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Bobcat Equipment On Supercross Course

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Bobcat Equipment On Supercross Course: Europe’s largest ever Supercross course in a stadium has been built using Bobcat compact equipment, in unusual and demanding conditions.

JLFO built the track for the Paris SX leg of the French ‘SX TOUR’ Supercross Championship in the versatile new U Arena in Nanterre in the outskirts of Paris, which was opened in October 2017.  This event had been held for more than 30 years at the Palais Omnisports venue in Paris Bercy, before relocating for the last three years to the Pierre Mauroy stadium in Villeneuve d’Ascq.

Bobcat Equipment On Supercross Course

To build the track for the Paris SX held on 18-19 November, JLFO teams employed a fleet of machines including three Bobcat compact loaders, a Bobcat compact excavator and a Doosan wheeled excavator to move and shape nearly 4000 m3 of soil to prepare the largest Supercross course ever completed inside a stadium in Europe.

JFLO, Supercross Track Specialist

Based in La Bastide-l’Eveque in France, JLFO specializes in organising events in the car, motorbike and quad bike sectors.  With more than 200 major events to its credit, JLFO has forged a strong reputation in the construction of off-road tracks for car, motorbike and quad bike racing, as well as handling all of the logistics to accompany the events.

Many Constraints

The work of the Bobcat and Doosan machines in Paris comes off the back of the Supercross SX events held the last three years in Lille, where the JLFO teams had used a fleet of Bobcat equipment to meet the challenge presented by only three days being available for assembly of the track and just one night for the disassembly, skillfully handling thousands of cubic metres of earth, while at the same time protecting any grass surfaces.

The challenge of installing the track for the Paris Supercross SX in the U Arena was just as immense.  The deadlines were the same with three nights for building the track and only one night to dismantle it.  The first job was to protect the lawn and the soil during the weekend. The construction of the track also had to be done at night by the teams in Nanterre.  So for three nights, JLFO teams were mobilized to deliver the soil and build the slopes, bumps and other obstacles as required for the track.  The Supercross course was finalised on the Thursday before the event, with pilot tests carried out on the Friday.  The biggest challenge was dismantling the track overnight on between the end of Sunday and Monday.  No less than five earthmovers were used, including a Bobcat E62 compact excavator, two Bobcat T870 loaders, a Bobcat T650 loader and a Doosan DX165W-5 wheeled excavator.

Nearly 4000 m3 of Soil

 The volume of soil used to prepare the track was considerable: comprising nearly 4000 m3 on a floor area of ​​10.000 m2.  The soil was transported in ten 20 tonne trucks from a location in Aubervilliers, six kilometres from the U Arena.  The soil was spread in five layers by the Bobcat compact excavators and loaders to create the bumps and hollows of the track.  Only the Freestyle bump was an intrinsic structure in itself, which saved about 400 m3 of soil – it was also covered with earth.

Jean-Luc Fouchet, Founding President of JLFO, explained: “Our three Bobcat T650 and T870 loaders and the Bobcat E62 compact excavator allow us to work with the utmost efficiency.  When you make a hump in the track, you can climb on it and compact it. We can modulate it and we do not need another machine. With compact track loaders, you can quickly move to stand back, look at the shape and correct it if necessary,”

The Bobcat T870 loaders are the largest loaders the brand has ever made. To achieve the feat of preparing and dismantling the track in such a short time, JLFO used three experienced Bobcat drivers.  For the duration of the event, Bobcat loaders and compact excavators were at work for the regular repair of the track after the races.

In total, a team of 70 people completed the assembly of the SX track in Paris over three nights and for the disassembly over the last night. The event welcomed over 40,000 spectators on the Saturday and Sunday.  As an operational partner, Bobcat invited some of its customers to attend the show over the weekend.

The team was mobilized again on Monday 20 November in Lyon for the next stage of the SX Tour championship.  As well as Lyon and Paris, Bobcat is also partnering with JLFO to prepare the Supercross tracks at the Montpellier and Amnéville events that form part of the Championship.

For more information on Bobcat and Bobcat products, visit www.bobcat.com

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2020 Vision On Soil Biology

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2020 Vision On Soil Biology: A new generation of greenkeepers are promoting the huge benefits that soil biology can bring to course management.

That was a key message soil specialist Joel Williams delivered to course managers, head greenkeepers and grounds professionals attending Soil Biology Ltd’s seminar ‘Getting Ready for 2020’ at Harpenden Common Golf Club on 14 November.

2020 Vision On Soil Biology

For too long, greenkeepers had focused on the chemical and physical dynamics of turfcare, he stressed, in some cases without sufficiently considering the third key element – biology.

It is now clear that by nurturing relationships between grass plants, bacteria, mycorrhizae and other soil life such as nematodes, greenkeepers can dramatically improve course conditions year-round, he argued.

