Tag Archive for: GC

Romford GC maximises versatility with Terra Spike GXi8 HD

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Romford GC maximises versatility with Terra Spike GXi8 HD: Romford Golf Club in Essex has relied on its Wiedenmann Terra Spike GXi8 HD for deep aeration since 2018, and Course Manager Antony Kirwan says it’s now integral to the club’s maintenance programme.

“The GXi8 is exceptionally versatile,” says Antony Kirwan. “We use it across every surface — tees, greens, aprons, and fairways. Its quick forward motion and range of tine sizes mean we can adapt it precisely to what we need at different times of the year. We use it in conjunction with a pedestrian aerator, and its efficiency allows us to cover 13 or 14 greens in an eight-hour shift, finishing the remainder the next morning.”

Romford GC maximises versatility with Terra Spike GXi8 HD

Romford GC maximises versatility with Terra Spike GXi8 HD

Romford’s course is mostly flat, but Antony Kirwan says that even the uneven areas pose no problem. “We’ve a couple of areas that still have ridge and furrow from when it was farmland,” he explains, “but it breezes over them and doesn’t fluctuate or miss a beat.”

Antony Kirwan particularly values the speed of the GXi8 when aerating fairways. “We have to close holes during this work, so it’s essential the machine is both quick and efficient to minimise disruption and get golfers back out as soon as possible,” he adds. “It’s easily the fastest machine for the job.”

That efficiency carries through to how the tines are used. New sets start on the fairways, and once they’ve worn down, they’re still appropriate for use on the greens for the next set of renovations — helping the team get the most out of every set.

The team are also vigilant about maintenance. “We make sure to grease all the points before every use and maybe change the belt once a year,” says Antony Kirwan. “At this rate, I think it will still be here for many years to come.”

Romford’s aeration programme has evolved since the GXi8’s arrival: fairways are treated two or three times in winter, while in March the greens are aerated to a depth of around 175 mm. Greens also receive scheduled renovations and three summer passes with 10 mm tines, and tees, aprons, and surrounds are maintained during seasonal windows. The mid-season renovation includes a scarify, topdressing, a spike at around 150 mm depth, seeding with bent, and a light roll — a process that keeps the greens healthy, smooth, and consistent throughout the season. This approach improves soil health by letting air, water, and nutrients reach the root zone, keeping the course in championship condition.

Founded in 1894, Romford Golf Club has a proud history. Legendary golfer James Braid served as head professional from 1896 to 1904 and won the first of his five Open Championship titles while at the club in 1901. Today, the course honours that heritage with meticulously maintained playing conditions that continue to attract golfers from across the region.

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Maximising Winter Playability at Chester-Le-Street GC

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Maximising Winter Playability at Chester-Le-Street GC: When winter bites, it bites hard in the North East. At Chester-Le-Street Golf Club, Course Manager Jack Hetherington knows the battle all too well: persistent rain, cold soils, and long hours of leaf wetness that stretch from autumn into early spring.

Between October and March, maintaining playable surfaces becomes a test of strategy, not just stamina.

Maximising Winter Playability at Chester-Le-Street GC

Maximising Winter Playability at Chester-Le-Street GC

“Improving the movement of water through the surface is essential in maximising the window in which we can operate to produce the best surfaces,” Jack explains.

With a course built on mixed construction types, including clay push-ups with drains, keeping water moving is vital.

“It’s crucial that we get water down into the drains as quickly as possible to maintain turf health and ensure playability. We’d also had issues with access points and bottlenecks becoming unsafe for play after rain. Applying FlowSmart in these areas has kept the course open.”

Jack applies H2Pro FlowSmart monthly in a tank-mix with Effect Iron as part of his ITM programme.

“This combination aids playability and helps us stay on top of disease management,” he says.

The results soon spoke for themselves: firmer-feeling clay push-ups, faster infiltration, and more manageable disease pressure through the autumn and winter.

“The moment it really stood out was after a rain event — the next day you could walk onto the green, no dew, felt firmer underfoot, and performing better than the day before. It transformed how the greens performed throughout the autumn/winter period.”

Tank-mixing with iron has brought additional gains too, with improved turf colour, vigour, and resilience through high-pressure disease periods.

And with ICL’s support behind the product, Jack says the decision was straightforward.

“ICL is synonymous with data-driven products, and the support wrapped around them makes for an easy decision.”

For Jack, FlowSmart has become a reliable part of his programme.

