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A win for Dorset Soils & Aggregates

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A win for Dorset Soils & Aggregates: BALI Registered Affiliate, Dorset Soils and Aggregates, have been awarded the British Association of Landscape Industries’ (BALI) prestigious award for Exceptional Affiliate Service.

Much excitement and anticipation was felt amongst the team as it led to the day they’d receive this respected award from the BALI adjudicators.

A win for Dorset Soils & Aggregates

This significant award ceremony was the 43rd annual BALI National Landscape Awards, held on Friday 6th December at the iconic JW Marriott Grosvenor House, Park Lane, London.  Sponsored by BALI Registered Affiliate, Green-tech, it was this glamorous event that saw the celebratory awards ceremony for the skills, hard work, quality, commitment and successes of BALI Registered members. This is the largest landscape Awards in Europe, being an association which recognises excellence in landscape design, construction and maintenance both in the UK and overseas, as well as awarding Affiliate customer service and employer excellence.

Dorset Soils and Aggregates are a national supplier of soft and hard landscaping materials, ranging from specially blended soils, to their flagship Wessex® Coolfresh turf to a vast range of both porcelain and Indian sandstone paving. The business began in 1998 and has since expanded year on year to now consist of 3 different branches, a recycling yard/ distribution centre and head office. Their three branches are based in Ferndown, Dorchester and Bournemouth, all of which have inspirational display areas created by their landscaping customers and a friendly team of customer advisors with many years of training and experience behind them.

Dorset Soils and Aggregates stand for two things: unbeatable prices and the highest levels of customer service. This was consistently demonstrated to the BALI adjudicators and led to the success of winning this highly respected award. As the South’s leading supplier of landscaping materials, this company could give examples of regular, returning customers that gave outstanding testimonies to the business, highlighting their ability to source any required products from around in the world, along with their friendly and knowledgeable manner.

The staff members possess over 75 years of experience in the landscaping and building industry between them, ensuring Dorset Soils and Aggregates are able to give the best possible service from start to finish. Offering an inviting and friendly atmosphere for both the trade and DIY enthusiasts; their customer advisors are always on-hand to offer advice, source products at the best prices, arrange fast and efficient delivery and guarantee the customer received a good experience.

This was the second year the Awards were successfully delivered in-house by the team at BALI’s Landscape House. Events Project Manager Leah Brookes, who attended the 2018 Awards and project managed the 2019 event said, “It has been an immense pleasure managing the BALI Awards 2019. From attending the event last year, to meeting and working alongside the expert adjudicators, to managing the whole entry process and advising members on their submissions. To see the fruition of a year’s work come together on this special day and celebrate together with each and every member is fabulous. I send my heartfelt congratulations to all our winners and thanks to all our sponsors, adjudicators and stakeholders for their continued support of the prestigious National Landscape Awards.”

Sport and lifestyle presenter Mark Durden-Smith played host for the afternoon’s proceedings in front of over 1,000 BALI VIPs, members and guests, including Adam White MBALI, President and Fellow of the ‘Royal Chartered’ Landscape Institute and BALI Registered Designer; Chair of the Society of Garden Designers, Sarah Morgan; Rod Winrow, Chairman of the Association of Professional Landscapers; Sue Biggs CBE, Director General of the Royal Horticultural Society and Gerald Bonner, President of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture (CIOH).

This is a great accolade for Dorset Soils and Aggregates and gives them the recognition and credit that each member of staff has worked so hard to achieve. This year, BALI saw a record-breaking amount of first-time entries; receiving a total number of 145 entries to go through, making it even more impressive that Dorset Soils and Aggregates secured the Exceptional Service Award.

Paul Miller, Managing Director: ‘Well done to all our staff for helping achieve this prestigious National Award – twenty-one years in the making. We’ve come a long way since one man and a transit tipper!’

www.sandandgravel.uk.com

A full list of award-winners and a description of the winning schemes is available on the BALI Awards website here.

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PRO 34R a hit at Colliers Park

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PRO 34R a hit at Colliers Park: Dylan Thompson, grounds maintenance manager at Colliers Park, believes that the Dennis PRO 34R far exceeds every other rotary mower he has used in the past.

