The role of the greenkeeper / groundsman is constantly changing, especially in recent years with the advancement and better understanding of the science and biology of nature. More and more turf professionals are becoming interested and more aware of the benefits of collecting and recording data about their facilities. Since completing my Master’s degree at Cranfield University, I myself now have a better understanding of relationships between plants soil and water.

Last week I took the opportunity to attend one of the popular STRI Research open days at their Bingley research centre, where several leading companies were on hand to tell us of their latest developments and trials of new products and services.

At Bingley the STRI manages multiple research projects and product trials each year, designed specifically to suit each individual sports surface. Their knowledge and expertise is founded on more than 80 years of dedicated research into improving the playing qualities of sports surfaces all over the world.

STRI works with a number of companies each year on Research & Development projects for the sports turf industry and had invited a selection of these companies to support this event, based on their current focus on research and their investment to help improve the future quality and management of sports turf.

The companies attending and supporting this year’s event were Airter, Aquatrols, Bayer, Headland Amenity, ICL, Sherriff Amenity and Syngenta.

There were seven separate demo areas called ‘stations’, which focused on individual products, techniques and/or machinery that have been developed to support the effective management of sports turf.

Attending the day were over 150 grounds professionals representing a plethora of sporting facilities, each of which were put in groups of around 15-20 and sent around the seven company stations during the day.

The day began with a welcome from Ruth Mann who said, “STRI Research Days are an excellent way to gain insight into the latest developments and thinking on tackling current and future turf management issues.

“STRI Research Days offer turf managers a unique opportunity to network with, not only fellow turf managers, but to view and discuss the latest developments in turf maintenance with turfgrass scientists and industry professionals. This is reflected in feedback from previous events, where those attending have valued learning about what is new and upcoming in our industry and to have an opportunity to discuss these ideas.”

STATION A AIRTER :-airter® light 14160 by NOVOKRAFT Ltd, Switzerland. Introducing the world’s first continuous pneumatic soil loosening machine, airter®, which improves soil structure and plant health immediately and sustainably.

We are all aware of the problems compacted soils cause and in recent years we have seen a steady stream of new pneumatic / compressed air soil relievers coming to market, however this one has only recently come into the country via the sports turf contractor Fineturf. We were show around the machine and had the chance to see it working, the makers claim that the world’s first continuous pneumatic soil loosening machine airter® improves soil structure and plant health immediately and sustainably. Using an array of different length tines gives the machine the flexibility to inject air into the rootzone at depths between 75mm- 275mm.

The machine also allows you to vary the air pressure between 2-9 bar. With a number of these machines being widely used in Europe in sports stadiums and golf courses, the makers also claim they have witnessed some additional benefits from the use of this machine in terms of controlling chafer grubs. It would seem the blast of air kills any grubs within the operating depth.

The machine has been well thought out and provides us with another tool in the armoury to decompact soils at depth. I’m not quite sure though whether it has the durability to cope with aerating stoney soil.

Field of application: Golf (greens and fairways), football, rugby, cricket, American football, baseball, horse sports and much more.

Our next station was STATION B ICL & SYNGENTA :-The science of ITM solutions. Presenting the results of new Integrated Turf Management (ITM) research and how this is providing practical solutions for greenkeepers and sports turf managers to create consistently better turf surfaces.

ICL Technical Manager, Henry Bechelet and Syngenta Technical Manager, Glenn Kirby, the dynamic duo, gave us a fascinating talk on the research and results they found after a series of ITM trials at Bingley.

New tools and techniques have been proven to enhance turf health and minimise the effects of stress. Key learnings from STRI ITM trials include:

• The importance of nutrition for maintaining plant health
• Pre-stress conditioning to aid fast recovery
• Managing light for season long growth
• The positive influence of moisture management, including dew dispersants and wetting agents

Both ICL and Syngenta invest heavily in science R&D to fully understand the workings of any new products. Now, ITM research ensures they can be used in the most effective and practical ways, alongside other turf management techniques.

This was clearly demonstrated with a series of graphs shown on the stand.

Each component on its own can help slow the rate of development of disease, but when used together as part of good ITM practice, the combined affects achieve a greater significant overall reduction in disease activity and ensure the best possible results from every fungicide application.

ITM provides a better way of meeting environmental responsibilities and complying with increasing rules and regulations regarding chemical application. It also helps to maintain healthy turf through long-term sustainable management.

I particularly enjoyed the way they demonstrated the percentages of disease that could be found on sports turf using, some red discs that graphically indicated 1% 5 % 20% and 45% disease attacks.

STRI ITM research has also been fundamental in underpinning the components of new Turf Rewards initiatives. The Fortnightly Mix, for example, utilises the proven performance of Vitanova Stressbuster nutrition, alongside Qualibra wetting agent, Primo Maxx II PGR and Ryder pigment.

We then moved onto STATION C HEADLAND AMENITY :-Non-pesticidal disease management. Presenting a holistic approach to autumn disease management using targeted applications of preventative fungicide in combination with plant elicitors and hardeners.

Headland Amenity has pioneered a multi-layered, straightforward and, above all, cost-effective approach to Microdochium nivale management using targeted applications of preventative fungicide in combination with plant elicitors and hardeners.

