STRI launch golf survey for R&A Golf Course 2030

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STRI launch golf survey for R&A Golf Course 2030: STRI Group is delighted to announce the launch of a new golf course industry focused survey to support The R&A Golf Course 2030 (GC2030) industry initiative established in 2018.

STRI was awarded a number of GC2030 projects to help meet the projected challenges that the golf industry will face over the next ten years, including, golf green quality standard, grass selection, aggregate availability, Integrated Turf Management (ITM), and water management.

STRI launch golf survey for R&A Golf Course 2030

STRI launch golf survey for R&A Golf Course 2030

The new golf industry survey will focus on Integrated Turf Management of Poa/Bent Parkland Greens and the results will allow STRI to review current practices and use of Synthetic Plant Protection Products (SPPP), as well as water management issues such as drought or flooding.

Steve Isaac, Director of sustainability, The R&A, said: “This Golf Course 2030 project is designed to help you and your course overcome the challenges we face in coming years, such as, more frequent flooding and drought events, more disease and pest incidence and the consequences of regulation, particularly with regards to the availability of pesticides.

“Your input, through this brief questionnaire, will be vital if this project is to deliver the support and guidance you need to future-proof the condition and playability of your course.”

Paul Woodham, General manager of agronomy, STRI, said: “This project is well underway and is designed to act as a learning resource and support tool for all in the industry. The questionnaire offers an opportunity to get involved as we build the research information which deals with all aspects of managing parkland greens.

“There will be continued challenges with further restrictions and limited resources over the next decade. The predicted challenges for the golf industry due to climate change and resource pressures are being realised, and we encourage all applicable courses to offer their support by completing this important R&A Golf Course 2030 survey to help to shape the future of the game.”

STRI will produce an interactive best practice handbook, for the management of Poa/Bent golf greens in a parkland setting based on the survey results and wider research around this subject.

For further details, and to complete the Golf Course 2030 survey, visit www.strigroup.com or follow the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/GC2030.

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New technology works well for North Shore

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New technology works well for North Shore: Set on the Lincolnshire coast with beautiful views over the North Sea, the James Braid designed North Shore golf course at Skegness offers a challenge to all levels of golfer with its interesting and attractive mixture of links and parkland holes crossing over each other in two loops of nine.

Like many golf clubs across the country, North Shore has seen a growth in membership during the coronavirus lockdown, and owner/director William Mitchell anticipates their biggest increase for several years when the club’s country members return to play safely. Country membership is available to anyone living outside a 30-mile radius of Skegness, and local legend has it that at one time North Shore could boast the largest holiday membership in the world.

New technology works well for North Shore

New technology works well for North Shore

The pandemic also interrupted, but ultimately did not affect, an order for the club’s first new fleet of John Deere course maintenance equipment from local dealer F G Adamson & Son of Langworth near Lincoln. This was originally finalised before the lockdown started, but with the closure of the club’s popular hotel as well as the course, payment had to be postponed.

“John Deere Financial were very understanding and flexible about the finance lease on the new kit,” says William. “This has been structured around a six-year seasonal profile matched to our normal income stream, based on membership renewals in April and summer visitors to both the course and hotel. The whole deal has been very straightforward and works very well for the club, especially in the current circumstances.

“Annual full membership makes up a small proportion of rounds played, with our main business relying on visitors staying with us on golf breaks. Skegness’ population is about 20,000, but summer visitors account for 10 times that number, so we really rely on that influx of people each year. Groups stay at the hotel for a couple of nights, play four rounds of golf and hold their own competitions.

“The course therefore has to be in tip-top condition – if that side of the business isn’t as good as we can make it, the rest wouldn’t stack up. We’re happy to say that we’ve had really good feedback from members on the course’s playability since the John Deere machines were introduced, right from the start. Kudos to our head greenkeeper Brett Cornelius, too – he did an amazing job during lockdown and the members have really appreciated it.”

The new fleet consists of a John Deere 7700A PrecisionCut fairway mower, 8800A TerrainCut rotary roughs mower, two 2500E hybrid electric triplex mowers equipped with greens and tees cylinder cutting units, a TH 6×4 Gator utility vehicle and a Tru-Turf greens iron.

“We lost our head mechanic last December, but Brett combines his greenkeeping expertise with mechanical skills,” adds William. “This cemented in our minds that we needed to move from a shed of old kit to new, up-to-date machines and technology that are reliable and efficient.”

Brett had used John Deere equipment before coming to North Shore as head greenkeeper seven years ago, so he discussed what was available with Adamson’s area sales manager Scott Trestrail and had all the recommended machines on demonstration before finalising the deal.

