Tag Archive for: Delivers

Suståne delivers perfect bill of health

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Suståne delivers perfect bill of health: A year-round programme from Suståne® Natural Fertilizers has been effectively managing moisture and turf stresses to keep the 27-hole course at Wellow Golf Club disease-free.

Course Manager Lee Payne describes how the ‘perfect combination’ of Suståne® products including 5-2-10+Fe and 6-2-4 Turf Revival® has seen a drastic reduction in the frequency and severity of a variety of turf diseases, lowering fungicide applications and delivering long-lasting visual appeal.

Suståne delivers perfect bill of health

Suståne delivers perfect bill of health

Steeped in history, Hampshire’s Wellow Golf Club is set among 200 acres of parkland surrounding Embley Park – once occupied by King Alfred and later the family home of Florence Nightingale. Skip forward a couple of centuries, the site now boasts a beautiful 27-hole course maintained by Lee and his team of five. Privately owned and broken down into three 9-hole courses; the rotation of the Ryedown, Blackwater and Embley courses enable a ‘TLC week’ to take place one in every three… or at least that’s the idea!

“We’re constantly busy!” exclaims Lee. “We conduct a lot of in-house drainage projects as we’re quite a heavy site meaning that for most of the winter months, we can’t get a sprayer out. That leads me nicely onto how good the Suståne product really is, an annual programme from whom keeps us ticking over superbly well.”

“It was the organic aspect that led me to Suståne® initially. We were looking for something that would boost the good bacteria in the profile and not be harmful to the environment or our aquatic life, while also keeping on top of the variety of turf diseases that appear.” The programme, drawn up by Suståne’s Russell Riley and Neil Rogers from AGS consists of 4-6-4 slow-release fertiliser, 5-2-4+Fe for a boost of colour during December, January and February before a switch to 5-2-10+FE during spring and autumn. Lee also uses Bolster™ Liquid Biostimulant and Suståne 6-2-4 Turf Revival® which he claims provides instant recovery following heavy renovations in March and August.

“Recovery is one of the biggest factors for us, with tight turnarounds in maintenance windows and this is where Suståne® has been fantastic. The extended slow-release nitrogen within the 6-2-4 product gives us an instant boost followed by a month or two of consistent recovery.” Lee continues, “We also have a couple of greens particularly susceptible to Anthracnose. If this starts to appear we simply put down a half rate of the 5-2-10 which provides enough goodness back into the soil to effectively control any outbreaks.”

A noticeable consistency to overall plant health has meant that Lee doesn’t feel the need to try anything else. “We know our programme, we know it works for us and we know that advice is always available from Russell or Neil to tweak things if required. Not only that, but it’s also reassuring to know that we’re running the course in a way that is sympathetic to the environment we’re in to protect what we have here now and into the future.”

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George Browns delivers new machinery fleet

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George Browns delivers new machinery fleet: Major, course-wide investment and redevelopment plans at Essex’s Crondon Park Golf Club have taken a big step forward thanks to the recent installation of a brand-new machinery fleet package from George Browns Limited.

Everything from tractors, mowers, implements and accessories have been replaced with solutions from leading brands including Kubota and Baroness, to further raise course standards and achieve ambitions of a top-ranking status in the county.

George Browns delivers new machinery fleet

George Browns delivers new machinery fleet

Set within the 220-acre Crondon Park Estate, Managing Director Marlon Fox is the second generation of the Fox family now taking charge of the 18-hole championship course, originally built by his father 35 years ago. “Since COVID, good machinery appears hard to come by with a lot of manufacturers not holding much in the way of stock” he explains. “In our search, we spoke to Luke Farrow at George Browns Great Dunmow branch who, right from the start, understood our requirements and what we’re looking to achieve here, building us a package of machinery to reach that.”

Within that package were two RTV X1110 utility vehicles, a L2622 and L1552 compact tractor from Kubota, together with two Baroness LM315 greens mowers and a LM551 fairway mower.

“We had the demonstration units arrive and the greens team were very happy with everything, the quality of cut and finish we were seeing, we were very impressed with. Coming away from our previous brand naturally brought with it an element of trepidation but George Browns, Luke and Tim Mason in particular, have looked after us very well at every stage of the process.”

