TurfPro's Guest editor this month, Alex Vickers, is a popular and well-respected turf consultant within the UK’s turf industry and currently works as a consultant within the GMA’s Turf Care Advisory scheme. He previously worked with turf consultancy TGMS before his recent four-year soil science consultancy role in Uganda.

Alex Vickers

Bernard Baruch once wrote that “Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton asked why”. 

I hope you are, like Newton, curious. This guest editorial could be a little different to previous ones. I was going to write about education, but as I thought about it I decided that perhaps the more interesting subject would be how to cultivate an attitude that loves to learn, rather than the dull stuff around courses, education, grades, qualifications. Yes, they are all important, absolutely they are, but they have been covered so many times that, frankly, I get a bit bored of all that these days. 

Carl Sagan once said that “every kid starts out as a natural scientist, until we beat it out of them”. I am not sure that is quite true, but I know too many people who have been told they are too stupid, too slow or too thick to get an education just because they could not access the education they were being given. As the father of a daughter with dyslexia and quite splendid ADHD, it is clear to see that our school system does not always do well in helping such people learn and understand. 

In sports turf management I find many people just like my daughter, who struggled to access formal education or who had to work twice as hard just to stand still. It is difficult to remain curious when learning anything is a fight. It is easy to give up and believe that maybe you really are stupid, but in my many years of formal and informal teaching I have yet to find anyone who is unable to learn. But I have met people who no longer want to. Who have had curiosity beaten out of them by the passage of time and the trials of life and the prophesies of doom spoken over them by those who should know better. If you are someone like that, you have my sincere sympathy and my strong encouragement – don’t give up! Keep asking why? Keep curious and seek to find new ways to answer those questions that surface in your mind when you give them a chance. 

Alex Vickers presenting

How can we stoke up our curiosity again? Well, I am no psychologist but something most of us have in our industry is time to think. We have a brilliant opportunity presented by audio books to broaden our minds whilst doing everyday tasks. A way to inform ourselves that never used to exist. We can listen to books, podcasts, editorials of all kinds, whilst we roll our squares, decompact our pitches and mow the grass. And it does not have to be technical information (though that will help us work smarter). It can be something that fires our imagination and causes us to think in new ways. My advice – mix it up. Listen to stuff you know you like and are interested in, but then challenge yourself with something new and different. 

Take time to think. Really think. When you are outside, look at the soil and ask yourself “how did this stuff get here and what is it made of?” Then start to fill in the gaps. Come up with your own ideas and note them down then check out some books or websites, read some magazines like this one and see what you got right and what you missed out. Fill in the gaps. As you do, new questions will arise. Like how do grass plant roots interact with the soil pores to access nutrients? How do the nutrients get from the soil into the plant? Can I make that easier or more efficient through the things I do to the soil as I do my work? Note down your thoughts then go off and see if you can find out what you missed or got wrong (that is doing research by the way – you are now up and running). 

You are now an active student, learning new stuff and feeding your curiosity. Challenging your beliefs and assumptions. Keep going. Note down your thoughts and any new questions and go again. Maybe try out one of those online course people have suggested before but you never had the time or the desire (or confidence) to do. Before you know it the world you work in, relax in, get annoyed in, have fun in will have changed before your eyes. You will see new patterns and colours, hear new melodies and cross new horizons. You may even do your work differently – getting better results as the new things you have learned are applied to your pitches. Who knows, you may even start doing your own experiments and learning things for yourself that you can then share with others. You may mess it up a few times but that is part of learning too. I am not saying it will be easy, it won’t be, but things that come freely have little value. You cannot over-feed your curiosity, only starve it. 

Mark Twain once wrote that “Education was the path from cocky indifference to miserable uncertainty”. There is something in that. But uncertainty is no bad thing and need not be miserable. The best education is the education that happens without us knowing it. That sneaks up on us as we feed and stoke our curiosity. In my time in academia, I saw many students flourish and thrive once they realised that learning was simply staying curious, asking questions and reflecting on what they had done and found out. This is something we can all do, no matter our age, our learning background or what others have said about us. Let’s face it, there are only so many funny animal TikToks any sane person can watch, so why not try something different and exercise that amazing thing hidden inside your skull? You will be astounded at what it can do and where it can take you. 

