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BIGGA and Bernhard Academy select America delegation

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BIGGA and Bernhard Academy select America delegation: The British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) and Premium Partner Bernhard Academy have selected 10 association members to engage in one of the sports turf industry’s most prestigious learning opportunities.

A BIGGA Premium Partner, every two years Bernhard Academy invites 10 BIGGA members to attend the Golf Course Superintendent Association of America’s (GCSAA) Conference and Trade Show, this year taking place in Orlando, Florida.  A spot on the delegation marks out a candidate as among the most dedicated and talented ambassadors for the golf greenkeeping sector. In the intervening years a Delegation from the USA visits BIGGA’s exhibition and conference, BTME.

BIGGA and Bernhard Academy select America delegation

BIGGA and Bernhard Academy select America delegation

With experiences designed to elevate the careers of those in attendance, the delegation is a week-long educational trip that features site visits as well as seminars, networking events and educational demonstrations. The successful delegates will also be invited to convene at the BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition in January, where they will meet former participants in the programme, many of whom have gone on to great success in their careers.

The BIGGA members selected for the 2026 BIGGA Delegation with Bernhard Academy are:

  • Andrew Gibbs, Deputy Head Greenkeeper, Sunningdale Golf Club
  • Michael Sage, Head Greenkeeper, Knowle Golf Club
  • John Stewart, Course Manager, Minchinhampton Golf Club
  • Dan Kendle, Head Greenkeeper, Newquay Golf Club
  • Ruth Etches, First Assistant, Trentham Golf Club
  • Jack Wellings, Deputy Course Manager, JCB Golf and Country Club
  • Ian Kirwan, Course Manager, Bramhall Golf Club
  • Michael Gibbons, Greenkeeper, The Wilmslow Golf Club
  • Ryan Gall, Greenkeeper, Loch Lomond Golf Club
  • Stuart Fergusson, Deputy Course Manager, Trump Turnberry

Head to the BIGGA website to find out more about each of the delegates.

Michael Sage is Head Greenkeeper at Knowle Golf Club. Reacting to being selected, he said: “I’m really grateful to have been chosen for the BIGGA Delegation to the GCSAA Conference and Trade Show. It’s a fantastic opportunity to learn from industry leaders, see how things are done on an international stage, and bring back new ideas that can help us at Knowle to keep improving. My goal is to gain fresh perspectives, especially around sustainability and course presentation, and share anything useful with my team”.

Ryan Gall, a greenkeeper at Loch Lomond Golf Club, expressed his pride at being chosen to join the BIGGA Delegation, representing UK greenkeeping on the global stage. He added: “I’m absolutely delighted to have been selected to be part of the Delegation. To be chosen is a massive career achievement for me and I feel incredibly proud to be part of such a prestigious group. I’m really looking forward to experiencing the event first-hand, meeting greenkeepers and industry leaders from around the world, and seeing the very latest innovations in turf management. I’ve no doubt it will be a hugely valuable learning experience and I’m excited to bring back new knowledge and ideas. Huge thanks to BIGGA and Bernhard for making this possible”.

The GCSAA Conference and Trade Show runs from 2 – 5 February 2026. As part of their duties, the delegates will attend the BIGGA stand during the conference, speaking to visitors about the association and UK greenkeeping.

For more information about the exclusive career development opportunities available to BIGGA members, head to the BIGGA website.

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Makita launches 9.0Ah and 12.0Ah batteries

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Makita launches 9.0Ah and 12.0Ah batteries: Makita UK has recently launched two new batteries for its LXT cordless tools, the world’s largest compatible cordless tool system powered by 18V slide-style batteries.

The new BL1890 18V 9.0Ah battery and BL18120 18V 12.0Ah battery offer more cells and an increased electrical capacity. As a result, compatible cordless tools from the LXT range will benefit from extended run times, enabling users to work for longer on a single charge.

Makita launches 9.0Ah and 12.0Ah batteries

Makita launches 9.0Ah and 12.0Ah batteries

Building on the continued success of the LXT platform, Makita’s new batteries represent a considerable increase in capacity compared to those currently on offer. Prior to this launch, the largest capacity battery offered by Makita for its 18V LXT tools was 6.0Ah. With the introduction of these 9.0Ah and 12.0Ah alternatives, Makita users will be able increase productivity and reduce the need to swap out batteries.

