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The Toro prize that opens global doors

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The Toro prize that opens global doors: The Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Award is one of the turfcare industry’s most coveted prizes for young professionals. And for the 2024 winner Jack Vowell it’s been more than just a career milestone, it’s opened global doors and unlocked exciting new opportunities. 

Jack completed his 10-week place at the University of Massachusetts’ Winter School for Turf Managers, an internationally recognised turf management course, in March 2025. The fully funded prize, which is sponsored by Reesink Turfcare and Toro, covers a variety of turf sports, not just golf, giving its students a holistic view of the turfcare industry.

The Toro prize that opens global doors

The Toro prize that opens global doors

Students study a carefully curated curriculum of modules, covering everything from the fundamentals of turf management and soil science to turf pathology and weed management.

“It was really interesting learning about different turf conditions around the world,” says Jack. “Since Massachusetts is a cool-season grass area in the US, there was a lot that I learned which I can now use in my current role as Deputy Course Manager at Farrington Park Golf Club.“I particularly enjoyed the turf pathology lessons; they were eye-opening and taught us all about the causes and contributing factors of different diseases. It was great to learn from guest lecturers about how those at the top of their game manage their teams to get the best results.”

The course gave Jack exposure to other up-and-coming greenkeepers as well as top professionals within the field, he says: “Alongside the learning, it was an opportunity to be in the same room and talk with people from all over the world, about their goals and greenkeeping careers. One of the guest lecturers was the Head Superintendent at Oakmont Country Club in America. I never would have had the opportunity to listen to him, learn from his expertise, and ask him questions about greenkeeping.”

Despite being a remote course, UMass encourages a strong sense of community with the students. “The university was really keen to make you feel like the class of ‘25,” explains Jack. “They put a lot of emphasis on us sharing information with our classmates and making sure we were connected.

“I became friendly with a greenkeeper at Fenway Park in the US, which is home to the Boston Red Sox baseball team. He’s left the door open for me to experience the ground there and learn about how they look after their turf. Opening international doors like this is just invaluable.”

For those considering applying to The Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Award for 2025, Jack highly recommends it: “The opportunities are endless once your name’s out there. Off the back of the award, I’ve joined the BIGGA regional board as vice chair and have attended national board meetings, which is a huge step forward for my career.”

Entries for the Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Awards for 2025 are now open. For more details and how to apply, head to reesinkturfcare.co.uk/students-awards. Entries are open from 1 March to 11 April 2025.

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The Grass Seed That Changed the Game

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The Grass Seed That Changed the Game: Managing the expansive grounds of Warwick Schools Foundation requires precision and dedication, and Grounds Manager Duncan Toon relies on trusted solutions to meet these demands.

Recently, he found that MM Tetra Sport grass seed has become an essential part of his maintenance toolkit; ensuring top tier playing conditions for the schools’ varied sports facilities.

The Grass Seed That Changed the Game

The Grass Seed That Changed the Game

Duncan has overseen the grounds for just over six years, looking after Warwick Preparatory School, Warwick Junior School, The Kingsley School, King’s High School, and Warwick Senior School. These sites cover eight hectares of natural grass, a 3G pitch, two hockey pitches (with plans for a third), eight netball/tennis courts, three cricket squares, and various other sports surfaces.

He has long relied on high-quality grass seed mixes – particularly MM50 and MM60 – which he praises for their consistency and strong performance. However, a recent shift in his approach has led to the adoption of MM Tetra Sport – a mixture by MM Seed that has quickly become his go-to choice.

“I’ve always been a big fan and a long-term user of MM50 and MM60 grass seed”, Duncan shares. “However, more recently, I started using Tetra Sport by MM Seed because I was interested in the fact that tetraploids have deeper roots.” The MM Tetra Sport mixture, consisting of Tetraploid Ryegrasses, is designed for overseeding high-quality sports fields and caught Duncan’s attention for its many benefits – including strong root growth and enhanced drought tolerance.

Duncan first applied MM Tetra Sport to the main rugby pitches after an extensive renovation process: “We sprayed off the main rugby pitches, heavily fraise mowed, and removed most of the organic matter from the surface. We then seeded at 50g per square metre with the Tetra Sport”, he explains. “The seed germinated within four days, even though only one of the pitches had automated irrigation. On the pitch without automated irrigation, we used travelling sprinklers, but we still achieved the same germination.”

The results exceeded Duncan’s expectations: “I was really surprised because after about four weeks, we had a root down to about four inches, and I was really impressed with that. The vigour of the sward is incredible. Even when all the fixtures have taken place over the weekend, I come in on a Monday and the pitches still look immaculate.”

