pitchcareThe turfcare magazine

from pitchcare.com

SERVING THE TURFCARE INDUSTRYJune/July 2011

Issue No. 37 £4.50

CRAWLEY TOWN•ILMINSTER CC•OLTON GC•ARUNDEL CC

LEYTON ORIENT•CATERHAM SCHOOL•EDGBASTON PRIORYCHARTERHOUSE•ST IVES•FULFORD HEATH

ON THENIGHTSHIFT!Dan Duffy, Head Groundsman at the LibertyStadium in Swansea, is renowned for his earlystarts, as our editor found out to his cost!

FEATURES

NEW SERIES

BLAGG’SBLOGSimon Blagg’sgreenkeeping career hastaken him eight years,across seven golf courses,six tournaments and threecontinents

DEATH BY ATHOUSANDCUTS?Is the sport of bowls interminal decline? The picture’sa mixed one, as we discoveredon a recent investigation inthe North-West

CONTRACTORSThe first part of a new

series in which LaurenceGale MSc looks at the role

of the contractor in today’shighly competitive and

ever changing marketplace

is a worldwide brand of AGCO.

WELCOME TO

pitchcare

WHEN Pitchcare was launched almostten years ago (more of that in the nextissue), our stated remit was to unite theturfcare industry from the grass rootsup, whilst giving turfcare professionalsthe opportunity to discuss, openly, theissues of the day. Over the ensuingyears, we have tackled a fewcontentious issues, and I have beencalled many things by various people;arrogant, big-headed, single-mindedand, probably, the best of the lot,passionate (not by my partnerthough!).

Perhaps I am a mix of all those things,but the people who know me well, alsounderstand that, having been apractising groundsman at some of theleading venues in the UK, and havinglearned my trade from the bottom up,I consider myself to be well placed totalk about our industry. I fullyunderstand the issues that facegroundsmen and greenkeepers on adaily basis.

I am fortunate to know many highprofile and well respected turfcarepractitioners - across all sectors - themajority of whom I can count asindustry friends. Likewise, because Iam now running a growing business, Iam able to discuss and understand theindustry from a different perspective.

So, it annoys me when I hearcomments being made in certainquarters, that I don’t have my fingeron the pulse, and that my manycomments about industry concerns aremisguided.

Let me state, here and now, that I doknow what is going on in this industry,and I fully understand its needs, fromthe grass roots to the very top. And, itreally is time that those purporting tolead this industry took their heads outof the sand and listened.

Take this issue of the magazine as aperfect example - and regular readerswill know this is not a ‘one-off ’.

Within its pages you will find articlesabout grassroots groundsmen - thosevolunteers who are the lifeblood ofbowls, cricket and lower level football

and rugby - through to the paidprofessionals working at modernstadia. Our ‘find me a job’ campaign,aimed at helping those members whohave lost their job, through no fault oftheir own, find a new position, has hadits first success. Throw in passionatecomment from turfcare professionals,plus various technical articles and that,in a nutshell, is what Pitchcare is allabout. Plain and simple.

With golf clubs struggling to makeends meet, local authorities chargedwith making stringent cost savings andgate receipts down at many of thefootball and cricket grounds, the realworld has hit our industry big time.

Yet, all still is, if you believe the fluffand thunder, hunky dory in exhibitionland. Saltex is just a couple of monthsaway and exhibitor numbers have notyet reached three hundred - it was overfour hundred in 2010 - and that’s withthe ‘big boys’ back for their biennialbash. Exhibitor numbers were down atthis year’s Harrogate show, regardlessof what BIGGA wish to tell you and, ifyou look on the relevant exhibitionwebsites (including Scotsturf), you’ll seethat stand take up is scarily low.

I can hear the responses now;“Saltman’s mouthing off again”. Please,please understand that I do not wishany of the exhibitions to fail. What I dowant is for this industry to succeed.Not for any personal glory, but for theongoing growth of our fragmentedprofession.

If that means one show, one associationand one voice, then I am all for that.However, if the two main shows couldbe turned around to become vibrantand relevant again, that is fine by metoo. Somehow, I fear, that is nowunlikely.

Quite simply, those that profess to leadthe industry need to start listening tothe constructive criticism, and toevaluate the facts rather than believetheir own hype. But, hey, what do Iknow?

CheersDave Saltman

From the grassroots to the top

Say that again!“I don’t swear by any onebrand, and I believe it isimportant to remain fresh andcontinue to explore what’s outthere”

Ben Harwood, Crawley Town FC

“There is a subtle differencebetween a Type 42 Destroyerand triple mower ... but we arelearning quickly!”

Chris Clynes, Arundel Cricket Club

“Professional football pitchmanagement is no longer aboutproviding a surface which justhas to withstand the rigours ofninety minutes of football;

Carl Pass, Premier Pitches

“We may not win the nexttender, or the one after that, butwe are fit to compete with muchlarger contractors now”Marcus Young, Marcus Young Landscapes

“Legislation and restrictions onwater, fertiliser and chemical useare forcing change and creativethinking in our industry”

Jimmy Kidd

“Surface preparation is a hugepart of the whole sportingexcellence thing, and wherebetter than at school to be put tothe test”

John Dodwell, Caterham School

“Always remember that peoplewill either live up to yourexpectations or they will livedown to them”

Frank Newberry, Leadership Trainerand Conference Speaker

“People keep telling me that thegolf boom is over. This could betrue in the UK, yet, in Europe,this most certainly is not thecase”Owen Richardson, Fontana Resort, Austria

Dan Duffy, Head Groundsman atthe Liberty Stadium in Swansea, is

renowned for his early starts, asour editor found out to his cost!

On the nightshift...

Page 68

Ian Maddocks, Knowle & Dorridge Cricket Club

InsideTHIS

ISSUE

ELLIE TAITPR and Marketing

With her nuptials fastapproaching, Ellie hasbeen pondering shoes,

flowers, going awayoutfits and all manner

of girlie things, much ofwhich leaves us fellahs

totally non-plussed!However, with the

wedding set for 5thNovember, Ellie is at

least guaranteedfireworks on thewedding night!

ALASTAIR BATTRICKWeb Monkey

With the Nerd Centrefull to bursting,

following a couple ofnew appointments, the

sauna like workingconditions mean thatAlastair dons shorts

and t-shirts most days.It’s a far cry from hisnative Oswaldtwistlewhere waterproofs

were a prerequisite -the only ‘sun’ he saw

was on his paper round.

DAN HUGHESSales Manager

Deadline Dan promisedto write an article forthe April/May issue -we are still waiting -

maybe he meant2012? A possible

explanation is a certainmademoiselle in the

south of France - Dan iscurrently helping lowcost airlines profits by

frequently jettingacross the channel.

Mange Tout Dan.

DAVE SALTMANManaging DirectorHaving filled the UK

with rubbish - oldfishing boats, caravans

and fishing tackle -Dave recently jetted off

to Mallorca - to getaway from it all, no

doubt! Now back andrefreshed, he is, once

again, turning hisattention to the

important issues ... nowwhere did he put that

yacht varnish?

JOHN RICHARDSOperations DirectorThe fine weather has

tempted John back outonto the golf course.Despite his former

sporting heritage, herefuses to play in the

cold or rain and, whenhe does venture out, he

uses a buggy to getround the course

(probably wearing hisslippers and string back

gloves Ed.). Old agecreeping up, methinks!

PETER BRITTONSales & ProductionAs the golf handicap

continues to creep up,in direct proportion to

his waistline (thathigh? Ed.), Peter’s

attempts to return tohis former svelt self are

being thwarted byfrequent visits to thebiscuit barrel, local

takeaway, off licence ...you get the picture. Not

even a secondgrandchild is helping!

LAURENCE GALEEditor

Within two seconds ofnotification that anemail has landed inyour inbox, Loz willphone to tell you he

has sent one, therebynegating the system’susefulness at a stroke!However, each phone

call usually comes witha new Lozism for theback of the mag, so

there is some merit inletting him continue!

General

Contents

THE PC TEAM

Blake’s Heaven!As projects go, twenty-three years seems a long time, butthis is Kim Blake’s ongoing commitment to the ecologyand economy at Fulford Heath Golf Club. Pg12

St Ives - Cracking up!The vagaries of the English weather are playing havocwith the growing in process at one of the country’s newestcourses, St Ives in Cambridgeshire. Pg18

Blagg’s BlogSimon Blagg’s greenkeeping career has taken him eightyears, across seven golf courses, six tournaments and threecontinents, all courtesy of the Ohio State University internprogramme. Pg24

Mark earns respectMark Smith, the new Course Manager at Olton Golf Club,explains to our editor how he is making importantchanges to the maintenance regimes at the club. Pg32

This is against the law!Tim Earley, of ESD Waste2Water, talks about the newpowers granted to the Environment Agency and warnsthat fines for non-compliance can be as high as £250,000.Pg40

Death by a thousand cuts!Is the sport of bowls in terminal decline? The picture’s amixed one, as Tom James discovered on a recentinvestigation in the North-West, where he findscontrasting fortunes for the region’s clubs. Pg42

A Grand Day OutPeter Britton accepts an invitation to visit the SWALECStadium in Cardiff for the first day of England’s summercampaign against Sri Lanka and India. Pg110

Was the IGCEMA’s tradeshowa virtual success?19th to 21st April this year, the IGCEMA staged its secondvirtual tradeshow. Ellie Tait spoke to those involved togauge the success of the event. Pg120

Service makes successThe key factors to running a successful machinerydealership would have to include the right location, theright product and the right people. Pg122

Cricket

Cover Story - DDan Duffy,Head Groundsman,Liberty Stadium

New kids on the block ...Two new volunteer cricket groundsmen are learning theirskills with the help of Pitchcare training courses and ‘onthe job’ experience. The Club Chairman, Chris Clynes,explains all to our editor. Pg98

Keeping his own council!John Pallister, Head Groundsman at Ilminster CricketClub, has become a town councillor to try and stop adevelopment that threatens the future of both the cricketand football clubs. Pg102

Keeping TracksA phone call from Ian Maddocks, Head Groundsman atKnowle & Dorridge Cricket Club, prompted a visit to seepreparations for a County Select XI game betweenWarwickshire and Yorkshire. Pg106

Golf

High tec, high spec andhigh expectationsLaurence Gale MSc looks at the role of the contractor intoday’s highly competitive and ever changing marketplace.Pg80

The Pass Master!Carl Pass can count fifty percent of Premiership clubs ashis clients. Here, he talks to our editor about how hebegan his business and the learning curves that theindustry keeps throwing at him. Pg82

Worth-while...Worth Draining, began trading over twenty-five years ago.Laurence Gale MSc talks to the company’s ContractsManager, Paul Simpson. Pg88

The ‘Young’ OnesMarcus Young runs a successful contracting business inMilton Keynes. A recently lost contract forced him toreview his working practices, especially industryaccreditations. Pg92

Eastern promise...The East End of London has undergone a swift and radicalurban upheaval since news broke that the 2012 Olympicgames would be held in that part of the capital. Tom Jamesmeets Colin James, a man just a stone’s throw from thedevelopments, both on and off the pitch! Pg62

A Devil’s Own Job!The other Red Devils, Crawley Town, are newly promotedto the Football League. Tom James caught up with theirnew head groundsman just after his appointment. Pg74

CHRIS JOHNSONTraining Coordinator

Mrs ‘Pickering’ isalways a welcome sightat Pitchcare meetings.

Our Chris rarely turns upempty handed, bringing

homemade bakingtreats for the team -

carrot cake, fruit sconesand her speciality, iced

buns! Along with herexceedingly good cakes,she’s not bad at putting

the training coursestogether either.

STUART BURTONWeb Designer

Stu is so quiet that wehave to make him

speak sometimes, justto make sure he is stillbreathing! Usually, he isbeavering away at his

latest creations -banners, newslettersand the like - so his

concentration skills arehoned to peak

performance. Good jobhe doesn’t share an

office with Loz!

LYN PRICEAccounts Admin

Pitchcare’s very ownfussy auntie, Lynmakes sure that

everyone behaves inan appropriate

manner, that theirdress sense doesn’t

stretch the bounds ofdecency (take note Al)and that Ps and Qs aredefinitely ‘minded’. Abrummy broadsideawaits anyone thatsteps out of line!

SHARON TAYLORCompany

AccountantSuccess after successfor our show jumping

star, recently achievingtwo firsts on

consecutive days attwo separate events inthe Midlands. She’s on

a hot streak thisseason, with at least

six winning rosettes sofar - an outsider for the

2012 Olympicsperhaps?

DAN BURTONWeb Developer

Quietly efficient (orshould that be

efficiently quiet?),young Dan is

blossoming into animpressive IT developer

under the excellenttutelage of the

maestro, Alastair.Fortunately, he doesn’t

have all the sametraits as his mentor -

he does smileoccasionally!

News ............................................ 4Viewpoint .................................. 10Talking Point ............................ 30Newcastle going soft! ............ 86The Morris Men ........................ 90LDCA Warning .......................... 88Pitchcare Training ................ 128Crumbs of Comfort .............. 130JCB Factory Visit .................... 132Diversity in turfgrass ............ 134Man or Machine? .................. 136Weed control moves on ...... 138A serious tree disease ........ 140Giant Hogweed ...................... 142I don’t believe it! .................. 144

Also in this issue:

Dave Roberts, Charterhouse SchoolColin James, Leyton Orient FC

No part of this publicationmay be reproduced withoutprior permission of thepublisher. All rights reserved.Views expressed in thispublication are notnecessarily those of thepublisher. Editorialcontributions are publishedentirely at the editor’sdiscretion and may beshortened if space is limited.Pitchcare make every effortto ensure the accuracy of thecontents but accepts noliability for its consequences.Images are presumedcopyright of the author orPitchcare unless otherwisestated. Pitchcare Magazine isprinted by the Gemini Press,Dolphin Way, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex BN43 6NZ

MANAGING DIRECTOR:David Saltman

OPERATIONS DIRECTOR:John Richards

Telephone: 01952 897 910Fax: 01952 247 369Emmail: editor@pitchcare.com

FEATURES AND EDITORIAL:Laurence GaleTel: 01902 440 260Email: laurence@pitchcare.com

ADVERTISING & PRODUCTION:Peter BrittonPitchcare Magazine, 3 KingsbereLane, Shaftesbury, Dorset SP7 8RRTel: 01952 898 516Email: peter@pitchcare.com

PITCHCARE SHOP:Dan HughesTel: 01902 440 258Email: dan@pitchcare.com

IT & WEBSITE:Alastair BattrickTel: 01902 440 255Email: al@pitchcare.com

MARKETING & PUBLIC RELATIONS:Elliee TaitEmail: ellie@pitchcare.com

ACCOUNTS:Sharon TaylorTel: 01902 440 261Email: sharon@pitchcare.com

TRAINING COORDINATOR:Christine JohnnsonEmail: chris@pitchcare.comTel: 01902 440 263

Pitchcare.com LtdUnits 2&3AllscottTelfordShropshireTF6 5DY

Tel: 01952 897 910Fax: 01952 247 369Email:editor@pitchcare.com

Winter Sports

EmploymentDavid’s Goliath Task...Dave Roberts, Grounds Manager at Charterhouse School, isthree and a half years into the job and completely besottedwith his new surroundings. Pg48

Sprint finishing schoolNeville Johnson visits Caterham School in Surrey to talk toHead Groundsman, John Dodwell, about his work thereand his unusual route into the profession. Pg56

Contractors

KIRAN CONTRACTORSales AdministratorCurrently licking his

wounds as officebragging rights in the

Fantasy FootballLeague went to Dan Hfor the first time andBarcelona saw off the

Red Devils in theChampions LeagueFinal. When asked

what happened, Kiranwould only reply thatthe Premiership titlewas all he wanted.

School Report

TechnicalGood water gone bad...What makes a ‘good’ lake or pond go ‘bad’? Peter Roberts ofRingwood, Hampshire based water specialists HydroscapeLtd., provides the answers and solutions. Pg36

Trench campaignThe Land Drainage Contractors Association offer somepointers into drainage design, materials, workmanship andits ongoing maintenance. Pg96

Sand for sportsturfRuffords Technical Manager, Mick Higgins,explains whatsand is and introduces some basic considerations. Pg116 Grounds for improvement

The Edgbaston Priory Club are embarking on a £12million upgrade to their facilities, with considerablefinancial input from the LTA. Pg112

What do you expect?Leadership trainer and conference speaker, FrankNewberry, considers how good leaders understand howthe ‘power of expectation’ can be used to influenceoutcomes, particularly the performance of others. Pg126

Tennis

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SURREY-based Peter Harsum, who wefeatured during week commencing 12th April,has been offered permanent employment atthe prestigious Whitgift School, after GroundsManager Stuart Webber got in touch to let usknow that groundsman vacancies wereavailable.Peter applied and, following an interview, hehas been offered a permanent position on thegroundstaff team.Speaking to Ellie Tait, who is coordinating thecampaign for Pitchcare, Peter said: “I wouldjust like to let you know that I will be startingwork at Whitgift School on the 14th of June.My family and I would like to thank you againfor the work that you have put into runningyour campaign to help people like me findfull-time employment again after such adifficult year. I am very grateful for thisopportunity to get my life back on track, thankyou.”Being made redundant is an extremelystressful time whenever it happens, but evenworse when your partner’s about to give birthto your first child. That’s the position thatPeter found himself in last spring. He wasHead Greenkeeper at a club near Horshamwhen the owners decided to reduce the headcount and Peter was informed of his

redundancy. He had been working on atemporary contract basis for his local councilas an Assistant Groundsman since last May,but got in touch with us when his contract wasabout to come to an end. Peter told Pitchcarethat his redundancy has been ‘life-changing’.“To work hard to become a course manager,then to have it taken away, was hard enoughbut, to face such financial uncertainty whenyou’ve just become a parent, has been verydifficult. My wife is working harder to increaseher earnings, which is tough when you’re anew mum, and we’ve had to change ourlifestyle radically,” he explained.Confirming Peter’s appointment, StuartWebber said that Peter’s skills would be avaluable addition to the team.He also mentioned that he is still interviewingcandidates for a further groundsman’sposition. If you live in the Surrey area andwould like to apply, please contact WhitgiftSchool or alternatively, emailellie@pitchcare.com and we’ll put you intouch.Everyone at Pitchcare HQ would like tocongratulate Peter on his appointment and towish him and his family well for the future.We’d also like to thank Stuart Webber forgetting in touch to flag up the opportunity, and

Helen Whiting at Groundsearch Consultancy,who has given her time free of charge toassist all our candidates with their CVs.If you’re unemployed and would like to featurein our campaign, please email Ellie Tait atellie@pitchcare.com.We hope to be able to share a couple offurther success stories with you soon but, inthe meantime, there are other individuals stilllooking for work. Their locations include;South East and North West England, the WestMidland, Lanarkshire and Wiltshire/SouthWest. Find out about them by visitingwww.pitchcare.com/jobfinder/find-me-a-job.If you can help them, please get in touch.Thank you.

First success for ‘Find me a job!’ campaignThe Pitchcare team is delighted to announce thefirst success of its ‘Find me a job!’ campaign

5

www.dennisuk.com PROUDLY BRITISH+44 (0)1332 824777

Grounds Maintenance Equipmentfor Professionals

A LARGE appreciative crowd of racegoers wasin attendance at a recent meeting to watchthe Salisbury Racecourse team collect theNeil Wyatt Racecourse Groundstaff of theYear Award.Salisbury was adjudged the winner in the BestFlat Racecourse Category, beating offcompetition from many higher profile courses.Making the presentation were Bob Bollandand Marc Windridge on behalf of co-sponsorsAmenity Land Solutions (ALS) and Fornells.Jeremy Martin, Clerk of the Course atSalisbury Racecourse said, “The groundstaffare very pleased to have won this award forthe second time in three years. Consistentground is very important and we move the railbetween every race meeting to ensure horsesrace on the best available turf. The staff’spreparation of our bend, one of the tightest inthe country, also gets regular approval fromjockeys. We will ensure we keep up the goodwork in 2011 and beyond.”Judging of the awards is undertaken by apanel comprising representatives of the

National Trainers Federation and ProfessionalJockeys’ Association, with support from theBHA Inspectors of Courses. The Awards, organised by the RacecourseAssociation and sponsored by Pitchcare, inassociation with ALS and Fornells, are in theirfifteenth year and recognise the achievementsof racecourse groundstaff.

Salisbury RacecourseGroundstaff Collect TopAwardWiltshire course wins inBest Flat Racecoursecategory

L-rr: Michael Simmonds, Richard Hayter (Head Groundsman), Glen Mason,David Thompson, Bob Bolland (ALS), Marc Windridge (Fornells).

6

EUROPEAN Turfgrass Laboratories Ltd., havebeen re-accredited by the A2LA (AmericanAssociation for Laboratory Accreditation) in theGeotechnical/Putting Green Materials field oftesting (Certificate No. 903.01) for the eighthtime. ETL have been accredited in this fieldsince 1997 and this accreditation is nowextended until April 2013. Accreditation is a key component to the

business and it ensures that ETL remain on thesoil physical testing laboratories list approvedby the USGA - currently, 1 of 10 suchlaboratories in the world to achieve this status. The re-accreditation process is carried outevery two years where an external assessorfrom the A2LA visits the laboratory and auditsthe quality management system, the premisesand the staff. This constant monitoring

ensures that ETL remains one of the leadingsportsturf testing centres in the world. ETL’s scope of accreditation includes analysisrequired for testing to the 2004 USGARecommendations. Copies of this scope areavailable upon request. Please contact Sharon Bruce on 01786449195. www.etl-ltd.com

European Turfgrass Laboratories achieve re-accreditation

WHEN a batch of Kaloam, more akin togravel, was delivered to cricket groundsmenlast year, it brought consternation andcriticism from those that had been affected.Fast forward a couple of months and thesuppliers, Monro Horticulture Ltd., trading asMonro Sport, went into receivership, leavinggenuine concerns about the supply of thispopular product through 2011.Perhaps the biggest concern was that therewas no comment from those in the know. Thesilence was deafening, leading the way torumour and conjecture, much of it posted onthe Pitchcare message board for all to read.Monro Sport were an amalgam of companies,including Goundrey, Binder Loams andRoffeys, with Alan Ford and Philip Furnerheading up the group.Now, it appears that, out of the ashes ofMonro, Binder Loams and Roffey Brothershave continued trading, with both companiesable to offer ‘Kaloam’, or a derivitive. Bothcompanies have issued statements.Philip Furner, Manager of Binder Loams said“I would like to put the record straightregarding the incorrect information that hasbeen quoted by our competitors hoping toscore off our unfortunate circumstances. Ithas been reported that Monro HorticultureLtd. was placed in receivership, This isincorrect, it is in administration.”“As a result, Binder Loams, a division ofMonro Horticulture, has continued to tradethroughout the administration and has sincebeen purchased as a going concern, and isnow trading as Binder Loams Ltd.” “Despite the administration of MonroHorticulture Ltd., and the demise of MonroSport as a marketing name, Binderscontinued to trade through this difficultperiod, there was no break in service atBinders, all orders were fulfilled, all the staffretained and everything continued as normal.” Ongar Loam™, Ongar Loam™ plus, BindersCricket Pitch Dressing, Super Surrey, and nowKaloam 2011, are being produced and areavailable at any time from Binders.”From Roffey Brothers came this statement;“We are pleased to announce that we are nowundertaking the manufacture and supply ofthe original Kaloam, as produced at Enstoneprior to its closure. In addition, Mr Alan Ford,

who has been manufacturing Kaloam for thepast decade, joins us on a consultancy basis.” “We have secured enough supply of originalKaloam (clay from the Oxford/Kettering area)for the foreseeable future.”In addition, Alan Ford commented; “It is mostimportant that this original material is used,as any variation from it will cause panning,root sheer and have a different bindingstrength. Use of any variant will not beapparent for a couple of years when thewicket is likely to develop variable bounce andspeed.”Entering the debate, and perhaps adding tothe confusion, came GSB Loams’ DavidGoodjohn. “We have sourced materialsidentical to and compatible with the loampreviously called Kaloam. Respecting thelegal restrictions still in effect, we haveclassified the material as ‘loam suitable fortopdressing a cricket square or tennis courtbuilt from Goundrey or Banbury Loam’ (namesalso associated with the same product). Thisphrase may be long winded, but itacknowledges the legal restrictions in placesurrounding the name more readily used todescribe such a type of loam.”Roffeys Managing Director, Trevor Poole,comments; “Restoring the integrity of Kaloam,following last year's issues, is our priority and,by utilising ISO 9001 Quality Assurance,should ensure that this is achieved.Maintaining recent prices remains our secondpriority. Orders are being co-ordinated byTechnical Sales Manager, Dave Morland. He isavailable, along with Alan Ford, to carry outhealth checks and help resolve issues on yourwicket.”Philip Furner states: “You will note that wehave included Kaloam 2011 within ourproduct range, as the Monro Enstone depotthat did produce Kaloam last year is no longeroperational. We have sourced material, had itanalysed for its suitability and ability to besuccessfully used on existing Kaloam pitches,and will be produced to the same exactingstandard as you have come to expect fromBinders.” Both Binders and Roffeys have an historicalclaim to the Kaloam brand name but, asPitchcare editor, Laurence Gale stated; “At theend of the day, it is just soil. As long as it iscompatible with what groundsmen are

already using, thereshould be noproblem. I would,though, urge everygroundsman usingKaloam to carry outmotty tests prior toparting with theirhard earned cash.”David Goodjohnconcurs. “Ourproduct is already being successfully used,and you are welcome to test through mottiesand other processes to establishcompatability for yourself, rather than havingto rely on others.”Michael Atherton, Head Groundsman at KingWilliam’s College on the Isle of Man, and oneoriginally affected by last year’s poor batch ofproduct says; “If in doubt, do your own testsor, even better, consult with a respected,independent agronomist. If you are not 100%sure what is in the bags, don’t put it on yoursquares.”“For many of those who were hit with the‘Kastone’ (myself included), you already haveenough rubbish in your square - why addanother potential problem - know the productthat you are putting on your square, and itscompatibility with the material that is alreadythere. The only way anything goes on mysquares, amidst the current confusion, is ifeach product has been tested by myself(motties), and independent lab analysis - andsuitable results are achieved with all tests. Ifsuitable test results aren’t achieved, it isn’tgoing on my squares, regardless of what typeof loam, or ‘name’ it has.”As we were going to press we were informedof ongoing issues regarding the use of theKaloam name. These have still to be resolved,but we are assured that a loam suitable foruse on kaloam squares and courts isavailable, albeit not in name at the currenttime.

Kaloam - what isgoing on?Following last year’s issues, what is the situationregarding the supply of Kaloam in 2011? Pitchcarehas received various statements and commentabout its availability and compatibility

Philip Furner,Binder Loams Ltd

GSB’s DavidGoodjohn

ETL get A2LA

7

working for a brighter future

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ALEX Hawkes, Course Manager at SouthWinchester Golf Club, is to ride the gruellingEtape Du Tour stage of the Tour De France, insupport of Parkinson’s UK and TheAlzheimer’s Society. Alex takes up the story:“My reasons for choosing the two charities isthat Parkinson’s Disease runs in my paternalfamily, claiming my dad’s brother, andbecause my father-in-law has recently beendiagnosed with two forms of dementia,including Alzheimer’s.The ride that I am doing is called the EtapeDu Tour. The idea is that amateurs (10,000 ofthem) can ride a stage of the Tour De Franceunder tour conditions - closed roads, banners,feed stations, large crowds etc. This year, forthe first time, the organisers are running twodifferent stages - a week apart - but it wouldprove too expensive to do both, and I wouldnot like to be away from South Winchester forthat long during the summer months.I have, therefore, chosen to do the mountainstage, which takes place on Monday 11th Julyand will be riden by the pros as the final andmost prestigious mountain stage (known asthe Queen of Stages), stage 19, a week or solater.Although not that long by tour standards - at109km - it does take in three of the mostfamous alpine climbs of the Tour De France -Le Col du Galibier, Le Col du Telegraphe and,possibly the most famous of them all, the

Alpe D’Huez.The stage begins in the town ofModane, near the Italian border,and finishes on top of the AlpeD’Huez.The main issues will be the heat ofFrance in July, the cold whendescending at high speed from highmountains, the lack of oxygen atsuch altitude and the length of theclimbs - the Galibier is over 18kmof uphill road on its own.The main point that I have tried to

make to people is that I am fundingthe whole cost of this trip myself (orat least my wife is for my 40th) so,all the money that I raise will go tothe charites, rather than fundingthe trip itself.The reason that I make this point isthat, while listening to a radiostation recently, a number ofpeople spoke of their annoyance ofpeople “doing their trip of a lifetime andgetting other people to fund it viasponsorship”. I am anxious to stress that I willnot be doing this.At the advice of my mum, I am writing a blogabout the whole experience, including all thetraining etc. that I undertake along the way.You can have a look by going to

http://etape-journey-2011.blogspot.com/Any support you can give will be reallyappreciated.”The link to Alex’s fundraising page ishttp://www.justgiving.com/Alex-Hawkes-Alzheimers andhttp://www.justgiving.com/Alex-Hawkes-Parkinsons-UK

Climb every mountain ...Alex Hawkes, Course Manager at SouthWinchester Golf Club, gets on his bike tosupport charities close to his heart

8

BY the time a sublime performance fromLionel Messi had condemned ManchesterUnited to a 3-1 Champions League lesson infootball, there were many of us who simplydidn't care; the transfers had stopped, officewagers decided, point scoring ceased, andbanter between colleagues had come to aclose. Yes, the DLF and Pitchcare BarclaysPremier League Fantasy Football League2010/2011 places had been decided and, tocoin a catchphrase ‘points mean prizes’ - tothe tune of £800. The second season of the most popular andinteractive Fantasy Football game provedpopular with Groundsmen and Greenkeepersfrom all over the UK. The passion for sport many of us reflect in ourchosen careers was translated intoknowledge, as the DLF Pitchcare mini leagueranked 1,769 out of 223,722 around theworld. So, for those unfamiliar with our FantasyFootball game, here’s a simple summary. Youhave a budget to select a squad of fifteenPremiership players. Points are awarded toyour players for match performances, goals,clean sheets etc., and you have the ability tomake changes to your squad throughout theseason.This season threw up its fair share ofsurprises, and key to accessing the prizemoney is the ability to sniff out a bargain andmonitor the form of key players and teams. Value for MoneyPeter Odemwingie, Andy Carroll, Kevin Daviesand D. J Campbell represented excellent valuefor money in the attacking department, withCarlos Tevez the top scoring attacker. Perhapssurprisingly, perennial Oscar nominee, Nani,was the game’s overall highest accumulatorof points with 9 goals and 18 goal assists. Elsewhere, in the midfield, Premiershipnewbies Rafael Van Der Vaart, Yaya Toure andDavid Silva performed well for managers,whilst Blackpool’s courageous approach andattacking style of football (we salute you IanHolloway), spearheaded by talisman, CharlieAdam, and David Vaughn, scored very well -

they will be sadly missed by some fornext season. Never underestimate your defender’sabilities to score big - Leighton Bainestopped the table, with Haangeland, Huthand Fulham's Aaron Hughes offeringexcellent points for pounds ratio. A solidEnglish display between the sticks saw JoeHart as the highest scoring goalkeeper, whilstMessrs Foster and Robinson offeredmanagers excellent value as the last line ofdefence. FormA team’s form is crucial when deciding whichplayers to pick. Early season selections,featuring players from Everton, Aston Villa andRoy Hodgson’s Liverpool left some managersscratching their heads. Alton Towers are nowconsidering naming their next ride the‘Gunners’ after Arsenal’s sensational end ofseason dip, with Birmingham City alsoconsidered for this accolade. Elsewhere, Dalglish inspired a Liverpoolresurgence, and West Brom and Wolvesshowed some true Black Country grit with lateseason form to escape the drop. Credit againto Alex Ferguson, the most successfulmanager in the long illustrious history ofEnglish football for guiding Manchester Unitedto a deserved title, with veterans Van Der Saarand Giggs (ssshhhh) contributing to theirexcellent form all season. DLF Pitchcare Fantasy Football League2010/2011 - TTop Placed Managers1 Dominic Murray, Groundsman at

Shrewsbury Town FC - £3002 Richard Ponsford, Greenkeeper at Henbury

Golf Club - £150 3 Alan Loose, Greenkeeper at Royal West

Norfolk Golf Club - £1004 Gary Hawley, Course Manager at Henbury

Golf Club - £50 5 Robert Hogarth, Course Manager at

Remedy Oak Golf Club - £406 Matt Hawker, Head Greenkeeper at Bristol

& Clifton Golf Club - £30

7 David Holland, Volunteer Groundsman atConnacht Rugby - £25

8 Richard Hollingsworth, TigerTurf (UK) Ltd.Accounts Assistant - £20

9 Liam Daw, Greenkeeper at Henbury GolfClub - £20

10 Gary Conway, Assistant Groundsman atManchester City FC - £15

So, why not join us for next season’scompetition, which will be sponsored byLimagrain. It is free to enter and, who knows,you may walk off with the top prize.The more players that enter, the more prizemoney becomes available.Details for the 2011/2012 Fantasy Footballcompetition will be posted online atwww.pitchcare.com in advance of the newfootball season.

Player Club Cost (£m) Points ScoredGoalkeeperHart Man City 6.9 175DefendersBaines Everton 8.1 178Hangeland Fulham 5.9 154Cole A Chelsea 8.1 150MidfieldersNani Man Utd 9.4 198Adam Blackpool 6.0 192Malouda Chelsea 9.7 186Kuyt Liverpool 9.7 177ForwardsTevez Man City 11.5 185Berbatov Man Utd 9.2 176Drogba Chelsea 12.2 176

Highest point scorers - sseason 2010-111 Dominic Murray’s winning team - TThe Cereal Killers

Player Club Cost (£m) Points ScoredGoalkeeperFoster Birmingham 5.3 153DefendersVidic Man Utd 8.1 148Dawson Tottenham 5.2 77Zabaleta Man City 6.1 102Johnson R Birmingham 5.3 120MidfieldersDowning Aston Villa 7.1 163Nani Man Utd 9.4 198Adam Blackpool 6.0 192Yaya Toure Man City 6.3 146Malouda Chelsea 9.7 186ForwardsVan Persie (c) Arsenal 11.0 157

Pitchcare in afantasy world!Fantasy Football league reaches its conclusionwith Dominic Murray, a groundsman atShrewsbury Town FC, topping the table

L-rr: Phil Seedhouse (DLF), Dominic Murray(Shrewsbury Town FC Groundsman), JohnRichards (Pitchcare)

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The STRI Environmental Awards Dinner atHarrogate placed me at a table besideLaurence Gale, editor of Pitchcare, and afew worthy recipients of specificEnvironmental awards for 2010.

Machrihanish Dunes, the latestcreation in Scotland by my son, DavidMcLay Kidd, received the STRI Award forWaste Management, following on fromthe GEO Certificate for EnvironmentalExcellence a few weeks previously.

The entire evening was filled withenlightening conversation centred around‘Alternative Methods’ of turf grass androotzone management.

The conversation took me back to asimilar scenario, over twenty years earlier,when my team at Gleneagles, workingwith Jonathan Smith, Golf Course WildlifeTrust, awarded the very first PanEuropean Certificate For EnvironmentalExcellence to Gleneagles Hotel and GolfCourses.

The conservation practices andprocedures required to attain thatparticular award were reared in me froma very early age, as a young man from afarming background fascinated bymicrobial activity within our fields andpastures.

I saw changes that began to take placein subtle, but significant ways! I realisedthat the things we do, good and bad, havean eventual impact on almost everythingon the planet.

At that very early age, it becameevident to me that we must be veryaware of the fact that everything we doaffects this fragile cycle of life.

For thousands of years the onlyfertiliser sources available were deadplants, dead animals and manure but,when Justin Von Liebig proved thatrefined nutrients could support plantgrowth, the ability of man to grow biggercrops was realised, and the modern ageof chemical, large and small scale, wasborn.

For many, including Golf CourseSuperintendents, the secrets of soil lifewere lost or ignored!Small secret - huge impact!Bacteria, the smallest of soil life, are thecornerstone of healthy rootzones andturfgrass. The creatures are frequentlythe most responsible for refining ofnutrients. Given the opportunity, they willconsume in-organic fertiliser throughwhat we like to call a “Microbial TransferSystem”

The now refined nutrients are heldtightly by the negatively charged humusparticles in the rootzone and madeavailable for grass roots to ‘uptake’ or useas required. When the micro life isallowed to multiply, and do their specialwork, water will not wash the now organicnutrients away, because they are fixed orattached to the soil, thereby reducing theneed for high volumes of in-organicfertilisers, that are, it has beensuggested, only 20% available to theplant. The remaining 80%, especially insand rootzones, is leached away withevery water event that takes place.

As bacteria and other micro lifemultiply, they create colonies near plantroots, and these little farmers stockpile

nutrients very efficiently. The living matterretains more moisture, which is availableto the plant in times of low rainfall anddrought.

The more the bacteria populationsincrease, the more the larger predators,like protozoa which love to eat bacteria,increase. As protozoa increase, so do thebeneficial nematodes, and insectsforming tunnels and microscopic burrowswhich aerate the rootzone, providingroom for roots to flourish and grow, andmoisture to be absorbed and retained.Therefore, we have a balanced ecosystemwithin the soil and rootzones.

This web of soil life is inter-dependent.When bacteria are killed by over use offertilisers and chemicals, other life formsthat feed on them starve and die also.This cause and effect relationship resultsin rootzones that are little more than dirt,containing only trace components ofusable organic matter.

Ultimately, the goal of everysuperintendent should be to rebuild andmaintain the population of micro life intheir rootzones.

Substantial micro life populationsnaturally lead to higher residual nutrientlevels, rootzones with great integrity andaeration characteristics, and increasedhumus content.

The STRI Awards ceremony discussionwas certainly not one of ‘it’s the way wehave done it for years! Therefore, it mustbe good and should stay this way, whyrisk a change!’ They were more of a‘traditional thinking freezes your mind,blocks your progress and prevents youfrom developing creative power!’

I have been extremely lucky to haveworked in arid deserts, lava fields, glacialvalleys and reclaimed land sites over themany years since my investiture into thegrand profession of turf grassmanagement, golf course design,construction and grow-in.

At all times, I have been acutely awareof the local and broader environment ofmy neighbours as we strived to create thefinest golf courses and maintain themwithin a strict code of environmentalawareness and sustainability. One thatmakes better use of nutrients and waterwith reduced drought and fungal diseasestress.

We all seek a return to that essentialelement; the creation and sustainabilityof a living soil.

Legislation and restrictions on water,fertiliser and chemical use are forcingchange and creative thinking in ourindustry.

Golf course superintendents, inparticular, have always been the finestpolicemen of their own environs.

The environs of my youth provided mewith the desire to marvel at the beautysurrounding me, the creation of life froma tiny seed, a miracle only the creatorhimself could have perfected.

Many things excite me and send myhungry mind into a whirlwind of thought,such as the eloquent and thoughtfuldiscussions at the STRI dinner on‘alternative methods of creating a healthyrootzone’ and ‘turf grass working for thesuperintendent as opposed to thesuperintendent working to control it!’

Jimmy Kidd suggests that the goal of everygolf course superintendent should be torebuild and maintain the population of microlife in their rootzones

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“Legislation andrestrictions onwater, fertiliserand chemicaluse are forcingchange andcreativethinking in ourindustry”

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Fulford Heath Golf Club is aparkland course situated a shortdistance from Solihull andBirmingham. Designed by JamesBraid - five times Open winner

and member of the World Golf Hall ofFame - and opened in 1933, thiseighteen hole, par 70 course is just over6,000 yards in length and presents achallenge to golfers of all standards.

The River Cole, three lakes and maturetrees feature throughout the course.Particular favourites are the 12th holewhere the gentle River Cole presents aconstant challenge appearing alongsidethe fairway as a lateral hazard, whilst theelevated green of the par 3, 16th hole isreached by playing over a stunning lake.

It is one of several Midlands courses Ihave fond memories of; as a teenagerback in the 1970s I grew up not far fromFulford Heath, and it provided awonderful habitat for hide and seekwhilst, at the same time, giving us theopportunity to find golf balls, which weresold on for pocket money!

The course is renowned for setting a

golfing challenge; not only does thelayout of the course, with forty-twostrategically placed bunkers andmaturing tree-lined fairways, test thegolfers’ accuracy, the many grassymeadows and conservation areas alsoattract a lot of wayward balls.

However, the golfers do not mind, asthese areas not only provide a burst ofcolour between June and September, butare also a key wildlife corridor andfeeding area for birds and insects.

The development of the wildlifecorridors is down to the present CourseManager, Kim Blake, who joined the clubin 1988, having had previous experienceat Broadway Golf Club and contractingwork. It has been a labour of love forKim, who continues to make steadyprogress and embrace the ecologicalrequirements of the course.

Like most golf clubs, the last few yearshave been testing times on many fronts;the weather has tested the resolve of bothmembers and greenkeeping staff, and thecurrent economic climate has alsoinfluenced the resources available and,

As projects go, twenty-three years seems along time, but this is KimBlake’s ongoingcommitment to theecology and economy atFulford Heath Golf Club.Laurence Gale MSc reports

Blake’sHeaven!

12

subsequently, the amount of work thatcan be achieved.

As Kim points out, like many othercourse managers, he has been asked tomake savings, whilst still delivering aquality golfing experience. Since 2006,he has managed to reduce his annualbudgets by £30,000.

Kim, along with the GreensCommittee, managed to convince theclub not to go down the ‘easy route’ ofredundancy, pointing out that thegreenkeeping staff are the main asset ofany golf club. He has, instead, focused onmaking all the areas he is responsible formore efficient. For example, he and histeam now take on all of the winterprogramme of works, by investing inspecialist machinery. They have aKomatsu 360 excavator and a large AEBITP 68 transporter, which enables them toundertake reconstruction works toditches, ponds and tees which, in turn,has taught his staff new skills.

Kim has also managed to reduceovertime costs by explaining to the staffthe benefits of annualised hours,agreeing to being salaried on a fortyhour week, receiving a better annualincome, but having to work weekends aspart of the deal. Any additional overtimeworked is paid in lieu.

Kim has also changed the way hemaintains the course to help makesavings. For example, he has chosen togo back to pedestrian mowing, investingin four new Baroness mowers instead ofbuying a new greens triple. The club hasalso allowed Kim to contract out thegreenkeepers’ services, utilising theirspecialised machinery - Graden,Vertidrain, sprayers and seeders - toundertake work at other local sportsclubs.

Kim’s first assistant is GraemeStevenson, who came to the clubeighteen months ago, having previouslyworked at Handsworth Golf Club. TonyLiverstone has been part of the staff forfour years. Tom Jones also recentlyjoined the team from Abbey Park GolfClub in Redditch. Another newcomer isPaul Arnold who has been at the club justthree months. Additionally, Kim’sdaughter, Rebecca Blake, came on boardas an apprentice eighteen months ago.

Rebecca is currently studying atMorton Morrell College, doing a NVQlevel 2 course along with PA1 and PA2spraying courses.

Over the years Kim has built up areputation for being innovative andmaking good use of opportunities as theypresent themselves. He has developedgood communication strategies with theFulford members, other course managersand head greenkeepers andorganisations, whilst also being an activemember of BIGGA for many years

The parkland course lies on heavy claysoils with all the greens being push upclay with no drainage. They drain verywell due to the extensive ongoing workKim and his staff undertake every year,

being regularly spiked with all manner oftechniques, and regularly topdressed withhundreds of tonnes of DA30 sand. Theyperform very well, and provide a smoothfast putting surface, currently stimping atover nine feet - any faster and they wouldbecome unplayable.

The holes are changed every otherday; two holes are cut each week ondifferent parts of the green and swappedover through the course of the week toreduce wear.

Greens are maintained at a height of4mm in the summer and 5mm in thewinter. They are now being cut everyother day using the Saxon pedestrianmowers, with turf ironing done on thealternate days.

As for renovations, greens are targetedtwice a year, undertaking autumn andspring renovations.

In mid-August, Kim will carry out athorough renovation of the greens usinghis Graden scarifier. He is a keenadvocate of this machine, especiallybecause of its ability to inject sand intothe green at the same time. Kim hasbeen using the Graden for a couple ofyears, since he had the opportunity towork closely with Keith Kensett, whointroduced it to the UK. Kim regularlyworks with Keith to help develop betterways of using the machine, often carryingout trials at his course. This has alsoenabled him to try out many of the otherinnovative machines Keith has brought tothe fine turf market. These include theturf irons, shrouded sprayers and deepcompressed air probe aerators.

The greens are gradened to a depth of28mm, using 2mm diameter tines at30mm centres, debris is cleaned off usingpower brushes, blowers and mowers, andtopdressed with around thirty tonnes ofDA30 Rufford sand. Altogether, it takesaround two days to complete all eighteengreens. In October, the greens will beverti-drained with 200mm deep, 13mmdiameter tines. Additional aeration workthrough the winter months is carried outusing Sisis Multi slit tines.

In February, Kim will use a GroundProbe compressed air aerator to deepdecompact the greens to a depth of600mm at 2x2 metre spacings. Then, inMarch, they will be gradened again, butonly using 1mm diameter blades, to adepth of 8-10mm at 25mm centres,applying around fifteen tonnes of DA30sand.

Tees are cut at a height of 11mm in thesummer and 14mm in winter. They aremown twice a week in the summer andonce during the winter months, and alsoget aerated using a range of machinesthroughout the year.

The club make their own topdressingand divot mix for the tees and fairways,using a bi-product of green waste whichthey produce themselves using a ZagoEcogreen Recycling machine. It has beena significant investment, costing £20k,but has more than paid for itself in whatit produces.

13Kim Blake, Course Manager,Fulford Heath Golf Club

Every year, Kim sows new areas with Limagrainwildflower and bird seed mixes to provide flowers andseeds for the wildlife to thrive on

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Bumblebee hives are leftout in the woods to allow abumblebee queen to reararound half a dozen young,which, if things go to plan,then hatch out andcolonise the local habitat

They have perfected a mix that workswell for them; three parts treebrash/leaves, two parts cardboard andone part grass clippings.

It takes forty five minutes to passthrough the machine and be tipped outinto a bay, the material is allowed tobreak down and then, after several weeks,turned into another bay. By the time ithas gone through five bays it is ready forscreening into the desired end product.

Compost that is sieved through a 6mmsieve is used for tees and fairwaydressings, whereas compost that is putthrough a larger 19mm sieve is used forconstruction projects. They can make inexcess of 200 tonnes a year.

Fairways are mown at between 12-14mm, generally twice a week dependingon the condition of the sward, theweather and time of the year. Many ofthe fairways are bordered by large areasof semi rough - which is cut at 60mmevery ten days - that leads into

permanent rough and wild flower areas.Every year, Kim sows new areas withLimagrain wildflower and bird seedmixes to provide flowers and seeds forthe wildlife to thrive on.

To ensure the birds get access to theflowering seed heads, his cut and collectregime is carried out in February insteadof the usual late summer period.

This year, Kim is trying out a couple ofBeepol aviaries. These are smallbumblebee hives that are left out in thewoods to allow a bumblebee queen torear around half a dozen young, which, ifthings go to plan, then hatch out andcolonise the local habitat.

If successful, he will look to introducemore, and also plans to put out honeybee hives, with the eventual aim of sellingthe honey to the members to cover costs.Kim has also built raised vegetable bedsso that home grown produce can beserved to the members in the clubhouse.

Feeding programmes (on the course,

15

not in the clubhouse) are tailored to meetthe needs of the grass. A combination ofgranular and liquid feeds is applied tothe greens, along with some organicproducts - Headland Greentech 6:5:18NPK acts as a base feed, along with someFarmura Porthcawl and ALS Green Yaraproducts.

Kim is also using Aston HorticultureGarlic products, as part of themaintenance programme on the greens,along with some soluble iron, to suppressworms on greens, approaches and tees. Itseems to be working very well, with Kimrecording a 70% reduction in wormactivity. The application rate is aroundfive doses a year, mixing it in with otherfeeds.

Garlic feeds are becoming popular asboth a suppressant to insects and animals,as well has being a growth supplement.

The total amount of nitrogen andpotash applied each year to the greens isless than 70kg per hectare. A little and

often approach is Kim’s motto.Kim also advocates a PrimoMaxx

programme on greens, tees and fairways.However, he reduces the amount he putson and applies on a more frequent basis.Greens get 0.2 litre per HA, whilst teesand fairways get 0.5-0.8 litres per HA.The results are excellent - thicker swardand a reduction in the amount ofclippings produced.

As for machinery, Kim ensures that allhis equipment is well looked after andserviced regularly. He still uses a fourteenyear old John Deere Triple mower and,rather than buying a new one, persuadedthe club to buy the four pedestriancylinder Baroness mowers. Whilst I wasthere, he was having a brand new JohnDeere Aercore aerator delivered by AndyPerkins and Will Davies from Parks andGrounds Machinery Ltd., a machine thatwill be well used both out on the courseand for contracting services.

Kim showed me his seven year

What’s in the shed?Iseki TA 545 tractor& front loaderLewis 400s diggerIseki TA 537 tractorFerri TD 37 flailarm mowerJacobsen SV 2322truck andtopdresserAebi TT 70 tractorand front mounted gang mowersAebi TP 68 transporter and 2000 litresprayerKomatsu PC 45R diggerJohn Deere 2243 mowerToro 3250D triple mowers x 2Toro 3500D triple rotary mowerToro 4100D rotary mowerChainsaws x 3Strimmers x 2Hedgecutters x 2Backpack blowers x 3Bunker hedgerHardi shattermasterSisis slitters x 2Charterhouse 2m vertidrainRishard Long 2004 sweeper/scarifyerTurfirons x 2Hardi AMT 800 Litre sprayerTractor mounted leaf blowerZago eco composterNew Holland TN 75 tractor + front loader7 tonne plant trailerGraden sand injection and seeder unitKubota RTV 900Toro 6500 mowerJacobsen sand trap rakeBaroness pedestrian greensmowers x 4John Deere Aercore 800

L-rr Paul Arnold, Rebecca Blake, Kim Blake, Tom Jones and Graeme Stevenson

16

machinery plan, which will enablethe club to renew a lot of their oldequipment in the coming years; a lotof the larger machinery - tractors,fairway mowers and topdressers - areover fifteen years old and will soonneed replacing.

As for irrigation, only the greens,tees and a few approaches have popup water sprinklers. Water is drawnfrom the lakes; the club has a twomillion cubic metre extractionlicence. The system has recently beenoverhauled and modified to give fullreports on usage.

This year, not surprisingly, thewater consumption has been quitehigh compared to last year; 70 cubicmetres in March compared with zeroin March 2010; 500 in April (148 inApril 2010) and 389 in May (351 inMay 2010).

The lakes not only provide thewater for irrigation purposes, but arealso a sanctuary for a lot of wildlife,particularly birds. The lakes are wellstocked and attract a lot of localanglers, club members and “bloodyherons” who enjoy catching a wideselection of fish.

Future work will be centred aroundthe course’s needs and requirements.Kim has already begun a feasibilitystudy into the cost of installingdrainage across the whole course,including greens; a mammothproject that could cost a fair amountof money, but would be done inphases.