Promised in May 2023, and delivered on time, the Crondon Park greens department then underwent full and comprehensive training on the new equipment. “The team were able to ask any questions and given all the support needed to get the very best out of the new fleet. Everyone is very happy, and we know we have the expertise of George Browns nearby or on the end of the phone if we need them.”

Marlon concludes, “We have a massive five-year plan, so having new machinery that is going to give us quality results, reliability and no age-related issues is setting us off on the right path to achieve our goals and deliver an unforgettable golfing experience!”

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CombiTool delivers maintenance without compromise

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CombiTool delivers maintenance without compromise: Proving that multi-purpose certainly doesn’t have to mean compromise, a CombiTool from GKB Machines has been delivering on every front since its delivery at Rookery Park Golf Club in May 2023.

Head Greenkeeper Neil Davey explains how the ability to conduct multiple operations in a single pass is not only saving them labour hours, but the flexibility to adjust the working depth of each attachment independently is delivering even better results than they’d hoped for across greens, tees and approaches.

CombiTool delivers maintenance without compromise

CombiTool delivers maintenance without compromise

The heavy clay profile of the club in Lowestoft, Suffolk, is the number one challenge for the greens team – with anything allowing them to get some well-needed extra drainage a welcome addition to Neil, his fleet and the team of five. “You see this kind of equipment in use a lot at football and sporting venues and, after seeing it for the first time at SALTEX, I thought why are we not using this sort of machine to slit & roll tees and approaches on a golf course!” explains Neil.

“The build quality of the GKB kit always impresses me so having seen it on the stand, and thinking about the uses for the various attachments we purchased the CombiTool without even having a demonstration. It hasn’t disappointed… in fact, since it was delivered by Stuart Paterson at Ernest Doe it’s been out on the course more than it’s been in the shed and has exceeded all of our expectations!”

Launched in November 2022, the CombiTool features four attachment slots which can be tailored to the venue or task at hand, offering versatility and value-for-money while allowing multiple maintenance operations to be completed in a single pass. “We opted for the 1.6m working width with mini-slit on the front, followed by harrows, then a roller and the brush at the rear for presentation and to stand everything up ready to cut behind. We’ve so far passed over the tees and approaches a couple of times, along with two operations on the greens, where we simply raised the brush and harrows to make the operation less invasive.”

“That’s the real beauty of this machine – the versatility and ability to control the depth of each attachment means you can be as soft or aggressive as the surface demands. You could also swap different attachments in or out to suit, making it super simple for us to get some slits in the ground for additional drainage or ahead of applications of wetting agents or topdressings.”

Neil continues, “The possibilities of this unit are endless around the course. We’re going to try it out on the fairways once the current spell of dry weather is over. We’re also going to remove the roller and use the harrows and brush to see how that combination gets on with wormcasts.”

“Not only does this machine give us so much flexibility, the convenience of it is another major plus. If I wanted to slit and brush ordinarily, this would be two people running two separate machines. With the CombiTool, it’s all done in one pass, with a second team member following on behind with a mower, leaving an incredible quality of finish” he adds.

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Aspen delivers clean and convenient power

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Aspen delivers clean and convenient power: More than a decade since he first started using Aspen Alkylate fuel in his tree surgery business, The Arborist Ltd, Owner Tony Gascoyne says he’s never looked back.

Having originally switched for the health & safety benefits for him and his team of operatives, he notes the reduction in mechanical failures and simplicity of bulk delivery and invoicing has brought a new efficiency and convenience to his operation.

Aspen delivers clean and convenient power

Aspen delivers clean and convenient power

Tony founded the Mansfield-based business 23 years ago after a period spent working in Stockholm, with the majority of his day-to-day workload made up of domestic tree and hedge maintenance. “Everyone in this industry knows the unpleasantries of working with 2-stroke fuel – the haze, the smell and the overarching health concerns of breathing in those hazardous emissions everyday” he explains. “Despite it being a Swedish brand, I didn’t actually come across Aspen during my time in Sweden, but instead got into conversation with them at a trade show roughly 10 years ago.”

