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South Staffs build ‘fleet for the future’

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South Staffs build ‘fleet for the future’: South Staffordshire Golf Club are busy equipping themselves with a machinery fleet that’s fit for the challenges of the future – and for that, they’ve chosen Redexim.

Whether it’s managing increased rainfall, or disease and pest control in an era with fewer chemical treatments, the greenkeeping team are well placed to tackle the issues head on with a range of machines from across Redexim’s aeration, overseeding, scarification and brushing portfolio.

South Staffs build ‘fleet for the future'

South Staffs build ‘fleet for the future’

While Paul Law has been at the club for the last eight years, and Course Manager for the last four, the club’s history with Redexim dates back much further! “We’ve got Verti-Drains in the shed which are close to 30 years old, that are still playing an active role in our annual maintenance” Paul says. No strangers to the Redexim build quality and in-field performance, he says they’ve been the first port of call now that maintenance requirements are changing.

“This year has been incredibly wet, so drainage works have been top of the priority list.” Complementing the Verti-Drains, Pauls most recent purchase is a linear aerator in the form of the Redexim Verti-Quake® 2516. “We tried one of these on demonstration last year, on a particularly compacted area where we had no drainage whatsoever. It was incredible! It’s no exaggeration to say that this machine is set to transform our drainage.”

“At the opposite end of the spectrum, when we’ve had periods of drought, it’s again been Redexim that has come to the rescue. We’ve been employing the services of our Overseeder 1275 to incorporate more tolerant species into our surfaces, and maintaining presentation during those really high-pressure periods with the Redexim Top-Brush.”

Paul continues, “The 6m Top-Brush has become one of our most important pieces of equipment. We’ve had it since 2022 and it’s blown us away with how many applications we’ve found for it. We’ve been removing organic matter from the fairways, delivering incredible presentation through the winter with it, as well as clearing dew and dispersing worm casts to improve plant health and playability.”

Further work to remove organic matter has been conducted using the Redexim Verti-Cut, which was delivered in early 2024. “We’ve worked hard to reduce OM over the last four years, and with the Verti-Cut bringing new speed and efficiency to the task, we’ll be able to continue this on the greens and other areas of the course.”

The loyalty to Redexim and belief in the product, is equalled by the trust and quality of partnership established with local dealers Charlies Ag & Turf. “I’ve known Matt Lewis from Charlies for a long time and he and the whole team have always gone above and beyond to support us over the years.” He adds, “It’s great to know we have both the equipment and the advice to help us face whatever challenges lay ahead!”

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Toro guarding the resource at Royal County Down

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Toro guarding the resource at Royal County Down: Delivery met expectations, when Toro, Reesink Hydro-Scapes, Adrian Mortram Associates and MJ Abbott Limited united to provide Royal County Down Golf Club with a new system to redefine the areas of irrigation and act as a guardian of the resource in a project about as big as it gets in the UK.

The preservation of the traditional links conditions of Royal County Down in Northern Ireland is of paramount importance to Links Manager Eamonn Crawford and his team, who adhere to a strict links maintenance programme.

Toro guarding the resource at Royal County Down

Toro guarding the resource at Royal County Down

The club needed an efficient state-of-the-art irrigation system for its fairways, greens, tees, and pathways to be used as a management tool and in times of drought. More control over application and better management of the resource was needed, and it was important to use water conservatively, only irrigating the surfaces required.

David Morgan, Secretary at Royal County Down, says: “We have a social responsibility to manage our water usage, as well as an obligation to the course and our members to present it as a traditional links course. This requires a certain level of irrigation control and precision to keep it alive but not green.”

Eamonn and David had done their due diligence in terms of brand comparisons before specialist irrigation designer and consultant, Adrian Mortram from Adrian Mortram Associates, tendered for the project and Adrian was instructed to gear the irrigation system specification plans entirely towards Toro.

“Having the best technology and resources available is essential to ensure we deliver our links maintenance programme effectively and efficiently and to the best of our capabilities,” says Eamonn. “There was never any doubt that Toro and Reesink were the partners for us in that respect.”

Toro Lynx Central Control system and Smart Hub were specified and Robert Jackson, Divisional Manager, Reesink Hydro-Scapes, explains this provided Eamonn “with all the data needed to make decisions in real-time and run the system with precision from the first sprinkler to the last, controlling the application of water on different areas with different conditions and requirements.”

