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A decade of MM seed for Rugby School

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A decade of MM seed for Rugby School: James Mead, Grounds Manager at the world-famous Rugby School in Warwickshire, has revealed why he has used MM50 grass seed for the last ten years.

Rugby School, founded in 1567, is one of the oldest public schools in England, and is renowned worldwide for being the place where the game of rugby was born and developed. In fact, visitors travel from far and wide to visit the school’s small museum and to see where the legendary student William Webb Ellis, took a football in his arms and ran with it.

A decade of MM seed for Rugby School

A decade of MM seed for Rugby School

It is fitting that a school of such status also boasts a fabulous sporting reputation and James Mead and his experienced team work hard to keep the facilities in pristine condition.

James believes that a grass seed is one of the most integral components in producing a high-quality sports pitch and it is for this reason that he chooses to use MM50.

“I initially heard of MM50 through seminars and various events, and I’ve now been using it for just over ten years,” he said. “The quality of the grass and the cleanliness of the mix is very important – we don’t want any rogue grasses or agricultural left in the mix. MM50 is a very clean mixture.”

MM is one of the most respected brands in the UK amenity industry, with over 40 years of experience and knowledge. The extensive product portfolio is second to none with performance proven mixtures that are used at many leading venues in the UK and Europe.

MM50, in particular, is one of the UK’s biggest selling grass mixtures. The hard-wearing ryegrass mix is very fine leaved, has high shoot density, is tolerant to close mowing down to 4-5mm and produces a great colour all year round. It also has quick recovery from damage and play.

“We use MM50 on our cricket squares, wickets, cricket outfields and we also use MM60 on the first team rugby pitch,” said James. “We overseed as much as we can depending on weather, and it gives us great coverage, great density, and a good fineness of leaf. Very rarely do we get disease and it gives us first-class colour. Playability wise it is excellent and it is ideal for the run of a ball. MM50 just ticks all the boxes that we are looking for.”

Both MM50 and MM60 (an ideal mixture for winter sports pitches) are treated with Headstart® GOLD – a revolutionary grass seed treatment that ensures rapid germination. It benefits from minerals such as Phosphorus, Sulphur, Copper and Molybdenum which all help to stimulate root formation, development and growth ensuring that the seedling grass plant develops a strong root system during the critical start-up phase.

“The speed of the germination certainly takes the pressure off the initial seeding,” said James. “We tend not to put fertiliser down with the MM50 straight away, instead we let the seed come through first. The initial protection to the plant from the mix is ideal.

“The quality of MM50 has never diminished and if anything, it keeps improving. It is a very trustworthy product. Seeding takes a lot of time and effort, and you want the best results for your hard work.”

James also praised the support he receives from both MM and Agrovista Amenity (distributor of MM).

“I have a very good relationship with Matt Gresty from MM seed and also with Mark Allen from Agrovista Amenity – who is able to provide various products of great benefit to us.”

For further information, please contact MM Sports Seed on 01386 791102 or visit the company’s website www.mm-seeds.co.uk. You can also follow the company on Twitter: @MM_Seed

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GKB SP100 top of the topdressers

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GKB SP100 top of the topdressers: To support their rapid and continued growth, Garsons Group Ltd have been investing in equipment to help them deliver contracting and maintenance services to the full spectrum of sports surfaces.

One machine that joined the fleet and has now become their ‘go-to’ for topdressing is the GKB Sandspreader – and while perhaps it wasn’t quite ‘love’ at first sight, Director Gareth Davies says it was definitely ‘the perfect fit’ at first sight after spotting the SP100 at BTME!

GKB SP100 top of the topdressers

GKB SP100 top of the topdressers

“Straight away, I could tell that SP100 was a great size machine that would suit the variety of work we do” explains Gareth, who has spent 25 years working in the groundcare industry and established Garsons as a limited company three years ago. “We’re conducting renovations, reconstructions and ongoing maintenance for winter sports pitches, cricket and golf courses so need something with a large enough hopper capacity to be efficient, but not too big that access to certain sites may become compromised. The Sandspreader ticks all the boxes.”

Gareth opted for the mounted SP100 model and, since its delivery in the spring of 2021 from local dealer Ernest Does, he estimates they’ve applied in the region of 4000 tonnes of sand with it. “The hopper is the main benefit for us. The SP100 holds 1m3 of material at a time meaning we can apply over 100 tonnes in a day which is critical when the team are working to tight deadlines. It’s also really easy to use and adjust for lighter or heavier applications when needed. We use it primarily for football and rugby, but this year we used it on a cricket square for the first time and it did a brilliant job.”

The GKB SP100 is the smallest unit in the Sandspreader range, with larger models offering up to a 4m3 hopper capacity. The material is transported from the hopper to the adjustable metering valve via an internal conveyor belt, before being efficiently and evenly distributed via the double disc hydraulic spinners. As well as trailed and mounted formats, GKB also offer the SPM model, which features a side material handler for the convenient filling of bunkers or trenches.

