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Trilo S3 proves to be silver lining

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Trilo S3 proves to be silver lining: They say that out of adversity, comes opportunity, and that’s exactly how the team at Mount Kelly are approaching a devastating fire that destroyed their equipment store in November 2021.

With a need to replace the entire fleet of machinery, Grounds Manager Mat Stevens says that the purchase of the multi-functional S3 from Trilo has not only saved them buying multiple machines, but halved the workload on some of the sites most time-consuming tasks.

Trilo S3 proves to be silver lining

Trilo S3 proves to be silver lining

“I was actually on my way to SALTEX on the morning that the fire happened” explains Mat, who oversees the 140 acres that make up the college and prep school site alongside a team of nine. “I was trying to make a mental note of everything we’d lost, which included a brush that we used to put on the back of a tractor for leaf and debris clearance. As soon as I arrived at SALTEX, the first stand I stopped on was Trilo and it quickly became evident that an S3 would be a great replacement.”

The ability to equip brush, scarifier and flail shafts makes the Trilo S3 a maintenance machine for all seasons. Featuring powerful vacuum suction and a 3m3 hopper capacity, Mat is quickly discovering the benefits the S3 can bring. “We purchased the S3 along with the additional scarifier cassette, which was delivered by Vincent Tractors in June and since it arrived the team have been nothing but impressed. Its first outing was to clear hedge cuttings from a very hard to reach location, which was no problem whatsoever with the S3’s 6m wanderhose. It halved the time that job would have previously taken.”

Mat is also predicting similar labour-savings when it comes to autumn maintenance. “The Trilo will absolutely transform leaf collection. In other years this would involve four or five people, blowing or brushing the leaves into piles and collecting them by hand. Now it will be two people maximum, collecting leaves and other debris in one pass. We’re also looking forward to scarifying our sports fields which hasn’t previously been feasible with the resources required but now, with the S3, we can really drive to improve the quality of our pitches.”

“It’s like five machines in one and has drastically reduced the amount of money we would have otherwise had to find to replace what we lost.” Not only has Mat been over the moon with the machine, the service that came with the S3 has also been second to none. He adds, “On the day the machine was delivered, Jeremy Vincent from Vanmac spent hours with the team and I going through set-up, and how everything works, even little things like how to clean it after use. The whole process has been faultless from start to finish.”

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STIHL to enhance cordless manufacturing capacity

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STIHL to enhance cordless manufacturing capacity: STIHL Group has unveiled plans for a new €125 million state-of-the-art manufacturing site for electric and cordless power tools, significantly enhancing its battery-powered product manufacturing capacity.

Set for completion in 2024, the new 147,000m2 facility in Oradea, Romania will not only create 500 new jobs in the local area but also expand STIHL Group’s international manufacturing network, strengthening the flexibility and resilience of its supply chains.

STIHL to enhance cordless manufacturing capacity

STIHL to enhance cordless manufacturing capacity

The new manufacturing facility has been designed with lean production in mind and will utilise the latest technology to maximise the productivity, efficiency and sustainability of the plant in line with STIHL Group’s climate and carbon footprint targets. In addition to the production halls, the site will also comprise offices, a cafeteria, and break rooms for employees.

Martin Schwarz, STIHL Executive Board Member for Manufacturing & Materials, said: “Battery-powered products represent the fastest-growing market for STIHL at the present time. We expect demand for these products to continue rising faster than any other category in the years ahead.

“This means that our Tirol plant, which currently manufactures a large portion of our battery-powered range, will one day reach the limits of its space and capacities. The new location in Romania will add to our global manufacturing network and keep us in the best possible position to continue supplying our customers with battery-operated products in the future.”

Today, the STIHL Group has production plants in a total of seven countries: Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the United States, Brazil, China, and the Philippines, with facilities opening soon in China.

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

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Bourne to Ride and ISEKI’s world record

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Bourne to Ride and ISEKI’s world record: Bourne to Ride Charity challenge has beaten the previous record for driving from Lands End to John O Groats on a ride on mower from Iseki.

Travelling at a maximum of 12mph for 880 miles, for 20 hours per day, Bourne to Garden founder, Colin North, driving the ISEKI SF544 ride on mower, has beaten the previous record of 5 days 8 hours from Lands End to John O Groats in 4 days 6 hours and 9 minutes.