“It was really the health benefits for the operator that appealed to me, but based on the other claimed USP’s such as reduced engine component failure and the extended shelf life I gave it a go and it has really delivered on every front.” Being free from ethanol and most of the other hazardous hydrocarbons traditionally found in unleaded petrol from the pump, Aspen Alkylate fuel burns cleaner, reducing the negative impact on the operator, machinery and surrounding environment.

“One thing that became apparent very early on was the reduction in problems we were having with carburettors. And with Aspen being pre-mixed, you eliminate the variability of having to mix in 2-stroke oil so you get guaranteed consistency in every can.”

Tony explains that Aspen is used in all their 2-stroke engine equipment, primarily chainsaws – some of which, at the larger end of the scale, are used fairly infrequently. “Our 088 chainsaw for example might only come out once a month, and it doesn’t seem to matter how long it’s been sitting in storage, it’ll always start first time with Aspen.”

Further labour savings are also found with the safe and simple bulk delivery of Aspen to site. “We get one delivery and one bill a year which keeps everything simple and means we’re not repeatedly making trips to the forecourt. The fireproof Transbank storage container holds 60 five litre cans so we pop one in the truck, and a spare, and off you go.” He concludes, “When you start to add up the savings from fewer servicing bills combined with the convenience angle, it starts to stack up in a commercial sense as well as a safety one.”

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15 years of DLF R&D delivers sustainability you can rely on

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15 years of DLF R&D delivers sustainability you can rely on: DLF’s continued focus on breeding environmentally responsible varieties has seen the introduction of a number of exceptional cultivars, helping facilities and turf managers achieve their own objectives for more sustainable management.

In trials for the Chewings Fescue category, DLF’s Orionette demonstrated a high-quality sward that is more drought tolerant and resistant to disease, reducing the reliance on inputs. It is therefore no surprise to see its inclusion in a number of top-performing DLF golf mixtures and find it ranked as number one in the 2023 BSPB Seed Guide!

15 years of DLF R&D delivers sustainability you can rely on

15 years of DLF R&D delivers sustainability you can rely on

Chewings Fescue grass (Festuca rubra commutata) is a popular cool-season grass, valued for its fine texture, early growth habit, attractive green colour and ability to thrive in a range of soil conditions. Its upright growth results in dense tufts without rhizomes, so it doesn’t spread like it’s Slender or Strong Creeping cousins. Over the years, Chewings Fescue has been extensively bred and developed to offer a hardier and even more adaptable turf, tolerant of close mowing and typically blended with other fescues to create a golf mixture with exceptional ball roll and playability.

In recent years, breeding efforts – including those by DLF – have focussed on developing Chewings Fescue cultivars that require less water and fertiliser and be naturally more resistant to pests and disease, reducing the need for chemical inputs and therefore improving environmental sustainability. Orionette is the result of more than 15 years of research and development, created by combining plants of the very best germplasm available in DLF breeding. Extensive screening across DLF’s European trials network followed, including for drought tolerance in France, winter tolerance in the Czech Republic as well as green trials conducted in Denmark.

The results showed superior performance in all aspects and thanks to its high tiller density, Orionette is more tolerant to winter diseases such as Red Thread and highly resilient to wear and tear.

It’s ability to perform under a lower Nitrogen-input programme is another reason why Orionette excels in a number of popular Johnsons Sports Seed mixtures for fine turf – both as a drought-tolerant fairway cultivar in J Premier Fairway or in a disease and weed resistant capacity in a greens mix such as J Fescue and J Green. J Premier Fairway is a high-performance blend of seven fescue cultivars for the sustainable management of non-rye tees and fairways. Orionette makes up 15% of both J Fescue and J Green, requiring less water and fertiliser and contributing to fast and sustainable surfaces.

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Ecodresser delivers sustainable solution to topdressing

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Ecodresser delivers sustainable solution to topdressing: Contractors W R Sandow have praised their recent purchase of an Ecodresser from GKB Machines as they join industry associations in encouraging more sustainable management of winter sports pitches.

The Ecodresser recycles material from the profile to improve drainage and play characteristics while reducing reliance on imported sands and dressing material – offering a solution that is both practical and cost effective.

