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Toro Sprinklers Chosen For R&A

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Toro Sprinklers Chosen For R&A: Toro’s Infinity and T5 sprinklers have been selected to irrigate the golf practice area at The R&A’s Equipment Testing Centre in order to provide pristine greens and tees for golf equipment testing.

A focal point of the facility, which is located at Kingsbarns near St Andrews in Scotland, is the practice range which allows for human and robotic testing of equipment; the results from which directly affect the game of golf across the world. It is the two greens here that have benefitted from four Toro Infinity 35 sprinklers with TDC wall mount, while seven Toro T5 sprinklers have been added across two tees.

Toro Sprinklers Chosen For R&A

Paul Kimber from Kimber Golf, the golf course architect and contractor working with The R&A on the facility, says: “From its inception, this project has asked pertinent questions as to how and why things are done and how can they be improved. We applied some new techniques, developed a site-specific construction methodology for the greens and tried to create as many research opportunities as possible.

“I have used Toro irrigation for several years and found they provide a quality product with good customer service provided by Reesink Turfcare. This was considered a very important factor for the client, and had the irrigation designer, Callum, in agreement.”

Callum Oliphant, managing director of Applied Irrigation, one of Scotland’s leading irrigation specialists, recommends the use of Toro’s sprinklers because their “performance is reliable and consistent and the quality of design excellent”.

Callum knew he and the team who installed the sprinklers, could rely on Toro to deliver the results a customer like The R&A would expect: “Each year, The R&A’s Equipment Standards department tests thousands of golf clubs and balls to ensure they conform to the equipment rules and the turf needs to provide a true surface, which means it must be in top condition. Irrigation is of course instrumental to that.”

The turf, which the tests are carried out on by some of the leading scientists and elite golfers today and two cutting edge golf robots, need to be as near to perfect as it is possible to get. It’s easy to see therefore why Toro was picked to help achieve that goal.

For more information, visit: reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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Wiedenmann For Machrie Links

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Wiedenmann For Machrie Links: Islay’s Machrie Links, one of the UK’s most westerly and spectacular golfing venues boasts outstanding coastline vistas in a natural setting.

A change of ownership in 2011 and significant investment has hastened a remarkable transition.  European Ryder Cup Vice Captain, D J Russell was commissioned to modernise major areas while not detracting from the original 1891 design by Willie Campbell.

Wiedenmann For Machrie Links

Course Manager, Dean Muir, joined from Muirfield three years ago and he and his team of seven are seamlessly blending the old with the new. A six hole par three course has been added, along with a 300 m driving range and 4 500 m² practice putting surface. The Championship course re-opened in summer 2017 and in a few months’ time a new 50 bedroom hotel and club facilities complete on this Hebridean island.

As the project evolves three separate Wiedenmann UK purchases have contributed to re-establishment works across the course. First to arrive was a Super 600 to launch their rough management programme.

“I’d had one at Muirfield so it was my first purchase. For purpose, nothing comes close to it.  Reconstruction meant we were going into huge areas of fearsome rough never previously renovated, only by sheep and cattle. In 2016 we started to cut and collect those roughs and they grew rapidly again. Rain held us back at the end of last year but we will be principally flail mowing and collecting. In time we will scarify it but for now the priority is to keep cutting it down to a manageable height.

With its 4500 litre tank the Super 600 collects and packs arisings tightly, increasing productivity,  the high dump facility able to tip into tall sided trailers.

“Our dunes and situation make it a bit of an issue getting from A to B. There aren’t that many travel routes round the course so its capacity really helps.”

Next on Dean’s list was a new Wiedenmann Terra Spike GXi8 HD arriving in October 2016.

The GXi8 runs through all fairways annually once during the winter months. Greens are spiked every other year as being built essentially on sand dunes gives rise to few compaction issues. With its low centre of gravity and close coupling to the tractor, the aerator is fully equipped for the challenge. The Advance Tine Control feature makes sure the tines’ incision into the ground is always precise leaving a neat finish. Dean’s team takes advantage of the best weather windows.

“Our undulations look spectacular but are straightforward for the GXi8. We don’t do anything special just follow the contours.  The shape of the undulations help … they are formed in big long rolls so we just follow the line.

“We do vary depth.  In 2016 we went for 250 mm, this season we’ve opted for 200 mm running 15° of heave.  The course is relatively new in parts and because of some changes there are more stones about.  Heave helps us glance stones rather than hitting them full on.

