Tag Archive for: Park

Fibresand success at Colliers Park

/in , /by

Fibresand success at Colliers Park: Colliers Park National Football Development Centre, located in Wrexham, is a premier facility dedicated to the development and training of football talents. One key figure contributing to the success of Colliers Park is James Mathewson, the Head Groundsperson, who has brought his extensive experience to improve the quality of the pitches.

James’ journey in the world of grounds management began at the Honourable Artillery Company in London, where he gained valuable experience. His passion and skills led him to work at renowned football clubs such as West Ham United FC and Arsenal FC, spending four years at Arsenal’s training ground in London Colney. Following the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, James took on the role of Deputy Head Groundsperson at Northampton Saints before the opportunity to work at Colliers Park arose, and he has been contributing to the Centre’s success for the past 18 months.

Fibresand success at Colliers Park

Fibresand success at Colliers Park

Mansfield Sand is a reputable company known for providing high-quality products and solutions for turf management. With a history of delivering market leading sand products, Mansfield Sand has become a trusted partner for groundspersons and turf professionals.

At Colliers Park, James implements Mansfield Sand’s Fibresand for the renovation of the pitches. The Fibresand pitch, now four years old, has proven to be a game-changer in terms of performance and durability. James stated, “I used them for my first renovation I did here, and the rest is history. We topped up 150 tonnes of Fibresand, and it has been regularly topped up since it first came in.”

James highlights several advantages of Fibresand over traditional soil-based pitches. “The Fibresand pitch offers superior drainage, holds together better, and minimises the risk of chunks being kicked out during play. Additionally, the ease of damage repair and quick recovery contributes to a healthier pitch, ultimately allowing for increased usage.”

Gary Cunningham, Sport & Landscape Sales Manager for Mansfield Sand, plays a crucial role in maintaining the performance of the Fibresand pitch. James explains, “Gary comes in every year to core sample the pitch for a fibre content reading, reports back if a top up is required or not and then we go from there.” This collaborative effort ensures that the pitch remains in optimal condition, with regular assessments and top-ups as needed.

James’ expertise and the use of Mansfield Sand’s Fibresand products have significantly contributed to the success at Colliers Park National Football Development Centre. The Fibresand pitch not only provides a superior playing surface but also offers long-term advantages in terms of durability and maintenance.

For more information visit www.mansfield-sand.co.uk

You can also follow the company on Twitter – @MansfieldSand and Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MansfieldSandSportSurfaces/

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

ISEKI’s partnership with Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park

/in , /by

ISEKI’s partnership with Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park: We are thrilled to announce our collaboration with Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park, at Wherstead near Ipswich, owned by television presenter and farmer, Jimmy Doherty. Iseki UK & Ireland has provided an ISEKI TLE3410 HST Tractor for use in multiple roles around the Park.

This collaboration contributes to the ‘Big Bear Rescue’ initiative, their most ambitious project yet, involving the rescue of polar bear Ewa, who has recently arrived safely at Jimmy’s Farm following the closure of the overseas zoo where she was previously living. Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park has now become the largest polar bear reserve in Europe. Additionally, a European brown bear named Diego will be moving to Jimmy’s Farm in May of next year.

ISEKI’s partnership with Jimmy's Farm & Wildlife Park

ISEKI’s partnership with Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park

Jimmy’s Farm is dedicated to promoting an understanding of the natural world and inspiring future generations to safeguard our planet. The need to conserve our planet, habitats, and both indigenous and exotic wildlife has never been greater. To tackle this, Jimmy’s Farm has established an official charity called Space for the Wild.

Space for the Wild will make significant strides towards environmental protection. It plans to establish habitats, advocate for regenerative farming, and rescue and rehabilitate wildlife.

The TLE3410 is a very capable 40hp, 4WD hydrostatic compact tractor. The spacious operator’s platform ensures operator comfort and allows for excellent visibility whilst working. With a rear lift capacity of 1000kg and a double acting auxiliary hydraulic service, the addition of an optional ISEKI-MX loader creates a versatile package ideally suited to work around smallholdings, farms, estates, stables, sportsgrounds and wildlife parks.

Stevie Sheppard, the Park Director, said, ‘The TLE3410 is a great tractor and very useful to us in the day-to-day operation of our farm. Amongst other jobs, it assists us in feeding Ewa the polar bear and the arctic wolves. The operators like it and find it easy and comfortable to operate.’

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

ET Lander the extra staff member at Olympic Park

/in , /by

ET Lander the extra staff member at Olympic Park: The Etesia ET Lander electric utility vehicle is like having an extra member of staff according to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park’s Head Gardener Gary Spreadbury.

