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Stratford Oaks Golf Club enjoys growth with Suståne

Stratford Oaks Golf Club enjoys growth with Suståne

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Stratford Oaks Golf Club enjoys growth with Suståne: Like most, the objective for James Cleaver – Course Manager at Stratford Oaks Golf Club – is to achieve year-round consistency when it comes to plant health and play quality.

A steady, reliable nutrition programme has become a key part of that effort and, over the last 18 months, Suståne’s 5-2-4+Fe slow-release naturel base fertiliser has played an increasingly important role.

Stratford Oaks Golf Club enjoys growth with Suståne

Stratford Oaks Golf Club enjoys growth with Suståne

Rounds are high at the private members club located on the outskirts of Stratford-Upon-Avon, with James and a team of six working hard to retain high performing greens despite high levels of wear and often challenging climatic conditions. To source an organic ‘base feed’ which would keep the greens healthy year-round and, in particular, provide a boost over the winter months, James spoke to Nathan Scarff at GBR Amenity.

“When it’s wet in the winter and difficult to get a sprayer round, switching to a natural-based granular product meant fewer trips around the course and less reliance on spraying during those periods” says James. “After trialling Suståne’s 5-2-4+Fe in autumn 2024, we emerged in the spring in a healthier place which then encouraged us to up the applications to four or five times a year – focusing on the high disease pressure windows.”

Noting the success of their Suståne applications, James highlights one particular result which came following last year’s severe drought. “We had one green which really struggled without irrigation. I spoke to Suståne’s Russell Riley who suggested putting down some extra 5-2-4+Fe to help with the recovery and, interestingly, we’ve noticed that this is the only green which has emerged into 2026 disease-free. Obviously we can’t say for certain that Suståne is the sole reason but it’s the only thing that was done differently and something we’re looking to explore further.”

“Another great thing with this product is it doesn’t trigger a massive flush of growth like you get with some other fertiliser products. Application is also easy – the small prill quickly gets into the sward so, when applied in conjunction with predicted rainfall it doesn’t disrupt our mowing programme.” James continues, “I also appreciate the honest help and advice we get from both Nathan and Russell who actively encourage you not to over-apply products. It’s a refreshing change from the ‘more the merrier’ approach you get from some sales reps!”

5-2-4+Fe is the original Suståne formula, developed in 1988. Its all-purpose nature makes it ideal for a range of sports turf and landscape applications, providing a quick green up followed by long lasting slow-release organic nitrogen. For more information on this, and other products in the professional range, visit www.sustane.com

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Top Tips On Groundskeeping From Manchester Rugby Club

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Top Tips On Groundskeeping From Manchester Rugby Club: The team at STIGA have always known their robot mowers were a cut above the rest, but now they’re absolutely scrumming their way to glory on rugby pitches too.

When star signings Mow Marler and Cutney Lawns joined the grounds squad at Manchester Rugby Club, it wasn’t just a transfer… it was a turf-formation!

Tim Holmes of Manchester Rugby Club shared:

“Mow Marler and Cutney Lawns joined the Manchester Rugby Club Grounds team back in October 2024, having signed from STIGA. As part of the partnership, STIGA provided full training on how to get the most from the mowers, and they made an immediate impact. Their work ethic has been incredible! They operate day and night, seven days a week, and we saw an instant improvement in the quality of the pitches.”

Top Tips On Groundskeeping From Manchester Rugby Club

Top Tips On Groundskeeping From Manchester Rugby Club

Naturally, STIGA had to get the inside scoop from the brilliant volunteers who care for the club’s four full-size rugby pitches. Here’s what they had to say…

How often do the robots mow each area?

Chutney and Mow are pretty much out every day from Mid-March to late November. They cut a pitch each in just under 3 days so each pitch is cut twice a week.

Roughly how much staff time have the robots saved each week?

Before the mowers, our team would just about have the time to cut the pitches once a week, but this meant there were also cuttings to clear after, especially in the summer. Cutting each pitch would take approx 90 mins, and clearing the cuttings another 90-120mins. So approx 7.5 hours a week, that is now retained to do other pitch maintenance work, such as slitting and verti-draining

Has this reduced overtime or weekend work?