Also, there is the ongoing treeworks - there are still too manyleylandii trees around the course thatneed removing, along with someother species that need thinning outfrom the large plantations.

The refurbishing of tees isongoing, along with other coursemodifications to cope with the everchanging golf equipment; ball andclub design will always continue tohave an impact out on the course.

Kim is very happy with his lot and,even after twenty three years, is reallyonly beginning to see the fruits of hislabour. The course is a testament tohis commitment to greenkeepingand, I’m sure, that hewould like his daughter totake over the reins one day,just to ensure his legacycarries on at the course heloves and regards as home.

GARLICFACTSSINCE ancient times growers havenoticed that garlic plants (Alliumsativum) are not attractive to certaininsects, animals and fungi, and garlicsprays were used to stimulate thenatural ability of plants to resist pestsand diseases.Today, garlic treatments are routinelyused as a growth supplement in variouscrops, such as lettuce, tomatoes,strawberries, ornamentals, wheat,brassicas and for healthier, insect,nematode and fungal-free turf. It iswater-based, concentrated andbiodegradable.It contains high levels of allicin, whichhas anti-bacterial and anti-fungalproperties. It has a systemic andprophylactic action, making it suitablefor use on turf areas and generalamenity areas, including parks, playingfields, grassland and conservation areas.It is a natural product formulated fromgarlic extracts. It is water-based,concentrated and biodegradable.Due to its sulphur and selenium contentgarlic has the following benefits:- Stimulates growth, vigour and tillering- Helps to resist the adverse effects of

stresses due to drought andunbalanced nutrition

- Assists in optimising the effects offertilisation

- Fungal, Insect and Nematodesuppression

Regular use assists grass to resist orrecover from most of the commonfungal diseases such as Anthracnose,Brown Patch, Fusarium, Fairy Ring,Dollar Spot and Red Thread and aidturf’s natural resistance to insects, suchas crane fly, frit fly, and recover fromdamage caused by nematodes.Research worldwide has shown garlic’sfungistatic and fungicidal activity againstFusarium oxysporum, Phytophthora spp.,Phythium spp., Rhizoctonia solani,Botrytis cinerea, Alternaria brassisicola,Sclerotinia and other pathogenic fungi.Useful DataSystemic and prophylacticFood grade natural aqueous extract ofgarlicNo chemical setbackOdourless within minutes of applicationCompatibility tests with other productsare recommendedBiodegradableSafe and simple to use as well as beingkind to the environment

Who are you? Kim Blake,Course Manager at FulfordHeath Golf Club.

Family status? Married toSue, with one son and twingirls all in their 20s.

Who’s your hero and why? Ayrton Senna. Did notknow the meaning of not winning.

What is your dream holiday? To follow F1 motorracing around the world for a season.

What annoys you the most? People who ask aquestion, but will not listen to the answer.

What would you change about yourself? I’d like tobe twenty years younger.

Who wouldn’t you like to be? Greens chairman at agolf club!

Favourite record, and why? Bachman TurnerOverdrive, You ain’t seen nothing yet. Happymemories.

Who would you choose to spend a romanticevening with? My wife Sue. If she could not make itthen it would have to be Demi Moore.

If you won the lottery, what is the first thing youwould do? Ask Sue if I was dreaming!

If you were to describe yourself as a musicalinstrument, what would you be and why? Drums -keeping everything in time.

What’s the best advice you have ever beengiven? Everything is possible, just find a way of doingit.

What’s your favourite smell? Sunday roast.

What do you do in your spare time? Growvegetables.

What’s the daftest work related question youhave ever been asked? Why do you and your staffonly work on Ladies day?

What’s your favourite piece of kit? Graden contoursand injection machine.

What three words would you use to describeyourself? Hard working, friendly and approachable.

What talent would you like to have? To be able tospeak in public without getting so nervous.

What makes you angry? Staff who think I was bornyesterday.

What law/legislation would you like to seeintroduced? A law to stop the Government making somany stupid laws.

Kim Blake -wasn’t bornyesterday ... justin case his staffare reading this!

TWENTYQuestions

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“I joined Droitwich Golf Club in 2008 and inherited verythatchy greens that suffered very badly with outbreaks offusarium. Introducing a good aeration regime and the use ofAston Turf has greatly reduced the amount of fungicideapplications and also increased the depth of rooting and thethickness of sward.

The lower part of the course is on a flood plain and suffersquite badly with worm casts; the Aston Turf has also helpedto reduce this problem. I would be happy to recommend thisproduct to anyone involved in sports care management.”

Gary Watkins, Head Greenkeeper, Droitwich Golf Club

34 Bretforton RoadBadsey, Evesham

WorcestershireWR11 7YG

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St Ives -Cracking up!

Master Greenkeeper, Phil Gates The clubhouse is home to Titleist in Europe Praying for rain!

Several weeks of prolongedsnow cover through Decemberand early January, followed bya very dry March and April,has meant that many golf

clubs are desperate for some favourableweather to help get their course set upand performing well for their membersand customers. As I write, the first threeweeks of May have also been devoid ofrain, especially on the eastern side ofEngland.

One club that is desperate for achange in the weather is St Ives (Hunts)Golf Club, near Cambridge, a brand newinland links style course that openedlast May, at the start of another summerof drought like conditions in EastAnglia! Built on heavy fen land claysoils, and exposed to prevailing winds, itdesperately needs some rain to stimulategrowth out on the course.

As I walk the course with CourseManager, Phil Gates MG, it isimmediately evident how the weatherpatterns of the past fourteen monthshave played havoc with the growing inperiod. “The recent dry spring hasaffected the course considerably,” saysPhil. “It’s more like the end of Julyrather than the beginning of May. Wedesperately need some rain.” If we haveanother summer like last year, we’ll beflat out just trying to keep the coursealive.”

“The greens, tees and fairways areholding up pretty well, thanks toirrigation and hand watering. But, thereare large tracts of the course that aredrying out so much that the clay soil isshrinking, leaving large cracks in thesurface big enough to get your fistdown! Most of the wetland areas are alsodrying out and the level of the reservoirhas dropped several feet.”

It certainly has been a testing coupleof years for the greenkeeping staff, whohave been working hard to maintain abrand new course that is still growingin.

Phil came to the course in April 2008to help oversee the building of thegreens, tees and fairways - most of theshaping and large soil moving had beencompleted before he arrived.

He has worked at several clubs andhas gained a lot of experience inoverseeing construction projects,notably at the K Club in Ireland andTrentham Golf Club in Staffordshire. Healso worked with Laurence Pithie MG,learning, in the process, a great dealabout management and how to developstaff.

“I have always been drawn towardsmanaging a links course so, when theoffer came to work at St Ives, I packedmy bags and headed to Cambridgeshireto take up my dream job. But theweather has made it more of a challengethan I would have hoped for.”

The course architect was CameronSinclair, who worked with CharlesMador to deliver a very challenging golfcourse. The project is the culmination of

many years of effort by the members ofthe St Ives Golf Club (founded in 1923),who were successful in selling a portionof their old nine hole golf course to amajor house builder and used theproceeds to purchase a new site outsideof the town to construct this ambitiousnew facility.

Working within a budget of £3 millionthey managed to transform a flat andwindswept East Anglian landscape into achallenging new eighteen hole, parseventy-two golf course, with a beautifulnew luxury clubhouse - built toresemble a cluster of farm buildingsaround a courtyard - and separatepractice facilities. Well over 250,000cubic metres of earth was moved inorder to create the course. Theremarkable thing is that it looks as if ithas been there forever.

“The challenge of the site was tocreate a unique club with a strongindividual character and a welcomingatmosphere,” explains Phil.

The involvement of Titleist Acushnetin the practice facilities has providedthe opportunity to lift the quality ofthese far above those normally found ata members club. The ambition andinvolvement of the club officers hasbeen the key factor in the new clubreaching such high standards.

Titleist Acushnet now have theirEuropean Headquarters at St. Ives, andhave worked with the club and thearchitects to create a new purpose-made,custom-fit centre, with the focus onpracticing professionals and seriousgolfers.

Phil’s early appointment meant thathe was able to oversee the constructionof the greens, tees and fairways. “Thegreens are full USGA specification, sownwith a mono culture of velvet bentgrasses, 50% Avalon and 50% Vespa.Greens and tees surrounds are purefescue mixes. Tee tops and approachesare sown with 15% dwarf rye and 85%fescue grasses to help cope with thewear. The fairways are a 30% dwarf rye,70% fescue blend, the roughs are 95%fescue and 5% bent.”

“We’ve been doing lots of overseedingto help maintain a high grass density onall key playing surfaces,” says Phil.“However, due to the high clay contentof the underlying soil, access to greens,tees and fairways has often beendifficult in the winter months when theground conditions deteriorate. Gettingheavy machinery around the course hasbeen challenging and not alwayspossible. The wet ground conditionsalso made it difficult for the golf buggiesto get around the course.”

To help alleviate the problem, the clubhas invested in thirteen kilometres (8.08miles) of free draining, artificial grasspathway that meanders its way aroundthe course, and which also has its ownpop up watering system with over 900sprinkler heads.

The course has a fully automatedirrigation system that can water greens,

The vagaries of theEnglish weather areplaying havoc withthe growing inprocess at one ofthe country’snewest courses, St Ives inCambridgeshire.

Laurence Gale MScmet up with CourseManager, Phil GatesMG, to find out howthe land lies or,should that be,cracks?

“It takesbetween nineand twelvehours tocomplete a fullirrigation cyclefor greens,tees andfairways”

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approaches, tees and fairways. “We haveunrestricted access to draw water from a4,000,000 cubic metre man-madereservoir. The course has been designedto recycle as much water as it can copewith - strategically constructed wetlandareas have been made to collect run-offwater, and a pumping system can thenpump water back into the main reservoir,thereby allowing the water to be re-usedagain.”

“It takes between nine and twelvehours to complete a full irrigation cyclefor greens, tees and fairways. During therecent dry spell, we have had the systemon most nights to try and keep up withevaporation rates. However, all areas ofthe course are exposed to strong windswhich affect how the pop ups perform,

therefore leaving some dry areas thatneed to be hand watered.”

The club has invested over £300,000on Toro machinery to help keep thecourse in prime condition, including alarge selection of mowers, from theirpopular pedestrian GM1000 cylindermowers through to triple mowers forgreens, tees and fairways. Other Toroequipment included in the package areWorkman utility vehicles and ProCoreaerators.

Further investments were made on twoJohn Deere tractors, a Dakota spreader, aSISIS Aer-aid, along with a Bernhard’sExpress Dual and Anglemaster grindingsystem. A five year rolling plan for thereplacement, renewal and addition ofmachinery has been put into place,

which will be reviewed annually.All the machinery is kept in a purpose-

built garage/workshop with mess roomfacilities. There are plans to increase thesize of the workshop over the nextcouple of years.

One of their latest acquisitions hasbeen a Hydroscape wash down recycleplant, which filters all contaminants andrecycles the water for re-use.

Phil has a total of seven staff to helphim maintain the course; three of theseare from the old course, including HeadGreenkeeper, Mark Campbell, whoretained his position working under Phil.The other members of staff includemechanic Paul Joslin, Gareth Morgan,Craig Marshall, Stuart Robinson and RobDuff.

L-r: Paul Joslin, Phil Gates, Gareth Morgan, Craig Marshall,Mark Campbell, Stuart Robinson and Robert Duff

They all start work at 7.00am andfinish at 3.30pm, and bring to the table awealth of experience. The aim is todevelop the course to meet the potentialit was designed for, hoping to making itone of the best courses in the county.

After showing me around the garageand clubhouse, Phil and I walked thecourse so I could get a closer look. Thereare only a few mature trees within thecourse, but plenty on the perimeter. So,80,000 whips (young trees) have beenplanted to segregate fairways andprovide a break in texture whilst, at thesame time, provide a test of golf.

The course has over seventy bunkers ofdifferent shapes and sizes - pot, grassfaced and revetted - which give thecourse a proper links feel. “More work is

required to improve the bunkers,” saysPhil, “but, at the moment, our talents arerequired elsewhere to keep the coursealive! We do rake them on a regularbasis, maintaining an even 75mm depthof sand.”

Greens

“The greens are recovering from anoutbreak of thatch fungus and are not yetat their best. They do not really getgoing until June, when soil and airtemperatures are consistent but, oncethey are up and running, they becomevery smooth and tight,” explains Phil.

“There is very little poa in the greensdue to the high density of the sward,which can often make it difficult to gettopdressing materials into the profile.”

“The greens are cut daily - 3mm in thesummer and 6mm in the winter. Duringthe week, we hand cut using thepedestrian Toro GM1000s. At weekends,and on other occasions when time istight, we will use the triples to speed upthe operation.”

“Topdressing is carried out monthlybetween April and September. We applyin the region of 200 tonnes each year.Aeration consists of a programme ofvertidraining, using various size tines;deep 12mm diameter tines are used inspring and the autumn, along with microtines during the summer months.Fertiliser applications are tailored tomeet the needs of the greens, but I’mgradually reducing the amount ofnitrogen being applied.”

“The challengeof the site was

to create aunique club

with a strongindividual

character and awelcoming

atmosphere”

inone

systemic

Water levels have dropped several feet

Surrounds

Aeration and overseeding is carried outin April and September. They are cut at10mm on a twice a week frequency.

Tees

Tees were constructed with 150mm deepsand profiles and are maintained at10mm, cutting twice a week and fed on alittle and often regime. They are divotedweekly throughout the playing season.Tee markers are moved regularly toreduce wear.

They are topdressed monthly andaerated with the vertidrain in Februaryand November.

Fairways

All the fairways were built with a 40mmsand layer over the underlying clay soils,Due to the high clay content of thecourse, the fairways were primarydrained at ten metre centres, and sandmastered to provide secondary drainageto keep them playable all year round.The fairways are cut twice a week,maintained at a height of 10mm, and fedon a little and often basis. Divoting isdone once a month, enlisting the help ofthe members, who have been extremelyenthused by their new facilities.

“We are now looking to invest a further£75,000 in sand dressings for thefairways over the next couple of years,which will help restore levels andcontinue to maintain a good freedraining top profile over the drainagesystem.”

Rough

“We mow the semi rough once a week,maintaining a height of 50mm. Aselective herbicide is applied to controlinvasive weeds which are usually spottreated only. The amount of semi roughwe cut is agreed between myself and the

Greens Committeeeach year; we can set the course up inmany different ways to suit therequirements of tournaments etc.”

“The full rough is allowed to grownaturally, with no applications ofherbicides or pesticides. We are trying toincrease the biodiversity of the course.These long grass areas are managed on acut and collect policy, usually getting onecut in the spring and one cut in lateAugust - early September.”

“As for the presentation of the course,very little striping is done. We mow upand down fairways giving the course a setup to keep it looking as natural and‘linksy’ as it can be.”

Phil’s objectives are to ensure thecourse comes to fruition and continues tomature on all fronts. No mean task giventhe weather he and his team have had tocontend with. “Greens, tees and fairwayswill only get better as more work iscarried out on them, and more work isrequired to nurture the rough grass areasand get them to mature into swathes offine grasses. We also plan to plant moreheather and gorse around the course.”

To that end, Phil has planned, with theclub, to invest more money in buildingpoly tunnels to facilitate a nursery areafor propagating their own gorse andheather varieties (calluna vulgaris). Theaim of the project is to grow over200,000 plants in a four year period andplant them around the course.

The club are also working hard toencourage wildlife to establish out on thecourse. “The wetland areas offer a greatsanctuary for many birds. The greenstaffhave even built a bird hotel - a concretestructure filled with sand and woodshavings - to create a home for sandmartins. We’ve just got to decide whereto put it now! We’ve also been erectingbird boxes in trees, particularly barn owl

boxes, as there are quite a few seenlocally that we’d like to encourage to neston the site.”

“Myself and the Greens Committeehave built up a great workingrelationship since I came here, and themembers are also on board as we try torealise the dream.”

As one commentator in Pitchmarkmagazine said, ‘St Ives members mustscarcely believe their luck. Whilst theirprevious nine hole course and clubhousewas pleasant enough, their new courseand HQ is magnificent. It’s akin tomarrying Sporty Spice and waking up onyour honeymoon with Beyonce’.

The future looks bright for the club,especially if they can secure the sale ofthe other chunk of land at their old ninehole course.

It will certainly be acourse to look out for.Phil is keen to see itthrough and producesomething special forthe members in thecoming years.

What’s in the shed?

Toro GM1000 x 4 plus transporting trailersToro GM3250 x 3 greens triple mowersToro RM3100 x 3 greens surrounds /approaches Toro RM3500 x 1 rotary deck mowerToro RM5510 x 2 fairway mowers Toro GM228 x 1 rough mowerToro Workman 4 wheel drive utility vehicleToro 200 Sprayer x 1Toro E Workman x 2John Deere Pro Gator 2030K x 1John Deere 5400 tractor x 1John Deere 4410 tractor x1Dakota 414 spreader x 1Tycrop Propass 180 x 1Ransomes 9510 x 1Bernhards Express Dual 4000 x 1Bernhards Anglemaster x 1SISIS AerAide System 1500 x 1Hydroscape Bio-clean water treatment plant

Hand watering greens

Greenkeepers bird hotel Bird boxes have been erected

Over eight miles of artificial grasspathway has been installed

22

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PROCORE 648 AERATOR

GREENSMASTER FLEX 21

Iam Simon Blagg, a twenty-three yearold qualified greenkeeper. From ayoung age I have always loved beingoutside amongst nature and,consequently, became a keen

gardener. My specific interest in turfstarted when I was around ten years old,after my older brother handed down oneof his unwanted weekly chores and gaveme permission to use the lawn mower.From that moment on I haven’t reallylooked back!

After leaving High School agedsixteen, I was inspired to go on and studyat Reaseheath College in Cheshire andgain a Horticulture Qualification. Istarted on the foundation course andworked my way, over four years, to aNational Diploma in Horticulture andSports Turf Maintenance. I graduatedfrom Reaseheath with a number of ‘BestStudent’ awards and a Triple Distinctionin my final exams.

During my time at college, I was alsoable to secure a couple of really beneficial“eye opening” workexperience placements. Theinitial placement was at JackBarkers’ Keele Golf Course; amunicipal course on theborder of Stoke on Trent. Itwas here that I really learnedmy basic golf coursemaintenance skills; bunkerraking, hole changing, greensmowing and general golfcourse setup.

My second placement was at the OvalCricket ground in London, home ofSurrey County Cricket Club. Thisplacement was perfect, as one of mymain sporting passions is cricket and, atthe time, I was playing for my local team.I spent five weeks working at the Ovaland learning from, in my opinion, one ofthe best cricket groundsman in thecountry - Bill Gordon. The Year was2005; a massive season of cricket inEngland, as it was the Ashes winningsummer when England secured the seriesat the Oval, which always hosts the finalTest.

In the spring of 2006, with one moreyear left at college, I set myself a newgoal; to try and become the youngestcricket groundsman in my local Stoneand District Cricket league. Fortunately(aged 19), I was offered a position asgroundsman at my local club - Maer andOnneley CC.

Although I was still at collegecompleting my studies, I was then offereda further employment opportunity at

Leek Golf Club, workingunder a fantastic HeadGreenkeeper, John Turner,and his assistant, StevenParr. Steven has since,

Simon Blagg’sgreenkeeping career hastaken him eight years,across seven golfcourses, sixtournaments and threecontinents.

Now, happily settled inSydney, Australia, Simoncharts his career, frommowing his parents’lawn in Staffordshire,through to the OhioState UniversityProgramme, via LochLomond and back again.

His story is, or shouldbe, an inspiration to anyyoung turfcareprofessional looking toadvance his or hercareer

Blagg’s Blog

“I was left with a toughdecision - to continueas a greenkeeper atLeek, find a way ofpursuing my cricketgroundsman career orapply for the Ohio StateUniversity Turf GrassProgramme”

sadly, passed away. He was a trueinspiration for me, and is greatly missed.Leek Golf Club is a private club inStaffordshire, and highly regarded as oneof the best clubs in the county.

John had grown up working on Linkscourses and was heavily into sustainablegreenkeeping. He worked tirelessly andmanaged to get Leek accredited to themagnificent ‘Royal and Ancient’programme.

He taught me a significant amountabout sustainability, including the effectsit can have on your budget and theoverall quality of the playing surfaces.

During this time, I was stillmaintaining the Maer cricket square and,by the end of the summer of 2007, hadachieved best cricket square in the leaguetwo years running.

In the winter of 2007, at the age oftwenty, I was left with a tough decision -to continue as a greenkeeper at Leek,find a way of pursuing my cricketgroundsman career or, alternatively,apply for the Ohio State University TurfGrass Programme in the USA.

Looking back now, I’mreally thankful I chosethe Ohio option. It wasa perfect opportunity to

explore a new country, whilst stillpursuing my career. This, however, was ahuge step for me - new people, newenvironment and a new culture.

I sent my CV and application throughto Mike O’Keeffe and was subsequentlyoffered a “twin location” internship onthe programme.

The OSU Programme is of 12-18months’ duration. I started off atWhistling Straits in Wisconsin - fromMarch through to October - and thenmoved down south to the Doral GolfResort in Florida.

This all began in March 2008. After afew days initial orientation in Ohio, Iflew into Milwaukee airport and wastaken to my first base at Whistling Straits,around sixty miles north of Milwaukeeon the waterfront of Lake Michigan.

Whistling Straits is a Kohler Resortcourse, and a championship course thathas already hosted the 2004 PGA, the2007 Senior Open Championship and,last year, the 2010 PGA championship -which I was lucky enough to return to as

a volunteer for the tournament. Inthe future, this venue will host the2015 PGA Championship and theRyder Cup in 2020.

There are two courses on thesite; the Straits course(Tournament course), that runsalong the waterfront of LakeMichigan, and the Irish coursethat runs immediately behind theStraits course. Both courses aredesigned by the

legendary Pete Dye, who createdSawgrass, Harbour Town Links and manymore. Both the Straits and the Irishcourses are US design examples ofScottish and Irish Links courses.

During my internship, I worked on theIrish course with Superintendent at thetime, Grant Davey, and AssistantSuperintendents, Travis Schnelle andEmily Shircel. I was also joined andworked alongside Scott MacNicol, aScottish Ohio intern from Glasgow.

Whistling Straits was both aninteresting and challenging course towork at, mainly due to its multiplebunkers (roughly 1000). Some rangefrom huge sand pro bunkers to tiny littlepot bunkers. They provide amonumental maintenance task duringthe summer. Turf cultivars on the Irishcourse at Whistling consist of Providencebentgrass greens, Penncross bentgrasstees and Penn-trio fairways. Penn-trio is ablend of penn links, penn eagle andpenncross.

My internship at Whistling straits wastruly outstanding. From the moment Iarrived, I was heavily involved with thespring greens renovation. This was thefirst time I had ever seen extensivedamage from ice. The winter period,from 2007 to early 2008, was particularlybad due to the persistent snow and icecoverage, creatingseveral issues.

The fairwayson the Straitscourse are

fescue, with a percentage of Poa annua.Depending on conditions, Poa willsurvive around thirty days under icecoverage before the plant is killed, whilstfescue will survive around twenty daysunder ice coverage before it is killed.Due to the extreme weather, some of thelow lying areas on the fairways of theStraits course were totally wiped out.

In addition to greenkeeping, I was alsotrained as an Irrigation Technicianthroughout the internship. At WhistlingStraits, the irrigation setup is a ‘RainBird’ system, which is operated throughCirrus Software. Once again, due to thecold weather, the irrigation pipes wouldbecome brittle and, when pressure waspumped back into the lines, often a lotof swing joints would blow out.

As well as repairing swing joints, I wasalso in charge of ensuring that theplaying surfaces had sufficient water,conducted sprinkler repairs, irrigation

clock maintenance and the adjustment ofarcs.

Another task I performed was severalchemical applications to the fairways.Fortnightly, they were sprayed with‘Daconil - all weather stick’, Banner Maxand Trimmit. Trimmit acted as a growthregulator - specifically for thesuppression of Poa annua.

Towards the end of my internship inSeptember, the long fescue rough had tobe cut down. Fifty-two acres (twenty-onehectares) was cut short to enable a goodseed production for the following season.This mammoth task was completed bylarge strimmer crews of ten or more, andtwo Steiner rough mowers and, hole byhole, the course was cut and collected.

My internship was completed atWhistling by the end of October 2008. Ithen headed to the OSU Turf GrassShort Course Seminar, held in SouthCarolina. It was a two day event where

turf grass classes were held by OSUlecturers and guest speakers. It was agreat chance to meet other interns whowere also on the programme. The twoday workshop included a tour of thefamous Harbour Town Links golf course.

Scott and I then both headed furthersouth to winter in Florida, where wecompleted the second part of theinternship at the famous Blue MonsterCourse at Doral (owned by the MarriotHotel Group). At Doral we were joinedby two other British interns - Ian Lloydand Paul McCormack.

The resort consists of five golf courses;the famous Blue Monster (Tournamentcourse), the Great White course (a GregNorman design and the only course of itskind in southeastern USA that uses aproduct called Coquina - crushed shells).The course has no rough, and this isreplaced with the crushed shells; givingthe course a totally different appearance.

26

Bunker raking team during the PGAWhistling Straits and those bunkers

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27

The Red, Gold and Silver courses are allmuch smaller and slightly easier for thenovice golfer.

At the time of my internship they werereconstructing the Silver course. JimMclean, the course architect, made somedrastic changes to improve the quality ofthe course. In the southern USA, the turfcultivars are totally different to that ofnorthern states, as the climate iscompletely different. Warm seasongrasses, such as Tiffeagle bermudagrass,are grown on the greens on the BlueMonster course as the climate is warmenough all year round.

Every March, Doral’s Blue Monstercourse hosts the World GolfChampionship. The top fifty rankedgolfers in the world come and play thetournament and try to gain points forthe Fedex cup. My internship was basedat the Blue Monster course, workingunder the Course Superintendent,

Ronnie Rooks, as his second assistant. Assoon as I began work here, I was incharge of changing the holes for thetournament, as well as helping with theextensive preparation that occurred.Other tasks involved irrigationresponsibilities, fertility and plugrelocations and running the crew duringthe preparation of the bunkers.

It is imperative to place greatimportance on the plug relocation onTiffeagle greens, due to the heavy grain,as the turf spreads through stolons andrhizomes. If a plug is placed in thewrong direction it will become visible.

The grain on the plug has to match upwith the surrounding grain. One of myearliest career highlights was changingthe finishing holes on the back nineduring the tournament. This particulartournament was when Tiger Woods wasmaking his return to golf following kneesurgery. Thankfully, I had months of

preparation to ensure that my holechanging was nothing less than 100%.

It had to be so perfect that the PGAinsisted I lay all of my hole changingtools out on a towel first, just in case Iappeared on television! Despite the golfcourse being rather dry, due to a lack ofseasonal spring showers, all theprofessionals were very happy with theway the course played.

In the spring of 2009, followingcompletion of my OSU programme, Iheaded back to England to take up a newposition, as a seasonal greenkeeper atLoch Lomond Golf Club in Scotland.This had been researched and arrangedearlier, whilst still living and working inFlorida and included a very interestingand sleepy 5.00am phone interview withSuperintendent, David Cole!

This was, yet again, anotherspectacular summer for me, as LochLomond hosted the Barclays Scottish

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Open in July, the week before the BritishOpen.

Loch Lomond Golf Club is in a trulyspectacular location, with views of BenLomond from the loch shore. Theclimate in the west of Scotland is totallyopposite to Florida, significantly cool,moist and very inconsistent. The averagerainfall is approx 2000mm per year. Thismeans that the drainage system has to bevery advanced in order to cope.

Originally, when the course was built, alot of road spoil was used to constructthe fairways and surrounds. A smallamount of drainage was installed, but notenough to deal with heavy rainfall -especially when the course was hosting atournament.

In order to improve the course’scondition, the club purchased drainageequipment including a Fendt Tractor,Shelton Wizzwheel, a sand hopper and,most importantly, pipe, sand and gravel.Project work included sand scraping theworst areas (hard rock). One of thebiggest areas was the second leg of thetenth fairway.

The turf cultivars at Loch Lomondconsist of brown top bent and Poa annuablend greens, bentgrass tees and fairwaysand perennial ryegrass rough.

May, June and July were the busiestmonths on the golf course - preparingfor the Barclays Scottish Open. My mainresponsibility for the tournament wasmowing the greens (using a John Deere180C greensmower). This was my firstexperience of greens mowing in aprofessional tournament, so preparation

was essential. The week before thetournament was really full on - gettingthe greens up to speed with doublecutting and rolling. We recorded ourclipping yield, which gave us a great ideaof growth rate, and predicted whether weneeded to perform another cut or roll.

As requested by the European Tourmanagement, the greens had be runningaround 10 to 10.5 on the stimp.Thankfully, the weather, during the 2009Open week was, to say the least, perfect.A moment I will never forget was whenthe crew headed over to the back of the18th on Sunday evening to watch thefinal groups come through. We then,following tradition, had a photo with thewinner.

The next step for me - Australia! I hadbeen planning this throughout thesummer in Scotland, hoping, one day, towork at the Australian Open.

Once again, I was lucky enough to gaina working holiday visa, and was offered aposition by the New South Wales GolfClub. This is a links style golf course inLa Perouse, south Sydney, dating back tothe early 1920s and designed by AlistairMcKenzie. I worked under the CourseSuperintendent, Gary Dempsey.

This was the first time the course hadhosted the Australian Open and, so, wasa new experience for everyone. Thecourse had gone through some seriousrenovation programmes over theprevious years, redeveloping the bunkersto a revetted style and changing thelayout of the 18th fairway and green.

The greens at New South are a

creeping bent and poa annua blend.Tees, fairways and rough are largelycouch grass (Bermuda) with a percentageof Kikuyu in the rough. The particularlycool spring in Sydney resulted in thecouch grass fairways taking longer thanexpected to come out of winterdormancy. Fertiliser rates were increasedon all playing surfaces to tighten upareas.

Again, as at the Scottish Open, I cutthe greens for the tournament (usingToro Flex 18’’ greensmower).

All was going well, until a 75km southeasterly wind blew up on the Fridaymorning. This caused havoc on thecoastal 6th and 13th greens. The proscouldn’t hold their putts, as the ballswere blowing off the greens! Althoughthe greens preparation had beenauthorised by Golf Australia, StuartAppleby certainly didn’t approve -blaming the greens staff for theuncontrollable mess, despite being sixunder and leading the tournament at thetime. Adam Scott eventually won thetournament at 15 under par.

Steve Mallyon (Assistant at RosevilleGolf Club, Sydney) was one of thevolunteers I met during the Aussie Open.He and I worked closely alongside eachother, and are now good friends. Aftermy six months at NSW Golf Club, I onceagain headed back to Scotland and LochLomond for another season. Steve cameover and volunteered for two weeks atthe Barclays Scottish Open, and thenmoved to St Andrews to experience theBritish Open.

“It had to be soperfect that the PGAinsisted I lay all of myhole changing toolsout on a towel first,just in case I appearedon television!”

Loch Lomond is a truly stunning venue

At the 2010 PGA at Whistling Straits

29

Thanks to Steve, I secureda full-time position atRoseville Golf Club in NorthSydney. The superintendent,Mark O’Sullivan, arranged asponsorship visa through theclub. Roseville dates back to1923, and is a Par 66 coursewith tight tree lined fairwaysand tricky par threes -making the course verychallenging.

I have now settled atRoseville and am thoroughlyenjoying living in Sydney. Iam hoping to be here for afew seasons, and look forwardto watching Roseville developthrough its current projects.

My story proves howimportant networking is - itcertainly gets you places! Iwouldn’t be here today if itweren’t for a group of peoplewho have taught me someoutstanding skills, andencouraged me to continuewith my hard work.

Firstly, my family. AlthoughI have barely seen them forthe past few years, theencouragement has notstopped. A Christmas withthem this year is certainly onthe books!

Secondly, Mike O’Keeffefrom Ohio State University.He has been a tremendousmentor and I can’t thank him

enough for the help andadvice he has given me.

Thirdly, to all of thesuperintendents andassistants I have been luckyenough to work under andlearn so much from; JohnTurner at Leek Golf Club,Grant Davey, Matt Zhemes,Emily Shircel and TravisSchnelle at Whistling Straits,Ronnie Rooks at BlueMonster, David Cole, PeterHagerty and Sue Rothwell atLoch Lomond, GaryDempsey at New South WalesGolf Club, and MarkO’Sullivan from RosevilleGolf Club.

If anyone is interested inlooking to progress in theturf industry - go for it. Thebenefits more than outweighthe hard work, and it trulyhas been life changing.

Please don’t hesitate tocontact me atSimon.blagg@googlemail.com. Iam more than happy tofurther discuss myexperiences and offer anyadvice.

Mike O’Keeffe can becontacted at okeeffe.1@osu.edu.It could be thebest thing youever do!

Tel: +44 (0)1462 683031 www.huntergrinders.com

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U S A U S A

With Aussie cricket legend, Steve Waugh

On the 18th at the Scottish Open

Even in the current economicclimate, I am still constantlymeeting new, up andcoming greenkeepers thathave a thirst for advancing

in the turf grass industry. Personally,I find this to be very healthy and‘normal’ within golf greenkeepingcircles.

People keep telling me that thegolf boom is over. This could be truein the UK, yet, in Europe, this mostcertainly is not the case. I am seeingnew golf clubs popping up aroundthe major cities of most Europeancountries. There are also manyresorts being built in the Easternsector of Europe; Croatia and theBalkan states being good examples.This leads me to believe that there isgood competition, within thosecountries, for members. Therecertainly appears to be enoughgolfers to keep tee times full!

In respect of this, I ask thisquestion. Why is it that the currentemployment and wage structures arestill as archaic as the rules of thegame? Too many times I hear horrorstories of interviews from othergreenkeepers. Conversations, such asthe following, are a regularoccurence:Interviewee Greenkeeper: So, what areyour current pay scales?Prospective Employer: Well, what didyou earn at your last golf club?Interviewee Greenkeeper: X amount.Prospective Employer: Okay, so we willpay you X amount, or maybe a littlemore.And, all too often, I see jobsadvertised that do not state any ballpark figure of how much the club isactually willing to pay. The oldchestnut is wheeled out; “wagesdepending on age and experience”.

Does this suggest that the club stillhas no firm idea of the type ofperson that they want to fill theposition? Do they still not know howmuch they want to pay? I personallybelieve that they already have a fairidea of what they are looking for, yetprefer to keep this informationbehind the curtains. And, yes, theyusually have the audacity to state allsorts of requirements, such asspraying qualifications and the like.

Surely, if one is applying for aHead Greenkeeper position, he willalready have these qualifications

under his/her belt. This leads me tothe general belief that clubs aretrying to pay as little as they can getaway with. It is understood that wecannot be paid from large treasurechests of gold doubloons. All I’masking for is fairness.

I have made many searches on theinternet for jobs in other industries,and it is apparent that the wage isalmost always stated in the initialadvert or, at least, a ball park figureis given.

I then decided to narrow mysearch to jobs that are similar (asmuch as possible). Try looking forany job where the candidate will beresponsible for about ten people,control a budget, have to give goodresults, be up to date with the latestC.O.S.H.H/first aid, understand theindustry, train staff and so on.

You may be surprised to find thatthere ARE a lot of jobs that requiresimilar skills to those that we posses;they are just in a different sector.Don’t forget the saying “A mechanicis just as good as an artist, justpractised differently”. Why not try aquick search for a store manager inthe retail sector? I would suggestthat the hours and days of work inthis sector are quite close to ours,with responsibilites for staffinglevels, budgets, training, health andsafety, first aid etc. And, what’s more,the estimated wage is the FIRSTthing that is stated, followed by abrief outline of the job. This thengives the potential employee a goodidea of where he/she stands in theindustry and what they shouldexpect or ask for.

So, my request to golf clubs, andeven sports clubs is; please can youcome out in the open and let usknow how much it is that you intendto pay? I am sure a conversation thatwent in this direction would not helpus in our interviews:Interviewee Greenkeeper: So, what areyour current pay scales?Prospective Employer: What did youearn at your last club?Interviewee Greenkeeper: Well, whatdid you pay your last HeadGreenkeeper?Please, let’s just get to a professionallevel, with less of this fog that wemust fight through, so that we mightget a fair wage.

TALKING POINT!Owen Richardson, First Assistant Greenkeeperat the Fontana Resort in Austria, wants a fairwage for greenkeepers and, more importantly,some honesty from potential employers whenit comes to advertising vacancies

“People keeptelling me thatthe golf boomis over. Thiscould be truein the UK, yet,in Europe, thismost certainlyis not thecase”

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IN an area rich in golf clubs - RobinHood, Forest of Arden, Gay Hill andHatchford Brook are just a short‘drive’ away - and close to BirminghamInternational Airport, Olton Golf Clubis a green oasis in the sprawl of thecity suburbs.

Founded at Olton in 1893, the clubmoved to its current site in Solihull in1903, choosing to retain its namefollowing the move.

The Midland CountiesChampionship was the first majortournjament to be held at Olton in1908. A professional tournamentfollowed in 1910, with many topplayers of the day taking part. Theseincluded Arnaud Massey, James Braid,Harry Vardon, Alex Herd, Tom Ball,Ted Ray, James Sherlock and GeorgeDuncan who, between them, won TheOpen Championship on twentyoccasions.

Spread over ninety-five acres ofattractive parkland, the course is a good

test for all levels of golfer. It is highlyregarded in the Midlands, and remains aregular venue for prestigious tournaments.Last November, Olton’s long standingMark Smith, Course Manager, Olton Golf Club

“I like my staff totake on challengingwinter projects, anduse the opportunityto learn new skillsand experiences”

Mark Smith, the newCourse Manager atOlton Golf Club, ismaking importantchanges to themaintenance regimesat the club - andkeeping the membersfully informed

head greenkeeper took retirement, andthe search was on for his replacement.Out of eighty-two applicants, MarkSmith, formerly an assistant headgreenkeeper at the Belfry, was appointedas Course Manager. It is his Belfyexperience that, Mark believes, helpedhim to get the nod.

He has a young team of fivegreenkeepers, along with a part-timegardener during the summer months,and has recently promoted Ben Timmsas his deputy, who is an experiencedmember of the team, to help with themanagement of the course.

In the short time Mark has been at theclub, he has already made significantimprovements, as he tells our editor.

“After the bad spell of weather, upuntil the end of January, I felt we hadsome serious catch up to do with thegreens, as they were left very badlyscarred from the disease during the lasttwo months of 2010. After the Gradentreatment in October they didn’t seem torecover too well and this is still visible tothis day.

The greens, in general, looked verytired and weak, with moss patches

appearing in early February, whilst theturf seemed very spongy and soft to walkon. This was particularly noticeableduring spraying operations, as the tyretracks left severe indentations.

In my view, the greens could have beenprepared a little better going into the lateautumn/winter period, and a preventativespray applied well in advance of the coldweather and snow.

After taking a few profiles on certaingreens I found, in general, that the soilprofile was quite good, but the top 20-25mm contained a high percentage ofthatch. This surprised me as the Gradenwork had been carried out quite late inthe year and I had, therefore, expectedto see a lower percentage. After lookingclosely at the profile, I could see that themoisture was trapped in the top 10mm ofthe turf, causing the softness and highrisk of disease re-occurrence.

The greens do seem to drain fairlywell, but I have approached the start ofthis year by trying to attack this top 20-25mm thatch layer and also increasesurface firmness.

I have put a preventative sprayingprogramme in place and the greens have

been treated once a month and, so far, wehave had no signs of disease returning.

We solid tined the greens in earlyFebruary, down to about 5” depth, andleft the tine holes exposed for a weekbefore rolling. We have had two demotrials of greens rollers (Smithco sideroller and Greentek vibro units), andhave noticed a significant improvementto the surface of the greens consideringthe poor coverage and scarring. Thepace has also increased slightly, stimpingat around 9.5, along with the mowing.

The first topdressing of the year wasChelford 30 dried sand, applied at abouthalf a tonne per green, to lightly dust thesurface and fill in any scars or oldGraden grooves that had not recoveredwhich, again, improved the overall levelof the surface and run on the ball. Thesand did take a while to work into the theturf but, obviously, at the time of writing,we had not had sufficient growth to takein the sand quicker, but the greens doseem better for it.

A liquid soluble iron was applied totoughen up the turf and control therapid moss increase on certain greens.

We double verticut the greens at

Mark earnsrespect ...

Working on the 4th green Taking shape

around 1.5mm to lightly lift out materialand moss patches and encourage newgrowth through the fusarium scars.

We fertilised the greens with 17.6.10Yara Turf Royale, five days before carryingout our Graden treatment in the first weekof April. We also went down the sandinjection route to help stabilise the turfand draw out any unwanted moisture. Iam confident the greens will respondbetter with an early year treatment, andalso recover fairly quickly with the bettertemperatures and drier workingconditions.

We will then concentrate on recoveryand surface improvement, with the use ofPrimoMaxx and soluble urea to encouragelateral growth and to repair and heal scars.

The tees are mown at 12mm all yearround and have also been solid tined,treated with soluble iron and heavilytopdressed with Fendress 70/30 mix, readyfor the season. The tees seem to be ingood condition, and only a few built withrootzone seem to leach a bit quicker.These may need additional treatments tomatch in with the rest, as they seem to losegrowth and colour more quickly.

The fairways were deep vertidrained toa depth of 12 inches in February, to relievethe heavy compaction, and then treatedwith Headland soluble iron for mosscontrol and a general pick me up for theturf.

This year, instead of scarifying with theBeaver equipment, I set the groomers onthe fairway units to 5mm to stand up thegrasses and gently lift any moss patchesout. The scarifying equipment seemed tooabrasive on the undulated fairways and,with the dry weather, would put us behindon these surfaces.

We will use Monsoon soil wetter whenconditions allow, to prepare the turf forthe drier conditions throughout theseason. This is very important as we have

no fairway irrigation to compensate. I have decided to keep the fairways at

12mm throughout the season, as 10mmseems a bit too low for the plant and thiswill help cause less stress. The overallcoverage isn’t bad for the time of year, andthe growth is picking up well.

This year, I am changing thepresentation of the course slightly andcutting the fairways in a clockwise(half/half) method. This will allow us tokeep on top of them better as it takes lesstime to carry out. It suits the look of thecourse and also uses less fuel, less manhours and minimal turning in the rough,which means less wear and tear on themower arms. This will allow me more timeto improve other areas of the course.

I will not be applying any fertiliser tothe fairways throughout the season, onlyliquid seaweed to keep a good colour andavoid rapid growth. This will help toreduce the frequency of cuts.

So, in a nutshell, the changes I havemade to the ongoing maintenance sincejoining Olton Golf Club have been; theintroduction of rolling greens to improvefirmness, speed and trueness; cuttingpatterns and contours on greens, tees andfairways; introducing a preventativespraying programme, rather than ‘spraywhen you see’; early year greensrenovation work for increased recovery, sothey are stronger going into the end ofyear; changed the raking methods, usingshorter teeth on rake heads and adjustingsand levels and changed topdressing andsand types.

I’ve also replaced all the coursefurniture that was very old and tarnished.

On top of that the staff have been busy,completing their winter works programme,which included some new tees and paths,plus a complete refurbishment of the 4thgreen.

I like my staff to take on challenging

Mark Smith has introduced a regularmonthly newsletter to the members tokeep them informed about the workbeing undertaken by the greenkeepingstaff

“This is my first monthly message to themembers, I intend to report each monthon greens activities over the previousmonth and for the following month.

We have managed to make goodprogress on the 4th project work overthe last few weeks despite the ‘up anddown’ weather conditions.

The turf that has been laid will needtime to knit together and settle in as weapproach the spring. I am constantlybeing asked when I think we can openthe 4th hole, but this will stronglydepend on the growing conditions duringthe month of March and early April.

When conditions allow, our plan is towork on the three bunker bases, byimporting 2” of sand and then compactit as necessary. The rest of the sand willbe added just before we open the hole,but with enough time to settle down.

The front section of the green will needtime to recover fully and, by regulardressing and rolling, it will improve theoverall level and firmness.

We have started the course preparationfor the new season. Some of thebunkers have been edged and topped upwith sand. The team have also beenbusy stripping, preparing and re-turfingsome of the G.U.R /worn areas aroundthe course, including the lay-up area infront of the brook at the 5th hole.

The greens, tees and fairways will haveall been vertidrained to aerate anddecompact the soil ready for the season.This will aid drainage as well as improvethe soil structure before a season ofheavy machine and foot traffic on them.

A sand dressing will be applied to thegreens and tees to help improve thesurfaces but can only be carried outwhen we have a dry window to do so.

Disease control measures are in placeon the greens as we have aerated,sprayed and are removing dew on adaily basis and, when nature takes itscourse, the scars will grow out and heal.No one has been more frustrated withthe fusarium damage than me and theteam but, hopefully, we can monitor itmore closely and prepare better infuture.

The winter course condition policy is nowin place, and available to view on thewebsite, giving information on greensprotection procedures and trolley/buggyuse notification.

Obviously, this time of year is verydifficult to be consistent on some of thedecisions made, but we try to keep abalance of meeting golfer’s needs whilstprotecting the course.

Mark SmithCourse Manager

34

Mark with his young team and the two new Eclipse mowers

Completing the work on the 4th

35

winter projects, and use theopportunity to learn new skillsand experiences. I was keen toimprove the aesthetics andchallenge of the 4th green,which was achieved by addinga new bunker and reshapingthe green and contours aroundit. It also means that themembers see the value andquality of the work being doneby the greenkeeping staff, andthis helps to improve the waythe greenkeepers areperceived. It’s an importantfactor.

We have also invested in newRansomes Jacobsen greensand fairway mowers to helpimprove the cut quality andgeneral presentation out onthe course. We bought two ofthe latest Jacobsen Eclipse 322triple greensmowers and aJacobsen R-311T batwingrotary mower for the fairways.The club have been usingRansomes Jacobsen equipmentfor many years and I’ve beenimpressed with these newmodels. It generally takes lessthan two hours to cut all thegreens using the two Eclipsemowers which, in turn, hasallowed us extra time toimprove the aesthetics of thecourse.

I’m really looking forward tomy first full season at the cluband to gauge how both thegrass and the membersrespond. To that end, I haveintroduced a regular newsletterto the members (see side bar)so that they are fully informedabout the work being carried

out, and the reasons why we dowhat we do.”

Mark Smith is one of anumber of young coursemanagers making their ‘mark’in the industry. Like his friendand colleague at nearby RobinHood Golf Club, Andy Wood,he has taken a tired club andbrought a fresh approach to itsmaintenance.

Talking to a few membersduring my visit, they wherevery complimentary about thework Mark and his staff havecarried out since his arrivallast November, particularly thenew 4th green and the way thecourse is now being presented.

Footnote: since my visit, Markhas provided the followingupdate: “Andy Cole’s visit wentvery well, and he was pleasedwith the course surfaces andpresentation. He loved the 4thhole. Readings from moisturemeter and clegg were verygood for the time of year.”

“The greens are recoveringvery well from the gradenwork in April, and have nearlyhealed up already with thehigh temps and rain.”

“We have applied a goodfew topdressings since then -70/30 fendress and 80/20 mix -to help recovery andlevel/firmness on greens.”

“I’m already looking andplanning mywinter projectsfor 2011 tomake my‘mark’ at OltonGolf Club.”

Graden on a green

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WHAT causes a formerly pristine,‘good’, healthy lake or pond, to go‘bad’?

Years ago, when the lake was ‘good’,there weren’t so many shallow areas,and the water was clear enough to seewell down into the water column.However, as the lake has aged, the buildup of silt and decaying plant matter hasoccurred and the bottom of the lake hasbecomes a mucky, smelly mess.

This process, known as eutophication(ageing), can takes years, spurred bynatural production of plants utilisingenergy from sunlight mixing with airand water through a process called‘photosynthesis’. However, even thoughit’s a natural process, the uncontrolledaccumulation of organic matter on alake bed is the primary cause for a lake

to go bad, and bad water leads totrouble, such as fish kills.

Ironically, as organic matter buildsup, the problem is compounded. Moreorganic matter feeds more plants whichcreates more organic matter. It’s avicious, normal and natural cycle.

Another irony revolves aroundmankind’s modern life style. More cars,more people and more food production,leads to the faster eutrophication of apond or lake.

Sewage treatment plant outflows andrunoff from agricultural land dischargeinto streams and rivers. Rainfallcollected from roads, pavements androoftops is discharged into storm waterdrain systems, picking up whatever itcan on the way, all this being flusheddownstream, which often ends up in

our lakes and ponds.Even where lakes and ponds have no

obvious surface inflow, fertilisers, grassclippings, tree leaves and septic tankoutflows will percolate through the soil,depositing nutrients into your lake orpond.

Nature has many rules, one of thesebeing that, when any kind of nutriententers a water course, it won’t just sitthere. It will grow something, somehow,some time.

An increase in nutrient levels in abody of water increase biologicalproductivity, especially algae andaquatic weed growth.

As this buildup occurs, naturalprocesses work to break down deadorganic matter, sucking oxygen fromthe water in the process, placing

What makes a ‘good’lake or pond go ‘bad’?Peter Roberts ofRingwood, Hampshirebased water specialistsHydroscape Ltd.,provides the answersand solutions

Good watergone bad...

Good water at the Hurlingham Club

increased demand on dissolved oxygenlevels.

In addition, living plants alsoconsume oxygen during the hours ofdarkness.

Oxygen problems occur when thisconsumption exceeds the amount ofoxygen produced throughphotosynthesis and diffusion from theair.

To compound the issue, lake andpond water responds in the mostnatural of ways, as greenery grows,water stratifies. Thermal stratificationadds to an already growing problem.

Dense algae blooms accumulate nearthe surface to absorb sunlight, with thisdense living microscopic mass hordingsunlight and shading the lower depths.The result is that most of the oxygen

produced is now located near thesurface, leaving a larger volume ofwater underneath the fertile surfacelayer.

Deeper water is deficient in oxygen.As the sun warms the surface layers,the shady area underneath remains cooland, since warmer water is lighter, itfloats on top of the cooler, heavierwater. At some point, there is a welldefined temperature separation calledthe ‘thermocline’. Oxygenated waterfrom the surface cannot push throughthe thermocline.

Water below the thermocline beginsto process the organic build up withoutoxygen. The result being an increase intoxic gases of hydrogen sulphide andcarbon dioxide.

Okay, so what does this have to do

with you? Well, plenty. This is lifeunder water in your pond, my pond,everyone’s pond and, to understandhow best to manage your water, youshould know how things work so youcan develop a thoughtful strategy tocounter the processes.

The addition of dissolved oxygen inlakes and ponds comes through bothplant photosynthesis and diffusionfrom atmospheric air absorption.

The amount of dissolved oxygen in abody of water can vary considerablyfrom pond to pond and from hour tohour. However, oxygen concentrationsare typically lowest at dawn and highestduring the late afternoon, with theamount of oxygen water can hold beingdependent on atmospheric pressure,salinity and temperature.

The amount of oxygen fish needcompared to humans is substantiallydifferent. We breathe air with almost a21% oxygen content, whereas fishabstract oxygen from water that, whentotally saturated, contains only 8 partsper million, (expressed as 8 milligramsper litre) of oxygen, not much at all.

