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Greenkeepers granted access to career-defining training

Greenkeepers granted access to career-defining training: The British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) and turf machinery manufacturer Jacobsen have revealed the 20 ambitious association members who will form the Future Turf Managers Initiative (FTMI) Class of 2023.

Each year FTMI co-founders BIGGA and Jacobsen invite 20 up-and-coming association members to participate in the intensive training programme, which has been credited with developing some of the greenkeeping industry’s most influential course managers and head greenkeepers.

Greenkeepers granted access to career-defining training

Greenkeepers granted access to career-defining training

FTMI was first hosted in 2013 as a two-day education event and since then has expanded around the world, with similar schemes being introduced in Spain, Portugal, Australia and New Zealand. The event is aimed at up-and-coming greenkeepers who are not yet in course manager or head greenkeeper positions. Focusing on personal and professional development, rather than agronomy-based subjects, FTMI utilises the expertise of leading course managers, dynamic trainers and industry experts to mentor and educate the next generation of industry leaders.

The members of the FTMI Class of 2023 are:

  • Jack Ashall, Knowle Golf Club
  • Will Barnes, The Berkshire Golf Club
  • Kevin Butcher, Walton Heath Golf Club
  • Dan Fisher, North Foreland Golf Club
  • Jack Hall, Northampton Golf Club
  • Oliver Kirk, Bury St Edmunds Golf Club
  • Stephen Mancini, Prestwick Golf Club
  • Christopher Naughton, The Gleneagles Hotel
  • George Nock, Enville Golf Club
  • Scott Patrick, R&A Lethamhill Golf Course
  • Aaron Peacock, Horsham Golf & Fitness
  • Levi Pethick, Stoneham Golf Club
  • Samuel Richards, Sherborne Golf Club
  • Michael Sparke, King’s Hill Golf Club
  • Shane Stannard, Aldeburgh Golf Club
  • Craig Swindells, Chipping Sodbury Golf Club
  • Nicholas Thorley, Saunton Golf Club
  • James Walker, St Andrews Links Trust
  • Jack Wellings, JCB Golf and Country Club
  • Bradley White, Wentworth Club

Sam Evans MG was previously an FTMI graduate and now mentors on the initiative. The course manager at North Hants Golf Club, he said: “FTMI is a great way of proving to the industry that you want to kick on and that you realise it’s not going to be put on a plate for you. Everyone wants to help each other out and that’s one of the reasons I enjoy being a mentor. Hopefully, a few years down the line some of these guys will be mentors themselves.”

Adam Underwood, international marketing manager for Jacobsen, said: “Jacobsen values the Future Turf Managers Initiative as the pinnacle of our commitment to the industry. We understand the challenges our customers face and to support them with learning and development on training outside of agronomy is very important to us. Our thanks go to BIGGA and the team, without whom the FTMI would not be possible.”

Head to the BIGGA website for more information about FTMI and for a closer look at the class of 2023.

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Campey brings leading quality to Sage

Campey brings leading quality to Sage: Campey Turf Care Systems has prepared a 16-strong machinery fleet for Sage 2023 that delivers industry-leading quality across every turf maintenance discipline, including aeration, top dressing, seeding and utility vehicles.

Across the 19th and 20 July 2023, the Sports & Grounds Expo will deliver two days of hands-on action and live demonstrations at the Three Counties Showground, Malvern, and Campey’s fleet will be leading the way on performance and quality.

Campey brings leading quality to Sage

Campey brings leading quality to Sage

Established industry favourites such as the Campey Unirake, Dakota 310, and ShockWave 160 will be joined by the latest innovations including the new Bellonmit BM40 professional scarifier with fixed blade collection. The high-performance rotor guarantees excellent work in all conditions, even when the cutting edge of the blade is not in optimal condition. In addition, the collector with hydraulic discharge on the ground allows the material removed from the ground to be collected in a single pass. The high ventilation created by the rotor allows it to be used also as a leaf vacuum.

Weighing less than 700kg and fitted with Cat I and Cat II hitch, the Campey TDS2 is designed to deliver a sub-surface shattering effect quickly and effectively with minimum surface disturbance. This creates fissures for grass roots to grow into, allows excess water to drain and links up existing drainage, all without the need for external hydraulics or PTO.

