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James On Course For New Role At Castle Stuart Golf Links

September 28, 2017/in Press Release, Sport/by John Ross

James On Course For New Role At Castle Stuart Golf Links: The internationally-renowned Castle Stuart Golf Links has appointed James Hutchison as head greenkeeper as it seeks to build on its reputation for sustainable and environmentally-friendly course management. James, who joined Castle Stuart as a greenkeeper during its construction in 2007, has been deputy course manager […]

Reading FC Have A Pitch Fit For Royals

September 28, 2017/in Press Release, Sport/by John Simpson

Reading Have A Pitch Fit For Royals Thanks To Ground-Breaking SISGrass Technology: The Madejski Stadium becomes first venue with dual-use pitch to experience added durability of SIS Pitches’ advanced hybrid system. Reading FC have become the first UK sports club with a dual-use pitch to install the revolutionary SISGrass hybrid system – to help the club’s […]

James On Course For New Role At Castle Stuart Golf Links

September 28, 2017/in Press Release, Sport/by John Ross

Reading FC Have A Pitch Fit For Royals

September 28, 2017/in Press Release, Sport/by John Simpson

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James On Course For New Role At Castle Stuart Golf Links

September 28, 2017/in Press Release, Sport/by John Ross

James On Course For New Role At Castle Stuart Golf Links: The internationally-renowned Castle Stuart Golf Links has appointed James Hutchison as head greenkeeper as it seeks to build on its reputation for sustainable and environmentally-friendly course management.

James, who joined Castle Stuart as a greenkeeper during its construction in 2007, has been deputy course manager since the four-time Scottish Open venue opened in 2009.

He replaces Chris Haspell who is leaving Castle Stuart to take up a new post within the industry. Senior greenkeeper Stuart Hawker is the new deputy head greenkeeper.

During his time at Castle Stuart, James helped create the famous links overlooking the Moray Forth while safeguarding the environment and the rich wildlife it supports.

The course – designed by Mark Parsinen, who also co-designed Kingsbarns Golf Links, and Gil Hanse, creator of the Olympic course in Rio and the new Black Course at the Streamsong Resort in Florida – has won awards for its protection of the landscape and marine areas that make up a Special Area of Conservation and Site of Special Scientific Interest.

James has worked on all four Scottish Opens at Castle Stuart – from 2011-2013 and in 2016 – and has played an integral role in developing the course, regarded as a modern icon at the forefront of discussions on the playability of golf courses that challenge the best players and makes the game engaging, enjoyable and fun for higher handicappers.

A nine-handicap golfer and Scottish shinty international player, he previously spent 12 years at Boat of Garten Golf Club, including six years as deputy course manager.

His first major event at Castle Stuart in his new position will be the Highland Golf Links 54-hole Pro-Am sponsored by Blue Group, a Tartan Tour tournament which will feature a capacity field of 80 teams. The three-day event, which runs from 2-4 October, will also be played at Royal Dornoch Golf Club and The Nairn Golf Club.

James is also expected to be in charge of the Castle Stuart greenkeeping team that will work on a second championship course, which is being planned in partnership with the Arnold Palmer Group.

James said: “This is a huge and exciting challenge for me. It was fantastic to work at Castle Stuart from the construction phase, and being able to do the same on a second course is such a massive opportunity.

“What makes the job so enjoyable is creating and developing a course that works with the environment and provides a visual experience as well as being playable by golfers of all abilities.”

Stuart McColm said: “James has been an integral part of the Castle Stuart team almost since we cut the first turf and the time is right for him to take us into the next phase of our evolution.

“Chris’s departure has left a strong agronomic and environmental platform, one that James and I are passionate about and determined to improve upon, in our pursuit of increased customer satisfaction as well as sustainable environmental stewardship.”

Castle Stuart underlined its environmental credentials this month when it hosted the latest event in the Leading Edge series of conferences. The event brought together a number of course and club managers to look at the challenges and successes of running golf clubs in challenging conditions worldwide.

Held in conjunction with GEO (Golf Environment Organization), the event included contributions from David Roy, a past president of the Club Managers Association of Europe; Paul Armitage, director of Le Golf National, venue for the 2018 Ryder Cup and 2024 Olympic golf tournament; Dr Thom Nikolai, renowned professor of turfgrass agronomy at Michigan State University; Castle Stuart general manager Stuart McColm; David Withers, president and CEO of Jacobsen; and Steve Johnson, Golf Course Superintendent at Almouj Golf Course, The Wave, Muscat.