I hope you made it this far. Stay curious. 

John Deere will hold an open day at its Apprentice Training Centre this May in a bid to recruit the next generation of technicians to work across its agriculture, turf and parts business.

The company says their apprenticeship programme has been running for more than 30 years, helping more than 1,200 apprentices qualify through on-the-job practical learning alongside classroom studies.

The Training Centre at Upper Saxondale, near Nottingham, opened last year, providing state-of-the-art facilities where apprentices complete their two or three-year course while simultaneously working within the John Deere dealership network. 

“It’s a really exciting time to be part of the agricultural and turfcare industries,” says Allan Cochran, John Deere branch training manager.

“It’s a highly technical and innovative sector, which means our apprentices get to work with some of the most advanced pieces of kit in the world.

“It’s not just servicing and fixing tractors. If you want to earn while you learn and be part of a huge, global brand with a reputation for ground-breaking innovations, then a John Deere apprenticeship could be the perfect start to your career.”   

John Deere and the scheme’s training provider, ProVQ, will provide a tour of the training centre on Wednesday 3 May and Thursday 4 May, offering those interested in becoming apprentices the chance to meet the instructors, see the facilities, learn about the John Deere brand, and hear how their careers can grow with the company.

Sessions will last up to two hours and will outline what the manufacturer can offer a prospective apprentice, the journey through the Ag Tech, Turf Tech or Parts Tech programmes, plus the John Deere career path once certified.

“This is a unique opportunity to view the learning facilities on offer and talk to those who know all about the programmes,” says Allan.

The three John Deere apprenticeship programmes include Ag Tech - focusing on agricultural machinery, Turf Tech - focusing on professional turf equipment, and Parts Tech - focusing on parts service and support.

The events are free to attend but you must pre-book a session as places are limited. 

Overton UK have announcd two new dealerships for the range of professional Mean Green electric mowers.

At EG Coles, Andy Frost, groundcare sales manager said, "We are always looking to anticipate our customers’ requirements, and the Mean Green range is not only a sound environmental choice for our many municipal and educational customers who have to be mindful of the environments they are operating in, but with minimal maintenance requirements, ongoing running costs are minimal, making them a sensible economic choice, too."
 

L-R: Steve Read, depot Manager; Stuart Rose, Overton sales director; Andy Frost, groundcare sales manager
 
At Forth Grass Machinery Ltd meanwhile, Chris Ingram, sales manager, said, “With the change in market towards battery power we want to supply our customers the highest quality ground care equipment and believe the Mean Green Mowers are the ideal solution that fit in with our forward thinking philosophy.
 

L-R: Crawford Jewell, Forth GM md and Steve Barnfather, Overton UK ASM.

A TRANSISTIONAL MONTH

SPRING IS UPON US

HEDGE YOUR BETS

PEOPLE'S PARKS, PUBLIC PARKS - IN PERIL?

by guest editor, Paul Rabbits

TESTING TIMES AHEAD

ROBOTIC POTENTIAL

CHANGEOVER TIME

WE MUST DEVELOP OUR OWN STAFF

by guest editor, Karl McDermott

DOUBLE CENTURY CELEBRATED

OUR PARKS IN CRISIS

AN OUTSTANDING SUCCESS

OPTIMISM RETURNING
By Guest Editor, Roy Rigby

WATERLOGGING ISSUES

NEW YEAR, NEW FEATURES

View all of 2022's blogs here

View all of 2021's blogs here

View all of 2020's blogs here

View all of 2019's blogs here

View all of 2018's blogs here

SUSTAINABILITY IN SUPPLY
A focus on those who supply essential inputs to our sector

CHANGING CLIMATE
Is a borehole the key for clubs?

SUSTAINABILITY AT THE SHARP END
How to put into practice when budgets are tight?