Performance and versatility are huge attributes in the Campey range and feature in the Martin Lishman MC120 micro sprayer. The key aim of the Micro-Spray is to bring versatility to the turf professionals’ armoury. A narrow footprint allows it to fit through most gateways and passageways to tackle hard-to-reach spraying areas.

With a 120-litre tank, the option of a 2.5m six nozzle or 3.5m eight nozzle three-section folding boom and the perfect combination of power, control and responsive handling, the Micro-Spray is suited to all types of sports grounds, golf courses and landscaping work.

Whether it’s all-electric mowing, brushing and weed management with the AllTrec, tree management with the Mini Rotoknife or site transport using the Clubcar 1500, Campey will have options for every turf professional at the Three Counties Showground.

Campey’s team of product experts will complete the line up on stand, who can advise on the best solutions for your turf issues.

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DLF Didbrook to host the UK Lawn Care Association

DLF Didbrook to host the UK Lawn Care Association: Leading global seed breeders DLF are pleased to be playing host to the last event in a packed summer season of seminars and events for the UK Lawn Care Association (UKLCA).

Open to members, the visit to the trial plots and research facility at Hailes Farm, Didbrook, will take place on Tuesday 11th July with only a limited number of spaces remaining.

DLF Didbrook to host the UK Lawn Care Association

DLF Didbrook to host the UK Lawn Care Association

Hailes Farm has been home to research and development across the amenity, forage and agricultural breeding programme for more than 40 years. With cutting-edge technology, the facility has been deemed a centre of excellency for the trialling and evaluation of grass species in the UK – leading to the emergence of a number of high-performance varieties, used at topflight amenity venues at home and around the world.

In their capacity as sponsors of the UKLCA, DLF will be opening the gates to Hailes Farm next month for members to learn first-hand the science behind some of the most popular lawn mixtures and grass varieties. Following an introduction to DLF, visitors can look forward to a session on grass identification, an overview of the complex breeding processes and tips for optimising usage of the BSPB grass seed guide. Guests will then be given a tour of the trial plots to see some of the latest work and emerging trends in the world of grass seed.

“We are delighted to provide an opportunity to our members to develop their knowledge and understanding of grass science and technology- and where better to do that, than at DLF” comments Tom Arnold, Chairman of the UK Lawn Care Association. “The chance to visit facilities as established as DLF Didbrook are rare so it’s brilliant to be able to host this event with them and thank them for their continued support of those working hard in the UK lawncare sector.”

Numbers are limited, but those interested in attending or who would like further information should get in touch via the UKLCA website – www.uklawncare.net

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Redexim return to SAGE 2023!

Redexim return to SAGE 2023!: Redexim UK are delighted to be returning to the Sports and Grounds Expo this July, with a showcase of maintenance equipment that is critical to delivering first-class sports surfaces.

Beside their iconic Verti-Drain 2519 which continues to set the benchmark for professional aeration, stands 8 and 8D will be home to a host of other Redexim innovations including the Turf Tidy and 6m wide Top-Brush.

Redexim return to SAGE 2023!

Redexim return to SAGE 2023!

Proving that multi-purpose doesn’t have to mean a compromise in performance, the Redexim Turf Tidy combines de-thatching, flail cutting or sweeping with collection in a single pass. It is designed with a fully floating head that follows the grounds’ contours ensuring clean and even pick-up of clippings, thatch and other debris making it ideal for a wide range of applications.

Speed and efficiency are also at the heart of the Top-Brush 6000 – comprised of three poly brushes which can be accurately set to a desired working depth for dew clearance, worm cast dispersal or simply enhancing presentation of large areas such as golf fairways or sports pitches. Brushes can be set to rotate or contra-rotate to the direction of travel and, once the job is done, the ‘wings’ can be hydraulically lifted and folded for convenient transportation and storage.

Also on show will be the popular Rink DS800 topdresser and the 1575 Overseeder 3D. The Overseeder 3D is one of a number of disc seeders available from the Redexim range, offering an accurate seed delivery mechanism for precision placement and optimal conditions for germination. The Overseeder 3D is also one of the qualifying models for the current Redexim seed promotion, running in conjunction with Origin Amenity Solutions (OAS). To help facilities combat the rising costs associated with overseeding, anybody who purchases a qualifying seeder through a Redexim Regional Partner until September can receive a redeemable voucher for £500 of seed from OAS’s new Carbon4Grass range.

