Tag Archive for: ‘pivotal’

Salsco plays pivotal ‘roll’ in retaining post-Open standards

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Salsco plays pivotal ‘roll’ in retaining post-Open standards: From the moment James Bledge took over as Links Manager at Royal Liverpool Golf Club, it was all eyes on preparation for the 151st Open Championship.

From the moment Brian Harman lifted the Claret Jug in July 2023, the focus changed onto how to retain the top-level presentation and play for members to enjoy! Part of solving that equation has been a Salsco HP11-III roller which is delivering unparalleled productivity and unprecedented progression in greens speed.

Salsco plays pivotal ‘roll’ in retaining post-Open standards

Salsco plays pivotal ‘roll’ in retaining post-Open standards

James first came across Salsco rollers in his previous role at Royal Cinque Ports and, while rolling didn’t play a major part in preparations for the Open, he knew it was the solution to retaining standards. “Hand cutting again and again is the way to go when resources are high, however, when you only have five staff in on a Saturday morning and you’re trying to recreate similar conditions for people travelling hundreds of miles to play the course, it’s simply not feasible. The HP11-III with three wide rollers allows us to deliver the greens to an incredibly high standard and has been pivotal to retaining the post-Open ‘buzz’.”

The Salsco HP11-III roller features three oscillating rollers which articulate to guarantee 100% roll to ground contact. With a combined rolling width of 73” and an almost 11mph ground speed, it delivers efficiency and quality with every roll, on every terrain. “We’ll use the Salsco two or three times during the week and after mowing ahead of weekend competitions for that extra bit of greens speed. We also roll throughout the winter instead of cutting to retain presentation and minimise plant stress” James explains.

“In terms of operation, it’s the comfiest roller on the market in my opinion. Because of the mounted brush system, it’s also the cleanest, dispersing any debris pick-up meaning we can use it after sand-dressing, verti-cutting and grooming operations. It’s gone from being a two-person job, to a one-person job.”

He adds, “There’s also evidence to suggest rolling can reduce the impact of Dollar Spot so, in conjunction with careful nutritional management, we’ve been rolling prone areas to remove moisture and create conditions less conducive to the disease.”

James also had good things to say about the service received from the importers Lister Wilder, having used them at his previous club. “They have always been a good company to work alongside – at the end of the phone if we ever need anything and with the right support and answers to any questions we may have.”

For more information on the self-propelled Salsco roller range, available exclusively in the UK via Lister Wilder, visit salscorollers.co.uk 

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Fleet of Kubota RTV’s prove pivotal to operations

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Fleet of Kubota RTV’s prove pivotal to operations: A fleet of nine Kubota RTV’s have been described as ‘pivotal’ to the maintenance operations at Berkshire’s Bearwood Lakes Golf Club. Supplied in 2023 by local dealer Lister Wilder, the fleet are delivering the versatility and scope to cover all course tasks – from the transportation of people, equipment and materials, to being utilised as a ball picker on the driving range!

Regularly ranked in the Top 100 Golf Courses, the venue has undergone major redevelopment over the last eight years under the guidance of course manager Andrew Whittaker. Testament to the improvements made, Bearwood Lakes has been the host to a number of high-profile events over the past few years including the Justin Rose Ladies series, Senior Open Qualifiers and the Regional Open Qualifiers.

Fleet of Kubota RTV’s prove pivotal to operations

Fleet of Kubota RTV’s prove pivotal to operations

“We demonstrated various makes and models when we were looking to upgrade our utility vehicles, and the liking for the Kubota RTV’s was pretty unanimous among the team” Andrew explains. “For the rigours of the golf course both during summer and winter time, along with the additional demands of winter projects which we mostly undertake in-house, the RTV’s give us the versatility and power needed, as well as outstanding off-road capabilities.”

