ROBOTS ON THE RISE Developments on the way for turf professionals by TurfPro Editor, Laurence Gale MSC, MBPR
April is one of the busiest times of the year for our professional machinery dealers and I've been hearing about some new new developments coming soon to the professional groundscare sector.
As part of the roadmap out of lockdown, as from last Monday, 29th March, the stay-at-home rule ended and the rule of six returned in England. These measures are part of the plans to kick-start the British economy and ease the societal pressures of lockdown without triggering a dangerous resurgence of the virus.
The 'stay at home' guidance has been dropped, similarly the Government has dropped its 'stay local' messaging, meaning that households are no longer explicitly told to remain in their geographical area.
Outdoor organised sports for both adults and children has also returned, seeing a popular opening up of golf courses and tennis clubs. The return of team sports can only happen in formalised settings, meaning that five-a-side football matches are allowed but a dozen friends kicking a ball in a park is not.
Outdoor swimming pools, driving and shooting ranges, riding arenas at riding centres, archery venues and climbing walls are also allowed to open. And Boris confirmed yesterday that next Monday, on April 12, all non-essential shops will be allowed to open along with pubs and restaurants - but only outside, so pub gardens and outdoor dining will be back.
I know from talking to a number of groundsmen and monitoring various social sports related forums, groundsmen and volunteers up and down the country have been working very hard preparing and getting their facilities ready for the resumption of sport.
Many greenkeepers have been working flat out to complete all their spring renovations and finishing off any large winter projects to ensure the course is fit for play. Cricket groundsmen have also been extremely busy trying to complete their preseason rolling programmes and prepare their first set of wickets for play.
We have also seen the likes of Karl McDermott (Lord's), Neil Stubley (Wimbledon) and Andy Wood (Enville GC), posting threads on social media to publicise the work they have been doing.
Machinery developments
As for other news, I read with interest that Stiga (UK) Limited who own ATCO, have launched a search for the oldest working machine still in use in the UK. The ATCO Standard was launched by Charles Henry Pugh in 1921 and became the world’s first successfully mass-produced lawnmower.
I fondly remember my time as a parks apprentice with Birmingham City Parks Department regularly mowing the lawns in Cannon Hill Park using a 24inch ATCO Mower - happy days!
To enter, owners should visit the ATCO Lawnmower Facebook page and upload a photograph of their machine to the pinned competition post.
While on the subject of mowers, April is one of the busiest times of the year for groundscare machinery dealers who are selling, demonstrating and returning serviced and repaired mowers to their customers. The vast choice and selection of machinery now on offer is quite staggering to say the least. Many companies are continuing to develop and bring to market a range of new battery powered products, with robotic technologies gaining in popularity with ever increasing numbers being used in both the domestic and professional sectors.
This trend in new technologies was summed up in a recent press event hosted by the manufacturer Husqvarna. The company invited guests to its online Living City event, to share its knowledge on how to positively impact the future of sustainable grounds maintenance.
In the hour-long event, the key speakers focused on how ground-breaking developments within turf management in sports and golf are changing the game forever. In addition, Husqvarna shared unique details of CEORA, what they are describing as the next generation in large-scale robotic mowing. Stephen Ohlson, vice president of product development at GreenSight provided insight on how data collection can improve turf quality on golf sites. Using drone intelligence, soil sensors, thermal imaging, and autonomous robotic mowers, GreenSight can transform the way golf courses maintain their grounds.
Using Meadow Club golf course in Fairfax, California as an example, GreenSight explained that by using their technology combined with Husqvarna Automower, the 66-acre course, which cuts its grounds three times per week, could switch their large format diesel mowers for electric robotic mowers This, he claimed, would reduce their CO2 emissions by 99.5%, the equivalent of taking an additional 11 cars off the road. Looking to the future GreenSight explained that if just 10% of all US golf courses adopted the GreenSight and Husqvarna solution, 79,000 MT CO2e would be reduced, equivalent to taking 17,000 cars off the road.
