Marshalling his troops - Pitchcare

SERVING THE TURFCARE INDUSTRY 

GOLF AND THE 

ENVIRONMENT 

Occupying large tracts of land, 

golf clubs must become more 

environmentally friendly. We look 

at some of the available routes to 

becoming pals with Mother Nature 

CRICKET 

Why do end of season renovation, 

and what happens if you don’t? 

Plus, a look at three facilities at 

different levels, but all with 

similar issues 

August/September 2010 

Issue No. 32 £4.50 

pitchcare 

The turfcare magazine 

from pitchcare.com 

FEATURE 

WHAT HAVE THE 

MANUFACTURERS 

EVER DONE FOR US? 

Marshalling 

his troops 

Under a blood red sky, Paul Marshall, Head 

Groundsman at Northants County Cricket Club, 

comes to the end of a fifteen hour working day 

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From demo days to topdressing, 

tyres to training, we look at 

what the manufacturers and 

suppliers get up to, often 

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pitchcare 

The One Show - 

an update 

FOLLOWING the Trade discussion on 

the 8th March this year, regarding the 

‘One Show’, there was a second meeting 

between a select committee from the 

Trade and the representatives of both 

BIGGA and the IOG at the NEC on the 

28th July. 

Whilst it is a difficult subject, and one 

that has been discussed for a good while, 

there was a robust and constructive 

discussion where progress was made. 

The conclusions reached and circulated 

by the Chairman (the AEAs Roger Lane 

Nott) are as follows: 

1. There is a desire for change from 

company representatives. 

2. There is a need for us all to respond 

to the market and evolve not revolve. 

3. There are many different reasons why 

people go to shows. Amongst these 

are: regional/local issues, a day out, 

social, business to sell or buy, 

education, research, window shop, to 

promote. 

4. Many companies exhibit because 

their competitors do. 

5. The customer base is very diverse and 

the requirements of any show are 

different for each company. Amongst 

the customers are: Manufacturers, 

Suppliers, Dealers, Distributors, 

Architects, Buyers, Specifiers, End 

Users, Retail - some national and 

some international. 

6. Diversity not necessarily a good thing, 

but it does work. 

7. Companies need to communicate 

requirements better. 

8. All need to raise profile of industry as 

a whole with Government. 

9. AEA needs to put these views to the 

larger manufacturers. 

10. Need to survey exhibitors to establish 

customer’s requirements. 

It was agreed that the IOG, BIGGA and 

the Trade will come together to address 

the conclusions of the meeting and 

explore the feasibility of a single 

landbased industry show with IOG and 

BIGGA’s full involvement. The next 

meeting has been arranged for 

September. 

2010 is officially the driest summer in 

over sixty years - even the usually moist 

north west has suffered hose pipe bans - 

summer sports groundsmen have been 

struggling with their surfaces - and 

water bills, no doubt. 

Whilst drought conditions are nothing 

new, and our ever resourceful industry 

always manages to find solutions, first 

class cricket groundsmen have been hit 

by another major issue, that of an 

increased fixture list. 

In their wisdom, the ECB saw fit to load 

the Twenty20 fixture list, in the process 

doubling the amount of games. This has 

resulted in players complaining of fatigue 

and dwindling attendance at most 

grounds. But, what of the groundstaff? 

In this issue you’ll find an article on 

Northampton County Cricket Club, 

where our editor spent the day with head 

groundsman, Paul Marshall, and his 

team. Paul’s day began at 7.30am and 

finished at 10.30pm - a total of 15 hours. 

And, for him, that is happening day in, 

day out, throughout the summer. Paul is, 

perhaps, fortunate to have a good 

number of staff to help him and a decent 

selection of machinery. 

That’s not the case at Uxbridge CC and 

Bournemouth University’s Dean Park 

facility - both of which have hosted first 

class games this season. 

The Uxbridge Festival week, when 

Middlesex welcomed Sussex, resulted in 

Head Groundsman, Vic Demain, falling 

out with the Sussex management over 

the state of his pitch. There was, as it 

turned out, nothing wrong with how it 

played. Comments from Vic’s diary on 

the ‘Middlesex Till We Die’ website were 

picked up by the national press and, all 

of a sudden, he is a ‘celebrity’! 

At Dean Park, Head Groundsman, Andy 

Dixon, suffered vitriolic comments from 

players and managers through 2009 and, 

if you read the article, you’ll understand 

the reasons why - none of them of Andy’s 

making. 

Interestingly, the original article was 

rather scathing of his employees and his 

excessive workload - over 100 hours a 

week. Having been given the article for 

approval, the university not only toned 

down the content, but gave Andy an 

assistant, plus the option for additional 

work experience staff as and when 

required. At least Pitchcare achieved a 

good result here. 

Cricket groundsmen at first class facilities 

are in danger of burn-out - the 

authorities need to take their working 

conditions and remuneration into 

consideration before piling on the extra 

workload. 

Cheers 

Dave Saltman 

Say that again! 

“And woe betide them if they 

don’t mop out the changing 

rooms - they have been dragged 

out of the pub in the past!” 

Peter Edmondson, Butleigh PFA 

“The last thing I want is 

people giving me their opinions 

whilst I’m trying to get on with 

my job!” 

Andy Dixon, Dean Park 

“AMG is the real Millwall of 

grass species, no one likes it, but 

it doesn’t care!” 

David Goodjohn, Green Infrastructure 

“We’re not just talking about 

growing grass, we’re talking 

about ensuring that the surface 

is safe for the horses” 

Alan Hatherley, Newmarket Racecourses 

“They may have very 

complicated sex, with many of 

them producing sex pheremones 

and with many different types 

of sex organs” 

Steve Nicholls, Sea-Chem Ltd 

“Once people find out you are 

in financial difficulties, they 

don’t want to deal with you” 

Mark Perrin, Crystal Palace Football Club 

“We are expected to work 12 to 

14-hour days for little 

financial reward, and that’s 

something that just doesn’t 

appeal to younger people now” 

Vic Demain, Uxbridge Cricket Club 

“We have tried many different 

methods to combat this problem, 

including ultrasound devices 

and numerous chemical 

concoctions, all harmless to fish 

and wildlife but, unfortunately, 

also harmless to pond weed!” 

Peter Craig, The Hurlingham Club

Contents 

Cover Story -Paul Marshall, Northants County Cricket Club 

Inside 

THIS 

ISSUE 

Under a blood red sky, Paul 

Marshall, Head Groundsman at 

Northants County Cricket Club, 

comes to the end of a fifteen 

hour working day. 

Laurence Gale MSc joined 

him for the duration (nearly!) 

Marshalling his troops 

Page 78 

THE PC TEAM 

DAVE SALTMAN 

Managing Director 

Never let it be said that 

Dave is ever anything 

but confident. So 

convinced was he that 

his World Cup team, 

Brazil, were going to lift 

the trophy, he delighted 

in telling all his 

colleagues that the 

money was as good as 

his. The team’s earlyish 

exit from the tournament 

did result in an ‘egg on 

face’ scenario! Shame. 

JOHN RICHARDS 

Operations Director 

With the Pitchcare 

Fixometer ‘picking’ 

Spain out of the hat in 

the World Cup 

sweepstake, John has 

pocketed a not 

inconsiderable amount 

of dosh from his poor 

colleagues. It has all 

gone into his Oz fund as 

another trip down under 

must be imminent 

although, as yet, there’s 

nothing in the diary. 

Golf 

Arden fast rules 

Looking after two championship courses during 

recessionary times can provide additional 

opportunities for greenkeeping staff, as our editor 

found out on a visit to the Forest of Arden 

Country Club. Pg14 

Two Bob’s worth 

Simon Atkins chats to Bob Hill, Head Mechanic 

at the Forest of Arden about his career and his 

commitment to training and WD40! Pg18 

Back to nature 

Aberdovey Golf Club has undergone a dramatic 

rebirth in the past three years, thanks to the 

efforts of the greenkeeping staff. Pg24 

Crosswood’s crossover 

Abi Crosswood, First Assistant at Newquay Golf 

Club, reports on her recent internship at Augusta 

National, where she helped prepare this iconic 

course for the 2010 Masters. Pg38 

LAURENCE GALE 

Editor 

It’s finally happened. 

Laurence has managed 

to take some good 

shots with his new 

camera, albeit at a 

slightly jaunty angle. He 

would have us believe 

that he is being artistic - 

we prefer to think that 

he can’t hold the 

camera straight. Either 

way, the fruits of his 

labour can be seen on 

the front cover! 

PETER BRITTON 

Sales & Production 

With the bus pass another 

year closer - that’s if the 

ConLib lot don’t cancel 

them - Peter’s 

‘meldrewness’ is reaching 

new heights. Recent 

targets of his chagrin 

have been Spurs preseason 

form, his 

retirement age put back 

one year, Go Compare TV 

ads - actually, all TV ads - 

and close-up TV replays. 

You get the picture! 

ELLIE TAIT 

PR and Marketing 

Fame at last for Ellie. 

During a recent holiday 

to a quiet corner of 

Ibiza, she was sat in a 

bar (a rarity I know), 

when a chap came up 

to her and said that he 

recognised her. Turns 

out that he was a 

groundsman from the 

UK, and an avid 

Pitchcare reader, who 

had clocked her from 

the photo above! 

