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No boundaries for Baroness

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No boundaries for Baroness: It’s a recognised fact in cricket that a good groundsman wins matches and is as much a part of the side as a pacy seam bowler or a gifted spinner. After more than 20 years in the game and winning a good few awards along the way, Simon Lee, for the past two years Head Groundsman at the Ageas Bowl home of Hampshire CC, knows his craft supremely well.

He also knows a thing or two about the equipment he needs to keep his wickets and wider grounds up to international standard. The arrival of Baroness mowers in the Ageas fleet on the outskirts of Southampton is, therefore, a significant accolade for a brand that has become a favourite on many golf courses across the UK.

No boundaries for Baroness

No boundaries for Baroness

Now regarded as one of the best cricket grounds in the country, the Ageas Bowl has taken delivery of three Baroness machines from Lister Wilder in recent months. Simon and his team have a five-unit mid-weight LM551B for outfields and an LM56GC pedestrian cylinder mower for pitch preparation. Meanwhile, the Boundary Lakes golf course that is another key element of the wider Ageas leisure offering has a three-unit LM315 greens mower.

The decision to opt for Baroness against other big-name competition was one that Simon did not take lightly. “I spoke to other top-level groundsmen and it came highly recommended by others who have had experience of using them,” he says. “You can read all you like about grass cutting machinery but when the verdict comes from someone you trust then you know you are making a good decision.

“When we demoed the machines, we found the Baroness mowers were cutting tighter and neater than the competition and giving us better presentation at the same level of cut.”

The reality of living with the new machines has matched up to the promise from the demo. “It isn’t just the quality of the cut that everyone talks about and how long the cut lasts,” says Simon. “I really like the way the Baroness machines are engineered – the fact that they are very user-friendly puts a big tick in the box for me given that they are being operated and maintained by staff at different skill levels. That makes life a lot easier for me in managing the whole process.”

Common to all the Baroness machines is the approach to the cutting cylinders, which are individually balanced before being installed and with a heat treatment process ensuring that the cutting edges of both cutting cylinders and bed-knives stay sharp and true.

The LM551B with its 45hp Kubota engine is equipped with a 22-inch standard reel along with optional mower units and accessories, allowing users to create the best configuration to meet their own turf conditions. The forward and backward slide function of the rear cutting units increase contour following whilst minimising uncut turf.

The pedestrian LM56GC is amongst the lightest in its class, but is very solidly built, with high manoeuvrability and a solid 5-year warranty as standard. Like other Baroness mowers, it is completely gear-driven and hence much easer to maintain and more durable than competitors driven by belts or chains. Equipped with bi-directional front grooming reel, de-thatching reel or brush (all of which are changeable in five minutes), you effectively get a complete turf maintenance system for the price of one mower.

The LM315GC is available in 7, 9 or 11-blade reel options, with bed-knives from 1.5mm to 5mm thickness. Cable drive to the cutting units eliminates potential hydraulic oil leaks where they are most likely to occur.

Particularly important to Simon is the back-up he gets to ensure that each of his machines performs at is best and that any problems are quickly dealt with. He has been very impressed by the support he has received to date from Lister Wilder’s Area Sales Manager Graham Merritt and from his Baroness Area Manager Luke Collins.

“They have been fantastic and have helped us every step of the way,” says Simon. “If you call them with the very tiniest issue they are there straight away. It’s the first thing you want with a dealer that is new to you because it means you can build a relationship that works.”

To view the complete Baroness range and to find your local dealer please visit www.baronessuk.com

#lessstresswithbaroness

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Three of a kind for Reesink

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Three of a kind for Reesink: Continuing with its firm focus on sales, servicing, training and parts for all brands with a locally-focused team, Reesink UK has opened its third branch in Burwell, Cambridgeshire.

The branch which serves the areas of Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Leicestershire, joins Reesink Scotland and Reesink South East and opens up direct access to local turf machinery specialists in an extensive new area.

