Tag Archive for: GKB

GKB Combitool delivers year round excellence

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GKB Combitool delivers year round excellence: A GKB Combitool has proven the solution to improving surface quality, and reducing reliance on hired equipment, at Norfolk’s Langley School.

Senior Groundsman Phil Cook leads a team of four in maintaining 19 hectares of school grounds – made that much easier with the versatility of the 4-in-1 implement which has taken presentation of the sports pitches to new heights.

GKB Combitool delivers year round excellence

GKB Combitool delivers year round excellence

When Phil joined the co-educational day and boarding school 18 months ago, most of the maintenance machinery was hired in. Notification followed shortly after that prices were due to increase so a change of tact was needed. “It made sense to look at what we were using most often, and as a versatile all-rounder, we knew something like the GKB Combitool would make a big difference across multiple areas of the site” Phil explains.

Working closely with Stuart Paterson at Ernest Doe & Sons, the school built a package of machines – including the GKB Combitool – for delivery in October 2024.

“I hadn’t had any previous experience of GKB, but when I saw the brochure and the build quality of the unit, it was an easy decision. In practice, it has more than lived up to expectations. It’s incredibly solid, reliable and easy to use enabling us to brush, rake, roll and spike our 10 winter sports pitches year-round and, in springtime, our cricket outfields on a weekly basis.” He adds, “Because of the size of the site, we sometimes used to struggle with moving clippings. Now, we can follow the mower with a single pass of the GKB Combitool, rake the clippings up and leave an immaculately presented surface in its wake.”

The delivery also couldn’t have been better planned for Phil and the team, with the Combitool landing just in time for Langley’s annual rugby festival which attracts teams from across the UK. “With so many spectators and matches in a condensed period, presentation really matters. Running the Combitool between games was a real eye-opener. It lifted the grass, left a brilliant finish and helped us retain superb surfaces for the duration of the event.”

The quality and value delivered by the GKB Combitool has certainly left a strong impression, leading Phil to look at other areas of their maintenance programme. “The Combitool has become our go-to implement, and is raising standards so much, we’d like to see about adding more GKB Machines to our armoury to bring other areas up to a similar level – ensuring the facilities continue to meet the high expectations of our students, visiting clubs and national tournaments alike.”

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Efficiency meets durability with GKB Sandspreader

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Efficiency meets durability with GKB Sandspreader: Maintaining top-tier playing conditions at North London’s Stanmore Golf Club is a constant balancing act – particularly with the ever-changing challenges posed by the climate.

After 31 years at the club, Course Manager Barry Neville know what it takes to keep the course in shape, which begins with the right machinery to deliver both efficiency and outstanding results. With a new SP100 from GKB Machines, the team now have a robust, versatile topdressing solution to support ongoing course renovation and drainage works.

Efficiency meets durability with GKB Sandspreader

Efficiency meets durability with GKB Sandspreader

Set on challenging London clay, the course — originally an inland links — has evolved into a mature parkland layout, now grappling like most with more prolonged periods of rainfall and the need for drainage improvements. Together with seeking to improve efficiency of routine topdressing, Barry explains that this multi-year programme drove the demand for a new, reliable solution. “Our previous dresser had served us well for close to two decades so the process of finding its replacement wasn’t taken lightly. We looked at a good few options, but the GKB Sandspreader really stood out. Seeing it at BTME 2025 then again at the Doe Show, the build quality was apparent immediately” he says.

“Not only could you tell the steel construction was robust, we also liked the fact the Sandspreader uses hydraulic controls rather than electric. A lot of modern kit is becoming more complex which is fine when it works, but in the real world with the weather and conditions in which we operate, things eventually go wrong” Barry says.

