You may be familiar with the rock-and-a-hard-place situation which non-league Sutton Utd are currently facing. We discussed it on here a couple of months back, but things have moved on now.

Essentially the club who are going great guns in the National League, currently placed third after a 1-1 with Hartlepool on Saturday, are in a position that if they win promotion at the end of the season they will be forced to rip up the 3G pitch they play on. EFL rules clearly state that artificial pitches are not permissible in their league.

This is compounded by the fact that the National League has a new rule in place which imposes a double relegation on any club playing on 3G which finds itself in a promotion position at the end of the season but refuses to replace its 3G pitch with a natural grass pitch!

As discussed previously this is such an awful quandary for a club at this level to be placed into - however much one's natural inclination is to support the use of real turf playing surfaces. Sutton have always maintained that their 3G pitch has proved a valuable community resource and a successful revenue model.

However, the club has now come out saying that should promotion become a reality they will indeed remove their current surface and replace with a natural grass pitch at an estimated cost of £300,000.

Sutton chairman Bruce Elliott has said that it cost them £420,000 to install their 3G pitch in 2015. The club has been attempting to urge the EFL to change their rules, however that would require the backing of the majority of EFL clubs and Elliott says there is “no appetite” for that.

The Evening Standard quotes Elliott as saying, "It is frustrating because these pitches are clearly acceptable now. They have moved on from those pitches that came in at Luton and QPR many years ago. Technology has moved on. People are not using the same computer they were using 30 years ago and artificial surfaces have moved on with technology.

“It is frustrating that World Cup games can be played on them, as can European games, FA Cup matches but not games in League One or League Two.

“But you have to accept the rules. If we get promoted, we will have to take up our 3G pitch and replace it with grass.

“It would be a sad day because it has been brilliant for us but you always want to play at the best level you can and if we can get into the Football League for the first time in the club’s 120-year history then of course we will do.

“We believe 3G is the way forward, however, if we have to take what we see as a backwards step to move forward then needs must.”

Which is a very pragmatic approach by the club - but it must hurt them.

Most fans of non-league football dream of seeing their team compete in the Football League. So for Sutton to get within touching distance, I suppose they had no real choice but comply with the rules - however much of a financial burden it is on them.

Hopefully if it does come to fruition and the surface is replaced, the gamble will pay off for them. If however, down the line the club finds themselves in financial dire straits, as many clubs at this level have over recent years, some of the blame will surely have to be laid at the door of the EFL and their inflexible rules?

The Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) has announced that Julien Morris, formerly head groundsman at Coventry City Football Club, has joined the IOG-lead Grounds and Natural Turf Improvement Programme (GaNTIP) as regional pitch advisor (RPA) for the East Midlands Region.

His appointment extends the number of RPAs to 10, plus two key account managers, for the programme that aims to improve the standard of grassroots pitches and the skills of those who look after them throughout England and Wales.

Aged 31, Julien brings to the role an extensive skills set and knowledge base after beginning his groundsmanship career as a 15-year-old volunteer at his local cricket club (Attleborough Sports) and, during the subsequent 16 years, also being club chairman, secretary, treasurer and groundsman.

“It is this experience in particular,” he says, “that provides me with the ideal platform to understand the needs of the volunteer sector and what GaNTIP can do to improve playing surfaces and the skills and knowledge of those who maintain them.

“Being a volunteer myself, I am also well aware of the roles played within grassroots sports by County FAs and cricket boards.”

During his time at Coventry City - where he has been head groundsman since 2013 - Julien has progressed through the groundsmanship ranks, after joining in 2008 as an apprentice.

He then became junior groundsman, groundsman, academy site manager (with responsibility for a five-pitch training facility), deputy head groundsman at the Ricoh Arena before being appointed head groundsman overseeing both the first team and academy training facilities.

Julien holds a NPTC Diploma Level 3 in Sports Turf Management in 2011, as well as NPTC Spraying qualifications PA1, PA2 and PA6.

Commenting on his appointment, GaNTIP director Jason Booth, says, “Julien is welcomed on board at what is an exciting period for the programme.

“Extensive work has been completed during phase one (2014-2017) which has led to clear aims and objectives from the sponsors - the Football Association, Football Foundation and the England & Wales Cricket Board - within phase two (2017-2021).

“Julien’s experience will prove a valuable addition to what already is a very skilled and diverse team of regional pitch advisors who are proving to be invaluable at grassroots level.”

The General Manager of Helensburgh Golf Club in Argyll & Bute is hoping to take his career, and the ambitions of his club, to new heights after being selected as the first recipient of a professional development bursary provided by Rain Bird, in partnership with the Golf Club Managers’ Association (GCMA).