This approach is constantly evolving, improving its efficiency based on successful end-user feedback and backed up by independent data from trials conducted at STRI since 2007.

Changing autumn and winter weather patterns Over the last 10 years, undulating patterns in the flow of the jet stream have allowed extreme weather conditions to develop and persist, sometimes over months at a time. From October 2018 to March 2019, there were 12 separate warm air peaks across Central and Southern England associated with air temperatures in double figures, high humidity and therefore high disease pressure from Microdochium nivale.

During three of these incidences of high overnight air temperature, humidity and extended periods of leaf wetness, Microdochium nivale was extremely aggressive and end-users saw new patches of disease develop rapidly across turfgrass surfaces. Once established, these patches became reactive later on during the winter.

Headland Amenity’s strategy relies on a two-tiered approach to autumn disease management. Firstly, a preventative fungicide programme is put in place. The aim is to prevent a high fungal population from establishing during October, November and December. End-user experience and STRI trials have confirmed that if this does occur, the outbreak is very difficult to control for the remainder of the winter and scarring will still be evident the following spring, affecting playability and surface integrity.

The second tier of the approach is based on non-fungicidal product technologies, namely plant protectants, elicitors and biostimulants. Plant protectants Formulated to ‘modify’ the surface leaf environment and thereby make it more difficult for pathogenic fungi to colonise and enter the grass plant.

Headland products in this category, trialled at STRI, include Seamac Proturf Fe, Liquid Turf Hardener, the high potassium liquid fertiliser – Protec K and our recently introduced Mantle formulation. In the 2019 trials we will also be evaluating a new formulation code-named PPT114 that has shown promising results on in vitro disease populations and in last year’s STRI trials.

Plant elicitors Formulated to trigger the natural defence mechanism of the plant, (SAR – Systemic Acquired Resistance) and thereby encourage the plant to grow better in the presence of a pathogen.

A strategy to manage Microdochium nivale should not be based on fungicide alone, as the severity and impact of this disease is also affected by the health of the grass plant, its level of nutrition, cultural practices and the presence of plant leaf moisture (Dew and Guttation Fluid). In addition, legislation has resulted in fewer and fewer choices of fungicide active ingredients following the recent loss of Iprodione, Propiconazole and Chlorothalonil. It therefore makes sense to look at a holistic approach to autumn disease management.

For autumn 2019, Headland will be introducing a well-recognised plant elicitor, salicylic acid, into its new Turfite formulation and in addition utilise Harpin plant elicitor within the Mantle and PPT114 formulations.

Biostimulants: Lastly, to stimulate the plant to grow away from the disease and thereby enhance recovery, Headland Amenity use a unique phosphite formulation called Turfite Elite. Recent research has identified a plant physiological process linked to the application of phosphite which could enhance the ability of a plant to grow under the effects of abiotic and biotic stress. As mentioned above, Headland Amenity are introducing a new Turfite formulation – Turfite Elite in these trials utilising potassium phosphite, salicylic acid and a nano-uptake enhancer to optimiseplant uptake.

The above approach is combined in the successful 20-20-30 tankmix of Turfite Elite, Liquid Turf Hardener and Seamac Proturf Fe to help reduce disease populations with 2018/19 trial results

We then broke for tea, enabling delegates to catch a breath and take the opportunity to network with one another. I managed to catch up with some notable industry people such as Professor John Moverley from the Amenity Forum, David Robinson, Skipton Castle and Andrew Clarke, Shelton drainage.

STATION D SHERRIFF AMENITY:- I was particularly looking forward to hearing Sheriff’s presentation, as the previous evening I had been introduced to one of their speakers David Harrod from Badger Crop Nutrition who has spent the last 30 years developing new fertiliser products and now recently been involved with a new project to recycle batteries into a usable fertiliser product.

Sherriff have always been proactive in providing and bringing innovative new products, ideas and solutions to market without out doubt they certainly had three interesting trials going on that offered some solutions to an ever demanding and changing environment.

The two that stood out for me was the Battery recycling one and the opportunity to convert NOx Gases (Nitrogen oxides NOx) poisonous gases into a usable turf fertiliser.

David’s talk was about his work and involvement with the development of ZM-Grow which was being trailed at the STRI Plots. Using unique technology developed by Tracegrow in Finland, Manganese and Zinc are extracted from used alkaline batteries and processed into premium-standard Sulphate based liquid foliar fertiliser. Tracegrows ZM-Grow fulfils all requirements of EC legislation concerning fertilisers and is approved for use as an organic fertiliser under EU regulations. Not only is ZM-Grow proven highly effective but it is also the world's most ecological Zinc, Manganese and Sulphur based fertiliser product in which the key micronutrients nutrients are recycled. To ensure quality, purity and consistency every batch is monitored and overseen by 100% external independent quality control certified laboratories. ZM-Grow™ has been certified for organic use in the UK by OF&G (Organic Farms and Growers).

STATION E AQUATROLS :- Paul Lowe and his colleagues were on hand to talk about some of the new Aquatrols trials being undertaken and the products they have developed from previous trials with the aim of Strengthening the plant and enhancing soil health through the novel combination of next generation soil surfactants and microbial blends Showcasing the latest trials on plant health supportive solutions, biopesticidal candidates and novel soil surfactants.

