Tag Archive for: Best

Spraying simplicity best for Huntercombe

Spraying simplicity best for Huntercombe: Grant Stewart, course manager at Huntercombe Golf Club, knew that as soon as a new sprayer was required at the Oxfordshire course, there was only one way to go and that was to hit repeat on his last order of a Toro Multi Pro 1750.

Grant says: “I need a sprayer to be reliable in its ease of use. I appreciate the technological capabilities and all the extras it can have, but ultimately what works for us is a simple but efficient sprayer.”

Spraying simplicity best for Huntercombe

Spraying simplicity best for Huntercombe

Grant’s requirements are perfectly matched in the Multi Pro 1750 from Reesink Turfcare. This sprayer has been designed with all the technology required for spraying accuracy and precision but wrapped up in an uncomplicated easy to use system.

“We’ve had our last sprayer for seven years and it’s never failed us. I couldn’t have a better template to go from than that,” he says. “We mark out the edge of the spray pattern and spray, it’s as simple as that. It’s easy to maintain and there’s no spray lag. The system, the features and benefits it offers and the price point combine to make it the ideal sprayer for an 18-hole course like ours.”

Grant explains how he’s using his sprayer on the course that recently won the prestigious Syngenta Operation Pollinator Award at the Golf Environment Awards: “In the 1980s golf courses had a bad reputation for heavy use of pesticides and chemicals. Now, that’s changed. Spraying is essential to keep the course in top playing condition, but we use nature to solve problems in turf management too.

“With the technology and accuracy in the Multi Pro we can be exact with the areas we spray – everything is controlled and there’s no wastage or spraying of unnecessary areas. We use our sprayer for wetting agents, biostimulants and fertilising in a low regime.”

The Multi Pro 1750 is designed to deliver accurate application rates from start to finish. Its six-diaphragm pump is an industry exclusive, producing ample pressure and up to twice the flow of two-diaphragm pumps for aggressive mixing and thorough agitation. When the pump is engaged, it’s always on so there’s virtually no spray lag – as Grant noticed and appreciates. It also delivers a full spray pattern immediately, so it’s possible to back up to a bunker and spray accurately as soon as it starts.

In addition to exceptional spray accuracy, the Multi Pro 1750 provides 99 percent spray-out, which means almost no products are wasted, which again is better for the environment.

For further information contact Reesink Turfcare, the sole Toro distributor for golf and sports fields equipment in the UK, on 01480 226800 or visit reesinkturfcare.co.uk.

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The Best Golf Course in the World

The Best Golf Course in the World: Scott MacCallum chats with Andy Johnston, the man who has steered Sentosa Golf Club to the top of the golfing tree.

It’s just after Christmas so I’m guessing that your quizzing skills are still fairly sharp. So here’s one for you.

The Best Golf Course in the World

The Best Golf Course in the World

Which of these golf courses is the odd one out? The Old Course, St Andrews; Augusta National, the Serapong Course at Sentosa Golf Club, Singapore; Shinnecock Hills, New York, or Carnoustie?

The Answer?

None of them! They have all been voted The Best Golf Course in the World by the World Golf Awards.

Of course, Serapong is also the only course among that elite group not to have hosted a Major, and the only one in Asia, but it’s my quiz and I decide the answers!

Seriously though with The Old Course having won the category each of the first five years following the Awards’ inception in 2014, Carnoustie was the next winner, then Augusta National who retaining the title the next year, before its American cousin, Shinnecock.

The triumph of Sentosa Golf Club, the first Asian winner, late last year, did raise a few eyebrows. Not least from the Club’s own General Manager and Director of Agronomy, Andy Johnston.

“Best golf course in the world. I mean, Holy Smoke – really? I was pinching myself,” recalled Andy.

The Best Golf Course in the World

The Best Golf Course in the World

“I was floating of Cloud Nine, and still am,” added the American, who, as a golf course architect, first became associated with the club when he was brought in to do some remodelling work in 2014, and never really left.

He was also blown away by the reception he received from the Sentosa team when he arrive back from the airport having collected the Award.

“It takes a world class team to make a world class club and when you talk about the best in the world the greeting I got from 80 plus of them was pretty special.”

Being the first Asian golf club to win the award, and following in such illustrious company is significant.

“It shows that the growth of Asian golf is gathering pace and how much more progress we are making. It also shows that we are getting to the point where we are becoming competitive within that ‘Big Boy’ fraternity.”

