With the new rugby season starting in less than three weeks, there is nothing better for a player than to run out on to a good pitch that offers a thick sward to perform on, providing a level surface, that can take a stud and provide a cushion effect when making tackles.

Presentation is also important, particularly ensuring the pitch lines are accurate and straight. Take time to deliver a well-presented pitch, it will make all the difference and hopefully inspire your team to perform well.

Leicester Tiger’s ground

There are a lot of rugby clubs however, who perhaps do not share the same philosophy. As a qualified groundsman and RFU Pitch Advisor, I sadly see too many clubs not investing enough time and resources into their pitches.

Which more than often leads to the grass not being cut regularly enough, no fertilisers being applied, no selective weedkilling and very little other work done on the pitches. Often the excuse is that they do not have the funds or the personnel to carry out the work.

At the end of the day there will always be a cost for this work - whether you do it yourself, with volunteers or employ a groundsmen / contractor. Many rugby clubs have many ex-players who if approached may be interested in helping. However, they will not want to carry out the job if it is seen as a chore, or if the club does not have the appropriate machinery, resources and equipment to do the job efficiently.

The RFU have for several years implemented a support programme called Groundsmen Connected under the guidance of Keith Kent Former HG at Twickenham. I myself recently attended one of Keith’s popular Groundsmen Connected roadshows at Veseyans Rugby Club, Warsall, Birmingham. In attendance were a number of local rugby club volunteer groundsmen who were keen to meet Keith and receive any relevant help and advice on looking after their pitches.

Keith Kent (right)

Rugby Groundsmen Connected (RGC) is the RFU’s easy access, two-way communication network between the RFU and rugby union groundsmen. It is the main communication channel for the RFU to provide information and advice to groundsmen and has special offers and exclusive benefits for members. Everything the RFU does related to pitch maintenance now comes under the banner of Rugby Groundsmen Connected.

Groundsmen Connected is for anybody that has any involvement in the upkeep of rugby pitches; from the complete novice to Premiership groundsmen. Anyone can register to join RGC at no cost. Once signed up turf professionals will receive regular communications with advice, information and the opportunity to ask questions.

RGC now has well over 1,000 groundsmen registered and Keith has been very supportive of the scheme and has himself visited many clubs up and down the country to pass on his advice. As a volunteer pitch advisor for the RFU myself, I was keen to meet up with Keith and offer my services to any local clubs. It is without doubt, a busy schedule for Keith. To date he had already visited over 30 rugby clubs up and down the country giving vital advice on pitch maintenance.

During each road show Keith is supported by several of the Groundsmen Connected partners who support the scheme and pass on other relevant advice to the attending rugby clubs.

Iseki tractor and SISIS Quadraplay in action

The RFU do offer, under the Groundsmen Connected scheme a Keith Kent Maintenance Package that consists of Iseki Compact Tractor, SISIS Qudraplay unit, Wessex Roller Mower and SISIS Multitiner that would enable clubs to look after their pitches more professionally.

One of the most popular pitch management tools is the SISIS Quadraplay. The implement’s combination of frames makes up a single pass maintenance system which incorporates a mounted frame. The mounted frame accepts a variety of different implements for use on both turf and hard porous surfaces. Implements such as grooming rakes, spikers, slitters, rollers and brushes can be added to the frame, making this an exceptionally versatile piece of equipment. It can be used for fine and outfield turf to perform a range of tasks so effectively that you can aerate, brush, spring tine and roll in one pass.

Using these frames before and after matches helps keep the pitch in good condition and, above all, the spiker ensures the pitch is regularly aerated. In essence, maintaining natural grass pitches is all about supporting and promoting good grass growth throughout the year.

Personally, I believe buying your own equipment and building up a dedicated grounds team who can share and carry out the basic maintenance tasks is a better way to go. Yes, there is the initial cost of the equipment and a need to have a storage facility nearby. However, the benefits of doing the work yourself is not only satisfying, but you are in control of the performance and aesthetics of your ground. As for funding and getting enough money to undertake your own maintenance work, Keith and I have being saying for years that everybody (adults and youth sectors) who set foot on the clubs’ pitches (training and playing) should contribute a £1 a week towards the maintenance costs. For most clubs that would equate to well over £250 per week, £1000 per month, £9000 for 9 months. If you were to invest that into your pitches you would have some decent surfaces.

