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Wildflowers from DLF help wildlife to flourish

August 19, 2026/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Wildflowers from DLF help wildlife to flourish Perched on the Northumberland coastline, Alnmouth Golf Club offers members a challenging mix of seaside and parkland play in a designated area of outstanding natural beauty. Head Greenkeeper Jim Storey has spent the last 27 years finessing that natural beauty, employing maintenance that supports both the long-term course […]

Automated robotic technology at the heart of Belfry preparations

August 19, 2026/in Machinery, News, Press Release/by Admin

Automated robotic technology at the heart of Belfry preparations Husqvarna technology is playing a crucial role in preparing The Belfry’s iconic Brabazon Course for the 2026 Husqvarna British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo, as the venue builds towards the arrival of the DP World Tour’s leading players from 26–30 August. In the build-up to […]

Wildflowers from DLF help wildlife to flourish

August 19, 2026/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Automated robotic technology at the heart of Belfry preparations

August 19, 2026/in Machinery, News, Press Release/by Admin

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Wildflowers from DLF help wildlife to flourish

August 19, 2026/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Wildflowers from DLF help wildlife to flourish

Perched on the Northumberland coastline, Alnmouth Golf Club offers members a challenging mix of seaside and parkland play in a designated area of outstanding natural beauty. Head Greenkeeper Jim Storey has spent the last 27 years finessing that natural beauty, employing maintenance that supports both the long-term course management and local wildlife. For the last decade this work has included establishing wildflower areas and, more recently with the help of DLF Seeds, he says these have delivered both visual impact and ecological value.

Wildflowers from DLF help wildlife to flourish

“Creating habitats and supporting wildlife has been one of our major objectives for the last 10 years” says Jim, who heads up a greenkeeping team of seven. “Using our collective knowledge and experience, the team and I have thinned out the roughs and created new spaces to support insects, pollinators, small mammals and birds. Our wildflower areas have become a really important part of that.”

Jim has worked with various mixtures from DLF’s Pro Flora and Colour Boost ranges to establish five wildflower areas, most recently adding a burst of colour and broad variety of flowering species with the Carnival mix. “We’ve selected spaces where we can compliment the surrounding landscape and really add to the experience for the golfers, especially on a nice sunny day!”

Another of the recent projects sits close to the first tee, where wildflowers have been established among areas of fine fescue and yellow rattle – creating a vibrant focal point adjacent to newly planted fruit trees. “We’ve now got pollinators working between the flowers and the fruit trees which is exactly what we hoped to achieve” he adds.

It’s not just pollinators enjoying the new wildflower areas. Jim continues, “We’ve definitely seen an increased in the number and variety of animals we’re seeing since the introduction of the wildflower. We’ve got all sorts of insect, voles and field mice which means, in turn, we’re also seeing barn owls. It’s been really fantastic to see.”

“We’ve also enjoyed speaking with agronomists and fellow greenkeepers about the project, learning about different flowers and getting ideas together to discuss with our DLF Regional Technical Manager Ben Morgan.” He concludes, “Every year we’ll look to add another area if we see an opportunity, which is only going to help us get richer in biodiversity with every passing season.”

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Automated robotic technology at the heart of Belfry preparations

August 19, 2026/in Machinery, News, Press Release/by Admin

Automated robotic technology at the heart of Belfry preparations

Husqvarna technology is playing a crucial role in preparing The Belfry’s iconic Brabazon Course for the 2026 Husqvarna British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo, as the venue builds towards the arrival of the DP World Tour’s leading players from 26–30 August.

Automated robotic technology at the heart of Belfry preparations

In the build-up to the championship, seven Husqvarna CEORA robotic mowers are maintaining the fairways of the four-time Ryder Cup venue, working consistently across the course to help produce the exacting standards required for elite tournament golf.

During the tournament week, Husqvarna will expand its operation considerably. A fleet of 15 CEORA robotic mowers will cut the championship fairways overnight, supported by a dedicated Husqvarna team working from 8pm until 6am. The team will transport the mowers to their designated fairways, oversee the overnight operation and collect the machines at the end of each shift.