Bourne to Ride and ISEKI's world record

Bourne to Ride and ISEKI’s world record

The team including a support van and overnight driver, plus Phil Self as ISEKI technical support, received amazing local and national support on the way and a boost to the fundraising. Colin, Managing Director of Bourne to Garden says “most drivers gave us the thumbs up and giving us friendly toots as they over took us”. During this gruelling journey Colin has stopped for refreshments and showers, battled heavy rain, wrapped up in a duvet to handle sitting and driving in the cold nights. “The toughest part was probably the mosquitoes in Scotland, waves of them hitting my face!” He wrapped up and used goggles to protect himself again. “We also had a loose wheel nut and puncture on the way but were able to sort these on the road side without too many delays”. This exciting tough fundraiser has caught the interest and endorsement from local and national media including Radio 1 & 2. The team have been putting out ‘at the moment’ pictures and video to encourage support and donations locally and nationally.

David Withers from ISEKI UK adds; “It’s been so exciting this week, tracking the guys on the mower, waking up each morning seeing where they have got up to. All the photos and videos they have been sharing from the route has been brilliant, some amazing scenery and some interesting weather at times!  It has been a real team effort to enable this to go ahead with ourselves and Bourne to Garden Ltd.  The machine has performed without any problems whatsoever, we just had one puncture in the whole 876 miles.

Bourne to Ride and ISEKI's world record

Bourne to Ride and ISEKI’s world record

We have donated some money for the charities chosen by Bourne to Garden Ltd and please, if you can, donate something to the three charities they would be incredibly grateful.  All are worthy causes and every penny of the money donated is going straight to the charities….We are Guinness World Record holders!”

To Donate please click https://gofund.me/2e8249e6

For More information about the route go to https://www.iseki.co.uk/bourne-to-ride-iseki-world-record-attempt/

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Measuring up to knapsack calibration

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Measuring up to knapsack calibration: Correctly calibrating liquid spray applications is a keystone of effective spraying.

Doing it right, whether weeding or feeding, is critical to ensure operators deliver concentrations appropriate for the task in hand.

Measuring up to knapsack calibration

Measuring up to knapsack calibration

Giving SAGE delegates the benefit of his considerable experience and knowledge will be training company boss Martin Sampson, who will reveal the secrets of correct calibration at his 6 July presentation, from 12 noon to 12.45.

Approved by SAGE exhibitor and leading industry awarding body Lantra, Martin heads up Grounds Training at a time of soaring demand for spraying qualifications.

“Local authorities, schools, colleges and companies are more aware of the importance of training now,” he says. “If you are spraying, qualifications such as PA1 and PA6 are legal requirements but increasingly we’re seeing organisations wanting to upskill staff to give them the flexibility to spray in house, instead of using contractors.”

Martin’s 45-minute fast-track presentation is “a slice through how to calibrate, why we need it, what can go wrong if we don’t calibrate regularly and the importance of well-maintained kit”.

Jointly presenting with colleague Geraint Jenkins, Martin also covers correct choice of sprayer nozzles and reveals his own method of turning calibration from a maths puzzle to 20 minutes’ work.

Grounds Training delivers a full suite of Lantra-approved grounds and sportsturf management qualifications as well as Lantra customised provision courses that cover line marking, natural and synthetic turf maintenance and maintenance and management of wildflower meadows, ponds and wetlands.

On knapsack training modules, Martin also focuses on ergonomic aspects of spraying to reduce operator body stresses and strains – using a Berthoud Vermorel Pro Comfort 2000 demo unit.

“From a training aspect, it is simple to use and to explain various points about spraying, which include operator comfort. The Vermorel’s back frame and straps distribute the weight of the knapsack and contents in a way that balances the forces on the body. The extendable lance is also helpful for illustrating how to spray safely near water, an increasingly popular course.”

www.lantra.co.uk

www.groundstraining.com

www.berthoud.fr/en/  

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ICL integral to rebuild at Wychwood

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ICL integral to rebuild at Wychwood: Ashley Oakes, Course Manager at Wychwood Golf Club, has explained how an integrated turf management programme from ICL helped him to rebuild the course after an extreme summer drought.

In the summer of 2018 golf clubs faced an unprecedented two-plus months of extremely hot and dry weather. Many courses were left brown, damaged, and susceptible to disease – Wychwood Golf Course, in Weston, Crewe, was no exception.

ICL integral to rebuild at Wychwood

ICL integral to rebuild at Wychwood

“We had so many weeks without any rain, and it is safe to say we got fried,” said Ashley.

“We lost a substantial amount of grass, and it gave us a chance to reassess everything. It was time to hit the default button and restart.”