Following a competitive procurement process, idverde was selected as a grounds maintenance partner for the Queen Elizabeth Park in in early 2012. Ever since then it has been responsible for park, plant and wildlife management and maintenance.

ET Lander the extra staff member at Olympic Park

ET Lander the extra staff member at Olympic Park

Gary Spreadbury has been the Head Gardener at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park since May this year, and he claims his working life has been made a little easier by the Etesia ET Lander.

“What I really like about the ET Lander is that it fits and can manoeuvre in tight spaces around the Olympic Park,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of small paths which big vehicles can’t fit down, so it’s very efficient and time saving. It’s used mainly for the transporting of materials around the site, especially during the winter and autumn months when it comes to the leaf clearing and for the mulching of the gardens.”

100% electric, spacious, well-equipped and user-friendly, the ET Lander is built on a robust chassis and has an array of options including a three-way tipper bed with dual control from the fully fitted two-seater cab or by remote control when outside the vehicle. With a length of just 3.72 meters, the ET Lander is very compact. Thanks to the power steering, the short turning radius of 4.40 meters and 360 ° visibility, it goes anywhere. The autonomy of the vehicle lasts for a full working day – without noise pollution, can transport loads of up to 940kgs and can also tow up to 750kgs.

The latest models are fully N1 homologation compliant meaning that the ET Landers are fully road legal along with being able to be used off road. They also feature lithium-ion batteries which ensures that the range of the ET Lander extends to 100km and have a charger system compatible with a standard type 2EV car charger.

“I’ve used battery powered vehicles before but in my opinion the ET Lander is the best by far,” continued Gary. “It runs a lot smoother and feels like you’re driving a car; it is so light that you could take it onto the pitch without causing damage and it just makes working life a lot easier. The ET Lander is like having an extra member of staff – it’s definitely earning its living and is well worth the money.”

Gary isn’t the only one at the Olympic Park who has been impressed with the ET Lander. Chris James, Contract Manager for idverde, is also upbeat about the innovative electric utility vehicle.

“Aside from its ability to manoeuvre, the ET Lander has lots of other great features such as reversing cameras and the option of adding things to it like PTO’s, salt spreaders and water tanks. I like the fact that it’s got some storage units within the vehicle underneath the body too.

“The all-round visibility from the cab is another key feature that we like about the ET Lander. We have around 6 million visitors through the park each year so it’s essential to be mindful of the public.

“The ET Lander is an absolute must-have vehicle for any grounds maintenance contractor, but I believe that there are a lot of other industries out there that could make use of this vehicle as well.”

idverde purchased the Etesia ET Lander through RT Machinery, and Chris feels as though they are in good hands.

“The communication that I have had with the team at RT Machinery has always been positive and they are quick to respond to emails and questions. Some of our other contracts use RT machinery and they always speak highly of them. The availability and the quality of the products that they’re selling is 100%.”

To see the machine in action at the Olympic Park, please click here.

For further information, please contact Etesia UK on 01295 680120 or visit www.etlander.co.uk

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow Etesia UK on Twitter @EtesiaUK and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/EtesiaUK. You can also view the latest Etesia videos by visiting www.youtube.com/EtesiaUK.

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Tewkesbury Park get the break they need

/in , /by

Tewkesbury Park get the break they need: Protruding roots on fairways and approaches were causing mower damage and affecting play at Tewkesbury Park, but the Imants RootPruner supplied by Campey Turf Care Systems, provided a clean and easy solution.

Removing roots meant excavating around the area, which would cause disruption and look unsightly. For Course Manager Paul Hathaway this was unacceptable because it was at odds with his standards.

Tewkesbury Park get the break they need

Tewkesbury Park get the break they need

The golf resort was recently voted number 50 in the Todays Golfer best golf resorts in Great Britain and Ireland. Keeping these standards on the 6554 yard, par 72 Deerpark course meant finding a solution, and Paul found it in the RootPruner.

“We noticed the roots protruding through the surface of a few approaches and fairways, and these kept being caught by the mower, damaging the blades and putting the mower ‘off-cut’,” Paul explained.

“This was more noticeable during the drought we had last year. We tried to dig and cut them out, but the mess looked unsightly and didn’t stop the roots from coming back. I always feel prevention is better than cure, so I decided to search for a machine to cut the roots near the canopy of the trees so we wouldn’t damage the health of the trees but stop the roots from encroaching into play.

“In the past, I have used an excavator to create a root break, but the disruption this caused wasn’t suitable to the standards we expect the course to be in, so we needed a machine that would create a root break but be efficient, neat and tidy.

“With the RootPruner, we were able to get around the entire course with ease and were very surprised how quick it was. The roots we went over have been removed, so we don’t have any protruding the surface, and so far, we don’t have any new roots coming through, so I am hopeful this will continue.”