Ecodresser delivers sustainable solution to topdressing

Ecodresser delivers sustainable solution to topdressing

Specialising in sports pitch construction and maintenance, W R Sandow work with facilities across Cornwall and West Devon and have been a Pitch Contracting Partner to the RFU since 2005. “Sustainability is really coming to the fore in our sector as we all look at our impact on the environment” explains Director Andrew Sandow. “We’ve been looking at recycling dressers for many years but specifically wanted one with a stone screen which comes into its own when working on grass roots pitches. The GKB Ecodresser ticked all of the boxes for us.”

When matches are played on wet ground, the action can disturb the profile and cause the soil to go into suspension. As it settles, the heavier particles like sand, settle faster while lighter particles like silt and clay will settle more slowly – capping the sand underneath the top layer which, over time, can destabilise the surface and reduce its natural ability to drain. The blades of the Ecodresser cut through the ground to depths of up to 200mm, breaking through the ‘crust’ and bringing the finer soil back to the surface.

“The linear aeration in itself brings multiple benefits to the surface, but for those venues with naturally sandy soils, the Ecodresser can hugely reduce the need for imported sports sand topdressing which is not only more environmentally-friendly, but better for the budget too!”

Together with Simon Johnson, GMA Regional Pitch Advisor for Rugby in the West, Andrew recently visited Redruth Rugby Club, where the Ecodresser left a lasting impression! “Redruth was the second venue we’d used the Ecodresser at and everyone who was watching it work was amazed by the results. Another great feature of this machine is its ability to store material which can then be redistributed into goal mouths or pitch hollows, eliminating the need to buy in non-native soils.”

“Alongside football and rugby, we can see demand for this type of machine on cricket outfields, even running tracks where it could be used to level and produce a more even surface.” Andrew adds, “The Ecodresser is already booked up for work at venues and we look forward to introducing it to more people at various educational events throughout the summer.”

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DLF delivers carnival of colour

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DLF delivers carnival of colour: The green, green grass of Chipping Sodbury Golf Club in Bristol is now complimented with a carnival of colours including reds, pinks and purples thanks to the introduction of wildflower seed from DLF.

The project is now into its third year and was the brainchild of Deputy Head Greenkeeper Craig Swindells who, together with support from the membership, has successfully introduced 800sq.M of outstanding visual impact together with all-important food and habitat for pollinators and wildlife.

DLF delivers carnival of colour

DLF delivers carnival of colour

Craig has been at the 18-hole parkland course, situated on the outskirts of the Cotswolds, for the last 12 years and works as part of a greens team of seven including one trainee and two member volunteers. He explains, “While the trees add great definition to the course, it means we’re very ‘green’ so I presented the idea of planting two new wildflower areas to the committee and they gave us their full support. One member in particular, Geoff McFarland, who shares my passion for ecology was generous enough to fund the project.”

The first seed went into the ground in May 2021 – a combination of Pro Flora 8, comprising of 80% grasses and 20% robust wild flowering species, and Colour Boost 1 (Carnival) for hight-impact annuals. “The weather hadn’t been kind up to that point, but we went from seed to full bloom in under two months and what a bloom we had! Bold bright colours and an abundance of bees and butterflies enjoying the rich food source it provided. We had a wealth of lovely messages and members of the public coming in to have a look.”

“At the end of the first season, we cut back and hand-picked unwanted growth as and when we saw it. Year two we left the areas alone and found we achieved great uptake with the perennials and, as you’d expect, fewer annuals though some did self-seed. It still looked good but like most plants, struggled with the ground being so dry through the summer of 2022. Now, we’re going into year three and we’re overseeding again, this time with Colour Boost’s Biodiversity mix to introduce a wide range of flowering varieties.”

Biodiversity from DLF’s Colour Boost collection blends seasonal annuals, biennials and perennials to appeal to a host of varied fauna, including pollinating insects. The composition of species is wide and ensures suitability to different growing conditions and strong colour, which changes depending on bloom, throughout the season.

“This project has brought so many benefits to the players, the wildlife and even the general public and we really couldn’t have wished for more. The support and guidance from DLF along the way has also been brilliant.” Craig adds, “Having tried other brands of wildflower, we can certainly say that Pro Flora and Colour Boost have given us the very best results, and there’s now great anticipation and excitement to see the outcome of this year’s work.”