The fleet of nine is comprised of four RTV-X1110’s and five RTV-520’s, in a mixture of ROPS and cabbed specification. “The ability to have a closed cab is something the team really liked and will be popular when the weather turns! The 4-wheel drive and hydraulic tip are other notable features which helps us to maximise operator safety and productivity.”

Together with user-friendly operation, comfort and efficiency, Andrew also notes the back up from the local Kubota dealer, to ensure maintenance operations are kept on track. “We are fortunate to have an excellent workshop manager in Bruce, who cares for all our equipment and maintains this to high standards each day. But we also have Lister Wilder within a 15-minute drive of the club and had the fantastic support of David Gray guiding us through the installation of our Kubota fleet, who made the process seamless for the team.”

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Overseeder pivotal in post-drought programme

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Overseeder pivotal in post-drought programme: A Redexim Overseeder 1575 3D proved a timely purchase for the team at Malone Golf Club as, like many venues across the country, overseeding work was high on the autumn agenda to recover the damage from the summer-time drought.

Delivered in August 2022, the new disc-seeder was out and in use immediately across the 27-hole complex and according to Workshop Manager Chris Walsh, the results of the operation have been very impressive.

Overseeder pivotal in post-drought programme

Overseeder pivotal in post-drought programme

A championship parkland course situated on 330 acres of undulating ground close to Belfast city centre, Malone proves a challenge for players and greens staff alike. “Our profile is sandy meaning that in the summer we burn up fast. With the long dry spell of weather we had last year we really struggled with coverage in areas such as fairways and tee boxes which aren’t covered by the irrigation system” explains Chris, who forms part of a ten-strong maintenance team.

“Previously we would call in contractors to carry out overseeding, but you find yourself limited by their availability so we decided to purchase our own machine so that we can overseed precisely when and where we need to.” Redexim Regional Partners Cyril Johnston demonstrated the 1.5m wide disc seeder which, suited to a range of ground conditions and featuring easily adjustable delivery rates, ticked all of the boxes.

“This Overseeder 3D is really well built and super simple to set-up and operate” Chris explains. “One thing in particular we noticed was the accuracy of seed delivery which is ever more critical as the cost of seed continues to go up. The strike rate we got from the work we conducted across the site was fantastic and, while we were concerned about the slits opening up in the continued hot conditions, we didn’t get any of that. The rear roller helps to ensure that the seed remains exactly where it needs to be and seals the groove up to bring the course back into play almost immediately.”

The service, from both Cyril Johnston and Redexim’s Ian Lauder also impressed the team. “Everything from the demonstration and advice, through to the delivery and training we received was first-class.” He continues, “Now that we’re not waiting on contractors, we can really push ahead with overseeding, fitting it in and around our packed golf programme to build on course improvements and cope with the challenges that mother nature throws at us. This machine will pay for itself in no time.”

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Modry Las celebrates pivotal year

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Modry Las celebrates pivotal year: Celebrating a remarkable chain of events with the golfing community in Poland, the team at Modry Las Golf Resort has described 2022 as “momentous”. With successes on and off the course, The PGA National Poland enjoyed a remarkable season receiving a trio of international accolades that have cemented its reputation as a world-class venue providing incredible value.

The optimistic tone was set during the first half of 2022 when Poland’s only signature-designed golf resort unveiled a luxurious spa complex along with new accommodation options. The investment paid off a couple of months later when Golf Monthly magazine published its compendium of Europe’s lesser-known destinations that offer quality golf and excellent value. Not surprisingly, Modry Las was in the mix.

Modry Las celebrates pivotal year

Modry Las celebrates pivotal year

“One of the best is Modry Las Golf Resort in Choszczno in the north west of the country,” noted Golf Monthly’s contributing editor Fergus Bisset. “It’s a Gary Player design in an area of rolling terrain with lakes and thick woodland. It’s an excellent layout carved through the forests with lakes and wildflowers abounding. Modry Las offers exceptional value.”

