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Today’s first Weekly Briefing in this new style leads with news stories of conflicting fortunes for members of the turf professional community.

Firstly, congratulations to all the individuals and teams who are nominated for this year’s IOG Awards. Apparently, there were a record number of entrants this year which clearly illustrates the level of talent at work in the UK currently.

The IOG Awards evening during SALTEX is a huge event these days – I think there were something like 650 attendees at the dinner last year. So to everyone nominated, very well done and have a brilliant evening.

In not so happy reading however, there is an update from the sacked KCOM groundsmen, who are issuing a plea for continued help in their fight against their dismissal.

Having found support for their legal fees thus far to the tune of £6000 and having received supportive messages from Jeremy Corbyn on Twitter, the two guys are still in need of funds to continue their battle.

You can read what they have to say here and if you wish to pledge them financial support you can visit their Crowd Justice page here.

We hope you continue to enjoy receiving TurfPro every Monday, please feel free to have your on any of the topics of the day in the Comments section below each article.

Determined to get reinstated, the pair set up a crowdfunding page and hired Gosschalks Solicitors to fight their case so that they could take their former bosses to an employment tribunal.

Their campaign has so far raised more than £6,000 and has been backed by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who tweeted messages of support to the pair.

However, with their court date looming, the pair have issued a statement urging them to keep on donating so they can reach the sum of £20,000 and hire "the best barrister in the business."

The pair wrote: "We are now two months away from the hearing and the reality of our situation is beginning to hit home.

"We set a crowdfunding target of £20,000 to enable us to fight for justice and stands up to the people who put us in this awful position and to create a level playing field when we meet them in court - we have so far raised £6,170 of that target.

"Without crowdfunding we have no chance and would simply have to roll over and accept what they've done to us.

"We have now got to the point where have seen their defence and all the documents and we are now even more encouraged about our case, as are our legal team.

"All we want is for the Employment Tribunal to restore out reputations by telling the world that we were unfairly dismissed and that we did not deserve what is happening to us."

Addressing on their Crowd Justice page why they think they might have been sacked, they write, "The only rational explanation we can come up with is that it was to save money. The stadium and pitch is owned by the council and the SMC owners have already stated that they wouldn’t spend money on an asset they don’t own (i.e. is rented) when referring to a stadium expansion. If that is the case, and we are only surmising, we should have been made redundant but our length of service would have made that an expensive option. I don’t think they expected we could fight the sacking but we are doing because it is worth fighting for and with your help we can get justice."

They conclude by saying, "Thank you for reading and also for your kind support - it is very much appreciated at this time. If you could share a link to this page via your social media accounts we would be very grateful indeed!"

The finalists have been announced from a record-breaking entry to this year’s Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) Industry Awards 2017.

Now in its ninth year, the awards - which enjoy headline sponsorship by Rigby Taylor and Top Green - acknowledge the passion, dedication and challenges faced by grounds staff, volunteers and professionals across all levels of sport.



“Once again we have enjoyed a record-breaking entry to the awards,” says IOG chief executive, Geoff Webb. “Nominations this year rose by 93 per cent, which illustrates the esteem in which our industry - from all corners of the UK - holds the awards.

“The judges, all of whom are groundsmen, were particularly impressed with the quality of the submissions. In fact, the standard of nominations improves year-on-year.

“Everyone who has been nominated should be recognised, regardless of whether they make the shortlist or, indeed, go on to be named as winners. It just shows the range and dedication of those working at both professional and volunteer level, day in and day out in all weathers to ensure our sports men and women, young and old, have available an increasingly higher standard of playing surfaces.”

Geoff adds: “The awards would not be possible without the generosity of our sponsors, and these companies and organisations have enabled the event to become a landmark event every year. 

“The industry’s support is invaluable and it has created the conditions for a sell-out event and one that enjoys national and regional TV, radio, social media and press coverage.”

Independent judging at each venue will now take place. The winners will be announced Oscar-style at the IOG Industry Awards dinner by host Mark Saggers from talkSPORT radio at the National Conference Centre, Birmingham, on Wednesday 1 November – the evening of the opening day of the SALTEX exhibition at the nearby NEC.

The finalists are:

Bowling Greenkeeper/Team of the Year
Burnham Hillside Bowls Club, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex; Potters Bar Bowls Club, Hertfordshire.

Best Maintained Artificial Pitch of the Year
Highfields Sports Complex - The University of Nottingham; Manchester City FC.

