Tag Archive for: prove

Baroness trio prove on pitch and on point

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Baroness trio prove on pitch and on point: A trio of ride-on machines from Baroness have emerged victorious in the comprehensive search for new mowers at Ardingly College in West Sussex.

The maintenance of the 250-acre site is a year-round operation for Deputy Head of Grounds Emile Ellis and the team of eight, with the two new LM551B’s and GM2810A from Baroness swiftly becoming MVPs for areas both on and off the pitch.

Baroness trio prove on pitch and on point

Baroness trio prove on pitch and on point

When not playing a crucial role in curriculum sport, the facilities at Ardingly College are in demand from a number of school camps and local sports clubs. This means that time is truly of the essence with all of the maintenance so, with the existing mower fleet starting to tire, investment in replacement equipment was needed. “We cast the net very wide when looking for new mowers and demonstrated all the various makes and models” Emile explains. “The Baroness mowers stuck out straight away for their build quality and simplicity of operation.”

After an extensive demo period, two LM551B fairway mowers and a GM2810A rotary mower were installed by dealers Lister Wilder in November 2024 – the first Baroness machines for the college. “You can tell the machines are incredibly well thought through. They do everything they need to without any unnecessary electrics or fuss which makes them a pleasure to set up and use.”

“We use the LM551B’s for everything ‘on pitch’ which includes our cricket outfields, winter sports pitches and other areas with a lower height of cut.” He continues, “We’ve noticed a significant difference in the quality of cut and finish, and the units definitely stay on cut for much longer. I used to go round with a spanner in my pocket to adjust the units between pitches but now it’s one check first thing and you’re set for the rest of the day.”

“The GM2810A is used pretty much everywhere else, on all the areas that don’t support play but where we still want to retain presentation. It does a fantastic job. It tackles grass of all lengths and is also a lot bigger than its predecessor which means not only are we achieving better results, we’re achieving it quicker than before.”

Changing to a new brand of equipment can be daunting, but the service Emile says they received from Mark Carter at Lister Wilder and Luke Collins from Baroness took away all of the anxiety. “The team had full training on all of the familiar features and all of those that are unique to Baroness which means everyone is comfortable and can get the very best out of the machines. We couldn’t be happier with the support and the results we’re seeing, and we’re going into the main grass growth season well and truly at full speed.”

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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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Two ICL biostimulants prove better than one

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Two ICL biostimulants prove better than one: An ICL trial at St Andrews Links demonstrated that tank-mixing Vitalnova SMX with an H2Pro TriSmart programme significantly enhanced golf green turf quality and rootzone health, surpassing the improvements achieved by using TriSmart alone.

A trial conducted at St Andrews Links in 2022 illustrated the advantages of combining two proven technologies. Tank-mixing the seaweed biostimulant Vitalnova SMX with the non-microbial biostimulant surfactant H2Pro TriSmart programme yielded significant additional benefits. This research emphasised the capacity of the combined treatments to improve turf health, particularly during dry summer months.

Two ICL biostimulants prove better than one

Two ICL biostimulants prove better than one

The trial, employing a randomised, replicated, block design, was conducted on a Fescue-dominant golf green turf nursery underlain by a sandy rootzone. The study aimed to assess the benefits of incorporating Vitalnova SMX, a liquid biostimulant containing 10% Ascophyllum nodosum seaweed solids, into a TriSmart wetting agent programme (a product that also boasts proven biostimulant properties).

In the trial, plots treated only with TriSmart and untreated plots served as bases for statistical comparison. The trial was assessed every 2-3 weeks for turf quality, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and soil moisture content at two depths (38mm and 76mm). At the trial’s conclusion, soil samples were analysed for rootzone microbial content.

Over the course of seven monthly applications from March until August, the assessment results revealed that the H2Pro TriSmart-only programme significantly increased volumetric moisture content (VMC) at both depths, as well as achieving improvements in Turf Quality and NDVI compared to the untreated plots. Most notably, the addition of Vitalnova SMX to the H2Pro TriSmart programme further enhanced Turf Quality Scores, both early and late in the season, surpassing results from the TriSmart-only treatments.

In terms of rootzone microbial analysis, the TriSmart-only treated plots contained significantly greater total bacteria, total fungi, and total microbial biomass than the untreated control plots. The combination of TriSmart and SMX significantly increased microbial biomass and total fungi beyond the already enhanced TriSmart-only results.

Key findings from the trial include:

  • The H2Pro TriSmart-only programme resulted in a significant increase in Turf Quality, % VMC (to 38mm and 76mm), and NDVI.
  • Tank-mixing Vitalnova SMX with H2Pro TriSmart significantly boosted Turf Quality Score beyond that achieved with H2Pro TriSmart alone (but did not affect the % VMC).
  • Applications of H2Pro TriSmart and Vitalnova SMX combined also resulted in a notable increase in total fungi and total microbial biomass in the rootzone.

