Tag Archive for: golf

Training to support safe and productive golf

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Training to support safe and productive golf: Lantra will be showcasing the breadth of training options available for safe and productive working in golf greenkeeping and sports turf management at the upcoming leading industry show, BTME on 23-25 January.  

Lantra’s suite of pesticide training is designed for both novices and experienced users, providing the knowledge and skills that are needed for the safe and effective application of pest management measures. The Lantra team will be exhibiting at stand 146 in Hall 1 at Harrogate Convention Centre to provide information on pesticides and other relevant training courses.

Training to support safe and productive golf

Training to support safe and productive golf

The use of equipment for the management of productive golf courses and sports-turf is commonplace, therefore operating them safely and efficiently is vital. Lantra has a range of training courses, ranging between 1-5 days in length, to ensure equipment is used safely and with confidence, which will also be promoted at BTME.

Lantra’s Head of Industry Partnerships (Landscaping & Rural), David Fisher said: ‘’The Lantra team is excited to be at the show to highlight our leading training courses and qualifications in the Landscaping and Sports Turf sectors at BTME’’.

‘’At the show, we will also be actively recruiting for instructors to deliver pesticide training, as we have a lack of them in Northern England. As a Lantra Instructor, you’ll enjoy the freedom and flexibility of working for yourself in the great outdoors, as well as playing a crucial role in delivering essential skills, training and qualifications to a diverse group of learners.’’

Lantra instructor and provider, Ian Sumpter, is also delivering sold out training sessions from the Groundcare Machinery Maintenance suite at the event, as part of the ‘Continue to Learn’ education conference, with Lantra accreditation and CPD points available.

You can find out more about the benefits of being a Lantra instructor here: Become an Instructor – Lantra  

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2024 golf salary recommendations published

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2024 golf salary recommendations published: Following extensive research, the Committee for Golf Club Salaries (CGCS) has recommended a 7% increase in the salaries of golf club staff for 2024.

With an increase in the National Living Wage due to come into force from April 2024, to ensure all staff remain ahead of that base line a 9% increase has also been recommended for assistant greenkeeper salaries.

2024 golf salary recommendations published

2024 golf salary recommendations published

The increases have been added to the salary calculators provided on the CGCS website and take into account the National Living Wage increase, the prevailing economic environment and the importance of golf facility staff to the overall industry.

The salary calculators take into account geographic regions, facility size, core responsibilities, club rating, qualifications and experience, ensuring recommendations can be tailored to individual members of staff.

The CGCS is comprised of representatives of the British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) and the Golf Club Managers’ Association (GCMA) alongside independent golf club experts.

While keen to impress the need for golf clubs to ensure staff are suitably paid and valued by their employers, the committee is also aware that employee reward and retention must be balanced alongside the affordability and financial health of the business.

Alongside salaries, the organisations represented on the CGCS advocate for the provision of resources aimed at supporting employee mental health and wellbeing, as well as providing adequate opportunities for career pathway support, training and development. To find out more about what BIGGA and GCMA can provide in these areas, please do not hestitate to get in touch. Contact details are on the various associations’ websites.

Head to the CGCS website for more information and to explore the salary calculators, guidelines and principles of good pay.

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MM Seed: A Key Ingredient for Golf Course Excellence

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MM Seed: A Key Ingredient for Golf Course Excellence: Attendees at BTME 2024, visiting DLF’s stand 126 in Hall B, can anticipate a showcase of cutting-edge products from the world’s premier grass seed breeder and producer.

In the face of increasing demands and pressures on modern greenkeepers to maintain a consistent playing surface, the pivotal elements for a top-tier golf course are seed quality, purity, and vigour. The MM range of seed mixtures stands out by utilising materials from the DLF Select programme, ensuring high purity and germination rates.

MM Seed: A Key Ingredient for Golf Course Excellence

MM Seed: A Key Ingredient for Golf Course Excellence

For over three decades, greenkeepers and course managers have reaped the benefits of choosing the MM brand and its superior quality varieties. All MM varieties undergo thorough testing at the Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI), guaranteeing that the final product meets the requirements for play, appearance, and maintenance.

Leading the way for golf greens is MM9, a three-way Browntop bent mixture that remains a top choice for renovations and species exchange. MM8, designed for links-style courses and sustainable golf, offers a three-way fescue mix with excellent disease resistance, drought tolerance, and minimal fertiliser requirements. MM Coastal is a great alternative to MM8 where salt spray is a concern, providing excellent salt tolerance for golf greens, tees, and fairways with its 100% Slender Creeping Red Fescue mix.

For golf course managers seeking a 100% Ryegrass Greens mix option, MM Supreme Ryegreen mix is the answer. It includes Singapore Perennial Ryegrass, known for its fine leaves, good shoot density, high disease resistance, and wear tolerance. This mix embodies the main benefits of perennial ryegrass, including fast establishment and wear tolerance in close mow situations.

If you’re in search of a mixture ideal for tees and fairways, consider MM50, a 100% ryegrass blend. It boasts rapid establishment, quick recovery from divot scarring, high wear tolerance, and an extremely fine appearance. Meanwhile, for links-style fairways where damage and wear are less prevalent, MM13 is well-suited. With a high percentage of Crystal Hard Fescue, it offers excellent drought tolerance and low maintenance requirements for this challenging environment.