Rob Rowson, Forest of Arden Country Club 

General 

Demonstrations - the true 

cost! 

It’s quite the done thing, isn’t it? You have an idea 

that a piece of kit might do a job for you, but 

you’re not sure, so you ask for a demonstration. 

Pg118 

The Loam Arranger 

So, how does a cricket loam come to market? 

Laurence Gale MSc talks to Simon Hedley about 

the processes involved. Pg122 

The Wheel Deal! 

They’re black, round and have a hole in the 

middle, right? Wrong. Jane Carley discovers that 

there is more to tyres than meets the eye - 

particularly for use on delicate turf. Pg124 

Future Turf Managers 

The major equipment manufacturers all have 

educational schemes for students of fine turf, 

which aim to cement relationships with aspiring 

turf professionals as they enter the industry. 

Pg128 

What’s it all about? Algae! 

Kelp is the generic name for Large Brown Algae, 

that grows into vast underwater fields, so vital to a 

huge variety of marine life, yet can also be turned 

into a useful product for our industry. Pg130 

Mother nature on the 

rampage! 

The Hurlingham Club’s Grounds Manager, Peter 

Craig, explains some of the methods used to 

combat a couple of ‘natural’ problems encountered 

this year. Pg134 

ALASTAIR BATTRICK 

Web Monkey 

Moved house recently 

into a 300 year old pile, 

not an easy task with 

three youngsters and a 

wife in tow. And then 

there was the saga of 

the washing machine, 

but let’s not go there! 

Remarkably, the usually 

irascible Al remained 

remarkably, cool, calm 

and collected 

throughout the week 

long saga. 

DAN HUGHES 

Sales Manager 

Currently sporting a sleek 

new hairstyle, very 

reminiscent of an inmate 

of Broadmoor. Has been 

busy recruiting teams for 

the Pitchcare Fantasy 

Football League. His 

admirable, but some say 

misguided, loyalty to 

Wolves left him fretting 

over relegation last season. 

His target is to finish above 

Kiran who, not surprisingly, 

is not losing any sleep.

Vic Demain, Uxbridge Cricket Club 

Cricket 

Demain man! 

Life can be tough when budgets are tight, but even 

tougher when premium playing surfaces are 

demanded across the board. Pg84 

The Law of Sod! 

Andy Dixon has had a few ‘issues’ to deal with since 

taking over as head groundsman at Bournemouth 

University’s Dean Park Cricket Ground. Pg90 

Much ado about Wenlock! 

When Wenlock and Mandeville were unveiled as the 

2012 Olympic mascots, the little Shropshire town of 

Much Wenlock was thrust into the limelight. Pg96 

The dreaded ‘R’ word! 

What single thing is foremost in all cricket 

groundsmen’s minds as they near the end of 

another season of hard slog? The ‘R’ word. Pg102 

Tennis 

The King of Queen’s 

Barely a month after the Aegon tennis 

championships, Centre Court at The Queen’s Club 

is back to its resplendent best. Pg10 

Racing 

Horses for Courses 

Newmarket’s two courses are world famous. Their 

length and position have not altered since the 17th 

century, but the maintenance regimes have! Pg110 

CHRIS JOHNSON 

Training Coordinator 

On important granny 

duties during the summer 

holidays, enjoying girly 

days with the lovely 

Charlotte (aged 7) who, 

on their visit to London, 

chose Buckingham 

Palace as the place she 

most wanted to visit. Oh, 

for the innocence of 

youth - how long before 

Jimmy Choo’s in 

Knightsbridge becomes 

her preferred port of call! 

SHARON TAYLOR 

Company Accountant 

Has been a tad 

‘grumpy’ of late as the 

new accounting system 

continues to be 

problematical. This 

brusqueness has even 

percolated its way into 

her emails to her 

colleagues. You can bet 

your bottom dollar that 

her beloved horses are 

getting a damn good 

thrashing too as she 

vents her frustrations. 

KIRAN CONTRACTOR 

Sales Administrator 

With Wayne Rooney in 

‘couldn’t hit a cows 

bum with a banjo’ 

territory throughout the 

World Cup, Kiran will be 

hoping for a swift return 

to form for England’s 

premier striker, as his 

beloved Man U aim to 

win more than just the 

Carling Cup this season! 

Failure in every 

competition would still 

see him above Dan H. 

Mark Perrin, Crystal Palace Football Club 

Winter Sports 

The Fall and Rise of 

Mark Perrin ... 

A buyer emerged at the eleventh hour to claw 

Crystal Palace out of administration. Despite all the 

money troubles, Mark Perrin ensures that the team 

will play on a worthy surface. Pg44 

Leeds - from the front! 

Jane Carley meets Norman Southernwood, Head 

Groundsman at Leeds United, and finds a man 

happy managing what he has. Pg50 

The Future’s Orange! 

Premiership new boys, Blackpool, are ready for their 

first season in the top flight, thanks to the efforts of 

Head Groundsman, Stan Raby. Pg52 

The Real Deal! 

As the ‘Special One’ gets his feet under the 

management table at Real Madrid, Dave Saltman 

meets Paul Burgess, Head Groundsman at the 

Bernabéu. Pg64 

Technical 

Irrigation 2010 and beyond 

STRI Irrigation Consultant, Adrian Mortram, looks 

at the growing need for water conservation and how 

best to plan your irrigation requirements. Pg34 

FAQs about overseeding 

Paul Moreton, British Seed Houses Technical Sales 

Advisor for the North West, Midlands and North 

Wales, offers some answers to frequently asked 

questions about overseeding. Pg136 

TIM JENKINS 

Technical Sales 

As part of our ‘rotation 

policy’, we introduce 

three new staff 

members. Tim is a 

former Head 

Greenkeeper on a 9-hole 

course in 

Buckinghamshire. He 

plays guitar, and the rest 

isn’t newsworthy - his 

words, not ours. Don’t 

worry, we’ll dig up some 

dirt over the coming 

weeks and months!!! 

LEE BISHOP 

Marketing Coordinator 

A self proclaimed 

legend, Lee is a 

marketing graduate from 

Bournemouth Uni who 

learned his trade in one 

of the UKs biggest online 

marketing agencies. He 

describes himself as “the 

Wayne Rooney of online 

marketing, except I don’t 

crumble under pressure”. 

As a devout Liverpool 

fan, he lives by the motto 

“next season ...”. 

Also in this issue: 

Biodiversity .............................. 20 

Herptiles and Handicaps ........ 28 

Tree Preservation Orders ...... 32 

Making golf attractive ............ 40 

Standards Delivered .............. 56 

Welcome to Butleigh .............. 60 

Aspiring Spireites .................... 70 

Denmark’s Wembley .............. 72 

Modern Stadium Managers .. 75 

A Passion for Polo ................ 116 

Change the future? .............. 138 

Grumpy .................................. 138 

Give me strength! ................ 140 

The Tales of Mr Badger ........ 142 

Hat-trick of achievements .. 144 

Straight talking! .................... 146 

A set up at the Manor .......... 148 

Student Times ...................... 150 

I don’t believe it! .................. 152 

MANAGING DIRECTOR: 

David Saltman 

OPERATIONS DIRECTOR: 

John Richards 

Telephone: 01902 440 256 

Fax: 01952 261 444 

Email: editor@pitchcare.com 

FEATURES AND EDITORIAL: 

Laurence Gale 

Tel: 01902 440 260 

Email: laurence@pitchcare.com 

ADVERTISING & PRODUCTION: 

Peter Britton 

Pitchcare Magazine, 17 Barton Hill, 

Shaftesbury, Dorset SP7 8DQ 

Tel: 01747 855 335 

Email: peter@pitchcare.com 

PITCHCARE SHOP: 

Dan Hughes 

Tel: 01902 440 258 

Email: dan@pitchcare.com 

IT & WEBSITE: 

Alastair Battrick 

Tel: 01902 440 255 

Email: al@pitchcare.com 

MARKETING & PUBLIC RELATIONS: 

Ellie Tait 

Email: ellie@pitchcare.com 

ACCOUNTS: 

Sharon Taylor 

Tel: 01902 440 261 

Email: sharon@pitchcare.com 

TRAINING COORDINATOR: 

Christine Johnson 

Email: chris@pitchcare.com 

Tel: 01902 440 263 

DAN BURTON 

Web Developer 

Apart from a few stints 

washing pots and entering 

data into spreadsheets, 

this is Dan’s first venture 

into meaningful 

employment. He has a 

degree in mathematics 

from the University of Bath, 

which set him up with just 

enough knowledge to be 

dangerous. So far his skills 

have proved useful - never 

have the coffee cups 

been so clean! 

Pitchcare.com Ltd, 

Units 2&3 

Allscott 

Telford 

Shropshire 

TF6 5DY 

Tel: 01902 440 256 

Fax: 01902 440 253 

Email: 

editor@pitchcare.com 

No part of this publication 

may be reproduced without 

prior permission of the 

publisher. All rights reserved. 

Views expressed in this 

publication are not 

necessarily those of the 

publisher. Editorial 

contributions are published 

entirely at the editor’s 

discretion and may be 

shortened if space is limited. 

Pitchcare make every effort 

to ensure the accuracy of the 

contents but accepts no 

liability for its consequences. 

