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EDITOR'S BLOG

WORKING PRESSURES INCREASING
On turf professionals
by TurfPro Editor, Laurence Gale MSC, MBPR

The findings that 1-in-3 greenkeepers are looking for work outside golf is worrying and illustrates the pressures that turf professionals find themselves under.

This week I thought I cover a few issues that are currently prominent in our industry.

I’ll begin with the recent publication of BIGGA's survey that we featured last week in TurfPro.

The results offer some startling facts about the state of golf in terms of the welfare and wellbeing of greenkeeping staff. Especially worrying is the finding that 1-in-3 greenkeepers are looking to leave the industry.

I recently had a conversation with BIGGA CEO Jim Croxton at a Campey open day where he expressed his concerns. He said the golf sector was indeed aware of the current situation and is working hard to rectify and find ways to retain current disgruntled greenkeepers. At the same time they want to find a way of encouraging and recruiting the next generation of greenkeepers into the industry.

He said BIGGA are fully aware of the issues that are driving greenkeepers away from the industry, that are in general, poor pay (especially considering the unsociable and often long hours they work), poor working conditions in respect of messroom facilities, workshop facilities that are lacking and quite often not being treated with the respect they deserve.

I have personally seen this at golf clubs I’ve visited. Some mess rooms and workshop facilities I’ve seen are really not fit for purpose. I often wonder if any of the club members or indeed the greens committee members, are even aware of the poor facilities they expect their staff to work in. Maybe things might change if greens chairpeople and secretaries were expected to work in conditions like these?

However, one of the biggest factors for myself as an ex-greenkeeper, is that the majority of golfing members don’t see or realise the pressures their geenkeeping staff are under to produce the playing surfaces they demand on a daily basis, come rain and shine. They are often only seen as grass cutters with no real understanding of what skills and experiences are required to maintain their beloved golf course - and as usual they are the first to moan if they have a poor game of golf!

Also for me, many golf courses are running well under staffed and expect a team of 3-4 to be able to produce a golf course that resembles a top premier course like Wentworth, The Belfry or Celtic Manor. I have mentioned it before, to obtain those levels you would need a staff of at least seven or eight, along with the appropriate investment in machinery and materials to achieve and deliver those standards of presentation and performance.

Whilst on recruitment, it is not just golf, it is across our whole sport turf industry that we are seeing a decline in young people coming into the sector. Again, generally due to low pay and the fact that many youngsters are not prepared to work long hours. As we have said on numerous occasions you can earn more money stacking shelves or driving a white van.

Recruitment will be a key issue going forward. Raising pay scales and improving working conditions will be a necessary initiative if we want to encourage the next generation to come and work in our diverse industry.

We also need a national campaign, with both BIGGA and the GMA working with leading manufacturers and businesses to address this problem. We need to go into schools and talk about the opportunities and experiences that can be gained by coming into this industry. We need to completely change the culture of being classed as low paid workers who only cut grass.

Irrigation

As we all know, we are currently experiencing one of the hottest summers since records began, with air and soil temperatures at an all-time high – topping 40 degrees for the first time last Tuesday.

This prolonged spell of hot weather has certainly affected our natural grass playing surfaces. Increasing the need to irrigate to keep the grass alive, I am not sure how long it will be before we start hearing calls for a ban on watering. A number of water boards are now considering bringing in hosepipe bans to protect the amount of water they have, as many reservoirs are now very low.

A hosepipe ban can be put in place by any organisation responsible for water provision to households across the UK. As different regions are supplied by different providers, this means that one area of the country can have a ban in place, while others are free to continue using their hoses without restrictions.

The ban itself covers ‘non-essential’ water use. This includes using hosepipes to water gardens, wash cars, fill swimming pools, fountains, or ponds, and clean windows, pathways, and outdoor decking. The water provider can extend the ban to all of these activities or limit to a certain few. On announcing the ban, water providers should detail which activities are banned and the precise time at which the ban will come into effect.

With hosepipe bans, the emphasis is on reducing water consumption to ensure that demand can be met. This means limiting waste and reducing the amount of water used for non-essential purposes.

Hosepipe bans are legally enforceable, and breach of the ban conditions can carry hefty penalties. Those caught breaking the ban can be fined up to £1000. However, the likelihood of being fined for a breach varies from area to area, depending on the attitude of the local authorities and water providers.

Green Flag Awards

And finally, I have been invited to attend one of this year’s Green Flag Awards ceremonies at The Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. With over 2000 parks being judged it will be interesting to meet up with many of this year’s winners. I personally have judged several parks and public open spaces in the Midlands and enjoyed meeting all those involved in maintaining these important assets.

We often take for granted these wonderful facilities that are on our doorstep. We should at every opportunity praise and raise the profile of these sites and more importantly push for government to make parks a statutory service.

NEWS

KUBOTA TO BUY WELL KNOWN PRO MOWER BRAND
Creating new groundcare division

In our first WEB ONLY story Kubota Corporation intends to merge the lawnmower business division of Italian manufacturer into a new wholly-owned subsidiary of Kubota Holdings B.V.

