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Woodhall Spa goes to town

March 27, 2020/in Machinery, News, Press Release/by Rosie Duckworth

Woodhall Spa goes to town: It’s a relationship over two decades strong, therefore it’s no surprise that when it came to renewing its machinery fleet as it concluded what is widely recognised as the biggest in-house golf renovation project in the UK, that Woodhall Spa chose Toro again. As the club’s three-year, three-stage restoration project […]

Living every cricket lover’s dream

March 27, 2020/in Industry News, News, Press Release/by External Source

Living every cricket lover’s dream: Just like the players, Karl McDermott would now be entering the final stage of his preparations for the English cricket season. As head groundsman at Lord’s, he would have an eye on April 12, when Middlesex were due to open their campaign against Worcestershire. Instead, he is “living every cricket lover’s dream” — […]

Woodhall Spa goes to town

March 27, 2020/in Machinery, News, Press Release/by Rosie Duckworth

Living every cricket lover’s dream

March 27, 2020/in Industry News, News, Press Release/by External Source

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Woodhall Spa goes to town

March 27, 2020/in Machinery, News, Press Release/by Rosie Duckworth

Woodhall Spa goes to town: It’s a relationship over two decades strong, therefore it’s no surprise that when it came to renewing its machinery fleet as it concluded what is widely recognised as the biggest in-house golf renovation project in the UK, that Woodhall Spa chose Toro again.

As the club’s three-year, three-stage restoration project designed to give the Lincolnshire course back its rightful heathland landscape and original character concludes, the focus is now on the quality of the playing surfaces. Hence the latest, significant investment in Toro and Reesink Turfcare.

Woodhall Spa goes to town

Course manager Sam Rhodes says: “We have so much confidence in Toro. Having Toro on board during the renovations meant there was one less big thing to worry about. There was too much to do as it was, so knowing the maintenance, and irrigation, of the courses was in safe hands was invaluable. And now as the main restoration work is finished, we’re going to town on the quality of the playing surfaces.”

Richard Latham, general manager, explains the reason for the renovation: “It’s accepted that the course found itself in this position because of over 50 years of woodland mismanagement and neglect. Woodhall Spa was fast falling down in the world rankings. It was time to act and safeguard the future of the course.”

A phone call from Richard was all it took to secure the services of Tom Doak, one of the true greats of modern golf course architecture, for the redesign of the home of the governing body of England Golf. One of the biggest changes was the introduction of bigger greens, now 4,000sqm larger, which takes the greenkeeping team an extra two hours to mow every morning, ably assisted by Toro.

Sam says: “We’ve long been a Toro Total Solutions customer and we wanted a full fleet refresh to make sure we were benefitting from the latest technological advancements and to ensure we are ready for the next all-important phase in the course’s future. We’re already seeing the impact of the new design of the cylinder cutting unit of the Reelmaster 5010-H, it’s freeing a man up.”

The new fleet is comprehensive including greens, tees and fairways mowers, aerators, top dressers and bunker rakes. Sam has included hybrid technology in the form of three Reelmaster 5010-H fairway mowers and two all-electric Workman GTXe utility vehicles, and during the renovations the Toro Lynx central control irrigation system and 170 Infinity sprinklers on the greens, tees and surrounds was extended to the fairways covering the Hotchkin and Bracken courses.

Richard says: “We don’t have much water where we are, so we have to be frugal in how much we apply. The installation of the system has allowed us to be entirely accurate and conserve our usage. It also allowed us to avoid damage in the drought of 2018 – we lost the colour but kept the coverage. To have extended the irrigation system to the fairways now means we have complete Toro protection.”

Both Richard and Sam agree this project has been game-changing, Richard says: “To say we have successfully completed the biggest in-house project the country has seen is quite the achievement. Our members are playing a far more strategic game, reminiscent of how it used to be when golf was first played here in 1905. We’ve successfully put all the holes back together again ourselves and we’re moving up in the rankings. We’ve achieved what we set out to do.”

And now as the team embarks on the next phase in the club’s life, Richard considers what happens next. “Now we have the rightful landscape back, playing fantastically, our focus is on ensuring that lasts, and with the combination of Sam, the team and Toro on board we know that’s a realistic ambition.”

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Living every cricket lover’s dream

March 27, 2020/in Industry News, News, Press Release/by External Source

Living every cricket lover’s dream: Just like the players, Karl McDermott would now be entering the final stage of his preparations for the English cricket season.

As head groundsman at Lord’s, he would have an eye on April 12, when Middlesex were due to open their campaign against Worcestershire.

Instead, he is “living every cricket lover’s dream” — he is in the middle of a Lord’s lockdown.

But for a few security guards and construction workers rebuilding the Compton and Edrich Stands, and the couple of other on-site residents, including his five-month-old daughter, he has the run of the Home of Cricket.

Not that it makes his working life easier. Normally, he would head up a team of eight groundstaff. As they all take public transport to work, they have been told to stay away for the time being.

Between them, they would take two hours to mow the pristine outfield. On his own, it takes McDermott two days.

“It’s like the good old days of club groundsmanship, trying to survive on your own,” he said. “It’s working out what you can do.

“Generally, I get up and give the square a roll early, about 7.30am, which takes two-and-a-half hours, then I tick off the longer jobs during the day.

“In one sense it’s nice not having cricket, you don’t have to put the covers on and things like that.”

That is not the only positive, of course.

“It is quite liberating,” he said. “I’m not getting many phone calls or emails, I don’t have to go to any meetings. It’s me managing my day and watching the world go by.

“The nice weather is making my days go a lot quicker and is enjoyable. It’s not your typical wet and windy pre-season — that would be miserable on my own.

“The fact I have somewhere to walk around is great. We have just had a baby, so we don’t have to go out to take her for a little stroll, so that’s quite nice as well. It’s probably every cricket lover’s dream to be locked inside Lord’s!”

McDermott has spoken to groundsmen across the grassroots game worried about the impact the current situation will have on both their pitches and their clubs, with uncertainty over when the game will return at any level.

Professional cricket is currently not scheduled to be played until June at the earliest. McDermott is still preparing as if England’s Test match against the West Indies on June 25 will go ahead.

“It’s the same uncertainty that everyone feels right now, we are in limbo, when we can get the guys back in safely, or how much notice we will get that cricket is back.

“It’s a case of trying to stay ahead, so there’s as little catch-up as possible when we are all guns blazing. No matter when, we will be ready.”

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Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

Woodhall Spa goes to town

Living every cricket lover’s dream

Woodhall Spa goes to town

Living every cricket lover’s dream

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Woodhall Spa goes to town

Woodhall Spa goes to town: It’s a relationship over two decades strong, therefore it’s no surprise that when it came to renewing its machinery fleet as it concluded what is widely recognised as the biggest in-house golf renovation project in the UK, that Woodhall Spa chose Toro again.

Living every cricket lover’s dream

Living every cricket lover’s dream: Just like the players, Karl McDermott would now be entering the final stage of his preparations for the English cricket season.

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