Ransomes Environmental/Innovative Project of the Year

Arsenal FC; Forest Green Rovers FC.

Toro Most Promising Sports Turf Student of the Year
Ollie Deeming, Bury St. Edmunds RUFC, Suffolk; Tara Massey, Manchester City FC.

Redexim Charterhouse/Kubota Volunteer Sports Groundsman/Team of the Year
Phillip Swann, Bridge Trust Society, Birmingham; Phil Toy, Wingerworth JSA FC, Chesterfield, Derbyshire.

National Governing Bodies Grassroots Sports Grounds Team of the Year
Darlington CC; NPL Sports Club, Teddington, Middlesex.

This category co-sponsored by the AELTC (All England Lawn Tennis Club), ECB (the England and Wales Cricket Board), The FA (Football Association), The LTA (Lawn Tennis Association), the Premier League, the RFL (Rugby Football League) and the RFU (Rugby Football Union).

Headland Amenity Professional Cricket Grounds Team of the Year
Durham CCC; Hampshire CCC, Southampton.

Infinicut (MTD) Professional Tennis Grounds Team of the Year

All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club, Wimbledon; Nottingham Tennis Centre.

SGL Professional Football Grounds Team or the Year (Premier League, Championship and Scottish Premier League)

Arsenal FC; Leicester City FC; Tottenham Hotspur FC.

SISGrass Professional Football Grounds Team of the Year (English Leagues 1 & 2, National, National North/South, Scottish Championship & Leagues 1 & 2, Ireland & Wales Professional Leagues)

Bury FC, Greater Manchester; Dagenham and Redbrige FC, London.

John Deere Professional Horse Racing Grounds Team of the Year
Nottingham Racecourse; Ripon Racecourse; Sandown Park Racecourse.

Mansfield Sand Professional Rugby Football League Grounds Team of the Year
Castleford Tigers, West Yorkshire; Leeds Rugby (Leeds Rhinos).

GrassMaster Professional Rugby Football Union Grounds Team of the Year
Sale Sharks, Salford; Yorkshire Carnegie (Leeds Rugby).

National Governing Bodies Professional Sports Grounds Team of the Year
All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club, Wimbledon; Chelsea FC; Manchester City FC.

This category co-sponsored by the AELTC (All England Lawn Tennis Club), ECB (the England and Wales Cricket Board), The FA (Football Association), The LTA (Lawn Tennis Association), the Premier League, the RFL (Rugby Football League) and the RFU (Rugby Football Union).

Rigby Taylor/Top Green Young Groundsman of the Year
Alex Brierley, All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club, Wimbledon; Jake Messenger, Tottenham Hotspur FC; James Wood, Manchester City FC.

Growth Products Independent School/University/College Grounds Team of the Year
Charterhouse School, Surrey; University of Surrey.

Private Members Sports Club Grounds Team of the Year
Darlington CC; The Queen's Club, London.

Contractor of the Year
Premier Pitches, Sheffield; TurfDry, Derbyshire.

International Ambassador of the Year
Simon Gumbrill, Stadium Grow Lighting; Dean Gilasbey, Propitch.

Special Recognition Award (Professional Category)

Paul Burgess, Real Madrid CF; Andy Jackson, Stoke City FC.

Special Recognition Award (Volunteer Category)

Peter Green, Honley Cricket Club, Holmfirth, Huddersfield; Mick Oldfield, Sherriff Hutton Bridge Cricket Club, York.

Two awards will be announced on the night; the Alex R Millar Ransomes/DLF Johnsons Groundsman of the Year Award and the Lifetime/Outstanding Achievement Award.

The 2017 IOG Industry Awards are sponsored by the AELTC, DLF, ECB, The FA, GrassMaster, Growth Products, Headland Amenity, Infinicut (MTD), John Deere, Johnsons Seeds, Kubota, the LTA, Mansfield Sand, the Premier League, Ransomes, Redexim Charterhouse, the RFL, the RFU, Rigby Taylor, SGL, SISGrass, Toro and Top Green.

Kubota UK and Lister Wilder have joined forces to support Kent County Cricket Club.



The deal, announced at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, in Canterbury, is Kubota UK’s fourth significant brand partnership in the professional sports arena. The company already supports Northampton Saints - one of the biggest clubs in English rugby, Andrew Hoy - the Olympic level equestrian rider and the Buildbase Suzuki British Superbikes Team. This latest announcement with Kent County Cricket Club is Kubota’s first advancement into professional cricket.