The concept: Turf managers are under escalating pressure to sustainably maintain high quality turf year-round; an undertaking that is further complicated by a rigid regulatory environment, in which pesticidal inputs have been rationalised and will continue to be progressively restricted. To cope with these issues, it is imperative to adopt an integrated approach to modern turf management, one that considers prevention, stress reduction, water/ nutrient use efficiency and plant health enhancement. This scenario requires that groundsmen and greenkeepers employ a full spectrum of plant growth technologies, both biological and conventional.

Investigating these technologies is important because the need for superior playing surfaces, whilst reducing environmental impact, is ever increasing.

Their trails are set to determine the efficacy of EXPERIMENTAL concentrated blends of bacterial and fungal spores, combined with specially selected micronutrients and soil surfactants, on plant health. Experimental assessments will include turf colour and density, soil moisture, root biomass, rootzone microbial composition, and disease incidence over a 60-90 day period under field conditions.

STATION F BAYER CROPSCIENCE :- Turf stress a key focus for Bayer in 2019, showcasing two trials aimed at informing greenkeepers’ decision making, based on the issues they face today. The first trial shows how certain products can help mitigate the negative effects of summer and the second puts preventative and early curative fungicides to the test.

Dr Colin Mumford, Bayer technical manager, explained the first trial aims to show how certain products can help mitigate the negative effects of summer stresses such as heat, drought, wear and diseases such as anthracnose.

“A variety of different fungicides and plant health beneficials will be put to the test, including Bayer’s Stressgard® formulated products, growth regulators, wetting agents and a pigment.

“It will be a like-for-like comparison and turf quality, colour and disease prevalence will all be measured throughout the season. At the end of the trial there will also be destructive analysis of the turf including evaluations of root mass and length, along with physiological changes in the grass plant,” says Colin.

“The results of this trial will help turf managers make more informed decisions around summer turf stress factors, which are becoming more of a problem as summers become hotter and drier.”

The second trial puts preventative and early curative fungicides to the test. “This trial aims to establish the effects of these fungicides on anthracnose,” he says. “We will be trialling two of our preventative fungicide products alongside a number of other early curative products.”

Colin adds that they will also be testing different intervals of treatment and application rates to identify the optimum timing and application rate for effective control of anthracnose.

“We’ll be looking at application intervals of 14, 21 and 28 days and trying to understand which is more effective. “Application rate will also come into this. The trial will test if it’s possible to reduce applications to half rates and increase the number of applications. For example, half rate applications at 14-day intervals compared to a full rate at 28-day intervals.

“This will enable us to provide turf managers with accurate information on how to get the most out of disease programmes,” he says. For the first time, Bayer showcased two trials at the STRI research day - with both aimed at informing greenkeepers’ decision making, based on the issues they face today.

“We’ve done a lot of this research in the USA but as they can use slightly different management techniques, we felt it was important to invest in trials that provide a UK data set which can be readily applied to the UK climate and management practices.”

STATION G STRI - Turf management 4.0 Exploring some of the ways in which 21st Century turf management can be linked to other aspects of the sports facility.

Turf surfaces have historically been seen as the ‘bit of green’ in the middle of a sports facility, generally with no questions asked, unless something goes wrong or the home team doesn’t perform! With a significant increase in turf quality over the last 20 years more attention is now being paid to how turf surfaces can be linked into the management of the sporting facility, and no longer being seen as just the bit of grass to play on.

At this station we were given an update on some of the methods we can now implement to safeguard and recycle valuable water resources. Gone are days when you simply allow water to be drained away. Today most modern new stadium builds will need to be more accountable for the use of water. This is done by the building of various water storage tanks within the structure of the pitch or roof space. Collecting and reusing water is essential to protect this valuable resource. Green roofs with water tanks below are becoming the norm in new city landscapes.

We then then had a demonstration of the use of a Clegg hammer to record Turf Hardness. This device has been used for a number of years to define turf hardness at football training grounds, with the aim to prevent injuries to players. Leicester City physios have been recording turf hardness for many years and now have a set figure that the groundmen at the club should achieve to ensure the training pitches do not become too hard and cause injury to the players.

I, like all those who attend these STRI open days, find it very rewarding to see and hear the latest developments in Turf Science and the development of the many new products that come to market after these very valuable product trials.

I’d like to thank STRI for inviting me and look forward to seeing the results of the next round of independent product trials.

Reesink Turfcare has announced the winners of its Aftermarket Dealer Awards. Commending exceptional performance, the awards acknowledge the top performers in customer service across Reesink’s dealer network.

Service director Mark Woodward with Cheshire Turf Machinery’s Dealer of the Year Award for Excellence in Customer Support

Awards were presented for Outstanding Performance in Service, Parts and Skills, as well as recognising an overall Dealer of the Year for ‘Excellence in Customer Support’.

This year the winners are:

• Redtech Machinery Limited in Coventry for Outstanding Performance in Service
• Oliver Landpower Limited in Hertfordshire for Skills, and
• Revill Mowers in Gloucestershire for Parts.

While the much coveted Dealer of the Year Award for Excellence in Customer Support is awarded to Cheshire Turf Machinery in Stockport.

Reflecting on their win, Cheshire Turf Machinery’s service director Mark Woodward said, “Winning this award is proof of the great effort from our parts and service team, who have enabled us to achieve this award for a second year in a row. I would also like to thank the staff at Reesink who provide us with exceptional support and assistance throughout the year.”

