Glendale wins ground maintenance award

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Glendale wins ground maintenance award: Glendale is delighted to announce that they have been crowned Grounds Maintenance Company of the year at a prestigious Pro Landscaper Business Awards event held at East Wintergarden, Canary Wharf on Friday 30 July 2021

Glendale had also been shortlisted in the ‘Arboriculture Company of the Year’ category, totalling 2 out of a total of 15 categories up for grabs for many of the country’s greatest landscaping companies.

Glendale wins ground maintenance award

Glendale wins ground maintenance award

The Pro Landscaper Business Awards returned to London for the fourth successive year and once again brought the landscaping community together for an afternoon to acknowledge the excellent standards set within the landscape industry. Over 400 industry professionals were at the event for an afternoon of networking, great food, and celebration of the best that UK landscaping can deliver. Glendale had to demonstrate professionalism in everything that they do.  The judges were looking for the unsung heroes of the industry who consistently undertake the crucial everyday maintenance tasks, which many take for granted, with the upmost precision and pride.

They commended Glendale for their 30+ year history and for being a well-established and reputable business in the sector. Glendale’s collaboration with local communities providing over 52,000 hours of social value initiatives and the recognition that its staff are intrinsic to the success of operations were similarly commended.  Glendale commits a minimum of 0.5% of total turnover to staff and technology development initiatives. A key component of staff development is its apprenticeship programme – a member of the 5% club, apprentices made up 8% of its workforce in Feb 2021. Glendale delivers on mental health training to all contract managers, how to spot symptoms and how to provide help. Driving forward continual improvement Glendale has committed to achieving net carbon neutrality by 2027 with hopes it will inspire the rest of the industry to make similar goals.­­

Pro Landscaper’s Jim Wilkinson, said: “Our industry is exceptional at celebrating the visual excellence of landscaping with industry awards and RHS shows that highlight how phenomenal landscapes can look, but with the Pro Landscaper Business Awards, we chose to highlight how well businesses operate their processes, staff training, health and safety records and consistently positive customer feedback.”

Kate Anscombe Sales and Development Director said; “Glendale winning the Grounds Maintenance Company award, coincides with a period of exciting new contract wins and contract extensions for us. Across a period that has highlighted more than ever the importance of team work and collaboration and the impact working for a reputable company to provide incredible outdoor green space has to the health and wellbeing of our teams and customers.”

Glendale offers an all-encompassing green space management and maintenance service at a national and local level. They are skilled designers, suppliers and distributors of grounds maintenance, tree management, landscaping, landscape architectural services, winter weather and arboriculture activities, tackling these, and various other green space management tasks, for public and private sector clients across the UK. Glendale is a national company with a local feel, led by a team who care deeply about their people and the industry, and they are dedicated to delivering the best possible service for clients across the UK.

For More information visit https://www.glendale-services.co.uk/

Glendale, The Stables, Duxbury Park, Duxbury Hall Road, Chorley, Lancashire, PR7 4AT

Media information contact Paul Airey, https://piranha-solutions.com/

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Trilo S3 takes command of leaf clearance

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Trilo S3 takes command of leaf clearance: The 18 holes at Hertfordshire’s prestigious Centurion Club explore pine-lined fairways and woodland that pose a challenge to players and greenkeepers alike.

One of the biggest problems for Course Manager Andy Garland and his team was, as the parkland course matured, so did the task of autumn leaf-clearance. That was until the club purchased a Trilo S3 vacuum sweeper from Vanmac two years ago, which has since been described as ‘fundamental’ in retaining the presentation, playability and health of the course.

Trilo S3 takes command of leaf clearance

Trilo S3 takes command of leaf clearance

Established in 2013 and renowned for its immaculate course condition, the Centurion Club has proudly played host to a number of high-profile tour events, most recently the first round of the inaugural Aramco Team Series in July. “The summer is all about presentation and tournament preparations and then we we’d get to the autumn and find ourselves faced with an ever-growing problem with leaves” explains Andy, who has been at the club for the last 15 years. “When the laborious task was becoming unsustainable by hand, we looked at the Trilo.”

