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EDITOR'S BLOG

KEEPING COOL UNDER PRESSURE
How one golf club survived a scorching summer
by TurfPro Editor, Laurence Gale MSC, MBPR

This summer’s prolonged heat and drought created some tough conditions turf professionals - so I visited one club to see how the team managed to keep the course playable.

Following on from my recent article in TurfPro about coping with the hot, stressful weather, I thought I would follow that up with a visit to a golf course to see how an old friend of mine coped with the extreme warm weather that we experienced this summer.

Dave Colins is the head greenkeeper at the Lickey Hills Golf Club, near Birmingham.

Lickey Hills Golf Club, is situated within Lickey Hills Country Park and is known for its challenging 18-hole, 69 par course, set amidst the dramatic landscape of the Lickey Hills.

The well maintained 18-hole course offers an inviting challenge for golfers of all skill levels, framed by lush woodland, scenic fairways and panoramic views stretching across the Midlands.

The Lickey Hills Golf course is one of six within the suburbs of Birmingham the others being Boldmere, Cocks Moors Woods, Harborne Church Farm, Hatchford Brook, and Pype Hayes.

Although all these courses belong to Birmingham council, they are run and managed by Mytime Active. Dave has been at the Lickeys GC for 29 years and has an experienced team of three fulltime greenkeepers and one part timer.

With limited resources and a tight annual budget, each year is a challenge for Dave and his staff. In any normal year, the course tends to be a grass factory, requiring constant mowing of greens, tees, fairways and roughs. These ongoing mowing regimes take up a lot of the staff’s time. However, this year has been significantly different.

The extreme long spell of dry, hot weather that started in early spring has resulted in the soils drying out substantially, forcing grass growth to slow down, thus reducing the cutting frequencies dramatically. The course has a very old pop-up watering system, which in itself brings along some problems of inconsistent watering and missed areas, plus breakdowns resulting in the need for hand watering.

The time saved from not having to cut grass this summer has allowed more time to be spent keeping the greens alive. A programme of scarifying / verticutting, vertidraining and top dressing have helped keep the greens in good condition, however a few exposed greens have suffered from the heat and hot weather. This brings on hydrophobic conditions and areas prone to browning / dying off.

Dave is confident that come September when he carries out his end of season renovations, he will see the greens recover. Most are soil pushed up greens.

One of Dave’s biggest challenges has been coping with the constant vandalism they suffer from people riding bikes on the greens. Last winter, he had 30 plus acts of vandalism to contend with.

Unfortunately, Lickey Hills has always been victim to vandalism. The course is a council owned public right of way which makes it difficult for Dave and his team to reduce the number of times this is happening. In 2024 they had five greens vandalised; one of which was on Christmas Eve. The following March he had another six greens damaged. Some of them were superficial damage and Dave was able to rescue them, however, a couple of them were a lot worse. Generally, the work required to repair the greens centres on clearing up the debris, top dressing and overseeding the damaged areas. In some cases, they must be returfed.

As for machinery, he uses Baroness mowers for greens, tees and fairways. Being a hilly course and on clay, come winter some of the lower lying fairways often get very wet, with Dave having to resort to a mole ploughing exercise to help drain water away. An old-fashioned practise, but it works effectively at the Lickeys GC.

When not working at the golf club, Dave is regularly found working on matchdays at Aston Villa Football Club. A hobby he has been doing for twenty plus years.

Dave is also a BIGGA member and over the years has had the opportunity to work at some major golfing events - the most recent one being the 151st Open event at Royal Liverpool where Dave was one of 46 greenkeepers who were invited to work at the championships.

Dave believes these experiences only help build up the knowledge and develop confidence in your own abilities - that can be used to improve the maintenance opportunities at your own golf club.

It goes without saying that the Lickey’s Golf Club is in in good hands. Let’s hope Dave can see out his career at his beloved club and hopefully see the council and Mytime Active continue to invest in this unique public golfing facility.

NEWS

SCAG ANNOUNCE NEW PARTNERSHIP
Dealership appointment

In our first WEB ONLY story, in addition to sales, the dealership's hire division will now offer Scag machinery as a premium option for medium- and long-term hire solutions.

1000th INSTALLATION COMPLETED
By specialist turf contractor

In our next WEB ONLY story, 1000th Hydrowick golf green installation milestone has been reached at Oxfordshire club.

NEWS

HENTON & CHATTELL ADD TO OFFERING
Newly appointed dealer

Dealership says opportunity to grow with a family-owned, engineering-led manufacturer aligns perfectly with their values.

Merlo has announced the appointment of Henton & Chattell Ltd as an authorised dealer, effective 1st September 2025.

Peter Chaloner, managing director, Henton and Chattell and Craig Footman, regional sales manager, Merlo UK

The Nottingham-based company will represent the brand across the Midlands and East Midlands, operating from newly acquired premises in Newark, Nottinghamshire, formerly occupied by Farmstar.

“We’re delighted to welcome Henton & Chattell to the Merlo agricultural network,” commented Owen Buttle, national sales manager at Merlo UK. “Their strong infrastructure and customer base, and proven ability to deliver across both professional ground care and agricultural sectors make them a natural fit for our brand."