Runners up in the categories are:

• Cheshire Turf Machinery for Service
• Lloyd Limited in Cumbria for Skills
• Gambles Grass Machinery in Nottinghamshire for Parts, and
• Revill Mowers for Excellence in Customer Support.

“We work incredibly hard throughout the year to ensure we are always working to the highest standards,” says Revill Mowers joint director Jason Revill. “Customers are at the forefront of everything we do and awards like this give them the ultimate reassurance that their Toro machines are in safe hands.”

In keeping with its Service Level Agreement (SLA), which benchmarks great customer service, Reesink awards those dealers achieving the best scores, rated on quarterly Key Performance Indicators (KPI), within each of the three sections, while the Dealer of the Year Award combines the KPI scores from all three.

Reesink operation manager David Jackman, said, “We are continuously investing in improving our customer service after a sale completes. Our Service Level Agreement which outlines core customer service standards, goals and considerations adopted by all our Authorised Service and Dealer Locations is another way to showcase to our customers the quality of Reesink’s service.

“These awards provide an excellent platform on which to highlight the fantastic service and work that our dedicated dealers produce and we’re delighted to recognise all of the winners and runners-up. With continued recognition and encouragement of high standards of customer service, ultimately, the customer benefits from an improved overall experience – which is what we’re all here to provide.”

The Royal Norwich has invested £15 million in its newly established 18-hole course at Weston Longville, on the outskirts of the Norfolk city.

Estates Manager Peter Todd has praised the benefits of using Rigby Taylor POGO Pro soil and turf management meter in the course's establishment.

He says, “POGO has been indispensable in helping us to establish and maintain these new greens at a level to create a benchmark golf facility in the region.”

Royal Norwich’s Estates Manager Peter Todd with the POGO Pro soil and turf management meter

Peter – who joined Royal Norwich in 2017 with a course construction pedigree that includes experience at Gleneagles and the London Golf Club – has an obvious biased opinion of the course sited a few miles from the club’s original home that was established in 1893 by, among others, Sir Jeremiah Colman, of Colman’s mustard fame.

The course has been over two years in construction and aside from Peter’s initial agronomy work, for instance, its creation has also involved collaborative discussions, and decisions, with course architect Ross McMurray (European Golf Design) as well as course construction contractor M J Abbott and irrigation specialist Rain Bird.

After their deliberations, and the use of around 11,000 tonnes of sand to construct the tees, greens and bunkers – on a site characterised by a predominantly sandy-loam profile - the result is a stunning 18-hole, 7,239-yards course that many will agree justifies Peter’s views.

The USGA greens are accompanied by a six-hole academy course, constructed to the same exacting USGA standards, complemented by a 10-bay practice range, and there are restaurant areas and other ‘customer experience’ facilities that would not be out of place in a luxury leisure complex.

Course design is very sympathetic to the existing landscape with, for example, many of the holes being designed around age-old oak trees and with due consideration to the incumbent wildlife.

“While golf is certainly at the heart of the club’s new development, we’ve deliberately designed the facility with the aim of attracting families to the 330-acre estate,” says Peter. “It is all about creating the perfect leisure-lifestyle experience for everyone.”

The complex will be maintained by a team of 13 greenkeepers including an in-house workshop technician, with all the team housed in a modern Turf Care Centre of Excellence boasting a state-of-the-art mower blade grinding/sharpening area and including a training room where visitors (even club members) can learn about all aspects of the course and its operation – including the benefits being obtained by the POGO Pro turf meter.

Peter’s enthusiasm for the potential of the site is also reflected in his views about POGO Pro and how the course – and its players – will benefit from the system’s ability to measure the most influential variables governing turf performance; moisture, salinity, canopy temperature, nutrition and turf stress/disease, for example.

“Moisture management is critical on USGA greens so I needed a tool that would give me unquestionable and ultra-reliable data on the greens, which we gather daily. POGO Pro gives me exactly that. Importantly, the system is not just about enabling us to establish and maintain consistent playing conditions. It’s also about helping us to manage our water usage much more efficiently and we will see the real rewards from that in the future.”

POGO Pro also connects remotely to any Apple or android device and its integrated GPS features include precise location, geospatial condition analysis, cup placements, sprinkler positioning and patterns, area measurement and custom mapping. Maps can also be created of the dry and wet areas, and graphs will show the history of each green (all greens) so that users can make informed decisions on watering and feeding programmes.

“The system is so user-friendly,” adds Peter, “and its data collection ability is a powerful tool and has helped us establish these first-class greens.

“While I fully expect that within a few years, using cloud-based technology, the data we collect will be able to be imported directly into the irrigation system – to enable us to automatically manipulate individual watering heads according to the specific ‘local’ irrigation needs – for the immediate future, I am totally satisfied that POGO Pro has proved a major asset in helping us establish a course that sets a new benchmark for golf in the region.”

Husqvarna Group has invested in Yeti Snow Technology, a Norwegian company delivering autonomous snow clearance systems to aiports.

Husqvarna, together with the original investors, Semcon and Øveraasen, now hold equal parts in Yeti. The collaboration in Yeti is aimed at further exploring autonomous solutions for airports, including robotic grass cutting.

