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Ventrac for Stellar Asset Management

January 18, 2022/in News, Press Release/by Peter Driver

Ventrac for Stellar Asset Management: Stellar Asset Management, working in partnership with Ben Blackburn Golf, has purchased two Ventrac golf course maintenance equipment packages for their properties in Perth, Scotland and Hampshire in England. Murrayshall Country Estate, situated in Scone near Perth features a four-star country house hotel and 28-holes of stunning parkland golf, while […]

Wiedenmann duo assists Ladybank GC

January 18, 2022/in News, Press Release/by Val Graham

Wiedenmann duo assists Ladybank GC: In a corner of the UK where there are many remarkable golf courses, Fife’s Ladybank Golf Club, sets the bar high. Designed by Old Tom Morris in 1879, and venue for final qualifying for The Senior Open in 2018, Ladybank, has quintessential charm. Grant Frogley, who joined as Course Manager […]

Ventrac for Stellar Asset Management

January 18, 2022/in News, Press Release/by Peter Driver

Wiedenmann duo assists Ladybank GC

January 18, 2022/in News, Press Release/by Val Graham

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Ventrac for Stellar Asset Management

January 18, 2022/in News, Press Release/by Peter Driver

Ventrac for Stellar Asset Management: Stellar Asset Management, working in partnership with Ben Blackburn Golf, has purchased two Ventrac golf course maintenance equipment packages for their properties in Perth, Scotland and Hampshire in England.

Murrayshall Country Estate, situated in Scone near Perth features a four-star country house hotel and 28-holes of stunning parkland golf, while the recently acquired Bramshaw Golf Club has 36-holes of golf set in the beautiful surroundings of the New Forest near Lyndhurst.

Ventrac for Stellar Asset Management

Commenting on the new equipment, Ben Blackburn said, “Although these two golf courses are over 500 miles apart, they are similar in that they are both located in magnificent parkland settings. This brings its own challenges, especially when maintaining the woodland margins, and this where the Ventrac and its numerous attachments comes into its own.

“At Bramshaw the package comprises a selection of attachments including Power Broom, Power Rake, Stump Grinder, Trencher, Turbine Blower as well as two cutting decks; a Contour deck and Tough Cut.

This provides a range of equipment to ensure that the presentation on the Manor and Forest courses are at the highest level all year round to the benefit our members and visitors. We are also undertaking major drainage work this winter which the Trencher attachment, in particular, will help us to proceed this project at speed.

“Similarly, at Murrayshall the package, which includes two mowing decks, a Trencher, Power Broom and Snow Blade, will be used to maintain both the golf courses and the 365 acres of picturesque countryside that surround this flourishing country estate, located right in the heart of Scotland.

“It’s the versatility of the Ventrac that attracted us to this equipment; one compact tractor unit with multiple attachments ensures that we have a portfolio of tools to tackle most jobs at these facilities without the need to hire in additional machinery. This allows us to actively manage our golf businesses and enhance our facilities, adding value to the golfing experience.”

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Wiedenmann duo assists Ladybank GC

January 18, 2022/in News, Press Release/by Val Graham

Wiedenmann duo assists Ladybank GC: In a corner of the UK where there are many remarkable golf courses, Fife’s Ladybank Golf Club, sets the bar high. Designed by Old Tom Morris in 1879, and venue for final qualifying for The Senior Open in 2018, Ladybank, has quintessential charm.

Grant Frogley, who joined as Course Manager in August 2021, is conscious of a responsibility to manage golf and the native flora and fauna in harmony across the site.

Wiedenmann duo assists Ladybank GC

“We are a true heathland course. I consider this our USP, especially in Fife. Golf must be sensitive to the habitat. Take the red squirrel on our club badge, for example. It might be in decline nationally, but it thrives here. Our woodland policy will naturally promote pines and silver birch, trees the red squirrel favours. Our work is to tie all these strands together.

One of Grant’s first major projects is a programme of heather regeneration, requiring a three-to-four-year timeline to invigorate existing plantations and establish new growth.

“Heather is very much ‘in play’ at Ladybank; it’s a feature of the golf course which claims many golf balls,” explained Grant. “It predominantly lines the fringes of the fairways on many holes. The acreage of existing areas isn’t known, so part of our new process will be to measure so we can benchmark it year-on-year to chart its increase.

“Not long after I arrived, I ordered a 2.3 m Wiedenmann Terra Rake from Mike Lindsay, Area Sales Manager at Fairways GM. It partners the Wiedenmann Super 500, which I was pleased to inherit. These are my machines of choice for heather management. Previously as Course Manager at the Roxburghe I purchased a Super 600, so was familiar with that machine, but the Terra Rake is invaluable.

“Much of our heather is in a mature state. Plants are 25-30 years old, not at the degenerative stage but now is the perfect time to act. Unattended heather can become too old for intervention, the canopy begins to open and invasive species, like gorse and broom, appear.”

Already Grant, and his team of seven, have conducted a host of separate operations.

Heather seed is traditionally collected from the end of October, once heather flowers have faded. Conventionally, rogue grasses that stand taller than the heather plants are removed from the plot where the seed is gathered. The Super 500 fitted with flail blades then cuts and collects the heather pods, or brash. The valuable brash is respread on existing or new areas.

“In other places we are topping it off and continue to collect more seed. Cutting heather back is an important part of our plan. It means we will return it to that ‘building stage’ of its growth cycle; so next season, it remains youthful, and when it flowers, we would hope to see it with a better, more vibrant colour.

“We have also gone into several of the fringe sections of the fairways, and only partially topped them off. We’re mindful that heather plants at varying life stages creates a more consistent habitat for wildlife.

“At edges of the fairways within the playing corridors, places where we don’t want to strip the vegetation, the Terra Rake is the perfect tool for raking and scratching the surface to break the canopy, to expose the existing seed beds without us losing the vegetation.

“Next stage is looking at and preparing areas where we can respread that seed. We have some techniques up our sleeve which include the Terra Rake, but heather management will always be a continuous cycle.

“Still on the theme of promoting the habitat, we are introducing some wildflower areas which will prosper while our heather flourishes. Similarly, our programme of good woodland management will also get underway. These are all great projects to start in my first six months here,” explained Grant.

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.

Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

Ventrac for Stellar Asset Management

Wiedenmann duo assists Ladybank GC

Ventrac for Stellar Asset Management

Wiedenmann duo assists Ladybank GC

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Ventrac for Stellar Asset Management

Ventrac for Stellar Asset Management: Stellar Asset Management, working in partnership with Ben Blackburn Golf, has purchased two Ventrac golf course maintenance equipment packages for their properties in Perth, Scotland and Hampshire in England.

Wiedenmann duo assists Ladybank GC

Wiedenmann duo assists Ladybank GC: In a corner of the UK where there are many remarkable golf courses, Fife’s Ladybank Golf Club, sets the bar high. Designed by Old Tom Morris in 1879, and venue for final qualifying for The Senior Open in 2018, Ladybank, has quintessential charm.

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