ANOTHER NAIL IN THE COFFIN OF GRASSROOTS RUGBY
Clubs are struggling

SUSTAINABILITY IN PRACTICE
Seeking transparent and robust supply chains is essential

TIME FOR ACTION
To reverse recruitment crisis

CONTROLLING COSTS
Planning is crucial

THE SEARCH FOR SUSTAINABILITY
What exactly does the term mean?

CARING FOR THE GRASSROOTS
From volunteers to contractors

DEFRA IS LETTING DOWN THE COUNTRY
Complete failure to address the plastic grass debate

WE CAN ALL DO MORE
To aid biodiversity

MY LIFE IN GREENKEEPING
With Bruce Cruickshank

LEVELLING UP, GETTING SMARTER & GETTING AHEAD
Parks require so much more funding

SWITCHED ON FOR HARD WORK
Putting trimmers through their paces

MACHINERY HIGHLIGHTS
At this year's show

MY SALTEX
Daniel Lewis​, Manchester City Football Club

AWASH WITH LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
Two months till showtime

LOOKING BACK, LOOKING FORWARD
Priorities for the amenity sector

THE DECLINE OF ‘PARKITECTURE’
A symptom of the state of parks in 2022

DEVELOPERS SHIRKING GREEN SPACE RESPONSIBILITIES
Lack of financial commitment

TIME TO COME TOGETHER
For the good of the industry

THE DEATH OF GRASS ROOTS CRICKET
Gathering apace?

ROUTES INTO THE INDUSTRY MUST BE ENSURED
Q&A with David Fisher, Lantra’s head of industry partnerships

STRONG VIEWS ON CRICKET PITCH PERFORMANCE MARKING
A bone of contention

A PREMIUM PRODUCT
Delivered at Naas Golf Club

THE GREEN REVOLUTION
And Esker Hills

MAKING A CHANGE
Laytown and Bettystown Golf Links

A DAY AT THE RACES
Naas Race Course

WORKING TOGETHER AS ONE VOICE
How the industry needs to proceed

OVER 175 YEARS OF EDUCATION
Wesley College

ELECTRIC EXCITEMENT
Dennis's Ian Howard talks electrification

THE HOME OF CORK GAA
Páirc Uí Chaoimh

LONG POLE BATTERY HEDGE TRIMMERS TESTED
STIHL HLA 66 and HLA 86

OVER 800 YEARS OF HISTORY
Johnstown Castle and Gardens

A CLUB GONE WILD
Kilkenny Golf Club

A GOLF COURSE IN THE GARDEN OF IRELAND
Woodenbridge GC

80 YEARS YOUNG
Charleville Golf Club

AN UPLIFTING EXPERIENCE
Bunclody Golf & Fishing Club

GETTING BACK TOGETHER
Albeit gradually . .

GO WEST
Inishturk GAA pitch – one of the most westerly sportspitches in Europe

WORKING ON A TIGHT BUDGET
Nenagh Golf Club

ON A MISSION
Wrekin Golf Club aiming to enrich wildlife and fauna

WILD AND WONDERFUL
Design By Nature

LEARNING HOW TO SURVIVE
Abbey Par 3

TACKLING OBESITY
Vital that schools can provide sport

A LIFETIME OF LEARNING
Vital for turf professionals

CELEBRATING 125 YEARS
Tullamore Golf Club

UNIVERSITY CHALLENGES
At Trinity College Dublin

BLENDING THE OLD WITH THE NEW
Bray Golf Club

A WELL POLISHED COURSE!
Ierne Social And Sports Club

IDENTIFYING THE TRUE VALUES
Of grounds maintenance

THE INDUSTRY WILL CHANGE & ADAPT
But it will survive

WIRRAL GOLF COURSES SAVED
Renewed hope and optimism for the future

GREEN SPACE CONTRIBUTION TO WELLBEING IS UNDERVALUED
Parks invisible on national agenda

A SHINING LIGHT IN IRELAND'S SUNNY SOUTHEAST
Wexford Golf Club

GREEN SPACES DO NOT LOOK AFTER THEMSELVES!
Keith Kent says we must invest in people

WE SHOULD TELL THE WORLD ABOUT THE UK INDUSTRY
Right time for all sides to come together

