Tag Archive for: Cover

Why Sheffield Wednesday’s Pitch is One of the EFL’s Toughest Groundskeeping Challenges

Why Sheffield Wednesday’s Pitch is One of the EFL’s Toughest Groundskeeping Challenges

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Why Sheffield Wednesday’s Pitch is One of the EFL’s Toughest Groundskeeping Challenges: Sheffield Wednesday’s stadium presents a challenging environment for turf, with significant shade and limited use of supplementary lighting. Alongside this, the pitch sees consistent use from first team and under-21 fixtures, as well as training sessions.

“Our biggest challenge is a very old, heavily shaded stadium with limited use of lighting rigs,” says Head Groundsman Lee Jackson. “Maintaining grass cover through the season is never straightforward.”

Maintaining Grass Cover in a Shaded Stadium

Maintaining Grass Cover in a Shaded Stadium

As part of a partial rebuild ahead of the 2025 season, ProSelect 1 Premium Pitch, a perennial ryegrass mixture designed for high-wear sports pitches, was used for renovation and overseeding.

“I’ve used ProSelect 1 for close to 10 years and have always trusted how it performs, so I had no hesitation using it again, even in a completely different environment,” Lee explains.

Establishment proved difficult initially due to high temperatures during summer 2025 and the nature of the rebuild.

“The early grow-in was tough because of the heat, but once it got going the coverage developed faster than I’ve seen for a number of years.”

Following establishment, the pitch was subjected to sustained use, particularly between December and February.

“We had eight first team games and ten training sessions on the pitch during that period, and we’re around 10% up on usage compared to last season,” says Lee.

Despite this, grass cover has been maintained through the winter months.

“We’ve kept more grass cover than many expected through that period, and recovery after use has been strong, especially considering the environment.”

Presentation and surface consistency have also improved across the season, supported by relatively low disease pressure.

“There’s been a noticeable improvement overall, and that’s been recognised by players and staff who have been here a number of years,” Lee adds.

For Lee, performance in this type of environment is the real measure.

“If you can get grass growing and maintain it in this kind of stadium, with limited lighting, it shows its value as part of the overall pitch management programme.”

Please contact ICL on 01473 237100 or visit www.icl-growingsolutions.com

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‘Crouchy’ features on the cover of Your Course

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‘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.

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GreenMech’s New Dealer Cover For Devon & Somerset

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GreenMech’s New Dealer Cover For Devon & Somerset: Europe’s top-selling wood chipper manufacturer GreenMech have announced a rearrangement of their dealer cover in Devon and Somerset. As from 14th November, Andrew Symons Ltd will be handing sales and support for Devon, with dedicated GreenMech specialists operating out of three depots.

Stocking a wide variety of equipment for agricultural, construction, gardening and groundcare applications, family-run Andrew Symons Ltd have over 30 years of experience offering sales and support for a number of leading brands. The groundcare team headed up by Simon Newsome at the Crediton depot, alongside Lee Hatter at South Molton and Dave Daniel at Holsworthy, will become GreenMech product specialists. Their knowledge, backed up by a fully trained service department, will see the GreenMech product reach a range of customers including holiday parks, golf course, municipal areas and much more.

GreenMech's New Dealer Cover For Devon & Somerset

Commenting on their appointment, Dealer Principle Andrew Symons said, “We are extremely proud to be appointed the new GreenMech dealer for the Devon area. We feel GreenMech offer a superb range of products that complement our existing portfolio and will suit both professional and domestic users. We are also pleased to support them as a British Manufacturer, and as a market leader, which will benefit both us and our existing and future customers.”

Completing the rearrangement, existing GreenMech dealer New Forest Farm Machinery, will be extending their territory to cover Somerset. Having picked up the GreenMech franchise in May 2017 for the Hampshire and Dorset areas, they will now offer sales and support for customers in Somerset, operating out of their new dealerpoint in Sparkford, Wincanton.

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