Tag Archive for: Partnership

The R&A Sustainable Agronomy Service partnership

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The R&A Sustainable Agronomy Service partnership: Praia D’El Rey Marriott Golf & Beach Resort, a flagship of Portuguese golf and a long-standing favourite among international players, has joined forces with The R&A Sustainable Agronomy Service to further strengthen its commitment to deliver performance and conditioning in a sustainable way.

Nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and protected natural landscapes, Praia D’El Rey is uniquely positioned to champion the production of high-quality playing surfaces in an environmentally sustainably way. This forward-thinking partnership will bring The R&A’s renowned expertise and innovation in performance agronomy directly to Praia D’El Rey, with a tailored programme designed to enhance playing performance across all areas of course maintenance whilst protecting and enhancing the wider environment.

The R&A Sustainable Agronomy Service partnership

The R&A Sustainable Agronomy Service partnership

Key objectives of the partnership include improving turf health through soil science, data-driven agronomy to inform maintenance operations, implementing effective water conservation practices and efficient water use, and advising on strategic investments in both machinery and infrastructure – all while maintaining the high-performance turf conditions the resort is renowned for in an environmentally responsible way.

António Ferreira da Silva, Golf Director at Praia D’El Rey, explained: “The guidance from The R&A on how to manage soil infiltration and physical conditioning on our greens is helping us improve year-round performance. Performance measurement, combined with lab analysis of organic matter and physical properties, have been extremely valuable in guiding our decision-making. The R&A has provided a structured and science-led approach that’s elevating the quality of our maintenance while optimizing environmental sustainability.”

Paul Woodham, Head of Agronomy Europe at The R&A, added: “The investments being made – particularly within the maintenance workshop, such as the new grinder, the Vibramaster for improved fairway infiltration, and the autonomous Husqvarna fairway mowers – represent a major step forward. These are the kinds of innovations that embody a sustainable and forward-thinking agronomic strategy.”

“By working with The R&A, we’re not only investing in the long-term health of our course, but also leading the way for what the future of golf in Portugal should look like”, added António Ferreira da Silva. Praia D’El Rey hopes this initiative will inspire clubs across Portugal and beyond to embrace innovation and responsibility in equal measure,  while raising standards in turf performance and environmental care.

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KAR UK & Hunley Golf Course: A Winning Irrigation Partnership

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KAR UK & Hunley Golf Course: A Winning Irrigation Partnership: Greg Fitzmaurice, dual-role Course Manager and General Manager at Hunley Golf Club in North Yorkshire, has dedicated 28 years to the greenkeeping industry.

Since joining Hunley 12 years ago, Greg has overseen significant changes at the course, including a major irrigation system upgrade that has dramatically improved efficiency, turf health, and overall course management.

KAR UK & Hunley Golf Course: A Winning Irrigation Partnership

KAR UK & Hunley Golf Course: A Winning Irrigation Partnership

Hunley Golf Club, built during the early 90s golf boom, has seen its fair share of challenges. Initially developed by an ambitious local landowner, the club later faced financial difficulties, leading to a change in ownership. The current owners have focused on revitalising the club, and under Greg’s leadership, the course has gained a strong reputation and an increasingly loyal membership base. With a stunning coastal location and 27 holes, Hunley has transformed into a hidden gem on the UK golfing map.

When Greg first arrived at Hunley, it was evident that the existing irrigation system was outdated and struggling to keep up with the club’s needs. The old uPVC pipework, some of which had already been second-hand when originally installed, had long surpassed its 25-year lifespan. The system was failing, with frequent leaks causing disruptions and significant water waste. “By 2021, it felt like every few days we were fixing another leak,” Greg recalls.

Recognising that a full-scale upgrade was necessary, Greg and his team explored options from several leading irrigation providers. Hunter Irrigation products, distributed by KAR UK, emerged as the best choice. “Hunter offered the best value, but more importantly, we felt their products were the best on the market,” Greg explains. “It was a no-brainer for us, and we had full confidence in KAR UK.”

To keep costs manageable, Greg and his team made the bold decision to install the system in-house – a move that reduced the project’s cost to roughly a third of what it would have been with external contractors. Over three years, during quieter winter months, the five-person greenkeeping team gradually replaced the main pipework, installed new sprinklers, and upgraded the system’s control capabilities.

