Tag Archive for: Greens

ICL tank mix improves greens

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ICL tank mix improves greens: In less than a year, an ICL fortnightly tank-mix has radically improved the greens at Houghwood Golf Club according to Head Greenkeeper Michael Abbott.

“When I show people photos of the greens last September compared to this September, they cannot believe it,” said Michael, who has worked at Houghwood for an incredible twenty-two years.

ICL tank mix improves greens

ICL tank mix improves greens

Michael has seen the young course develop into one of the best in the area. Based in Lancashire, the course is an 18-hole, par 71 (6388 yard), private, parkland golf course and was the creation of two farmers in 1994.

Michael and his team of three have their challenges – particularly with some parts of the course which consists of heavy clay. He admits that his small team can feel stretched at times, and it is for this reason that he likes to be as prepared as possible.

“We’re a small team but we believe we can tackle any task put in front of us and I feel our experience is invaluable,” he said. “From a management point of view, I like having a plan in place and ICL has given me a superb integrated turf management (ITM) plan to follow.”

Houghwood Golf Club’s ITM programme was devised by ICL Technical Area Sales Manager Rob Ainscough and was based on the results of soil testing.

As part of the programme, Michael applies a fortnightly tank-mix on his greens which consists of Sportsmaster WSF Spring & Summer 28-5-19+TE, H2Pro TriSmart, Vitalnova Links and Primo Maxx II.

The 4-way tank-mix offers balanced nutrition for responsible growth and plant health through the playing season, residual wetting agent to allow consistent dry down of surfaces and avoid dry patch development; growth regulator to improve turf density and wear tolerance; biostimulants in the form of seaweed and carbohydrates to promote increased rooting, improve stress tolerance and increase microbial activity to improve nutrient cycling in the rootzone.

“Since using this tank-mix, I’ve noticed improved playability,” said Michael. “There are no bare areas, no moss, just a nice, lovely coverage with great colour throughout all the greens.

“It gives us consistency throughout the year with no flushes of growth and applying it fortnightly saves us time – which is another major reason for using the mixture.

“The water-soluble dissolves really well – within seconds; there is no residue at all, and I don’t get any blockages on my jets whatsoever.

“It’s also very cost-effective for us but most importantly, it works. The members have loved the improvements.”

Michael also revealed that he has full confidence in the support he receives from ICL.

“I really trust Rob Ainscough’s (ICL Technical Area Sales Manager) advice because of his greenkeeping experience. He has done the same job as me and has faced the same challenges. This played a part in me choosing ICL products to be honest.

“Having the technical back up and the practical experience is a big plus for me.”

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

For more news and insightful views, you can follow ICL on Twitter @ICL_Turf

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Suståne delivers strong and sustainable greens

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Suståne delivers strong and sustainable greens: A greens programme from Suståne® has been praised for delivering sustainable, steady and healthy growth at Wildernesse Golf Club. After making the switch six years ago, Course Manager Mark Todd cites that the combination of bi-monthly granular feeds and regular liquid applications has actively encouraged the natural soil biology, helping to reduce disease occurrence and in turn costly fungicide applications.

Wildernesse is widely recognised as one of the finest courses in Kent, with tree-lined fairways and fast-paced push-up greens regularly playing host to a number of England Golf and Kent County events. On the maintenance, Mark is supported by a team of ten. “For us, sustainability begins with working with what we have, looking at ways of encouraging both the biology and the species we want for our greens” explains Mark. “We chose the organic route to be more in-keeping with the older-style construction and straight away spoke to Suståne® after hearing great feedback from other clubs.”

Suståne delivers strong and sustainable greens

Suståne delivers strong and sustainable greens

“Russell Riley from Suståne® came in and, following some soil analysis, created a programme which we first trialled on our chipping greens. After just six months we could see the good results it was achieving which was when we decided to roll the programme out across all of our 20 greens.”

The programme consists of Suståne’s 4-6-4 slow-release fertiliser, 5-2-4+Fe and Suståne® Turf Revival® 6-2-4 which is applied regularly, in addition to being Mark’s ‘go-to’ for post renovation recovery. Turf Revival® 6-2-4 combines sources of water-soluble nitrogen with Suståne’s unique organic compost base which supplies a range of nutrients to enhance recovery and replenish soil – including a rich supply of humus and mycorrhizal fungi which contribute to efficient nutrient uptake and overall plant health.

“We have definitely noticed an improvement in plant health, less disease activity and steady growth – not peaks and troughs which tend to be evident with other products. We have also seen an increase in our bent population which is obviously beneficial for a more sustainable management approach moving forwards.”

Mark continues, “In addition to our regular feeds, we’ve also had great success with Suståne®’s Bolster® liquid plant biostimulant.” Bolster® is specially formulated to prepare plants for stress conditions by increasing root mass and growth, and accelerating chlorophyll production, improving its tolerance to heat, cold & frost and minimising pressure from parasitic nematodes.

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Electric greens at Sheringham GC

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Electric greens at Sheringham GC: All-electric ride-on power arrives in East Anglia for the first time as Sheringham Golf Course becomes the first club in the area to purchase Toro’s all-electric eTriFlex 3370 riding greensmower.

