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MM60 stands firm for the Rhinos

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MM60 stands firm for the Rhinos: MM60 grass seed has helped Ryan Golding, Head Groundsperson at Leeds Rhinos, to achieve a consistently good surface all year-round despite it being the busiest ever on record.

Ryan has been working at Headingley Stadium for nearly twenty years and has been the Head Groundsperson for nine of those. As one of the most highly used surfaces in professional sport, it is safe to say that he and his three members of staff have their work cut out: “This job is 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and is a 365-day operation,” he said.

MM60 stands firm for the Rhinos

MM60 stands firm for the Rhinos

The pitch at Headingley Stadium had over 100 usages last year which was particularly high due to several Rugby World Cup fixtures taking place. With such heavy and consistent use, a grass seed with a good wear tolerance is essential, and that is why Ryan did his research before choosing MM60.

“I originally went round to see a few venues which I knew used MM60 and the people who used it all gave good feedback,” he said. “After speaking to Matt Gresty (MM Sales and Marketing Manager) I quickly realised that it is a great company to deal with. It was refreshing that they really wanted to work with us and take the time to find out everything about our pitch and our goals. I know it sounds cliché, but Matt is always on the other end of the phone if I need them – even at weekends.

“We now use MM60 for everything including overseeding, renovating, for when we recover heavy wear areas or for hand seeding.”

MM60 grass seed is renowned for producing an excellent playing surface in a stadium environment. It is a 100% Ryegrass formula which is perfect for renovation and divot repair, has a high disease resistance, fantastic aesthetic qualities and offers extremely fast germination – which is boosted by the inclusion of Headstart® GOLD.  it is a natural revolutionary grass seed treatment that ensures rapid germination and is perfect for enhancing performance on grass seed coatings for sports fields, golf courses, lawns and amenity turf.

MM60 stands firm for the Rhinos

MM60 stands firm for the Rhinos

“Disease tolerance is one of MM60’s best features, as is the speed of root mass and density, which is highly important because we are a fibresand pitch,” continued Ryan. “With having rugby on it, these guys are a lot heavier than footballers, and they are moving forward and back all the time, so we need to have a consistently firm, stable surface. MM60 gives us that.

“Recently, we had a winter concert on January 7 and then had to recover around 2,000 sq.m of grass from scratch before a game on January 29. We would not have been able to do that without MM60.”

For further information, please contact MM Sports Seed on 01386 791102 or visit the company’s website www.mm-seeds.co.uk.

You can also follow the company on Twitter: @MM_Seed.

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SISIS signals results for Worcestershire FA

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SISIS signals results for Worcestershire FA: Two SISIS machines have led to impressive pitch improvements at Worcestershire FA’s headquarters at Claines Lane, Worcester.

Worcestershire FA’s new state-of-the-art headquarters has been designed to provide a positive football hub for the community for years to come. The impressive facilities includes both a full-size natural pitch and a 3G pitch, as well as floodlights, a covered seating area, modern changing rooms, community areas, office areas, and training facilities.

SISIS signals results for Worcestershire FA

SISIS signals results for Worcestershire FA

Paul Loader, Site Co-ordinator for Worcestershire FA, is the man responsible for maintaining the site and it’s not a job he takes lightly. “This pitch is my life – it’s my little baby,” he said. “My main role is to make sure that the 3G pitch is maintained correctly and that the grass pitch is in the best condition it possibly can be for games.”

Paul’s job was made that little easier after Worcestershire FA received funding which enabled them to invest in some new turf maintenance equipment. Included within the new fleet of machinery was a tractor, a SISIS Quadraplay and SISIS Multitiner.

The multi-functional SISIS Quadraplay single pass maintenance system is perfect for busy groundspersons as it incorporates a mounted frame for up to four implements such as grooming rakes, spikers, slitters, rollers and brushes. The implements can be fitted to the mainframe in any order and can be independently adjusted to achieve the desired effect.

