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Baroness delivers reliability and performance

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Baroness delivers reliability and performance: For over 20 years, Bristol’s Tall Pines Golf Club have relied on the consistency and quality of Baroness to keep their playing surfaces in pristine condition.

Head Greenkeeper Marc Rossiter currently runs a fleet of eight Baroness mowers to cut every blade of grass at the 18-hole course, praising the outstanding simplicity in operation and industry-leading reliability of cut the brand has delivered for over two decades.

Baroness delivers reliability and performance

Baroness delivers reliability and performance

Himself celebrating 30 years at the club next year, Marc knows firsthand the difference high-quality, reliable equipment makes. “Put simply, they cut better than anything we’ve used previously and the build quality with Baroness is brilliant. On our fairways, for example, we’re using the LM551B and have never had to change the bottom blade, whereas on other machines, you’d be changing it every season” he explains.

Running alongside the LM551B fairway mower is the GM2810A five-deck rough rotary mower, two LM315GC greens mowers, an LM331 for tees and surrounds, LM180 for banks and around trees and a pair of Baroness LM56GC hand mowers. “They all suit our situation really well” Marc adds. “Each machine gives us versatility, whether that’s working on different terrain and coping well with the course’s slopes and valleys or being able to easily adjust the height of cut to mow multiple areas, on different ground conditions, with one machine.”

“Our LM315GC greens mowers can also be equipped with rollers and scarifier cassettes, which we can quickly exchange with the cutting units and means we can conduct multiple maintenance operations saving both time and money.” Further budget-friendly benefits are brought about by the LM315’s cable-driven operation. “This not only reduces the risk of a hydraulic or oil leak but, in the 20 years we’ve had these machines, we’ve only had the occasional cable snap, reducing all-important downtime and costly repair bills.”

Marc continues, “The machines are not complicated or flashy, but they do exactly what we need them to do and that’s cut grass really well! The fact that there’s less to go wrong is a huge plus with us being a small team of five and not having our own dedicated mechanic.”

When support is needed, Marc and the team know they can call on local dealers Lister Wilder or their Baroness regional manager Paul Watson. “On the rare occasion we have a question or issue, the after-sales support is second-to-none. If it’s something that can’t be answered over the phone, someone will be with us that day or the next to get us back up and running nice and quickly.”

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A career built on turf, data and discovery

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A career built on turf, data and discovery: When the new Research Director for STRI Group turned up for his first day at work, there was no need for a series of introductions with his colleagues.

Nor was there any need to spend time familiarising him with the industry or his goals for the coming years.

A career built on turf, data and discovery

A career built on turf, data and discovery

Glenn Kirby wasn’t starting from scratch. He has spent a lifetime working in the sports turf industry, first as a greenkeeper at some of the most prestigious golf clubs in the country, then as a Course Manager, before moving into a commercial role with one of the most innovative, research based companies in the sector.

Joining STRI has allowed Glenn to add the final piece to a professional journey that few can match, one that spans the end-user, commercial and now research sides of the industry.

So, what prompted this latest career move?

“STRI has its centenary coming up in 2029 and it’s got an immense legacy, possibly one of the greatest legacies there is in sports research,” said Glenn.

“The Group continues its longstanding commitment to sports turf and data-driven research, which is where I seem to have found my niche. This felt like a really good opportunity.

It was a difficult decision to leave my last role, but I asked myself, ‘if, in five years’ time, someone else had come in and done a great job, how would I feel?’ The answer made it easy. I’d be incredibly pleased and slightly jealous!”

While Glenn will undoubtedly help drive forward STRI’s world-renowned research programmes, it is also the opportunity to lead the organisation into a new era of connected, insightdriven science that excites him most.

“When I was at school in the 1990s, I was faced with two possible career paths,” Glenn explained.

“One was outdoors – practical, hands-on and physical. The other was in front of a computer and developing software. If I’m honest, I enjoyed being outside more, and I probably convinced myself that the more academic or technical route wasn’t for me.”

That decision set him on the path to a lifelong career in turf management. His greenkeeping journey began at Corhampton Golf Club, followed by roles across Europe and the USA, before returning to the UK as Head Greenkeeper at The London Club and later Course Manager at Hockley Golf Club in Winchester.

“But that digital mindset never really went away,” he added.

“When I moved into the commercial world, it started to come back to the fore. Joining Syngenta gave me a platform to see how technology could genuinely influence decisions and drive improvement.”

His seven-and-a-half years at Syngenta culminated in his role as Technical Services Manager for Turf across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

“When AI first became available to the public through ChatGPT, I saw it as a huge opportunity and highlighted it to my line management. They were good enough to let me lead internal projects exploring how AI could drive efficiencies across the business. That experience helped me understand how digital tools, when applied with purpose, can make a real difference.”

