Tag Archive for: Grass

Grass is greener on the other side

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Grass is greener on the other side: Hillside Golf Club on ‘England’s Golf Coast’ in Southport knows only too well the importance of its biggest asset: its greens. As host to many tournaments including the British Masters, they are what’s most judged and why the club opted for Toro’s Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370 all-electric riding greensmower to lead its frontline mowing fleet.

The R&A, which together with the USGA governs the sport of golf worldwide, provides best practice guidelines on all aspects of golf course management to help grow golf in an environmentally sustainable way. And this was one of the facts that contributed to Chris Ball’s decision-making process when choosing the club’s new greens mower this year.

Grass is greener on the other side

Grass is greener on the other side

Chris, the club’s links manager has been in the industry for 31 years and has been associated with Hillside Golf Club for over 20 of those years; he says: “The R&A is rightly pushing clubs to make the correct environmentally-friendly choices wherever possible so when we had a hydraulic leak earlier this season, the club asked can this truly be avoided in the future? The answer was yes and that led us to consider the all-electric option.”

Of course, this option has been provided to the industry by Toro in the form of the Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370 and despite reservations Chris couldn’t be more glad he decided to look at the all-electric mower.

“My reservations were based on this being a bit of an unknown quantity in terms of costs,” says Chris. “But Steve Halley from Cheshire Turf Machinery who sold us the machine and our club secretary/manager Chris Williams did some number crunching and presented the costs over three years and it alleviated my concerns on that count. What the process concluded was that you can’t base your decision on the purchase price, total cost of ownership plays a huge part here.”

So, what of the machine and it’s performance? Chris says the clubs along the coast don’t have much Toro equipment, but what they all have is the impressive technology of the ever-popular ProCore aerators and the Sidewinder machines for mowing round bunker tops and fairway gathers, but could the performance of the electric greensmower be the next piece of Toro they all have?

Chris says: “I can’t find fault with it. And the more we use it the more positives we find. But first and foremost is the members’ feedback. They love the idea of the all-electric mower on their course, and all take great interest in it when it’s out on the course. Quality of cut is excellent and specifically highlighted by many golfers was that the ball roll appears far superior, even though we are now mowing at 5mm through the summer which is higher than previous years. It’s great for the club as they are doing all they can to see the return of the desirable grass species on the greens and at this height its very achievable.

“It’s incredibly user-friendly and definitely my preferred option for mowing the greens on a daily basis. The quietness and not needing ear defenders means you notice everything the mower is doing; it provides a totally different mowing experience and of course you can work quietly around the golfers.

“Maintenance is really easy – there are no grease points and the bearings are sealed for life, there’s nothing for us to do – apart from keeping the cutting units sharp by regular grinding. There is a small service at 800 hours and even then, that’s just topping up the coolant. And in terms of productivity, it can easily do all our 20 greens before we charge overnight but during our first weeks with the mower, we thought we’d see how far the mower could go and we managed to get 39 greens out of it before charging, which in a linear straight line is some distance for a mower.”

Chris confirms: “It seems to be the way of the future and I genuinely believe it won’t be long before the switch over to electric is more commonplace.”

A true Championship Links course and host to many events in the past, Hillside continues to invest in its primary asset and has recently completed two major phases of course improvements. Chris concludes: “The time was right to invite Toro to bring their electric technology to the course. I feel it matches our ambitions as a club going forward, giving us that extra something on the greens.”

Steve Halley, managing director at Cheshire Turf Machinery, comments: “Jeff Jago from our sales team has worked hard to make the breakthrough at Hillside where Chris and his team have really bought in the many features and benefits of the eTriFlex. Their enthusiasm for the machine has been really satisfying and is sure to be noted by other potential users.”

To talk to someone about Toro’s electric and hybrid technology and how the Toro range would suit your course, call 01480 226800.

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Etesia finance makes grass cutting child’s play

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Etesia finance makes grass cutting child’s play: Martin Carty, Managing Director at Carty Services, has revealed how a 0% interest finance offer from Etesia UK enabled him to improve operations on a wide range of school playing fields throughout Warwickshire. 

During last year’s uncertainty and inevitable financial pressures, Etesia UK explored the best ways in which it could help their customers. With this in mind, a three years’ interest-free finance offer on the all new Etesia Hydro 80 MKHP5 ride-on mower was introduced to allow customers greater flexibility with their finance.