So what it is about Sentosa Golf Club, and the Serapong course in particular, that has enabled this huge geographic breakthrough? Who better to tell us, than Andrew himself.

The Best Golf Course in the World

The Best Golf Course in the World

“It’s one of those tracks that touches your soul. As soon as you head off to the 1st tee you are thinking that this is something special – you know immediately that it is special. Then when you get to the 2nd you get a peek at what’s coming. Hit the 3rd and you have the entire world in front of you. You’re looking down on the town three kilometres away and you are on an elevated spot which sits over the entire bay. You see the ship yards down below you and, downtown, all the sky scrapers. The next five or six holes are all different, and each one memorable. The whole course has a unique playing strategy and you can’t wait to play it again and again.

“You just can’t get enough of it,” enthused Andy.

But that wasn’t always the case for the Serapong, and Sentosa Golf Club, founded by the then Prime Minister of Singapore and which celebrates its 50th birthday this year.

“Back in 2005 the Serapong wasn’t even the best course in town, never mind the world, but at the time I was working on a project in Beijing when I got a call from a friend of mine saying that Sentosa was looking for an architect. They weren’t looking at a huge project just some fairly small tweaks so I jumped on a plane and made a pitch to the Green Committee.

“I must have made a really compelling case because we signed an agreement, almost on a napkin and I got to work the next day.”

With the project completed, six months later the club called Andy to say that he was still the club’s architect and that they wanted to renovate the Serapong fully and was he interested. Was he ever!

“I literally got on a plane that night and came over. The club had a new business plan and wanted to get into hosting tournaments,” said Andy.

The course had been designed originally by Ron Fream and was built on 80% reclaimed land.

“Ron did an unbelievable job because he tracked the course when it was basically still in the ocean. I’ve seen pictures of him in a boat pointing out a green. How he was measuring, in the  life of me, I have not a clue.”

But while the course was excellent, it had really small greens which couldn’t take the traffic and while the bunkers were ok they didn’t support modern day golf strategy.

“So we made some significant changes to the course’s personality. That’s when the course started to get going to where it is today. We introduced massive greens with subtle undulations, we increased the bunkering and made these huge tees so we could take the traffic and have surfaces fit for championship golf. That’s when the engine really got running,” said Andy, who added that they now cut the tees to the same height as the greens.

The tees are Platinum Paspalum, because it recovers quickly from divot damage, with the rest of the course Zoysia.

The Best Golf Course in the World

The Best Golf Course in the World

It wasn’t an overnight success, however, and from 2006 to 2010 it was a difficult time for the club. Then, with 60 days to go until a Singapore Open, and having just lost their Superintendent, Andy took another phone call from the club asking for help.

“The previous General Manager called me and asked that, as nobody knew the property as well as me, would I help them out.

“I have an agronomy background – of all the skills I have, design, operation, agronomy, agronomy is the thing I really excel at, and ultimately we were able to pull a rabbit out of a hat On the Monday pro-am we were running at 13 on the stimp. Singapore had never seen speeds faster than that.

“We’d exceeded everybody’s expectations when it came to conditioning and I just never went home after that, and I hadn’t meant to stay!” he revealed.

And not only that, in addition to his role of Director of Agronomy he found himself General Manager when his predecessor left.

“I didn’t mean to become GM. I was just told that I was going to be GM, even when I told them I didn’t want to be GM. Even today I hate being GM… kind of!” he added with a smile.

But it is still the golf courses, there is also the 18 hole Tanjong course, rather than the food and beverage side of things, which rocks his boat.

“I’m the first person here every morning at 5.30 and that has never changed in the 14 years I’ve been here. I get every morning started with the crew and work closely with our Superintendent, Irishman Rodney McEwan.

“I couldn’t have a better sidekick, if I could call him that. He takes it personally and it means something to him. No matter what I dish out to him it gets done and it’s quite incredible how he does it.”

And it’s not an easy gig maintaining a golf course on the equator.

The Best Golf Course in the World

The Best Golf Course in the World

“I’ve worked in every corner of the world and I think this is the most challenging. We have every disease known to man sitting in the soil 365 days a year, just waiting for the right conditions to flourish.

“Everything is full on. Most of the world goes through the seasons and there are times when you have to work hard and there are heavy growth periods but there are also off periods and simpler windows. It never stops here for us. Every day is full on.

