Tag Archive for: Landmark

The R&A Sustainable Agronomy Service Reflects on Landmark Year

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The R&A Sustainable Agronomy Service Reflects on Landmark Year: The R&A Sustainable Agronomy Service has completed an outstanding year of progress in 2025, reinforcing its position as a leading global authority in environmentally responsible, high-performance golf course management.

Building on The R&A’s target to support clubs with independent, science-led guidance that balances conditioning and long-term environmental responsibility, the team expanded its reach and deepened its impact across Great Britain and Ireland, Continental Europe and Asia-Pacific.

The R&A Sustainable Agronomy Service Reflects on Landmark Year

The R&A Sustainable Agronomy Service Reflects on Landmark Year

Over the course of the year, The R&A’s Sustainable and Championship Agronomy team delivered around 420 agronomy visits to new and existing venues worldwide, providing tailored support on course performance, resource efficiency and climate-resilient practices across multiple regions.

In Europe, a number of new clubs were onboarded – Aloha Golf Club, Breitenloo Golf Club and La Finca Resort, in addition to forthcoming work at Lofoten Links.  This is alongside existing international partners such as Noordwijkse to underline rising demand for R&A expertise across continental markets. In Asia-Pacific, client expansion continued with additions including Los Cabos San Diego Golf (Philippines) and Mamiya Group (Japan), alongside confirmation of Taiheiyo Club Gotemba Course as an official R&A venue for the next three years. In GB&I, the Service strengthened its capability with two key hires: Jaey Goodchild and Stefan Carter both joining the agronomy team.

Knowledge-sharing and industry engagement remained a major focus. The team delivered over 30 key presentations across golf nations – including Switzerland, Finland, France, Spain, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Asia-Pacific markets and the UK – broadening the support offered by The R&A while providing practical agronomic guidance to clubs and industry bodies.

Reflecting on the year, Richard Windows, Assistant Director – Sustainable Agronomy Services at The R&A, said, “This year has been a hugely positive one for the Sustainable Agronomy Service. The scale of delivery across regions, combined with the quality of engagement we’ve had with clubs and industry partners, shows just how committed the game is to environmentally responsible, high-performance golf.

“We’re proud of the progress made, but equally excited about the next phase – continuing to strengthen our support for courses worldwide with practical guidance, research-led innovations and a clear focus on helping facilities thrive long into the future.”

In GB&I, the Service continued to work closely with many of the region’s most influential venues, reflecting both the Service’s footprint at the highest level and the trust placed in its guidance by leading facilities.

Championship support was also central to the programme. The team provided agronomy input at The 153rd Open at Royal Portrush, the AIG Women’s Open at Royal Porthcawl, The Amateur Championship at Royal St Georges and  Royal Cinque Ports, The Women’s Amateur Championship at Nairn, the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship at Emirates Golf Club (Dubai) and the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific championship  at Hoiana Shores (Vietnam), ensuring sustainable championship conditioning while showcasing world-class course standards on golf’s biggest stages.

Across Asia-Pacific, momentum continued to build under Chris Gray, who delivered sustainable golf presentations in China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. A GC2030 project also advanced in Australia and New Zealand, reflecting the region’s growing appetite for practical, research-linked solutions to long-term environmental pressures. Asia-Pacific delivery was further strengthened through the appointment of Dr Brett Morris and expanded Championship Agronomy support, including work confirmed for the 2026 Asian Games venue, Kasugai Country Club in Nagoya.

As 2025 concludes, The R&A Sustainable Agronomy Service stands on a year of meaningful global growth – defined not only by scale, but by the practical influence it is having on courses worldwide. With continued expansion across Europe, Asia-Pacific and GB&I, and championship-level expertise feeding directly into everyday course resilience, the Service remains firmly focused on helping golf thrive sustainably for decades to come.

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The Landmark 200th VGR TopChanger Sale at Whitecraigs

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The Landmark 200th VGR TopChanger Sale at Whitecraigs: Whitecraigs Golf Club, a spectacular 27 hole golf course in Newton Mearns, Scotland has marked a significant milestone as the recipient of the 200th VGR TopChanger.

Andy Wilson Course Manager at Whitecraigs, shared his enthusiasm for the new arrival: “We’re delighted to have the 200th TopChanger here at Whitecraigs. The XP has made a noticeable difference to our greens, allowing us to improve soil health with minimal disruption to play. It’s an invaluable addition to our maintenance program.”

The Landmark 200th VGR TopChanger Sale at Whitecraigs

The Landmark 200th VGR TopChanger Sale at Whitecraigs

The story of the VGR TopChanger began fifteen years ago, when VGR Equipment first set out to revolutionise soil care for sports turf. Based in Almkerk, the Netherlands, VGR has developed, produced, and assembled modular machinery used worldwide. Their commitment to ingenious design and sustainability has positioned VGR as a leader in efficient and eco-friendly turf maintenance solutions.