Peter Chaloner, managing director at Henton & Chattell, added, “Our team is excited to expand our offering and support our customers with Merlo’s premium range of telehandlers. The opportunity to grow with a family-owned, engineering-led manufacturer like Merlo aligns perfectly with our values and long-term ambitions.”

TAG SUPPLIES 13 NEW MACHINES
To local club

Course manager said club returned to dealership because of the outstanding aftersales support provided by their team of technicians.

Tallis Amos Group (TAG) has announced the recent supply of thirteen John Deere professional groundcare machines to Minchinhampton Golf Club, one of the Cotswolds' premier golf venues.

John Stewart and Alex Jones

Following the success of their 2020 John Deere fleet purchase, Minchinhampton Golf Club say they had no hesitation in turning to TAG once again.

“We’re delighted to continue working with Minchinhampton Golf Club,” said Alex Jones, group golf sales manager at TAG. “Minchinhampton Golf Club takes great pride in the immaculate presentation of its courses, and we're pleased they can maintain their high standard of fairways and greens with a new fleet of reliable, high-performance John Deere machinery.”

John Stewart, courses manager said, "The decision to repurchase with TAG was driven by the durability of the machines and their backup support. The new machinery was selected not only for its exceptional performance but because the club has received outstanding aftersales support provided by TAG’s team of fully manufacturer-trained technicians."

The equipment supplied includes four 6500A-E Lightweight Fairway Mowers, three 2750E Triplex Greens Mowers, three HPX815E Gators, plus a 2030A ProGator with HD200 Sprayer and convertible 4.6/6.4 m (15/21 ft) boom and a Z994R Zero Turn Mower.

John continued, "The new kit has already made a difference, our seventeen green keepers rely on a robust, cutting-edge fleet and we are really impressed by the customer service and backup from the team at TAG. They are always there when we need them and now, we have the added benefit of the John Deere Operations Centre for ease of management and improved efficiency, saving time and costs."

DEERE MAKE KEY LEADERSHIP CHANGES
Three new appointments

Deere & Company has announced key leadership changes as part of its 'Smart Industrial Strategy'.

Effective 3rd November, Deanna Kovar has been appointed President, Worldwide Agriculture & Turf Division: Production and Precision Ag, as well as the Americas and Australia markets. In this role, she will have responsibility for major equipment and technology solutions for production-scale agriculture, including large tractors, as well as harvesting and crop care equipment. Deanna was previously president of the company’s Small Ag & Turf business.

Justin Rose will assume the role of President, Worldwide Agriculture & Turf Division: Small Agriculture and Turf, including responsibility for the Europe, Africa, and Asia markets. Justin will be responsible for equipment and technology solutions tailored to support small agricultural and turf customers worldwide, including small tractors, compact utility tractors, hay and forage equipment, and turf care equipment. He recently served as president of Lifecycle Solutions, Supply Management, and Customer Success for Deere.

In addition, Cory Reed has been named President, Lifecycle Solutions, Supply Management, and Customer Success. Reed will manage Deere’s global aftermarket, customer support, supply chain, precision upgrade, and business transformation initiatives, focusing on delivering value and support for customers worldwide. Previously, he was president of the company’s Production and Precision Ag business.

SPONSORED CONTENT

GroundsFest is set to be bigger, bolder, and more action-packed than ever.

GroundsFest returns to Stoneleigh Park on 9-10 September 2025, and it’s set to be bigger, bolder, and more action-packed than ever. Registration is open - and it’s completely free.

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See and try the latest machinery in real conditions

One of GroundsFest’s biggest draws is its unrivalled outdoor demonstration areas. Here, visitors can test drive, trial, and compare a wide range of machinery and equipment in the conditions they were built for - from mowing and mulching to digging, lifting, and building.

Indoor halls packed with innovation

Inside, the exhibition halls are home to leading brands unveiling their latest products, technologies, and solutions. From exclusive launches to expert-led advice, it’s the perfect place to find new ideas and connect with industry suppliers.

Live action and entertainment

Back by popular demand, Machinery Nation LIVE brings a thrilling mix of brand battles and high-octane challenges, running three times a day. This year also sees the debut of Lawn Mower Racing – The GroundsFest Cup, in partnership with Kramp UK, where professional racers will battle it out on custom-built machines.

Learn from the experts

GroundsFest’s free CPD-accredited seminar programme covers the industry’s most pressing topics, offering practical takeaways for everyone from apprentices to managers. The dedicated Landscape Zone, in partnership with BALI, is a hub for green innovation, featuring the latest in outdoor design, sustainable solutions, and technology.

A festival vibe like no other

When the show floor closes on day one, the GroundsFest Live Music Festival kicks in. Enjoy street food, live performances from Definitely Mightbe (the world’s best Oasis tribute band), Elevate, and a live DJ - plus free bumper cars.

GroundsFest is more than an event - it’s a celebration of the people, products, and passion that drive this industry forward.

Don’t miss it - register FREE today at www.groundsfest.com

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