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MM seed first-class at Oxford University

August 7, 2020/in News, Press Release/by Lucy Nicholls

MM seed first-class at Oxford University: Jon Buddington, Grounds Manager at the world-famous Oxford University, has reported excellent results from using a range of Limagrain’s MM grass seed. Oxford University – the world-leading centre of learning, teaching and research is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. Gifted men and women have studied or taught […]

Reesink finance provides peace of mind

August 7, 2020/in Machinery, News, Press Release/by Izzy Cutler

Reesink finance provides peace of mind: Thanks to the flexibility of Toro’s UK distributor Reesink Turfcare’s finance options, Dean Wood Golf Club signed its second Toro fleet lease agreement despite being in the midst of the lockdown. With golf clubs across the country temporarily closing their doors earlier this year, you’d be forgiven for thinking […]

MM seed first-class at Oxford University

August 7, 2020/in News, Press Release/by Lucy Nicholls

Reesink finance provides peace of mind

August 7, 2020/in Machinery, News, Press Release/by Izzy Cutler

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

MM seed first-class at Oxford University

August 7, 2020/in News, Press Release/by Lucy Nicholls

MM seed first-class at Oxford University: Jon Buddington, Grounds Manager at the world-famous Oxford University, has reported excellent results from using a range of Limagrain’s MM grass seed.

Oxford University – the world-leading centre of learning, teaching and research is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. Gifted men and women have studied or taught at the University throughout its great history. Among them are 28 British Prime Ministers, at least 30 international leaders and 55 Nobel Prize winners.

MM seed first-class at Oxford University

Academic success aside, the University has also produced 120 Olympic medal winners and is currently ranked among the top British universities for sport thanks to coaching and student commitment.

Oxford University Sport manages the University sports facilities at Iffley Road Sports Centre and the sports pitches within University Parks and on Marston Road. The man tasked with maintaining these wonderful facilities, which consists of 24 hectares of grass surfaces, is Jon Buddington, who has been the University’s Grounds Manager for two years.

As a frequent user of Limagrain seed throughout his 30-year career history, Jon was not surprised to see Limagrain’s MM50 seed performing well on a newly constructed cricket square upon the start of his tenure at the University.

“The new cricket square was overseeded with MM50 and because of the great results we continued to use it,” he said. “Now we overseed with MM50 at the end of the cricket season and put a bit on pre-season just before we start rolling.

“We find that we get incredible results by overseeding with MM50 in the early spring when the surface is still damp, just before we start any heavy maintenance. It has been a very good seed for us especially for cricket – the MM50 has very good wear tolerance and we hardly ever get any debris.”

As Jon says, MM50, a blend of fine-leaved ryegrasses, is ideal for cricket squares and outfields. This hard-wearing mix has rapid germination, very fine leaved appearance, high shoot density and is tolerant to very close mowing, along with high disease resistance. All these attributes together produce a fantastic sward that has great colour all year round. It is also widely praised for its rapid recovery.

In the early stages of his new position at Oxford, Jon’s attentions soon turned towards the winter pitches. After consultation with trusted supplier, MW Turfcare, he was advised to try Limagrain’s MM60 seed on the rugby and football pitches.

This 100% ryegrass formula is renowned for producing an excellent playing surface. It is perfect for renovation and divot repair, has a high disease resistance, fantastic aesthetic qualities and offers extremely fast germination – which is boosted by the inclusion of Headstart GOLD®.

“We renovate and overseed with MM60 at the end of the rugby and football seasons – which all depends on fixtures which can be often drawn out depending on the weather and internal college games. Generally, we tend to apply MM60 to these pitches at the end of May and we get very good germination. The initial colour, from the infant plant is great, and we have a strong colour all year round – it never looks drawn out or yellow and tired so I’m incredibly happy with it.”

MM seed first-class at Oxford University

In terms of applying MM seed, Jon admits to veering away from recommended rates.

“For me, it’s all about feel and visual,” he said. “We don’t go by religious sowing rates or anything like that. In my opinion it is about getting as much grass in there as you can especially when you are taking it out and raking it and preparing cricket pitches.”

One look at the University’s immaculate and stunning sports pitches will tell you that Jon certainly knows his craft – he has after all been in the turf industry since the age of 16. However, he still modestly reserved praise for Limagrain UK and MW Turfcare.