A number of other cases studies were presented, along with a final talk from Olle Markusson, director of product management at Husqvarna Group, who revealed new details of the CEORA robot. Expanding the company’s portfolio, the company said this new robot will target large areas, in particular sport fields and golf courses.
There is no doubt in my mind that robotic technologies will continue to be developed and as more and more improvements are introduced by manufacturers to their versatility and performance.
What a carve up!
Finally, last week I came across Joffrey Watson, The Chainsaw Bloke chainsaw sculptor, who was working locally carving a beautiful sculpture of a buzzard for one of my neighbours. He certainly was attracting a lot of attention from those passing by. I stopped and introduced myself and found he started his career as an arborist, but soon developed an interest in artistic sculpturing.
It was certainly interesting to see him working and seeing the finished piece. Wood carving has become popular in recent years with many local authorities enlisting the work of these sculptors to produce some fine wildlife pieces in their parks and open spaces.
In our first WEB ONLY story today, Mat Edwards, head greenkeeper at Looe Golf Club in Cornwall, has transformed the course into one of the most respected in the county.
As part of its centenary celebrations, Stiga (UK) Limited who own ATCO, have launched a search for the oldest working machine still in use in the UK.
As part of its centenary celebrations, Stiga (UK) Limited who own ATCO, have launched a search for the oldest working machine still in use in the UK.
The ATCO Standard was launched by Charles Henry Pugh in 1921 and became the world’s first successfully mass produced lawnmower. Stiga say ATCO is the quintessentially British brand and is used everywhere from small gardens to rolling country estates.
“Longevity and quality are the cornerstones of the ATCO brand and we would like to find the oldest machine that is still used,” explains Gary Tully, sales and marketing director of STIGA (UK). “We have no idea how many older machines are still in regular use and this is the first time we have attempted to find examples. We are not looking for museum exhibits but working machines.”
Details of everyone who enters will go into a prize draw for the latest ATCO 16SH.
To enter, owners should visit the ATCO Lawnmower Facebook page and upload a photograph of their machine to the pinned competition post.
Two organisations say they are working closely together to support grassroots football clubs across the county with the improvement of their natural turf pitches.
Staffordshire FA have announced a formal partnership with Rigby Taylor, as the two organisations say they continue to work closely together to support grassroots football clubs across the county with the improvement of their natural turf pitches.
The Association has enjoyed a healthy working relationship with Rigby Taylor for several years now, and they say the evolution of a formal partnership between the two organisations is an important development in the Staffordshire FA grass pitch improvement strategy.
Staffordshire FA have been actively striving to improve grassroots football pitches across the county since 2012, via various programmes and initiatives. Throughout that period, Rigby Taylor have supported many grassroots football clubs across Staffordshire with some of their core products, such as grass seed, fertilizer, chemicals, and line marking products and paints.
Gareth Thomas, partnerships and communications officer at Staffordshire FA said, “We are delighted to enhance our relationship with Right Taylor. Nationally the Football Association are looking to improve 20,000 grassroots football pitches across the country and Staffordshire FA will be playing their part to ensure we meet and exceed our local targets.
“Staffordshire FA and our member clubs have made some great strides in recent years with regards to improving natural turf surfaces, supported by the County FA grass pitch improvement strategy. Grassroots football clubs who manage and maintain their own facilities are now able to access significant funding from the Football Foundation to support them with improving their grass pitches on an annual basis.”
He continued, “In addition to investing in appropriate pitch maintenance equipment and contractor services, clubs are also able to access funding to invest in core products too, such as grass seed, fertilizer, chemicals and line marking products. This is where our partnership with Rigby Taylor can really support clubs, ensuring that they invest in the most suitable products for their surface and budget. We look forward to developing this partnership as we collectively work towards improving as many pitches as possible across Staffordshire.”
Phil Dewhurst, Rigby Taylor’s regional sales director, added, "As a company we have for many years supported grass roots football and have partnered with the FA in their national Pitch Improvement Programme. This initiative with the Staffordshire FA however is exactly what grass roots football is all about, with a County FA and a supplier working together as partners to directly support member clubs with the aim of improving the quality of grass pitches and therefore ultimately the quality of the football being played.”
