Tag Archive for: Championship

Hybrid pitches to be used in County Championship

in , /by

Hybrid pitches to be used in County Championship: Hybrid pitches will be used for the first time in the 2024 County Championship season.

Read the full article from The Guardian here

Hybrid pitches to be used in County Championship

Hybrid pitches to be used in County Championship

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Foley Success at Open Championship Venues

in , /by

Foley Success at Open Championship Venues: There are few greater events in golf that match The Open. For many greenkeepers, it is the pinnacle of their careers, but to make it a success, tireless work goes on behind the scenes to have mowers ready for cutting each day. 

When the 151st Open begins in the third week of July, every Toro and John Deere mower used at Royal Liverpool will be ground by a Foley under the expert eye of ProSport UK’s Ian Robson. More than ever, speed and accuracy are crucial during a tournament, and it’s then the 633 ACCU-Pro with ACCU-Touch 3 comes into its own.

Foley Success at Open Championship Venues

Foley Success at Open Championship Venues

The machines come with an automated computer system that provides a step-by-step tutorial for new technicians and a quicker setup and spin grind feature for the more experienced operators. You input the details of the unit you’re working on, and it automatically spin or relief grinds to completion. Pre-programmed spin speeds, relief torque, and in-feeds are only a few of the features found in the ACCU-Touch 3 system that ensures efficiency and guarantees a quality grind with every use.

With Foley grinders at four Open Championship venues, Ian knows the importance of tournament support and the difference it makes. “An Open Championship is a unique event that calls for a team effort to make it a success,” Ian explains. “In my experience, it’s an intricately planned but high-pressure environment, and we’re there to make sure everything runs smoothly.

“We want to ensure every unit that goes on the course is at its best because the quality of cut is so important to turf health and the presentation. Using the ACCU-Pro 633 means we can turn around the units quickly and efficiently while always guaranteeing the best quality, and that is the key thing. Course conditions are the biggest variable during a tournament, and we can very easily adjust our grinding to suit what the course team needs.

“Royal Liverpool has had to wait because of the Open rota being put back a year and the redevelopment of the 17th hole, but the work they’ve put into hosting this Championship will be worth it, and we’re proud to be a part of it.”

Being England’s second oldest seaside links comes with a lot of history. Royal Liverpool was the second English course to host the Open Championship in 1897 and hosted the prestigious competition a further nine times before a 39-year gap between 1967 and 2006 when Tiger Woods won the tournament before Rory McIlroy won his first eight years later in 2014.

The club has far from stood still since then, with their new 17th hole aiming to make a name for itself among golfs standout par-3s. Using the Dee Estuary as a backdrop, the well-guarded elevated green could well be a decision maker on who lifts the Claret Jug along with the redesigned over 600-yard par-5 18th.

Open Quality

Royal Liverpool is the second successive Open host to use Foley, following St Andrews, who used the American-made machines during the 150th Open.

Customer support ranks highly at the home of golf, with the personal touch ranking as highly as the ability to provide solutions for Head of Maintenance Lani Togi.

“When it comes to buying machines, it’s not always about the cost of the item; it’s the personal side of things as well,” he said. “You buy from people, and we’ve worked with Ian for many years, and we know we can rely on his backup service.

“One of the biggest things that’s helped us get the results is the Borazon stone we have for the 673 bottom blade grinder. The new Toro E-Reels use a tungsten mixture that makes them very hard, and that stone really cuts it in well. That saves us a lot of problems because previously we would have had to sharpen them again, but now we get it done the first time around.”

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Lynch clinches the BIGGA National Championship

in , /by

Lynch clinches the BIGGA National Championship: West Sussex Golf Club greenkeeper James Lynch won the BIGGA National Championship at the first attempt following two wonderful rounds of golf at Enville Golf Club.

Taking place on the 10th and 11th October, the event was hosted by the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) and was sponsored by the association’s official Golf Partner, Origin Amenity Solutions.

