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EDITOR'S BLOG

COUNCILS IN CRISIS
And changes to golf rules affecting courses
by TurfPro Editor, Laurence Gale MSC, MBPR

There will be testing times ahead for turf professionals following a couple of major news stories that will affect our sector.

With my final blog of 2023 before our Christmas break, I thought I’d catch up with some news items that could have a bearing on the future of our industry, in terms of wellbeing and satisfaction.

Golf for example will be endorsing a major change in the history of the game by changing the specification and design of the golf ball. Big hitters are apparently likely to see the distance they can drive tee shots shortened by around 15 yards after the R&A and United States Golf Association announced changes to rules surrounding ball specifications, reported the BBC recently.

The report says that, “All players will be affected, but officials estimate that recreational golfers, incapable of generating the rapid swing speeds of pros, will suffer a reduction of fewer than five yards to their longest shots.

“There has been opposition from golf manufacturers and leading tours during a protracted period of consultation before this announcement. One manufacturer described previous proposals as 'solution seeking a problem'."

The report goes on to quote R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers who says, "Golf courses are growing ever longer and we need to have a responsibility about protecting the integrity of golf courses, protecting the balance of skills and technology, and how the game is played.

"But also the sport has to take its responsibility and be cognisant of our environmental and sustainability impacts. Making golf courses ever longer, we start to run out of property, and it is not environmentally responsible."

As ex greenkeeper I am fully aware of the progress modern golf technologies have brought to the game. Golf club design and ball size have for many years helped advance the sport. However, it is perhaps time we did limit the distance we can physically hit a ball.

As mentioned above, we have seen many golf courses dramatically changed and lengthened to accommodate the need to increase the length of holes. However, this will and can have a dramatic effect on the balance and nature of the course, and can come at a great cost.

It would seem to me that we must work hard on all fronts to save the integrity of the game and, more importantly, retain the historical layout of the golf course. Many golf courses in the UK were probably built pre 1950s.

Based on research we can say that there are around just under 3000 golf courses in the UK and Ireland.

We must preserve the original concept and design of these golf courses - that’s what’s makes them unique depending on their age, construction, and the topography of the course.

I am all for making them more consistent in playability and, over time, ensuring they are playable 365 days a year, but to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds lengthening them to accommodate new golf technologies such as the ball and club is not the way forward. We should be investing in the appropriate maintenance of the course to keep its integrity and sustainability.

Council crisis

Another worry for me is the plight of local councils. We recently heard of Nottingham City Council declaring itself bankrupt and serving a 114 notice. It follows on from Labour-led Birmingham council declaring bankruptcy and Conservative-led Croydon council in south London declaring bankruptcy three times in two years, Thurrock in Essex becoming the largest bankruptcy in local government history last year, and a string of others including Slough, Woking, and Northumbria County Council.

My particular worry is that we will see further cuts to the maintenance of our parks and public open spaces, which for many years have been on a downward spiral. I see this first hand in my role of a Green Flag judge, where falling standards are unfortunately commonplace.

I read with interest an article published by Birmingham City Council that provides evidence on the true value of our parks and public open spaces.

You can read the report in full here, but the value of parks and green estate in Birmingham, in terms of what they offer to all aspects of life in the city, has been calculated as £11billion!

I am sure the other 400 plus local authorities around the country could provide similar findings, illustrating the overall value of what our urban greenspaces provide. And that’s without even considering the social and wildlife benefits these green spaces bring to the table.

For me and my working colleagues who have spent their whole careers managing public open spaces, it is time the government finally listened to these key influential parks managers and committed the appropriate funds to manage and maintain these vital community assets.

We have enough evidence on the value of these parks, coming from sources such as:

The Midlands Parks Forum
The Parks Management Association headed up by Paul Rabbitis
and the Green Flag Awards programme run by the Keep Britain Tidy Campaign under the leadership of Paul Todd MBE

It is really time that the government saw the potential of encouraging young people to come and work in this diverse landscape industry. We would then be in a better position to maintain these valuable assets.