Partnership will see the company service grassroots football teams in the Black Country, Birmingham, Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire.
Campey Turf Care Systems have announced a new partnership with Birmingham County Football Association (BCFA) that will see the company service grassroots football teams in the Black Country, Birmingham, Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire.
The push towards improving grassroots pitches in England has become a central goal for the Football Association. The overall target is to have five thousand pitches assessed as Good or Better by 2024.
The reform of the grading process along with new funding opportunities prompted BCFA’s facility and investment lead, Oliver Hitchcox, to seek out a machinery partner to ensure clubs were well informed and getting the backup service they need.
"The vast majority of the reports that we get identify a need for new or additional maintenance kit and equipment," Oliver explains. "We've signposted a lot of clubs for funding towards that equipment so often because clubs don't have a huge amount of expertise in that area, and they tend to come to me or our Grounds Management Association (GMA) regional pitch advisor, Kevin Duffill, asking for the best places to get quotes. We'd already had a fair few clubs who had engaged with Campey and were really enthusiastic about the support they had from them.
"I wanted to get a partner on board so that we had someone we could direct people towards who we knew were going to provide value for money in terms of the kit and offer a really good level of customer service and support for our clubs. So, I contacted John at Campey, and we had a conversation around what we could do.
"They had recently done something similar with Staffordshire FA, so they knew the landscape in terms of what we were looking to do and it's a really good fit because of the customer service that they offer clubs. Campey has been going out to sites to demo products and taking clubs through that process of what the machinery and equipment can do, how to use it properly and then all the aftercare is really beneficial. So, from our perspective, we know that we can direct clubs to somewhere where they will be well looked after.
"I was speaking to a club last week who we have just supported with some funding, and they said exactly that. The local rep had been out on-site to demo all the kit and take them through that process. When they deliver the equipment, they give a good installation in terms of operation and management and then again, we have the aftercare. They are always on hand with any queries or issues that come up.
"Having someone who works locally who can actually go and visit people is definitely a benefit rather than just having people on the phone or email. That personal contact is really important."
Every year the FA conducts the grassroots football survey, and a constant theme is the condition of pitches. Good quality surfaces are vital when it comes to attracting new players to the game and retaining them is equally important, and a challenge the Birmingham FA is actively addressing.
As well as funding from The Football Foundation, clubs can also access BCFA’s own grant that help bridge the gap of the remaining 25% cost of machinery from the 75% Football Foundation grant.
Manufacturer says their three-hole golf course at the Turf Care Centre of Excellence in Ipswich, has become more important than ever to product development and testing.
Since transferring the production of Jacobsen mowers to the Turf Care Centre of Excellence in Ipswich, the manufacturer says their three-hole golf course has become more important than ever to product development and testing.
Justin Hunt, golf course greenkeeper at RJ National
The beginning of 2021 has seen new product lines start up with the new AR530, Eclipse ELiTE 360 and HR800 all in the later stages of testing and development.
The company says it is at this point the 3-hole course comes into its own, with the product development team able to test the mowers in real-world situations and often pass the machines onto greenkeeper, Justin Hunt.
Justin began his working life as an apprentice at Ransomes before becoming a product demonstrator in the UK and Europe. Despite leaving the company, he stayed in the turf industry working with Ernest Doe and Bartrum Mowers before joining Woodbridge Golf Club as a greenkeeper where he eventually became course manager for six years.
During his time as a demonstrator, he says he and others at Ransomes knew the land could be a useful asset for product testing.
"Initially, I found preparing a golf course in the middle of an industrial estate a bit strange," Justin begins. "Where we're sat in the main building now would have been our workshop back in the day, and the land across there that's now the golf course was wasteland.
"That whole area was full of ploughs ready for sale because agricultural machinery was still made here then, and over time all of those ploughs disappeared, and we as demonstrators needed somewhere to test the equipment we were going to take out. We actually built in the loosest terms a little golf course. We fabricated a green out there so we could test greens mowers before we took them out. We knew its possibilities, but several years later it turned into what we see out there today, which is a fantastic facility.
