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New 80V range from Cobra

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New 80V range from Cobra: The new 80V cordless range of lawnmowers from Cobra packs double the punch, with twin 40V Lithium-ion batteries delivering 80 volts of pure cutting power.    

The brand has the UK’s largest range of powered lawnmowers and is constantly expanding its range and developing its products to further its position as the expert in the lawncare market. The 80V range is the latest extension of this, with its three models being packed with innovative features and technology.

New 80V range from Cobra

New 80V range from Cobra

 

The three mowers in the range offer 17”, 20” and 21” cutting widths, generous run times and even rear rollers on the 17 and 20” models for a traditional, striped finish. Each machine is powered by two Samsung 5Ah 40V Lithium-ion batteries that drive the 80V brushless motors. The Cobra 40V Lithium-ion technology means the mowers are always ready to use, will hold charge capacity and have no memory effect.

The RM43SP80V is the most compact of the three, with a 17” cutting width, and it is a great all-rounder, with a minute run time. It is self-propelled, so it’s ideal for sloping gardens and has seven different cutting heights ranging from 17mm for a super low finish, up to 75mm for tackling longer grass. The mower also benefits from a 50 litre grass bag  to hold more cutting for a longer time between bag emptying. Its rear roller means that a professional, striped finish can be created too.

The RM51SP80V keeps all of the impressive features of the RM43SP80V, including the rear roller, but increases the width to 20” and the grass bag to 70 litres. With the ability to run for up to 45 minutes between charges, the mower can complete medium to large sized lawns in one run.

The final, and largest, mower in the range is the MX51S80V. Again, the mower features a self-propelled drive system to allow for ease of use, and has a 20” cutting width and a running time of 55 minutes. This model benefits from a mulching function, allowing the grass to be recycled by finely cutting and re-cutting the clippings. As the clippings decompose, nutrients and fertilisers are returned to the soil meaning grass can be cut and fertilised at the same time – creating a healthy, green lawn.

Peter Chaloner, managing director of Cobra, said: “The 80V range sets a new standard for battery powered garden machinery, providing more power and convenience than ever before. Cobra prides itself on being at the forefront of innovation to help people maintain their gardens with the minimum of effort, and this range is the epitome of that.”

Each of the models comes complete with two 40V 5Ah Lithium-ion batteries and two Fast Chargers. The 40v batteries are compatible with Cobra grass trimmers, chainsaws, hedge cutters and garden vacs.

Cobra products are available to buy online at www.cobragarden.co.uk or via a network of expert dealers across the UK.

RRP:

RM43SP80V £569.99

RM51SP80V £669.99

MX51S80V £559.99

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Brokenhurst Manor benefits from dealer support

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Brokenhurst Manor benefits from dealer support: Situated in the village of Brockenhurst in the New Forest National Park, Brokenhurst Manor Golf Club is one of Hampshire’s finest woodland/heathland courses. The club likes to point out that theirs is the correct and original spelling although it is pronounced the same as with the c, which was added to the railway station name in the 19th century by mistake and stuck.

The club hosted the first of last summer’s eight Rose Ladies Series tournaments, sponsored by Justin Rose. This was held in June just five weeks after re-opening following a 10-week lockdown, when the greenkeeping team was only doing essential maintenance to keep the course tidy. The idea for the series came from club member and Ladies European Tour player Liz Young, who was beaten by Charley Hull in a play-off at the inaugural event.

Brokenhurst Manor benefits from dealer support

Brokenhurst Manor benefits from dealer support

It was the pre-tournament support that club manager Kevin Light and course manager Kevan Glass received from John Deere’s local turf dealer Hunt Forest Group, particularly groundscare sales & golf specialist Andy Johnson and golf demonstrator Rob Patrick, that contributed to the decision to sign Brokenhurst Manor’s first ever fleet package deal using a John Deere Financial contract lease arrangement.

As a result, the club’s greenkeeping team now uses a 7500A PrecisionCut fairway mower, two 2653B tees & surrounds mowers, TX Turf and TE electric Gator utility vehicles, a ProGator equipped with a Charterhouse top dresser and a 5075E utility tractor on low ground pressure tyres, plus ancillary equipment including a tractor trailer, a Campey TB 220 brush and a Tru-Turf greens roller.

“Our previous five-year contract was up for renewal in the summer, and the decision to change to John Deere was influenced by a number of things,” says Kevin Light, who has been manager for three years. “Chief among these was that Andy and Rob were very forthcoming with loan machines for testing, demonstrations and tournament support. Both John Deere and the dealership did a very professional job all the way through this period and were really helpful when we needed it.”

“We’ve run John Deere tractors here for 20 years, used Gators before and know the 2653 utility mowers well, but the A Model fairway mower and the Tru-Turf roller were firsts for us,” adds Kevan Glass. “We managed to stay positive through the initial lockdown period and utilised the time as well as we could. Along with the new kit, we were able to get quite a few extra jobs done and ticked a number of boxes while we were shut.

“There are not a lot of clubs like this one, with the forest all around us – the natural beauty of the woodland feeds onto the golf course, it’s very tranquil and provides great views all the way round. However, with a clay subsoil and situated on a flood plain, it can be a hard job keeping it in top condition. Nowadays people want the full golf course experience, they don’t want tee mats and temporary greens during the winter months for example, so it’s definitely more of a challenge than it was 10 or 20 years ago.”

Since Kevin Light took over as club manager, a number of other significant changes have been made and there is a waiting list for members. “We have a great team here now, with Kevan and the greenkeepers, our bar manager Kevin Casswell and club pro Jason MacNiven, who is one of the UK’s leading club fitters, all working together rather than as separate entities,” he says.