The SP100 was delivered by dealers Ernest Doe in June 2025 once the machine had been fully equipped to meet the club’s unique requirements. “Filling the trenches after the installation of the new drainage has been a labour-intensive task, with a lot of barrowing, tipping and backfilling by hand. This is manageable on greens but for fairways and larger areas, it just wasn’t efficient” he explains. “The ability to swap out the spinning discs of the SP100 for a cross conveyor has proved to be a gamechanger.”

Together with transforming the task of topping up trenches, the SP100 has also been impressing with the routine topdressing around the course. “We’ve dressed the greens twice with it and it’s gone faultlessly. If we get out first thing in the morning, the job is done by 9:00am and within a couple of hours the light dressing is brushed in so the golfers hardly even notice.”

“In addition, we’ve been using the conveyor system to top up bunkers which is already presenting a major time saving.”

Looking ahead, Barry foresees the versatility of the Sandspreader will pay dividends across the course. “Together with routine topdressing every couple of weeks, we’ll be looking to put 100 tonnes of material through it during our maintenance week in August. With the hopper slightly larger than our previous machine, we also have the potential to dress our fairways in the future. It’s a futureproofed purchase.”

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GKB Sandspreader proves tough to beat

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GKB Sandspreader proves tough to beat: What’s top of the priority list when it comes to purchasing a topdresser? For Gavin Playford of Royal West Norfolk Golf Club it’s build quality, which is why he opted for an SP100 from the GKB Sandspreader range.

So impressed when he first saw the machine on display at The Doe Show 2025, Gavin placed the order there and then – without even having a demonstration!

GKB Sandspreader proves tough to beat

GKB Sandspreader proves tough to beat

Nestled between the beach and salt marshes, the traditional links course at Royal West Norfolk has been under the stewardship of Gavin for the last 39 years. Currently assisted by a team of six, Gavin outlines that the club opt for a ‘little and often’ approach to topdressing. “Depending on conditions and available resources, we try to dress the greens every two to four weeks which not only benefits plant health but helps to keep the golfers on side compared to less frequent, heavier applications.”

“Over the years we’ve used a various makes and models of dresser but were struck by the build quality of the GKB machine as soon as we saw it at The Doe Show back in February. We had the opportunity to have a really good chat with GKB’s Tom Shinkins and discussed opting for the electronic controls to enhance consistency and make setting the distribution rates much easier. Nothing was too much trouble, and just a few weeks later the SP100 was delivered by Eddie Jack of Ernest Doe, just in time for renovation season.”

The GKB Sandspreader range features four different hopper capacities and trailed or mounted models for ultimate versatility on every surface. With an existing John Deere ProGator in the shed, Gavin opted for the mounted SP100 with its 1.0m3 hopper and up to 10m working width.

“The hopper is slightly bigger than our previous topdresser which has given us some noticeable productivity gains and the electronic controls have definitely made adjusting the rates much easier.” He adds, “Along with topdressing greens, we’ve also used the SP100 to apply compost to the fairways which worked very well! Overall, the team have been very impressed.”

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GKB Machines delivers top class artificial surfaces

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GKB Machines delivers top class artificial surfaces: A suite of equipment from GKB Machines has been entrusted with prolonging the longevity and boosting the performance of five artificial playing surfaces at Ipswich School.

Installed by dealers Ernest Doe in September 2024, a Quick Brush, Rotobrush and GKB Deep Clean are bringing new-found time-savings and efficiency to both routine and more intensive maintenance.

GKB Machines delivers top class artificial surfaces

GKB Machines delivers top class artificial surfaces

Rated the number one independent school in Suffolk and Norfolk, sport forms a major part of the curriculum for the students at Ipswich School. Keeping an array of natural and all-weather surfaces in top-flight condition for cricket, hockey and winter sports is a team of eight headed up by Grounds Maintenance Manager Syd Townsend. “The all-weather pitches across our Westwood campus and Rushmere Sports Centre have been installed over a number of years and the time was now right to invest in equipment to optimise their performance and protect our investment” he explains.