Mowing the grass at Leicester Tigers

Of course, rugby turf professionals should continue to cut the grass on a regular basis. The frequency of cuts will be dependent on growth. Ideally, we should be mowing on a weekly regime. Maintain the recommended height of cut, anything between 25-100mm. A lot of clubs are now using tractor mounted rotary deck mowers which are more robust with rollers that help produce a striping effect.

Marking out should be done on a regular basis to ensure lines remain intact - a weekly or fortnightly regime should suffice. Brushing the pitch is also beneficial. It helps stand the grass plant up and helps knock off early morning dews, which will also reduce the incidence of disease in the sward.

Monitor how the pitch is performing in terms of playability, keep on top of any worn areas by carrying out repairs and overseed whilst temperatures remain favourable for seed germination.

Well presented Leicester Tigers pitch

Also, encourage different parts of the sports field for warmups and training - this helps reduce wear.

With the season just starting, presentation skills will be at the forefront of the minds of most groundstaff, setting the maintenance standards for the coming season. Presentation and cleanliness are an important part of the job, ensuring the pitch is level, safe and appealing for play.

Some clubs are still using creosote or similar type products, to burn the lines in. This is not permitted; only approved marking products should be used. As for adding weed killers to line marking fluid, again this is not recommended. You will end up with bare soil lines, which are difficult to overmark. Use approved marking compounds/materials. There is a wide range of marking paints. Ensure you use the best product for your facility and needs, buying the cheapest paint is not always the best option.

I am sure we will see some decent looking pitches come September in time for the start of another competitive year of rugby fixtures. Not forgetting that this year, the home nation teams will be competing in the Rugby World Cup tournament in Japan.

BIGGA, alongside Toro and Reesink Turfcare, has revealed the 11 finalists who will contest this year’s Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Awards.

The 31st hosting of the finals of the awards will take place at BIGGA House in North Yorkshire, following a nationwide search for the country’s leading student greenkeepers.

A record 46 students were nominated for the Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Award, with seven talented candidates making it through to the grand final, to be held on Monday 9 and Tuesday 10 September 2019.

Up for grabs will also be the fourth Toro Young Student Greenkeeper of the Year Award, which is only open to qualifying students under the age of 20 at the time they were nominated. Four candidates have been invited to attend the finals.

The Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year finalists are:

1. Thomas Bird, Sutton Coldfield
2. Daryn Curtis, Farleigh Court
3. James Dawson, Oulton Hall
4. Vince DeMarzo, The Wisley
5. Jason Norwood, Rudding Park
6. Matthew Strudwick, Royal Norwich
7. Nicholas Turner, Royal Dornoch

The Toro Young Student Greenkeepe of the Year finalists are:

1. Tom Bromfield, Trentham
2. Josh Marshall, The Worcestershire
3. Sam Richards, Sherborne
4. Lewis Westwood, Celtic Manor

Vince DeMarzo of The Wisley is set to become the first student ever to have participated in both awards. Vince was runner-up at the first Toro Young Student Greenkeeper of the Year Award in 2016, winning a trip to Continue to Learn at BTME in January 2017.

Each year the awards enable BIGGA to work alongside its partners, the turf maintenance equipment manufacturer Toro and distributor Reesink Turfcare, to celebrate the next generation of talented greenkeepers who are dedicating themselves to a career within the industry.

The Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year winner will receive an eight-week all expenses paid scholarship to America, including a six-week residential turf management study course at the University of Massachusetts, a trip to the Golf Industry Show in Orlando, Florida and a visit to Toro’s facilities.

The Toro Young Student Greenkeeper of the Year winner will receive a work experience placement at the exclusive Vidauban Golf Club in southern France. They will also receive a trip to Continue to Learn at BTME and enjoy a five-night package that includes hotel, four days of education, travel and £125 expenses, plus a Toro training voucher.

Stuart Green, head of member learning at BIGGA, said, “At a time when golf clubs are finding it increasingly difficult to attract the next generation of greenkeepers in to the profession, I’m delighted that we had more nominations than ever before for the Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Awards. The extremely high standard of candidates that we interviewed reinforced what a fantastic and rewarding profession this can be.