Karen Tipping, Kubota UK’s marketing manager, said, “Kent County Cricket Club is one of only 18 first-class county clubs in the country. The team plays top class county cricket with a culture that is committed to excellence and performing to first class standards. These are values that are also synonymous with the Kubota brand and our products and service offering, so supporting Kent Cricket is a fantastic match for our business.

“The partnership with Lister Wilder to support Kent County Cricket Club is all about continuing to raise the profile of the Kubota brand, whilst at the same time promoting their recently opened flagship depot in Ashford.

“This Depot has undergone significant investment over recent years, with this site supplying the local market with Kubota’s complete range of agriculture, groundcare and construction machinery solutions. We are delighted to be teaming up with our local dealer to support Kent County Cricket Club and hope this will enable us to reach a much wider audience.”



As part of the collaboration, Kubota’s L5040 utility tractor has been donated to support Kent County Cricket Club’s groundcare and maintenance team in the daily preparation of its pitches. 

Simon Williamson, Head Groundsman at The Spitfire Ground, St. Lawrence, leads the team. Having spent the past 20 years maintaining Kent’s grounds, Simon now heads up a team of four professionals who look after the playing surfaces, day in, day out.

“For Kent County Cricket Club to be successful playing and practicing on first-class pitches is essential,” added Simon. “This means the type of equipment we use is crucial. Kubota machinery is renowned for being the best on the market for performance and reliability, so we are delighted to be working in partnership with them and Lister Wilder.

Simon continued, “Ever since partnering with Lister Wilder we haven’t looked back. As we are looking to increase capacity of the grounds, hopefully there will be room for more Kubota machines to join our fleet in the future. The power, performance and quality of the machinery is certainly a massive asset to our club.”



In return for the support, both Kubota and Lister Wilder will have the opportunity to host seminars, demonstrations and ground maintenance training at the iconic venue. This will support the region’s grassroot clubs and institutions in developing both their playing performance and pitch maintenance, as they look to Kent County Cricket Club as the ultimate standard of cricket.

Phill Hughes, Divisional Sales Director for Lister Wilder, concluded: “We’ve had a long-standing relationship with Kent County Cricket Club for almost a decade, servicing and maintaining all of its machinery to the highest standard. We are delighted to now be working together with Kubota to offer our unwavering support in ensuring the continued maintenance of such a high profile ground.” 

Gleneagles has signed an exclusive contract with John Deere for the supply of golf course maintenance equipment and related technology to the three championship golf courses at the award winning hotel and golf resort in Perthshire, Scotland.


Gleneagles Director of Golf Gary Silcock (left) with John Deere worldwide Agriculture and Turf Division President James M Field at John Deere Financial’s US headquarters in Johnston, Iowa

The resort’s Director of Golf Gary Silcock and John Deere’s worldwide Agriculture and Turf Division President James M Field officially confirmed the agreement at the John Deere Financial headquarters in Johnston, Iowa, in mid-August. This took place just before Gary Silcock’s visit to The 2017 Solheim Cup matches that were held at the nearby Des Moines Golf and Country Club, where John Deere equipment was used to prepare and maintain the tournament course.

Gleneagles is the venue for The 2019 Solheim Cup, the biggest event in women’s professional golf, which will take place on the Jack Nicklaus-designed PGA Centenary Course that also hosted the 2014 Ryder Cup. The inaugural European Golf Team Championships are being held on the same course at Gleneagles in 2018.

“Following completion of recent renovation work on the King’s & Queen’s courses to bring them back more in line with James Braid’s original design vision, our courses continue to provide customers with a world class experience that is second to none,” said Gary Silcock. “With three critically-acclaimed 18-hole championship courses to choose from, Gleneagles remains, quite simply, a golfer’s paradise.

“This new agreement with John Deere will see our two worldwide brands working together to further increase quality and productivity on the courses, through the adoption of innovative, market leading technology. We are going through an exciting period for the greenkeeping industry, as we see the introduction of satellite guidance and telematics fleet management systems dedicated to turfcare.

“As part of our ongoing investment programme, we look forward to working alongside John Deere and local dealer Double A Trading to help develop these systems and keep Gleneagles at the forefront of European and world golf.”


The 2nd hole on The PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles

Tim Merrett, John Deere’s Vice President, Agriculture and Turf Division, said: “Gleneagles and John Deere both owe much of their success to a heritage of great performance and strong values, and both organisations are dedicated to the pursuit of excellence. Like Gleneagles, we have built a reputation on quality - not only in our products and dealer support, but also for the way in which we treat our customers and do business.