NEW DIVISION LAUNCHED
By specialist turf care company

In our next WEB ONLY story David Churchyard has joined the team to head up the new division.

MAJOR MILESTONE FOR TAP!
Celebrations last week

Members of TAP and TAP Spain celebrating the 20th anniversary

TAP, the publishers of TurfPro andService Dealer, gathered national and international staff in Oxfordshire on Tuesday 19th July, to celebrate the company's special anniversary.

TAP, the publishers of TurfPro and Service Dealer, gathered national and international staff in Oxfordshire on Tuesday 19th July, to celebrate the company's 20th anniversary.

Members of TAP and TAP Spain celebrating the 20th anniversary

Owner Duncan Murray-Clarke said, "Wow, where did that time go! I mean 20 years is quite a while and during that time we have worked through financial crashes, wars and massive people displacement, climate change, the birth of Social Media and the death of the traditional media channel mix as we know them. Oh, and a world changing pandemic that will impact us for years to come."

"So it does beg the question, why on earth is TAP still in business? Lots of very strong advertising and communications agencies have sadly fallen victim to some of these adverse conditions and ceased to be.

"As time has gone on, certain elements have become much clearer to me. I am not talking about the complexities of world trading conditions or the ever-changing marketing acronyms! No it is simpler than that (or I am simpler than that). And many of these fundamental but simple elements have been key to TAP’s trading strength and the calibre of our output."

Duncan continued, "We have always changed when we felt it was right and sometimes this change has bought on quite a fundamental shift in direction. For example evolving an agency that was reliant on Travel and Tourism to an agency whose turnover is 85%+ from the agriculture and food production sectors. And thank goodness we did.

"We also moved very quickly into the content and social media space and will always be assuming we are still behind where we need to be and looking to better our knowledge.

"So, whenever I get asked by someone starting on a new venture for any advice. It isn’t that complicated. Be different, don’t be slugging it out with loads of other businesses. Think about a real point of difference that separates you away from other businesses in your sector. And you have (at the moment) the advantage of being small. So when the time is right, don’t be afraid to evolve and change, because the world is moving very quickly at the moment."

The specially commissioned TAP20 gin

Duncan concluded, saying, "Because of our ability to adapt, I absolutely believe we are up there as one of the best ag specialist content agencies around. Well I would say that wouldn’t I? But we are now in the privileged position that The TAP Group is working with most of the key global players in world crop science and many of these clients have been with us for a while and the trust and working understanding that has been built up is special. So, thank you to all our clients who have placed their trust in us over the last 20 years.

"But who am I kidding? TAP doesn’t make nuts and bolts. We sell knowledge and expertise and it has to be good. We would be nothing without our people and accumulated knowledge – just a logo and a website. One thing Covid has taught us is we need our colleagues now more than ever and there has been a real shift in attitude towards working with people and their priorities, instead of just employing people. The traditional ad agency management style of diluted ethics, survival of the fittest and full on egos are no longer with us.

"One final thing. I don’t want to belittle what we do but keeping it simple has been a real strength. Over the years we have been able to focus on what is important and what is engaging."

CHARITY GOLF CHALLENGE
140 holes at some of the UK's oldest courses

Golf club members are heading off to some of the UK oldest courses to raise money for the British Heart Foundation.

Some members of Minehead & West Somerset Golf Club have announced they are heading off on what they're calling the 140th Centenary Challenge, from 22 to 26 August 2022 - to raise money for the British Heart Foundation.

One of the members undertaking the challenge, Martyn Westbury, explained, "April 1882 saw the birth of Minehead & West Somerset Golf Club and in our 140th Centenary, four members - myself, Tiny, Doug and Jim - have decided to fund raise to mark this anniversary.

"Enter the 140 Hole Challenge. We are led to believe this is the first time this has been done. What we're doing is playing 140 holes of golf at some of the oldest courses in England - with each course being older than our own. And all in just four and a half days.

"At 7am on August 22nd we will leave Minehead to start this quest and anyone can follow us each day on our Facebook page."

The team!

The route the group is taking is:

Monday 22nd August - 1330 Royal Blackheath
Tuesday 23rd - 0800 London & Scottish & 1400 Royal Wimbledon
Wednesday 24th - 0800 Oxford & 1430 Newbury & Crookham
Thursday 25th - 0800 Bramshaw & 1636 Royal North Devon
Friday 26th 0930 Minehead & West Somerset

To support the effort visit the 140th Centenary Challenge Justgiving page.

DEALERSHIP'S THIRD PRO TURFCARE BRANCH OPENS
Locally focused team in place

Company opens third branch saying it has a focus on sales, servicing, training and parts.

Continuing with its focus on sales, servicing, training and parts for all brands with a locally-focused team, Reesink UK has opened its third branch in Burwell, Cambridgeshire.

The branch serves the areas of Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Leicestershire, joins Reesink Scotland and Reesink South East.