Duncan credits the success of MM Tetra Sport to recommendations from both Matt Gresty of MM Seed and Mark Allen of Agrovista Amenity. Reflecting on the qualities of the mixture, Duncan said “it became apparent that the Tetra Sport seed had everything I was looking for: good, deep rooting, drought tolerance, and a hardier look. It stands up very well to extreme weather conditions.”

He has since expanded the use of MM Tetra Sport across multiple pitches: “We’ve overseeded the middle of four heavily used pitches, and again, we had fast germination – even in colder temperatures. With the dry weather we’ve experienced recently, we still saw germination very quickly. The stand-up and vigour are impressive, and you can just see it standing strong.”

The Grass Seed That Changed the Game

The Grass Seed That Changed the Game

Maintaining a large and busy site means that time efficiency is critical for Duncan and his team. One of the key advantages of MM Tetra Sport is its drought tolerance, which reduces the need for frequent watering – an essential benefit for areas without automated irrigation systems. “Running travelling sprinklers takes a lot of time, and our schedule is very tight for watering,” Duncan explains. “If we can have a drought-tolerant plant that aligns with our schedule, it saves us a lot of time.”

Duncan now makes it a routine to overseed with MM Tetra Sport during half-term breaks. “MM50 and MM60 have always been reliable for me, but Tetra Sport has taken these particular sites to another level”, he adds.

His relationship with MM Seed and Agrovista Amenity has also played a crucial role: “I get very good support from both Matt Gresty and Mark Allen. Their guidance directs me in the right way, and it really helps,” he says.

For Duncan, the ultimate reward is more than just aesthetic appeal: “Presentation is key, but for me, it’s not just about how it looks; the best thing is to see a high-end game of sport played on a pitch performing to the best of its ability because we’ve produced a good surface.”

With MM Tetra Sport now firmly integrated into his maintenance regime, Duncan is confident that he has found the ideal solution for maintaining the exceptional standards of Warwick Schools Foundation.

For further information, please contact MM Sports Seed on 01386 791102 or visit the company’s website www.mm-seeds.co.uk.

You can also follow the company on Twitter/X: @MM_Seed.

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We Care, That You Care

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We Care, That You Care: As we approach STIGA‘s 90th anniversary, the gardening mower and tool company stands at a unique intersection of rich heritage and exciting possibilities.

The ‘We Care, That You Care’ campaign embodies the STIGA passion for nature and the pledge towards a more sustainable future.  The goal? To support 90 community garden groups throughout the UK, honouring each year of the 90th anniversary, by empowering others with innovative, eco-friendly garden products.

We Care, That You Care

We Care, That You Care

Become one of the Stiga 90!

STIGA believes that everyone deserves the chance to cultivate beautiful spaces responsibly, and during 2024 the team are giving away their eco-friendly garden products to community garden groups, up and down the UK, for free! ‘We care that you care’, and this is our way of showing you we care.

Cultivating Connections

The campaign is aimed at a diverse array of community groups, from schools and hospital gardens to urban gardens, food bank gardens, community gardens and guerrilla gardeners. Each one of these groups represents a unique opportunity for STIGA to engage, help and empower local communities.

Growing together

Communities and individuals associated with the community group can engage with STIGA through a dedicated web page, where information about their project will be collected and products selected that will benefit their project. This process ensures every aspiring group has an equal opportunity to bloom with STIGA.

How to get involved

If you are responsible for any non-profit, community group or charity that looks after a green space and would like to receive products from STIGA’s innovative, eco-friendly garden product range…for free, then simply register on the wecare.stigauk.com website.

The STIGA judging panel will assess your application along with your social engagement tokens. You will be notified if you are successful, stating the free products that will be donated to your community group.

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Performance that will blow you away

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Performance that will blow you away: A new EGO cordless backpack blower with improved power, performance and productivity is now available for both domestic and professional use.

EGO Power Plus, a technology leader in high-performance battery-powered equipment, is introducing the LBP8000E Backpack Blower. Featuring EGO’s PeakPower™ technology and a more powerful motor, it offers extra runtime and better performance.

Performance that will blow you away

Performance that will blow you away

Vince Brauns, Group Product Manager at EGO, said: “The new LBP8000E ensures that clearing work is quicker and more efficient than ever before, without any of the noise or fumes of petrol tools. Our PeakPower™ system fully harnesses the potential of using two EGO batteries at once, making it possible to provide extra runtime and power.

“Designed with an improved user interface, control system and newer, more powerful motor, the LBP8000E represents a step change in comfortable, efficient working.”

PeakPower™ combines the power of two EGO batteries for maximum output and up to two and a half hours of runtime. The new motor enhances air speed and delivers class-leading cordless equipment air volume of 1360m³/h. Upgraded PCBA cooling further improves durability, while the integrated tool stand helps keep the harness and batteries clean and dry.

