Tag Archive for: Team

Greenkeepers selected to join Wentworth team

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Greenkeepers selected to join Wentworth team: Members of the British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) will gain an unrivalled behind-the-scenes look at preparations for the BMW PGA Championship this September after being selected to join the Wentworth Club’s greenkeeping team for the duration of the event.

Supplementing Wentworth Club’s inhouse greenkeeping team will be 24 volunteers from across the greenkeeping association. The volunteer BIGGA members will fully integrate with the Wentworth greenkeeping team and take on important maintenance tasks to help prepare the course for play each day.

Greenkeepers selected to join Wentworth team

Greenkeepers selected to join Wentworth team

Wentworth Club Courses and Grounds Manager Daniel Clarke said: “We value our relationship with BIGGA highly and given every member of the Wentworth greenkeeping team is a part of the association and has access to the training and education it offers, we know how committed and capable these volunteers will be as we prepare the West Course for the DP World Tour’s flagship event. Over the years the BMW PGA Volunteer Support Team has evolved from being a helping hand to now being an instrumental part of the in-house greenkeeping team and I’m excited to welcome them all to Wentworth Club in September.”

The BMW PGA Volunteer Support Team is just one of a number of exclusive and career-defining initiatives made available to members of BIGGA, the UK’s only dedicated membership association for golf greenkeepers. Head to www.bigga.org.uk for more information.

The BIGGA members who have been invited to join the Wentworth team as volunteers for the duration of the BMW PGA Championship are:

  • Wayne Aris, Langley Park GC
  • Callum Atkinson, Prestbury GC
  • Tom Barnett, Drayton Park GC
  • Euan Bogle, Lanark GC
  • David Bruce, The Gleneagles Hotel
  • Martin Coe, China Fleet CC
  • Luke Fitzpatrick, The Buckinghamshire GC
  • Calum Forsyth, Carrbridge GC
  • Jack Hall, Lutterworth GC
  • James Hook, The Bristol GC
  • Greg Jones, JCB G&CC
  • Ryan Lindsay, East Sussex National GC
  • Daniel Long-Greatorex, JCB G&CC
  • Thibault Marcazzan, Le Touquet
  • Charlie Munn-Cocks, Camberley Heath GC
  • Stanley Murphy, Ealing GC
  • Scott Patrick, Prestwick St Cuthbert GC
  • Daniel Rigby, Chigwell GC
  • Andrew Sellars, The Grove
  • Matthew Shaul, Ashby Decoy GC
  • Tom Silcock, Prestbury GC
  • Ben Sixsmith, Ganton GC
  • Philip Slater, West Herts GC

Ross Traill, Kilmarnock (Barassie) GC

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Vermorel knapsacks put grounds team in comfort zone

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Vermorel knapsacks put grounds team in comfort zone: Head groundsman Jason O’Keele and his six-strong Epsom College team are all dab hands with knapsack sprayers.

“Everyone has their PA6 certificate so they can use them whenever we need to weed and feed,” says Jason.

 

Vermorel knapsacks put grounds team in comfort zone

Vermorel knapsacks put grounds team in comfort zone

The team manage an 85-acre estate, 12 hectares devoted to sport, including five cricket squares, 12 turf pitches, two synthetics and plenty of planted-up borders lining college staff and pupil accommodation at the 1,200-head co-educational independent school, so there’s plenty of opportunity for them to hone their spray skills.

Part of Commercial Groundscare Services’ team of professionals who tend school sports facilities throughout Surrey, the Epsom College contingent are based permanently on site.

“Being here full time means we can really take pride in looking after what are fantastic facilities,” Jason says. And as pupil numbers rise under the  College’s expansion programme, so does the sporting calendar.

“We can have as many as 10 cricket fixtures here on a Saturday for example,” he adds, “while local and league football clubs also train here.”

That all means the pressure’s on to deliver perfectly manicured grounds that reflect the prestige and prowess of the College academically and across a sporting spectrum that includes, football, rugby, hockey, tennis and athletics.

“I like to give team members different jobs to tackle as that creates more interest for them, rather than doing the same thing all the time,” explains Jason, whose allegiance to Hozelock Exel knapsack brands dates back some years.

“Our Cooper Pegler professional sprayer has always run without any trouble but I wanted a couple more knapsacks so that we could speed up the efficiency of our spraying programme,” he says.

“I trialled the 16l capacity Pro Comfort 2000 sprayer in the Berthoud Vermorel range, liked it, and have just bought another one. What impressed me were the chest and back strap supports. Ergonomically designed, they make spraying comfortable, and that’s important if you are out there for a day non stop.

“Also helpful is the zip bag of spare nozzles and accessories and the extendable lance, which lets us reach into corners and the back of borders.”

