Technology pays off for Gleneagles

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Technology pays off for Gleneagles: As Gleneagles enters the fifth year of its partnership agreement with John Deere, its adoption of the latest precision spraying and mowing technology is paying off across the estate’s world-famous championship courses, The King’s, Queen’s and PGA Centenary, plus the 9-hole Wee Course.

The award-winning luxury destination in Perthshire holds a unique position in golf as the first European venue to have hosted both The Ryder Cup (in 2014) and Solheim Cup (in 2019). John Deere was the official golf course and turf maintenance equipment supplier to Gleneagles for the latter event, with tournament support provided by local supplying dealer Double A at Cupar.

Technology pays off for Gleneagles

Technology pays off for Gleneagles

The next professional tournament scheduled at Gleneagles takes place in July 2022, when The King’s Course will host The Senior Open Presented by Rolex for the first time. This will be Europe’s only Senior Major Championship next year.

Gleneagles Director of Agronomy and Estates Scott Fenwick says: “We’re anticipating a great tournament next summer, particularly as The King’s Course also hosted what was then the Bells Scottish Open from 1987 to 1994. Hopefully a lot of the big-name golfers from that era will be able to play the course again, and we look forward to welcoming them back to Gleneagles.”

Scott Fenwick recently took delivery of the latest additions to Gleneagles’ extensive John Deere course maintenance equipment fleet, including the ProGator-based GPS PrecisionSprayer, WAM 1600T and 9009A TerrainCut rotary rough and finishing mowers, plus nine TS & TX Series Gator utility vehicles.

“We were the first UK golf course to receive a prototype of the GPS PrecisionSprayer for assessment, from the start of the John Deere contract,” says Scott.  “We were able to do a lot of testing with it over three seasons, to help John Deere evaluate the machine in true commercial conditions.

“Accuracy is key for everything we do at Gleneagles. We were also one of the first golf venues in the UK to achieve GEO Certified status, and the environmental credentials of our business are very important to us. To be able to spray only target areas is obviously much better from an environmental point of view. We are now able to apply around 12 to 14 per cent less chemical at lower total volumes of water, which also means lower costs, so it’s a big win all round.

“Although autonomous technology is well established in agriculture, it’s new to our side of the industry. Once you get used to not having to steer the machine and allowing it to do everything automatically, it’s very operator friendly. Testing the sprayer over an extended period meant we could be sure that it did what it was supposed to do and have full confidence in the results.”

Precision is a feature of the A model mowers that Gleneagles uses, with the machines set up using the TechControl system so that they mow and turn at exact speeds. This helps give a consistent finish across all courses.

“This is particularly important on a big site like ours, with a 50-plus strong greenkeeping and gardens team and a lot of equipment,” Scott adds. “Every operator has a slightly different approach and feel, but with so many mowers being used by different people every day, we need to achieve consistency.

“Since joining Gleneagles three years ago our Golf Courses Manager, Craig Haldane, has been instrumental in bringing the golf and gardens staff together to operate as one team across all the courses and grounds. This has meant we can manage and direct operations and the equipment fleet much more efficiently, and it has also improved communications and the use of resources.

“Overall the new John Deere fleet is now in a really good place. It’s also been great for morale that even though the hotel had to close during lockdown, the business has continued to invest in the new machinery we need to maintain the courses to the highest standards.”

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Putting service first with Makita

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Putting service first with Makita: In a move that reaffirms its commitment to delivering outstanding customer service, leading power tool manufacturer, Makita UK is delighted to unveil its new Factory Service Centre (FSC) in Blakelands, Milton Keynes.

Makita UK has relocated its Milton Keynes Factory Service Centre site (located at the company’s headquarters), to a new, larger location to house regional servicing activity. The new 20,000-sqft premises in Blakelands, which is scheduled to officially open on April 6th, will enable Makita to bolster its customer repair and service support commitments and completes a portfolio of three dedicated centres in London, Glasgow and Milton Keynes.

Putting service first with Makita

Putting service first with Makita

Makita’s Factory Service Centres deliver an exceptional service and repair offering for end-users. Products covered under the company’s warranty agreement can be posted (by arranging a collection) or dropped off (with prior booking), at each FSC for Makita’s technical experts and engineers to perform product servicing, detailed diagnostics and high standards of repair work when needed.

With a focus on improving levels of technical knowledge across the construction sector, the new larger premises in Blakelands will also be used to host Makita UK accredited service training, as well as Authorised Service Agents (ASA) workshops and seminars. Furthermore, Makita will use the new site to host apprenticeship training sessions focusing on the electrical and mechanical service requirements of Makita tools.

Speaking on the FSC opening, Tony Coleman, Technical Manager at Makita UK commented: “Opening this new, larger site is testament to the growing popularity of our tools, as well as our long-lasting commitment to delivering exceptional customer support. We’re now in a better position than ever to deal with service and repair demands, as well as to promote high-quality industry training. The spacious new centre also provides us with ample opportunity to continue growing our operations as we look to develop into new sectors and industries.”

All three of Makita’s FSC sites are currently following COVID-19 guidelines and customers are advised to follow the most up-to date guidance on arranging servicing or repairs, published on the company’s website.