More information on the promotion or products from across the Redexim range can be found by speaking to the technical team at SAGE, on the 19th and 20th July at The Three Counties Showground, Malvern.

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Guernsey States Works switch to TinyLineMarker Pro X

Guernsey States Works switch to TinyLineMarker Pro X: At the end of February 2023, Origin Amenity Solutions delivered their latest GPS guided robotic line marking machine, the TinyLineMarker (TLM) Pro X, to the States Works Propagation Unit in Guernsey.

Richard Langmead manages the Land Management section of States Works, where the team carry out grounds maintenance predominantly for States of Guernsey local Government which includes maintaining school grounds, parks and gardens, social housing, coastal areas, and cliff paths, as well as health properties including the main hospital.

Guernsey States Works switch to TinyLineMarker Pro X

Guernsey States Works switch to TinyLineMarker Pro X

 

Richard comments, “The primary use for the line marker will be to mark out sports pitches on our education sites. We will also be offering a service to other sports clubs on the island. My team used to mark out by hand using a manual line marking machine but this is time consuming and as our workload has grown so has the requirement for us to be faster and more efficient.  I decided to purchase the TLM Pro X robot for many reasons but mainly the efficiencies the robot will give us.”

Tiny Mobile Robots is marketed and distributed exclusively in the UK by Origin Amenity Solutions which brings together four leading industry names – Headland Amenity, Rigby Taylor, TurfKeeper.com and Symbio.

Packed with a range of brand-new innovative features, the TLM Pro X is an exciting new GPS robot designed to make line marking projects as streamlined and effortless as possible.

Richard adds, “As a business we were looking at ways to do tasks more efficiently and are always looking at technology to try and help with this. We came across the TLM Pro X on the internet. The potential cost savings on labour and the ability to have a pitch marking service that we could offer to other sports clubs on the island did appeal and fitted in with our business plans.”

“We have only just started using the robot, but it has already made the initial marking of the pitches much more efficient, and we certainly expect to see the savings in labour costs going forward.”

The TLM Pro X easily manages line marking from start to finish, whether it’s initial marking or overmarking. The robot runs on the ultra-reliable RTK (Real-Time Kinematic) network which means it doesn’t need a base station like some robots use. The robot will mark or remark  the pitch in the correct location every time, even if previous lines have disappeared. Once set up it incredibly simple to use and very reliable.

The TLM Pro X has over 200 customisable pitch templates which include sports pitches, athletic tracks, and parking.  “The ability to quickly and accurately mark out various pitch templates is a fantastic benefit to us.” Richard adds.

A popular new feature of the TLM Pro X is the multi-select tool and Richard agrees that it gives a “noticeable time saving.”  This tool gives users the ability to queue up multiple pitches to be marked out in a specific order of their choosing. The robot will then mark out the designated areas without having to recalibrate the robot each time. To help avoid problems, the robot displays the route it will take to mark out all queued pitches, so the user can ensure that the path is clear of obstructions for a seamless line marking project. As a part of this feature, the robot also gives an estimated time of completion as well as the distance to drive so users know when they can expect their project to be completed.

Working hand in hand with the Multi-Select Tool, the Low Paint Alert feature ensures no time is wasted due to running low on paint when sending the TLM Pro X off to mark multiple pitches in succession. When the robot is running low on paint, an automatic alert is sent to the user’s hand-held tablet notifying paint level is low. In addition, the robot will also send an alert if there is blockage which is preventing the robot from marking. “A simple yet time saving feature that is going to be incredibly useful to us” comments Richard.” “It means my team can carry out other jobs nearby while the robot does it thing, making us more productive and efficient. We don’t need to waste time monitoring the robot closely but are aware immediately when the paint is low, and we can top up before it runs out.”

The Origin Amenity Solutions team offer onsite training, maintenance, and general advice. Richards concludes by saying, “The communication with Simon Hughes and Glen Howard from Origin Amenity Solutions has been excellent, from the initial inquiry, right through to the training once we had purchased the robot, technical support is only a phone call away which is reassuring.”

Free demonstrations are being offered across the UK.  To book or enquire visit https://tinymobilerobots.com/tinymobilerobots-uk/

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