For Husqvarna Group, the collaboration means entering a brand-new market but evolving on solutions the company has been involved with for many years.

In an official statement Husqvarna said, "Grass cutting at airports is a key safety issue. Tall grass attracts birds that potentially are drawn into the aircraft engines causing security hazards. The routine of manual grass cutting is not only time consuming and costly, but also a subject of continuous scale-up and down of task force depending on season and weather conditions. Autonomous robotic grass cutters provide a cost efficient and flexible way of always keeping the green spaces surrounding run- and taxiways in great shape minimizing the risk of bird strikes. In addition, autonomous operations provides a number of additional advantages. The machines operates 24/7 enabling high operational efficiency and digital control enhances the safety by minimizing the risk of human errors including work safety issues, a top priority for airports."

Yeti is the first in the world to operate autonomous snow clearance systems and trucks in a live airport environment. Currently, Yeti has tested autonomous systems in Norway. Together with solutions from Husqvarna Group, the aim is to provide operators with a more comprehensive autonomous solution for all seasons of the year.

Sascha Menges, President Husqvarna Division said, “Autonomous technology has been a focus for quite some time at Husqvarna Group. By combining our know-how with the knowledge and experience of our new partners, we aim at improving the airport management enhancing safety, lowering costs and providing a better passenger experience."

Toro and Reesink Turfcare have welcomed Northamptonshire County Golf Club as a Toro Total Solutions customer.

The Open Regional Qualifying club in the Midlands has committed to Toro as it brings back the feel of its past with Toro machinery and thinks to the future with a Toro irrigation renovation.

Rob Hay, course manager at Northamptonshire County Golf Club, centre, with some of the Toro machinery and the greenkeeping team

Course manager, Rob Hay, who has been at the club for five years says the reason behind the commitment is twofold: “Over the years the course had been managed as a parkland course which it wasn’t designed to be. We’ve been working towards returning the course to its original heathland state as designed by Harry Colt, opening up each hole and giving it a flavour of the old days. Toro machinery is key to that.

“This is our first fleet lease deal, but we’ve been using Toro since before I started, and Toro is instrumental in this vision taking shape. Toro has made a big impact and brought about noticeable change in the direction of the course’s maintenance and members are seeing the difference. Many have commented on how the course now looks like they remember it from the early 1970s and plays with a true running heathland style from those days too, which we’re delighted to hear.”

When it comes to the irrigation, Rob says the club’s commitment to Toro is a nod to the future: “We’re not in a predicament with our current system, but we’re forward planning so we’re ready for a seamless transition when the time comes. What we noticed in the heatwave of last year was that there are areas that could be improved upon, more efficient and better managed. In the midlands we’re water scarce and as we irrigate from a local river the goal is to get ourselves into a position where we’re using our water better and utilising every drop. We believe Toro is the partner to make that happen.

“I’m conscious this is a big outlay - one of the biggest a course can make - and it’s important we get this right. We’re currently working with Reesink and Adrian Motram finalising the plans for what’s exactly needed and if the quality of the irrigation system is anything like that of the Toro machinery, I know we’ll be in for a great experience using Toro Irrigation.”

As one of only 13 Regional Qualifying courses in the UK, Northamptonshire County Golf Club has high standards to maintain, plus the challenge of an unusual 21-hole layout to contend with. “We appreciate we’re in the company of a select few being a Regional Qualifying course and take great pride in the fact that we resumed our status last year for the 147th Open,” says Rob.

Retaining that position comes with hard work and dedication, which Rob and his greenkeeping team of nine have in abundance. “Every year there are new projects to undertake and as a team we look forward to this as much as we do the usual high season maintenance work. It’s a good challenge for us all and having Toro on board has really made a difference.”

STIHL say their chainsaw promotion is back by popular demand where users can receive STIHL accessories worth up to £94 when purchasing selected cordless and petrol chainsaws from STIHL Approved Dealers.

With the promotion running from 2nd September until the 31st December, end users purchasing either a cordless MSA 160 C-B or MSA 200 C-B chainsaw, or a petrol powered MS 180 or MS 181 or MS 181 C-BE within this period will receive a free spare chain and Function Basic helmet.

For users looking for saws that offer more power, anyone purchasing a petrol powered MS 211, MS 231 or MS 251 and C-BE variants will receive a spare chain, a Function Basic helmet and a Megacut pruning saw, free of charge.

These qualifying models are now available to order on the STIHL B2B ordering system and terms and conditions can be found in the promotions section too.

Honda are offering a 3-3-3 offer on all new Pioneer Utility Vehicle purchases.

The offer includes three years 0% finance, three years subscription to Datatool and three years full manufacturer warranty.

Available now from authorised Honda dealers, the 3-3-3 offer is only available until 31 December 2019.

Andrew Parr, sales operations department manager at Honda Motor Europe Ltd, commented, “We’re delighted to announce our most competitive Pioneer package yet. This is a very attractive proposition and we encourage potential customers to pop into their local dealer to see for themselves what Honda has to offer.

“Also included with all new Honda ATVs and UTVs is industry approved operator training through the European ATV Safety Institute (EASI) which has training centres located throughout the UK. Our commitment to safe and responsible usage is everything and we recommend all ATV and UTV operators take this EASI course and wear a helmet and gloves when riding their vehicle.”