“At STRI we’ve generated vast amounts of data over nearly a century, much of it in our green booklets or sitting, quite literally, on library shelves.

We now have the opportunity to use that knowledge in new ways,” Glenn said.

“For me, my goal within the research and development team at STRI is to turn that data and information into insights, and help people turn those insights into practical, actionable outcomes.”

“Data is only powerful if it leads to better decisions. Whether that’s understanding how weather patterns affect green speeds or customer satisfaction and then using that information to develop management strategies that help golf clubs and sports venues perform better.”

Glenn is quick to emphasise that his focus is not just on data, but on strengthening STRI’s Research division as the industry leader in sports turf research and product testing.

“Our reputation has been built on a long legacy of turf trials,” he said.

“We’ll continue to drive forward, delivering high-quality, independent trial work and producing data that is genuinely useful to the industry. That evidence base will help us navigate the challenges of climate change, shifting regulations and changing product availability.”

“Most importantly, I’m joining a great team of people and an organisation with a continued enthusiasm for the turfgrass market.

I’m looking forward to ensuring STRI remains at the forefront of leadership in sports turf, blending our history and our innovation to help shape the future.”

Lantra and BIGGA forge new strategic partnership

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Lantra and BIGGA forge new strategic partnership: The British and International Golf Greenkeeping Association (BIGGA), Lantra and Land-Based Assessment Ltd (LBAL) have commenced a strategic partnership designed to boost skills development across the greenkeeping sector through high quality apprenticeships and robust assessment. The collaboration prioritises clear progression routes via the BIGGA Formal Education Pathway and sector wide Apprenticeship awareness.

The partnership commits to shared evidence and continuous improvement for greenkeeping apprenticeships, with Lantra working closely with BIGGA to support the apprenticeship routes at Level 2, Level 3, and Level 5.

Lantra and BIGGA forge new strategic partnership

Lantra and BIGGA forge new strategic partnership

Lantra will be at BIGGA’s annual flagship event, BTME in January 2026, joining GTC Approved Training Providers at a collaborative exhibition in the GTC Education Hub. Furthermore, to mark the strategic partnership, BIGGA have been announced as a sponsor of the Land-Based and Environment Learner of the Year Awards, which is set to take place later this month at the National Conference Centre, in Solihull.

Commenting on the partnership, Jo-Anne Bryan, Head of Apprenticeships and Standards at Lantra said: “We are really pleased to be partnering with BIGGA on championing apprenticeships within golf greenkeeping.

Apprenticeships are a fantastic opportunity for new entrants starting out as a Golf Greenkeeper, to then progress to an Advanced Sports Turf Technician, at Level 3, and for those wanting to excel to a Golf Course Manager at Level 5. These apprenticeships provide a great career pathway within the industry.

Rob Phillips, Learning and Development Manager – Technical, at BIGGA also commented “This partnership marks an important step forward in uniting our efforts to deliver exceptional education and career development for greenkeepers. By aligning the BIGGA Formal Education Pathway, industry recognized apprenticeship standards, and Lantra’s ongoing commitment to robust assessment, we are creating a clear and credible route for progression that strengthens the future of the profession.”

Together, BIGGA, Lantra, and LBAL will deliver a coordinated programme of promotion and on the ground engagement to strengthen apprenticeship outcomes and professional standards in greenkeeping.

BTME 2026 will take place from 20 to 22 January at the Harrogate Convention Centre, when exhibitors can look forward to an optimised event experience supported by FFAIR’s award-winning technology.

For more information about BIGGA and its various activities including how to become a member, visit www.bigga.org.uk

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Technical Area Sales Manager (Golf and Fine Turf) – Sussex and Kent

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Location: Sussex & Kent

Salary: Competitive package + Bonus + Car + Benefits

Sector: Golf & Fine Turf | Agronomy | Technical Sales

Technical Area Sales Manager (Golf and Fine Turf) - Sussex and Kent

Technical Area Sales Manager (Golf and Fine Turf) – Sussex and Kent

OAS is one of the largest UK providers of turf grass, plant health and soil solutions, offering knowledge and experience underpinned by research and development. We are a 100+ strong team, working across the UK in sales, R&D, operations, warehousing, distribution and customer service ensuring the right people are on-hand to support you.

Passionate about the sectors we work in, OAS offers quality choice, product innovation and technical support.

The Technical Area Sales Manager is responsible for selling complex technical products and services by combining deep product knowledge with strong interpersonal and sales skills within the golf and fine turf sectors. This role involves identifying customer needs, presenting tailored solutions, and supporting clients throughout the sales cycle.

