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Ventrac package for the RAC

October 11, 2021/in News, Press Release/by Peter Driver

Ventrac package for the RAC: Iain Dye, the Courses Manager at The RAC in Woodcote Park, has taken delivery of a Ventrac 4500 with Contour deck and Tough Cut deck, to help maintain the two downland golf courses and surrounding estate. Situated within the rolling Epsom Downs in Surrey, the Old Course, designed by the […]

Thornbury Golf Centre gets green light

October 8, 2021/in News, Press Release/by Tom Skinner

Thornbury Golf Centre gets green light: Located near Bristol, Thornbury Golf Centre is set to embark on an exciting £600,000 irrigation investment project which is designed to amplify the look and playability of both golf courses, while also dramatically improving maintenance efficiency. The project – funded by club owner and operator, Burhill Group Limited (BGL) […]

Ventrac package for the RAC

October 11, 2021/in News, Press Release/by Peter Driver

Thornbury Golf Centre gets green light

October 8, 2021/in News, Press Release/by Tom Skinner

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Ventrac package for the RAC

October 11, 2021/in News, Press Release/by Peter Driver

Ventrac package for the RAC: Iain Dye, the Courses Manager at The RAC in Woodcote Park, has taken delivery of a Ventrac 4500 with Contour deck and Tough Cut deck, to help maintain the two downland golf courses and surrounding estate.

Situated within the rolling Epsom Downs in Surrey, the Old Course, designed by the renowned William Herbert Fowler, was opened in 1915, while the Coronation Course was inaugurated in 1953, occupying the site of the club’s former New Course, which had been ploughed up during the Second World War.

Ventrac package for the RAC

Commenting recently Iain Dye said,

“I first saw the Ventrac during a demonstration at Tandridge Golf Club and although very impressed, we didn’t have the budget at the time to purchase it. However, the recent construction of our new reservoir prompted me to ask Rupert Price of Price Turfcare for demo here.

“It really comes into its own when mowing the steep sides of the retention walls. It would take a huge number of team hours to strim this area, so it’s saving a lot of time that can be used productively elsewhere on the courses.

“Apart from some utility vehicles we are a Toro fleet, but this Ventrac is unique and extremely versatile. We can use it for woodland management with the Tough Cut deck to get into the margins to clear brambles and brush. The health and safety aspect was an important factor in the purchase; nobody likes strimming at the best of times, but on steep slopes it’s a particularly onerous task. The Ventrac can operate on slopes of 30 degrees in complete safety; it seems to go anywhere!

“The Contour deck articulates well on uneven terrain, reducing scalping on high areas and we’ll be using it on our fairways during the winter to protect our fairway units from any worm casts. Also, it can go out in wet weather as the eight tyres produce only 6 psi, so it won’t mark the finer turf areas.

“We can now raise the presentation around the courses, maintaining steeper banks which we were unable to manage previously. These areas can be mown regularly and therefore become even more manageable over time.”

During the summer months Iain has a team of 27 including two Deputy Course Managers; Gary Stewart is responsible for the Old Course and Simon Glover for the Coronation Course. He also has two full-time mechanics and a mechanic/greenkeeper, who all ensure that the machinery works well at all times. He joined the RAC in June 2020 from Tandridge Golf Club, where he spent 14 years, initially as Deputy Course Manager before being promoted to Course Manager in 2013. After studying at Elmwood College, he joined the greenkeeping team on the Jubilee Course at St. Andrews in 1997 and worked on the Old Course from 2001, before moving from Scotland to take the job at Tandridge.

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Thornbury Golf Centre gets green light

October 8, 2021/in News, Press Release/by Tom Skinner

Thornbury Golf Centre gets green light: Located near Bristol, Thornbury Golf Centre is set to embark on an exciting £600,000 irrigation investment project which is designed to amplify the look and playability of both golf courses, while also dramatically improving maintenance efficiency.

The project – funded by club owner and operator, Burhill Group Limited (BGL) – represents the group’s unwavering dedication to facility improvement and enhanced member and customer experience, while also reflecting a surge in membership numbers at all 10 clubs in recent years.

Thornbury Golf Centre gets green light

The first phase of the project will cost around £275,000 and will see the foundations laid across both golf courses for the installation of a new high-tech irrigation system that will include tee boxes, fairways, approaches and greens. Crucially, the new system will allow the club to better manage the amount of moisture in the ground, making the courses more playable, all year round.

Once completed, the new irrigation system will be controlled via mobile device or computer, allowing maintenance teams to control the conditioning of the golf courses, 24-hours a day. This will make a huge difference to staff efficiency and will also help to deliver an exceptional golf experience that can be enjoyed by club members, guests, and visitors.

Tim Good, General Manager of Thornbury Golf Centre, said: “We are delighted to have been afforded this opportunity by BGL, to make further enhancements to our facility. We are committed to delivering the very best golfing experience for our members and guests, and this is the next step along our road of continuous improvement.”

Guy Riggott, Operations Director at BGL Golf, commented: “We are constantly monitoring the progress of our facilities and looking for new and innovative ways to improve our offering. With this upgrade to the irrigation system across both courses, the team at Thornbury will be able to offer a first-class golfing facility, 12 months of the year.”

This news comes immediately following the club’s announcement that it has been officially awarded with the SafeGolf Accreditation and has been recognised as a GEO Certified venue. These awards reflect the club’s commitment to health and safety, the local environment, social responsibility, and sustainability.

Good added: “We are constantly looking at ways to develop and improve our working practices, so we are extremely pleased that both England Golf and GEO have recognised our efforts, both in health and safety and environmental sectors.”

To find out more about Thornbury Golf Centre and to book your visit, head online to www.thornburygc.co.uk, or call 01454 281144.

For more information on Burhill Golf and Leisure Ltd visit www.bglcompany.co.uk or follow @BGLGolf on LinkedIn.

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 package for the RAC

Thornbury Golf Centre gets green light

Ventrac package for the RAC

Thornbury Golf Centre gets green light

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Ventrac package for the RAC

Ventrac package for the RAC: Iain Dye, the Courses Manager at The RAC in Woodcote Park, has taken delivery of a Ventrac 4500 with Contour deck and Tough Cut deck, to help maintain the two downland golf courses and surrounding estate.

Thornbury Golf Centre gets green light

Thornbury Golf Centre gets green light: Located near Bristol, Thornbury Golf Centre is set to embark on an exciting £600,000 irrigation investment project which is designed to amplify the look and playability of both golf courses, while also dramatically improving maintenance efficiency.

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