"It needs to simulate the best it can a proper golf course because they are trying to gather data and information that will be taken forward into the real world. Because of that our aim is always to keep it as close to a commercial golf course as possible.
"To do that we use traditional methods just applied in a slightly different way. We aren't under the same pressures that you would be at an ordinary golf course. We haven't got a society of 60 or 70 people teeing off at eight o'clock, so it's easier to manage in that way. Because if you've decided you're going to do that job today, you can get on and do it, there's no reason you shouldn't apart from perhaps the weather.
"There are different challenges, for example, if there is a big visit to the factory obviously everything needs to be spot on for that day, so all the focus goes onto getting it prepared for that occasion. So it does have different challenges and different things to have to cope with."
The three-hole course and adjacent football pitch were constructed using as much of the natural materials as possible whilst introducing a new body of open water. Having been constructed and operated in an environmentally conscious way, the course was certified by the Golf Environment Organisation (GEO) in 2010, and operating in that way has continued with the focus now turning to stop the use of fungicides on the site.
David Timms says he is delighted to be working with Toro again after 18 years as the new regional business manager for Reesink Turfcare in the Southwest and Midlands.
David Timms says he is delighted to be working with Toro again after 18 years as the new regional business manager for Reesink Turfcare in the Southwest and Midlands.
David Timms
Having started his career in the turfcare industry as an area sales representative in Sussex working with Toro and Hayter machinery in 2003, David went on to become sales manager within the distribution company of JSM in 2007 before relocating to Somerset with Textron in 2011. Now he has come full circle as he returns to working with Toro machinery.
“It’s great to be back working with Toro and Reesink,” says David. “I’ve had a love for the brand since working with them 18 years ago and for some time now, I’ve had the desire to again work with and promote the leading brand, so when the opportunity arose it was a really easy decision."
“In my time in the industry I’ve learned what is really fundamental when it comes to selling turfcare machinery,” continued David. “First and foremost is building strong relationships with customers, dealers and colleagues. People don’t buy from people they don’t know. Secondly, backing both the product and customer through the machine's life is very important, and simple aspects which are all too easily overlooked. All customers are asking is for you to go out and do a good honest job.”
David can be contacted via Reesink on 01480 226800.
BIGGA say their partners offer support to members, with the funding received aiding the Continuing Professional Development programme and educational activity.
BIGGA has welcomed specialist fertiliser manufacturer Indigrow as their latest Partner.
The Indigrow team at BTME 2020
The association says their partners offer support to members, with the funding received aiding the Continuing Professional Development programme and educational activity.
Bradley Foster of Indigrow, said, “Indigrow has long been a firm supporter of the activities of BIGGA and its members as the principles of highly-educated and qualified professionals are ones we appreciate and encourage across our own team. The desire to expand upon our own knowledge and innovate with new products and new methods of working is key if we are to overcome the challenges of the coming decade and I’m delighted that BIGGA and Indigrow will be working closer together to support the needs of the UK’s greenkeeping community.”
BIGGA business development manager Lauren Frazer said, “Indigrow is a company that BIGGA has enjoyed a close relationship with over many years as the team was previously an education supporter.
"We are hugely proud of our relationships with all our Partners and we’re grateful for the incredible support they provide our membership, so I’m thrilled to welcome Indigrow to the line-up.”
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Allett have officially launched the '2021 Allett Creative Lawn Stripes Competition' as of yesterday, 31st March 2021.
Allett have officially launched the '2021 Allett Creative Lawn Stripes Competition' as of yesterday, 31st March 2021.
Last year saw photos submitted from over 10 different countries with the top 6 entries coming from; UK, America, Australia and Sweden.
Judged by Edgbaston head groundsman Gary Barwell, last year's competition was won by Andrew Wain of Euridge Manor with his tribute to the NHS.
Allett are asking people to not rush sending entries in, they want photos to keep being taken all summer, with the best ones to be submitted in August. A spokesperson said, "Keep an eye on our social media channels for hints and tips throughout the summer. Good luck!"