“They are both great companies to work with. I get a fantastic product from Limagrain and Mark (from MW Turfcare) is an exceptionally good supplier. He is very technically knowledgeable – there is not much that I have to run past him but when I do, he has all the answers.”

For further information, please contact Limagrain UK on 01472 371471 or visit the company’s website www.lgseeds.co.uk/mm – you can also follow the company on Twitter: @MM_Seed

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

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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.

Reesink finance provides peace of mind

August 7, 2020/in Machinery, News, Press Release/by Izzy Cutler

Reesink finance provides peace of mind: Thanks to the flexibility of Toro’s UK distributor Reesink Turfcare’s finance options, Dean Wood Golf Club signed its second Toro fleet lease agreement despite being in the midst of the lockdown.

With golf clubs across the country temporarily closing their doors earlier this year, you’d be forgiven for thinking that investment in their courses would stop. But for Dean Wood Golf Club this wasn’t the case, as the club has invested in more Toro.

Reesink finance provides peace of mind

Chris Halkerd, who has been at the club for 24 years and course manager for 15, explains: “We’d come to the end of our first lease deal with Toro in March, just as the lockdown came into force. This threw the club into a state of uncertainty, but luckily with help from Reesink and Cheshire Turf Machinery, we were able to continue our investment in the club.”

With the range of flexible finance options that Reesink provides, the club was able to reduce costs while bringing in a fleet of brand new and upgraded machinery.

“The finance offering from Reesink couldn’t be matched by anyone else,” continues Chris. “And while we’d had other brands demonstrated, it was clear to us that Toro was the way to go. The course has steep gradients in places, and other brands just couldn’t get up there. It was this combination that sealed the deal.

“The board was in immediate agreement with the plan, but we put it to the members to vote as well. It was almost unanimous. Despite the uncertainty of the market, it was clear to everyone this deal presented the best opportunity to save money and greatly improve the course.”

The deal means the club now has the bulk of its payments scheduled for next year which Chris says has given the club “real peace of mind that the financial risk for this year has been reduced, without compromising on the service for our customers.”

And the excellence the club strives to provide has certainly been noticed. With the greenkeeping team posting on social media throughout lockdown showing them hard at work with their Toro machines, interest has boomed. The club has gained around 100 new members (and counting) in the last four weeks alone, with some even joining before the course had reopened.

But whether old or new members, they’ve all noticed the quality Toro has brought to the course, says Chris: “We’ve had so much feedback from members saying that the course looks exceptional. Thanks to the new and upgraded machines, I’ve even had someone say it’s never looked better in the 40 years they’d been coming to the club!”

“The new machines are fantastic,” continues Chris. “I’ve been particularly impressed by the Reelmaster 3575-D which has reduced our fairway cutting time by 45 minutes, and the Greensmaster TriFlex Hybrid 3420 is not only great for the environment, but it takes away any worries about hydraulic leaks as well as reducing noise. I actually had to check it was cutting when we first got it on the course – it was so quiet I didn’t believe it was turned on!

“The ProCore 648 aerator is another game changer, and we’ve got a new TYM 503 tractor which is a great workhorse. My thinking is that after five years we’ll purchase them both, as it’s clear they’ll provide huge benefits as permanent investments.”

So with the member count continuing to grow, and the course the best it’s ever been, it’s safe to say that Dean Wood Golf Club is a COVID-19 era success story.

“We are really lucky and grateful to be in the position we’re in now, but we wouldn’t have been able to do it without the forward thinking board and members we have here at the club. Not to mention the excellent support from both Cheshire Turf Machinery and Reesink who’ve been instrumental in navigating us through the best possible course of action during this time.”

To talk to someone about the finance options available and how the Toro range would suit your course, call 01480 226800.

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)

MM seed first-class at Oxford University

Reesink finance provides peace of mind

MM seed first-class at Oxford University

Reesink finance provides peace of mind

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

MM seed first-class at Oxford University

MM seed first-class at Oxford University: Jon Buddington, Grounds Manager at the world-famous Oxford University, has reported excellent results from using a range of Limagrain’s MM grass seed.

Reesink finance provides peace of mind

Reesink finance provides peace of mind: Thanks to the flexibility of Toro’s UK distributor Reesink Turfcare’s finance options, Dean Wood Golf Club signed its second Toro fleet lease agreement despite being in the midst of the lockdown.

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