Lynch clinches the BIGGA National Championship

Lynch clinches the BIGGA National Championship

James pipped three-time winner David Simpson of Crieff Golf Club by a single stroke to lift the BIGGA National Challenge Trophy, contested for over Enville’s Highgate course. Located in Staffordshire, Enville is a Regional Open Qualifying venue that is also the current host of The R&A Girls U16 Amateur Championship.

Playing in his first BIGGA National Championship, James shot two rounds of 74 to card a 4-over par 148, with David shooting 149 and previous winner Oly Browning of Queenwood Golf Club shooting 150.

In the Stableford competition, Tyler Holmes came out on top after shooting a combined total of 73 points. Anthony Duffield of Ham Manor Golf Club was second with 68 points.

James was accompanied throughout the two rounds by his fiancée April Watkins. The pair are due to marry in August next year, but with James set to defend the championship at Saunton Golf Club next September, he will have to convince April that Devon is a nice place to enjoy their honeymoon.

A scratch golfer, James said: “It feels amazing and I’m so happy to have won such a prestigious tournament. It’s my first year that I’ve been playing in it and it was a battle to the end. The lead changed hands throughout the round and I’m so relieved that I was able to win. My thanks go to BIGGA, Origin Amenity Solutions and Enville Golf Club for hosting such an amazing tournament.”

Andy Wood, golf course manager at Enville Golf Club, said: “It was a pleasure to host the BIGGA National Championship sponsored by Origin Amenity Solutions. We always enjoy preparing the course for a championship, but to host this prestigious event for fellow greenkeepers is a real honour and I hope everyone enjoyed their visit to Enville. Our greenkeeping team has done the club proud in setting up for this event, which gave them an opportunity to showcase their work to fellow professionals.”

On behalf of Origin Amenity Solutions, Glen Howard added: “It has been a fantastic two days. The course is looking amazing, we’ve been blessed with great weather and I’ve witnessed some cracking golf. It is a privilege to sponsor the BIGGA National Championship, which brings together golfers of all standards from across the association. It gives us an opportunity to catch up with people from within the industry, which I and the rest of the OAS team find invaluable. Congratulations to all the trophy winners, thank you to Enville Golf Club for a warm welcome and well done to all involved, particularly the greenkeeping team, who did a superb job.”

The 2023 BIGGA National Championship sponsored by Origin Amenity Solutions will take place at Saunton Golf Club on Monday 25th and Tuesday 26th September 2023.

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Timbersports Women’s Championship

in , /by

Timbersports Women’s Championship: STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® will host its first ever British Women’s Championship in June, where the best female lumberjill athletes in Great Britain will put their axe, saw and chainsaw skills to the ultimate test to become the inaugural female STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® British champion. 

The landmark event will take place at Royal Three Counties Show in Malvern on Friday 17 June and will see the top eight female logger sports athletes battle against each other in three challenging disciplines; Stock Saw, Single Buck and Underhand Chop.

Timbersports Women's Championship

Timbersports Women’s Championship

Each discipline will see the athletes slice and chop their way through large logs in seconds using a combination of axes, two-metre crosscut saws and high-powered chainsaws, all requiring high levels of power, precision and endurance to succeed. Competitors are awarded maximum points for the fastest time, with the athlete accumulating the most points crowned the best female TIMBERSPORTS® athlete in Great Britain.

Competing in this ground-breaking event will be Beth Parker from Southport, Catherine Eccles from Scotland, Dee Hardwick from Redditch, with the remaining five athletes in Justine Narusa, Kristy Bray, Martine Arrowsmith, Sarah Cox and Zoe Penlington all hailing from Wales. The athletes have been sharpening their logger skills at STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® training camps throughout the year and are ready to put on a high octane performance in front of a live audience.

The 2022 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® British Championship and British Rookie Championship crown will also be fought for at the Royal Three Counties Show on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 June respectively. In the British Championship, the top male athletes from around the country will compete against each other across six TIMBERSPORTS® disciplines. The rookies, who are under 25, will take part in four events, accumulating points in each round based on their placing in each discipline. The overall winner in each competition is the athlete with the most points once all rounds have taken place.

