Tag Archive for: Rake

Terra Rake makes fairways on point

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Terra Rake makes fairways on point: Ponteland Golf Club, just north of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, has purchased a Wiedenmann Terra Rake to add even more quality to their surfaces.

The picturesque parkland club already has a deserved reputation for first rate greens but sought a Terra Rake to bring their tees, aprons and fairways to the next level.

Terra Rake makes fairways on point

Terra Rake makes fairways on point

It also happened to be the first purchase of new Course Manager, Craig Kilgour, who took up the post in March, after spending over 30 of his 35-year greenkeeping career at the Northumberland club.

“Across the pandemic we couldn’t be everywhere, and our fairways suffered in particular,” said Craig.  “Too much moss, some bare patches; they needed some attention.

“Aeration was first on my list, so I organised for contractors, Turf Care of Consett, to come in with their two new Wiedenmann Terra Spikes XD8s, and tined them down to about 7 inches (18 cm).  After that they got sprayed a couple of times with a really good feed.

“Next, was a demo with a Wiedenmann Terra Rake Luckily for me, my local dealer, Thomas Sherriff, had a 2.3 m ex-demo model for sale, and within half an hour of its arrival, we had decided to buy it.”

Craig and his team, which returned to a full complement of six in May, have tackled several renovations this Spring, with the new rake adding benefit to each of their projects.

“In the six weeks we’ve had it, we’ve been around all our fairways three times on its most aggressive setting. It rips out thatch and so much organic matter. Now the fairways are looking the healthiest they’ve ever been.

“Our tee boxes and aprons which had been hollow cored, sanded and fed, have also had the Terra Rake treatment.  The aprons have had two passes already. It’s scarifying tines have pulled out dead grass from everywhere. Genuinely, it hasn’t stopped and its starting to bring the quality we were looking for… The Chairman is delighted, the members are over the moon and so win, win.

” Going forward through the season, we’ll probably try to use it monthly; it helps to stand up the grass before we cut and it also helps stripe the turf to keep it well presented. Because of time, our concentration has been limited to the finer areas, but we can’t wait to see the job it will do to help with rough management.”

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Wiedenmann Terra Rake at Western Gailes GC

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Wiedenmann Terra Rake at Western Gailes GC: One of Scotland’s finest links courses, Western Gailes GC, on the north Ayrshire coast, is three years into a long-term project to restore more of the links effect to the rough on the highly acclaimed site.

Course Manager, Stewart Brown, who took up his role in 2017, has targeted a specific area of the course to improve definition and quality. Already by harnessing the expertise of his seven greens staff, progress is being made.

Wiedenmann Terra Rake at Western Gailes GC

Wiedenmann Terra Rake at Western Gailes GC

“We’ve undertaken some fairly significant course changes. One key project has been to re-align major areas of rough back into fairways, so swathes of   long-term rough are now actively being prepared and groomed to become fairways,” said Stewart Brown.

Removing organic matter then, considerably increasing fine fescue grasses by additional seeding, is still a work in progress. However, a recently acquired Wiedenmann Terra Rake has an important role to play.

“We’ll be using the rake to thin these areas out regularly,” continued Stewart.” It is crucial be able to use the rake so we can avoid lifting the turf and re-laying it.”

Already familiar with the Terra Rake’s results having borrowed one for an extended period, Stewart was keen to purchase his own 2.3 m version from local dealer, Fairways GM, exclusive supplier of Wiedenmann UK in Scotland.

“We’ve wanted one for a while. We have a Super 500 and those two go hand -in-hand for rough management, particularly for thinning out the rough and removing dead material. Together, they speed the process.

Stewart’s plan for the Terra Rake means it will be active across Western Gailes’ heavy rough, the semi rough and on the fairways.

“We’ve rough to manage throughout the course on every hole. In places the terrain is quite undulating. I like that the Terra Rake comes with an adjustment so you can lessen or increase the intensity of the tine vibration.

“Our heavier rough will be tackled twice a year. The rake, operating in both dry and wet conditions means I’ve a flexible tool to deploy when other work can’t go ahead.  As we go through the season. we will use it for the semi roughs to stand the grass up before we cut, to make the task of cutting easier and, of course, to benefit presentation.”

“Some other fairway areas will also benefit from more attention. A couple of drought periods in the last two years, has weakened them, so the rake will go in to pull out organic matter; then we’ll blow the dead matter to the side to be picked up and collected with the Super 500. The spring tines on the Terra Rake help create space and a receptive seed bed before we follow on with the Wiedenmann Terra Float seeder.

“We made a healthy start in February and March. The bulk of the overseeding works tends to take place at the end of the year but we will still be using it to remove dead material earlier on in the season.”

The arrival of their own Terra Rake gives Stewart and his team an impressive fleet of Wiedenmann machines, all purchased from Fairways GM.

“When I joined, we had a Super 500 and a Terra Float. We added a Terra Spike GXi8 HD for aeration; a Terra Brush which we use throughout winter for brushing our fairways and now, the rake. Just about a full Wiedenmann set, so not bad at all,” concluded Stewart.

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Ipswich GC Purchase Terra Rake

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Ipswich GC Purchase Terra Rake: Graham Brumpton, Course Manager at Ipswich Golf Club, has a sizeable list of duties earmarked for his new 2.3 m Wiedenmann Terra Rake.

“In all honesty we’ve wanted this machine since the day it was released. We purchased a rival machine literally weeks before the Terra Rake launch and had a severe case of machine envy ever since. Now we finally have one,” he said.

Ipswich GC Purchase Terra Rake

Graham Brumpton’s first trial of the machine was actually on the Suffolk  course’s Purdis Heath 18th fairway on the day it was delivered.

“I couldn’t believe its productivity and speed. My team were looking on impressed… the more momentum, the better the results.”

An immediate project for the Suffolk club, which comprises both an 18 hole and a 9 hole course, is thatch and moss removal.

“Off the back of the drought last summer – and bearing in mind we are a heathland course – we applied generous amounts of iron. Now we want to remove all organic matter that we can from the surfaces to open up the turf, letting moisture and light back in. We also drilled seed last year.  With such a dry autumn we didn’t get much of a take on germination. Then a very dry winter followed. I’m hoping despite everything, the seed bed is still in there.  The Terra Rake is exactly the kit to open it back up to return water and light.  There’s a still a hope to get germination from the seed.

“All fairways were terra-raked in March with a double pass.  It really rips into remove the organic matter but it also helps stand up the grass.  We’ve followed on behind with our blowers and collecting units and it’s made a real difference.  Like many greenkeepers in this part of the country we in the lap of the gods praying for significant rainfall to reap rewards of hard work done.”

Graham joined the club straight from school in 1990 and became course manager in 2012.  He now heads a team of eight.  Ipswich GC also purchased  a  Wiedenmann Terra Spike GXi8 HD at the same time, the club’s third Terra Spike to speed up greens aeration and micro-tining.

Co-ordinating the delivery and set up of both machines was Eddie Jack, Field Sales Manager from dealers Ernest Doe & Sons at North Walsham.

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