“As a members club run primarily for our members, we know what people want to see the club evolve into. However, the whole place is a lot more social these days, and I’d like to think more welcoming to visitors. We are now looking forward to hosting another important tournament, the Brabazon Trophy Southern Qualifier, in May if permitted, and I believe the club can continue to grow and prosper, despite what we’ve all had to go through in 2020 and early 2021.”

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New Terafirm™ Granular from Headland

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New Terafirm™ Granular from Headland: Headland Amenity have announced the introduction of a new granular version of their popular penetrant wetter Terafirm™. Suitable for use in all fine and coarse turf situations, the Terafirm™ range improves the downward movement of water through the soil profile, helping to achieve a firmer playing surface.

Terafirm™ is a non-phytotoxic soil penetrant, which works by reducing the surface tension of water to facilitate accelerated water movement and drainage. As a result, Terafirm™ also acts to speed up surface drying and open up pore space within the soil profile during dry down by improving natural soil contraction.

New Terafirm™ Granular from Headland

New Terafirm™ Granular from Headland

The launch of Terafirm™ granular, in addition to the existing liquid formulation, means it can now be applied in even more areas and in different conditions than was previously the case. Terafirm™ Granular is easy to spread on bunker edges, slopes, or other areas where access with a sprayer is difficult. Containing the same active ingredient as in liquid Terafirm™, use of the granular product is an effective alternative to spraying.

Although no chemical penetrant can, in itself, alter the physical properties of soil that determine drainage rates, Terafirm™ will help get the water out as quickly as the physical properties of the soil allow. Applications of Terafirm™ can be made on a monthly or more frequent basis, most-effectively before the onset of seasonal periods of heavy moisture. As a spot treatment on wet areas, Terafirm™ can be applied at two-week intervals until the excessive moisture conditions subside.

Regular use of Terafirm™ offers the turf professional an effective tool to help maintain drier soil surface conditions, helping to reduce puddling and anaerobic conditions, and producing a faster-draining, drier and healthier sward.

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Lockdown update from BIGGA

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Lockdown update from BIGGA: Following the rapidly-escalating situation regarding a return to full national lockdown restrictions for England, which followed on the heels of similar restrictions in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) has sought clarification regarding the level of course maintenance work that is able to take place on golf courses and other facilities.

BIGGA has reviewed the UK Government guidance and liaised with the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Golf and The R&A and can confirm there will be no limitations placed on maintenance activities able to be undertaken by the greenkeeping teams at golf facilities, driving ranges and other venues where golf and shorter forms of the game take place.

Lockdown update from BIGGA

Lockdown update from BIGGA

While golf courses in Scotland are able to remain open, golf courses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are closed. Taking place primarily outdoors with limited opportunities for cross-contamination, greenkeeping teams have adapted well to ensure staff stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff at all facilities should continue to be aware of social distancing requirements and ensure any activities are undertaken in a manner that minimises interaction with others.

Golf clubs may choose to take advantage of the extension to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, which is expected to run until at least April 2021, and BIGGA is asking facilities to consider the mental health and wellbeing of all staff, both those who have been under significant pressure to work with reduced staff levels for an extended period and those who have been asked to remain at home. Rotation of staff may be deemed appropriate, as is enabling all team members to take part in professional development opportunities, such as BIGGA’s Continue to Learn online education programme that is taking place during January 2021.

BIGGA is also appealing to the operators of golf clubs to use common sense when assigning tasks to the greenkeeping team and reminds club managers of their responsibility to provide a COVID-safe working environment for all members of the team.

BIGGA CEO Jim Croxton said: “With widespread vaccinations taking place across the country, our hope is that this is the final hurdle and golf courses will take the opportunity presented by reduced playing levels to prepare their courses for what we hope will be a busy and prosperous summer season out on the fairways. In the meantime, the focus must be on safety and not putting anyone at risk. Course managers should have an awareness of what work is considered a priority during this period of the year and advise senior management as to these requirements, adjusting staffing levels to suit the needs of the golf facility and to ensure the continuing safety of the entire team.”

BIGGA will continue to monitor this situation and provide addition guidance as appropriate.

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Merry Christmas from Turf Matters

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Merry Christmas from Turf Matters: Rarely will a new year be treated with such gusto as 2021. I will certainly not be alone in wishing Good Riddance to 2020, although I am well aware of the fact that the advent of the new year doesn’t wipe the Covid slate clean.

It will be with us for most of the year but at least the vaccines mean that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and dreams of normality are not as fanciful as they were a few months ago.

Merry Christmas from Turf Matters

Merry Christmas from Turf Matters

I’m proud to be associated with an industry sector which has provided so many key workers, and that fact demonstrates just how important the work done in this industry is to the fabric of society as a whole.

Can you just imagine what would have been facing us when we came out of that first long lockdown if no-one had attended to the green spaces – cut the grass and managed the trees? Jungle comes to mind.

And, when we came out of lockdown, what gave us that little bit of hope? Golf courses being open and top class sport returning to our televisions. One of my memories of lockdown was how Saturday afternoons were just the same as every other after. No Jeff Stelling and his posse of television watching pundits!

When that changed, and we had golf, cricket, rugby and horse racing back on the television, it felt right, even given the lack of crowds and galleries.

That couldn’t have happened without dedicated groundsmen and greenkeepers moving back from ticking over mode to full blown, high octane turf management.

Thank you!

Now please enjoy a responsible, socially distanced festive holiday and join me in waving good-bye to 2020.

Scott MacCallum

Editor

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