It was at this point that Ashley got in touch with ICL and he admitted to being instantly impressed by the company’s ‘work ethic and policies.’

Phil Collinson, Technical Area Sales Manager for ICL, visited Ashley shortly after the drought and it wasn’t long before a plan was devised.

“I listened to the challenges that Ashley faced and then put together a bespoke plan to solve those issues,” said Phil. “We identified the correct products and together we sat down to look at all the trial data behind them. When the stakes are so high, Course Managers haven’t got time to gamble. That was certainly the case at Wychwood.”

Ashley claims that it would be difficult to highlight every product in the integrated turf management programme but provided an overview on how some of them have made a difference.

As a wetting agent, he relies on ICL’s H2Pro TriSmart, which he aims to apply at a rate of 10 L/ha once a month from March onwards. It is formulated with three water management surfactant technologies to provide great water penetration, even water spread through the rootzone and to improve the water holding capacity of sandy rootzones.

“We’ve got USGA sand-based greens here and we needed something that would deal with that level of construction,” he said. “TriSmart gives us that consistency throughout the rootzone, it gets rid of that dry patch, and it gives us the required effect for what we want both visually and for the grass. It has also meant that we have irrigated less.

“With such big undulating greens, to get consistency across such large areas I think speaks volumes for the TriSmart technology.”

Once Ashley knew there was a wetting agent in place that would perform, his next focus was to ensure there was a product in the programme that would help to negate any stresses. For this reason, Phil recommended Vitalnova Links – a unique formulation consisting of Vitalnova Blade and Vitalnova SMX.

“We brought Vitalnova Links in to improve the heavily stressed situation on the greens and it helped them to recover,” said Ashley. “We needed the plant to be healthier but not receive the kick that a conventional fertiliser would do. Instead, it helps to reduce stress on the plant and get that health in a natural way. It has worked so well, and we even incorporate this product into our Primo Maxx II growth regulator programme on the greens.”

In terms of a granular fertiliser, Ashley knew exactly what he was looking for during the cooler months of the year.

“I wanted health, vitality, and presentation through the whole year including winter, and this is why we use Greenmaster Pro-Lite Invigorator 4-0-8,” he said.

“Using this product has improved turf quality and performance through the challenging autumn months and helps to drive that recovery growth before we switch to liquids in the summer.

“One thing I have noticed is that in challenging conditions, ICL’s granular fertilisers still work whereas other brands will scorch and cause discolouration. You will never get that with an ICL product.

“Modern greenkeeping puts us in a position where we need to rely on quality products and that is why we continue to use ICL.”

Please contact ICL on 01473 237100 or visit www.icl-sf.co.uk or www.icl-sf.ie if you are in Ireland.

For more news and insightful views, you can follow ICL on Twitter @ICL_Turf

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Why SAGE is not to be missed

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Why SAGE is not to be missed: The Sports & Grounds Expo (SAGE) has been designed to provide an outdoor opportunity for the sports and grounds maintenance industry to showcase their kit and solutions. Many within the industry have a large amount of big kit which does not fit well into indoor environments easily.

The main aim for SAGE is to give exhibitors the space they need with very few limitations, at unbeatable prices. SAGE is the only totally OUTDOOR event for the industry in the UK, and it aims to be inclusive of everyone who shares an interest in the sports and grounds maintenance industry.

Why SAGE is not to be missed

Why SAGE is not to be missed

SAGE gives a vital opportunity for visitors to be able to get “hands on”, each exhibitor has the opportunity to have a demo area located beside their stand totally free of charge, providing an abundance of space. The target is to deliver a resourceful and action-packed experience for both our visitors and exhibitors alike.

The team at SAGE is determined to tackle key issues for the industry head-on. With this in mind, SAGE is proud to be hosting the First Sustainability Summit, which will take place on Wednesday 6th in partnership with Bio-Circle, it will also return on Thursday 7th July for a live Q&A. The summit will be led by experts across the industry and will provide guidance and support on how sustainable solutions can be achieved by businesses across the sports and grounds maintenance industry. The panel and their colleagues will be on hand to deliver tailored options for those looking to adopt processes that are more environmentally friendly.

SAGE is proud to have announced this Spring that it has been named the home event for GRASS; Ground care Resources & Sustainability Solutions. The NEW networking & support forum, which is a FREE to join group that supports all groundscare and other sporting industry sustainability projects, providing free advice and knowledge of sustainable pitch care. To find out more join us as founder of GRASS, Mark Tomlinson, heads up the Sustainability Summit on Wednesday 6th July.