“For me the biggest benefit of the Wiedenmann is its smoothness.  Just no vibration.  With other machines sitting in the cab up to eight hours in the day, you’d really know about it. But the Wiedenmann is smooth. It’s got several absorption systems that dampen any vibration. You get no shock transfer to the driver or the tractor.”

Finally Machrie Links purchased a 1.7m Terra Rake in October to work in tandem with the Super 600 and other kit for the course.

“We’ve yet to get the full benefit of the Terra Rake, the wet summer held us back.  It will work hard in the season ahead especially as we work to get areas of rough to manageable height and more golfer friendly.  The 1.7m width is the right size to deal with our dunes and undulations.  The Super 600 will cut the rough down gradually with the Terra Rake going through it. Down the line we’ll use it to scarify.”

Wiedenmann UK’s Scottish dealer, Fairways GM have supplied Machrie Links with their Wiedenmann equipment.

For more information, visit: www.wiedenmann.co.uk

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Success For Deeside Golf Club

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Success For Deeside Golf Club: The greenkeeping team at Deeside Golf Club in Aberdeenshire is celebrating after winning a BIGGA award at BTME 2018. 

Led by Course Manager Neil McLoughlin (41), the greenkeeping team were announced as the winner of the BIGGA Greenkeeping Achievement of the Year Award sponsored by Baroness, at a ceremony held this evening in the Harrogate Convention Centre’s Royal Hall.

Success For Deeside Golf Club

When Storm Frank hit Aberdeenshire the day before New Year’s Eve in 2015, it caused the River Dee to reach record levels, three times covering the course in a thick layer of silt and debris.

In the aftermath, the team was able to get 10 holes reopened after just 77 days and the clean-up saw over six tonnes of grass seed laid down, 10,000m2 of turf laid and all 98 bunkers rebuilt, using 3,000 tonnes of sand for topdressing and bunkers.

During 2017 the hard work continued, with the silt layer impeding drainage. Over 400m of drainage was installed and a programme of scarification and topdressing helped break down the silt layer further.

The Deeside team was presented with the award by television presenter and #ThisGirlGolfs ambassador Naga Munchetty at the BIGGA Welcome Celebration sponsored by Textron Golf. The awards ceremony is one of the highlights of BTME 2018, the premier turf management exhibition in Europe.

Neil said: “It’s a real honour to win this award. Storm Frank came in and devastated the whole Dee Valley and the golf course ended up in a hell of a state.

“We do flood quite a lot, but generally we call them clean floods

BIGGA Chief Executive Jim Croxton said: “Of the golf clubs who were hit hard by the devastation that Storm Frank wrought in December 2015, it was perhaps Deeside who were hit hardest of all.

“For greenkeepers who dedicate their lives to maintaining a relatively small patch of land, the damage must have been heartbreaking. It is therefore to Neil and his team’s immense credit that they were able to pick themselves up and restore the course to its former glory.

“I cannot praise the greenkeeping team highly enough for the work they have done to get Deeside back on its feet. They are truly an inspiration to greenkeepers all over the country and they are worthy recipients of this year’s BIGGA Greenkeeping Achievement of the Year Award sponsored by Baroness.”

The other finalists for the BIGGA Greenkeeping Achievement of the Year Award sponsored by Baroness were Andrew Brougham, head greenkeeper of Astbury Golf Club, and Stuart Imeson, course manager at Dunstanburgh Castle Golf Club.

BTME 2018 runs until Thursday 25 January and features more than 150 exhibitors from all aspects of the turf management industry. Each year more than 4,500 greenkeepers, trade members, club managers and other representatives of the golfing industry come together to network and share news of the latest education and innovation.

Visit http://btme.org.uk/ for more information.

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BIGGA Award For Wentworth

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BIGGA Award For Wentworth: The Wentworth Club greenkeeping team in Virginia Water has been recognised for its incredible performance in preparing the course for the BMW PGA Championship 2017 by winning the BIGGA Championship Performance of the Year Award sponsored by Rigby Taylor.

The redesign of Wentworth’s famous West Course was conducted by European Tour Golf Design, with the support of Ryder Cup captains Paul McGinley and Thomas Bjorn and the Ernie Els Design group. But it was Director of Estates and Golf Courses Kenny Mackay and his team who were responsible for ensuring the changes were implemented ahead of the BMW PGA Championship in May 2017.

BIGGA Award For Wentworth

All 18 greens were stripped of the old turf and re-seeded with a new creeping bent, while four greens – on the eighth, 11th, 14th and 16th holes – were completely rebuilt. A sub-air system was also installed on all the greens, while new drainage and irrigation was introduced.