Images are presumed 

copyright of the author or 

Pitchcare unless otherwise 

stated. Pitchcare Magazine is 

printed by the Gemini Press, 

Dolphin Way, Shoreham-by- 

Sea, West Sussex BN43 6NZ

Guidance on Concessionary 

Schemes for Surface Water 

Drainage Charges - you 

must act now! 

Sports clubs and voluntary groups face crippling increases 

in water charges if water companies get their way! 

THE Government is inviting views on its 

guidance to water and sewerage companies 

on concessionary schemes for community 

groups, to protect them from unaffordable 

surface water drainage charges. This is to 

accompany provisions made in the Flood and 

Water Management Act. It covers: 

• the need for a concessionary scheme 

• which community groups should be 

included in concessionary schemes 

• what constitutes a fair and affordable 

charge 

• the needs of other customers. 

The consultation is aimed at water and 

sewerage companies, Ofwat, the Consumer 

Council for Water, community and voluntary 

groups and other non-household water and 

sewerage customers. 

A number of sports governing bodies were 

instrumental in fighting off the last attempt by 

water companies to greatly increase the cost 

of surface water charges. 

Many sports clubs would face potentially 

4 

crippling increases, from hundreds to 

thousands of pounds a year, if water 

companies were able to introduce these 

increased charges. 

The updated Guidance Document has been 

developed to inform local authorities on how 

to approach the development of a surface 

water management plan, particularly in areas 

at high risk of surface water flooding. 

The guidance reflects the roles that different 

organisations will take in the development of 

surface water management plans, and takes 

account of the findings from the six DEFRA 

funded first edition surface water 

management plans. 

A Government review concluded that surface 

water management plans should provide the 

basis for managing local flood risk. 

In order to help develop the surface water 

management plan guidance, and move 

forward local flood risk management in some 

key high risk areas, six local authorities were 

funded to develop first edition surface water 

management plans. The local authorities 

Deadline 

22nd October 

involved in this pilot were; Gloucestershire, 

Hull, Leeds, Richmond, Warrington and 

Thatcham. 

This work has been overseen by a Steering 

Group, including DEFRA, the Department for 

Communities and Local Government and the 

Environment Agency. 

The deadline for responses is 22 October 

2010. Further information on how to respond 

to the consultation can be found at - 

http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/su 

rface-charges/index.htm. This includes a 

sample consultation letter and other 

documentation. 

You can also write to Jennifer Offord, Water 

Charging and Economic Regulation Team, 

DEFRA, Area 2C, Ergon House, Horseferry 

Road, London, SW1P 2AL. Email: 

swdconcessions.consultations@defra.gsi.gov.uk 

Pitchcare would urge all sports clubs to 

respond to this threat. 

A list of consultees is shown opposite.

Action with Communities in Rural England 

All Party Parliamentary Group on Sewers and 

Sewerage 

All Party Parliamentary Group on Water 

Anglian Water 

British Water 

Central Council for Physical Recreation 

Chartered Institution of Water and 

Environmental Management 

Church of England 

Community Alliance 

Community Matters 

Competition Commission Confederation of 

British Industry 

Consumer Council for Water 

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select 

Committee 

Environment Agency 

Environmental Industries Commission 

Federation of Small Businesses 

Foundation for Water Research 

The Football Association 

The GMB 

The Environmental Sustainability Knowledge 

Transfer Network 

Lawn Tennis Association 

National Council for Voluntary Organisations 

Natural England 

Natural Environment Research Council 

Northumbrian Water 

Office of Fair Trading 

Ofwat 

Portland Communications 

Rugby Football Union 

The Scout Association 

Severn Trent Water 

Society of British Water & Wastewater Industries 

South West Water 

Southern Water 

Sport England 

Thames Water 

UNISON 

United Utilities 

Water UK 

Waterwise 

Wessex Water 

Yorkshire Water 

+44 (0)1332 824777 

WITH just under two years to go until the start of 

the 2012 Olympics, it is, perhaps, surprising that 

progress at the Olympic stadium and 

surrounding venues, receives little media 

attention. 

In stark contrast to the Wembley stadium 

build, which was delivered late and massively 

over budget, resulting in high profile media 

coverage, the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) - 

responsible for building the venues - is set to 

deliver the 2012 venues on time and under 

budget and, for its chairman, John Armitt, that’s 

a source of great satisfaction. 

“So far, so good and on track, he said. “It’s 

very satisfying. This time next year we’ll have 

some completed stadia out there, ready to hand 

over to Sebastian Coe and his team.” 

“We’ve kept costs down just through constant 

pressure on every single building. The designers 

sit down with the contractors saying how can we 

do this differently, how can we take out cost? 

We did that quite successfully in the broadcast 

centre [the first building to be completed], and 

we’re doing it in all other areas.” 

“Everywhere you look you just have to requestion 

and say ‘that’s okay, but could we do it 

See us at stand W58 

No news is 

good news 

for the ODA 

2012 Olympics venues will be delivered 

ahead of time and under budget 

better, and could we do it more sustainably’, 

which is the other challenge all the time.” 

“The key thing is to recognise the terrific job 

our construction industry has done, whether it’s 

the architects, designers, contractors, subcontractors. 

everybody has worked really well, 

and it’s a great advert for British industry.” 

The ODA will move back into the Park once 

the Paralympic Games have finished to 

transform it into legacy mode. 

Mr Armitt, an Arsenal supporter, was keen to 

see the stadium used regularly, even if it means 

a football team moving in. “I don't mind, 

personally, who uses it, as long as it is used and 

it does not become a white elephant.” 

“A football club going in there does give you a 

lot of assurance that it’s going to be used 

regularly [the current front runners are West 

Ham and Spurs] but we gave a commitment to 

the athletes and that's an important 

commitment to continue to meet.” 

“We’ve got other people, like the owners of 

The O2, showing an interest and, clearly, they 

would have other plans. The important thing is 

we get regular use from it and people enjoy 

going there.” 

www.dennisuk.com PROUDLY BRITISH 

5

Sustainable Use Directive 

requires action now 

If you hold a BASIS Certificate in Crop Protection, 

whether through grandfather rights or by exam, then 

you may need to take action now in order to 

maintain your status when the Sustainable Use 

Directive is implemented in November 2011 

MANAGING Director of BASIS, 

Rob Simpson, explains: “The 

Sustainable Use Directive will 

oblige all advisers and 

agronomists to renew their 

qualifications regularly. That will 

probably mean every three years, 

so it is something that everyone 

needs to be aware of and start 

planning for now,” he warns. 

“There are likely to be two 

ways of meeting the requirement 

to renew. Re-sit the BASIS 

Certificate in Crop Protection 

exam, or demonstrate three years 

of Continuing Professional 

Development (CPD) through 

membership of the BASIS 

Professional Register. It is not yet 

clear when the regulations will 

require advisers to be certificated 

but it could be as early as 2014; 

although more likely 2015.” 

“Whatever date is chosen by 

Government, those wishing to use 

the Professional Register route to 

re-qualification will need to be 

able to demonstrate a number of 

years (probably three) of CPD 

involvement.” 

“So, as an example, if the date 

is set as 1st January 2014, then 

people will need to have joined 

the register by the end of this 

year.” 

“Calling all exemption holders, 

BASIS is particularly keen that 

those advisers who were granted 

an exemption from the now 

statutory requirement to pass the 

BASIS Certificate in Crop 

Protection exam, should be made 

aware of the situation. They need 

to join the Professional Register 

soon or they may be faced with 

the prospect of sitting the exam.” 

Letters of exemption were 

issued by BASIS to experienced 

advisers before the Control of 

Pesticide Regulations came into 

Syngenta Crop Protection UK Ltd. Registered in England No. 849037. CPC4, Capital Park, Fulbourn, Cambridge CB21 5XE 

E-mail: customer.services@syngenta.com Web: www.greencast.co.uk / www.greencast.ie 

Distributed in the UK and Ireland by Scotts Professional. Tel: 01473 201100 E-mail: prof.sales@scotts.com 

Heritage Maxx® is Registered Trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Heritage Maxx (MAPP 14787, PCS 03978) contains 

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effect. “Quite a number of these 

exemptions were granted. We 

know that there are 370 

exemption holders currently on 

the BASIS Professional Register 

but, what is not clear, is how 

many other exemption holders 

are still practising agronomists 

and how many of these will wish 

to continue after 13 December 

2013 when the Sustainable Use 

Directive must be implemented.” 

Storekeepers also take note. 

The requirement for certificate 

renewal will also apply to 

pesticide storekeepers, so it is 

likely that all BASIS qualified 

storekeepers will need to attend 

refresher training every three 

years. 

Experienced storekeepers were 

also granted exemption letters, 

and these people will also have 

to complete refresher training as 

all letters of exemption will be 

Join the 

Professional 

Register to avoid 

having to re-sit the 

BASIS Certificate 

exam, says Rob 

Simpson 

invalid under the new regulations. 

Although the fertiliser sector is 

not covered by the Sustainable 

Use Directive, it is likely that the 

industry will follow a similar path 

to verify standards of certification 

in the future. 

Turf disease protection that 

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Open house at 

Ransomes Jacobsen 

Turfcare professionals invited to visit 

Ipswich in September to see how modern 

commercial mowers are made 

RANSOMES Jacobsen are to 

host two Open House events 

at their European head office 

and manufacturing facility in 

Ipswich. 