Toro Infinity and Flex sprinklers were chosen to provide accurate and precise watering from the source and installation ran simultaneously on both 18-hole courses over winter 2023, the wettest season and hardest winter in 25 years. The effects of this on working conditions for the installation teams were not to be underestimated, especially when adding the terrain of a links course to the situation.

But that didn’t affect delivery as David says: “Overall delivery met expectations. All parties came together seamlessly to deliver Royal County Down with an irrigation solution to the budget and timescale set.”

This system, its design and installation are a classic example of how to redefine the areas of irrigation to act as a guardian of the resource. Through technology, the club has increased its area of irrigation but uses less water and wetting agents and now water can be retained in the low structure of the course.

“Now, we have full control in managing the system and water application,” says Eamonn. “There’s no wastage and we only use what is needed where it’s needed. Irrigation really is made easy with Toro and this is the best system at this time and the process has been well worth it.”

Jim Price from MJ Abbott Limited concludes: “This is now a fully connected course in real-time. To deliver a project of this magnitude in those conditions on time is a huge success story.”

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Avant 225 is the Perfect Workhorse

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Avant 225 is the Perfect Workhorse: For Jeff Clark, maintaining his acre-and-a-half property in rural North Wales has become significantly easier thanks to the Avant 225 compact loader.

Jeff, who has some woodland, and a main field to maintain, has found the perfect solution in this versatile machine.

Jeff has extensive experience with various types of equipment, often testing new machinery for manufacturers. Initially, he sought a ride-on mower but soon realised he needed something more versatile. “I went to Clwyd Agricultural looking for a flail mower to attach to my ride-on, but I saw the Avant and thought it looked interesting,” Jeff says. After some consideration and a test drive, Jeff traded his ride-on mower for the Avant 225, along with various attachments for it.

“I needed a machine that could mow, tow a trailer, and help me move things around the garden,” Jeff explains. “I’m 76, not getting any younger, and not as strong as I used to be. The Avant seemed to be the perfect machine to help me. It’s invaluable and well worth the money we invested. The bucket on the front is large and versatile; you can even mix cement in it, which I’ve found very useful.”

One of the standout features for Jeff is the quick-release coupling for changing attachments. “The changeover of attachments is very quick. A quick flick of a lever and there’s no effort involved,” he says.

The Avant 225’s versatility shines through in various tasks. “I’ve planted apple trees with the mini digger attachment. Rather than spending hours digging a hole, it’s done in five minutes,” Jeff explains. “The 1500 out-front mower attachment does an extremely good job, and the adjustable height of cut is perfect for the different areas we have here.”

Jeff also utilised the Avant 225 for a significant project on his driveway. “The front drive was covered in pebbles, and I didn’t want to lose them when I had it tarmacked. The Avant picked up 8 tonnes of pebbles, which I’ve since used around raised beds and paths. The machine has probably paid for itself already.”

For Jeff, the best feature of the Avant 225 is its versatility. “It does everything I want – it carries weights, pulls the trailer, and carries most things in the bucket up and down the garden. I even use it to pull trees from the woodland area with a rope. It’s a muscle saver and works really well. I don’t think I could do without it.”

“The joystick is easy to use, and the seat warmer is fantastic in the winter,” he adds.

The Avant 225’s impressive capabilities include a 1.4m lift height, 350kg lift capacity, 10 km/h speed, and 42 L/min auxiliary hydraulics. Easy to transport with a car trailer, it’s a powerful and versatile compact loader despite its small size. The articulated design and hydraulic 4×4 transmission are similar to larger Avant models, ensuring efficient operation with excellent visibility and easy-to-use controls.

As well as being impressed with the machine Jeff praised Clwyd Agricultural, the local dealer, for their excellent service and support. “They are lovely people, easy to deal with, and very helpful,” he notes.

Overall, the Avant 225 compact loader has proven to be the ideal workhorse for Jeff Clark, providing the versatility and efficiency needed to maintain his land with ease.

For more information, please visit www.avant.co.uk

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Reaping the rewards of renovations by AMS

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Reaping the rewards of renovations by AMS: AMS Contractors have been praised for their role in a multi-year project to improve the quality of the sports surfaces at St Mary’s University in Twickenham.

The team visited in early 2024 to re-grade and fully renovate the second of three football pitches at their Teddington Lock Sports Campus, where the university are still reaping the rewards of last year’s renovation work with enhanced pitch appearance and performance.

