Tag Archive for: Royal

Royal Norwich joins Ventrac club

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Royal Norwich joins Ventrac club: Royal Norwich, the first ‘Royal’ golf club ever to relocate to a new site, is the latest organisation to appreciate the multiple benefits of Ventrac. Situated on the Weston Estate to the north of Norwich, they recently took delivery of a Ventrac 4500 all-terrain compact tractor in dual-wheel configuration and a Contour mowing deck.

Peter Todd is the highly respected turf manager who, in his role as estate manager and director on the Club’s board, specified the purchase following a demonstration earlier this year.  He began his career in 1990 working for Transcontinental Golf Construction, a hands-on role that included constructing the Nicklaus Signature courses at both Gleneagles and then the London Golf Club. He stayed on for the grow-in at the London, rising through the ranks to course manager, and managed the staging of numerous televised tournaments including the Volvo World Match Play Championship 2014 and the European Opens in 2008 and 2009.

Royal Norwich joins Ventrac club

Royal Norwich joins Ventrac club

“I first met Rupert Price, the owner of the UK Ventrac franchise, at London Golf Club just prior to leaving to take up this appointment,” he said. “I was extremely impressed by it’s all-round capabilities, but as I was leaving to join Royal Norwich, I didn’t think it pertinent to pursue the purchase.

“However, that positive impression stayed with me and I contacted him for another demonstration, so that my new team could see it on our course and have the chance to evaluate it; a structured process of evaluation that we always go through when considering a major cap-ex machinery purchase.

“My primary concern is the safety of my staff when operating equipment, especially on sloping terrain around greens, bunkers and tee surrounds. We demoed machines from the major manufacturers, but none could safely carry out these two prime tasks on the sloping ground.

“The Ventrac is the only machine that can handle the pronounced shaping around the course without scalping. It’s exceptionally stable, especially with its dual-wheel configuration, articulating frame and low centre of gravity. The Contour deck flexes superbly to follow the ground contours and its counter-rotating blades ensure the cuttings are thrown backwards and not on to the greens. Its manoeuvrability around our rectangular tees is exceptional, allowing it to turn through 90 degrees easily and efficiently. What you get is all the attributes of a four-wheel mower with the manoeuvrability of three-wheel machine.

“I also like the out-front set-up of the Ventrac with all the attachments clearly visible to the operator. The 3-point hitch at the back is useful as we can attach drag mats and, because of its very low ground pressure, use it on greens for brushing in top dressing.

“Obviously, mowing slopes in the wet is challenging for most equipment, but this is where the Ventrac excels. However, in dry conditions the grass becomes ‘glassy’ and can be equally slippery, but again, not an issue for this machine.

“We had a demonstration of the Trencher attachment and I can see this being beneficial in soft areas, especially in the autumn and the blower is a definite possibility as we are a parkland course and can get out in the very wet winter and spring conditions that have become a feature of our weather. This is undoubtedly, a very versatile machine.”

The Royal Norwich course at Weston Estate opened on 16th September 2019 with Ryder Cup legend Ian Poulter playing the inaugural round to mark the completion of the 10-year project to create a world-class sporting venue in East Anglia.

The 18-hole genderless course was designed by Ross McMurray of European Golf Design and built by the UK’s leading golf course contractors to the highest industry standards. It is capable of hosting the sport’s leading events in the future. It also includes a 6-hole academy course, built to the same specifications as the main course and designed to both encourage new players into the sport and limit playing time to under an hour; something which has been identified as key to growing engagement in the sport.

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Royal Burgess opts for ISEKI TH5420

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Royal Burgess opts for ISEKI TH5420: With over 280 years of history and curated by design greats such as ‘Old’ Tom Morris, Willie Park Jnr and James Braid, The Royal Burgess Golfing Society of Edinburgh continues to seek challenge and reward for its members.

Since the Millennium, one of the club’s focuses has been tree planting to create further visual interest and a healthier environment.  GEO certified since April 2018, the parkland course, at Barnton, is only a few miles from Edinburgh’s city centre.

Royal Burgess opts for ISEKI TH5420

Royal Burgess opts for ISEKI TH5420

In his 12th year as Course Manager, Chris Yeaman, and his team of seven, witness first-hand an abundance of nature, while they go about their business of achieving smooth greens, lush fairways and well cared bunkers.

This spring, Chris Yeaman had requirement for a new compact tractor, and with the guidance of Rob Hogarth, Regional Sales Manager at local dealer, Fairways GM at Kinross, he headed straight to the Iseki TH5420.