On Wednesday 22nd 

September, golf course 

owners, managers, 

greenkeeping staff and fine 

turf professionals from across 

the UK are invited to witness 

the Ransomes Jacobsen 

operation at first hand. 

On Thursday 23rd 

September, representatives 

from local authorities, 

groundscare contractors, 

groundsmen and grounds 

care professionals are invited. 

There will be factory tours 

at regular intervals to see 

how modern commercial 

mowers are manufactured 

and a display of ancient and 

modern grass cutting 

machinery from the first 

Budding lawnmower of 1832 

through to the latest 

Jacobsen Eclipse 322 hybrid 

greens mower and the 

Ransomes Highway 3, light 

commercial triplex mower. 

Greg Spray, marketing 

manager at Ransomes 

Jacobsen, commented, “We 

want this to be an informative 

and fun day for customers 

using our equipment and also 

for those who might be 

considering using it. As well 

as the guided factory tours, 

we’ll also be holding product 

demonstrations, and there’ll 

be the opportunity to meet 

and network with other 

industry professionals. 

“The tented village will 

house our industry partners 

including the AEA, CMAE, 

IOG, BIGGA, FEGGA, STRI, 

GEO, Scotts, Syngenta, 

Bernhard, Rain Bird, Ryan, 

Turfco and Smithco together 

with our own Parts, Customer 

Care, Retail and Cutting Edge 

Training stands.” 

“We will be providing a 

BBQ lunch and there’s a 

stays cut... 

after cut... after cut... 

‘Nearest the 

Pin’ 

competition 

on the 1st 

hole of our 

golf course, 

with a 

stunning 

prize for the 

first hole-inone 

on the 

course. 

An eclectic 

mix of bands 

will provide 

music 

throughout 

the day, and there will be 

some fun stands that will 

test accuracy, hand-eye coordinations 

and dexterity! 

All turfcare professionals 

are invited so, if you are 

interested in going along, 

please contact Lucy Davis, 

marketing co-ordinator on 

01473 276287 or email: 

ldavis@tip.textron.com 

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Barely a month after the Aegon 

tennis championships, Centre 

Court at The Queen’s Club is 

back to its resplendent best. 

Tom James meets the ... 

The King 

of Queen’s

“In the UK, we have the best courts and the 

most skilled groundsmen who know how to 

look after them. We cannot allow such a 

quality provision to die out” 

Graham Kimpton, Head Groundsman, The Queen’s Club 

London is famed for enjoying one of 

the richest of all sporting 

heritages, especially so since the 

19th century when the capital bore 

witness to the formation of many new 

sports and clubs, to the present era, 

which is witnessing the birth of a new 

generation of mega, modern stadia, not 

to mention the mammoth 2012 Olympic 

site. 

Whilst work on the Olympics 

facilities continues apace in the east of 

London, on the west side, tucked neatly 

between rows of elegant Edwardian and 

Victorian town houses along 

Kensington’s affluent residential 

streets, it’s business as usual for, 

arguably, the second most prestigious 

lawn tennis hub in the country - The 

Queen’s Club. 

Established in 1886, The Queen’s 

Club was formed on the site of what was 

originally a market garden. The 

sporting origins stemmed from a group 

of local businessmen who wanted to 

form a sports club with a multi-use 

outlook. 

Queen Victoria agreed to be its first 

patron so, accordingly, the name The 

Queen’s Club was created. 

Whilst, today, the club’s fame is 

rooted in lawn tennis and racket sports, 

over the decades this prime hectarage 

of London land has seen as many as 25 

different sports played here - 

everything from ice-skating and 

baseball, to athletics and rugby. 

By the late 1920s, annual fixtures 

included Oxford v Cambridge rugby 

matches, football ties and athletics, 

which were staged on the cinder track 

that once ran around the perimeter of 

the site. The diversity of sports 

attracted crowds of more than 10,000 

strong, lured by the boom in interest 

for competitive sport. 

As sports such as football, rugby and 

athletics grew in popularity, The 

Queen’s Club facilities were no match 

for demand and they were transferred 

to new homes at Wembley, Twickenham 

and White City respectively. 

Meanwhile, the increasingly popular 

game of lawn tennis, which had 

continued to blossom as mowing 

machinery developed, took over at 

Queen’s as the club embarked on a 

commitment to produce the highest 

quality tennis lawns. 

This demand for quality remains as 

strong today as it ever was. Whilst 

technology has moved on, and turfcare 

practices have advanced out of all 

recognition, the need to maintain the 

club’s impeccable reputation has 

remained constant - a commitment that 

Grounds Manager, Graham Kimpton, 

has known since he was a boy. 

Taking over the position from his 

father, David, after working under him 

for twenty-five years, Graham is the 

latest in a dynastic line of family 

members drawn to a career in turfcare. 

David began work at Queen’s in 1966, 

and spent forty-three years in the job,

passing on the head groundsman’s duties 

to his son on retirement last year, while 

Graham’s uncle was putting in fifty years 

of service at The Hurlingham Club, his 

only interruption being a break for 

national service. “Maybe it explains why I 

entered the industry,” Graham muses. 

“Groundsmanship is clearly in the 

blood.” 

Longevity of service seems a 

characteristic of the industry but, being 

immersed in lawn care since childhood 

and growing up around the club, has 

clearly been a recipe for success for 

Graham. 

“I’ve learnt everything I know from my 

dad. His attention to detail is probably 

the biggest impact he’s had on the way I 

do things now,” he states. “Most 

importantly, he taught me that we have 

to do things a certain way here - we have 

a reputation to uphold.” 

Graham nearly took a markedly 

different career path, however. He began 

an engineering apprenticeship at sixteen 

only to realise, after a year, that it wasn’t 

the route for him. 

He then spent a year travelling 

Australia before returning to the UK and 

an invitation from his father to work at 

Queen’s. From then on, Graham knew 

groundsmanship was the avenue he 

wished to explore, so enrolled at 

Norwood Hall Agricultural College to 

study for an NCT qualification, which he 

gained in 1995. He has gone on to 

become an examiner and assessor for the 

IOG and City and Guilds - an aspect of 

his job he believes is vitally important for 

him to stay on top of his game. 

“It’s a good thing to know about the 

exams, especially in this business, as 

many groundsmen overlook them or 

think they’re not worthwhile,” argues 

10 

“We’ve steered clear of such 

extremes as koroing, as we 

feel that it results in taking 

away too much of the natural 

goodness that builds up over 

the years in the soil” 

Graham. “It keeps you on your toes and 

up to speed with the latest changes.” 

“Aside from that, it helps to get out of 

your comfort zone, otherwise it can 

become easy to simply stick with what 

you know and what you think is best. It’s 

important to always be pushing, 

especially in an industry where it’s vital 

to ensure new blood keeps coming in.” 

Whilst teaching is an adjunct to the 

main job in hand, this aspect of his work 

he greatly enjoys and the club hosts 

frequent day visits from students at Kew 

Gardens studying the Kew Diploma. 

“As part of their course they have to do 

a turf module, so they come to us 

seeking advice on how we do things, 

which I really enjoy. It also gives me the 

chance to see my old tutor at Norwood 

Hall, Len Stocks - a man with 

tremendous knowledge in training who 

has taught me a great deal over the 

years.” 

The club hosts an array of world 

ranked tournaments, including the 

Aegon Championships (formerly the 

Stella Artois Championships), the World 

Rackets Championships and leading real 

tennis events (Queen’s has two courts), 

including the British Open and now the 

Atco Super Series Squash Finals. 

Not all of these directly involve 

Graham - his key responsibility is to 

maintain the twenty-eight outdoor 

courts, of which the twelve grass ones are 

some of the finest anywhere, the spread 

of different playing surfaces available, 

including ten indoor tennis courts (six 

acrylic and four carpet), six acrylic allweather, 

six clay and four new artificial 

grass courts. There’s even a short tennis 

area and a practice wall, where one of 

the turfcare team was brushing up on his 

strokes as we toured the club. 

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The team’s busiest time of year is the 

run-up to the Aegon Championships, 

staged straight after the French Open, 

and the ideal warm-up event on grass 

before Wimbledon. 

Signs of the huge transformation that 

the club undergoes for the event were 

few and far between. Centre Court, 

which stages all the event’s competitive 

play, looked lush and ready for action 

once more - just a month after the event 

left town. 

The week-long championships, two 

weeks before Wimbledon, has long 

proved popular with some of the giants 

of the game, with the likes of Nadal, 

Hewitt and Roddick winning the event in 

recent years but, strangely, says Graham, 

not Federer. 

The Grade 1 listed pavilion 

overlooking the court offers a uniquely 

intimate involvement with the 

tournament, where club members and 

players can interact both before, during 

and after the game. 

“Players often share a drink and a chat 

in the pavilion, rather than just playing 

and going,” says Graham. “Our members 

love that, and it’s a special element of 

the event and one that is unknown 

anywhere except perhaps Monte Carlo 

and Rhode Island.” 

Contrasting with the intimacy on the 

one side of Centre Court is the 

commercial reality of the game on the 

other, where temporary seating for some 

7,000 spectators looms high above the 

grass, erected over the neighbouring 

acrylic court. In all, the club can handle 

up to 10,000 people a day, so it’s no 

mean feat to accommodate them 

comfortably amid the glare of the world’s 

media. 