The former Sheffield Wednesday FC assistant head groundsman has been in the top role at Colliers Park for six months now and is already making his mark. With all eyes on the FAW’s brand new development centre, Dylan and his two members of staff are helping to maintain the two natural turf pitches and the synthetic pitch to the standard expected by a national footballing body.

PRO 34R a hit at Colliers Park

The FAW left no stone unturned in the launch of Colliers Park and Dylan found himself in the fortunate position of receiving an arsenal of brand-new turf maintenance products – two of which were Dennis PRO 34R’s.

“To be honest, the PRO 34R was the machine I wanted most and this was based on my previous experience of using Dennis Mowers,” he said. “I had heard about it on social media and I spoke to other people in the industry – I heard so many good things about it and to not hear anything negative whatsoever was obviously a massive positive.”

The Dennis PRO 34R is a 34” (860mm) rotary mower which has been designed to help groundsmen achieve an aesthetically pleasing appearance and desired playing surface. It is ideal for sports pitches and lawns producing the enviable ‘Dennis Stripes’ while a powerful vacuum flow collects debris quickly and efficiently.

The angle of the cutting deck and twin blades can be easily adjusted using a single ‘click adjuster’ ensuring the mower is suitable for changing conditions and meeting groundsmen’s requirements.

“It’s very impressive – I was expecting it to be good but not this good!” continued Dylan. “The clean-up is absolutely fantastic no matter if it is wet or dry and it sucks up so much into the grass collection box. It is also quick so we are saving time – we are normally going on speed setting 3 which is the perfect speed for us. We have tight turnarounds so the size of these mowers is ideal because you can get so much done in little time.

PRO 34R a hit at Colliers Park

“We try to use them after every usage but we actually use them during the week as well. It has surprised me as to how good the front brush is. If there is any dew in the morning, then it will take that straight off and it can also pick up any leaves. The finish they leave is really good and you can hardly tell the difference in cut between this and a cylinder mower.

“The PRO 34R’s are probably our most used machines and I can assure you that this isn’t just your standard rotary mower – it is far better.”

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

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

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GXi8 HD a difference at Banchory GC

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GXi8 HD a difference at Banchory GC: Three years ago, an Aberdeenshire golf club with a keen focus on ecological, environmental and sustainable best practice, chose a Wiedenmann Terra Spike GXi8  HD deep aerator. It was the first purchase made by the then newly appointed course manager at Banchory GC, Richard Mullen.

“Aeration needed to be done quickly without compromising standards.  The GXi8 meant we could reduce operator time, reduce fuel and importantly use just one machine,” said Richard Mullen.

GXi8 HD a difference at Banchory GC

Banchory GC sits on the banks of the River Dee, in the heart of Royal Deeside. In the last year the club has received huge plaudits for its biodiversity initiatives in creating both an excellent golfing surface and a welcoming habitat for nature.

“We didn’t start off as a GEO certified golf course when the aerator arrived and we certainly weren’t sustainable. Now three years down the line we’re getting better. The fungicide usage has been reduced by half and we haven’t used any insecticides at all in that time,” he continued.

“We’re like a links course inland. We share many characteristics of a links course.  We’ve sandy soil and the terrain has been naturally formed.  It’s maybe not the largest of courses but the GXi8 goes everywhere; wall-to-wall if you like, fairways, greens, tees, approaches; it misses nothing.

“On any modern course, golfers hate the sight of holes. Frequently it’s so clean our golfers are unaware we’ve actually been out.  If your golfers aren’t noticing holes then that’s a huge bonus. Instantly you’ve got more options. “

Wiedenmann’s GXi8 HD offers a patented Advanced Tine Control (ATC) system. ATC controls the entry point of the tine into the turf. All moving parts of the system like springs and heave linkages are positioned behind covers at the front of the machine away from the workings and ‘dirt area’. Wear and tear is reduced and the covers help quieten the machine.  The centre of gravity being closer to the tractor makes it exceptionally stable.   The tines on the GXi are nearer to the front roller ensuring a uniform job as the spiking action is exceptionally precise and accurate.  Constant hole-spacing is maintained even at high fast forward speed so when following the contours of the ground the quality of work does not falter.

