these Open Championship Clubs choose to relief grind - Pitchcare

Pitchcare Classifieds
DRAINAGE
DRAIN TODAY - PLAY TOMORROW
Phone: 01507 578288
Fax: 01507 578790
info@sheltonsdrainage.com
www.sheltonsdrainage.com
Machine sales
Hire and contracting services
SPORTS TURF DRAINAGE
AND CONSTRUCTION
NATIONWIDE SERVICE
www.turfdry.com
Contact: Melvyn Taylor
Office: 01283 551417 Mobile: 07836 259133
Email: melvyn@turfdry.com
WORTH
DRAINING LTD
25 years in
sports turf maintenance
Artificial sports surfaces
cleaning and maintenance
Tel/Fax 01476 550266
Mobile: 07855 431119/20
email: worthdraining@talktalk.net
www.worthdraining.co.uk
GOLF COURSE FURNITURE
Golf Course Tools
Made in Britain
bmsproducts.com
01582 758444
Flags, Pins and Cups
Made in Britain
bmsproducts.com
01582 758444
134 PC DECEMBER/JANUARY 2012
IRRIGATION
IRRIGATION SPECIALISTS
DESIGN & SUPPLY
INSTALLATION
MAINTENANCE
Tel. 01722 716361
www.mjabbott.co.uk
For all your golf, sportsturf and
landscape irrigation needs.
Buy online at www.lws.uk.com
Telephone 0845 230 9697
www.lws.uk.com
www.pitchcare.com
Irrigation
GREAT ALL OVER
THE PARK
Call Lely: 01480 226848 or
email: irrigation.uk@lely.com
www.toro.com
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Parks & Gardens
Now that’s magic!
A heartwarming
story from the
other side of the
pond highlighting
the effect natural turf had on a dysfunctional
community. Thomas A. Nikolai from Michigan
State University reports
In May of 2011, the Federal
Bureau of Investigation
released a list of the ten most
dangerous cities in the United
States. Flint, Michigan topped
this list, as the number of violent
crimes had increased between
2009 and 2010.
During this same time period,
a team of Michigan State
University (MSU) researchers
initiated an experiment in Flint,
to gather data on the social,
economic and environmental
impact of turfgrass on an urban
society.
In the spring of 2010, MSU
began maintaining areas
around abandoned homes,
vacant lots and parks by
mowing weekly on sites that
had rarely or never been mown.
Additionally, fertiliser
applications were made several
times a year, along with an
annual herbicide application.
So, what is the purpose
behind the research? Well, more
often than not, turfgrass is
viewed as either an ornamental
or recreational plant. The Flint
Turfgrass Project was designed
to consider the functional
impacts turfgrass can have on a
community.
Everris is funding the project
($150,000 over three years)
whilst donating fertiliser and
seed, with John Deere donating
nine walk behind lawn mowers
and a Z-Trak commercial mower.
MSU Sociologist, Stephen
Gasteyer Ph.D., was asked to
track the social changes in the
neighbourhood as a result of
the turfgrass project. He began
by conducting an assessment of
community assets and issues at
a monthly neighbourhood
association meeting.
According to the residents,
Ramona Park was one of the
neighbourhood’s greatest assets
as a potential community green
space. A neighbourhood master
plan envisioned the park as a
centrepiece to a safer and
revitalised area. However,
residents knew that, with the
current state of the park and the
amount of crime in the area,
they were far from reaching
their community goals. The fact
was, in the autumn of 2009,
Ramona Park was essentially
abandoned, and most residents
would not even consider
stepping a foot into it.
I was introduced to Ramona
Park in the autumn of 2009
and, whilst the park had
recently been mowed, clippings
remained to rot atop laid-over
vegetation, making the park
difficult to walk through and
impossible to play in.
The first time I showed up to
mow the park, in the early
spring of 2010, a pitbull dog
carcass was in my path, the
apparent discarded loser of an
illegal dogfight. I admit I was a
bit intimidated and a little
frightened in my new work
environment.
Prior to initiating the study,
the area had to be cleaned up,
which took community
involvement. In other words, I
had no intention of clearing
abandoned mattresses and
years of discarded waste that
dotted the site.
Enter David Caswell, a retired
principle, who has lived in the
area for the past forty-three
years. He successfully
encouraged residents to get
involved in the project. “It was
the most ragged piece of land
you ever saw in your life,” Mr.
Caswell recently told a State
News reporter and continued;
“People thought nothing would