“All our tractors are Iseki; I’ve been a fan for almost two decades. Our most recent, the TG6490, is a fine machine, but we had a gap for one to take over greens. The new Stage V compliance came into it as we are in the process of trying to extend our GEO certification for another three years, also high on our list was versatility.

“Everything we wanted in a tractor, this one does. We were fortunate enough to be the first in Scotland to take delivery.  It’s small enough for greens and tees, handles smoothly, and an adjustable driving position works for everyone.  In time, we’ll get a mid mounted deck giving flexibility for mowing areas. Last year, also from Fairways, we got the Iseki zero-turn SZ330 mower for grass cutting between the trees; so, together with the TH5420, we can get these areas cut even quicker.

Rob Hogarth from Fairways GM said: “The TH5420 has a 40 hp Stage V compliant, 3-cylinder turbo diesel engine that also comes with a mid PTO as standard, so it accommodates a variety of implements. The 3 speed hydrostat makes for easy control.  It’s a compact and high torque, powerful tractor, perfect for turf maintenance applications.”

For further information on the full ISEKI range of mowers and tractors please visit www.iseki.co.uk or call 01473 599266.

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Reesink helps Royal St George’s

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Reesink helps Royal St George’s: Having begun its long relationship with Toro with a fleet deal in 2013, Royal St George’s Golf Club in Kent has continued to trust in the brand, becoming a Toro Total Solutions customer with the installation of new irrigation in 2018 and leasing further machinery in 2019.

And the club, which consistently ranks among the top courses in the world and is the host of The Open this year, has had its faith in the brand pay off, particularly when it comes to Toro irrigation which has helped the course navigate a series of droughts in the last three years.

Reesink helps Royal St George’s

Reesink helps Royal St George’s

Course manager Paul Larsen explains: “We’ve had nothing but drought since the new irrigation system was installed in 2018, so it’s been very hard work to keep the standard of the course high, and Toro has been instrumental in helping us through that.

“We had Toro Lynx Central Control System and over a thousand sprinklers installed across the greens, tees and fairways in 2018. The flexibility of the sprinklers and precision of Lynx control has meant that we’ve been able to target our irrigation to the surfaces that needed it most and conserve water through a series of very dry and hot summers.”

It’s this precision, brought about by Toro’s technological innovation, that was the main reason for the upgrade in 2018. “We wanted to get to the next level with our irrigation, so that meant getting a system on board that utilised innovative technology,” says Paul. “Being able to control water in millimetres with Lynx control is ideal, and the ability to change the trajectory on the sprinkler heads from 15 to 25 degrees depending on the wind is also fantastic.

“Since the new irrigation installation, we’ve expanded on our greens and we’ve been trying to grow back in turf on the fairways which had suffered from drought, so although we’re using more water than before, there would be a lot more wastage if we were still using our old system. Plus, we’ve now created our own reservoir to help with the need for extra water, so we can avoid using mains water and be more sustainable.”

And with The Open now looming, it’s testament to the quality of course maintenance that Royal St George’s employs that getting the course ready is “business as usual”.

“We haven’t changed how we maintain the course in the run up to The Open because we are always maintaining it to the highest standards for our members,” says Paul. “With the irrigation, we have set moisture levels that we want to achieve throughout the year, and with Toro we can see how close we are to those levels and apply the correct amount of irrigation in the right places to achieve that.”

Although the quality of Toro products has certainly played a part in the excellent maintenance of the course, the backup, training and support from Reesink Turfcare has done so as well.

“Reesink has been brilliant throughout the whole process,” says Paul. “I find that it’s easier to learn a product and get the most out of it when you’re dealing with the right people – and that’s certainly Robert Jackson from Reesink. On the rare occasions we’ve had an issue, he’s been able to find a solution, and the training we’ve had on the irrigation system has been superb.

“In fact, the training has meant that we have become self-sufficient and can now carry out small projects and adjustments ourselves, for example adding extra sprinklers to some of the walkways. And it’s no different with the machinery backup as well. It’s all excellent,” concludes Paul.

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Royal Cinque climbs the rankings

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Royal Cinque climbs the rankings: Since having a new Toro irrigation system installed in 2019, Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club’s course has seen a “remarkable improvement” according to course and estates manager James Bledge.

“The new Toro irrigation system has been a huge success,” explains James. “We’ve reached the top100golfcourses.com world rankings for the first time ever, which we can in part attribute to the remarkable improvement the course has seen thanks to Toro irrigation.

Royal Cinque climbs the rankings

Royal Cinque climbs the rankings

“Not only did Toro help us get through one of the driest summers in history last year, but the water savings were incredible,” says James. “We kept within our water allowance and didn’t lose any turf coverage, which is definitely something our old system wouldn’t have managed. In fact, the turf quality has come on leaps and bounds despite the tough conditions.”

