Tag Archive for: Country

The Heron Golf and Country Club Leads the Way

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The Heron Golf and Country Club Leads the Way: The Heron Golf and Country Club, one of Essex’s premier 27-hole courses, has announced a major step forward in golf course management with the adoption of seven Belrobotics Robotic Mowers. These advanced machines now maintain all fairways and the club’s expansive driving range.

Leading the Way in Innovation and Sustainability

Renowned for its pristine fairways and natural parkland setting, The Heron has long been a favourite among members and visitors alike. Now, the club is reinforcing its commitment to excellence by integrating cutting edge robotic technology into its turf maintenance.

The Heron Golf and Country Club Leads the Way

The Heron Golf and Country Club Leads the Way

Why Robotic Mowing?

More and more golf clubs are making the move to robotic mowing, and for good reason. Here’s why:

Healthier Grass, Better Play
Robotic mowers trim the grass daily, creating a finer cut and promoting stronger, healthier turf

Eco-Friendly Operations
Electric mowers significantly reduce emissions and noise pollution compared to traditional gas powered machinery.

Efficient Grounds Management
With mowing handled automatically, the grounds team can focus on other vital tasks like irrigation, landscaping, and bunker maintenance

“At The Heron Country Club we have worked with AMS for a number of years since their installation of robotic mowers at our driving range, and they have recently expanded their service of robotic mowers to all 27 fairways on the golf course.

The automation has resulted in an improved quality of grass cutting and savings in resources and bills.

AMS provide an excellent service and we would highly recommend.”
— Alex Bartle

A Course for the Future

With this investment, The Heron continues to set the standard in modern golf course care—combining technology, sustainability, and an unwavering focus on delivering premium playing conditions.

To book a tee time or learn more about our facilities, visit www.herongolfclub.com.

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Category expansions across Town & Country and Wilkinson Sword

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Category expansions across Town & Country and Wilkinson Sword: Barrus is excited to announce the launch of its new product lineup for the 2024/25 season, featuring a wide array of new items and significant category expansions under its renowned Town & Country and Wilkinson Sword brands.

Town & Country: Expanding further into lifestyle sector

Continuing its extension into the lifestyle sector, Town & Country proudly presents the new Dragonfly range. This collection includes the popular Cloggies®, Gauntlet and Lux-Fit Gloves, Memory Foam Kneelers, two stylish umbrellas, a practical journal and more. Each product in the Dragonfly range combines functionality with fashionable design, making gardening and outdoor activities more enjoyable.

In addition to the Dragonfly range, Town & Country is also launching the new Bainton Wellington Boots, leisure and gardening boots for all seasons. These boots are 100% waterproof with neoprene insulation and durable PVC integrated soles. They are anticipated to be high sellers come autumn/winter this year, helping retailers make the most of this year’s wet weather.

The collection also includes a convenient, handheld Boot Cleaner, allowing consumers to easily clean footwear anywhere as well as a Boot Jack, an easy way to remove muddy boots with non-slip ridges for underfoot security, ideal for all types of footwear. These additions not only broaden and enhance Town & Country’s portfolio of high-quality outdoor footwear and accessories, but with smaller items now being introduced, also create additional impulse purchase opportunities for retailers too.

Wilkinson Sword: Enhancing the Ultralight range

Recognising the popularity and market opportunities in its hugely popular Ultralight range from Wilkinson Sword, for 2024/25, Barrus is introducing several new products to further expand the range. Gardeners will now be able to enjoy the lightweight benefits of Ultralight Snips, Ultralight Bypass Pruners, two types of Ultralight Loppers, and two further variations of Ultralight Branch and Shrub Cutters. These tools are designed to offer the perfect mix of strength and comfort with incredibly lightweight usability, making gardening tasks easier and more efficient without compromising on quality.

Additionally, within the Wilkinson Sword portfolio, developments have been made to the Razorcut Pro pruners, now with improved cutting performance, grip and comfort with a more appealing livery to add new dual layer grips and premium SK3 Japanese Steel blades.

