Irelands Farm Machinery takes on Kubota equipment

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Irelands Farm Machinery takes on Kubota equipment: Kubota (UK) Ltd continues to strengthen its dealer network by announcing that Lincolnshire-based Irelands Farm Machinery is to add the Kubota groundcare equipment range to its existing Kubota tractor business, effective from 6 October 2020.

The move will extend the product offering to include a full range of compact tractors from 18-60hp, commercial and domestic ride-on mowers and RTV utility vehicles, putting the firm on a path for further expansion into new markets.

Irelands Farm Machinery takes on Kubota equipment

Irelands Farm Machinery takes on Kubota equipment

“We’re extremely pleased to be able to support Irelands Farm Machinery with the opportunity for further growth of its business,” explains Tim Yates, business development manager, Kubota (UK). “This partnership will help Kubota to further strengthen its position in these important markets with the ability to cross-sell between agriculture and groundcare customers.”

Operating from three locations – Carrington, Sutterton and Market Rasen – Irelands Farm Machinery, run by husband and wife team Jonathan and Fiona Ireland, has become a key dealer for the supply of new and used tractors and machinery.

“The arrival of Kubota groundcare equipment to our existing business is a fantastic opportunity for us,” explains owner and director Jonathan Ireland. “It reinforces Kubota’s commitment to the industry, and we’re extremely pleased to now offer a greater range of Kubota machines to customers old and new, in addition to the wider community.”

The business also operates its own tractor hire fleet, and is an area that Jonathan Ireland wants to replicate by introducing a dedicated hire fleet of groundcare equipment.

“Having the opportunity to add to what we do with the development of a groundcare machinery hire fleet will also create additional opportunities with golf clubs, parks and sports grounds,” says Jonathan.

Established in 1994, Irelands Farm Machinery has developed its core business to include a wide range of cutting-edge equipment, while earning a reputation for providing a knowledgeable, reliable and helpful service. In addition to the premium-brand Kubota tractor range, which the firm has been selling since 2014, the dealership also has prestigious franchises from respected machinery brands.

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BIGGA’s online conference programme

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BIGGA’s online conference programme: The ongoing COVID-19 crisis has led the British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association to rethink how its members will access local and regional education in 2020, with the association launching a new initiative known as the National Regional Conference.

Traditionally BIGGA’s five regions – Scotland and Northern Ireland, Northern, Central England, South West & South Wales and South East – host their own gatherings for BIGGA members to meet up and hear talks from some of the most influential people in the industry. However, restrictions on social gatherings and the fact many greenkeeping teams are stretched to the limit due to busier courses and reduced staffing means that these in-person events aren’t able to take place through this autumn.

BIGGA's online conference programme

BIGGA’s online conference programme

BIGGA has already announced its popular Continue to Learn education programme, usually held at BTME each January, will become an online event, and the regional conferences have now followed suit.

The National Regional Conference, so called because it will be accessible from anywhere, but will also retain some of the great features of a regional conference, will take place on 10 November 2020 from 10am to 1pm and registration has now opened on the BIGGA website.

The programme for speakers is:

Seven things I’ve learned about turf around the world

Presented by Dr Micah Woods, chief scientist, Asian Turfgrass Center

A fast-paced look at seven things that can be learnt from turf around the world:

  1. Choosing the right grass is really important
  2. The textbooks aren’t always correct
  3. Where’s the most difficult location to grow good grass?
  4. Greenkeepers must be expert irrigators
  5. Plant nutrition is easier than it’s made out to be
  6. Could sand topdressing be overdone?
  7. The growth rate is more important than I thought

Simple steps to encourage wildlife on the golf course

Presented by Dr Marie Athorn, Business Conservation Advisor (R&A), RSPB

Golf courses can play an important part in the conservation of rare and protected species with fantastic green spaces that offer significant opportunities to provide desperately needed sanctuaries for wildlife. This session will help you to consider some simple low cost, low resource ideas that you could do on your golf course to make a difference.

From Lockdown to the Rose Ladies Series

With Callum Wark, golf course manager, JCB Country Club

When Justin Rose and his wife Kate announced the Rose Ladies Series, a one-off Ladies European Tour event, shortly after golf reopened following lockdown, the greenkeeping team at the JCB Country Club in Uttoxeter had their work cut out for them – to get the golf course in shape for a behind-closed-doors, COVID-19 safe, televised tournament – all with one month’s notice!

The renovation of Loch Lomond

Presented by David Cole MG, director of golf course and estates, Loch Lomond Golf Club

Since winter 2017/18 the team at Loch Lomond and golf construction contractors Golflink have been working on what is considered to be one of the biggest renovations in British golfing history. Taking place over three consecutive winters, in one of the wettest locations in the UK, 16 holes have been rebuilt, a new irrigation system installed, a full rebuild, extension and new forward tees added, bunkers rebuilt and the renewal of the drainage infrastructure. This was followed by a sand cap and re-grassing plan across the golf course. The final two holes are planned to be completed this winter (if COVID-19 restrictions allow).