Compact, robust, versatile and with the ability to carry out up to four operations simultaneously – the Quadraplay makes life a lot easier for many groundspersons.

For further aeration requirements Paul relies on the SISIS Multitiner 1.8m – a tractor mounted drum-type aerator. It has three drums with independent rotation and its interchangeable tines with a maximum depth of 100mm ensure excellent turf care when the time comes to aerate.

“Since we’ve invested in new kit, the pitch has improved massively,” said Paul. The SISIS Multitiner and the Quadraplay work brilliantly together.

“On the Quadraplay I mainly use the slitter and the brush which is great for matchday presentation. The brush leaves a lovely stripe and is particularly helpful if I haven’t been able to cut the pitch for a few days. I’ll also be using the rake to bring some of the debris out of the pitch.

“At least once or twice a month between cuts I will use the Multitiner to get some holes on to the surface of the pitch – it is excellent at getting air in to the ground.

“The pitch used to be quite uneven, but these machines have helped to level it all off. We’ve noticed a big difference in this respect and when I go over the pitch, I can no longer feel any bumps.

“Both of these SISIS machines have been fantastic and I can easily understand why they are being recommended to FA counties across the whole of the UK.”

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact SISIS on 01332 824 777 or visit www.sisis.com

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow SISIS on Twitter or Instagram @SISISMachinery and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/SISISMachinery. You can also view the latest SISIS videos by visiting www.youtube.com/SISISMachinery

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John Deere Volunteer Programme open for applications

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John Deere Volunteer Programme open for applications: Applications are now open for the 2024 John Deere TPC Sawgrass Volunteer Programme, which will see seven British and Irish greenkeepers travel to Florida to help prepare the world-famous Stadium Course for the best golfers on the planet.

The volunteers are chosen from each of BIGGA’s five regions, in addition to an international member, and one GSCAI member from Ireland. They will join the TPC Sawgrass maintenance and agronomy team in the build-up to The Players Championship from 9-19 March 2024.

John Deere Volunteer Programme open for applications

John Deere Volunteer Programme open for applications

With all travel, accommodation and uniform costs covered by John Deere as part of its BIGGA Premium Partner relationship, volunteers will be fully integrated into the TPC Sawgrass pre-tournament team – an opportunity that may see them mowing the first tee before play starts, preparing the iconic 17th hole, or raking the bunkers as play gets underway.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for any greenkeeper,” says Chris Meacock, John Deere’s Division Sales Manager for Golf and Turf. “Going to volunteer at TPC Sawgrass presents a fantastic opportunity for you to expand your knowledge and experience, and you’ll meet many like-minded professional greenkeepers from across the globe.”

The 2023 cohort of greenkeeper volunteers included Assistant Course Manager Alex Brougham from Trentham Park Golf Club, Senior Greenkeeper Peter Lewis from Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Deputy Head Greenkeeper Eddie Irvine from Trump International Aberdeen, and Course Manager Mark Tucker from Temple Golf Club.

Each greenkeeper became an integral part of the team, preparing the course well ahead of the practice rounds and working until the tournament concluded, using the huge fleet of John Deere machinery from the Sawgrass maintenance compound.

Eddie Irvine said: “The experience has helped me improve as a person and in my profession, by enabling me to move forwards with my career.

Alex Brougham added: “I learnt a lot from the Sawgrass greenkeeping team, and by networking with the other volunteers. I left with a better understanding of how the team operates at one of the best championship golf courses in the world. I’m now aiming to utilise as much of that knowledge as possible back at Trentham Golf Club.”

Karl Hansell, BIGGA’s Head of Communications and Marketing, accompanied the group to Sawgrass in March 2023.

Karl said: “Having worked at BIGGA promoting this wonderful initiative for seven years, I thought I had some understanding of TPC Sawgrass and what the trip entailed. But nothing could prepare me for the actual experience of being there.

