Tag Archive for: Legacy

BIGGA’s presidential nominee leaves amazing legacy

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BIGGA’s presidential nominee leaves amazing legacy: A former Scottish First Division referee who officiated at European matches before becoming head greenkeeper at Buchanan Castle has accepted the nomination to become president of the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) in 2025.

Ronnie Myles, 67, has immediately stepped into the role of BIGGA Vice President, supporting John Keenaghan for the remainder of his term. Ronnie will then formally be appointed BIGGA President at the BIGGA Annual General Meeting, taking place in January.

BIGGA’s presidential nominee leaves amazing legacy

BIGGA’s presidential nominee leaves amazing legacy

Ronnie said: “I was absolutely flabbergasted to be asked to become BIGGA President. Having been a member of greenkeeper associations for more than 50 years, I feel very proud and honoured to be asked to represent BIGGA in this way.

“This year I hope we’re able to enhance the profile of greenkeepers and continue the progression of our association, which has come a long way over the last 10 to 15 years. Fifty years ago greenkeeping was thought of as a dead end profession, but now, there are real opportunities that come with greenkeeping and you have the chance to build a great career.”

Ronnie began his career at East Kilbride Golf Club in 1971 and he would move on to Cathkin Braes, Erskine, Helensburgh and Scarcroft in West Yorkshire, before finally settling at Buchanan Castle, where he worked until his retirement in 2022.

Ronnie was a stalwart of the BIGGA West of Scotland Section for over 20 years, acting as chairperson and secretary. He was vice-chairperson of the BIGGA Scotland and Northern Ireland Region before being appointed the Region’s first President in 2023.

Despite his retirement, Ronnie continues to work seasonally at Stirling Golf Club and is an active member of the BIGGA Scotland Legacy Club, which seeks to offer support and guidance to the next generation of greenkeepers.

Away from greenkeeping and Ronnie had a remarkable career as a high level match official, once running the line for an Old Firm game before being selected for six European Cup matches, including a hair-raising trip to East Germany. Remarkably, Ronnie also spent two seasons as Broxi Bear, the matchday mascot of Rangers Football Club.

As BIGGA Vice President and President, Ronnie will act as an ambassador for the association, representing BIGGA at various events throughout the year. He will also join the BIGGA Board of Management and utilise his experience to guide the board in their decision making.

Jim Croxton, BIGGA CEO, said: “I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Ronnie throughout my 13 years with BIGGA and I know how warmly he’s thought of in BIGGA Scotland and Northern Ireland, where he’s a popular and well-known figure.

“When he was proposed as BIGGA President 2025 the nomination was received enthusiastically by the BIGGA Board of Management and I’m looking forward to working alongside him. The coming year stands to be a crucial time in the history of our association as we seek to reshape our membership offering and build a structure that provides even more support and advice to greenkeepers at every stage of their career.”

You can read more about Ronnie’s career on the BIGGA website

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GMA unveils Pioneer Legacy

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GMA unveils Pioneer Legacy: The Grounds Management Association (GMA) has proudly launched the Pioneer Legacy initiative, a new recognition scheme that celebrates the remarkable achievements of both past and present members of GMA NextGen sponsored by Reesink UK (formerly the GMA Young Board).

This initiative aims to honour the contributions of young professionals who have significantly shaped the future of the grounds management industry. At its core is the Pioneer Mark, a unique legacy number awarded to each GMA NextGen member, symbolising their lasting impact on the profession. These marks will be awarded retroactively to previous members and will continue to be given to new members as they join.

GMA unveils Pioneer Legacy

GMA unveils Pioneer Legacy

“The GMA NextGen Pioneer Mark is a tribute to the remarkable work carried out by our NextGen members and former Young Board members,” said Geoff Webb, CEO of the GMA. “Their contributions have helped shape the industry we see today and will continue to do so for years to come. By awarding each member with a Pioneer Mark, we are recognising their individual achievements and ensuring their legacy lives on within the grounds management industry.”

The first three Pioneer Marks were presented at SALTEX 2024, the UK’s premier event for the grounds care sector, to three GMA NextGen members: Louise Saunders, Joe Broadwood, and Anthony Facey, who have stepped down after a combined 20 years of exceptional service between them.

Anthony Facey (#016), Vice Chair of GMA NextGen, has brought innovative ideas and a collaborative spirit to the group. His work on various projects, including the ‘Schools into Stadia’ initiative, has significantly contributed to the growth and development of the industry.

