AGS strengthens Northern Region

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AGS strengthens Northern Region: Advance Grass Solutions is very pleased to announce the appointment of Gary Robertson to the role of Regional Technical Manager for northern England.

Gary has been in the turf industry since 1995. A former Head Groundsman at Blackburn Rovers and Greenkeeper at Penwortham Golf Club, Gary brings a wealth of practical and commercial experience to the role. In recent years he worked as a contracts manager for an irrigation business as well as senior roles at manufacturer level.

AGS strengthens Northern Region

AGS strengthens Northern Region

Gary is married with two children, is an Everton fan and enjoys walking his dogs.

Sam Honeyborne, MD at AGS said ‘’The north of the country represents a very good growth opportunity for the business which will see targeted investment in the coming months and years. We hope to expand the team on an annual basis to support customers and prospects, alike. Our recent collaboration with Pro Pitch has increased enquires significantly, which is very encouraging.’’

Advance Grass Solutions is a leading provider of agronomy services, products and customer support throughout the UK, with loyal customers from lawncare and small bowling clubs to Ryder Cup venues and Premier League football clubs.

AGS provide a UK exclusive range of high-quality products including: Growth Products, Sustane Natural Fertilizers, Polyon controlled release technology, in addition to well-known UK based suppliers such as DLF Trifolium and Aquatrols. Their staff hold industry recognised qualifications such as BASIS and FACTS alongside honours degrees in sports turf, soil science and sustainable land management disciplines.

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BIGGA’s world-leading education programme

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BIGGA’s world-leading education programme: The British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) has revealed that preparations are underway for the return of the BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition (BTME) to Harrogate in January 2022 with the launch of Proposal to Present for Continue to Learn.

A key component of BTME, Continue to Learn is recognised as one of the world’s leading greenkeeping education events, drawing more than 3,000 delegates each year.

BIGGA's world-leading education programme

BIGGA’s world-leading education programme

The content of the programme is decided upon by BIGGA members who participate in the Members’ Choice process, whereby interested speakers are invited to pitch content for seminars and workshops and members then select what they would like to see on the Continue to Learn programme.

Continue to Learn 2022 is anticipated to be a hybrid event, combining in-person learning and online sessions following the incredible success of Continue to Learn 2021, which was hosted entirely online due to the coronavirus pandemic.

BIGGA Head of Learning and Develop Sami Strutt said: “As we begin the planning for Continue to Learn 2022 we are inviting Proposals to Present from across the industry. We are looking for those who have stories to tell, perhaps from their pandemic experiences, renovation projects, research and development, personal health and wellbeing and, of course, all things agronomy-related.

“Taking the programme online in January 2021 allowed us to attract attendees who, under normal circumstances would not have been able to make the trip to Harrogate. Many of the oversees attendees claimed in their feedback that they would be attending BTME and Continue to Learn in future and that’s an incredible affirmation of the hard word that goes into hosting the event each year.

“We are entering an exciting period where we can reimagine the traditional methods of delivery, considering ways to make it more accessible to those who are unable to attend while ensuring we deliver the same quality and quantity of education expected from the Continue to Learn education programme.”

Anyone interested in contributing to the Continue to Learn 2022 education programme can submit a Proposal to Present by 25 April 2021 at https://continue-to-learn-2022.cfp.lineup.ninja/

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KAR UK announces new Hunter products

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KAR UK announces new Hunter products: KAR UK, a leading wholesaler of irrigation equipment and distributor of Hunter products, has announced some exciting new product launches.

NEW EZ-DT diagnostic tool

The industry’s simplest two-wire system just got easier with the new handheld EZ-DT diagnostic tool from Hunter. It uses wireless technology to streamline installation and maintenance of EZ Decoder Systems.

KAR UK announces new Hunter products

KAR UK announces new Hunter products

Contractors can use the EZ-DT to quickly and easily assess system health from within the valve box — without having to uninstall the decoders — reducing time and labour.

The reliable, battery-operated EZ-DT lets EZ-1 decoder users:

  • Detect faults and perform electrical troubleshooting in the field without uninstalling decoders.
  • Quickly read decoder status, station address, current draw, and two-wire voltage to simplify maintenance.
  • Program decoder station address via wired connection to speed up installation and save time on-site.
  • Update controller face pack or decoder module firmware via ribbon cable connection for flexibility when updating systems.
  • Communicate in their preferred language using the multilingual user interface.
  • Work efficiently on the go with power supplied by four AAA batteries.

NEW MP Stake

Native plant restoration projects and subsurface drip irrigation systems often require temporary overhead watering to support delicate plants.

Designed for use with any water-efficient MP Rotator nozzle, MP Stake kits come preassembled for simple installation. Quickly give fragile plants the supplemental irrigation they need without adding significant labour.

