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Why Golf Greens Are About To Become Better Than Ever

July 19, 2017/in Press Release, Sport/by External Source

Why Golf Greens Are About To Become Better Than Ever: Modern turf management practices are raising the standards for golfers. Greenkeeping Lecturer Anthony Stockwell gives us an update on the modern turf management practices that are raising the standards for golfers. Updates in technology are driving the greenkeeping industry at an accelerated pace. Once keepers of […]

Dennis Mowers Integral For Stoke City FC

July 19, 2017/in Machinery, Press Release/by Lucy Nicholls

Dennis Mowers integral for Stoke City FC: Both the Dennis G860 and the Dennis Premier play an integral role in maintaining Stoke City FC’s bet365 Stadium pitch and training ground, according to grounds manager Andy Jackson. Having joined the club as an apprentice on a YTS scheme, Andy Jackson now oversees all of Stoke City FC’s […]

Why Golf Greens Are About To Become Better Than Ever

July 19, 2017/in Press Release, Sport/by External Source

Dennis Mowers Integral For Stoke City FC

July 19, 2017/in Machinery, Press Release/by Lucy Nicholls

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Why Golf Greens Are About To Become Better Than Ever

July 19, 2017/in Press Release, Sport/by External Source

Why Golf Greens Are About To Become Better Than Ever: Modern turf management practices are raising the standards for golfers.

Greenkeeping Lecturer Anthony Stockwell gives us an update on the modern turf management practices that are raising the standards for golfers.

Updates in technology are driving the greenkeeping industry at an accelerated pace. Once keepers of the green used scythes and sheep to keep the turf short.

In this article we look at five major advancements that are pushing the boundaries of turf management, so that golfers particularly of the elite level can play on unbelievably smooth greens and fine fescue fairways.

1. MACHINERY

Machinery has become lighter in weight enabling less compaction to the turf. Super sharp blades are able to cut with the turf with accurate precision.

Maintaining the tools and equipment on a golf course has become easier. Advancements in electrical machinery has enabled smarter and more sustainable use.

Robotic machinery is on the horizon and it won’t be too long until all surfaces on a golf course are cut without the need for an operator.

2. PERFORMANCE MEASURING

Turf managers have become obsessed with data collection and measuring the performance of their turf.

These measurements enable the greenkeepers to make informed and accurate decisions. Soil sensors can instantly measure soil moisture, temperature and salinity.

Green smoothness, trueness and speed can all be accurately objectively measured. These readings along with accurate weather forecasts can help them make informed decisions, such as “do we roll greens or mow?”

This aspect will be used a considerable amount at Royal Birkdale for the 146th Open Championship. This will help the greenkeepers give the optimum conditions for the professional golfers.

3. SEAWEED

The history books will tell you of greenkeepers adding seaweed to golf greens during the winter.

However, nowadays, universities are conducting innovative research into the exact science behind this green slime and their benefits to playing surfaces.

Once formulated and sprayed on to the golf course the substances can provide benefits to the turf including greater tolerance to droughts, pests and diseases – all of which help the golfer enjoy a smooth and consistent playing surface.

4. TURFGRASS BREEDING

Turfgrass breeding is a marathon task, usually taking over 10 years of arduous scientific work to create a new cultivar of seed.

New seed cultivars are providing golfers with surfaces that are finer and demonstrate greater tolerance of environmental pressures.

The type of grass seed you find on a golf course will certainly not be your average seed you can buy in your local garden centre.

5. FUTURE SOIL AND LIGHT TECHNOLOGY

The world of football has been pioneering with expensive technology such as grow lights.

Under soil heating, soil vacuum systems and over ground ventilation to reduce surface and soil moisture. Turf reinforcements system are enabling a greater volume of players to use the surface.

Will these products be used on golf courses? Well, they already are at the elite level. Perhaps, these types of turf products are the future for golf.

However for the time being you won’t find such expensive technology at your local pay and play golf course, if ever at all.

