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Dennis & SISIS Seminar A Success

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Dennis & SISIS Seminar A Success: St. Albans School, Woollam Trust Playing Fields played host to the Dennis and SISIS Groundcare Seminar on Tuesday 19 February with delegates labeling the event a huge success. For a number of years, the Dennis and SISIS pre-season indoor seminars have toured up and down the country and have successfully seen over 1800 ground staff in attendance. As they continue to grow in both size and reputation, the seminars are continually evolving with the people of the industry in mind.

Designed to educate those involved in groundcare on a variety of sports turf topics, this seminar signalled an exciting new chapter in the series and it certainly didn’t disappoint the two hundred and fifty strong audience which consisted of volunteers and professionals representing schools, sports clubs, local authorities and contractors.

Dennis & SISIS Seminar A Success

The seminar was well supported by the industry and welcomed a number of key sponsors which included Bernhard and Company, Consolidate Turf, CricketWorld.com, Garside Sands, Harrod Sport, Headland Amenity, Limagrain UK, Poweroll, RT Machinery and SIS Pitches.

After an introduction from Dennis and SISIS’ Robert Jack, former Rugby Union star Kyran Bracken, arguably best known for his heroics in England’s victorious 2003 World Cup win, took to the stage to relay some highly interesting and humorous stories about that memorable campaign in Australia.

It was then straight to business with back-to-back presentations from key speakers Rob Kendle (ATB Sports Solutions), Dr. Iain James (TGMS Ltd) and Alex Vickers (IOG consultant).

Rob started proceedings by discussing best practice in renovating and rejuvenating a surface; Iain followed with a plethora of advice on how to get the most out of a sportsground construction project and Alex gave the audience a fantastic insight into drainage on sports pitches.

A complimentary lunch signalled the halfway point and attendees had the opportunity to network with one another and discuss individual projects with event sponsors.

Once refreshed, delegates settled into their seats for an afternoon feast of knowledge served by Chris Wood (ECB pitch consultant) and Keith Kent (RFU head groundsman, Twickenham).

Keith drew on his wealth of experience as a groundsman to explore the transformation of winter sports pitches into cricket outfields and Chris reflected on 50 years in cricket groundsmanship in which he focussed on vital techniques before discussing emerging trends which could become essential in the not too distant future.

The day concluded with a special recognition award by Tim Lamb, former chief executive of the ECB, to Chris Wood for his outstanding contribution to the game of cricket over the past 50 years, which also saw a standing ovation from the crowd.

Commenting on the event, Alison Davenport, general manager of the East London Community Sports Association said:

“We are currently having drainage issues with one of our pitches and fortunately today’s seminar has covered this at length,” she said. “In fact, we are in the process of trying to persuade our council to let us take over a contract for some grounds maintenance work and the knowledge we have gained today will only help our cause because we now feel confident that we can go back to them and showcase that we have the ability to do the work successfully. We have taken something from every element of this seminar and it has been invaluable.”

Nick Lockhart, cricket professional and head of grounds and gardens at Felsted School in Essex, brought two members of staff along with him and believes the Dennis and SISIS seminars are essential for anyone who wants to take their sports surfaces to the next level.

“It has been thoroughly enjoyable, informative and thought provoking. I would go as far as saying that it is a must-attend event for people in this industry. It has been incredibly interesting listening to all of the speakers who have all raised great points that we can take away with us and put into practice. Speakers aside, the networking opportunities are also important because it gives us a chance to speak to other delegates, find out what they might be doing differently to us and hopefully learn from them too.”

Echoing Nick was Andy Mackay, head groundsman at Sussex CCC, who said that the line-up of speakers was just too good to ignore.

“The quality of speakers at this particular event was a huge draw in my decision to come. I’ve been in turf for over 20 years and I still learn something new every single time I listen to Alex Vickers. The general atmosphere of the event was worth coming for and the whole programme was spectacular.”

Keith Kent may well be responsible for one of the most prestigious stadiums in world sport but claims that every day should still be a learning day.

“I think that as part of everybody’s education every day should be a school day and a seminar such as this, where there are such high-quality speakers, is a vital opportunity to progress. For me, it is all about the education and that is why I’ve brought my staff along. I like them to see what I do because I don’t want to be the boss who just disappears. They have come along, enjoyed the day, picked up new ideas and met lots of people from a range of different sports.”