Three of a kind for Reesink

Three of a kind for Reesink

The brief for branch manager, Trevor Chard, was to set up a dealership that builds relationships on a local level, deals directly with customers and responds to specific customer needs for the area. Not only has that been achieved but surpassed, as he explains: “The pleasure of managing a branch is that the autonomy to make decisions in terms of what we stock, distribute and deliver is, to a degree, for us to determine based on the specific needs of customers in the area.”

Customers will be familiar with the brands Reesink UK distributes: Toro fine turf and groundscare machinery, STAR EV utility vehicles and golf buggies, Farmtrac tractors and TYM tractors which are all available through the branch, about which Trevor comments: “These brands, in particular STAR EV, are doing very well in this area, but breaking it down even further customers are particularly interested in the sustainable options offered by each brand. The all-electric Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370 riding greens mower, Workman GTX Lithium Ion utility vehicle and the Reelmaster 5010-H hybrid from Toro, and the FT25G all-electric compact tractor from Farmtrac for example.

“As a result, we’ve been able to fine-tune the range we offer our customers, we’ve taken on board new brands specific to what the market here is responding to and that’s proving to be a winning formula.”

The wide-spread interest in reducing CO2 emissions by businesses in the area led to Reesink Burwell widening its offering since opening to include Cramer, the biggest amperage available for battery-driven power tools, and Biocircle for sustainable cleaning of turfcare machinery.

Alongside the brands it offers its customers, a large part of the branch’s business is servicing maintenance contracts. The ReeAssure scheme has three plans available for machines and what particularly appeals to customers is that you can put certain machines on different plans.

Trevor continues: “This is a key part of the business – we have 77 ReeAssure Maintenance contracts of which 21 percent are Gold. As the customer puts individual machines on a plan and not necessarily the whole fleet, we have many customers with machines in all three plans. That takes some managing and it’s why we’ve staffed the division up with three really experienced mobile technicians. These guys can do everything from routine maintenance to scheduled servicing on mowers, sprayers, aerators, you name it. Our customers need to know that with their machines on plan with us, downtime becomes a thing of the past, especially with our parts distribution running as the head office’s does, on 24 hours delivery.”

Completing the offering available through the branch is training, with space on site to accommodate practical training in the workshops and forecourt and theory in meeting rooms. Trevors explains: “Again, we have the autonomy to produce and provide training specific to what our customers want and need, stepping away from the general plans available through head office. We can design our own packages, making training even easier for customers.”

What is next for the branch, which thanks to remodelling an office in COVID restricted times, is a little later than planned? Trevor says: “We just want people to know we’re here. That through us they can get access to the best international brands available on the UK market, but with the benefit of working with local turf machinery specialists. We’re independent, we don’t funnel into a system, we can respond instantly to local market changes and design our business to offer the right products for the local industry as it moves forward in new directions.”

To speak to Reesink Burwell about what brands, services and expertise it can offer, call 01638 594 340.

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Hunter is first-class for Bromley CC

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Hunter is first-class for Bromley CC: Bromley Cricket Club recently raised enough funds to purchase a much-needed new Hunter Irrigation system from KAR UK.

Founded in 1820, Bromley Cricket Club is one of the leading cricket clubs in Kent, with a long, successful, and proud tradition. As well as boasting four senior sides, the club is focused on promoting youth cricket and has approximately 500 youth players ranging from 4 – 18 years old.

Hunter is first-class for Bromley CC

Hunter is first-class for Bromley CC

As you can imagine, a lot of cricket is played at the club’s ground and David Wilson, cricket committee member and director of the main sports club, explained exactly why an irrigation system was needed.

“We have a very low, shallow, subbase of soil and the consequence of that, from our point of view is that in particularly hot periods in the height of summer, without any rain, the pitch would turn into a desert. It would turn to straw, become very hard and any undulations would become quite dangerous.

“Rainfall is becoming less and less reliable,” continued David. “We felt that we were getting to a point where a period of say 6 weeks, would make the outfield non-playable.”