SOIL LIFE IS PRECIOUS
Good-quality soil can help save the planet

MORE THAN JUST CUTTING GRASS
Encouraging the next generation

A BUZZ FROM DOING THE JOB
Wide experience of the turf grass industry

PAYING THEIR WAY
Low wages is the bane of the industry

AMENITY MANAGEMENT IMPACTS US ALL
Professor John Moverley

CARING FOR PARKS OF ALL TYPES
Mary Worrall

TOP FIVE FRUSTRATIONS FOR CRICKET GROUNDSMEN
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PROFESSIONALS AT THE CUTTING EDGE
Vic Demain and Phil Sharples

BOWLS CLUBS IN PERIL
A sad decline

A VERY SPECIAL INDUSTRY
Loz looks back

SNEAK PEAK AT A ROBOTIC "GAME CHANGER"
Commercial model capable of covering 50,000 m2 teased

HALESOWEN PICK A BIG ROBOT UP FRONT
Invest in mowers

COMPRESSED AERATION
The new way

PARKS MATTER MORE THAN EVER
Recent sector developments

ON TEST
STIHL blowers

THREE CORE VALUES TO SHAPE OUR INDUSTRY
Real concerns for the future

ENGLAND'S GREEN SPACE GAP
A split along racial lines

ON TEST
EGO STX3800 strimmer with RTX2300 Rotocut head

A SECTOR FACING IMPORTANT TIMES
Review of the National Action Plan

PARKS MATTER
The role of public parks in the recovery: a discussion paper

A UNIQUE SPORTING VENUE
Wormsley private estate

A BTME OUTDOORS?
A good bet for the industry

PARKS NEED APPROPRIATE POLITICAL REPRESENTATION
Q&A with Philippa Reece, Parks and Foreshore Manager at Adur and Worthing Council

CRICKET LOAM
What does it mean?

A HERCULEAN EFFORT TO GET PARKS BACK TO NORMAL
Q&A with Chris Worman, Rugby Borough Council’s parks and ground manager

ON TEST
STIHL battery products

TURFGRASS STRESS MANAGEMENT
Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and antioxidants during biotic and abiotic stress in turfgrass plants

AUTUMN DISEASE MANAGEMENT
The coming months are going to prove very difficult

THE ABUSE OF PARKS . .
Is the abuse of society

WHY PARKS MATTER?
A statement from the Parks Management Forum to the Prime Minister

THE 21st CENTURY PARKS MANAGER
Innovative, creative and entrepreneurial

EAT, SLEEP, CUT, REPEAT!
Cricket under covid

TIME FOR A SINGLE SHOW?
Debate brought back into focus

A CHALLENGING TWO MONTHS
Running golf design projects from home

PRESSURE SITUATION
Cementing the reputation

A CLUB TO BE PROUD OF
10 years at the helm of Olton GC

GAME CHANGERS IN TURFCARE
The day the Lord's outfield reconstruction proved its worth

THE ESSENCE OF ESSENTIAL
Finding a sensible way forward on defining "essential maintenance"

THAT WAS THE YEAR THAT WAS
2001

HOW TO LOOK AFTER A GOLF COURSE WITH NO GOLFERS
Fundamental to the survival of almost all courses, if not of the game itself

RAIN STOPPED PLAY WOULD BE WELCOME
. . along with ‘lunch is being taken early’

PHYSICAL CONTROL OF TURFGRASS PESTS
An urgent problem

A DIVERSE & ENTERTAINING WEEK
Successful BTME 2020

INTEGRATED PEST CONTROL
Opportunity to embrace new methods

ENVILLE ON THE UP
Major investments taking place

GREEN FLAG AWARDS 2019
A great success

U.S PROFESSIONAL EQUIPMENT SHOW EXCELS
Buoyant GIE+EXPO

LEGACY OF THE SOLHEIM CUP
At Gleneagles

A DAY OUT WITH THE LADIES
Behind the scenes at the Solheim Cup

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?

Greenkeepers should now be extremely busy getting their golf courses up to speed and ready for the start of the relentless golfing competitions that usually begin in April. 