“To put it in a UK context. August is probably the most difficult time of the year for you, because it is the hottest and the most humid. Guys are chasing hot spots and there are disease pressures coming out of their ears. Every day is August for us and our aim is to be thinking ahead of Mother Nature. That’s the goal. If you can be ahead of Mother Nature you will win.”

With two golf courses and the surrounding grounds to maintain Andy has an agronomy team of 75.

“It sounds a lot but if you break it down it’s probably comparable with a South Florida course. We have 25 guys on each course, there are eight mechanics, four in the admin office, then there is a small landscaping team of six or seven. So it’s not as big as it sounds.”

So how does he keep everyone motivated to achieve the standards that takes a course to Best in the World status?

“We have something called the 10 Five Star Touch points. In at number eight is ‘Earn Your Five Stars Every Day’. I say this to the team on such a routine basis that they are sick of me.

“No-one gives a rat’s ass about the awards we’ve won – and they have won a plethora of huge awards including World’s Best Eco-Friendly Golf Facility three years in a row – after that day. They measure us by the experience they have had on that day. So every morning I tell them to wake up and earn their five stars.”

Having reach the pinnacle what now for Sentosa Golf Club?

“The Chairman asked me the same thing not long ago and I said that the runway was still very long and we still had a lot to that we could do. We may not win awards like this every year but we are attempting to build a brand and it is extremely important that we can continue to expand upon that and deliver the best service possible and produce the best conditions possible.

“The ceiling is unlimited on what we are going to achieve.”

Key to that is Sentosa’s position on the planet.

“When you look at Asia, albeit Singapore is a small city state, we are in the best spot. We have the best airport, which is a hub where everything comes in and out. It is the safest city in Asia. You don’t have to worry about that when you get here whole at the club we are surrounded by 17 high end hotels. We have everything at our fingertips to continue to grow.

“We are no longer just a great golf course. We are a brand, and that is what I want to continue to develop.”

And with the attraction of playing the best course in the world, golfers will be swarming around Sentosa like bees to the honeypot and spreading the name of Sentosa to all their golfing buddies.

Winner of Best Kept Green in Shropshire Announced

Winner of Best Kept Green in Shropshire Announced: Trench Bowling Club has been announced as the winner of the 2023 Best Kept Green in Shropshire, sponsored by Dennis and SISIS.

It’s been a good year for Telford based Trench Bowling Club. Not only has 2023 seen the club celebrate its centenary year but they have also been awarded the Best Kept Green in Shropshire. Trench finished top to pip Whixall, Edgmond and Tilstock by just two points.

Winner of Best Kept Green in Shropshire Announced

Winner of Best Kept Green in Shropshire Announced

As well as being the secretary and the bar coordinator, David Evans is the man largely responsible for maintaining the green. He’s been part of the club for nearly 60 years and after retiring in 2013, he decided to take full-time responsibility of the green.

“I’ve learnt greenkeeping as I’ve gone along,” said David. “It must be in the genes because my father was a keen gardener and always took a great deal of pride in his lawns. Also, over the years I have been involved in bowls, cricket, and golf. I always took an interest in what the greenkeepers or groundsmen, were working on. The Dennis and SISIS bowls education days we have recently attended have also been very informative. These are a big help to people in my position to not only show what equipment is on the market but also to gather advice on maintenance tips.”

Trench Bowling Club came second in the competition in 2022 and David revealed why he believes they landed the trophy this year.

“I’ve managed to significantly reduce the thatch since we bought a new Dennis FT510 mower at the start of the year. I think this was the missing link because it has really helped me to improve the surface of the green. The verticutting cassette has thinned the grass out and eliminated the thatch and we’ve had lots of compliments from members and visiting teams about the playability of the green. Over the last couple of years, we have installed new gutters, which has vastly improved the overall presentation of the green and the green surrounds. I’d like to think that this also went some way towards winning this award, as the construction of the new ‘boxes’ and the installation was all carried out ‘in house’ by our members.”

With David spending most of his time at Trench Bowling Club, and his wife and daughter sharing the responsibility of the treasurer role, it is very much a family affair. However, the modest David was quick to acknowledge the hard work and dedication from everyone else who works at the club.

“As a family we put a lot of time in, but we’ve got a great committee that runs the club and there are so many other brilliant people that help out. I certainly can’t take all the credit. This award is for everyone at Trench.”