Bromley Cricket club commissioned a topographical survey and a feasibility study, which stressed the importance of an irrigation system. The board began to raise funds in various ways, and it eventually reached its target at Bromley Cricket Club’s bi-centenary dinner celebrations which took place at The Oval.

The project went to tender, and Prime Irrigation was selected as the chosen contractor to install a Hunter Irrigation system from KAR UK. The system included 25 of the most technologically advanced commercial rotors on the market – the I-80’s.

Engineered for sports turf, the I-80 is built with a robust, dirt-tolerant gear drive that offers the highest torque output of any rotor in the commercial sphere, and extends a radius range from 11.3 to 29.6 meters. The I-80 features a wide range of highly efficient, dual-trajectory, wind-fighting nozzles for highly efficient performance in a range of applications. It also provides total top serviceability (TTS) via its integrated, surface-mounted snap-ring for no-dig easy maintenance.

The I-80’s were installed strategically around the outfield while 6 TTS-885’s were installed on the square.

The Hunter TTS-800 rotors provide maximum uniformity and longevity as they use the same gear drive and nozzles as the I-80’s. The high-torque gear drives are the strongest in the industry, so the challenges of reclaimed water use or poor water quality are mitigated. An extra-large, fast-access flange compartment comfortably accommodates wire connections and other components.

Bromley Cricket Club also purchased the Roam remote which means operators never have to walk back and forth to stop and start irrigation. Furthermore, the club will soon be benefiting from the mobile-friendly Centralus irrigation management platform. This provides highly secure, comprehensive cloud-based control and monitoring features which allows users to view a controller’s status, change settings, view forecasts, save water, and receive instant notification of important system alarms — all without costly and time-consuming travel and site visits.

Hunter is first-class for Bromley CC

Hunter is first-class for Bromley CC

“I like the fact that Trevor, our Groundsman, will soon be able to wake up in the morning, if needed, and operate the system from his phone all the way from his house in Whitstable!” added David.

“I have been around the club cricket world for about 45 years, and I can’t think of another club that has a system like this, certainly not to this scale,” he continued. “We have a lot of competitors in this area, so we want the best possible surface for people to play on. I’m very impressed with this irrigation kit and now that we have water, I am confident that this pitch will soon be of a first-class standard.”

Commenting on the project, Alan Williams, Sales Director for Prime Irrigation, said: “It has been great to be a part of this project and the system is going to make a big difference. The Roam remote is incredibly easy to use, and the operator can select various programmes; they now have the flexibility to water certain areas and can have different run times.

“We’ve got a very good relationship with KAR UK,” he continued. “They are a good group to work with, very knowledgeable, always helpful in the office and we get a lot a lot of our products from them.”

For more information, please visit www.karuk.com

You can also follow KAR UK on Twitter @KARUK_LTD for much more news, reviews and insightful views.

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ISEKI raises the game for village club

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ISEKI raises the game for village club: An ISEKI compact tractor is helping to raise the standard of football pitches for a local village club, based in Northamptonshire.

Deanshanger Colts & Girls were established in the summer of 1989. The club has approximately 260 children aged 6-15 and features adult teams as well. The teams play their home games at Deanshanger playing fields where there are five pitches.

ISEKI raises the game for village club

ISEKI raises the game for village club

Mark Pether is the man responsible for maintaining the pitches and he revealed how a much-needed Football Foundation grant finally enabled them to purchase their own maintenance equipment.

“Over the years we have never had our own equipment, and this has been a bit of an issue,” he said. “It was decided 12 months ago that we would use the Football Foundation grant and look to invest in some equipment to take care of the pitches.

“When we started looking for the equipment, we reached out to a local dealer called RT Machinery. We explained what our situation was and what we were trying to achieve, and they suggested the ISEKI TM3267.”