“What we apply in our spray windows is increasingly important, which is why I always recommend products supported by data and research. FlowSmart is one of the many ICL have to offer.”

Please contact ICL on 01473 237100 or visit www.icl-sf.co.uk or www.icl-sf.ie if you are in Ireland.

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Two Ventrac’s for Chelmsford GC maximise versatility

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Two Ventrac’s for Chelmsford GC maximise versatility: Chelmsford Golf Course was founded in 1893. Head Greenkeeper, James Pickess, has been there for twenty-five years, starting as an assistant greenkeeper, then moving into a mechanical role and eventually becoming deputy, and then Head Greenkeeper nearly two years ago. His team consists of seven full-time staff.

Chelmsford is a parkland course of just under a hundred acres, featuring push-up greens and ancient woodland integrated into the design. The soil is primarily Essex clay, leading to some very wet spots. The topography includes hilly and sloped tee banks, with some challenging steep areas such as “The Snake Pit” and “The Valley” which are ancient clay digging sites for bricks. “Some slopes are as steep as 28 degrees, posing challenges for normal mowers”, said James.

Two Ventrac’s for Chelmsford GC maximise versatility

Two Ventrac’s for Chelmsford GC maximise versatility

James initiated the purchase of two Ventrac 4520 traction units, an MR770 triplex reel mower, a rotary MJ840 Contour Mower, a Tough Cut mower and an ET202 Turbine Blower, when he became Head Greenkeeper, driven by the machine’s versatility. He noted that “specialized grass machinery is increasingly expensive. The appeal of Ventrac was its ability to perform two, four or even ten different jobs,” said James, “offering more value for money and making it a worthwhile club investment.” James specified optional rear 3-point-hitches with quick hitch 3 in1 adaptors to allow generic attachments to be used such as turf conditioners and a carrying box. This allows for simultaneous operations (e.g., one machine with reels, another with the contour deck) and easy swapping of attachments.

James explained that “previously, the first cut was done with a rotary mower, which struggled with damp, dewy mornings, leaving grass clippings behind.” The Ventrac’s reel mowers were purchased to transition to a cleaner cut, effectively managing wet conditions and improve contour following. The course has some very undulating terrain. Larger previous mowers struggled to follow contours, leading to scalping. Ventrac’s reel mowers and contour deck “hug and float” [the ground] better, adapting well to the terrain. The Ventrac’s allow for precise cutting heights, “25mm with the cylinder mowers and better definition from the green to the collar, using two bands with the cylinder mower and two further bands with the contour deck 51mm”. said James.

In addition, previously, tasks like clearing brush, bracken, and bramble in woodland areas between greens required hiring machinery. Now, the Ventrac Tough Cut Deck can be deployed on demand, saving time and costs associated with hiring. The Ventrac Turbine blower, utilizing the diesel-powered tractor’s engine, is more fuel-efficient and maneuverable than the previous petrol-powered, tow-behind blower, which also tied up a utility vehicle. Significant manpower savings are achieved by combining tasks, for example, using a GreenTech turf conditioner on the three-point hitch at the back while simultaneously using the blower on the front. James explained that “this allows one person to do the work that previously required two, saving about a day, to a day and a half over three days of work on the fairways”. The Ventrac’s stability on steep slopes (up to 30 degrees) makes it safer. Chelmsford has slopes of up to 28 degrees. James also highlighted “excellent support” from Price Turfcare and Invictor Ground Care, noting quick parts replacement and technical assistance.

While the Ventrac units were only acquired just after Christmas 2024, James anticipates long-term financial savings and has already seen significant time and manpower efficiencies. He is considering adding more attachments in the future, such as a power rake or rotary brush.

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Hamilton GC underway with ‘summer Wiedenmann phase’

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Hamilton GC underway with ‘summer Wiedenmann phase’: Hamilton Golf Club has entered what Course Manager Neil Hogg calls its “summer Wiedenmann phase” — when its fleet of specialist turf care machines is fine-tuned for summer maintenance.

Neil joined the Lanarkshire club in December 2022 from Bruntsfield Links GC in Edinburgh, inheriting three key Wiedenmann machines: a Terra Spike GXi8, a Super 500, and a Core Recycler.

Hamilton GC underway with ‘summer Wiedenmann phase’

Hamilton GC underway with ‘summer Wiedenmann phase’

“I’ve always liked how Wiedenmann kit works,” says Neil. “It’s well-engineered, reliable, and gets the job done.”