2019 – Parkstone’s busiest season on and off the course

Presented by Grant Peters, course manager, Parkstone Golf Club

To say that the Parkstone greenkeeping team had an exceptional 2019 might be a bit of an understatement. In this session you will hear about their experiences including the development of their new maintenance facility, delivering the Ladies European Amateur Championship and managing one of the busiest courses on the south coast.

Head to the What’s On section of the BIGGA website and select BIGGA’s National Regional Conference for more information and to book your spot.

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Greenkeeper tells of mower crushing

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Greenkeeper tells of mower crushing: In the Daily Record, Jon Hebditch tells the story of how a greenkeeper was crushed under a mower for nearly two hours on a Scottish golf course.

Read the full article here

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INFINICUT and UltraGroomer™ delivers quality courts

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INFINICUT and UltraGroomer™ delivers quality courts: Having seen them in action on the world-famous Wimbledon courts, The Lensbury Club in Middlesex are one of a growing list of clubs taking delivery of an INFINICUT® mower for use on their grass tennis courts.

Along with a set of UltraGroomer™ cassettes from the TMSystem™, Grounds and Gardens Manager Peter Craig says the improvements in the quality and appearance of the six courts hasn’t gone unnoticed by the club’s members.

INFINICUT and UltraGroomer™ delivers quality courts

INFINICUT and UltraGroomer™ delivers quality courts

Following an 18-year term at the Hurlingham Club – during which, he started looking into the INFINICUT® – Peter re-joined The Lensbury in 2018. “We started to see some famous venues using the INFINICUT® mowers and I was lucky enough to see them in action first-hand on the courts at Wimbledon which only further sparked my interest” he explains. “When I returned to The Lensbury, I organised for the team to have a demonstration and they loved it straight from the off”. They became the proud owners of a 22” Fixed Head INFINICUT® shortly after its launch at the end of 2018.

“It gives such a fantastic quality of cut and finish – the definition of stripe is excellent and the HOC and bedknife adjustment systems could not be simpler. The fact that it’s battery powered and therefore more environmentally friendly has always been a major plus-point for me; but even more so now, with the courts at The Lensbury located very close to a residential road. In the past, this meant we were unable to use machinery before 8am but, because the INFINICUT® is so quiet in operation, we can get out and mow at 7am. This means we effectively gain five additional working hours a week, where necessary.”

Recently, the club also purchased a set of UltraGroomer™ cassettes from the TMSystem™ range for early and in-season verti-cutting. “We’re running those in our Jacobsen GP400 triple to remove any lateral growth and clean the surface up. We’ll use these as soon as we start getting some consistent growth in April/May, then will aim to cover all of the courts once a month after that”. The UltraGroomer’s are also in use on the site’s ornamental lawns. “Improving these areas was one of my key goals when I returned, and these cassettes have contributed towards bringing the lawns up to the standards we’re achieving elsewhere.”

The grass courts are a major attraction at the Lensbury Club, with a strong membership regularly playing on them. “They’re over the moon with the condition of the courts. We’ve previously had some of the world’s leading players using the courts for tournament preparations and, while this isn’t currently the case, the quality of the courts are certainly good enough once again to host that level of play should they return.”

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Survey indicates golf’s mental wellbeing benefits

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Survey indicates golf’s mental wellbeing benefits: New members at golf clubs say stress relief has been an important reason to join during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Ahead of World Mental Health Day (October 10), a snapshot survey of 250 golfers in the United States, Canada and United Kingdom, indicated that more than half (55%) of those who had joined a club in the past six months cited ‘mental wellbeing’ as their primary reason for joining.

Survey indicates golf’s mental wellbeing benefits

Survey indicates golf’s mental wellbeing benefits

Sporting challenge (50%), physical wellbeing (38%) and social wellbeing (31%) also proved important, while 12% indicated they joined to participate in club competitions.

The social media poll, conducted by Syngenta Golf, follows the publication of a multimedia article ‘The new value of golf’s green spaces’, highlighting the stress-relieving benefits of golf and golf courses.

In the article, environmental psychologist Prof Jenny Roe of the University of Virginia, explains, “Contact with nature slows down our stress response and induces calm.

“It is promoting stress resilience, it is improving our mood, it’s decreasing our risk of depression and increasing our social wellbeing, particularly on a golf course where you are interacting with other members of that community.”

Scientific research published in 2019 has also indicated spending at least two hours per week in nature is good for health and wellbeing.

Mark Birchmore, Syngenta Global Head of Marketing, Turf and Landscape, said: “This is a simple, snapshot survey with a small sample, but it gives an indication of some of the reasons people have joined golf clubs in recent months and suggests further research into golf and mental welling would be worthwhile.

“While the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted issues of stress in day-to-day life, the reality is that the experience of spending time in nature on a golf course has always been one of the sport’s key benefits – it’s just rarely communicated as a marketing message. But it is something clubs might consider as it could be an important factor in the value proposition for golf and club membership.”

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