“We are delighted and honoured to now see our mowers, tractors and utility vehicles at work on The King’s, The Queen’s and The PGA Centenary courses at Gleneagles.”

Brian D’Arcy, John Deere Limited’s UK & Ireland strategic account manager who has worked closely with Gleneagles to tailor the agreement to the estate’s requirements, added: “We see this as a first step towards building a long lasting and productive relationship, so that Gleneagles can become a leading strategic partner with John Deere in the golf industry not only in the UK & Ireland, but across Europe and beyond.”

Macdonald Cardrona Hotel, Golf & Spa, Peebles, near Edinburgh, has completed a series of important renovations to its championship golf course.

Macdonald Hotels & Resorts, the UK’s largest independently owned hotel group, has invested more than £90,000 to renovate the bunkers on the 6,856-yard, Par-72 layout, which includes installing Blinder Bunker Liner to enhance drainage.



In addition, the former European Challenge Tour venue has also completed a programme of sand exchange on every bunker, while renovation work has also been completed on the course’s numerous pathways.

Keith Pickard, Group Director of Golf, Leisure & Spa at Macdonald Hotels & Resorts, said: “With a number of fairways skirting the River Tweed, we have had instances in the past where the riverbanks have over-flowed, causing damage to the course.

“One of the goals of this renovation project was to ensure the bunkers are capable of draining as efficiently as possible, enabling the course to be in tournament condition for our members and visitors, all-year-round.”

Alongside the installation of liners, the cut lines of every bunker have also been enhanced to ensure they are more visible from the fairways and accurately match Dave Thomas’ original course design.

Keith added: “We are hugely fortunate at Cardrona to have such a scenic golf course, but the work we have carried out has further enhanced its overall aesthetic appeal, ensuring golfers will enjoy the very best experience, whenever they play.

“The positive feedback we have already had from guests certainly suggests that the renovation project has been a considerable success.”

Reesink Turfcare is the first distributor in the UK to offer customers fixed term finance on its irrigation products.

It is available over one to seven years on Toro irrigation control systems and sprinklers and lake aeration products from Otterbine.



Finance on turfcare machinery has been something golf clubs have been taking advantage of for years, however it is a concept that has passed by the irrigation of golf clubs. Until now that is, due to Reesink Turfcare.

The level and sophistication of financial planning at many clubs today means that accurate budgeting and financial information are now features of machinery operating and replacement programmes. Regular replacement on machinery offers clubs a number of advantages such as increased reliability reducing the incidence of breakdown, subsequent downtime and maintenance costs. New machines incorporate the latest design features and technology and produce a better job. Of course these benefits do not apply to an irrigation system that once installed will last for many years.

Instead, buying irrigation on finance takes away two of the biggest headaches Reesink Turfcare finds exist for those embarking on an irrigation installation: it means installation is sooner and there is less upfront capital outlay.

Robert Jackson, irrigation manager at Reesink Turfcare, says: “Anyone who has gone through the process will know that choosing and installing an irrigation system can be a lengthy one. Removing the headache that comes with financing the project means that you’re making the decision-making process a lot simpler and quicker. In most cases committees have approved similar for machinery.”

Flexible and transparent, Robert says: “Through our strong relationship with a proven financial partner we can offer some very competitive deals over one to seven years. Payment plans can be monthly, quarterly, or annually and clubs can finance through hire purchase (HP) or lease.”

Robert concludes: “Given that other than the land, and its bricks and mortar within, an irrigation system is likely the biggest asset a club can own. It has never failed to surprise us that finance hasn’t applied to this level of investment on this vital equipment. We’re delighted to be leading the way providing competitive finance options to our golf customers.”

ICL has announced the appointment of Matt Nutter as the new Technical Area Sales Manager operating in South East England, including Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and North London.

Matt joins the company with a wealth of experience in the turf industry. Having initially completed an ND in Turf Science and Sports Ground Management at Myerscough College, Matt enrolled on the Ohio State Program which provided him with an opportunity to work at the Pelican Marsh Golf Club in Naples, Florida.

Upon his return to the UK, Matt landed a position as Greenkeeper at the Wisley Golf Club before progressing through the ranks to Deputy Head Greenkeeper and Spray Technician. With a significant amount of experience in a Deputy Head Greenkeeper position, he embarked on a new challenge in the same role at East Berkshire Golf Club before eventually being promoted to Course Manager.

Matt, who lives with his partner Juliet and their two daughters Ezra and Shiloh, is relishing the new opportunity with ICL.

