Tag Archive for: Course

Foundations of a first-class course

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Foundations of a first-class course: Visitors to the DLF stand 270 located in the Red Zone at BTME 2022, can expect a range of market leading products from the world’s leading grass seed breeder and producer.

The MM brand and mixtures are now part of DLF UK and will benefit from access to the full DLF breeding and research programme. This will bring many benefits including a greater portfolio along with increased research and development.

Foundations of a first-class course

Foundations of a first-class course

BTME 2022 will also mark the launch of the exciting new MM Supreme Ryegreen mix which will offer golf course managers a 100% Ryegrass mixture for use on greens and fineturf areas. This unique new mixture benefits from the inclusion of Singapore Perennial Ryegrass, which is extremely fine leaved with good shoot density along with high disease and wear tolerance.  Furthermore, MM Supreme Ryegreen bring the main benefits of Perennial Ryegrass – fast establishment and wear tolerance in close-mow situations.

As the demand and pressure placed on the modern-day greenkeeper to produce a consistent playing surface continually grows, seed quality, purity and vigour are the essential ingredients for a first-class golf course and Limagrain’s MM range of seed mixture provides exactly these.

For over 30 years, greenkeepers and course managers have been enjoying the benefits by choosing the MM brand and the high-quality varieties used in MM mixtures. All varieties are thoroughly tested at the Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI) – ensuring that the finished product will meet your requirements for play, appearance and maintenance.

For golf greens MM9 – a three-way Browntop bent mixture continues to be a leading mixture for renovations and species exchange. For links style courses and sustainable golf, MM8 offers a great option – a three-way fescue mix with excellent disease resistance, drought tolerance and minimal fertiliser requirements gives course managers a fine, dense sward, MM Coastal is great option to MM 8 where salt spray is in issue, the 100% Slender Creeping Red Fescue mix provides excellent salt tolerance for golf greens and also tees and fairways.

If you are looking for a mixture ideal for tees and fairways, then the 100% Ryegrass MM50 should be considered. It is capable of rapid establishment and fast recovery from divot scarring plus high wear tolerance and has extremely fine appearance.

For links style fairways where damage and wear are lower, MM12 or MM13, are both well suited to this challenging environment as they are drought tolerant and have low maintenance requirements.

Visitors to the stand can also find out more about DLF Pro Flora and Colour Boost range Wildflower mixtures. The mixtures are ideal for those wanting to establish a traditional perennial flower meadow or a high impact colourful display of annuals and perennials.

The MM team of amenity seed specialists will all be on hand at BTME to discuss the products in more detail and will also be available to offer their expertise on any queries you may have.

For further information, please contact MM Sports Seed on 01386 791102 or visit the company’s new website www.mm-seeds.co.uk. You can also follow the company on Twitter: @MM_Seed

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Course managers achieve Master Greenkeeper status

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Course managers achieve Master Greenkeeper status: A pair of course managers who have spent their entire careers working at the same golf clubs have achieved the highest accolade available to UK greenkeepers.

Richard Johnstone of Nairn Dunbar Golf Links in the Scottish Highlands and Paul Brett of The Springs Golf Club in Oxfordshire have become the 86th and 87th members of the British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) to achieve the prestigious Master Greenkeeper Certification.

Course managers achieve Master Greenkeeper status

Course managers achieve Master Greenkeeper status

Master Greenkeeper status is awarded to members of BIGGA who have reached the highest standards of greenkeeping and golf course management. Members must have been working for more than 10 years as a greenkeeper, including three years as a head greenkeeper, course manager or superintendent. They must undertake a three-stage examination process including an assessment of the operations at the golf facility they maintain.

Richard, 39, joined Nairn Dunbar in 2000 straight from school and became course manager in 2016. As BIGGA’s most active member utilising the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme, Richard has achieved more CPD milestones than any other BIGGA member. He has also undertaken a wide range of the opportunities that are made available to BIGGA members, including the BIGGA Delegation to the Golf Industry Show with Bernhard & Company, the John Deere TPC Sawgrass Volunteer Programme and the Future Turf Managers Initiative with Jacobsen. You can read more about Richard’s career here.

Paul, 41, joined The Springs in 1997 and was appointed head greenkeeper in 2000, aged just 20. He has since overseen a transitional phase in the club’s history, including a three-year period when the club was put up for sale and he took on general manager duties and operated the on-site shop. In 2017 Darwin Escapes purchased the golf club and hotel and has since invested £20m into the redevelopment of the site, with Paul playing a key role in the redevelopment of the golf course, alongside former Ryder Cup captain Brian Huggett MBE and architect Tim Lobb. On 20 December 2021 Paul will take up a new role as course manager at The West Berkshire GC. You can read more about Paul’s career here.

Richard said: “Learning never stops and I am always setting myself new challenges, one of which was to complete the Master Greenkeeper Certificate. It had always been an ambition of mine to become a Master Greenkeeper and I feel so proud to have achieved it at the first attempt. The whole process, from the review of golf course operations to the final examinations, was extremely rewarding for both myself and the team. I’m now looking forward to doing what I can to give back to the industry and help others reach their full potential.”

Paul said: “I had often thought of attempting the Master Greenkeeper process. However, due to being dyslexic and shy, I avoided it. While giving advice to both of my sons in preparation for university and the challenges they faced – being shy themselves – it made me take a look at myself and I decided it was time to practice what I preached. I have really enjoyed all stages of the process and I feel so proud to have my name on a list with so many great guys.”

To find out more about the Master Greenkeeper Certificate and to get involved, head to the BIGGA website.

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Vandals strike at golf course

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Vandals strike at golf course: Vandals have struck at a Herefordshire golf club as a car is driven across two of the course’s greens.

