Vattanac opens night golf

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Vattanac opens night golf: The Troon-managed, Vattanac Golf Resort, celebrates the opening of the spectacular “The Dragon Turn” night golf. The night golf is an exciting addition to the recently opened “West Course” and offers golfers a unique opportunity to play in the breathtaking surrounds of Phnom Penh under the cover of darkness.

“The Dragon Turn” is aptly named by the lake’s shape that sits in the middle of three holes of this exciting 9-hole floodlit course. Inspired by ownership’s vision to create a venue with significant character, this lake is yet another unique feature that this resort plays host to. Night golf will be available for play from sunset with the last tee time at 9PM, creating a very special addition to Vattanac Golf Resort.

Vattanac opens night golf

Vattanac opens night golf

The launch of “The Dragon Turn” night golf comes after a successful end to 2020 for the resort following the opening of the second Faldo Design course, the “West Course”, and the “East Course” being named ‘Cambodia’s Best Golf Course’ at the 2020 World Golf Awards.

With imposing character and striking identity, the “East course” has received high praise from golfers the world over. Set within captivating natural surroundings, the “East” is a strategic golf course that utilizes dramatic water features, creative bunkering, and various forms of native fauna to challenge golfers of all levels. Over and above the highly enjoyable golf experience, the “East” pays homage to the marvels of Khmer architecture and the country’s rich history, with magnificent scale replicas of the world-renowned Angkor Wat, Bayon Temple and Preah Vihear Temple.

The “West Course” will certainly contend with the “East Course” as not only one of the best in Cambodia, but also one of the best in Asia. The West Course has distinctive differences from the East Course, of which are defined by narrower and more undulating fairways, a variety of unique water features and testing Paspalum greens. Cultural sculptures and stunning landscaping attribute to the striking scenery of Cambodia’s newest golf course. The “West” is a rewarding test of skill for players of all levels, featuring 5 sets of tees, starting at 4,935 yards, right through to 7,249 yards.

Karl Whitehead, General Manager at Vattanac Golf Resort, commented: “It’s been an incredibly exciting end to 2020 and start to 2021 for us at Vattanac Golf Resort. The announcement of the 9-holes of night golf on the West Course showcases how we, not only want to compete to have the best championship courses in Asia, but we also, under Mr Vattanac’s vision, want to offer golfers a fresh and exciting approach to the game. The dramatic landscape of “The Dragon Turn” under the night sky will hopefully provide golfers this.”

Cambodia’s luxury golf resort continues through the next phase of the integrated resort development to soon include a world acclaimed Golf Academy.

To view imagery of the “East Course” and “West Course”, click here.

For more information on Vattanac Golf Resort, visit www.vattanacgolfresort.com.

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London Stadium relies on G860’s

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London Stadium relies on G860’s: The London Stadium has recently increased its fleet of Dennis G860 cylinder mowers, and Head Groundsman James Williams has revealed exactly why.

James is an ambitious young groundsman and his prominent position at the London Stadium certainly is testament to this. The Welshman is about to embark on his fourth year in the role and understandably, he believes that 2020 has been the most challenging yet – but not for the reasons you might think.

London Stadium relies on G860's

London Stadium relies on G860’s

“It’s been a difficult year due to the pandemic,” he said. “The worst thing is waking up in the morning on a matchday and there’s just no spark because you know there will be no fans to showcase your pitch to.”

James obviously takes great pride in his work; he is hard-working, committed and works round the clock to ensure that the pitch is in the best possible condition. Anywhere he can make improvements he will strive to do so – and therefore when an opportunity presented itself, James was quick to seize it.

“When football started again, the Premier League announced that we have to prepare the pitch and leave it well alone five hours before kick-off – it used to be three,” said James.

“This would mean starting a lot earlier and so my CEO asked me if there was anything I needed which could help. Straight away, I told him that two more Dennis G860’s would be nice!”

The London Stadium already had three Dennis G860’s in its armoury when James arrived, and he was pleased to see a familiar mower – one which he had become accustomed to for many years previously.

“I used the G860’s the whole time I was at Swansea City FC,” he said. “I’m just extremely comfortable with them – they are reliable, adaptable and they get the job done to the high standard I expect.”

James isn’t the only groundsman to be of this opinion as many of his peers have long relied on the G860 to provide the perfect cut for sports turf. Lightweight at just 166kg; it is easy to manoeuvre and comfortable to operate.

The mower features a large diameter front roller with an adjustable scraper which has been designed for a precise height of cut control, giving an excellent finish on every occasion. The Dennis G860 also features an interchangeable cassette system to assist with a wide range of tasks such as including scarifying, verticutting, brushing, spiking, and slitting.

“The G860’s are normally brought out towards the end of the week once the pitch has been repaired to make sure that it is in the best shape going into a matchday.

“When the grass gets too thick, or if it’s dying off, we will use the verticutting cassette to clear that out – just to stop it from causing any thatch or disease. We probably verticut once a month as well as use the brush – both help to keep the pitch nice and healthy.