Jason keeps the weed and feed programmes separate, using each Vermorel knapsack for discrete duties. “In spring and summer we’re out every fortnight for a couple of days, applying liquid iron across the ornamental lawns with one of the knapsacks while using a mix of systemic herbicide and liquid nitrogen with the other.

“Growth retardant applied to banks reduces the need for strimming, and we can use it in the same knapsack as that for feed.”

Winter sees the team applying moss and algae treatment liquid monthly to the two synthetic pitches. “They thrive over the colder weather so we need to tackle growth regularly as playing surfaces can become slippery.”

Jason knows the value of regular maintenance in keeping knapsacks primed. “We run pre-start checks before every outing and in the two years since I bought the first Vermorel knapsack, I haven’t replaced anything.

“They are certainly robust and the piston and pump operation really works well, delivering a consistent, continuous spray.”

Variety is the spice of life they say and Jason puts theory into practice. “Everybody takes turns in spraying as they are all trained up to use knapsacks, complete with white suits, wellies and appropriate PPE kit.

“It helps keep everyone engaged, which means we have the best chance of delivering the finest results across the grounds.”

Each of the three premium grade knapsacks – Vermorel 1800, Pro Comfort 2000 and top-range 3000 Electric – come with ergonomically contoured, sturdy backframe as standard.

Safety harnesses provide rising levels of support progressing through the line – from padded shoulder straps on the `1800`, to padded shoulder, waist and chest strapping on the `2000` and fully specified `3000`.

All Vermorel knapsacks are easy to use and dismantle for servicing and repair.  They are also suitable for applying sanitisers and disinfectants and are available with a host of spares and accessories such as spray shields, seal and nozzle kits and multi-nozzle spray booms to give operators even greater flexibility.

www.cooper-pegler.com

www.berthoud.fr/en/

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BIGGA and GEO Foundation team up at BTME

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BIGGA and GEO Foundation team up at BTME: The British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) has teamed up with GEO Foundation for Sustainable Golf to host a place for sports turf managers to meet and exchange ideas during March’s BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition (BTME).

GEO Foundation is an international not-for-profit, dedicated to helping inspire, support and reward credible sustainability and climate action across golf.

BIGGA and GEO Foundation team up at BTME

BIGGA and GEO Foundation team up at BTME

BTME takes place at the Harrogate Convention Centre from 22 to 24 March 2022 and during the event the GEO Foundation will be joined by a number of other partners to host the ‘Sustainability Lounge’, which will provide a dedicated space for attendees to find out more, get involved and join discussions about key sustainability issues with experts in their field.

In addition to its strategic support through partnerships with associations including BIGGA, the GEO Foundation assures the OnCourse programmes for grassroots golf facilities, new developments and tournaments, each of which can lead to the widely endorsed and externally recognised GEO Certified label.

During BTME, the Sustainability Lounge will be a gathering and meeting place and in addition to the team from GEO Foundation, experts from around the UK will often be on hand, including BIGGA’s very own sustainability champion, James Hutchinson.

James, who is Membership Services Manager for Ecology and Sustainability for BIGGA, said: “Of all the key topics up for discussion at BTME, among the most important will be the need for golf courses all over the world to adopt increasingly sustainable practices. With the changing availability of resources and rising costs, alongside an increasing awareness of the important role we can all play to protect the natural environment, golf has a massive part to play and I am excited that our colleagues at the GEO Foundation, and partners from other golfing bodies, will be joining us at BTME for what stands to be a wonderful opportunity to exchange ideas and discover new sustainable practices.”

The GEO Foundation will also be recognising Sustainable Golf Champions and will celebrate GEO Certified venues, with representatives invited to showcase what initiatives they have implemented at their golf facilities. There will also be prize draws for those who stop by to vote for a sustainability or climate action project shared by a fellow greenkeeper.

Kelli Jerome, Executive Director at GEO Foundation, added: “BTME is an important event in the golf industry calendar and the advocacy, education and engagement opportunities provided are important to golf’s sustainability progress. We are really excited about the space BIGGA has made available for the Sustainability Lounge and we’re looking forward to working closely with BIGGA and other UK golf associations to support and engage attendees – meeting, hearing views, answering questions and sharing inspiring stories from as many people as possible during the week.”

BTME is free to attend and registration and more information can be found on the BTME website, www.btme.org.uk

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R&A’s Agronomy Team to headline at BTME

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R&A’s Agronomy Team to headline at BTME: With the BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition (BTME) and Continue to Learn taking place in a month, the British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) has confirmed its headline speakers for the education conference.

BTME is the annual trade show and networking event for those working in the golf greenkeeping and wider sportsturf industry and takes place in Harrogate. Traditionally the event is held in January each year but was postponed in 2021 due to coronavirus and this year was delayed until March due to uncertainties relating to the pandemic.