Part of James’ drive to continuously improve the course, March 2019 saw Royal Cinque Ports install a Toro Lynx Central Control System and Infinity sprinklers on the greens, surrounds, approaches and fairways with B Series sprinklers on the tees and T5 and PRN combinations on the walkways. The installation came shortly after another Toro machinery fleet agreement, so had the added bonus of securing the club’s position as a Toro Total Solutions customer.

Despite its success, it wasn’t a given that Toro would be awarded the irrigation contract. In fact, initially James considered staying with the same brand as the previous system for the irrigation update, but changed his mind after being “thoroughly impressed” by Toro in a demonstration by Reesink Turfcare.

“The whole team really liked the way the Toro Lynx Central Control System and the sprinkler heads worked,” says James. “In particular, being able to change the trajectory and ease of set up of the sprinkler heads is incredibly useful when it comes to dealing with the strong winds we get here as a links course.

“The course itself has changed quite a bit in the last twenty years and as a result lots of areas weren’t benefitting from the irrigation, such as the walkways. So, we wanted something which would water more of the course and target areas more efficiently. The Toro system has given us the opportunity to tackle the issues we were having and make further improvements.”

Plus, James tells us, he was keen for a more sophisticated control system: “Having previously had a 20-year-old irrigation system, faults with the electrics meant it was time for a change. The system had stopped coming on during the night which was a huge issue. A complete replacement was needed which included the pumps and wiring alongside a new control system, sprinklers, additional pipework and the creation of a new abstraction point from the water source to the reservoir.

“The new control system is much more modern and it’s great to be able to make adjustments from my mobile phone and provide the same accuracy as hand watering. It’s a real game changer.”

With the installation completed by one of the leading golf construction companies MJ Abbott, both the installation process, and the support from Reesink Turfcare since has impressed James. “It’s been really great from the first demonstration through to now. In particular, Robert Jackson and Peter Newton at Reesink have gone above and beyond. The communication has been a different class, whether we needed parts, back up or training, Reesink was always available to help.”

He concludes: “With our Total Solutions package, we are continuously improving and well on the way to making the club a ‘bucket list’ destination.”

To talk to someone about the finance options available and how the Toro range would suit yo

To talk to someone about the finance options available and how Toro irrigation would suit your course, visit reesinkturfcare.co.uk, call 01480 226800 or email info@reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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Praxys impresses at the Royal Birkdale

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Praxys impresses at the Royal Birkdale: Chris Whittle, Course Manager at the Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, claims that Praxys, ICL’s high performance, highly concentrated systemic selective herbicide, plays an integral role in his weed control programme.

Royal Birkdale hardly needs any introduction – it is after all one of the finest courses in England and has held more Championship and International events since World War 2 than any other course in the world including Open Championships, Ryder Cups, Women’s British Opens, Senior Opens, Amateur Championships, Walker Cups and Curtis Cups.

Praxys impresses at the Royal Birkdale

Praxys impresses at the Royal Birkdale

Chris has overseen many of these prestigious events having been at the club for an impressive 26 years. He currently oversees a team of ten members of staff who all work hard to maintain this truly prestigious course.

When it comes to weed control, Chris has reported highly encouraging results from using ICL’s Praxys for the past five years, after it was initially recommended to him from ICL distributor Aitkens.

Praxys, renowned for killing the toughest of weeds, possesses a number of benefits. Featuring systemic uptake right down to the roots with no regrowth, this fast-acting weedkiller allows rapid entry and is rainfast within just one hour. It also has the lowest dosage rates and water volume of any selective herbicide available.

It combines the three most powerful active ingredients on the market, Florasulam, Fluroxypyr and Clopyralid, to wipe out weeds on golf courses, sports and amenity turf and lawns in one application.

Praxys was developed to target common weeds like daisy and dandelion and it completely kills more problematic ones such as Self-heal, Ribwort Plantain and Spear Thistle

The extremely low dose rate, from one litre per hectare, is flexible depending on the weed spectrum to be controlled. Low dose means less packaging and less waste and because only one application is required, it also makes Praxys one of the most cost-effective options available.

Chris usually applies Praxys in June each year and believes it is an essential product in his weed management programme.

“We predominately apply Praxys to our tees and fairways and it has been really impressive,” he said. “We’ll never totally eradicate difficult weeds, because new weeds keep coming through each year. However, Praxys works well in our integrated approach towards managing them and with its low water volume coupled with its low impact on the environment it makes for a great product for us to use”

“After applying Praxys, you can see initial dieback of the weeds within days and then you notice further results a couple of weeks later on the more troublesome ones such as greater plantains.”

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

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

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