Tag Archive for: Invest

Royal Cinque Invest In Otterbine

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Royal Cinque Invest In Otterbine: Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club has recently invested in two Otterbine High Volume aerators to improve the water quality of its reservoir and help prevent stagnant smelling water and the build up of weeds.

The club in Deal, Kent has a 13,000m3 reservoir, the water from which is used to irrigate the 18-hole Championship Links course, but with no aeration to keep the water clean and clear James Bledge, course manager, was noticing a significant deterioration in water quality.

Royal Cinque Invest In Otterbine

“The water was starting to turn stagnant and was giving off a strong smell, and there was a considerable amount of weed and algae forming on the bottom of the reservoir,” he explains.

To solve the worrying problems the club opted to have two Otterbine aerators installed at the same time as a new Toro irrigation system and a renewal of its Toro fleet, all delivered by distributor Reesink Turfcare.

The club is a Toro Total Solutions club meaning it has a 100 percent Toro fleet as well as a Toro irrigation system, but that didn’t mean an automatic order for Otterbine, which is also distributed by Reesink Turfcare.

In fact, the Otterbine aerators were suggested by Robin Hume Associates when designing the new irrigation system. With success at similar clubs in the same application, the irrigation design consultancy was confident Otterbine would help to solve the issues at Royal Cinque Ports, and it seems that judgement was right.

“We’re seeing a substantial difference since the installation of the new Otterbine aerators,” says James. “The water doesn’t smell anymore and we’re already seeing an improvement in the water quality.”

The Otterbine High Volume aerator adds an impressive 3.3lbs or 1.5kg of oxygen per horse power, every hour and is constructed from marine-grade, 316 stainless steel, thermoplastics and a rugged, energy efficient, low speed motor to withstand even the toughest of aquatic environments.

But it’s not just that which has impressed James, the ease of use of the control system has too: “It’s been set on a timer, so that way it doesn’t disturb any nearby residents and helps us to save on energy.”

The importance the club places on its water quality, sustainability and the technology that it manages, is evident in James’ decision to assign greenkeeper Nick Machin the role of supervising all the irrigation and aeration technology. Coincidentally, Nick happens to be the 2017 winner of the Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Award and James feels confident the day-to-day management of the new additions will be in safe hands.

“With the technology we now have at our fingertips and the supervision from Nick, I am confident about the improvements we’ll see in the long term. It will be interesting to see, for example, how the turf benefits from the better-quality water irrigating it.”

For more information, visit: reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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Montrose Invest In The Future

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Montrose Invest In The Future: Montrose Golf Links has announced details of one of the largest investments ever made in the celebrated east coast course. Completed earlier this year, the new, far-reaching irrigation project will enable significant improvements to be made across the links and coincides with Montrose receiving the most comprehensive sustainability award in golf.

The new automated irrigation system addresses a swathe of issues that have affected the presentation of the course, which twice hosted Final Qualifying for the Open Championship. It replaces the previous system that had been in situ for more than 30 years and suffered from insufficient pressure, poor and uneven water coverage and limited irrigation options.

Montrose Invest In The Future

“The new irrigation system is a significant improvement on what we had before,” said Jason Boyd, PGA professional and operations manager at Montrose Golf Links. “It addresses a lot of on-course issues and will enable our greenkeeping team to present the 1562 course like never before. This is a massive investment that will have a huge impact on golf at Montrose.”

The introduction of the £100,000 irrigation system follows the renaming of the world’s fifth oldest golf course in 2018. More importantly, it will free up the Montrose greenkeepers to present the 450-year course to the highest possible standards.

“Because so much time was spent hand-watering greens, the new system will have a number of knock-on effects, especially for the greenkeepers,” explained Boyd. “The time released by the new system will now be spent improving greens, tees, fairways and approaches as well as focussing on smaller, detailed jobs that are so important.”

Although largely unaltered, the classic Scottish links at Montrose has been adapted and tweaked by the likes of Willie Park Jr, Old Tom Morris and Harry Colt. With a run of seven spectacular cliff-face holes, it has also become a destination course for many visitors to Scotland and is widely regarded as one of the country’s most natural links.