In addition to their increased capacity, the two new batteries come with improved impact resistance. By adopting a shock-absorbing structure equivalent to that of the 40Vmax XGT batteries, the new 18V LXT batteries offer reduced risk of damage from unexpected drops.

Kevin Brannigan, Marketing Manager at Makita UK, commented “We are very excited to be able to bolster our LXT range and support our loyal customers by providing these new increased capacity batteries. Constantly improving battery technology and capacity is at the heart of our business and that innovation is enabling more people than ever to switch to cordless tools. With the launch of the BL1890 and BL18120 we believe cordless power tools are now the logical solution for an ever-greater range of professionals, regardless of their needs or the tools they use.”

Due to their increased size, both the BL1890 and BL18120 may not be compatible with a select number of LXT cordless tools. Customers are therefore advised to check compatibility before purchasing.

To find out more about Makita’s range of LXT power tools, go to www.makitauk.com.

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GroundTech robotics and renewables work in perfect partnership

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GroundTech robotics and renewables work in perfect partnership: Rushden Golf Club has introduced three Echo TM-2050 robotic mowers to maintain its newer back nine holes, in a partnership with autonomous specialists GroundTech.

The investment marks a major step forward in both sustainability and efficiency with the trio, powered by bespoke solar panels, alleviating the pressure on a busy greenkeeping team of four.

GroundTech robotics and renewables work in perfect partnership

GroundTech robotics and renewables work in perfect partnership

The historic Northamptonshire course has gone through a number of redevelopments and expansion since its formation in 1919. The back nine, opened in 2013, offers an interesting contrast to the original parkland front nine, with a flatter, more open layout. Ideal terrain for an autonomous mower, Director Paul Newell got in touch with GroundTech. “I’d been keeping an eye on the new technologies and identified how much time robots could save us, freeing up our skilled team to focus on improvements in other areas of the course” he explains.

“After a demonstration, the whole team were impressed with the outstanding quality of cut and presentation from the Echo mowers – arguably more accurate and consistent than traditional machines.”

There was just one more issue to overcome, the distance the mowers would be operating away from mains power. “GroundTech’s Marcus Glover quickly suggested a solution in the form of solar panels, which ensures the mowers can operate efficiently when not in close proximity to mains power. This was key to making the whole package work for us and, just a few months on from install, we couldn’t be happier with the whole set-up.”

The TM-2050’s – the largest of the Echo commercial range – can mow up 75,000m2 making them ideal for situations that require high performance and high productivity. At Rushden, the robots are responsible for cutting all areas except the tees and greens, and members have been quick to spot the improvements. “It’s clearly the future of course management, and as one of the first clubs in Northamptonshire to make the jump, we’re delighted the members can already see the difference in presentation and have been so willing to embrace innovation” he adds.

Paul was also quick to praise the club’s first collaboration with GroundTech. “They’ve been brilliant at guiding us through the transition, ensuring the team are all fully happy with the technology and working with us to find solutions such as the solar panels that really meet our needs. We are excited to explore extending the scope of the Echo units in other areas of the course over the coming months and years. “

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Sankt JörgenPark reduce disease and increase quality

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Sankt JörgenPark reduce disease and increase quality: Life is all about balance, but for the greens team at Sweden’s Sankt Jörgen Park, achieving the balance of Nitrogen in the greens profile became critical as the club battled extensive annual outbreaks of Snow Mold (Fusarium Patch).

Helping them lower the Nitrogen content without detriment to plant health or play quality is 6-2-4 Turf Revival from Suståne which, after just three years, has significantly reduced the severity of the fungal disease.

Sankt JörgenPark reduce disease and increase quality

Sankt JörgenPark reduce disease and increase quality

Part of a wider resort and business park, the unique Sankt Jörgen course blends testing parkland and classic heathland holes – all under the stewardship of Head Greenkeeper Andreas Flodman, three full time greenkeepers and a team of summer and seasonal helpers. “In recent years we started noticing that the warmer, wetter winters were contributing to issues with Snow Mold which meant that we were not in good condition going into spring” Andreas explains. “I spoke to our distributor Crophealth who identified with soil samples that we had high levels of Nitrogen in the ground over winter which is not ideal when disease pressure is high and plant growth is low.”

Crophealth suggested the club look at the more gradual nutrient release of the Naturel base Suståne range – a product Andreas used previously and was pleased to be re-introduced to. “I think previously the cost of pursuing an organic strategy was too high however, now, it’s on par with synthetic products we’ve used previously and obviously brings with it many benefits from a plant health and sustainability point of view.”