Further information about the range of cricket 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 and Instagram @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 videos by visiting www.youtube.com/DennisMowers and www.youtube.com/SISISMachinery

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Attila 98X A Hit At Glanusk

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Attila 98X A Hit At Glanusk: Harry Legge-Bourke, custodian, managing partner and trustee of the Glanusk Estate, believes that the ride-on Attila 98X brushcutter from Etesia has exceeded all expectation at the truly prestigious venue.

Situated in the beautiful countryside of the Usk Valley, Crickhowell, South Wales, Glanusk, which has been in the ownership of the same family since 1826, boasts 400 acres of private parkland, 800 acres of forestry, 3,500 acres of lowland and hill farms, the Park and forestry, 16,000 acres of Common Land hills and 5 miles of the River Usk. It also contains an array of historic buildings, including the iconic Tower Bridge, the ancient Celtic standing stones, the private chapel, farm buildings and stables, all of which are either Grade II listed or Grade II starred.

Attila 98X A Hit At Glanusk

Today, Glanusk features a multi-diversified business portfolio that includes weddings, farming, festivals, fishing, corporate events, unique holiday cottages and residential lettings. Within the Estate’s grounds there is also the third largest selection of Oak trees in the United Kingdom. This wondrous display of Oak is set to be unveiled to the public and it is for this reason that the Estate was in need of some new groundcare equipment.

“I was looking for a machine for a very specific requirement, owing to the fact we are opening up the Oak Collection,” said Harry. “I needed a machine which could prepare the ground for visitors.

“By chance, after looking on the internet, I came across Etesia. I then looked at the videos, found out a bit more about the product and contacted the company. It was an absolute priority of mine to see the machine in action and so within days Etesia, along with our local dealer Forest Park and Garden, came to the Estate to carry out a demonstration.

“On the day of the demonstration we were faced with horrendous weather conditions but the 98X absolutely proved its worth.”

Etesia’s Attila 98X ride-on brushcutter is reliable, efficient, comfortable and safe. The output, combined with 4-wheel-drive and performance makes it ideal for some of the toughest jobs. The 98X has a 98cm cutting width for more efficient working while eight cutting heights are available between 50mm to 120mm, with one transport position, which is easily adjusted with a centralised lever.

It can be used on slopes up to 30% and its strengthened structure welded tubular chassis offers its operators a better driving position. Furthermore, the electric start offers a high comfort level, rack and pinion steering, plus hydrostatic drive. Special attention has also been paid to sound and vibration levels to reduce them to a very low level – making it ideal for public areas.

“I have been using the Attila 98X throughout the Oak Collection, new plantation sites in the park and along the river bank – all day every day,” said Harry.

“I’m sceptical and I really didn’t think the machine would be able to do what it did. The demo was great but it is different when you sit on the machine yourself, and I have managed to do exactly what I wanted to do. The machine just cruised up and down and it destroyed everything that it needed to. The work would have normally been done by hand on that bank and taken two weeks, but that work with the 98X was completed in an hour.

“It has exceeded all expectation and you wouldn’t recognise the areas where we’ve used it. It is an outstanding bit of equipment.

“The Oaks area I could open tomorrow, with access right up the trees and pathways all clear – no hairy moments on that bank in the brambles either! I now consider myself an expert with the 98X and really know how to use it to its maximum capability.

“I would say that the stability and the cut are the best features of the machine.”

For further information, please contact Etesia UK on 01295 680120 or visit www.etesia.co.uk.

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

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Salsco Greens Rollers A Timesaver

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Salsco Greens Rollers A Timesaver: A top golf venue has reduced greens rolling time by nearly a third after investing in leading-edge machinery.

Since purchasing two Salsco HP11-III greens rollers, The Royal Automobile Club has cut time devoted to the task from five and a half hours to three and a half hours daily, it reports.

Salsco Greens Rollers A Timesaver

“This is a massive reduction,” states Golf Course Manager Lee Strutt, who test-drove the machine on a visit to the Golf Industry Show in 2017. “The time saved frees up operators for other duties and that’s a major benefit.”

The HP11-III’s powerful Honda petrol engine delivers speeds up to 11mph, while three independently controlled rollers with 73in operating width cut a swathe through the time operators have traditionally taken for this aspect of greens upkeep.

“The rollers average five to six minutes a green,” explains Lee, who manages the 36-hole Championship Old and Coronation courses with a team of up to 26.  In his three and half years in post, Lee has rung the changes in cultural practices across the 36-holes of what is one of Britain’s most prestigious member clubs and the HP11-IIIs fit into that strategy.

