Tag Archive for: combination

ISEKI and Ipswich Town FC: A Winning Combination

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ISEKI and Ipswich Town FC: A Winning Combination: For over 20 years, Ipswich Town Football Club has trusted Iseki to help maintain pristine playing surfaces, ensuring every team at the club trains and plays on world class pitches.

This long-standing relationship has been built on quality, customer service, and a collaborative approach to finding the best solutions to evolving ground care demands. As Grounds Manager Ben Connell explains, Iseki’s proximity to the club has strengthened the bond, but the machines’ performance and reliability keep Ipswich Town coming back.

ISEKI and Ipswich Town FC: A Winning Combination

ISEKI and Ipswich Town FC: A Winning Combination

“The relationship with Iseki began before my time here, but it’s a strong working relationship that’s been going on for over 20 years,” Ben explains. “We’re not just using Iseki because they’re local, but because we’re very happy with all of the machinery and the versatility and quality it provides.”

From routine pitch maintenance to major renovations, ISEKI’s versatile range of tractors and mowers ensures Ipswich Town can maintain the highest standards across Playford Road training ground and at Portman Road.

SXG327: Elevating Presentation and Efficiency

One of the latest additions to Ipswich Town’s fleet is the Iseki SXG327, chosen specifically to enhance the presentation of areas surrounding the pitches at the training ground.

Ben explains: “We wanted a slightly different approach to tidying up the off-pitch areas. We’ve been using the TXG for many years with the under-slung mower, which doesn’t collect, and we really wanted to improve the presentation.

“So, we’ve gone for the SXG327 with the collector on the back, and the suction is fantastic. It keeps everything very tidy when we’re cutting, and it can get into every area we need it to. The team was thrilled when we got one, and they were all really happy to work with it.”

Beyond aesthetics, the SXG delivers significant time savings, especially during peak growth seasons.

“It’s not just about presentation; it’s also about efficiency,” Ben continues. “Instead of raking up excess grass, the SXG collects as it cuts. It’s a game-changer, particularly in the spring when the growth really takes off, and you’re cutting the off-pitch areas for the first time.”

TG Series: The Workhorse of the Grounds Team

While the SXG keeps off-pitch areas immaculate, the TG series takes care of the heavier lifting across all Ipswich Town’s grounds. They offer the versatility needed for a wide range of tasks, and the ability to quickly switch implements is an indispensable asset.

“The TGs are the workhorses of the grounds team,” Ben begins. “They’re incredibly versatile. We don’t need a specialist tractor for every job because we can just switch the implement and keep going.

“We use them for aeration, pitch maintenance, renovations, and seeding. Whether we’re stripping pitches with a Koro, sand spreading, or seeding, the TG handles it all. The tractor has good space, and the team really appreciates the air conditioning in the summer.”

TH Series: Power and Precision for Heavy Lifting

The TH series brings essential lifting and loading capabilities to the Ipswich Town grounds team. Designed for versatility and efficiency, this tractor plays a vital role in handling bulk materials, moving essential equipment, and assisting with pitch renovations. Its powerful front loader allows grounds staff to quickly and efficiently scoop and transport grass, sand, and other materials.

Durability is crucial for Ben and his team, and the TH series is built to withstand the rigours of daily use in a demanding environment. Its compact size makes it ideal for navigating the club’s grounds without causing unnecessary damage to the pitches. Whether preparing the stadium surface or maintaining the training ground, the TH’s reliable performance ensures the team can focus on delivering top-tier playing conditions for the players.

Stadium Tractors: A Tailored Approach

With Premier League football at Portman Road in the 2024/25 season, every match is watched by millions, making pitch perfection a top priority. Working with local Iseki dealer Ernest Doe, Ben wanted to address the weight of the machines and decided to use a cabless tractor on the stadium pitch with galaxy flotation turf tyres to eliminate any wheel marks.

“We’ve got two Isekis at the stadium—a TXG for smaller jobs like pulling trailers and a slightly larger 35-horsepower TH for more demanding tasks,” Ben explains. “The TH is fitted with galaxy turf tyres to minimise the impact on the pitch because we sometimes put a small seeder on the back of it. So, having those tyres allows us to maintain the playing surface with confidence that we won’t cause any damage.”

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Foley combination at St Andrews

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Foley combination at St Andrews: One hundred and sixty-two years after the first Open at Prestwick, St Andrews hosted the historic 150th edition of golf’s most famous championship.

In early July 2022, the anticipated record-breaking crowds lined the Old Course to witness golf’s best players compete for the Claret Jug. Every blade of grass from the pristine greens, immaculate fairways and challenging roughs which have been cut with blades sharpened by a Foley grinder, and that is how Director of Greenkeeping Sandy Reid wanted it.

Foley combination at St Andrews

Foley combination at St Andrews

Sandy is no stranger to hosting an Open, with three under his belt during his time at Carnoustie. But, this historic milestone in the championship’s history may have been the best yet for the Open veteran.

