Tag Archive for: achieve

OAS Help Colmworth Achieve Environmental Excellence

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OAS Help Colmworth Achieve Environmental Excellence: Colmworth is a golf club with a difference. Nestled in the tranquil countryside of north Bedfordshire, this inclusive and forward-thinking country estate stands as a beacon of sustainable excellence experience with its forward-thinking approach.

Under the stewardship of mother-daughter duo Julie and Tilly Vesely, this family-run golf course, retreat, and wedding venue has embraced and nurtured an organic approach to golf course maintenance with an unwavering commitment to environmental responsibility. Colmworth is a haven for the eco-conscious golfer.

OAS Help Colmworth Achieve Environmental Excellence

OAS Help Colmworth Achieve Environmental Excellence

Sporting an all-female management team, a rarity in this industry, they pride themselves on redefining the norm with an ethical and environmentally sensitive ethos that guides everything they offer at Colmworth.

Designed by John Glasgow in 1994 the 18-hole, Par 72 course boasts a peaceful, rural setting with a mix of raised tees with stunning views and some challenging water hazards on 4 holes including the signature 12th hole.

Proudly inclusive and forward-thinking, Tilly explains, “Colmworth is the people and planet friendly place to enjoy relaxed golf, great food, celebrate or holiday. Our focus is to be environmentally friendly; it is an ethos that has run through the business from the beginning. We do things differently here; we want to be known for being a friendly, affordable and inclusive venue, as well as a destination and club that focuses on sustainability.”

A key part of this strategy is the clubs’ organic approach to managing the golf course, choosing non-chemical options at every opportunity by utilising biological products from Origin Amenity Solutions. Over a decade ago, the club trialled biological products on the par 3 644-yard-long pitch & putt course; the improvements spoke for themselves with “brilliant results” explains Tilly.  “This led to a fully organic programme being developed for the main 18-hole course and has provided firm, receptive, and disease-resistant surfaces ever since.”

Bradley Jones, Head Greenkeeper, runs a small but effective team delivering the organic strategy by working closely with Julie and Tilly. He adds, “Our golf course is carefully nurtured by organic products. It is best known for playing exceptionally well throughout the winter and following extreme weather conditions.  Despite the British weather, we’ve never had to use winter greens, and we are proud of our excellent drainage, which enables our course to remain open year-round. We are passionate about protecting our planet and utilise organic products on the course.  For over 10 years, we have used biological products from the OAS group and brewed their Symbio microbial ‘compost teas’ to feed and maintain the turf which has also made our greens very strong and resistant to disease.”

Colmworth Golf Club has a programme from OAS compiled in consultation with Brad to

promote soil biology and enhance microbial products. It includes a granular microbial thatch degrading product, OAS Thatcheater. Supporting this are microbial compost teas, fungal and bacterial additives, liquid aeration, and microbial-enhancing bio-stimulants.

In addition to the club’s ‘green greens’ programme, Colmworth’s approach to water management has been said to be ahead of its time. The basis of the drainage system is to gather rainfall collected over the course and direct it through drainage into holding lakes to be used as the water source for the irrigation system. Tilly adds, “We have excellent drainage, which all feeds into the lake on the 12th hole. This then acts as a reservoir for the summer months to keep the greens watered, playable, and healthy.”

Innovative practices such as organic turf management, water conservation, and community engagement have secured the club two prestigious accolades. In the governing body’s centenary year, Colmworth Golf Club won the England Golf Sustainability Project of the Year 2024.

They also emerged as winners at The Golf Environment Awards, held at BTME 2024, being crowned the UK Environment Golf Club of the Year. These awards are for golf clubs in the UK that are leading the way in sustainability across nature conservation, turfgrass management, and waste and water management.

Tilly adds, “Colmworth Golf Club not only exemplifies sporting prowess but also serves as a testament to the power of conscientious stewardship in preserving our planet’s natural beauty. We are passionate about protecting our planet and the awards show that you don’t have to be a huge golf course with a big budget to make the right decisions for the environment.  From installing solar and utilising renewable energy to implementing organic turf care, recycling and re-purposing wherever possible, and supporting local – there is so much we can do, and there is so much more we want to do! I would like to collaborate with like-minded businesses to host corporate days where they can invite their customers to a venue and play on a golf course that showcases that sustainability and the environment matter.”

Colmworth Golf Club focuses on revolutionising the golfing experience with its sustainable ethos. Through organic turf care and water conservation, they’ve garnered acclaim and their approach not only enhances the game but underscores the vital role golf courses can play in environmental preservation.

For advice and assistance on using biological products as part of your turf management programme, contact Origin Amenity Solutions on 0800 138 7222 or visit www.originamenity.com

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Achieve a Perfect Pitch with Mansfield Sand at SALTEX

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Achieve a Perfect Pitch with Mansfield Sand at SALTEX: Visitors to the Mansfield Sand stand (E150) at SALTEX 2024, taking place on 30 and 31 October at the NEC, Birmingham, will have the opportunity to explore a comprehensive range of sand-based products designed to enhance the health and performance of sports pitches.

