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BIGGA and Bernhard Academy select America delegation

September 29, 2025/in News, People, Press Release/by Admin

BIGGA and Bernhard Academy select America delegation: The British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) and Premium Partner Bernhard Academy have selected 10 association members to engage in one of the sports turf industry’s most prestigious learning opportunities. A BIGGA Premium Partner, every two years Bernhard Academy invites 10 BIGGA members to attend the Golf […]

Makita launches 9.0Ah and 12.0Ah batteries

September 29, 2025/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Makita launches 9.0Ah and 12.0Ah batteries: Makita UK has recently launched two new batteries for its LXT cordless tools, the world’s largest compatible cordless tool system powered by 18V slide-style batteries. The new BL1890 18V 9.0Ah battery and BL18120 18V 12.0Ah battery offer more cells and an increased electrical capacity. As a result, compatible cordless […]

BIGGA and Bernhard Academy select America delegation

September 29, 2025/in News, People, Press Release/by Admin

Makita launches 9.0Ah and 12.0Ah batteries

September 29, 2025/in News, Press Release/by Admin

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BIGGA and Bernhard Academy select America delegation

September 29, 2025/in News, People, Press Release/by Admin

BIGGA and Bernhard Academy select America delegation: The British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) and Premium Partner Bernhard Academy have selected 10 association members to engage in one of the sports turf industry’s most prestigious learning opportunities.

A BIGGA Premium Partner, every two years Bernhard Academy invites 10 BIGGA members to attend the Golf Course Superintendent Association of America’s (GCSAA) Conference and Trade Show, this year taking place in Orlando, Florida. A spot on the delegation marks out a candidate as among the most dedicated and talented ambassadors for the golf greenkeeping sector. In the intervening years a Delegation from the USA visits BIGGA’s exhibition and conference, BTME.

BIGGA and Bernhard Academy select America delegation

With experiences designed to elevate the careers of those in attendance, the delegation is a week-long educational trip that features site visits as well as seminars, networking events and educational demonstrations. The successful delegates will also be invited to convene at the BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition in January, where they will meet former participants in the programme, many of whom have gone on to great success in their careers.

The BIGGA members selected for the 2026 BIGGA Delegation with Bernhard Academy are:

Andrew Gibbs, Deputy Head Greenkeeper, Sunningdale Golf Club
Michael Sage, Head Greenkeeper, Knowle Golf Club
John Stewart, Course Manager, Minchinhampton Golf Club
Dan Kendle, Head Greenkeeper, Newquay Golf Club
Ruth Etches, First Assistant, Trentham Golf Club
Jack Wellings, Deputy Course Manager, JCB Golf and Country Club
Ian Kirwan, Course Manager, Bramhall Golf Club
Michael Gibbons, Greenkeeper, The Wilmslow Golf Club
Ryan Gall, Greenkeeper, Loch Lomond Golf Club
Stuart Fergusson, Deputy Course Manager, Trump Turnberry

Head to the BIGGA website to find out more about each of the delegates.

Michael Sage is Head Greenkeeper at Knowle Golf Club. Reacting to being selected, he said: “I’m really grateful to have been chosen for the BIGGA Delegation to the GCSAA Conference and Trade Show. It’s a fantastic opportunity to learn from industry leaders, see how things are done on an international stage, and bring back new ideas that can help us at Knowle to keep improving. My goal is to gain fresh perspectives, especially around sustainability and course presentation, and share anything useful with my team”.

Ryan Gall, a greenkeeper at Loch Lomond Golf Club, expressed his pride at being chosen to join the BIGGA Delegation, representing UK greenkeeping on the global stage. He added: “I’m absolutely delighted to have been selected to be part of the Delegation. To be chosen is a massive career achievement for me and I feel incredibly proud to be part of such a prestigious group. I’m really looking forward to experiencing the event first-hand, meeting greenkeepers and industry leaders from around the world, and seeing the very latest innovations in turf management. I’ve no doubt it will be a hugely valuable learning experience and I’m excited to bring back new knowledge and ideas. Huge thanks to BIGGA and Bernhard for making this possible”.

The GCSAA Conference and Trade Show runs from 2 – 5 February 2026. As part of their duties, the delegates will attend the BIGGA stand during the conference, speaking to visitors about the association and UK greenkeeping.

For more information about the exclusive career development opportunities available to BIGGA members, head to the BIGGA website.

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Makita launches 9.0Ah and 12.0Ah batteries

September 29, 2025/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Makita launches 9.0Ah and 12.0Ah batteries: Makita UK has recently launched two new batteries for its LXT cordless tools, the world’s largest compatible cordless tool system powered by 18V slide-style batteries.

The new BL1890 18V 9.0Ah battery and BL18120 18V 12.0Ah battery offer more cells and an increased electrical capacity. As a result, compatible cordless tools from the LXT range will benefit from extended run times, enabling users to work for longer on a single charge.

Makita launches 9.0Ah and 12.0Ah batteries

Building on the continued success of the LXT platform, Makita’s new batteries represent a considerable increase in capacity compared to those currently on offer. Prior to this launch, the largest capacity battery offered by Makita for its 18V LXT tools was 6.0Ah. With the introduction of these 9.0Ah and 12.0Ah alternatives, Makita users will be able increase productivity and reduce the need to swap out batteries.

In addition to their increased capacity, the two new batteries come with improved impact resistance. By adopting a shock-absorbing structure equivalent to that of the 40Vmax XGT batteries, the new 18V LXT batteries offer reduced risk of damage from unexpected drops.

Kevin Brannigan, Marketing Manager at Makita UK, commented “We are very excited to be able to bolster our LXT range and support our loyal customers by providing these new increased capacity batteries. Constantly improving battery technology and capacity is at the heart of our business and that innovation is enabling more people than ever to switch to cordless tools. With the launch of the BL1890 and BL18120 we believe cordless power tools are now the logical solution for an ever-greater range of professionals, regardless of their needs or the tools they use.”

Due to their increased size, both the BL1890 and BL18120 may not be compatible with a select number of LXT cordless tools. Customers are therefore advised to check compatibility before purchasing.

To find out more about Makita’s range of LXT power tools, go to www.makitauk.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)

BIGGA and Bernhard Academy select America delegation

Makita launches 9.0Ah and 12.0Ah batteries

BIGGA and Bernhard Academy select America delegation

Makita launches 9.0Ah and 12.0Ah batteries

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

BIGGA and Bernhard Academy select America delegation

BIGGA and Bernhard Academy select America delegation: The British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) and Premium Partner Bernhard Academy have selected 10 association members to engage in one of the sports turf industry’s most prestigious learning opportunities.

Makita launches 9.0Ah and 12.0Ah batteries

Makita launches 9.0Ah and 12.0Ah batteries: Makita UK has recently launched two new batteries for its LXT cordless tools, the world’s largest compatible cordless tool system powered by 18V slide-style batteries.

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