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Waterscapes guidance on when smart irrigation upgrades pay for themselves

June 17, 2026/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Waterscapes guidance on when smart irrigation upgrades pay for themselves Waterscapes, the UK specialist in commercial irrigation systems and water feature maintenance, has published new guidance for facilities managers, estates teams, and budget holders on judging when smart irrigation technology pays for itself. Written by Managing Director Paul Jeffery, the guidance separates the four technologies […]

Bearsden GC project success followed by major machinery investment

June 17, 2026/in Machinery, News, Press Release/by Admin

Bearsden GC project success followed by major machinery investment After an ambitious and successful golf course transformation project, Bearsden Golf Club has continued its long-term investment programme with the arrival of a substantial new fleet of turf maintenance equipment supplied by Fairways GM at Renfrew. The two-year construction, which began in summer 2023 and encompassed […]

Waterscapes guidance on when smart irrigation upgrades pay for themselves

June 17, 2026/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Bearsden GC project success followed by major machinery investment

June 17, 2026/in Machinery, News, Press Release/by Admin

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Waterscapes guidance on when smart irrigation upgrades pay for themselves

June 17, 2026/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Waterscapes guidance on when smart irrigation upgrades pay for themselves

Waterscapes, the UK specialist in commercial irrigation systems and water feature maintenance, has published new guidance for facilities managers, estates teams, and budget holders on judging when smart irrigation technology pays for itself.

Waterscapes guidance on when smart irrigation upgrades pay for themselves

Written by Managing Director Paul Jeffery, the guidance separates the four technologies usually sold under the smart irrigation label: weather-based controllers, flow monitoring, soil moisture sensors, and remote access. It sets out where each earns its cost on a commercial site, and argues that most sites need some of the technology rather than all of it.

According to the guidance, the largest saving on most sites comes from correcting schedule drift, where programmes set in spring no longer match summer demand. Fault detection follows, with flow monitoring identifying leaks in days rather than the weeks a conventional system can take, converting excavation and replanting jobs into small repairs.

The guidance also addresses the reporting case. With asset managers increasingly asked to evidence water use for sustainability reporting, and UK summers bringing temporary use bans and drought permits, Waterscapes notes that metered, logged irrigation data places sites in a stronger position when restrictions and exemptions are discussed.

“On most commercial sites we survey, the controller is the cheapest component on the system and the one costing the most money,” said Jeffery. “A schedule that has drifted out of season can be putting out 30 or 40 per cent more water than the planting needs. Weather-based control tends to claw that back within the first season.”

The guidance is direct about when upgrading doesn’t pay, advising that small simple systems, sites with failing hydraulics, and systems near the end of their life are usually better served by other routes. “We would rather tell a client their system isn’t worth upgrading than sell them technology that won’t pay back,” Jeffery said.

The full guidance is available on the Waterscapes website at waterscapes.co.uk.

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Bearsden GC project success followed by major machinery investment

June 17, 2026/in Machinery, News, Press Release/by Admin

Bearsden GC project success followed by major machinery investment

After an ambitious and successful golf course transformation project, Bearsden Golf Club has continued its long-term investment programme with the arrival of a substantial new fleet of turf maintenance equipment supplied by Fairways GM at Renfrew.

Bearsden GC project success followed by major machinery investment

The two-year construction, which began in summer 2023 and encompassed land adjacent to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Antonine Wall, transformed Bearsden GC’s previous nine-hole course through extensive remodelling and environmental improvements. The redevelopment has helped future-proof the course for generations to come, while collaborative flood management measures introduced in partnership with East Dunbartonshire Council are also delivering wider benefits to the surrounding residential area.

The endeavour, led by Project Course Manager David McBride and his team, was made even more remarkable by the fact the course remained fully playable for members throughout the transformation works. The project also earned the team recognition as finalists in the prestigious 2026 BIGGA Greenkeeping Project of the Year Awards.

Working alongside Fairways GM’s Jonathan Rae and Stuart Cameron, David McBride selected a broad range of equipment to support everything from fine turf presentation through to fairway maintenance and day-to-day transport duties. However, one of the key considerations throughout the purchasing process was noise reduction, reflecting the golf course’s proximity to surrounding housing.

The new fleet includes an ISEKI TG6507 utility tractor, compact ISEKI TH3420 tractor, Wessex CRX-320 rotary mower, Infinicut pedestrian hand mower, Jacobsen GP400 greens mower, Jacobsen Eclipse® 360 ELiTE® all-electric greens mower and Jacobsen LF570 fairway mower.

“Electric mowing was important because of the proximity to housing,” explained David. “Jonathan and Stuart let us trial the Jacobsen Eclipse® 360 ELiTE® on our greens and we approved that almost instantly. The same applied to the Infinicut pedestrian mowers.

“Now, a few months down the line, we are complete converts to electric. The reduction in noise is remarkable as is the quality of the cut. We would never go back. We are extremely happy with the decision.”

“We already knew the capabilities of the Jacobsen LF570 from earlier experience. Here, we effectively have a large greens complex with extensive approaches and apron areas around the putting surfaces, and we like to keep those areas particularly short and refined. To achieve that, we opted for a Jacobsen GP400 fitted with seven-blade cutting units specifically for going around the pins.”

“The redevelopment project has raised standards right across the golf course, so it was important that the machinery fleet evolved with it. We’ve invested heavily in creating a course that will serve the club for many years to come and we wanted a machinery fleet — and a supplier partnership — capable of supporting that ambition.

“Fairways have been excellent throughout and we’re delighted with both the machines and the relationship we’ve developed with the team.”

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

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Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

Waterscapes guidance on when smart irrigation upgrades pay for themselves

Bearsden GC project success followed by major machinery investment

Waterscapes guidance on when smart irrigation upgrades pay for themselves

Bearsden GC project success followed by major machinery investment

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Waterscapes guidance on when smart irrigation upgrades pay for themselves

Waterscapes guidance on when smart irrigation upgrades pay for themselves

Bearsden GC project success followed by major machinery investment

Bearsden GC project success followed by major machinery investment

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