“I was once again astounded by the enthusiasm and knowledge for the industry shown by the candidates and it’s clear that the future of the industry is in safe hands.

“My thanks go to Toro and Reesink Turfcare in their continued support and thanks go to everyone who took part this year.”

David Cole, Reesink Turfcare managing director and award sponsor, said: “In 2019 we are celebrating Toro’s centennial milestone serving the golf industry and that gives me pause to reflect on the current ‘state of greenkeeping’ and in particular the longevity of The Toro Student Greenkeeper Awards. From what I see and hear from this year’s crop of participants and finalists, the future is bright. This is evidenced not only by a focused mind-set and commitment to learn from so many early on in their working life, but also by increasing numbers of students who have made significant career changes later in their working life. Both are committing and investing wholeheartedly in their greenkeeping futures.”

Registration for this year’s Turf Maintenance Live event is now open.

The showcase for turf maintenance equipment is being held at the Woollam Playing Fields, Harpenden Rd in St. Albans on Wednesday 23 and Thursday 24 October.

This year two new companies, Agria UK and Price Turfcare (Ventrac), are joining the established group that includes Ernest Doe & Sons, GKB Machines, Husqvarna UK, Iseki UK, Martin Lishman, Rigby Taylor, Wessex International and Wiedenmann UK.

This is now the largest Turf Maintenance Live event since its inception back in 2015 with 10 companies displaying an eclectic mix of products for the turf professional. Entrance to the event is free but pre-registration is essential.

Aimed at groundsmen, greenkeepers, contractors, local authority personnel, estate managers and schools as well as amateur and professional sports clubs, the event has an emphasis on working demonstrations and up close inspection of new products for the 2020 season.

BIGGA and IOG members able claim CPD points for their attendance.

Visitors interested in attending the event and seeing the latest innovations and equipment in action can register by completing a registration form online or email register@turfmaintenancelive.com .

Val Graham, spokesperson for Turf Maintenance Live said, “Emphasis will be on live working demonstrations and product situations rather than static displays, so there’s plenty of incentive to make a day of it.

“We’re indebted to the support from the STRI and our two associate sponsors - The IOG and BIGGA - both of whom will be awarding CPD points to attendees. Starting time on both days is 10.00 with free registration and bacon rolls. Lunch is provided at no charge and those who can’t make the morning can come along grab lunch and do the afternoon session."

Campey Turf Care Systems is set to take their Dakota, Air2G2 and Campey range of machines to National Grasdag, Belgium and Groen Techniek, Holland, in September.

Dakota spreader in action

The 13th edition of National Grasdag is taking place in Pittem, West Flanders, on the 4th and 5th September with the introduction of practical demonstrations alongside the exhibition. Groen Techniek is into its fourth year, with the three-day show taking place from the 10th to 12th September at the Walibi Fairgrounds in Biddinghuizen.

A team of Campey product specialists will be at both shows to talk attendees through their aeration, spreading and grooming equipment, including the Air2G2 and Dakota Turf Tenders.

The Air2G2 allows turf professionals to aerate as and when they need to with no disruption. The machine comes with probes at working depths of 7” (17.5cms) or 12” (30cms) as standard, and optional probes of 6” (15.25cms) or 9” (23cms), giving turf professionals the option to tackle compaction at any level.

The Dakota range of top dressers spread light, heavy, wet or dry material while offering exact and variable spreads. There are eight models of varying sizes that cover small pedestrian machines to larger towed options. All spreaders are built to suit customer requirements.

Among the Campey range of products will be the recently released Uni-Scratch. This machine is a solution for professional and effective maintenance of natural grass and can also be used for the final organic matter removal on natural grass hybrid carpet pitches when carrying out annual renovations.

Joining it in Holland and Belgium will be the UNIRAKE. Users can adjust the severity of grooming to remove organic matter or simply stand the sward up to encourage growth, with altering the intensity taking no less than 30 seconds.

Gleneagles, the forthcoming host venue of The Solheim Cup, September 9-15, has paid a Scottish tartan tribute to welcome the biggest event in women's golf.

In a special 'creative takeover' of the 2nd hole on the Jack Nicklaus-designed PGA Centenary Course, greenkeepers have transformed the pristine fairways of the iconic par 5, 516-yard hole into a carpet of tartan with a painstaking, four-hour cutting makeover.