Andreas has been conducting two to four applications of Suståne 6-2-4 Turf Revival per season for the last three seasons, together with supplementary applications of Suståne 5-2-4+Fe all-purpose fertiliser for an additional boost in the early autumn when required.

Suståne Turf Revival® 6-2-4 is designed to replenish the soil with a rich supply of humus and mycorrhizal fungi, to improve the uptake of nutrients and boost overall plant health without causing a spike in growth. “It provides a reliable and consistent source of Nitrogen and other nutrients, without excess growth or creating issues with thatch and organic matter. This means our greens look healthy and play true as we’re not having to cut them as frequently to retain the same quality.” He continues, “Every winter we are seeing less disease and we hope that soon we’ll be able to get through to spring without any disease impact at all.”

The success of Suståne is not limited to it’s work on the golf course – 6-2-4 Turf Revival is also contributing to an naturel base approach at the resorts vineyard! “Crophealth have been great at helping the vineyard manager covert over to organics, this is incredibly important to them.”

For more information on Suståne 6-2-4 Turf Revival or other products from either Sustane’s professional-grade all-organic or naturel base ranges visit www.sustane.com

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MSC Regional Expansion and New Strategic Partner

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MSC Regional Expansion and New Strategic Partner: John Deere and DeLaval announce the Milk Sustainability Center expansion to dairy farmers in more countries and welcome dsm-firmenich as the next strategic partner.

Designed to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of dairy farming operations, the Milk Sustainability Center offers a unique solution by integrating data on crop, animal and feeding performance into one unified platform.

MSC Regional Expansion and New Strategic Partner

MSC Regional Expansion and New Strategic Partner

Developed through a joint effort initiated in September 2023, the Milk Sustainability Center empowers farmers to optimize their operations, reduce environmental impact and become more profitable.

Dairy farmers can use the Milk Sustainability Center to monitor nutrient use efficiency (NUE) and carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) across their farm, herd, and fields. It provides insights to help farmers manage nutrient utilization effectively and reduce the need for manual data input. Today, dairy farmers can already choose to create automized data flow to MSC from 30 herd-, milking- and feeding software. Farmers can also invite their consultants, dealers, veterinarians and other partners to access the platform.

Regional Expansion

The Milk Sustainability Center is designed to serve dairy farmers, independent of their farm machinery brands, feeding technology, milking equipment brands, or herd management software. It is now fully available in 13 countries across North America and Europe (full list of countries see below). Farmers can easily subscribe free of charge at

www.milksustainabilitycenter.com.

The highly innovative digital ecosystem addresses evolving sustainability standards and the growing demands for sustainable practices in dairy farming.

Alexander Berges, Production System Manager at John Deere says, “We’re already working on future additions like benchmarking and recommendations functionality. This will further help farmers being more profitable while improving their sustainability.”

dsm-firmenich New Strategic Partner

dsm-firmenich joins the Milk Sustainability Center as a Strategic Partner. It’s software Sustell™ is the industry leading lifecycle assessment (LCA) solution that helps the agricultural industry measure and improve sustainability performance. This partnership will allow primary data to flow from MSC to the Sustell™ software, if the farmer agrees. This will further enhance MSC functionality with extra Sustell™ data sources and certified carbon footprint calculations, supporting the customers to drive profitable environmental improvements.

Dr. David Nickell, Vice President of Sustainability and Business Solutions at dsm-firmenich Animal Nutrition & Health, commented: “The partnership between the Milk Sustainability Center and dsm-firmenich makes environmental impact assessment scalable and easier to implement. This will enable value chain partners to regularly track sustainability performance and to understand where and how to make profitable improvements with credible and transparent data and insights.”

Lars Bergmann, Executive Vice President of Digital Service at DeLaval, explains: “We aim to unify the industry to support dairy farmers improving their sustainability footprint. Partnerships like this will provide farmers with integrated tools that simplify automatic data flow, and enhance herd and field performance, which will support long-term sustainability goals.

Processors and consumer goods companies will benefit from a more transparent supply chain, strengthened by verifiable sustainability credentials.”

The Milk Sustainability Center welcomes partners in addition to Dinamica Generale and dsm-firmenich to join its mission to provide farmers with the comprehensive data and insights needed for a holistic view of the efficiency and sustainability in their dairy operations. For more information, potential partners are welcome to contact us at:

inquiries@milksustainabilitycenter.com

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