Further information about the range of bowls maintenance products available from both manufacturers can be found by visiting www.dennisuk.com / www.sisis.com.

For more news, reviews, and insightful views, you can follow Dennis on Twitter @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 and SISIS videos by visiting www.youtube.com/DennisMowers and www.youtube.com/SISISMachinery.

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Simply the best

Simply the best: A near 125-year history isn’t stopping Orsett Golf Club from eagerly looking towards the future. Course manager, Perry Lowe, is intent on regenerating a significant portion of the Essex-based club with the very latest and best Toro machinery through Reesink’s popular lease hire model.

“We’ve quite the unique course here at Orsett Golf Club,” comments Perry. “The ground is a mix of ballast and shingle, which is unusual for clay-heavy Essex; many clubs have flooding issues in winter. While it’s excellent for our members, being open all year round does mean the course experiences a lot of wear and tear.”

Simply the best

Simply the best

To stay on top of the constant course maintenance, Perry recently took out his fourth package deal with Reesink Turfcare, leasing an entirely new fleet of Toro machinery. “At previous clubs I have seen and experienced the headaches that come with owning your own kit,” he reflects.

“You run it to death and then it needs replacing,” Perry goes on. “In my book, it’s not the best way to work with machines; older bits of kit are liable to break down at the wrong time and on top of that they can be incredibly expensive to replace.

“Rather, I prefer running a five-year lease hire model: it offers much better value for money and more reliability. The deal we’ve just completed with Reesink’s Richard Freeman, whom I’ve known for over a decade, is perfect for us – we will always have the latest technology to enact our rolling ten-year plan.”

Over the next decade, Orsett Golf Club intends to upgrade several regions on its course, with a special focus on the short game area. Perry also wants to build new greens and bunkers, as well as a new entrance to the clubhouse.

Thanks to Orsett Golf Club’s lease plan, Perry will have access to a range of the latest mowers and utility vehicles, including the all-electric Toro Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370 and Toro Workman UTX.

“Electric mowers have been around for over 20 years, but they’ve always been pretty awful,” says Perry. “But we’re a club that likes to try new things. So when Richard told us about the new Toro electric range of kit, we jumped at the opportunity and we’ve not looked back since – both models are faultless.“As a club that’s always looking ahead and wanting to improve, the best quality of cut and the latest machinery available are a high priority for us. Fortunately, Reesink’s lease hire plan is a very simple way to enact that and carry out our 10-year plan.”

To discover how a lease hire package through Reesink could help your club or business, simply visit https://www.reesinkturfcare.co.uk/finance.

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Campey Brings the Best to Europe

Campey Brings the Best to Europe: Campey Turf Care Systems has completed an eight-country demonstration tour visiting 14 venues as the company continues to provide industry-leading customer support and training.

The dates comprised sports turf and golf-specific events at Royal Krakow GC, Poland, Golf de Giez, France, the training ground of Hungarian football champions Ferencvárosi, and the Slovakia Football Association’s groundsmen training day.

Working with turf professionals to solve issues specific to their sport and conditions was key at all events. For Campey Director Lee Morgado, this is the primary purpose of the in-person demos and is invaluable to what Campey offers.

“Giving people detailed advice on issues specific to them is priceless, and the impact of it really can’t be overestimated,” Lee said. “The challenges groundsmen and greenkeepers face around Europe can vary considerably, so to have the opportunity to talk through those issues can make a difference for them and us because we can learn and adapt from it.

“The other key component of the tour is to give people hands-on experience with the machinery. We often talk about the easy set-up and operation but watching and doing the process yourself is unbeatable. And then there’s seeing the results of using a machine with your own eyes, and that again is hard to match, especially when you’re in surroundings familiar to your own work environment.”

Industry Leading Machinery

Experiencing machinery first-hand is what the demo tour is all about, and with a selection of industry favourites in their portfolio, Campey has plenty to offer.

The Campey™ Uni-Scratch™ is the ideal solution for those looking for professional and effective maintenance of natural and synthetic grass surfaces. The machine has been developed to infill or refill when installing or looking after synthetic grass carpets. It can also be used for the final organic matter removal on natural grass hybrid carpet pitches when carrying out annual renovations.

Pioneered in greenkeeping, the Foley Air2G2 336 has become one of the most recognised names in aeration in all of turf, and for a good reason. Consistent use of the Air2G2 is proven to create healthy, firm, and free-draining surfaces.