In October, Golf World unveiled its list of the best golf resorts in Continental Europe which, according to the magazine, rewarded venues that “excel with accommodation” and have “the wow factor”. Highlighting the “delightful cottage” options, Golf World concluded Modry Las was one of the most tranquil break destinations in its rundown. “This Gary Player design has flair and imagination, and it’s in fabulous nick,” noted the review. “We loved the chalets nestled in the silence of the woodland that surrounds the course. If you want to get away from it all, this Polish bolthole is for you.”

The assessment followed the magazine’s spotlight on the Best Value Golf Resorts in Continental Europe published a year earlier. Taking third spot, Modry Las was identified as the kind of resort that would attract golfers “who appreciate a high-calibre modern course in fabulous condition.”

To round off the year, the chairman of Modry Las, Arthur Gromadzki, gratefully collected a seventh national title at the renowned World Golf Awards; the leading authority to recognise and reward excellence in golf tourism. Speaking in November, he noted the 2022 season had been “a momentous year for both Modry Las and Poland on the international stage”.

His remarks correspond to the historic win this summer by Adrain Meronk who became the first Polish golfer to triumph on the DP World Tour. He repeated the feat at the Australian Open in December and was also joined in the Polish winners’ circle by Mateusz Gradecki who recorded his maiden win on the Challenge Tour in 2022.

The significance of these achievements were not lost on Gromadzki. “In many ways, this season has been full of challenges both political and environmental, and yet it has been a watershed moment for Poland. Despite the hurdles, not only did the country record its first win on the DP World Tour, but we also received international recognition that Poland offers incredible value while delivering a world-class golfing experience.”

He continues: “In fact, during these uncertain times, I would argue Poland has become an increasingly important golfing destination for those golfers wanting to enjoy world-class golf despite a challenging economic headwind. After all, Poland provides an alternative to the more established and expensive European golf locations. So, in many ways, it’s been a pivotal year and the perfect preparation for 2023.”

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Multi-Seeder ‘pivotal’ at Downfield GC

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Multi-Seeder ‘pivotal’ at Downfield GC: After spending almost three months under constant snow and ice, a Multi-Seeder from Redexim has been crucial in regaining coverage on the greens at Dundee’s Downfield Golf Club.

Having previously borrowed or hired a seeder when required, the arrival of the Multi-Seeder 1600 in April 2021 couldn’t have been better timed for Golf Course Manager John Watson as the recovery from winter die-back commenced.

Multi-Seeder ‘pivotal’ at Downfield GC

Multi-Seeder ‘pivotal’ at Downfield GC

John and his team of six have been busy working on a number of projects around the 18-hole parkland course, including thatch removal and improving the drainage on some challenging clay-based greens. The investment in course condition continued with the purchase of the club’s first seeder. “I had seen a few reviews of the Multi-Seeder, and after speaking to Scott McNeil at Hendersons, they arranged to bring a demo unit in for us to carry out some overseeding on a couple of greens. I knew straight away it was going to be the machine for us!”

Under the guidance of Redexim, the Multi-Seeder dimple seeder has been re-engineered to feature an all new seed ratio and seed feed system which offers incredibly accurate distribution for all seed types – including bents. “A bag of bent seed is expensive so you want to be getting the very best germination possible with every bag. The Multi-Seeder fitted with two sarel rollers creates thousands of pots, at the perfect depth, to achieve just that and it was this feature that impressed us on the demonstration and sealed the deal.”

Following a tough winter, John has so far covered all 18 greens twice, with some additional work carried out on particular problem areas. “We lost so much coverage and it’s not an exaggeration to say that the Multi-Seeder has been pivotal in getting the greens back to where they should be. Having our own seeder now means we can carry out the operation when conditions are just right – our most recent pass, with favourable weather and growing conditions just right, gave us germination in seven days.”

John concludes, “It’s a great piece of kit, nice and simple to set up and operate. This Multi-Seeder is going to be a great asset for the club and help us greatly in our strive to constantly improve overall course condition.”

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