POS to support new product lines

To support retailers in showcasing each of these new products and ranges, Barrus is also providing dedicated point-of-sale stands designed to maximise sales and attract customer attention including stand displays, full backwall solutions and innovative, eye-catching offerings to showcase the Town & Country Dragonfly range.

Sales reps on the move

Over the coming weeks, Barrus’ sales representatives will be showcasing the new products to customers and garden centres nationwide. Retailers interested in booking an appointment for a personalised demonstration can contact on 01869 363674 or email customer.services@barrus.co.uk.

For more information on the new products and to explore the full range, please visit https://www.townandco.com/ for Town & Country and https://wilkinsonsword-tools.co.uk/ for Wilkinson Sword Tools.

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New Dragonfly Collection from Town & Country

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New Dragonfly Collection from Town & Country: Town & Country has unveiled the launch of the Dragonfly Collection. This new range offers a curated selection of best-selling garden essentials seamlessly interwoven with complementary gifting lines and link purchase opportunities. The Dragonfly Collection brings together functionality, luxury and elegance in a way that will delight both garden enthusiasts and those seeking the perfect gift.

The collection includes the popular Cloggies®, Gauntlet and Lux-Fit Gloves, Memory Foam Kneelers, Umbrellas, Rambler socks, an Indoor Door Mat, an Everyday & Gardening Planner, Stylish Pen in gift box and a complimentary Journal.

New Dragonfly Collection from Town & Country

New Dragonfly Collection from Town & Country

Town & Country’s iconic Classic Cloggies® are at the core of the new Dragonfly range. Designed for gardeners who value ease and comfort, these cushioned clogs are easy to slip on and off, and feature the new Dragonfly fabric on the in-sole. With a contoured shape for a better fit and slip-resistant soles for added safety, these lightweight and comfortable Cloggies are perfect for quick trips to the garden or around the house.

Two new glove options are being introduced too. The Premium Lux-Fit Gloves offer the perfect mix of luxury and practicality. Crafted from soft and supple microfibre leather, these gloves are in the new light and lavish dragonfly pattern. The wrist strap ensures added comfort, while the palm and finger protection offer unparalleled durability. These gloves are designed for those who seek both style and superior hand protection while tending to their garden.

Then, for gardeners requiring enhanced protection, the Lux-Fit Gauntlet Gloves are the ideal choice. Made from the same soft microfibre leather, these gloves extend to provide palm, finger and lower arm protection. They are designed to keep debris out, ensuring a comfortable gardening experience even in the most challenging conditions.

Memory Foam Kneelers: Ultimate Support and Durability

The Dragonfly Range includes two memory foam kneelers. The first is a peanut-shaped option that concentrates support exactly where it is needed, offering ultra comfort during prolonged use. Water-resistant and highly durable, this kneeler is perfect for gardening, DIY projects and housework. Its ergonomic design ensures that knees remain comfortable and protected, no matter the task at hand.

The second is the Folding Memory Foam Kneeler. This extra-wide kneeler provides cushioned comfort and support for various activities beyond gardening and doubles as an ideal seat for picnics and walks. Its foldable design makes it easy to store and transport, making it a practical choice for on-the-go.

The Dragonfly range brings an array of opportunities for retailers to create impulse complementary purchases throughout stores. As such, auxiliary gift and lifestyle products play a key part in the range and a selection of new stationery items have been launched.

The Journal is an A5 notebook, perfect for everyday use. With 160 lined sheets, a ribbon page marker and a durable hard cover, it’s an elegant and practical addition. There is also a 52-sheet Everyday Planner with tear-off to-do lists. Its hangable clipboard design makes it perfect for in the sheds or greenhouses and around the home. The Dragonfly Ballpoint Pen is the perfect finishing touch to the Dragonfly Collection. This black ballpoint rollerball pen, ideal for everyday use, is displayed in a dragonfly-themed presentation box, making it an elegant gift.