New technology works well for North Shore

New technology works well for North Shore

“The machines we chose were pretty much like for like replacements, although we hadn’t had a dedicated ride-on rough mower before, so that made the biggest immediate improvement,” he says. “The 8800A rides the course contours well and you can raise and lower the cutting height in five minutes, it’s really easy. I had used a Gator at my previous course and it’s such a versatile vehicle, with the six-wheel design providing very low ground pressure.”

Brett carried out very basic course maintenance during lockdown – he was originally furloughed along with the rest of the staff, but only took about 10 days off before opting to return and keep the course looking as tidy as possible. “Basically I just did a lot of mowing!” he says.

“The initial drought conditions meant the links holes browned off straight away and didn’t need much attention, so I was lucky in that respect. Since reopening in May we’re still doing a lot of catching up, but having new machines has helped us enormously. They’ve made us more productive and we spend far less time in the workshop than before.”

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Otterbine brings new life to Southmere Lake

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Otterbine brings new life to Southmere Lake: The installation of an Otterbine Giant Fountain by The Fountain Workshop Limited has marked an important step in the regeneration of Southmere Lake housing development in Thamesmead, with the first phase of new homes currently being built.

The development was initially created in the 1970s with Southmere Lake at its centre and is now the focus of significant investment from Peabody, with plans for 860 new homes built over three phases around the west side of the lake. There will also be a civic building with a community library, public square and a boating and sailing club, all joining the newly refurbished Lakeside Centre.

Otterbine brings new life to Southmere Lake

Otterbine brings new life to Southmere Lake

The lake is an important part of Peabody’s wider regeneration plan as Dr Phil Askew, the director of landscape and placemaking at Peabody, confirms: “Southmere Lake is without doubt one of the jewels in Thamesmead’s crown. We’re making a number of improvements to the lake such as putting in new reedbed to enhance the water quality, dredging the silt on the west side of the lake and moving it to the other side to make a wetlands area as well as a fish free channel to help create new habitats for local wildlife. The fountain is an important part of our changes – not only is it attractive for residents and visitors to look at but it’s also important for the fish and other wildlife who use the lake.”

An instrumental part of improving the lake is the Otterbine custom built, 25hp Super Nova Giant Fountain. Able to reach heights of 27 metres with its dramatic pattern, the fountain provides a strong visual identity for the lake and the new homes to come. But it’s not just beautiful – Otterbine’s Giant Fountain range is practical too. With an adjustable float and comprehensive warranty, the Super Nova Giant Fountain is the perfect water feature for a residential setting.

And it was clear from the start that Otterbine presented the perfect solution for Peabody’s improvements to Southmere Lake. Landscape architect Ian Turkington of Turkington Martin initially suggested The Fountain Workshop to Peabody after being impressed by another Otterbine Giant Fountain they had installed at the Marsh Leys distribution centre in Bedford.

Peabody appointed environmental and engineering experts Land and Water Services Limited to undertake the £1.6m initial phase of improvement works. They in turn appointed The Fountain Workshop as a specialist design and build contractor for the floating fountain, who had previously worked with Phil Askew at The Queen Elizabeth Olympic South Park in Stratford.

Ian Kirkpatrick, commercial director of The Fountain Workshop Limited, said: “For us the Otterbine Super Nova Giant Fountain was the obvious choice, particularly given the long-standing relationship we have enjoyed with Charlie Barebo, chief executive officer of Otterbine, which stretches back over twenty years. We approached Reesink Turfcare, the UK distributor for Otterbine, early in the process and involved them throughout the development of our proposals.”

The fountain was installed by The Fountain Workshop team, working alongside Land and Water Services Limited, and was switched on for the first time just as the country was emerging from lockdown. Having secured an ongoing maintenance contract from Peabody to ensure that the feature remains in good working order, the Otterbine fountain is set to create a stunning display for residents and visitors to enjoy for years to come.

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Bernhard postpone BIGGA delegation

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Bernhard postpone BIGGA delegation: Seen as one of the best educational opportunities for greenkeepers, Bernhard Company is disappointed to announce that the recruitment for the BIGGA delegation has been postponed.

Following the announcement from BIGGA and GCSAA that BTME and GIS will not be taking place due to the current health concern, it comes to no surprise that they will be unable to go ahead with the BIGGA delegation.

Bernhard postpone BIGGA delegation

Bernhard postpone BIGGA delegation

The team at Bernhard is still very keen to promote education and to encourage greenkeepers to think about ways to enhance their careers.

Steven Nixon, Director for Bernhard Company said: “On what will be the 20th anniversary of the delegation, we were really looking forward to celebrating present and past delegates. We are looking at different ways to support BIGGA and its members in these challenging times”.

Stephen Bernhard, Chairman, added: “Keeping safe is more important than ever and although it is a challenging time, we are determined to carry on working with BIGGA to bring more opportunities to British greenkeepers.”

