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New Grinders At Sandy Lodge GC

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New Grinders At Sandy Lodge GC: Sandy Lodge Golf Club in Hertfordshire has reaped the benefits both on and off the course of the Foley United Accu-Master 653 and Accu-Pro 673 grinders.

The club is one of England’s finest golfing establishments and has regularly hosted the Regional Open Qualifying Rounds from 2015 and will do so until 2019, as well as being a recent venue for the English Women’s Senior Open.

New Grinders At Sandy Lodge GC

Head greenkeeper, Richard Elderfield, along with mechanic, Peter Cook, knew their previous grinders were coming to the end of their useable life and both had a strong desire to bring relief grinding to the club because of the overall benefits it has for the plant and the machines. But, Peter quickly realised the Foley models had other features that would streamline his operation and make for a better work environment.

“Although relief grinding was our first priority it wasn’t the only aspect that attracted us to the Accu-Master 653,” Peter explained. “We also like the enclosed cabinet on the cylinder grinder with the noise and dust protection it offered and we found the set-up of both grinders to be quick and easy, especially with the 653’s built in training programmes.

“Grinding is very important to us when it comes to the health of the course and the machinery. The quality and cleanness of cut will determine the smoothness and speed of the playing surface and it helps prevent turf infections and diseases.

“Relief grinding has made a lot of difference and the mower manufacturers also recommend it. We tend to put a lot more top dressing on our greens now and the relief grind allows the excess sand to be cleared away, so it’s not wearing the cylinder down and going off cut as quickly. It also means we have less potential contact between cylinder and bedknife therefore less heat build-up as there’s reduced contact area with the bedknife, so it makes the mower a lot more efficient overall.”

Talking about efficiency Peter adds, “We also see this in the grinders, as both machines are fully automated, with auto-start, traverse, infeed and shut down built in to the grinding programmes alleviating any need for any human input between phases.  We can have both grinders running at the same time allowing us to carry out other tasks therefore saving more time.

“I can now grind far quicker than before. If I’m doing a 5 head fairway machine once you set the 653 for the first unit it will then be set for the remainder.

“It’s easy to access the machine and I have a winch to lift the reels in and out which makes the entire process easier. There is also an option of a lift-table if you prefer.

The automation is a huge benefit and as we are limited for space in my workshop and with the 653 being fully enclosed means there is very little noise coming from the grinder, allowing me to comfortably work close by.

“I thought I would struggle with the relief grinding as I had never done it before, but the training was excellent, and I picked it up very quickly”

Both Peter and Richard have been impressed by the quick and reliable service they have received from Ian Robson of ProSport UK, the Foley United importer both throughout the purchasing phase and the aftercare.

ProSport UK focus strongly on aftercare with an emphasis on supporting their customers and training them how to operate grinders they may not be familiar with. All geared to getting the best out of their new machine as quickly as possible.

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STRI Scoops Award At Bradford Uni

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STRI Scoops Award At Bradford Uni: STRI has picked up two gongs at the University of Bradford’s Summer Experience Awards, as the Bingley-based business won the Outstanding Placement Provider (SME) for its work experience internships. It also helped STRI intern, Samuel Birch, claim the Outstanding Placement Student award.

Samuel (Chemical Engineering), Malika Zahedi (Biomedical Sciences), and Steven Hopkinson (Chemistry), joined STRI as part of the Summer Experience Placement programme for six-weeks where they provided invaluable support within STRI’s research team at its world class facilities in West Yorkshire.

STRI Scoops Award At Bradford Uni

Over the course of the summer internship, the students gained knowledge on conducting scientific trials, project management and data analysis.

STRI has been running Summer Experience placements for a number of years. Former intern Sam Swires, who graduated this year, has now joined STRI in a full-time position as Trials Officer.

STRI Research operations manager, Dr Christian Spring, said: “It was a very successful night for STRI at Bradford University. It has been a great opportunity for STRI to mentor and support the next generation of turf scientists.

“I am delighted that our intern students fitted seamlessly into the research team, and that they gained such a large amount from their research experience, and that both STRI and the students have been recognised in the Summer Experience Awards. We would encourage all businesses engage with work experience students, as we have benefitted enormously from our involvement over the last few years.”

