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Maldon Bowling Club: An Award-Winning Tale

April 12, 2024/in News, Press Release/by Lucy Nicholls

Maldon Bowling Club: An Award-Winning Tale: Mark Piper, the Greenkeeper at Maldon Bowling Club, Essex, has overseen a remarkable transformation in the quality of the club’s green. Thanks to a range of Dennis and SISIS machinery, particularly the SISIS Supaturfman and the Dennis FT510, the once-struggling surface has become a point of pride, earning Mark […]

Obituary: Bobby McDougall

April 12, 2024/in News, Press Release/by Scott MacCallum

Obituary: Bobby McDougall: The turf industry is mourning the death of Bobby McDougall who died on March 29 after a short illness. Bobby, 42, was Ground Maintenance Technical Officer at Glasgow Life, a position he had held since May 2023. Despite his relatively young age, Bobby held a variety of posts in Scotland, England and […]

Maldon Bowling Club: An Award-Winning Tale

April 12, 2024/in News, Press Release/by Lucy Nicholls

Obituary: Bobby McDougall

April 12, 2024/in News, Press Release/by Scott MacCallum

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Maldon Bowling Club: An Award-Winning Tale

April 12, 2024/in News, Press Release/by Lucy Nicholls

Maldon Bowling Club: An Award-Winning Tale: Mark Piper, the Greenkeeper at Maldon Bowling Club, Essex, has overseen a remarkable transformation in the quality of the club’s green. Thanks to a range of Dennis and SISIS machinery, particularly the SISIS Supaturfman and the Dennis FT510, the once-struggling surface has become a point of pride, earning Mark the prestigious Bowls England Greenkeeper of the Year Award.

Three years ago, Maldon Bowling Club’s green was plagued by bare patches and moss infestations, rendering it barely playable. The situation was disheartening for long-standing club members, prompting Mark to take action.

Maldon Bowling Club: An Award-Winning Tale

“It was very demoralising, especially for the people that had been at Maldon for a long time – this club has been a big part of their lives,” says Mark. “The local authority was managing the maintenance, and we weren’t really getting anywhere with them. I thought that the only way forward was to do it ourselves.”

Recognising the need for comprehensive maintenance solutions, he turned to a range of Dennis and SISIS machinery from the Howardson Group.

Key to the transformation was the SISIS Supaturfman, an independently powered heavy-duty aerator renowned for its effectiveness in sports turf maintenance. Mark credits the Supaturfman with tackling the persistent moss problem by addressing its underlying causes rather than merely treating the symptoms. Through regular aeration, the green became healthier and more resilient, laying the foundation for long-term improvement.

Complementing the Supaturfman, the Dennis FT510 emerged as an integral part of Maldon Bowling Club’s maintenance equipment. Offering a 51cm working width and versatile interchangeable cassettes, the FT510 provided unparalleled flexibility and performance.

Maldon’s members are particularly impressed with the verticutting cassette according to Mark: “The more experienced bowlers like it when I use the verticutter because it gives them the pace that they want.”

Mark also highlights the FT510’s roller clutch drive and variable clip rate, which ensure a smooth finish and precise control, essential for achieving the desired playing surface quality.

Mark’s dedication, coupled with the reliability of the equipment, propelled Maldon Bowling Club to new heights, earning accolades and fostering a thriving community of bowlers.

“Membership has gone up approximately 30% in the three years that we have been doing the green, and I like to think our work has contributed towards that,” says Mark. “The club is certainly getting a much better reputation and it was nice to be able to turn it around – the Dennis and SISIS equipment has massively helped.

“What I would say to clubs who find themselves in a similar position to what we found ourselves in, is to try and go it alone – it is not as difficult as people think. If you have dedication and commitment, then the Howardson Group can help you with the rest, in terms of equipment, advice and training.”

Despite the remarkable progress, Mark remains committed to ongoing enhancement. Challenges such as excessive sand content in certain areas present opportunities for further refinement. Hosting prestigious tournaments like the Essex County 4’s Finals attests to the green’s newfound acclaim.

Through the integration of the SISIS Supaturfman and the Dennis FT510, Mark not only revitalised the green but also the spirit of the club. His story serves as an inspiration to greenkeepers everywhere, demonstrating that with determination and the right tools, even the most daunting challenges can be overcome.

Further information about the range of maintenance products available can be found by visiting www.dennisuk.com / www.sisis.com.

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow Dennis on Twitter @DennisMowers and SISIS @SISISMachinery. You can like the Facebook page – www.facebook.com/DennisMowersUK and www.facebook.com/SISISMachinery. You can also view the latest Dennis and SISIS videos by visiting www.youtube.com/DennisMowers and www.youtube.com/SISISMachinery.

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

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Obituary: Bobby McDougall

April 12, 2024/in News, Press Release/by Scott MacCallum

Obituary: Bobby McDougall: The turf industry is mourning the death of Bobby McDougall who died on March 29 after a short illness.

Bobby, 42, was Ground Maintenance Technical Officer at Glasgow Life, a position he had held since May 2023.

Obituary: Bobby McDougall

Despite his relatively young age, Bobby held a variety of posts in Scotland, England and Norway, all related to sports turf.

A third-generation greenkeeper, Bobby followed in the footsteps of his dad, Allan McDougall, a former Course Manager at Royal Mid Surrey Golf Club and his grandfather, Bob McDougall, formerly of Hilton Park Golf Club, Glasgow.

Bobby attended Elmwood College, Fife and his greenkeeping career spanned 11 years, mostly at Surrey courses- Royal Mid Surrey, Queenwood, and Walton Heath, but included two and a half years as Deputy Course Manager at Miklagard Golf in Oslo.

It was a natural step for Bobby to move into technical sales with promoted roles at Aitkens, Indigrow and Souters in Glasgow before heading to Fairways Sportsground, specialists in sports construction. Bobby then moved into the world of maintenance machinery sales, joining Fairways GM as Commercial Sales Manager and then, Infinicut, as Territory Sales Manager.

Outside work, aside from being a dedicated family man, Bobby held a life-long passion for music. His particular focus was heavy metal where he was a well-known figure on the Scottish scene, with spells as a lead singer, playing live gigs and recording. More recently, his knowledge and contacts led him into managing bands.

He leaves two children, his mum, and his sister.

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)

Maldon Bowling Club: An Award-Winning Tale

Obituary: Bobby McDougall

Maldon Bowling Club: An Award-Winning Tale

Obituary: Bobby McDougall

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Maldon Bowling Club: An Award-Winning Tale

Obituary: Bobby McDougall

Obituary: Bobby McDougall: The turf industry is mourning the death of Bobby McDougall who died on March 29 after a short illness.

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