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Reading FC Have A Pitch Fit For Royals

September 28, 2017/in Press Release, Sport/by John Simpson

Reading FC have become the first UK sports club with a dual-use pitch to install the revolutionary SISGrass hybrid system – to help the club’s hallowed turf endure almost 250 hours’ playing time.

Global pitch specialists SIS Pitches introduced their advanced hybrid turf technology at the Madejski Stadium this summer as part of a full reconstruction of a pitch that staged over 55 matches last season.

With the Berkshire venue hosting all home first-team fixtures played by Reading and London Irish, the Aviva Premiership Rugby side that have been ground-share tenants for over 16 years, plus a selection of the Royals’ Under-23s and Under-18s games, the playing surface gets a severe workout.

So much so there were times last season that Adam Grantham, Reading’s Grounds Manager for 13 years, and his hard-working staff had to prepare for four matches in as many days.

With such little time to recover from wear and tear, the quality of the playing surface inevitably suffered.

To manage such high usage, the Sky Bet Championship club opted for the increased durability of Cumbria-based SIS Pitches’ award-winning SISGrass, a reinforced natural turf system featuring patented fibre injection technology.

Reading have the added bonus of having SISGrass Universal at their disposal. The compact machine, combining speed, mobility and laser precision, specialises in repairing high-use areas such as touchlines, goalmouths and penalty spots.

Main contractor MJ Abbott Ltd were central to the six-week pitch reconstruction project at the ‘Mad Stad’, while Premier Pitches completed the turf finishing process.

Adam said: “The pitch was last reconstructed to this extent way back in 2007 and it reached the end of its shelf life last season, becoming ineffective in areas.

“Balancing all the football and rugby commitments on an ageing pitch was extremely tough at times and there was some criticism over the winter period, so it was good to start afresh in the summer.

“We completely reconstructed the pitch, taking the old hybrid system out and starting from the bottom up, reshaping all the sub-base levels, reinstalling the drainage, the undersoil heating and adding a new irrigation system.

“We have been really pleased with both the high quality of SIS Pitches’ service and the pitch they have installed. With the increased durability of SISGrass, we’re extremely hopeful the end result is a much stronger and healthier pitch all year round that suits our manager Jaap Stam’s style of play.

“By September 9, we’d played five matches on it already but the pitch is holding together really well and I’ve been getting good feedback from the coaching staff and players.”

SISGrass’ laser-guided installation combines a 95% natural grass pitch with 5% of specially-designed PE yarn stitched into the ground, offering unrivalled durability, improved pitch recovery time and increased playing hours.

Phil Blackwell, SIS Pitches’ UK Projects Director, said: “With the Madejski Stadium staging so many fixtures during a season, Reading require the most durable and stable pitch on the market, which we firmly believe our award-winning SISGrass hybrid pitch technology provides.

“The installation process went extremely smoothly and we have no doubts that both Reading and London Irish will experience a higher quality and more durable playing surface this season.

“SISGrass is essential for sporting clubs striving for the highest quality pitch on the market, and an absolute must-have for all dual-use pitches.”

The ground-breaking SISGrass hybrid pitch system has been installed at prestigious venues across the globe, taking pride of place at six of next summer’s World Cup venues, including the iconic Luzhniki Stadium, which will host the Russia 2018 final.

SISGrass has been installed at Premier League duo Newcastle United and AFC Bournemouth, Serie A side Verona and a quartet of Türkish Super Lig clubs.

It also features at Championship clubs Birmingham City, Derby County and Fulham and at the training grounds of FC Barcelona, Chelsea, Swansea City, Hull City, Fulham, Derby County and the National Football Centre at St. George’s Park, home of the English FA.

With offices in the UK, Ireland, Russia, Turkey, Holland, Middle East and Angola, SIS Pitches has many years’ experience in delivering both natural and synthetic turf pitches to some of the greatest names in sport as well as to schools, colleges, universities, sports clubs and local authorities.

For the latest industry news visit turfnews.co.uk

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You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

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James On Course For New Role At Castle Stuart Golf Links

Reading FC Have A Pitch Fit For Royals

James On Course For New Role At Castle Stuart Golf Links

Reading FC Have A Pitch Fit For Royals

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

James On Course For New Role At Castle Stuart Golf Links

Reading FC Have A Pitch Fit For Royals

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