Free Courses & Sessions

On Wednesday 6th July Grounds, we are delighted to announce that Training Grounds Ltd, will be joining SAGE to deliver tailor made courses and sessions to our delegates.

Established in 2006, Grounds Training is a Lantra Approved Training Provider, who provides professional, independently-accredited training to groups of operatives in the workplace. Clients include sports clubs and associations, commercial and non-profit organisations, schools, universities, local authorities, contractors and private estates.

Managing Director Martin Sampson said; “As a training partner we offer clients a complete service, from initial enquiry to certification and beyond, helping Grounds, Course and Estate Managers, HR staff in local authorities and companies of all sizes plan training and competency programmes for their staff teams. We work with a fantastic group of instructors and assessors with an incredibly diverse skillset, enabling us to deliver a broad range of training courses and qualifications.

It’s vital we address the skills shortage in our industry in order to ensure that the nation’s sports and leisure facilities, parks and green spaces have skilled people to maintain them, and that those personnel are able to work confidently, competently and safely.”

Speakers

We have a fantastic host of experts on site, all are well-known in the industry, and we are delighted that they will be joining us over the two days to provide key insights for the future of the industry, as well as practices currently in place.

Scheduled Demonstrations

This year our exhibitors have the opportunity to a timed session within the larger demonstration zones. The session times are scheduled in the visitor programme. See all the latest kit live, and where it belongs, OUTDOORS!

Facilities

  • Onsite Catering Serving Hot Food & Snacks, As Well As A Selection Of Drinks
  • Onsite Shop, For Everything From Sandwiches, Drinks To Essentials Such As Newspapers
  • Restroom Facilities Located Across Site
  • Seating Areas
  • Networking Event With Live Music And Sponsored Bar
  • Free Parking, with hard surface parking designated for motor bikes
  • Disabled Access

Have you registered yet?

If you have not already registered, click here. We do advise pre-registration, however if you prefer just turn up and we will help you register at the main entrance.

Click Here to register for SAGE 2022 today, and be in with your chance to win the Sustainability Starter Kit. On top of this, your ticket entitles you to a free Sustainability Audit in partnership with Bio-Circle, and a huge 10% discount with our show sponsors Fleet Line Markers Ltd.

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GKB infiller heads to South Wales Sports Grounds

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GKB infiller heads to South Wales Sports Grounds: After seeing the machine at SALTEX 2021, South Wales Sports Grounds organised for a demonstration model of the Infiller to be shipped over from GKB HQ on the basis that if they were impressed with it, they’d keep it… and they did!

Adding to a vast and varied fleet of equipment for the construction and maintenance of both natural and artificial surfaces, the GKB Infiller has dramatically improved the speed of infill spreading, whilst retaining the quality of finish.

GKB infiller heads to South Wales Sports Grounds

GKB infiller heads to South Wales Sports Grounds

South Wales Sports Grounds (SWSG) undertake contracts for a range of clients from local authorities to schools and independent sports clubs, everywhere between West Wales and Gloucester. Maintenance Manager Matt Dennison explains how they decided to take a look at the GKB Infiller, after noticing their previous machine was slowing down the process of dispensing and topping-up infill.

“We’re very particular about how we install an artificial/3G pitch, using the best tools and techniques to produce the best results” explains Matt. “We wanted a machine that was simpler to use and that would ultimately make the job quicker and more efficient. As soon as we received the Infiller in December, from our local dealer Hopkins Machinery, it was evident straight away that it ticked all the boxes.”

Suited to all types of infill material, the Infiller provides a quick and accurate spreading solution. The metering valve can be adjusted manually or hydraulically to suit the depth and type of infill required. The specification is completed by a large 3m3 hopper. “One big key point for us is that you can rotate the seat to spread the sand in front of the wheels of travel, ensuring the infill gets down into the fibres before they’re flattened.”

Along with sand, Matt intends to use rubber in the Infiller and indicates that the machine and the team have a busy synthetic season ahead. “So far, it’s done two artificial constructions and is now about to do another.” He concludes, “Because it’s so easy to operate, we’ve now got a number of our operatives trained up with it, who all can’t wait to benefit from the speed and accuracy we can now achieve in getting the job done.”

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Barrus to launch new products at Glee

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Barrus to launch new products at Glee: Barrus will be unveiling a range of over 60 new and exciting products under brands Town & Country, Wilkinson Sword, WOLF-Garten, and Velcro® at this year’s Glee (28-30 June, NEC Birmingham) on stand 20D40-E41.