Louise Saunders (#031) has been a driving force in promoting diversity and inclusion within the industry. As the first female member of the NextGen group, she has made great strides in championing women in the industry – as a result the group has welcomed three inspiring women (Meg Lay, Liddy Ford and Beth Gibbs) who will continue to drive the EDI strategy forward.

Joe Broadwood (#025), Chair of GMA NextGen, has been instrumental in advancing the professional development of young grounds people. His leadership in the ‘Schools into Stadia’ programme has been particularly impactful, helping to foster a new generation of grounds management professionals.

Jason Booth, Chief Operating Officer at the GMA, has paid tribute to the three members stepping down: “Louise, Joe, and Anthony have each brought fresh energy and vision to GMA NextGen. Over the years they’ve been instrumental in progressing key initiatives with the aim of getting younger people into the industry. Their leadership will be missed but their influence will continue to shape the industry through the legacy they leave behind. The aim of the new Pioneer Legacy initiative is to ensure the contributions of past and present members to the grounds management industry are recognised in the right way.”

This initiative not only celebrates individual achievements but also ensures that the contributions of these young professionals are remembered and honoured for years to come.

To find out more about the GMA NextGen, or to see how you can get involved, please visit www.thegma.org.uk/who/ambassadors

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LX builds on Kubota legacy

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LX builds on Kubota legacy: An ongoing programme of improvements is reaping rewards for Old Fold Manor Golf Club in Hertfordshire, with Kubota’s latest LX compact tractor tasked with helping to manage the impressive workload.

Established 110 years ago, the club has 400 members and a burgeoning academy and junior section.

LX builds on Kubota legacy

LX builds on Kubota legacy

The Par 71 parkland course is mainly on clay which receives plenty of care and attention from course manager Mark Burniston and his team to maintain standards and keep up with a busy programme of in house and outside competitions, with a round of the Clutch Pro Tour and a PGA event among this year’s highlights.

“We’ve had Kubota tractors for many years,” explains Mark, “and some seven years ago added an STV-40 compact. We found it offered much more power for its weight compared to our old L5740, which is still doing good service, and was ideal to use on the greens.”

This year, a new LX-401, which has replaced the ST series in Kubota’s range, joined the armoury and is deployed for eight hours a day, on at least five days a week.

“We use compact tractors for blowing on roughs and fairways, plus we’re spraying once or twice a week,” explains Mark. “Then we have three ‘maintenance weeks’ a year when we can be spreading up to 60 tonnes of sand spreading on greens, approaches and tees, and using a Pro Core, along with monthly sand spreading and coring.”

“The LX is perfect for this as it has lots of power and will help us to keep up; I haven’t seen anything else on the market to compare.”

The 40hp LX-401 has a three-range hydrostatic transmission for easy operation which has proved popular with the club.

“It’s so convenient to drive around the course, and the cruise control is ideal to set a speed for work such as verti-draining and spraying. New features on the LX such as an A/B switch to preselect engine revs also save fuel and wear on the engine when moving between greens,” comments Mark.

He adds that the simplicity of operation makes it ideal for any of the six-man greenkeeping team to get on the tractor and carry out any task required.

“We like the ROPS platform too, it’s much easier to get on and off to refill the top dresser or remove and replace a flag when you are spraying.”

Mark comments that the ST has proved to be highly reliable and will be retained for other work.

“We have our own fitter, but George Browns carry out annual servicing; their salesman David Fisher has provided excellent back up and was able to source the LX very promptly when the committee agreed the purchase.”

Ongoing drainage work is being undertaken to help the course deal with the increasingly unpredictable weather, while it has also benefited from a new irrigation system. Developments are also catering for a new generation of golfer, Mark explains.

“We have a three-hole academy course that has been built on former wasteland, the junior section is being developed by one of the pro team, and we’ve rebuilt the driving range, so there’s plenty of opportunity for new golfers to develop their confidence and skills ready to go out on course. It’s an exciting time for the club, and it’s great to be well equipped to meet the demand.”

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F391 continues Kubota mowing legacy

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F391 continues Kubota mowing legacy: Kubota has updated its renowned F series front mowers, with the F391 offering a host of new features to further increase its performance and productivity. It joins the F251 introduced earlier in the year, with this duo of tough, powerful ride-on mowers providing the ideal solution for commercial mowing.

