning opportunities.

New Turf Rewards

Turf managers across the UK and Ireland have been benefiting from the scheme since its creation five years ago and it continues to grow significantly year on year.

2018 sees the addition of some exciting new rewards added to the extensive range of items already on offer. The scheme can provide a great way to enhance education, improve operations and boost team morale. It can also help budgets go that much further.

New rewards for 2018 include:

  • Beepol Hive and Villa
  • 3M Peltor WS Protac XP Headset
  • iPad Pro 12.9” 64BG
  • MacBook Air 13.3” 128GB
  • £150 Machine Mart voucher

An updated and improved Turf Rewards website is now live, the site has a similar feel to the previous version but has some impressive new features such as product trackers and promotion trackers, designed to help end users maximise the number of Turf Rewards points that can be collected. Extra points for promotions will now be automatically be added to user’s points totals.

ICL and Syngenta have also announced that a new Turf Rewards App will be available to download shortly from both the App Store and Google Play.

The all new app will feature the same tracking bars as the website. To improve efficiency and speed up the claim process Turf Rewards users can now upload their invoices as proof of purchase (blanking out any information not relevant to the claim, including prices and other products not relevant to Turf Rewards). The app will make the verification process very easy and the current points total will be available at a touch of a button.

If you would to find out more about Turf Rewards visit www.turfrewards.com or contact the Turf Rewards team directly by emailing info@turfrewards.com

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Industry Award Brings Big Benefits

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Industry Award Brings Big Benefits : The Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Award, which is now in its 29th year, is recognised and respected across the greenkeeping industry for discovering the most promising talent in the country, thanks to the support of the profession’s college lecturers.

Here we speak to John Millen, sportsturf tutor at Plumpton College, someone who has witnessed firsthand the benefits of a student being nominated and winning the acclaimed award:

Industry Award Brings Big Benefits

“I have nominated a student most years I have been a lecturer and that’s more years than I care to remember! There are plenty of good reasons for this. To start with the award generates career interest and that’s something I wholeheartedly support. I think more needs to be done to push greenkeeping as a viable career option and this is one way to do that.

“It’s also a positive way to promote the college. It’s important for students coming into college to see the success and recognition of their course peers and be confident that their college is going to support them too, in any way it can. I believe being consistently attributed to such an award as a nominator will attract more people to the course and college.”

This year was the first year that the award had opened up nominations to employers, and having been a course manager himself for many years, this is a development John welcomed.

“I think of this industry as one big family; we all play a part in supporting the next generation, nurturing them and helping them achieve their goals. As such I don’t think it makes a difference who nominates the student, it’s just important that we all keep spotting the talent and not assuming someone else will.”

In fact, this year’s winner, Nick Machin, was nominated by his employer, the course manager at Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club, a decision supported by John as Nick’s lecturer at Plumpton College. David Cole, managing director of the award sponsor Reesink Turfcare, reiterates: “This year’s winner Nick didn’t just prevail through his own efforts, but through the support of his employer and educators. Nick has benefitted from the excellent support of his employer and we are pleased to recognise Plumpton’s important influence on his career to date. It’s a successful combination.”

Not only has John been a lecturer and a course manager, but he was also chairman of the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) in 1994, so it goes without saying that anything developing the profession of greenkeeping is a good thing in his eyes. “Education and training are paramount in any industry, no matter whether you are fresh out of college or, like me, decades into your career,” he says.

With the paid-for prize of a scholarship to the University of Massachusetts, which consistently ranks in the top 100 of The World’s Most Innovative Universities, for the winner and a trip to the Golf Industry Show in America for the student and nominator, there’s huge benefits at stake here, as John confirms:

“Having been to the show as a result of one of my nominations, I can vouch that it’s an incredible show; the learning experiences, whether you are a lecturer or employer, are fantastic and well worth the application form!”

For more information, visit: reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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Toro Sprinklers Chosen For R&A

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Toro Sprinklers Chosen For R&A: Toro’s Infinity and T5 sprinklers have been selected to irrigate the golf practice area at The R&A’s Equipment Testing Centre in order to provide pristine greens and tees for golf equipment testing.

A focal point of the facility, which is located at Kingsbarns near St Andrews in Scotland, is the practice range which allows for human and robotic testing of equipment; the results from which directly affect the game of golf across the world. It is the two greens here that have benefitted from four Toro Infinity 35 sprinklers with TDC wall mount, while seven Toro T5 sprinklers have been added across two tees.

Toro Sprinklers Chosen For R&A

Paul Kimber from Kimber Golf, the golf course architect and contractor working with The R&A on the facility, says: “From its inception, this project has asked pertinent questions as to how and why things are done and how can they be improved. We applied some new techniques, developed a site-specific construction methodology for the greens and tried to create as many research opportunities as possible.