Further new products, all in the Dragonfly design, include:

  • The stylish and functional Indoor Barrier Mat, designed to trap mud, dirt and dust, offering anti-slip and stain-resistant properties. Machine washable and fast drying, it is hard-wearing and super absorbent, holding up to three times its own weight in water. It’s the perfect blend of style and practicality for any home.
  • A Twin Pack of Rambler Socks. As well as the eye-catching design and soft texture, these socks boast innovative moisture management technology, provide arch and ankle support and are fully cushioned throughout to give enhanced comfort. They also feature smooth toe seams with a thick loop pile to reduce rubbing.
  • Pop-Up Umbrellas that feature an auto-open and shut mechanism at the touch of a button. Each comes with a matching slipcover.

The Dragonfly Collection by Town & Country offers a perfect blend of luxury, functionality and style, making it the ultimate choice for both garden lovers and gift seekers.

To support retailers in showcasing each of these new products and ranges, Barrus is also providing dedicated point-of-sale stands designed to maximise sales and attract customer attention including stand displays and selection of products in shelf ready packaging for other locations around the garden centre.

To find out more please contact your local Barrus Area Sales Manager, call on 01869 363674 or email customerservices@barrus.co.uk‘

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JCB Golf and Country Club adopts a Sustainable approach

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JCB Golf and Country Club adopts a Sustainable approach: The prestigious JCB Golf and Country Club in Rocester, Staffordshire is preparing to host the LIV Golf UK event next week, from 26-28 July 2024, replacing Centurion Golf Club in Hertfordshire as LIV’s UK LIV stop.

JCB has hosted events in the last two years on the Legends Tour, the DP World Tour’s veteran circuit. They now join an ever-growing list of UK golf courses in connection with LIV Golf and its financial investment in the professional game.

JCB Golf and Country Club adopts a Sustainable approach

JCB Golf and Country Club adopts a Sustainable approach

The new Golf and Country Club opened less than five years ago in September 2019 and its testimony to Golf Course Manager Callum Wark and his 33-strong team that this is already a tournament standard course, having hosted events on the Legends Tour and the DP World Tours veteran circuit.

Previously from Loch Lomond Golf Club, Callum joined the original JCB Course Manager Euan Grant as a Senior Greenkeeper in June 2016, along with another 15 people who were all instrumental in the construction and grow-in of the course.

Kerr Hunter from Origin Amenity Solutions (OAS), which encompasses Symbio, Headland Amenity, Rigby Taylor, and Turfkeeper, has dealt with Callum since his inception at the club.  Callum explains, “JBC wanted an organic and sustainable course. Euan had been working with Kerr from his former club and wanted the same results. With the active ingredients in fungicides being slowly removed from the market we wanted to proactively manage our greens moving forward and wanted to adopt a biological programme that required less input from us.”

In 2018 Euan became the General Manager and Callum was promoted to Golf Course Manager. He oversaw the official launch of the JCB Golf and Country Club, which was designed to reflect the bold, ambitious vision of Lord Bamford, Chairman of the iconic construction and agricultural equipment manufacturer JCB who wanted nothing less than the creation of a tour-ready contemporary masterpiece in course design.

Internationally renowned Robin Hiseman of European Gold Design was commissioned to create the stunning, contemporary layout in beautiful rural Staffordshire. The 7308-yard par 72 course has been designed to challenge elite golfers at full distance while allowing corporate golfers an enjoyable experience.

Callum continues, “I’m not against chemical inputs and where I need to, I do use them, but I find that by following a biological programme we only have a limited need for them. There is a high level of expectation that the course is in immaculate condition. We cannot afford for our members to see any disease or scarring so as a preventative we currently spray fungicide preventatively on the greens three times a year, but we are planning on reducing this to two times if possible. I see it as a safety net.”

The course is built on land close to the JCB headquarters in a mixture of established woodland and farmers’ fields. The site wasn’t the easiest to work on as there was a lot of clay and drainage was a challenge. Hiseman and his team moved over 400,000m3 of earth to produce the course.