His investment in the high-end rollers is delivering benefits for both the greens team and players, by improving presentation and playability.

“I had met Salsco’s owner on their stand at the GIS, tested the roller and liked it instantly but my biggest issue was that the team would be unable to try it first as it was important that they enjoyed using the machine,” Lee explains.

“The performance of the HP11-III gave me the confidence to buy and it was well-founded, as the team really like working with the rollers. We also use them after topdressing instead of brushing-in and the powered brushes ensure there is no debris build up on the rollers, so leaving a clean finish”.

“Dual drive oscillating rollers and articulated steering provide consistent roll to ground contact, which helps improve surface smoothness and trueness, all factors key to providing the level of quality our members expect.”

Salsco Greens Rollers A Timesaver

“Speed, productivity, robustness, build quality and ease of use, with strong dealer support, are all wins for us,” he adds.

“The HP11-III can cover a serious amount of green quickly, without compromising quality of finish,” confirms Peter Stanley, Sales Representative for sole Salsco UK distributor CLS Selfdrive.

Lee was aware of the roller from his US greenkeeping visits and could see the design and build quality could further improve the courses. The rollers would have a big impact on both the greens and time taken for rolling them, so was delighted when Salsco appointed CLS as UK dealer.

Since then, sales confirm the benefits the rollers offer hard-pressed greens teams. The club savings in green rolling time is particularly impressive when you consider that travelling between greens is the same, whichever brand of roller teams use. Rolling is a skill usually left to a particular team member but the Salsco opens it up to anyone.”

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Efficiency A Priority For Foley Grinders

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Efficiency A Priority For Foley Grinders: A vital question for a workshop manager is how to maximise efficiency and minimise labour and maintenance equipment costs. One area to achieve excellent savings is to look at how you maintain the sharpness of your cutting units.

As an illustration of this, Foley and UK distributor ProSport UK Ltd are delighted to acknowledge St Andrews Links Trust for choosing Foley Grinders as part of its maintenance programme for its complete range of professional TORO cylinder mowers.

Efficiency A Priority For Foley Grinders

Foley United’s grinders are designed to be ergonomic and deliver on performance and reliability every time. St Andrews Links Trust like so many other clubs large and small are always looking for the latest techniques and will implement new ideas to deliver best practise, but it’s all about having the information to make that judgement. Which is why Foley United is so consistent in getting over the message about the benefits of relief grinding back to OEM specifications; it is a vital tool in achieving best practise in professional mower grinding.

Ian Robson ProSport UK Ltd the UK & Ireland Importer/Distributor for Foley United explains why relief grinding maximises the performance of reels by giving a factory finish every time.

Firstly, why is having sharp cylinders (reels) that are the correct shape so important anyway? The answer is obvious – unhealthy turf brings a whole host of other issues which are costly to correct. Therefore, prevention is a far more economic approach than a cure.

A huge amount of research and development has gone into designing a cutting unit to produce the cleanest cut possible with the least amount of fraying and tissue damage to the plant. The result is that all manufacturers of grass cutting equipment supply new units with relief ground edges.

Efficiency A Priority For Foley Grinders

Why relief grind?

Tests carried out by leading manufacturers have established that relief ground cylinders stay on cut up to 3 times longer than spun ground ones and require less horse power to drive the unit, resulting in greater fuel efficiency and less stress on the hydraulic power systems. In addition, a relief ground cylinder will withstand the abrasive effects of top dressing far better than one spun ground because the relief edge on both the bed-knife and the cylinder allows the top dressing to clear the cutting blades easily, helping to prevent the dulling effect seen on spun only units.

Continual relief grinding also decreases the squeezing and tearing of the grass as the units get dull, and most importantly it allows the cylinder to be returned to a factory specification perfect cylinder as quickly as possible.

The overall cleaner cut achieved by relief grinding gives a better after-cut appearance, increased recovery rate due to the clean cut of the grass and reduces the stress on components because less horsepower is needed to drive the cylinder.

Horse Power Study

As a reel wears flat and loses shape (becomes coned), more stress and strain is put on the cutting systems.

Efficiency A Priority For Foley Grinders

Using the figures from the above study a 5-gang cutting unit with relief can require up to 4.5 HP (5 x 0.88HP = 4.5HP) to drive the cutting units therefore a 35HP engine has 30.5HP remaining to drive the rest of the traction system.  A 5-gang unit which has been spun ground only, can require up to 13Hp (5 x 2.59HP = 13HP) leaving only 22HP to drive the rest of the traction system.