Powered by the latest 38hp Kubota Stage V engine, the F391 is designed to give the ultimate in output, operator comfort and practicality, continuing and enhancing the F series’ position as the choice of professionals for parks, open spaces and local authority work.

F391 continues Kubota mowing legacy

F391 continues Kubota mowing legacy

Meeting the latest emission control standards, the four-cylinder Kubota diesel engine provides the power to tackle the toughest mowing jobs, all day long; a 61 litre fuel tank gives long intervals between fill-ups.

Drive is via a two-range hydrostatic transmission with on-demand four-wheel drive to enhance grip in wet conditions and on sloping land.

The F391 has a lift capacity of 260kg, enabling the choice of 1.51 or 1.82m (60 or 72in) side or rear discharge deck, with optional mulch kit, for outstanding workrates. Mower deck tilt of 90deg makes for easy cleaning and maintenance and is operated via a hydraulic lever with minimal effort. Puncture proof tyres on the deck avoid frustrating downtime in tough conditions.

Deck height is adjustable from 25-129mm simply by slotting a pin at the chosen height on the front caster wheels, for quick adaptation to different tasks and grass surfaces.

With power steering and its out-front deck, the F391 is highly manoeuvrable for mowing around play equipment and street furniture, yet with a travel speed of 19.6kph can cover large areas in the working day.

Operator comfort and convenience has been considered at every stage of the design with a tilting and adjustable steering wheel, ergonomic controls, new bright dashboard for visibility and a folding ROPS, while the large platform offers easy access.  A new one-piece bonnet and removable radiator screen make for easy routine maintenance.

The F391 will be available from Kubota dealers at the end of the year.

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Oakmont builds championship legacy

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Oakmont builds championship legacy: Oakmont Country Club regularly plays host to the best in golf, and to give them the greens they deserve, the famous Pennsylvania club uses the Jacobsen PGM 22” walking greens mower.

Aside from the Augusta National, no other course has hosted more major championships than Oakmont. The course is widely regarded as being tournament ready all year round, and the exceptional quality provided by the club and their greenkeeping team, led by Superintendent David Delsandro, has been rewarded by the USGA.

Oakmont builds championship legacy

Oakmont builds championship legacy

Oakmont has been named as the second anchor site for future USGA championships, including the U.S. Open in 2025, 2034, 2042, and 2049, as well as the U.S. Women’s Open in 2028 and 2038, the Walker Cup in 2033, and the U.S. Women’s Amateur in 2046.

Preparing the course for these events is a 365 day a year task, and when tournament time rolls around, it is about more than just the machines on the ground. David knows the quality of cut he’ll get with the Jacobsen PGM greens mowers, but when the world’s greatest golfers take to the stage, reliability, and support are what he needs.

“Jacobsen plays a large role in our maintenance today, helping us maintain the history that is Oakmont Country Club,” David explains. “Being founded in 1903, Oakmont is known for holding major championships, U.S. Opens, U.S. Amateurs, National Championships: it’s the home of championship golf in the United States.

“We pride ourselves on producing premium playability, seven days a week throughout the golf season, with firm, fast greens. Therefore the greens mower, as fundamental as it is, is the backbone of the success and the playability that we try to put forth every day.

“Currently, we are mowing greens with the Jacobsen PGM greens mowers. We’ve tried other mowers over the years, demoed different technologies, different manufacturers, we always come back to Jacobsen. Proven cut quality, ease of operation, reliability, customer support. The bottom line is performance, results.

“The club is prepping to host the 2021 U.S. Amateur Championship. It’s a big undertaking for the grounds department and the country club to support the volunteers, the staff, meet the specifications of the USGA, and Jacobsen’s been a great partner with us, with the loan of equipment, their customer support, getting parts, training, working with our equipment technicians, they are always there to support us when we need them the most.

“Jacobsen have been a great partner with us, and the championship support they provided for us, not only for this U.S. Amateur but also championships in the past and future championships, plays an integral role in us being able to host these events and build upon the championship legacy of Oakmont Country Club.”

The 121st U.S. Amateur is the latest in a long line of tournaments hosted by the club. In the past, the seven-day tournament, which features stroke play and match play, has been the springboard for some of the greatest names in golf, including Jack Nicklaus, who won the championship twice, and Tiger Woods, who is the only person to have won three consecutive titles.

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