A number of key industry experts will be uniting to collaboratively tackle the biggest issues facing the groundscare environment at SALTEX 2019, which takes place at the NEC, Birmingham on October 30 and 31.

Learning LIVE, SALTEX’s all-encompassing and free-to-attend education programme will take place in four dedicated seminar theatres with presentations and panel debates running from 10am through to 3.30pm each day of the show.

Learning LIVE 2019 to tackle industry issues at SALTEX 2019

Featuring over 50 CPD accredited seminars involving more than 100 expert speakers, the programme has been developed by leading industry partners and influencers to provide support, insight and real solutions to key industry issues.

Learning LIVE will kickstart with ‘Creating Champions’ telling the story of grounds staff’s contribution to this summer’s biggest weekend of sporting success. A spectacular line-up, including Neil Stubley (AELTC, Wimbledon) and Karl McDermott (Lord’s), will explain how to deliver exceptional surfaces for the world’s most prestigious sports events.

Findings from the IOG’s recent research document Groundsmanship – Sports’ Vital Profession will be presented by the IOG’s CEO Geoff Webb and consultant research lead, Carol Doran. Meanwhile, football grounds personnel can enjoy a rare opportunity to sit in on the ‘Tottenham Hotspur FC Experience’ seminar. Head groundsman Gary Lee reveals how the state-of-the art 62,000-capacity stadium pitches were built.

From Premiership to grassroots groundsmanship, there’s something for everyone at Learning LIVE. Pitch advisors from the IOG-led Grounds and Natural Turf Improvement Programme (GaNTIP) will be presenting case studies of successful pitch improvements, and also offering advice on how to secure funding.

In the ‘Class Acts’ seminar Ian Avery (Sutton Valence School) explores how independent schools can balance internal and external demands on their pitches. Ian will focus on costings, timings and benefits to the school, plus the problems, and solutions, of quick turnarounds on multi-sport pitches. Giles Roberts (St Peter’s School), Lee Marshallsay (Charterhouse) and Danny Beckley (Harrow School) will also be discussing best practices to help your pitches stand out in a competitive market.

Recent regulations relating to plant protection products (PPP) have had a significant impact on turf management, and Learning LIVE attendees can expect to find answers in a seminar entitled ‘Pesticide 2020 and Beyond’. With a number of widely used insecticides, fungicides and herbicides having been withdrawn in recent times, Dr Colin Mumford (Bayer) will be on hand to explain the current status of PPP, what PPP are being withdrawn or introduced, and how to get optimum results from them.

Cricket grounds personnel can find out about ongoing research carried out by First Class Counties and England’s Centre of Excellence, and an elite panel, featuring Andy McKay (Sussex CCC) Gary Barwell (Warwickshire CCC) and Will Relf (Loughborough University), will be explaining how hybrid pitches in cricket are learning lessons from football. Industry legend Chris Wood, the ECB’s international pitches consultant, is set to captivate the audience with his stories as he looks back through his career in ‘A Lifetime in Groundsmanship’.

Elsewhere, climatologist Jim Dale is presenting ‘Managing Climate Change’ to ensure turf professionals stay one step ahead; ICL’s Dr Andy Owen and PhD student at Royal Holloway University, Tamsin Williams, offer an insight into their four-year research project on the effects of seaweed products on turf grass plant parasitic nematodes; industry consultant Peter Corbett discusses ‘Life Without Propiconazole’; and Question Time with the Amenity Forum will no doubt spark a lively debate around the use of pesticides and their alternatives.

This is just a snapshot of sessions available at this year’s show. Go to www.iogsaltex.com where you will soon be able to check out the full programme, register your visit to SALTEX and book into your preferred sessions to avoid the queues.

Registration for Europe’s largest annual groundscare exhibition SALTEX 2019 is now open

Follow SALTEX on Twitter @IOG_SALTEX and Facebook – www.facebook.com/IOGSALTEX

A DAY OUT WITH THE LADIES
Behind the scenes at the Solheim Cup

COVENTRY UNIVERSITY'S EDIBLE GARDEN SUCCESS
2006 - present

HAIL THE GRASS MASTERS!
Boorish media comments about pitch quality are wide of the mark

CONTRACTOR SEES MULTI-DISCIPLINE SUCCESS
360 Ground Care serving professional facilities

BUSY TIMES
Judging the Green Flag Awards

TAKING AN INTEGRATED APPROACH
What does it all mean in managing turf surfaces?

UNDER PRESSURE
Dry weather conditions continue to keep turf managers focused on moisture management

EDDIE SEAWARD
Death of Wimbledon’s influential grounds manager

MAJOR NEW IRRIGATION PROJECT
At Top 100 classic Berkhamsted Golf Club

NEW HORIZONS FOR THE HATTERS
Investment paying off at Kenilworth Road

ELIZABETHAN RESTORATION
At Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens

WHAT IS BIOPHILIA?
The vital impact of parks and green spaces on health and well-being

WORM CONTROL
Without carbendazim

THE TRUE COST OF PETROL
Battery-powered outdoor power tools are now turning the heads of professionals

SANDS OF TIME
Sand-based pitches are now the norm in professional sports

WHY DO WE DO THE RIGHT THING?
We must maintain industry standards

CHASING GRASS PERFECTION?
11 things you need to know . . .