By adopting a soil biology approach, clubs can attract greater usage and more members, while enabling greenkeepers to deliver course maintenance more efficiently – a message chiming with young greenkeepers rising through the ranks.

“We are beginning a transition from a mainly mechanical approach to soil and turf health to a balanced focus as part of an integrated system that includes biological processes and systems,” Joel stated.

Mounting pressure on greenkeepers to find alternative applications amid tougher EU controls on applied chemicals had moved soil biology up the agenda, Joel told the audience.

Harpenden Common head greenkeeper Sean Brocklehurst, who sits on BIGGA’s Young Greenkeepers Committee, revealed how soil biology practices and processes using applied products such as zeolites, had transformed “extremely wet, unplayable greens” into golfing surfaces sustaining year-round playability.

“The club has attracted more business because of the improved playing conditions, which in turn allowed us to invest further in improving aesthetic appearance right across the course,” he said.

The greens team works closely with a consultant from Soil Biology Ltd, who visits the club regularly to ensure the strategy is working optimally.

Attending the seminar in his role as course manager at The Richmond Golf Club, BIGGA Chairman Les Howkins added: “No longer is soil biology on the edge of course management as perhaps it was 20 years ago.

“Soil biology has always been vital to turf health but what is critical now is greenkeepers’ understanding of it, enabling them to manipulate it for the benefit of course conditions.”

Outlining the principles of soil biology, Joel discussed the functions, roles and interactions of soil life in golf greens – introducing key groups of organisms in the soil ecosystem.

Delegates learned how to advance soil biology and leverage the most from turf soils by understanding total, exchangeable and soluble nutrient pools, including the biological link to foliar-applied inputs.

Integrated pest management concluded Joel’s overview as he peered into the frontiers of soil biology, turf health and sustainable, resilient golf greens.

Sponsored and developed by Soil Biology Ltd, `Getting Ready for 2020` also included overviews of the products and programmes the company provide for sportsturf maintenance.

Email Paul Adams at paul@soil-biology.co.uk or phone Hillery Murphy on 07342 640650 to learn more about how to introduce soil biology into a course management strategy.

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Germinal Focus On Disease & Stress Resistant Bentgrass Mix At BTME

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Germinal Focus On Disease and Stress Resistant Bentgrass Mixture At BTME: Grass seed and turf care specialists, Germinal, will be showcasing its latest greens-specific seed mixture at the BTME show in Harrogate from 23rd to 25th January 2018.

Designed specifically for use on soil or sand-based golf greens, FOREFRONT GREENS is a blend of three bentgrass varieties, all of which have been selected to offer increased wear and heat tolerance, vigorous growth and good all-round disease resistance for hard-working, modern golf greens.

Germinal Focus On Disease & Stress Resistant Bentgrass Mixture At BTME

Comprising 35% AberâRegal (Browntop Bent), 35% AberâRoyal (Browntop Bent) and 30% 007 DSB (Creeping Bent), Forefront Greens produces a sward with enhanced disease and stress resistance and which retains a superb year-round green colour.

AberRegal and AberRoyal are the latest UK-bred bentgrass cultivars to come out of the IBERS (Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences in Aberystwyth) breeding programme: bred from material originally sourced from Kent and west Wales respectively, AberRegal and AberRoyal boast superb disease resistance, particularly to Fusarium, as well as excellent shoot density, fineness of leaf and unrivalled winter and summer greenness.

007 DSB was developed in the US using 24 parent plants to produce a single cultivar with a wide genetic base.  It is this background which enables it to deliver all the qualities of a top-rated Creeping Bentgrass (prostrate growth habit, high shoot density and good wear tolerance) in a range of conditions – from the extreme heat of Morocco to the harsh cold of Western Siberia.

007 has won plaudits wherever it has been used, including Ryder Cup and US Open courses, and has recently been announced as the variety of choice for the greens renovation ahead of the PGA Masters at Wentworth.

“AberRegal, AberRoyal and 007 DSB work well together by providing greenkeepers with a low input seed mixture with improved genetic diversity and a sward with higher resistance to key disease threats such as Red Thread and Fusarium,” explains Richard Brown, Amenity Sales Manager for Germinal.

“As such, Forefront Greens is the perfect solution for progressive greenkeepers who are currently managing browntop bents, but who are seeking extra performance from the same management inputs.  The unique combination of cultivars ensures soil and sand-based golf greens remain verdant throughout the year and, thanks to the inclusion of three top-performing varieties, avoids the risks associated with creating a mono-culture of grasses.”

AberRoyal, AberRegal and 007 DSB are available exclusively in the UK via Germinal.  The recommended sowing rate for Forefront Greens is 8 to 12g/m2 (80 to 120kgs/ha).  The recommended overseeding rate is 5 to 8g/m2 (50 to 80kgs/ha).