Kevin McAleer will begin his journey along the pathway to an ASQ Level 5 Diploma in Golf Club Management in April, alongside 54 other club managers and aspiring managers from around the UK.

Kevin McAleer, General Manager of Helensburgh Golf Club (centre) pictured with (left) Alastair Higgs of Rain Bird Europe and Bob Williams, Chief Executive of the Golf Club Managers’ Association

Launched in 2016, the Diploma is run by the GCMA in partnership with the Professional Golfers Association and the British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association. The golf-specific qualification covers all the core skills required to manage a golf club and is undertaken in the workplace at the candidate’s own pace, coupled with online and face to face workshops. Three students have already completed the qualification.

Kevin joined Helensburgh in November 2016 from the Gleddoch House Hotel and Golf Club, where he had been the Director of Golf and Estate Manager. He attained the PGA Diploma in 2000 while employed at the Normandy Golf Centre, and during his time at Gleddoch spent eight years managing a soil biology programme. He was one of five applicants who made the bursary shortlist, and attended an interview day in Birmingham where he impressed the panel with his presentation on the future of the golf industry.

Alastair Higgs, Rain Bird’s District Manager for Golf in the UK and Ireland said, “We are delighted to be able to give Kevin this opportunity and look forward to sharing his journey. His application and insightful presentation showed him to be a positive, progressive and hands-on manager. His interest in agronomy and appreciation of its role in club management was evident, as was his commitment to his club’s commercial success, the golf industry and his ongoing learning.

"Rain Bird have been working closely with the GCMA to inform club managers of the many benefits good water management brings to their club, their golf course and the visitor experience. Offering this opportunity demonstrates our ongoing commitment to working with course and club managers to ensure that everyone involved in the game benefits from effective, efficient irrigation.”

On being selected, Kevin said, “The GCMA, PGA and BIGGA have come together to offer a qualification which perfectly suits the needs of the modern club manager. I’m delighted to have been given the opportunity to embark upon a course which will not only develop my own skills and knowledge, but will also benefit Helensburgh Golf Club. I would like to thank the HGC Management Committee for their continuing support of my professional development.

"I’m grateful to Rain Bird and the GCMA for their belief in me and for selecting me to receive the bursary from the shortlist of talented candidates. I am very much looking forward to getting started on the Diploma and to improving our water management practices with the support of Alastair and his colleagues at Rain Bird.”

Bob Williams, Chief Executive of the GCMA, said: “Reflecting an encouraging appetite for personal development amongst our members, all the applications were of a very high standard and we shortlisted some exceptional individuals.

"Kevin was an outstanding candidate, and he shared some fascinating views on the future of the game. We are looking forward to helping his future development, alongside Rain Bird, and thank you to them for their generous support of this fantastic opportunity.”

It has been reported that groundsmen at the newly built Nizhny Novgorod Stadium in Russia are in a race against the clock to have the pitch ready for the opening World Cup game at the stadium on June 18 when Sweden face South Korea.

Nizhny Novgorod Stadium

Grass planted last autumn under the open sky did not take root and replacement grass is not expected to be grown in time. A contingency plan has been organised to fly in fresh turf from New Zealand to patch it up, The Daily Star reported.

Vladimir Bulanov, a deputy of Nizhny Novgorod's legislative assembly, is quoted by the paper saying, "I'm not sure that the grass, which will need to play in two-and-a-half months, will be ready by the deadline.

"Most likely a miracle will not happen and the case may end with the urgent importation of a lawn from New Zealand and laying it with squares just before the matches," he said.

The 45,000 capacity stadium in Nizhny Novgorod is scheduled to host four pool matches at the World Cup, including England's Group G game against Panama on June 24, and two knockout games.

Dennis and SISIS have announced key dates and locations for their 2018 bowling green maintenance seminars.

The companies say they are committed to educating greenkeepers and raising the standards of bowling greens, having long supported the sport of bowls. 

The informative, educational and interactive seminars combine insightful seminars and practical tips while a number of industry experts also take to the stage to discuss a wide range of key topics.

Attendees can expect tips on early spring maintenance of bowling greens, grant funding support, and choosing the correct grass seed. A complimentary lunch, which signals the halfway point, offers networking opportunities before attendees make their way outside to an on-the-green demonstration. The demonstration not only provides a perfect opportunity to see maintenance equipment in action but also brings together the morning education with the practical elements of applying it to the greens.

In the afternoon, delegates can gain a greater understanding of chemicals and fertilizers before the day concludes with the popular Turf Clinic Q&A session - allowing attendees to ask advice about their own projects or any issues that they may have.