If, for example, the government were to divert the astronomical cash figures away from schemes that the High Court declares unlawful, some of that money could be spent on looking after our own valuable parks assets and maybe provide a career for our younger next generation of parks managers.

Finally, I’d just like to take the opportunity to wishing all our readers a Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year and I’ll be back with you when our next TurPro arrives in your inbox on January 8th.

NEWS

FLAT OUT THIS YEAR!
Says Jimmy The Mower

Laurence Gale speaking to Jimmy The Mower

In our first WEB ONLY story TurfPro editor Laurence Gale recently caught up with one of the turf sector's top influencers, who told him he's never cut as much grass as he has in 2023.

TurfPro editor Laurence Gale recently caught up with one of the turf sector's top influencers, Jimmy Broadhouse a.k.a Jimmy The Mower, who told him he's never cut as much grass as he has in 2023.

You can watch their chat below or via the TurfPro YouTube channel.

GREENSPACE ENHANCEMENT GRANTS AWARDED
Revitalising outdoor spaces

In our next WEB ONLY story, manufacturer supporting nonprofits and public agencies worldwide by providing financial grants to revitalise parks and green spaces.

UK SUBSIDIARY LAUNCHES
For stump cutting machinery

Danish manufacturing business establishes a UK company headed up by a sales director who has spent the past six years with a UK machinery dealership.

FSI Stump Cutters have announced an expansion in the UK market with the establishment of FSI Stump Cutters UK Ltd - a wholly owned subsidiary of the Danish manufacturing company.

Lee Hatton (right), new sales director for FSI Stump Cutters UK Ltd with Kim Schmidt, FSI managing director

The company says the move signifies " . . FSI’s commitment to strengthening their market position and providing a more streamlined, localised service to meet the requirements of end users".

Described by themselves as a "prominent name in the UK arb industry for over a decade", the company make a range of machines, including a collection of handlebar stump grinders.

A key component of the new move is the introduction of Lee Hatton as sales director for FSI Stump Cutters UK. Lee is a sales professional who has spent the last six years with machinery dealers Lister Wilder. Lee says he is committed to building and supporting the new network of FSI partners around the country.

Lee confirmed, "My passion for the industry, coupled with my extensive experience in machinery sales will drive our efforts to provide top-notch service. I look forward to working closely with our valued partners, providing them with technical and practical support where required, to ensure that FSI remains the preferred choice for stump cutting solutions."

FSI Stump Cutters managing director Kim Schmidt added, “We are thrilled to deepen our roots in the UK with this new subsidiary and are delighted to welcome Lee on board to help us achieve that."

Further details on the new nationwide network of distribution partners has been promised for the coming weeks.

FULL PITCH RENOVATION UNDERTAKEN
After in-house decompaction failed

Years of overuse had contributed to severe compaction problems that became almost impossible to recover, says prep school.

After intensive in-house operations to relieve severe compaction failed to deliver the desired results, the decision was made to undertake a full renovation on one of the pitches at Hove Prep School in Sussex.

The pitch during and after renovation

The school is one of three sites belonging to Lancing College, with its own sports facilities supporting a packed programme of year-round play and coaching.

Grounds and gardens manager Adam Bedson said, “It became evident that years of overuse had contributed to severe compaction problems that became almost impossible to recover/ Kit we hired failed to rectify the problem so we reached out to Ashley and Myles Strange at AMS Contracting Ltd who immediately put us at ease.

“Having not conducted a project of this scale for a good number of years the Bursar naturally had a lot of questions, which the AMS team answered in-depth and in a timely manner. The level of care and knowledge shown definitely helped to secure the funding we needed to get the project underway in the summer of 2023.”

The full pitch renovation included surface removal, soil profile upgrade, laser-levelling, seeding and nutritional programme, conducted by a team of four operatives under the guidance of Ashley and Myles.