Since then, the fleet has grown through Fairways GM, Wiedenmann’s exclusive Scottish dealer, with a Terra Spike XP in summer 2023, a Mega Twister blower in summer 2024, and most recently a 2.3m Terra Rake in October 2024.

While many clubs use this machinery mainly in autumn and winter, Neil keeps it working year-round.

“In summer, the Terra Rake goes across fairways, aprons, and tees to lift the grass and break up any matting. Particularly with fairways, many turfgrasses spread sideways, and over time this lateral growth can make the surface puffy and uneven. The rake’s spring tines comb through the canopy, tugging at horizontal shoots and leaf blades to keep that in check. The faster we go, the more thatch we remove, keeping the surface open and healthy. Raking acts as a mild stress, shifting the plant’s energy from spreading sideways to growing upright, which produces a denser, more vertical canopy. The light tearing encourages the grass to repair by sending up new vertical shoots.”

The process is followed by a cut with the new Jacobsen LF570 fairway mower and a clean-up pass with the Mega Twister blower.

“The blower was a godsend in winter for clearing leaves, and now it speeds everything up. It’s reliably versatile — standing up the turf, drying it when needed, and leaving a tidy finish. We can rake, cut, and clean in one go.”

Neil says performance is the priority, with improved appearance a welcome bonus.

“When grass lies over, it mats down and the cut suffers. The Terra Rake is like back-combing the turf — once it’s upright, the mower gives a sharper, more even finish.”

The mower is usually set to 10 mm for daily work, but after raking, Neil drops it to 9 mm.

“The Jake’s brand new, so we get a perfect finish. That fresh cut also improves ball roll and makes the course more enjoyable to play.”

The Super 500 is also key in managing the tiger rough, which is topped in summer to encourage healthy regrowth and prevent matting.

“The rough can grow knee-high. When it’s wet, it just flops over and won’t stand back up — a bit like fairways, only on a bigger scale. In autumn, it’s cut back to 5–7 cm to stop leaves becoming trapped. The rake then reduces thatch and bulk, producing finer, softer growth for the following season.

“It’s about long-term improvement as much as presentation,” says Neil. “Better airflow, better recovery, and ultimately, a better playing surface.”

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Ballybunion GC Enhances Turf Maintenance with Foley

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Ballybunion GC Enhances Turf Maintenance with Foley: Ballybunion Golf Club, located on the north-west coast of County Kerry, Ireland and steeped in history since its founding in 1893, is widely celebrated for its breathtaking coastal views and challenging yet rewarding links.

Over the years, the club has become a symbol of golfing perfection, attracting players from around the globe to experience its world-class courses. Continuing its tradition of excellence, Ballybunion recently acquired state-of-the-art Foley grinders, comprising a Accu-Pro 633 Accu-touch 3 control cylinder grinder with rear tail lift and an Accu Pro 673 bedknife grinder, to further elevate its turf maintenance standards.

Ballybunion GC Enhances Turf Maintenance with Foley

Ballybunion GC Enhances Turf Maintenance with Foley

The decision to invest in Foley grinders was driven by Ballybunion’s unwavering dedication to delivering immaculate playing conditions. With such a large fleet size in regular use, the advanced automated relief and spin options offered by Foley grinders ensure that the reel’s edges remain sharp for longer, improving efficiency and playability.

Speaking on the importance of this investment, Course Manager John Bambury remarked, “At Ballybunion, we pride ourselves on maintaining some of the finest greens in the world. Our new Foley grinders allow us to achieve a level of precision and consistency that aligns perfectly with our commitment to excellence.”

Ian Robson, Managing Director of ProSportUK Ltd, distributor for Foley Company in the UK and Ireland stated. “We are delighted to have placed two of the latest Foley grinders into a prestigious club such as Ballybunion. We have had a relationship with the greens team at Ballybunion for many years after supplying and supporting the previous Neary grinders, and will continue to offer them assistance, whenever required going forward.

Ease of use and robust training were vital considerations in choosing Foley grinders. The intuitive design of the equipment provides Ballybunion’s maintenance team with the tools to keep the workflow going, while the thorough training ensures that team members can maximize the potential of this innovative technology.

The exceptional back-up service provided by Prosport UK and the Foley Company has been a key factor in this successful upgrade. According to John, “The support and service we’ve received have been outstanding. Being able to rely on Prosport UK and Foley Company helps us maintain the highest standards in turf management”

Foley Company is the world leader in professional reel and bed-knife grinders and delivers the most economical solution for all your spin and relief grinding needs. Designed for optimum operator safety and ease of use.

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