So, how in the world can a pond ‘not’keep enough oxygen to keep fish aliveforever and ever?

Water has its limits and juggles a lot ofprocesses. Chemical transformations andinteractions are where the actual magictakes place.

Start with nitrogen transformation. Ofthe many combined forms of nitrogenpresent in a body of water, the mostimportant are ammonia and nitrate.Both can be assimilated (absorbed andused) to produce amino acids to be usedby both algae and weeds. After all,nitrogen is a nutrient for plants! Stir insome phosphorous (from the fertiliserthat washed in from the rain stormevent) and we have the makings of anatural soup that all plants love.

Decomposition of organic matter (deadalgae and plants) results in release andaccumulation of ammonia.

Under aerobic (with oxygen)conditions, ammonia is oxidised in a twostage process called nitrification (stage 1to nitrite; stage 2 to nitrate).

However, under anaerobic (withoutoxygen) conditions, the nitrification of

ammonia to nitratedoes not occur, andammoniaaccumulates at thebottom of the pond.

Enhancingnitrification ofammonia to nitrate,and subsequent useof nitrate in de-nitrification, canstabilise and reduce phosphorus loading,phosphorous being the food source foralgae and aquatic plants!

Here is where all of this science tiestogether. Oxygen loss is directly relatedto the process of eutrophication. Addsediment phosphorous release, whichfeeds algae and weeds, and the potentialfor a lake to be stripped of oxygen,resulting in a potential fish kill, quicklybecomes reality.

The solution is the addition of a welldesigned aeration system, be it fromsurface spray units or lake bed units, torelieve the natural symptoms byincreasing the rate of dissolved oxygeninput and increasing the aerobicrespiratory capacity.

Aeration affects almost all aspects ofthe lake in:• Nutrient cycling• Heat distribution• Aerobic (good) bacteria populations

that break down muck on the pond

bottom• Decreased phytoplankton populations

that block the sun’s rays• And, increases fish health and

populationsAeration allows the pond to breathe

and speed up aerobic digestion (gooddigestion) or help the pond respirate andensure achievement of aerobic benefits.

Lake and pond owners can choosefrom many mechanical aeration andcirculations options available today.

Surface aerators are floating units witha pump or motor mounted beneath thefloat.

They are efficient as an emergencyaerator, or to keep a constant oxygensupply in the water body.

In a deeper body of water, a surfaceaerator may need the addition of a‘draft tube’ to have the ability of drawingwater from below the thermocline.

As a rule of thumb, a typical displayaerator, with a draft tube, requires 1-

38

Fertilisers and grass clippings will percolate through the soil

Even a good lake, like this one at Woodbury GolfClub, could turn bad if not managed properly

“Even where lakesand ponds have noobvious surfaceinflow, fertilisers,grass clippings, treeleaves etc. willpercolate throughthe soil, depositingnutrients into yourlake or pond”

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C-Range professional mowingand turf maintenance system

39

1.5hp per surface acre for properaeration.

Lake bed aeration is a method ofcompressing atmospheric air andpumping it to the lake bottom, allowingit to flow through a series of lake bedpositioned ‘air diffusers’, which createmicron-sized bubbles that act as anairlift.

The misconception with lake bedaeration is that oxygen is transferred tothe water through the bubble. Whereas,in reality, less than 5% of oxygen istransferred this way.

As bubbles rise through the watercolumn they expand. Cascading bubblesentrain cold, dense, oxygen starved waterbelow the thermocline and lift it to thesurface, allowing the hydrogen sulfideand carbon dioxide gases to escape toatmosphere.

At the same time, oxygen is absorbedinto the surface water, and eventuallycirculated throughout the entire watercolumn. The bottom of the pond

becomes aerobic andmetals such as ironare precipitated outof the water, whilephosphates areagain renderedunavailable for thealgae to use as afood source.

Unlike surfaceunits, lake bed

aeration uses an unconfined airlifttechnique, with the amount of energyrequired to circulate the entire volume ofthe lake or pond reduced.

To size a system using this technique,the entire water volume of the waterbody is calculated, together with thenumber of bottom placed diffusers to‘turnover’ the entire water volume onceper day.

Your lake or pond, and its fish, dependon oxygen for life. Just like you and me,if the oxygen supply is cut off, for evenfifteen minutes, fish die. It does notmatter how high the level was earlier inthe day, you must be concerned withextremes as well as the chronic low levelsthat may not necessarily kill the fish, butdefinitely stress them.

As low oxygen conditions continue, thebuild up of harmful gasses continues,thermal stratification will become worseand the potential of a deadly mixture,that can result in a fish kill, increases.

In a fertile green water pond, algae

will typically draw more oxygen at nightthan will the fish.

A heavy accumulation of sediment canalso draw more oxygen than the fish.This, combined with the green water atnight, may result in seeing dead fishspread across your pond in the morning.

Here are some actual numbers:- 1kg of fish will consume about 0.3

grams of oxygen per hour- Ten thousand litres of ‘green water’ will

consume about 190 grams of oxygenper hour

- Sediment oxygen demand for a muckypond is 2.27 grams per square metre.

- With no mechanical aeration, andrelying on the wind, still water rate ofoxygenation from the atmosphere atnight is about 0.0075 grams per squaremetre per hourIn summary, if left alone, nature will

try to turn your lake or pond into amarshland.

You have the ability to slow down andeven reverse that process. An aerationsystem, be it a display aerator or lake bedsystem, is the life support for your pond.

If your lake or pond has gone ‘bad’,then aeration may be your best rescuesolution.For more information on lake and pond aerationsystems contact Hydroscape Ltd. Telephone:01425 476261 or email:sales@hydroscape.co.uk

Bad water leads to fish kill

Surface aeration at Wentworth

“Nature has manyrules, one of thesebeing that, when anykind of nutriententers a watercourse, it won’t justsit there. It will growsomething,somehow, sometime!”

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Civil Sanctions, with a massivelyincreased penalty limit of £250,000have given the Environmental

Regulator more clout for less outlay. So,are you aware of the recent strengtheningof the current criminal legislation? Haveyou heard about the new additional civilpowers granted to the EnvironmentAgency? If not, read on ...

This new legislation signals ahardening of attitude by the regulator inensuring environmental compliance,which, I think, we can assume is part of acoordinated policy to ensure compliancewith the Water Framework Directiveimplementation timetable.

The Environment Agency’s‘compliance egg-timer’ is definitelyrunning so, if you haven’t acted yet toensure environmental compliance, Isuggest the sooner you review your golfcourse maintenance operations thebetter!

Golf course maintenance operationscarry a significant environmental risk

By their very nature, golf coursemaintenance operational activities arelikely to cause pollution. Activitiesincluding equipment refueling, chemicalhandling and equipment wash-off, allpose a significant potential pollution risk.So, it is very important that controls arein place to minimise this risk. It is a

criminal offence to allow certainsubstances, including mineral oils,detergents and chemicals to enter surfacedrains, watercourses or soakaways,causing groundwater pollution.

EU Water Framework Directive

The EU Water Framework Directive hasbeen running in the background since itsintroduction in 2009, ‘pulling together’the mass of earlier piecemealenvironmental legislation (PollutionPrevention Guidelines etc.). Thisdirective has an implementation periodof six years, from 2009 - 2015, with fullimplementation required by 2015. As weare already halfway through the ‘grace’period allowed, if you have not acted yettime is beginning to run out to ensureenvironmental compliance!

Environment Agency granted new CivilPowers effective 4th January, 2011

The Environment Agency have beengranted new civil powers to assist theirefforts in ensuring responsibleenvironmental management. These newpowers are effective from the 4th January,2011, and complement their existingregulatory powers. The new sanctionsnow available to the Agency include aVariable Monetary Penalty (VMP) of upto £250,000! It is anticipated that thesenew powers will give the regulator more

Tim Earley, of ESDWaste2Water, talksabout the new powersgranted to theEnvironment Agency andwarns that fines for non-compliance can be ashigh as £250,000

This isagainstthe law!

This isagainstthe law!

40

clout for less outlay, increasing theflexibility of the EA and enabling it tobecome more proactive in monitoringand dealing with pollution incidents.“Variable Monetary Penalties may beused instead of criminal sanctions foroffences where imposing a financialpenalty may change offender behaviourand deter others and/or lead to fasterresolution.”

Criminal fines limit increased to£50,000

In addition to the new civil powersgranted, the County Court criminal finelimit for fines imposed under theexisting criminal sanctions has beenincreased from £20,000 to £50,000.

Installing a recycling wash systemremoves the risk

There are two types of wash downsystems available; above ground andbelow ground. Both perfom equally welland, in many cases, the choice of whichsystem to install comes down to personalpreference.

In addition to providing a superb washfacility, both systems treat the potentialpollutants arising from golf coursemaintenance operations - equipmentwash-off, refueling, degreasing, chemicalmixing and any other potentiallypolluting activities. All can beundertaken on the pad, removing anyrisk of groundwater pollution arising

from the routine activities of themaintenance facility.

Installing a wash down system couldnot be easier, often retro-fitting into anexisting area to minimise the budget. itensures environmental compliance,reduces water usage by a massive 90%,tidies up one of the worst aspects of golfcourse maintenance and will,importantly, save you a potentially costlyvisit from the Environmental Agency. Justimagine what new machinery you couldpurchase with £50,000!With thanks to Waste2WaterTel 01782 373 878Email: info@waste2water.com

“The Environment Agency’s‘compliance egg-timer’ isdefinitely running so, ifyou haven’t acted yet toensure environmentalcompliance, I suggest thesooner you review yourgolf course maintenanceoperations the better!”

41

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TODAY, more than ever, professional sportis big business, so much so that we areused to the crucial issues in our top sportsadopting prime time billing on our TVscreens.

It even raised a few eyebrows when theissue of social networking site, Twitter, anda top football star were mentioned in theHouse of Commons.

Yet, this latest football debacle has notbeen the only sport causing a stir in thecorridors of power in Whitehall as, back inMarch, the spotlight firmly shone onperhaps the most unlikely of sports -bowls.

When Barrow-in-Furness MP, JohnWoodcock, took to the stand to fight forthe rights of bowling clubs, not only in hisconstituency but also across the UK, littledid he know that the issue would go on togarner such media attention.

In May, bowls was featured twice on theprime time BBC 1 programme, The OneShow, first taking on lighter exploration ofthe sport and how it’s governing bodyBowls England were looking to enticeyounger players to the game whilst, on thesecond show, the focus lay with the issuesraised by Mr Woodcock in the Commons.

On 10th May, The One Show presentersand Mr Woodcock met supporters andmembers of the Chapel Street BowlingClub in Albert Square - overlooked by theVictorian edifice of Manchester Town Hall- where the wily group of senior bowlers

Is the sport ofbowls in terminaldecline?The picture’s amixed one, as TomJames discoveredon a recentinvestigation in theNorth-West, wherehe findscontrastingfortunes for theregion’s clubs, andan MP fighting thecause

“We’ve done a greatdeal of local researchourselves into the costof annual work on abowling green, and thequotes we’ve attainedare nearly half thosethe council give”

“We’ve done a greatdeal of local researchourselves into the costof annual work on abowling green, and thequotes we’ve attainedare nearly half thosethe council give”

Roy Hooper, Chapel Street Bowls Club

Death by a thousandcuts?

John Woodcock, MP for Barrow-iin-FFurness

and club sponsor - First Step Finance -were staging a protest match.

A far cry from the traditional bowlssetting of peace and pleasantries, ChapelStreet’s disgruntled members were onsong to voice their anger over theproposals by Manchester City Council toclose the club’s crown green, as part of itscost-cutting exercise, to slash more than£80m off its budget under theGovernment’s austerity measures.

The pensioner bowlers played for mostof the day on the artificial green andinvited the council to turn up to justifytheir decision on the cuts, and to react toclaims by the club’s members that cuttingservices like this were not onlyunnecessary but represented a case of thecouncil simply picking soft targets thatthey expected the least resistance from.

Chapel Street Bowling Club, which islikely to either close or be amalgamatedwith nearby Greenbank Park, is not theonly club facing the axe underManchester City Council’s proposed cuts.

The plans to save the estimated £7,000a year that the council says it costs tomaintain each surface will mean thateither Fog Lane Park’s green, or the twoat Ladybarn Park in nearby Didsbury, willalso be scrapped, along with ClaytonPark and Delamere Park in Gorton, whileHighbank Park and Didsbury Park areset to have one of their two pavilionbuildings mothballed.

Thecouncil hasalso revealedthat one ofevery twobowlinggreens inBrookdalePark,Newton Heath; Debdale and DelamereParks in Gorton; Hollyhedge Park inSharston; Didsbury Park; Platt Fields inFallowfield; and Highbank Park will beturned into either playing areas or flowerbeds, which paints a bleak picture of acity that has, for generations, enjoyed arich bowling heritage.

Whilst the protest proved a brave moveby the club, and one claiming thesupport of John Woodcock, conspicuousby their absence were councilrepresentatives who steadfastly stayedaway, offering no comment on orreaction to the bowlers’ pleas. Instead,the club has been challenged to suggest aseries of solutions to the council, which itwill consider. A date of 5 June was set asthe deadline for those proposals to reachthe council.

Since the protest, Manchester CityCouncil have offered this statement byCouncillor Mike Amesbury, ExecutiveMember for Culture and Leisure; “Weare working to maintain the best possiblepublic access to bowling greens within

the constraints of our reduced budget.We have brought forward proposals toprovide facilities for bowling clubs in amore efficient and sustainable way. Theseare only proposals at the moment andconsultation continues. In most casesthere will be little or no change toexisting provision.”

Yet, the future of Chapel Street’s crowngreen remains in doubt. The resolutestance of the members has sought toraise the issues of a sport that seems inmortal danger of dying out acrossswathes of the UK, due largely to thedouble whammy of running costs anddwindling member numbers.

This begs the question whether it is aviable sport in such testing economictimes, taking into account the high levelsof maintenance needed to achieve thestandard of surfaces it demands.

Running in parallel with themaintenance quandary are the financialconstraints and concerns over shrinkingsupport. Numbers continue to fall, evenin the south, in one of the hot spots for

“Allowing clubs to be turned over fordevelopment would deprive manyolder people of their only activity andwould break up the social networksthat build up around the sport”

bowls, Worthing (see Pitchcare April/May2011 p18-23) due, in part, to naturalwastage and the changing demographic inthe nation’s urban bowls venues.

Alistair Hollis, of Bowls England, admitsthat there is a “huge task” facing clubs,and why the primary role of the sport’sgoverning body is to “increase membershipand keep the sport sustainable”.

The average price of annualmembership is around £70 which, he says,“keeps the game affordable” yet, ifparticularly parks clubs like Chapel Streetare to remain, there needs to be morepeople fighting their corner.

Bowls Scotland is attempting to increaseparticipation through its Scottish YoungBowlers Association initiative, which aimsto raise the popularity of the gameamongst a different age category. Yet, thebest strategy for survival in these timesmay well be to ensure you have influentialpeople ‘bowling’ for you, which is whyChapel Street could even now stand afighting chance of staying alive.

John Woodcock became involved withthe plight of the sport last summer aftermeeting with bowlers in Walney, Barrow inFurness, who were concerned that sevengreens had fallen victim to developmentsince 1994, and more were under threat asthe owners of cash-strapped pubs andclubs looked for ways of generating extrafunds.

After a period of research into the issue,John Woodcock tabled a bill in theCommons on the 28 March aimed atmaking it easier for bowlers to stop theirgreens being sold off for development.

His measures seek to halt the rising tideof greens being disposed of across hisconstituency and the UK alike. “Bowlingclubs are vital community hubs across the

country, but more and more are at risk ofbeing sold off for development,” explainsMr Woodcock, who played the sport as ajunior in his home city of Sheffield.

“Allowing clubs to be turned over fordevelopment would deprive many olderpeople of their only activity and wouldbreak up the social networks that build uparound the sport,” he adds.

The proposed bill, which enjoys cross-party support, would also introduce a‘community right to buy’ for bowlinggreens, allowing people to club togetherand form co-operatives to purchase thegreens for themselves and maintain themas community assets.

It is this level of flexibility that thebowlers of Chapel Street want applied tothem, instead of simply closing the venueand allowing the sale of the council-ownedplot.

With precious little financial support inrecent years, the club has had to undertakemuch of the running repairs andupgrading itself, particularly on the ‘teahut’, which members managed to havecompleted for nothing. Such initiativeshave helped keep the club operational sofar, but Chapel Street is clearly sunkwithout its crown green.

“It’s really disappointing that the councilcuts will target the most vulnerable in thecommunity,” says 80-year-old Muriel Hill,a lifelong member of Chapel Street, whichhas some twenty-five members and runstwo teams. “People like me rely on theclub, not only for our only source ofexercise but also as a place to meet andsocialise.”

Whilst her comments typify thesentiments felt by all the bowlers, ChapelStreet has been galvanised into actionlargely by the efforts of club secretary, Roy

“The council hasalso revealedthat one ofevery twobowling greenswill be turnedinto eitherplaying areas orflower beds,which paints ableak picture ofa city that has,for generations,enjoyed a richbowlingheritage”

44

Roy Hooper on the council ‘maintained’ green The Chapel Street faithful

Fog Lane bowls green - sstill maintained ... ... but locked up and unavailable for use!

Hooper, and treasurer, Hilda Uren. Both have proven instrumental in

organising protests to the council and inraising awareness of just how desperatethe position is. Yet, since the change ofGovernment, they believe their wordshave often fallen on deaf ears amongstthose in power in the council. “We’d hadstrong support from Liberal Democratcouncillors but, since the local elections,we’ve lost most of these and,subsequently, the backing we had hasfallen away,” adds Muriel, who holdsspecial warmth for the club, as it servesas a memorial to her late husband,George.

The root of the council’s cuts to bowlslies in the annual costs associated withmaintaining a crown green surface, whichit estimates to be around £7,000 for thegreen and a further £5,000 to cover thecost of electricity for the tea hut.

Both estimates have left membersbaffled and they believe the council hassimply got its sums wrong. “We’ve done agreat deal of local research ourselves intothe cost of annual work on a bowlinggreen, and the quotes we’ve attained arenearly half those the council give,” Royinsists.

“As far as the electricity is concerned,the council is again way off the mark,with the actual figure for our usagehaving been quoted at around £400 ayear.”

The club believes passionately thatthey have done all they can to makeimprovements and cut running costs, butinsist members have been met with a lessthan positive attitude from the town hall.

“Four years ago, we were told byManchester City Council that the muchneeded work on our tea hut would be

completed due to safety concerns, butnothing came of it, even at a time whencouncil budgets were healthy,” Hildarecalls.

“Now, four years on, the work has beendone, but not by the council. We decidedto seek out help ourselves.”

Both Hilda and Roy managed to getall the repairs and redecoration done onthe tea hut and had the electrics fixed,free of charge, by seeking local help. “ALevenshulme GP found us help fromsome lads completing communityservice,” reveals Roy. “Once they’dfinished the exterior, they came back tostart on some interior work and makeright a poor job that had been donepreviously by a council parks contractor.”

With such severe cuts to local provisionon a national scale, many are starting tobelieve that the heart of the communityis being destroyed, but Chapel StreetBowling Club has not gone yet, andthere are those who are fighting theproposals tooth and nail alongside themembers to keep the club alive.

Chapel Street’s new sponsor,Stockport-based First Step Finance, hasbeen busy taking the cause to the media,standing shoulder to shoulder with Roy,and Hilda and other members in theirlive protest in Albert Square.

When I arranged to meet Roy andHilda in Chapel Street, the company’shead of public relations, Helen Spivey,travelled from Leeds to meet me on site,and her indignation at the way shebelieves the council is treating the club ispalpable.

“We recognise the importance ofpreserving community life,” she says,“particularly one with over 100 years’history, and something that pensioners

take comfort, joy and companionship in.Not everything is about money. As acommunity-focused business, our supportgoes beyond just sponsorship - First StepFinance pay for club tee-shirts, areproviding a new trophy as well as cash.We want to be involved and contribute tolocal issues and are encouraging localcompanies and the public to support theChapel Street bowlers.

“We would like to see Manchester CityCouncil reconsider its decision, which wefeel will have a truly detrimental affecton the members, who rely heavily onwhat the club offers them.”

Another fierce local advocate of theclub is The Blue Bell Inn, which sits infront of the green, and has proved to beone of Chapel Street’s biggestsupporters. Following a mission toManchester brewer, Holt’s, who own andrun the pub, Mark Dunn, The Blue Bell’senthusiastic manager, reports that thebrewery has pledged to save the greenfrom destruction, but with one keyproviso - that members seek the moneyfor its upkeep from elsewhere.

Mark has proven pulling power whenit comes to saving leisure resources - hespearheaded a successful protest last yearto save the 80-year-old swimming bathsacross the road from closure.

Whilst he cannot promise to deliversimilar success for Chapel Street BowlingClub, he is mobilising the forces tomount a defence of what he believes is a“bastion of Britishness”. Pubs andbowling have been bedfellows, especiallyin the north of England, for longer thanmost can remember and, in some ways,their respective futures are entwined.

As Hilda notes: “They have plenty ofbowlers in Barrow-in-Furness, but the

45

Heaton Moor Park in Stockport - tthe one remaining green ... ... the other is now an open grassed area

Chapel Street bowler in sponsored shirt The Bowling Green - ppub and green now gone

46

pubs are closing and putting the bowlinggreens in peril.”

I refer to the success of some bowlssites I know of in and around Stockport,to which Hilda retorts: “Stockport looksafter its bowling greens better thanManchester.”

Whether true or not, her comments doreflect the wildly varying state of bowls inthe region and, probably, nationally.

Parks bowling clubs, such as ChapelStreet, pay councils a proportion of theirmembership income and, although theirgreens are maintained by the authority,have precious little revenue to survive on.

She had earlier referred to the“injustice” of private bowling clubs basedin Heaton Park, north of Manchester,utilising four flat greens that had beendeveloped for the 2002 CommonwealthGames. “The council is spending moneymaintaining greens and subsidisingprivate bowling clubs such as HeatonHall Bowling Club, Bury Croquet Cluband the Commonwealth Bowling Club,who use the greens. This seems unfair,when a parks club green, such as ours, isfacing closure.”

If the green does close, Chapel Streetwill be forced to hire from local privateclubs runs by, amongst others, the BritishLegion. Hiring out greens can cost“hundreds of pounds a year”, Hildaadds, a price that parks clubs can illafford.

I decided to visit several of the sitesthat Hilda had referred to - bowlers tendto know what’s going on in and aroundtheir ‘patch’ - and it was with a mixtureof sadness and delight that Iphotographed park and pub greens laterin the day.

Hilda’s comment that “Stockport looksafter its bowling greens better thanManchester” needed furtherinvestigation, I felt.

Fog Lane Park bowling green, home totwo local teams, showed all the signs ofbeing maintained, but the gate in thehigh steel perimeter railings waspadlocked and the pavilion shut too.

As Hilda had said, it seemed wastefulfor a maintenance team to be keepingthe green in good order while depriving

bowlers of their sporting joy.Fog Lane Park was once replete with

annual bedding plants. Now, those bedsare filled mostly with weeds, with someperennial plantings sprouting up amongthem. Far more of the open grassed areasare being left untended. The mowers hadleft their mark round the edges -perhaps a 3m wide cut at best.

On to another site under the control ofManchester City Council - Fletcher Moss,Green Flag Award winner over a numberof years. Once home to a glasshouse fullof orchids, this park, walkland andornamental garden is still a treasure, withits line of natural grass tennis courtsmarked out for play, and shalecounterparts still in working order.

Site of the fledgling Royal Society forthe Protection of Birds, Fletcher Moss isa haven of peace although, here too, theperfection of its annual plantings andalpine varieties is looking a little raggedat the edges as the pressures ofmaintaining the site to such highstandards mount, and the evolution intomore sustainable, ‘green’ managementpractices progresses.

The crown green is no more though. Itclosed some years ago, to be replaced byan attractive scheme that includesperennial plantings and a four-wayarbour, partly covered with trailingclimbers. Walking across the lawn, thequality of the fine turf still shinesthrough. The bowls team, who werebased there, hires a green from theDidsbury Hotel next door.

Crossing ‘the great divide’ intoStockport Metropolitan BoroughCouncil’s area of responsibility, I popinto Heaton Moor to check a couple oftheir parks.

Once boasting two bowling greens,Heaton Moor Park now has only one,although I understand that it’s wellpatronised. With typical Northernfriendliness, a passer-by walking his dogsees me taking a photograph of thegreen, stops and says: “I’ve played bowlshere for forty years as my father didbefore me. It’s a very precise sport but anextremely satisfying one. The problemhere though is the vandalism. Kids ride

their bikes over the green and it cancause real damage.”

The characterful setting has beenretained, with the original brick pavilionstill standing, in keeping with much ofthe district’s Victorian residential style.

On the other side of the park, I viewthe old green, with its unusual free-formedging and banked verge. A dirt trackhas formed round the perimeter, perhapsthe tell-tale trails of those bikes thepasser-by bemoaned.

Stockport is known for its innovativeleisure policy. Heaton Moor onceboasted, arguably, the first sand-filledsynthetic grass tennis court in Britain,installed some thirty years ago. It, andthe other two courts, have been replacedby just one hard court, lined by a highfence and looking suitably vandal-resistant.

A five-minute drive away, ThornfieldPark blends tradition and modernity.The crown green is in peak condition,and it needs to be, because no fewer thanfive bowling clubs use it as their base.The subject of continual improvementsover the years, the green is surroundedby sturdy railings and includes a modernbrick pavilion/groundsman’s hut,modelled on the surrounding housingstyle. Overlooking it rather proudly, andthe focus of a hard landscaping projectall of its own, is a Green Flag wafting ontop of its impressively tall pole.

Noticing that the pavilion door is ajar,I knock and am greeted by thegroundsman, who tells me that this greentoo was blighted by vandalism until thefence was erected. His estimate of theannual cost of green maintenance tallieswith that at Chapel Street, although I’mnot sure that Hilda, Roy and theirplaying colleagues would want to be putthrough more torture by gazing on thisfine example of a green in its prime.

Another five minutes away by car,tucked away down a cobbled side street,The Nursery Inn, voted Pub of the Yearnationally in 2001, still thrives under themanagement of Manchester brewery,Hydes.

Nearly four years ago, I visited thepub, and its beautifully manicured crown

Fletcher Moss, now a formal garden Thornfield Park

“What Chapel Street Bowling Club need to recognise,urgently, is that the weight of expectancy falls on themto haul themselves out of the quagmire they findthemselves in. A reliance on councils could prove fatal”

47

green behind it, for a Pitchcare report,and was glad to note that it is still thebustling community hub it was then -one of the few bowling greens blessedwith floodlights.

How starkly this scene of urbancommunity health contrasts with thevision of The Bowling Green pub, sitedon one of the main roads intoManchester city centre and squeezedbetween a hospital at its rear anduniversity buildings in front.

The name says much about therelationship between the pub as a socialcentre and the bowling green as thesport of preference so intricatelyassociated with it. This pub’s greenclosed many years ago, replaced by acar park and urban infrastructure. But,the pub itself is boarded up now too, soany sign that a national sport was onceplayed in its grounds may disappear.

The future of bowls may be securedby more than single saviour -Government funding,community/volunteer management andsupportive breweries - but, what the

likes of Chapel Street Bowling Clubneed to recognise, urgently, is that theweight of expectancy falls on them tohaul themselves out of the quagmirethey find themselves in. A reliance oncouncils could prove fatal.

Traditional sport may indeed sufferas the dynamic of local communitiesevolves - perhaps a rising migrantpopulation might not have the desireto invest time and effort in bowls - butthe governing body’s efforts to attractyounger people can only be to thegood surely, and the more it is seen tobe doing that by Sport England, themore that funding is likely to flowthrough from central coffers.

But ill-feeling over green closurethreats runs deep. As Hilda notespoignantly in a recent letter to theManchester Evening News: “Alwaysremember, the measure of a goodsociety is how it looks after the weakest;the young, the old and the poor.Manchester is obviously not a goodsociety.”Images © BBC and Speed Media One Hilda Uren, Chapel Street Bowls Club

Hilda Uren

“This begs the question whether itis a viable sport in such testingeconomic times, taking into accountthe high levels of maintenanceneeded to achieve the standard ofsurfaces it demands”

“Always remember,the measure of agood society ishow it looks afterthe weakest; theyoung, the old andthe poor.Manchester isobviously not agood society”

David’sGoliathTask...

David’sGoliathTask...Peter Britton heads off to leafySurrey to catch up with DaveRoberts, Grounds Manager atCharterhouse School, and findsthat, three and a half years intothe job, he is completelybesotted with his newsurroundings

Peter Britton heads off to leafySurrey to catch up with DaveRoberts, Grounds Manager atCharterhouse School, and findsthat, three and a half years intothe job, he is completelybesotted with his newsurroundings

“Both our Headmaster and our Bursarfully understand the huge benefits ofthe grounds facilities here and justhow important presentation is”

Dave Roberts, Grounds Manager, Charterhouse School

The entrance toCharterhouse israther understated,so much so thatyours truly missed it

at the first attempt! Here,there are no triumphalwrought iron gates or largesigns shouting its existence;rather surprising, perhaps,for an establishment that israted in the top six publicschools in the UK.

Famous former pupilsinclude the founder of thescout movement, LordBaden Powell, whose moveto leafy Surrey prompted hislove of all thingscountryside; playwright BenTravers, whom the school’stheatre is named after;England cricket captain,Peter May, who oncefamously, as legend has it,hit a six over the imposingschool building, such washis talent; and the originalline-up of prog rock band,Genesis, including PeterGabriel, Mike Rutherfordand Tony Banks, who begantheir career in music whilststill pupils.

The school accommodates795 pupils aged betweenfourteen and eighteen, ofwhich 135 are girls.

This summer,Charterhouse celebrates its400th anniversary. Foundedby Thomas Sutton inLondon in 1611, on the siteof an old Carthusianmonastery in CharterhouseSquare, Smithfield, it is oneof the original nine Englishpublic schools as defined bythe Public Schools Act 1868.It moved to its present sitejust outside Godalming in1872, after completion ofthe buildings from stoneand sand quarried from thesite.

In 1927, the building ofthe Memorial Chapel wascompleted to honour the700 former pupils who haddied in action during WorldWar 1. The architect was SirGiles Gilbert Scott, who isbest known as the designerof the red telephone box.

The original eighty acresite has, over the years,expanded to close to 250acres comprising eightyacres of woodland, fifty-fiveacres of lawns and formalgardens and thirty acresoccupied by a nine-hole golfcourse. The remainingacreage is given over to astunning array of sports

pitches set out in definedareas - Under Green,Lessington, Wilderness, BigGround, Green, Broom &Lees and Northbrook beingthe main ones.

Northbrook is the mostrecent addition (1970s) andhere are sited the artificialhockey pitch, the Queen’sSports Centre and the SirGreville Spratt AthleticsStadium, along with spacefor three cricket squares,seven football pitches, onelacrosse pitch, two traininggrids and one rugby pitch.

Perhaps surprisingly,there is only one rugbypitch, as Charterhouse isvery much a football school.Some of the original rules ofassociation football weredrawn up here, and theschool continues to producefine players who oftenprogress to the highest level.They are recent winners ofthe Boodles ISFA Cup[Independent SchoolsFootball Association],beating arch rivals Eton 2-0in front of a crowd of 2,000at the MK Dons Stadium;Harry Lineker, son of Gary,opening the scoring.

The year is split into three‘quarters’ - the OrationQuarter from earlySeptember to mid December,the Long Quarter from midJanuary to late Marchwhich, traditionally, has thedistinction of being theshortest third of the schoolyear, despite its name, andthe Cricket Quarter fromlate April to late June orearly July. During thesummer holidays thefacilities are let out toAmerican schools forsummer camps and EnglishLacrosse.

Overseeing the groundsmaintenance team is DaveRoberts, the formerGrounds Manager atSouthampton Football Club.A native of Staffordshire,Dave began his career onthe YOP scheme atStaffordshire CountyCouncil, returning tocollege to complete aNational Certificate inHorticulture beforebecoming a self employedlandscape gardener.

“My timing wasn’t thebest,” says Dave, “as itcoincided with thebeginning of the lastrecession. After spendingsome time looking for work,

a friend and colleague suggested that I‘come down south’ to continue mysearch. Whilst in the Midlands, I hadbeen looking every day for something inturf maintenance. There was nothing onoffer. When I came south, I was amazedhow many positions were beingadvertised.”

Within a few days, Dave had landed ajob with Hampshire County Council,before moving on to work for TonrinContractors for seven years. Part timework supplemented his income, tendingthe gardens of former Saints manager,Lawrie McMenemy, so he was in theright place at the right time when avacancy for a groundsman at the clubbecame available.

After spending thirteen happy years atSouthampton - six at The Dell and sevenat St Mary’s - Dave moved to his currentposition as Grounds Manager atCharterhouse when the then head man,Dale Gleed, suggested he applied for theposition.

“This time, the timing was right forme,” says Dave. “My personalcircumstances had changed, and theposition was offered withaccommodation. Also, having overseenthe construction of the new pitch at St.

Mary’s, I was ready for a new challenge.The two lads under me were champingat the bit to progress, so I suggested tothe Chief Executive that they were bothpromoted to Head Groundsman, one atthe training ground and the other at thestadium, and that they brought in ayoungster to train up, thereby saving halfmy salary in, what were, difficult financialtimes for the club. He agreed with mysuggestion, and Andy Gray and GraemeMills are still doing fine work at the club.I’m pleased to see the club doing so wellthis season.”

Dave oversees a team of fifteen. Hisdeputy is Adrian Beagley, who has beenat the school for forty-three years.Heading up the administration is JoJanssenswillen who looks after the day-today tasks, whilst the groundsmaintenance is split into four sections -golf, gardens, cricket and winter pitches.

The Head Greenkeeper is assisted byLukasz Moskal. Head Gardener isGraham Sykes who has a team of five toassist him - Bob Berry (Level 2), MariuszFranciszkowski, Andrew Barbet, SimonJones and James Greenshields (all Level 1).

Lead Groundsman Cricket is JamesBourgeois and Lead Groundsman WinterPitches, Jason Hunter. Both can call on

the assistance of Adam Bellman, JoRawlinson and Ben Brown as the seasonsdictate. More of the team leaders later.

The machinery list, as you mightexpect on such a large site, is extensive,and Dave is given a healthy annualmaintenance budget, along with a capitalbudget, although the latter may get cutthis year, following the 400th anniversarycelebrations. “I’m keen for that not tohappen,” says Dave, as it may set aprecedent in years to come. Fortunately,both our Headmaster, Rev. JohnWitheridge, and our Bursar, DavidWilliams, fully understand the hugebenefits of the grounds facilities here andjust how important presentation is. Theyare our shop window to the parents andvisiting public. So, whilst I will befighting our corner, I do have their fullsupport.”

The Toro equipment is purchasedfrom, and maintained by, JSM (JohnShaw Machinery) and the John Deereequipment from Winchester GardenMachinery. “We can also call on theservices of Ted Corner, a localagricultural and grounds machineryfitter, who has been dealing with theschool for over thirty years, who willoften find ways to repair machines for

Coppicing has opend up this stunning viewCharterhouse School

50

The groundstaff team outside the Peter May Pavilion, l-rr: Lukasz Moskal, MariuszFranciszkowski, Andy Barbett, Jason Hunter, David Roberts, Bob Berry, JamesBourgeios, Jo Rawlinson, Ben Brown, Jo Miller, Adrian Beagley, Jo Janssenwillen,Adam Bellman, Brian Pike, Simon Jones, James Greenshields and Graham Sykes

The Headmaster’s garden gate - ddesigned by Dave Roberts

less than the two maindealers”

Ongoing servicing and“machinery first aid” isundertaken by James, and theteam are responsible for day-to-day checks.

All staff are up-to-date withall industry certification -tractors, utility vehicles,spraying etc. - and ongoingtraining is carried out toensure that remains the case.

The native soil is verysandy, in places well over ametre deep, so drainage isnot usually an issue, even inwinter, but thatch is anongoing battle, one that thelatest aeration techniques arecombating.

A new football pitch,constructed by SpeedcutContractors, is currentlygrowing in, with theirrigation system installed byOsprey Irrigation. Twoadditional sand dressed, allweather surfaces (under theguidance of David Rhodes)and six hard surface acrylictennis courts are also in thepipeline, with work due tostart in August of this year.These will require the resitingof the rugby pitch and theloss of one hole on the golfcourse, with a new hole beingconstructed at the same time.

“It’s a case of ongoingimprovement,” says Daveenthusiastically. “When Icame here, I was aware of theexcellent work that DaleGleed had undertaken duringhis tenure by bringing thefacilities and workingmethods into the 20thcentury. Now, I want to bringit into the 21st century.There’s still much that can bedone.”

Dave has alreadyintroduced a green wastecomposting system which willbenefit all areas of the siteand help reduce costs. Inaddition, coppicing of thewoods is being undertaken toopen up some of the views

that had become hidden overthe years. This work is beingundertaken with the blessingof the Forestry Commissionand Natural England, thelatter being responsible forthe SSSIs within thewoodland. The school’shilltop position providessome stunning views over thelocal countryside.

With the woodland worknow being carried out, alogging scheme for staff andresidents has beenintroduced, with theadditional income used forpurchasing new tree planting.

One fine example of Dave’sattention to detail is the newgate to the headmaster’sgarden. His idea was tomirror the brick archway andcreate a portal into thebeautifully maintainedgarden. The gate was built bythe estates department.

I ask if Dave still getsinvolved with the day-to-daycutting? “When I can, orwhen needed,” he replies.“I’ve got a very good team,and they all have pride inwhat they do here, but I dolike to keep my hand in.”

51

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What’s in the shed?

Adrian Beagley - looking forwardto answering the begging letters,hopefully from good lookingwomen!

TWENTYQuestions

Who are you?Adrian Beagley,Deputy GroundsManager,CharterhouseSchool.

Family Status -Recentlyseparated.

Who is yourhero and why?Barry Sheen, hewas the bestGrand Prixmotorcyle racer.

What is yourdreamholiday? Thereis no dreamlocation for me.

What annoysyou the most?People with clipboards doing surveys.

What would you change about yourself? Nothing.What you see is what you get.

Who wouldn’t you like to be? Anybody on a worldwidewanted list.

Favourite record and why? Hotel California by TheEagles - no particular reason.

Who would you choose to spend a romantic eveningwith? Any good looking woman with a sense of humour.

If you won the lottery what would be the first thingyou would do? Probably answer all the begging letters!

If you were to describe yourself as a musicalinstrument, what would you be and why? A guitar.

What is the best advice you have been given? Beyourself.

What is your favourite smell? Do you really want toknow!

What do you do in your spare time? Golf and playcricket for the Surrey Over 50s.

What is the daftest work related question you haveever been asked? Do you mark out the swimming poollanes supplied with a snorkel and flippers?

What is your favourite piece of kit? Any ride-on mowerwhich produces a fine finish.

What three words would you use to describeyourself? Neat, tidy, dedicated.

What talent would you like to have? To play the pianoat a top level (how dull!).

What makes you angry? Having the volume on thetelevision just right, until the bloody adverts come on anddestroy the peace!

What law/legislation would you like to seeintroduced? Adverts at the same volume level as therest of the programmes!

Adrian Beagley has worked atCharterhouse ‘man and boy’.

“I had decided that, afterdossing around for the previoussummer holidays, I would tryand get a job to earn somemoney. This was in 1968, and Iwould have been sixteen yearsold. I was lucky enough to getsix weeks work here atCharterhouse. I thoroughlyenjoyed it and thought, I’m cutout for this. I went back toschool in September, but onlylasted a few days and just quit,which you could sort of do backin the sixties. Charterhouse took

me on, and here I am forty-threeyears later.”

Adrian has seen huge changesin that time, with theadvancement of machinery andmaintenance techniques, butmaintains that the basics remainthe same. “It’s all about attentionto detail. Groundsmen andwomen must have pride in whatthey are doing. That’s thebottom line. I have instilled thatin all the staff here during mytime, and it’s great to know thatDave shares my views.”

As well as mentoring theyounger members of the team,

Adrian BeagleyDeputy Head Groundsman

AT the age of fifteen, JasonHunter was already running hisown landscaping business backin his native South Africa, whilststill at school. “I lived on a sixacre property in Port Elizabeth,and the work I did on thegrounds saw me gain a runners-up spot in a nationallandscaping competition.”

“I then moved on tolandscaping commercialproperties, whilst taking aBachelor of Commercecorrespondence degree atOxford Brookes in InformationTechnology, which was paid forby the landscaping work.”

“I moved to the UK in 2003,working, for a short while, at theUniversity of Surrey and forGlendales, before coming toCharterhouse.”

It was whilst undertaking anFA Winter Sports Maintenancecourse at Southampton FootballClub, that Jason first met DaveRoberts, who was the tutor forthe day.

Jason has also completedLevel 2 Cricket and ArtificialSurface Maintenance courses.

“I am responsible for all thewinter pitches, the athleticstrack, all hard surface tenniscourts, lacrosse, summer lettingsand marking out. In addition, Imanage the green waste project.We now have an ongoingrelationship with a few local treesurgeons and contractors whobring their waste material herefor us to compost down.”

The football pitches are spreadacross the whole site.Northbrook accommodatesseven pitches and two traininggrids, Broom & Lees six pitchesand three training grids andLessington one pitch and onetraining grid. The main pitch issituated on Big Ground wheresome of the original rules ofAssociation Football were drawnup.

During the cricket quarternineteen grass hockey pitchesare provided, along with

Jason HunterLead Groundsman Winter Pitches

Sir Greville Spratt Athletics Stadium

Adrian remains involved inthe day-to-day workload,undertaking much of the‘accurate’ work, such asfertiliser spraying andmarking out, as well asmowing outfields and pitches.

Having worked across allareas of the site Adrian is ableto mentor the youngermembers of staff. I suggest heis like the ‘uncle’ of thegroundscare team. “I supposeI am,” he says with a smile.However, one wag suggestedthat he was more like a fussyauntie!

lacrosse.Jason is currently writing

an IT program, under theworking name of G-Man. It isintended to offer acomprehensive, yet userfriendly database systemwhich will cover all aspects ofgrounds management atCharterhouse.

The machinery section hasalready been developed andis due to be implementedsoon. It will allow the team toaccurately keep maintenancerecords, i.e. costs, parts used,repairs etc.

“We will be able to doqueries, and pull reportsfrom the database, forexample, how many hourshas a particular machinedone, what were its annualservicing and repair costs;right down to how manypuncture repairs have beencarried in a year,” says Jason

“With this information wewill be able to make informeddecisions about each machinein the fleet and show, at aglance, whether it is costeffective to keep repairing orto replace.”

“The intention is to roll theprogram out to other sectionsin the department, e,g.chemicals, fertilising,scheduling tasks etc. and,once we are satisfied with itsefficacy, to commerciallymarket it.”

Big Ground ready for Oration Quarter

RIPTARegister of Independent ProfessionalTurfgrass Agronomists

Those listed on the Register areable to consult regarding:

Feasibility Studies

Turf maintenance programmes

Agronomy

Turfgrass disease problems

Drainage advice

Soil analysis/interpretation

Construction documentation

Recruitment of staff

Project management

Training and education

Expert witness work

For more information and contact details for theConsultant Agronomists on the RIPTA Register go to:

www.RIPTA.co.uk

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www.turfmech.co.uk53

Who are you?JamesBourgeois, LeadGroundsmanCricket atCharterhouseSchool.

Family Status -Engaged to Jowith twochildren, Jack,aged four andJess, aged two.

Who is yourhero and why?Peter Pan, theboy who nevergrew up - askJo!

What is yourdreamholiday? Onethat never ends!

What annoys you the most? Sunday drivers.

What would you change about yourself? My recedinghairline.

Who wouldn’t you like to be? A fly on a windscreen.

Favourite record and why? Snoop Dog’s I want to makeyou sweat. Enough said?

Who would you choose to spend a romantic eveningwith? The Queen!

If you won the lottery what would be the first thingyou would do? Have a massive party for about a month.

If you were to describe yourself as a musicalinstrument, what would you be and why? A drum kitbecause, no matter how hard you hit it, it still plays atune.

What is the best advice you have been given? Theworse it looks, the better it will be - Bill Clutterbuck on endof season cricket renovations.

What is your favourite smell? Freshly cut grass in themorning.

What do you do in your spare time? What spare time?I’m a groundsman and a father!

What is the daftest work related question you haveever been asked? Which way up does the turf go?

What is your favourite piece of kit? Toro Flex 21Sidewinder.

What three words would you use to describeyourself? Enthusiastic, motivated, fun.

What talent would you like to have? To be able tojuggle.

What makes you angry? People not picking up dog poofrom sportsfields.

What law/legislation would you like to seeintroduced? Speed limits increased.

James Bourgeois - Annoyed bySunday drivers and speed limits,but with a soft spot for TheQueen!

TWENTYQuestions PRIOR to studying for a degree

in Real Estate Management andChartered Surveying at BristolUniversity, James Bourgeoisspent a year working at ClandonRegis Golf Club near Guildford.So, despite his newly gainedqualifications, he decided toreturn to Clandon Regis wherehe renewed his love of theoutdoors. One year later he wason a landscaping andconstruction course at MerristWood!

This was followed by a yearworking as a gardener atCharterhouse before comingunder the wing of the legendaryBill Clutterbuck at GuildfordCricket Club under thementoring scheme.

“Bill was a great mentor,” saysJames, “and I learned one hellof a lot from him. He alwaysused to say that young peopledon’t understand the soil, justthe theory, and he instilled in methe need to test the soil to seewhat I was working with.”

“When I came toCharterhouse, that theory wascarried on by Adrian, who hasbeen another fantastic mentor.”

“I think we still suffer the ‘justgrass cutters’ image, with a fewof the staff here. So, when I showthem one of my core samplesand explain how I can tellmoisture content, root growth,thatch content etc. to help mewith my maintenance, theyusually respond by sayingsomething along the lines of ‘youcan tell all that just by looking atthat? Wow!’ Slowly but surely weare breaking down thepreconceptions.”

James looks after eight squaresin total, the 1st XI square onUpper Green, more commonlyreferred to as Green, one onWilderness, aka Maniacs (don’task), where the Under 18s play,three on Under Green and threeon Northbrook.

Over the past five years, withthe guidance of ECB PitchesConsultant, Chris Wood, and CHBinders’ Phil Furner, he has

changed all the squares to OngarLoam with the assistance of, atvarious times, Graden andVertidrain machines.

“With the Surrey CCCacademy regularly using thefacilities, plus theirrepresentative squads at all agelevels, I needed to improve thesquares to make them moreconsistent,” explains James.

“Certainly our Master inCharge of Cricket, the formerSurrey and England seambowler, Martin Bicknell, hascommented favourably on theimprovements made.”

James is working with SoilHarmony, trialing a mixture oftheir Bios products and wettingagents. “I have been acting astheir guinea pig,” says James.Mark Atkins often pops in to seewhat I’m up to. It’s taken twoyears to trial, but, I can’t tell youwhat the formula is, it’s a secret!”

During the winter monthsJames is involved in thecoppicing. “It’s an area that Ihave become really interested inand, in time, I’d like to moveinto that field.”

James met his now fiancée, JoMiller, at the school whilst shewas working as a gardener. Now,four years later, they have twochildren and Jo is returning towork on a part-time basis.

James BourgeoisLead Groundsman Cricket

Who are you?Jo Rawlinson,Estate Keeper atCharterhouseSchool.

Family Status -Single.

Who is yourhero and why?WonderWoman,because shehad a true lasso.(We had to lookthat up as well.Ed.)

What is yourdreamholiday?Visiting friendsin Australia.

What annoysyou the most?Odd socks!

What would you change about yourself? A biggerbottom and slightly taller would do it for me.

Who wouldn’t you like to be? The tooth fairy.

Favourite record and why? Nellie the Elephant by theToy Dolls, the first record I ever bought.

Who would you choose to spend a romantic eveningwith? Father Christmas, to prove that I really am a goodgirl!

If you won the lottery what would be the first thingyou would do? Run naked through the school!

If you were to describe yourself as a musicalinstrument, what would you be and why? A recorder -simple and easy to understand.

What is the best advice you have been given? Don’tcast a clout ’til may is out.

What is your favourite smell? Fresh coffee bubblingaway.

What do you do in your spare time? I play football andstoolball and socialise.

What is the daftest work related question you haveever been asked? Not a question, but I was once askedto go and ask for a long wait! Yes, I fell for it!

What is your favourite piece of kit? Toro Sidewinder.

What three words would you use to describeyourself? Short, quirky, fun.

What talent would you like to have? X-ray vision wouldbe kind of fun.

What makes you angry? Nuisance phone calls.

What law/legislation would you like to seeintroduced? No cyclists on roads.

Jo Rawlinson - lives in a fantasyworld of Santa, the Tooth Fairyand Wonder Woman ... and shewants a bigger bottom!

TWENTYQuestions

THE Halford Hewitt GolfCourse, named after a formerpupil, is a nine hole par 34course, comprising seven par 4sand two par 3s. It was designedby Donald Steel and opened in1987. Total length is 2,644 yards.

All greens are built to USGAspecification and, along with thetees, they receive regularaeration. Graden sand injectionis carried out on the greens inlate spring, and tees are scarified

once or twice a year dependingon requirements.

The par 3 4th, known asQuarry, requires an accurate shotover a hollow, which, as the namesuggests, is evidence of theremoval of material for thebuilding of the school chapel.

As well as a splendid facility forthe pupils, the course has 350members who are able to playgolf when the course is not beingused by the school.

The Golf CourseThe Halford Hewitt

Top: Charterhouse Schoolgrounds showing the golfcourse bottom right.Above: The par 3 9th willdisappear to make wayfor the new tennis courts.Right: Evidence ofquarrying stone and sandfrom the site to build theschool buildings can stillbe seen on the par 3 4th

Bert Trautmann was not the onlysportsman to break his neck inan on the sportsfield collision,and not know about it at the

time. It happened to twenty-one yearold John Dodwell on the rugby field, ata time when his sporting ambitionswere high and he was looking for aplace at Loughborough and asubsequent future as a PE teacher.

John was not only a talented wingerfor Rosslyn Park, he was anaccomplished sprinter, havingrepresented Surrey, the South East ofEngland, and competed twice at the AllEngland Championships. The injurywas catastrophic and put paid to anyideas he had of active sport being acareer path. Its true extent was notrealised until days after the match. Infact, John didn’t even think it was badat all at the time, and carried onplaying for the full eighty minutes. Anumb feeling in the bar afterwards, ashe put it, told him there was somethingwrong. It was a life-changing calamity.One thing it didn’t do was stop himfrom going back to school.

He already had connections withCaterham School. His two brotherswere pupils there, though he himselfhad been to another independentschool, Trinity in Croydon. Moresignificant as it turned out was that he

knew Caterham’s then HeadGroundsman, Steve Moore, as a patronof his local pub. He had started helpinghim over the summer when he wasnineteen. At this time of turmoil anddecision making for the young JohnDodwell, Steve proved to be animmensely significant contact, offeringhim regular work on the pitches at the200-year old school whilst he wasassessing his future.