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ShockWave delivers excellent surfaces at Repton School

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ShockWave delivers excellent surfaces at Repton School: Repton School in the heart of the Derbyshire countryside has an educational history spanning over 1000 years. Although outstanding on so many levels the school encourages pupils to adopt a healthy balance between their studies and sporting activities.

Parents and pupils seek out Repton because they know the school invests both in terms of pre-eminent coaches and world-class facilities to realise ability and sporting ambition.

ShockWave delivers excellent surfaces at Repton School

ShockWave delivers excellent surfaces at Repton School

Sports facilities at Repton School are of a superb standard and significant investments in recent years give pupils and the wider community access to state-of-the-art facilities including two floodlit water-based Astroturf hockey pitches and a sand-based Astroturf.

Alongside the 25m indoor swimming pool, fully equipped gym and fitness suite, are two multi-purpose indoor sports hall and tennis courts run activities such as tennis, netball, squash, and of course football, rugby, cricket and athletics.

It is these sports surfaces that Andy Butler, Head of Grounds and Gardens, is responsible for, covering an area of 66 acres at Repton and a further 44 acres at the preparatory school.

Already an experienced groundsman at Repton for 14 years, Andy took over 18 months ago as the man in charge. His priority was to review and re-structure the working days of the entire grounds team.

“We have a very experienced, and enthusiastic team of gardeners and grounds staff all willing to look at ways to improve our maintenance practices.” Explained Andy “Although in the past we have relied on outside contractors, our current objective is to bring as much as we can in-house and use our expertise to its full potential.

“When I considered how much equipment we already had available in the sheds, it was obvious that we could utilise them much more effectively with better organisation. I consulted all our suppliers regarding the timings of applying fertilisers, seeds, spraying, researching the available weather data and soil analysis, and organised a timetable for a new structured, planned approach to our grounds maintenance.”

Andy cited an example of the Imants ShockWave decompactor, supplied through Campey Turf Care Product Specialist Simon Holland.

“We have had the Imants ShockWave on-site now for over six years, using it intermittently for areas with excessive compaction or standing water issues. Now, in the new system, we schedule the ShockWave treatment for all turf pitches over the Autumn period when the conditions are perfect for this process, neither too cold nor too dry.”

The minimal surface disturbance of the ShockWave, results in no disruption or cancelled games following treatment and all of Repton School training sessions went ahead as planned. The timing allowed the turf to then lay dormant over the cold winter spell, while creating the perfect soil and root structure to encourage excellent turf growth in the Spring. This in turn created natural turf sports surfaces that were strong and resistant to the amount of wear and tear played out throughout the sporting fixtures.

Andy continued “Other practices such as spreading, seeding, fertilising, all follow a strict but not rigid pattern, as the weather plays a huge part in any professional groundsman’s day.

“We plan a complete renovation of our sports turf surfaces at Easter, using the Vredo Seeder and Dakota spreader to top dress after renovating, and the turf is back in full swing after three weeks.”

“There is no doubt that this approach has led to a huge improvement in our productivity without compromising on standards or requirements, and I would recommend that any establishment that is able to bring some if not all of their routine practices back under their own control, would benefit.”

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4turf® delivers a sustainable drought-tolerant sward

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4turf® delivers a sustainable drought-tolerant sward: Opened in late 2019, Stoneham Lane Football Complex comprises 64sq.Km of artificial and natural sports pitches – supporting grass roots football for players of all ages and abilities.

Part of the FA’s Parklife Project, the maintenance of the Complex falls under the remit of Hampshire FA Facility Operations Manager Pete Hussey who, in conjunction with seed from DLF, keeps the five grass pitches fit for more than 425 matches per season.

4turf® delivers a sustainable drought-tolerant sward

4turf® delivers a sustainable drought-tolerant sward

Alongside the Stoneham Lane facility in Eastleigh, Pete also manages operations at the Winklebury Football Complex in Basingstoke and the Front Lawn Community Hub in Havant – all designed to support and fund grass roots sport within the local area. “I’ve been in this role for three and a half years, but have worked with DLF for 17 years, having used various seed formulations at my previous venue” explains Pete.