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SALTEX 2021 moves into next gear

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SALTEX 2021 moves into next gear: Early indications for the 75th edition of SALTEX, which takes place at the NEC, Birmingham on 3 and 4 March 2021, are extremely positive following overwhelming industry support and the welcome news that exhibitions and events have been given the go ahead to restart from the start of October.

SALTEX has been serving the grounds management industry since 1938. Since then, the show has developed in stature and reputation and is now recognised as the industry’s showcase event creating opportunity for all who attend.

SALTEX 2021 moves into next gear

SALTEX 2021 moves into next gear

Geoff Webb, CEO of the Grounds Management Association, believes that the historic exhibition will be a huge first step towards the industry’s recovery.

“We believe that there comes a point where we lay the foundations for recovery and we of course want SALTEX in March to be a catalyst for this to showcase products, demonstrate the innovation this industry possesses, engage, network, renew acquaintances and generate new business for our exhibitors. In fact, we are making every provision to build assurance for a positive ‘return on investment’ for our exhibitors.”

As Geoff says, SALTEX is ‘the’ place to do business and the show’s independently audited year-on-year figures demonstrate the steady growth of SALTEX these past years.

At SALTEX 2019, the post-show survey revealed that 96 per cent of exhibitors generated new sales leads and 82 per cent took orders then and there on the show floor. The visitor survey further revealed that 79 per cent of SALTEX visitors had purchasing responsibility and 77 per cent had the ability to sign-off on amounts of more than £50,000. Therefore, it is no surprise, that SALTEX 2019 exhibitors are still reporting a high conversion rate from the leads they generated at last year’s show.

These figures have resulted in SALTEX 2021 witnessing a record-breaking loyalty period with over 75 per cent of exhibitors returning, including many stand upgrades and an influx of debut exhibitors.

The new Spring dates have not only been welcomed by exhibitors. A large proportion of visitors have voiced their support for the 2021 show with many claiming that they will be in the hunt for new products and services.

Take for example, Liverpool FC’s Senior Manager of Grounds Management – David Roberts, who revealed that he is looking forward to attending the show and will be exploring new solutions with his team.

“SALTEX provides an opportunity to see and meet manufacturers and to look at the products in the flesh. I always keep an open mind as to what we may need. As the show gets closer, we will be aware of specific problems we need to resolve and will then look for solutions at SALTEX.”

Lawn Care Legends – an online networking group consisting of over 5,000 landscapers and gardeners, are always out in full force at SALTEX, and founder John Ryan confirmed that the Legends will be attending the 2021 show.

“The Legends will be there, and we have some exciting plans for the show. SALTEX is a way to get a feel of what is coming to the marketplace and it helps you to adapt or evolve with the industry. We all use SALTEX as an opportunity to source new products and everyone is keen and eager to see what manufacturers have to offer.

“By March 2021, I think there will be a real energy to get going for the new season ahead and what better way to kick that off than by going to SALTEX.”

James Wright, Grounds & Gardens Team Leader at the University of Leeds, revealed that the new dates will be the perfect opportunity to purchase equipment in preparation for early maintenance programmes.

“Given the diverse range of exhibitors at SALTEX, myself and the team can see product innovations which may help inform purchasing decisions in the future.

“I believe the dates in March are an excellent time of year. You are able to look at products and potentially make purchases on products you could be using in 4/6 weeks’ time such as fertiliser or grass seed.  The new dates also enable you to arrange machinery demonstrations during the active growing season.”

All eyes now turn towards delivering a successful event with the potential protocols that may be in place as a direct result of Covid-19. SALTEX is in the safest and most professional of hands according to Geoff.

“The National Exhibition Centre (NEC) is one of the foremost venues in the UK and as such is at the heart of discussions as to how to run events safely and securely. The GMA has also taken advantage of its membership with the Association of Exhibition Organisers (AEO), who are closely working with the Events Owners Association (EOA), the Association of Event Venues (AEV), and the Event Suppliers and Services Association (ESSA) – which covers almost every facet of the events industry, looking at the impact of the pandemic globally, as well as the UK from an events management perspective. We’re very proud to have established these excellent working relationships and it has allowed us to learn from others, network, and input into the guidance now issued and being supported and used by Government.

“The events sector is holding some pilot exhibitions over the coming weeks to detail the best procedures to ensure exhibitions are the best possible environments for staff, exhibitors, and visitors alike. Learning from these pilots will be addressed. In the meantime, we are currently mapping out several scenarios based on restrictions that may be in place in Spring 2021, so the event runs safely and efficiently, while creating a positive experience for both visitors and exhibitors.

“We have a very experienced team, who with the NEC, I am confident can stage a safe and successful event in the Spring next year.”

For more information visit www.gmasaltex.co.uk

Follow SALTEX on Twitter @GMA_SALTEX and Facebook – www.facebook.com/GMASALTEX

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