For more information about Makita’s FSC sites, services and procedures please visit: www.makitauk.com/factory-service-centres

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GKB bring the Sandspreader 400 to Coventry

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GKB bring the Sandspreader 400 to Coventry: GKB Machines are known for their robust and reliable groundskeeping machines, and at the heart of their wide range of products fits the GKB Sandspreaders.

Thought of as the premier choice in the top dresser market, the SP series distributes different materials evenly over a field with precision and efficiency, and are available in a variety of sizes to suit the needs of sports grounds and courses.

GKB bring the Sandspreader 400 to Coventry

GKB bring the Sandspreader 400 to Coventry

The latest delivery saw the arrival of the SP400 – the largest Top Dresser in the GKB arsenal – to Lakeside Ground Maintenance in Coventry. Director of the Coventry firm, Gareth Fowler-Simons commented: “I was after a bigger spreader that was also suitable to travel on the road between sites. I’ve only heard good things about GKB, and with up to 95 per cent of the work we do being top dressing and renovations related, this really was the obvious choice for us.”

Being only the second SP400 to reach the UK – the first arrived in Scotland some months ago – it has naturally drawn a lot of attention among ground staff already. As effective sanding is crucial for the long-term preservation of sports fields, GKB expect these to be the first of many SP400s delivered to UK grounds and courses.

Tom Shinkins, GKB Machines UK Operations Director admitted: “The Sandspreader offers more than a traditional top dresser, giving workers the ability to control how much material gets spread and where, evenly with no fuss. We are delighted have an SP400 now in operation in England, and are sure that Lakeside Ground Maintenance will have many fantastic years using it.”

GKB bring the Sandspreader 400 to Coventry

GKB bring the Sandspreader 400 to Coventry

GKB Sandspreader main features:

  • Sturdy wheelbase for perfect stability and weight dispersion
  • Adjustable conveyor belt speed
  • Double hydraulically driven, precisely adjustable spreading discs
  • Road legal
  • Uniquely shaped bunker for good visibility and efficient sand discharge

The SP400 is available to order from your local GKB Machines dealer, find them online local via the GKB website now.

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Youth football pitches wrecked

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Youth football pitches wrecked: Five pitches maintained by Aspull Juniors FC were churned up and left unusable after reports on social media that there was a quad bike riding on the grass last week.

Read the full article from Wigan Today here

https://turfmatters.co.uk/gma-supports-launch-of-new-sports-turf-apprenticeship/

https://turfmatters.co.uk/gma-supports-launch-of-new-sports-turf-apprenticeship/

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PNE’s pitches boosted by Mansfield Sand

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PNE’s pitches boosted by Mansfield Sand: Pete Ashworth, Head Groundsman at Preston North End FC, has revealed how products from Mansfield Sand play a role in achieving consistently good playing surfaces.

Pete, a graduate of the highly regarded Myerscough College, originally began his career at Blackburn Rovers FC before moving to Preston North End FC in 2005. The award-winning groundsman now oversees 7 members of staff over three sites.

PNE’s pitches boosted by Mansfield Sand

PNE’s pitches boosted by Mansfield Sand

Across those three sites, which includes Deepdale Stadium, the youth academy and the new first-team training centre, Pete has six Fibresand constructed pitches – and this is where Mansfield Sand come in.

“Mansfield Sand were used during my time at Blackburn FC, and I have personally dealt with them the whole time I have been here at Preston North End – the customer service has always been first-class,” said Pete.

“There are two products in particular that we use across the Fibresand pitches we have, and they are incredibly important to the playability of them.”

Pete uses Mansfield’s Fibresand, which is a pure sand and polypropylene fibre reinforcement product that is particularly advantageous when grass cover has been reduced due to heavy usage and wear during the winter period. It is incorporated into an upper sand soil rootzone and consolidated to provide a stable divot-free environment.

“We’ll use the Fibresand during renovations and how much we apply really depends on how much we need,” he said. “Mansfield Sand will usually come and take samples in December to see what our levels are and when we find out what the fibre content is, we will then know how much fibre we need to add. You need to have a certain percentage of fibre to keep that stability in your surface and have the best pitch you can.”

Historically, Deepdale Stadium was the only Fibresand pitch under Pete’s remit, but 2019 signalled the start of more and he has not looked back since.

“We used to have drainage issues on the pitches at the youth academy centre, but that has all changed now.

“I’m a big fan of Fibresand pitches and I like to think I am fairly good at dealing with them in whatever conditions are thrown at us. In the North of England, we get a huge amount of rainfall and the pitches let the water through with no problems at all – that is thanks to the great products from Mansfield Sand.”

Furthermore, Pete revealed that while he relies on Mansfield’s Fibresand for renovations, he will also use the company’s MM40 product.

“We’ll use the MM40 for a straight sand top dressing, especially for the pitches that aren’t having a full cultivation,” he said. “It is a brilliant medium sand and I always try and keep a couple of tonnes left over for goal mouths or any other areas.”

From winter sports pitches, golf courses, bowling greens and all amenity turf areas – Mansfield Sand has a solution for all.

For more information visit www.mansfield-sand.co.uk

You can also follow the company on Twitter – @MansfieldSand and Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MansfieldSandSportSurfaces/

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