Husqvarna CEORA, Automower® 580L and RELOX technology will also be deployed on the driving range, while a Husqvarna 535 AWD EPOS is maintaining the short game area to ensure the rough is always at optimal height for practice. Every machine used during the championship will be cleaned and calibrated daily, with blades changed each day to maintain consistent cutting performance throughout the event. The Belfry’s greenkeeping team is also using a comprehensive fleet of Husqvarna battery-powered handheld equipment, including leaf blowers, grass trimmers and hedge trimmers throughout its preparations. The brand-new Husqvarna 570iBT battery backpack blower will play an important role with 10 units being used to clear tees, bunkers and general course detailing.

The installation brings together autonomous mowing and professional battery technology as part of a modern, integrated approach to golf course maintenance. While robotic mowers deliver frequent and consistent cutting across large areas of turf, the handheld equipment supports the detailed work undertaken by the greenkeeping team around course furniture, including trees, bunkers and other areas that require a more precise finish.

The deployment also reduces reliance on conventional fossil fuel-powered equipment and provides the team access to quieter machinery with no direct exhaust emissions during use. This can help work to continue around golfers and other course operations with less disruption.

For Husqvarna, the installation provides a powerful demonstration of the company’s technology in action at the tournament for which it is Title Partner. Rather than being limited to branding around the event, Husqvarna products are directly supporting both the advance preparation of the course and its presentation throughout championship week. The dedicated overnight operation will put Husqvarna technology and technical expertise at the heart of maintaining the surfaces on which the tournament will be decided.

Andrew Lees, Global Segment Manager for Professional Robotics at Husqvarna, said: “The Husqvarna British Masters gives us an outstanding platform, but the most important story is what our technology is delivering on the ground. Our products are not simply being displayed at The Belfry, they are working every day alongside an exceptional greenkeeping team to help prepare one of the world’s most famous tournament courses.

“Following the success of our operation at Royal Porthcawl during the 2025 AIG Women’s Open, we are proud to bring the same level of tournament support to a very different venue. Every machine will be cleaned and calibrated and its blades changed daily, helping The Belfry present The Brabazon to a global audience at the first Husqvarna British Masters.”

Designed for large-scale professional turf management, CEORA uses satellite-based EPOS navigation to operate systematically within virtual boundaries. This produces accuracy to just 1cm, meaning fairways perimeters are delivered with high definition and confidence that the integrity of the fairway shape is maintained. CEORA’s autonomous operation allows mowing schedules and designated work areas to be managed digitally, giving course teams the flexibility to adapt cutting programmes around weather, playing schedules and operational requirements.

In the build-up to the event, the seven CEORA units at The Belfry regularly maintain the fairways without the need for a driver, supporting consistent turf presentation while freeing members of the greenkeeping team to concentrate on agronomic and detail-focused tasks elsewhere on the course. During the championship itself, fairway mowing will become a managed overnight tournament-support operation. Fifteen CEORA units will be transported to and from the fairways and overseen by Husqvarna personnel, allowing the fairways to be maintained outside playing hours while giving the tournament team daily oversight of machine condition and performance.

Husqvarna became Title Partner of the British Masters through a multi-year agreement announced earlier this year. The company is also the Official Robotic Mowing Partner of the DP World Tour, building on a partnership that has already demonstrated autonomous mowing technology on some of golf’s most prominent stages.

At the 2025 AIG Women’s Open at Royal Porthcawl, 15 Husqvarna CEORA robotic mowers cut the championship’s playing surfaces, marking the first time Husqvarna robotic mowers had performed this role at a major golf championship in the United Kingdom.

Hosted by six-time Major champion and Husqvarna Brand Ambassador Sir Nick Faldo, the 2026 Husqvarna British Masters will begin with the celebrity pro-am on Wednesday 26 August, followed by four days of championship play from Thursday 27 to Sunday 30 August.

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Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

Wildflowers from DLF help wildlife to flourish

Automated robotic technology at the heart of Belfry preparations

Wildflowers from DLF help wildlife to flourish

Automated robotic technology at the heart of Belfry preparations

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Wildflowers from DLF help wildlife to flourish

Wildflowers from DLF help wildlife to flourish

Automated robotic technology at the heart of Belfry preparations

Automated robotic technology at the heart of Belfry preparations

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