“Having heard good things, we had a demonstration of the S3, fitted with the brush shaft, and it was evident straight away how it was going to absolutely transform the task for us.” Working at a convenient 1.5m wide, the Trilo S3 weighs in at only 1200kg making it suitable for compact tractors of 35HP+.  The full-floating brush head and low ground pressure, allows the machine to work under the heaviest of conditions, with hard-to-reach areas – in and around trees for example – cleared with convenience and ease thanks to the 6m wander hose.

“The S3 is in action every day during leaf-fall season, picking up leaves – both wet and dry – cleanly in one pass and collecting them in the large capacity hopper which we can then dispose of elsewhere around the course.” To convert the S3 into a year-round tool, Andy also has his sights set on the optional Verticut shaft which can be mounted to the unit in a matter of minutes, converting it into a quick and effective method of scarifying large areas such as the fairways.

He concludes, “From an agronomic perspective, the benefits of keeping the surface clear to allow for maximum airflow, sunlight and moisture movement are well documented. But, back to basics, there’s no question that the S3 has been fundamental in keeping certain areas of the course playable, and that in itself is invaluable.”

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Hayter Ltd to change name to Toro U.K. Limited

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Hayter Ltd to change name to Toro U.K. Limited: Hayter Ltd, which is part of The Toro Company, will be changing its name to Toro U.K. Limited on 3rd August 2021.

The name change to Toro U.K. Limited will align the UK operation with the rest of Toro’s subsidiaries outside of the United States, and the strategic focus to grow the Toro® brand in the consumer, light construction, landscape contractor and arboricultural markets.

Hayter Ltd to change name to Toro U.K. Limited

Hayter Ltd to change name to Toro U.K. Limited

Toro U.K. Limited remains committed to the Hayter® brand, which this year celebrates its 75th anniversary. The brand will continue to be a significant part of the Toro U.K. Limited portfolio with manufacturing and selling of the Hayter range of premium quality lawn care products continuing from its Spellbrook factory in the UK.

The Hayter brand will retain the Royal Warrant, with which it has been proudly associated since the 1960s and Toro U.K. Limited will continue to invest and develop new Hayter products, including the new 60v Hawk range, which comes to market this autumn.

The Toro Company, a leading worldwide provider of innovative solutions for the outdoor environment, acquired Hayter Ltd in 2005 and continues to invest in the UK manufacturing plant.

The new company name will not change the nature of business, nor will it have any effect on existing relations with customers, partners, suppliers, contracts or personnel.
Craig Hoare, Sales and Marketing Manager Toro U.K. Limited commented, “The change is in name only and everything else is business as usual. The new name will help us to layout our strategy for the Toro & Hayter brands in the UK market and grow with our existing retailers.”

The business is keen to invite anyone who has any questions about the change in name to contact their territory manager.

For more information please visit www.toro.com/en-gb and www.hayter.co.uk

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Grass is greener on the other side

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Grass is greener on the other side: Hillside Golf Club on ‘England’s Golf Coast’ in Southport knows only too well the importance of its biggest asset: its greens. As host to many tournaments including the British Masters, they are what’s most judged and why the club opted for Toro’s Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370 all-electric riding greensmower to lead its frontline mowing fleet.

The R&A, which together with the USGA governs the sport of golf worldwide, provides best practice guidelines on all aspects of golf course management to help grow golf in an environmentally sustainable way. And this was one of the facts that contributed to Chris Ball’s decision-making process when choosing the club’s new greens mower this year.

Grass is greener on the other side

Grass is greener on the other side

Chris, the club’s links manager has been in the industry for 31 years and has been associated with Hillside Golf Club for over 20 of those years; he says: “The R&A is rightly pushing clubs to make the correct environmentally-friendly choices wherever possible so when we had a hydraulic leak earlier this season, the club asked can this truly be avoided in the future? The answer was yes and that led us to consider the all-electric option.”

Of course, this option has been provided to the industry by Toro in the form of the Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370 and despite reservations Chris couldn’t be more glad he decided to look at the all-electric mower.

“My reservations were based on this being a bit of an unknown quantity in terms of costs,” says Chris. “But Steve Halley from Cheshire Turf Machinery who sold us the machine and our club secretary/manager Chris Williams did some number crunching and presented the costs over three years and it alleviated my concerns on that count. What the process concluded was that you can’t base your decision on the purchase price, total cost of ownership plays a huge part here.”