So, it has been established that relief grinding your cutting units saves you money not only by reducing workshop maintenance time with far fewer grinds but also through a reduction in fuel costs and replacement parts.

It is also important to acknowledge what relief grinding does for a reel. By removing metal from the trailing edge of the blade it forms a relief angle, which reduces the contact area of the cutting edges, resulting in less friction, longer wear life.

Efficiency A Priority For Foley Grinders

Typically, when a new mower is delivered the reels will be a perfect cylindrical shape. Over time the blade naturally loses shape, and the sharp edge it arrives with becomes flat and dull, often meaning the reel is no longer a perfect cylinder from end to end. This is referred to as ‘coning’ and a natural point for grinding to take place. The decision then sits between touch-up and spin grinding, or relief grinding.  If there is sufficient relief still on the reel then a quick touch-up is fine but once more than 50% of the relief has gone my advice would be to relief grind again and remove any coning.  Failure to remove the coning will eventually be seen in an uneven cut appearance of your turf.

But, the main question mentioned at the beginning comes back; how to get the most out of your workshop resources by choosing the most effective method to sharpen your cutting units. The answer is to trust the manufacturers judgement and return the reels as close to the original factory standard as possible, and for that, relief grinding is the best option. The bonus is this method also maximises performance and gives the best cut. www.prosportukltd.com

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MM Seed A Success At Charterhouse

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MM Seed A Success At Charterhouse: Lee Marshallsay, grounds manager at Charterhouse in Surrey, has praised Limagrain UK’s MM grass seed after achieving successful results.

Lee has been grounds manager at the prestigious Charterhouse for the last two and a half years. He oversees a team of fourteen members of staff who meticulously tend to the school’s grounds and sports fields. Currently there are 3 hockey pitches, 12 tennis courts, 18 artificial cricket nets, 7 cricket squares, 15 grass football pitches, 1 rugby pitch, 1 lacrosse pitch AND a 9-hole golf course.

MM Seed A Success At Charterhouse

Ever the perfectionist, Lee insists on working only with the best products and equipment which is most suitable for his site. Therefore, when it came to looking for a grass seed for his cricket squares it was not a decision he took lightly.

“Last summer we were looking at re-building our cricket square and it was an opportunity to look at other grasses, other mixtures and what other suppliers had. I was looking around and the MM50 kept coming to mind – a lot of groundsmen seemed to be using it and seemed to be really happy with it. I trialled a number of other mixtures and I have to make a decision on what seed I believe works best on our site. For me that was MM50.”

MM is one of the most respected brands in the UK sportsturf and amenity industries and is relied upon at top sports grounds throughout the UK and beyond. In particular, MM50 is ideal for cricket squares and outfields. This hard-wearing mix has rapid germination, very fine leaved appearance, high shoot density and is tolerant to very close mowing, along with high disease resistance. All these attributes together produce a fantastic sward that has great colour all year round.

“I’m really happy with MM50,” said Lee. “It provides fast establishment, strong rooting, a strong plant, and the playability is good. We’ve now got rooting down at 4/5 inches which is really promising.

“My main cricket square was renovated back in August and then we went onto use it on our other squares too. Again, the uptake was fantastic. In cricket loam it can be quite difficult to grow grass but MM50 has been great so I’m really pleased I made that decision.”

MM Seed A Success At Charterhouse

With prolonged heat and drought conditions challenging turf managers this year, Lee was no exception, and with this is mind he was looking for a seed that could potentially help after a particularly difficult summer. As a result Lee invited Richard Sheppard (Limagrain amenity seed specialist) to the school and together they identified a potential solution.

“This summer, coming away from a really dry spell, Limagrain created two tailor made mixtures for us – one a complete rye mixture and the other a combination of both rye and fescue. This was to be used mainly on our golf fairways and also on some other areas that have less disturbance. It established really well and had great coverage in every area it was used.”

As well as reporting excellent results from the products, Lee was quick to praise the service and the support he receives.

“I can’t fault the service I receive at all. Richard comes in and we have a walk around the site to look at where we have used Limagrain products; we look at what we want to try and achieve and he goes away and thinks about what mixtures could work and improve the site. It’s great support and if I ever have any questions I can always call him.”

For further information, please contact Limagrain UK on 01472 371471 or visit the company’s website www.lgseeds.co.uk/mm.

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