OAS helped with the specification of a full assembly grow-in programme to enable the course to be built with a biological base. Some of the products used included Mycorrhizal Inoculant for greens and tees and Mycorrhizal SeedCoat for fairways and outfields

along with Caviar, calcium and magnesium.

Callum adds, “Today the soil is biologically active and the course is maintained with a vigorous organic and biological programme. We have four Compost Tea brewers and use Compost Teas every two weeks to feed the soil life and enhance the soil food web. We have a full greens programme to aid in the prevention of disease and improve plant health.  We have fantastic results and the OAS biological products maintain the quality. If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it!”

Origin Amenity Solutions is the major supplier to the JCB Golf and Country Club for their putting greens. As well as a myriad of biological products such as ThatchEater, seaweed, CMS Shoot, DegrAid, Biotabs and Liquid Aeration, Callum has been using OAS Iron products for the fairways, ‘it is a high-quality product and one that works with our programme.”

‘Symbio ThatchEater is a core product for us. Our members demand high-performance surfaces. They must be firm and fast at all times. We still need to aerate regularly but ThatchEater is my go-to product.”

“The service and advice I receive from Kerr at OAS is invaluable.  We have a planned programme, but we tweak it accordingly.  A few years ago, I had a problem with plant parasitic Nematodes. Kerr recommended Root Repair.  The problem was eradicated, and I’ve never had an issue since.  The biological approach works for us, our greens are tournament-ready, and the club is looking forward to an exciting year ahead.”

For further information or to discuss a bespoke programme for your club contact the OAS team on 0800 138 7222 or email sales@originamenity.com

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EPH tank-mix helps Essendon Country Club

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EPH tank-mix helps Essendon Country Club: A nutritional programme from Headland Amenity has been praised by the Director of Courses at Essendon Country Club, for helping them get through the autumn and winter of 2021 disease-free.

After his appointment in June, Marc Winnan had soil samples taken which highlighted extremely high levels of organic matter – the reduction of which was the key to the plan constructed in conjunction with Headland’s Regional Technical Manager Peter Blackaby.

EPH tank-mix helps Essendon Country Club

EPH tank-mix helps Essendon Country Club

Marc oversees all elements of greens maintenance across the Hertfordshire estate, which includes two 18-hole golf courses as well as a driving range, practice facilities and the 9-hole Muntjac Academy Course. “Whenever you start a new role, you’ll instantly spot certain problems but it’s also important to identify anything going on deeper in the profile which is why we had both Headland and the STRI take soil samples” explains Marc, who heads up a team of 15. “The high OM levels were a real concern, so we quickly instigated a mechanical and nutritional programme to bring that down, to reduce our susceptibility to disease before the high-pressure period arrived.”

Key to the programme was Headland’s industry-leading 20-20-30+Mantle Enhanced Plant Health (EPH) tank-mix – a combination of Liquid Turf Hardener, Turfite® Elite and Seamac® ProTurf Fe, proven to deliver turf strength and reduce disease activity when applied as part of a preventative plant-health approach. “I’ve used 20-20-30+Mantle previously, but where we would traditionally begin applications at the end of September, we brought this forward to the end of August because of the concerns we had about disease, Fusarium in particular. The 20-20-30+Mantle was complemented with applications of DewCure™ to reduce leaf moisture and this combination, without a doubt, had a massive impact on protecting plant health and saw us get through the whole winter with no disease.”

“In other areas of the course, the goal was to improve the density of the sward via granular feeds. We applied Quickstart® Maxi Plus which gave us great results across the tees, approaches and fairways, and then switched this to Multigreen 15-0-22 temperature-controlled release fertiliser to see us through the winter months.” Together with the improvements in course condition, Marc has been equally pleased with the support received from the Headland Technical Team every step of the way. He adds, “Because of his greenkeeping background, Peter speaks our language and worked together with us to give us more than just the products we need, ensuring we always had all of the additional data and knowledge to make an informed decision.”

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