The LBP8000E is part of EGO’s Professional range, designed for larger gardens and for everyday use by contractors. For domestic use it has a five-year warranty on the tool and three years on the batteries, while professional users benefit from a two-year warranty on both the tool and the batteries.

EGO is a true pioneer in battery powered outdoor power equipment. Like all EGO products, the new backpack blower uses EGO’s 56V ARC Lithium™ battery, that works across the entire EGO range. EGO’s batteries deliver the industry’s highest energy capacity. Their performance surpasses the competition mechanically, chemically, and electrically. Each battery features EGO’s unique KeepCool™ technology, intelligent power management, fast recharge and a host of other innovations designed to deliver convenience, quality, and reliability.

For the user, battery slots on either side of the backpack ensure that the tool is centrally balanced on their back, while an improved harness provides greater comfort. Other productivity-boosting features include tool-free handle adjustment and an ergonomic handle with variable speed trigger and trigger lock. Furthermore, an LCD display ensures the operator has quick access to real-time battery and tool status.

The LBP8000E retails at £429 including VAT and further details can be found at https://egopowerplus.co.uk/products/blowers/lbp8000e-backpack-blower.

Discover the full range at www.egopowerplus.co.uk

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MM – a grass seed that rocks!

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MM – a grass seed that rocks!: From the very first day that legendary guitarist KK Downing decided to establish a golf course, Astbury Hall Golf Club in Shropshire has only ever used MM grass seed.

Course Manager Sean Jarvis has long relied on the market leading MM grass seed, ever since working at Bournemouth’s Iford Golf Club and then to the Open Golf Centre in Leicester where he managed the establishment of a new 9-hole golf course. In 2004, Sean again turned to MM seed when he took on the role of Course Manager at Astbury Hall and oversaw the complete construction of the championship course.

MM – a grass seed that rocks!

MM – a grass seed that rocks!

“I’ve been using MM seed for 22 years and counting. It is still as good now as it was when I first started using it all those years ago,” he said.

Astbury Hall Estate was formerly owned by KK Downing, the lead guitarist for heavy metal band Judas Priest, who purchased the estate, just outside Bridgnorth in Shropshire in 1985. A keen golfer, KK bought the estate to establish a top-quality elite golf course. His design was largely influenced by his experiences of playing golf around the world.

For the construction of the Astbury course Sean used MM22 for all fairways, tees and roughs with the greens being sown with a mix of Creeping Bent, Browntop Bent and Fescue.

KK may not own the stately home anymore, but the course continues to go from strength to strength under the watchful eye of Sean – who persists to use products from the MM range.

“We now use MM50 100% Ryegrass for tees and fairways as we need more wear tolerance,” he said. “This is because the tees are quite small compared with the amount of golf we have, plus the Ryegrass varieties in the mix are very fine leaved so it gives a nice fine sward.

“The greens are oversown with MM9 – a 100% Browntop Bent plus Cobra Nova Creeping Bent. We tend to overseed the greens towards the end of the summer while there is still a reasonable soil temperature to get a good germination rate.

“Given that it can be quite cool here in Bridgnorth in the early spring, oversowing the greens in late summer gives me a window of opportunity when carrying out general greens renovation. Plus cutting heights are not at the lowest during this time which gives the seedling grass a better chance of surviving. Fairways and tees are divoted over the course of the summer as part of the general course maintenance.”

MM is one of the most respected brands in the UK sportsturf and amenity industries. With a proven track record of producing the best possible swards, the MM range of grass seed offers an unrivalled performance and appearance. There is a reason why Sean has been using the mixtures for so long – as he explains.

“The different MM mixtures and varieties have always worked for me at the three different courses I have managed,” he said. “All three had different challenges with the climate and growing conditions from the dry south coast through to the wet Shropshire countryside.

Germination speed, establishment and seed quality are just three strengths of the products I have come to rely on. Furthermore, the seaweed based Headstart Gold seed treatment helps with seedling establishment.

“I have experimented with other blends in the past but never found them to deliver in the way that MM mixtures do.”

Aside from the performance of MM mixtures, Sean was quick to praise the support he receives from Matt Gresty, MM & Designer Sales and Brand Manager for DLF UK.

“I have known Matt since the year 2000 when he got involved with the project at Iford Park and I started using the MM mixtures. Since then, I have used Matt’s advice and seed knowledge on the courses I have managed. A strong relationship with my suppliers who can give good technical advice that I can trust, has always been important to me.”

For further information, please contact MM Sports Seed on 01386 791102 or visit the company’s website www.mm-seeds.co.uk.

You can also follow the company on Twitter: @MM_Seed.

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

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