The ISEKI TM3267 compact tractor is a versatile 25hp diesel compact tractor with a F8/R8 mechanical transmission. The ISO-mounted operator’s platform combined with ergonomically positioned controls ensures operator comfort during extended working periods. The 3-point linkage has a lift capacity of 600kg or 800kg when fitted with the high-capacity lift kit.

It also features, as standard, a rear-PTO, two double acting valves, mid-PTO, two double-acting auxiliary valves, weight frame and a choice of AG or Turf tyres. The TM3267 is available with an optional front loader.

Further benefits include:

  • Excellent performance coupled with high efficiency
  • ISO mounted operator platform for reduced noise and vibration
  • Power: 18.9 kW (25.3 hp)
  • Drive System: Mechanical or HST

Mark, who uses the TM3267 at least twice a week, explained the impact it has already made at Deanshanger playing fields.

“We’ve been using it for 12 months and the quality shines through this ISEKI machine,” he said. “Never have there been any issues and it starts first time every time.

“It is powerful, and flexible enough to give us options to use all the equipment across the pitches. The size of the TM3267 is also very beneficial. We are quite confined here in terms of space at Deanshanger, but we can easily lock it away in our own container.”

Mark was also quick to praise the service he receives from ISEKI dealer RT Machinery.

“The guys at RT Machinery have been absolutely fantastic. When they delivered the ISEKI machine, they gave us a full brief on how to use the machinery and they are always there to support us if ever we need them.

“I would recommend the ISEKI TM3267 to anybody,” he continued. “In fact, I have already been recommending it to quite a few local clubs nearby.”

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One-in-three greenkeepers looking for work outside of golf

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One-in-three greenkeepers looking for work outside of golf: The British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) has issued the results of a major industry survey, with some of the findings representing a stark warning to the golfing industry.

More than 1,300 members of BIGGA, representing golf clubs across the United Kingdom, responded to the survey, which asked them to provide details of working conditions at their facilities, in addition to commenting on their job satisfaction.

One-in-three greenkeepers looking for work outside of golf

One-in-three greenkeepers looking for work outside of golf

With talk of difficulties regarding the recruitment and retention of staff common, BIGGA undertook the survey to gain solid evidence of the challenges at UK golf clubs, and the results have raised a number of concerns.

Although 56% of respondents said they were happy working within the greenkeeping profession, 35% admitted they were currently looking for opportunities outside the industry.

With regard to issues of recruitment, 53% are running with teams at less than full strength, while 83.5% said they struggle to recruit new staff.

The boom in golf that followed the coronavirus lockdowns in the past two years has translated to a general increase in staffing numbers, with golf clubs having on average one extra full time greenkeeper compared to the previous poll in 2019.

However, investment in staff welfare facilities hasn’t materialised, with, for example, only one in five facilities offering single sex changing facilities and toilets for female team members. Despite increased reliance on technology, nearly half of clubs don’t provide internet connectivity within the greenkeeping facility.

Further details and a results breakdown is available on the BIGGA website at: https://www.bigga.org.uk/news-listing/greenkeepers-bigga-workforce-survey.html

BIGGA CEO Jim Croxton said: “I’m pleased to be able to present robust data to the wider golfing industry that lays bare some fairly frightening statistics on the challenges that exist within our profession.

“We know anecdotally that there are major challenges regarding the recruitment and retention of staff and also that pay, conditions and welfare are major contributors, but to see in black and white that nearly 35% of greenkeepers are looking for work outside the industry is truly a concern.

“Equally, finding out that only one in five facilities are equipped for female staff members shows that the sport’s laudable ambitions to improve equality and diversity are not translating into our side of the game.

“But the key question is what does the game of golf does with this information? It is widely known that there is currently a general challenge in recruiting and retaining staff across society. In order to continue functioning, many sectors have responded with significant pay increases and improvement in working conditions. Golf requires an integrated approach by the entire sport to overcome the challenges laid out by this survey. This approach will need to clearly lay out the challenges, create targets and devise plans to achieve our ambitions.”

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