R&A’s Agronomy Team to headline at BTME

R&A’s Agronomy Team to headline at BTME

Continue to Learn is BIGGA’s world-leading education programme and runs alongside the conference. Considered among the most influential events in the golf industry calendar, Continue to Learn features hundreds of hours of learning for sports turf professionals on a wide variety of topics.

The three-day Continue to Learn: Conference will be hosted by former BBC Sports editor Gareth Jones. Headlining that element of the programme will be The R&A’s Championship Agronomy team, which is responsible for presenting host venues each year for The R&A’s championships, including The Open.

Members of The R&A Agronomy team will reveal how they work, the preparation and data collection processes involved with championship preparation, the interactions with the host greenkeeping team and give an insight into the modern requirements for the delivery of golf’s greatest championship. Joining The R&A team of Alistair Beggs, Richard Windows and Adam Newton at Continue to Learn will be Paul Larsen, course manager at Royal St George’s Golf Club, host venue for The 149th Open in 2021.

Alistair Beggs, Head of Agronomy at The R&A, said: “It is a privilege for The R&A Agronomy Team to work with the host venue for The Open and its staff to help deliver the stage on which it is played each year. In 2021 Royal St George’s hosted The Open and despite the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, it developed into a great championship.

“This session provides the opportunity to learn a little more about Royal St George’s journey to being a championship venue, both from the perspective of The R&A and Royal St George’s own links manager, Paul Larsen. This will include the years building up to 2021, playing surface and rough preparation, environmental management and delivery of the championship itself.

“We are incredibly excited to be attending BTME and are thankful to BIGGA for giving us the opportunity to share our experiences of The Open in this way.”

Also revealed to be taking part in the Continue to Learn: Conference schedule is Linda Moir, who led the Spectator Services team at the London Olympic and Paralympic Games, where 15,000 volunteer Games makers hosted 9 million spectators. Prior to that, Linda accepted the challenge from Sir Richard Branson to join Virgin Atlantic and ‘make flying fun’. As director of In Flight Services she was responsible for the airline’s award winning on-board service.

Continue to Learn is the sports turf industry’s largest single education event, providing hundreds of hours of education for greenkeepers and groundsmen everywhere. The programme runs alongside the BTME and will be held 20 to 23 March 2022 at the Harrogate Convention Centre.

Bookings are open and more information can be found at www.btme.org.uk

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Turf Tank expands UK Service Team

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Turf Tank expands UK Service Team: Danish robotics company, Turf Tank is expanding their UK customer service team with the appointment of Liam Pindred as UK Sales and Service Support Specialist.

With demand for the Turf Tank One robotic line-marker increasing in the UK, the company wants to continue their investment in the sales and support team. The appointment of Liam adds a very experienced industry professional to the group.

Turf Tank expands UK Service Team

Turf Tank expands UK Service Team

After completing an apprenticeship in mechanical engineering, Liam joined Reesink Turf Care as a Service Engineer and progressed to Service Technician before a three-year spell as Service Manager for East Anglia.

Liam’s technical and industry knowledge will be invaluable to Turf Tank as they continue to grow and expand their service offering in the UK market. For Liam, it is an opportunity to join a young a company where he can be a part of the process for growth and use his experience to shape the service department.

“Turf Tank is a growing company with big plans, and that is what drew me towards this job,” Liam explains. “Their team is extremely enthusiastic with ambitious ideas for the UK. They want to grow in the market and have a plan in place to achieve it. It is exciting for me to be a part of that at this stage where we can work to shape the service and support that Turf Tank offers customers going forward.

“I’ve spent considerable time in Denmark for my training, where I was introduced to the company and how the business operates. I was also shown the robot and how to use it, gaining valuable experience seeing it from a new user’s perspective. With my engineering experience I can develop an in-depth understanding of the product to ensure we can build an excellent back-up service for the UK customers.

UK Regional Sales Manager for Turf Tank, Matt Murray is delighted to have Liam on-board. “For the people using it and for those that will be using it, the Turf Tank One is a time-saving tool that they come to rely on. Expanding the services side of the team at this stage means there won’t be a drop off in back-up for our existing customers as we expand. Instead, they’ll continue getting the excellent service they have been receiving and expect.” he said.

Liam’s addition to the team signals an exciting time for the company as it continues to develop their business infrastructure in the UK and Ireland to serve a wide range of customers from professional football clubs to grassroots sports clubs, plus educational establishments, local authorities, and contractors.

For more information on the Turf Tank One or to have a demonstration contact alex@turftank.co.uk (southern UK) or matt@turftank.co.uk (northern UK).

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