DLF’s stand also provides information about the DLF Pro Flora and Colour Boost range of Wildflower mixtures, perfect for those looking to establish a traditional perennial flower meadow or create a vibrant display of annuals and perennials.

The MM team of amenity seed specialists will be present at BTME to discuss these products in more detail and offer their expertise to address any queries attendees may have.

For further information, please contact DLF UK on 01386 719758 or visit the MM website www.mm-seeds.co.uk.

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Toro helps Lewes Golf Club

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Toro helps Lewes Golf Club: East Sussex-based Lewes Golf Club has brought in a small but mighty fleet of Toro machinery to help with its winter development project, the first goal of which will be to recondition eight of the club’s 11 bunkers.

When it comes to turfcare machinery, course manager Tim Brewster, knows he can rely on Toro’s extensive range of mowers and utility vehicles. He’s of the view that it’s important to work with the best when looking after a course steeped in history: the work never stops.

Toro helps Lewes Golf Club

Toro helps Lewes Golf Club

Although Tim’s relatively new to the club, having joined just before the pandemic, he has big plans to execute this winter. Fortunately, Lewes recently brought in a small but robust Toro fleet – Groundsmaster 3500 and 4500, Reelmaster 3575, TriFlex 3420, and Workman HDX – with the assistance of Reesink.

Tim’s a career-long Toro user. Since 2005, he’s relied on the brand to deliver a consistent and professional cut. On top of the club’s new fleet, Tim also runs a 12-year-old Toro tees mower, which he argues still performs like it did on day one. For his latest project, though, the star of the show won’t be a mower.

“In total, we have 11 bunkers,” says Tim. “Last year, we revamped three, so that means eight more to do this winter. While we’re a relatively small team, it’s a fairly big job. However, with the new Workman HDX, we’re now best placed to complete it.

“As the name suggests, it’s a total workhorse,” he adds. “We can put a top dresser on it, load it up with sand and top-up bunkers with ease. It’s going to be a huge help when we begin the bunker revamp project this winter.”

Tim’s also quick to praise Reesink’s help with finding the right machinery for the club. Over 125 years old, Lewes Golf Club is a varied, downland course; players need to think their way through each tee. “Every green is different,” Tim reveals. “Some are built on clay; others have four inches of root zone and chalk or a ballast mix of soil and sand.

“The diversity makes it interesting for golfers,” he continues. “But it also affects how we look after the course. Each green dries and drains at different rates, so we have to treat each on an individual basis. It’s a unique groundskeeping experience.

“Reesink’s advice and customer service throughout the process was fantastic. When we started looking for a new fleet, we came up with a checklist that covered various factors (quality, fuel consumption, and comfortability, for instance) and we sampled lots of brands from various retailers. Needless to say, Reesink and Toro came out on top!”

To learn more about Toro’s package deals, call 01480 226800 or visit https://www.reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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Rustington Golf Centre tees off with Toro

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Rustington Golf Centre tees off with Toro: Rustington Golf Centre charges forward with a commitment to an electric future with two new Toro Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370 greensmowers and is rewarded with increased efficiency on all fronts.

The multi-purpose venue in Angmering includes a family activity centre alongside a nine-hole parkland golf course, earning it the reputation as one of the most versatile golf centres in Sussex. And with a new housing development being built next door, a versatile mower that is as quiet as it is efficient was needed.

Rustington Golf Centre tees off with Toro

Rustington Golf Centre tees off with Toro

Rob Hill, manager at Rustington Golf Centre, who has a team of eight says: “There’s a new housing development going up nearby, so having electric machinery gets us around the noise pollution issue and means we can work earlier without worrying about complaints – especially on parts of the course that are near the houses.”

With a golf course designed for all abilities, from established golfers to complete beginners, having machines that don’t disturb members is also a plus. “Our course is a two-loop nine-hole golf course which means you play it twice, so it’s nearly always busy and we usually have to work among the golfers,” continues Rob. “With the machines being so quiet we can go out and do work in the afternoon without being a distraction – they’re a perfect fit for us and our customers.”

It’s not just sound – or lack thereof – that Rob and his team have noticed with the eTriFlex 3370. Efficiency in daily operations across the venue has also been noted since using the industry’s first lithium-ion battery powered ride-on greensmower.

“Having these machines has made us even more efficient than usual. Being electric means we’ve reduced costs by no longer spending on diesel, and not having grease points on the machines means we’re focusing less on maintenance too. That, and the DPA cutting units, it just makes everything quicker and easier. Using the new Toro greensmowers beside some of our older machines has been eye-opening with how well they work.”

The electric greensmowers aren’t the only new Toro machinery that Rob plans for the centre. Also on order are two Toro Workman UTX utility vehicles designed to tackle all terrains.

And as far as taking the centre into the future, “I’ll be keeping an eye out for any new electric machinery that Toro comes out with,” says Rob. “We really want to go down the electric route where we can from now on, and ordering with Reesink means we can always be confident in the backup and communication it provides.”

To find out more about how your centre can benefit from using electric machinery,  call 01480 226800, email info@reesinkturfcare.co.uk or visit reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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