The Barrus stand will showcase the product innovation and development that continues to take place across the brands, as it enters new areas of the industry and develops engaging customer solutions.

Barrus to launch new products at Glee

Barrus to launch new products at Glee

The unique and interactive stand will invite visitors to explore the vast range through a variety of different zones, including a greenhouse which takes centre stage on the stand, a planting and propagation area, and a Christmas section, to help promote its innovative products and displays, and support the ongoing movement towards sustainable living.

To meet this growing interest in grow your own, and following the successful launch of its Tiered Planters, Town & Country will be showcasing a new variety of products to aid growing and contemporary planting displays. These include a range of planters and troughs that are made from 100% recycled plastic and are 100% recyclable. They are available in both contemporary and beehive shapes and sizes ranging from 6L to 66L, to appeal to a wide range of audiences.

Buyers interested in propagation will be spoilt for choice, with new Grow Bag & Utility Trays, Potting Trays, a Garden Sieve and Electric Greenhouse Heaters on display – a first for the brand. Also new for Town & Country is a range of brooms, brushes, and indoor and outdoor matts. Alongside this will be a new innovative grab rake that helps to clear and collect with one tool for ease and efficiency.

Town & Country will also be showcasing an eye-catching display of the exciting Pluma range, which takes inspiration from feathers to decorate Cloggies, the Lux-Fit Gloves and the Memory Foam Kneeler and a new addition to the range, the Double-Wide Kneeler.

The stand will also be an opportunity for buyers to see first-hand the ever-popular Ultralight range from Wilkinson Sword. Its newly developed long reach pruner will be a highlight, allowing longer productivity and making pruning those awkward areas easier by using a rotating body and cutting head. Also on the stand will be a new collection of pruner gift sets.

WOLF-Garten will be showcasing its multi-change range as it celebrates its 100th year, and two new hedge shears – Box Tree Shears for shaping and Traditional Hedge Shears.

The Velcro® brand will be showing off its new range of garage and storage solutions, including ties, straps and fasteners, to keep these often cluttered areas neat, tidy and organised.

Mark Hewett, divisional sales manager, commented: ‘We’re excited to speak to visitors to Glee about these exciting innovations and developments for the Barrus brands. Following the success of our Tiered Planters, we’re looking forward to further exploring this new sector of the gardening world with Town & Country, having long been established in the footwear and gloves segment.’

Full details of all new product ranges will be available on the stand (20D40-E41).

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All signs point to Agrovista Amenity

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All signs point to Agrovista Amenity: From fertilisers to furniture, advice to analysis – Truro Golf Club claims that Agrovista Amenity is one of its most trusted suppliers.

Located in the Cornish countryside, this 18-hole, par 67 parkland course stretches a total of 5,372 yards. It is a tight course with surprising slopes which presents a challenging test for low handicap players and enjoyable golf for all.

All signs point to Agrovista Amenity

All signs point to Agrovista Amenity

Head Greenkeeper Dominic Gibbard, who oversees the greenkeeping team, is proud of Truro’s thriving membership and claims that two-way relationships with reputable suppliers, such as Agrovista Amenity, are essential.

“David Bevan, (Amenity Specialist for Agrovista Amenity) is one of my most trusted reps because I know he has been there and done it,” he said. “He’s worked on some very good golf courses around the UK and in Europe, and whenever I have a question or have any ideas, he is usually the first guy I talk to. He always gives me impartial advice and I respect this approach.”

Therefore, when Dominic thought that the time had come to upgrade Truro’s course signs, he enlisted the help of David.

“Course furniture is so important, because they offer nice, finishing touches around the course,” said Dominic. “Golfers notice things like signs and benches, so we have taken our time to really find the right product.”

Immediately David got in touch with British Manufacturing Solutions (BMS), which is a family run business specialising in professional golf course products, signage, flags and more. David arranged for some samples to be sent down to Truro Golf Club and Dominic opted for signs from BMS’ Noroko range

Unlike real wood, Noroko from BMS, never needs treatment or painting. Made from recycled plastic it is UV resistant so the authentic alternative wood-like look will remain for many years. Furthermore, Noroko is able to withstand any weather or temperature change.

“We’ve got a sign on each tee, and we’ve also got the matching tee markers,” said Dominic. “They are durable and really set the course off. We have had lots of great comments from the members.

“It is another integral product David has recommended.”

