Tag Archive for: Course

STIHL launches Master Technician Course

/in , , /by

STIHL launches Master Technician Course: STIHL has launched its highly anticipated Master Technician Course, the pinnacle of its dealer training programme, designed to provide expert-level servicing and diagnostics across the full STIHL product range.

Following extensive development and a successful pilot earlier this year, the Master Technician Course is now available exclusively to STIHL Approved dealers who have completed the full training pathway, comprising Foundation, Intermediate, and Advanced Servicing courses.

STIHL launches Master Technician Course

STIHL launches Master Technician Course

The final stage of the programme includes an online entry exam and pre-requisite modules, followed by an intensive three-day face-to-face training experience at STIHL’s headquarters, Contra House.

This hands-on course offers participants an in-depth technical deep dive, featuring:

  •  Eight specialist assessments
  •  Extensive product usage training
  •  A guided Contra House tour
  •  A structured recertification process, including an annual online exam

With a strong emphasis on practical learning, the Master Technician Course provides a small group setting, ensuring each technician receives expert guidance. Courses are strictly limited to six participants per session, allowing for focused, hands-on experience with STIHL’s latest tools and servicing techniques.

Since launching the Master Technician learning pathway in 2023, nearly 100 face-to-face training courses have taken place across all four levels, reinforcing STIHL’s commitment to dealer training and technical excellence.

The first Master Technician Course officially launched online on 10th February, with nine further face-to-face sessions planned throughout 2025.

For more information, please contact learning@stihl.co.uk.

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.

Mar Hall elevates course standards with Toro fleet

/in , , /by

Mar Hall elevates course standards with Toro fleet: Mar Hall Golf and Spa Resort near Glasgow is continuing its investment in its 18-hole championship golf course with a significant fleet update from Toro and Reesink Scotland.

Head Greenkeeper Andrew Eckford, who joined the club last year in a senior management recruitment drive alongside a new Head of Golf, had a focus on multi-functional machinery as he planned the new additions to join in the multi-million-pound course renovation.

Mar Hall elevates course standards with Toro fleet

Mar Hall elevates course standards with Toro fleet

Bringing with him 13 years’ experience and countless tournament credentials to the job, the initial projects requiring focus were building back grass coverage on the greens and repairs to all bunkers with a total sand replacement.

Andrew explains: “When I first started, nearly half of the greens were covered in moss. We’ve been steadily reducing that and implementing a structured maintenance plan with regular aeration, seeding, and top-dressing to restore both the greens and fairways to their former glory.”

The Toro ProCore 648s aerator, Workman HDX utility vehicle with ProPass topdresser and sprayer and a selection of trusted greens mowers will be instrumental in this recovery work.

“Efficiency is key,” says Andrew. “I wanted a versatile utility vehicle that could handle multiple turf maintenance jobs throughout the month, rather than investing in a separate Multi Pro sprayer or a top dresser that would only be used occasionally. This solution delivers exceptional value and ensures our greens are maintained to the highest standard.”

The same thought process applied to his decision to bring in the Toro Outcross. This powerhouse of a product also does the work of a tractor, and its functionality and versatility give it the ability to replace two or three pieces of equipment and is what most appealed to Andrew.

“The Outcross will be at the heart of our day-to-day operations and ensures we’re future-proofing essential tasks,” Andrew explains. “Its programmable attachment parameters mean we can add blowers and verti-drainers, yet our seasonal staff only need to be trained on one machine rather than multiple pieces of equipment. It’s a smarter, more efficient way of working.”

Also, part of the investment is the Sand Pro bunker rake, a game-changer for bunker maintenance. “I wanted to bring the same high standards we had at The Carrick, where we raked bunkers daily, something I believe should be the norm,” says Andrew. “But with the scale of our course, hand-raking would take six of us an entire day. With the Sand Pro, one operator can get the job done efficiently, even after adding 1,400 tons of new sand.”

When it came to who to partner with was it always going to be Toro? “Always,” confirms Andrew. “We’re focused on elevating Mar Hall’s golf course and putting it back on the Scottish golfing map. That means using the best equipment available. Most greenkeepers have a go-to brand, and for me, that’s always been Toro, it’s simply a step above. I’m fortunate to have the full support of the management and owners in selecting what we need to do the job right, and with Toro, we also have the added benefit of working with Reesink Scotland.”

Discover how choosing Toro could benefit your course by calling distributor Reesink Turfcare at 01480 226800, emailing info@reesinkturfcare.co.uk or visiting reesinkturfcare.co.uk.

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.

‘Crouchy’ features on the cover of Your Course

/in , /by

‘Crouchy’ features on the cover of Your Course: The Spring edition of Your Course magazine will this week appear in golf courses across the country and there’s a somewhat prominent star gracing the cover.

Standing at 6ft 7in tall, Peter Crouch made a name for himself as an outstanding striker for the England Men’s football team, Liverpool FC, Tottenham Hotspurs FC and others, but since retirement has turned his attention to broadcasting, podcasting and golf.

‘Crouchy’ features on the cover of Your Course

‘Crouchy’ features on the cover of Your Course

In the latest edition of Your Course, the twice-yearly publication from the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA), ‘Crouchy’ talks about his appreciation for the hard work of greenkeepers and groundsmen, who enable elite sportspeople such as himself to perform, whether on the football pitch or the putting surface.