“It’s the highlight of your career because it doesn’t get any bigger than hosting The Open, and you try to absorb all of that and cherish it,” Sandy explains. “It’s the 150th Open, so it’s a big celebration. There are big crowds, and that means the infrastructure requirements are bigger, and there is a more significant impact on the rest of the estate.

“We never stop planning for it, but from 18 months out, that’s when you’re doing more winter preparations. The infrastructure build starts at the beginning of April, so away from the playing surface, there is a lot of attention required.

“As for the turf, you work back from the day The Open starts and build up to it, so at this point in June, we’re fine-tuning things.”

Preparation is everything at the home of golf, and for three years, the 653 Accu-Master Reel Grinder and 673 Automatic Bedknife Grinder have aided preparation. Recently joined by the 622 Accu-Spin Reel grinder, these machines’ ease of use and quality output have impressed Sandy and his team of five technicians.

Presentation and playing consistency take centre stage during The Open, and with the three Foley’s in place, the Old Course team have achieved that in the build-up to the main event.

“We really couldn’t ask for a better combination of grinders to keep our cutting units sharp for this year’s Open and beyond,” Sandy begins.

“It’s critical that all of our mowers are as sharp as they can be. What we’re able to get from the Foley’s is extreme accuracy and the ease of use for the technicians. The speed at which they can grind means we’re saving on person-hours and are never without machines for long, so it makes life a lot easier.

“The quality of the grind gives us longevity in terms of performance from the mowers, and because they are staying on cut for so long, we can be more productive.”

At St Andrews, four greenkeeping teams maintain seven courses. Each team has its own machinery fleet but relies on a central workshop. In the build-up to The Open, it was business as usual on the other courses, making the efficiency and reliability of the Foley grinders paramount.

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INFINICUT® pair the perfect combination

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INFINICUT® pair the perfect combination: Ticking far more than just the ‘green’ box, a pair of INFINICUT® mowers are delivering a first-class finish at Stanley Park Sports Ground – a 47-acre facility, owned, managed and maintained by Chippenham Town Council.

More than 100 teams of all ages and levels call Stanley Park their home, including Forest Green Rovers FC who have used the venue for first-team training for the last four seasons. It is here that the combination of a 34” FX cylinder and SM34 Rotary are perfecting both pre and post-match presentation.

INFINICUT® pair the perfect combination

INFINICUT® pair the perfect combination

Chippenham Town Council are two years into their pledge of becoming a ‘Carbon-Neutral’ Council by 2030 – with all areas of their operation, including their grounds maintenance, under review for cleaner, greener alternatives. Head of Leisure Services Paul Harvey said that switching to battery-powered mowers was a logical first step. “Whilst we’re keen to be investing in more sustainable solutions to our everyday tasks, it is critical that any equipment we procure produces the results we need to fulfil the expectations of the professional teams we host” says Paul.

“It was evident from the first demonstration that the INFINICUT® range was a perfect fit for us – meeting our carbon objectives but also delivering a fantastic quality of cut, and presentation that is second to none.” This strong first impression led to the purchase of a 34” FX cylinder mower in May 2021. “We use this for FGR’s pitch preparations and across some of the other pitches on the site when we need to elevate presentation to the next level. Switching to a pedestrian mower has also enabled us to keep heavier equipment off the surfaces, noticeably reducing issues associated with drainage and compaction.”

To complement their 34” FX, the council further invested this year in an INFINICUT® SM34 Rotary, delivered in April by local dealer Hunt Forest Group. “After consultations with Oliver Hall at INFINICUT®, a dedicated Rotary machine for the clean-up cut was the next step for us. The powerful suction of the SM34 stands the plant up and removes any debris, leaving the pitch absolutely spotless! In the short time we’ve had this machine, it has already made a huge difference.”

“As a council, we have strict budgets we must work to so purchasing the right machines for the job at hand is essential” Paul concludes. “The INFINICUT® mowers are not only helping us to fulfil our green objectives but the professional presentation they deliver has not gone unnoticed, undoubtedly helping us to secure a recent contract extension with Forest Green, who are now staying with us for at least another season.”

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Reesink’s winning combination

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Reesink’s winning combination: Reesink Turfcare has long recommended renovation for irrigation wherever possible. It solves a multitude of issues, keeps costs down, minimises disruption and brings the system bang up to date. And with Reesink’s training support on hand too, it’s been a winning combination for Breadsall Priory Golf Club.

Renovating its irrigation was an approach recommended to John Smith, course manager at Breadsall Priory, by Reesink when the system started experiencing communication errors and electrical breakdowns on both its systems on both its courses in 2018.

Reesink's winning combination

Reesink’s winning combination

At the time John said: “Completely replacing everything would have resulted in huge costs, but with the help of Reesink’s Toro irrigation team, including Peter Newton and Cevan Edwards, we discovered we only needed to upgrade the two control systems and we’ve saved a lot of money thanks to renovating rather than replacing.”