To read the original article from Golf Magic, click here

For the latest industry news visit turfnews.co.uk

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Dennis Mowers Integral For Stoke City FC

July 19, 2017/in Machinery, Press Release/by Lucy Nicholls

Having joined the club as an apprentice on a YTS scheme, Andy Jackson now oversees all of Stoke City FC’s grounds maintenance – which includes the pitch at the bet365 Stadium and the multitude of facilities at the Clayton Wood training ground. Andy has twelve members of staff across the two sites and they work together as one team. He insists that no-one should be dedicated to one specific site, claiming that it enables them to deal with every situation and ensures that not one person is limited to having knowledge of just one site.

“Personally I think this method works for us,” says Andy. “It provides the opportunity to work in different environments which improves their skill set and it also takes out the mundane task of just looking at one site all the time.”

“Obviously it is important that we’ve got the correct staff in place but it is absolutely essential that we have the right machinery and that everything is reliable.”

Andy has a fleet of Dennis mowers which sees four Premier’s and three G860’s based at the training ground, while the stadium has two G860’s.

“I feel that the Premier’s do a very good job on the soil based pitches,” he says. “We also use them on the Desso Grassmaster pitches if we need to firm them up a little bit – especially when we’ve been growing pitches in. We use the Premier in conjunction with the G860 and the two machines give us plenty of options.”

Fitted with either a powerful Honda Petrol or Kubota diesel engine, the Dennis Premier is available in 30” and 36” cutting widths. A three section rear roller and steering brakes make it easy to manoeuvre giving an excellent stripe pattern and rolling characteristics. Complete with a large diameter front roller with adjustable scraper, for precise height of cut control, the machine is easy to adjust on both sides with the use of a single spanner.

Equally impressive is the G860 which features an interchangeable cassette system, giving options to fit a variety of heads including scarifiers, verticutters, brushes, spikers, and slitters as well as 6, 8 or 11 bladed cutter cassettes. The operator can use the mower for a number of tasks with a simple one-minute changeover of cassettes.

“We have the Verti-Cutter cassette and the Brush as well as the cutting cassette,” says Andy. “We use the Verti-Cutter cassette at the stadium and at the training ground and use it quite intensively in April, May and then again in September or October. It’s a very effective tool and I find that we get really good results from using it after a match.”

“We also have the 6 blade and the 8 blade cutting cylinders – and which one we use purely depends on the density of the grass. So we might use the 6 bladed option in winter and for the first couple of cuts after we’ve grown a pitch in. If the density goes up then we might switch to the 8 bladed option so we have more cuts per square inch.”

The G860, weighing in at just 166kg, is renowned for its ease of use and groundsmen from grass roots to professional level have praised the machine for not only providing first-class results but also for its comfort.

“They are so easy to use – I like the fact they’ve got an open box at the front so I’m in control of everything I’m doing. We string cut so I can see the string, I can see the roller, I can see the blade, I can see the box in front of me – everything is visible at all times. The other thing for me is the setting – the adjustment of the height of cut is very simple yet effective. They also have low vibration levels which is great if you are using them for a long time like we do.”

“Each G860 probably does a distance each week from Stoke to Manchester and back. For a mower that is some mileage – they just keep going and going and reliability is key for me.”

“The most important thing is that the players have a good surface to play on every week – that the pitch is cut at the right height and that it is nice and flat. They just want the pitch to be 100% for every game and Dennis help us massively in doing that.”

“To be honest I don’t think I’d even look at a machine other than a Dennis. I get tremendous back-up from them and they are forward thinking. Personally I think they are the world’s best company in supplying mowers for groundsmen.”

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact Dennis 01332 824 777 or visit www.dennisuk.com

For the latest industry news visit turfnews.co.uk

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter 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)

Why Golf Greens Are About To Become Better Than Ever

Dennis Mowers Integral For Stoke City FC

Why Golf Greens Are About To Become Better Than Ever

Dennis Mowers Integral For Stoke City FC

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Why Golf Greens Are About To Become Better Than Ever

Dennis Mowers Integral For Stoke City FC

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