KAR UK announces new Hunter products

KAR UK announces new Hunter products

Other key benefits include:

  • Pair with any high-efficiency MP Rotator nozzle to simplify temporary irrigation.
  • Preassembled for fast and easy installation in the field.
  • Standard kit includes a 66 cm stake, nozzle adapter, 0.345″ tubing, and ½” threaded male fitting for quick connection.
  • For maximum water savings, upgrade to a 2.8 bar (280 kPa) pressure regulator and Hunter Check Valve.

The new Hunter products are available from KAR UK with immediate effect.

For more information, please visit www.karuk.com

You can also follow KAR UK on Twitter @KARUK_LTD for much more news, reviews and insightful views.

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Multevo to host sustainable weed control virtual demo

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Multevo to host sustainable weed control virtual demo: Looking to reduce your dependence on conventional chemical weed killers? Learn how to kill weeds with nothing but hot water using Multevo’s innovative equipment in their first ever live virtual demonstration.

Multevo are inviting organisations who are looking to stop or limit the use of chemical spraying to join the live webinar which will provide guidance on how hot water weed control methods can be implemented and outline the benefits customers have achieved.

Multevo to host sustainable weed control virtual demo

Multevo to host sustainable weed control virtual demo

Multevo currently have five models in the range which all use Waterkracht’s Boiling Hot water Technique® to provide an effective and environmentally friendly solution to weed control. The water is delivered at a low pressure consistently at 98 degrees to kill the root completely.

Hot water weed control is the most efficient and most sustainable way to treat weeds and all machines are multi-purpose to add value all-year-round. For example, the high-pressure lance can be utilised for chewing gum removal, cleansing of street furniture as well as graffiti increasing your return on investment.

Multevo are the UK market leader for hot water weed control having launched the product in 2015 and the seminar will share customer success stories as well as feature a live virtual demonstration of the equipment.

The event will take place on Wednesday the 17th of March between 11:00am – 12:00pm and will feature a walkaround of the equipment, the operational advantages, footage of its capabilities finished up with a live Q&A session.

Josh Sweeney, Director of Marketing and Growth said: “We’re extremely excited to share this innovative equipment to the market virtually. We have reduced the amount of in-person demonstrations due to COVID-19 but there is clearly an appetite for chemical-free weed control in the UK, more than ever, so we wanted to try something different to showcase a proven method that is tried and tested in Europe.”

Register for the event here: https://multevo.clickmeeting.com/hot-water-weed-control-virtual-demo/register

You can find more information at www.hotwaterweedcontrol.co.uk or call 01254 703212 as well as email info@multevo.co.uk

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BIGGA and GCMA welcome return to golf

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BIGGA and GCMA welcome return to golf: The British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) and the Golf Club Managers Association (GCMA) have welcomed today’s announcement regarding the reopening of golf courses in Wales following an easing of restrictions and it is heartening that the Welsh Parliament has recognised the incredible role golf can play in maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle in a COVID-safe manner.

As welcoming as the relaxing of restrictions are, the incredibly short notice of just one day presents a significant challenge for the golf facilities of Wales to achieve readiness. There are many logistical challenges to opening a facility at short notice and a number of facilities will be part-way through significant on or off course projects that may take time to complete.

BIGGA and GCMA welcome return to golf

BIGGA and GCMA welcome return to golf

Golfers will no doubt be eager to head back out on the course as soon as they can get an available tee time and we look forward to golf clubs becoming thriving hubs of activity once again as people enjoy the many benefits that golf can bring.

However, on behalf of our members, both BIGGA and the GCMA ask for consideration from golfers and an understanding that courses may not be able to open immediately and, when they do, they may not be prepared to the usual standards golfers have come to expect. It can be reasonably anticipated that limitations on winter maintenance and renovations caused by an exceedingly wet winter, restrictions on activities due to COVID safety measures and the potential placing of staff onto furlough to protect the golf club business will have restricted what the team have been able to achieve. Additionally 2020 saw participation at unprecendented levels which reduced maintenance opportunities and created more wear and tear on turf and other areas than usual.

The preparation and maintenance of a golf course is a year-round process; as life returns to the golf club following the reopening, so too will life return to the course itself. Spring will hopefully bring drier and warmer weather aiding turfgrass plants to come out of dormancy, meaning they recover from damage quicker. While drier conditions will mean less damage from divots or compaction of the turf. As golfers return to the fairways, we ask for patience and consideration of the activities of the entire golf club team, from managers through front-of-house staff and the greenkeepers who have, like each of us at some time in the past year, worried about their livelihoods, their personal health and wellbeing, and who take great pride in their work but due to circumstances beyond their control have perhaps been unable to achieve the high standards they set for themselves.

If you have any questions about the maintenance of the course, please contact your club manager, course manager or head greenkeeper, who will be able to offer more information about the site-specific activities that have taken place at your golf club.

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