“I have used Toro irrigation for several years and found they provide a quality product with good customer service provided by Reesink Turfcare. This was considered a very important factor for the client, and had the irrigation designer, Callum, in agreement.”

Callum Oliphant, managing director of Applied Irrigation, one of Scotland’s leading irrigation specialists, recommends the use of Toro’s sprinklers because their “performance is reliable and consistent and the quality of design excellent”.

Callum knew he and the team who installed the sprinklers, could rely on Toro to deliver the results a customer like The R&A would expect: “Each year, The R&A’s Equipment Standards department tests thousands of golf clubs and balls to ensure they conform to the equipment rules and the turf needs to provide a true surface, which means it must be in top condition. Irrigation is of course instrumental to that.”

The turf, which the tests are carried out on by some of the leading scientists and elite golfers today and two cutting edge golf robots, need to be as near to perfect as it is possible to get. It’s easy to see therefore why Toro was picked to help achieve that goal.

For more information, visit: reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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Taking Pride In Your Work

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Taking Pride In Your Work: “Taking pride in what you do.” This was the closing message in an address given to the UK Lawncare Network conference by Professor John Moverley, Independent Chairman of the Amenity Forum. He said ‘For too long the excellent work in our sector maintaining amenity surfaces has been under recognised. What is done every day keeps Britain moving, through weed control of our road and rail networks, our sports surfaces, our gardens and lawns and more. In many ways, Britain sets the standard and it is important that we shout about this a little more’. 

John was asked to give the opening address when he addressed the topic of ‘Policy change – promoting best practice, responding to the change and communicating the importance of what we do’

Taking Pride In Your Work

The Amenity Forum is once again running a series of free Updating Events at venues across the UK. This series of free Updating Events seeks to address topical issues of interest and relevance to all involved in the amenity sector and will comprise short presentations by speakers drawn from the Chemicals Regulation Division of HSE, BASIS Registration, the National Sprayer Testing Service, STRI, the various host organisations and from the Amenity Forum itself. They are timed to occupy half a day, normally mornings, and on dates between February and April 2018.

The series has been given the title of ‘Meeting the challenge’ and there will be adequate time for questions and discussion. Whilst the events are free, delegates are required to register in advance. There is sure to be a venue near you and so if you require further information, please email admin@amenityforum.net. These have proved extremely popular events in previous years and have been very well received.

Locations and dates confirmed are:

Belfast 8th February
Peterborough 15th February
Wales 20th February
Stoneleigh 6th March
Pontefract 1st March
London 14th March
Reading 21st March
Essex 22nd March
Edinburgh 10th April
Darlington 11th April
Devon 19th April

This year there will also be three events within the programme especially designed for grounds staff and greenkeepers and hosted by Forum members, IOG and BIGGA. Dates and venues are yet to be confirmed but will take place at locations in the North, Midlands and South. If you wish to register interest for these again contact admin@amenityforum.net

Professor John Moverley, Independent Chairman of the Forum, said ‘’We offer these events as a convenient way for those involved in, or with an interest in, amenity to keep updated on current issues. The locations are spread across the UK and we are especially grateful to member organisations for providing venues and our speakers and supporters which make it all possible’’

The Forum has also announced the date for its popular annual conference and exhibition. In 2018 it will be held once again at the Pirelli Stadium, Burton upon Trent, on Tuesday, October 11th. The conference will be entitled ‘Change, challenge and opportunity’

For more information, visit: www.amenityforum.co.uk

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Fungicide Promotion Winners

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Fungicide Promotion Winners: Formby Golf Club is now the proud owner of a new Gambetti Pro 300 tractor-mounted sprayer having won Rigby Taylor’s 2017 Autumn Fungicide Promotion.

In addition, and as part of the promotion, the Liverpool club’s course manager Paul Swift has won an expenses-paid trip to the GCSAA convention and trade show in San Antonio, Texas.

Fungicide Promotion Winners

The formal presentation of the sprayer was made at the recent BTME exhibition where Formby Golf Club secretary/manager, Stuart Leech, along with Paul Swift and members of the club’s greens committee, were congratulated by BIGGA chief executive Jim Croxton.

Also attending the presentation was Rigby Taylor representative David Weir, who recommended the fungicide programme (based on Bayer’s new Exteris Stressguard fungicide) to the club. David will also be travelling with Paul to the USA.

There were five runners up in the competition – Moor Hall GC, Hindhead GC, Ralston GC, Enfield GC and Leicester City FC – and each club will receive an Evolution knapsack sprayer and their course/grounds managers a Bayer Helly Hansen waterproof jacket.