“We previously didn’t have any mechanised attachments or equipment, so we were drag brushing the surfaces manually which was labour intensive and restricted us from being able to conduct operations as often as we’d like.” For a solution, Syd spoke with local dealers Ernest Doe who brought in a selection of machines from the GKB synthetic portfolio for the team to trial on their facilities. “It was important that anything we purchased would work with our existing tractors. Of the four machines we demoed, we purchased three of them and in a short period of time, they have already proven their worth.”

“The Quick Brush and Rotobrush are in use regularly, standing up the fibres and redistributing the sand dressing. The Rotobrush does a fantastic job of the perimeter areas, in particular, agitating any moss and bringing it to the surface for collection with the Deep Clean.” Syd continues, “We’ll be using the Deep Clean during school holidays to give the pitches a more intensive renovation, on top of the more routine collection of leaves and other detritus.”

“A large proportion of our synthetic pitches are surrounded by overhanging trees. The days of using a blower or manually raking up leaves have gone, and we can now quickly and effectively collect these and other smaller particulates in a more sustainable way.”

While each machine has been well received, Syd considers the combination of equipment to be the golden ticket to perfecting the performance of the playing surfaces. “Not only has the kit delivered exactly what we hoped, the service and training we received from Ernest Does and GKB was outstanding. Despite having to reschedule our training day due to unpredictable weather and staff holidays, both companies were incredibly flexible. On the day all eight operatives had the opportunity to ask any questions and undergo full training to ensure they were confident with the equipment which will all help us to achieve the very best results.”

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Bancroft Amenities get renovation ready with GKB

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Bancroft Amenities get renovation ready with GKB: A fleet of natural and artificial maintenance equipment from GKB Machines is being championed by specialist sportsground contractors Bancroft Amenities.

Built up over a number of years, a Quick-Brush, Rotobrush and Deep-Clean are out daily servicing the requirements of synthetic pitches, while a Sandfiller, Combiseeder and pair of V-Strong scarifiers are preparing for a busy renovation season on a range of fine and sports turf surfaces.

Bancroft Amenities get renovation ready with GKB

Bancroft Amenities get renovation ready with GKB

In addition to delivering all aspects of renovation and maintenance for sports facilities in and around the northwest, Bancroft Amenities also offer a comprehensive hire fleet – with GKB playing a key role in both sides of the business. “Our relationship with GKB Machines is a longstanding one, starting initially with the brushes and cleaning systems for artificial turf pitches” explains Director Stuart Thompson. “We have one operative permanently on synthetic maintenance and our GKB fleet allows us to offer everything from a quick, routine brush to a deeper clean and decompaction of the infill.”

“The main thing about GKB is the build quality and back up support we receive from their UK Operations Manager Tom Shinkins. The kit is put through its paces with us, and even more so when it goes out to customers on hire so it’s critical for us that equipment is robust enough to cope with demand. With GKB, we have no concerns.”

This confidence in build quality quickly saw the addition of machines for natural turf to the fleet, including a Sandfiller and GKB Combiseeder. “The Sandfiller is unique on the market and does an incredible job of removing thatch and backfiling with sand in a single pass. As a specialist tool, we conduct this operation for golf clubs who just can’t believe the speed and cleanliness of the process and the dramatic improvements it brings to the growing environment.” He continues, “The Combiseeder is one of our most popular hire machines – user friendly and versatile, delivering reliable results on both golf courses and football pitches.”

The most recent delivery was a second GKB V-Strong, to come to the rescue of the original unit which is in high demand! “This scarifier does a bit of everything – an important piece of equipment for all of our renovation work and another popular machine on hire. With the weather now picking up, we’re booking the V-Strong in for spring projects on fine turf, before coming into play with winter sports renovations.”

Stuart adds, “Tom also understands the inconvenience of downtime and is quick to respond to any queries we have to ensure our schedule stays on track. The customer service is as good as the machinery itself, with GKB it’s the complete package.”

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