Simon Hewitt, Head of Marketing at STIHL GB, said: “After several behind closed door events, not only are we thrilled to be bringing TIMBERSPORTS® back to a live audience, but we are also very excited to introduce the first British Women’s Championship.

“All of the competitors want the chance to be the champion in the first Women’s Championship, so all eight athletes have been working hard, but even the smallest slip-up on the day can have a huge effect, so anyone can win it! We can’t wait to see the best-of-the-best female athletes compete for the ultimate logger prize.”

Jane Edwards, Shows Manager at Three Counties, said: “We are incredibly excited to welcome STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® to Royal Three Counties Show and wish all the athletes luck in their Championships. The STIHL Arena is a fantastic, high octane, entertainment area and a great addition to the Show. We’re especially pleased to be hosting the first STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® British Women’s Championship on the Friday and love the fact one of the athletes hails from Worcestershire!”

The Royal Three Counties Show (17 – 19 June) is the Heart of England’s premier celebration of the countryside and rural life. To buy tickets and see the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® action live, please visit https://www.threecounties.co.uk/buy-tickets/.

To find out more about the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® Series please visit https://blog.stihl.co.uk/timbersports/

STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® British Championship – the six disciplines:

Springboard – athletes slot two springboards into a vertical tree trunk then chop through a block of wood at the top of the tree, nearly 3m above the ground

Stock Saw – athletes race to cut two timber “cookies” with a chainsaw from a horizontally set log. The cookie must be complete and within a defined thickness

Standing Block Chop – simulating the felling of a tree, athletes race to chop through a 30cm wood block as quickly as possible from the side

Single Buck – athletes race to cut through a 46cm diameter log using a two-metre long single man crosscut saw

Underhand Chop – athletes stand on a horizontal log and cleave it in two with an axe, chopping from both sides

Hot Saw – athletes race to cut three cookies of a specified thickness from a horizontal trunk using an extremely powerful chainsaw weighing nearly 30kg and with a chain speed of around 250 km/h

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Oakmont builds championship legacy

in , /by

Oakmont builds championship legacy: Oakmont Country Club regularly plays host to the best in golf, and to give them the greens they deserve, the famous Pennsylvania club uses the Jacobsen PGM 22” walking greens mower.

Aside from the Augusta National, no other course has hosted more major championships than Oakmont. The course is widely regarded as being tournament ready all year round, and the exceptional quality provided by the club and their greenkeeping team, led by Superintendent David Delsandro, has been rewarded by the USGA.

Oakmont builds championship legacy

Oakmont builds championship legacy

Oakmont has been named as the second anchor site for future USGA championships, including the U.S. Open in 2025, 2034, 2042, and 2049, as well as the U.S. Women’s Open in 2028 and 2038, the Walker Cup in 2033, and the U.S. Women’s Amateur in 2046.

Preparing the course for these events is a 365 day a year task, and when tournament time rolls around, it is about more than just the machines on the ground. David knows the quality of cut he’ll get with the Jacobsen PGM greens mowers, but when the world’s greatest golfers take to the stage, reliability, and support are what he needs.

“Jacobsen plays a large role in our maintenance today, helping us maintain the history that is Oakmont Country Club,” David explains. “Being founded in 1903, Oakmont is known for holding major championships, U.S. Opens, U.S. Amateurs, National Championships: it’s the home of championship golf in the United States.

“We pride ourselves on producing premium playability, seven days a week throughout the golf season, with firm, fast greens. Therefore the greens mower, as fundamental as it is, is the backbone of the success and the playability that we try to put forth every day.

“Currently, we are mowing greens with the Jacobsen PGM greens mowers. We’ve tried other mowers over the years, demoed different technologies, different manufacturers, we always come back to Jacobsen. Proven cut quality, ease of operation, reliability, customer support. The bottom line is performance, results.