“The 8 bladed cutting cylinder always offers a fantastic finish,” continued James. “I like to cut down to 23mm for matchdays but if there is period when we’ve got a lot of games and training sessions on the pitch then I’ll take it up to 26mm for extra protection and coverage.”

The Dennis G860 was an instant hit when it was first developed and over the years it has proven to be one of the most popular sports turf mowers on the market. There is a reason behind its success according to James.

“Do you know what I like about the G860? It’s the fact that it hasn’t changed a lot. Dennis as a company has evolved with some other great machinery but the G860 doesn’t need to. Why would you evolve something that doesn’t need fixing? You can’t improve perfection.”

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact Dennis 01332 824 777 or visit www.dennisuk.com

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow Dennis on Twitter @DennisMowers and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/DennisMowersUK You can also view the latest Dennis videos by visiting www.youtube.com/DennisMowers

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Golf resort targets positive year

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Golf resort targets positive year: After an unprecedented year, Modry Las Golf Resort is looking forward to a new golfing season following a string of exciting developments at Poland’s only signature-designed golf course. As well as enjoying its PGA National status and new clubhouse, the 27-hole facility has recently welcomed a new general manager and received recognition from one of Europe’s foremost golf publications teeing up what is anticipated to be an upbeat 2021.

Golf World’s latest rundown of top resorts in continental Europe included a notable new entry with Modry Las debuting in the renowned Top 100 Resorts chart alongside some of the world’s top golf destinations. The inaugural listing included a glowing review that described the Gary Player design as “fabulous” and “elegant”.

Golf resort targets positive year

Golf resort targets positive year

One of 11 new entries, Modry Las was noted as having “flair and imagination,” with the renowned publication praising the “unfussy course chalets which offer a view of the manicured fairways and greens as soon as you pull back the curtains in the morning”. Crucially, the analysis suggested Modry Las would appeal to golfers looking for “a high-calibre modern course in fabulous condition”, and went on to applaud the accommodation options. “We loved the chalets, nestled in the silence of the woodland that surrounds the course.”

Modry Las also fought off competition from around Europe to be named in the top three resorts for value – a remarkable achievement in its first listing. According to the chairman of Modry Las, the praise reflects the ongoing improvements made at the resort despite the disruption caused by Covid-19. “Even with the impact of a pandemic, we are delighted that the reputation of Modry Las continues to grow along with our determination to evolve and develop,” explained Arthur Gromadzki. “Our inclusion in Golf World’s Top 100 Resorts of Continental Europe and the appreciation for the great value we provide validates our endeavours which have already led to our PGA National status and recognition from the golf industry at the highest level.”

He continued: “Golf World’s Top 100 Resorts celebrates the very best golf destinations in Europe where the highest service standards and facilities are matched by exceptional on-course experiences. These attributes perfectly align themselves with the ethos adopted at Modry Las. It is therefore, especially gratifying to be recognised as one of Europe’s leading golf resorts by one of its foremost magazines. Saying that, Modry Las is constantly moving forward and will continue to devise ways to finesse what we do.”

As if to prove it, Gromadzki recently appointed Chris Duffy as general manager at Modry Las. With a wealth of golf club management experience honed in the UK and Qatar, Duffy was the ideal candidate for the role. “Chris is well known in the golfing world and brings a wealth of industry knowledge to Modry Las,” explained Gromadzki. “His role at Modry Las marks the next stage in the evolution of the resort.”

Duffy, who describes himself as a results-focused leader, was thrilled by the prospect of managing Poland’s top resort. “The opportunity to work with the team at Modry Las came at an ideal moment in my career,” he explained. “The resort’s international reputation made it an unmissable opportunity to apply the knowledge and experiences that I have been fortunate enough to amass at multiple venues. The team here is fantastic and the courses are stunning.”

Educated to a high level via the Club Managers Association of Europe’s training programme, Duffy also developed his skillset through his own events company working with clients such as Mercedes Benz, BMW and Qatar Airways. He also held managerial posts at Doha Golf Club and most recently Huddersfield Golf Club.

Despite his impressive resume, Duffy admits that Modry Las came as a pleasant surprise. “Modry Las is the leading golf resort in Poland and now has PGA National status,” he said. “Despite its international reputation, when I first visited Modry Las I was stunned by the quality of the courses and the new facilities which will only get better as we get further into the season. My role is to take an already excellent product and help it advance to the next level. It’s going to be an exciting year and I’m looking forward to what lies ahead.”

In 2019, Modry Las joined a distinguished collection of the world’s leading golf resorts as The PGA National Poland, becoming the country’s sole PGA branded property. This is noteworthy because the PGA restricts membership of its PGA National brand programme to one resort per country and prospective members are only approached if they offer the very best golf, leisure and accommodation. In addition, a new 2,000m2 clubhouse has been unveiled featuring 10 double bedrooms as well as the luxurious Gary Player suite bringing the total number of on-site double/twin rooms at Modry Las to 23. A new revitalising spa containing saunas, steam rooms Jacuzzis and treatment rooms will open in 2021.

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Only the best will do for Woodlawn

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Only the best will do for Woodlawn: Woodlawn – a garden and lawn maintenance company in Northern Ireland, insist on providing the best service to their customers, and it is for this reason that it has invested in a brand-new fleet of Etesia pedestrian mowers. 