“In a year the GXi8 can be out about 50 times but all the while helping the soil biology of our site.  It’s not uncommon for us to give the greens two passes, using 14mm solids, one at 5mm with 75mm centres and then 200mm deep with 10% heave at 50mm centres. Any oxygen can then be used by plants roots and soil microbes during respiration while carbon dioxide is released allowing nutrient uptake”

Richard, working with just two other colleagues, has made huge strides which have been welcomed by the local community. Already in 2019 Banchory has been a finalist in the 2019 Golf Environment and 2019 inspiring Aberdeenshire Awards.

“With a small team you appreciate the versatility and the ease of use of the GXi8.  There’s nothing time consuming about the machine at all. You can be doing fairways with 20mm tines then later in the session be on greens with 8 mm tines. Switching tines is super-fast. Indeed if we had a different type of deep aerator I don’t think we would get half the things done that we achieve at the moment.  It makes that big a difference to us.” concluded Richard Mullen.

Local dealer Fairways GM supplied the club with their Wiedenmann aerator. Banchory GC also has a Wiedenmann Super 500 and Whisper Twister in its fleet.

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Huxley tees proving a return on investment

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Huxley tees proving a return on investment: World leading golf surface experts, Huxley Golf, has completed a major installation of 27 all-weather tees at Poult Wood, one of the finest pay and play golf courses in the South of England. With this installation the facility will stay open for the enjoyment of resident and visiting golfers throughout the coming winter months.

Set in picturesque woodland near Tonbridge in Kent, Poult Wood offers a choice of two interesting and challenging courses for regular and casual golfers. It is run by the Tonbridge & Malling Leisure Trust, a not-for-profit organisation responsible for the delivery of sport and leisure facilities for Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council. As such, the course must be affordable, high quality and accessible to all members of the community.

Huxley tees proving a return on investment

Darren Lanes, Head of Leisure at Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council, explains: “Our vision, in partnership with Tonbridge & Malling Leisure Trust, is simple: ‘more people, more active, more often’ and we’re delivering this through the provision of a wide range of facilities which enable participation in activities that promote physical and mental wellbeing. Consistency is incredibly important but this is naturally harder to achieve when it comes to enabling outdoor leisure pursuits given the vagaries of the British weather.

“This is why we have invested in renewing our all-weather tees at Poult Wood Golf Course. These winter tees have proven to deliver excellent value for money through operational resilience and an uninterrupted year-round revenue stream which we can reinvest in, extending our efforts for the whole community’s benefit.”

Huxley Golf used its Premier Tee Turf 2 across both the 9- and 18- hole courses. Each tee measures 12ft x 12ft (3.66m x 3.66m).

Poult Wood Head Greenkeeper, Stuart Crowley, said: “It’s safe to say that the Huxley Golf winter tees have been a real return on investment.

“We first installed all-weather tees with Huxley Golf twenty years ago and we’ve never looked back. With virtually no maintenance requirement, the use of these winter tees not only delights our customers, but it also frees my team up to ensure that the remainder of the course remains playable in increasingly challenging seasonal conditions. We renewed the tees after ten years in 2010 and we’ve just done so again, such is their considerable contribution to our well-regarded course.”

For more information about winter golf surfaces, call 01730 829608 or visit www.huxleygolf.com.

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Green speed more than a number

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Green speed more than a number: At The Open this year the green speeds measured at 10’1”, 10’2”, 10’3” and, with the threat of rain on the horizon, were slowed to 9’11” for the final day, with all 18 greens stimping within just 4 inches of each other. With that in mind, Golf Magic teamed up with BIGGA to learn more about green speeds…

BIGGA remains obsessed with the speed of our greens, with the implication for the golfer being that faster greens are saved for special occasions, such as club championships. As such, if you’re able to achieve those high speeds in everyday life, then yours must be a high-quality course, right?

Green speed more than a number

But how important are green speeds? Do they matter?

One of the most important innovations in golf course preparation since the 1970s was the stimpmeter. A stimpmeter is a simple device consisting of a long, narrow metal tray that enables greenkeepers to consistently replicate the roll of a ball across a green. It was introduced by the agronomy department of the USGA and is commonly quoted as an effective means of measuring speeds – you may have heard commentators at events discussing how fast the greens were “stimping” at.