The seminar schedule is as follows:

• April 17th – Herne Bay Bowls Club, Kent
• April 18th – Townsend Hook Bowls Club, Kent
• April 24th – Exonia Bowls Club, Devon
• April 25th – Oxford City & County Bowls Club, Oxford
• April 26th – Ye Olde Knowle Bowls Club, Solihull
• May 15th – Hunmanby Bowls Club North Yorkshire
• May 16th – Roundwood Sports & Social Club, Rawmarsh
• May 17th – Tadcaster Magnet Sports & Social Club, Tadcaster

All seminars start with registration at 9am. To register for the free seminars, contact Roger Moore on 01332 824777 or email roger.moore@dennisuk.com.

As Tadmarton Heath Golf Club’s course manager Brian Owen retires after 44 years in the industry, 25 years at the club and 15 years using Toro machinery exclusively, he takes a moment to look at the biggest change he has seen in his accomplished career.

Brian Owen with a decanter given to him by Reesink Turfcare in acknowledgement of his career

Brian has worked at a variety of courses across the country, beginning at Southerndown Golf Club’s championship links course in Wales and finishing at the Oxfordshire-based, heathland course of Tadmarton.

And throughout almost 50 years in the business, it’s the dealer support and service Brian thinks has changed the most and made the biggest difference to working life.

He recalls: “Working at a remote Cornish links golf club in the eighties, you were lucky to get any service at all; we had to be very self-sufficient. Nowadays you can completely rely on your distributor or dealer for all your maintenance needs, just as we have at Tadmarton with Reesink Turfcare and Toro for many years.”

Changing the way Tadmarton purchased and maintained its machinery has also made a big difference. When Brian joined as course manager in 1992, the club was buying one machine a year, had a fleet twice as big as it does now, and yet the condition of the course still needed a lot of work.

Brian explains: “I convinced the board to lease hire instead of owning machines, meaning service came fully included, and gradually turned the fleet completely Toro to keep the course in the best possible condition. When it comes to machinery, quality over quantity is key, as is reliability.”

And so it happened that five years after becoming all-red, Tadmarton switched to Toro UK distributor Reesink Turfcare for back-up services who, Brian says, have been incredibly supportive: “Reesink offers the best support in the industry. I’ve worked with Reesink’s Robert Rees for ten years and he’s been brilliant on a professional as well as personal level.

“In fact, we met at a local pub the other day with Reesink’s regional manager John Pike and they presented me with a Toro decanter for all the work we have achieved together. It was a marvellous surprise and I shall think of them every time I pour a glass of port.”

On a personal level, a particular highlight of Brian’s career was driving the recently completed bunker renovations forwards at Tadmarton: “The bunkers hadn’t undergone any big changes since the course was established in 1922, so they needed to be brought up to the same standard as the rest of the course. The renovations began five years ago and, this year, we completed the 64th and final bunker. To see it finished is the perfect sign off to my career!”

Sherriff Amenity recently hosted the very first myTurfClub event at Syngenta UK’s Jealott's Hill Research Centre in Bracknell.

Attendees at first ever myTurfClub

myTurfClub is a new initiative from Sherriff Amenity which has an ultimate goal of helping to improve the UK turf amenity sector stewardship of pesticide and products. The event proved an opportunity to meet other like-minded individuals, share and gain knowledge, learn best practices and ultimately enhance their education. Every delegate also gained 6 BIGGA CPD points by attending.

Following an introduction by Sherriff Amenity’s Joseph Dormer; Dan Lightfoot, UK and Ireland business manager for Syngenta, proceeded to provide an industry update and insight into fungicide planning.

Next up was Rod Burke, Syngenta’s portfolio development manager for Europe, Africa and the Middle East, who offered some tips in his presentation entitled “Pigments – a first look”.

Prior to lunch, Joseph provided a virtual tour through the online mySherriffAmenity platform. Sherriff Amenity say they have always been an advocate of education within the turf and amenity industry and many have benefited from using mySherriffAcademy which is a feature of this platform. mySherriffAcademy is suitable for learning more about the amenity business as users can participate in courses to enhance knowledge on a wide range of topics such as disease and the correct products to use.

Lunchtime offered attendees a chance to network before they embarked on a tour of Syngenta’s facilities. Jealott’s Hill is a key site in Syngenta’s global research and development network and key activities include research into discovery of new active ingredients, new formulation technologies, product safety, technical support of products and seeds research.

To conclude the event, Joe Kinder (Sherriff Amenity Technical Manager) advised on tank-mixes before Johnny Beck (Sherriff Amenity Amenity Specialist) delivered an insight into trial work as well as revealing key results.

