WHAT CAN WE SAY ABOUT THE WEATHER?!
Grassed areas looking stressed
by TurfPro Editor, Laurence Gale MSC, MBPR
 
Laurence Gale MSC, MBPR

Having just returned from a two-week summer holiday in sunny Pembrokeshire, I got back to a week of storms and floods.

 

We had one hell of a storm last Tuesday night that resulted in a series of lightning strikes locally. Cumulating in a massive bang, it took out my TV, WI-FI and BT Hub followed by torrential rain that flooded many roads.


In fact, we had over a month’s rain in less than three hours. With the ground being so dry this led to flooding of roads and drives. The weather forecast for the coming week is similar, with rain forecast on most days, which will be very welcomed by many sports and golf clubs who have witnessed one of the driest, hottest summers for years.


Wherever you look grass areas look parched and stressed. This was evident when I visited Clee Hill Rugby Club last week, to undertake an RFU pitch inspection. While taking some soil samples it was evident that their grass pitches were in a stressed state due to lack of water. Grass cover was browning off and the soil profile was becoming dry down to around 100mm.

 


While on the subject of rugby, both professional leagues – Gallagher Premiership and Guinness Pro14 - began playing competitive rugby, albeit behind closed doors last weekend with some interesting results including Worcester Warriors 15 v Gloucester Exeter chiefs 44!


Amateur players across the UK and Ireland are also now taking their first steps towards rugby’s return with training in full swing, awaiting the sport’s governing bodies to decide on what format the game can be played. There’s talk of a ten aside touch-rugby style game to be initiated to help clubs get back to some competitive rugby for the coming season.


As for cricket, the wet weather has severely affected the current test match at the Ageas Bowl where England are playing Pakistan. Rain has halted play and has kept many groundsmen up and down the country busy rolling on and off rain covers to protect their playing surfaces.


While on the subject of cricket I read an interesting article in Saturday’s edition of The Times.

 


It says that village cricket clubs will be able to introduce technology that lets them produce television-style broadcasts of matches to revive the fortunes of the amateur game.


The video-production kit, made by Frogbox, an Australian company, will be given to clubs by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). The package, which usually costs £1,300 but is available at a reduced price through the ECB, includes a camera, a 4-metre mast to mount it on and software to enable livestreaming.

 

The software also allows scorers the ability to upload the run tallies using a tablet that is viewed by those watching the match live. It would also enable the grounds staff to see how their pitch has performed and no doubt help them produce better pitches, or better still, prevent cricketers moaning about the state of the pitch – when, in fact, it is they who have poorly performed.


I am sure many clubs will take up this offer and begin using this amazing technology that could in the long term help them improve in all aspects of their game. A potential game changer for clubs at the lower levels of the amateur cricket.


Today I have also published my first full, post-lockdown, cricket club visit article, catching up with the very busy Simon Tremlin who gave me a tour of his unique Wormsley Estate.

 

 

The Premier League has announced that the 2020/21 season will begin on 12 September and conclude on 23 May.


Testing times for all concerned particularly the groundstaff of professional clubs who have had to work consistently throughout covid -19 without a break.

 

Events


As for other news, there have been further cancellations regarding shows and conferences. Just to remind you, next year’s BIGGA BTME event has been cancelled, however, their online training / education programme is carrying on via internet access. See my recent viewpoint article on this decision.


The Amenity Forum has announced that its 2020 Conference will go ahead on October 15th but it will now only be online. The Forum will be using specialist conferencing software and it is felt possible that they can still run an excellent event.


John Moverley stated, “We did consider delaying the event but we believe that there are so many important issues facing the sector currently, not least the on-going review of the National Action Plan by the UK and national governments. The conference has become an important one for the sector”.


Finally, I must announce that our sister title, Service Dealer, has also made the decision to postpone their popular conference.

 

 

Service Dealer owner, Duncan Murray-Clarke, said, “Over the last month or so it has become clear that whatever the guidelines are, the right thing to do would be to make the conference and awards completely virtual.


However, with the event building in energy over the past few years, I could only see a 100% virtual conference as a step backwards, reducing the impact for the dealers and quite simply not offering the sponsors the value they deserve.


So, we have very reluctantly decided, like so many other events this year, to sidestep this particular delivery as opposed to swinging the bat at it.


You can read Duncan’s full statement here and that of my colleague and Service Dealer editor, Steve Gibbs, here.


I am in no doubt that this current Covid-19 pandemic will continue for some time yet and we have not seen the last of its disruptions to our industry in terms of events, sport and management of sport turf facilities. What I am confident in saying though is that it has given us even more resolve to conquer the challenges it brings and we have to learn to live with it until a proven vaccine is produced.

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In this issue
EDITOR'S BLOG
WHAT CAN WE SAY ABOUT THE WEATHER?!
NEWS
BRIGGS & STRATTON'S LARGEST UNSECURED CREDITORS PUSH FOR REORGANISATION
NORTH YORKSHIRE BENEFITS FROM HERBICIDE-LESS WEEDING
AMENITY FORUM OPEN BOOKING FOR ONLINE EVENT
LOOE GC SAY NEW IRRIGATION MAKES INSTANT IMPACT
DEAN WOOD GC SIGNS SECOND FLEET DEAL
GLEE GATHERING ANNOUNCED FOR SEPTEMBER
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