John now admits that then, like somany young sportsmen, he tookgroundsmen, and what they do, forgranted, but doing jobs for Steve, hesays, fired a real passion. He’d tried toget the adrenalin flowing again after heknew for sure that his sporting life hadreached a full stop.

A flirtation with sea fishing didn’treally do it, but the professional care ofsporting surfaces somehow did. Thecasual job became a full-time one and,with the school’s support andencouragement, he embarked onacquiring formal qualifications via dayrelease at South East London TechnicalCollege (SELTEC). It was here that hefell under the life-long influence of oneof groundcare’s foremost role models,Dave Bracey, who was one of thelecturers.

John says that it was Dave thatinspired him to pursue a career in

groundsmanship.“He instilled in me that a

groundsman should always have anenquiring mind - about all the jobs hehas to do. You can’t always get it right:it’s a moving target, one that needsconstant analysis. Dave made me realisethat it is anything but a prescriptive jobwhere just doing as you’re told gets youby. He taught me always to be self-critical and always ready to adapt.Thanks to him I came to know it isalways challenging, frequentlyrewarding, and there’s plenty of fun tobe had too.”

It was a beautifully sunny earlysummer term morning when I visitedthe school tucked away in leafytranquility, yet inside the M25 ring.Sport was so obviously going to springforth that afternoon. You could sense it.Everything was in tip-top shape. Johnwas like a player before a match; arunner before a race. You could bet hewas like it every single day. All thoseyears ago, a SELTEC lecturer had madehim see that groundsmanship couldactually be just like sport itself, andthis suited him down to the ground. Icould tell that the Dave Bracey effecthad well and truly rubbed-off.

By the time he was twenty-six, Johnwas the school’s Head Groundsman,Steve Moore having left to start up a

Bert Trautmann was not the onlysportsman to break his neck inan on the sportsfield collision,and not know about it at the

time. It happened to twenty-one yearold John Dodwell on the rugby field, ata time when his sporting ambitionswere high and he was looking for aplace at Loughborough and asubsequent future as a PE teacher.

John was not only a talented wingerfor Rosslyn Park, he was anaccomplished sprinter, havingrepresented Surrey, the South East ofEngland, and competed twice at the AllEngland Championships. The injurywas catastrophic and put paid to anyideas he had of active sport being acareer path. Its true extent was notrealised until days after the match. Infact, John didn’t even think it was badat all at the time, and carried onplaying for the full eighty minutes. Anumb feeling in the bar afterwards, ashe put it, told him there was somethingwrong. It was a life-changing calamity.One thing it didn’t do was stop himfrom going back to school.

He already had connections withCaterham School. His two brotherswere pupils there, though he himselfhad been to another independentschool, Trinity in Croydon. Moresignificant as it turned out was that he

knew Caterham’s then HeadGroundsman, Steve Moore, as a patronof his local pub. He had started helpinghim over the summer when he wasnineteen. At this time of turmoil anddecision making for the young JohnDodwell, Steve proved to be animmensely significant contact, offeringhim regular work on the pitches at the200-year old school whilst he wasassessing his future.

John now admits that then, like somany young sportsmen, he tookgroundsmen, and what they do, forgranted, but doing jobs for Steve, hesays, fired a real passion. He’d tried toget the adrenalin flowing again after heknew for sure that his sporting life hadreached a full stop.

A flirtation with sea fishing didn’treally do it, but the professional care ofsporting surfaces somehow did. Thecasual job became a full-time one and,with the school’s support andencouragement, he embarked onacquiring formal qualifications via dayrelease at South East London TechnicalCollege (SELTEC). It was here that hefell under the life-long influence of oneof groundcare’s foremost role models,Dave Bracey, who was one of thelecturers.

John says that it was Dave thatinspired him to pursue a career in

groundsmanship.“He instilled in me that a

groundsman should always have anenquiring mind - about all the jobs hehas to do. You can’t always get it right:it’s a moving target, one that needsconstant analysis. Dave made me realisethat it is anything but a prescriptive jobwhere just doing as you’re told gets youby. He taught me always to be self-critical and always ready to adapt.Thanks to him I came to know it isalways challenging, frequentlyrewarding, and there’s plenty of fun tobe had too.”

It was a beautifully sunny earlysummer term morning when I visitedthe school tucked away in leafytranquility, yet inside the M25 ring.Sport was so obviously going to springforth that afternoon. You could sense it.Everything was in tip-top shape. Johnwas like a player before a match; arunner before a race. You could bet hewas like it every single day. All thoseyears ago, a SELTEC lecturer had madehim see that groundsmanship couldactually be just like sport itself, andthis suited him down to the ground. Icould tell that the Dave Bracey effecthad well and truly rubbed-off.

By the time he was twenty-six, Johnwas the school’s Head Groundsman,Steve Moore having left to start up a

It started as a casual summer job thirty years ago: itbecame a lasting and fulfilling career for apromising sportsman whose ambitions had beendashed by serious injury.

Neville Johnson visited Caterham School in Surrey totalk to Head Groundsman, John Dodwell, about hiswork there, his unusual route into the profession,and an interesting idea he has to inject somethinginto politicians’ failing ‘sport for all’ promise

Sprintfinishingschool

“Surface preparation is a huge partof the whole sporting excellencething, and where better than atschool to be put to the test”

John Dodwell, Head Groundsman, Caterham School

58

contracting business. Hispredecessor also left him with anindelible mindset that he hasappreciated ever since.

“What I remember most aboutmy time working with Steve is thatit taught me an important truthabout grassed sports surfaces, andthat is the supreme value ofappearance. If it looks really goodbefore use, then the pressure isoff, and everyone is concentratingon a fine sporting contest.Certainly, as far as sport at schoolis concerned, we groundsmen candefinitely create a feel-goodfactor.”

As we stood watching finalmorning work on the school’scricket pitch, ahead of an under-15 match that afternoon, this wasoverwhelmingly apparent with thebiscuit-coloured pitch strip, theperfect white crease markings, theneatly mown outfield, and thescreens in place ready for action.What youngster wouldn’t want toplay cricket seeing all this?

Caterham is both a senior andpreparatory school. Since 1995 ithas been co-educational. It offersa wide choice of grass surfacesports: rugby, football, hockey,lacrosse, cricket and athletics. Itsseventy-six acre grounds, nestlingin the North Downs, provide aperfect setting for them all, butchalky ground conditions and everbroadening pressure on facilitiesput John and his team to the testdaily.

“It’s like a home,” said John.“We’ve got the same number ofrooms, but the family’s got bigger.I spend a lot of my timedovetailing pitch preparation.Fifteen years ago, I didn’t havelacrosse and rounders to thinkabout.”

John has an assistant headgroundsman and three skilledgroundsmen, plus a gardener andan all-rounder in his department.He says he’d love to have all thegames scheduling notified inadvance by the school’s PEdepartment, so they could pre-plan work scheduling days ahead -

have it all neatly laid out on awhiteboard, so everybody knows,at all times, where they’resupposed to be and what theyhave to do there. “It doesn’t quitework out like that,” he says.

“What we do is micro-manage.It isn’t ideal, but it gets us throughthe mess. By about three o’clockon day one, I work out what Ithink we need to do on days two,three, four and five based on whatthe PE department tell me. At theend of each day the whole of theteam - all seven of us - have a halfhour tea-break and discuss the dayahead and, of course, any hiccupsfrom that day’s work. This workspretty well and everyone at leastknows what’s expected of themtomorrow, though, often as not,it’s a moveable feast.”

The day I was at the schoolthere were district athletics and Alevel practical exams, not tomention the under-15 cricketmatch, overlapping on the samegrass. This is a pressure unique toschools pitch work. It all lookedamazingly immaculate. Take a bowCaterham School GroundstaffDepartment.

John is still a rugby manthrough and through but, thistime of year, it’s cricket that is hispassion. It’s a game that’s grownon him over the years. Now, it isquite a big part of his professionallife. He is Chairman of the SurreyCricket Groundsmen Associationand also the ECB’s county pitchadvisor for Surrey, getting calledout regularly to carry out pitchinspections at clubs and schoolsacross the county.

“My cricket pitch inspectionduties are time consuming, butvery enjoyable,” he says. “I lovehaving ‘out of school’ pitchresponsibilities. I would relish stillmore but, this year, I’m having tothrottle back just a little because itis the school’s bi-centenary yearand the extra duties here, becauseof this, come first.

John never hides his sportinginstinct. “To succeed as agroundsman you need adrenalin,

I spend a lot of mytime dovetailingpitch preparation.Fifteen years ago, Ididn’t have lacrosseand rounders tothink about”

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59

you need drive and, above all,you need a competitive edge,”he says. “To be successful andenjoy sport to the maximum,you need to pit yourself againsttop opposition on the bestconditions possible. Surfacepreparation is a huge part ofthe whole sporting excellencething, and where better than atschool to be put to the test.”

In his ‘kit bag’ John can callon three tractors, a triplemower, two 36-inch outfieldmowers, a Dennis FT510pedestrian mower with cassetteattachments for cricket squarework and the like, a set of gangmowers, tractor-mounted slitterwith spiker, and a tractor-mounted Graden scarifier hedescribes as awesome. He willhire in limited period specialistequipment, like the heavy rollerin action on this particular day,whenever necessary.

Being in a valley, the mainpitch area is prone to floodingfrom the surrounding Downs,so heavy-duty water pumps aresometimes called into play.There’s only a maximum offour inches of topsoil on themain pitch area. It’s veryalkaline – somewhere around7.8-8.0 pH - and it gets verycompacted. The school also haswhat is known as ‘Hill Fields’,120 feet higher up, but herethere is a foot and a half oftopsoil and it is more clay-based. In all, the school‘footprint’ is seventy-six acres,though this does includesurrounding woodland.

Top of his wish list is a mostlaudable aim driven, notsurprisingly, by his ownsporting passion. He’d love tosee support from thegovernment - or any fundingsource for that matter - given toprivate sector schools to helpthem make it possible to sharetheir sporting facilities withschools in the state sector.

“We have a senior stateschool and three primary

schools within easy reach of ourgrounds, each of them in needof extra outdoor sports space,”says John. “We couldn’t affordto let them use our grounds fornothing: they couldn’t afford topay us the going rate, but therehas to be a way of sharing thesefacilities at cost.”

“Up and down the country,there must be countless stateschools within a stone’s throw ofbetter facilitated privateschools. The Sport for Allslogan banded about bypoliticians is a joke, as schoolplaying fields continue toshrink and pass into the handsof developers. Wouldn’t it bemarvellous if funding could befound to see that school pitchsharing was a viableproposition. I’m sure theremust be a way of setting this inmotion.”

He genuinely believes that, ifthere is a will, this would reallywork. It’s a bold idea, one of acompetitive sporting mind. Hewho dares wins. He’s stillenthusing about it as we walkacross the perfectly markedathletics track on to the cricketoutfield.

This year, for the first time,over the Easter holidays, Johnoverseeded the school’s pitcheswith a 50% rhizomatous tallfescue and 50% ryegrass mix. Itis somewhat experimental, butJohn reckons it should thriveon the thin topsoil and reduceirrigation needs in time.

Last summer, he conductedanother experiment on themain pitch area, currently incricket and athletics mode, buthome to the rugby first XV overthe previous two terms. A justvisible slight washboard effectwas the legacy, but he hopes fora positive long-term effect. Heexplains: “We can’t afford toplane the surface off, put newtopsoil down and re-seed. Itwould cost too much and taketoo long. I’d seen a BlecSandmaster in operation, and I

“What we do ismicro-manage. Itisn’t ideal, but itgets us through themess. By about threeo’clock on day one, Iwork out what I thinkwe need to do ondays two, three, fourand five based onwhat the PEdepartment tell me”

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60

persuaded a local contractor touse it to in-dress topsoil ratherthan sand into the surface. Itcould be an answer to groundslike ours with thin topsoil. Weshall see.”

He reckons every groundsmanshould have a corer. “It’s thesingle most important tool inthe armoury, “ he says. “It’s likethe lifting of the bonnet to a carmechanic. Without it, you’ve noidea what’s really going on andwhat you need to do. It tells you,pretty accurately, all you need toknow about the rootzone, so youcan be on the ball aboutfertiliser and nitrogenrequirements and, in terms ofcricket, usage of the roller. It’ssuch a valuable time and moneysaver.“

He proceeds with his to showme a profile of the outfieldsurface. It’s been a rugby pitchhosting 100 matches up to

Christmas and fifty lacrossematches in the spring term, so ittakes a real battering. Thesurface is normally a littlegreener than this, but it’s early inthe summer term and it stilllooks pretty good, despite theunusually prolonged dryconditions. The RTF seems to betaking root and well set for thelong haul. There’s cricket on itevery day now until the secondweek of July, plus five dailyathletics lessons and at least onematch a week until the end ofterm, so the hammeringcontinues unabated.

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“Wouldn’t it bemarvellous if fundingcould be found to seethat school pitch sharingwas a viable proposition”

61

conditions, cricket pitch work is apressure job at Caterham School,no question of that. I have to sayI’ve seen many a county groundwith squares no better than this.

I watch as a group of seniorboys make their way to the nets.They circumvent the whole ofthe outfield, taking a longer pathroute rather than a short cutacross it and the 400 metrerunning track. If ever there was ademonstration of respect for theprivileged sporting facilities attheir disposal, this was it. It was,of course, an unspokencompliment to the work of JohnDodwell and his departmenttoo.

The 400 metre running tracklooks immaculate. The grass is at35mm for early season use but,when it’s cut down to 18 or19mm for races in June and July,the good youngsters can turn inreally impressive times,” says

John. The sprinter turnedgroundsman in him remarks; “Who needs a tartan track?”

The track is always mownbefore it is marked out to fullinternational standards, and thisis done once a week by transferwheel marker. It takes two of usforty-five minutes to an hour tocomplete the job, then a furtherforty minutes or so to drycompletely. It is always a matterof looking for a ‘window ofopportunity’ that fits into thesporting curriculum, he says.“Early in the day is often the besttime, but many’s the time I do itsolo after school hours - the baneor bonus of living on site,depending onwhich way youlook at it.”

I suspect Johnwouldn’t liveanywhere else.

“It’s like the lifting of thebonnet to a car mechanic.Without it you’ve no ideawhat’s really going onand what you need to do”

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As I drive alongside the vastOlympic park site, it’s clearto see the benefit that moneyand new infrastructure willbring to an area for long one

of the most impoverished in thecountry.

The district of Leyton lies a stone’sthrow from the Olympic Stadium andhas, in no time at all, changeddramatically, with new local services,leisure provision and housingunderpinning its 21st centuryrenaissance.

Yet, tucked amid the High Street andcharacterful terraced streets is thehome of one of the city’s oldest footballclubs - Leyton Orient Football Club -now at the centre of a row over thefuture use of the 2012 stadium and itslegacy for the area long term.

On arrival at Brisbane Road (nowmore commonly known as theMatchroom Stadium), you’d never haveguessed that the club was one fearingfor its future. The stadium’s intimacyhad grown of late by the construction ofattractive apartment blocks at each

corner of the ground. I was warmly greeted by Head

Groundsman, Colin James, smartlyattired in branded corporate wear, whowelcomed me into the cosily attractiveconfines of the stadium, where the firstteam squad were finishing off a finaltraining session ahead of Orient’s awaytie against fellow promotion chasersExeter City.

Sporting the initialled team tracksuit,Colin is very much part of the newbreed of football groundsmen, led bythe likes of Tottenham Hotspur FC’sDarren Baldwin - who Colin names asone of his “go-to guys” for advice - whoare fast dispelling many of the tired oldmyths about groundsmanship and itssubservient place in the game’ssubstructure.

Yet, unlike Darren, whose budgetallows a big staff base and a fleet ofadvanced turf machinery, Colinoperates alone, as the only member ofthe League One side’s groundsmanship‘team’ - a one-man show that has seenhim drawing heavily on his ownexperience and success in non-league

football to make the most of what is,arguably, one of the best surfaces in thedivision.

“Having learned the ropes withWelling United, I’d been trained in howto achieve the best results with whatyou have, without the most expensiveseed or the top machines at yourdisposal,” explains Colin.

“This kind of grounding is crucial inthis industry and allows you to makethe most of where I’m at now, with aclub that has sound financial backingand is willing to spend money wherenecessary.”

Experience is one thing, of course,but results are the true test of success,today’s management argues and Colinis a man who came to the Orient withaccolades to display.

In 2004, he took the title ofGroundsman of the Year for theSouthern Leagues, progressing to thenationwide Groundsman of the Yearfinals, where he emerged victoriousagain and ready to progress to theheights of the Football League.

Colin joined Orient in 2007, aged 37,

The East End of London has undergone a swift and radicalurban upheaval since news broke that the 2012 Olympicgames would be held in that part of the capital. TomJames meets Colin James, a man just a stone’s throwfrom the developments, both on and off the pitch!

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a move into professional football afterspending eighteen years at WellingUnited, the Blue Square ConferenceSouth side, rising from apprentice tohead groundsman in his time there.

It was, in part, Orient’s ‘never saydie’ attitude - one that they will bedrawing on more than ever now withthe latest moves regarding the OlympicStadium - that attracted him to the role,along with his industry ambitions.

“I was content at Welling and hadbecome part of the furniture there andwas happy to continue. Yet, as with anycareer, you have to make the most ofopportunities when they come yourway, so I leapt at the chance to join theO’s, a club with a great history and astrong local following.”

It is exactly this core support that hasled to the recent issues with the 2012venue, and the subsequent legal bidlaunched by Orient in April over WestHam's move to the Olympic Stadiumafter the Games. It’s an issue that raisespassions throughout the club, andColin is no exception.

The owners of the club, led by

chairman andrenowned sportspromoter, BarryHearn, have appliedfor a judicial review into thedecision to grant West Ham thestadium as its ‘home’, on thegrounds that the Hammers’ move tothe venue, only a pinch away from theMatchroom Stadium, would have adevastating effect on Orient’s fan base.

It was in March that West Hamdefeated Spurs in the bid for post-Games use, largely because West Hamwould be committed to retaining theathletics track, whereas Spurs assertedthat a track would not prove aworkable option forsuccessfully viewingfootball.

Orient’s appeal hastaken a two-prongedapproach. First, toask the HighCourt to examinethe OlympicPark LegacyCompany

Image ©Chris Eason

“With three-quarters of the pitchin shade and without the luxury ofgrow lights that Premier Leaguesides can afford, it’s sometimesbeen a struggle to get the bestfrom the surface”

“With three-quarters of the pitchin shade and without the luxury ofgrow lights that Premier Leaguesides can afford, it’s sometimesbeen a struggle to get the bestfrom the surface”

CColin James, Head Groundsman, Leyton Orient FC

(OPLC) decision to award the stadiumto West Ham, and second, to launch anapplication for a judicial review that callsinto question the legality of the loan thathad been arranged by Newham Councilto finance West Ham’s bid for thelocation.

The move came only a day after Spurslaunched its own judicial review, claimingthe £40m loan from the Council to WestHam was ‘improper’.

“The biggest gripe the club have withthe West Ham move is the fact that it’sencroaching on our traditional fan base,”explains Colin. “When West Ham set outtheir bid for the stadium, they promisedto offer heavily discounted tickets toensure they fill the stadium.

”A club like Leyton Orient cannotcompete with this, and our directorsfeared that younger supporters wouldchoose to support a bigger PremierLeague club with a brand new stadiumwith cheaper tickets than a small club likeus,” he adds.

It will be a bitter pill to swallow for theO’s if the West Ham plans come tofruition, not only because they’ll bestepping on the toes of the club, butbecause Orient has worked tirelessly tostrengthen links with the community. Ithas established a new core fan base inthe area, based on grass-roots and youthfootball, spearheaded by its LeytonOrient Community Sports Programme,

which, sinceestablishment eightyears ago as anindependent charity,has provided sportsand educationalinitiatives for youngpeople acrossNorth-east London.

The recentturmoil is all in aday’s work for Colin,however, who insiststhat his onlyconcern is to deliver the pitch to thehighest possible standard and meet thedemands of players and the board.

This season alone, Colin has been putthrough his paces in no uncertainmanner, with a host of televised league,cup and international (England v USAladies) matches, including the climax ofthe club’s impressive FA Cup run, whichsaw them reach the 5th round - facingArsenal at home in front of a sell-outcrowd.

The fixture, which saw the hosts grab alate goal and earn a lucrative away tie atthe Emirates, typified the kind of workthat Colin is expected to undertake atOrient.

“Sometimes it’s not always a matter ofdelivering the perfect pitch for theoccasion, I can be called on to create anenvironment that helps our players out,

or makes it harder for opponents - theArsenal game was a case in point,” Colinrecalls.

“The management, knowing how goodArsenal were at playing the ball around,wanted me to make it a bit rough forthem, so I was tasked with doingsomething you rarely have to think of inthis industry. The plan paid off though,and it demonstrated perfectly theintricacies and high expectations ofprofessional groundsmanship now - it’sas much a results game for us as it is theplayers.”

Passion for the job is what drives Colinday to day and, as a ‘sole practitioner’,that quality can see you through aschedule that can be arduous, especiallyduring the long winter days workingalone.

The combination of an antiquated and

64

“I can’tremember a daywhen I haven’tturned up towork to finddeep holes inthe ground”

65

inefficient drainage system and a pitchthat sees precious little, if any, daylight,with the exception of the goal by thefamily end, made his arrival an eventfulone, he says.

“Until last year, when the club investedin new drainage, the winter monthswould be particularly bad to drain and toachieve decent growth on the pitch. Withthree-quarters of the pitch in shade andwithout the luxury of grow lights thatPremier League sides can afford, it’ssometimes been a struggle to get the bestfrom the surface.”

The bitter winter that brought the UKto a standstill in December had left itsmark at Brisbane Road - fixturecancellations aside, the aftermath of theblanket of snow that damaged the pitchwas still evident months later, as Colinshowed me the most affected areas.

“The freeze really hit us hard,” he says.

“For three weeksover November andDecember we hadthe frost covers outon almost apermanent basis.Even then, they canonly do so much,and for the sort oftemperatures wewere seeing - belowminus 4OC - theyceased to be of useand the effect of the

snow mould we suffered were evidentonce the snow had cleared.”

The blackened algae-like areas on theturf were more apparent in the areasmost deprived of sunlight and helpedhighlight, for him, one of the growingpressures in the games - ensuring thatfixtures are played, even throughdreadfully poor weather.

“From my point of view it can bestressful, especially working alone, toensure cancellations are a rarity,” stressesColin. “A club like us can lose as much as£10,000 if a game has to be postponedand rescheduled for the middle of theweek, a loss that will increase if it’s a bigcrowd or a derby, so heavy pressure isplaced on groundsmen to ensure gamesare played,” he continues.

“This desire to fulfil fixtures is finelybalanced with the long-term damage it

can inflict on the playing surface, whichcan ultimately affect performance overtime, so the decision on my part has tobe a reasoned and forward-thinking onethat looks at financial costs for the cluband the pitch.”

The effects of last winter’s snowproduced some of the most severe turfdamage he had ever seen in over twentyyears in the industry, made worst by theneed to continue playing, allowing littletime for grass to recover. “I did what Icould to help the situation, yet theChipco Green and liquid iron that Iapplied had little effect, as what wasreally needed was sunlight and time torecover - a luxury not afforded inprofessional football now. Good growth ishard enough at the best of times here -the cold and wet only add to theproblems.”

It was a stroke of luck for Colin thatthe severe weather didn’t descend a yearearlier, as the club’s existing drainagenetwork was more than twenty years oldand was highly inefficient for themodern game, he says. Thankfully thatwasn’t the case, and 2010 saw theinstallation of the much-neededdrainage, combined with laying of a newFibresand pitch.

“Flooding was common here prior toour new system. We would get pooling atthe far corner in the area that also getsthe least sunlight, so we were hit with a

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“A club like uscan lose as muchas £10,000 if agame has to bepostponed andrescheduled formidweek”

66

double whammy,” Colin reveals.“This season, we’ve had none ofthose problems and the Fibresandmakes drainage that bit quicker aswell.”

Whilst solving the drainageissues has greatly helped Colin inproducing a surface worthy of histalents, it has since heraldedanother headache - one with a lessstraightforward solution - foxes.

The drainage pipes, laid at 5mcentres, have proved too temptingfor the local foxes, who revel indigging down into the sand-filledchannels and, as such, wreak havocon the pitch on an almost dailybasis.

“I can’t remember a day when Ihaven't turned up to work to finddeep holes in the ground,”explains Colin. “They’re a realnuisance, but we’re limited withwhat we can do, as we’re in aresidential area and, even if you domove them along, another familywill soon take their place.”

I’d seen a similar problem atfellow Londoners Crystal Palace,which used an electric fence toward off the troublesome animals.For Colin though, other than usinga cage to try and catch them, he’sresigned to just deal with theirwork and accept that they are partand parcel of an inner-city club.

The move from purely natural toFibresand not only signalled thebeginning of Colin’s experience ofthe hybrid surface but also markedthe start of the club’s partnershipwith Premier Pitches - a firm thatsupply some 50% of all PremierLeague surfaces - and who carryout the annual pitch renovationwork at Brisbane Lane, nowlooming large.

“The work will begin threeweeks after the end of the season,once the corporate commitmentshave been met,” says Colin. Whilemany might grumble about thepitch being used after the season,and that it eats into the time theyneed to renovate it, he is moreaccepting and understands thefinancial needs of clubs likeOrient.

“Since Barry Hearn took over,the financial footing has been verysolid and he’s always looking forways to increase revenue - theinclusion of a polyclinic medicalcentre in the third tier of the mainWest stand is a good example - soit has to be applauded. On theother hand, he understands thatthe football comes first, so we haveample time to prepare for the startof the new season.”

The renovation kicks off withfull koroing off to clean up thesurface and rid it of any debrisbuilt up over the season. Colinrecycles the top layer, this year itwill be used at Orient’s newtraining ground in Chigwell. Some

60 tonnes of the sand/soilFibresand mixture, supplied byMansfield Sands, is then laid,followed by a secondarycultivation, consolidation andproduction of the seed bed.Finally, the new pitch is oversownwith a Limagrain MM60 mix at40g/5m2 using a Blec Turf Makerand dimple seeder, after whichPremier Pitches hand backresponsibility to Colin in time forthe new season.

“For me, consistency isimportant, so if I know a productworks, or a company alwaysdelivers the goods, I’ll stick withthem. I know I can leave PremierPitches to do their job withoutlooking over their shoulder,leaving me to do mine.”

The move to the new surfacealso brought with it new challengesfor Colin, who had to makeadjustments to his normalprogramme to accommodate thefaster draining pitch construction.

“Fibresand pitches leechfertiliser faster than purely grass,so more nutrient supplements areneeded, especially as we sufferfrom low light levels anyway,”Colin explains.

“We’re using more liquid feedsnow, alongside Rigby Taylor’sMascot Delta Range and Scottsgranular fertilisers. I’ve alwaysfound that no one brand ever doesit all, so I like to always be on thelookout for products that suit ourchanging environment.”

“The only product I consistentlyuse is a granular feed in the earlyseason, which always goes downwell, promotes strong root growthand delivers the colour andhealthy look I want for the newseason.”

Controversy over the OlympicStadium and doubts over the long-term future of the club may, on theface of it, look like a troubled roadahead. Yet, the reality is, in fact,quite the contrary, as the clubcontinues to push for promotion tothe Championship and is set tounveil some additions and plans toextend their home ground further.

The beginning of the 2011-12season will see the club move totheir newly acquired trainingground at Chigwell School, whichwill give them more pitch spaceand allow Colin to lay goodfoundations for a training groundthat will match the home pitch inquality, and allow him tostrengthen his ties with Darren’sSpurs team who are now basedonly a kick away.

For the club, plans laid toreplace the oldest stand with a newdouble-tierdevelopment,increasing capacityand, hopefully,building on the fan

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Ireceived a phone call from DanDuffy, the Head Groundsman at theLiberty Stadium, inviting me toattend Swansea City’s final match ofthe season against Sheffield United,

and to see, first hand, how thegroundcare team go about preparing formatch days. My previous visit was backin 2005, to report on the developmentand construction of the then brand newstadium, home to both Swansea City FCand the Ospreys rugby team.

Some six years later, Dan is still incharge of the pitch, and has also beennationally recognised for his hard workand dedication in producing one of thebest playing surfaces in the country -Championship Groundsman of the Year2008/09, Professional Groundsman ofthe Year 2008/09, SportsturfManagement Team of the Year 2009 anda finalist in the Groundsman’sGroundsman of the Year 2010.

Over the years, he has built up a greatrelationship with fellow professionalgroundsmen, particularly Dean Gilasbey

who, at one point, was his assistant atthe Liberty Stadium, before moving onto take up the post of Head Groundsmanat the brand new Llanelli ScarletsStadium.

He has always been keen to pass onhis knowledge and expertise to all thestaff that have helped him, however, intypical Australian fashion, he does notsuffer fools gladly and expects very highstandards of workmanship.

The pitch at the Liberty is a Dessoconstruction. Drainage consists of aprimary grid system with 110mmdiameter pipes set at six metre centres,overlaid with a 10mm gravel carpet,topped with a blinding layer of 6mmgravel. Over 5,000 tonnes of laboratorytested materials were laid to constructthe pitch, consisting of a fullyengineered gravel raft with a 90/10 on-site prepared sand and soil profile forthe upper rootzone before being sewnwith the Desso Grassmaster fibres.

The pitch also has undersoil heatingto help ensure it remains playable

during periods of heavy frost and, likemany clubs, it became a godsend duringthe bleak winter weather in December/January, ensuring no games were lost.

In times of frost, Dan will drain downthe irrigation as a precautionarymeasure, to ensure he does not lose theuse of the system. The combination ofusing a lighting rig and undersoilheating can dry out the pitchsignificantly, so it is essential to havewater available.

“The challenges seem to be everincreasing, season after season. There’salways something new to bother us. “Notwo seasons are ever the same; the microclimate in the stadium presents its ownset of challenges, along with thechanging weather fronts.” Swansea isreckoned to be one of the wettest citiesin the UK, with an average rainfall ofover 1,000mm.

“Temperature fluctuations are also achallenge; the pitch can become quiteshaded in the winter months withtemperature difference as much as 7°C

Dan Duffy, Head Groundsman at theLiberty Stadium in Swansea, isrenowned for his early starts, as oureditor found out to his cost!

On thenightshift ...

“The challenges seem to beever increasing, season

after season. There’s alwayssomething new to bother us”

Dan Duffy, Head Groundsman, Liberty Stadium

from inside air temperature to thatoutside. We acquired one set of lightingrigs that we use on areas of the pitchthat are most prone to the elements, andhigh wear areas between the football andrugby. They are rotated around thesethree areas; forty eight hours in eacharea. The rigs are only used in thesethree high wear areas covering only 16%of the pitch. If we had access to morelights, we could achieve more.”

“The biggest wear comes from therugby games, particularly around thescrummage, ruck, mauling and line outareas. It is common for the referee to re-set a scrummage several times over thesame spot - over 800 kilos of musclepushing down on the same piece of turf!You can also bank on this happening alot around the centre spot and strategicscrum five areas.”

On arriving at the stadium on theFriday (6th May), a day before thematch, I was met by Dan and introducedto two of his staff, who were busymowing the pitch, east to west, using

their Dennis G860s. Dan’s assistant is Dan Kirton, who

came to the club last November, afterreturning from a sabbatical travellingaround the world. He is veryexperienced in pitch management,having previously worked for six yearsat Chelsea’s Cobham training ground.

Ben Arthure is employed two days aweek. He is a relative latecomer to theindustry, having previously worked inthe steel industry upper management forthirty one years, retiring in 2009. Heretrained in land based NPTC coursesin tractor driving and machineryoperations, safe operation of a chainsawand the PA1, 2 and 6 sprayingcertificates. He also has two NVQ level3s in Operations Management and hasjust completed Sports Turf and AmenityHorticulture.

He started working at the LibertyStadium on a part time basis two yearsago, helping with mowing, along withother tasks such as aerating, markingand fertilising the pitch. He also helps

look after the machinery. He says helearned so much in the time he has beenthere, stating that Dan “always explainshis decisions, so you really feel part ofthe decision making process during dayto day operations at the stadium.”

Ben is really enjoying his new outdoorlife and has vowed never to work insideagain. When not working at the stadium,He is actively volunteering his servicesat the Swansea Civil Service CricketClub.

Whilst on the subject of staff, Dan hasalso trained up another member of theteam, Anthony Harry who, for the lastfive years, has come in to help out onmatch days. Anthony is employed as agroundsman at Pencoed College lookingafter several winter games pitches. Here,he has attained various certificates and,was a finalist in the Young Groundsmanof the Year.

Dan’s working hours are legendary atthe club - the amount of hours he does isstaggering - eighteen hour days can bethe norm when preparing and repairing

the pitch for matches. So much so that hehas become quite nocturnal, often startingin the wee small hours of the morning.“After Dean moved on to the new Scarletsstadium in May 2008, I basically had nofull time, experienced assistant or staffuntil Dan started in September 2010. So Ihad to approach the job as a one manband, particularly on match days. Icoudn’t afford to lose time to any matchday nigggles, and I got into the habit ofallowing for more hours, just in case. Nottaking anything away from my staff, whoare hard working, totally dedicated andgreat guys. We always have a great laughin each others company, that’s why we allenjoy it so much.”

And woe betide anybody who goes onthe pitch without first asking! Dan likes tokeep as much activity off the pitch aspossible.

With both Swansea City and theOspreys utilising the facilities, a busymatch schedule is inevitable; this year, todate, Dan and his staff have hosted overforty-two games and numerous trainingsessions. “Although our game numbersare down this season, we had anincredible eighteen weeks from midNovember through to mid March -twenty-two games in total - some back toback - plus six rugby training sessions andmore kicking sessions. It took its toll onus! Dan described it as intense, I sayrelentless! But, whether this is good orbad, we did have a tired looking pitch forthe South Wales derby against Cardiff inearly February which, to me, was a shame.The guys worked tirelessly and we allpulled together, which proves to me thatthis is the best groundstaff team in thecountry. I love these guys!”

During the course of the season, theyalso get a number of back to back games;football on Saturday and rugby onSunday, so pitch changeovers have to bequick. Football posts are taken down andrugby posts erected as soon as the footballmatch is finished. The pitch is divoted,cleaned up using the pedestrian rotariesand re-cut and marked for rugby. Footballpitch lines are greened out, while all therugby lines are marked with lowconcentrate white paint, making it easy toremove after games. The staff use transferwheel line markers and string out forevery line. For both rugby and footballlines it usually takes about an hour andhalf to mark out.

I have to say that the pitch was inexcellent condition for the time of theyear, with no visible wear in either of thegoalmouths. This is mainly due to Dan’smanagement of the pitch and his controlof the teams’ training and warm uprequirements. He is very strict about whatclubs can and cannot do, following the FAguidelines and policies rigorously. Forexample, he puts out temporary goals forgoalkeeping warm ups and, whilstallowing crosses into the maingoalmouths, he disallows direct shooting.

The pitch is mown daily throughout thegrowing season, using a combination ofmowing techniques. This generally centresaround the use of pedestrian rotaries - hehas both Honda and John Deere mowers -Dennis 36” cylinder cassette mowers anda Toro triple mower.

Occasionally, he will cut the pitch threetimes on the day of the match,maintaining a height of cut of 24.5mm.

Dan has now got his pitch managementto near perfection, which always starts

with a thorough renovation in June,usually straight after the last concert - thestadium usually hosts two or three peryear. Dan has perfected a regime toensure he has adequate time to get thepitch back up and running in time for thenew season.

Two to three weeks before the concertseason, he will gradually reduce theheight of cut on the pitch with the aim ofreducing the amount of vegetation. Forthe last remaining matches, that can be aslow as 19mm. Ensuring the plant isgrowing actively, Dan will apply a dose ofglyphosate to kill off the grass. It soondies off, and is ready to be covered overby the pitch protection systems that helpspread the weight of the stage andexpected spectator foot traffic.

“This year, the stadium hosted RodStewart on the 1st of June and JLS on the12th. As soon as the concerts are over andthe stage removed, Hewitts SportsturfContractors come in and renovate thepitch. Basically, the playing surface isscarified with specialist equipment toremove all surface debris, which exposesthe Desso fibres. It is then vertidrained torelieve compaction, topdressed with sandand overseeded with MM60 grass seed.The whole renovation process takes lessthan seven days, with grass germinatingwithin five.”

“It is then a case of feeding to get thegrass growing and starting the process ofmowing to help thicken the sward. Afternine to twelve days, the pitch will be cutusing Honda rotary mowers. From thenon, I use my ‘feel’ to decide what thepitch needs in terms of fertiliser inputsand other relevant concoctions. I’m notfrightened to try new products if I think

70

Ben Arthure, Dan Duffy and Dan Kirton Dan Duffy inspects the pitch - at 3.00am!

The two Dans mowing Mowing, marking out and watering

71

they can make a difference.” Feeding regimes involve some base N P

K, along with some additional additivessuch as seaweed extracts, biomass sugars,fulvic acids/trace elements and ironsupplements.

PrimoMaxx is also applied to aid theperformance of the sward, helpingmaintain colour/vigour and develop agood rooting system.

The stadium has a fully automated pop-up watering system in the pitch, plusstatics on hoses to ensure even watering.The system is radio controlled, whichenables Dan to water while he is outworking on the pitch. Water is applied tokeep the pitch stable, to benefit the grassand to help improve the speed of the ballduring play.

Like most modern sand based pitches,the Liberty has been prone to nematodedamage. Over the last few years, Dan,with the help of Dean Gilasbey fromLlanelli Scarlet’s, has been monitoring thepopulation thresholds of nematodes intheir pitches and has subsequentlymaintained a new regime to control them.“Dean has become a bit of an expert inthe life-cycle of nematodes,” says Dan,“He has been working closely with DrColin Fleming, and has even purchasedhis own powerful microscope to helpidentify different types, monitoring theiractivity through the taking of regular soilsamples.”

Dan and Dean are both currently tryinga new formulation of nematodesuppressant which, to date, has been verysuccessful. The combination of goodfeeding regimes, pitch maintenance andregular doses of this new formulation hasreduced nematode populations

dramatically, to such a degree they arewell below damage thresholds.

Dan’s philosophy is to be totally drivenin producing a good pitch, which takes alot of time and dedication. “No twopitches are the same and there is no setagenda,” explains Dan. “It is a case ofgetting to know your pitch and having asixth sense about its needs andrequirements. Feeding regimes aretailored around these requirements - notcutting off too much leaf at certain timesand being preventative with certainproducts. For example, Leaf Spot, atcertain times of the year, can be fed out -why knock the whole plant with afungicide when other options areavailable?”

By the time we had finished chatting, itwas time to get something to eat, we wereboth staying at the stadium, ready for oneof Dan’s notorious early starts!

We even had time to go and see DeanGilasbey at the Scarlet’s stadium, sometwenty minutes from the Liberty. Therewas an evening game on with LlanelliScarlet’s playing Cardiff Blues; a big localderby with a play off position at stake.

As soon as we arrived, Dean came tothe gates to let us in and we made ourway to his office. We got chatting abouthis war on nematodes, with Dean showingme some active nematodes on soilsamples taken that day. At half time wewent out on to the pitch to help put somedivots back, and then bade our farewellsand headed back to the Liberty.

After a quick bite to eat at theHarvester pub next to the stadium, wemade our way back to Dan’s office for abit of a guitar session and a few morebeers. This was to be my room for the

night, while Dan got his head down inanother office. We eventually retiredaround midnight to get some muchneeded rest, before our early start, set for3.00am!

Match Day Pitch Preparation

I was awoken by Dan coming into theoffice and, within ten minutes, we wereboth out on the pitch. This was quite aneerie experience as the pitch was lit up byone set of floodlights to allow us to seewhat we were doing. The pitch hadreceived 2.5mm of rain and the airtemperature, when we started, was 7°C .

I started rattling off some pictures tocapture the moment - I took over 500pictures over the course of the day!Perhaps in an attempt to make me putdown my camera, Dan asked if I would bekeen to help mow the pitch and, notwanting to let Dan down (but feelingrather rusty), I agreed to have a go. Danset up the stripes and I followed. The firstfew runs were quite testing - the nap onthe sward was quite fierce, tugging at themower - it was a case of putting enoughpressure on the mower to keep it straight.Cutting height was set at 22.5mm. Why22.5? As Dan says, “It’s not 22mm, andit’s not 23mm!”

Dan uses turning boards to preventexcess damage to the pitch, moving themup and along as they go.

I did offer to stop mowing if Danthought I was below his standards, but hewas happy to let me continue. I felt veryproud to be mowing his pitch. It wascertainly a first for me - not many peoplecan say they have mown a football pitch at3.00am in the morning!

We had nearly finished the first cut

... and immediately begins mowing ... with some assistance!

Goal posts are put up ... and the crowd starts to build as the teams warm up

72

when Dan Kirton appeared at around5.30am. Dan took over from me and theyproceeded to finish the first cut. After aquick break, a re-fuel and a check of thecylinders, both Dans carried out thesecond cut across the pitch.

They started on the south side andworked their way up the pitch. At varioustimes, Dan K would stop and beginmarking, stringing out the lines beforeusing the transfer wheel line marker,marking in two directions. The weatherforecast was for some showers during theday, however at 7.30am Dan decided heneeded to apply some water, putting onabout 2mm. It was a simple task of usingthe hand held radio and dialling in theallotted time for each pop up to come on.It was quite a sight to see a pitch beingwatered, marked and mown at the sametime.

Once the bands were completed, Danproceeded to get the Toro Triple andbegan mowing the perimeter of the pitch.

It was now 10.00am and it was left toDan K, now with the help of Anthony, tofinish marking the pitch. It was then acase of putting the main goals up andsetting the nets, placing the portablegoals into position and putting the cornerflags out.

All the work was completed by 11.00am.Dan likes to give himself plenty of time tochill out and make final preparationsready for the match. There are a fewofficial duties to undertake, such asmeeting various officials, taking downsome pitch barriers and seeing to otherlittle jobs before the match starts.

It was at this point that the StadiumManager, Andrew Davies, came across andintroduced himself to me. He was keen to

praise his hardworking groundstaff,stating what a great job they had done allseason. He said that he and Dan had builtup a great working relationship, whichwas the key to the smooth running of thestadium. He is so confident in Dan’sability that he very rarely gets involved.

By this time, many of the stewards werenow on site and in position having hadtheir briefings.

Kick off was at 12.45pm, so it wassimply a case of waiting for the teams tocome out for their warm ups. As soon asthey do, both Dans make a point ofreminding the coaches of the warm upregulations. In the main, most teams keepto the rules - any that don’t, have Dan toanswer to!

As soon as the players left the pitch,Dan and his team quickly went back out,removed the portable goals, inspected the

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One of the security lads helps remove the portable goals The game kicks off

73

pitch and divoted where necessary. Thepitch showed very little damage from thewarm ups.

With less than ten minutes to go beforekick off, Dan decided to apply some morewater to the pitch to make it slick and fastand, within minutes, it was watered.

It was now a case of going back to ourseats in the stand and enjoying the firsthalf.

At half time, we were back out on thepitch to repair divots. Again, Dan chose torun another cycle of watering to helpmaintain surface playability.

With the second half under way, Danbriefs his staff that there may be a pitchinvasion, so we needed to be preparedand get the posts down as quickly aspossible once the game had finished.More goals scored in front of a great,noisy crowd of 17,584, with the final

score, 4-0.As soon as the whistle blew, we were in

position, with both sets of goals down andcorner flags secured within five minutes.Although some of the crowd did get ontothe pitch, they were soon ushered off bythe stewards, much to Dan’s relief.

Game over, a long rewarding day for allconcerned. We made our way back to theoffice to reflect on the day, while I waitedfor the crowds to die down before makingmy four hour drive back home.

I would like to take this opportunity tothank Dan and his dedicated staff forputting up with me; it was anotheropportunity for me to promote the hardwork and sheer effort it takes to produce aplaying surface for professional football. Itgoes without saying that the rewards comewhen you put the effort in, and Dan andhis team have set themselves very high

standards. The team, however, are stillkeen to improve the pitch - having morelighting rigs would definitely help but, atthe end of the day, all groundsmen aregoverned by the resources and budgetsavailable.

Whatever level we find ourselvesworking; you can achieve immense resultswith the right attitude, knowledge,dedication and commitment. Dan Duffyand his team have proven this by whatthey have achieved at the LibertyStadium. Their pitch must be one of thebest around, and I cancertainly vouch for it myself.I saw at first hand the levelof work put in and theattention to detail Danadheres to. He and his staffare a true credit to ourindustry.

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Half time divoting A job well done

The last nine months have seen afull-blooded renaissance forprofessional football in theSouth-East of England. RuralSussex has enjoyed few successes

throughout the history of sport, with onlyBrighton & Hove Albion fighting toretain the county’s footballing pride.

Until recently, it looked like Sussexwould lose even that representative, asBrighton battled for survival inEngland’s lowest professional division.

Times change though and the 2010/11season has signalled a new era for Sussexclubs as, for the first time ever, thanks toa double promotion, the county will nowhave two teams battling it out in theFootball League.

The recent successes of Brighton arewell documented, thanks to a move to acutting edge new stadium in the heart ofthe South Downs at Falmer, themanagerial skills of former Chelseafavourite, Gus Poyet, and a healthybudget all playing a role in theirpromotion from nPower League 1.

Yet, some thirty miles away up the A23

in the county’s second largest urbancentre, Crawley, the town’s football club -the once lowly Crawley Town FC -catapulted itself spectacularly into theFootball League, with a runaway title winin the Blue Square Bet Premier division.This after a jet-propelled climb throughthe lower echelons of semi-professionalfootball to the climax that saw them topthe league and rack up over 100 pointsin the season just finished.

Crawley Town’s swelling fan base wasprobably pinching itself throughout lastseason, as they not only saw their sidedominate their league but also witnesseda fairytale run in the FA Cup as theydisposed of nPower Championship’sDerby County, then nPower League 2Torquay United, to reach the 5th round,where they faced mighty ManchesterUnited at Old Trafford - a fixture thatdrew support from over 9,000 travellingaway fans. The fact that Crawley’s RedDevils only succumbed to the champions1-0 at the Stadium of Dreams hasprompted many commentators to tipthem for promotion next season too.

A move into the Football League not

only requires big adjustments from theplayers and management, but also bringsnew responsibilities and an expectationfrom club and supporters to deliver thestandards expected in the professionalleagues.

Crawley’s home ground - theBroadfield Stadium - was one of the mostsought after in the Conference, and islikely to be equally as popular in LeagueTwo with plans to further extend theground to seat over 6,000 spectators,more than doubling its current capacity.

Moving from their original home atTown Mead in 1997, Crawley Townrelocated to the council-owned stadium,a site that better suited their ambitions,with the scope for continueddevelopment if the club were to progressfurther.

Immediately after securing promotionthis year, the club was on the hunt,sourcing a turfcare professional to takepermanent charge of what is, arguably,the most important element of anystadium - the pitch.

FA rules state that, with promotion,must come a full-time groundsman, so

The other Red Devils,Crawley Town, are newlypromoted to the FootballLeague and planning torise far further. In thisexclusive interview, TomJames caught up withtheir new headgroundsman just afterhis appointment

A Devil’s Own

74

Crawley were keen to recruit someone withthe drive, enthusiasm and talent to carryout the full-time duties of an ambitiousclub.

Experience of professional footballgroundsmanship was not a must-haverequirement for Crawley, but would be auseful asset for anyone applying for therole.

So, when a man who had been involvedwith the industry since he was eight appliedfor the job, the club knew they could stopsearching. Learning the ropes from hisstadium manager father, 25 year-old BenHarwood is the man in question and waspicked from the list of applicants aftersuitably impressing the management.

“A friend of mine in the trade informedme of the vacancy at Crawley Town, andsuggested I go for it as he knew my passionhad always rested in professional football,”explains Ben.

“I trialled with the club for two weeksand, to my knowledge, was the onlyapplicant that they asked back, which musthave been testament to my abilities andexperience,” he adds.

Ben joins Crawley from greenkeeping

Job!“It was useful to takeformal qualificationsbut, for me, nothingI’ve learned hasproved a substitutefor the knowledgegained fromcolleagues I’veworked with”

Ben Harwood, Head Groundsman, Crawley Town Football Club

duties at Worthing Golf Club in hishome town. It was during his timethere that he gained his TurfcareNVQ Level 2 and amassedvaluable experience of fine turfmaintenance, whichcomplemented his earlyknowledge of football.

Despite the big leap inresponsibilities, Ben is keenlyoptimistic about his newappointment and excited aboutworking in professional football.“I’ve had experience of thisindustry since I was very young,when I would go to work with myfather, who was stadium managerat the Goldstone Ground -Brighton & Hove Albion’s formerhome,” he reveals.

“I enjoyed my time at Worthing,and it was useful to take formalqualifications but, for me, nothingI’ve learned has proved asubstitute for the knowledgegained from colleagues I’veworked with and, ultimately,football had always been mycalling, so it was only a matter oftime before I looked for apermanent position in the sport.”

After leaving school, and with awealth of knowledge alreadyamassed from his dad, Ben landedhis first job with national firm,Sports Turf Contractors, where hehelped maintain pitches for thelikes of Watford FC and Queen’sPark Rangers FC.

At only 25, Ben is one of the

76

“I have to choose mymachines and productscarefully, based onwhat I think will bebest in the long termfor the surface andwhat is affordable”

77

youngest full-time professional footballgroundsman, yet handling the tasksalone has not fazed him, due in a largepart, he says, to the support andcommitment the club has already shownhim.

“There is a real commitment to aimhigh here, and the club makes no secretthat it wants to be pushing up theleagues in the coming few years, andpart of this plan is ensuring that thepitch is first class,” he explains.

“Financially, the club are in a goodposition and happy to invest in the toolsthat make my job easier. That’s not to saythat you can ever be wasteful. I have tochoose my machines and productscarefully, based on what I think will bebest in the long term for the surface andwhat is affordable,” Ben continues.

“So far, they’ve let me take the leadand allowed me to suggest what I think isneeded, which is invaluable if you’re newto the role, and it shows that there istrust and respect between us.”

While Crawley have only just enteredthe top leagues, in reality, the club hasbeen far removed from the ‘standard’non-league outfit since 2005, when alocal business, the SA Group, bought theclub and decided to take it full-time, withan eye on pushing towards the FootballLeague.

The next three years proved traumatic,however, and mounting financialdifficulties meant that, in 2008, the clubwere bought again to save it fromliquidation, this time by Prospect EstateHoldings Limited, who alleviated the

club of its financial worries and set inmotion a new plan to improve theirfortunes on and off the pitch.

Last year marked a fresh start, as co-owner Bruce Winfield announced thatthe club’s £1m debt had been clearedand that manager, Steve Evans, would begiven funds to assemble a squad capableof securing promotion to the FootballLeague.

It was in this year too that Crawleybroke Conference records for a player fee- an estimated £250,000 - a move thatbrought criticism from some quarters,but soon quashed them with theestimated £2m that the club amassedfrom their FA Cup run.