For more information, visit: www.rigbytaylor.com

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Aqua-Zorb Delivers Results

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Aqua-Zorb Delivers Results: The Course Manager at the highly exclusive Birch Grove Estate in Sussex, Pete Smith, has reported ‘phenomenal’ results from using Sherriff Amenity’s Aqua-Zorb wetting agent to bring his fairways back to life.

Situated in 1200 acres of undulating Sussex countryside, lies Birch Grove Estate. It is the former home of Sir Harold Macmillan, former Prime Minister, and visitors to the house have included Sir Winston Churchill, General Charles De Gaulle and, just a couple of weeks before his assassination, John F Kennedy.

'Phenomenal' Results From Aqua-Zorb

While these extraordinary visitors would have no doubt enjoyed the luxuries and stunning views afforded by Birch Grove, they would not have had a chance to play a round of golf on the magnificent 18-hole course in the grounds.

It wasn’t until 1986 when new owner and Asian businessman, Larry Yung, gained planning permission to build the course on the provision that it was to be purely for private use. Work eventually began on the Donald Steel designed course in 1994, and it was completed in 1996. However, for reasons unknown, Yung began to lose interest in his course and for next few years it was maintained as a 9-hole course with barely any golf played on it.

This all changed in 2011 when the current owners purchased Birch Grove and decided to return the course to its former glory. Having played a part in the original construction, Pete Smith – experienced greenkeeper and then course manager at the Cavendish Club, was brought in to reinstate the course.

Following a highly successful renovation, the 18-hole course is now 7,000 yards long, with the greens and tees constructed to USGA specification. The course remains ‘purely by invitation only’ and a maximum of 150 rounds of golf are played a year on it. It could be argued that Birch Grove Estate is the most exclusive golf course in the country.

Pete along with two other full-time greenkeepers tend to the course and no stone is left un-turned. So when his fairways started to take a turn for the worse, he was quick to find a solution.

“We have irrigation on the greens, tees and approaches but we don’t have fairway irrigation and I have never really used a wetting agent on them,” says Pete. “However, this year has been ridiculously dry and it got to the stage where in early July I was starting to look at the fairways thinking that they are actually going beyond dormant. We were starting to lose large parts of the fairway where we have not had any irrigation or any rainfall.

“So after speaking Joseph Dormer (Amenity Specialist for Sherriff Amenity), he suggested using the Aqua-Zorb Liquid as a curative effect and we thought we’d give it a go.”

Aqua-Zorb Liquid from Sherriff Amenity is a concentrated non-ionic turf wetting agent that will enable water to move faster and deeper into the soil profile. One application can last all season and it is renowned for treating the cause of Localised Dry Patch. Aqua-Zorb can also improve drainage, alleviate compaction, reduce the quantity of irrigation required, suppress the formation of dew and greatly improve the quality of the sward.

Upon applying Aqua-Zorb it is recommended that the operator should immediately irrigate with a minimum 3mm of water, or spray during rainfall – which, with no fairway irrigation, Pete relied on. However, what he thought would be a passing shower actually turned out to be far much more.

“Without fairway irrigation I was reliant on rainfall so I waited until it started raining before applying the Aqua-Zorb. It ended up absolutely chucking it down – literally the last couple of fairways I was spraying the product on were virtually flooding with surface water sitting on them. I ended up with about 16mm of rainfall which is pretty much four times the water volume that is required. At the time I was convinced that, due to the heavy rain, it wasn’t going to work. I believed it would just wash off and I thought I had just wasted all of the product.

“But coming back two days later I was amazed to see the fairways ‘greening up’ – the results were truly phenomenal. The proof, bizarrely that it worked, was that I missed a couple of areas, and you could clearly see where I had applied the wetting agent and where I hadn’t. At the time of spraying, I thought it wouldn’t matter if I left a 2ft line between my spray widths because it I felt it would leach and move with the heavy rain water that was coming down.

But it didn’t, it just stayed there and that actually gave me the evidence that the Aqua-Zorb had actually done an amazing job. I said to Joseph that it must have been like super glue!

“I will absolutely, un-questionably, use Aqua-Zorb in the spring next year as my six month fairway wetting agent. I will put it down with 100% confidence because I know how heavy that rainfall was. It was quite incredible seeing the results from this year and I know I won’t have to worry anymore about my fairways burning off or be concerned about losing them if we have another dry spell.”

As well as being a fan of Aqua-Zorb, Pete was also quick to praise the customer service he receives from Sherriff Amenity’s Joseph Dormer.