“The club is prepping to host the 2021 U.S. Amateur Championship. It’s a big undertaking for the grounds department and the country club to support the volunteers, the staff, meet the specifications of the USGA, and Jacobsen’s been a great partner with us, with the loan of equipment, their customer support, getting parts, training, working with our equipment technicians, they are always there to support us when we need them the most.

“Jacobsen have been a great partner with us, and the championship support they provided for us, not only for this U.S. Amateur but also championships in the past and future championships, plays an integral role in us being able to host these events and build upon the championship legacy of Oakmont Country Club.”

The 121st U.S. Amateur is the latest in a long line of tournaments hosted by the club. In the past, the seven-day tournament, which features stroke play and match play, has been the springboard for some of the greatest names in golf, including Jack Nicklaus, who won the championship twice, and Tiger Woods, who is the only person to have won three consecutive titles.

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters

Championship treble for dealer support

in , /by

Championship treble for dealer support: Scottish John Deere dealers Thomas Sherriff & Co and Double A will complete a unique treble this summer as they provide vital tournament support for the abrdn Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club in July, the Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open at Dumbarnie Links and the AIG Women’s Open at Carnoustie Golf Links, both in August.

This is The Renaissance Club’s third consecutive Scottish Open, with the course running an extensive John Deere equipment fleet including the new satellite guided GPS PrecisionSprayer and 2550E PrecisionCut hybrid electric greens mowers.

Championship treble for dealer support

Championship treble for dealer support

Sherriff Haddington turf sales manager Dougie Archibald arranged for the supply of additional 8000AE PrecisionCut hybrid electric fairway mowers, Gator utility vehicles and other support equipment to deputy head superintendent Jamie Aitken, who headed up the course maintenance team for the abrdn Scottish Open.

The dealership’s senior technician John Blair also spent two days before the tournament setting up the mower fleet to ensure all the machines achieved a consistently high quality finish.

Head superintendent Paul Seago says: “We are indebted to John Deere, local dealer Thomas Sherriff & Co and their respective staff for once again providing the tournament support fleet for the 2021 abrdn Scottish Open, without which we could not produce our course to the exacting standards required for hosting such a prestigious event.

“As an end user, particularly during these globally challenging times, it is reassuring to know that customer support remains a high priority at John Deere. As The Renaissance Club motto says, ‘Rare Indeed’.”

Dumbarnie Links is a new venue for the Women’s Scottish Open, and this will be the first major golf tournament hosted by Scotland’s newest golf course, which only opened for play officially at the end of May last year. The course also operates a number of E-Cut hybrid electric mowers as part of its equally extensive John Deere fleet, supplied by Double A from its main Cupar outlet in Fife.

The dealership was involved with the Dumbarnie Links project from the very beginning, and since the initial supply of John Deere equipment on loan Double A group sales manager Ross Kelly and golf key accounts manager John Bateson have been phasing in a full range of course maintenance equipment over the past three years.

“It’s simply not possible to achieve what we want to achieve without the extra machines and technical support we get from Double A and John Deere,” says Dumbarnie Links course manager Grahame Taylor. This will include additional hybrid greens, fairways and surrounds mowers plus HPX Gator utility vehicles, with John Bateson also cutting aprons throughout the tournament using a new 2750E PrecisionCut machine.

“Our team of 20 greenkeepers expands to 30 for the Open, and we need to carry out all the necessary tasks as quickly and efficiently as possible. The expanded fleet enables us to increase the mowing frequency, particularly during the tournament when there’s only a short time-frame to get the work done before the start of play. We’ll therefore have lights fitted to all the mowers, as we’ll be starting in the dark at 4.15am each day.”

Carnoustie Golf Links, known as ‘Golf’s Greatest Test’ and a flagship for innovation and sustainable golf course management, entered into a new partnership agreement with John Deere and Rain Bird in 2020. It is also taking advantage of the latest developments in precision technology, with a comprehensive equipment fleet that includes three of the first new GPS PrecisionSprayers to be sold in Europe.