“This is a big event for us, and there’s 

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a real buzz from the members and my 

team at being able to get close to some 

of the world’s top players,” gleams 

Graham. 

“You cannot truly appreciate the 

unbelievably high standard of these 

players until you see them in action up 

close, and it’s great to witness the world’s 

best tennis played on a surface we have 

created.” 

The Lawn Tennis Association bought 

the club from the members back in the 

1950s when, in truth, says Graham, “we 

had seen better days.” The LTA 

established its headquarters there and, 

from then on, what is now the ATPranked 

annual championships were built 

up to become the hugely successful 

commercial undertaking it is today. 

Delete hosting fee sentence 

During its time at Queen’s, the LTA 

invested heavily in a new administrative 

centre and extensive indoor tennis 

provision, including the Academy, 

formed to nurture new talent. 

The then Stella Artois Championships, 

sponsored by the brewers of the lager 

since 1978, reached a crossroads in 2006 

when the LTA sought a sponsor for all its 

events. In stepped insurance group 

Aegon, the event was rebranded and the 

switch coincided with the LTA’s decision 

to sell the club back to the members, in 

part to fund the development of the 

National Tennis Centre at Roehampton. 

Comparisons with Wimbledon are 

unavoidable, says Graham, yet he is keen 

to stress that Queen’s runs things slightly 

differently from its neighbours in SW19, 

yet still achieves some very impressive 

outcomes. 

“Wimbledon has been active with 

koroing over the last few years and many 

lawn tennis clubs around the country 

have followed its lead,” explains Graham. 

“We’ve steered clear of such extremes, as 

we feel that it results in taking away too 

much of the natural goodness that builds 

up over the years in the soil.” 

“When we scarify in the autumn, the 

soil is still left brown and there’s plenty 

of good nutrients left that help form a 

sound basis for years to come.” 

With a healthy annual budget covering 

wages for the seven full-time groundstaff, 

Graham has the freedom to experiment 

with different grasses to create what he 

believes is the best balance for lawn 

tennis. 

Currently he uses a 50% ryegrass mix 

of 25% Bar Gold and 25% Bar Lady, 

22.5% slender creeping red fescue, also 

supplied by Barenbrug, a 22.5% strong 

creeping red fescue and finally a 5% 

browntop bent. 

“I’ve found that if you have just 

ryegrass it gives you too open a sward,” 

he states. “With a mix of ryegrass, red 

fescues and bent, the more slender fine 

grasses give the right amount of lateral 

growth, which fill the spaces in the sward 

and offer little room for weeds and other 

unwanted species to grow through. 

“Fescues are drought resistant due to 

their origin, so it’s good to have a certain 

percentage of them in there. Ultimately, 

a good mix of species will give you a 

better balance.” 

The system seems to be working well 

for him. Top tennis pros like Lleyton 

Hewitt and Andy Roddick recently 

named The Queen’s Club Centre Court 

the best grass court they’d ever played 

on. A good number of the club’s 4,000 

members are equally enthusiastic. 

“There’s a certain satisfaction that 

comes with jobs like ours,” says Graham. 

“We toil over the turf to create the best 

possible surface we can, and it’s a great 

feeling to stand back and look at what 

we’ve created - and it’s that bit better 

when you’re receiving such positive 

comments from these big name players.” 

Support from the top is important 

though. “My staff and I are well looked 

after here. The members, directors and 

chief executive all recognise the need for 

investment in what is the club’s most 

important asset.” 

“With big budgets come 

responsibilities, so there’s little room for 

excuses on our part. With 4,000 

members, each paying annual fees of 

£2,000, and a requirement to buy a share 

in the club costing £12,000, the members 

want to have the best facilities to play on. 

If the lawns aren’t top notch, they’ll ask 

us why they’re not. Big money rides on 

our courts being the best around.” 

The play on grass often lingers on as 

late as the end of the first week in 

October, making Queen’s one of the 

longest grass seasons in the country. 

That, in turn, means a well-planned 

year-round programme is essential for 

the courts to remain in top condition for 

the duration. 

“The summer playing season is really a 

matter of cutting, marking and 

irrigation. We do little work through the 

season as it would simply interrupt play 

too much,” Graham explains. 

Autumn marks the club’s big 

renovation period, when Graham and his 

team take on all the jobs needed before 

winter sets in. “We always aim to leave 

over some construction and maintenance 

jobs, like hedge trimming, to the winter 

months so the guys are always kept busy,” 

he explains. “The key job through the 

winter is to aerate, usually down to a 

depth of five inches. We carry out a 

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11

“The members, directors 

and chief executive all 

recognise the need for 

investment in, what is, 

the club’s most 

important asset” 

hollow core aeration programme on a 

five-yearly basis, which is more than 

enough for grass courts.” 

The onset of spring brings with it a 

bulk of new work in preparation for the 

Aegon event and the onset of the grass 

court season. Graham starts rolling in 

early spring, keeping the weight at 

between 1.8 and 2 tonnes. 

“We have to take care with rolling as 

our lawns firm up pretty quickly, and it’s 

easy to overroll and undo all the good 

work that’s gone before.” 

The firmness of The Queen’s Club 

grass courts has been, in no small part, 

due to the changes wrought by Graham 

and his father under a commitment to 

achieve a good bounce. 

“We’ve relaid the courts using Ongar 

loam on top of the original silty type fen 

soil laid a century ago. When we relaid 

the courts, we found there wasn’t a high 

clay content, so we couldn’t get it as hard 

as we wanted, so that prompted the 

change. Now, there’s that extra level of 

firmness, which makes the world of 

difference.” 

The Allett, Lloyds Paladin and Dennis 

FT510 the team use are all made to a 

20” cut width to suit tennis stripes. “It’s 

all about presentation. You never have a 

white line down the middle of a stripe.” 

Whilst the grass courts take centre 

stage throughout the summer season, 

Queen’s offer the spectrum of playing 

surfaces. The red clay courts are said to 

be some of the best in the UK, if not 

Europe, and visiting professionals like to 

train on them. 

The club’s six shale/clay courts have 

been a permanent feature for fifty years, 

although they are a challenge to 

maintain successfully, Graham admits. 

“It’s common knowledge that clay courts 

are difficult to keep right, and few 

people here really know how to maintain 

them properly.” 

“Luckily, my father was one of the best 

and taught me well. Now, I make sure all 

my guys know how to set them up, so we 

can keep alive our tradition of quality 

clay provision.” 

Members prize the courts highly and 

enjoy the variety they offer, despite the 

affect that the weather can have on them. 

As water binds the surface together, the 

courts can freeze over in winter but dry 

out and crack through the summer 

months as lack of water creates almost 

dustbowl conditions. Then, it’s a matter 

of hand watering and nightly irrigation. 

The courts at Queen’s are laid with the 

same specification material as those at 

Roland Garros, host to the French Open, 

Both sites are supplied by Simeon 

Sports - Graham importing the clay 

annually from quarries in Paris at a cost 

of £500 a tonne. Relaying of the courts 

was last completed some 15 years ago. “It 

was a tough job to complete, taking a 

whole winter to get right,” he recalls. 

“The most tricky part is the fact that you 

have to keep them constantly wet, which 

can be difficult when you’re still in the 

construction phase. The job involved 

taking the old clay off the top, overlaying 

the clinker base with graded ash and 

replacing with the new clay.” 

The standard of the surface is 

testament to the craftsmanship of both 

Graham and his team and his father 

before him. The courts are good enough 

to draw French tennis professionals here 

to practise on them. 

The four artificial grass courts, 

supplied by Doe Sports, laid with new 

surfaces last August at a total cost of 

£65,000, is also ensuring the standard of 

the alternative playing surfaces stays 

high. And, surprisingly, says Graham, 

“we get more compliments on the 

standard of the artificial courts from our 

members than any other. They will often 

ask where they can get hold of one for 

their own garden.” 

The six outdoor acrylic courts, 

supplied by Plexipave, offer Graham a 

far easier maintenance option, with a 

straightforward resurfacing or 

recolouring delivering a brand new look, 

he says. 

The indoor provision of six acrylic and 

four carpeted courts are also heavily used 

by members and for training juniors, 

whilst, to boost capacity still further 

during winter, the club purchased a 

bubble for fixing over two outdoor 

courts. 

The Queen’s Club holds one of the top 

positions for grass court tennis - Graham 

is fortunate to be given an enviable 

budget by any standards, a supportive 

grounds team and a board of directors 

that understands the virtues of positive 

spending to achieve the highest quality 

surfaces. 

Yet, he knows this is a far cry from the 

state of grass court tennis elsewhere in 

Britain. “We are lucky here that we would 

never get rid of the grass courts, as they 

are the moneyspinners and what attracts 

our members,” he stresses. 

“Unfortunately though, most tennis 

clubs are run on a shoestring, so they see 

artificial courts as a more viable financial 

option and end up getting rid of their 

grass courts, which they can only use for 

the summer.” 

“If smaller clubs can make money from 

teaching the whole year round then 

they’ll go with that. More needs to be 

done to retain our grass courts. In the 

UK, we have the best courts 

and the most skilled 

groundsmen who know how to 

look after them. We cannot 

allow such a quality provision 

to die out.”

