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Another golfer influx post lockdown

November 25, 2020/in News, Press Release/by Amy Stinton

Another golfer influx post lockdown: Greenkeepers are being warned to prepare golf courses in advance of another likely influx of visitors once ‘lockdown two’ comes to an end. Colin Mumford, technical manager at Bayer says that while it’s fantastic to see so many people enthusiastic to get back on the greens and fairways, greenkeepers need […]

Early SCAG mower located – two miles away!

November 24, 2020/in News, Press Release/by Graham Robson

Early SCAG mower located – two miles away!: A recent chance conversation revealed a homeowner only two miles away from the STM head office in Warwickshire who has a 1992-build STZ ride-on mower. The STZ was the first Zero-Turn Ride-On SCAG produced, and one is still retained at the plant in Wisconsin. But Alan Griffith, […]

Another golfer influx post lockdown

November 25, 2020/in News, Press Release/by Amy Stinton

Early SCAG mower located – two miles away!

November 24, 2020/in News, Press Release/by Graham Robson

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Another golfer influx post lockdown

November 25, 2020/in News, Press Release/by Amy Stinton

Another golfer influx post lockdown: Greenkeepers are being warned to prepare golf courses in advance of another likely influx of visitors once ‘lockdown two’ comes to an end.

Colin Mumford, technical manager at Bayer says that while it’s fantastic to see so many people enthusiastic to get back on the greens and fairways, greenkeepers need to be aware of the impact this could have on the course over the winter months.

Another golfer influx post lockdown

“Traffic management is going to be key to avoid course compaction and wear and tear, particularly now the weather has turned. Wetter, softer, ground conditions are far more vulnerable,” he says

“The STRI trial plots that Bayer has been involved in show that courses that have been exposed to high levels of turf stress are suffering from large disease outbreaks this autumn.

“For example, basal rot is currently a problem,” says Colin. “It’s a strain of anthracnose, causing the base of the plant to turn black and come away from the roots, leading to death of the grass plants.

“The symptoms can still be seen in some places at the moment, as the infection thrives in cooler conditions, especially in short turf that is exposed to stress such as compaction or poor drainage.”

For the moment, many of the disease pressures are regional depending on the weather conditions – with central and eastern parts of the UK most affected currently – but if we continue to see damp, mild conditions, then we could see more widespread microdochium patch outbreaks, as the disease flourishes in these conditions.

“Greenkeepers need to stay vigilant for early signs of disease,” says Colin.

“Cultural controls such as brushing and switching can help keep the surface dry and really reduce the risk of Microdochium Patch establishing. It’s also key that courses have adequate nutrition as inappropriate levels can leave them susceptible to problems,” he says.

Colin recommends that if the environmental conditions are ideal for Microdochium Patch to occur, it is preferable to apply a preventative fungicide before the first visual signs of disease appear, or at the very least an early curative application at the initial sign of disease, to control it before it becomes established and causes long-term damage.

“Applying a preventative fungicide such as Dedicate®, will help offer successful control over Microdochium Patch as it includes two active ingredients with different modes of action which are proven to have high efficacy.

“Due to Dedicate® being a rapid acting solution, it gets on top of the disease before it becomes established and is also proven to provide improved plant health, consistency and greenkeeper satisfaction.

“There is no doubt this year has been a challenging one, but it’s important greenkeepers keep an eye out for any early signs of disease and ensure they are prepared for the reopening of courses. They could be very busy but it’s keeping on top of maintenance and minimising turf stress that’s crucial,” concludes Colin.

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Early SCAG mower located – two miles away!

November 24, 2020/in News, Press Release/by Graham Robson

Early SCAG mower located – two miles away!: A recent chance conversation revealed a homeowner only two miles away from the STM head office in Warwickshire who has a 1992-build STZ ride-on mower.

The STZ was the first Zero-Turn Ride-On SCAG produced, and one is still retained at the plant in Wisconsin.

Early SCAG mower located – two miles away!

But Alan Griffith, here in leafy Warwickshire, has one too.

He explained:

“In 2000 we brought the property ‘The Wharf’ in Wilmcote, though the process was unusual.

We made a good offer that was increased twice but still did not secure the property. Eventually we received a tender form because of the high level of interest.

It was not a basic form, though. We had to price everything that was up for sale. Apart from offering a sum for the house, we also had to price separately: the dining table, study desk, hens, geese, peacocks, pot belly pigs and 2 on-site mowers.

The Scag was one of those mowers and it was obvious that it was several years old even then by the knocks it had had to the deck.

We have 4.95 acres of which we cut about 2.5 to 3 acres regularly. The Scag we use on the heavy areas so over the years it has had to put up with a fair amount of hard work, hitting pot holes, tree roots etc. Over the years the Scag has been used about 2.5 hours per week .

The great thing is it has been very reliable, once battery is charged up at the start of the season. I have usually serviced the machine every year and no major problems have occurred except that 3 small plates have had to be welded to the top of the deck. The first bearing on the deck needs to be changed this winter so I will change all 3. Also an oil seal has started to leak on the Briggs and Stratton engine; this is the first major issue with the engine.

We plan to keep it going as long as we stay at The Wharf. Can’t think of a better lawn mower particularly as we have so many trees to cut around.”

On the one hand it’s good to know that a SCAG mower has so much life in it.

On the other hand, if everybody kept their mowers that long, we’d never sell any new ones!

We’re grateful to Alan for his story, and to Jake Segrin at SCAG’s Wisconsin headquarters for tracing the manufacturing date.

SCAG machines are available through the STM dealership network. To find your nearest dealer ring 01789 488450, email info@st-mach.com or look at our website www.st-mach.com

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)

Another golfer influx post lockdown

Early SCAG mower located – two miles away!

Another golfer influx post lockdown

Early SCAG mower located – two miles away!

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Another golfer influx post lockdown

Another golfer influx post lockdown: Greenkeepers are being warned to prepare golf courses in advance of another likely influx of visitors once ‘lockdown two’ comes to an end.

Early SCAG mower located – two miles away!

Early SCAG mower located – two miles away!: A recent chance conversation revealed a homeowner only two miles away from the STM head office in Warwickshire who has a 1992-build STZ ride-on mower.

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