All of this is done with virtually no disruption to play, combating one of the most challenging demands in modern-day turf maintenance. Also addressing that issue is the Imants ShockWave. For wide area non-disruptive aeration, there is nothing better for revitalising heavily used areas. In 2022 the machine was redesigned to increase its effectiveness on undulating ground as a direct response from greenkeepers at events like the Campey Demo Tour.

Campey will have more demonstration events through 2023 and a full schedule in 2024. For more information on these dates, check the Campey Turf Care website or follow on social media.

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Green-tech proud to donate to Best Show Garden

Green-tech proud to donate to Best Show Garden: Green-tech donated the PlantBox Green Wall system which makes up two walls within the Constructing Minds Show Garden designed by Carolyn Hardern and Jon Jarvis.

The biggest and officially ’the best’ show garden at RHS Tatton 2023 is the brainchild of Garden Designer Carolyn, and Jon the Construction Manager for landscape contractor Ashlea Ltd. The garden was awarded a silver medal.

Green-tech proud to donate to Best Show Garden

Green-tech proud to donate to Best Show Garden

Built by The Landscape Academy, the garden has been designed to raise awareness of mental health within the construction industry. Construction has the highest suicide rate of all industries, where an average of two workers take their own lives, each working day. The garden is designed as a calming space to help those struggling with their mental wellbeing.

The show garden was built using sponsorship donations and volunteers. Green-tech donated the Plantbox system to provide two 2.4metre high walls. The system creates a clever vertical garden, with a unique watering system that makes looking after plants easy.
The walls formed part of the Inner Sanctuary of the garden to offer a semi-enclosed private space that respects confidentiality and provides a degree of emotional security and a different environment whilst retaining the connection to nature. Seating and wildflowers assist with contemplation.

The overall design is based on the Japanese idealism of Shinrin Yoku and the benefits to our health through passive engagement to nature. With over 30 trees, 800 ferns and 100²m of wildflower turf, this is the biggest show garden. After the show, the garden will be moved to Clatterbridge Hospital, Wirral where it can be a place of tranquility for patients, visitors, and staff.

The garden has been designed to support and promote construction industry charities Band of Builders and Mates in Mind. Both Carolyn and Jon are fully committed to raising awareness of the mental health crisis within the construction sector and have worked on the design over a seven-month period.

Jon Comments, “This is a cause close to my heart and I appreciate Green-tech and all the sponsors that have enabled our vision to become a reality. Having Green-tech as national suppliers to the landscape world involved gave our cause traction and raised awareness in the market.”

Green-tech’s Andrea Questari manages the Ashlea account and adds, “This is such a worthwhile cause and great initiative to help raise awareness that we were delighted to help in any way we could. The Plant Box living wall system really does create a quick and easy instant green wall so was the perfect product for the inner sanctuary of the design.”

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The best bits from SAGE

The best bits from SAGE: With blue skies (mostly!) beaming down over the Three Counties Showground, SAGE 2023 was an event to remember for exhibitors and visitors alike. Held on 19th and 20th July, the event featured interesting talks on a variety of subjects, a Learning Hub designed for those entering the industry, and of course, the UK Loggers National Championships – demonstrating feats of precision and skill.

As part of the packed agenda, market leaders shared their thoughts on the future of chemicals in grounds maintenance, exploring the pros and cons of a zero-chemical future.

The best bits from SAGE

The best bits from SAGE

Mark Tomlinson, Head of Environmental & Sustainability Stadia Projects at Bio-Circle Surface Technology Ltd also shared his wisdom on the importance of washdown systems. Visitors also enjoyed meeting with experts who came together to provide support, assistance and expertise on how businesses can best get started and progress on a sustainable journey.

Market leaders also shared their thoughts on electric machinery, while over at the Green Business Expo, Alex Pearson from Midlands Net Zero Hub and Dominic Lavelle, Managing Director at Go Green Experts discussed whether going green is viable for a business, delving into the details of equipping a business with strategy and practical knowhow on moving forwards.

An expert-led panel talked about creating a successful tender bid, after which Fusion for Business discussed managing rising energy costs. Also at the Green Business Expo, visitors had the opportunity to meet a panel of innovators who talked about how pioneering methods can challenge the norm by tackling market leaders and traditional methods.