Sam Evans, Head Greenkeeper at Fulwell Golf Club in Middlesex, was in attendance and believes that an event like this is essential to the future of the industry. “I came along today because I wanted to develop my spray-tech knowledge and have a look around the Syngenta site. There are some really exciting products coming out and it is good to know that companies like Sherriff Amenity and Syngenta are looking to the future and are passionate about developing products.

"Events like these are vital for head greenkeepers and course managers; it’s all about enhancing your knowledge and planning for disease prevention because it is so critical in our industry.”

Commenting on the successful day, event organiser Joseph Dormer said: “We put this event together specifically because there is a need to become more pro-active in our industry. We need to be able to predict what is going to happen and have a plan in place because we are slowly losing all of the fire-fighting products.

“This event is all about giving something back and to not just host an event where everyone is sat there staring at a presentation on a screen. We wanted to create an event which is all about getting the delegates to be a bit more interactive and ultimately try to ensure that everyone leaves here with something - from the assistants all the way up to the course managers.

“I’m absolutely delighted with the turn out today, considering the pressure everyone is under at the moment with the weather. Plus a lot of people are trying to get greens renovations done and get their courses up to scratch for spring.

“I’d like to say a big thank you to Syngenta for hosting the event. I’m planning on partnering up with all of our key suppliers so there will be a number of different subject matters in this myTurfClub series. I’m sure this will be the first of many great events.”

“A large proportion of our customers have been taking advantage of our 0% finance offer,” says Ben Murray, Polaris’ National Sales Manager, “so we have decided to continue offering interest-free financing on new Polaris Sportsman ATVs, Ranger 4x4 Utility Vehicles, RZRs and Scramblers.”

Originally scheduled to end in March, the 0% finance scheme will now continue running on these 2018 models throughout the year.

Provided in conjunction with Rural Finance, the scheme is available over two years with 2 + 22 monthly payments up to a maximum of 80% of the Recommended Retail Price. It’s available for new Polaris utility ATVs, UTVs, and Sport and Leisure vehicles (excluding Youth). The 0% finance can also include up to £1,000 excluding VAT on genuine Polaris ATV and UTV accessories.

The extended finance offer also runs alongside the arrival of new Polaris ATV and UTV additions to the range at Polaris dealers, with a number of other special offers available. 

The availability of the 0% finance through Rural Finance is subject to status; the offers and warranty are subject to terms and conditions.

Available in the UK, excluding the Republic of Ireland. The finance offer ends on 31st December 2018.

St Enodoc Golf Club has an impressive roll call. It is the number one golf club in Cornwall, sixth in the country according to Golf World, and rated 99th in the world by Golf Digest. Adding to that, is the fact that it is now a new Toro customer.

Simon Greatorex, general manager, on the right, shakes hands with Reesink’s John Pike, and Devon Garden Machinery’s Steve Dommett

The links course, based on the North Cornwall coast overlooking the Camel Estuary, has high standards to maintain. Simon Greatorex, general manager, says, ”I have spent a lot of time with the greenkeepers, and time and time again the preferred machinery choice is Toro. This is almost always down to their opinion on the brand’s reliability, build quality and machine support from the supplier and dealer, in this case Reesink Turfcare and Devon Garden Machinery. I happen to agree with them on all of these points.”

And that’s why the club has opted for Toro this time, and is in receipt of two Greensmaster 3400 TriFlex mowers, a Reelmaster 5410 and a Reelmaster 3100-D with Sidewinder, to tend the club’s greens, surrounds and fairways.

Of these machines, Scott says it’s the Reelmaster 3100-D with Sidewinder which is standing out for the club’s greenkeeping team of eight. In particular for “its versatility, excellent stability, clean and superior cut, and immaculate presentation,” says Scott. He goes on to praise all four machines for their ergonomic design.

Plus, there’s the service and support of Reesink Turfcare and Devon Garden Machinery. Scott says: “We have a long-standing relationship with Devon Garden Machinery who distributes Toro in our area, the service and support we get from them is second to none. And Reesink has made the whole process very straight forward, from the advice on the type of equipment we needed to purchase, to the many options that were open to us to finance the fleet, it has been nothing but easy.”

So why has St Enodoc opted for Toro now? Simon explains: “The club has an ongoing course improvement plan, plus the drive to attract some additional events to Cornwall. We already host the South West Ladies Match Week in July for Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, and in 2019 we will be hosting the English Senior Women’s Amateur Strokeplay Championship. With Toro on board we feel we stand in good stead for expanding this roll-call even further.”