Tag Archive for: BIGGA

BIGGA launches ‘Plant a Tree for BTME’

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BIGGA launches ‘Plant a Tree for BTME’: The British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) has launched a new scheme that will see exhibitors at its annual trade show and education conference encouraged to ‘Plant a Tree for BTME’.

The 2022 edition of the BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition (BTME) was held from 22 to 24 March at the Harrogate Convention Centre, but is anticipated to return to its regular January date in 2023. Exhibitors who sign up to attend the 2023 event will be given the option of purchasing a tree, to be planted at a nominated golf course.

BIGGA launches ‘Plant a Tree for BTME’

BIGGA launches ‘Plant a Tree for BTME’

It is hoped that over the years sufficient trees will be planted to create a network of ‘BTME community woodlands’ around the UK, with Harrogate Golf Club the first club to participate in the scheme.

With individual trees capturing up to 1 tonne of carbon dioxide from our air over its lifetime, the scheme will raise awareness of the carbon footprint generated by major events such as BTME and be a flagship initiative as BIGGA seeks to improve its sustainable practices, as is echoed at forward-thinking golf facilities everywhere.

BIGGA Membership Services Manager for Sustainability James Hutchinson said: “The idea of planting trees as a means of offsetting carbon generated by people travelling to attend BTME was first proposed by a BIGGA member a couple of months ago and it is something that struck me as making a lot of sense. Those who know me know that I’m a dendrophile – I love trees – and as we explored the possibility further we uncovered schemes such as the National Trust’s pledge to plant 20 million trees by 2030, so it just made a lot of sense to get involved.

“It is always important to take great care when selecting what trees to plant on a golf course as not all species are appropriate or will generate the desired result, but by working with courses that are eager to create areas of woodland for the wider community, we believe this scheme will help to raise awareness of the good work that golf courses are doing to protect the natural environment.”

Harrogate Golf Club’s course manager, Ken Ward, said: “An old employer of mine once told me, ‘we’re just custodians of this land’. That rang true with me. We’re not here for that long but we want to leave it in a better place than we found it. This is an opportunity to get our members and two local primary schools involved with a project on the golf course, which is a fantastic thing.”

Plant a Tree for BTME is just one of a number of initiatives that BIGGA has undertaken to reduce the carbon footprint of BTME. BTME returns from 24 to 26 January 2023 at the Harrogate Convention Centre. The event is free to attend and for more information visit www.btme.org.uk

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BIGGA and Campey announce award winners

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BIGGA and Campey announce award winners: The British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association and Campey Turf Care Systems have revealed the winners of the BIGGA Excellence in Communications Awards.

Whether using digital and social media, community outreach or by producing an article for the monthly journal of BIGGA, Greenkeeper International, the awards recognise those greenkeepers who have embraced communication as a vital tool available to the modern turf professional, helping to improve understanding and appreciation of the greenkeeping industry among the public or sharing ideas and best practice for the turf management community.

BIGGA and Campey announce award winners

BIGGA and Campey announce award winners

Three awards categories were up for grabs and the winners will receive their prizes at the BIGGA Welcome Celebration on the opening night of BTME 2022, which is taking place at the Harrogate Convention Centre from 22 to 24 March.

The Innovation and Thought Leadership Award is given to the BIGGA member who has written the most thought-provoking article for Greenkeeper International in the previous calendar year. The judges selected as the winner a feature written by Prestonfield Golf Club’s course manager Shaun Cunningham. Included within the February 2021 edition of the magazine, Shaun discussed the topic of out-of-play areas and whether a golfer’s enjoyment of a golf course depended as much upon the wider environment and landscape as it did the playing surfaces.

The New Media Award is given to a BIGGA member who has embraced the possibilities of digital media to raise understanding of what goes on behind-the-scenes at a golf course. This year’s New Media Award winner is John Rowbottom, greenkeeper at Woolley Park Golf Club in Barnsley. John began using social media as a bit of fun but quickly gained a large following with his entertaining look at life at this West Yorkshire golf club, often joined out on the course by his ‘turf dogs’. One video of the greens team preparing a bunker was viewed over 23 million times.

The Outreach Award seeks to recognise those BIGGA members who have taken their message beyond the normal work boundaries. This can be to the local community, schools or environmental groups. The winner of this year’s award is John Milne, head greenkeeper at Garmouth & Kingston Golf Club. John has presented in schools and at careers events to raise awareness of life at the golf club. He also invites students to the golf course to show how golf facilities can be beneficial for the natural environment. Activities have included primary school pupils planting trees and taking part in an on course wildlife safari, the establishment of an ecology group and encouraging wildlife photographers to visit the site.