In the Learning Hub, visitors were able to join experts for live workshops, talks and interactive knowledge sharing and competitions, as they delved into the challenges land-based colleges face.
Guests enjoyed a live panel talk on Wednesday and an open workshop on Thursday.

Vicky Panniers, organiser of SAGE, said: “We want to say a massive thank you to everyone who attended the event – both exhibitors and visitors. We know that many of our exhibitors made some big-ticket sales and that lots of hot leads were also taken, which is fantastic to hear. Watch this space to hear more about details for next year!”

Please visit https://sportsandgrounds.events/ for more information.

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Gary puts his best foot forward

Gary puts his best foot forward: An employee from The GGM Group has swapped his work boots for dance shoes last weekend, to raise money for Bolton Hospice as part of a prestigious dancing competition.

Gary Taylor, a key member of the after sales team, along with his partner Jacqui Brown, were one of 20 couples to take part in Strictly Learn to Dance which took place at Bolton Stadium last Friday (31st March).

Gary puts his best foot forward

Gary puts his best foot forward

The pair, who have no previous dancing experience, have followed a gruelling 12-week programme, spending many hours learning some classic dance routines.

Their efforts culminated in a glittering and glamorous event which was attended by over 700 people and in total raised over £50,000 for Bolton Hospice and Gary and Jacqui were supported by friends, family and colleagues from the GGM team as they took part in the Salsa and the Foxtrot.

Gary said:

“Jacqui has always wanted to take part in this event and so when the opportunity arose it was too good an opportunity to miss. Neither of us have ever danced before and to say we were nervous was an understatement – but the atmosphere on the night was electric, and the immense support we have had definitely spurred us on.”

Bolton Hospice is close to the heart of both Gary and Jacqui, having supported two of their friends through the end of their illnesses, and they wanted to give something back to this fantastic cause.

GGM Groundscare is a specialist supplier of tractors and high-quality professional land-based equipment for commercial and domestic use. Servicing the North West and Yorkshire, it supplies a range of products from leading franchises including Kubota, Baroness and Amazone.

Chris Gibson, GGM Managing Director said:

“The team and I are hugely proud of what Gary and Jacqui have achieved for this wonderful cause. We know from staff Christmas parties that they have some great moves on the dancefloor – but to do this in front of 700 people is a completely different level and takes real guts.”

“It’s a key part of our ethos at The GGM Group to give something back to the local community, last year raising over £10,000 for our company charities. We’re delighted to support Gary and Bolton Hospice in this great event and to match the amount they had raised themselves ahead of the event”.

Donations can still be made via the link:

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/jacqueline-brown29

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New course in the best possible hands

New course in the best possible hands: Ingestre Park Golf Club has relied heavily upon distributor Reesink Hydro-Scapes’s range of products as it created 12 new and upgraded six existing holes at its course in Staffordshire, with Toro providing the irrigation and Otterbine the lake aerating fountains for the project.

440 Toro Flex sprinklers were used for the greens, approaches and fairways and 159 T5 sprinklers on the tees, all of which are controlled by the Toro Lynx central control system with Lynx Smart modules. Five Otterbine Concept 3 lake aerating fountains keep the water of three lakes clean and clear and make a striking attraction.

New course in the best possible hands

New course in the best possible hands

International Design Group and MJ Abbott Ltd designed the course with Phil Helmn, as the golf course advisor, responsible for ensuring the project was carried out meeting the time frame of the planners. Here Phil explains the process: “When Ingestre Park Golf Club learned the proposed path of a new high-speed train was going to go through the course eight years ago, it took this as an opportunity to thrive. Excellent choices were made in selecting the right partners and the right tender plans.

“The bid included Toro irrigation in a one, not three, row formation with a couple of landing zones. The Lynx central control system really came into its own in the growing in phase. The ground must always be kept damp with water being applied every two hours for two minutes.

“If there were weather changes Lynx alerted us and application tweaks could be made – even from a sunlounger in Cyprus at one point! The level of detail and intuitive control Lynx provides is what’s needed when it comes to the application of water especially at this delicate stage and for safeguarding this commodity.”

Speaking of safeguarding water, Otterbine plays a role in this too, says Phil: “We were conscious of being set up to be as self-reliant as possible and know that everything has been done to harvest water. The site is very wet, and we needed a robust drainage system. Now we have a system that collects water into three lakes, all of which are interconnected, with Concept 3 aeration units installed from Otterbine to keep the water good for irrigating. We’ve also got a borehole to top up when needed and all this allows us to stay off the main water supply as much as possible.”