Crawley tasted the glitz and glamourthat top-flight football brings and ithopes to hit the heights again nextseason. For Ben though, there is littletime to rest as his work is already wellunderway. With end of season renovationalready completed, he soon turned toremedying some of the most pressingissues with the pitch.

“The first task for anyone coming intoa new job is to find out exactly whatyou’re working with and set out aprogramme of how to deal with it,” saysBen. “My immediate aim has been toprepare the pitch for the pre-seasonmatches in July so, by the first week inthe month, all the renovation will havebeen completed and the new surfaceready for play.”

The two biggest issues have beendrainage and compaction, says Ben,although he insists they should be

reasonably easy problems to solve in thelonger term. Prior to him joining, pitchmaintenance responsibilities lay withCrawley Borough Council, which hadcarried out the work since the clubmoved to Broadfield in 1997. Problemsof compaction had accumulated over theyears, therefore.

“The root of it was really due to a lackof aeration, which meant the soil hadcompacted and the water sat on top anddrained much slower than it should,”Ben explains. “The club’s drainagesystem is actually only a few years old,and is very good so, once the aerationprogramme is underway, we should befine.”

Root depth was another concern ofBen’s - it was too shallow for the kind ofintense action likely in the FootballLeague. “There isn’t enough under thesurface to see us through what may wellbe another harsh winter. I need to start aregular aeration programme as soon aspossible. Ben hopes to invest in a ToroProcore, or something similar, to carryout regular tining, which, weatherdepending, should set everything on theright track soon, so we can deal withpoor winter weather if it strikes.”

Ben clearly hails from a breed ofturfcare professionals who like to beconfident in knowing they can regularlytrawl the available products, services andsuppliers to ensure they buy exactly whatthey want, at the right price, while alsooutsourcing the larger jobs like sprayingand vertidraining when necessary.

“I haven’t yet found one manufacturer

www.trimaxmowers.comUnit 11B, Hill Farm Estate, Irthlingborough Road, Little AddingtonKettering, Northamptonshire, NN14 4AS, United KingdomPHONE: 01933 652235 EMAIL: info@trimaxmowers.co.uk

“No signifi cant differences in the cut quality in terms of shredding, rough cut edges or turf die back between the Merlin 320 rotary mower and the control (reel type) mower”.Mitchell, A. (2011). Trimax Merlin 320 Mower Trial. NZ Turf Management Journal, 26(2), 20-24.

78

that offers everything,” Ben states. “MyToro kit I have is excellent, but there areothers, like the Dennis pedestrian, thatalso deliver very good results - it alldepends what you’re wanting it for.”

The same’s true for seed andfertilisers. “I don’t swear by any onebrand, and I believe it is important toremain fresh and continue to explorewhat’s out there.”

”Seed wise, I am yet to discover whatperforms here, as works are only justfinishing now - only time will tell on thatfront,” Ben continues. “As far asoutsourcing is concerned, its clearlydifficult to justify capital expenditure onmachinery if it’s only going to be usedoccasionally. Therefore, we will continueto use outside contractors for certainoperations, such as spraying and verti-draining.”

For Ben, having fit for purposemachines will play a crucial role in himexecuting his plans. At present, his fleetis humble, with the Toro 2000 triplemower and Sisis pedestrian slitter hisonly two permanent machines on site.Yet, with a management committed toinvesting in grass roots, Ben has his eyeon a few that he feels would make his jobcomplete.

“Ideally, I’d like either a RansomesMastiff or a Dennis pedestrian mower.“Pedestrian mowers are much easier tomaintain and set up, and have thedouble benefit of giving a nicer, neaterfinish, and it means I don’t have to keepputting tyres over the pitch, as I docurrently with the Toro triple.”

The big business that is now footballmeans clubs have to make the most of alltheir assets - including the pitch and thestadium - to maximise revenue duringthe closed season. Attracting all mannerof events and friendlies may bolster clubcoffers, but the groundsman’s gripe isthat they can often mean there areextremely tight time margins to squeezein the vital post-season renovation.Luckily for Ben, this is not the case andhe has the luxury - at least this year - tocomplete the work in good time.

His duties at Broadfield Stadiumofficially kicked off on 1st May and,within six days, contractors R & K

Kensett had turned around therenovation and handed him back a pitchprimed for premier growth. Kensetts areno stranger to the ground, havingcompleted similar work for severalseasons, and are highly regarded by thelikes of club chief executive, AlanWilliams.

Day one began with a doublescarification of the surface to help dealwith the accumulation of thatch. Mondaysaw sixty tonnes of sand incorporated bymeans of sand slitting, followed, the nextday, by a three-way overseeding withfifteen bags of Masterline Pro 81 ryegrassmix.

On Wednesday, forty tonnes of 80:20topdressing was spread to allow for the12:4:4+2mg fertiliser to be applied onthe Thursday. “I wanted a medium tohigh rate nitrogen fertiliser to get a goodestablishment and colour when the seedgrows through,” explains Ben.

“We are expecting another drysummer, so I wanted to give the grass thebest chance possible. We do have a goodirrigation system, so I predict positiveresults. But, we all know you can’t beatnatural irrigation."

With work complete, the pitch was leftin Ben’s capable hands once more, readyto implement the changes he deemsnecessary to achieve the results the clubwant.

“I’m expecting to see some growthbetween ten and fourteen days, so I willbe topping and cutting in three to fourweeks’ time to encourage a good cover,”he adds. “Once the renovations havesettled in, I can start on my aerationprogramme, firstly addressing the rootproblems, which may turn out to be along-term task, depending on how deepthe roots develop with regular aerating,”

he continues.Ben plans to combine his remedial

work with regular soil sampling to ensurehe’s on track in correcting the currentproblems yet, for him, the likelihood isthat he will avoid employing anaggressive fertiliser programme.

“I’ve never been one for usingfertilisers to any great extent and preferto keep it as natural as possible, as Ibelieve that success lies in having soundfoundations, something I will be workingto achieve here.”

“The most I’ll be doing will be usingwetting agents over the summer if we dosuffer from drought again but, atpresent, that’s all I can foresee.Otherwise, I know what I need to do andhope to see some significantimprovements by the winter.”

Even though groundsmanship is aprofession renowned for length of serviceof its practitioners, Ben, at only twenty-five, has already amassed over seventeenyears of experience, so there could bedecades of service ahead for him still,especially given his ambitions to move onup with a club bent on making its markin the Football League.

Crawley Town and Ben appear aperfect match, as drive and the vision toprogress are qualities both have shown inspades. “Crawley is a great club to bepart of,” Ben concludes.

“The management has been extremelygood to me and I know, in only a shorttime here, that I’d like to progress withthem as far as I can, with thenPower Championship thekey target in the next fiveyears.”

On current evidence,that’s a five-year plan thatlooks likely to succeed.

“I don’t swear by any onebrand, and I believe it isimportant to remain freshand continue to explorewhat’s out there”

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In the last thirty years there hasbeen a huge influx of innovativenew machinery and equipment intoour industry, from a broadspectrum of suppliers. The range

and choice available now is staggeringcompared to when I started out back inthe mid 1970s.

Take golf as an example. When Iworked at Cocks Moors Woods GolfClub between 1975 and 1977 we onlyhad four pedestrian mowers - twoRansomes Auto Certes to mow thegreens and two Atco mowers for banksand tees. Fairways and rough were cutwith Lloyds gang mowers that weretowed by one old Ford tractor. We alsohad the ‘luxury’ of one Pattison spikerfor the greens and tees. There were noride-on triple mowers; unless we weregang mowing, we walked everywhere!

Compare that with what you expect tosee on a golf course these days.

Today, the amount of equipment inthe shed is astonishing. Clubs willgenerally have several greens mowers,

both pedestrian and triple, and oftenwith interchangeable cassette systems,specialist mowers for tees andapproaches, semi rough rotary mowersand fairway mowers that look likesomething out of Star Wars.

On top of that, there is now a vastrange of specialist machinery availableto undertake the most challenging ofjobs. The introducition of the Verti-drain deep tine, tractor mountedaerator led the revolution back in theearly 1980s and, by the mid 1990s,there was a wealth of new technologyand machinery available - laser guidedtrenching machines, new aerationtechnology, faster air injection tinemachines and deep drill and lineardecompaction practices. This promptedthe development of sand groovingmachines, the Graden scarifier and thedevelopment of better seeders, gradersand topdressers.

However, one of the most formidabledevelopments was the Koro FieldTopmaker, a fraise mower which

revolutionised the way sports pitcheswould be renovated. It was RichardCampey who saw the potential of thismachine and introduced it into the UKmarket.

The success of the Koro also enabledother opportunities to develop. Big rollturf harvesters were soon to follow,along with second and third generationvertidrain type machines from anumber of manufacturers.

However, the availability of such highend technology comes at a cost, withmany of these machines carrying asignificant price tag that not every clubcould afford.

Yet, there were a number of peoplewho did invest in this new technology,setting up specialist contractingservices offering complete end ofseason renovation packages, drainagework, new builds and reconstructionservices.

By the mid to late 1980s, many of thecontracting companies we use today hadestablished themselves in our ever

Laurence Gale MSc looks at the roleof the contractor in today’s highlycompetitive and ever changingmarketplace

High tec,high specand highexpectations

growing marketplace. However, it wasthe requirement to submit localauthority services to competitive tenderunder the Local Government Acts of1988 and 1992 - commonly known asCompulsory Competitive Tendering(CCT) - that helped drive this initiative.

This demand for contractual servicesled to a revolution in the way wemanaged facilities, I myself managedseveral large contracts for the MOD inthe late eighties, employing contractorsto undertake a wide rage of servicesand, again, whilst working for Telford& Wrekin Council also used contractorsto maintain our facilities.

There will be good and badexperiences and, even today, there are aminority who give contracting a badname. The trick is to vet and ensure thecontractor you employ has thenecessary skills, machinery andexperience to undertake the workrequired, whilst building up arelationship to ensure continuity ofwork standards.

This industry now has a wealth ofspecialist sports turf contractors whoare able to take on any type of work interms of new build, drainage,renovation and specialist maintenanceoperations.

The Landscape Drainage ContractorsAssociation have over eighty membercontractors who, over the years, havebeen responsible for looking after theneeds of hundreds of sports club, golfcourses and other sporting facilities.

The LDCA is a national standardsetting organisation - a tradeassociation of contractors,manufacturers and suppliers whoundertake to comply with recognisedstandards of workmanship andmaterials.

The association publishes technicalspecifications for field drainageschemes, pipeline reinstatement andguidelines for sportsturf drainageinstallation which set out the quality ofworkmanship and materials to be usedin drainage and water management

schemes. These standards arerecognised by industry bodies, and theLDCA Sportsturf Guidelines have beenadopted by Sport England and theFootball Foundation as the standard towhich funded sportsturf drainageschemes must be carried out.

An LDCA contractor undertakes towork to these specifications andguidelines and to the requirements ofthe LDCA Quality Assurance Scheme,which also covers the use of BritishStandard materials, liability insurance,health and safety legislation andprovision of a warranty with regard toworkmanship and materials.

During the coming months, Pitchcarewill catch up with a number of thesecompanies to see how they came intobeing and what changes they have hadto make to remain competitive in anever changing and demandingmarketplace.

We begin the series by talking to CarlPass of Premier Pitches, Paul Simpsonof Worth Draining and Marcus Young.

“Professional football pitchmanagement is no longer aboutproviding a surface which just hasto withstand the rigours of ninetyminutes of football; any leaguegroundsman will testify to this”

Carl Pass, Premier Pitches

PREMIER Pitches are a Sheffield basedcompany owned by Carl Pass. Hestarted the company thirteen years agowhen he saw the potential to put hisskills into good use helping renovateprofessional sport pitches. Previously,Carl was, for seventeen years, HeadGroundsman at Sheffield University,and it was here that he developed hisrenovation techniques.

In his latter years at the university,Carl also contracted out his labour andmachinery to help local clubs whilst, atthe same time, earning the universityadditional income and, of course, beganbuilding up a good customer base.

In 2001, he took the decision to leavethe university to set up his company toprovide a specialist end of seasonrenovation programme using the newand innovative Koro fraise mower,power harrows and sand spreaders,along with other more traditionalmachinery such as vertidrains andseeders.

He was soon plying his trade at manylocal football clubs, taking on their endof season renovations and offering a

comprehensive natural turf contractingservice ranging from full constructionto the highest specification, includingundersoil heating systems and growlights, to daily maintenance.

I met up with Carl on the site ofNewcastle United’s training ground atDarsley Park, Longbenton, where hewas busy constructing new MansfieldSand Fibrelastic pitches under thewatchful eye of Head Groundsman,Michael Curran.

“Professional football pitchmanagement is no longer aboutproviding a surface which just has towithstand the rigours of ninety minutesof football; any league groundsman willtestify to this,” says Carl.

“Groundsmen now have theadditional pressure of providing asurface that will be used for pre-matchwarm-ups, which can last up to thirtyminutes, half time activities, includingpenalty shootouts, marching bands,dancers and junior matches playedacross the pitch. Then there are thepost match warm-downs which oftenbecome full-blown training sessions for

squad players not involved in theninety minutes of action which has justunfolded.”

Success in European competitionsbrings additional burdens, as travellingteams have access to the match pitchfor training sessions on the day prior tothe tie being played. Other events, suchas music concerts, bring in muchneeded revenue to clubs who are in thebusiness of making money by what evermeans to support their main objective,which is to be successful on the pitch.

“All these activities are undertaken,often in stadiums which have eitherevolved into multi-use venues or, worsestill, have been designed with little orno thought to the well being of thepitch,” says Carl. “The consequence ofsuch relentless use is a degeneratingsurface suffering from compaction,poor drainage, little or no grass cover,uneven levels or a combination of thelot.”

“In the old days, it was a case ofkeeping the grass cover you had byscarifying it to remove debris,vertidraining it to put air back in the

Carl Pass can count fiftypercent of Premiershipclubs as his clients.Here, he talks to oureditor about how hebegan his business andthe learning curves thatthe industry keepsthrowing at him

The PassMaster!

84

Investment in machinery is ‘substantial’

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soil profile, topdressing to restore levelsand seeding to repopulate the sward.This practice does still go on for themajority of soil based pitches but, withthe introduction of the Desso system, andMansfield’s fibresand and fibrelasticpitches, that would simply not work,”says Carl. “In most modern stadiums,using one of these systems, we will fraiseoff the top 15-20mm, topdress with newmaterials, power harrow to mix andrestore levels and then overseed. Thiswould be classed as a straight end ofseason repair. Sometimes, however, morein depth work has to be undertaken.”

“Fibresand is not an easy material towork with,” says Carl, “and it was a steeplearning curve to understand how towork with it. Mansfield Sand were verysupportive and, in truth, we have learneda lot from each other whilst also building

up a good working relationship. It is notjust a case of turning up and ‘doing thejob’, it is very much about planning andlogistics. For example, a new pitchconstruction will require hundreds oftonnes of material to be imported andexported from site.

Last year, Premier Pitches had 50% ofthe Premier League teams as clients -Chelsea, Manchester United, NewcastleUnited, Stoke City, Sunderland,Birmingham City, West BromwichAlbion, Wolverhampton Wanderers,Fulham and West Ham United - andfitting in all their work can, occasionally,be a logistical nightmare.

“April, May and June are manicmonths for me and the team. We workvery long hours, seven days a week toensure the work is completed within,what is, a very narrow window of

opportunity. Invariably, we travel straightfrom one club to another, and we use ourown caravans for accommodation, whichenables the staff to remain on site toensure that no time is lost whilstensuring a security presence at all times.”

Carl has several crews out on the roadto enable him to undertake all this work.“It has taken several years to build up ahighly experienced team. All my seniorstaff come from a grounds managementor greenkeeping background and, assuch, the whole team are well informedand able to understand the needs of amodern sportsturf manager. I oversee allthe major contracts myself, which alsoaffords me the time to keep in closecontact with my clients.” Carl has workedhard to build up a great relationship withhis customers over the years, with theaim to retain continuity.

Undersoil heating has been installed ...

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With the development of Fibrelastic inrecent years, Carl had to perfect newmethods of handling it. “We had toredesign some of our machinery andequipment so the material would gothrough it, again working closely withMansfield Sand. I have also found thatworking with the weather is a key factor;there are critical times when water needsto be available to help work the materialdown. It’s all been part of the learningcurve, and we can now, typically,complete a renovation in seven to tendays.”

Investment in machinery to undertakeall this work is “substantial”, althoughCarl is reluctant to discuss figures. “Let’sjust say it is frightening!” he says. Hisfleet includes a large number of JohnDeere tractors to pull the variousimplements, and a huge transporter to

move machinery from one site toanother.

“Newcastle United have been excellentcustomers for the past four years,” saysCarl. “We installed the first fibrelasticpitch in the country at St. James’ Parkback in 2007, two at the training groundin 2008, and have been contracted tobuild a third for use by the first team. Itwill mirror the stadium pitch and alsohave undersoil heating to ensure itremains playable in the depths of winter,thereby reducing the need to train onthe stadium pitch.”

“The first task was to glyphosate(weedkill) the existing vegetation,allowing ten days for the grass to die,before beginning the job of removing thetop 15-20mm of the pitch, powerharrowing to restore levels, adding newmaterials and overseeding,” explains

Carl.To help make the job of installing the

undersoil heating pipes easier, Carlmade the decision to shockwave the pitchto a depth of 350mm to help reduce thedrag on the mole plough used to installthem. “I employed the services ofanother contractor, Ken Pryor & Sons,who specialise in the installation ofundersoil heating systems. Ken and Ihave worked on many pitches together.”

“Around three hundred 25mmdiameter pipes were installed the fulllength of the pitch, dragging in threepipes at a time. They were laid to adepth of 250mm and 250mm apart. Assoon as they were installed and pressuretested, we were then able to complete thenecessary work to complete the pitch.”

“The pitch already had a fullyautomated pop up irrigation system

... with pipes dragged in three at a time Michael Curran and Carl Pass inspect the work to date

NEWCASTLE United has eight groundstaff.The decision to add undersoil heating onthe new training pitch was brought aboutbecause of the extremely bad weatherexperienced between November 2010 andthe end of January 2011. Andy Tulley isresponsible for the pitch at St James’ Parkand Mick Curran is responsible for thetraining pitches and Academy. Mickcomments, “In 25 years I have neverknown the snow and cold to be so bad andso persistent. At one stage we had nearly12 foot of snow cleared at the side of thetraining pitches.”

Newcastle United were the first footballclub to install a fibrelastic pitch in the UK,closely followed by Bristol City. Thedecision was made following a review ofdata derived from a thorough producttesting programme carried out by theSports Turf Research Institute (STRI) atBingley, West Yorkshire. Newcastle’sprimary concern has always been thewellbeing of its players, of which theplaying surface has arguably the biggestimpact. Fibrelastic was developed to offera softer playing surface for players alongwith all other characteristics of reinforcedsand dominant rootzone pitches.

As well as being popular with players,Fibrelastic is also groundsman friendly. Ithas the drainage characteristics of a sanddominant pitch, with the ‘give’ of a soil

pitch, yet the fibres provide an intricatemesh in which to support the grass roots.It is also easy to repair post match.Newcastle use a team of seven men,following a block pattern putting back anyscars or divot which may have occurredafter a match. On most occasions theteam will also use two rotary mowers toclear any remaining debris.

After this, the pitch will be watered andthe SGL lighting rigs will be brought in. Onmost days stadium grow lights will beused for 3 to 4 hours because much of thepitch does not get much natural light.

The maintenance regime prior to amatch involves a cut on the day of thegame during the growing season. Duringthe optimal growing season, between Apriland June, the team will cut three timesper week. The optimal height for the grassis 25mm. For the match finish, two 26”Matador cylinder mowers are used. Withregards to irrigation, not much is usuallyrequired in winter; however Fibrelastic,along with other sand dominant rootzonepitches, does play better when the surfaceis wet. That is why, on match days, thepitch is always irrigated heavily. The pitchis aerated with a Toro Pro Core pedestriansolid tine aerator roughly once a month,fixtures permitting, fitted with 8mm tinesat 100mm depth.

The maintenance regime at the training

pitches is slightly different because theyare used six or seven days a week fromJuly to the end of the season, for roughlythree hours a day. The current fibrelasticpitches are reserved for the first team. Thereserves play on the soil pitches. Thepitches are verti-drained once a monthwith half inch tines at three inch centres.

The training pitches are cut with a rotarymower after the Monday and Tuesdaysessions, followed by an additional cutwith a 36 inch cylinder mower once aweek in season. In early and late season,Mick uses a five unit Jacobson LF 3800cylinder mower.

The addition of a third Fibrelastic pitchwill mean that Mick can adopt a two yearplan with regard to renovation - everyother year a pitch will be fraise mown. Inthe year that a pitch is not being fraisemown, a full re-cultivation takes place. Atthe end of the season the pitch is strippedwith the Imants Field Topmaker and re-cultivated with a Kuhn power harrow. Anamount of fibrelastic rootzone will then beadded over the 17,500m2. It isameliorated using the power harrow andthen consolidated by ‘wheeling in’ before itis levelled with a BLEC rotary rake prior tooverseeding using 45 bags of R14 ESP - adisease resistant rye cultivar. The area isfertilised with a 10:15:10 fertiliser mix tohelp generate ideal soil conditions for

installed, all of which were markedand their position noted to ensurethey did not get damaged during thereconstruction.”

Once initial cultivation wascompleted, the new Fibrelasticrootzoone material was applied, inthis case over 350 tonnes, to replenishany material lost during the removalof the surface with the KoroTopMaker. “It is important to use ourspecially adapted RaycamSpeedresser, which is capable ofhandling this type of material withoutbridging or blocking as workprogresses.”

“The evenly spread material canthen be integrated into the topl00mm by further cultivation,normally with a rotary harrow,” saysCarl. “At this stage, visual inspection

will dictate how many passes with thecultivator is required to produce anevenly blended rootzone. The finalpass will be made and levels trimmedto be consistent with those of theoriginal construction.”

“Consolidation will be requirednext. This is a vital aspect of theworks and, as work progresses, it maybe necessary to irrigate at this stage tomaintain a degree of moisture in theimmediate surface, preventing theseparation of fibres. Fines in therootzone can also find their way ontothe surface as a dusty residue ifirrigation is not available, causingproblems later in the season byimpeding surface drainage.”

Fine finishing is a vital aspect ofachieving the end result. Carl hasperfected this operation and is

“All my senior staff come from agrounds management orgreenkeeping background and, assuch, the whole team are wellinformed and able to understandthe needs of a modern sportsturfmanager”

Newcastle United’s decision to install the first ever fibrelastic pitch in the UKwas based on an STRI testing programme. It is a decision they have notregretted, as it has proven player and groundstaff friendly

Newcastle going soft?

Close-uup of the fibrelastic surface

germination. Whilst the grass is growing, itis fed weekly for 3-4 weeks with a 12:0:9NPK mix. The pitch is watered daily - Mickadopts a ‘little but often’ approach.

First cut is usually after three weeks atsecond tiller stage. For the following threeweeks, only a rotary mower, set at 30mm,is used, while coverage is still sparse. Afterfour weeks a 36” Ransomes Mastifcylinder mower is used. Fertiliser is cutback to once every 3 weeks. Once thetraining pitches are used in earnest, Mickmoves the position of the pitches by 24feet to ensure grass depletion does notoccur in the usual trouble spots of thegoalmouths and centre.

At St James’ Park, the pitch is re-cultivated every year for optimalconditions and to add new gases into thesoil. Because the stadium is 271ft high onon two sides, and the other two sides are190ft, the stadium truly has its own micro-climate, with light and airflow being theprincipal aspects affected. Between

October and February, the pitch gets only5% natural light.

Premier Pitches has been Newcastle’spitch contractors for the past four seasonsand was involved in the selection of thefibrelastic pitch. General Manager,Jonathan Woolfall, comments, “We wereastonished to find that the drop tests forfibrelastic were the same, whether theirwas grass coverage or not; no other‘natural’ turf playing surface can offerthat. In areas where there is sparse grasscoverage, the soil tends to suffer fromcompaction, baking and water-logging. Afibrelastic surface is unaffected so, even ifthe pitch looks unsightly, the play isexactly the same and the ball even runstrue. Of course, in these days of hi-def and3D TV coverage, a pitch’s appearance canbe subject to a lot of media focus.”

Of course, the pitch at St James' Parkand the training pitches at Longbentonunderwent their harshest test yet over thewinter. The undersoil heating had to

remain on constantly at the stadiumbetween late November and February and,even then, the soil temperature never roseabove 5OC. The temperature within thestadium dropped to minus 14OC on anumber of occasions and there were stillice crystals on the leaf. The pitch had tohave the snow scraped off regularly whichobviously takes its toll on grass coverage.Prior to one match, stewards and cleanerswere called in early to assist thegroundstaff. Fifty staff were scraping thepitch at one stage. Andy recalls, “I had tobuy every ice scraper I could lay my handson. We now have 150 instead of our usualcomplement of 50.”

Despite these challenging conditions,not one fixture was lost and not onecomplaint was made by the players ormanagement, which is testament to thehard work of Newcastle’s grounds teamand to all those involved in taking thedecision to invest in the fibrelasticrootzone system.

confident of the final levels achieved.Once this operation is complete, it is acase of overseeding the pitch. Again,Carl has formulated a specific methodfor seeding and ensures the right amountof grass seed is applied per square metre.Usually two passes will be made with thistype of machine, but more may berequired if the groundsman or consultantdictate otherwise. Finally, the pitch is flatrolled to seal in the seed and producethe finished level.

The first stage of pitch preparation isthen complete. It is then up to thegroundsman to use his skill and therelevant technology available to him toproduce and maintain the new sward.

In total, over 350 tonnes of new

fibrelastic sand material was used toconstruct the new pitch, as well as 350tonnes of rootzone to renovate two soilbased pitches, with all the workcompleted in fourteen days.

Carl will continue to call in and seeMichael to keep an eye on the new pitch,and will be back again in June with hisdedicated team to undertake therefurbishment of the stadium pitch.

Premier Pitches have recently beenasked to renovate a number of pitches inEurope, and Carl sees this as a greatopportunity to build up new contacts andshowcase the skills he and his staff haveaccumulated over the past ten years.

Carl is quick to state that you are onlyas good as your last job, reputations can

soon be lost in the contracting world. Heand his staff have worked hard to perfecttheir techniques and are one of the mostexperienced contractors specialising inconstructing high spec football pitches,particularly the fibrelastic and fibresandpitch reinforcement systems.

It is not surprising that we in the UKhave some of the best sportsturfcontractors around who are respected fortheir endeavours, and long may itcontinue. However, a word of warning,these services do come at a price and,with the cost of materials and transportcurrently on the rise, it is important wecontinue to pay the going rate to supportthese dedicated practitioners.

The UK’s first ever Fibrelastic pitch Mowing the training pitches

Michael Curran Andy Tulley Jonathan Woolfall

Worth Draining was set up in 1984by Peter Bloodworth, who saw anopportunity to provide specialist

contract work to golf courses and sportsclubs. At the time, Peter was chairman ofStoke Rochester Golf Club, and was madeaware of the new developments inaeration machinery by Jim Arthur,renowned golf course agronomist, whohad come across a new concept in deepaeration - the Verti-Drain.

The Verti-Drain revolutionised turfcare,not only by penetrating deeper, but alsoby its manner of operation; the tines‘heave’ the soil as they leave the ground,shattering deep-rooted compaction. Thiscreates extra pore and air space, whichencourages drainage, healthy grassgrowth and beneficial microbial activity.Over the past quarter century, a completerange of Verti-Drains, and their clones,have been developed, includingpedestrian and tractor-towed versions,for turfcare professionals managing allkinds of facilities.

Worth Draining bought one of the veryearly production models, a Verti-Drain105145 (1.5m wide), which they used todecompact golf greens, football pitchesand other playing surfaces.

As with any new machinery, it was acase of trying it out and learning from

experience. And they had plenty of that- quite often they would find the machinebringing up large chunks of turf, andeven large stones. They soon realised thatworking with the weather, and having abetter understanding of the constructionand management of the site, helpedenormously.

They were also able to work closelywith the manufacturers, RedeximCharterhouse, to rectify any problemsand issues. Plenty of modifications weremade, which led to new models beingdesigned and built.

Paul Simpson, Worth Draining’scontracts manager, who has been with thecompany since 1987, has played animportant part in helping develop andimprove the Verti-Drain, and has,himself, overseen some modifications tothe company’s own Verti-Drain fleet tohelp them perform more smoothly.

Paul remembers the first time themachine was tried out on a cricket tableback in the mid 1980s, under theguidance of the then Oakham SchoolHead Groundsman, Keith Exton, whowanted to experiment with the newtechnology - a brave decision, but one hehas persevered with until this day. Keith,now Head Groundsman at GlamorganCCC, has perfected the use of deep solid

Our second article oncontractors featuresWorth Draining, whobegan trading overtwenty-five years ago.

Laurence Gale MSc talks to the company’sContracts Manager, Paul Simpson

Worth-while...

88

Paul Simpson

tine machines to help himproduce better quality crickettables.

Over the years, thecompany has built up a goodreputation for providingspecialist services; they have alarge fleet of equipment tocope with a wide range ofrenovation works on golfcourses, winter sports pitches(football/rugby) andracecourses. “The company’sreputation is only as good asyour last job,” says PaulMason. “It takes time to buildup a dedicated team of staffwho are prepared to worklong hours, something that ispar for the course incontracting.”

The company have justfour full time staff; PaulAtkinson, Phil Baxter, PhilTaylor and Paul himself.

“It is always nice to getregular and repeat business,”says Paul. “Not only does ithelp us to plan and manageour resources more efficiently,but is an endorsement of thequality of our work, After all,there’s plenty of competitionout there, should we ever getit wrong.”

“Most of our work iscentred on renovationprogrammes on golf courses

and racecourses; we currentlylook after over twenty racecourses, including Leicester,Warwick, Yarmouth,Huntington, Doncaster andHexham. We also offer asynthetic surface cleaningservice, using Horgermachines.”

“Most of our racecoursework is, as you mightimagine, centred ondecompaction work, usingour Verti-Drains,Wiedemanns and BlecGroundbreakers, which iscomplemented byoverseeding.”

The company has investedin an array of equipment,including:- Four Charterhouse Verti-

Drains - all 2.5m width- Two Weidenmann XF

machines (2m and 1.6mwidth )

- One WiedenmannTerraspike XF 1.6m

- Two Blec Groundbreakers(1.5m and 2.0 m)

- A range of seedingmachines

- Topdressing machines- Three John Deere Tractors

models: 6020 (75hp),5500(65hp), 4410 (37 hp)

89

WARWICK Racecourse has certainlyplayed its part in the history ofhorseracing - most notably when itbecame the first course to include ajump race in its programme,establishing National Hunt racing asit is known today.

Racing in Warwick can actually betraced back to as early as 1694, whenthe sport was introduced to themarket town in the hope of attractingwealthy professionals to help rebuildthe areas fortunes after a devastatingfire. The inaugural race at the coursewas held in 1707, but another 102years passed before the first stand wasopened, at a cost of £800, parts ofwhich remain today amongst the laterdevelopments.

The most famous name to grace thecourse was the legendary Red Rum,who ran once over the flat in 1967 -the same year that jockeys complainedthe track was the worst they had everseen, and called for racing to beabandoned after some horses sankinto the mud by over a foot!

Warwick hosts races all year round,with twenty-two fixtures under bothcodes of flat and jumps. The mostvaluable race run at Warwick is theTotesport Classic Chase, which is runon the second Saturday each Januaryover three miles and five furlongs,

The other main jumps feature is theKingmaker Novices Chase Day, afestival trial meeting that takes place

in February and provides excellentclues for the forthcoming Cheltenhamand Aintree festivals.

The Clerk of the Course is AndrewMorris, who is also in charge ofHuntingdon Racecourse. Thegroundstaff team at Warwick is led byHead Groundsman, Nick Edwards,who recently joined Warwick fromNewmarket Racecourse. He has fourassistants.

The racing surface is fifteenhectares with separate National Hunt(9 hectares) and flat tracks (6hectares), which are treated andsubjected to separate maintenanceregimes. The sward is a mixture ofryegrasses and meadow grass. Arecent visit from Steve Gingell fromthe STRI showed 70mm of sandimproved soils with firmer claysunderneath. The flat course has nodrainage and the National Huntcourse has only a small area ofdrainage located between the last twofences in the back straight.

Flat Course

The flat course is used between Apriland early October and, during 2011,will have thirteen fixtures on it. Inparticular, Warwick has a number offixtures in close proximity during Mayand again in June and July. Theregime is, therefore, based uponensuring the track looks at it best forthese fixtures.

- One Case 90 hp tractor. This equipment is transported using twoseventeen tonne articulated lorry/trailercombos, which are inspected and servicedevery six weeks. “One of the biggest costs forcontractors these days is haulage and fuelcosts,” explains Paul. “Rising fuel costs haveput a strain on all businesses involved intransport. At the end of the day we have topass these increases on to the customers but,in the present economic climate, whensecuring work is becoming harder, as there isfar more competition from other contractors,that is not as easy as it sounds. Also, manyclubs and courses are now buying their ownmachines, which also has an impact on ourbusiness.”

“One of the ways to reduce costs is to limitthe amount of travelling being done.However, there is only so much work in agiven area so, to remain in this line ofbusiness, we have to be flexible and beprepared to work anywhere.”

“Our guys usually stay on site until theyhave finished, at which point they load upand move on to the next job. The work isplanned so that, on the way to the next site,they can call back at the yard to get theequipment serviced and tines changed, sothey are ready to go again.”

“In our line of business, tines do not lastlong and, bearing in mind a 25mm diametertine costs around £18, with forty tines you arelooking at a bill of £600 plus per refit, permachine. It is, therefore, important that theykeep breakdowns to a minimum, and all thestaff have developed good mechanical skillsand can cope with most situations.”

“Keeping yourself competitive is becomingharder for most contractors - it really is acase of ensuring we deliver when given theopportunity,” says Paul. “However, it’s adelicate balancing act, as taking on too muchwork can be detrimental to the business aswell; the last thing we want to do is let ourcustomers down.”

“The weather is also a huge factor in thesuccess, or otherwise, of our schedule. But, inmy twenty-four years, I’ve seen it all -drought, floods, the lot! Nothing is new,although this year’s early drought conditionshave been challenging.”

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The Morr

Andrew Morris, Clerkof the Course atWarwick Racecourse,talks to our editor

Starting in early spring, the flat courseis harrowed to remove any dead grass orthatch build up - if needed, the pulledout material will be brushed andcollected. It is then overseeded using ahired Moores Uni-Drill with BarenbrugBar 7 seed. Worth Draining will thenvertidrain the entire course and, finally,it will be fertilised ready for the firstmeeting of the season.

Repairs will be carried out using a70:30 sand to Norfolk fen soil mixturesupplied by Banks Amenity.

The track is cut using the Hayter R314and, during spring and autumn, is cut at100mm. During the racing season this israised this to 120mm.

The track will be aerated during theseason every week using their own Verti-Drain 7212, SISIS Mega Slit or SGGAirone Aerator. In addition to this, thebend into the home straight is alwaysspiked with the Airone on the morningof racing. The running lines will also beoverseeded as required during thefixtures.

National Hunt Course

This course is raced on betweenNovember and March. As there is a verynarrow track by the end of the season,there is limited grass cover and a verycompacted soil profile. So, the firstobjective is to decompact and improvethis. This is done by ‘earthquaking’ thesoil, and then leaving it to crack with noirrigation added, which is found to allow

the clay soil to restructure. The track isoverseeded with Barenbrug Bar 7 andcut at 100mm for the spring, summerand autumn.

2010 Fertiliser programme:

Flat track:Mid March - 14:7:17 Entec Perfekt @25gsmLate April - 15:3:20 Blaukorn Premium@25gsmEarly June - 15:3:20 Blaukorn Premium@ 25 gsmMid August - 15:3:20 Blaukorn Premium@ 25gsm

National Hunt track:April - 6:9:6 Granular @ 20gsmMid August - 12:4:8 Rigby Taylor slowrelease granular @ 20gsmMid October - 15:3:20 BlaukornPremium @ 25gsmThe applications have been slightlyrevised for 2011 because, in 2010, 118kilogrammes of nitrogen per hectare wasapplied to the flat track, but only 71kilogrammes of nitrogen per hectare tothe National Hunt track, and this was feltto be too low. An additional applicationhas, therefore, been planned for thisseason.

Irrigation

This is carried out using a Briggs 30mboom. Warwick has its own reservoir, andan abstraction license to fill the reservoir

with water from the Gog Brook, whichruns alongside the outside back straightof the flat track. A new 5" ring main wasinstalled by D W Clarks in 2007 at a cost

in excess of £60,000. What’s in the Warwick shed?John Deere 5720 TractorDeutz Fahr Agroplus 85 TractorDeutz Fahr Agrokid 45 with front loaderKubota B2410 with mid-mountedcutting deckHayter R314 Batwing Rotary MowerCharterhouse 7212 Verti-DrainVotex front mounted 7ft rotary cuttingdecks x 2Einbock Grass HarrowsKubota brush and collecting unitSISIS Mega SlitSGG Airone Aerator with solid tinesCambridge Roller+ strimmers, blowers etc.

is Men!

Two of the biggest challenges facingcontractors are the ability to secureenough work to sustain the company

over a given period whilst, at the sametime, retaining reliable staff in acompetitive marketplace.

The days of securing long termcontracts have all but disappeared. Atbest, contracts are now reviewed bi-annually and, often, annually, and thereare no guarantees that any re-bid will besuccessful.

Local authorities and publicorganisations now have to demonstratethat they are spending their moneyefficiently. Not only do they requireguarantees and qualifications, but there isnow pressure on them to ‘take the lowestprice’ regardless of the consequences.

And, in a competitive marketplace,contractors’ clients are faced with makingcutbacks on services which, in turn, affectsthe value and, in many cases, the durationof the contract to be awarded. When I wasmanaging landscape contracts for theMinistry of Defence, three to five yearMeasured Term Contracts (MTC) wereawarded, that could be extended ifnecessary.

These longer term contract allowed a

contractor time to get to know the site andbuild up a working relationship with theclient, with the aim to continually improveservice provision over the course of thecontract period. It also enabled thecontractor the opportunity to train hisstaff and ensure they had continuity ofwork.

However, in more recent years, theindustry has seen the demise of MTCs,and contracts are now awarded over asmaller period of just one or two years.

In addition, the diversity of the workincluded in the contract has been reduced.Many have been reduced to merely grasscutting, pruning and ‘keep tidy’ regimes,with little or no additional workprogrammes being implemented.

Many contracts used to operate on an80/20 split, i.e. 80% of the contract wasongoing maintenance and the other 20%was for unforeseen or additional works.That is rarely the case anymore.

The sheer competitiveness of somecontractors has also caused problems forother contractors. How can they competewith larger multinational companies whoquite often put ridiculously low rates in todo the work which are, in most cases,subsidised by other parts of their business.

The nett result of taking the lowestquote is often, in my opinion, poorworkmanship. At the end of the day everycontractor, regardless of their size, hasoperational costs - staff, fuel, machineryand vehicles, along with company andpublic liability insurances, ongoingtraining etc., and, it goes without sayingthat, you get what you pay for!

In recent years, most public sectororganisations will require contractors tocomplete a long and detailed PreQualification Questionnaire (PQQ), fromwhich they shortlist contractors to submittenders.

PPQs require companies to produce awealth of information about theircompany and staff to provide evidencethat they are competent in all areas of thework they are tendering for, have fullytrained and qualified staff, certificates ofcompetence and achieved relevantaccreditation, all of which comes at a cost.By not complying, contractors will havelittle chance of securing the contract onoffer.

I recently caught up with onecontractors who had the misfortune tolose the chance to tender for work,because they could not supply the relevant

The ‘Young’

Marcus Young runs asmall contractingbusiness in MiltonKeynes. A recently lostcontract forced him toreview his workingpractices, especiallyindustry accreditations.Laurence Gale MScreports

Marcus Young runs asmall contractingbusiness in MiltonKeynes. A recently lostcontract forced him toreview his workingpractices, especiallyindustry accreditations.Laurence Gale MScreports

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information and accreditation.Marcus Young runs a

landscape groundsmaintenance company, notsurprisingly called MarcusYoung Landscapes. I first metMarcus a couple of years ago,and he was keen to explainhow not getting the chance totender for a large contractdrove him to undertakecomplete accreditation.

You only need to spend afew minutes with Marcus tounderstand that he is totallydriven by quality, and wants toprovide the best possibleservice with trained andmotivated staff.

Based in Milton Keynes,Marcus has built up a thrivingbusiness, servicing in theregion of one hundred sites.These include housingassociations, factory units,parish councils and schools,along with a number ofprivate properties. The workcentres around landscapemaintenance and tree work.

Therefore, all of Marcus’soperatives, including himself,are fully trained and have therelevant industry qualificationsto use various machinery andequipment - mowers, tractors,chainsaws, sprayingequipment and hand tools.

Marcus set up his companyin 1984. “It was not longbefore I began taking onadditional staff to cope withthe work, all the time stickingto my core values of providinga quality service with addedvalue.”

“The added value comes inthe form of additional servicesthat, in most cases. Things likesetting up gardening clubs,arranging trips to arboretums;that sort of thing.”

Marcus explains the reasonwhy he decided to attainaccreditation, even though hehas a relatively small company.

“We work closely and havelong-term contracts withhousing associations andparish councils, maintaining

Ones!“We may not winthe next tender,or the one afterthat, but we arefit to competewith much largercontractors now”

Marcus Young, Marcus Young Landscapes

their green spaces and landscaping. Thecrunch came when we failed to retain acontract worth £50,000 because we didn’thave the procedures in place to tick all theboxes in the PQQ,”

“The turning point was when I spoke tothe regional Business Link service, whoarranged a subsequent meeting with oneof their advisers. He helped me toappreciate that my business was good andstrong and my company ethos was sound.But, he also made me realise that I had tohave this recognised in a formal way.Without this formal recognition, I waslosing valuable points in the PQQprocess.”

“Business Link identified and helped usaccess a funding stream which part-fundeda consultant who worked with thecompany to completely overhaul ourprocedures and policies. In ten months,they rose to the huge challenge of gaining

three accreditations: BS EN ISO14001:2004 Environmental ManagementSystem, BS EN ISO 9001:2008 QualityManagement System and BS OHSAS18001:2007 Occupational Health andSafety Management System.”

“It was tough, really tough at times, andit gave me sleepless nights. But, I neverdoubted this was the right thing to do, forme, my family and our employees. And,all the time we were scrutinisingeverything we do, writing new policies andprocedures and going through training,we still had to keep the business runningefficiently.”

“We can now show we are responsiblecontractors with good quality systems. Wehave really strong foundations and we canbuild on those. The systems we have forrunning a company with six employeeswill work just as well if we win largercontracts and increase the workforce to

fifty.”“I will now approach PQQs with

confidence. We may not win the nexttender, or the one after that, but we are fitto compete with much larger contractorsnow.”

Marcus runs the company with his wifeSarah, and he was keen to take me out tomeet his staff and see the type of work heundertakes.

The company’s contracts manager isMichael Leathersich, who has been withthem for seven years and, like Marcus, hasobtained a Level 2 worked based diplomain Horticulture and Landscaping. With histhirst for knowledge Marcus has now goneon to study for his next challenge; anNVQ Level 4 in Amenity HorticultureManagement. All have the team have theappropriate training - chainsaw, PA1, PA6certificates - to enable them to tackle mostjobs.

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95

Our first site visit was to see one of thelatest contracts to be awarded - MiddletonPrimary School - that Marcus hopes tobring back to condition by correctlypruning the shrubs, more frequentmowing regimes and improving thepresentation of the sportsfields.

I was also taken to see some privateresidences, parish council sites and aspecial needs school for children, and itwas clear to see the attention to detailMarcus and his team concentrate on.“Often it is the little touches that make thedifference,” said Marcus.

“We also carry out tree surveys, and areable to undertake all the maintenanceneeds of small, semi mature trees - crownthining, lifting and shaping to help eachtree reach its potential.”

“I am convinced that the balance ofhaving good horticultural experience andknowledge, along with a creditable and

recognised code of conduct, is the makingof my company. The balance of having theright paper trails in place, training andother key indicator practices has been wellworth the hard work and expense.”

The company are inspected every sixmonths to ensure that the standards andprocedures of each of the threeaccreditations are still being met. “It’s noteverybody’s cup of tea,” stresses Marcus,“but, I honestly believe that, whilst we maynot have ‘enjoyed’ the experience, we areready to face any new challenges thatcontracting has to offer, with confidence.”

Marcus is also proud that his companyhas been recognised by receiving aCertificate of Achievement - in 2009 and2010 - from Chamber of CommerceBusiness Excellence Awards Milton Keynesunder the category Business of the Yearless than £1,000,000.

EDITOR’S FOOTNOTE: The essence of thisseries of articles is to highlight that ourindustry has stimulated the market forcontracting services, it follows that we shouldinvest our money in those who care and haveproved their credentials by delivering qualityservices. I see too many contractors getting abad name from a minority of poorcontractors who really should not be able totender for work in the first place.

All too often a client looks at the bottomline, or is promised standards that thecontractor simply cannot deliver. A betterunderstanding is required by the procuringofficers. In too many cases, local authorities,organisations and sports clubs do not havethe knowledge and understanding of thework they are asking for.

There is plenty to consider. However, thefirst call should be to invite the appropriatecontractors in the first place, and thenensure that they have the pedigree toperform.

DAKOTATOP-DRESSERSANDMATERIALHANDLERS

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Whatever the sporting activity,efficient drainage is essential tomaintain a good playing surface.

Loss of use, due to waterlogging or turfdamage, can result in a backlog of games,dissatisfied sportsmen, lost fixtures andeven serious financial losses.

An efficient drainage scheme willeliminate waterlogging, reducecompaction and allow easier maintenanceand more flexible management ofvaluable resources. Improved drainagewill result in improved soil structure anda better quality grass sward.

Design

Professional design and expertinstallation are regarded as equallyimportant factors in any successfuldrainage scheme.

The design of individual drainageschemes depends on the underlying soils,the site location, the sporting activity, theamount of usage and finance available.

Site investigations, includingtopographical and soil surveys, should beundertaken before design to permitaccurate assessment of drainage needsand problems.

The provision of a suitable outlet fordrainage water should be considered -this may be an existing land drain orwatercourse or, alternatively, anengineered soakaway or pump chambermay be an option. When dischargingdrainage water, permission from therelevant authority may need to be sought.

The minimum depth of cover on anypiped drain should be at least 450mm, toprotect the pipe from damage due tosurface traffic or maintenance operationssuch as deep spiking.

The use of permeable backfill is

essential in all sportsturf drainage, as thisprovides a free draining connection tothe drains. This should extendsufficiently near to the surface to ensureadequate water entry into the drains andintercept any secondary drainage.

Inspection chambers and silt trapsshould be incorporated into the schemeto allow for inspection and maintenance.

Drainage plans should clearly show thelocation of the drain runs, spacings,levels and other relevant informationnecessary for the correct installation.

Consideration should be given as towhether the soil arisings from the worksare to remain on site or be removed.

Materials

Plastic land drainage pipe shouldconform to BS4962. Purpose-madejunctions and connectors should alwaysbe used when joining pipes.

The choice of permeable backfill isimperative to the long term success ofthe drainage scheme as, by definition, itallows the passage of water from thesurface to the pipe. All backfill materialplaced over drains should be durable,evenly graded and free from pollutants.

All drainage outfalls into watercoursesshould incorporate suitable headwallsfitted with a vermin guard.

Workmanship

The professional installation of sportsturfdrainage systems involves the use ofspecialist plant and machinery, and it isimportant that all those involved are fullyequipped and experienced.

Best practice is to install sportsturfdrainage when soil conditions aresuitable. Impairment to the efficiency ofthe drainage, soil compaction, rutting

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The Land DrainageContractors Associationoffer some pointers intodrainage design,materials, workmanshipand its ongoingmaintenance

Trench campaign

WITH below average rainfall andabove average temperaturesalready this year, settlement ofdrainage trench lines could againbe a problem in 2011, as it waslast year. The early signs are that,if the current dry weathercontinues, soil shrinkage causingsettlement of drainage trenchlines on sports and amenity turf islikely to be a problem in someareas.

Operators of sports facilitiesshould be aware that the problemcan occur, especially on clay soilsites. This can affect new drainageinstallations and possibly existingones in severe drought conditions.Those having drainage installedshould ensure that remedialmeasures to cater for possibletrench settlement are agreed withthe drainage contractor inadvance. Those with an existingdrainage scheme should seekadvice on how best to minimisethe problem, if it occurs.

Prolonged periods of dryweather can result in aphenomenon associated with soilsof high plasticity and expansionrelated to moisture content.Shrinkage of such soils - due tosoil and ground moisture deficit -can result in subsidence ofbuildings, cracking of roads and, inrespect of trenching, settlement oftrench lines.

Settlement or cracking withintrench lines in agriculturalenvironments is not generally aproblem and, indeed, is consideredbeneficial to the restructuring ofconsolidated or compacted soils.

However, the leisure andamenity sector can suffer tovarying degrees and, in someextreme cases, sports turffacilities may be rendered nolonger fit for use due to the hazardcaused by cracking or settledtrench lines.

The clay soils of the British Islesretain soil moisture with greattenacity. Water will only be drainedfrom a soil once field capacity hasbeen achieved; the drainagescheme will remove surplus soilwater.

A sports turf facility equippedwith a drainage scheme willtypically have a network of mainsand lateral pipe work spaced atbetween 3 and 10 metre centres.The pipes are installed withinexcavated trenches and arebackfilled with aggregate. Tri-axialshrinkage of the clay soils leads toincreased trench widths allowingthe backfill materials to settle,causing depressions on the

surface.In addition to primary piped

systems, secondary slit systemsare often installed, offeringimproved surface drainagecharacteristics through eitherexcavated or injected gravel orsand slits.

Clay soil shrinkage promotesnatural cracking of the soils; thesecracks will take the line of leaststructural resistance - specificallytrench or slit lines. Exceptionallydry conditions can cause thedrying of soil profiles tounprecedented depths, with verylow soil moisture content atdepths exceeding 600mm.

The resultant soil shrinkage andcracking could generatesettlement of trench and slit lineson both newly installed and, moresurprisingly, existing establishedschemes which have beeninstalled for a number of years.Where trench or slit lines havegrassed over, this settlement canpresent an unseen hazard toplayers on sportsturf and to horseson equestrian facilities andracecourses.

Even in correctly installeddrainage schemes, somesettlement can occur naturally to agreater or lesser extent in mostyears. Once settlement hasoccurred, remediation measuresare limited to topping up. Onintensive schemes, general sandor rootzone topdressing may be anoption, but deep settlement willrequire specific application toindividual trench lines by means ofspecialist equipment operated byspecialist contractors.

Information on drainage and a listof contractors is available from theLand Drainage ContractorsAssociation website www.ldca.organd click on Members Directory.Email: secretary@ldca.org Web:www.ldca.org

Below average rainfall and aboveaverage temperatures could lead tothe settlement of trench lines, warnsthe LDCA

LDCA warns ofsettlement

and other soil or turfdamage may take place ifwork is carried out whenthere is a high water table,puddles or saturated soilconditions. All wheeledequipment should use lowground pressure tyres.