“We felt in safe hands every step of the way," said Adam. "What really stood out for me was the hours the team were prepared to work - on site from sunrise and non-stop until the early evening. They understood our need to get the work, which also included renovating our cricket square, complete in the window available in order to get the surfaces back into play as quickly as possible.”

The results, Adam says, speak for themselves. “Within seven days we went from a sandy field to seeing the green hue of germination. Since then, we’ve nurtured the pitch to full strength and coverage and the pupils are now enjoying playing on it.”

He continued, “This wet start to winter has also highlighted how incredibly well the pitch drains now. Within an hour of the rain stopping, the pitch is playable which was previously unheard of.

“The sports staff are over the moon and everybody is really invested in protecting the asset we now have."

STIHL GB MOVE INTO NEW HQ
Purpose designed facility

Company have announced the completion of its 11,500m2 headquarters and state-of-the-art distribution centre.

STIHL GB has announced the completion of its 11,500m2 purpose-designed headquarters and state-of-the-art distribution centre.

Located in Camberley, Surrey, Contra House will serve as their new home.

The company says the expansive site, now ready to welcome nearly 100 employees, features dedicated dealer training facilities, an on-site restaurant, flexible collaborative workspaces, and a cutting-edge technical workshop. The 9,000m2 distribution centre incorporates next generation picking and storage systems. STIHL say this consolidation of logistics onto one site will result in a speedier and more efficient delivery service to their 700-strong Approved Dealer network.

Kay Green, managing director of STIHL GB, said, “We are thrilled to announce the opening of our new purpose-built headquarters, marking a significant step in the company’s history. This state-of-the-art facility epitomises our commitment to innovation and sustainability, ensuring unparalleled levels of support for our dealers and end user customers.”

The company boast that Contra House stands out not only for its modern design and functionality but also for its dedication to sustainability. Numerous environmental features have been incorporated, aligning with what the manufacturer describes as their "dedication to responsible business practices".

Achieving BREEAM Certification, the sustainability assessment method for building projects, the facility has two-thirds of its roof area (1,600 square meters) covered with photovoltaic solar panels, harnessing solar energy to power the entire facility. Anticipating the growing trend toward electric vehicles, the site is equipped with 21 electric vehicle (EV) charging points and the capability to add more in future.

Promoting sustainable commuting options, the new headquarters is connected to Blackwater railway station by a dedicated cycle path. Additionally, the landscaped gardens feature native shrubs and trees.

CHANGE AT THE TOP
For AriensCo

A new president and chief operating officer of Ariens Company has been appointed.

Nicholas Ariens has been appointed president and chief operating officer (COO) of Ariens Company.

New president and COO of Ariens Company, Nicholas Ariens (left) and his predecessor Larry Weyers (centre), with Jochen Schneider, executive vice president for the EMEAA region.

He takes over from Larry Weyers, who will remain with the company as a consultant until the end of the financial year and will take retirement at the beginning of July 2024.

Dan Ariens, chairman and chief executive officer, explained, "Larry has succeeded in driving forward three extremely important aspects of our company. With a strong customer-centric focus, the opinions and needs of our dealers and end customers have become even more important. He also attaches great importance to strategically well thought-out planning and has thus made AriensCo even more disciplined. He has also succeeded in further improving the quality of our products thanks to state-of-the-art manufacturing processes."

Nicholas Ariens, the eldest son of owner Dan Ariens, has now taken over the position of president and COO. "I am proud that all five of my children, and therefore the fifth generation, are now involved in key positions in our family business. I wish Nicholas every success in his new role," said Dan.

Nicholas Ariens has previously held various management positions in the company. Most recently, he was executive vice president for the North and South America region.

Jochen Schneider, executive vice president EMEAA and therefore also responsible for the European locations of the Ariens Company, will report directly to Nicholas Ariens in future.

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