Now that the growing phase is over, Phil and the team continue to rely on the remote easy access accuracy of Toro’s Lynx, as Phil explains: “We irrigate at night or early in the morning and it’s so easy to control this should weather circumstances change from the time of pre-set. When you consider the warmer temperatures of the last few years and the prediction this will continue, to know our new course is in the best possible hands with the technology of Toro and Otterbine is particularly reassuring.”

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UK’s best student greenkeepers celebrated

UK’s best student greenkeepers celebrated: The British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) and sponsors Reesink Turfcare and Toro have revealed the winners of their annual awards competition, with the finals taking place this year in the surroundings of the Goodwood Estate in West Sussex.

During a sombre evening following news of the death of Her Majesty the Queen, the winners of this year’s awards were revealed. Throughout the day, the 12 candidates – selected from a record 54 nominees – had contested the grand finals of the Toro Student Greenkeeper Awards.

UK's best student greenkeepers celebrated

UK’s best student greenkeepers celebrated

Ripon City Golf Club Deputy Course Manager James Gaskell (30) was revealed as the 33rd winner of the Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Award. James has been greenkeeping for five years, taking up the profession on a full-time basis after graduating from the University of Sunderland. A talented golfer playing to a 1.6 handicap, James said his experience of playing competitive golf compliments his greenkeeping knowledge and the awards judges were impressed by his considerable dedication to the sport and his chosen career.

The runner-up of the award is Andrew Ritchie of St Andrews Links Trust.

The 6th winner of the Toro Young Student Greenkeeper of the Year Award was revealed to be Carden Park Golf Club greenkeeper Peter Pattenden (19). A talented rugby player, Peter has represented North Wales and Scottish Exiles, but it is in golf that he has chosen to pursue a career. Having been a greenkeeper for almost three years, Peter works at Carden Park in Cheshire where his father – also called Peter – is courses and estates manager.

The runner-up of the Young award is Luke Charnley of Royal Liverpool Golf Club.

With the awards split into two separate categories, candidates for the ‘main’ Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Award completed a rigorous day of testing that included an exam, an essay question, grass and seed identification and a presentation on their career so far. Candidates for the Toro Young Student Greenkeeper of the Year Award, who must be aged 21 and under when nominated, undertook an exam and then a hole walk with the awards judges that is intended to test the finalists’ knowledge in a real world setting.

The Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Award was introduced in 1989, with an additional ‘Young’ category introduced in 2016. Previous winners and finalists have gone on to become some of the most influential characters in the greenkeeping industry, helping shape the sport of golf in the UK and further afield.

The Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year winner receives: enrolment in the 10-week University of Massachusetts Winter Turf School; a two-week expenses-paid placement at Adare Manor, venue of The 2027 Ryder Cup; an all-expenses paid trip to the GCSAA Conference and Show in Florida; and a visit to Toro Corporate HQ, R&D Centre and Equipment Operations in Wisconsin.

The Toro Young Student Greenkeeper of the Year winner receives: a two-week work placement at Vidauban Golf Club in France; a five-night trip to Continue to Learn at BTME; and a gift voucher for Toro Training.

The student award endorser receives a trip to the GCSAA in the USA and the young student endorser will receive a trip to Vidauban Golf Club. All finalists receive a year’s free membership with BIGGA.

BIGGA Learning and Development Executive Deb Burnett said: “Among the many activities BIGGA undertakes each year to assist the professional development of our members, the Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Awards are almost certainly the most inspirational. For those feeling disillusioned about the challenges our industry faces in coming years, our 12 finalists provide all the reassurance you need to be convinced that greenkeeping and the sport of golf has a very bright future.

“My congratulations go to all our finalists, particularly our well-deserving winners and runners-up. Thanks must also go to Reesink Turfcare and Toro for their incredible support and to the Goodwood Estate for being such wonderful hosts.”

David Timms, national accounts manager for Reesink Turfcare, said: “After a record number of entries and a thorough two-week online interview process, it was a pleasure to welcome and meet the best talent in greenkeeping at Goodwood for the finals of the 2022 Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Awards. It was clear why these 12 finalists made it this far – a great achievement. Everyone shone and it was a close competition. The winners – James and Peter – are incredibly worthy and I look forward to seeing what they go on to achieve.”

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