Tag Archive for: Thatch

Less thatch at Linlithgow GC

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Less thatch at Linlithgow GC: Linlithgow Golf Club has taken delivery of a 2.3 m width Wiedenmann Terra Rake, from Wiedenmann UK’s Scottish dealer, Fairways GM at Kinross.

Course Manager, Phil Montgomery said “I’d been eyeing one up for a while. The rake pulls up a terrific amount of thatch. Take the day it arrived; the difference it made to the practice ground in one session was amazing: just so much. Over the next few years, it will enhance the entire site.”

Less thatch as Linlithgow GC

Less thatch as Linlithgow GC

The West Lothian club is located on a hill side, high above the Royal Burgh of Linlithgow. Its elevation and undulations give Phil some additional challenges.

“A handful of fairways can be affected by moss,” he said. “A few are rocky, and sitting slope-side, they can really dry out in summer, and turn brown.

“If growth doesn’t come back, and rain returns, moss starts to creep in…. all compounded by the same fairways sitting ‘wet’ through the winter…

“We plan to attack the moss there head-on with the Terra Rake on a regular basis. Even though we rota-knife and spike them, until now the surface tension is just too much. The rake will help alleviate that problem and sort them out.”

Beyond the fairways, Phil has an ever-growing list of duties lined up for his new kit addition which means it will be in use all year-round.

“I like the versatility of the rake; it’s great value. I’ve seen it take on many different jobs on YouTube and Twitter. It will be good for standing the grass up prior to cutting, we will use it for presentation and once our new tractor- mounted blower arrives, we will use it for rough management, thinning out and tidying up.

“However, leaf management will be a big part of its work. We are surrounded by trees. With the rake, the blower, and the collector, together the way we clear the leaves this autumn will be far more successful. If you don’t get a chance to clear the leaves they can get trampled into the rough. Again, the rake will help us if that occurs, too.”

This is Phil’s second spell at Linlithgow. His first spell began as a 16-year-old apprentice, staying until he was 22. He returned in 2016 and was promoted quickly through the ranks to Course Manager. Working alongside him are greenkeepers, Colin and Connor, and all three are joined by a small group of volunteers who help for two hours on a Tuesday and Thursday morning.

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GreenTek’s new solution for nap and thatch

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GreenTek’s new solution for nap and thatch: Improving the health and presentation of fairway turf is becoming an increasingly high priority for many golf clubs. With the vast improvement in greens turf in recent years, it is not surprising that golfers are now becoming increasingly demanding about the condition of the fairways.

Many courses are limited in their options for mowing in different directions on their approaches and surrounds, or even their fairways. This can result in the grass developing a nap, and consequently an uneven cut.  GreenTek’s new Turf-Conditioner 12 is excellent for lifting the grass before mowing to overcome this problem, and is already gaining rave reviews from delighted users.

GreenTek’s new solution for nap and thatch

GreenTek’s new solution for nap and thatch

At a demonstration on a course where their policy of mowing the fairways 50/50 for economy had resulted in a nap problem, the Head Greenkeeper said, “I’ll ask you the question that every Head Greenkeeper should be asking – how much is it, and when can I have one?”

The benefits of the Turf-Conditioner are numerous. Not only is nap lifted and thatch effectively removed, but better air circulation is provided around the grass plant which helps to minimize the conditions for fungal disease.

Josh Thurley, Golf Course Manager at Malden Golf Club says, “We chose the GreenTek Turf-Conditioner because of its ability to follow the contours and undulations on our fairways without any hassle. We have been using it on the fairways since March and have seen some great results already within the sward and surface quality. We have 8 hectares of fairways, and we complete the whole golf course within 4hrs. I’m looking forward to also using in our long eco rough, to thin the sward and still leave the long wispy grasses.”

“The versatility and quickness of use is excellent, and I would recommend any club to invest in one for their course”

The turf-conditioner has many unique features.  The three rows of rakes are all slightly offset so that the tines give a very closely spaced raking pattern. The angle of pitch is adjustable to enable just the right degree of thatch removal to be achieved.

GreenTek’s new solution for nap and thatch

GreenTek’s new solution for nap and thatch

The unit floats freely on the tractor’s linkage when working across rig and furrow undulations, and the pivoting wing sections enable it to accurately follow the contours around course features.

The Turf-Conditioner demonstrates that not all course machinery needs to be complex or expensive to yield outstanding benefits. Sometimes you just need a more efficient way of implementing good common-sense greenkeeping practices.  Demonstrations are readily available through GreenTek’s nationwide dealer network by calling 0113 267 6000.

A video of the Turf-Conditioner 12 in action can be viewed on the website at:  https://www.greentek.uk.com/products/turf-conditioner/

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TM1000 Tackles Golf Course Thatch

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TM1000 Tackles Golf Course Thatch: Normanby Hall Golf Club Head greenkeeper Michael Burgin has reported hugely successful results from using the SISIS TM1000 tractor mounted heavy duty scarifier to combat high levels of thatch on the greens.

This delightful golf course in Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, adjoins the picturesque Normanby Hall country park and is set in 117 stunning acres of mature woodland and parkland. The 18 hole, par 72 course is widely considered to be one of the toughest courses to play in the area, providing a challenge for players of all abilities.

TM1000 Tackles Golf Course Thatch

Michael, who has been in the greenkeeping industry throughout his entire career, has been at Normanby Hall for eleven years. Two years ago, he was promoted to the position of head greenkeeper and one of his first tasks in charge was to tackle an abundance of thatch which had occurred on the greens.

“We established that we had a large layer of thatch on the top of our greens; it was on all of them throughout the whole course. This resulted in some drainage problems and I knew that we desperately needed a new piece of equipment which could help us solve the problem.

“I did a lot of research and came across a number of videos online of greenkeepers using the TM1000. I then read an article about the course manager at Greetham Valley Golf Club using it and what he said about the machine pretty much persuaded me to buy it.”

The SISIS Rotorake TM1000 is a tractor mounted heavy duty scarifier and linear aerator and is un-rivalled when it comes to removing and controlling thatch. It includes a collector box and floating unit to follow ground contours and its contra-rotating reel throws debris forward ensuring a clean, consistent groove resulting in an excellent finish. The TM1000 also features interchangeable blades and a quick, simple depth setting without tools.

The fact that the TM1000 collects debris was a key factor in his decision and also something which was incredibly important to the greenkeeping team according to Michael.

“There were other machines on the market but the ones we looked at didn’t collect. This would mean that you would require two or three guys going behind the machine clearing up.

The hydraulics on the back of the TM1000 means that the operator doesn’t have to keep jumping in and out to empty the grass box – which would be very time consuming. For a small team, if you can get one man to do this job then it is a massive benefit.

TM1000 Tackles Golf Course Thatch

“I also like the fact that the TM1000 can go down to 50mm deep. The SISIS TM1000 runs straight through the turf – like a knife through butter.

“We have found that the time of year doesn’t really matter when it comes to using it. The first time we used the TM1000 was mid-February in winter conditions and we found that it did not phase the machine whatsoever.

“No matter what the weather you can’t even tell that the TM1000 has been across the greens and that has really impressed me. It’s a reliable machine with very little maintenance required.

“Overall it is just a fantastic piece of kit. There has been a big improvement in the greens and our soil samples have proved that the thatch levels have dropped dramatically since using the TM1000.”

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact SISIS on 01332 824 777 or visit www.sisis.com

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow SISIS on Twitter and Instagram @SISISMachinery and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/SISISMachinery. You can also view the latest SISIS videos by visiting www.youtube.com/SISISMachinery

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