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“It was seen as the 

perfect opportunity to 

install a sustainable 

water recycling plant to 

collect rainwater off 

roofs and hard 

standing areas for use 

out on the course” 

Rob Rowson, Course Manager, Forest of Arden 

Looking after two championship 

courses during recessionary 

times can provide additional 

opportunities for greenkeeping 

staff, as our editor found out on 

a visit to the Forest of Arden 

Country Club 

Arden 

One of the prime considerations for a golfer 

playing golf is the condition of the course, and 

any drop in its standard can have far reaching 

consequences, eventually driving away customers and 

damaging the income stream. 

So, whilst course managers have had to tighten their 

belts, redirecting resources and managing budgets 

more efficiently, they understand the need to maintain 

standards and continue with improvements. So, many 

are now encouraging their staff to take on projects 

themselves when, in the past, course improvement work 

and specialist irrigation projects were often outsourced. 

Rob Rowson, Course Manager at the Forest of Arden 

Country Club in Warwickshire, is one such person. 

Rob came to the club twelve years ago, taking on the 

role of course manager in 2005 when Kenny Mackay 

moved to The Belfry. 

The Forest of Arden is a Marriott Hotel and Country 

Club, and one of the UK’s most impressive golf 

destinations, featuring two top-class courses - The 

Arden and The Aylesford. The club is located in 10,000 

acres of rural Warwickshire, surrounded by ancient 

woodlands and natural lakes. It has played host to 

some of golf ’s most prominent tournaments, including 

the British Masters and English Open. 

One of latest projects to be undertaken by the

fast rules... 

greenkeeping staff has been the 

refurbishment of the irrigation water 

storage system, which was originally 

installed in the late 1970s. 

The brief was to replace the old 

corrugated water storage tanks and 

replace them with larger capacity ones, 

plus a new pumping station, which will 

be fed from a bespoke water recycling 

plant that is due to be commissioned in 

September 2010. 

With the hotel undergoing a £5 million 

refurbishment, it was seen as the perfect 

opportunity to install a sustainable water 

recycling plant to collect rainwater off 

roofs and hard standing areas for use out 

on the course. 

Of course, one could say that, with £5 

million being spent on the hotel, it 

seems a tad churlish to expect the 

greenkeeping staff to make cutbacks, but 

Rob saw this as a positive rather than a 

negative! 

Rob has always been keen on 

sustainable watering, and the new system 

has the ability to collect around 200 

cubic metres of water each day, storing it 

in one of two new 300 cubic metre tanks. 

If Rob had to water greens, tees and 

fairways in one hit, it would take about 

800 cubic metres to complete the task. 

Whilst this is rarely required, the new 

system will certainly reduce the strain on 

the mains water supply and reduce costs 

considerably. 

The staff undertook the complete 

rebuild of the water storage facility, with 

Head Mechanic, Bob Hill (more of him 

later), using his welding skills, 

dismantling the old tanks and helping to 

erect the new ones, including the fitting 

and placement of four brand new 

Grundfos pumps which are controlled by 

a Rainbird control system. The eventual 

saving to the club by doing the work inhouse 

was in excess of £20,000. 

The new system can be operated from 

a mobile phone and is linked into a 

computer that allows Rob to alter the 

amounts of water being applied at any 

time, anywhere on the course. 

There is also a weather station that 

GOLF and the environment 

keeps records of evaportranspiration 

rates, which helps him decide on the 

amount of water required. 

Rob has a team of twenty greenkeepers 

and gardeners, plus mechanic Bob. 

Greensmowers are usually bench set at 

3.5mm in the summer which, in reality, 

means the actual height of cut will be 

between 2 and 2.5mm. Winter bench 

HOC is 5mm. 

Bench settings for other areas are: tees 

7mm, collars 7mm, fairways 12mm, semi 

rough 25mm and rough 75mm. 

It is an early start for the staff, 

beginning at 5.30am every morning to 

ensure the course is set up for the day’s 

play. Greens are mown with pedestrian 

G1000 Toro mowers, bunkers raked and 

holes changed, if necessary. Tees, 

approaches and fairways are mown every 

other day, with any other cutting 

completed when required. 

Staff work until 2.00pm, but some are 

put on standby for any unforeseen works. 

Weekends see a team of eleven staff come 

in to set up the courses. 

15

Grundfos pumps were installed 

by Head Mechanic, Bob Hill 

As with most golf courses, the 

workload is endless. Keeping the playing 

surfaces in tip top condition is down to a 

robust maintenance regime that 

combines a cocktail of activities and 

ingredients. 

The feeding regime is a complex mix 

of feeds applied in both liquid and 

granular forms. Rob’s target is to deliver 

around 180kg of nitrogen to the USGA 

greens and around 100-120kg to the fen 

soil greens every year. He begins with a 

liquid iron and 6:5:10 NPK application 

in February, then following it with a 

variety of feeds until October, when he 

finishes with a mutli green 12:0:44. 

These are supplemented with a 

number of other micronutrient feeds as 

and when required. The greens also 

receive a number of applications of 

wetting agents and fungicides to help 

keep them stress free. 

All these Open Championship 

Clubs choose to relief grind 

with a Hunter precision grinder: 

St Andrews • Carnoustie 

Turnberry • Troon • Muirfield 

Royal Liverpool • Royal St Georges 

Royal Lytham St Annes 

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

16 

New water storage tanks 

Tees and fairways also get some timely 

feeds to keep them in good condition - 

usually about four feeds a year on 

fairways, whilst the tees receive about ten 

applications a year. It is important to 

keep the tees in good condition as they 

take quite a hammering, they are also 

divoted with a prepared mix, containing 

a rye grass seed, to aid recovery. 

The intensive maintenance works 

centre around a sound programme of 

aeration and topdressing operations 

which, in the main, are done on a 

monthly basis. Several aeration 

techniques are used - sarrell rolling, 

hollow coring and vertidraining are 

carried out in conjunction with light and 

heavy sand topdressing as required. 

The aim is to keep the greens free 

draining, smooth and to help break 

down any accumulating thatch. 

Both courses were designed by Donald 

 

Steel and are located on the grand 

Packington Estate. Many varieties of 

wildlife can be found within the 

boundaries, and golfers have a very good 

chance of catching a glimpse of the 

friendly deer that live in the majestic 

countryside setting. 

It was interesting to see the distinct 

changes in maintenance requirements on 

the two courses - the Aylesford is more 

parkland, whilst some parts of the Arden 

are distinctly links-like, with lots of 

bracken and wild grass areas providing a 

challenge for any golfer who cannot hit a 

straight ball! 

Vast numbers of fairly tame Roe deer 

can be seen roaming the courses. Whilst 

the golfers have now come to accept 

their existence - they rarely cause a 

problem - they can create a few issues 

during the rutting season in October and 

November, when males fight for

Parts of the Arden course have a links feel 

dominance on the greens, causing 

significant surface damage. 

In recent years, Rob has been involved 

in extensive ecology work on both 

courses to improve and sustain the 

variety of wildlife. A number of large 

lakes have been cleaned out and 

managed to conserve habitats for many 

birds and mammals. This has culminated 

in the course recently receiving a 

prestigious accolade - the Audubon 

International Award. 

The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary 

Programme for Golf Courses is an award 

winning education and certification 

programme, that helps golf courses 

protect the environment and preserve 

the natural heritage of the game of golf. 

By helping people enhance the valuable 

natural areas and wildlife habitats that 

golf courses provide, improve efficiency, 

and minimise potentially harmful 

How’s your 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tel: 0845 026 0064 

www.jsmd.co.uk 

impacts of course operations, the 

programme serves as a vital resource for 

golf clubs. 

The greenkeeping team had to comply 

with six key environmental components 

relevant to golf course management. 

These components form the basis of 

educational materials and are the focal 

points for achieving certification: 

• Environmental Planning 

• Wildlife and Habitat Management 

• Chemical Use Reduction and Safety 

• Water Conservation 

• Water Quality Management 

• Outreach and Education 

The information required to fulfil the 

conditions of the programme became a 

useful exercise in finding out the current 

condition of the course, and what 

resources it takes to keep it maintained. 

Renew your 

Cutting 

Edge! 

The club are delighted to have been 

awarded this certificate, and see it as a 

good measure of how they are 

performing and working with the 

environment. 

Rob says that he and his staff can 

consider themselves privileged to work 

on two very different types of course, and 

enjoy the challenge of maintaining the 

championship standards for which the 

venue is renowned. 

This winter, Rob and his staff take on 

more fresh challenges with the 

completion of the irrigation system, 

some bunker and tee refurbishments and 

tree works. 

So, it would seem that the ongoing 

task of improvements and maintenance 

at the Forest of Arden is in good hands, 

and will no doubt keep Rob and his staff 

busy for many years to come. 

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17

Two 

Bob’s 

Worth 

Simon Atkins chats to 

Bob Hill, Head Mechanic 

at the Forest of Arden 

about his career and his 

commitment to training 

and WD40! 

Bob Hill is a modest perfectionist 

who is utilising his experience to 

help produce top class results at 

the Forest of Arden. His experience is a 

product of good and bad events in his 

career but, today, both are combined to a 

positive effect. 

Bob had visited the Forest of Arden to 

carry out machinery repairs on a number 

of occasions and had a fondness for the 

course. It was, therefore, quite a moment 

when he was invited to a meeting with 

course manager at the time, Kenny 

Mackay. 