“We started with the worst areas, tackling the greens and approaches where leaks were most common,” Greg says. The team installed Hunter TTS-800 series rotors combined with G-85 internal risers, which provided enhanced reliability and precision. A temporary control hub was set up, with plans to fully integrate the Hunter Pilot system once the project is complete.

The impact of the new irrigation system has been significant. “It’s like having an extra member of staff,” Greg says. The time previously spent repairing leaks and manually operating sprinklers has been redirected to course maintenance and improvement. Turf health has improved dramatically, playability has increased, and water efficiency has significantly enhanced.

The system has also allowed Greg and his team to make real-time adjustments with ease. “Being able to run the sprinklers at night without worrying about coming into a flooded green the next day is a huge benefit, both practically and psychologically. It’s less work, it’s easier, and it means I can focus on other tasks without needing someone to follow me around to water in wetting agents. Once the Pilot system is up and running, and I can control everything from my phone, well, that’ll be Dreamland.”

KAR UK provided essential support throughout the project, from initial product selection to installation guidance. “The service has been excellent,” Greg notes. “Wesley Henshaw (KAR UK Golf Sales Manager) has been with us every step of the way, ensuring we had the right products and advice to complete the job ourselves. He’s got that technical and practical knowledge, which is better than the competitors, and that has been a huge benefit.”

While the full system is still a couple of years from completion, Hunley Golf Club is already reaping the benefits of its investment. For Greg, a good irrigation system isn’t just a luxury—it’s a necessity. “An irrigation system is an insurance for the golf course,” he explains. “You can go long periods without needing it, but when you do, if you don’t have it, you’re in real trouble.”

The impact of upgrading the system has been huge for Hunley Golf Club, not just in terms of efficiency and resource savings, but also in the quality of the course itself. “If we didn’t go through with this new irrigation system, it would have really held us back,” he says. “Now, we’re seeing the benefits everywhere—from saving resources to improving the final product. And personally, the stress of dealing with an unreliable system is something you can’t underestimate. Having that peace of mind is massive.”

For more information, please visit www.karuk.com

You can also follow KAR UK on X and Instagram @KARUK_LTD for much more news, reviews and insightful views.

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Royal St George’s, John Deere & Tuckwells strike major partnership

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Royal St George’s, John Deere & Tuckwells strike major partnership: The Royal St George’s Golf Club has confirmed a groundbreaking long-term partnership with John Deere and Tuckwells designed to take the course and its greenkeepers to new highs. 

The agreement will see 70 new pieces of machinery installed at the prestigious Kent venue by dealer Tuckwells, including a full cutting fleet, tractors and utility vehicles from John Deere alongside other essential groundscare equipment.

Royal St George’s, John Deere & Tuckwells strike major partnership

Royal St George’s, John Deere & Tuckwells strike major partnership

Greenkeepers will be given support from John Deere to complete a wide range of professional training and offered opportunities to travel to other world-renowned courses to grow their expertise.

The latest technology will be deployed across Royal St George’s with machinery connected by satellite and John Deere Operations Center PRO Golf course management software to assign and track the progress of every daily task.

Tuckwells will provide The Open venue with all equipment and deliver a full package of operator training as well as rapid parts back-up for essential maintenance for the duration of the initial five-year agreement.

John Deere Division Sales Manager for Golf and Turf, Chris Meacock, said: “The Royal St George’s Club has earned an incredible reputation worldwide and needs the best equipment and service to maintain that hard-earned recognition.

“We wanted to form a partnership that showed belief in our machinery and technology while also demonstrating a strong commitment to the operators who will use it daily.”

Colin Sinclair, Secretary at The Royal St George’s Club, said: “We have enormous pride in our course, not just the fairways and greens but our people and the facilities on offer.

“This is a partnership that will benefit the people who work here as well as golfers.

“We were extremely impressed with the whole package on offer from John Deere which will keep us at the cutting edge of greenkeeping technology, give our team the best tools for the job, and ensure that anyone who maintains our grounds has the opportunity to progress their career.”

As part of the agreement Tuckwells will provide extra machines and labour to support tournaments held at Royal St George’s.