“Customer service is excellent – Joseph is relatively new in his role and having previously been a greenkeeper he is extremely knowledgeable. I know that he is always on the end of the phone for any back-up or agronomy issues.

“Not a lot of people are aware of actually how good this product is but Joe has looked into it, researched it and is confident in it. He hasn’t pushed it onto me – he simply came to me in a time of trouble and found me a solution. I took his advice and I’m pleased I did!”

For further information, please contact Sherriff Amenity on 01638 721 888 or visit www.sherriffamenity.com

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Racing With Polaris

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Racing With Polaris: Polaris UK & Ireland is pleased to announce their continuation as title sponsors of British Side by Side Championship Racing in 2018. What started in 2011 with Polaris Dealer Martin Fletcher and racing Polaris RZRs has become the fastest growing sport and leisure racing in the UK. It is now the premier racing championship for all makes and models of SXS.

“Polaris and SXS Racing have had a fantastic relationship since UTV racing began in the UK, and that is set to continue this season,” says Colin Martin, Race Director, “as the UTV market has come alive, so the motocross style of Side by Side racing has grown, attracting entrants from widely diverse backgrounds.” SXS racing runs over three race formats, Short Circuit Racing, Endurance Racing and Youth.

Racing With Polaris

“Polaris is passionate about Sport and Leisure and the Polaris British Short Circuit Racing Championship has grown year on year,” says Richard Coleby, Polaris District Sales Manager, “and the BSCC attracts people from all over the country. We’re proud to be at the forefront of the development of the sport.” What’s certain, whether you’re a motocross veteran or looking to get into motorsport as a first timer, there is a home with Polaris British Short Circuit Racing which runs on the motocross style and format. The classes mean there is something for everyone in the Championship: 1000cc Rookie, 1000cc Expert, Open-Class Rookie, Open Class Expert.

Endurance racing against the clock had grown one-hundred percent since 2016 when it opened to all makes and manufacturers, though it has to be said the dominant vehicles have been the Polaris RZRs, which sends out the challenge to all comers. In 2016 the Youth Class was introduced with a predominance of the Polaris ACE 570 single seaters as the springboard for young drivers to get into the sport. The future looks good for SXS racing with European links already opened up with the Polaris European Invitational at Kettering in 2017, SXS Racing in Bastogne, Belgium in July this year and the Belgians coming to the UK to challenge in the autumn. There are plans ahead for different race formats, expanding the sport with European counterparts and growing the youth market, which could see future world champions in the making across all types of motorsport.

Polaris Britain 0800 915 6720

www.polaris-britain.com

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Volunteering Pays Off

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Volunteering Pays Off: Amazing, incredible, life changing… they are just a few of the words used by British and Irish greenkeepers since 2015 to summarise their time on the John Deere TPC Sawgrass Volunteer Programme, arranged annually in partnership with the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) and the Golf Course Superintendents Association of Ireland (GCSAI).

Held at the legendary TPC Sawgrass course in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, THE PLAYERS Championship is considered by many to be golf’s fifth major. As such it presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for BIGGA and GCSAI members to network, learn and gain a huge amount of invaluable experience.

Volunteering Pays Off

THE PLAYERS is made possible thanks to the hard work and dedication of a course preparation force of over 90 volunteer greenkeepers from 14 different countries, who join the home team in getting and keeping the course in shape. Following the final day’s play, the greenkeepers also get the chance to attempt to hit the 17th hole’s intimidating island green.

For the first time this year, the programme has been expanded with John Deere’s support to allow a seventh member to take part, from BIGGA’s International Region. The six successful BIGGA members who have been selected to join the course preparation team at the 2018 tournament, which takes place from May 10 to 13, are:

  • Scottish Region – Paul Armour, course manager at Dunbar Golf Club, East Lothian;
  • Northern Region – Joe Barnes, deputy head greenkeeper at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club, Lancashire;
  • Central England Region – Nicholas Thorley, greenkeeper at Little Aston Golf Club, West Midlands;
  • South West and South Wales Region – Jamie Blake, head greenkeeper at Broadway Golf Club, Worcestershire;
  • South East Region – Antony Kirwan, deputy course manager at Aldeburgh Golf Club, Suffolk;
  • International – Craig Cameron, superintendent at Golf Club St Leon-Rot, Baden-Württemberg in Germany.

They will be joined by GCSAI member Jonathan Kelly, head greenkeeper at Ballyhaunis Golf Club, Co Mayo in Ireland. This is the fourth such UK & Irish group to travel to the US with the John Deere Limited sponsored programme, which started in 2015.

For more information, visit: www.JohnDeere.co.uk

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