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Standards Maintained at Ladybank

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Standards Maintained at Ladybank: Designed originally by Old Tom Morris, Ladybank Golf Club is a rare thing in Fife, enjoying as it does a reputation as one of the finest inland layouts based in Scotland and providing a classic heathland challenge to golf lovers away from the sea.

Recently ranked #2 in Great Britain’s Top 100 Courses under £100 by National Club Golfer magazine, Ladybank is established on the Fife Open Championship Qualifying Trail, and has hosted final qualifying on seven occasions since 1978 for the Open Championship played at St Andrews. It was also a qualifying venue in July for this year’s Senior Open Championship on the Old Course.

Standards Maintained at Ladybank

Managing secretary Gordon Simpson joined the club over two years ago and carried out a comprehensive assessment of the whole club and course set-up. He knew the course and its quality from playing regularly in qualifying tournaments as a PGA professional, and immediately recognised that the combination of an ageing machinery fleet and increasing repair bills meant a replacement policy needed to be implemented.

Gordon therefore asked the six-strong greenkeeping team led by course manager Colin Powrie and head greenkeeper David Gray to put together a wish list of new machinery from scratch, that would help them to maintain the golf course to the required high standard. As a result, the club has made its first ever John Deere fleet purchase, with equipment supplied by John Deere dealer Double A of Cupar in Fife.

The new machines include a 7500A fairway mower with TechControl display and smaller QA5 cutting units, a 4049R compact tractor, a Pro Gator utility vehicle equipped with an HD200 low-profile amenity turf sprayer and two 220SL walk-behind greens mowers.

“We conducted the usual tender process and gave the different manufacturers a list of the priority kit we required to replace the older machines,” says Gordon. “Double A and the dealership’s golf specialist John Bateson were superb throughout the process, both in supplying demonstration machines throughout 2017 and in their overall level of service, support and advice to help us develop the golf course in the way we wished.

“The process was admittedly a lengthy one but the ongoing feedback we had from the membership was invaluable to me in the decision-making process, particularly with regard to the high levels of presentation and finish right across the course. This ultimately showed us that the quality of cut from the John Deere machines was far superior and sharper looking.”

“We have quite undulating fairways, so the smaller QA5 cutting units on the fairway mower suit our terrain very well by getting easily into the dips and hollows,” adds Colin Powrie. “The new hand mowers are used on the 1st and 18th tees and the collars, so these are now nicely striped up for better presentation.”

Gordon Simpson admits John Deere would not have been his original number one choice, having never done a deal with the company before in his previous roles. However, he is now happy to state that everything the club experienced over the 20-month process of choosing a new supplier proved that he wanted to partner with John Deere as a brand and Double A as a local business.

“With the volume of kit that had to be replaced, it was always the case that the club would need to spread the investment over several years to make it more manageable,” says Gordon. “With all the work they put into the tender, John Deere and Double A simply stood out a mile, and we knew this was the manufacturer and dealer we wanted to partner with.

“We were looking for a long-term relationship with our supplier, which is why it took us so long to make the decision, but we certainly feel that we’ve picked the right route for us and our ambitions for the club.”

For more information, visit: www.JohnDeere.co.uk

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Dennis Technology At SALTEX 2018

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Dennis Technology At SALTEX 2018: Visitors to the Dennis stand (E070) at IOG SALTEX on October 31 and November 1 will have an opportunity to see how the company’s range of world class turf maintenance equipment enables turf professionals to benefit from cutting edge technology.

Taking centre stage on the Dennis Mowers stand will be the new PRO 34R rotary mower. Following the launch of the prototype model at last year’s show; the professional rotary mower has been refined and developed with feedback from groundsmen over the past 18 months.

Dennis Technology At SALTEX 2018

The PRO 34R is a 34” (860mm) rotary mower designed to help groundsmen achieve an aesthetically pleasing appearance and desired playing surface.

The mower 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.