When draining throughexisting turf, every careshould be taken to preventcontamination of the surfacewith soil or backfillmaterials.

Excavation of thedrainage trench should becarried out using acontinuous chain trencherfitted with laser controlledgrading equipment and aspoil removal conveyor toprevent contaminating thesurface with subsoil.

Drainage pipe should belaid on a pre-formed trenchbed, and backfilled asspecified using machineryspecifically designed toplace backfill into the trenchwithout spillage of thebackfill onto the surface.

Secondary drainagetreatments

Secondary drainage, such assand slitting or banding,may be added to a primarypiped drainage system toincrease surface infiltrationand improve drainage of thesurface and upper part ofthe growing medium.

“Sand slitting” refers tonarrow trenches from which

the soil has been removed,usually 50mm wide and 200-300mm deep, partlybackfilled with gravel andtopped with sand.

Gravel or sand bandingrefers to where soil has beendisplaced by a knife or tineand a band of gravel orsand is placedsimultaneously.

Maintaining the drainage

Settlement of drain linesmay occur as a result ofdrier soil conditions and/orperiods of dry weather. Asthis would affect the playingsurface, it is important thattopping up is carried out asthis becomes apparent.

Following drainageoperations, regular sand topdressing of the surface isrecommended.

Surface compaction andsmearing, due to intensiveuse in wet weather,significantly reducesinfiltration and can causewaterlogging. Various typesof machines are available tointroduce tines into thesurface to relievecompaction in the surfaceand topsoil layers andrestore drainage infiltration.Information on drainage and alist of contractors is availablefrom the Land DrainageContractors Association websitewww.ldca.org and click onMembers Directory.Tel: 01327 263264 Email: secretary@ldca.org

Arundel Cricket Club is one of theoldest cricket clubs in Sussex,having been formed in 1702 onland donated by the then Duke ofNorfolk, with the proviso that the

land only be used for cricket.Those that know the area will be only too

aware of the imposing castle that dominatesthe town and overlooks a cricket oval, a SussexCCC outground where regular first class andhigh profile games are played. But, this is notthe home of Arundel Cricket Club, a clubwhich operates on a much tighter shoestringthan their illustrious near neighbours, albeitthat the current Duke of Norfolk is involvedwith both venues.

The club’s Waterwoods Plain ground sits justoff the A27, with imposing views over theSouth Downs. The club’s thatched pavilion,one of just a handful in West Sussex, recentlyplayed host to one of Pitchcare’s cricketgroundsmen’ training courses, led by MartinSampson, Head Groundsman at CardinalVaughan School. Sitting in on the course wasthe club’s volunteer groundsman, ChrisMarsden, and chairman cum groundsman,Chris Clynes. Both were keen to get furtherChris Clynes, Chairman and Groundsman, Arundel Cricket Club

“There is a subtle differencebetween a Type 42 Destroyer anda triple mower ...but we arelearning quickly!”

Two new volunteercricket groundsmen arelearning their skills withthe help of Pitchcaretraining courses and ‘onthe job’ experience.

The Club Chairman, ChrisClynes, explains all toour editor

New kids on the block ...knowledge of cricket groundmaintenance, and it is this inherententhusiasm that has seen the clubprogress in recent years. The club nowboasts three senior teams playing in boththe Sussex and West Sussex leagues, anda successful colts section with more thaneighty juniors from under 10s to under16s, all now playing in the top tier oftheir respective leagues.

In the mid 1970s, the club purchasedan additional parcel of land off the Duketo add a second oval to accommodate thegrowing number of teams. The originalsquare, used by the seniors, has fifteentracks, whilst the newer oval has a sixtrack square for use by the colts and thethird eleven development team.

Facilities also include electronic scoreboxes, two bay artificial practice nets andan artificial playing track.

The club was awarded ECB Clubmarkaccreditation in November 2010 and isworking towards Focus club accreditation.

Arundel Cricket Club is, like manyothers, heavily reliant on volunteers torun everything from the clubhouse bar to

the grounds themselves. There is anoverwhelming sense of ‘family’, evidentin the splendid array of home madecakes and savouries served up forconsumption by the course attendees.The whole club is immaculatelypresented and, during the training day,attendees had the opportunity to inspectthe squares and see some of theirmachinery in use.

Core samples were taken to show thedelegates what lay below the surface andhow certain physical properties caninfluence the performance of the square.Chris Clynes was keen to see the profileson the main square, which showed verylittle thatch, no layering or unsavourysmells and a good root depth.

I was keen to find out how the club wasbeing run and where they see its future,so I invited Chris Clynes to comment onhis role and why he took on the dualresponsibilities of chairman andgroundsman, but there is much more, ashe explains.

“I am the current Chairman ofArundel Cricket Club, having been voted

in following the passing of the longserving Chairman late in 2010, but alsosit on the main Social committee, theColts committee and the Groundscommittee. My groundsman colleague,Chris Marsden, sits on the Colts andGrounds committees.

We have both been involved with coltscricket for several years, with myselftaking the Level 2 coaching badge backin early 2008. Chris’s wife, Karen, is thecurrent club secretary and ensures all thecogs are oiled and remain turning, andboth Chris and Karen also run andmanage the U13 and U14 teams, whilst Irun and manage the U16 team and assistwith the U15 team.

With the club having struggled forseveral years in relation to groundsmen,both Chris and I decided to get a littlemore involved as we have two grounds toprepare - a total of twenty one tracks -which are used for over seventy gamesper season. We currently hire in a part-time county groundsman who does themain square, whilst Chris and I arehoning our new found Pitchcare skills on

99

the small square, whilst also look afterboth the outfields.

We do, however, get involved with theday-to-day maintenance of the mainsquare with watering, cutting andfertilising etc., as our part-time chap hasonly just started in earnest.

We have also taken it upon ourselves tolearn as much as we can regardingmachine repair and maintenance, so it’sa great help with Chris being a long timeserving Royal Navy Marine Engineer -you may have seen him in the recentHMS Manchester documentary ‘CaribbeanPatrol’ - although there is a subtledifference between a Type 42 Destroyerand a triple mower... but we are learningquickly!

If honest, now that the season isunderway, we spend nearly all our sparetime at the club, which is every weekendand four evenings a week, cutting,preparing and undertaking general

maintenance around the club. We havethe invaluable help of another teammember, Graham Twine, who undertakeswork such as hedge cutting, patio andwall maintenance etc. He is landscapegardener, and his wife, Pauline, is alsothe club treasurer and all round goodegg, and their son is a first team regular.

Post season, last year, Chris was awayon nine months patrol with the RoyalNavy so, sadly, was not around when weput the club to bed so to speak.

It was a baking hot day on September16th when myself, with the aid ofvolunteer club member, Paddy Horne,and Club President, Rosemary Barry,turned up at the club to start the works.We enlisted the help of Arundel Castlehead groundsman Lee Farquar, and hisspreader, plus NuLawn’s Pete Wilton andhis deep scarifier.

Due to costs, we could only deepscarify the main square, which took about

two to three hours to do, then aboutanother three hours or so to fully blowout with a very heavy duty blower. Whilstthis was being done, myself and Paddywere cutting back the small square toabout 3mm taking as much off as wecould, whilst Rosemary kept the tea andbiscuits flowing.

The next process was to spread theseed over both squares, which we did byhand to ensure a full covering. Then Leeutilised his tractor and spreader to applyapprox 2.5 tonnes of loam to the mainsquare and approximately 1.5 tonnes tothe small square. As this was in 25kgbags, and done ten bags at a time, it wasa long, hard, back-breaking job. Afterthat, we brushed over the squares toensure an even spread and then rabbitnetted them both off. At the end of theday, just Paddy and myself were left

A dusty job! The two Chris’s at workTwo bay cricket nets

Who are you? Chris Clynes, ArundelCricket Club Chairman and volunteergroundsman by evening and weekends,Level 2 coach, Level 1 umpire and U16team manager … oh, and a ConstructionH&S Advisor by day

Family Status - Married to Carol, with afourteen year old son, Matthew, a blackSpringador called Tye and a cat calledSplodge!

Who is your hero and why? I don’t reallyhave one. Why? Because life is full ofevery day heroes in all walks of life thatnever get the recognition they deserve.

What is your dream holiday? To do acomplete Ashes winter tour of Australia.

What annoys you the most? Londondrivers … AARRGGHHH!

What would you change aboutyourself? My good looks … they can me aburden you know ... LOL

Who wouldn’t you like to be? Apolitician of any description.

Favourite record and why? Got loads,

but always go back to Summer of ’69 byBryan Adams, the guy rocks.

Who would you choose to spend aromantic evening with? ReeceWitherspoon …

If you won the lottery what would bethe first thing you would do? Throw ahuge party and take my friends on an allexpenses paid holiday ... happy days.

If you were to describe yourself as amusical instrument, what would you beand why? Bongos … because I am!

What is the best advice you have beengiven? My Nan once said ‘try everything inlife at least once’.

What is your favourite smell? Hottarmac.

What do you do in your spare time?Spend it at the cricket club doing jobs.

What is the daftest work relatedquestion you have ever been asked? …WHY?

What is your favourite piece of kit? The

wicket mower. It still amazes me itspossible to cut grass THAT short !!!

What three words would you use todescribe yourself? Generous, witty,hardworking.

What talent would you like to have?Silly answer ... invisibility of course. Honestanswer - singing ability

What makes you angry? People who putaway dirty equipment. You know who youare!

What law/legislation would you like tosee introduced? National Service.

Chris Clynes - witty good looker, allegedly, althoughdon’t mention London drivers to him!

TWENTYQuestions

Chris M rolling Pete Wilton of NuLawn Pitchcare training session in full flow

doing the latter as it’s a long tedious taskand we finally got away about 7.30pm,having starting at 8.00am. Job donethough and lots learned.

Winter was just a case of brushing offleaves and checking the rabbit nettingand, although we would have liked tohave cut the squares that were actuallygrowing well, it was always just a little toowet. We did, though, manage to get theoutfields nipped back twice which hasproved very beneficial with the newgrowth.

In early March, Chris, Graham andmyself did the first bit of pre-season workwhen we got the chance. This involvedcutting the outfield again, taking downthe netting, first high cut to both squaresand first light roll. Following on fromthat, we continued to light roll andfertilise the now growing squares.

We actually spent most of Aprilwatering and cutting both squares, as it

was so dry, and moved to the main rollerat the same time, giving each squarearound twenty-five hours each.

To date, we have played several gameson each. Both squares played welldespite the early start, but you can see amarked difference in each compared tothe one we scarified and the one we didnot. The main square cored down toabout six inches of good white, straightroot with no thatch, whilst the small onecored only to approximately two inchesof root with lots of deep thatch, so theplan next September is to deep scarifyboth - it shows the benefits.

For games, we are leaving the mainsquare to the hired in groundsman, butChris and I are using the small one as alearning curve. We have been cutting theselected track to approximately 10mm,seven to ten days prior to the game, andthen rolling and watering. We continueto mow, reducing the height of cut by

2mm each time, plus watering, rolling,brushing and raking, until the Thursdaybefore the Saturday game when we cut to5mm and roll, but do not water. We havebeen giving a final cut and roll, plusmarking out, on a Friday evening and, sofar, it is working well.

We have been leaving a little bit ofgrass on, but are pleased to say that thefirst track we did had four games playedon it, including two in one day, and therepairs have been minimal.

As groundsmen, both Chris and I fellinto the role, as you do, and, havingdone the Pitchcare course, are both fullyaddicted to the fine art ofwicket preparation, oh, andstrips!

Anyway gotta go ... off tothe club to cut the square ...again!!!”

Chris Marsden - doesn’t go about things in aroundabout way, as the moles are about to find out!

TWENTYQuestions

Who are you? Chris Marsden, MarineEngineer, volunteer groundsman atArundel Cricket Club.

Family Status - Married to Karen with ateenage son called Daniel and a Black Labcalled Kirsty.

Who is your hero and why? The greatexplorer Ernest Shackleton (commitment,dedication and a leader of men)

What is your dream holiday? Would loveto explore Australia.

What annoys you the most? People notindicating on roundabouts.

What would you change aboutyourself? A few inches off the waistline.

Who wouldn’t you like to be? The moleson the outfield when I catch them.

Favourite record and why? Gold bySpandau Ballet, a fantastic karaoke song.

Who would you choose to spend aromantic evening with? I will have to saythe wife.

If you won the lottery what would bethe first thing you would do? Not tellanyone.

If you were to describe yourself as amusical instrument, what would you beand why? A base drum, because it can beplayed quietly in the background or loudlyin the foreground.

What is the best advice you have beengiven? Don’t eat yellow snow.

What is your favourite smell? Freshlyground coffee.

What do you do in your spare time? Fixlawnmowers and small tractors.

What is the daftest work relatedquestion you have ever been asked?Too many to be able to pick out one.

What is your favourite piece of kit?Ransomes Triple Mower.

What three words would you use todescribe yourself? Honest, trustworthyand committed.

What talent would you like to have? Topredict the lottery numbers.

What makes you angry? People who putaway dirty equipment, and computersoftware.

What law/legislation would you like tosee introduced? Corporal punishment.

John Pallister, HeadGroundsman at Ilminster

Cricket Club, has becomea town councillor to try

and stop a developmentthat threatens the future

of the club.

Peter Britton reports

John Pallister, HeadGroundsman at Ilminster

Cricket Club, has becomea town councillor to try

and stop a developmentthat threatens the future

of the club.

Peter Britton reports

Keepinghis owncouncil!

Keepinghis owncouncil!

JJohn Pallister. Head Groundsman, Ilminster Cricket Club

“I had alwaysthought that it was

a council runfacility, but councilworkers don’t work

in the evenings!”

Iarrived at Ilminster RecreationGround to find John Pallister, HeadGroundsman of Ilminster CricketClub, knelt over an ageingRansomes Auto Certes with a

hammer. “Height adjustment is broken,”came a muffled voice. “I’m notsurprised,” was my initial thought!

A few tweaks and thumps later and theadjustment had been made. Anoutstretched hand greeted me; “Peterfrom Pitchcare, I presume?”

I was alerted to the club by a news itemcarried on the Pitchcare website aboutvandalism to one of the club’s sightscreens, and the comments made byJohn and the club’s chairman, JimSainsbury; “fuelled by alcohol”; “simpleminded individual”; “mindless vandalisma form of recreation”; “latest in a stringof vandalism incidents” etc. So, I went tofind out why a small, rural town inSomerset should be suffering, and whatsteps the club and the authorities weretaking to resolve the issues.

John moved to Ilminster seven yearsago, after being “retired through illhealth” from his position as HeadGardener with Lymington Town Councilin the New Forest. “At the time, I had amortgage, so my wife and I decided tomove west to buy a property that wouldleave us mortgage free,” explains John.“One that fitted the bill was here inIlminster.”

So, how did he end up becoming thetown’s cricket groundsman? “I waswalking past the ground one mid Augustevening when I noticed a couple ofpeople working on the square. I hadalways thought that it was a council runfacility, but council workers don’t work inthe evenings! So, I popped over to askfor a fixture list. ‘Why do you want oneof those, there’s only a couple of gamesleft?’ came the reply. I explained that Iwanted the secretary’s telephone numberso that I could offer my services. To cut along story short, they bit my arm off.”

John had previously been head

groundsman at Pywell Cricket Club, justa couple of miles outside Lymington, ajob he did on a voluntary basis fortwenty-one years, so his experience waswelcomed by the Ilminster committee.

The recreation ground is split intothree distinct areas; a football pitch andtwo cricket ovals, plus a couple oftarmacadam tennis courts and mini grassfootball pitches. The area is surroundedby modern houses, yet some of the viewsacross the adjoining countryside, and tothe town on the hill, are splendid. Thearea is popular with dog walkers.

The football pitch, cricket outfieldsand other grass areas are cut by thecouncil, leaving John to concentrate onthe squares.

The main square has fourteen tracks.The centre five are reserved for the 1stXI, the end three for juniors, eveningmatches and practice, and the remainderfor the 2nd XI. “It was, previously, theIlminster Grammar School playing field,and is owned by the Ilminster EducationFoundation so, if we want to do anydevelopment on the ground we have toget permission from them and from thecouncil,” explains John.

The second square, in Britten’s Field,has six tracks and is used by the 3rd and4th XI.

Both squares are built from Kaloam,except for one track on the main squarewhich is Ongar. “I inherited a square thatwas ‘low and slow’,” says John. “I wastold that the Ongar strip, now known asthe ‘hard strip’, had been put in to tryand rectify the problem. It was dug outto a depth of nine inches and filled withthe loam. I did explain that they couldhave done that completely differently,and achieved so much more, with thatamount of loam.”

“However, it is now my task to improvethe rest of the square. There is, or was, abreak just 1.5” down, which took all thelife out of the ball. So, last year, I beganthe task of punching through the break,using a Groundsman 345, off the

Somerset Cricket Association (SCA)trailer, and back filling with Kaloam. Thedamn thing arrived with worn tines andwould only penetrate two inches, so Ihad to replace those. I eventuallymanaged to get down about six incheswith the new tines!”

“You can now see where the grass isstronger in the tine holes, so I’mexpecting my methods to have made animprovement. Time will tell.”

John gleans his advice from his fellowgroundsmen on the SCA and fromGordon Gill, who is well known toPitchcare members for his sound adviceon the Pitchcare message board; “henever stops talking though,” says Johnwith a smile.

Separating the football pitch from themain cricket oval is the groundsman’sworkshop, and a clubhouse affectionatelyknown as ‘the shed’. “I won’t take you inthere, it’s well past it’s sell-by-date but weare hoping to redevelop it in the not toodistantfuture,”laughs John.

However,the shedgenerates,during thecricketseason, aprofit ofaround£12,000,which is allpoughedback intothe cricketclub. Asimilaramount israised by the football clubduring their season.

This year, much of that profit is beingspent on new net facilities consisting oftwo artificial strips. These are beinginstalled by Exclusive Leisure Ltd. ofLeicester, alongside the cricket pavilion.

Hammer time! New net facilities are being installed by Exclusive Leisure

“You can now see where the grass is strongerin the tine holes, so I’m expecting my methodsto have made an improvement. Time will tell”

103

“I also needed some funding for a newwicket mower,” says John, “but, when Itold the committee that the cost wouldbe around £4,000, I was told to go andbuy secondhand! I don’t like buyingsecondhand, but Rochford GardenMachinery in Wincanton sourced me a24” Allett Buffalo for £900, which I’mdelighted with. It’s like comparing aBMW with a Mini.” I suggest that BMWactually make the new Mini, and amreminded that, at sixty-four years old,John remembers the original Austin Miniof the sixties!

We return to the subject of ‘the shed’and its future. “The council are planninga new sports centre on part of Britten’sField. The outline cost is £1.5m, but it’sanyone’s guess what the actual figure willbe, should it ever get built; £2.5mperhaps? I’m not sure that a town of just6,000 people actually needs such afacility. And, I know that there is no one

on the council that understands the costof running a cricket and football clubeither. Just imagine what would happento both clubs if the profits from the shedwere to disappear overnight becausespectators were using the bar in the newsports centre.”

“The ECB reckon that it costs aminimum of £200 to stage any sort ofcricket match. With the amount of teamswe have playing here - and don’t forgetwe have four junior teams as well as theseniors - that would equate to well over£1,200 a week. Subs and match feeswould never cover that.”

So, to combat what some see as theinevitable, John put himself forward tobecome a town councillor, and has dulybeen elected. Council meetings couldbecome ‘interesting’ from here on in!

“They just haven’t thought it through,”exclaims John. “How much money dothey need to take on a yearly basis just to

cover the costs? I reckon at least £5,000 aweek. That’s £260,000 a year. It’s notsustainable in such a small town.”

We return to the subject of cricketsquare maintenance - probably just intime to avoid a burst blood vessel!

“Typical match preparation is the usualten day format,” says John. “I don’t tendto spend so much time on the Britten’sField square to be honest, but it playswell enough. It’s a question of needsmust, but the standard of play doesn’twarrant it. Equally, the main square willget a thorough end of season renovationand I’ll continue to improve the rootdepth, following the same methods aslast year.”

“Our 1st XI captain is the formerSomerset player, Sam Spurway. We alsohave an overseas player - don’t get mestarted on that! So, you can see that thestandard we play at is pretty high.”

Currently playing in Somerset Premier

104

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105

2, the 1st XI did make Premier 1 acouple of seasons ago, a promotion thatrequired the purchasing of roll-on roll-offcovers to comply with league rules.

I suggest that these are a red rag to thevandals. “They’ve never been touched,”says John. The vandalism to the sightscreens was initially caused by ladskicking a football against them. Whenthey broke a few of the plastic slats, theywent round the other side and did thesame! After the report in the paperappeared, they came back and trashedthe whole screen. We have had itrepaired by a local steel fabricator - theywon’t smash them!”

“The annoying thing is, we know whodid it, but the police seem powerless todo anything, as there is no ‘proof ’.”

If the newspaper report was a tadsensationalist in its choice of words, isthere really a big problem?

“In truth, vandalism is no worse than

any other town,” says John. “We’ve hadthe odd window smashed in the pavilion,but that is to be expected. We are,though, considering putting up CCTVcameras.”

“As a club, we are certainly doing ourbit to encourage youngsters into thegame, and we have a really strong juniorsection.”

So, my initial reason for visiting didn’tcome to much, but it was good to meet aman passionate about his facility. I askfor one final photo; perhaps one of himmowing the strip?

The Auto Certes is duly fired up andwe head off to the square. John walksaway from me and turns to head backtowards the camera for that final shot. Ashe does so, the machine splutters to ahalt and, no matter how hard he pulls onthe cord, the engine won’t start. “Perhapsyou have run out of petrol,” I suggest. Arather embarrassed John concurs that is,

indeed, theproblem. “That’snever happened tome in nearly thirtyyears as agroundsman. Trustit to happen whenyou are here!”

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The villages of Knowle andDorridge sit just outside the M42corridor, close to Solihull in theWest Midlands. The two villages,just a stone’s throw apart are, to

all intents and purposes, one communityof around 5,000, with the Knowle &Dorridge moniker attributed to the LionsClub, the lawn tennis and squash club,the dental practice and, of course, thecricket club.

Ian Maddocks is the HeadGroundsman and has a long associationwith the club. Not only has he dedicatedhimself to looking after the grounds; hewas formerly the clubs 1st XI captain andhas been a long serving player. He firstcame to Knowle & Dorridge as a sevenyear old, supporting his dad when heplayed for the club.

The club has been in existence since1896, and is one of the oldest in thearea. Their clubhouse is a constant hiveof activity and is supported by manylocals who come to enjoy the socialactivities on offer, whilst also taking insome decent cricket.

Knowle & Dorridge currently play inthe Birmingham Premier League, with

fixtures against towns with much largercatchment areas, such as Shrewsbury,Wolverhampton, Kidderminster andMoseley. The ground also hosts countyfixtures, as was the case when I visited.

The club is in constant use seven daysa week, with the ground providingpitches and practice facilities for all theclub’s teams - four senior sides andseveral youth sides from under 9s tounder 17s. There are two grounds. Themain home ground has a square thatprovides thirteen tracks, whilst theirtraining/second ground provides twelve.

They have always invested time andmoney ensuring the grounds are welllooked after, having always paid someoneto undertake the maintenance.

The club gained Club Mark statusrecently, and are continually trying toimprove their facilities on all fronts. In2007, they secured a large grant toimprove the outfield and install aperimeter drain around the square.

The work was awarded to AgripowerSportsturf Contractors, who fraisemowed the whole outfield, cut and filledsome uneven areas, installed someprimary and secondary drainage, as well

as installing a brand new perimeter drainaround the square. The whole outfieldwas then reseeded. It has made a greatdifference to the outfield, ensuring itdrains well after rain. Ian usually gets theoutfield aerated in February, hiring in avertidrain to maintain good porosity.

Ian officially took on the job of clubgroundsman in 2002 after their previousgroundsman, David Winslow, sadlypassed away. Having spent most of hislife at the club, Ian relished thechallenge and the opportunity for him todevelop his groundsmanship skills.

It was Steve Rouse, the WarwickshireCounty Cricket Club groundsman atEdgbaston, who encouraged Ian to takeup the post. Steve and Ian have beenfriends for years; Steve, a club member,would often call in for a drink and chatand mentor him on the rudiments ofcricket pitch preparation andmaintenance.

As far as Ian can remember the squarehas always been on Kaloam, a popularloam used by many Midlands Clubs. Thesubject of Kaloam supplies has been highon the agenda for many of the localgroundsmen since the supplier, Monro

A phone call from IanMaddocks, HeadGroundsman at Knowle& Dorridge Cricket Club,prompted a visit to seepreparations for aCounty Select XI gamebetween Warwickshireand Yorkshire.

Laurence Gale MScwas...

Keeping Tra

106

Ian Maddocks, Head Groundsman, Knowle & Dorridge CC

Sports, went into receivership late last year.The latest on the subject is that supplies areavailable via two outlets, with bothcompanies guaranteeing the consistency ofthe new loam product, and both giving outsamples for clubs to try.

Ian is planning to carry out motty tests tosee how it performs before committing theclub’s hard earned cash. However, with thealternative of changing loam being, prettymuch, out of the question, I imagine, likemost clubs in the Midlands, they will have totrust the companies and go with what theyare supplying.

Ian was keen to explain that his manyyears of experience have helped him gainbetter understanding of the cricket square,having spent the best part of forty yearseither playing on or maintaining the pitches.

As is the case for most groundsmen, notwo years are ever the same and, this year,the dry weather has provided anotherlearning curve - keeping pitches watered hastaken up a lot of time. On the other hand,not having to use any flat sheets has savedIan a lot of time.

Ian does not like the phrase, ‘end ofseason renovations!’, preferring to call them‘pre-season preparations’. As he says, the key

“The key to havinggood pitches isdetermined by thesuccess of thework done in theautumn”

“The key to havinggood pitches isdetermined by thesuccess of thework done in theautumn”

cks

to having good pitches is determined bythe success of the work done in theautumn.

It is vitally important to remove asmuch debris as possible, and using theGraden Scarifier is key to his success. Asthe cricket season comes to a close, Ianbegins his renovations by reducing theheight of cut (4mm and below), shavingoff as much vegetation as possible. Thesquare is soaked to get moisture into thetop 50mm. This helps ensure he can getmaximum depth with the Graden.

The square is then scarified inthree/four directions to a depth of 5mmto remove as much rubbish as possible,the debris is collected using acombination of brushes, blowers andmowers, thereby leaving the top cleanand ready to be seeded.

Ian uses his Sisis Variseeder to sow hischosen seed - the last couple of years hehas used R9, sowing in four directions(two bags). The square is then topdressedwith Kaloam (eight bags per track) torestore levels and cover the seed. Anapplication of 6:9:6 NPK granularfertiliser is used to promote growth oncethe seed has germinated.

The new grass is then mown usingrotary pedestrian mowers, maintaining aheight of 20-25mm throughout thewinter. Some liquid iron is also appliedto maintain colour.

Autumn is a busy time for Ian becausehe also renovates a number of othercricket grounds in the area. Over theyears he has picked up more and morework, building up a reputation for doinga good job, which has enabled him toinvest in additional equipment to helphim carry out the renovations (sorry, pre-season preparations) more efficiently.Buying a Graden, for example, has madelife a lot easier, as has the purchase of aDennis FT 510 cassette mower.

Ian’s pre-season rolling programme issimilar to most clubs, starting off withthe pedestrian mowers and graduallybuilding up the weight until he can geton with the main roller.

Ian has a helper, Aadam Kin, a young,promising cricketer who, although heplays cricket for Moseley, is glad to work

with Ian to gainexperience.

Ian starts workevery morningaround 7.00am,and works untilhe considers thejob is done forthat day.

His work isheavily planned

around the fixture list. No games will becatered for unless it has been put on thecalendar and Ian has been notified.

Senior matches tend to be played onSaturdays/Sundays, with maybe one ortwo in the week, whereas the juniors haveallotted evening games and training slotsmid-week.

Wickets are prepared ten to fourteendays in advance. Over that period theheight of cut will be reduced from 12mmto 4mm. The wicket will be brushed, cutand rolled to produce a track that canlast for three to five matches.

Depending on the weather, the use ofwater and covers is down to Ian. Overthe years, he has earned respect from theplayers and has managed to set someground rules, gaining help from theplayers to help move the covers beforeand after matches.

With so much to do at both grounds,Ian is always keen to get ahead ofhimself, getting wickets prepared earlyfor matches and, therefore, not leavinghimself too much to do on match days.So, for a typical Saturday fixture starting

at 12 noon, depending on the weather,he will have virtually all the workcompleted by Friday afternoon.

The fruits of Ian’s labour are nowbeing rewarded, with Warwickshire CCChappy to use the excellent on and offfield facilities at the club.

Not wishing to miss an opportunity tosee how Ian’s tracks would stand up to aforty over game, between a WarwickshireSelect XI and a strong Yorkshire side, Iarrived at 11.30am, half an hour beforethe match was due to start. Ian andAadam were putting the final touches tothe square and taking down the practicenets.

Just before the start of the match, twonotable cricket groundsmen turned up to

watch; Karl Brotherhood from SolihullSchool and Graeme Plaistow from Olton& West Warwick CC, who had comealong to help out, if required.

The track used was one that the club’sfirst XI had used the previous Saturday.It looked in good condition, with justsome minor foothole repairs indicatingits previous use. Warwickshire won thetoss and put Yorkshire in to bat first. Iwas privileged to be allowed on thebalcony, sitting alongside Dougie Brown,the former England and Scotlandinternational and now on the coachingstaff at his beloved Warwickshire, wherehe played much of his first class cricket.

With the track showing plenty of carryand pace, it was rather surprising that,on a wicket that usually produces over200 runs, Yorkshire were bowled out forjust 168.

During the interval, Aadam and Iancleaned up the creases and gave thetrack a light roll with the hand roller. Afew spots of rain arrived during theinterval so, as a precaution, we fetchedthe raised covers and placed them overthe wicket, However, as soon as we gotthem in place, the rain stopped and wereturned them to their storage area.

Whilst I was out on the square, one ofthe Yorkshire coaches came up to meand asked how I was. I didn’t recognisehim straight away, but eventually realisedit was Kevin Sharp, who I had workedwith at Telford & Wrekin Council, whenhe was their Cricket DevelopmentOfficer.

108

Ian Maddocks and Aadam Kin

Taking down the nets

It’s a cover up!

109

As an ex-Yorkshire player himself,Kevin had moved back to Yorkshireseveral years ago to take up a role asbatting coach. He was keen to point outthat the track was perfectly okay, it wasreally a poor Yorkshire batting display.

With Warwickshire chasing a relativelylow score, they must have been confidentof a win. However, their batting seemedto be even worse than Yorkshire’s and,after a flurry of wickets fell, were all outfor 105. Not a good day for the homeside.

As always, Ian was keen to gauge thereaction from the umpires about thecondition of his wicket. They too put itdown to some poor batting, stating thattrack had performed perfectly well.

With the game finishing early, Ian andAadam spent some time cleaning up the

wicket and mowing it with the DennisFT510, before having a well earned pintin the bar.

With little damage to the wicket, Ianwill even have the bonus of gettinganother game out of it before finallyputting it to bed.

It was great to catch up with Ian who,like so many cricket groundsmen, spendmost of their waking time in the summermonths devoted to their clubs,continuing to strive to produce the bestsurfaces they can.

Ian is proud of what he has achievedover the years at Knowle & Dorridge andenjoys the way of life he now has, servingthe club he loves. He is a true credit toour industry and, like the vast majority ofcricket groundsmen, an invaluable assetto the game.

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Brushing in the interval Ian in discussion with the umpires

Yorkshire captain, Anthony McGrath

WHEN an opportunity to visit theSWALEC Stadium, for the firstday of the first Test of summer2011, presented itself, yourstruly got the gig, partly as I liveclosest to Cardiff out of thePitchcare team, and partlybecause I am a self-confessed‘cricket nut’. The invitation wasextended by Keith Exton, who isnow in his third year as HeadGroundsman.

Having never been to theSWALEC

before, it was another Testground I could tick of my list. Thescale of the work GlamorganCounty Cricket Club hasundertaken to achieve Teststatus is remarkable. The groundhas much to offer. For starters,access is a doddle, withmotorway or dual carriagewayalmost right to the car park; andthere is plenty to swallow up allmanner of

vehicles, from coaches, doubledecker busses and trucks toexecutive cars and beyond.

The external grounds are inimmaculate condition and, asyou might expect, everythingfeels ‘new’. Once inside theperimeter of the stadium, thesame is true.

Keith had told me, the daybefore, that the Met office wereforecasting heavy rain up untillunchtime, but suggested that,

often, the rain shoots upthe valleys and completelymisses the stadium. Thisday it has decided to hitthe whole of South Wales.Crossing the SevernBridge and driving intoCardiff required wipers atdouble speed onoccasions.

I was to search outKeith on arrival. Thatwas not difficult, as heand a team of nine wereout in the middlemopping up, even asmore rain fell. This wasat 10.15am, and theteam had been outthere since 7.00am!The outfield lookedimmaculate, eventhough the dryweather leading up tothe Test had exposedevidence of the recentdrainage work.

There was noprospect of play inthe foreseeablefuture, but it wasannounced, anumber of times,

that the umpires ‘wouldinspect again at ...’, ‘the tosswould take place at ...’. ‘playwould start at ...’. And, eventhough there were now breaks inthe cloud, heavy showers keptsweeping across the ground.Every cover removal was greetedwith applause and cheers, everyone put back on, with boos.

I had the urge to rush out andhelp, but Keith would have hadlittle need for a graphic designer,who could probably only tell himthat his covers weren’t quiteparallel!

The ECB had laid on the usualextra curricular activities,including a question and answersession with Jeff Thomson, MikeGatting, Gladstone Small andAlec Stewart, with Tommo gettingserious flack about the demise ofthe Aussies ... beware thewounded beast!

After the players and officialshad taken an early lunch, thecovers began to come off, thehover cover was shuntedsideways off the match strip, andstump cameras and Hawkeyeparaphernalia were hastilyinstalled, with the toss set for2.15pm, and a start of 2.45pm

Peter Brittonaccepts aninvitation to visitthe SWALECStadium in Cardifffor the first day ofEngland’s summercampaign againstSri Lanka andIndia

A GrandDay Out!

Facing page: Heavy skies and outfield looking immaculate. This page,top to bottom: Hover cover last to come off; Keith ‘knackered’ andcontinually checking the weather; the world’s most unhealthy blue tits?;The Barmy Army in full voice!

promised. Evenas the toss wasbeing completed,the rains camedown again,soaking Messrs.Atherton,Dilshan, Straussand assembledcameramenandphotographers, and the coverswent back on. This wasthough, the final flurry of theday, and play eventually gotunderway at 3.30pm, with thehover cover the last to beremoved at 3.28pm.

I had the misfortune to sit infront of three young doctors -Tim Nice-But-Dim and his twocolleagues, Jim Nice-But-Dimand Tarquin Nice-But-Dim! AsKeith and his crew struggledwith the conditions, theyspewed out comments suchas; “Just get the covers off, it’snot raining!”, even thoughheavy clouds wereapproaching; “I’d tell thatGrant Flower a thing or two”,and, when the batsmen hadtaken a quick single, “Where’sChris Tremlett gone?”, whohad been fielding in front of usfor right handed Dilshan, butmoved for the left-handed

Paranavitana.They did come up with oneclassic though; “I've just seenJonathan Agnew. He looks sodifferent in real life than hedoes on the radio!”

Having been out on thesquare for over eight hours, Ithought it prudent to allowKeith some time to gather histhoughts, grab a cup of coffeeand, perhaps, a power nap,before finally introducingmyself.

At just after 4.00pm, I mademy way to his office to findhim hovering over hiscomputer looking at a weathermap. “This one looks like itmight get us,” he said,pointing at a dark swirl ofcloud heading acrossPembrokeshire. Fortunately,that one did ‘shoot up thevalleys’ and play continueduninterrupted (apart from a

twenty minutebreak for tea inglorioussunshine), untilclose.

Keith, notsurprisingly,looked a tad‘knackered’. Histeam hadworked tirelesslyand efficiently to

ensure some play waspossible. In truth, before theintroduction of modern coversand drainage, the amount ofrain that fell would probablyhave resulted in play beingsuspended for the day. Theoutfield, with its new drainagesystem, coped remarkablywell, given the amount ofwater that had fallen on it.

As I left Keith’s office toreturn to my seat, I passed aclosed off area, which turnedout to be a designatedsmoking point where blue titshad taken up residence in oneof the cigarette bins. I stoodand watched for a while asboth parents rushed back andforth to feed their demandingbrood. It was, possibly, thehighlight of the day as, intruth, the cricket was ratheruninspiring. The England

bowlers, with the exception ofSwann, looked under cooked,and the Sri Lankan batsmenplayed without their usualpanache, possibly due to thecold and windy conditions.Even then, they amassed 133-2 in the forty-eight oversavailable.

The Barmy Army (includingtheir trumpeter) did their bestto enliven proceedings, and arousing ‘Land of My Fathers’was greeted with cheers bythe Welsh contingent in thehalf full stadium.

At the close of play at7.00pm, Keith and his teamheaded back out to the centreto complete the final clean-upof the wicket and put thecovers back on. My guess isthat they wouldn’t have gotaway much before 9.00pm,finishing off a fourteen hourday!FOOTNOTE: Three of theremaining four days followed avery similar pattern, with Keithand his team workingtirelessly to ensure cricketcould be played. In the end, itproved more than worthwhile,with England grabbing anunlikely innings and fourteenrun victory in the final sessionof play on the final day.

Edgbaston Priory Club is firmlyestablished as one of thecountry’s most prestigiousracquet and leisure clubs. It is aprivate members club with over

3,000 members who regularly enjoyplaying racquet sport, keeping fit andsocialising.

Its origins date back over 130 years.The club, as we know it today, wasformed in December 1964 as a result of amerger between two very longestablished clubs; Edgbaston LawnTennis Club, founded in 1878, andPriory Lawn Tennis Club, founded in1875. This merger came about after adisastrous fire in May 1963 whichcompletely destroyed Priory’s clubhouse,hence the logo; a Phoenix rising fromthe ashes.

Set in twelve acres of beautifulgrounds, the club boasts twenty-ninetennis courts, ten squash courts, heatedindoor and outdoor swimming pools, anoutside spa, a technogym equipped withfitness facilities, and a licensed bar andrestaurant.

Robert Bray, the current ChiefExecutive of the club, has been

instrumental in developing its fortunesin recent years; there has been adramatic emphasis on modernising andadding new facilities. During my visit thenew Grounds Supervisor, Stuart Smith,was showing me the latest developmentsin terms of improving the playingcondition of the natural turf courts.

Grass courts one to four were having acomplete new perimeter drainage systeminstalled, with new kerb edging and newirrigation. Centre court also has hadsome perimeter drainage installed toprevent the likelihood of flooding duringtournaments as, in the past, water run offfrom the temporary spectator standswould often cause problems. This workshould prevent this from happeningagain.

Stuart has been at the club six yearsand was promoted to GroundsSupervisor three years ago, taking overfrom Karen Carter, who had been at theclub for sixteen years. He has threecolleagues who help him prepare andmaintain the courts; Antony Knight (tenyears service), Paul Woodford (nine yearsservice) and a new apprentice, TomPardoe, who has only been at the club

three months.They start at 6.00am to ensure the

courts are all prepared and ready forplay before 9.30am.

They work a split shift system; twomembers of staff will come in at 6.00amand finish at 2.00pm, whilst theremaining two start at 8.00am and finishat 4.00pm. Every morning they carry outthe same routine: set all courts,check/empty bins, litter pick amenityareas, tidy beds and borders and waterhanging baskets and tubs.

The twenty nine tennis courts offer fivedifferent playing surfaces; nine grass,one tarmacadam, six artificial sand filled,four American fast dry clay and threeindoor acrylic.

The grass courts are built to the samespecification as Wimbledon, with courtsbuilt on a gravel raft drainage layer,overlaid with a 50mm clean gravelblinding layer, over which the clay loamsoils are laid. The clay content of theloam is 23%, which gives it the playingcharacteristics required for tennis.

The grass courts are renovated, both inthe spring and autumn, with the focus ofthe autumn renovations on full court

The Edgbaston PrioryClub are embarking on a£12 million upgrade totheir facilities, withconsiderable financialinput from the LTA.

Laurence Gale MSc talksto Grounds Supervisor,Stuart Smith, about lifeat one of the UK’spremier racquet clubs

Grounds forimprovement

112

repair. This involves rippingout all the dead grass andbuild up of thatch fibreusing the club’s own tractormounted Graden tungstenbladed scarifier.

They complete fourpasses with the machine indifferent directions. Thisproduces a lot of surfacedebris that is removedusing their SISISsweeper and Denniscassette mowers.

The courts are thentopdressed with newloam - SurreyLoams Gostd - torestore levels, andoverseeded with a ryegrass mixture of Bar Crown,Bar Gold and Fandango,applying between 35-40 g/m2.It usually takes two weeks tocomplete all the courts.

Germination sheets may beused if weather conditions at thetime dictate their need. Once seedhas germinated, the new sward will

“It could look,from a player’sperspective, asthough thegroundsman hasbeen overzealousin closing all thecourts at the same time”

Stuart Smith, Grounds Supervisor, Edgbaston Priory Club

End of SeasonMaintenanceThis involves renovating the court toaid recovery from the past season,and lay the foundations for thefollowing season in some sevenmonths time.Where there are a number of tenniscourts, it is generally a good idea togradually take them out of play one,or a few, at a time. This allows playto continue for a little longer, whichwill, invariably, please the members.If there are too many courts to workon in a sequence then it could look,from a player’s perspective, asthough the groundsman has beenoverzealous in closing all the courtsat the same time.Other Renovation WorkBaselines can become severely worn,and it may be appropriate to turfthese areas. The use of germination sheets can beof benefit, particularly on very thinareas. However, care needs to betaken as fusarium can beencouraged due to the increasedhumidity and temperature thattypically occurs beneath agermination sheet.Typical Renovation Programme• Irrigate to ‘soften’ the soil profile• Scarify in several (3 or more)

directions• Mow the grass to 6-8mm,

removing all clippings• Aerate by appropriate means - this

could be anything from deep solidspiking to at least 100mm depth,to sarel spiking to about 40mmdepth, or even hollow-tining. It isimportant that the court is suitablymoist, but not wet, to allow forgood tine penetration whencarrying out the aeration work

• Overseed and possibly drill theseed into the surface

• Turf the base lines if required• Topdress: Generally this might

range from 1.5 to 3 kg/m²;depending upon the type ofaeration work carried out. Workthe topdressing into the sward andsoil surface

• Irrigate to ensure adequategermination takes place

Ideally, all this renovation will havebeen carried out by late September -mid October. This should still allowfor adequate germination andestablishment before cold soil andair temperatures become unsuitablefor good establishment.Post Renovation WorkFollowing renovation, the court willneed to be nurtured from the end ofSeptember to December to assist inthe development of a compactsward.Typical work will include thefollowing:• keeping the grass topped to

around 12-15mm, or as desired• regular drag-brushing• switching to remove dew• earthworm control (this may

typically be through drag-brushingor chemical control)

• moss control• watching out for disease and

controlling as necessary• aeration (solid and slit/chisel

tines), and• removing leaves and twigs

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Stuart Smith

Grass court with evidence of drainage work A view across the artificial courts

Paul Woodford Antony Knight

be cut with rotarypedestrian mowers. Thecourts are aerated twice aweek between Septemberand April. A wide range oftines are used to alter thedepth and size of holesproduced.

The courts will be fedwith autumn and winterfeeds as and when required,applying a combination ofgranular and liquidproducts.

Spring renovations consistof some light scarificationwork to remove lateralshoots and any deadmaterial, followed by someoverseeding to re-populateany bare areas. A dose ofspring fertiliser is appliedto help kick start some earlygrowth.

The courts are mown withDennis FT510 cassettemowers maintaining aheight of cut of 12mm;brought down to around9mm for club matches and7mm for tournaments.They are mown dailyduring the growing season.All the grass courts have apop-up watering system andare watered as required.

All grass courts aremarked out using a transferwheel line marker, alwaysstringing out the lines priorto marking, which takesabout forty five minutes tocomplete.

Any weeds are spot

treated or removed byhand. Every morning thecourts arebrushed/dragmatted toremove dew. They suffervery little disease, with onlyan occasional outbreak ofred thread, which is usuallycontrolled by effectivefeeding.

Pre-season rolling iscarried out on the courts inspring, beginning withcylinder mowers, graduallybuilding up the weight untilthey are able to get theirone tonne Bomag rolleronto the courts.

Match preparation for thecourts involves reducing theheight of cut, timing theuse of fertilisers, waterapplications and four to fivepasses with the Bomagroller before finally markingout.

No water will be appliedwhile the courts are in play.A number of coveringsystems are employed toprotect the courts.

As for the rest of thecourts, the American fastdry clay courts needbrushing twice a day toredistribute the surface claymaterials, and they arewatered to dampen themdown. The acrylic courts areswept each day and deepcleaned twice a year. Thesand dressed carpet courtsare brushed daily to keepclean, whilst again ensuring

the sand infill material isevenly spread. These courtsare also deep cleaned usingspecialist machinery hiredin from Sweepfast. Thetarmacadam court is keptclean and washedperiodically.

As for machinery,although their shed iscrammed full, a lot of it isold and tired. Stuart is,therefore, in the process ofseeking funds to replacemuch of it with new andmore effective equipment.They have recently acquireda new Ransomes JacobsenEclipse triple mower and aDennis FT5120 cassettemower.

There are plans for a newgarage/machinery shedwhen the new build getsunder way, and the newproposed indoor courts willhave a large basement areawhich will be utilised forstorage space.

With over 3,000members, the courts are inconstant use every day.Every year the club alsoholds the prestigious ‘AegonClassic’ tennis event that,this year, has attracted theattendance of MariaSharapova, along with manyother top women players,making it look set to beanother top qualitytournament.

Under the stewardship ofRobert Bray, the club is

115

Tom Pardoe Any excuse!

constantlylooking atways toimprove itsfacilitiesand hasrecentlybeen given the green light toembark upon a £12minvestment programme tocreate new world classfacilities and secure top classinternational grass courttennis in the region.

The plans include a new sixcourt indoor tennis centreand a permanent grass showcourt. The LTA, the nationalgoverning body for tennis inBritain, has committed £5mto ensure the development ofthe six indoor courts, as wellas securing a long term worldclass tournament.

The extension of theEdgbaston Priory Club sitewill also include new squash,gym and leisure facilities,together with a majorrefurbishment of theclubhouse. As part of theproposals, the club hasagreed terms with CalthorpeEstates to lease an additionalfour acres of adjacent land onthe former Tally Ho! BowlingClub site, on which the newindoor tennis centre will bebuilt.

The designs for theredevelopment of EdgbastonPriory Club have beencreated by Glenn HowellsArchitects. Arcadis APS have

been appointed as projectmanagers to ensure a safeand sustainable delivery ofthe project on budget and ontime.

Work will commence on theproject at the end of June2011, once a contractor hasbeen appointed, with the aimof completing by August2013.

“This is a huge stepforward for Edgbaston PrioryClub,” says Robert Bray. “Wecan now progress with ourexciting plans to providemembers and the localcommunity with the very bestsporting facilities. We wouldlike in particular to thank theLTA for this significantsupport and look forward toworking with them to developa thriving tennis hub forevents, community andperformance.”

These world class facilitieswill establish the club as aleader in promoting racquetsport at all levels and secure,for generations to come, thecity's reputation as aprominentinternationaltournamentvenue fortennis, squashand racketball.

Artists impressions of the newcentre court and clubhouse

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Sand comes in many differentforms, all of varying qualitywith a range of properties andphysical characteristics, sothe challenge is to select the

right one for your project.

What is sand and where does itcome from?

Sand is an inorganic granular mineralcomposed of individual particles orgrains formed by the weathering anderosion of rock.

These small, finely divided fragmentsof rock will vary in chemicalcomposition depending upon the sourceand condition of the parent rock fromwhich they were derived.

As far as the UK is concerned, sandrefers to a material which has a grainsize distribution between 0.063mm and2.0mm. However, there are somecountries, including the USA, whocategorise sand particles as thosehaving a diameter between 0.053mmand 2.0mm.

In the UK all particles less than0.063mm but greater than 0.002mm areclassed as silt, with particles less than0.002mm categorised as clay. Anyparticles greater than 2.0mm arecategorised as gravel.

It is important to remember that anyparticle between 0.063mm and2.0mm would be classed as sand,including material with very high

calcium content (calcareous sands). Themajority of sands quarried in the UKconsist mainly of silicon dioxide (SiO2),otherwise known as silica. There are, infact, nine different crystalline forms ofsilica, but most of us associate it withquartz silica. In this form it has a highmelting point and is also inert, stableand extremely hard wearing.

Surface hardness of sand grains canbe measured using the Mohs scale ofmineral hardness, which measures theability of a harder mineral to scratch asofter mineral. This scale ranges from1, being the softest (talc), up to 10 beingthe hardest (diamonds). Typically, sandscontaining high silica content wouldhave a hardness of around 7 using theMohs scale.

The actual percentage of silica insands can vary from around 80% up to99.99%. Industrial silica sands arecharacterised by their high silicacontent (above 95% SiO2), which isusually in the form of quartz. Generally,whiter, paler coloured sands have fewerimpurities. Typical impurities wouldnormally include Iron oxide (Fe2O3) andAlumina (Al2O3), however, surface clays,feldspar, pyrite, chromite, coal, lignite,sea shells or chloride salts could be

present.The terms: silversand, beach sand,

soft sand, sharp

Sand is a cornerstoneingredient in allconstruction andmaintenance materialsfor both natural andartificial playingsurfaces.

Whether mixed with anorganic amendment toproduce topdressings,rootzones and divotmixes, or used on its ownas a synthetic carpetinfill or beach sportsurface, sand plays avitally important role in aplaying surface’sperformance,appearance andlongevity.

Ruffords TechnicalManager, Mick Higgins,explains what sand isand introduces somebasic considerations

Sand forsportsturfSand forsportsturf

sand and silica sand, are all used, butwhat do they refer to?

It would be safe to assume that“beach sands” originate from coastlinesand estuaries. The term “sharp sand” isused to describe coarsely graded sands.These sands would feel quite grittywhen rubbed between your fingers.“Soft sand” is a term used to describefinely graded sands, these would feelmore silky when rubbed between yourfingers. “Silver sand” and “silica sand”are just generic terms used to describeany pale or light coloured sand.

Sand extraction and processing

Sand can be obtained using variousextraction methods, including:underground mines, open cast mines(quarries) or dredged from the sea orriver beds. The source of extractionwill usually determine the impuritiespresent in the final sand grade. Forexample, sea dredged sands would tendto have higher chloride salt andcalcium (lime) content. All sanddeposits contain material having a widerange of grain sizes, usually mixed withclay and gravel. These sand depositswill require extensive processing toremove the unwanted stones, oversizegrains and clay.