“When Stoneham was constructed, one of the major focuses was on drainage – giving us incredible infiltration rates in the region of 52mm per hour. However, the flip side of that is that we have no irrigation meaning that in the dry months, pitches struggle to retain moisture and thin out quickly.” Foreseeing the challenges that lay ahead, Pete spoke to his DLF Regional Technical Manager Ian Barnett to explore more drought-tolerant varieties – and just in time, before one of the most prolonged droughts experienced in the UK, in the summer of 2022!

“We opted to switch from the 100% diploid perennial ryegrass mix to Johnsons J 4Turf 50, sown in May 2022, and we couldn’t have been more impressed with the results.” J 4Turf 50 incorporates 4turf® tetraploid perennial ryegrass, a larger seed with higher energy reserves to deliver deeper rooting, better establishing plants – including in cooler temperatures – with enhanced colour, disease resistance and drought tolerance. The 2023 formulation contains 50% 4turf® tetraploid rye and 50% diploid perennial ryegrass.

“The J 4Turf 50 established well before the hot conditions arrived. We were limited on how much water we could get onto the pitches and were thinking we would need to do a lot of recovery work ahead of the new season, however after the rain returned, the pitches recovered amazingly! We didn’t need to do any additional overseeding or fertilising, we relied on mother nature and the seed to do what it promised it would, and it did exactly that.”

Pete continues, “As the season progressed, the J 4Turf 50 coped with the high wear, recovered fast and remained strong enough that we saw no disease activity at all last year. In fact the pitches looked so good, we were able to wait until after Christmas to put a feed down.” He adds, “This switch has given us everything we want in terms of performance, but more than that, has moved us towards a lower input sward which is more sustainable to manage.”

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Huxley Golf delivers security of play

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Huxley Golf delivers security of play: All members and visitors to Royal Troon Golf Club look forward to playing what is one of the most famous holes in golf, the Postage Stamp. The par 3 eighth hole on the 19th Century Club’s Old Course might be the shortest hole on the Open rota but it is one of the most challenging and revered.

That is why Huxley Golf was honoured to be asked to create an alternative winter tee for this iconic golf destination this autumn. The installation will help to ensure continuity of the Postage Stamp experience without compromise, using Huxley Golf Premier Tee Turf 2, the closest all-weather surface to natural grass. Royal Troon had previously trialled the idea of creating a separate winter tee from natural turf, but it was unable to withstand the extraordinary levels of wear and tear, as Course Manager, Billy McLachlan, explains:

Huxley Golf delivers security of play

Huxley Golf delivers security of play

“The Postage Stamp is an important feature of our Club. Being a short hole, the impacts of wear and tear on the tee are concentrated over a small area. This not only affects play during the winter, but it also impacts the start of the golf season because natural grass takes time to recover fully.

“Our recourse was to turn to Huxley Golf to help us find the optimal solution for our precise needs: one that would look good aesthetically and critically, live up to players’ expectations. As a result, we now have a permanent feature that we can switch to with minimal interruption when the landscape demands it. Over time, this will help preserve play to this exceptional hole.”

Huxley Golf used its superior Premier Tee Turf 2 to create the 12ft x 12ft (3.6m x 3.6m) tee, and supplemented this with a fringe surround, which will enable natural grass to seamlessly marry in around it.

Hugh Fraser, Scotland and North East England Area Manager at Huxley Golf, commented: “We understand that it can be a difficult decision for historic environments to work with the new generation of all-weather turf, but most now realise that Huxley Golf Premier Tee Turf 2 offers a superb option for winter play and to relieve wear and tear at any time of year. It has benefits to both the environment, the greenkeeping team and players, as it protects natural features, requires virtually no maintenance, and yet, offers golfers an incredibly realistic surface to hit from. Its unique surface gives players an excellent experience, even in the most demanding of situations and climates.”

The Huxley name has been synonymous with premium all-weather golf surfaces and products. Endorsed by the UK’s leading golf organisations as well as many legendary golfers and celebrities and their coaching teams, the Hampshire-based company’s artificial golf surfaces are in use all around the world at top-flight courses, resorts, and training academies. Across Scotland, Huxley Golf has also recently worked with St Andrews Links, Gleneagles Academy, the Royal Burgess Golfing Society of Edinburgh, Gullane Golf Club and The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers Muirfield.

For more information visit www.huxleygolf.com or call 01730 829608.

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