Dominic singled out four of these integral products for praise: E² PRO phosrite – a liquid fertiliser, Bullet Recharge – a sustainably sourced, zinc, manganese, copper and sulphur fertiliser recovered from recycled alkaline batteries; Humimax – a liquid humate product derived from a naturally occurring source and Biomass Sugar – a product which stimulates growth of both leaf and root.

“I normally use E² PRO phosrite and Bullett Recharge after my autumn maintenance and these would be applied monthly until the end of February. These two products have helped to harden the plant through winter and have significantly supressed disease which we have always been susceptible to. I like the fact that the Bullett Recharge is made from recycled batteries, which is environmentally friendly and is something we are trying to do more at Truro Golf Club.

“Our soil analysis results have shown a rise in some of the trace elements that these products have helped to introduce. These are making the plant stronger and healthier, and there is a very decent colour too.

“In the summer, we really like the Humimax and Biomass Sugar because they support my use of compost teas and biology,” continued Dominic. “These two products, which we apply from April through to September, are good building blocks that give the plant energy.

“From the Biomass Sugar and the Humimax we’ve seen better root development; better root mass and the plant is more resilient to drought. I see a real noticeable boost to the plant as soon as I start using these in the spring.

“The results prove these products are working on our site. It really is the full package we get from David and Agrovista Amenity.”

For more information about Agrovista UK, visit www.agrovista.co.uk/amenity

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TriSmart technology takes Fairhaven to another level

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TriSmart technology takes Fairhaven to another level: The Course Manager at Fairhaven Golf Club claims that the advanced technology behind ICL’s H2Pro TriSmart wetting agent, has worked wonders on the dry, sand dominated course.

For nineteen years Joe Barnes has been progressing through the greenkeeping industry. In 2021, he saw an opportunity to become a Course Manager, but it had to match his ambitions.

TriSmart technology takes Fairhaven to another level

TriSmart technology takes Fairhaven to another level

“I wanted to be a Course Manager, but I wanted to maintain a level of greenkeeping that I had been used to and I felt that I would be able to achieve that at Fairhaven Golf Club,” he said. “The club is well placed within the rankings, has a thriving membership, and can provide me with the tools required to do the job.

“My aim is to take Fairhaven to the next level.”

Joe was offered the job at the start of 2021 but had to work a three-month notice period before starting at Fairhaven. In starting work at such a crucial period in the greenkeeping calendar, Joe felt it was important to hit the ground running.

“In my first year I wanted products that I could trust completely,” he said. “I felt that ICL were leading the way in terms of products, innovation, and research. I have always found that no other brand gives the end user as much information about their products. That is what really drew me towards them.

“When I first started, I sent Phil Collinson (North West Key Account Manager for ICL), my ideas behind what I wanted to achieve, what I wanted to use and where I wanted to use them. Phil then started working behind the scenes and sent me back a full planner including products he felt would deliver what I set out.”

Fairhaven Golf Course has all the characteristics of a traditional links course and being a sand dominated course can make moisture management particularly challenging. Therefore, one such product which Joe reported excellent results from using was H2Pro TriSmart which is a high-quality wetter and water conservation agent. It is formulated with three water management surfactant technologies to provide great water penetration, even water spread through the rootzone and to improve the water holding capacity of sandy rootzones.

Joe had previous experience of using the product as he explained.

“At my last course, we were using a wetting agent from another brand, and I felt that the technology was slightly showing its age. We had a particularly bad season where it didn’t perform – so we switched to ICL’s H2Pro TriSmart. I saw first-hand the improvements it made and so it was a no-brainer for me to use it here.”

Joe and his team apply TriSmart monthly on the greens and tees through the growing season but must work with Mother Nature when it comes to applying it on the fairways.

“It is a very strong product in terms of helping me maintain consistent moisture levels across the surfaces and we don’t see greens showing localised dry spot,” he said. “I also like the varying application rates that we can use. Generally, we start with a low application rate of 10 L/ha, but if I feel like I need to put a bit more on then I’ve got no qualms in going up to 20 litres.

“On fairways we rely on rainfall,” he continued. “We are not blessed with fairway irrigation, so we must wait on a weather window that allows us to apply TriSmart when the rain is coming.

“The technology behind the product is excellent – it really is a premium wetting agent, but you have come to expect that from ICL.

“Everyone I speak to says the same. As well as Phil you have the likes of Henry Bechelet and Dr Andy Owen, who are driving forward some great research. Providing all this data for everyone to see just gives you even more confidence in the products.”

Please contact ICL on 01473 237100 or visit www.icl-sf.co.uk or www.icl-sf.ie if you are in Ireland.

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