You will be expected to:

Develop and grow sales within the primary business area by selling OAS product to grounds maintenance professionals across all aspects of the grounds maintenance industry

Work with the Regional Sales Director to identify and develop business opportunities

Deliver agreed sales target both in terms of volume (turnover) and profit margin

Develop customer relations by calling to promote products and take orders where the opportunity arises

Ensure actions arising from calls are followed up on in a timely manner and concluded by maintaining up-to-date records of customer visits

Use company literature and promotional tools to maximise sales opportunities in agreement with Regional Sales Director

Use company database to identify additional sales opportunities and agree development plan with Regional Sales Director

When required contribute to product development and or marketing strategy

Provide market feedback on competitor activity as appropriate as well as other products, service opportunities that may benefit Origin Amenity Solutions.

Attend training events and or seminars, exhibitions as required – some overnight stays may be required

Skills required:

A strong desire to work in a commercial role, i.e. sales acumen, drive, enthusiasm, initiative, etc

Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills

Excellent presentational and communication skills

A ‘can do’ attitude and self-motivation are essential in this role as it will require a lot of individual initiative and unsupervised work

A strong team player with the ability to work with a multi-disciplinary team internally across operations/sites, sales support and administration and the sales and marketing teams

Strong computer skills and working knowledge of MS Office functions, particularly Word, Excel and PowerPoint

Clean UK driving licence, with willingness for large levels of travel and overnight stays as required

A proactive and flexible approach

BASIS and FACTS qualifications are not essential but would be an advantage as the company has a policy of delivering these qualifications over time.

Please email your CV and cover letter to  https://originoperations.bamboohr.com/careers/97

Royal Dornoch and its total Toro solution

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Royal Dornoch and its total Toro solution: In the highlands of Scotland Royal Dornoch is celebrating the handover of a £1.5 million Toro irrigation system for the Struie Course and the arrival of a fleet of all-electric ride-on Toro Greensmaster mowers and Workman utility vehicles.

Termed a ‘Toro Total Solutions’ customer when both Toro irrigation and machinery are selected for the complete care of the course, Royal Dornoch has been a loyal Toro customer of both for decades.

Royal Dornoch and its total Toro solution

Royal Dornoch and its total Toro solution

Replacing the irrigation on the Struie Course with a future-proof solution had been in discussion for many years. The club had acquired 50 acres of land with plans to build additional holes, including a new par‑3, and needed an irrigation infrastructure capable of supporting an expanded layout.

For this purpose, the club specified Lynx Smart Control System, Infinity 35 Multi Trajectory sprinklers, Infinity 55 Dual and Multi Trajectory sprinklers and 590G sprinklers with Precision Rotating Nozzles for the 18-hole course.

Explaining the reasons behind this decision General Manager Neil Hampton says, “The new system provides a robust and flexible backbone for current maintenance and new turf in future course development. It will be much better on the sustainability front: we won’t be using more water; the system will allow us to target where water is needed and control application from mobile phones and laptops.”

With the system operational since the beginning of 2025, Course Manager Eoin Riddell can confirm: “It’s already saving our greenkeepers a huge amount of time and effort; it makes watering so efficient. The benefits are significant all round – it’s good ecologically, financially and from an agronomy perspective, too.”

Robert Jackson, Division Manager at Reesink Hydro-Scapes, says, “So many people came together to ensure the smooth installation for Royal Dornoch: Adrian Mortram Associates, the installation team from Ocmis, Simon Squires from Toro and us as distributor. It’s credit to all involved that the project was completed on time and on budget.”

Meanwhile, the continuing choice of Toro machinery is down to its reliability, consistency and quality, says Neil: “Toro performs all day, every day for us. It takes a lot of stress away knowing you do not have to worry about that aspect of the business.

“We’ve always been able to trust Toro. There’s reliability in terms of performance as well as Toro always being at the forefront of new machinery research and development. As the expectations of golfers continue to increase, we need to provide the best conditions for play, and we can do that with Toro.”

The most recent machinery delivery includes four of the Toro Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370 mowers and eight Workman GTX Lithium-ion utility vehicles.

Eoin says, “We first invested in the electric Greensmaster eTriFlex when it launched in 2020 and they’ve proved year after year to be able to do the job we require with the benefit of being the sustainable option. Same with the utility vehicles. These machines are now a staple in our fleet.

“As well as all the previous reasons stated, the back up from Reesink is a big factor in our continuing loyalty, as is the interest that Toro shows in how we use the equipment.”

Mike Turnbull, Reesink Scotland Branch Manager, concludes: “We’re in a privileged position to understand Royal Dornoch’s requirements having worked with them for so long, and it’s a continuing pleasure to be able to support them as they maintain the high standards and move forward with exciting projects that will benefit the club for years to come.”

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