“I am excited to be joining such a high profile company and market leader in ICL and happy to still be involved in the industry I love. I look forward to meeting new customers and relish the opportunities that this role offers.” he said.

Now in its third year, the free-to-attend education programme last year saw 53 unique seminars, 99 high-profile speakers and many key topical issues explored. For 2017, the programme will follow the same format developed over the past two years situated within four purpose-built seminar theatres on the show floor with state-of-the-art sound systems and screens.



Within the theatres a number of influential speakers will be on hand to provide updates and key advice. Mark Pover, facilities investment strategy manager at The Football Association (FA), will be participating in a panel debate entitled ‘Funding the future of natural turf.’ With so much money being invested into artificial turf, SALTEX visitors will have an opportunity to ask the funders if there is a danger of natural turf being left behind.

For those visitors that are looking to progress their career, there is the ‘Career development’ seminar presented by Steve Chappell, head greenkeeper at the PGA Centenary Golf Course at The Gleneagles Hotel. Steve will be primarily focusing on how volunteering can significantly help improve job prospects.

Additionally, the seminar ‘Making your move’ will be beneficial in helping a visitor along their career path. Wayne Billing, head groundsman at Northampton Saints RFC; Stuart Kerrison, head groundsman at Essex CCC and Danny Beckley, head of estates and grounds at Harrow School, will all be on hand to reveal the secrets behind making it to the top within their respective fields.

For further inspiration, John Ledwidge will be documenting his rise from starting in an apprentice position through to being the current grounds manager at Leicester City FC in ‘From apprentice to grounds manager’. In a separate seminar John will also be joined by the rest of his grounds team in a session entitled ‘Building a team for success.’

By attending any of these seminars within the programme, SALTEX visitors have the opportunity to enhance their CV as IOG and Basis CPD points are available for all Learning LIVE sessions. Attendance at the seminars can be recorded by picking up a CPD form from the IOG Hub (Stand C180) and can contribute towards the minimum requirement of 35 hours in 12 months in order to qualify for the IOG’s Certificate of CPD Achievement.

After being motivated by the Learning LIVE seminars, visitors can visit SALTEX 2017’s new feature - the Job Clinic. Located on the IOG Hub, industry expert Frank Newberry will be hosting 15-minute one-to-one sessions covering CV writing to interview techniques. To book an appointment with Frank, visitors are advised to go to the IOG information desk on the IOG Hub as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

The full programme of SALTEX events will be regularly updated via www.iogsaltex.com.

The countdown to Europe’s largest annual turf management event has officially begun, marked by the opening of online visitor registration.



SALTEX 2017 takes place at the NEC, Birmingham, from 1-2 November, and has already attracted over 250 exhibitors - a number that’s set to grow further in the weeks leading up to the event. Confirmed to return are a number of leading brand names spanning the whole turf management industry including manufacturers and suppliers of world-class products and services for the maintenance of pitches, grounds, landscaping, parks and estates.

SALTEX will also once again boast unique show features such as:

• Learning LIVE - an all-encompassing free-to-attend education programme offering grounds and open space practitioners across all disciplines, volunteer as well as professional, the chance to increase their CPD points.
• Outdoor demonstrations - providing an opportunity to see a number of products in action directly outside the SALTEX halls 6, 7 and 8.
• The SALTEX College Cup - a national student-led sports-turf challenge sponsored by Ransomes.
• Pathology & Soil Science LIVE - allowing visitors to look in detail at the symptoms of some common turfgrass fungal disease problems.
• The Young Groundsmen’s Conference, sponsored by Rigby Taylor and Top Green - an ideal opportunity for young people looking to advance their career in the groundscare industry
• Ask the Expert – free pitchcare advice from the IOG’s team of regional pitch advisors based on the IOG Hub
• The IOG Industry Awards - the UK’s biggest celebration in groundsmanship held on the evening of the first day (1 November) at the National Motorcycle Museum.
• NEW for 2017! The Job Clinic – the chance to receive one-to-one advice from industry expert Frank Newberry on how to progress your career, write a compelling CV and perform well in an interview situation.

Located in the centre of the UK, whether you are travelling from overseas or within the UK, the NEC is incredibly easy to get to by car, rail or air.

SALTEX 2017 is free to attend. To register your attendance and beat the queues visit www.iogsaltex.com

Follow SALTEX on Twitter @IOG_SALTEX and Facebook - www.facebook.com/IOGSALTEX