Since the launch of the XP model in 2023, sales have taken off, with over 60 units operating across the UK alone. The TopChanger XP stands out for its reliability, ease of operation, and ability to enhance soil quality while keeping golf play undisturbed. Its water-based aeration technology injects holes into the soil at high pressure, allowing the incorporation of soil-improving products, fertilizers, and sand, all in a single pass. This efficiency ensures sustainable soil conditions and stable, even playing surfaces for golfers.

“VGR’s ongoing dedication to healthy soil and better turf is reflected in their partnerships and comprehensive product range, with the goal of delivering the best possible playing experience for sports enthusiasts.” Said VGR Managing Director Ruud de Deugd. “The 200th TopChanger at Whitecraigs is not just a milestone, it’s a testament to VGR’s legacy of innovation and the trust placed in their solutions by leading clubs across the world.”

For more information please visit: www.vgrequipment.com

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SIS Pitches Makes Landmark Investment

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SIS Pitches Makes Landmark Investment: Sports surfaces specialist SIS Pitches has made a multi-million-pound investment into a fleet of 16 new hybrid pitch stitching machines.

Developed to meet growing demand for faster installations and greater configurability, the new state-of-the-art machines feature patented technologies that increase the rate and efficiency of fibre injection on grass-based sports surfaces. Once installed these fibres then accelerate recovery times and reinforce a playing surface by promoting stronger, healthier root systems.

SIS Pitches Makes Landmark Investment

SIS Pitches Makes Landmark Investment

The investment will allow SIS Pitches to ease the operational pressure on multi-use stadia, whose narrowing timeframes to install hybrid grass pitches between matches and non-sporting events represents a major challenge. This need for speed and flexibility – without compromising in quality – has been driven by clubs and franchises around the world seeking to maximise stadium revenue by hosting concerts, exhibitions and fixtures spanning multiple sports.

In response, SIS Pitches’ new fleet can now complete a full hybrid pitch installation in a much shorter timeframe than before. This is possible thanks to a more compact design that allows two units to be transported in a single shipping container. Working together, the machines are able to reduce the typical installation period of a full-sized football pitch from an industry average of around ten days to just over three. This reduction is expected to be a major boost to ground staff and facility operators alike, in some cases offering a time saving of up to 75% compared to competitors.

The benefits have already been seen first-hand at the Hard Rock Stadium, home to the Miami Dolphins, where ahead of the Club World Cup a fresh turf stitched pitch was recently completed in just three and a half days.

Two different models have been developed as part of the investment. The first, named Pro-X is designed to cover larger pitches, such as those already completed at Borussia Monchengladbach, Celtic Park and the Racecourse Ground, home to Wrexham Football Club. The second model, Spin-X, is the first hybrid machine made specifically for cricket pitches, with a lower weight and unique made-to-measure wicket option.

Development of the 16 new SIS Grass Hybrid machines will further improve the industry-leading quality, flexibility and speed of SIS Pitches’ stitching capabilities, which are frequently used for major sporting competitions, including the World Cup, Rugby World Cup, NFL, Premier League, Saudi Pro League and several other top European leagues.

Each new machine boasts a patented drum mechanism that allows for faster stitching by enabling forward movement in larger increments than comparable machines. Meanwhile, the combination of a new cutting device and an innovative needle clamp system ensures precision and consistency in every stitch. Both of these features have been recently patented.

Thanks to a fully customisable stitching configuration the new machines can stitch to any depth from 45mm to 180mm. This marks a major step forward from competing technologies of this type, which are generally limited to only two set depths. SIS Grass Hybrid machines can also offer the widest range of spacing options available on the market, from 15×20, 20×20 and 30×20. This ultimately allows grounds managers to specify an installation with the right level of reinforcement for their athletes and climate, while also accommodating the needs of a stadium, pitch profile or budget.

One of the configurations made possible by the new machines is SIS Pitches’ pioneering shallow stitch concept – GameReady Hybrid – with fibres pre-stitched into turf/sod rolls at 45mm depths.

This is a fully tested and data-backed innovation that offers an industry first: the installation of a pre-stitched turf that can be harvested, transported and laid as a ready-to-play reinforced hybrid surface in a matter of days. Three stadiums in the United States have already made use of the unique GameReady system: MetLife in New York, Camping World in Orlando and the Bank of America in North Carolina.

Ivo Lamot, CEO at SIS Pitches said: “The development of our new hybrid pitch stitching machines is a major step forward for us as a business, and demonstrates our continued commitment to innovation and providing the very best playing surfaces. Further, the new machines have immediately raised the bar for stadium owners and operators seeking the quick and customisable installation of a new playing surface.

“Throughout our R&D process, we’ve been conscious that grounds staff working in stadia around the world now typically have much narrower windows in which they are expected to change their pitch. Through a combination of patented technology and stadium-oriented design, we’ve created a solution that meets the evolving needs of customers around the world. Plans are already in place for us to apply this concept to world renowned stadia looking for the fastest ever turnaround between a concert and competitive fixture.

“As a business, our purpose is to power more play. By increasing both the speed and quality of a typical hybrid pitch installation, we’re making stitched hybrid technology more accessible than ever before, ensuring multi-use stadia can host more sporting events and generate more revenue than ever before.”