The existing wiring and pipework were found to be compatible with being updated to Toro’s Lynx central control system which would control the irrigation on both courses: “The biggest difference is that now we can water both courses at the same time,” says John. “Before we had to water the courses over alternating nights, so this is game-changing.”

Another benefit to having the system come into its own over the Pandemic: “The remote control aspect has always been really useful and convenient, but never more so than during the Pandemic,” says John. “It meant that irrigation was never disrupted even with a reduced team and restricted access to the club over certain periods. I could activate it throughout and even put ‘rain hold’ on when the weather changes and I wasn’t on site. It played dividends to the state of the turf over that period.”

Since 2018, John has been updating the sprinklers on the course to Toro Infinity for the Championship Priory course and T7s on the Moreland course: “It’s an ongoing project, we’re replacing 20 a year until they’re all done.”

When it comes to irrigation training Reesink is unique with its offering, from learning how the system works to get the most out of it, to dealing with any issues, John cites the service as “brilliant”: “Honestly the support Peter and Cevan provided myself and Neil Morgan, our irrigation technician with couldn’t have been better. It’s been vital actually and a real partnership has formed. When we’ve had a fault in the wiring, which is over 30 years old, for example, they showed us how to use the ground fault locator which detects through pulses where in the wiring the break is, meaning you can be specific about where you dig up the turf. That saved us so much disruption, time and effort. Whether it’s over the phone or in person on site, the level of service has been brilliant.”

Cevan comments: “Both John and Neil were keen to understand everything about the system so they could take autonomy for it. We’ve helped them along the way, topping up their knowledge, assisting with fault-finding and helping add elements to the four-year-old system.”

This has been in conjunction with also using Toro’s National Support Network, which as the first dedicated customer support network in the irrigation industry provides complete central control system operational assurance. And alongside Reesink’s support is, says John, “the perfect amount of support to keep you irrigating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, no matter what.”

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A Winning Combination

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A Winning Combination: Stuart Lambert, Head Groundsman at Gloucester Rugby, says that a combination of two seed mixtures from Limagrain UK ensures that the pitch at the Kingsholm Stadium stands up to the rigours of training sessions and matchdays.

Having been in the turf industry all his career Stuart has been the Head Groundsman at Gloucester Rugby for nearly three years now. Prior to moving to the Kingsholm Stadium, he was already accustomed to the Limagrain range of grass seed.

A Winning Combination

A Winning Combination

“I had first used Limagrain’s MM50 seed in my previous role at Bromsgrove School,” said Stuart. “We used it on the cricket squares, and I was instantly impressed. When I first arrived at Gloucester, the club were already using Limagrain and I knew what it could do so I decided to stick with it.”

Stuart, who competes with up to three training sessions a week on top of matchdays, always starts the season with MM60; which is renowned for producing an excellent playing surface in a stadium environment. With the added benefit of being treated with Headstart® GOLD, a biological germination accelerator, MM60 delivers stronger more resilient seedling grass, giving turf the best possible start.

“We always use the MM60 mixture for our summer renovation and we will go with a rate of 50g per square metre – which is absolutely perfect,” said Stuart. “One of the biggest benefits of the seed is just how quickly it germinates. Last year, the grass was growing within five days of applying the seed and I couldn’t believe it.”

After his summer renovation, Stuart ensures that he has enough bags of MM60 left over so that he can overseed some of the high usage areas throughout the season. He will continue to overseed these areas with MM60 until October and it is at this point that Stuart switches to Limagrain’s Tetra Sport mixture to see him through the winter period.

“As soon as October comes, we switch to the Tetra Sport seed, because we find that it grows in a lot colder temperatures,” he said.

A traditional repair mixture, especially useful for overseeding of high quality sportsfields to improve sward composition and aid recovery from disease scarring, Tetra Sport consists of Tetraploid Ryegrasses and is ideal for when the cooler weather arrives.

Stuart undertakes a rather unique pre-germination process before even applying the seed mixture – as he explains.

“We start by tipping the seed into buckets; we then fill the buckets with water and leave the seed to soak for 24 hours,” he said. “The seed then goes from a light brown colour to a dark brown colour because it has absorbed all the water; and then we will drain the water off, leave it in a heated shed with a heat lamp, and it will stay there for two further days. We then apply the seed to the pitch immediately.

“Ultimately, this pre-germination process gives us a great head-start. I would say that it speeds the process up by about three weeks. On the particularly bad areas we will put the grow lights over the top and that helps in anchoring the seed and helping the grass to stand up.

“It is a process that not a lot of people do,” continued Stuart. “But a lot of lower league clubs could and should be doing it because it buys time and makes a big difference – particularly in the winter.

“Limagrain’s seed is the strongest seed I have come across and our soil samples prove that we get decent root growth as well. Quite simply, both MM60 and Tetra Sport tick every box for us. These two seed mixtures, combined with our feeding programme, certainly helps the pitch stand up to such heavy usage.”

For further information, please contact Limagrain UK on 01472 371471 or visit the company’s website www.lgseeds.co.uk/amenity – you can also follow the company on Twitter: @MM_Seed

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