The Club’s greenkeepers will also be offered the chance to travel to TPC Deere Run to help prepare the course for the John Deere Classic, or see first-hand how the TPC Sawgrass is set up for The Players Championship.

James Tuckwell, Dealer Principal at Tuckwells, said: “We are extremely proud and excited to be partnering with Royal St George’s and thank Colin, Head Greenkeeper Greig Easton, and the whole team for putting its trust in us and John Deere. It is an honour to be working with not only one of the region’s best clubs but one of The Open’s most iconic venues.

“We are looking forward to helping unlock the potential of the machinery and its technology to the benefit of the course and its members.”

Delivery of the new equipment will begin in 2025 for completion in Spring 2026. It includes the latest in John Deere’s innovation turf machinery including the recently released battery powered 225E walk-behind and 2775E riding greens mowers.

The course has also ordered two 2030A GPS sprayers which use satellite guidance for precision application of chemicals and fertilisers, reducing overlap and input costs.

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Club agree Avant partnership

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Club agree Avant partnership: Norwich City’s training base in Colney has been renamed the Avant Training Centre after the club agreed a new partnership with the UK branch of the Finnish-established company AVANT®.

AVANT®, who produce world-renowned articulated compact loaders, are long-term supporters of Norwich City having first partnered with the club in 2019. The new agreement will extend their support for a further three years until the conclusion of the 2026/27 season.

Club agree Avant partnership

Club agree Avant partnership

The grounds team at Carrow Road and the AVANT® Training Centre utilise AVANT® equipment on a daily basis and are set to be among the first to adopt the brand’s EV capabilities, which are currently in development.

AVANT® have a global presence that includes a base in Norfolk which has sold over 7,000 loaders to a broad spectrum of UK customers, including farmers, landscape gardeners, local authorities, equestrian owners, construction industry, arborists, private individuals and so much more.

Ed Turnham, head of sales and acquisition at Norwich City, said: “Whilst AVANT® are a Finnish brand, they are yet another business who have deep roots in Norfolk and the wider region, supporting some of our core industries, such as agriculture.

“With distributors in 60 countries and turnover of €300 million (£258m) worldwide, they are a significant global player, and we are excited to announce them as the named partner of our state-of-the-art training facility.”

Raimo Ala-Korpi, managing director of Avant Tecno (UK), said: “We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Norwich City, especially during a time when the club is deeply focused on its academy and talent development. The club’s ongoing commitment and investments in the training centre and academy strongly align with our own mission and values of fostering efficiency and productivity.

“Collaborating more with the operations and grounds teams further underscores this alignment. These are just a few of the many reasons why we are incredibly proud of our long standing partnership with Norwich City, and we look forward to extending this partnership for another three seasons.”

For more information, please visit www.avant.co.uk

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DGM LTD Expands with Yamaha Partnership

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DGM LTD Expands with Yamaha Partnership: DGM Ltd, a trusted name in the grounds maintenance and horticultural sector, has expanded its offerings by partnering with Yamaha. This strategic alliance will enable the company to provide customers with a wider range of high-quality outdoor equipment, including Yamaha’s renowned ATVs and golf cars.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Yamaha,” said Steve and Charlotte Dommett, owners of DGM Ltd. “This exciting collaboration will not only attract new customers to our business but also offer our existing client base a wider range of high-quality products. Yamaha’s reputation for innovation and performance aligns perfectly with our commitment to providing exceptional solutions. We’re particularly excited about the potential of Yamaha’s golf cars and utility vehicles, especially within our existing golf course customer base.”

DGM LTD Expands with Yamaha Partnership

DGM LTD Expands with Yamaha Partnership

Yamaha’s ATVs and golf cars are renowned for their reliability, performance and durability. By adding these products to its lineup, DGM Ltd can now cater to a broader range of customer needs, from farmers and landowners to golf course operators and leisure enthusiasts.

“We’re delighted to welcome DGM Ltd to the Yamaha family,” said Carl Stuart, Area Sales Manager at Yamaha UK. “Their strong reputation and commitment to customer service make them the perfect partner for us. We’re confident that they will be a great success in the region.”

DGM Ltd is well-positioned to provide exceptional sales and after-sales support for Yamaha products. Their team of experts is dedicated to helping customers find the right equipment for their specific needs and ensuring that they get the most out of their investment.

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