Depending on the weather and what part of the country you are in, spring renovations of greens, tees and fairways should be underway. 

The intensity of renovations will be governed by the condition of the playing surfaces and how well they have come through the winter period. In the main, most courses will be looking to aerate their greens and get some new topdressing materials back into the surface to restore levels and maintain surface porosity.

Choice of aeration varies between solid tine and hollow tine spiking depending on your goals, with the aim of getting some air back into the soil profile. This will be followed by topdressing with a compatible rootzone material.

Do not over do the topdressing rates. You do not want to smother your sward. The amount of topdressing will vary dependant on your needs. However, in the spring you would be looking to spread between half to one and and a half tonnes of material per green (2 to 3mm of material per m2). Many greenkeepers are now topdressing on a monthly basis, with a little and often approach.

Once the greens have been aerated you can then spend time on aerating other areas of the course, tees, fairways and approaches - all these areas will benefit from some solid tine spiking. 

Feeding programmes should be determined by soil analysis. Obtaining nutrient levels for greens, tees and fairways will provide essential information that can be used to help choose the appropriate fertiliser product for your given turf surface. There are a wide range of fertiliser products now available and tailored to stimulate healthy grass growth.

It is important that your mowing machines are serviced regularly and are set up accurately, ensuring that both the height of cut and blade sharpness are correct. Damaged blades affect sward quality.

Irrigation systems should have been tested and calibrated by now. There is a need to ensure that all sprinkler heads are working and delivering the appropriate level of water to the turf.

April sees the mowing operations in full swing, with mowing frequencies varying from daily to weekly operations dependant on the growth of the grass and the standards set by the course managers. Mowing heights may vary depending on local conditions, type of course, course expectations, sward type and mower type. The mowing heights are a guide, and will be subject to local weather conditions, but remember not to remove more than 1/3 of total grass height in each cut. The less stress that is placed on the grass at this vital time the better the results further on into the season.

• Greens. Mowing height should be maintained at around 4-6mm.
• Tees. Mowing height should be maintained at around 10-15mm.
• Fairways. Mowing height should be maintained at around 15-20mm.
• Rough & semi rough grass areas. Mow and tidy up these areas.

Changing of holes should be carried out regularly, however frequency will be dependent on a number of factors - green size, greens construction, tournaments, amount of play and condition of the green. During wet periods it is likely the hole will wear more quickly, resulting in a crowning affect and surface wear. This wear is more apparent if the green has thatch problems. The hole will tend to wear quickly and form a depression, caused by the placement of the golfers’ feet. You may be looking to change the hole positions more than three time per week during wet periods. Most golf courses are changing their hole positions at least three times a week.

Most greenstaff will be applying a spring/summer N P K fertiliser, perhaps something like a 12/0/9 or 9/7/7 will effectively get the grass moving during April, then towards the end of April/early May applying a slow-release fertiliser to see you through June/July. However, the choice of material and how well it works can depend on many factors - soil type, weather, with moisture and air temperature being the catalyst for growth.

All of the above work is essential to help the golf course recover from the effects of the winter weather. Once soil and air temperatures rise into double figures, we then start to see grass surfaces recovering. We may also need to be mindful that the rise in temperatures may also bring on some disease outbreaks which will need some attention.

All the above work is a fraction of the work carried out by these amazing teams of greenkeepers. I do personally find it disturbing that there are still a few golf clubs who treat their staff poorly in terms of working conditions, pay and the fact that they are constantly under pressure from the greens committees to perform, when in most cases the number of staff employed by the golf club is not anywhere near enough to deliver their expectations. Running an 18 hole golf club with five or less staff is always going to be a tough call, the sheer amount of work required all year round is staggering, especially when they expect their course to look and perform like championship surfaces. 

I firmly believe at least a team of seven is required to ensure you can meet the expectations of today’s club golfer. In recent years we have seen several head greenkeepers leaving the industry, mostly down to the pressures this job brings. It is now time golf clubs respected and treated their greenkeepers in a more respectful way and more importantly supported them in acquiring the resources, machinery and materials to deliver the product golf course members now expect.