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Campey announce passing of David Briggs

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Campey announce passing of David Briggs: It is with deepest regret that we announce the passing, just before Christmas, of David Briggs, who had been suffering with Parkinson’s’ disease. 

David joined Campey Turf Care Systems in 2000 and retired in 2017. He was a successful product specialist for Southern England. He made a subtle but significant impact on industry methods of creating dealership networks and direct customer contact, both in the UK and abroad. David was instrumental in establishing a highly effective dealer network for Campey machinery, in Southern Europe. He was always a popular and much respected member of the team. David was also highly regarded and well respected amongst his colleagues and customers alike.

Campey announce passing of David Briggs

Campey announce passing of David Briggs

We offer our sincerest condolences to Diane and all the family at this incredibly sad time.

Richard Campey
Chairman
Campey Turf Care Systems

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CleanShield – a peace of mind

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CleanShield – a peace of mind: Amega Science’s CleanShield – an alcohol-free, multi-surface cleaner, offers peace of mind at a time when it is most needed according to Martin Ford, UK Sales Manager for Agrigem.

It is widely documented that the most common way that microorganisms, particularly bacteria, are spread and cause infection is on hard surfaces and carried on people’s hands. Preventing infection and managing the spread of germs from hands and surfaces is therefore important in all environments.

CleanShield – a peace of mind

CleanShield – a peace of mind

CleanShield is designed to bring broad spectrum pathogen protection and biological cleanliness to large areas in an instant. This high-performance sanitising solution has been independently proven to be effective against a wide variety of germs including Norovirus, Ebola, MERS, Swine-Flu, Covid-19 and many more.

Martin from Agrigem claims that he has seen an increasing demand for CleanShield, particularly over recent months. He also had no hesitation in using the product at his local football club (Rastrick Junior FC in Yorkshire) where he is also manager and chairman.

“Since the pandemic we have obviously had to put many safety measures in place. When we were able to restart after the initial lockdown, we were told by the FA that we needed to disinfect all of our equipment after every session – our goal posts, the footballs, the bibs, the cones – pretty much everything.

“At our club, there are over 350 players and 70 coaches – so it was essential that we carried out the necessary measures. When CleanShield was released we knew it was going to be a reputable product and it was going to do exactly what it claimed to do.”

CleanShield is alcohol free which has many advantages over alcohol-based products: it kills spores or non-enveloped viruses unlike alcohol-based products; alcohol hand gels and surface wipes can dry the skin causing hands to crack and bleed – but with no alcohol content, CleanShield will not irritate the skin at all and is proven to be effective for up to 45 minutes on hands and 3 days on surfaces after its application.

Furthermore, it can be mopped, sprayed or wiped onto floors, walls, surfaces and equipment providing easy instant protection to any environment where the transfer of germs is a concern. It is ready to use immediately with no preparation or mixing – something which Martin is particularly impressed with.

“CleanShield can be used straight out of the bottle which is great,” he said. “This makes it easy for the coaches at the end of each of the sessions just to spray everything down. It also goes an exceptionally long way which a huge benefit because it is so cost effective.

“In this day and age, you need to take the necessary precautions and keep everyone safe. You need something that will work effectively and not give you any problems further down the line – CleanShield gives you peace of mind because it does exactly what it claims to do.

“I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending this to anyone, and I have already. My wife is the Operations & Welfare Manager for Leeds United Sports College and even she has bought some CleanShield. This proves how good the product is, because if I can sell it to my wife – then I can sell it to anybody!”

Please contact Agrigem:

Web – Agrigem.co.uk

Phone – 01522 246491.

Twitter – @AgrigemLtd

Facebook – Agrigem-Ltd

Linked IN – Agrigem-Ltd

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Xpedite® rescues Manor of Groves GC

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Xpedite® rescues Manor of Groves GC: Having exhausted all mechanical methods of improving surface drainage, Manor of Groves Course Manager Lee Brinkley went into the winter of 2019/20 facing the challenge of managing saturated greens once again.