The RootPruner cuts roots up to 100mm in diameter with no clean-up, making it useable on the course with no worries of shutting holes through surface damage. It also has the ability to decompact tight, narrow areas with ease and includes a unique patented triple-reduction planetary gearbox for smooth, maximum torque drive to the rotor shaft. The RootPruner also features a factory set, torque limiting PTO shaft eliminating all shear bolts and spring clutches.

For a parkland course, it can be an invaluable machine. Paul heard about it from a club in the local area who have shared similar results, and seeing it on his property once was enough to convince him to purchase his own unit.

“Once we had the demo, we were very impressed with the smoothness, cleanness and size of the roots it would cut,” he said.

“I would definitely recommend the RootPruner for any parkland golf course. It’s a machine that is so quick and easy to use, it will save you downtime and money on repairing mowers which are damaged from hitting tree roots, and also make the surface better from not having roots protruding through the surface.”

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Terra Spike GXi8 HD helps Woolley Park advance aeration

/in , /by

Terra Spike GXi8 HD helps Woolley Park advance aeration: Playing ‘catch up’ is a necessary evil for many turf professionals. Whether juggling weather windows, staff availability or extended playing schedules, quite often something falls behind.

Happily for the team at Woolley Park Golf Club, Wakefield, the delivery of a new Terra Spike in November, and four months of constant hole punching, has them ahead of the curve with their advanced aeration programme.

Terra Spike GXi8 HD helps Woolley Park advance aeration

Terra Spike GXi8 HD helps Woolley Park advance aeration

The West Yorkshire club is a family run business which features a challenging 18-hole course, and a measured Par 3 course, in the spacious and peaceful setting of an old deer park. The site is beautifully landscaped and ringed by trees.

This season, John Rowbottom and his team of four greenkeepers and apprentice, retired their long-standing greens aerator and separate fairways machine selecting the Wiedenmann Terra Spike GXi8 HD to replace both.

John Rowbottom, head greenkeeper, said:

“Over the last 8 months aeration across both our courses was taking too long to complete. Being a 27-hole golf centre, we need speed on the greens. Previously to get around them all could take 3-4 days; and it was a job no one wanted.

“In seasons past, we tried a shallow aerator, which was quick, but didn’t give sufficient depth. Last year with Balmers GM, Wakefield, we looked at what was on the market, favouring the ’two birds with one stone’ option and happened upon the GXi8 HD, with its access all areas credentials.

“We knew it was fast and incredibly smooth and were excited for its great results and minimal disruption, so reducing the impact of maintenance work on our golfers.

“All in we have 22 hectares of fairways and 3 hectares of greens.  Since November, we have achieved an aeration pass on the greens in each of the four winter months, varying depths as we’ve gone. We’ve also covered the fairways twice. During the last week of November, we hired an additional GXi8 from our dealers, Balmers to take best advantage of a weather window: completing one full rotation. We’ve been out with Our Terra Spike pretty much every day since, and have now two full circuits across booth courses.

“Our whole ethos is investment into the golf course. Our greenkeeping team are resourced with the machines they need for task.  Through sheer volume of work we’ve got through ten sets of tines, but the upside is we’ve an exceptional volume of holes in the ground. We’ve literally hammered holes in every square inch of this place but we are better for it. It’s helped no end to get that little bit of extra depth.

“The Wiedenmann has revolutionised the way we aerate. If we set our minds to it, with an early start and a late finish we can get all 27 greens done in a day, rather than the three to four days it took previously.

“Covering fairways used to be a two-to-three-week job and if you got bad weather in and amongst then heaven help you!

“Now the job is much less frustrating and takes less than a week. The team feel they are making real progress rather than plodding at a slow speed.

“On the fairways ideally, we only want to work the soil up to 15 cm. Ninety-five per cent of our land is built upon coal measures sandstone so we are just hoping to prick through the top soil and then let the stone layer do its thing. We have the off fairway where we know we have a clay pocket. On those we’ve been able to drill down to full depth; getting as deep as we can to help mother nature.

“In our part of Yorkshire we’re the last golf course to shut for rain and the first one to reopen after it.

“Aeration really is essential. With wetter winters and golfers wanting to play longer into the season, the GXi8 just brought us straight back up to speed. Keeping the surface open and, keeping it free draining in combination with managing footfall really helps.  The Wiedenmann is a real eye opener and fantastic piece of equipment.”

Darren Barker, Sales Director, Balmers GM said:

Thank you to John, Philip & Jane Rowbottom and the team at Woolley Park Golf Club for their purchase and positive feedback. We knew this machine would work hard and be put through its paces. The Wiedenmann is all about speed, reliability and increasing aeration productivity.”

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.