There are numerous types of sandprocessing equipment available. Themost basic process would involve the“as dug” sand passing through a

screener to remove any oversizematerial (stones or gravel). This wouldnot change the composition or gradingof the raw material in any other way.

An improvement on this would be abasic wash plant which would, typically,consist of at least one screenercombined with some form of holdingvessel or open topped tank filled withwater. Whilst this process would reducethe silt and clay content, it would notsort the grains or improve the particlesize distribution.

Whilst a simple form of processingmay be acceptable for some basicbuilding/construction applications, itwould not be suitable for sports turfuse.

It is essential that sands used forsports turf are processed using awashing plant. Even small amounts ofclay will negatively affect the drainageproperties of any sand. The most basicwashing plant will rinse the materialand remove some silt and clay,sometimes these basicwash plantsrequire thesand to bedoublewashed, oreven triplewashed, toimprove thecleanlinessof the finished

product.Industrial silica sands are processed

using sophisticated wash plants.Millions of pounds worth of investmentis required for such plants. These willnot only wash the sand effectively, theywill also separate the incoming sandinto two or more different grades. Thisprocess is commonly termed “hydroclassification”. This plant wouldusually consist of density separators,cyclones, dewatering screens,numerous pumps and extensive lengthsof pipeline and conveyors, largelagoons all operated usingsophisticated computer controlledsoftware.

Various sand grades, for example“medium-coarse” and “medium-fine”,are produced using a continuousprocess which utilises gravity to sortsand grain sizes whilst dispersed inwater. Coarser (heavier) grains willsettle towards the base of the tank fordischarge, whilst finer (lighter) grainswill remain suspended in water towardsthe top of the tank. These finer grainsare removed as the water overflows.This process will produce consistentlygraded sand grades, irrespective offluctuations with the incoming “asdug” material. It will also produce atightly graded product with uniformsand grain sizes which are ideal forsports turf.

Some industrial sand processing

Mick Higgins, Technical Manager, Ruffords

“If you rely on particle sizedistribution alone to

determine a sand’ssuitability for use, then you

will be in for a few surprises”

“If you rely on particle sizedistribution alone to

determine a sand’ssuitability for use, then you

will be in for a few surprises”

118

“If the sand beingtested contains any

amount of clay ororganic material, it

would requirewashing and drying

prior to sieveanalysis, otherwise

the individualgrains would stick

together giving afalse ‘coarser’

result”

“If the sand beingtested contains any

amount of clay ororganic material, it

would requirewashing and drying

prior to sieveanalysis, otherwise

the individualgrains would stick

together giving afalse ‘coarser’

result”plants may also include: magneticseparation, sand attrition or even hotacid leaching.

Particle size distribution

Sieve grading, or particle sizedistribution, is carried out usinglaboratory analysis. Standard proceduresmust be followed at each stage, frominitial sampling through to samplereduction and final testing.

The first stage is to obtain arepresentative sample from the stockpile.This large sample then has to be reducedin size. It is this smaller, dried sample, ofaround 100g, which is then mechanicallyshaken through a set of sieves for apredetermined length of time, usuallyfifteen minutes. Various sieve mesh sizesare used depending on the grain sizedistribution of sand being tested. If thesand being tested contains any amount ofclay or organic material, it would requirewashing and drying prior to sieveanalysis, otherwise the individual grainswould stick together, giving a false‘coarser’ result.

For sportsturf, the majority of sandgrains should fall between the sizes of0.125mm and 1.0mm. Even when themajority of sand grains fall between thesesizes, we still need to identify whatpercentage of sand grains fall withinindividual categories, e.g. coarse sand(0.500-1.000mm), medium sand (0.250-0.500mm), fine sand (0.125-0.250mm).

We can use the information obtainedfrom a particle size distribution (PSD)analysis in a number of ways. One is tocalculate the Average Grain Size (AGS),which is normally quoted in microns.

Whilst this information is helpful, it doesnot give an indication as to the spread ofparticle sizes present.

A more useful method is to calculate“D Values” from the cumulate percentpassing curve. Any given D value is theparticle size diameter at which a givencumulative percentage of material isindicated to pass. For example, if theD90 Value was shown as 650 microns,this would indicate that 90% of materialis smaller than 650 microns. D Valuescan be used to show the potential forinterpacking by calculating the D90/D10ratio (Gradation Index). They are alsoused to ascertain whether drainagegravels are compatible with the rootzonelayer (bridging factor).

Grain shape

This refers to two attributes: one beingthe grain surface texture or angularity,and the other being grain roundness orsphericity. Grain shape is influenced bynature, and is entirely dependent on theweathering and erosion subjected to eachgrain at the time when they were formedand/or deposited. Glacial deposits andsome river “alluvial” sand deposits tendto have a more rounded grain surface,whereas carboniferous sandstone depositswould typically have a more angulargrain surface.

Sands having an angular or sub-angular grain surface are preferred whenused in golf bunkers, as this gives greaterstability and less ball plugging due togreater frictional resistance, whereasrounded sands are preferred for use insynthetic turf infill due to them beingless abrasive to the carpet.

Saturated hydraulic conductivity

Sometimes referred to as Perc rate orKsat. This is one of the most critical testswhere sands are used in sports turf. Themain reason for using sand is to achieveadequate water movement from thesurface through to the drainage below.This test is used to give an indication asto the amount of water that wouldpercolate through a material, whilst atfield capacity, for a given depth whenplaced above a gravel drainage layer.

This test should not be confused withinfiltration rate. Whilst the two arecertainly connected, they are carried outusing completely different test apparatusand procedures. Results of any sandtested for saturated hydraulicconductivity should be quoted, as theamount of water passing through thesample at a given depth of material. Theresult would be in the form of1050mm/hr at 30cm tension. It is crucialthat the quoted result indicates thetension (or simulated depth). In general,testing the same sand at greater tension(depth) will give a higher result so, if theinformation quoted does not show thetension (depth), the results cannot berelied upon.

Total porosity

This measures the void space betweenthe grains when compacted. Totalporosity, as the term suggests, measuresthe total available pore space. Typically,values are around 38%-45%

Capillary porosity (water filled porosity)

This is the percentage of total porositywhich contains water at or near the

119

surface for a given tension (depth), whilstat field capacity. As the result increases, itindicates more water present at thesurface.

Non-capillary porosity (air-filledporosity)

This is the percentage of total porositywhich contains air at or near the surfacefor a given tension (depth), whilst at fieldcapacity. As the result increases, itindicates less water present at thesurface.

Bulk density

The measurement of weight to knownvolume, this figure is useful whencalculating the amount of sand orrootzone required. For example, if you

required sand to fill a space 10m x 5m to300mm depth (12”), this would require15 cubic metres of material. If thisvolume is multiplied by the bulk densityfigure, then the quantity in weight can beobtained.

pH

Acidity of a sand or rootzone is measuredusing pH. Sands containing appreciableamounts of solid carbonates (calcium)should be avoided as this will increasethe pH level. Ideally, sands used forsportsturf should be slightly acidic. Sandsnormally have a very low bufferingcapacity, which means that they wouldnormally adopt the pH of theirsurroundings. The original pH of a sandwould typically move towards the pH of

the irrigation water, rainfall or fertiliserused.

Summary

Whilst a coarse sand may be expected todrain more freely than a finer sand, thiswill not always be the case. Grain size,shape, particle size distribution, silt andclay content, fine sand content, and evensilica content, will all play their part inthe performance ofsand used forsportsturf. If you relyon particle sizedistribution alone todetermine itssuitability for use,then you will be infor a few surprises.

Was the IGCEMA’s tradeshow a virtual success?From 19th to 21st Aprilthis year, theInternational GolfCourse EquipmentManagers Association(IGCEMA) staged itssecond virtual tradeshow (VTS). Ellie Taitspoke to those involvedto gauge the success ofthe event

Question - how can you attend an event withoutactually travelling there?Answer - when you attend a virtual trade show.The concept of a virtual event was first mootedby the association’s CEO and past President,Stephen Tucker, in 2008.

He pitched the idea of a place wheretechnicians could attend the trade show andgain education from the comfort of their desk.

Exhibitors build virtual booths to display theirwares, just as they would at a traditional tradeshow. In addition, they upload tailoredinformation to appeal to the target audience.Visitors register online, creating a virtual identityor avatar, enter the virtual exhibition hall andinteract with company representatives in real-time, using instant message, email or voice call.They can also view videos, slide presentationsand audio messages at the click of a mouse.

In addition to this one-to-one interaction, theevent can encompass group presentations,discussions, conferences and online seminars(webinars). Without the limitations of floorspace or meeting rooms, they’re able toaccommodate a greater number of people andrun simultaneously, with transcripts being madeavailable post-event.

In 2009, the IGCEMA began the developmentof its virtual trade show with the support andbacking of The Toro Company, John Deere Golfand Jacobsen, and commissioned California-based virtual events specialists, 6connect, todevelop the software.

Its vision is to grow the VTS into a worldwideevent where any company has the opportunityto showcase its products and services to the golfmanagement world, regardless of its size orgeographic location.

With events of all sizes in a multitude of

Bernhard Grinders stand The Toro meeting room

sectors falling foul of the global recession, thefirst VTS was held last year, with media andmarketing support provided by Golfdommagazine. Ten companies exhibited and theinaugural show prompted excellent attendancefrom equipment technicians around the world.

This year, the IGCEMA opted to partner withthe Golf Course Superintendents Association ofAmerica (GCSAA) to promote the event. CEOStephen Tucker, who is Equipment Manager atthe Ritz-Carlton Members Golf Club in Sarasota,Florida and organiser of the VTS, explains why.

“The IGCEMA has created a great relationshipwith the GCSAA over the last few years, whichincludes our participation as a partner in itsphysical trade show, GIS. We felt that theirbroad reach to members and allied associationswould help catapult the virtual trade show. Theintention is that the VTS is for everyone, fromequipment technicians to superintendents andgolf course owners. As the concept is new forthe IGCEMA, it is also new to the GCSAA, andfiguring out the best way to market it movingforward is going to be the key.”

“We had close to 500 people in attendancefor the live event. We still have ninety days ofon-demand for these stats to grow, so we won’tknow final numbers until that period is over.”

I spoke to Carl Osterhaus, Service EducationManager from The Toro Company, to gauge thesuccess of the event from an exhibitor’sperspective: “We thought the VTS went verywell. Improvements to the tradeshow systemallowed for better, problem-free interaction withthe customers than we had last year. We havealso been creating a lot of video based productinformation, and that was very well suited forthis type of event.”

“As far as the quality of the visitors, I felt thatthe interaction and the questions this year weregreatly improved over last year. Last year thecommon question I was asked was ‘What doyou think of the tradeshow?’ This year themajority of questions were related to productofferings and introductions, so that was awelcome change.”

I asked Carl what he considered to be themain benefits of a virtual event.

“One of the advantages is that attendeeshave time, and the opportunity, to really discussproducts with company reps and vice-versa. Atthe traditional shows, there are sometimes somany people in attendance, it can be difficult totalk to the correct person, or spend as muchtime with that person as possible,” he explains.

“This type of a show, at least at theseattendance levels, allows more one on one timeif the attendee chooses. Plus the twenty-fourhour format, without the expense of travel,opens the show up to individuals who may notbe able to attend otherwise.”

So, will Toro be exhibiting again next year?“That’s an interesting question,” he mused.

“Last year the expectation for attendance wasrelatively low, due to this being the first attemptat a show of this type, and the unknown aspectof the whole concept. Expectations this yearwere a little higher due, in part, to increasedawareness and additional vendors.”

“However, actual attendance for the show didnot increase much, and may have actuallydecreased from last year, which is concerning.At current attendance levels the ‘cost percustomer contact’ is still too high. A biggerconcern is whether customers see the value in

attending the event.”“I think that the concept is a great idea and,

eventually, these types of events will be morecommon than they are right now. As acompany, we haven’t participated in any othervirtual events, but we do conduct a fair amountof training through internet-type deliverysystems, because we’ve found that the currentbase of technicians are pretty comfortable withcomputers and the internet. That’s why we werepretty confident in the VTS concept. Based onthis year’s event, I’d say it may still be a coupleof years ahead of its time.”

“Over the next few months, we will beevaluating the cost of our participation versusthe number of customers it benefits, and ifthere are ways to benefit or interact with morecustomers for the same expenditure.”

TThe virtual experience

So, what of the visitor experience?I spoke with Randy Bushway, from The

Country Club of Boca Raton, Florida, whoattended the VTS on all three ‘live’ days. He’sinterested in the availability of a virtual eventpowered by modern technology and says he hada positive experience.

“It’s the next best thing to attending inperson,” he summarised. “I attended on allthree days and visited different areas. It wasobvious that a lot of time and effort had beenput in from those involved to make it aworthwhile experience.”

“It was my first visit to a virtual event and Iwanted to find my way around this year, so Ididn’t attend the education seminars. I wasn’tlooking to buy anything in particular, but I’malways interested in new equipment that’savailable.”

I asked Randy how the VTS compares withattending a show ‘for real’.

“I don't think you can compare it to actuallyattending a show, but it is a great substitute fornot being able to go at all. From your ownoffice, you can see what equipment is out thereand what it can do, chat with other industrypersonnel, take in some educational seminars,talk with sales reps and ask detailedquestions.”

What was missing from the experience forRandy was the hands-on element.

“You can’t sit on and touch the equipment, orhear what other superintendents are saying andwhat questions they are asking. You can’t thenhave lunch at table with others to discuss if theyhave experience of using any of the equipmentyou might be interested in. In short, afterattending the golf show in years past, there’s nosubstitute for attending in person. This is agreat alternative though.”

Pat Callaby, IGCEMA’s President andWorkshop Manager at the Celtic Manor Resort,said: “This year’s Virtual Trade Show had manyimprovements compared to the first year as faras the technology was concerned. I think theonly disappointment for us was the number ofpeople who registered for the three live days,which was quite low despite an intensiveadvertising campaign.”

“Traffic was better than last year withattendees staying in the show for an average of55 minutes each. During peak hours we saw anaverage of 45-55 people present, but weexpected to see more overall.”

“We obviously have a lot of work to do on the

marketing side of this event to let people knowabout the show and also to create greaterappeal, perhaps with more incentives fromexhibitors.”

“The Virtual Trade Show is a new conceptand, like many new things, it can take a littlewhile to embrace, we just need to get morecreative. Our exhibitors see the value of theshow and are also aware that it takes time tobuild on a new concept, but the IGCEMA willensure they get value for money. We’d like totake this opportunity to thank all the exhibitorsand visitors for their ongoing support of boththe show and the association.”

A step forward, or a step too far?

There’s little doubt that there are significantbenefits to virtual events, especially duringdifficult economic times. Removing the burdenof travel, accommodation and subsistencecosts, together with lost productivity during thetime taken to travel to and from an event, mustsurely make allowing an employee to ‘attend’ avirtual event a more attractive proposition toemployers.

The greatest cost-reduction is undoubtedly toexhibitors. Despite the investment in audiovisual communications necessary to take partin virtual events, anything that negates the needto transport and set up heavy machinery has tobe welcomed by the trade. Add to that the costssaved by a small number of employeesmanning their virtual booth in comparison to alarger team travelling to a trade show, and thesubstantial cost of keeping them there, and youcan see why companies such as Toro arecommitted to making the VTS work.

One of the key benefits of virtual events isthat the software used to run them is apowerful data capture tool. From the momentan individual registers, information can begathered about their location, purchasingintentions and educational interests. When theyvisit, software tracks their involvement andaccess to information and, when the eventdraws to a close, detailed feedback can besought on all aspects of the visitor experience.Post-event analysis provides accurate data forthe organiser and exhibitors, giving tradecompanies the all-important ‘cost per contact’figure that, amongst other factors, helps themdetermine the success of an event.

To visitors, it means less time away fromwork and home, and from the feedback fromthe IGCEMA’s VTS, improved one-to-oneinteraction and access to specific informationfor the serious buyer.

What it prevents is the spontaneousmeetings which add the enjoyable element ofthe tradeshow environment. The golf and turfindustries are friendly, hospitable andwelcoming and, while people can appreciate thebusiness logic for virtual events, they’reunderstandably apprehensive aboutrelinquishing the chance to catch up with oldfriends and meet new ones over a drink or two.

Perhaps a hybrid of real and virtual is thenatural next step? A real exhibition hall coupledwith virtual add-ons for those unable orunwilling to attend, but whostill want access to the sameinformation. Time will tell.www.virtualgolfshow.comwww.igcema.org

Jacobsen’s stand with Arnold Palmer video introductionJohn Deere menu - VVideo, Five Minute Tour and Literature

The company provides a completerange of domestic and professionalgroundcare equipment - “everything

from a pair of secateurs to a 200hptractor,” as area sales manager RayBennett puts it (and more about himlater) - to a wide variety of customers,from golf courses, professional footballclubs and other sports venues through tohome and estate owners, local authoritiesand councils, hotels, holiday parks andeven airports.

In addition to its main John Deerefranchise, the business sells and supportsequipment from fifteen othermanufacturers, including Charterhouse,Dennis, Gambetti, Gianni Ferrari,GreenTek, Major, McConnel, Scag, Stihl,Trilo, Trimax, Tru-Turf, Turfmech,Wessex and Yamaha. But, all this camefrom very small beginnings, in a smallwooden shed on the edge of a gardencentre in Woking.

Golf & Turf was set up there, inSeptember 1987, by directors TomScanlon and Gordon ‘Chalky’ White andmanaging director Bill Fisher, when JohnDeere - who had only established its newgroundcare division for the UK andIreland the year before - appointed themas the company’s first dedicatedgroundcare dealer in the south of thecountry, including the whole of London.

Before that, all three had workedtogether as salesmen and/ordemonstrators for Lely’s agriculturalequipment business, which included thefamous Roterra cultivator, Iseki compacttractors imported from Japan, and farmsprayers. Tom Scanlon tested,demonstrated and sold the rangethroughout the UK during his time withLely’s sprayer division.

After Lely started to market the US-made Beaver Equipment range of trailedhydraulic five-gang mowers, the ‘gang of

three’ were approached by Beaver, in1985, to set up a dedicated dealernetwork in the UK - Tom Scanloncovering the north of England andScotland, Gordon White the Midlandsand East Anglia, and Bill Fisher thesouth and south-west of England.

Tom Scanlon takes up the story: “Wefelt that the Beaver mower, which wasone of the first of its type on the market,just wasn’t getting a fair crack of thewhip at Lely. They didn’t see its mainpotential in the groundcare market, sowe jumped at the chance to set up adealer network.”

“We spent the next two years workingfifteen hours a day, five days a week,driving 50,000 miles a year with a trailerand a mower. It was a struggle. Theproduct was new, no-one had heard of it,and Ransomes was really the only gamein town at that time. It had a range ofwheel driven gang mowers pulled by 60

What makes a successful machinery dealership?The key factors would have to include the rightlocation, the right product and the right people,providing the best possible customer service.Experience and product knowledge also count for alot, and these are certainly in plentiful supply atBurdens Golf & Turf of Wokingham in Berkshire

Servicemakessuccess

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to 70hp agricultural tractors that werethe main choice for cutting grass inparks and open spaces”

“Beaver was the first seriouscompetitor to these machines, and a lotof the dealers we were approaching wereIseki dealers, so they knew who we were,and wanted something to sell againstRansomes, so it wasn’t so much a case offinding it hard getting dealers on board,it was more a case of fighting against avery well established market leader.”

“Nevertheless, we ended up signingabout thirty good dealers across the UK,compared with Ransomes who had aboutforty-eight established dealers at thattime, so I would say we were verysuccessful.”

So successful in fact that Hayterbought the rights to the Beaver range in1986, while the new dealer network wasstill being established, effectivelybecoming the group of three’s employer.

This only lasted for about a year though,because John Deere had itself arrived onthe groundcare scene in 1986.

“We made the initial approach thistime, and suggested that we could start anew John Deere groundcare dealershipfrom scratch in the south of England,”says Tom Scanlon. “John Deere was newto the market, and had opted to try andsell the few machines it had through itsexisting agricultural dealers, which wasn’treally working. We set out to convincethem that we could do a better job, andwe did!”

In its first year as a John Deere dealer,Golf & Turf sold the F935 front rotarymower, a couple of domestic mowers andthe 55 Series compact tractors, whichwere available with mid-mounted mowerdecks and front loaders.

“It was a similar situation to Lely andthe Beaver mower,” says Tom Scanlon.“The John Deere machines, particularly

the compact tractors, had a lot ofpotential, but this was not being fullycapitalised on, particularly in thegrowing groundcare market.”

“Kubota and Iseki were the two maincompact tractor brands in those days, butsmall tractors like these were looked onalmost as toys in agriculture. Themanufacturers weren’t really seeing thebig picture with regard to local councilsand authorities with large areas of grassto cut - which was exactly who we startedselling to. The John Deere range, at thatparticular time, didn’t lend itself to golfcourse maintenance - that was still tocome.”

It wasn’t long before the first wrap-around triple gang mower, with an 84incut, designed for use with compacttractors, became available. Ironically, thiswas made by Hayter, and employedBeaver cutting heads. It was developedto fit Iseki models originally, but ended

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Tom Scanlon, Golf & Turf’sJoint Managing Director

COMPANY PROFILE

up being offered by all threeof the main compact tractormanufacturers. Golf & Turfwere also awarded the Hayterfranchise in 1990, giving theteam access to largecommercial mowers that wereneeded to complete the rangeon offer to groundsmaintenance customers.

“The wrap-around mowerwas an absolutely keymachine, both for us andespecially for localauthorities,” says TomScanlon. “Ultimately, theJohn Deere compacts provedto be the best matchedmachines for the mower. Thepower unit and the overalldesign were just more suitedto carrying implements, withan independent pto and fullframe chassis which thecompetition didn’t have.Based as they were on JohnDeere’s agricultural heritage,the tractors were built to lasttoo, and last they did - manyof those original machinesare still working today.”

“The golf business grewmore gradually, as there wasnot much in the John Deereor the Hayter lines to beginwith, apart from gangmowers, for these customers.In the early 1990s, John

Deere introduced the 22inwalk-behind greens mower,the 2653 utility triplexmower, the 2243 greenstriplex and the AMT five-wheel utility vehicle, whichwas succeeded by the Gator4x4 and 6x4 models.

“From that slow and steadystart, I can say that, over thelast ten years, the golfbusiness has seen a hugeexpansion. By the mid-1990s,about 85 percent of ourbusiness was with localauthorities and contractors -now it’s more like a 50:50split with the golf coursemarket.”

Golf & Turf ’s longestserving area sales manager isRay Bennett, who got into thegroundcare industry in 1963at the age of sixteen, and hasworked for the dealershipsince 1991. His career startedwith Relf & Kendall, adomestic and commerciallawnmower business based inSouth Croydon. Later, after abreak from the trade, Rayretuned to R&K, which led tohim taking on the sales ofspare parts to councils insouth London, Kent andsouth Essex.

“There were very few largecontractors in those days, just

the odd guy who dida bit of gardening,and all theprofessional workwas done by parishcouncils and localauthorities - theparksuperintendents,some of whom couldbe difficult to dealwith, had their ownbudgets and orderedwhat was required,quite often in bignumbers. Selling wasundoubtedly a loteasier then, as therewas a lot lesscompetition and themargins werestronger. These dayswe’re selling morepackage deals, often

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John Deere progression - 8855 compact tractor with wrap-aaround triplegang mower. Popular with local authorities

Ray Bennett

IN the thirty years I haveworked in the turf industry,maintenance requirementscarried out on golf courseshave remained fairly constant,but the methods to achieve theresults has changed and, insome instances, quite radically.

Today’s course managers areunder constant pressure toproduce firm, true and fastgreens all year round, withminimal disruption to themembers playing times.

‘Drive for show putt fordough’ springs to mind. Like itor not, every golf course isjudged on the standard of itsgreens.

On visiting many differentgolf courses on a daily basis,the same topic always pops up:green speed. So, for mysummer turf tips, I have pickedfour essential processes which Ifeel go a long way to helpingachieve true, firm and fastgreens, with little or nodisruption to the playingsurfaces - rolling, dragmatting,brushing and topdressing.Rolling or, as more commonlyknown, turf ironingAt one time this was a verycontroversial subject. Goingback fifteen years,greenkeepers were much moreapprehensive about rolling thanthey are today. At that time, itwas considered to causecompaction and bruising of the

turf. Today, it is the norm to roll,particularly as golfers now havehigh expectations of fastergreen speeds. Rolling is provento produce healthier turf and,with higher heights of cut andmoisture reduction, fewerdiseases are evident.

I frequently get asked ‘isrolling right for us?’ and ‘howoften should we roll?’. No twogolf clubs are the same; it willdepend on the weather, type ofgrass, green construction,golfer’s expectations andfinance. Although many clubsreport less wear and tear onthe greens machine, especiallyif you roll after topdressing.This, combined with lesscutting, helps to reduce theneed for potentially expensivereel and bed knife sharpening.

Modern ride on rollersfeature a three true level rollereffect. This has a ride-overaction on slight hollows andallows level areas to be ironedwhilst low areas are left, so theplaying surface is progressivelyrolled. This is how you get theironing effect.

Rubber dragmatsAn ideal tool for rubbing intopdressing, removal of dewand clipping dispersal. The

rubber mats are less abrasiveon fine turf so, in turn, reducebruising to the plant leaf. Themajor benefit is that rubberdoes not wear out.Brushing with a ride on triplemowerRegular brushing promotes avertical sward. This, in turn,improves the quality of cut and,subsequently, improves ball roll

and speed. Regular brushingcan also decrease thefrequency of verticutting,resulting in a further reductionin maintenance costs and manhours.Spinner allows you to topdresslittle and oftenThe days of applying a one-offheavy dressing with a dropdresser are rapidly becoming athing of the past. Time isexpensive, and anything whichreduces the number of passesrequired to complete the task isan enormous benefit.

Compaction created, due tothe frequent number of runsneeded to dress a green, isanother issue which can beavoided by using a spinnerinstead of a drop method.

Spinner topdressers have up toa thirteen metre throw pattern,so an average size green willonly take two to three passesto complete. This means youcan reduce the time to doeighteen greens by up to athird.

Spinner topdressers aredesigned to throw the materialinto the grass sward and not ontop. This, again, is verybeneficial on cutting down onmower sharpening and savingon labour time needed forbrushing or matting in.

TURFTIPs

Summer turf tips byIan Campbell - CampeyTurfcare ProductSpecialist

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wrapped up with contractmaintenance and John DeereCredit finance to add value.”

In line with the steadyexpansion of the business,Golf & Turf moved from itsfirst shed to the CountryGardens garden centre atSunningdale in 1989, andthen to Bramshill when itbecame part of the BurdensGroup in 1991. Thedealership moved to itspresent site at EastheathHouse in Wokingham in1992, and has a hiredepartment based atBeenham near Reading. Itcurrently employs twenty-nine people, including eightin the service department,five in parts and five in sales,and has a turnover of around£6 million.

“Joining Burdens gave usthe extra stability ofbelonging to a larger group,as well as access to the biggeragricultural and utilitytractors in the John Deererange, which have been verysuccessful in the groundcarebusiness,” says Tom Scanlon.“Another key element was theintroduction of the hirebusiness, which was started bySimon Reynolds in 1993 andis now run by Mark Noble.It’s been a resoundingsuccess. All the equipmentthat we sell, we hire, and ifthe demand is there, we’llbuy it in to hire it out. Thisdepartment has six staffcovering an area from theMidlands down to the southof England, and the stockvalue of the equipment in thehire fleet is currently worth£2 million.”

“The hire department hasbuilt up and continues tomaintain a sound customerbase, by providing solid andreliable advice and service,and by only using machinesthat are less than three yearsold. About 95 percent of thehire business is withcommercial and golf coursecustomers, includingrenovation equipment that’s

generally only needed onceor twice a year. The adviceMark gives is second to none,and he always makes surethat customers get the rightmachine - many people knowwhat they want to do, butthey don’t necessarily knowwhat they need to do it.”

“Our latest venture is golfbuggy hire, which was startedby our sales director, JamesMoore, two years ago. Wehave around sixty buggies inthe fleet, which are used forshort-term and event hire aswell as the longer-termrentals for golf clubs, and thisbusiness is growing steadilytoo.”

“I like to think we have agood working relationshipwith all our suppliers, andthe more we sell, the better itgets!” adds Tom Scanlon.“The more successful we canbe as a dealer, the moresuppliers want to beassociated with you andsupport you, to join in withthat success. I have to say,though, of all the supplierswe deal with, and there are alot of very good ones outthere, none are better thanJohn Deere for training,support and back-up, andtheir spares set-up, inparticular, really is second tonone.”

“As a typical example, Iremember a chap livingnearby came in looking foran operator’s manual for a1930s tractor he hadpersonally imported from theUS. Our guys found the partnumber, Langar had a copyon the shelf and shipped itovernight. It was here thenext day, and only cost him£15! John Deere is leadingthe field comfortably ondealer support in that sense,and no-one comes close toconsistently performing sowell in this area.”

“We also don’t like sellingthings we can’t support, so wealways try to have two orthree apprentice servicetechnicians undergoing

training at any one time onthe various manufacturers’service courses. Once again,John Deere has really beendriving this aspect forwardover the years with its TurfTech and Parts Tech trainingprogrammes.”

Over the years, Golf & Turfhas received many awardsfrom its suppliers, includingHayter Dealer of the Year(twice) and DennisOutstanding Dealer, and ithas remained in the top threeJohn Deere groundcaredealers (ranked by sales)since it started business in1987. Typically though, TomScanlon isn’t one to let thedealership rest on its laurels.

“Several of the senior staffhere have been with Golf &Turf for twenty years or

more, so there’s a lot ofexperience across thebusiness, which is great forcontinuity and for thestrength of the relationshipswith both our customers andour suppliers - and we haveto continue to grow,” he says.“We want to be John Deere’snumber one groundcaredealer, full stop.”Customers in London and thesouth-east of England are invitedto attend the Burdens Golf & TurfCommercial & Sports Open Dayon Thursday August 4th, at DanesHill School in Oxshott, Surrey. Theday’s events include talks byChelsea FC Head Groundsmen,Jason Griffin, and Peter Craig ofThe Hurlingham Club, plusdemonstrations of equipmentthroughout the day. For furtherdetails contact Ray Bennett on07956 243342 or e-mailray.bennett@golfandturf.co.uk

The JD F935 front rotary mower, one of the first machines Golf & Turfsold into the commercial groundcare market after it became a JohnDeere dealer in 1987

A range of modern JD golf courseequipment at Bearwood Lakes

Golf Club, with course managerDaniel Lightfoot (right,

foreground), and dealer salesmanSteve Coone and the greenkeeping

team on the 11th hole

I first came across the power ofexpectation early on in secondary school.This was remarkable, given that myschool’s only claim to fame was that moreof its pupils left and went to prison thanleft and went to university. The Head Teacher was once asked todescribe the school. Was it academic? No.Was it vocational? No - he would say ‘it’scustodial’.In this unlikely setting, I was blessed tolearn about something that has provedreally helpful to me throughout my career.I found out that we can influence people’sperformance through the power of ourexpectation. You want your staff to workharder? They will. You want your team topull together? No problem. You want yoursenior managers to respond better? Rightaway!We are judged by the performance ofour people.

How can this be? Well, it is done byexerting the power of expectation - knownto some as the ‘self-fulfilling prophecy’ orthe ‘Pygmalion Effect’. If good leaders areto get the best out of their people, at alllevels, they need to communicate theirhighest expectations of them and not justassume that people will reach their peakperformance levels automatically. We mustnever forget that, as managers andsupervisors, we are judged by theperformance of our people. It is verymuch in our interest to get the best fromthem.When I was a schoolboy attending one ofour much hated theatre classes, I wasinstructed to read the part of HenryHiggins in George Bernard Shaw’s play‘Pygmalion’. This play is based on a veryold story by Ovid (born 43BC) in which aman called Pygmalion, a sculptor inancient Cyprus, falls in love with the statueof a beautiful woman he has created. TheGods intervene and Cupid kisses thestatue’s hand. The statue is immediatelytransformed from an ivory sculpture into abeautiful woman. She then lives happilyever after with Pygmalion.

In his play (later adapted into the musical‘My Fair Lady’) Shaw has his protagonist(Henry Higgins) bet his friend (ColonelPickering) that he can, after just sixmonths of hard work, pass off a commonflower girl (Miss Eliza Doolittle) as aduchess at an ambassador’s garden party.In the play, Eliza succeeds and ProfessorHiggins wins his bet. By the way, if you want to check out theplay, it is on at The Garrick Theatre inLondon until 3 September 2011. Itcurrently stars Rupert Everett as ProfessorHiggins.As a boy I struggled to play the part ofProfessor Higgins, but the concept wasvery clear to me. Even then, I could seethat negative expectations could come topass as readily as positive ones. I could seethat, because our Head Teacher believedor expected most of his pupils to notachieve anything, they did not. And,because he expected that many would gostraight from his school to juveniledetention centres, many did. He hadconsciously, or unconsciously, set up a selffulfilling prophecy. I wonder if we do thesame with some of the people we have todeal with day to day?Achieve a positive effect by havinghigher expectations

I personally have to be careful not toinadvertently set up a negative outcomethrough my expectations. I try, instead, toachieve a positive effect by having higherexpectations of myself and of others.When I went into management at a youngage, I would let my team know my positiveexpectations of them. For example, when Itook on a new operational assistant, Iindicated to him that I thought he couldbe a supervisor (and a good one) within ayear - and he was. I quickly gained a reputation for spottingpeople with potential. In truth, I gave allmy staff the same treatment. Most met myhigh expectations of them; a few did notfor a variety of reasons. The most commonreasons being their:- Fear of failure, and a

- Lack of trust due to bad experiences withother managers in the pastSometime later, I refined my use ofexpectation to transform not only anindividual’s performance, but also tacklethe fears mentioned above. I did this bydelegating lots of higher level work to mynew assistant. Of course, when I delegatedwork to my assistant, I remainedaccountable for results, so this took awaysome of the pressure on the person. Acouple of other things were important atthat time.1. A lot of the work I was delegating wasnot meant to be done at this level in theteam, or even at the level above. However,I had no one else available to me at thetime and, with some guidance, myassistant was soon able to do some of thehigher level work. I deliberately did notmention that the work was two levelshigher in case it affected my assistant’sconfidence. However, in all my dealings, Ibehaved as though the assistant could dothe work.2. I found that, very quickly, I could conferand confide with my assistant on nearly allimportant matters. My assistant hadbecome my professional colleague.After a few weeks, when worries about anever increasing workload surfaced, acouple of other things seemed important.1. After explaining how to prioritise work,I took the opportunity to explain thePygmalion Effect. My assistant’s responsewas thoughtful and positive - and worriesabout the workload ceased. 2. I then commended my assistant’s workto senior management. A few weeks later Iwas moved elsewhere; eighteen monthslater my former assistant had gained thetwo promotions needed to get tosupervisor level. Things felt very different to me

How do we exert the power ofexpectation? How is the Pygmalion Effectachieved?Well, I am not absolutely sure, because sofew people have used it on me. Yet, the

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Leadership trainer and conference speaker,Frank Newberry, considers how good leadersunderstand how the ‘power of expectation’can be used to influence outcomes,particularly the performance of others. Frank also challenges us to raise ourexpectations of ourselves and of otherpeople

What do youexpect?

first time they did, things feltvery different to me.I distinctly rememberthinking to myself , ‘I‘venever done this work before,but this person expects me todo it’. ‘What do I do now?’‘Do I explain my problem ordo I just get on with it?’I was reluctant to sayanything because the personseemed to genuinely think Iwas doing work at the higherlevel. They did not seem tounderstand what level I wassupposed to work at, and Ifound it difficult todisappoint a person who hadsuch confidence in me.So, what did I do? Well, Imade a couple of phone calls,spent the night reading upon the issues and the nextday - I got on with it.Looking at people, not asthey are, but as you wantthem to be

It was much later on that Irealised the person was justusing the power ofexpectation on me. So, what’sthe trick here? How does itwork?Well, if there is one, it is thetrick of looking at people, notas they are, but as you wantthem to be. Looking pasttheir current experience andconvincing yourself that thisperson has already reachedtheir potential and, what ismore, they are still growing.Then, it is taking the time totalk to people as if they hadall the ability you need themto have already. In ‘My FairLady’, Professor Higginsknows that Eliza haspotential, but fears failureand lacks confidence.Communicating hisexpectation built theconfidence she needed tosucceed.The important thing here isthat you need to beconvinced yourself that theperson can, and will, do whatyou want. This is not just atechnique. Too many peoplecan tell if you mean it, or ifyou are trying it on. If youdon’t believe it - they won’tbelieve it.Well you might think, ‘Whatabout people who areuntrained?’ ‘We cannot justdump the work on them’.That is true, but I recall thatthe people who used thepower of expectation on mewere:1. Rather matter of fact - soas to help me believe this wasquite normal for them, andquite normal for me2. Careful to extend myabilities a little at a time, so

that my confidence grewI now feel that a form ofcollusion starts to occur withthis process, and the twopeople concerned collaboraterather than contend over whois capable of doing what. Thiswas best illustrated, in mycase, when having agreed todo something well above mylevel - I casually mentionedthat there was a trainingcourse that might be useful.It was then that I knew Iwas taking part in aconspiracy

What I did not say was ‘Idesperately need this course’.So, without looking up, myboss just said ‘You’d betterbook yourself on it then’. Itwas then that I knew I wastaking part in a conspiracy. Itwas a conspiracy in which Idid not say that I knew whatwas happening. It was also aconspiracy in which everyoneelse knew that I knew - butsaid nothing. And why not?My career and earningspotential were both goingalong in leaps and boundsand, what is more, I seemedto have a great rapport withmy bosses.I would like to encourage youto have a go at getting betterresults by using the power ofyour expectation. Do yourbest to let go of some higherlevel work, and treat thepeople who are going to dothe work as if they alreadyhave the ability to do most ofit.You may need to stop lookingat people as they are, but asyou want them to be. A goodstart might be to raise yourexpectations of yourself.Maybe you could ask yourselfthe question: ‘How do I wantto be?’ Then you might ask‘How do I want others to be?’Especially your boss! Alwaysremember that people willeither live up to yourexpectations or they will livedown to them.Frank Newberry has been helpingpeople to fulfil their potential inthe turfcare sector for overtwenty years. If you feel that youneed some leadership training,then please consider the highlyinteractive and down-to-earthPitchcare Essential ManagementSkills Course running thisautumn. The course is two singledays separated by approximatelythree months. Contact ChristineJohnson for more details at thePitchcare office on 01902440256 or email her atchris@pitchcare.comIf you have staff who are notworking to their potential, andyou think it might help to talkabout, it you can contact Frankvia the contact tab of hispersonal website which iswww.franknewberry.com

Who are you? BenArthure, assistantgroundsman LibertyStadium and HeadGroundsman Swansea CivilService Cricket Club.

Family Status? Live withmy wife Heather and mychildren Georgie andWilliam.

Who’s your hero andwhy? Isombard KingdomBrunel, what anachievement.

What his your dream holiday? Australia.

What annoys you the most? Litter and graffiti.

What would you change about yourself? More hair on myhead.

Who wouldn’t you like to be? Any politician, a thankless job.

Favourite record and why? The Song of the Weather byFlanders and Swann, the words are so true.

Who would you choose to spend a romantic evening with?My wife Heather.

If you won the lottery what is the first thing you would do? Iwould buy a new mower for the cricket club, it would make my lifeso much easier.

If you were to describe yourself as a musical instrument,what would you be and why? A slide trombone - beautifulengineering, loud and sometimes a little overpowering.

What is the best advice you have ever been given? If the jobyou are doing is hard, then you are probably doing it wrong.

What’s your favourite smell? Honeysuckle.

What do you do in your spare time? Gardening, walking,motoring.

What’s the daftest work related question you have everbeen asked? Do you have to cut the plastic in the pitch too?

What is your favourite piece of kit? Our new Toro aerator.

What three words would you use to describe yourself?Approachable, honest, team-player (the hyphen saved him. Ed).

What talent would you like to have? Be able to play the pianolike Les Dawson.

What makes you angry? Disrespect.

What law/legislation would you like to see introduced? Limitthe number of cars on the roads.

Ben Arthure -could havequite a bit ofdosh spare ifhe won thelottery - afterbuying a mowerand visiting Ozand the hairclinic!

TWENTYQuestions

FORTHCOMING COURSES

Trainingpitchcare.com

Late Summer/Autumn CoursesProgramme

Following the success of our one-dayGeneral Sports Turf Maintenance coursesover the spring, we are now finalisingdates and venues for our latesummer/autumn programme.

These courses are accredited by LantraAwards, and are ideal for volunteer andpart time groundsmen and greenkeepersas they give an overview of theprocesses, machinery and equipmentused to create and maintain a qualityplaying surface.

Course numbers are limited in order thatall delegates can become really involved.Although the course content isstructured, the instructors deliver thetraining in an informal and interactiveway, and welcome questions anddiscussion during the day. There is nopractical work involved, because ofconstraints of time, but delegates dospend time out on the playing surface,considering and discussing its conditionand the challenges faced by the hostgroundsman or greenkeeper.

Led by an experienced sports turfprofessional, the End of SeasonRenovations for Cricket courses will starttowards the end of July and go throughuntil September, when similar coursesfor maintaining bowls greens will getunderway.

The Winter Sports (Rugby/Football) andArtificial Sports Surfaces courses willalso be on offer in early autumn.

Course venues will be spread across thecountry according to demand, so if youregister your interest by dropping me ane-mail with your contact details, hometown and the sport(s) that interest you,we will endeavour to choose locationsthat are most convenient.

We particularly welcome group enquiriesand can offer discounted fees for six ormore delegates, so why not get a groupof your local fellow groundsmen orgreenkeepers together and takeadvantage of these favourable terms?

Personal Development Courses

Just a reminder that this winter we shallbe repeating our annual EssentialManagement Skills course for HeadGroundsmen and Greenkeepers and theirDeputies.

This is a 2-day course, with three monthsbetween the two training days, whichgives delegates the opportunity toimplement their learning from day oneback in the workplace, and bring casestudies back to the table on day two.

The course is led by respected industrytrainer, Frank Newberry, who has beenhelping grounds professionals to achievetheir potential for over twenty years.

Just send me an email to register yourinterest or request further details.

Our popular course on Dealing WithDifficult People and Situations will alsobe available in the autumn. Its aim is toequip those who regularly come into

contact with the general public duringthe course of their work with the skillsnecessary to avoid conflict and diffusepotentially difficult situations. Again ledby Frank Newberry, the course is ideal forstaff working on public areas, such asschool sports fields, local authorityamenity land, village or communitysports facilities or play areas, golfcourses, public parks and gardens,theme and leisure parks. We welcomeenquiries from employers for grouptraining, but public courses will also beavailable for individuals to attend.

Lastly, a reminder that we have anumber of fully qualified First Aidinstructors (some of whom are alsoparamedics) ready to deliver a range ofFirst Aid courses including the 3-day FirstAid at Work and the 1-day EmergencyFirst Aid at Work, to corporate groups.Again, we can offer very competitiverates andwouldwelcome theopportunity toquote for yourparticularrequirements.

Forinformationabout any ofthe coursesmentionedabove, or justto register yourinterest, just e-mail chris@pitchcare.comor visit the visit the website (below).

128

www.groundsmantraining.co.uk

Why not visit ouron-line Buyers Guide

for direct links tosuppliers websites -www.pitchcare.com

130

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The Powerleague Wembley Cityproject, officially unveiled inmid-April, is Powerleague

Fives Ltd’s fourth site in thecapital, and offers both 5 and 7-a-side football on leading edgeartificial turf.

This latest, and most highprofile, of the company’s footballcentres, boasts 3G rubber crumbpitch technology, as well asattractive bar/lounge area andchanging rooms, plus patio, laidwith sand-filled artificial grass.

Established originally as ‘Pitz’ in1988 in Paisley, seven miles eastof Glasgow, Powerleague hasbecome the largest operator in theworld of small-sided pitches andthe self-confessed ‘Champions of5-a-side’.

A world away from its pilot, firstgeneration, small-sided artificialpitch of the late 1980s - the firstof its kind in the UK - Powerleaguehas burgeoned to a bustlingnational network.

Its portfolio now numbers forty-five state-of-the-art football centresacross the UK, including thebiggest of its kind in Europe -Powerleague Trafford with twenty-three pitches.

It is Powerleague Wembley City,though, that is the feather in theircap in a sport whose participantshave now overtaken 11-a-sidefootball in Britain in terms ofplayer numbers.

Strong partnerships have playeda pivotal role in Powerleague’ssuccess - no better exemplifiedthan in its nine-year relationshipwith Support in Sport (SIS) themanufacturer, supplier andinstaller of every one of itsdevelopments over that time.

SIS were to extend their serviceinvolvement still further with theWembley project, as the remit forthe build was to make this one ‘alittle bit special’, with vibrantcolours and key sponsors ensuringthat each of the seven pitches (six5-a-side and one 7-a-side) carriedits own unique identity andcharacter.

“Given the profile of the site,

and the fact that players werecompeting in the shadow ofWembley stadium, meant that wefelt it important to create a uniqueexperience,” explains Tony Scott,Powerleague’s DevelopmentManager.

“Part of this experience was setaround our key sponsor partners,headline sponsor Lucozade, Nike,Nivea for men, Carlsberg and SIS,who each had their own pitch withtheir own designs,” he continues.

“We liked the idea that visitorscould play on the Nike pitch, or theLucozade pitch, with on-pitchsponsorship adding to theatmosphere and excitement andsense of occasion. It’s aboutcreating a strong brand that woulddo justice to such a fantasticlocation.” Each of the sponsorshas a bespoke designed surfacewith logos and colour schemes oftheir choice.

Powerleague’s confidence inSIS’s design and installation know-how has proved long standing,says Support in Sport’s ChiefExecutive Officer, George Mullan.“We have installed or renovatedevery one of its sites and we enjoyan excellent working relationshipwith the company, one founded onthe depth of knowledge andquality of build that we can deliveras part of our one-stop-shopservice.”

“Everything is UK manufactured,including the bespoke surface thatis designed to stand up tointensive use, and our fencingsystem, robust enough to soak upheavy usage.”

Location is everything as theysay, and Tony Scott is expectingthe new site to be hugely popular,not least because of its WembleyStadium backdrop. Yet, as waswitnessed with real turf at thehome of English football, if thebread and butter of thedevelopment - the pitch - isn’tright, all the good work elsewherecan be compromised.

This latest venture challengedthe expertise of SIS, whosecredentials would be put to the

Artificial Surfaces

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131

ARTIFICIAL

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test with the desire to have notonly the latest 3G rubber crumbpitches but also an imposingsponsor focus.

The company rose to thechallenge, and the project is nowcomplete, with the construction ofa two-tiered pitch layout, whichalso saw the installation of a UK-first demountable fencing systemthat has been specificallydesigned for the site, utilisingremovable modules to provide amore open plan profile to pitchesduring events.

Planning permission wasgranted, at the tail end of lastyear, for site work to proceed on,what was, an existing storageground for Wembley Stadium.“The levels were all over the placewhen we started, so the first jobwas to bring them up to astandard and establish the twotiers, with four lower pitches andthree upper,” explains SimonMroczek, Contracts Manager forSIS.

“There needed to be as littleexcavation work as possible as wedidn’t want to dig up too much ofthe existing concrete. Instead, weimported 3,000 tonnes of recycledinfill to prepare the levels forlaying drainage at 10m centres,”he adds.

“Before the pitch could be laid,the levels of the original site hadto be adjusted because two largepre-cast concrete slabs and heapsof spoil had been placed thereafter the construction of WembleyStadium.”

“We had to break out sectionsof slab areas to incorporate newformed pads for laying levelretaining wall units, then build upthe upper and lower levels,installing a 28m total length of1.5m high retaining wall for theformer, and 1m height for the106m long retaining wall to dividethe two levels.”

“Over several weeks, weimported 3,000 tonnes of recycled25-80mm diameter stone infill,laid to a depth of between100mm and 1m. Drainage waslaid using 80mm laterals at 10mcentres, connecting to a 160mmmain drain, positioned at the baseof the central retaining wall andfeeding into Wembley’s stormdrain.”

“The woven geotextilemembrane laid on top separatesthe lower layer from the upper, thesub-base - Type 1X stone, which,once laid, provides at least a 30%void to assist drainage from thesurface. To minimise tolerances,we laser-graded the sub-base to10mm over a 3m straight edge,before laying the 40mm deep

dynamic layer of 2 to 6mm stone,”adds Simon.

Another geotextile was laid, thistime non-woven, to provide addedrigidity and restrict movement ofthe material, followed by theSuperior 50 3G synthetic turf. SISinstalled the synthetic surface,which is particularly well suited tofive-a-side football having beentested to 50,000 Lisport cycles forproven performance.

“The 50mm high polypropylenepile is first infilled with single-sizedspecialist sand to a specifieddepth, which helps with thedurability of the surface and keepssufficient weight anchorage onturf,” Simon explains, “then a finallayer of high graded recycledrubber tyre crumb is installed tospecified depths.”

“For maintaining the surface,we recommend using a pedestrianrotary brush unit once a week tobrush and redistribute the excessrubber crumbs back into mainplaying areas, and also to lift thefibres of the turf.”

The Superior 50, long-pilefibrillated carpet is claimed to bethe most technologically advancedavailable. Its non-sand, rubberfilled surface is designed to beskin friendly, allowing for the bestfootballing experience withoutmany of the painful pitfalls ofearlier synthetic designs. “Oldermodels were often extremely hardon the knees and could bedetrimental to players in tackles,and when the skin met thecarpet,” Simon continues. “The 3Gpitch negates these issues andreplicates the natural turfexperience far more effectively.”

The design stages on thisoccasion also drew in a third partyto accommodate the extensivelogoing that adorns each carpet. ADutch company was tasked withthe job of weaving the logos andsignage into the synthetic turf.

Once the carpets weremanufactured, they were shippedto Holland with each of thesponsor’s designs, then returnedto the UK for final installation.

As with other Powerleagueprojects, the relationship with SISwill continue long after the work iscomplete - the installer offeringcontinuing maintenance that willensure any repairs to the carpetsare completed, and allowing thefootballing experience to remainas impressive in time as it is now.

In tandem with this, a regularmaintenance regime will beconducted by Powerleague’s in-house team, following careguidance, based on regularbrushing, set out by SIS.

132

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DRAINAGE

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Iconsider myself very fortunateto have the job I have withPitchcare, as it enables me to

meet so many interesting peopleassociated with the sports andamenity turf industry

Last year, when Pitchcare wereconducting a utility vehiclecomparison test day at RugbySchool, I met up with SimonMorley from JCB, who had broughta couple of models to be putthrough their paces. At the end ofthe event, Simon invited myself,James Mead, Head Groundsmanof Rugby School, and his headmechanic, Graham Lloyd, to visitthe JCB factory.

The company are renowned fortheir hospitality and factory visits,so all three of us were lookingforward to the day.

We were met at the main gateat 8.30am by Simon, who is theTerritory Sales Manager for the UKSouth and Ireland, for JCB UtilityProducts, a post he has been in fortwelve months. He was keen for usto see the scale of the factory andthe company’s portfolio ofproducts.