Karl Hansell, head of marketing and communications at BIGGA, said: “At BIGGA we work tirelessly to raise awareness among the public about just what it takes to maintain a modern golf course. Greenkeepers too must do their bit if the message is to reach a wide audience and so I’m pleased that we are able to highlight the incredible work of these three BIGGA members, who go far beyond the requirements of their daily working lives to try and improve the lot of greenkeepers everywhere. The wide range of activities they have undertaken shows not only what a wonderful profession greenkeeping is, but how golf clubs can play a positive role in the health and wellbeing of the wider community.”

“Our thanks also go to Campey Turf Care Systems for enabling us to reward these three BIGGA members with such fantastic prizes. To see BIGGA, our members and the turf industry working together in such a great way gives confidence that there is a bright future ahead for the greenkeeping industry.”

BTME is taking place this week at the Harrogate Convention Centre, having been postponed from January 2022 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Registration is free and more details can be found at www.btme.org.uk

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BIGGA and GEO Foundation team up at BTME

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BIGGA and GEO Foundation team up at BTME: The British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) has teamed up with GEO Foundation for Sustainable Golf to host a place for sports turf managers to meet and exchange ideas during March’s BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition (BTME).

GEO Foundation is an international not-for-profit, dedicated to helping inspire, support and reward credible sustainability and climate action across golf.

BIGGA and GEO Foundation team up at BTME

BIGGA and GEO Foundation team up at BTME

BTME takes place at the Harrogate Convention Centre from 22 to 24 March 2022 and during the event the GEO Foundation will be joined by a number of other partners to host the ‘Sustainability Lounge’, which will provide a dedicated space for attendees to find out more, get involved and join discussions about key sustainability issues with experts in their field.

In addition to its strategic support through partnerships with associations including BIGGA, the GEO Foundation assures the OnCourse programmes for grassroots golf facilities, new developments and tournaments, each of which can lead to the widely endorsed and externally recognised GEO Certified label.

During BTME, the Sustainability Lounge will be a gathering and meeting place and in addition to the team from GEO Foundation, experts from around the UK will often be on hand, including BIGGA’s very own sustainability champion, James Hutchinson.

James, who is Membership Services Manager for Ecology and Sustainability for BIGGA, said: “Of all the key topics up for discussion at BTME, among the most important will be the need for golf courses all over the world to adopt increasingly sustainable practices. With the changing availability of resources and rising costs, alongside an increasing awareness of the important role we can all play to protect the natural environment, golf has a massive part to play and I am excited that our colleagues at the GEO Foundation, and partners from other golfing bodies, will be joining us at BTME for what stands to be a wonderful opportunity to exchange ideas and discover new sustainable practices.”

The GEO Foundation will also be recognising Sustainable Golf Champions and will celebrate GEO Certified venues, with representatives invited to showcase what initiatives they have implemented at their golf facilities. There will also be prize draws for those who stop by to vote for a sustainability or climate action project shared by a fellow greenkeeper.

Kelli Jerome, Executive Director at GEO Foundation, added: “BTME is an important event in the golf industry calendar and the advocacy, education and engagement opportunities provided are important to golf’s sustainability progress. We are really excited about the space BIGGA has made available for the Sustainability Lounge and we’re looking forward to working closely with BIGGA and other UK golf associations to support and engage attendees – meeting, hearing views, answering questions and sharing inspiring stories from as many people as possible during the week.”

BTME is free to attend and registration and more information can be found on the BTME website, www.btme.org.uk

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Finalists for BIGGA Awards revealed

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Finalists for BIGGA Awards revealed: From Loch Lomond in Scotland to England’s south coast, the finalists of the BIGGA Awards 2022 showcase ingenuity, innovation and determination in the face of global turmoil and the British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) is proud to reveal the incredible greenkeeping teams who have been shortlisted for an award, to be presented at BTME 2022 later this month.

The BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition (BTME) will be taking place this March for the first time in its history, with a two-month delay caused by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Thousands of turf managers, greenkeepers, golf club owners and key industry decision makers are expected to take part in the industry’s premier exhibition and educational programme.

Finalists for BIGGA Awards revealed

Finalists for BIGGA Awards revealed

One of the highlights of BTME each year is the BIGGA Welcome Celebration, sponsored for the first time in 2022 by AMS Robotics. Taking place on the opening night of BTME and hosted by television broadcaster and golf enthusiast Naga Munchetty, the BIGGA Welcome Celebration feature the presentation of the prestigious BIGGA Awards 2022.

With incredible prizes up for grabs, the BIGGA Awards recognise that high standards of quality and dedication are vital to the success of any golf course or championship. They reward the innovation of BIGGA members who are at the cutting edge of their profession and any BIGGA member within the UK, regards of their golf facility’s size, age or reputation, can enter. The BIGGA Awards provide golf clubs with an opportunity to showcase a greenkeeping team’s success and celebrate their achievements.