Etesia finance makes grass cutting child’s play

Etesia finance makes grass cutting child’s play

It was an offer which Martin Carty found too good to ignore.

“We were in the market for a new ride-on mower and the Etesia finance offer would give us the financial flexibility to purchase two mowers rather than one,” said Martin. “This was very appealing because two mowers would certainly help to make us more efficient.”

Based in Warwickshire, Carty Services has a glowing reputation for looking after and maintaining gardens, grounds and school sports fields to an incredibly high standard. The company has been trading for seventeen years and Martin now employees 15 members of staff.

The growth of the company is testament to the quality of work undertaken by the Carty Services team. The reputation of the company is exactly why Martin does not rush into quick decisions when it comes to purchasing new equipment.

“The finance offer obviously helped but it absolutely had to be the best mower for us – we want the finest equipment,” he said. “We looked at lots of different ride-on mowers but quite honestly, the other brands just didn’t tick all the boxes like the Etesia Hydro 80 did. The size of the machine was a big factor in our decision too.”

Measuring less than 1 metre wide, the Etesia Hydro 80 is easily transported in any vehicle whether it be a van or a trailer. Its compact size means that this impressive machine can pass through most gateways and its tight turning circle makes it ideal for small or awkward areas. It mows close to walls and fences and is highly manoeuvrable.

“We purely use the Etesia machines on school playing fields and the great thing about them is the size and how manoeuvrable they are,” he said. “They are extremely easy to get through gates and in and out of playgrounds. They deal with tight corners incredibly well and they fit nicely in the van when transporting them to different sites.

“I like how quiet they are, and we can use them without disturbing the classrooms. The ability to cut and collect in all weathers is also hugely beneficial.”

As Martin says, the Etesia Hydro 80 has been designed to cut and collect both long and short grass, without clogging in any weather. Add to that its compact dimensions, ease of use, hydrostatic drive and powerful 15hp twin-cylinder Kawasaki engine, and you have a highly efficient machine offering the kind of output that would easily replace three walk-behind mowers.

Etesia finance makes grass cutting child’s play

Etesia finance makes grass cutting child’s play

The Hydro 80 has also been robustly built and requires minimal maintenance. Operators have access to the engine and all working parts, and the hydrostatic transmission system is maintenance free. The specially coated 60 mm tubular chassis is also designed for strength and long-life.

“They are speedy, powerful and perform very well,” continued Martin. “I would say that they can cover up to nearly 5,000 square metres per hour – which is perfect when time isn’t on your side. We can be cutting the playing fields in the morning and an hour later the children can be out of playing on them.

“The Hydro 80’s are exceptionally good value for money and nothing at all has gone wrong with them. I’ve been so impressed that I’ve already decided that I’ll be purchasing from Etesia UK again when the time comes.”

For further information, please contact Etesia UK on 01295 680120 or visit www.etesia.co.uk.

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow Etesia UK on Twitter @EtesiaUK and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/EtesiaUK You can also view the latest Etesia videos by visiting www.youtube.com/EtesiaUK

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SGL TurfPod makes grass monitoring accessible

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SGL TurfPod makes grass monitoring accessible: Data driven decisions usually result in a higher grass quality and more efficient use of resources. Yet, many clubs do not have the budget to make big investments in monitoring equipment.

Over the past years SGL have been working towards a solution to make monitoring technology accessible to everyone. They now launch an all-in-one tool that is affordable and user friendly to lower leagues, and at the same time offers advanced possibilities to the highest levels of sport: the SGL TurfPod.

SGL TurfPod makes grass monitoring accessible

SGL TurfPod makes grass monitoring accessible

The TurfPod is a small device containing six sensors that track the essential growing conditions above ground and in the soil. When pinned into the soil, the TurfPod operates automatically and shows the microclimate data in real time on the Portal. This information can be used to, among other things, make decisions on fertilization, irrigation and supplemental lighting.

The TurfPod is developed in line with SGL founder Nico van Vuuren’s strong belief that data is a basic necessity for every groundsman and greenkeeper: “Every playing surface is different, every climate is different, and every budget is different. There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to managing grass. Every turf manager, in all levels of sport, should be able to respond to the ever changing conditions and make well informed decisions during their daily work and the challenges they face. The only way to do that is with data, so our goal is to make that possible.”