The fleet of new machines will be deployed across the world throughout July, strategically located in areas of anticipated demand. There will be sets located in Europe, USA, Canada, South America, the Middle East, and also a set that can be moved around the rest of the world as required.

For more information on SIS Pitches’ sports pitch installation services, visit sispitches.com

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Toro Company hits ten-year landmark

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Toro Company hits ten-year landmark: The Toro Company has reinforced its commitment to helping advance sustainability in and through golf by extending its ten-year strategic global partnership with the GEO Sustainable Golf Foundation.

For many years The Toro Company has been a leader in golf’s sustainability movement – targeting research and development into new knowledge, ideas and product innovation – particularly in the advancement of water stewardship, hybrid and electric technology, lower emissions, and fuel efficiency.

Toro Company hits ten-year landmark

Toro Company hits ten-year landmark

In parallel, The Toro Company’s sustainability efforts extend to golf courses and organisations, and through The Toro Company Foundation Giving Program, The Toro Company has contributed consistently to sustainable golf advocacy, industry engagement, and development of knowledge, programs and tools.

Kelli Jerome, Executive Director of GEO Sustainable Golf Foundation, said: “The combination of The Toro Company’s leadership, support and influence has been fundamental to helping accelerate sustainability across the professional and amateur sides of golf.  Add in how The Toro Company has built sustainability into many wider partnerships and sponsorships, plus investments in innovation and technology, and we can see that the company has made a hugely significant and globally relevant contribution to golf’s progress in conserving nature and resources, delivering value to communities around the world, and helping address issues such as climate change, water pressures and energy costs.”

Marnie K. Wells, President, The Toro Company Foundation, said: “As a company with a century-long tradition of providing evolving solutions and support to the global golf sector, The Toro Company has sought to deliver genuinely cutting-edge equipment and wider knowledge to golf course managers. Our goal is to extend our values and clear responsibility to the environment and communities into solutions that lead to tangible impacts in carbon reduction, water stewardship, noise and air pollution in golf greenspaces worldwide.  Working with partners like GEO Sustainable Golf Foundation, with such a clearly aligned mission and purpose, is another way we can contribute to making golf the most sustainable of all sports.”

The Toro Company’s support for GEO Sustainable Golf Foundation over the past decade has, alongside other partners and supporters, delivered an accelerating range of tangible outcomes, including:

  • A dedicated, accredited and endorsed system for sustainable golf comprising standards; online programs; verification; certification and data-driven reporting and claims.
  • A highly accessible, easy and productive pathway for grassroots clubs to engage in – from the Sustainable Golf Pledge, to OnCourse program, to Annual Sustainable Golf Scorecards, to third party certification and promotion.
  • A Sustainable Golf Highlightsknowledge sharing hub, already with over 2000 tried and tested examples of sustainable golf in action.
  • A suite of custom-built carbon calculators for golf facilities; tournaments and organisations
  • A special ‘Sustainable Golf Champion’ program for professional golfers

At the close of 2023, sustainable golf strategies, programs and tools, certification and impact reporting were being utilised in over 70 countries – involving associations; facilities; new developments; tournaments; companies.  Over 600,000 Sustainable Golf Indicators are being tracked in the Sustainable Golf Database, stewarded with and for golf bodies.

Looking forward The Toro Company and GEO Sustainable Golf Foundation will be continuing to develop and provide these non-profit programs, tools and guidance to the sport, plus will pull through more case studies and examples of how The Toro Company solutions are driving a more efficient, popular and sustainable future for facilities.

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Landmark for Pitchmark

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Landmark for Pitchmark: Customers of Pitchmark and visitors to BTME are in for a major surprise in January 2019, says the company, who will be making a landmark announcement at the show.

A family-run business founded in 2010, Pitchmark has built an unrivalled reputation with a vision of raising the standard of line marking and improving the quality of working life for groundstaff. The company has created an industry platform with the manufacture and supply of a complete range of high quality marking paints, machines and accessories, for any sport and any surface.

Landmark for Pitchmark

There have been many other important landmarks along the way including supplying all the stadia at FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 and Euro 2016 France. Pitchmark line marking paint was also used to mark the pitch at the Principality Stadium for the Champions League Final 2017. The company launched the innovative new Hybrid line marker at SALTEX 2017, whilst 2018 saw rapid expansion and three new directors appointed. The business was crowned regional winners of Business Exporter of the Year at the FSB Awards.

Pitchmark’s Chairman, Mark Rodman has over thirty years of experience in the horticultural and amenity sector and leads a highly experienced specialist team. When pressed for details of the forthcoming announcement he says: “our experience has given us the understanding into what groundsmen want, enabling us to be both proactive and reactive in delivering the best products and our knowledge. We’re expanding on that platform with exciting new developments we will launch at the Harrogate venue.”

The theme, Mark reveals, is: ‘Your Turf. Our Passion’. “All will be revealed on the opening morning of the show,” he adds, “so come along to stand 137 in the blue zone at BTME.”

Pitchmark 01454 776666 www.pitchmark.com

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