Tag Archive for: Spike

Terra Spike XF central to new era

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Terra Spike XF central to new era: One of Hertfordshire’s leading independent day and boarding schools has embarked upon a new era of grounds maintenance across its 130-acre site, with a team restructure and additional grounds investment.

Bishop’s Stortford College appointed Adam Smith as their new Head Groundsman in March, with responsibility for both the sports surfaces and the extensive ornamental gardens. With over 1200 pupils, and a reputation for sporting excellence, rugby in particular, the College is a ‘Partnership School’ with Premiership rugby neighbours, Saracens RFC.

Terra Spike XF central to new era

Terra Spike XF central to new era

Specifically on sport, Adam, plus two staff, Ben Baker and David Beckenham, look after 20 hectares of sport surfaces which include five full size and 10 junior rugby pitches, an assortment of training grids and pitches, one full size and five junior football pitches, six cricket squares -consisting 34 tracks , two Astros and a MUGA.

Progress on many fronts is being made.  “Increasing our maintenance machinery fleet was my initial task,” said Adam Smith, whose career to date has included seven years as a horticultural mechanic for one of the largest contractors in Europe, two years working for a dealership in Brisbane Australia and seven years at Haileybury Imperial College. “My career history has given me enormous insight and a great understanding of the needs of a multisport educational establishment.”

“An aerator was central to our plans.  For me, Wiedenmann who are renowned for build quality so it had to be the XF6 to support productivity within our maintenance regimes. Regular aeration is key to our maintenance programmes to improve our carrying capacity for training and sports fixtures. We are really pleased with the XF’s work rate and our ability to aerate multiple pitches in one day; a junior pitch is taking less than an hour.

“The cricket squares had their first aeration in mid-November and held up well; depth was 150mm with 16mm tines.  They also got a little feed using Sierrablen Plus 3 19-5-18+2Mgo+TE.  I was happily surprised the disturbance was so negligible. Seeing as little disturbance encouraged me to revise my plan… we’ll fit in an additional run, so we’ll go again before Christmas, instead of just the once… at 200mm to try to break the pan a little deeper, In January, I may, ground conditions allowing, go out one more time using the multi tine holders and 10 mm tines, probably down to 100mm to encourage root growth, then that finishes off aeration on the squares.

“The outfields were another pleasant surprise.  The XF covers our 1st team outfield in just five hours using 16mm tines and a 4×4 pattern going down 150mm, which is impressive considering it’s 14 000 sqm, Often, though, we opt for punching more holes in the ground rather than chasing speed.  It’s so productive whichever way you look at it and was the definitely right decision for us.”

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New Terra Spike For Premier Pitches

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New Terra Spike For Premier Pitches: Specialist sports turf contractor, Premier Pitches, has added a Wiedenmann Terra Spike GXi8 HD to its list of machinery, specifically for work at renovation time.

Director, Jonathan Woolfall, of the Sheffield firm which won The IOG Contractor of the Year in both 2016 & 2017, said:

New Terra Spike For Premier Pitches

“A lot of clubs want deep aeration built into end-of-season packages.

“We bought this machine principally to use during the renovation period, so mainly April, May and June. When you do renovations there can be many tractor and trailer movements across a pitch which inevitably lead to compaction.  After we’ve put the sand and seeds in the ground, an efficient deep tine with the GXi8 helps air circulate below the surface, then, we just leave it alone…it’s a good way to conclude such works.

“We needed to replace a machine so with dealer, Balmers GM, we looked about to see what was available. The precision and build quality of the GXi8 were second to none. It’s light, fast and easy to transport around the country on a small truck.  We bought it with the knowledge that it will be with us for a very long time.”

Easy tool-free adjustments mean that heave and depth settings can be finely tuned to suit conditions.  Importantly, the GXi8 HD offers Advance Tine Control a uniquely patented feature which makes sure the tines’ incision into the ground is always precise leaving a neat finish. It has a working depth of up to 250 mm and covers a whole pitch in less than three hours.

For more information, visit: www.wiedenmann.com

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Perfect Start For Terra Spike GXi 6

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Perfect Start For Terra Spike GXi 6: Throughout his 26 years of service at Ashley Wood GC in Blandford Forum, head greenkeeper, Mark Sherwood, can count the snow days there on the fingers of both hands.  With high elevation and fast draining chalk soil, extreme weather rarely halts play at the Dorset club. Indeed during winter, Ashley Wood is a magnet for those looking for year round golf.

So in March, when Andy Frost from local Wiedenmann UK dealer,  EG Coles of Shaftesbury and Chas Ayres, Wiedenmann UK Sales Manager, pitched up to install a Terra Spike GXi 6 aerator, everyone was hugely surprised by a 3 inch snowfall.

Perfect Start For Terra Spike GXi 6

“The snow was gone in no time but it put a stop to the handover run,” recalls Mark Sherwood.  “However, that was the Monday, by the Wednesday we got on so well we were even hollow coring. It was an instant success.”

Ashley Wood’s GXi 6 was specifically chosen to deliver a clean finish to the greens, tees and aprons. Being busy with member and society golf leaves little down time and aeration can’t be allowed to cause disruption.

“We pushed it to see what it could achieve so we double hollow cored some greens,” continued Mark Sherwood.  “First pass, we used a two by one hole pattern.  We then cleared all cores. Next for the second pass, we slowed right down for maximum accuracy. Once we’d sanded the greens our golfers were straight back on without any issues.  Afterwards we got an endorsement I wasn’t expecting.  For the first time ever, several members came up to say they couldn’t believe the great finish the new machine had left, even with twice the number of holes we’d usually create!  Crucially, approval from our members, so we were as pleased as they were…”

Perfect Start For Terra Spike GXi 6

Mark and his team of four have kept to their planned programme and been out every three to four weeks, varying heave and depth as appropriate.