Showcasing technical expertise, Gleneagles' greenkeepers used a host of cutting techniques and state-of-the-art machines to create this unique homage to mark the arrival of the biggest event in women's golf.

Craig Haldane, Golf Courses Manager at Gleneagles, said, "This is our team doffing their hats to the heritage of golf in Scotland, showcasing turf care innovation and skill, and celebrating the arrival of what is set to be a global celebration of women's golf."

The greenkeeping team at Gleneagles will rise to 100 people for The Solheim Cup, where tournament standard conditioning will also extend to The King’s Course, host venue for The Junior Solheim Cup, and The Queen's Course, that will remain open for member play during the week.

Gary Silcock, Director of Golf at Gleneagles, added, "With the level of greenkeeping resource we have invested in on all three championship courses - all prepared to tournament standard - there is an incredible opportunity for visiting golfers to experience our world-class hospitality after The Solheim Cup concludes, and enjoy what will be, quite possibly, the best-conditioned golf courses in the UK."

Gleneagles will hold a unique position in golfing history when the September event concludes, becoming the first venue in Europe to have hosted both The Ryder Cup (2014) and The Solheim Cup.

Turf Rewards 2019 is now open for greenkeepers and turf managers to claim their points, and convert them into tools for their businesses.

This year, say ICL, there are some important new additions and upgrades to benefit from, along with a host of new qualifying ICL and Syngenta products and packages. A new look Turf Rewards website is also easier and faster to see what is available and to make claims.

Operated by ICL and Syngenta, Turf Rewards includes offers to improve turf quality, provide education, aid business management and enhance the environment.

ICL UK Sales & Development Manager, Ed Carter, reported the scheme has continued to grow year-on-year: “Not only do people get great quality products, but there’s the opportunity to improve turf management, business performance and the whole team – at no added cost.

“Some of these tools may be difficult to get directly from the turf management budget, but Turf Rewards makes them accessible and affordable.”

Customers log their purchases of qualifying Syngenta and ICL products from any authorised distributor on the Turf Rewards website, and points are automatically added to their account.

Glenn Kirby, Syngenta Technical Manager, highlighted that many of the Turf Rewards offers have been selected to improve Integrated Turf Management programmes and get the best results from the qualifying products involved.

“Using tools such as remote sensors and precision measuring devices can help with better decision-making processes. Turf Rewards makes some of the latest technology readily available, without additional club investment.”

This season there is greater emphasis on ITM packages involving ICL nutrition and Syngenta fungicide programmes designed to optimise turf health and surface quality. Some popular products and combinations carry double Turf Reward points to multiply the benefits for customers.

At West Malling Golf Club in Kent, Course Manager, Samuel Young, used his Turf Rewards to claim a Team Scout precision pedestrian sprayer. “The sprayer is great quality and very useful, but it might only be used five times a year, so without Turf Rewards it would be difficult to justify the expenditure. It’s just a great and beneficial scheme,” said Samuel.

New qualifying Turf Reward products for 2019:

• Ryder
• H2Pro DewSmart
• H2Pro FlowSmart
• Sierrablen Plus Pearl

After winning the 2018 SALTEX College Cup, students from Bridgwater and Taunton College in Somerset, recently enjoyed their prize of a behind the scenes tour at The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC), Wimbledon.

Neil Stubley with the College Cup winners

Simon Cook, Jacob Camplin, Ryan Tate and trainer/assessor Cary Rawlings experienced an unforgettable day when Neil Stubley, the AELTC’s Head of Courts and Horticulture, provided them with an in-depth look at court preparations the week before The Championships, Wimbledon took place.

Sponsored by Ransomes, the competition took place at SALTEX 2018 at the NEC in Birmingham, where the three Bridgwater and Taunton students competed against other UK-based horticultural colleges in an in-depth academic test of turf management knowledge.

Commenting on being involved in this extraordinary opportunity, college student Ryan Tate said, “The experience was really educational. I was very lucky to get to see turf management at the highest tier and I’ll really benefit from it.”

Fellow college student Simon Cook added, “It has been a real eye opener, especially getting the chance to speak to and learn from someone like Neil Stubley.”