Reesink say the brief for branch manager, Trevor Chard, was to set up a dealership that builds relationships on a local level, deals directly with customers and responds to specific customer needs for the area.

Trevor says, “The pleasure of managing a branch is that the autonomy to make decisions in terms of what we stock, distribute and deliver is, to a degree, for us to determine based on the specific needs of customers in the area.”

Brands which Reesink UK distributes that are available through the branch include Toro fine turf and groundscare machinery, STAR EV utility vehicles and golf buggies, Farmtrac tractors and TYM tractors. Trevor explained, "We’ve been able to fine-tune the range we offer our customers, we’ve taken on board new brands specific to what the market here is responding to and that’s proving to be a winning formula.”

Reesink Burwell has also widened its offering since opening to include Cramer battery-driven power tools, and Biocircle for sustainable cleaning of turfcare machinery.

Alongside the brands, a large part of the branch’s business is servicing maintenance contracts with the ReeAssure scheme. Whilst completing the offering is training, with space on site to accommodate practical training in the workshops and forecourt and theory in meeting rooms.

Trevor said, “Again, we have the autonomy to produce and provide training specific to what our customers want and need, stepping away from the general plans available through head office. We can design our own packages, making training even easier for customers.”

Treveor concluded, saying, "We’re independent, we don’t funnel into a system, we can respond instantly to local market changes and design our business to offer the right products for the local industry as it moves forward in new directions.”

UK'S NEWEST HORSE RACING VENUE PARTNERS
For supply of machinery

Moving forward, the local dealership branch will continue that close support offered between dealer and customer.

New Holland Agriculture and their local dealer Ernest Doe & Sons Ltd have announced a new partnership with Chelmsford City Racecourse.

The new partnership will see the manufacturer supply two new T6 tractors which will develop a substantial presence at the racecourse. Both tractors were supplied through Ernest Doe based in Braintree.

Pat Smith, UK & ROI business director for New Holland Agriculture said, “New Holland Agriculture is delighted to become a principal partner of Chelmsford City Racecourse, the UK’s newest horse racing venue. We look forward to supporting the racecourse through this partnership which we feel creates an excellent synergy between both enterprises given the location of our Basildon, Essex Tractor Plant.”

Ian Roberts, Ernest Doe New Holland tractor brand manager added, “Working closely with the Racecourse, our local Ernest Doe branch at Braintree certainly built up the partnership and moving forward will continue that close support offered between dealer and customer. Having recently being awarded New Holland’s UK dealer of the year award, this certainly strengthens our commitment to ensure the growth of an extremely well-known product range into the market."

Mark Jolley, Ernest Doe, Braintree area sales manager also commented, “We are extremely pleased that we were able to help facilitate this agreement between New Holland Agriculture & Chelmsford City Racecourse due to our close relationship with both parties. We look forward to continuing growing the New Holland brand over the coming years.”

James Sharples, head of sales at Chelmsford City Racecourse said, “The partnership has come at a fantastic time for us with our new turf track coming online for racing this year, as well as a continued expansion of our rural site."

TALLIS AMOS GROUP CONFIRMS EXPANSION
Plans for new branches

Dealership says only with expansion can they provide the levels of stock, technology and specialisation necessary to support customers' needs.

Tallis Amos Group (TAG) has confirmed it has been appointed as the John Deere dealer to cover Shrewsbury and Newport in Shropshire offering full sales, parts and service support within the surrounding area.

Ben Tallis & Simon Amos

TAG was formed in 2012 when two long standing John Deere dealerships, Alexander & Duncan and Chris Tallis Farm Machinery joined forces. The company traces its roots back to 1912 and has been supporting farming businesses in the West Midlands for over 100 years, with 56 years as John Deere agents.

Currently operating four depots in the West Midlands and Wales at Evesham, Kemble, Leominster and Narberth, TAG say they have plans to open an additional site near Lampeter in October this year.

Employing a team of 130, TAG's other machinery partners include Kramer, Pottinger, Sumo, Pichon, Shelbourne Reynolds, Sulky, AW & Bailey Trailers amongst others.

To support customers throughout the Shrewsbury and Newport area, plans are being finalised to open two outlets, with TAG saying details including opening date will be shared as soon as possible. Rea Valley Tractors (RVT) continue to be authorised dealers until 31st October 2022 - further details about the changes can read here.

Simon Amos, TAG agricultural sales director, said, “We are delighted to be extending our trading area and look forward to earning farmers and contractors business and trust in the months and years ahead.

"Alexander & Duncan were the original John Deere dealer appointed for Shropshire in 1966, our whole team have a great sense of pride in returning to serve customers across the region again."

Ben Tallis, TAG managing director, said, “This is another important step in the continued growth of TAG, only with expansion can we provide the levels of stock, technology and specialisation necessary to support the needs of modern farming and contracting businesses whilst providing the security and opportunities for everyone who works hard at TAG every day.

“We have always had a good working relationship with RVT and wish them well in the future. As we look to build on their success over the last 38 years we have agreed to work together and make the transition as smooth as possible for all customers.”

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