“Our primary objective was to demonstrate the efficacy of H2Pro TriSmart in managing soil moisture levels and reducing turf stress, and to explore how Vitalnova SMX could further enhance these benefits,” stated Dr Richard Collins, ICL’s International Technical Manager for Amega Sciences. “The results clearly demonstrate the advantages of integrating these products into a turf management programme, offering significant improvements in turf quality and rootzone health.”

Richard concluded, “This trial not only underscores the potential of these treatments to improve turf performance during critical stress periods but also opens avenues for further research into sustainable turf management practices.”

Discover a wealth of information on this and other insightful ICL trials by visiting the dedicated page on the ICL website.

Please contact ICL on 01473 237100 or visit www.icl-growingsolutions.uk and icl-growingsolutions.ie if you are in Ireland.

For more news and insightful views, you can follow ICL on Twitter @ICL_Turf

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Trilo S4 and BL960 prove the perfect pair

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Trilo S4 and BL960 prove the perfect pair: A Trilo S4 is proving that multi-functional machinery doesn’t have to mean compromised performance for the team at Calcot Park Golf Club.

Assisting Course Manager Tom Jennings with various maintenance tasks including scarification and cut and collect of the sites biodiversity areas, the S4 is currently tasked with keeping on top of leaf collection with assistance from their new Trilo BL960.

Trilo S4 and BL960 prove the perfect pair

Trilo S4 and BL960 prove the perfect pair

The undulating 18-hole parkland course designed by Harry Colt resides within an exclusive private estate in Berkshire, providing the picture-perfect backdrop for players of all abilities. Pre-empting the amount of time and resources that would be required to keep on top of leaf clearance, an S4 was one of the first investments Tom made when he joined Calcot Park four years ago. “With such a huge number of trees, investing in equipment to collect leaves as quickly and efficiently as possible was a priority. As soon as we saw the Trilo S4 it was a no brainer.”

“We purchased the whole package, including flail and scarifier heads which converts the machine into one we can use year-round. The board don’t want to spend money on a machine that spends most of the year sat in the shed, or that doesn’t do a good job of what it is supposed to do – the S4 ticks all of the boxes.” Over the year, the team are utilising the S4 for cutting the eco grass areas and scarifying the roughs, along with vacuuming scarified material and other debris from the fairways. “With all the attachments, its versatile, but conducts every operation really well.”

“In the autumn, the amount of labour this machine saves us is brilliant. Where before the team would have to get into ditches and clear leaves manually, now we can use the S4’s wander hose to suck up the leaves in a matter of minutes.” To complement the S4, the club have recently purchased a BL960 blower from Trilo, delivered by local dealer Lister Wilder. “The blower we had on our fleet ran on unleaded and with fuel costs going up, we worked out it was costing us £50 per day to run. I had used a BL960 at my previous club and it’s bulletproof so bearing this in mind, along with the savings we could make by running it straight off the PTO shaft and tractor, it was an easy decision.”

The BL960 arrived in September 2022, just in-time for a busy autumn and winter season. “This blower is so powerful – it moves material quicker and leaves a much cleaner finish than our previous machine. To clear the fairways previously would have taken ten passes or more… with the BL960 the job is complete in two so not only are we getting better results, it takes fewer resources and is done in less time. I, the team and the club couldn’t be happier with our investment.”

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Microclover could prove key

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Microclover could prove key: As drought conditions continue and more restrictions come into force around water usage over the coming weeks, it is hard not to notice that many local authority sports grounds, gardens and public spaces have fallen victim to heat, particularly in terms of visual merit.

However, you may have noticed that amongst the current brown and baron land, patches of green remain – clover – which, as DLF explain, generates its own nitrogen from the atmosphere making it one of the most tolerant varieties to drought and other high stress environments.

Microclover could prove key

Microclover could prove key

Alongside more frequent periods of sustained hot and dry weather, the rise in fertiliser prices is driving seed producers to look for varieties that can be maintained with a more sustainable nitrogen programme. The unique root nodules on clover are formed by the Rhizobium bacteria, capable of converting atmospheric nitrogen into a natural fertiliser available for the clover as well as the companion grasses. Sourced in this way, the supply will also be gradual and ongoing, contributing to more sustained growth when compared to the ‘flush’ that can occur when larger quantities of nitrogen are applied as part of a managed feeding programme.

Microclover is a special bred dwarf white clover which joins in well with other turf species. The smaller leaves and lower growth habit contribute to a dense, uniform appearance as well as delivering strong wear qualities and heat/drought tolerance. All of this means that the inclusion of Microclover can result in a sward that suffers from less weed and disease invasion, and one that requires less water, fertiliser and ultimately cost, to sustain. In trials conducted by the STRI, Microclover is proven to deliver enhanced coverage and improved colour when compared to pure grass swards.

Masterline’s PM82 Microclover Sport mixture from DLF, has been specifically blended with these benefits in mind. PM82 improves turf quality whilst being kinder to the environment thanks to its reduced requirements for herbicide and fertiliser. Alongside Microclover, PM82 also features 40% Double 4turf® tetraploid perennial ryegrass. The deeper rooting nature of DLF’s 4turf® varieties means it can better withstand drought-like conditions and remains green even when the plant above ground is starved of water.

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