“Mostly we’ve been out with solids although at the end of August we went back for few single passes with hollow coring tines. We’ve lots of undulation, with several of the greens particularly full of humps and bumps.  The Wiedenmann follows these with no issues at all. The solid three part rear roller is a real benefit. There’s a good weight on it that puts the turf back ‘down’.  Previously we had to keep a very close eye with our last machine where we’d have had a few ripples in the ground where the tines enter and leave the ground but now it’s as smooth as silk.  Once it’s set it’s set.”

For more information, visit: www.wiedenmann.com

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Coffee With Terra Spike

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Coffee With Terra Spike: A head greenkeeper based in Buckinghamshire has inspired a challenge among users of the Wiedenmann Terra Spike.

After taking delivery of a new GXi8 HD in December, Gerrards Cross GC’s Adam McColl reckoned the machine was smooth enough to balance a full cup of coffee without spilling while it spiked its way across a tee or green.

Coffee With Terra Spike

Within hours his observation was relayed to others prompting greenkeepers and groundsmen across the country to get involved, posting on twitter when they succeed.

Adam, who heads the team of seven at the south Buckinghamshire Club, said:

“The coffee challenge just seemed possible. Aerators have moved on, modern practices mean the machine stays calm even when going deep.   With the multi ribbed belt drive system and the way the crankshaft is balanced, the GXi 8 always remains stable. If you hit something there is no shock transfer to the tractor or the driver. It elongates the life of both the machine and the tractor. It’s all about smooth.”

Coffee With Terra Spike

Gerrards Cross Golf Club a parkland course with extensive woodland and views across the Misbourne Valley, had some fairly specific criteria for choosing a Wiedenmann aerator.

“We need to stay ahead of golf and not stop play,” continued Adam McColl.  “Previously that wasn’t happening.  At 1.8 m this is 60 cm wider than before so a combination of extra width and greater speed will mean an end to interruptions and lead to more frequent repetitions.  This machine has a specific feature – Advance Tine Control – that ensures we get very clean tine entry and exit even where there’s compaction.”

Another major reason for Adam McColl choosing a Terra Spike, was the improvement it would bring to getting sand into the profile to ultimately benefit drainage.

“At demo we gave the 18th green one pass using 20 mm tines.  In the weeks before our own machine arrived we could see a tangible difference just from that one occasion.  The green still puddled but the water residue shifted a lot quicker.

“The bigger picture however is to get between 180-200 tonnes of sand on the greens across the year.  Assuming it remains dry enough we’ll continue with the 20 mm tines and go for 40 tonnes between now and the end of March plus an additional 40 tonnes at spring renovations when we will probably hollow core.  During summer we switch to lighter 8 mm tines and hope to achieve between 20 – 40 tonnes. Then come autumn it will be back to the 20 mm tines and around 60-80 tonnes.

“Last year we didn’t even get to our target of 140 tonnes but we’re focussed on getting this additional sand to help create drainage channels.”

Eddie Jack, Field Sales Manager at Ernest Doe in North Walsham said: “Adam called it correctly with the smoothness of the machine. He really started something. Looks like I’ll be buying the coffees for the foreseeable future.”

For more information, visit: www.wiedenmann.co.uk

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Williamwood Get Ahead With Terra Spike GXi8 HD

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Williamwood Get Ahead With Terra Spike GXi8 HD: For several seasons Williamwood Golf Club had their sites set on a Wiedenmann Terra Spike GXi8 HD deep aerator. This autumn, a well subscribed winter membership initiative finally made it a reality for the Scottish course.

“Increased demand for winter play heightened the need to keep the course open,” said Course Manager, Gerry Bruen. “The Wiedenmann is our tool of choice to make that happen.”

Williamwood Get Ahead With Terra Spike GXi8 HD

The James Braid designed parkland course is nestled in the outskirts of south Glasgow.  Gerry Bruen and his team of five greenkeepers cope valiantly with above average rainfall to deliver a consistently high standard of surface.

“Everything about the GXi8 HD confirms how aerators have moved on. Set up takes minutes and not a morning. The depth and heave settings are tool free and can be set in seconds.  You just adjust them to suit the conditions on the day. The machine has several shock absorption systems so there’s no shock transfer to the operator or tractor. Basically it’s just getting the gearing and speed right and off you go.

“We’re out and back within the weather windows. Last year to do one of the wider fairways took a full day and a half.  Now it’s done thoroughly in less than one. Crucially our members are benefiting with less disruption.

“After nine weeks we’re almost two full months ahead of where we would be normally with prep for next season. We haven’t allocated extra time. Aeration for us has become an altogether smarter operation.

The 1.8 metre wide is Wiedenmann’s most popular Terra Spike, the access–all-areas status giving it the versatility to take tees, greens and fairways in its stride.

“Everywhere is scheduled for at least two passes before spring but key areas are earmarked for more. Never before could I have contemplated some of the fairways receiving three visits. In the coming months we will hollow core a few select spots to open the surface even further.”

Alan Jack, Area Sales Manager (West) for Fairways GM, Wiedenmann UK’s dealer in Scotland said:

“Gerry knew exactly what he wanted. The GXi8 HD had his name on it from the start so our involvement has been to help him and his team become familiar and use the machine to best effect. His team is powering through so next season he’ll really be able to see a difference especially to his fairways.”

For more information, visit: www.wiedenmann.co.uk

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