“Without greenkeepers and groundsmen, certainly at grassroots level, we wouldn’t have anything to play on,” Crouch says in the magazine’s lead feature. “It’s a great job they do and they make it incredibly enjoyable for the rest of us.”

Your Course is an in-print magazine distributed twice a year to golf clubs across the United Kingdom alongside National Club Golfer. The magazine is produced by 18Players in collaboration with BIGGA and is supported by a growing array of online features, able to view on the BIGGA website.

Also featured in the magazine are conversations with the course management teams at The Belfry and St Andrews Links Trust, as well as extended sections looking at greens maintenance and the growing use of autonomous technology on golf courses.

Jim Croxton, BIGGA CEO, said: “At BIGGA, we’re big on spotlighting the incredible work of our members and the entire greenkeeping profession. That’s why we produce Your Course, a magazine and online resource designed to help golfers appreciate the skill, dedication and innovation that go into maintaining their courses.

“This latest edition is packed with fascinating insights, from Peter Crouch’s love of the game to the cutting-edge technology shaping its future, including autonomous mowing. Whether you’re a weekend golfer or a club captain, Your Course will give you a fresh perspective on the people and practices that make the sport we love possible.”

Your Course is intended to raise awareness of the greenkeeping profession and the vital role greenkeepers play in the ongoing success of the game of golf. In highlighting the expertise, training and ability of today’s course professionals, BIGGA seeks to redress the balance that has often seen greenkeepers overlooked within the sport, from major championships through to grassroots levels.

The Your Course resource library including previous editions of the magazine is available to view on the BIGGA website.

For more information about BIGGA and its various activities including how to become a member, visit www.bigga.org.uk.

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.

Pleasington Golf Club reopens after course upgrade

/in , /by

Pleasington Golf Club reopens after course upgrade: Pleasington Golf Club will reopen all 18 holes to visitors on April 10 following a £1 million course upgrade.

The venue, rated among Golf Monthly magazine’s Top 200 Courses in the UK & Ireland and the No.1 heathland course in Lancashire, has undergone an extensive five-year renovation.

Pleasington Golf Club reopens after course upgrade

Pleasington Golf Club reopens after course upgrade

General Manager, Mark Bleasdale, commented: “The course has undergone a remarkable transformation and is looking sensational and playing magnificently.

“We’ve enhanced every aspect of the playing experience from tee to green, including the reshaping of every bunker. We look forward to welcoming back visitors from across the North West and further afield, including the many golf travellers who stop off on their way to and from Scotland.”

As a 12-time Open Qualifying venue, Pleasington Golf Club has firmly established itself as one of the country’s top golf destinations.

The high heathland layout offers golfers a rewarding challenge with stunning views to the Pennines, Lakes and Fylde coast, where exceptional golf and breathtaking scenery meet.

Just one hour from Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds, Pleasington Golf Club is easily accessible via the M6 motorway, making it ideally situated for golfers travelling from both near and far.

To book your tee time, please visit: https://www.pleasington-golf.co.uk/visitors/visitors-green-fees/

For more information on Pleasington Golf Club, please view the Digital Brochure

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.

New GreenMech chipper impresses new Course Manager

/in , , /by

New GreenMech chipper impresses new Course Manager: 2024 saw a number of new additions to the team at Ashridge Golf Club. Together with a new Course Manager in the form of George Little, just two months later was the arrival of a ChipMaster 220 TMP (CM220TMP) woodchipper from GreenMech.

Purchased to keep on top of routine woodland maintenance, it’s delivery in September was incredibly timely as – set among thousands of acres of National Trust-owned woodland – the team braced for the impacts of a wet and blustery winter season.

New GreenMech chipper impresses new Course Manager

New GreenMech chipper impresses new Course Manager

Heading up a team of 10, George joined Ashridge in July following seven years spent at the nearby Dunstable Downs Golf Club. One of the main responsibilities of his new role was to take charge of the heavy woodland, lending itself to the popular tree-lined 18-hole course. “The team would be keeping on top of routine pruning and general removal of old or unsightly branches but, without our own chipper, would stack these up in piles awaiting the availability of a hire machine” George explains. “To stop these backlogs the club decided to invest in our own woodchipper and opted for the CM220TMP from GreenMech.”

Promising maximum chipping output with minimal investment, the CM220TMP is driven by the PTO shaft and uses its own hydraulic oil to power the rollers. It combines a large 9” capacity with a small, light footprint – something that’s incredibly important for George. “We’re always conscious of avoiding traffic on particularly sensitive areas, so rather than loading brash and timber into trailers and transporting it, we can now take the GreenMech to the exact location and chip. Reducing the risk of damage, it also speeds up the process by 300%.”

“We knew the machine would be helpful, but in a few short months we’ve used it a lot more than we thought we would to the point that I’d go as far as to say we now couldn’t live without it!” Alongside routine pruning of the boundaries, which George says it’s been brilliant for, the CM220TMP also came to the rescue of a number of silver birch that fell victim to the winter storms. “Again, we had the ability to hook up the chipper and take it exactly where it was needed, to quickly and easily deal with the damage.”

“It has definitely impressed us and has undoubtedly brought improved productivity to our woodland work.” He adds, “We’ve also had a good experience with dealers Avant South East Limited and GreenMech’s Neal Hussey who delivered a thorough induction and has been on hand to help us with any questions. It’s, overall, been a very positive addition to the fleet.”

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.