According to Darren McLaughlan, head greenkeeper at Montrose, the addition of the new irrigation system is hugely significant. “The need for a fully functioning irrigation system was overwhelming,” he says. “The new system will not only allow greenstaff to concentrate on course improvements while reducing disruption to play, it will also provide the foundation for producing true and consistent putting conditions and a more sustainable approach due to using less water.”

Towards the end of 2018, Montrose Golf Links was awarded the Golf Environment Organisation (GEO) certificate – an accreditation the club had been working towards since 2007. Mike Wood, GEO accredited verifier, highlighted a number of key strengths during Montrose’s verification process. These included “committed ecological stewardship of an authentic setting of duneland topography and landcover, within which the high-quality playing surfaces harmoniously fit”.

McLaughlan, who has a wealth of links golf experience after holding the position of course manager at Machrihanish Golf Club, says the new irrigation system ties in perfectly with the new CEO certified status at Montrose. “We are committed to delivering a world-class golfing experience that is sympathetic to the surrounding environment and spectacular coastline,” he said. “Montrose is a special place full of history and outstanding golf holes. We want people to enjoy Montrose, but we want to achieve that responsibly. This latest investment in the infrastructure that supports the course will help us do just that.”

The Medal course was renamed The 1562 Course during the 2018 season and is the fifth oldest golf course in the world. It has hosted a number of prestigious tournaments including the World Hickory Open (2013); The Europro Tour (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018) and Final Qualifying for the Senior Open Championship held at Carnoustie (2016).

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Killeen Castle Invest In John Deere

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Killeen Castle Invest In John Deere: Killeen Castle Golf Club in Co Meath, Ireland is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2019, as well as its recent investment in a state of the art golf course equipment fleet deal with John Deere and local dealer Dublin Grass Machinery worth in excess €500,000, with finance arranged through Deere’s partner Bank of Ireland.

The machinery acquisition represents a significant investment on the part of Killeen Castle in the future of the Jack Nicklaus Signature Course, as the club enters its second decade of golf operations. The championship golf course opened in 2009 and was described by the 18-time Major winner and course designer as “one of my proudest designs”.

Killeen Castle Invest In John Deere

The upgraded equipment fleet includes tees, fairway, greens and rough mowers, utility tractors, Gator utility vehicles, sprayers, top dressers and bunker rakes – with the latest John Deere E-Cut hybrid electric mowers now playing an important part in future-proofing the work of course superintendent Mark Collins and his team.

Killeen Castle has hosted The 2011 Solheim Cup between Europe and USA in addition to three Ladies Irish Opens from 2010 to 2012. The 630-acre estate also features a number of signature residential properties, The Dave Pelz Scoring Game School, Fore Golf Custom Club Fitters and a Norman castle dating back to 1181.

The castle will become the focal point of the estate following a recent grant of planning permission for a 177-room luxury hotel, including the renovation and restoration of the original structure which will house 17 suites and a number of luxury dining rooms. The new three-storey structure partnering this renovation will incorporate 160 rooms, a day spa, function rooms and a winter garden restaurant.

The investment in new equipment also included an upgrade and enhancement of the club’s rental golf cars and trolleys to the latest state of the art GPS units, as well as re-kerbing of the entire clubhouse compound. This was in addition to significant works around the golf course and peripheral areas to enhance the sanding and drainage profile of the course, all designed to ensure championship standard golfing conditions for members and visitors alike all year round.

“There were many key factors in choosing John Deere equipment,” said Mark Collins. “The relationship with Dublin Grass Machinery and sales manager Noel Bennett was high up the list, with the excellent technical and back-up service provided for the past 12 years.

“The quality of John Deere machinery is quite simply second to none, and the company’s advances in technology with the hybrid electric mowers made the decision an easy one. The overall package will allow us to continue to improve our work practices and deliver even better standards of course presentation to our members and guests.”

