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Fulford Heath’s Path to Perfect Turf with MM Seed

March 21, 2025/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Fulford Heath’s Path to Perfect Turf with MM Seed: Kim Blake, Course Manager at Fulford Heath Golf Club in Birmingham, has been at the forefront of maintaining and enhancing the club’s renowned parkland course for the past 36 years. Kim’s dedication to innovation has helped the club thrive and stay competitive. A key component of […]

Kubota expands dealership areas

March 20, 2025/in Machinery, News, Press Release/by Admin

Kubota expands dealership areas: Kubota (UK) Ltd has implemented a series of changes to three of its dealer sales areas following recent appointments that have taken place within the dealer network covering Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire. The first involves south Wales-based Hopkins Machinery, which gains access to Kubota groundcare and M-series tractor ranges through […]

Fulford Heath’s Path to Perfect Turf with MM Seed

March 21, 2025/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Kubota expands dealership areas

March 20, 2025/in Machinery, News, Press Release/by Admin

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Fulford Heath’s Path to Perfect Turf with MM Seed

March 21, 2025/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Fulford Heath’s Path to Perfect Turf with MM Seed: Kim Blake, Course Manager at Fulford Heath Golf Club in Birmingham, has been at the forefront of maintaining and enhancing the club’s renowned parkland course for the past 36 years.

Kim’s dedication to innovation has helped the club thrive and stay competitive. A key component of his maintenance programme? The consistent success of MM seed products.

Fulford Heath’s Path to Perfect Turf with MM Seed

Fulford Heath, designed by James Braid, spans just over 6,200 yards with a par of 70. Its strategic layout features the River Cole, mature trees, and lakes, presenting golfers with challenges that reward skill and strategy. Maintaining such a course requires precision and quality, and Kim has found these attributes in MM seed.

“I started using MM9 15 years ago because of the HEADSTART® GOLD treatment,” says Kim. This revolutionary coating ensures rapid germination, which was a game-changer for Kim. “I wanted to shift our greens from 100% Poa annua to a 60/40 mix of bentgrass and Poa annua, so I began integrating MM9 with top dressing,” he added.

Kim’s approach evolved as he experimented with mixing MM9 with sand, then using a Graden machine. “One thing I found is that sowing the seed deeper—between 6mm and 10mm—yields better results. It’s a theory from my agricultural days: deeper sowing protects the seed from frost lift, preventing root break,” Kim explains. This technique, combined with MM9’s superior quality, produced impressive results.

Kim conducted multiple trials to test MM9 against various creeping bent mixtures. “We did half a green with MM9 and the other half with creeping bent and repeated this on different greens. MM9 consistently germinated a day quicker, thanks to the HEADSTART® GOLD coating,” Kim notes.

“An advantage of MM9 is cost-effectiveness. It’s more economical than creeping bent, allowing us to apply more seed per square metre, leading to a better strike and building a stronger seed bank in the soil. After 12 months, MM9 proved to hold its own better than other mixtures.”

For Kim, the right seed choice extends beyond greens. “We recently switched to MM50 on our tees because modern golfers take larger divots, and a pure rye mix stands up to this better,” he explains. MM50’s blend of fine-leaved ryegrasses creates a dense, resilient surface that recovers quickly.

On the fairways, Kim relies on MM22 for its durability and reliability. “It’s great for overseeding, renovation, and construction—areas that endure high wear,” Kim adds.

Fulford Heath’s Path to Perfect Turf with MM Seed

Kim has also modified his approach to sand usage and overseeding schedules. “We’ve reduced sand use from 120 tonnes to 40 tonnes annually and plan to reduce it further next year. Instead, we focus on biology to control thatch and organic matter. This makes the greens work harder, enhancing the bent seed’s performance,” says Kim.

He overseeds in February/March at 40 kg per hectare, using a Graden sand injection machine or a disc seeder. “We’ll do more renovation work in October but won’t overseed, as temperatures are too cold. Since prioritising biology over intense aeration and sand, the bents have improved,” Kim shares.

Kim’s approach balances simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and long-term benefits. “My goal is to make the job straightforward for the staff and cost-effective for the club. If it’s too complex or costly, nobody is happy. Continuous tweaking and adaptation are key,” he concludes.

With MM seed products at the heart of his programme, Kim has transformed the maintenance strategy at Fulford Heath, setting a benchmark for highly efficient course management.

For further information, please contact MM Sports Seed on 01386 791102 or visit the company’s website www.mm-seeds.co.uk.

You can also follow the company on X: @MM_Seed.

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Kubota expands dealership areas

March 20, 2025/in Machinery, News, Press Release/by Admin

Kubota expands dealership areas: Kubota (UK) Ltd has implemented a series of changes to three of its dealer sales areas following recent appointments that have taken place within the dealer network covering Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

The first involves south Wales-based Hopkins Machinery, which gains access to Kubota groundcare and M-series tractor ranges through its Kilcot depot located near Newent, Gloucestershire, creating opportunities for the family-run dealership around Ross-on-Wye, Gloucester and the western side of Cheltenham.

Kubota expands dealership areas

“We’re extremely pleased to be able to provide sales, service and support for all the existing Kubota products we handle, but now through our Kilcot depot in addition to our St Brides Wentloog, South Wales headquarters, and our Brecon, Powys locations,” said Evan Hopkins, a director of the company.

The second change sees Pallisers of Hereford gain area to the east of its former territory, taking in Upton-upon-Severn and the western side of Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, while also extending north and east toward Pershore, Hanbury and Bromsgrove, in Worcestershire.

“We’re pleased to be expanding our Kubota tractor business within these additional areas,” said Camilla Palliser, dealer principal at Pallisers of Hereford. “We’re looking forward to supporting new Pallisers customers throughout these areas.”

The third dealer to benefit is Lister Wilder, which gains additional area in the north of its territory, extending eastwards from Cheltenham to encompass Northleach and Hazleton, and stretching north into the Cotswolds towards Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire, adjoining the area recently taken over by Hunts Engineering at Halford, Warwickshire.

“Any extension to our sales area is always going to be a positive step forward for Lister Wilder and the Kubota brand,” says Lister Wilder sales director Phill Hughes. “It’s an opportunity to work with and support many new customers.”

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)

Fulford Heath’s Path to Perfect Turf with MM Seed

Kubota expands dealership areas

Fulford Heath’s Path to Perfect Turf with MM Seed

Kubota expands dealership areas

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Fulford Heath’s Path to Perfect Turf with MM Seed

Fulford Heath’s Path to Perfect Turf with MM Seed: Kim Blake, Course Manager at Fulford Heath Golf Club in Birmingham, has been at the forefront of maintaining and enhancing the club’s renowned parkland course for the past 36 years.

Kubota expands dealership areas

Kubota expands dealership areas: Kubota (UK) Ltd has implemented a series of changes to three of its dealer sales areas following recent appointments that have taken place within the dealer network covering Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

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