Kenny explained to Bob that he had 

heard, “you are the top man for Toro.” 

This was clever thinking on Kenny’s part 

as he knew Bob’s expertise would reduce 

repair bills and help eliminate downtime, 

especially when major tournaments were 

taking place. Bob accepted Kenny’s job 

offer in 2000. 

Bob’s experience has accumulated over 

forty-one years in the trade. He began 

his career in 1969, at Kings Heath 

Mowers, fixing domestic machines, 

before moving to become George 

Bagnall’s mobile mechanic. With a Land 

Rover and CB radio, call sign Park Sugar, 

Bob would go out fixing breakdowns on 

site. 

After a period working for himself 

and, looking for financial security, Bob 

joined Alexander’s Horticultural Ltd in 

1986 as spares manager. Alexander’s had 

recently been appointed Toro main 

dealers. On his first day, thirty new GM3 

mowers were delivered, a machine Bob 

rates highly to this day. Toro’s later 

decision to cease their supply agreement 

with Alexander’s saw Bob move to E.T. 

Breakwell, in 1998, as stores manager. 

With the demise of Breakwell’s a couple 

of years later, Bob’s workshop, stores and 

management skills were snapped up by 

the Forest of Arden. 

Bob is responsible for maintaining the 

mainly Toro fleet, ensuring the machines 

produce top class results. Starting at 

18 

4.00am, he ensures that every machine is 

ready to go as soon as the greenkeepers 

arrive. Head Greenkeeper, Rob Rousen, 

will tell Bob the day before which 

machines will be required. 

As each machine returns from its daily 

duties, the radiator is blown out using an 

airline, before the entire machine is 

washed down, removing every trace of 

grass or dirt. All cutting equipment is 

sprayed with WD40 to prevent the 

cutting edges going rusty. The machines 

are finally parked neatly in size order. 

Each operator reports any issues to 

Bob, which are recorded on a white 

board in the workshop as a reminder. 

Bob has created a service log for each 

machine. The log is completed each time 

the machine has any work carried out, 

such as an oil change or sharpen. Bob is 

proud of the fact that “every mower is 

usable.” 

Bob monitors the cutting quality of the 

machines by making regular tours of the 

course. To maintain consistency, all 

machines are set at bench height. For 

example, the greens are cut at 3.5mm 

but, when this is checked on the green 

with a mirror or prism, actual height is 

between 1.5mm and 2mm depending on 

sink rate. 

Bob has a range of preset height 

gauges. These give him the confidence 

that each machine will go out at the 

same height. Rob occasionally has 

specific requirements, for example 

cutting the fairways down to 10mm to 

assist with a fertiliser application. Bob’s 

experience allows him to discuss with 

Rob potential unsightly outcomes, make 

suggestions and reach an amicable 

agreement. 

When Bob started at the Forest of 

Arden, he inherited a spare parts stock 

with an estimated value of £30,000. 

Today, Bob’s spare parts stock is 

somewhat more modest, but does include 

two sets of filters and two sets of blades 

for each and every machine. It is evident 

that frequent checks and regular 

maintenance reduce the risk of an 

unexpected breakdown. 

Bob is loyal to original equipment 

parts. Many of the machines are within 

warranty periods, so the use of genuine 

parts eliminates the risk of a rejected 

claim. Even outside of warranty periods 

Bob still uses genuine parts. Non 

genuine alternatives may offer cost 

savings, but Bob explains that many 

manufacturers have recognised this and 

brought the prices of their products in 

line. He will not sacrifice safety and 

quality for a few pounds saved. 

For example, the Toro Sidewinder 

rotaries have three blades that cost £60

A more modest stock of parts Various bench marks for height of cut 

per genuine set. Bob believes fitting 

genuine blades ensures the machine 

performs correctly and, being correctly 

balanced, eliminates vibration. When the 

blades become worn they will be replaced 

with a new set. 

Bob explained that if the blades are 

sharpened, and a piece of metal becomes 

detached hitting a person and/or 

damaging the machine, the mechanic is 

responsible. Bob reminded me of the 

phrase, “where there is blame there is a 

claim.” 

Bob identifies the parts he requires 

online and is also able to check stock and 

price. If required, he can receive parts 

ordered before 2.00pm by 9.00am the 

next morning. He has a shortlist of 

suppliers that includes Abbey Mowers, 

Turner Groundscare, Crown Oils, and 

Pearmans. He restricts the number of 

suppliers used to help reduce the 

amount of administration required. 

All Toro machines at the Forest of 

Arden are replaced as part of a rolling 

five year programme but, even as they 

approach replacement, it is difficult to 

see the difference between new and old 

due to the care they receive. 

The other machinery is replaced 

following an annual consultation between 

Rob and Bob. Both offer their thoughts 

and reasoned arguments before deciding 

on their final choices. 

Indeed, this year, Bob was adamant the 

sprayer should be replaced and has even 

sacrificed a new grinder for his workshop 

to secure the purchase. However, 

recognition of the value of the workshop 

is supported by the investment in a new 

two post ramp, able to lift three and four 

wheel machines, and a new heating 

system to keep him warm in the winter 

months!. 

Bob is passionate about Toro 

machinery. He believes they are the 

forerunners as the machines are tested 

for longer. However, when quizzed as to 

his favourite machine Bob replied “Each 

manufacturer has its own top products. 

Toro has golf equipment and John Deere 

has tractors.” 

Bob remains a little sceptical about 

hybrid and electric machines “You have 

still got an engine and hydraulics,” he 

said. “And battery technology, at this 

point in time, is still in its early stages. 

Some mowers are claimed to be able to 

cut 18 greens on a charge but, if you are 

double cutting, then you have 36 

greens.” It was to be proven if the cost 

comparisons between a standard 

machine and a hybrid machine would 

stack up, he says. 

Bob is also a solver of problems. To 

protect the sprayer booms and assist the 

operator, Bob designed and fitted a self 

levelling system when operators of the 

5410s were finding that the boxes were 

jumping off. He came up with a hook to 

restrain the boxes. His ideas and 

solutions for Toro machines are passed to 

Clive Pinnock of Lely UK, who he has 

known through the service side from the 

1980s. Once approved, these solutions 

are communicated to dealers throughout 

the UK. 

One of Bob’s worst experiences was an 

accident at work, in which his right hand 

was crushed between a loader ram and 

the loader boom. Perhaps a case of 

shutting the door once the horse has 

bolted, he has since strictly coordinated a 

health and safety programme. All 

grounds staff using any mechanical 

equipment receive an induction on how 

to operate each machine safely. 

Each operator has their own machine 

All machines are thoroughly cleaned ... ... and parked up neatly! 

safety log, which is similar to a driving 

licence, and only allows them to use a 

machine once it has been signed off. 

Every day, except Thursdays, when a full 

health and safety meeting is held, short 

refresher or tool box talks are given by 

Bob to ensure safety awareness is in the 

front of their minds. Through his own 

hard lesson Bob now instils putting your 

own safety first. He says, if in doubt, stop 

and complete a risk assessment and, if 

you are still unsure, ask! 

During the winter Bob runs lectures on 

machinery maintenance. Time spent 

explaining how to use, set up and service 

a machine can add considerably to its 

working life and save costly call outs to 

simple fixes. His training is designed to 

be ‘hands-on’ practical, so participants 

enjoy the course and leave with a sense 

of achievement. Bob recognises that 

there is a lack of knowledge within the 

industry and tries to encourage new 

mechanics to his courses. 

Marriott’s Spirit to Serve philosophy 

recognises ‘people are the most 

important asset’, and Bob Hill is one 

such asset. Whilst any championship 

course with 36 holes could justify its own 

mechanic, I have seen that the role of a 

mechanic can 

encompass so 

much more. In 

fact, you could 

say that Bob 

Hill is worth a 

couple of Bobs! 

Simon Atkins 

joined Pitchcare 

as part of his 

Guild of 

Agricultural 

Journalists/John 

Deere Training 

Award 2010 

19

Bob Taylor BSc (Hons), 

MIEEM, MBPR, Head of 

Ecology & Environment at 

the STRI, looks at the 

changing face of golf 

business and makes a 

strong case for 

biodiversity as the way 

forward 

What does the next ten 

years hold within the 

golfing industry? This 

was the question 

discussed in Peter 

Larters (BIGGA Midland and North 

West) regional seminars held in the 

spring of 2010, and to which STRI 

contributed. 

We have all seen the industry realign 

with the modernisation of the game 

and, one thing is sure, golf will 

continue to evolve as differing external 

pressures and influences bear down on 

it. As in nature, it is all about 

adaptation and the survival of the 

fittest. Natural selection allows those 

best fitted to succeed, whilst others 

become extinct. 

In business (and each golf club is a 

business working independently and in 

competition with each other), it is 

essential to recognise change and adapt 

to it. Those that fail will struggle to 

survive long term. A suitable business 

analogy would be that a golf club is a 

large fish operating in a relatively small 

sea, and there are many other similar 

sized fish in the sea all competing for 

the same resources. As the other fish 

grow then the sea will effectively 

diminish, meaning that only the better 

able and better adapted will survive. 

Golf clubs are working under the 

constraints of increasing competition, 

arising through the more innovative 

clubs moving forward as new ideas and 

enhanced services help provide a more 

rounded product offering. 