Read the full article from County Times here

Groundsman to play on his 'sacred' pitch

Groundsman to play on his ‘sacred’ pitch

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New BASIS organic farming course dates

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New BASIS organic farming course dates: Organic certifier, OF&G (Organic Farmers & Growers), in collaboration with independent awarding body, BASIS and agronomy advisers, Abacus Agriculture have announced 2022 dates for the newly launched Foundation Award in Organic Farming, following a successful pilot.

Next year’s Harper Adams University accredited level four courses will take place over three days on 18 – 21 January at Stoneleigh Park; Warwickshire, 19 – 22 April at the Great Yorkshire Showground; 19 – 22 July at the Bath and West showground and 27 – 30 September, venue to be confirmed.

New BASIS organic farming course dates

New BASIS organic farming course dates

“We received really positive feedback after the trial in the autumn,” says Steven Jacobs, OF&G business development manager. “Farmers and advisers have a strong appetite to build their knowledge of organic systems and we’ve been taking enquiries for the course already and anticipate good uptake.”

The Foundation Award provides a comprehensive introduction to organic farming and organic legislation; to primarily crop and livestock production, soil management and conversion planning.

George Fletcher, who co-manages Berkswell Cheese, completed the pilot course and notes that with the rise of input costs associated with conventional agriculture, he was looking to make his business more financially sustainable. “The course taught me about practical techniques to help reduce expensive fertiliser and spray use and the clear advantages of bringing livestock into my crop rotation.”

Ian Knight, farm adviser and director at Abacus Agri, adds that this training is not only for those considering organic conversion. “The course is relevant across the agricultural sector. The key principles of organic farming and a natural biological approach to soil, crop, livestock and human health apply to every sustainable farming business and forms the direction of government policy and grant support for agriculture.”

BASIS’ head of business development, Greg Hopkinson explains what candidates should expect from the training and assessment for this course; “At BASIS we are really excited about supporting the organic sector through this new qualification. Candidates will need to combine the onsite training they receive with independent study before taking a written exam which will assess the knowledge they have gained.”

Designed to be a stepping-stone towards more advanced certifications in the future, the Foundation Award provides a comprehensive introduction to organic production which will be complemented by additional courses in the future. To learn more about the Foundation Award in Organic Farming visit www.ofgorganic.org or www.basis-reg.co.uk/training.

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Municipal course maintains high standards

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Municipal course maintains high standards: Adjoining Normanby Hall Country Park near Scunthorpe in North Lincolnshire, the beautiful 18-hole, par 72 golf course is set in 117 acres of mature woodland and parkland and is considered to be one of the best municipal courses in the country.

Significant investment has been made here over the past year by North Lincolnshire Council. Improvements to the course have included new tees, pathways and drainage, the installation of a three-bay covered driving range with additional practice facilities, and refurbishment of the clubhouse – as well as a new John Deere course maintenance equipment fleet supplied by local dealer F G Adamson & Son at Langworth.

Municipal course maintains high standards

Municipal course maintains high standards

Normanby Hall Golf Course senior greenkeeper Michael Burgin attended the first John Deere sponsored TPC Sawgrass volunteer programme in 2015, as a member of the Florida course’s maintenance team preparing for the Players Championship. Michael won the greenkeepers’ nearest the pin competition at the famous 17th hole and still has the signed flag to prove it.

Michael has been back to TPC Sawgrass as a volunteer every year since, and as he says, “Ever since my first trip there, I said this is the equipment that I want to be working with.”

The golf course is now being maintained immaculately by the new fleet, which includes a 2550E hybrid electric triplex greens & surrounds mower, 7700A PrecisionCut fairway mower, 9009A TerrainCut rotary rough mower, 2030A ProGator with Dakota top dresser attachment, HPX 815E and TE electric Gator utility vehicles and a 3046R compact tractor, plus a Tru-Turf R50-11 greens roller and Charterhouse Redexim Speed Brush.

“Having been promoted from assistant greenkeeper four years ago, I inherited a lot of equipment that was on its last legs and repair bills were mounting up,” says Michael. “The Council’s new management team had committed to maintaining and improving the course and its facilities, and ultimately investment in a new machinery fleet became a key part of this commitment.

“We went through a formal tender process in the end before reaching a final decision, essentially looking at value for money. Adamsons and John Deere won it by a country mile, ticking all the boxes for lead times, value, service and parts backup – all the criteria were more than met.

“We already had some older John Deere machines, including compact tractors, and had established an excellent relationship with the dealership, so Adamson’s depot manager Simon Fountain and I looked at various options and we came up with a list of what we needed.

“I knew I had to have specialist equipment for the greens, including a brush, top dresser and greens iron, to bring them up to the next level. Having our own top dresser has been a godsend, as we used to hire one in from the dealer just twice a year. Now we aim to top dress little and often, every two weeks or so, and we’ve already put on 40 tonnes of sand this year. It causes minimal disruption to play, but it’s made a huge difference to the standard of the greens.

“I also wanted to run two fairway mowers to make the job quicker, plus we were spending a lot of money to keep our old rough mower going, so we definitely needed a replacement for that. The John Deere 9009A provides a great quality of cut, but the main thing for me is it’s so easy to maintain. You can grease the whole machine in five minutes, and it’s not a messy job at all any more.

“The after-sales service from Simon and the dealership has also been phenomenal, whenever I call they’re always available to sort out anything I need straight away.

“We’ve now gone back to over 350 members, and picked up over 100 since we reopened in March after the last lockdown. I believe this is primarily due to the fact that the course is in such good condition now, and word’s gone round. It’s come on phenomenally, we’ve definitely been able to step things up to a higher level since we got the new machines.”

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