Furthermore, all the bunkers were redesigned and reconstructed, with 29 completely removed from play.

European Tour Chief Executive Keith Pelley said: “The greens are spectacular and aesthetically the golf course is considerably stronger. Stephen Gallacher was walking by and he said, ‘The golf course has significantly improved. It’s just absolutely fantastic and the greens are great’.”

Kenny accepted the award at the BIGGA Welcome Celebration sponsored by Textron Golf, held this evening in the Harrogate Convention Centre’s Royal Hall. The awards ceremony is one of the highlights of BTME 2018, the premier turf management exhibition in Europe.

Kenny said: “It’s a very close-knit team. The big challenge we’ve seen is preparing the greens from tournament.

“When the new owners came in we knew we had a plan together. There was a lot of work behind the scenes and all that research came off. It’s two years in the making to get to here.”

BIGGA Chief Executive Officer Jim Croxton said: “This was nothing short of a superhuman effort by the team at The Wentworth Club, who worked non-stop from the moment the 2016 BMW PGA Championship ended until the 2017 event began to ensure the course matched up to the incredible standards required when hosting the European Tour’s flagship championship.

“Well done to Kenny and to all his team on this spectacular achievement, and on being crowned winners of the Championship Greenkeeping Performance of the Year at BTME 2018.

“Congratulations also to the Dundonald Links and Moor Allerton teams, who were both worthy finalists after hosting exceptional tournaments during 2017. All are a credit to BIGGA and the greenkeeping industry as a whole.”

BTME 2018 runs until Thursday 25 January and features more than 150 exhibitors from all aspects of the turf management industry. Each year more than 4,500 greenkeepers, trade members, club managers and other representatives of the golfing industry come together to network and share news of the latest education and innovation.

Visit http://btme.org.uk/ for more information.

For the latest industry news visit turfnews.co.uk

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GEO Award For Royal Dornoch

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GEO Award For Royal Dornoch: An internationally-renowned golf course has earned a coveted global sustainability accolade through its commitment to the community and natural environment.

Royal Dornoch Golf Club has been awarded the GEO Certified® ecolabel, an international symbol of ‘great golf environments’. This recognises clubs that have met high standards for performance in nature conservation, water and energy efficiency, ethical and environmental supply chain, pollution control and community engagement.

An independent assessment of the famous club concludes: “Royal Dornoch is not only set within a stunning coastal landscape, but its course ranking demonstrates the commitment and expertise given to management, which together place significant responsibility on the club to manage efficiently and sustainably in all areas of working.”

The award not only further elevates the standing of the historic club, but also enhances its ability to host major events. The R&A, the game’s governing body, is a supporter of GEO (Golf Environment Organization) and the Certified ecolabel is now a prerequisite for clubs staging large competitions. All ten host venues for The Open are now GEO Certified®.

Richard Allison, Project Manager, GEO Certified – Facilities, said: “Royal Dornoch is an outstanding example of a golf club with sustainability as a natural extension of its operation.

“From habitat creation and steps to future energy independence among its range of sustainability work, our congratulations go to everyone at the club and we look forward to seeing what the next few years brings.”

The assessment highlights the “exemplary” management of a Site of Special Scientific Interest which adjoins the golf course and states the club’s energy resource management is “particularly impressive”.

A new maintenance facility runs on renewable electricity with solar-PV cells providing 12 kilowatts of energy for daily use with surplus returned to the National Grid.

An air-source heat pump provides hot water and underfloor heating for the offices and communal areas, while in the clubhouse major energy initiatives include a phased changeover to LED lighting, installation of smart meters to track consumption accurately, and motion sensors and push-button timers throughout appropriate areas. Electric vehicles are also being introduced to the club’s maintenance fleet.

The club regularly monitors wildlife on the course, with species including otter, snipe, woodcock and pine marten all resident.

Royal Dornoch’s support for the community includes making donations to a number of organisations through a variety of funds. The GEO assessment highlights money raised to provide defibrillators in the town and a community fund that has distributed about £20,000 to worthy causes in three years.

Royal Dornoch’s general manager Neil Hampton said: “This is a very important award for us. We take enormous pride in our environment and are committed to doing everything we can to act responsibly and sustainably.

“The club also takes seriously its role in the community and be as good a neighbour as we can be.

“The GEO Certified award is a prestigious international honour and we are delighted to receive this recognition.”

For more information, visit: system2.eu

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