Or so he thought! A consultation with his regional Headland Amenity Technical Manager led to a trial of Xpedite® on four of the club’s problem greens and, despite it being one of the wettest winters on record, the greens had never been drier.

Xpedite® rescues Manor of Groves GC

Xpedite® rescues Manor of Groves GC

Nestled in a secluded spot on the Hertfordshire/Essex border, many of the greens at Manor of Groves are surrounded by trees, restricting both light and airflow to the surface. “It is no exaggeration to say that my predecessor and I had tried everything” explains Lee, who heads up a team of six greenkeepers. “We’ve hollow-cored, top-dressed, removed thatch and even installed drainage to try and solve the issue. Speaking with Peter Blackaby of Headland was a final roll of the dice to try and avoid the problems we’ve had for many years; with retention of water and the knock-on impact this has on overall playability and plant health.”

“We trialled Xpedite® on four greens, using the equivalent of 14 x 20kg bags per 500m2 of surface after hollow-coring last October, and were astounded with the results” Lee explains. “We had both mild, and wet conditions last year but the greens treated with Xpedite® stayed dry and playable throughout. This specific application dovetailed our existing nutritional programme which is delivering fantastic plant health, strong sustained growth and disease-free greens.”

Xpedite® is a soil amendment product that introduces non-compacting pore space into problematic rootzones. The porous nature of the Xpedite® granule, produced from diatomaceous earth, increases oxygen-holding potential and helps to improve permeability and drainage. In summer, it is able to retain water within its structure – which is then available to the grass plant during periods of dry weather.

Lee concludes, “Following the success we achieved last winter, we are about to hollow-core and apply Xpedite® on all 18 of our greens. The impact this will have on plant health should see us deliver the quality surfaces demanded by the golfers, as well as reduce the need for remedial treatments as we emerge in the spring.”

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Starlings part of the plan at Sherborne GC

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Starlings part of the plan at Sherborne GC: Under the guidance of Agrovista Amenity, Sherborne Golf Club is currently embarking on an integrated pest management plan (IPM) to control a leatherjacket population.

Sherborne is a mature 18-hole parkland course set on a Dorset hilltop with stunning views over Somerset and the Blackmore Vale. Much of the course was designed by the renowned British Open winner and inter-war course architect James Braid and the Club is a member of the Braid Association.

Starlings part of the plan at Sherborne GC

Starlings part of the plan at Sherborne GC

Scott Johnson has been the Head Greenkeeper at Sherborne Golf Club for just seven weeks; however, he knows the course inside out as prior to his promotion, he was the deputy course manager for six years. Therefore, he was aware of the long road he had ahead of him in regard to controlling the leatherjackets. He immediately set his mind to the task.

“It was apparent that I needed to minimise the amount of bird damage by reducing the number of leatherjackets,” said Scott. “We have 4 or 5 greens that are getting torn apart on a daily basis by crows and rooks.

“Since I became the Head Greenkeeper, we have tried many cultural methods to limit the bird damage. These included the purchase of a bird scarer microphone that really was quite effective to start with – the members took them round as they played first thing in the morning and late in the evenings, but obviously you can’t expect them to keep doing that every time. We also had spinning CDs dotted around the worst affected greens.”

Scott soon got in touch with David Bevan, Amenity Specialist for Agrovista Amenity, who visited Sherborne Golf Course to take a look.

“It was apparent there was a problem with leatherjackets,” said David. “Sherborne is an ecological minded golf course, so I started chatting to Scott about integrated pest management (IPM) which I am a firm believer in.”

With many active substances now withdrawn from the turf and amenity sector, crucial practices such as monitoring and using a range of preventative measures within an IPM approach is being widely encouraged as best practice. David’s advice to Scott was to explore a more long-term, controlled outlook which would also reduce the need for purchasing products year on year.