MAINTAINING STANDARDS
Q&A with BASIS ceo, Stephen Jacobs

STRI RESEARCH DAY 2018
Hosted at research trial grounds in Bingley

THE MECHANIC
Leicester City FC invest in new role

LORD'S 'GRASS-GUVNOR' TO RETIRE
Mick Hunt bows out after 49 years

HOLLOW CORING & DEEP SCARIFICATION
Is it really necessary?

BUSY TIMES AHEAD
Show and event season

RECRUITMENT IS KEY
The challenge of finding new staff

EDGBASTON'S BASTION
Gary Barwell gives his insight to groundsmen

CHOOSING THE RIGHT MACHINERY
Turf professionals must be careful when buying new equipment

A GROUNDSMAN'S LOT
Under-appreciated and under-valued

CURRENT STATE OF BOWLS
Clubs facing many challenges

GEARING UP FOR THE RUGBY SEASON
Starts in less than 3 weeks

PREPARING FOR GOLF COURSE WORK
Renovations on tees and greens

PLANNING CRICKET RENOVATIONS
There are some basic aims when renovating a square

A FEAST OF SPORT
With turf professionals playing an integral role

THE CURRENT STATE OF GOLF
Courses must adapt to survive

TEEING OFF WITH JOHN DEERE
Partnership with Wentworth Club launched

WEATHER CONTINUES TO SURPRISE
During one of the busiest times of the year

BERNHARD LAUNCH TRAINING ACADEMY
Educating the next generation

THE NEXT GENERATION
We must inspire and recruit a new generation of turf professionals

OPTIMISATION OF WATER RESOURCES
Better understand the soil / water relationship

HARD WORK & DEDICATION
Ever changing playing surfaces

OBESITY MEASURES
Turf professionals have a vital role

TIMELY ADVICE
Rugby renovations

PLANNING AHEAD
Renovating grass surfaces

FROM WINTER TO SUMMER SPORTS
April is a busy period

THE VALUE OF TREES
Trees bring real benefits to our cities, health and well being

FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Choice of fertiliser products will be influenced by many factors

A WONDERFUL INDUSTRY
But we need to be encouraging the next generation

THE VALUE OF PARKS
Facilities must not be taken for granted

A VERY BUSY MARCH
Plenty of work for turf professionals to be getting on with

SHARING KNOWLEDGE
At the Dennis & Sisis groundcare seminar

INSECT DECLINE
A cause for concern

HELP IS AT HAND
Seek advice from industry bodies

SPRING RENOVATIONS
February is a good time to start planning

BTME 2019 REPORT
Great start to the year

BTME WEEK IS HERE!
Harrogate time again

THE VALUE OF PLANNING
Benefits for pitch sustainability

HAPPY NEW YEAR
Opportunities & challenges in 2019

View all of 2018's blogs here

Following my trip to The Solheim Cup, I wanted to reflect on the tremendous achievements of the Gleneagles greenkeeping team and its partner, John Deere, in preparing and presenting The PGA Centenary Course, the stage for a truly memorable win for Team Europe.

Gleneagles has become the only venue in Europe to have hosted both The Ryder Cup and The Solheim Cup and is currently ranked ‘#1 Golf Resort in the UK & Ireland’ by Golf World magazine.

My visit afforded me the opportunity to go ‘behind the scenes’ of this incredible event, meet several members of the greenkeeping team and senior John Deere representatives, all of whom played a significant role in the success of The Solheim Cup.

Gleneagles’ three championship golf courses - the 850-acre estate also boasts The King’s and The Queen’s, both designed by the legendary James Braid - used to be managed as separate entities, each with their own greenkeeping team.

This management structure evolved when South African, Craig Haldane, was appointed as Golf Courses Manager in 2018. Craig’s experience blended perfectly with that of Director of Agronomy and Estates, Scott Fenwick, and together they created a new central hub for all greenkeeping operations. These fabulous facilities now include modern showers, comfortable and well-equipped drying and locker rooms, a staff canteen and lounge, as well as the service and maintenance area.

Scott has 38 years of tournament expertise at Gleneagles and is their longest-serving member of staff, having joined as a 16-year-old apprentice greenkeeper. His first tasks in those early days were raking bunkers and learning how to operate machinery for cutting grass, and he now leads Gleneagles’ 55-strong greenkeeping and gardening team. Under Scott’s leadership, the Perthshire estate is proud to have hosted a professional golf tournament every year, apart from two, since 1987.

Scott highlighted the significant investment made by Gleneagles to centralise the maintenance facility and how they operate a full fleet of John Deere equipment from this central compound, perfectly positioned to allow easy access to all three golf courses.

He commented, “Greenkeeping is not just about cutting grass, it is a complex science and a serious art. Presenting championship courses demands great skill, knowledge and tremendous attention to detail, to create the firm and fast conditions that the modern day golfer expects.

“It is very hard work, but it is also rewarding to be part of a one team, delivering courses that are respected the world over, and to the results of our hard work on the TV screen during such a big tournament as The Solheim Cup.”