We were first given a briefhistory of the company, beforestarting the factory tour. It wasamazing to see what the companyhas achieved; in every corner ofthe world you’ll find a JCBmachine. No surprise then thatthey are one of the world’s topthree manufacturers ofconstruction equipment. Theycurrently employ around 9,000people on four different continentsand sell products in 150 countriesthrough 1,500 dealer depotlocations.

You can still see the originalgarage workshop building atUttoxeter, where founder, JosephCyril Bamford, began trading in1945, making trailers andpioneering one of the first everhydraulic tipping trailers in Europe.

In 1949, he instigated atechnical breakthrough in

machinery design - the MajorLoader - which, at the time, wasbased around a Fordson tractor. Itfeatured hydraulic arms to whichshovels, muck forks and otherattachments could be fitted,thereby making it ideal for boththe agricultural and constructionsectors.

It was after a trip to Norway thatMr Bamford came across a lightweight excavator on a trailer,hitched behind the back of atractor, that led to him realise hecould come up with a betterconcept. By connecting hydraulicrams directly to the back of atractor, the world’s first backhoeloader was born.

Many more innovative ideaswere to follow. This brief timelinedenotes the key phases of theirsuccess.1945 - Joseph Cyril Bamfordestablishes JCB in Uttoxetermaking trailers1948 - Hydraulic tipping trailer isproduced – first in Europe1949 - First ‘Major Loader’exported to France1954 - Backhoe loader launched1965 - First crawler excavator isbuilt1968 - First wheeled loadingshovel produced1975 - Sir Anthony Bamford takesover as Chairman and ManagingDirector1977 - Launch of Loadall range oftelescopic handlers1978 - JCB Transmissions axlefactory opens in North Wales1979 - JCB starts joint venture inIndia with Escorts Ltd1990 - Launch of high-speedtractor - the Fastrac1991 - JV with Sumitomo ontracked and wheeled excavators1995 - New Compact Productsfactory opens in Cheadle

JCB factory visit

Our editor has a day out at the JCB facility inUttoxeter, in the company of James Mead,Head Groundsman at Rugby School

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IRRIGATION

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133

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Above: James Meadenjoys a cuppa.Right: The garage whereJ C Bamford set up hisbusiness in 1945.Below; One of the earlyJ C Bamford trailers

1998 - Gearbox factory opens nextto axle factory in Wales1999 - JCB Cab Systems and JCBEarthmovers start production2000 - First US-manufacturedmachines (Savannah, GA)2001 - Production of backhoeloaders starts in Brazil2002 - New £27m World PartsCentre opens in Uttoxeter2003 - JCB India is formed aswholly-owned subsidiary2004 - Diesel engine productionstarts in new £80m factory2005 - JCB India opensfabrications plant in Pune, India2006 - JCB starts production inShanghai, China2007 - JCB India opens excavatorfactory in Pune, India2008 - New £40m Heavy Productsfactory opens in Uttoxeter

After the history lesson, wewhere shown around the factory,witnessing how their key productsare assembled. It was amazing tosee the whole process; raw piecesof metal transformed before ourvery eyes. There are several keyareas of production where thesteel is fabricated, welded,machined and painted, to producekey components such as chassis,buckets and loading arms. Theseare then delivered to the assemblytrack - which moves at a constantspeed through various stations -where components are fitted.

Over thirty-five backhoe loadersare assembled every day and,whilst the millions of poundsinvested in robots and computersystems to monitor quality andperformance is staggering, JCB’scommitment to their staff is veryimpressive, which, perhaps,explains their speed andefficiency.

Once a machine has been

assembled, it is tested forhydraulic leaks and engineperformance, and then takenoutside to be tested in its workingenvironment; lifting, pushing andpulling.

After a splendid three-courselunch, we went to visit anotherfactory site, where the Workmaxrange of utility vehicles areproduced. Once again, theproduction of these wasinteresting to see.

Our last tour was to see therenowned World Parts Centre, ahuge building that houses over40,000,000 parts and is open24/7, 362 days of the year. Theydeliver in excess of a milliongenuine JCB parts every week, allover the world.

Part pickers work on a threeshift pattern and are able to keepthe lines of supply at maximumoutput twenty four hours a day.Specially installed moving tracksand part displays enable thepickers to locate and packrelevant parts quickly.

The company sees end userfeedback as crucial to thedevelopment of any machine intheir range, and will implementchanges to ensure the customerbenefits, both in comfort andperformance.

Today, JCB has some of thefinest engineering facilities acrossthe globe, and produces a range ofover 300 machines. It maintains areputation for unrivalled customerservice.

Their mission statement, “... togrow our company by providinginnovative, strong and highperformance products andsolutions to meet our globalcustomers’ needs”, sums up theircommitment to remain at theforefront of the industry.

JCB still remains a familybusiness and continues to beinnovative in a competitivemarketplace. It is fair to say thatthey have transformed thelandscape in every country of theworld.

On behalf of Jim, Graham andmyself, I would like to take theopportunity to thank Simon andJCB for inviting us to see thisunique family business.

ROLLERS

ClassifiedsTo advertise in this section contact

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134

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As a turfgrass breeder, Icollect plants from old standsof grass, including older golf

courses, pastures, meadows, andsportsfields, primarily to find thoseplants that have survived andprospered under various stresses.Rarely, at these sites, do you find amonoculture of one species ofgrass, unless considerable efforthas been made with herbicides tomaintain a pure stand. Natureselects from a broad range ofspecies and plants to find onesadapted to each microclimate.

Although most sports demand aconsistent playing surface for auniform ball bounce, roll anduniform footing, it is sometimesdesirable to mix multiple cultivarsof the same species or multiplespecies together to obtain a moresustainable surface.

Turfgrass trials and breedingtrials are usually done on singlecultivars of individual species. Itwould be difficult to place all thecombinations that could be donein a trial but, many times, it isshown that combinations cannotonly complement each other, theycan be better than one cultivar byitself.

It may be that the highestdensity cultivar is not the best onefor a blend or mixture, since it maycome to dominate the stand.Studies have documented that, atseeding, you need significantlymore smooth stalk meadowgrasson a weight basis than perennialryegrass for it to dominate the

stand, due to seedling vigour ofthe ryegrass.Many UK golf courses are very oldand already a mix of speciesRecent drastic swings in weatherfrom hotter, drier summers tocolder winters may make even thespecies and plants present onthese courses non-adapted.

In the United States, theemphasis is shifting to a moreenvironmental management formany courses for many reasons.Cultivars of many cool seasonspecies in the United States needto survive hot, humid summer andcold winters, whilst Europeancultivars have often had less stresson them. The additional stress ofgolf buggies or cars on the turfcan be hard on some species. Turfmanagers will need to stayconnected to innovations in allareas.

A mixture of velvet bentgrassand creeping bentgrass has beenin trials for a number of years andhas been used for some golfgreens. The newer creepingbentgrass match, more closely,velvet bentgrass density andtexture, but the two species tendto be susceptible to differentdiseases. The velvet also tends togrow better with cool soiltemperatures.

Often, in these mixes, the velvetpredominates during the cool timeof year or in the shade, and thecreeping bentgrass when it iswarmer. Both velvet and creepingbentgrass at fairway height

Turf Grass

Dr. Leah A. Brilman, Director of Research andTechnical Services at Seed Research ofOregon, suggests that looking to the nearcontinent may benefit UK turfgrass managers

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required about 60% of thereference ET whilst annualmeadowgrass required close to100%.

Browntop bentgrass is beingincreasingly looked at for both golfcourse fairways and home lawnsin the United States. In bothfairway trials and lowmaintenance turf trials it hasshown considerable promise.Newer cultivars have higherresistance to diseases and moreheat toleranceThey are often blended with finefescues for both uses. They havebeen utilised for many years andoccur naturally in these areas inthe UK, but were often overlookedfor home usage, partially sincedryland bentgrass and browntopwere considered the samespecies. In a low maintenance turftrial, with little fertiliser and noirrigation, in the Upper Midweststates, the bronwtop (colonial)bentgrass had high performance.

Turf breeders have developedtall fescues that are significantlyfiner and denser than even thecultivars available a few years ago.These have extensive droughttolerance, and new cultivars have

demonstrated lower water usage.Usage as a sports turf hasincreased due to the improvedcharacteristics. Usually, these areblended with smooth stalkmeadowgrass, but may also havebeen blended with improved turf-type intermediate or annualryegrass.Species and cultivar diversityprovides a buffer againstenvironmental changesCare must still be taken to selectimproved cultivars in the desiredspecies. Evaluate the cultivar orspecies for the characteristics thatare valuable to you.

Make sure you have cultivarsand species that are activelygrowing during the heaviest usetime, so repair can occur.

In Southern England, you maywant to see what is performing thebest in more continental climates.Currently, the UK is in a droughtsituation. I remember walkingHyde Park under a similarscenario a few years ago, andthinking a good turf-type tallfescue might be a better choicethan the brown perennial ryegrassthat was present.

Ballyneal Golf Course in Colorado on sand dunes. Fine fescue andbrowntop bentgrass with a little smooth meadowgrass to start.Now, mostly fine fescue on greens and many fairways

BayonneGolf Course on the Northeastern tip of New Jersey. Thegreens are creeping bentgrass/velvet bentgrass, fairways arebrowntop and fine fescue.

It is shown thatcombinations cannotonly complementeach other, they canbe better than onecultivar by itself

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In combination with the right turfgrass varieties and turf grassseed mixtures, it is possible to

achieve perfect results on sportspitches as well as in ordinarygardens. Even the environmentmight benefit from automatic lawnmowing.

The reason for the growinginterest in automatic lawn mowingis due to the numerousadvantages, which by far outweighany negative aspects. Here aresome of the points to beconsidered:• Environment/sustainability• Cost efficiency• Perfect results with automatic

lawn mowers• Choice of turf grass varieties

and turf grass seed mixtures• Types of automatic lawn

mowersEnvironment/sustainabilityThe photosynthesis in natural turfgrasses is an importantcontributor to the capture ofatmospheric carbon dioxide. Onthe contrary, the maintenance ofturf grasses could “eat up” thebenefits, if not carried outcorrectly.

Firstly, turf grasses should befertilised optimally (optimalcarbon dioxide sequestration andoptimal oxygen production) toprevent excessive growth flushesand minimise the incidence ofdiseases. Secondly, cutting with anefficient mower or, even better,with an automatic mower poweredby renewable energy/electricity,further improves the balance ofcarbon absorption against carbonproduced. It is more efficient tomow frequently rather thanremove large volumes of clippingsinfrequently. The high frequency of

cuts by automatic lawn mowingnot only induces less stress to thesward, but also produces minimalclippings, which are absorbedback into the turf to reducenutrient loss and the need forcomposting clippings. There is afar better degradation and lesspotential for thatch build upcutting little and often.Cost efficiencyNo matter how good theenvironmental intentions are of aturf manager, automatic mowerswill only become commonly usedif they are cost efficient. Today,time and labour costs are alwaysthe focal point of any sportingfacility’s budget, and efforts tostreamline costs is the numberone priority.

We are not suggesting thatgroundstaff should lose their jobsbut, by integrating automaticmowers into their managementsystems, time can be released forother purposes beneficial to thebusiness. A cost benefit analysesshould be calculated according tolocal conditions and individualcircumstances.Perfect results with automaticmowersThe advantages of automaticmowing has been known for quitesome years, particularly lawnowners, who have experiencedperfect results and lowmaintenance cost. The lightweightnature of the machines meansthere is less soil compaction,helping to maintain good drainageand root structure. A general ruleis to never cut more than one thirdof the leaf length per mowing. Thehigh cutting frequency achieved byautomatic mowing keeps the turfin perfect shape and encouragesgrass tillering.

Robotic Mowers

Could automatic or robot lawn mowing be theway forward for maintaining natural turf?

AUTOMATICMOWING - MANOR MACHINE?

Cricket Renovation Seed Mixes CR1 & CR2WASP coated seed also available

24 hour delivery

Hurrells Specialist Seeds, Beverley RoadCranswick Driffield East Yorkshire YO25 9PF

Tel: 01377 271400Fax: 01377 271500

Email: nick@hmseeds.com

www.hmseeds.com

SEED SUPPLIERS

SEED SUPPLIERS

Sportsground Mixtures• Next day delivery• Technical adviceTel: 01522 868714Fax: 01522 868095

seeds@bshlincoln.co.ukOrder online at

www.bshamenity.com

SOIL ANALYSIS

A2LA Accredited & USGAApproved physical soil

testing laboratory for theanalysis of construction

materials for thesportsturf industry

Contact ETL on01786 449195

email:europeanturf@aol.com

www.etl-ltd.com

Join the Green Evolution• Catering for all sectors of the industry• Standard amenity grass mixtures• Special mixture formulation service• Expert advice• Nationwide delivery

For further information contact:Simon Taylor

Tel: 01522 868946 Mob: 07824 601471Email: simon.taylor@eurograss.com

www.eurograss.com

The use of RUBBER CRUMB ongrass as top dressing has been

granted a PATENT in the UK andIreland under Number EP0788301B1

TEBBUTT ASSO.ARE THE LICENSEES

with CROWN III rubber crumb TurfReinforcement, the licensed product.

Contact Tebbutt Asso.on 01253 342003 or Fax 01253 346644

e-mail: tebbuttasso@btconnect.comwww.tebbuttassociates.co.uk

RUBBER CRUMB

SOIL SCREENERS

ULTRA T1500 -TROMMEL SCREEN

HIRE AND SALESProduce high quality topsoil from

recycled soil/green wasteContact Synergy Products on

01380 828337Dave on mobile: 07971 843802Email: sales@synergyproducts.co.uk

www.synergyproducts.co.uk

Advertising in thisclassified section costsas little as £200 a year.

Telephone: 01952 898516

REPLACEMENT AND SPARE PARTS

design, manufactureand distribution of

turf aeration solutionsfor the past 20 years

Tel: +44 (0)1241 853639www.steelmaster.co.uk

E: sales@steelmaster.co.uk

Blair PrecisionEngineering Ltdbeganmanufacturingtines in1987 afterCarnoustie GolfLinks approachedthe companylooking forcustom shapes and sizes of tines to fit theiraeration machines. More than 20 years later,Steelmaster Tines are used by greenkeepersand groundsman all over Europe.

Replacement TinesHollow, Solid and Cross -specialising in carbide tipped technology. Verticut and scarifier blades.

Brush sectionsOEM specification.

AccessoriesBacklapping paste, linkagepins, PTOs, specialist grease and bedknives cold rolled for uniform hardness.

Established 1998

THATCHAWAY

TORO

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All major brands catered for and special requirements met.

Fast efficient service from our extensive stock.

0800 083 0216Division of Campey Turf Care Systems Ltd

137

SPORTS TURF CONTRACTORS

ClassifiedsTo advertise in this section contact

Peter Britton on 01952 898516email: peter@pitchcare.com

Mobile: 07860 259692Tel: 01284 735105

Email: peter@buryturfcare.comwww.buryturfcare.com

Vertidraining, Hollow Coring,Overseeding, Draining,

Gravel Banding, Field Top Maker,Deep Scarifying

Tel: 01494 866776email: info@agripower.co.ukwww.agripower.co.uk

Tel. 01722 716361www.mjabbott.co.uk

GOLF COURSE & SPORTSGROUNDCONSTRUCTION

RENOVATION & MAINTENANCE

IRRIGATION SYSTEMS

LAND DRAINAGE SCHEMES

WATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

Design and construction of synthetic and natural sports surfaces and facilities

Football, Hockey Multi-Sports,Cricket, Tennis & Bowls

Tel: 01474 364320

the pitch of performance

www.activeleisurecontracts.co.uk

01797 252299www.bourneamenity.co.uk

enquiries@bourneamenity.co.uk

• Supplies• Renovation• Drainage• Construction

info@avonmore-associates.co.ukt: 01789 293439

www.avonmore-associates.co.uk

S P E C I A L I S T S I N T U R F M A N A G E M E N T

DESIGN • CONSTRUCTION

IRRIGATION • MAINTENANCE

DRAINAGEPiped Drainage, Sand Slitting, SandMaster

CONSTRUCTIONSports Fields and Golf Courses

RENOVATIONVerti-draining, GroundBreaker, Over-seeding

Top-dressing, Koro Field Topmaker

CH GROUNDSCH GROUNDSCH GROUNDSMAINTENANCE LTDMAINTENANCE LTDMAINTENANCE LTD

Tel: 01494 758208 info@chgrounds.com

www.chgrounds.com

Choice of turfgrass varieties andturf grass seedmixturesIn order to get fullvalue from yourrobot mowerinvestment it isimportant tochoose the rightgrasses. Onecompany, EuroGrass, has, inrecent years, beenvery successfulbreeding varieties with anoutstanding wear tolerancecombined with high aestheticalvalues and suitability forautomatic lawn mowing. Lowerbiomass production and cleannessof cut are important characteristicfor varieties that are used for anyturf areas. Many of the seedmixtures are well adapted toautomatic mowing.Types of automatic lawn mowersThe first automatic lawn mowerswere all of the rotary type. Theyrequired a cable along the edge ofthe lawn in order to keep themower on the lawn, and stop itfrom “weeding” the flower beds.These mowers have proven to bevery reliable, and the randomisedmowing pattern has proven to bevery efficient in providing excellentresults. These days there is anincreasing number of automaticmowers guided by GPS signals.These types of mowers need to be“walked” along the boundary ofthe turf before they can be letloose for real use. By adding GPSsteering systems to the robotmowers they are highly efficient

and their use will undoubtedlyincrease in the professional sector.Picture captions:Top left: The CutCat, fromEurogreen, pictured at work atSchalke 04’s stadium in Germany,has a cutting width of one metreand has the capacity of mowingone to two football fieldsdepending on the mowingintensity. Under certaincircumstances the capacity is evenbigger.Above: The MAS 05 is the latestrobotic mower from McMurtry. Itoffers turf professionals anefficient, selfguided mower for themaintenance of large turf areas.Mowing patterns can be altered ona daily basis to minimise problemsassociated with compaction andweather damage, whilstbenefitting from an output of up to3.5 acres/hr at minimal cost.Below: With a cutting width ofapproximately 0.2 metres, thesmaller robot mowers have gotsufficient capacity for ordinarygardens up to some hundredssquare metres.

Sports Ground Contractors Ltd

ClassifiedsTo advertise in this section contact

Peter Britton on 01952 898516email: peter@pitchcare.com

138

SPORTS TURF CONTRACTORS

SPECIALIST SPORTSTURF CONSTRUCTION& DRAINAGE CONTRACTORS

• Gravel Banding • Sand Slitting• Top Dressing • Renovation • Irrigation

Unit 7, Brailes Industrial Estate, Winderton Lane, Lower BrailesBanbury, Oxfordshire OX15 5JW

Tel: 01608 685800 Fax: 01608 685801email: jim@dwclarkdrainageltd.co.uk Web: www.dwclarkdrainageltd.co.uk

D W ClarkDRAINAGE LTD

FFirst we applied herbicides inwater, using knapsack andconventional hydraulic

sprayers at water volumes ofgenerally 200-500 litres perhectare, which is a veryconsiderable amount of hard workjust lifting and carrying 25kg ofwater and sprayer around.

Then we moved on to CDAsprayers, where volumes of liquidapplied are reduced to a moremanageable 10-15 litres perhectare, making far more efficientuse of labour, but at aconsiderably increased cost in CDAmaterials.

The latest innovation is ULV(Ultra Low Volume) technology,that is designed to apply herbicideneat at just 1-3 litres per hectare,with no water involved at all.

Just imagine being able to fill a500ml container with neatherbicide and then being able towork continually for up to twohours, never having to return to abase vehicle to refill, nor havingthat heavy burden of water to carryaround! Just a 3kg spray lancesupported from an elastic shoulderstrap. Imagine the labour hourssaved each day not having tocontinually return to a base to re-fill and mix, not to mention thereduced stress and tiredness of anoperator working all day.Improved labour productivity is,without doubt, the single mostimportant reason this systemscores, as it can recover the wholeoutlay of a ULV sprayer within justa few weeks in labour savingsalone.

Several factors are now drivingthis move. Economic forces andthe dire need to save labour andchemical costs, environmentalprotection requirements comingfrom new EU legislation in theform of its Sustainable Use ofPesticides Directive and Water

Framework Directive and, finally,the greatly reduced number ofpesticides available, of which byfar the most important isglyphosate, probably representingat least 80% of all use onlandscape and highways weedcontrol.

The EU’s Sustainable Use ofPesticides Directive requiresnational plans to reduce pesticideuse in general, and especially inpublic spaces. It is being phased inover the next two years startingNovember 2011. Pesticide usersare required to consideralternatives to spraying, such assweeping, mulching or handweeding, to cut down on theamount of pesticide applied and touse targeted spot spraying ratherthan blanket spraying.

The introduction of this newgeneration equipment, MankarULV, will revolutionise the weedcontrol industry in the UK.

The key to achieving thisbreakthrough was the work doneto persuade our own ChemicalRegulation Directorate (CRD) toallow the neat use of glyphosate(currently only RoundupProBiactive 450). Other productsare in the pipeline.

All other product labels currentlyrequire pesticides to be applied inminimum volumes of water or CDAcarrier.

The issues that were of concernto the CRD were efficacy, spraydrift and potential operatorexposure. The Mankar ULVapplication technology has beenwell designed to address theseproblems, which is why it is theleader in this field across Europeand, indeed, worldwide. Itspatented technology controlsdroplet size to eliminate the tinydroplets always present inpressurised hydraulic sprayers but,unlike CDA, it directs the spray

Weed Control

A quiet revolution in weed control technologyis beginning, with the introduction of newtechnology into the UK

WEED CONTROLMOVES ON...

SPORTS TURF

D CRANE

Tel:01254 878047

Email:info@dcranesportsturf.com

Website:www.dcranesportsturf.com

ConstructionGolf Courses,

Natural/Artificial Pitches,

MUGAs

RenovationKoro Field Top

Maker, Fibre Sand Installation, Laser Grading, Seeding

DrainagePiped Drainage,

Sandmaster, WhizWheel, Gravel

Banding

CONSTRUCTIONSports Fields and Golf Courses

DRAINAGESand Slitting, Gravel Banding

RENOVATIONVerti Draining, Hollow Coring, Scarifying,

Koro Field Topmaker, Topdressing,Overseeding, Sand Spreading

Mobile: 07768 122577Tel: 01772 780545

danvicturfcare@btconnect.com

Pitchcare Magazine SUBSCRIBE NOW!You can have each and every copy of Pitchcare - The Magazinedelivered direct to your door for just £30 a year (Overseas £50).The independent, comprehensive, bi-monthly magazine for everyoneinvolved in working with turf.

Go to www.pitchcare.com to subscribe on-line ortelephone 01952 897910

Sportsfield ConstructionDrainage SchemesRenovations & ImprovementsCricket Specialists

Tel: 01529 455757 Fax: 01529 455775e-mail: steve@stevenpask.co.ukwww.stevenpask.co.uk

ClassifiedsTo advertise in this section contact

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139

SPORTS TURF CONTRACTORS

w w w. s g c g r o u p . c o . u kC O N S T R U C T I O N M A I N T E N A N C E-A N Y S P O RT A N Y S U R FAC E-

SeniorGolfConstructionRapidTurfSeniorSportsMaintenanceSeniorSportsConstruction

Tel: 0161 343 1044

CONSTRUCTION • DRAINAGEIRRIGATION • MAINTENANCE

SOFT LANDSCAPING & PLANTINGScotland: Tel 01236 453030Cheshire: Tel 01565 889220

Email: info@souterssports.co.ukwww.souterssports.co.uk

Sports Surfaces for Quality & Excellence

Tel: 01256 880488Email: info@kestrelcontractors.co.ukwww.kestrelcontractors.co.uk

Renovation - Drainage - MaintenanceSports Pitch Design - Construction

Natural & Synthetic

www.pitchcare.comGet in touch on: 01773 872362

Specialists in SportsfieldConstruction, Fencing,

Drainage and Landscaping

www.pugh-llewis.co.uk

• Sports Pitch Construction• Earthworks • Maintenance

• Drainage & Irrigation• Custom Grown Turf

• Install n Playball Turf Tiles01400 251605

www.fine-turf.co.ukinfo@fine-turf.co.uk

SPEEDCUTCONTRACTORS LTD

A professional servicefor all Sportsturf:

• Drainage• Construction• Renovation

Oxford 01865 331479www.speedcutcontractors.co.uk

vertically downwards at highspeed towards the target weeds orground in a fan shaped pattern.All this also takes place under aspray shield, with the result thatthere is no problem with eitherspray drift or operator exposure.In fact, this shielded, low driftsystem also improves the windowof work during marginal sprayingconditions, when an operatorusing a CDA sprayer or aconventional hydraulic sprayerwould have had to stop work,further improving labourproductivity. By working close tothe ground and under a sprayhood, there is far less ability forwind to cause drift.

Another big plus comes out ofthis application system, as itallows huge reductions in theamount of active herbicide appliedper hectare of at least 50%, withno loss of efficacy. With the newEU directives imposing ThematicStrategy requirements to reducepesticide use, especially in publicareas, this ticks all the boxes.

The reason why the system is soeffective is that it appliessomething like 100 times as manydroplets as CDA on a given area.This achieves better coverage ofeven the smallest target weeds,like newly germinating AnnualMeadow Grass.

In neat form, the herbicidesticks to target foliage andspreads with no dilution or bounceoff, as occurs with water basedapplications, so more of it isabsorbed into the target weed.

In Holland, glyphosate rates

allowed in public spaces are nowreduced to only one litre perhectare by law, and thistechnology is the only oneavailable that will apply such asmall dose and yet effectively killthe weeds. It is also the onlysystem allowed near watercourses, bearing out its no-driftcredentials. Little wonder thenthat the word is spreading, withmany more users takingadvantage of the savings to theenvironment and their pockets.

Whilst the hand held lances arevery popular as an alternative toother hand held equipment, theMankar ULV system works equallywell when fitted to a variety ofother equipment such aspedestrian wheeled sprayers,tractors, ATVs, utility vehicles, etc.It has even been further refined touse a weed sensor system that,literally, automates a sprayingmachine to only spot spray wheregreen foliage is identified by itssensors. This can result in aneffective application of glyphosateat well under one litre per hectare,which no other application systemcan even come close to emulating.

In doing so, the system meetsand exceeds virtually anyrestrictions in use of pesticideslikely to be imposed under thenew legislative regime and, at thesame time, makes huge savings inlabour and pesticide costs.For further information contactJonathan Carr at Amenity LandSolutions. Tel: 01952 897912Email jonathancarr@amenity.co.uk

Tel 01772 877289 (Preston, Lancs) Email: info@dixondrainage.co.uk

www.dixondrainage.co.uk

Established 1978

Sportsturf Drainage Specialist

Slitting Banding Maintenance

Drainage Construction Renovation

Philip Dixon Contractors Ltd

140

ClassifiedsTo advertise in this section contact

Peter Britton on 01952 898516email: peter@pitchcare.com

The tts culture is based on its independence.tts embodies a new generation of turf consultants combining experiencedand practical groundsmen with in-depth technical knowledge.For more information on how tts can improve your playing surfaces and contributeeffective resource management to your organisation, don’t hesitate to call.

Telephone: 01604 862925Website: www.totalturfsolutions.co.uk email: info@totalturfsolutions.co.uk

SPORTS TURF CONSULTANTS

SPRAYERS

In recent years there has beenan upsurge in a serious treedisease called Sudden Oak

Death (SOD). The name derivesfrom the fact that it was firstidentified in the early 2000s, inCalifornia, USA where it wasresulting in the sudden death oftheir Pacific Oaks. The disease iscaused by fungus like organismcalled Phytophthora ramorum.Around about the same time thesame pathogen was identified inEurope, mainly associated withdieback on rhododendron.

P. ramorum can infect manyrhododendron species, butRhododendron ponticum isparticularly susceptible. Thesymptoms of the disease onrhododendron include an aerialdieback. Infected shoots havebrown to black lesions whichnormally start at the tip and workbackwards. Cankers can also formon the stems. On diseased leavesthere is a blackening of the leafpetiole extending into the leafbase. Irregular dark leaf spotsmay develop, often occurring nearthe leaf tip. P. ramorum formsreproductive structures calledsponagia on the surface ofinfected plant tissue. These aredispersed by rain splash and aircurrents to infect new plants.

Rhododendron is the mostcommon host for P. ramorum,although it does have a very widehost range including well over 100plant genera. Susceptible woodyhosts include Viburnum, Camellia,Kalmia, Pieris, Syringa, Laurus andVaccinium. However of muchgreater concern is the ability of P.ramorum to infect woodland treessuch as oaks (Quercus spp.)

European beech (Fagus sylvatica)and sweet chestnut (Castaneasativa). Symptoms of infectionhave been observed on all these,mainly in the south-west ofEngland and Wales.

In the early days the pathogenwas most frequently found onplants in nurseries or gardencentres. Nevertheless, P. ramoruminfections have occurred at severalsites in England and Wales as wellas in N. Ireland and the Republicof Ireland

In late 2009 in England P.ramorum was identified as thecausal organism of the dieback oflarge numbers of Japanese larch(Larix kaempferi). The pathogenappeared to be particularlyaggressive on Japanese larch,resulting in death of mature trees.It was the first time that thepathogen has been observedinfecting and sporulating activelyon a commercially importantconifer species.

In August 2010 the disease wasdiagnosed for the first time inNorthern Ireland on Japaneselarch in two public forests and aprivate forest on the Antrimplateau. There have been a smallnumber of incidences in forests inthe Republic of Ireland in theTipperary/Waterford region

Because P. ramorum is a non-indigenous pathogen and has thepotential to cause loss of manyplants, an eradication programmehas been put in place. All infectedplants are removed and destroyedby burning or in deep burial. Themajor foci of infection in GreatBritain have been in the southwest of England and in Wales.Hundreds of hectares of larch

Trees

Alistair R. McCracken, of the Applied PlantScience and Biometrics Division, Agri-Food &Biosciences Institute, looks at Sudden OakDeath and its spread through the UK andRepublic of Ireland

A SERIOUSTREE DISEASE -SOD’S LAW!

Sudden Oak Death on a rhododendron

Help us to help you!When responding toadvertising pleasemention that you

‘saw it in Pitchcare’

SPORTS TURF COVERS

Design Construction Renovation Maintenance

Specialists in turnkey naturalturf& artificialpitch solutions

Tel: 01924 497283www.stanleylanddrainage.co.uk

sales@stanleylanddrainage.co.uk

Sports Ground ContractorTurnkey ProjectsArtificial FacilitiesNatural TurfLand DrainageEnvironmentally ConscientiousYour Choice

Specialists in turnkey natural turf & artificial pitch solutions

SPORTS TURF CONTRACTORS

141

ClassifiedsTo advertise in this section contact

Peter Britton on 01952 898516email: peter@pitchcare.com

TOPDRESSING & LOAM

TOPDRESSING & LOAM

Visit our website at www.boughton.co.ukand download an analysis sheet to find outwhich of our three cricket loams are mostsuitable for your ground.Boughton Kettering, Club, and CountyLoams are sourced locally and analysed toestablish compatibility and conformity.They are then screened and can besupplied dried and sterilised or untreatedfor construction projects.

Boughton Loam is available nationwide. To find your local stockistof bagged products please use the postcode selector on our websiteat wwww.boughton.co.uk or telephone 01536 510515.

From village green to county ground

SPRAYERS

woodland have beenfelled. In N. Ireland, sinceAugust 2010, almost 150hectares of infectedJapanese larch have beenfelled.What should you do?If there arerhododendrons, vibernumor Japanesse larch on yougolf course examine themregularly for symptoms ofP. infection. P. ramorum ina non-indigenous pathogenand, if you suspect thatyou have plants which areinfected, you are requiredto inform the relevantplant health authorities inthe Forestry Commission,the Department ofAgriculture and RuralDevelopment NI or theDepartment of Agriculture,Fisheries and Food, ROI.

More details aboutPhytophthora ramorumand SOD, its symptomsand control can be found at:Forestry Commission (GreatBritain):http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pramorumFood, Environment ResearchAgency (FERA)http://www.fera.defra.gov.uk/plants/plantHealth/pestsDiseases/phytophthora/pRamorum/European and MediterraneanPlant Protection Organisation

(EPPO)http://www.eppo.org/QUARANTINE/Alert_List/fungi/PHYTRA.htmUnited States Department ofAgriculture (USDA)http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/microbes/suddenoak.shtmlForest Service Northern Irelandhttp://www.dardni.gov.uk/index/publications/pubs-dard-fisheries-farming-and-food/p-ramorum-disease.htm Advertising in this classified

section costs as little as£200 a year. Telephone:

01952 898516

SWEEPERS

We offer the largest and most comprehensiverange of pedestrian hydraulic propelledequipment and sweeping attachments

SALES • SERVICE • PARTS

KKERSTEN SWEEPERS

Kersten (UK) Ltd. Reading RG7 3AH

Tel 0118 9834337Fax 0118 9834512

info@kersten-machines.com

www.kersten-machines.com

www.binderloams.co.ukEmail: sales@binderloams.co.uk

Top quality dressings forcricket, golf and bowlsOrder direct from the

manufacturerMoreton, Ongar, Essex, CM5 0HY

Tel: 01277 890246Fax: 01277 890105Mob: 07860 878827

142

ClassifiedsTo advertise in this section contact

Peter Britton on 01952 898516email: peter@pitchcare.com

Tel: 01652 678 000www.tillersturf.co.uk

Specialist growers of turffor sport and amenity

Winter sportsFootball and rugby

70% Ryegrass 30% SmoothstalkStandard thickness up to 50mm

GolfGreens, tees, fairways, bunkers

••••••Specialists in 1.2m wide big roll -

supply only or supply and lay

www.pitchcare.com

Spearhead TurfLTD

TURF TO BE PROUD OF

Premium TurfDirect From the Growerswww.spearheadturf.co.uk01638 742901

Rivers and lochs are one ofScotland’s greatest naturalassets. They support a

diversity of flora and fauna;provide a recreational resourceand represent a major contributorto the national economy.

Any factors that threaten theirviability is a cause of not onlynational but also internationalconcern - one reason why AyrshireRivers Trust has attracted six-figure European Union funding fora four-year project that aims totackle invasive weeds proliferatingwithin its riparian areas andrestore wildlife habitats for nativespecies.

The scale of the weed treatmentwork required is far-reaching andlabour intensive, as it has to beundertaken on foot by contractorsand volunteers armed withknapsack sprayers and steminjection equipment.

Riparian environments areparticularly sensitive to chemicaltreatment because of the risk ofpolluting water courses, so acritical requirement of anytreatment programme is that it iscarried out by a workforce suitablyqualified in spraying such areas.

Ayrshire Rivers Trust was set upin 2000 with a remit to conserveriparian habitats and theirdelicate, complex ecologicalbalance. “Our responsibilitiesinclude monitoring fishpopulations, advising districtsalmon fishery boards andconsulting on hydro-electricity andwind farm developments,” saysProject Manager, Stuart Brabbs.

“We are the lead partner forwater voles within the LocalBiodiversity Action Plan and dealwith other rare and endangered

species such as fresh water pearlmussels. And, of course, we arenow regarded as a leadingauthority on Invasive Non NativeSpecies - both plants and animalswhich all fall under the title ofBiosecurity.”

The River Irvine and itscatchment in North Ayrshire hasthe second highest populationdensities of all the salmon rivers inScotland.

”More people bring moreproblems, be they water qualityissues or habitat loss or damage,”adds Stuart. “In contrast, areas oflow population density in the southof the region, such as the RiverStinchar catchment, don’t sufferfrom pollution to the same extent,but have huge problems withinvasive weeds due largely to thehistoric private estate structurethat often still exists.”

Since 2007, the Trust hasresearched the scale of weedinfestation within its area andbegan control of invasive speciesalong the upper reaches of theRiver Ayr.

The award, last year, of a four-year £300,000+ INTERREG (Inter-Regional Co-operationProgramme) funded projectthrough the Rural RegionalEconomic Development Fund, withmatch funding from ScottishEnvironment Protection Agency(SEPA), Landfill Community Fundsand contributions from localauthorities, extends suchenvironment protection measures,covering weed treatmentprogrammes, managementstrategies, research and dataassimilation and processing.

The project, ‘Controlling invasivepriority non-native species and

... and other invasive species. A four-yearproject to treat and manage large tracts ofinvasive weeds in Ayrshire will realise anearly adoption of the Coalition’s Big Societyvision. Report by Tom James

THE CURSEOF THE GIANTHOGWEED ...

Invasive Species

TREES

TERRAIN

AE

RA

TION

Tel: 01449 673783www.terrainaeration.comterrainaeration@aol.com

10” drill aeration1m air injection1m soil coringAir excavation

Turf and Trees

TURF SUPPLIERS

Specialist growers of sportsturf and golfturf with a wide range of grades,

rootzones, thick and fibre reinforced turf

Tel: 01904 448675sales@turf.co.uk

www.turf.co.uk

• Sports Pitch Construction• Earthworks • Maintenance

• Drainage & Irrigation• Custom Grown Turf

• Install n Playball Turf Tiles01400 251605

www.fine-turf.co.ukinfo@fine-turf.co.uk

Tel: 01724 855000email: info@countyturf.co.uk

www.countyturf.co.uk

Growers of natural & rootzone sportsturf using the very best STRI cultivars

• Custom grown turf• ‘Instant play’ sports pitch turf• Reinforced fibreturf• Washed turf available in all turf

grades• Nationwide delivery at a time to

suit you• Forklift offload• Contracting service• Overseas supply

GROWERS OFQUALITY TURF

Telephone:01842 828266

Website:www.qlawns.co.uk

Email:sales@qlawns.co.uk

143

ClassifiedsTo advertise in this section contact

Peter Britton on 01952 898516email: peter@pitchcare.com

No hassle… No wasted time… No repairs.Fit Puncture Proof Tyres and you’ll never

have another puncture again - guaranteed.www.tiredofpunctures.com

Buy online or call 0844 800 6493

USED MACHINERY

WEED CONTROLWASTE WATER MANAGEMENT

TYRES

UPSONS RECONDITIONED MACHINERYROLLERS • MOWERS • TRACTORS • SCARIFIERS

100’s of mowers in stock, trade prices, warranty

Tel: 01621 892907 Email: upsonmowers@tiscali.co.uk

Always a good selection of used equipment

Tel: 01260 224568Email: info@campeyturfcare.com

www.campeyturfcare.com

restoring native biodiversity’ (CIRB)is run in association with fourScottish partners – the ArgyllFisheries Trust, the Tweed Forum,Galloway Fisheries Trust and theRivers and Fisheries Trusts ofScotland (RAFTS) along with Irishpartners from both North andSouth of the border. Queen’sUniversity, Belfast, is the leadpartner of the entire project and isconducting extensive research ona number of aspects. “Funding ofthis kind requires cross-border co-operation,” Stuart confirms.

The weed treatment andmanagement programme involvestwo priority invasive species -Giant Hogweed and JapaneseKnotweed.

Ayrshire Rivers Trust preparedno fewer than eight tenderdocuments to fully cover the scopeof treatment across the affectedAyrshire watercourses.

Three of the year-long contractswere awarded to Keith Gallacher,who runs weed managementspecialist Complete WeedControl’s Scotland South-Westarea

The scale of the treatmentprogramme is so extensive that itpasses far beyond the capabilitiesof one contractor, stresses Stuart.While Keith’s responsibilities coverthe lower River Irvine, AnnickWater, the River Garnock and theWater of Coyle, another twocontractors are handling areaselsewhere identified for treatment.

The Trust rejected a number ofbidders for the work because theywere not qualified to spray nearwater, Stuart recalls. “Many werenot qualified to PA6AW, necessaryfor allowing them to spray invasiveweeds in a water environment,such as within 10m of a riverbank,so, legally, could not do the jobbecause they may be at risk ofpolluting water downstream thatfarmers may abstract for cropirrigation, for example.”

There was no argument over thechoice of herbicide either. “Theonly product the Trust wasprepared to accept was RoundupPro-Biactive glyphosate, aselective herbicide now widelyused for weed control. because wehad used it successfully for thelast three years.”

An unhelpful pattern of “goodand horrific” weather in late Apriland May hampered treatment inthe spring though, adds Stuart.“Completing the spraying as soonas possible was critical becauseGiant Hogweed starts flowering inJune and produces vast numbersof seeds, up to 50,000 per plant. Itcan be killed easily by a single

application, but this should beundertaken before it flowers.Timing is critical; too early and notall plants have germinated, andtoo late and seed has set. There isa very limited window for effectivecontrol.”

The plant has a four-yearlifecycle. Being monocarpic, it diessoon after it flowers. However, ifeven one specimen is leftuntreated to flower, its ability toself-pollinate means it can stillproduce seeds, which can then bedispersed in water to establishfresh outbreaks down river.

Reports of hogweed toweringnineteen feet high and “as thick asa man’s waist at the base” may berare, but the generally large size ofthe species poses a major healthhazard for humans if it infestsrural walkways and footpaths. Skincontact can provoke an extremereaction, including burns andrecurring photosensitive dermatitisand hyper sensitisation.

In what appears to be apowerful example of theCoalition’s Big Society in action,volunteers are set to play a majorrole over the lifetime of theproject, and beyond, as theybecome the driving force in whatis foreseen as a sustainable weedmanagement programme acrossthe Trust’s region.

“Part of any project mustinclude an exit strategy and mustshow long-term benefit,” stressesStuart. “Our funding covers thecosts of training up eightvolunteers annually (mainly fromangling clubs), for the duration ofthe project, so that eventually we’llhave thirty-two operatives, trainedto industry standards courtesy ofINTERREG, who can take up wherethe contractors leave off. To date,thirteen volunteer sprayers havequalified, including myself, so I’llbe involved on an ongoing basistoo.”

Keith concludes: “If the Trusthadn’t started to control invasiveweeds when they did, Ayrshire’srivers and surrounding countrysidecould have suffered majorproblems. As it is, some areas arefree but others are badly infested.”

The not so serious side of the industry

I don’t believe it!

©BBC

144

AS Shane Warne, the bestcaptain Australia never had,finally retired from cricket atthe age of 41 - this year washis last IPL campaign - hewas asked what his specialmemories were, and what hewanted for the future of thegame.Winning the Ashes in 2006/07was right up there, as werehis ‘special balls’ to MikeGatting and Andrew Strauss.When it came to the future ofthe game, Shane had this tosay: “On the field, the bigthing I’m looking for is abetter balance between batand ball. No one wants Testmatches where 500 plays 450.

We all need to play lesscricket, and that way thegroundsmen will have moretime to prepare goodsporting wickets that giveeveryone - bowlers included -a fair go.”Here, here to that Warnie!

WHEN a white tigerwas spotted close tothe Rose Bowl,home of HampshireCCC, police officerswere sent to thescene, along with ahelicopter andthermal imagingcameras.When no body heatwas detected, policemoved in and founda cuddly toy tiger.A police spokeswoman saidofficers had responded as if itwas a real incident, close tojunction seven of the M27.Contingency plans were evenput in place to close themotorway.Police enlisted the help ofanimal experts at nearbyMarwell Zoo, who offeredadvice and were prepared tosend a team with tranquiliserdarts to overcome the tiger.The match between SouthWiltshire and HampshireAcademy, on the nurseryground, was stopped forabout twenty minutes beforethey were given the all clearto continue. Golfers on thegolf course were also told togo indoors.

A police spokeswoman said:“After a brief stalk throughthe Hedge End savannah, theofficer realised the tiger wasnot moving and the airsupport using their camerasrealised there was a lack ofheat source.”“The tiger then rolled over inthe down draft and it was atthat point it became obviousit was a stuffed life-size toy.”“This incident will definitelybe the highlight of our day.The CCTV footage convincedus all we were dealing with areal tiger.”“It’s not often an incidentleaves our staff with a smileon their face, and it just goesto show the diverse type ofincident we are called to dealwith.”

HERE at PC Towers we liketo think that everything runslike a well oiled machine and,in truth, admin mistakes arefew and far between.

However, the TGA’sChairman, Tim Mudge, hada chuckle to himself when hereceived our latest invoice for‘Webshite’ hosting!

OBSERVANT readers mayhave clocked the building inthe background of this photo,but we are reliably informedthat this is not a full timemember of the groundstaff,but one of the facility’s‘casual’ helpers, home from

university for the Christmasbreak.Quite what prompted thisbehaviour we are not sure.Equally, we think he mayhave taken the term ‘casual’rather too literally!

Fair Warne-ing

Oops ...

THIS is the watch that allRed Devils fans will want,apparently.Made by Hublot ofSwitzerland, the watch isavailable in micro-blastedblack ceramic or 18 caratgold, it is a limited edition ofjust 500.The website will also tell youthat it has titanium screws,sapphires and an adjustableblack rubber stamp and ...tiny pieces of turf from theOld Traffordpitch at all thehour indexes!Just as well, itslimited to 500,otherwise HeadGroundsman,Tony Sinclair,would be pullinghis hair out!

The dream ticking ...

Tiger stops play ...

Smowing?

JULY

20th June to 3rd July - Tennis, TheChampionships, Wimbledon(www.wimbledon.com)

6th - Horse Racing, NewmarketFestival, Newmarket Racecourse,Suffolk(www.newmarketracecourses.com)

7th - Campey Turf Care Systems25th Anniversary Open Day,Cheshire (www.campey25.com)

14th to 17th - Golf, The OpenChampionships, Royal St GeorgesGolf Club, Kent(www.royalstgeorges.com)

17th - Polo, The Veuve Clicquot GoldCup, Cowdray Park, West Sussex(www.cowdraypolo.co.uk)

21st - Pitchcare Autumn CricketPitch Renovation, Arundel CricketClub, West Sussex(www.groundsmantraining.co.uk)

21st to 25th - Cricket, First Test,England v India, Lord’s(www.cricketworld.com)

25th and 26th - PA1/PA6, Telford,Shropshire(www.groundsmantraining.co.uk)

26th to 30th - Horse Racing,Glorious Goodwood, GoodwoodRacecourse, West Sussex(www.goodwood.co.uk)

29th to 2nd August - Cricket,Second Test, England v India, TrentBridge (www.cricketworld.com)

AUGUST

3rd and 4th - All England LawnTennis Club Grass Court Seminar,Wimbledon (emailkelly.revill@aeltc.com for details)

4th - Burdens Golf & Turf Open Day,Danes Hill School, Oxshott, Surrey

(email ray.bennett@golfandturf.co.ukfor details)

6th - Rugby Union, England v Wales,Twickenham Stadium (www.rfu.com)

7th - Football, The FA CommunityShield, Wembley Stadium(www.wembleystadium.com)

10th to 14th - Cricket, Third Test,England v India, Edgbaston(www.cricketworld.com)

18th to 22nd - Cricket, Fourth Test,England v India, The Kia Oval(www.cricketworld.com)

27th - Rugby League, CarnegieChallenge Cup, Wembley Stadium(www.therfl.co.uk)

27th - Cricket, T20 final, Edgbaston,Birmingham (www.cricket20.com)

SEPTEMBER

1st to 4th - Equestrian, BurghleyHorse Trials, Stamford, Lincolnshire(www.burghley-horse.co.uk)

6th to 8th - SALTEX, WindsorRacecourse (www.iogsaltex.co.uk)

9th - Rugby Union, Rugby World Cupbegins, New Zealand(www.rugbyworldcup.com)

17th - Cricket, Clydesdale Bank 40Final, Lord’s (www.cricketworld.com)

29th to 2nd Oct - Golf, Alfred DunhillLinks Championship, Old Course, StAndrews (www.alfreddunhilllinks.com)

To add your event to Forward Thinkingplease email details toellie@pitchcare.com and don’t forgetthat you can add it to Pitchcare’s onlinecalendar yourself! Simply log on towww.pitchcare.com, select ‘Calendar’in the Home drop down button on thetop banner and click on “Add event’ atthe top of the page.

“At this particular moment in time, I’m as good aplayer as Steven [Gerrard].” Kenny Dalglish hasbeen impressed by himself in training.“We don’t come in and think every day, ‘How canwe bugger up British tennis today?’” LTA chiefexecutive Roger Draper gets defensive.“I have seen a thousand Rooneys, and I am suremost police officers will have.” SuperintendentMark Payne claims Wayne Rooney would havebeen locked up if he had shown such ‘ridiculousaggression’ on a night out as he did on thefootball pitch.“It is a dark day for cricket, but a great day forgreed and fear.” Ireland cricket coach PhilSimmons slams the ‘despicable’ ICC for theirdecision to reduce the next World Cup to tenteams.“It was for missing the bottle I was aiming at threetimes - that was poor play from my point of view!”Mark Hughes accepts the decision to send him tothe stands after he missed his attempt to kick abottle on three occasions.“I want to listen to some music. I don't want tolisten to a bunch of idiots.” Harry Redknapprefuses to listen to football phone-ins.“I do not honestly know what is really happeningin Libya at the moment, but it must be very hardfor Gaddafi and his family.” El-Hadji Diouf reallyshould keep quiet!“All my season was shit - can I say that? I’ve playednot very well.” Man City’s Mario Balotelli sayswhat we’ve all been thinking.“I’m walking off the golf course and I’m absolutelyheadless. Absolutely fuming. I don’t like this golfcourse. Period.” Ian Poulter pulled no puncheswhen asked for his feelings on the redesignedWentworth course.“Do these guys really want to play on a coursethat’s fun where you can shoot 62s and 63s andend up winning with 26 or 28 under par? I don’tthink that’s fun, that’s easy golf. Fun is Disneyland.This is a challenge to a golfer.” Wentworth ownerRichard Caring suggests Poulter try SpaceMountain instead.“He’s a skinny runt who looks nothing like amodern-day footballer.” Harry Redknapp reckonsLionel Messi looks like ‘the sort of bloke you’dfind sitting in a bookies’.“He heard their juice would give me size andstrength. It tasted disgusting, but I had to drink itbecause I wanted to be a footballer.” Park Ji-sungconfirms his father made him drink boiled frogjuice as a child!Cobbled together from Sky Sports, ESPN Sport andwatching far too much sport on television!

I suppose it’s like a magician tryingto get a hat out of a rabbit!After lunch the association spit intothree workshopsHe’s a bit of a dealer wheelerThey work a spilt shift... their fine rage of triple mowersJoseph Cyril Bamford later took theopportunity to use his initials forthe company name.

I’ve just had a phone call fromSimon Grumble at Campeys... two arctic lorries... it’s a bit of a tongue teaserI’ll ring you on my phone ...

I think a recognise trip mightbe in order

Forward THINKINGQuote me happy

Dates for your diary

Loz is a member of the magic triangle ...... that’s when he’s not dealer wheelering or teasing his tongue!

You can now follow Loz on Twitter -http://twitter.com/pitchcareloz

... and one from Pitchcare Peter!

A little extra care goes intoeverything we do

Take irrigation rotors. We inspect them inside and out to ensurethey meet the same legendary standards that have made theJohn Deere brand so trustworthy. No wonder our rotors come witha three year warranty and are key components of irrigation systemsselected by the PGA TOUR®. To learn more about all our irrigationproducts, visit your local John Deere dealer.

Freephone 0800 085 25 22

JohnDeere.com

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