“Another big thing for us, has been the support and customer service from GKB, which has been excellent throughout. Tom Shinkins is always on hand for advice and, when we needed some additional parts recently, he was able to get them to us in under 24 hours which is the kind of back-up we need as we drive our business forward.”

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BIGGA announces the FTMI Class of 2022

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BIGGA announces the FTMI Class of 2022: The British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) has revealed the 20 ambitious greenkeepers who will participate in the Future Turf Managers Initiative 2022.

Each year Jacobsen and BIGGA invite 20 up-and-coming association members to participate in the intensive training programme, which has been credited with developing some of the greenkeeping industry’s most influential course managers and head greenkeepers. This year Jacobsen and BIGGA celebrated the first FTMI graduate to achieve the links superintendent position at an Open Championship venue in the form of Royal Liverpool’s James Bledge.

BIGGA announces the FTMI Class of 2022

BIGGA announces the FTMI Class of 2022

FTMI was first hosted in 2013 as a two-day education event and since then has expanded around the world, with similar schemes being introduced in Spain, Portugal, Australia and New Zealand.

For 2022 the structure of FTMI has been adjusted to become a hybrid event that combines workshops at Ransomes Jacobsen’s headquarters in Ipswich, online education sessions and two days of education at BTME in January 2023. FTMI focuses on personal and professional development, rather than agronomy-based subjects, and utilises the expertise of leading course managers, dynamic trainers and industry experts to mentor and educate the next generation of industry leaders.

Candidates are selected based upon an anonymous judging criterion, with the panel gaining an insight into the achievements and ambitions of each applicant, who must be educationally active on a national and regional level.

BIGGA Learning & Development Executive Deb Burnett said: “As an increasing number of FTMI graduates achieve success in their careers, we are reminded of what an incredible learning opportunity FTMI is for BIGGA members. When the 10th FTMI class convenes this year, we’ll be welcoming some of those early delegates back as mentors and I look forward to seeing them inspire the 2022 class, who will then gain the knowledge they require to achieve similar greatness in their own careers.

“Our youngest candidate this year is 22, while the oldest is 47 and that shows how FTMI is available to all BIGGA members. All you need is the desire to learn and progress your career and I’m delighted that among the Class of 2022 we have such a varied mix of people who can share ideas and experiences and who have all got through to this stage based upon their own merits.”

The members of the FTMI Class of 2022 are:

  • Aaron Allibon, first assistant at Orsett
  • John Anderson, senior greenkeeper at Prestwick
  • Rhian Barton, assistant greenkeeper at Royal Liverpool
  • Andrew Barr, deputy head greenkeeper at Greencastle
  • Tom Bromfield, assistant greenkeeper at Trentham
  • Ray Cotgrave, deputy course manager at Pleasington
  • Marcus Davies, assistant greenkeeper at Wentworth Club
  • Michael Gibbons, first assistant at Dunham Forest
  • Sean Harvey, senior greenkeeper at Frilford Heath
  • Peter Lewis, senior greenkeeper/irrigation technician at Royal Liverpool
  • Darren McLoughlin, deputy head greenkeeper at Erskine
  • Matthew Milligan, first assistant at Rudding Park
  • Malcolm Mitchell, deputy head greenkeeper at Burghley Park
  • Wayne Mulrooney, deputy course manager at Great Barr
  • Robert Munro, assistant superintendent at Cabot Cliffs
  • Ryan Oliver, assistant greenkeeper at Hornsea
  • Adrian Parsons, assistant greenkeeper at Wenvoe Castle
  • Michael Russell, assistant greenkeeper at Ormskirk
  • Steven Thomas, deputy head greenkeeper at Prestonfield

Elliot Walters, deputy course manager at Robin Hood

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Future of greenkeeping in safe hands

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Future of greenkeeping in safe hands: Toro, Reesink Turfcare and the British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA), have revealed the finalists of their prestigious annual awards, which seek to uncover the UK’s leading student greenkeepers.

Each year the Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Awards enable BIGGA, the UK’s only membership association for golf greenkeepers, to work alongside turf maintenance equipment manufacturer Toro and distributor Reesink Turfcare to celebrate the next generation of talented and dedicated greenkeepers.

Future of greenkeeping in safe hands

Future of greenkeeping in safe hands

A record 54 nominees from across the United Kingdom were put forward by educators, course managers and head greenkeepers and other mentors. From those candidates, a final 12 have been chosen to contest the grand finals this September.

For the first time, the finals of the Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year will take place at Goodwood, the historic sporting venue located in West Sussex. The awards event will take place a week before the estate hosts Goodwood Revival, the famous weekend of classic racing. Goodwood is also home to the Downs Course, described by Justin Rose as a “truly inspirational” place to play golf.

September’s event will be the 33rd staging of the Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Awards and just the sixth time the Toro Young Student Greenkeeper of the Year Award, open to greenkeepers aged 21 or under, will take place. To be eligible to take part, candidates must be registered on a qualifying greenkeeping qualification and must be nominated by their course manager or college tutor.

The Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year finalists are:

  • Andrew Bate, Hesketh Golf Club
  • Tom Bromfield, Trentham Golf Club
  • James Gaskell, Ripon City Golf Club
  • Abi Laker, Frilford Heath Golf Club
  • Andrew Ritchie, St Andrews Links
  • John Thornton, Hellidon Lakes Golf and Country Club

The Toro Young Student Greenkeeper of the Year finalists are:

  • Jake Beech, Newcastle-under-Lyme Golf Club
  • Alfie Brookes, Gathurst Golf Club
  • Luke Charnley, Royal Liverpool Golf Club
  • Peter Pattenden, Carden Park Golf Club
  • James Stratford, Broome Manor Golf Club
  • Freddie Williams, Dudsbury Golf Club

More information about the finalists is available here.

The Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year winner will receive: enrolment in the 10-week University of Massachusetts Winter Turf School; a two-week expenses-paid placement at Adare Manor, venue of The 2027 Ryder Cup; an all expenses paid trip to the GCSAA Conference and Show in Florida; and a visit to Toro Corporate HQ, R&D Centre and Equipment Operations in Wisconsin.

The Toro Young Student Greenkeeper of the Year winner will receive: a two-week work placement at Vidauban Golf Club in France; a five-night trip to Continue to Learn at BTME including four days of education; and a gift voucher for Toro Training.

The runners-up and endorsers of the winners will also receive various prizes.

BIGGA Learning and Development Executive Deb Burnett said: “Each year the Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Awards gain a little more prestige, as previous finalists go on to achieve wonderful things in their careers. I’m delighted that more student greenkeepers than ever before participated in the nomination process and all should be proud of how they performed during the regional interview stage.

“The 12 finalists are very worthy of their spot and I can’t wait to watch them overcome the challenges we set for them at glorious Goodwood this autumn. My thanks go to Toro and Reesink Turfcare for their continued support of this wonderful initiative.”

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Sustainability issues at the heart of Learning LIVE

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Sustainability issues at the heart of Learning LIVE: In the month that saw the UK climate reach unprecedented levels of 40°C for the first time on record, the Grounds Management Association (GMA) is highlighting the need to place sustainability and environmental issues at the heart of the grounds maintenance sector’s thinking – and at the heart of SALTEX’s Learning LIVE sessions. 

GMA Chief Executive, Geoff Webb said: “Those managing and maintaining sports turf and green spaces are already having to deal with the impact of climate change and industry suppliers are doing their best to innovate and help grounds people to minimise the impact of droughts and floods.

Sustainability issues at the heart of Learning LIVE

Sustainability issues at the heart of Learning LIVE

“Extreme weather conditions are becoming more frequent, and we need to continue to educate grounds staff and plan now to ensure that as a sector, we are equipped to deal with what lies ahead.”

Announcing speakers for Europe’s leading sports turf, amenities, and landscaping trade exhibition, SALTEX, which is free to attend and organised by the GMA, Geoff Webb explains the value of attending the show’s Learning LIVE sessions.

“Learning LIVE has been designed to provide support, insight, and real solutions to key industry issues, including those relating to sustainability and the environment and we are delighted to be confirming a growing line-up of impressive expert speakers.”

A presentation not to missed will be one from Tony Hanson managing director, Environmental Solutions International and Robin Price, director of quality and environment at Anglian Water. Geoff says: “Their paper on ‘Reducing the impact of future water restrictions on golf and sports turf’ is a timely subject as we deal with the results of climate change and approach drought restrictions in this country. Tony and Robin will look at the implications of temporary use bans and changes in water abstraction rulings, and how this will prevent turf irrigation in 2023 and the ways to implement water resilience practices.”

Tony Hanson explains the importance of this subject to the industry: “Due to climate change, population growth, and historically high personal consumption, there is simply not enough water available in the UK without action – the water sector will have to use demand management to ensure public supply. Turf irrigation must simply become less dependent on mains or direct irrigation abstraction.

“The Water Resilience Plan has been designed to guide users on what they

need to do and keep them informed of water industry funded seminars and workshops. If you irrigate turf you will need to review alternative water sources for irrigation, create water storage on site – water you control and can use in a drought to cover at least 21 days and review and assess your irrigation management and system.  I look forward to discussing all these elements at SALTEX.”

The SALTEX 2022 Learning LIVE schedule this year has been extended to over 30 sessions, with additional papers attacking the key issues for the grounds care industry of pay, career development, how to negotiate in the workplace and how to find out about the millions of pounds of grant funding available from sports clubs.

More information about the SALTEX 2022 Learning LIVE programme can be found on the event’s website at www.saltex.org.uk/learning-live. Free visitor registration is now open. Visit saltex.org.uk or register here.

Alongside the Learning LIVE programme visitors to SALTEX 2022 will be able to see over 400 industry brands in one place – all lining up the best products on offer for today’s growing needs. It also provides visitors with a great opportunity to network with industry colleagues and build new business relationships.

The show takes place at the conveniently central Birmingham NEC on 2-3 November.

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