To be honest, it’s all overtime, but none of it paid, as we have a wonderful team of very hardworking volunteers managing the grounds, but it has greatly reduced the pressure on the team each week

Have you noticed improvements in turf density or overall health?

Yes, very much so. The constant cutting keeps the grass shorter and stronger

How does the cut quality compare to traditional mowers?

The constant cutting means the grass doesn’t get long at all, and it’s kept at the perfect level

Does frequent, light cutting improve presentation?

Very much so. It keeps everything trim and neat. The biggest difference is when the ground is wet or soft, and we couldn’t use the tractor to cut the pitches. The mowers being so light allows for constant cutting without any damage to the surface

Have players noticed a difference in surface quality?

Yes, when the grass used to get longer, it was commented on and more difficult to play and train on.

Has match-day presentation improved?

The constant cutting often means we don’t have to roll or cut before a match day, meaning the pitch is always in peak condition

In true rugby fashion, Mow Marler and Cutney Lawns even marked their arrival at the club with matching tattoos. Rumour has it the STIGA team think they’ve earned a few more for their tireless service, maybe a championship badge next?

You can read more about STIGA’s autonomous robot mowers and other STIGA products here: www.stiga.com/uk/

To read more about the STIGA partnership with England’s Rugby Football Union (RFU) here: www.stiga.com/uk/stiga-x-rfu

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Kubota Powers Guards Polo Club with Reliable Fleet

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Kubota Powers Guards Polo Club with Reliable Fleet: One of the world’s most prestigious polo venues has revealed how it relies on a versatile fleet of M4, M5 and M6 tractors, alongside four RTV-X1110 utility vehicles from Kubota.

Based in Windsor Great Park, Guards Polo Club hosted more than 750 games in its 2025 season which was only possible thanks to a monumental team effort and the Kubota equipment which is at the heart of every element of polo field preparation.

Kubota Powers Guards Polo Club with Reliable Fleet

Kubota Powers Guards Polo Club with Reliable Fleet

Guards Polo is comprised of three sites and ten full-size polo fields, playing host to some of the highest levels of polo including frequent high goal tournaments. Regularly welcoming distinguished and royal players, the packed calendar from mid-April to mid-September places immense pressure on both the equipment and team of ten. Leading that team since March, is Grounds Manager Paul Brown.

“Our Kubota tractors are the heartbeat of our operations” Paul explains. “Whether we’re mowing, verti-draining or moving irrigation from field to field, we depend on these tractors.”

Paul was pleased to see a new suite of tractors, installed and supported by local dealers Lister Wilder on his arrival at Guards – put straight to work on one of the busiest seasons in the club’s history. “The two M4-073’s and two M5-112’s are the perfect blend of power and manoeuvrability, while our M6-142 picks up where the others finish, handling the heavier implements and largest-scale tasks across the farm and polo grounds.”

“They’ve stood up to every test, providing comfort and simplicity of operation for the team which is crucial given the intensity of our schedule” he adds.

With three separate sites and distances of several mile between them, the road-registered RTV-X1110s have also become indispensable – relied upon daily for transport, movement of tools and materials and general ground support. “The safety, speed and versatility of these four RTV’s is invaluable.”

Kubota’s reputation for reliability and durability was central to the club’s decision to renew its fleet earlier this year. Paul says, “Many of the machines these replaced had clocked up more than 15 years and thousands of hours of service. For us, Kubota strikes the perfect balance of dependability, performance and cost-effectiveness.”

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Its all about the cut for South Herts Golf Club

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Its all about the cut for South Herts Golf Club: South Herts Golf Club is underlining its commitment to exceptional course presentation and outstanding playing conditions through its continued investment in Baroness mowing technology.

With two LM66 tee mowers, four LM56 hand mowers dedicated to greens, and an LM331 already in use as well as a Agrimetal GR400 Greens roller, the impact on turf quality has been immediate and unmistakable. The superior quality of cut has been widely recognised by both the greenkeeping team and players alike, prompting the club to further strengthen its fleet with the addition of two new LM311 triple greens mowers, due for delivery in spring 2026.