Flexibility has been the key in reaching accessibility. SGL let go of substantial one time investments and supply the TurfPod as a flexible lease, starting at €49 a month, hardware and software included. Customers can upgrade the software whenever they please, with a wide range of TurfModules, such as data analyses and visualisations. Van Vuuren: “We understand that groundsmen and greenkeepers need flexibility. Therefore we enable them to configure their Portal with the information that is relevant to them. This modular approach enables, for example, very detailed reporting on a stadium pitch, but only the essential information for the training pitches. Or the possibility to add a Disease Forecast to their Portal during high pressure months and turn it off for the rest of the year.”

The TurfPod is a completely customizable monitoring tool, fit to every budget, sport and situation. When there’s no one-size-fits-all approach, SGL proves to be a tailor.

More information on: www.sglsystem.com/turfpod

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Grass health recovery sweeps across UK

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Grass health recovery sweeps across UK: This month’s Grass Health Watch, using latest satellite results of just under 50 sports turf sites across the country, has seen a major step forward for sports turf health,

“It’s amazing! At the end of March it was looking as if the rest of the year would involve trying to catch up on lost ground when, in fact, the outcome for sports turf health in April has been well beyond anything we could have expected. In the space of one month we are right back on track for the year,” revealed Mike Heisig, from FairWay Awards.

Grass health recovery sweeps across UK

Grass health recovery sweeps across UK

Was that because of good weather? Maybe, but a large part of the recovery was surely because of the fantastic efforts of greenkeepers up and done the country getting our golf courses in shape in the few weeks after lockdown. What a turnaround!”

“At a regional level, with the exception of the South East, the latest results are no less amazing. Some sports turf in the South West and in the North East are racing ahead notching up vitality scores over 90%. Now beat that if you can!” said Mike.

“These results are very encouraging and there is every expectation that sports turf health will continue to develop into May and June and we may even set some records. From an exceptionally slow start it could be an extraordinary year for sports grass!”

Register for a free 3-month trial of satellite biomass data for your club at:  https://fairwayawards.com/your-free-precision-sport-turf-trial/ and send us your best score.

Grass health recovery sweeps across UK

Grass health recovery sweeps across UK

Get the benefits of the Precision Sports Turf Revolution:

  • Spot grass health problems before they are visible
  • Save money on inputs where they are not required
  • Apply inputs according the needs of the grass
  • Make better environmental decisions

Regular updates on grass health through 2021 at www.fairwayawards.com or follow @FairWayAwards on twitter

Join the Sports Turf Revolution contact Mike Heisig: Mike-Heisig@btconnect.com

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Grass Health Watch 2021

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Grass Health Watch 2021: Recently, Mike Heisig from FairWay Awards reported that, so far this year, sports turf grass health in the UK was struggling to keep pace with levels seen this time last year. The data was collated from around 50 satellite readings up and down the country.

The results from the satellite tracking using the Kleffmann Digital Biomass Index (KBDI) shows the UK as whole was 5% behind in March 2021 in terms of grass health/vitality levels compared with the same point in 2020.

Grass Health Watch 2021

Grass Health Watch 2021

Mike Heisig from FairWay Awards digs deeper into the numbers. Mike explains:

“The national figure is an average that disguises some significant regional variations. In the table below each region is based on Met Office Climate Regions and as such each has its own potential attainable health level.”

“Up to the end of March 2021 grass health and vitality was running at a deficit in most regions except Scotland. Of most concern was the South East.”

“Because we know the April 2020 KDVI health levels on the same sports grass areas, we can take these as a estimate of the potential KDVI that we could expect 12 months later at the end of April 2021.

Grass Health Watch 2021

Grass Health Watch 2021

“The next diagram gives some indication of the uplift in health and vitality that were required by the end of April 2021 to put each region of the UK back on track. “

“In the next 2021 Grass Health Watch update we will have the April results and will look forward at where we might get to in May and June which is when we normally expect to experience the highest levels of grass health in the year.”

What about the grass at your club?

You can register for free 3-month no commitment trial of satellite biomass data for your club.

Get the benefits of the Precision Sports Turf Revolution:

  • Spot grass health problems before they are visible
  • Save money on inputs where they are not required
  • Apply inputs according the needs of the grass
  • Make better environmental decisions

Regular updates on grass health through 2021 at www.fairwayawards.com or follow @FairWayAwards on twitter

Join the Sports Turf Revolution contact Mike Heisig: Mike-Heisig@btconnect.com

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.