The AIG Women’s Open returns after 10 years to Carnoustie for the 45th playing of the championship in 2021, with the famous Angus course becoming the fifth links venue in history to host the event multiple times.

Carnoustie Golf Links courses manager Kevin Stott says: “Reliable manufacturer and dealer support such as that provided by John Deere and Double A is very important. Hosting a major tournament such as the AIG Women’s Open requires the extra kit and manpower to help our team put that extra polish on the fairways and greens, and make maximum use of the available daylight hours.

“It comes down to the frequency and quality of cut that we need to apply across all three courses. Our primary focus is on giving golfers the very best conditions possible for them to play their best golf.

“This year, as we welcome some of the very best golfers in the world for the AIG Women’s Open, we are ensuring that Carnoustie will provide the great test that is expected from this iconic golf course and that we produce world class surfaces that will challenge every part of their game, resulting in the best all round golfer winning.”

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

STIHL Timbersports World Championship heads To UK

in /by

STIHL Timbersports World Championship heads to UK for first time as Liverpool is announced as host city for 2018: The very best logger sports athletes from all over the world will be competing in what is set to be a totally unique, edge-of-your seat, spectator experience.

The 2017 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® World Championships, which took place in Lillehammer on 3 & 4 November, concluded with the exciting announcement that next year‘s Championship will take place at the Echo Arena Liverpool on 19th and 20th October 2018. Councillor Malcolm Kennedy, Lord Mayor of Liverpool, was presented with a wooden plaque by Wolfgang Zahn, Head of Research and Development on the STIHL Advisory Board, in the official handover at the finale of this year’s championships.

STIHL Timbersports World Championship heads To UK

The STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® World Championship sees the best athletes from across the globe compete in a series of woodchopping challenges utilizing axes and saws. The sport was founded in 1985, and includes six different disciplines – the Underhand Chop, the Stock Saw, the Standing Block Chop, the Single Buck, the Springboard and the Hot Saw. Over 5,500 spectators attended this year’s event in Norway, with millions worldwide tuning in to the action on TV. STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® is in fact recognized as one of the longest running shows on ESPN.

Athletes from over 20 nations will be battling it out in Liverpool next year for the Individual and Team titles. In the team event on Friday 19th October, the national teams will compete against each other in a knockout system, where the disciplines of Stock Saw, Underhand Chop, Single Buck and Standing Block Chop are completed by four athletes in a relay. The world’s top twelve athletes will then compete against one another in all six disciplines as part of the individual competition on Saturday 20th October. In each discipline the competitor is awarded points according to their achieved time, with the athlete achieving the highest number of points declared the Individual World Champion.

2018 will be the first time that the World Championship will be hosted in the UK, with ‘Team GB’ looking to make the most of the home advantage, whilst the 2017 individual winner Jason Wynyard and team competition winners New Zealand will be hoping to retain their titles.

Councillor Malcolm Kennedy, Lord Mayor of Liverpool said; “We are delighted to be hosting next year’s Championships at the Echo Arena Liverpool and it is a privilege to showcase a sport that is watched by millions of people worldwide. I have been in Lillehammer all weekend and the atmosphere at both the team and individual events was electric. It is like nothing I have seen before, and is a fantastic sporting spectacle.”

Simon Hewitt, Head of Marketing from STIHL added: “The popularity of the sport in the UK is growing exponentially, therefore the UK is an obvious choice to host the next World Championship event.  We are thrilled that Liverpool will be hosting as they are incredibly passionate about their sport and we know the city will give a warm welcome to the athletes travelling from all over the world to compete. A STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® live event really is a fantastic experience and we look forward to introducing the Original Extreme Sport and these world class athletes to a whole new audience.”

For more information go to http://blog.stihl.co.uk/category/timbersports/

For the latest industry news visit turfnews.co.uk

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.