“The immediate solution was a single application of Acelepryn, which contains the active substance chlorantraniliprole,” continued David.  “I also spoke to Scott about how starlings are natural predators to the leatherjackets and it was at this point that I recommended our WoodStone starling boxes – I thought these would fit in nicely with what Scott and his team are trying to achieve.”

Constructed from a mix of concrete and wood fibres, the WoodStone boxes comprise of a single 45 mm hole – which is the perfect size to encourage starlings and discourage other birds and wildlife. As David says, starlings are an important natural predator of chafer beetles and crane flies and can be encouraged by turf managers as part of an integrated approach to pest management (IPM). Their narrow beaks facilitate feeding on these pests whilst causing minimal damage to the turf and promoting natural aeration of the surface. David further explained the benefits of starlings.

Starlings part of the plan at Sherborne GC

Starlings part of the plan at Sherborne GC

“A crow tends to scavenge and tear the turf with its claws and beak to get to the leatherjackets, whereas a starling has a very short, sharp pointed beak so it tends to peck straight in and straight out. A starling won’t cause any notable damage to the turf, which is why we are encouraging them to set-up home.”

Scott purchased nine WoodStone starling boxes which have been put into various locations all over the course and David has warned him not to expect overnight results.

“We have just created a habitat for the starlings to nest and breed, and now we have to let nature take its course – you can’t really put a time on that. It’s certainly a long-term approach and the correct approach in my opinion. The more you can do to encourage the natural predator the better, whether it be golf courses, schools or anywhere else for that matter.

“I think the industry needs to start looking away from chemical controls as the sole answer where it can to be honest and Scott is certainly taking a more ecological approach at Sherborne, by encouraging what amounts to a biological control. We will continue to support him closely with what he’s trying to achieve.”

Scott was full of praise for the service he has received to date from David and Agrovista Amenity.

“David has been in to visit on a number of occasions now – always with fantastic advice and knowledge. The products from Agrovista are great and the continued support is much appreciated. I’m excited to see the results,” he said.

For more information about Agrovista Amenity, visit www.agrovista.co.uk/amenity

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IKON XD zero-turn is top of the class

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IKON XD zero-turn is top of the class: Zero-turn mowing is the fastest way to cut your grass. Speed and manoeuvrability have made zero-turns the increasingly popular alternative in the UK to the conventional ride-on lawnmower.

The ability to turn on its axis eliminates the need for three-point-turns and cuts mowing time by half. What’s more, you’re doing this without the conventional steering system. Zero-turns are driven and steered by the rear wheels via an independent transmission. Two levers are all you need to drive, brake and steer.

IKON XD zero-turn is top of the class

IKON XD zero-turn is top of the class

The latest Ariens IKON XD zero-turn makes it a comfortable and easy ride with a newly designed seat and intuitive controls for precision performance. That’s not all when you’re considering a zero-turn, you need to know you are choosing a machine that is built to last. The IKON XD wholly fits the bill with engineering excellence that puts it top of its class. Sporting new decals and side panels for a sharper look, this is a zero-turn built so much tougher and more durable it will surpass your expectations. That’s because the IKON XD comes with a wide range of commercial features, but at an affordable price for homeowners and semi-professionals. It’s constructed with a fully fabricated, heavy-duty tubular steel frame to provide enhanced strength and stability while travelling over different terrain.

The power comes from a premium Kawasaki 726cc engine for reliability and driving a commercial quality cutter deck. This deck is fully fabricated from 10-gauge steel for the durability of professional-grade equipment. There are 13 cutting heights which can be effortlessly adjusted by turning a dial on the control panel. Built for comfort, with its new high-back seat, armrests and vibration-reducing floor mat, the IKON XD comes with a three-year or 300 hours warranty. Models available: IKON XD 42 with a 107cm (42″) cutter deck or the IKON XD 52 with a 132cm (52″) deck.

For more information contact your local dealer or visit the website ariens-uk.com

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