So, what of the machine and it’s performance? Chris says the clubs along the coast don’t have much Toro equipment, but what they all have is the impressive technology of the ever-popular ProCore aerators and the Sidewinder machines for mowing round bunker tops and fairway gathers, but could the performance of the electric greensmower be the next piece of Toro they all have?

Chris says: “I can’t find fault with it. And the more we use it the more positives we find. But first and foremost is the members’ feedback. They love the idea of the all-electric mower on their course, and all take great interest in it when it’s out on the course. Quality of cut is excellent and specifically highlighted by many golfers was that the ball roll appears far superior, even though we are now mowing at 5mm through the summer which is higher than previous years. It’s great for the club as they are doing all they can to see the return of the desirable grass species on the greens and at this height its very achievable.

“It’s incredibly user-friendly and definitely my preferred option for mowing the greens on a daily basis. The quietness and not needing ear defenders means you notice everything the mower is doing; it provides a totally different mowing experience and of course you can work quietly around the golfers.

“Maintenance is really easy – there are no grease points and the bearings are sealed for life, there’s nothing for us to do – apart from keeping the cutting units sharp by regular grinding. There is a small service at 800 hours and even then, that’s just topping up the coolant. And in terms of productivity, it can easily do all our 20 greens before we charge overnight but during our first weeks with the mower, we thought we’d see how far the mower could go and we managed to get 39 greens out of it before charging, which in a linear straight line is some distance for a mower.”

Chris confirms: “It seems to be the way of the future and I genuinely believe it won’t be long before the switch over to electric is more commonplace.”

A true Championship Links course and host to many events in the past, Hillside continues to invest in its primary asset and has recently completed two major phases of course improvements. Chris concludes: “The time was right to invite Toro to bring their electric technology to the course. I feel it matches our ambitions as a club going forward, giving us that extra something on the greens.”

Steve Halley, managing director at Cheshire Turf Machinery, comments: “Jeff Jago from our sales team has worked hard to make the breakthrough at Hillside where Chris and his team have really bought in the many features and benefits of the eTriFlex. Their enthusiasm for the machine has been really satisfying and is sure to be noted by other potential users.”

To talk to someone about Toro’s electric and hybrid technology and how the Toro range would suit your course, call 01480 226800.

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Training Committee releases revised learning materials

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Training Committee releases revised learning materials: The Advanced Golf Greenkeeper Learning Materials, developed for the Level 3 Apprenticeship, are now available for golf clubs and individuals to purchase from the Greenkeepers Training Committee (GTC).

These best practice learning materials, compiled by industry specialists, are based upon principles and practices for advanced golf course maintenance and management.

Training Committee releases revised learning materials

Training Committee releases revised learning materials

Originally compiled to provide the underpinning knowledge for the Level 3 qualification, the GTC Board of Directors and the Employer Group have championed the revision of the copyright Learning Materials. Divided into 10 chapters, they cover best practices including health and safety, advanced golf course preparation and maintenance, construction of golf course features, environmental management, finance and project management.

All GTC–BIGGA Approved Training Providers will receive a copy of the Learning Materials, for use with all greenkeeping students on the advanced greenkeeping courses.

The 392-page publication is now available in digital format from the GTC shop. Visit: www.the-gtc.co.uk/shop/

GTC Learning and Development Executive, Fiona Lyttle, said: “We are incredibly proud to present the revised Level 3 Learning Materials. After recently reviewing and updating the Level 2 Learning Materials, it became necessary to develop materials appropriate for students learning at the higher level. The Level 3 qualification now incorporates more knowledge and skills that are required at a supervisory level. These materials home in on the knowledge required and how to deliver those skills. The GTC has ensured the Learning Materials are suitable for everyone, from apprentices to golf course managers, with all subjects comprehensively covered.”

The GTC is supported by England Golf, Scottish Golf, Wales Golf, The PGA and BIGGA.

For further information on the GTC’s Learning Materials, contact Fiona Lyttle on 01347 838 640 or fiona@the-gtc.co.uk

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