Unique features of the Dennis PRO 34R Rotary Mower include:

  • 5 forward and 1 reverse selection for speed of operation
  • 90 litre capacity grass box
  • Fully adjustable angle of deck for changing conditions
  • 2 section cast aluminium rear roller
  • Easy to use height of cut gauge
  • Single point height of cut adjustment for ease of operation
  • Optional front wheel or smooth/weile roller options
  • Front brush for standing grasses upright
  • Adjustable handlebars for operator comfort

Also on view will be the G860, G34D and the Premier professional cylinder mowers along with the the FT510, Razor Ultra, and S500 Plus seeder, which creates ideal seed germination pockets whilst reducing seed wastage.

The FT510 professional mower is unrivalled as a mower and turf maintenance machine on all areas of fine turf. A cutting width of 510mm (20”) and a range of 11 interchangeable cassettes mean that one machine can be used for several different jobs from scarifying, verticutting, brushing and cutting.

The Razor Ultra 560 has been developed to specifically meet the demands of cricket pitches as well as golf greens & tees and bowling greens. The machine has a 560mm (22”) cutting width and incorporates many key features including an 11 bladed cutting cylinder, ultra short wheelbase for undulating surfaces, tungsten tipped groomer, compact handle design for extra manoeuvrability, click height adjusters and stub free transport wheels for easy transport from site to site.

The G860 has eleven quick changeover cassette options giving ultimate flexibility and a single power unit for many day-to-day maintenance tasks. This versatility coupled with low ground pressure, at just 166kgs, and manoeuvrability makes the G860 the choice for many top sporting venues around the world including the recent FIFA World Cup Finals in Russia.

Designed and built following the same concept as the Dennis G860, the G34D is a dedicated cylinder mower that incorporates a large-diameter eight bladed cutting cylinder to cater for a wide range of uses to leave a precise cut.

Fitted with either a powerful Honda Petrol or Kubota diesel engine, the Premier is available in 30” and 36” cutting widths. A 3 section rear roller and steering brakes make it easy to manoeuvre giving an excellent stripe pattern and rolling characteristics. Complete with a large diameter front roller with adjustable scraper, for precise height of cut control, the machine is easy to adjust on both sides with the use of a single spanner.

In addition to the range of Dennis products on show, the combined display with SISIS will also show a range of natural and synthetic turf maintenance machinery.

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

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Bayer’s New IVM Herbicide At SALTEX

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Bayer’s New IVM Herbicide At SALTEX: Visitors to this year’s SALTEX at the NEC in Birmingham will have the opportunity to preview a new pre-emergence total herbicide that has been submitted to HSE-CRD for formal approval and is expected to be ready in time for the 2019 season.

Lewis Blois, Bayer national account manager, explains that ‘Project BES012’ will provide amenity contractors with broad spectrum weed control across a wide range of surfaces from open soil and gravel surfaces to fence lines and railway ballast, as part of a targeted treatment programme.

Bayer's New IVM Herbicide At SALTEX

“The herbicide’s dual active formulation contains diflufenican and a new active ingredient for the UK, iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium,” he says.

“Used alone, it provides pre-emergence control, giving a residual barrier to prevent weeds from germinating and establishing. Alternatively, after the two-leaf post emergence stage, it can be mixed with glyphosate to enhance performance.

“This means the product can be used flexibly across different environments providing control against hard to manage weeds for up to four months.

“Using ‘Project BES012’ as part of an integrated vegetation management (IVM) programme can also help amenity contractors to minimise weed resistance. The combined active ingredients give a dual mode of action to reduce the chance of resistance occurring.

“Trials have shown that this product provides good control for even the hardest to tackle weeds, so I would encourage contractors to come and visit our stand at SALTEX to hear first-hand how it can be incorporated into programmes,” says Lewis.

Dr Colin Mumford, Bayer technical manager, will present a session at the event on 1 November at 1:20pm, on the changing face of vegetation management. Colin will discuss innovations within the sector and how legislation affects the development of new products.

For further information come and visit the Turf Solutions Team on stand G030 at SALTEX, alternatively visit www.environmentalscience.bayer.co.uk or call 00800 1214 9451, or email turfsolutions@bayer.com.

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