“The attention to detail here at Wimbledon is incredible and I feel very lucky to have been here to witness it,” said Jacob Camplin. “We’ll be back at SALTEX this year to defend our title and we’re going for our second win so bring it on!”

Commenting on the SALTEX College Cup, Neil Stubley said, “I was fortunate to be invited to sit on the judging panel at the SALTEX College Cup in 2018 and it was a great experience to see up-and-coming grounds personnel with their key knowledge and their willingness to learn. I’ve enjoyed showcasing what we do to the winning team and explaining the challenges we have to work with to deliver exceptional surfaces for The Championships.”

The Wimbledon tour follows two extraordinary SALTEX College Cup prizes in previous years. In 2017 the winning students were part of the Wembley grounds team at the FA Cup Final and the 2018 winners enjoyed an unforgettable experience of helping with pitch preparations at the 2018 Six Nations Championships at BT Murrayfield Stadium.

Since its launch in 2017, the SALTEX College Cup has grown each year both in size and reputation, and Cary Rawlings believes that even more colleges should enter the competition.

“I can highly recommend the SALTEX College Cup to all colleges that are involved in delivering sports turf. It is a fantastic opportunity for young students to challenge themselves and it provides them with the opportunity to gain experience of delivering a presentation to industry professionals that will set them in good stead for future job interviews.

“It also gives a good overview of the knowledge that your students have taken on-board during their course and also highlights any areas that may need to be revisited.

“We are looking forward to entering again this year and I implore other colleges to participate in this event. It is not every day that your students get the opportunity to experience life behind the scenes at a major sporting event. Once the seed has been planted for something like this it will drive our future custodians of the industry on to bigger and better things.”

All colleges interested in participating in the 2019 SALTEX College Cup should email Dan Prest at dprest@iog.org for more details.

Toro and Reesink are the new 2019 sponsors of the SALTEX College Cup. The 2019 winners’ prize will be a trip to Real Madrid’s Bernabau Stadium

When Adur & Worthing Councils first looked at robotic line marking a few years ago, “the technology simply just wasn’t up to scratch”, says grounds maintenance supervisor Steve Grant. “But when Rigby Taylor last year announced its TinyLineMarker (TLM), I could clearly see the multitude of benefits of machine that can, for example, initial mark a full-size football pitch in just 20 minutes, compared to around 1.5 hours manually.”

Grounds maintenance supervisor Steve Grant with the TLM

He continues, “Indeed, in one instance for a football tournament, TLM took just 2.5 hours to mark 17 mini (seven-a-side) football pitches of 60 yards by 40 yards.

“With around 72 regular line marking operations on sites having full-size football and rugby pitches, plus mini pitches, as well as summer sports like cricket (we mark the boundaries at six pitches) and four running tracks, the potential for savings – in terms of time alone - are enormous.

“Our return on the investment will only improve when our work with the local secondary schools and colleges, where there is a wide variety of sports including rounders, is also taken into account.

“And the advantages of, and savings with, TLM don’t end there. We’re now using a single 10-litre tub [of Rigby Taylor’s ready-mixed Impact paint] to mark three pitches.”

The ready-to-use Impact means operators have no contact with the paint either, as a flow tube is simply inserted into the paint container.

With a highly-skilled team of grounds people undertaking all manner of groundscare maintenance - and renovation - tasks, Steve joined the councils five years ago and is part of a 50-person operation that maintains a variety of open spaces, including historic gardens and cemeteries, as well as playgrounds.

Two-thirds of the team, which formerly operated as a contractor to the council, also undertakes cricket table maintenance and, at some sites, end-of-year renovations. A group of seven is charged with line marking tasks as their prime role, and teams of usually two/three work together on each TLM application when, for example, they also undertake additional groundscare tasks while TLM is operating.

With wide experience of line marking, which has also involved his role as a contract supervisor looking after 178 schools in Sussex - and the demands it places on people and time - Steve says he was initially considering all options in terms of ‘automated’ marking.

“With an established background in groundscare, I have enjoyed a long relationship with Rigby Taylor. When I was introduced to TLM and witnessed a demonstration, I was confident in what I saw and I knew it would be a cost-effective replacement for our traditional manual/dimpler machines.”