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Woburn Golf Club Stays On Par With Sportag

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Woburn Golf Club Stays On Par With Sportag: World renowned golf facility, Woburn Golf Club is all set for whatever the weather may bring thanks to Sportag, Aggregate Industries’ revolutionary drainage material.

Established in 1974, Woburn Golf Club, which is located in Little Brickhill, Milton Keynes, is widely reputed as one of the finest golfing settings in Europe. Throughout the years the prestigious club has played stage to the European Tour’s British Masters, The Heritage, The Ricoh Womens British Open, The Open Final Qualifying, Ladies European tour, and more.

Woburn Golf Club Stays On Par With Sportag

Although the club already had a primary drainage system in place, it was decided that an additional one was required to optimise the performance and playability of the fairways.

As such, when it came to the material of choice, drainage contractors, Shelton, recommended their longstanding supplier, the Lytag® team who in turn recommended Sportag.

Launched earlier this year, Sportag is a lightweight, sustainable aggregate made from Lytag’s ground-breaking secondary aggregate, which offers the ideal solution for land drainage applications, particularly sports in grounds, pitches or golf courses, due to its rounded shape and material properties.

Core to the specification, Sportag is absorbent and gives excellent hydraulic conductivity thereby reducing the risk of flooding. It is able to transmit water up to 10 times faster than gravel, therefore making it the ideal choice for use in fairways on golf courses where firm dry surfaces are critical.

Completed during August 2017, Sportag was installed within trenches 25mm wide, spaced 2m apart and at a depth of 300mm, using the Shelton team’s advanced machinery. Quick and simple, the course was immediately available for use, damage to the course was minimal, therefore keeping disruption to a minimum.

John Clarke, Courses Manager at Woburn Golf Club comments: “We aim to provide first class playing surfaces year round, therefore when it came to investing in a new drainage system, it was important to ensure playability is possible regardless of the season or weather conditions – but also, a quick turnaround was key to minimising any disruption to the golfing calender. We were delighted with the solution provided by Lytag and Shelton Drainage equipment, having already experienced very wet spells we can really see the difference in terms of keeping the surfaces to a high standard.”

Steve Fisher, business development manager for Lytag at Aggregate Industries, commented: “With the UK weather more erratic than ever, it’s important that golf courses, football pitches and the like, have adequate drainage measures in place. Get it wrong and the water content of the turf can affect performance in terms of ball bounce, while poor drainage can also result in waterlogged greens and fairways. As demonstrated at Woburn Golf Club, Sportag ®, can make a huge impact in combating this with benefits that include effective drainage and high moisture retention while also being incredibly sustainable.”

For further information about Lytag or Aggregate Industries, visit www.aggregate.com

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Luscombe Plant Hire Double Up On Their GreenMech Fleet

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Luscombe Plant Hire double up on their GreenMech fleet to meet demand: Luscombe Plant Hire, based in Ulverston, Cumbria, stock a wide range of site machinery and tools available for daily, weekly, or long-term hire. After noticing that their GreenMech Arborist 130 woodchipper was hardly ever in the yard, owner Simon Luscombe decided to add a second one to his hire fleet to meet the consistent demand.

Simon and wife Beverly, along with their son Dan, started Luscombe Plant Hire in 2001 and this year they were proudly awarded the “Outstanding Single Depot Hire Company” at the EHN Passionate Hirer Awards. “We have a full range of tools and machinery from a wallpaper stripper right up to 8-tonne excavators as well as an onsite shop selling fittings, workwear and smaller tools” explains Simon. “The arborist side of things is quite a large part of our business, so being able to offer good quality, reliable chippers that work well is very important for us.”

Luscombe Plant Hire Double Up On Their GreenMech Fleet

They first came across the machines at the annual Executive Hire Show. After initially purchasing just one, the client base of tree surgeons, land owners and grounds managers meant the demand was more than they could supply so they added a second unit. “Since we’ve switched over to the GreenMech chippers, we’ve not had one bad report on them – our customers seem much more satisfied. They go out on hire for anywhere between one day to one month and everyone who hires them, say they’re really good machines to use. There has been no down-time due to breakdowns which, when you’ve got a packed hire schedule, is crucial.”

The Arborist 130 is a simple-to-use, cost effective, compact road tow chipper, featuring a generous 970mm x 790mm in-feed hopper, which aids bushy brash reduction, coupled with a 150cm x 230cm letterbox-style throat. The 23hp Honda petrol engine is protected with a steel bonnet, helping to reduce the noise level. It comes with a hand brake, overrun braking system and GreenMech’s patented Disc-Blade technology as standard.

For more information, visit: http://www.greenmech.co.uk/

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