“The TPC Sawgrass agronomy team was so welcoming that the greenkeepers accompanied were made to feel right at home, and several previous John Deere volunteers now return every year at their own expense, such was their enjoyment of the trip.

“I can’t recommend this experience enough.”

The 2023 Championship at TPC Sawgrass saw American Scottie Scheffler win the tournament five shots clear of Englishman Tyrrell Hatton, shooting 17 under par for the tournament.

The application process is open to all full BIGGA members over the age of 21, who have been a full member for at least 12 months. The deadline for applications is 31 May 2023, and you can fill in your application online at the BIGGA website now.

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Groundcare Supplier award for Wiedenmann UK

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Groundcare Supplier award for Wiedenmann UK: Wiedenmann UK has welcomed winning an industry award. The sales teams at top dealers, Ernest Doe & Sons voted Wiedenmann UK their top supplier of groundcare equipment in a poll of dealer staff.

The award was presented at the Ernest Doe & Sons 63rd annual Show at Ulting, Maldon where Does also celebrated 125 years in business.

Groundcare Supplier award for Wiedenmann UK

Groundcare Supplier award for Wiedenmann UK

Angus Doe, Managing Director, left, and Andy Turbin, Groundcare General Sales Manager, right, presented Wiedenmann UK’s Sales Manager, Chas Ayres, centre, with the award.

Ernest Doe & Sons represent Wiedenmann UK in London boroughs Essex, Surrey, Sussex, Herts , North London, M25, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk.

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New Overtake spring clean for turf weeds

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New Overtake spring clean for turf weeds: The new herbicide, Overtake, from Syngenta gives the chance to clean out broad-leaved weeds in turf this spring.

Now available for golf course, sports turf management and amenity areas in the UK, the unique combination of two herbicide actives gives consistently reliable results in more variable spring conditions, against a wide spectrum of problematic weeds.

New Overtake spring clean for turf weeds

New Overtake spring clean for turf weeds

Furthermore, Syngenta application trials have shown optimum results with treatment at a water volume of just 200 l/ha, giving significant savings in time and reduced interruption in play, compared to herbicide treatments typically applied at 400 l/ha or more.

Syngenta Technical Manager, Sean Loakes, reported Overtake has shown outstanding turf safety in more than 70 trials across nine countries. Trials at STRI recorded no adverse phytotoxic effects across 19 cultivars of all key cool-season turf grass species, even at more than double recommended application rate.

“Weeds compete with turf plants for light, moisture and nutrients. Removing weed competition early in the season ensures more of the inputs you put on are better utilised for turf growth – creating stronger more resilient turf and better playing conditions,” advocated Sean.

Overtake targets most of the problematic broad-leaved weeds in turf grass. Early treatment in the spring enables vigorous turf recovery to fill gaps and minimise risk of weed reinvasion.

“In addition to greater reliability in a wider range of temperatures and conditions, the two different modes of action in Overtake reduces the risk of weed resistance developing,” he added. Overtake is a Syngenta optimised formulation to target broad-leaved weeds.

To get the best from Overtake, Sean advised application in spring when weeds are actively growing and the leaves are dry. Treatment should be made at a rate of 2.0 l/ha, applied in 200 l/ha water volume, using XC025 or XC04 nozzles to better target the leaf area and minimise risk of drift. Turf should ideally be left for three days after application before mowing.

Overtake is approved for use in the UK on amenity grassland, managed amenity turf and lawns.

Syngenta Turf Business Manager, Daniel Lightfoot, added: “Overtake is the first of several exciting new turf products from Syngenta that are planned to launch this year, including new fungicide, insecticide and biocontrol options.

“The commitment to R&D investment in turf is crucial to give us a full range of options for a truly Integrated Turf Management approach and support for greenkeepers and sports turf managers.

“Customers will be pleased that Overtake also qualifies for Turf Rewards, where purchases gain points that can be redeemed for turf management tools and services.”

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