Lightweight and easy to transport, TLM utilises the latest GPS technology with RTK receiver and antenna that connects with global satellites and mobile network connections. It takes the input of pitch line dimensions and multiple pitches via an App and re-positions them to best fit the site using Google Maps. Once stored, the lines are never lost, even if they disappear if a pitch is not used for any length of time.

Steve adds: “Our operators immediately picked up the programming side and they particularly highlight the functionality for plotting/initial marking out.”

Initially aimed at football pitches (any length/width), and rugby union and league pitches as well as multi-lane athletic tracks, tennis, lacrosse and American football pitches, TLM will also prove useful in the future for Adur & Worthing Councils because it can also mark bespoke shapes, which is often required for some smaller locations and events such as school sports days

The Royal Automobile Club’s golf course manager Lee Strutt says he is a long-term fan of John Deere tractors, and his latest acquisition has been hard at work in its first year on the Old and Coronation downland courses near Epsom in Surrey.

Members of the Royal Automobile Club greenkeeping team (left to right) Simon Glover, Andy Airlee, Lee Strutt and Gary Stewart with the club’s two John Deere 4066R compact tractors and the new 5125R utility tractor. (Photo credit: Ash Youd Photography)

The Club’s current fleet includes a 4520 and two 4066R compact models, one equipped with a front linkage to take a snow plough and other mounted attachments, as part of Lee’s ‘future proofing’ approach to tractor purchases. These were more recently joined by one of the first new John Deere 5125R utility tractors sold to a golf club, supplied by Dave Searles of Farol Ltd at Twyford in Berkshire.

“After we bought the 4066Rs we always intended to buy a larger 5R or a 6R Series machine of around 100hp for heavier duty work around the 350 acre site,” says Lee. “After a visit to the Mannheim tractor factory, I saw the first 5125R in the UK on demonstration at the company’s Langar headquarters and decided this would be the best fit for our needs.

“It’s a very adaptable and versatile tractor - we can change from the everyday Galaxy flotation turf tyres to the agricultural tread types that are more suitable for woodland management, construction work or snow clearance for example, and the grip on these tyres is phenomenal.”

The 125hp tractor is primarily used on both the golf courses for verti-draining and top dressing with two Charterhouse machines, a 2.1m Verti-Drain 7621 and a 5-tonne capacity Rink DS3800 top dresser, for woodland management with a high capacity TP 230 pto-driven woodchipper and for hauling up to 14-tonne dump trailers.

“The Verti-Drain is a big, heavy contractor’s machine and we use it across all 36 holes, so we need a powerful, durable tractor to pull it,” Lee adds. “We’ve also got about 77 acres of woodland, and the woodchipper can cope with branches up to 9in in diameter running off the tractor’s 1000rpm pto, so there’s plenty of power available for that job too. The only time we make the 5125R grunt a bit is when it’s pulling the larger trailers, but in my experience tractors work better when they’re working harder.”

All the club’s green waste - including grass clippings, woodchips, soil and cores, anything green and recyclable - is brought down to the maintenance area once a fortnight, from where it gets taken to a storage site for making around 300 tonnes a year of good quality compost. “It’s like black gold, full of nutrients,” says Lee. “This costs us around £3000 a year to produce but the material is worth at least twice that amount, so the system provides us with massive savings.”

Lee Strutt has been buying John Deere tractors for 20 years - his first was a 5820 utility model bought in 1999 when he was course manager at Richmond Golf Club. As a noteworthy update to this story, Lee’s successor at Richmond Les Howkins has changed that very model for a new 90hp 5090R utility tractor, ordered from Farol at the same time as the 5125R.

“The biggest improvements I’ve seen over the past two decades include cruise control, automatic engine features that allow the tractor to be operated in the mode best suited to the application, the Hitch Assist inching control system and particularly the cab, which has excellent visibility and clear digital displays,” says Lee.

“John Deere’s latest compact models are pretty much smaller versions of the agricultural machines, so I’d also be keen to see a few more higher spec features such as the headland management system introduced to the smaller turf range. Compacts can be used for just as many different tasks as their larger ag counterparts, and I believe this would help less experienced users achieve more consistent results.

“We generally set a lifetime benchmark of about 3000 hours for the compacts and 6000 hours for the bigger utility tractors - the only thing that changes this policy is if a new model comes out with technology I’d like to have!"

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?

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