Reaping the rewards of renovations by AMS

Reaping the rewards of renovations by AMS

Overseeing the 30-acre campus, which includes sports pitches, athletics facilities and amenity areas is Grounds Manager David Ember. He explains that a combination of location and high usage is driving the current facility improvement programme. “The three football pitches, rugby pitch and practice facilities operate at over 90% capacity with mid-week games, as well as fixtures at the weekend for commercial and community teams. With a number of local clubs already calling Teddington their home, and other notable venues like The Lensbury nearby, we felt the time was right to invest in our surfaces.”

David spoke with AMS Contractors who undertook the first phase of the works in April 2023. “They did a pitch levelling operation which involved fraise mowing the top of the surface off, power-harrowing, dressing, raking and levelling the surface before re-seeding and beginning the feeding programme. The whole project went swimmingly and, with a little help from mother nature, the results were fantastic!”

“Come the end of the season, the pitch had withstood the pressures of the high wear – even the goal mouths, which tend to be the telltale areas, had retained coverage.”

With one pitch renovated, AMS returned at the end of April 2024 to commence works on the next. “This pitch had always been problematic with significant undulations and steep hollows which risked injury to the players. The process was similar to that conducted previously, with the addition of laser-grading to ensure we achieved optimal, pin-point accuracy with the flattening and finishing.”

Though the weather wasn’t as kind this time around, it didn’t dampen spirits… or results! “AMS had three operatives on site every day, including Myles Strange who was involved in every stage of the project and still checks in regularly to make sure everything is on track.” David adds, “When you see the team arrive on site, with quality equipment that looks well maintained it all helps to instil confidence in what will be achieved. What was really appreciated was AMS’ willingness to juggle their schedule to get our job done at the right time, in the right conditions. This undoubtedly helped the end result, which is fantastic once again.”

“We’re now find ourselves in a position where the quality of the pitches is better than the infrastructure we have to support them, so reviewing things like our irrigation systems is the next step. We’ll then speak with AMS again about bringing similar improvements to the rest of the surfaces on the site.”

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GroundsFest Wins Trade Show of the Year

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GroundsFest Wins Trade Show of the Year: The recently held Exhibition News Indy Awards recognised GroundsFest 2023 in an extraordinary way, awarding it both the Best Independent Trade Show Launch and the prestigious Trade Show of the Year.

These honours celebrate the innovation and unique character that GroundsFest has brought to the industry, standing out among top-tier independent trade shows across Europe and beyond.

GroundsFest Wins Trade Show of the Year

GroundsFest Wins Trade Show of the Year

GroundsFest made waves by introducing a new experience to the industry—a blend of live machinery demos, indoor exhibits, free LANTRA-approved training, and even a live music festival, all at a highly accessible event designed to attract professionals from grounds management to landscaping.

Judges were impressed with GroundsFest’s fresh approach, noting how it has “modernised the grounds care and landscaping sector with an inclusive and fun festival atmosphere” and describing it as a “well-overdue shake-up” in live industry events. They commended GroundsFest’s dedication to the community, with one judge remarking, “There is a real drive to do something different and provide value to the market. Admirable that profits are reinvested into the industry.” Another judge celebrated GroundsFest’s engaging format: “Bringing an industry to life is what events are about, and this event has pulled it off in a superb way.”

Reflecting on the award, Event Director Christopher Bassett expressed his gratitude for the double award win. “We’re truly honoured to receive these awards, especially considering the calibre of trade shows we were up against. GroundsFest was a vision we built from the ground up, and to have it recognised at this level is beyond what we expected.”

GroundsFest offers a fresh approach to trade shows within the grounds management and landscaping industries, inviting attendees to engage with the latest equipment in action while providing an array of exhibitor stands, interactive sessions, and live entertainment.

The success of its inaugural event has propelled GroundsFest to continue pushing boundaries. The event’s future aims not only to attract an even broader audience but to further solidify its role as a game-changer in the industry. With a commitment to community and a focus on delivering real value to exhibitors and visitors alike, GroundsFest is primed for continued growth.

“We’re beyond thankful to our incredible exhibitors, visitors, partners, and suppliers for making this possible. GroundsFest is a real team effort, and this win is for all of you,” Christopher added.

For more information, please visit www.groundsfest.com

You can also follow GroundsFest on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @GroundsFest for much more news, reviews and insightful views.

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