With over 170 years of expertise, Mansfield Sand has been at the forefront of developing premium silica sand-based products. The company offers a wide array of innovative solutions for sports, landscaping, and equestrian applications, including stadium and training ground facilities, championship golf courses, and world-class show jumping arenas.

Achieve a Perfect Pitch with Mansfield Sand at SALTEX

Achieve a Perfect Pitch with Mansfield Sand at SALTEX

At SALTEX, Mansfield Sand’s industry experts will be available to discuss how their products can transform your sports turf projects. Key products on display will include:

Reinforced Rootzone

Mansfield Sand’s Reinforced Rootzones are engineered to maximize the use of natural turf surfaces while meeting the high standards required by today’s sports industry. The reinforcement technology used in these products provides enhanced stability and durability, ensuring that sand-dominated rootzones remain free-draining and consistent across the entire surface.

The range includes:

Fibre Reinforced Rootzone – reinforced with polypropylene fibres for added strength.

Fibrelastic Rootzone – combines polypropylene fibres with flexible Elastane fibres to enhance surface resilience.

Fibresand – ideal for maintaining surface integrity when grass cover is reduced due to heavy usage or winter wear.

Sand Soil Rootzones

Mansfield Sand is dedicated to helping turf managers achieve the ideal surface condition week after week. Their Sand Soil Rootzones are crafted from high-quality materials, ensuring exceptional results whether used for renovation or construction. The Mansil 40 Silica Sand blended with screened topsoil creates an optimal rootzone foundation.

Sand Compost Rootzones

For projects requiring a rootzone rich in organic content, Mansfield Sand offers a range of premium sand compost blends. These products are designed to retain nutrients and enhance drought resistance, promoting healthier, more resilient turf.

Top Dressing

Tailored for the fine turf market, Mansfield Sand’s Soil Top Dressing combines their superior silica sands with top-quality soils. The mixture is sterilised and screened to create a smooth, stone-free dressing that is easy to apply. Custom dressing blends and soil amendments are also available to meet specific turf management needs.

Mansil Silica Sand Sports Range

Mansfield Sand’s Mansil range of silica sands, sourced from their Two Oaks Quarry in Mansfield, is essential for constructing and maintaining a variety of sports surfaces, from winter sports pitches and golf courses to bowling greens and other amenity turf areas.

For more information, visit www.mansfield-sand.co.uk , follow them on Twitter at @MansfieldSand, or connect on Facebook at Mansfield Sand Sport Surfaces.

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Framlingham College achieve both flexibility and finish

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Framlingham College achieve both flexibility and finish: Less than a month since its delivery, the Head Groundsman at Framlingham College claims the Progressive TDR-X contour mower has exceeded the expectations of him and his team.

Jason Wright explains how the TDR-X is ticking the boxes of build quality, manoeuvrability and high standard of finish since taking charge of the cut and presentation of close to 80 acres of college grounds.

Framlingham College achieve both flexibility and finish

Framlingham College achieve both flexibility and finish

Once part of the castle estate, Framlingham College now comprises of two sites – the main college catering for students aged 13-18 and the Prep School, four miles down the road at Brandeston Hall, taking pupils from the age of three. Sport plays a big part in the student experience at both sites, with Jason and his team of three full-time grounds staff maintaining athletics, cricket and hockey surfaces in the summer, then switching to rugby during the winter months.

After encountering some age-related faults with their previous mower, the time came for Jason to explore the alternatives. “We wanted something that would be quicker, easier and cheaper to maintain while still giving us a quality finish” he explains. “We demonstrated various makes and models but agreed that the Progressive was the most manoeuvrable and would be the most versatile to use on both our sports and wildlife areas. It also suited us weight-wise to work alongside our existing tractor and fleet of equipment.”

The Progressive TDR-X, exclusively available from Vanmac UK, features three independently floating decks which promise to closely follow undulations, delivering a total cutting width of 3.2m and easily adjustable cutting height range of between 10mm and 85mm. Along with other machines in the Progressive range, the TDR-X features Pro Lift-N-Turn™ technology, which enables the operator to temporarily lift the decks with the PTO still engaged, increasing overall productivity.

“Tomlinson Groundcare Ltd delivered our TDR-X at the end of June and after some very good training, we put it to work straight away. We’ve found already that set-up and changing the height of cut takes less than five minutes to do, where previously this would have taken half an hour. We’ve also used it in the wet with impressive results which wouldn’t have been feasible before.” Jason adds, “In addition, it gives us the ability to lift the height to maintain our rough areas which has been another plus – the versatility we have with this as an all-around machine versus our previous fine turf mower.”

“People have been commenting on how well presented the site is, which is a big compliment for the Progressive, given the rise in quality we’ve achieved since switching from a cylinder to a rotary cut!”

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