Its all about the cut for South Herts Golf Club

Its all about the cut for South Herts Golf Club

Course Manager Sean Brocklehurst joined the South Herts team in March 2023, spearheading the maintenance of the club’s 18-hole Vardon course and its 9-hole Rees Course. “I was introduced to Baroness at a previous role back in 2003, so am very familiar with the quality of the machines. The biggest selling point has always been, and continues to be, the cutting reels” Sean explains. “The quality of the bedknives and how long they stay on cut is by far and away the best on the market. At my previous club we changed the bedknives on our Baroness fairway machine, which had run the same set for seven years – and they still had life in them!”

The Baroness range delivers a low maintenance, quality-built solution ideally suited to the club’s ‘North London Clay’ construction – with the hand mowers helping to elevate the course not only in appearance but in agronomic condition. Between October and February, when ride-on machine usage is reduced to minimise weight and tyre marking when travelling between greens, the pedestrian LM66’s and LM56’s become the mowers of choice.

“The LM66 mowers deliver the cherry on the cake to year-round presentation on the tees. The cut is uniform and, from a maintenance perspective, there’s so little we need to do with them to retain that high level of finish.” Sean continues, “When we switch from ride-ons to the LM56’s on the greens, the players notice the difference in cut quality straight away! Here, we’re cutting roughly twice a week at a height of 6mm and it really takes the surfaces to new levels.”

“We also find that we are saving both time and money with the Baroness machines, by not having to replace blades so frequently or spend hours on upkeep and maintenance.”

Sean also praises the support from Baroness and local dealership George Browns which has also played a part in his loyalty to the brand. “We’ve always found support readily available, whether its advice, parts or even the odd favour here and there. Stuart Gray at Baroness and David Fisher at George Brown’s are always more than willing to help when needed.”

“I also like that Baroness are doing their part to support the wider industry, with educational initiatives and updates to their facility which hopefully means we’ll be able to make a trip for some training to ensure we’re using our machines to their full potential” he concludes.

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Brand switch for Massereene Golf Club

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Brand switch for Massereene Golf Club: Massereene Golf Club in Northern Ireland has recently changed its cutting fleet to Toro. The significant overhaul was driven by performance, reliability, and reassurance in the brand and dealer service in Keys Brothers who managed the deal.

For the parkland course with narrow fairways and small greens, accuracy is the key to successful play. The same rule applies for cutting these areas. It needs to be precise and exact and Course Manager Mark Cassidy knew it would be Toro that could best handle these intricacies.

Brand switch for Massereene Golf Club

Brand switch for Massereene Golf Club

“I’ve been working as a greenkeeper for 35 years and know what’s required to deliver the best results,” he says. “I know from experience that when it comes to performance Toro is what we can rely on when it comes to ensuring the best finish across the course, but it especially withstands the test in the trickier areas. We couldn’t be happier with the results.”

Trusting in the brand’s performance is equally as important as ensuring a top quality finish, and this was something the club as a whole needed to get behind.

Mark explains: “The committee was of course involved in the decision to move away from our previous supplier and bring Toro on board – everyone needed to be in agreement that this was the best route forward for the club to guarantee its success over the next five years. We had to consider the tournaments we were hosting, machinery servicing and backup and support.

“For the ISPS HANDA World Invitational for example, Toro stepped forward with loan machines for us to use in preparation for and throughout the event. We were well supported and the view from everyone was that using Toro guaranteed the immaculate presentation we needed.”

The maintenance support and customer service from Keys Brothers completed the package and the club will take advantage of a full service plan from the dealer including regular sharpenings, new blade fittings and preset checks.

“We don’t have a mechanic but by having the maintenance supplied by Keys Brothers it’s like we do. It enables us to be consistent with our records and keep on schedule. It guarantees peace of mind when it comes to health and safety too.”

The deal comprises a full cutting fleet of greens, tees, fairways and rough mowers including hybrid cutting options such as the Reelmaster 5010-H and three new Workman models in a utility vehicle refresh.

Andy Keys, Company Director for Keys Brothers, says: “Massereene is a club with big plans and aspirational goals. They didn’t want the equipment they were using holding them back. By talking to us they realised there was a way to have the quality machinery and the support they needed in a comprehensive package that brings better value for money. Now they have a fixed price for the machines and the maintenance and no unexpected bills or unwelcome surprises like they were having before.”

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