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Replay Invest In Grassroots Sport

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Replay Invest In Grassroots Sport: Back in 2013 artificial sports pitch specialists Replay Maintenance commenced an ambitious programme of partnering with County Football Associations (CFAs) across England. This has proved to be such a valuable tool to the partnered CFAs, and just as importantly to the grassroots game, that in five years the number of CFA partners has quadrupled, with Replay now proactively supporting half of them.

Replay’s partnerships with the CFAs works to simplify what can be a daunting proposition for any grassroots volunteer.  As part of this unique partnership, all CFA member clubs and facilities have access to information and expert advice on the planning and implementation of an artificial maintenance programme. Replay’s remit is driven by a desire to put innovation at the heart of the business. Never more so than through the introduction of PitchPassport®, an asset management tool that is revolutionising the industry and breaking down barriers for the grassroots game – a tool that all partnered CFAs have access to.

Replay Invest In Grassroots Sport

A fundamental element of the partnership is the opportunity to design bespoke in-house training courses, run in conjunction with Replay, as well as exploring individual CPD training options for facility staff. Other benefits include free site surveys, reporting and competitively priced, bespoke maintenance packages.

Commenting on the extended agreement Replay Maintenance Director, Garry Martin, said, “We have enjoyed a positive working relationship with a number of CFAs over the last five years and in that time have shared new processes, advice and guidance to support those responsible for maintaining an artificial surface. The growth of the partnership is testament to our dedication to raising awareness around, and the quality of, effective maintenance regimes as well as being at the forefront of technological innovations in the synthetic maintenance market. With more CFA partnerships in the pipeline, we look forward to supporting and sharing new developments with the grassroots clubs and organisations within these CFAs over the years to come.”

A recent addition to the CFA partnering programme is Essex, one of the largest counties in the country. Commenting on the agreement, CEO Brendan Walshe said “With Essex’s stock of 3G pitches growing all the time, it’s crucial we help to ensure they’re being looked after effectively. We view our partnership with Replay Maintenance as a real step in the right direction towards providing the best possible surfaces. We’re always keen to understand how we can develop and better the offer to our member clubs and associated organisations. Given the FA’s commitment to rolling out 3G pitches we wanted to ensure Essex is going to be in the best possible position to support the grassroots game going forward and, as such, I’m delighted that we’ve managed to agree a five-year partnership with Replay.”

For more information on those counties partnered with Replay Maintenance, please visit the website or contact your local County FA Representative for further details.

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Thanet Council Invest In Electric

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Thanet Council Invest In Electric: In a first for local authorities, Thanet District Council is introducing new electric lawn-mowers to its open spaces fleet. Run on lithium-ion batteries as opposed to diesel, these modern mowers are greener, quieter and also cheaper to run. They will be used at Ramsgate Cemetery and Margate Crematorium and are all part of the council’s commitment to creating a clean and welcoming environment in Thanet.

The council has purchased six new mowers – 2 commercial ride-on mowers,  2 walk behind mowers and two commercial stand-on mowers to be used equally across the two sites.

Thanet Council Invest In Electric

Cllr Fairbrass, Deputy Leader of Thanet District Council said:

“Electric mowers, which last for 7 hours of constant work, are vastly preferable to diesel models because they generate no carbon monoxide emissions and are low noise. The mowers don’t just offer public health and environmental benefits, they also reduce risk to our staff. What’s more, they enjoy low running and maintenance costs which is part of the council’s ongoing efficiency drive.”

The key benefits include:

  • Improved health and safety for staff:
  • Significantly lower hand arm and whole body vibration levels than traditional diesel mowers
  • Significantly lower noise (far below the safe recommended DB rating for exposure to noise) which means no need for ear defenders
  • All day mowing with horsepower exceeding most commercial diesel mowers
  • Carbon neutral as zero emissions and exhaust fumes which emit carcinogenic fumes
  • Lower operating costs -costing only 6p an hour to charge up overnight
  • Low maintenance costs as no belts, filters, hydraulics, cables or engine
  • Minimal background disruption for nearby homes, businesses and schools
  • Quiet enough for use at crematoriums and cemeteries

For more information, please contact Press.Office@thanet.gov.uk or 01843 577034

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