Fifty-three volunteers – including eight women alongside Gleneagles’ own Laura Campbell – joined the existing team for The 2019 Solheim Cup. Support staff from John Deere and local dealer, Double A, also added to the team. The volunteer force increased by more than 25%, compared to the 2014 Ryder Cup, and 50 extra machines were provided on loan for the week, to supplement the existing fleet. The extra staff and machines were needed not only to prepare The PGA Centenary Course for tournament play, but also The King’s Course for The Junior Solheim Cup (won 13-11 by Team USA) as well as The Queen’s Course, which remained open for VIP visitors and members.

Scott added, “The wet weather during the previous week meant a lot of cutting by hand to achieve the required green speeds, while also producing a smooth putting surface. We worked within parameters set by the LET’s agronomist but we also have our own squad who checked each morning to see if additional cuts were needed to maintain the correct and consistent speeds, 10 to 10.5 on the stimpmeter for The Solheim Cup.

“The quality of cut we get with the John Deere 220S hand mowers made a big contribution to the success of the tournament, and we also appreciate the efficiency and cost savings being achieved by our new Pro Gator mounted sprayers, using the latest GPS mapping technology.”

Scott was keen to express how the art of greenkeeping had changed in the last 40 years, and how we now rely heavily on the development and choice of new intelligent and precision machinery and the need to encourage a new breed of greenkeepers to deliver the expectations of tournament golf.

Eight women greenkeepers were working at this Tournament and during my visit, I was able to catch up with Laura Campbell, a full-time Gleneagles employee. I asked her how she got into greenkeeping and what her future ambitions are.

What made you choose a career in Greenkeeping?

Since the age of 10, I’ve been a keen golfer and played in the junior section at my home club. The club was looking for a junior to help out on the course during summer holidays. Later that year I was looking to leave school, so after doing my work experience on the golf course I asked to be taken on full-time from the start of the season. I was put through college and did most of my learning out on the course. I love golf and being outdoors, an office job certainly wasn’t an option for me.

How long have you been working in the Greenkeeping industry?

It’s over 12.5 years now.

How did you get the job at Gleneagles?

I was made redundant from my previous position at a small local course, just before Christmas a few years ago now. At this time Gleneagles were advertising for seasonal staff for the coming season, so I applied for that, as well as sending out my CV to other local clubs. Seasonal wasn’t what I wanted at the time, but I knew it was a great opportunity and that there may be a chance of getting a full-time position if I worked hard. Before the end of my seasonal contract I was offered a full-time position and jumped at the chance.

What qualifications are you taking? Which college are you attending?

When I started out, I did my SVQ level 2 Sports Turf qualification through Elmwood College. Since completing that I have added spraying certificates and various machinery competence certificates through Lantra.

What are your current duties and responsibilities at Gleneagles?

I am currently a Senior Greenkeeper based on The Queen’s Course. My main role is to train new and current staff, as well as leading smaller teams on projects. Along with the assistants and other seniors, we ensure machines are set up and ready to go each morning.

What do you particularly like about working in this industry?

I love being outdoors and being active. I really couldn’t imagine working indoors every day. I have a passion for golf so working on a golf course all day and doing everything I can to present it to the highest possible standard is something I take a lot of pride in.

What are your aspirations for the future?

I love central and highland Scotland, so I‘d ideally like to stay in the area. I want to progress as far as possible at Gleneagles and move on to a deputy position at some point.

What work and tasks were you performing during The Solheim Cup?

During tournament days I was hand-mowing greens with Amanda Dorans, a volunteer from Dundonald Links in Scotland.

What have you learned about tournament preparations?

We were on the front nine greens and would often single cut greens before they were stimped. We would then get the OK, and move to the next green, or be asked to give the green another cut if it fell short of the parameters we were seeking. It was interesting to watch the stimping of the greens each morning and witnessing the changes in speeds being requested from the beginning to end of tournament week.

What have you enjoyed most about being involved in The Solheim Cup?

Having volunteered last year in America at the USPGA Championship, the last men’s major of the year, it’s been great to experience a tournament at home. For it to be the biggest women’s tournament in golf and having so many female greenkeeping volunteers was extra special. The atmosphere on the Sunday was amazing, and it made all the hard work and long hours worthwhile.

What are your ambitions for the next few years?

I want to continue to progress at Gleneagles. I’m excited to see how I can help with developing The Queen’s course, especially, over the next few years. I am really happy here and, for me, that is the most important thing.

I’m sure the experienced gained by Laura and her fellow women greenkeepers at The Solheim Cup will be invaluable and help them further their careers in greenkeeping, I personally would like to see more women working in our sports turf industry.

There have been a number of articles in recent years discussing this issue, the last one I read was in a fellow industry magazine, that gave an insight into the lack of women working in the industry and what could be done to attract more into this unique, diverse industry.

The R&A unveiled a new ‘Women in Golf Charter’ in May 2018, as part of the organisation’s global drive to increase the number of women and girls participating in golf, and to encourage more opportunities for women to work within the golf industry.

The ‘Women in Golf Charter’ intends to inspire an industry‑wide commitment to developing a more inclusive culture within golf around the world and enable more women and girls to flourish and maximise their potential at all levels of the sport.

The role of a greenkeeper and grounds professional has changed dramatically in recent years, mainly due to the advancement of technologies and new machinery. I am sure with the right publicity, pay, and career opportunities, we can attract even more women to this ever changing sports turf industry.

Pics courtesy Glen Blackburn