When ranked 75th in the 2022 National Club Golfer Top 100 Courses in England, the work undertaken each year isn’t just about maintaining the status quo, it’s about working hard to enhance the club in meaningful ways, according to course manager Ricky Goodman, and in 2022 sustainability is top of the agenda.

Electric greens at Sheringham GC

Electric greens at Sheringham GC

Currently in his fourth year at the Norfolk club, known for its unique ocean and stream train views, Ricky made his bid for new Toro machinery when he arrived, and the board supported the move once they understood all the benefits this change would bring to the club.

Ricky says: “I shared my plans and ideas for the course and how bringing Toro in, the quality of the machines and innovation of the brand would benefit the course and with finance through distributor Reesink available, I got their backing. Clubs in Norfolk, including this one, are known for using a specific brand of turfcare machinery and our club was ready to move on and set itself apart, all it needed was a little push.

“We’re focusing on many sustainable initiatives this year and using lithium-ion battery-power for cutting our greens spearheads them all. The all-electric eTriFlex 3370 ticks so many boxes and solves many issues. There’s no noise pollution which means we can start mowing earlier without disturbing the residents we have bordering the back of the club and we no longer need to worry about oil spills on the greens, which causes incredible damage.”

In addition to this, Ricky explains how the club is using solar panels to create its own energy and is replacing plastic tees with biodegradable wooden ones instead. Irrigation is a top priority, both supply and storage given the recent draught and Ricky is “looking into water storage and capture for irrigation for the paths and fairways”, alongside construction works, including levelling tees that are 100 years old. Ricky is also cutting back on the nutrients in the greens to help preserve more sustainable species.

The Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370 is not the only Toro machine the club is investing in, also on order are a ProCore 648 aerator and Reelmaster 3575-D. The reason for further expanding the fleet is for the brand’s longevity and resale value as Ricky explains: “Toro machines can run for five to six years no trouble; they have a market leading resale value and whereas other brands would go off-cut very quickly with Toro it’s just a quick click and you’re back on it. Plus, I can take all units off quick release and back on in five minutes, other brands would take 30 minutes just to take them out so productivity with Toro is much improved.”

It’s certainly a decision that’s proved itself with Ricky’s seven-strong team, the members and board, says Ricky: “The Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370 mower is the benchmark, the next level in turfcare machinery, and we couldn’t be happier with the difference we can see on the course. All-electric mowers are the talk of the industry, and discussion on their benefits has influenced other clubs to go green as well. We’ve had a lot of interest in ours – the local contractor mechanics have asked to borrow it for training, getting to know the machine and preparing for how the market will be progressing. It won’t be long before every golf course will want one.”

To talk to someone about Toro technology and how the Toro range could suit your course, call 01480 226800.

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TriCure AD™ keeps the greens green

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TriCure AD™ keeps the greens green: As the UK scorches in some of the hottest temperatures ever recorded, the greens at Wexham Park Golf Centre are… well, green, thanks to TriCure AD™ from Headland Amenity!

Course Manager Tom Evans has praised the multi-molecular soil surfactant for retaining condition and presentation on the venue’s 27 greens – citing both a reduction in the amount of hand-watering required and, in turn, an increase in available water to maintain other areas of the site.

TriCure AD™ keeps the greens green

TriCure AD™ keeps the greens green

Three and a half years into his tenure as Course Manager, Tom is currently overseeing a major redevelopment project at the Buckinghamshire club alongside his team of six greens staff. He explains, “No two days are the same and the weather is certainly throwing more challenges into the mix for us. There’s no doubt we’re seeing more of these prolonged periods of hot and dry weather, and that’s when I’m really grateful that we’ve got a solid regime in place with TriCure AD™.”

“Over the years I’ve trialled various wetting agents, but TriCure is the one I keep coming back to – applied at 10L/hectare, monthly, between April and the end of September.” The ‘Tri’ of TriCure AD™ represents the three active surfactant chemistries which work together to help prevent and cure hydrophobic conditions. This combination enhances efficiency over single molecule wetters, treating all types of rootzone particles at much lower rates (like for like) than competitor products.

“This year, more than any other, we’ve noticed just how well it’s working. It has seen us through a dry spell in April/May and again now in the July heatwave, keeping the greens where we want them to be with barely any hand watering needed. We have also, this year, trialled using TriCure on one of our tees with great results. Hopefully, budget permitting, this can be factored into our programme in coming years which will be a major step forward for us in being better equipped cope with these more frequent hot conditions.”

Tom continues, “Like a lot of clubs our water supply is limited. In previous years the water to the tees has been turned off because of how much was required to keep the greens in good shape. That hasn’t been necessary this year, and that really is testament to the effectiveness of the TriCure AD™.”

TriCure AD™ is available in liquid, granular and pellet form, for accurate dosing through hose end applicators and offers cost-effective multi-rate use on all types of sports turf surface.

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Vandals on motorbikes destroy greens

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Vandals on motorbikes destroy greens: Police patrols will be carried out at a popular golf course after vandals riding a motorbike damaged the greens.

Read the full article from Express and Star here

Vandals on motorbikes destroy greens

Vandals on motorbikes destroy greens

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