Formed in 2014 by Aaron Brownlee and Allen Davey, Woodlawn provides a wide range of landscaping services to private and commercial customers around Carrickfergus, Whitehead, Ballycarry, Jordanstown and surrounding areas in Northern Ireland.

Only the best will do for Woodlawn

Only the best will do for Woodlawn

Over recent years the company has seen incredible growth year-on-year – which can be attributed to the professionalism and high standard of work carried out by the Woodlawn team.

Owners Aaron and Allen, ever the perfectionists, admit to keeping a close eye on the turf machinery market to monitor any technological advancements. However, they claim that it was a chance demonstration which made it incredibly difficult to ignore the Etesia brand.

“RD Mechanical, an Etesia dealer in Northern Ireland, contacted us and said they had lots of exciting new equipment in stock,” said Aaron. “We were asked if we wanted to have a demonstration and that was when we first came across the Etesia Hydro 80 ride-on mower.

It was the one machine which really stood out and it was then that we realised just how good Etesia technology was.”

“After starting with the Hydro 80, we then went on to explore other Etesia mowers,” added Allen. “We concluded that Etesia was the way forward. Ultimately, we want to provide the absolute best service for our customers and that means that we have to use the very best equipment – that is why we have decided to switch all of our equipment over to Etesia.”

After reporting great results from the Hydro 80, Aaron and Allen decided to invest in a new fleet of Etesia pedestrian mowers consisting of four PRO 46 PHTS3’s and the BIOCUT 53 ME53C – the ultimate mulching mower which ensures a quick, clean and environmentally-friendly cut.

The PHTS3 is a single speed self-propelled mower which follows the same concept of the ground-breaking PRO46 range of pedestrian mowers which were first launched in the early 1990’s. The PHTS3 features an Xenoy cutting deck for increased strength, shear washer crank protection, individual height of cut adjuster, a new 22mm handlebar design, the latest Honda GCV170 engine and is complete with an 80-litre grass box and a rear deflector as standard.

The mower provides outstanding collection performance, even if the grass is long and wet – something that Etesia has prided itself on over the past 30 years. One main feature of the PHTS3 is the ‘one cut’ principle. This means the grass is only cut once before being sent to the grass box. The benefits of this are reduced power consumption from fast deck material ejection and secondly, as it is not multi-chopped, the grass does not stick to the cutting deck in the same way as multi-cut grass does – preventing unwanted blockages.

During peak season, the team at Woodlawn could be carrying out anywhere between 30-50 cuts per day with the Etesia mowers – and Aaron and Allen believe that the mowers give them a certain peace of mind.

“We are using these machines every single day for hours on end and we know that they will never let us down – they really are an all-round mower,” said Aaron. “They are versatile, robust, and for me, the best feature is that you can cut and collect in all weather – even in damp conditions.”

“The weight to power ratio is incredible,” added Allen. “They are so easy to manoeuvre and we lift them in and out of vans, down steps, up steps, on and off trailers all the time – they are just so lightweight but also offer performance of the highest quality.

“We feel that we made the right decision in switching our fleet over to these mowers – Etesia is definitely the way forward.”

For further information, please contact Etesia UK on 01295 680120 or visit www.etesia.co.uk.

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow Etesia UK on Twitter @EtesiaUK and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/EtesiaUK You can also view the latest Etesia videos by visiting www.youtube.com/EtesiaUK

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Goodbye seeds, hello retirement

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Goodbye seeds, hello retirement: DLF have announced that one of the most well-known names in the seed industry, John Hughes, will be leaving at the end of February to embrace his well-earned retirement.

After spending most of his working life at some of the country’s leading seed providers to the golf and sports turf markets, John has made many friends and contacts who will be sure to miss his invaluable support, knowledge and advice.

Goodbye seeds, hello retirement

Goodbye seeds, hello retirement

Having obtained a BSc Hons in Applied Biology from the University of Salford, John worked at the Welsh Plant Breeding Station (Aberystwyth) in the Chemistry department, and in Plant Pathology at the National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB). He also spent some time teaching Biology. This love of knowledge-sharing set John up for a long and illustrious career in the professional amenity market where he enjoyed positions at Germinal Seeds and Cebeco Seeds before this was acquired by DLF in 2002. For the last 18 years, he has been a fundamental part of the sales team for DLF Seeds in his role as Regional Technical Manager for the North. His wealth of knowledge and experience saw John become a key contact for turf managers, helping to formulate seeding programmes for some of the areas biggest sporting venues.

Commenting on his retirement John said, “the last year has been challenging for the obvious reasons which has also meant that, sadly, I have not had the opportunity to say my farewells in the traditional way. I wish to thank all of my customers for their ongoing support and help over the years – many of whom I can say I now consider to be friends. When the situation allows, I look forward to using my retirement to spend more quality time with my friends and family, especially my grandchildren, and I may even find the time to get a few jobs done around the house and pick up my electric guitar which has been gathering dust for a few years!”

We join the team at DLF Seeds in wishing John all the very best for a long and fulfilling retirement.

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