However, measuring speed isn’t actually the stimpmeter’s true purpose. Tellingly, the device’s instruction manual reads: “the variations in speed, whether from one green to the next or on different parts of the same green, can do more to negate a player’s skill than ragged fairways or unkempt bunkers”.

That’s the leading authority for golf in the United States saying that consistent greens are more important than fairways, bunkers and even ‘fast’ greens. In fact, the pursuit of faster speeds by lower cutting heights often leads to the detriment of the putting surface, reducing consistency and “negating a players’ skill”.

The enjoyment of the average golfer also reduces as green speeds increase as nobody wants to keep three or four putting as their ball skids past the hole. In terms of pace of play, as little as a one-foot increase in speed can slow the pace of play by more than seven minutes per foursome.

If speed isn’t important, and consistency is, then what’s a ‘good’ standard of consistency across a golf course?

Well, like most things, that depends on the resources available to the greenkeeping team.

Dr Micah Woods is chief scientist at the Asian Turfgrass Center and he has undertaken a study to discover what the average differentiation is across golf courses. Taking 961 measurements at clubs in East Asia and America, he brought together a database of stimpmeter readings. He made three measurements on at least three different greens to come up with a ‘standard deviation’ of golf speed across each course.

Dr Woods said: “The ideal would be a standard deviation of zero, but that is only going to happen by accident because green speed will always vary, even slightly. But I wanted to find out what difference in speed was reasonable to expect? I discovered that 0.3 was the average, meaning that half of the data I gathered was below 0.3 and half was above it.”

He came up with a magic number of 0.3 feet or 3.6 inches. This means that if a greenkeeper reports a speed of 9 feet, the average speed on the course will actually be between 8.7 feet and 9.3 feet. And that’s just an average number for all 18 holes, so the actual spread will be wider than that.

And half of the golf courses Dr Woods measured had a standard deviation of more than 3.6 inches, with one measuring up to 1.5 feet. Consistency, it seems, takes incredible skill to achieve.

At the Ryder Cup in 2016 at Hazeltine, the green speeds for the three days of play were 12.4, 12.4 and 13.4. These are extreme tournament conditions at an American golf course prepared for one of the most televised sporting events in the world and as such there are an army of greenkeepers and volunteers working to get the course to incredibly high standards.

And yet as the green speed increased, Dr Woods discovered that the variability of speed across the greens also increased and the putting surfaces became less consistent. On the final day, with a reported speed of 13.4 feet, one green was even recorded as having an actual speed of 15 feet. That’s a difference of more than 19 inches!

So faster greens are also less consistent greens.

It was a trend that is echoed across every golf course, no matter the budget or resource. For consistency to be achieved, it’s Dr Woods’ opinion – and an opinion shared by the turf management industry – that we should stop obsessing with green speeds.

Rather than making a demand of your greenkeeper that you’d like to see greens ‘stimping’ at a certain amount ahead of the club championship, wouldn’t you rather see them concentrate on achieving greater consistency across the course?

“In visiting hundreds of golf courses, I’ve observed that green speeds are always given as a single number and I’m actually not going to advocate that we change that,” explained Dr Woods. “For the members and the guests who are coming to play a facility, it’s useful just to report a single number, that’s all they need to know.

“But I believe that turf managers should secretly keep the additional information to themselves. By making an explicit measurement of variability across their greens, they can identify problems and opportunities to improve that uniformity.”

If we’re to look at golfer enjoyment, what level of consistency can players actually perceive out on the course? A study by American professors Thomas Nikolai, Douglas Karcher and Ron Calhoun in 2001 concluded that the average golfer is unable to detect a six-inch variation in speed from one green to another and therefore that is “probably a fair definition of consistency on a golf course”. Anything less than six inches and your regular amateur golfer won’t be able to perceive the difference.

So which was the most important measurement at The Open? Was it the slower speed on the final day? In truth, the most important figure quoted is the 4” differentiation as it highlights an incredible degree of consistency. Across 18 holes on a links venue in changeable weather conditions, the greenkeeping team was able to achieve a margin of error of just four inches.

The greenkeepers at your course almost certainly won’t be able to achieve that level of consistency, and it’s unreasonable to even ask them to strive towards such levels. But the important thing to know is that they’ll have more chance of achieving consistency – and you’ll enjoy your round more – if unrealistic demands for ‘faster greens’ aren’t made.

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