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New bunkers transforming operations

February 4, 2022/in News, Press Release/by Adam Lawrence

New bunkers transforming operations: New bunkers built using technology from Capillary Bunkers and EcoBunker are changing the way that Australian course Burleigh GC does business. Burleigh has had a difficult time of it in the recent past “When I arrived here in 2014, the club was heavily in debt, as a result of building a […]

Thonock Park chooses Ventrac

February 4, 2022/in News, Press Release/by External Source

Thonock Park chooses Ventrac: Thonock Park, situated in the heart of the Lincolnshire countryside, is the home of two stunning 18-hole courses and the PING Academy, a multi-purpose coaching studio. They are the latest club to appreciate the benefits of Ventrac, purchasing a 4500 all-terrain compact tractor with a Contour deck and Turbine blower from […]

New bunkers transforming operations

February 4, 2022/in News, Press Release/by Adam Lawrence

Thonock Park chooses Ventrac

February 4, 2022/in News, Press Release/by External Source

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New bunkers transforming operations

February 4, 2022/in News, Press Release/by Adam Lawrence

New bunkers transforming operations: New bunkers built using technology from Capillary Bunkers and EcoBunker are changing the way that Australian course Burleigh GC does business.

Burleigh has had a difficult time of it in the recent past “When I arrived here in 2014, the club was heavily in debt, as a result of building a clubhouse in 2007, right at the start of the global financial crisis,” says general manager Ian Cottle. “After several years work we secured a land lease deal with retirement village developer RetireAustralia. The lease income sorted out our immediate financial difficulties, but the result of a decade of debt was that course expenditure had been kept very low during that time, and it desperately needed investment.”

New bunkers transforming operations

Cottle says that the club had a lot of catching up to do! “The condition of our bunkers was a major issue,” he says. “So in 2020 we appointed Graham Marsh to work with us to develop an 18 hole bunker plan, and we did a test bunker on the twelfth hole. We didn’t rush into anything, we played the bunker for a while to establish that it worked well before addressing other bunkers on the course.”

At architect Marsh’s recommendation, Burleigh opted to go for a fully sealed bunker, with the EcoBunker synthetic edge technology and Capillary Bunkers liner. “Graham’s eighteen hole bunker plan is a wonderful reference point,” says Cottle. “After the twelfth, we did the eighteenth green surround, then the fourth, then the first. We’re still learning about this technology and ensuring the bunker presentation achieved is what we want, however the playability and drainage performance are excellent. We put a firehose on one of the bunkers to show that there was no ponding – and prove that Capillary Bunkers lives up to its reputationof being the best draining bunker liner on the market.”

Local contractor Mark Lawson of ProLinks is handling construction, while both products have been supplied by EcoBunker and Capillary Bunkers dealer Centaur AsiaPacific. “We recently finished the bunker at the first green, and it is a great improvement,” says Cottle. “When playing the hole, the greenside bunker could not be seen until you got to the green. Members knew it was there, but if you were a guest you would never know it was there until you were ten feet from the green. The Capillary Bunkers liner allows us to flash the sand higher up the face and now you can see it from a long way away.”

The new bunkers have been well received by Burleigh’s membership. “One of the biggest issues for golf clubs in Australia is retaining qualified greens staff,” explains Cottle. “Consequently, being able to save a lot of time on repairing the bunkers after rain is a huge benefit. When the club was struggling financially, we maintained the bunkers once a week and had exasperated members. Now we can afford more frequent maintenance and the Capillary lined bunkers require less maintenance work.”

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Thonock Park chooses Ventrac

February 4, 2022/in News, Press Release/by External Source

Thonock Park chooses Ventrac: Thonock Park, situated in the heart of the Lincolnshire countryside, is the home of two stunning 18-hole courses and the PING Academy, a multi-purpose coaching studio. They are the latest club to appreciate the benefits of Ventrac, purchasing a 4500 all-terrain compact tractor with a Contour deck and Turbine blower from Rotherham-based dealer, Russells.

Rob Acheson is the Course Manager and has been in the post for the past two years. He began his career at Hillsborough Golf Club, then spent 10 years at Wortley Golf Club followed by five years at Worksop before being appointed to his current role. He manages a team of 10 greenkeeping staff.

Thonock Park chooses Ventrac

Commenting on the purchase of the Ventrac package he said,

“We wanted a machine that was versatile and value-for-money; a machine that could be used for multiple tasks and, if possible, operate in wet conditions.

“We contacted Russells and they suggested we have a look at the Ventrac. They came over for the demo on a very wet day, when even our fairway mower was struggling; in fact, it was stuck out on one of the courses! It was unbelievable, it worked brilliantly without causing any damage to the turf, and everyone was impressed. We placed the order shortly after the demo and it arrived a few weeks later.

“The Contour deck has a dual use; we maintain the semi-rough and around the bunker edges. It leaves a fantastic finish and the float of the outer cutting sections of the deck means we can get close to bunker edges without damaging the turf.

“The Turbine blower is a great piece of kit for clearing the autumnal fall on the Park course and for a small blower it easily rivals our tractor-mounted blower. It’s manoeuvrability and light weight allows it to get closer to the treeline providing more effective clearance.

“We recently hired in the Trencher attachment from Russells to create drainage bands on the fairway of the 4^th hole on the Parks and it proved to be a really great asset. So much so, that we have now placed an order to buy one.”

General Manager Ben Hatch added,

“From a management perspective the Ventrac’s ability to operate on steep slopes up to 30 degrees and in seriously wet conditions, ensures that we can continue to maintain areas of the course in adverse weather and, most importantly, it allows the team to operate safely; a serious consideration when working on steep undulating terrain. Sometimes it’s the only machine we can get out of the shed during very wet weather.

“Overall, it ticks all of the boxes from a health and safety perspective and its versatility makes it excellent value for money. Rather than buying a dedicated mower to perform a single task, we have effectively purchased three machines for the price of one competitor machine. Financially, the numbers really stack up. It’s a great addition to our fleet.”

About the courses

After being played on for over 90 years, the Thonock Park course was revamped in 1985 by former Ryder cup player, Brian Waites. At 6223 yards (par 70), it is not the longest of courses but, with its tree-lined fairways, true greens and stunning views of the Lincolnshire countryside, it offers a great day’s golf for members and visitors alike.

Aptly named after Karsten Solheim, the founder of PING, the Karsten Lakes course was opened in 1997, after being crafted by legendary English golfer, Neil Coles. At 6900 yards (par 72) from the back tees, it offers a very different challenge to the Thonock Park course, with strategically placed bunkers and prominent lakes and water features on many holes providing a great test for all abilities.

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

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New bunkers transforming operations

Thonock Park chooses Ventrac

New bunkers transforming operations

Thonock Park chooses Ventrac

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New bunkers transforming operations

New bunkers transforming operations: New bunkers built using technology from Capillary Bunkers and EcoBunker are changing the way that Australian course Burleigh GC does business.

Thonock Park chooses Ventrac

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