Tag Archive for: Farleigh

Ormskirk and Farleigh greenkeepers earn prestigious awards

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Ormskirk and Farleigh greenkeepers earn prestigious awards: One has an obsession with board games while the other is a rock climber who scales cliffs around the UK, but the winners of the 34th Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Awards are united in a passion for the greenkeeping profession.

The British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA), Toro and Reesink UK have revealed the winners of their prestigious student greenkeeping awards following a day of judging in the historic surroundings of Cheshire’s Carden Park.

Ormskirk and Farleigh greenkeepers earn prestigious awards

Ormskirk and Farleigh greenkeepers earn prestigious awards

With finalists representing eight education providers from across the UK, the awards also provide the students with the opportunity to develop their knowledge and expand their professional network.

The winner of the Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Award was revealed to be Michael Russell, assistant greenkeeper at Ormskirk Golf Club in West Lancashire. Michael’s nomination was endorsed by Phil Lomas, tutor at Oldham College.

Michael, 31, switched career four years ago from a role in the Civil Service and hasn’t looked back. A keen board game collector, he was a finalist in the 2021 hosting of the awards and has optimised his BIGGA membership, becoming an ICL Continue to Learn Scholar and graduating from the Future Turf Managers Initiative. He is married to Megan and has a one-year-old daughter, Millie. Michael was also the first finalist to ever score full marks in the multiple choice stage of the examination.

Michael said: “It was a little bit of a shock, but I know how much preparation I’d done coming into the finals. I think you can always underestimate yourself, seeing those around you and how much experience they have and their passion for the industry, but I was absolutely delighted to win and I know in terms of the rewards that are available as part of the event and just networking has been a brilliant opportunity.”

Runner-up in that category was Ryan Fiander, deputy course manager at Lees Hall Golf Club in Sheffield. Ryan’s nomination was endorsed by Andy Kenworthy, his tutor at Myerscough College.

The winner of the Toro Young Student Greenkeeper of the Year Award was revealed to be Daniel Martin, first assistant greenkeeper at Farleigh Golf Club in Surrey. A keen mountain biker and climber, Daniel is a thrill seeker who has found a professional passion in the greenkeeping industry. Daniel’s nomination was endorsed by Wayne Syres, tutor at Hadlow College. In another awards first, Daniel’s grandparents were in the area and stopped by the awards ceremony, making it extra special that he came out on top in his category.

Daniel said: “It’s a really good recognition of all the work that you have put into your career and studying to gain the extra knowledge to differentiate yourself from everyone else, so I felt satisfaction in the recognition of that work. For me, if I’ve achieved something well then it’s satisfaction of a job well done and on to the next one.”

Runner-up in the Young category was Jake Rose, apprentice greenkeeper at Moortown Golf Club in Leeds. Daniel’s nomination was endorsed by his course manager, Steven Robinson.

You can watch extended interviews from Michael and Daniel on the BIGGA YouTube channel.

The nomination period for the 2024 Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Awards will begin at the BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition in January 2024.

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Suståne gets top marks from Farleigh School

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Suståne gets top marks from Farleigh School: More than a decade on from the switch to an organic feeding programme, the grounds team at Farleigh School in Hampshire are receiving more praise than ever before!

Staff, parents and pupils alike have cited how surfaces across the 70-acre site are providing consistent presentation and performance, despite the challenging climatic conditions, which Grounds Manager and Sports Coach Shaun Crowley attributes to the reliable results from 18-1-8+Fe and 5-2-4+Fe from Suståne.

Suståne gets top marks from Farleigh School

Suståne gets top marks from Farleigh School

“While we weren’t initially pressured to explore the organic route, it was something my predecessor and I were keen on – not just for the environmental benefits but considering the safety element for the children and the flexibility it provided on application rates. We have a packed schedule both during and between term-times so getting feed down without pupils around was challenging” explains Shaun, who has been Sports Coach at Farleigh School since 2011 and took over the role of Grounds Manager three years ago. “Russell Riley from Suståne came in 12 years ago and it became clear that as long as we could catch a bit of favourable weather, we would be able to apply the product more flexibly which has been a great benefit ever since.”

Starting on the cricket squares, before finding uses on the outfields and lawned areas, Shaun and his team of five have found the combination of 18-1-8+Fe and 5-2-4+Fe delivers exactly what they need – namely a kickstart in spring, followed by consistent health, colour and growth without flushes. “We’ll apply the 18-1-8+Fe when the temperatures rise, ideally March or April, to get the cricket surfaces ready for the summer season. We’ll then carry out three to four applications of the 5-2-4+Fe annually which we see as a ‘maintainer’, again on our cricket squares and on our Headmaster’s lawn area.”

Suståne 18-1-8+Fe is a two-part blend combining Suståne organic with urea nitrogen for enhanced and long-lasting colour, ideal for fine turf and sports turf applications, lawns and landscaping. Combining four forms of Nitrogen, including three types of slow-release, 18-1-8+Fe provides economical results over a 12-16 week period. 5-2-4+Fe is the original Suståne formula, providing a mix of nutrients for greater root development, increased soil porosity and stability and even colour and growth. Fully compostable, 5-2-4+Fe has also demonstrated outstanding disease suppression on wide variety of turfgrass diseases, including Red Thread, in trials.

“We know what we need from the Suståne products, we know when and where to apply them, and we know that they work. Russell is also a great person to have on the end of the phone. He pops in to make sure we’re on track and has given us some great advice for improving growth on some of our more problematic heavy-clay areas.” Shaun concludes, “I know it’s a phrase that gets used a lot, but these Suståne fertilisers do exactly what they say on the tin!”

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Operation Pollinator helps Farleigh GC

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Operation Pollinator helps Farleigh GC: Farleigh Golf Club is delighted to have been awarded England Golf’s ‘Sustainability Project of The Year’ at the governing body’s annual celebration evening. The 2022 ceremony was hosted virtually by England Golf CEO Jeremy Tomlinson and BBC Presenter Naga Munchetty, and was broadcast live across YouTube on April 20th.

The award recognises the club’s pioneering Operation Pollinator programme which has seen the reintroduction of stunning, natural wildflowers to the golf courses, as well as a vast increase in animals and insects, helping to aid pollination throughout the local environment.

Operation Pollinator helps Farleigh GC

Operation Pollinator helps Farleigh GC

Initially planned to cover 0.5 hectares of land, the club are to add a minimum of 0.5 additional hectares in 2022 after the success of the original locations. Operation Pollination has been truly embraced by all at Farleigh Golf Club, with the club and its members immensely proud to have seen such a vast increase in insect life since undertaking the project, notably in the form of the native bumblebees which have been in stark decline across the UK.

Whilst the England Golf award recognises the work already undertaken, the team at Farleigh will be adding to this throughout the year, specifically by also adding a new wildflower area alongside the club’s driveway, creating a stunning entrance for all who arrive at the property.

General Manager of Farleigh Golf Club, James Ibbetson commented: “The club are truly honoured to have been awarded England Golf’s Sustainability Project of The Year. An enormous amount of work has gone into the project from our greenkeeping team, with our membership hugely proud of what has been achieved across our golf courses.

“Our Greenkeeping team, led by Kenny MacPhail are already beginning to work on the additional areas of wildflowers which we hope will continue to provide a safe haven for these insects, as well as a stunning visual backdrop for our members and guests. We thank England Golf for the recognition, and would like to congratulate all the other winners from the evening”.

Further information about Operation Pollinator can be found on the Farleigh Golf Club website at: https://www.farleighfox.co.uk/operationpollinator

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