The finalists of the BIGGA Awards 2022 are:

Championship Greenkeeping Performance of the Year sponsored by Origin Amenity Solutions

  • Richard Ponsford and the team at Clevedon Golf Club for hosting the PGA EuroPro Tour’s Wright-Morgan Championship
  • Simon Olver and the team at Ganton Golf Club for hosting The R&A Senior Amateur Championship and England Golf’s Brabazon Trophy
  • Stuart Hogg MG and the team at The West Lancashire Golf Club for hosting The Rose Ladies Series and Regional and Final Qualifying for The Open

Greenkeeping Project of the Year sponsored by Baroness

  • Darren Anderson MG and the team at Bromborough Golf Club for the ‘Leverhulme Project’ that saw the reconstruction of the 17th hole and various other course improvements
  • David Cole MG and the team at Loch Lomond Golf Club for the complete reconstruction of the course, often described as the largest course redevelopment in UK golf history
  • Matt Plested and the team at Stoneham Golf Club for the construction of the Stoneham Academy and various other course improvements

The winner of the Outstanding Contribution of the Year sponsored by Bernhard and Company will be revealed on the night.

More information about each of the finalists can be found on the BTME website at https://www.btme.org.uk/attendees/what-s-on/the-bigga-awards.html

BIGGA Chief Executive Officer Jim Croxton said: “Much has happened since we last met in Harrogate at BTME 2020 and revealed the winners of the BIGGA Awards that year. Society has changed and together we have overcome some of the most difficult challenges any of us will face in our lifetime. Yet there have been bright moments along the way and I’m incredibly proud that BIGGA is today able to reveal the finalists of our annual awards, with six outstanding greenkeeping teams in with a shout of taking home the top prizes. It was incredibly difficult to narrow it down to these finalists and everyone who was nominated should be very proud of their efforts.

“When BTME returns this month, we’ll be kicking things off at Tuesday’s BIGGA Welcome Celebration and I can’t wait to unveil the winners of these awards. I look forward to seeing our friends and colleagues from across the industry in Harrogate for what promises to be a wonderful opening to our annual exhibition.”

BTME runs from Tuesday 22 March to Thursday 24 March 2022 with over 120 exhibitors taking part.

You can register online now for BTME or head to www.btme.org.uk for more information.

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AMS Robotics and BIGGA unite to celebrate achievements

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AMS Robotics and BIGGA unite to celebrate achievements: The British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) is proud to reveal that AMS Robotics has become lead sponsor of the BIGGA Welcome Celebration, taking place on the opening night of BTME 2022.

Presented by popular television presenter and leading golf personality Naga Munchetty, the BIGGA Welcome Celebration is a an informal event that recognises the achievements of BIGGA members throughout the previous year, including the presentation of the BIGGA Awards 2022.

AMS Robotics and BIGGA unite to celebrate achievements

AMS Robotics and BIGGA unite to celebrate achievements

The free-to-attend welcome event takes place in the Main Auditorium of the Harrogate Convention Centre and will recognise the many people who have contributed positively to the industry since the previous BTME in January 2020. BIGGA and AMS Robotics are united in their belief that building a strong community is key to growing a thriving sport for years to come.

The BIGGA Welcome Celebration takes place on Tuesday 22 March at 5.30pm. At the event BIGGA will announce:

  • The winners of the BIGGA Awards 2022
  • The winner of the Innovation and Thought Leadership Award sponsored by Campey Turf Care Solutions.

BIGGA will also recognise the:

  • BIGGA Annual Photographic Competition winner
  • BIGGA’s latest Life Members
  • CPD achievers
  • Master Greenkeepers

BIGGA will also introduce the BIGGA president and BIGGA Vice President for 2022.

AMS Robotics is the exclusive UK distributors of Belrobotics robots. Belrobotics has created a high performance and innovative range of robot lawn mowers, along with a ground-breaking robotic ball collector. The robots form part of AMS’s automated maintenance service offered to golf facilities, sports clubs, land owners and other public and private green spaces.

BIGGA CEO Jim Croxton said: “The BIGGA Welcome Celebration is the one event of the year where every BIGGA member can join us to recognise all the hard work that has been done across the association. It’s free to attend so you don’t need an invitation and there’ll also be all necessary COVID safety measures in place. All we ask is that you come along and celebrate everything we have overcome since the last time we were together in January 2020. The world has changed, but let’s use this as an opportunity to announce that we are back and better than ever!

“Our thanks go to AMS Robotics for their support of this fantastic event. AMS Robotics is an innovative company that is helping to drive the greenkeeping industry forwards and as such their values align closely with those of BIGGA members and the association.”

Philip Sear, CEO of AMS Robotics, said: “We are very much looking forward to attending the show this year. Pitching at BIGGA has always and will continue to open up many opportunities for us. The last few years has been challenging for the industry and we want nothing more than to support the work carried carried out by BIGGA and everyone involved.”

Registration continues for BTME this March on the BTME website and we look forward to seeing you in Harrogate in March.

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