Competition can manifest itself in 

several different guises. A major and 

very recent competitive pressure, on top 

of changing environmental legislation 

and developing technologies in golf, 

has been the global recession. This has 

brought with it quite severe selection 

pressures and is, perhaps, a first 

indication of the need to adapt, and 

adapt quickly. In nature, species that 

cannot adapt quickly soon become 

replaced by those that can. Adaptation 

in this sense would mean looking 

closely at the course and recognising 

areas where improvements could be 

made to ensure visitor and member 

retention. 

STRI is by no means exempt here; 

faced with the recession we have had to 

seize the opportunity to bring about 

new innovative solutions which, it is 

hoped, will bring real long term benefit 

to the golfing industry. Such innovation, 

backed by research, also enables our 

business to remain at the forefront of 

golf. 

Take, for example, the new 

programme set up to allow individual 

golf clubs to assess the quality of the 

putting and playing surfaces and, for 

the first time, to quantitatively track the 

improvements being made. Such 

innovations are taking the guesswork 

and the emotion out of golf course 

management. 

The case for 

Biodiversity

We must ask questions like: Why is it 

that, whilst many golf clubs are feeling 

the pressure of reducing visitor and 

member numbers, others are increasing 

their membership fees and maintaining 

good levels of recruitment? 

What is it that keeps golfers returning 

for more? If the industry we all work in 

and love is based on offering a luxury 

commodity that, during hard times, is 

possible to do without, how then, does a 

golf club become a perceived necessity 

- one that golfers cannot do without, 

one that is just ‘too good to miss’? 

How does an individual golf club 

become ‘too good to miss’? 

Firstly, we must understand what it is 

that sets one golf club apart from the 

next. Does success depend upon, for 

example, the age of the club, its 

tradition, the length of the course, turf 

quality? It surely has to be a 

combination of all these factors. But, 

there is one overriding element here 

that is all too often overlooked, and that 

is the landscape into which the course 

is fitted. 

The landscape can make or break a 

golf course - it will inspire or frustrate. 

There are golf courses that just don’t 

gel, creating an atmosphere of tension 

rather than calmness. The landscape 

should inspire, it should offer beauty 

and a sense of wellbeing. 

We all accept that the greens are the 

priority, and rightly so, but we should 

give greater recognition to the 

contribution that the environment 

plays. We need to move away from the 

idea that this is a golf course and not a 

nature reserve, as it is both, and the 

environment contributes so much to 

retention of golfing interest. 

Consider just how much time is spent 

actually connecting with the ball and 

playing the putting surfaces? Probably 

less than 10% of the round? The 

remaining 90% is spent walking and 

ideally enjoying the beauty of the 

surroundings. The landscape can help 

golfers take that short break out from 

the intensity of play and give them a 

chance to refocus and recharge for just 

a short lived moment, before focusing 

back to the reality of what lies ahead. It 

is, therefore, incredibly important to 

give time to managing these out of play 

areas, to get the birds singing and 

create that feeling of calm serenity that 

comes from some of the more informed 

and proactive golf courses. 

Not convinced yet! Consider the 

different elements of sustainability. 

These are normally recognised as 

environmental, social and economic. 

These three elements make up the 

definition, and all are important if 

long-term sustainability is to be 

assured. 

However, not all elements need 

assume equal importance, nor are they 

equally important. The environment is 

the basic foundation upon which social 

and economic sustainability can be 

sourced. Developing a strong social and 

economic infrastructure depends so 

much on a strong environmental 

foundation, and it is difficult to see the 

model of sustainability working any 

other way. 

Why is biodiversity important to golf? 

We all appreciate the subliminal or 

conscious feeling of well being that 

comes from a course sat within 

beautiful surroundings. Most golfers 

are not interested in naming the vast 

diversity of wildlife that can be found. 

The movement of insects, like 

dragonflies and butterflies, the singing 

of birds like the skylark and the 

occasional sighting of a deer, all adds 

up to a memorable golfing experience, 

and one that is worth coming back for. 

‘The course that is just too good to 

miss’. 

Of course, by developing the 

woodland margin by planting low 

growing trees, you will optimise habitat 

for birds, so encouraging even more. 

Leaving areas of longer grass will 

ensure a food source. 

All businesses, including golf, 

depend so much on, and benefit from, 

biodiversity. Biodiversity is responsible 

for regulating the life support systems 

on which we all depend. 

In golf, biodiversity is also important 

for our individual health and general 

well being, and those golf clubs that 

There are golf courses that just don’t gel, 

creating an atmosphere of tension rather than 

calmness. The landscape should inspire, it 

should offer beauty and a sense of wellbeing

ecognise this will be more sustainable 

than those that don’t. Furthermore, 

golfers value it. 

Extending the theme - How 

understanding biodiversity can help 

achieve competitive advantage 

Golf clubs with good social, 

environmental and ethical performance 

will be better placed to attract and retain 

members and visitors. 

Managing for biodiversity will 

maintain a clean, healthy environment, 

not to mention a sink for climate waste 

CO2 etc. Stability in the environment will 

bring increasing numbers of beneficial 

wildlife. 

Recognising the benefits of biodiversity 

will allow golf clubs to make much more 

of a song and dance about how good the 

golf course is environmentally. This 

22 

means managing it for wildlife through 

to carbon offsetting. We will increasingly 

be expected to monitor our environment, 

and document environmental risks and 

how they are managed. 

Social Responsibilities 

Golf courses have a responsibility to 

manage in a manner that complements 

the local community interests. The 

conservation of our biodiversity is not 

just a job for governments and/or nongovernmental 

organisations, it is a role 

for each and every individual (including 

golf clubs) to change our entrenched 

outlook and recognise the benefits, 

particularly on golf courses, that 

managing for biodiversity can bring. 

Thinking ahead 

Managing for biodiversity will improve 

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PlanetAir’s shatter knife technology, combined with the 

unique planetary motion creates pore space throughout 

the top profile. 

The clean cut incisions 

sever stolons and 

promote fresh growth - 

ideal for Bermuda 

management for 

transition or throughout 

the Summer. 

Each and every time we cut lateral growth we stimulate 

fine textured juvenile vertical shoot growth in the parent 

plant. This means that greens become finer textured with 

better colour. 

Recognising the 

benefits of 

biodiversity will 

allow golf clubs to 

make much more of 

a song and dance 

about how good the 

golf course is 

environmentally 

your competitive advantage in various 

ways, such as in the planning arena. A 

golf club with a good track record will 

gain advantage through public approval 

and acceptance. Good performance, 

however, does need to be balanced with 

disclosure of performance. Those golf 

clubs collaborating with statutory 

consultees - Natural England for 

example - and the local authorities, 

should find themselves in a better 

position when considering course 

alterations, revisions etc. 

It is the responsibility of every golf 

club to do what it can in improving its 

performance, as it is easy for good golf 

clubs to be tarred with the same brush as 

those not performing and failing to 

demonstrate ecological and 

environmental best practice. 

The overriding message from all of the 

MAXIMUM 

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PlanetAir treatments cultivate the soil; 

the water connects and percolates 

properly through the soil and this rapid 

water percolation through the soil 

particles is the oxygen delivery system 

to the plant roots and soil microbes. 

The key to PlanetAir is the amount of 

oxygen that gets into the rootzone 

during treatment - we can get through 

18 greens in approximately 4 hours 

using just one operator and we create 

1,000,000 holes per hour.” 

No material is removed so it can be used 

regularly with no disruption to play. 

The PlanetAir is a superb venting tool, 

with its productivity and minimal 

disturbance.

Treating the 

environment as a 

luxury is no longer 

acceptable if golf is 

to survive longterm. 

Golf clubs 

must recognise the 

contribution of the 

environment 

above is that golf clubs must understand 

the marketplace that they are working in, 

the aspirations that drive the sport 

forward and what and where added value 

can be generated. 

Treating the environment as a luxury is 

no longer acceptable if golf is to survive 

long-term. Golf clubs must recognise the 

contribution of the environment, and 

provide an integrated and holistic way 

forward that will lead to long term 

sustainability and golf ’s long term 

stability. 

STRI Innovation here to help 

STRI has recently pioneered new 

innovation by way of the STRI 

Programme, a programme of data 

collection that allows individual clubs to 

benchmark putting and playing surface 

quality, and tailor management to bring 

Grass seed. 

about objective improvement. Our 

ecologists now use hemispherical image 

analysis techniques to identify and 

quantify inappropriate trees. This level of 

innovation not only maintains STRI lead 

in this increasingly competitive world 

but, for golf clubs, we are providing 

sophistication that will improve the 

quality of the greens whilst minimising 

tree loss, which is always an emotional 

problem that clubs find difficult to 

resolve. 

If we are to move forward as motivated 

forward thinking golf clubs, then we first 

need to address the membership. Let 

them know the long term intention and 

how the golf club’s competitive edge will 

manifest itself. 

The golf club will need a business case 

to demonstrate the holistic or strategic 

intentions. This would include engaging 

consultants in turfgrass and ecology; it 

may involve an architectural assessment 

to ensure that, alongside the wider 

improvements, the golf course layout 

meets the criteria to ensure modern day 

standards are met. 

The difficult task here is getting the 

message over in the first place but, once 

a plan is in place, it does become much 

easier to implement. A structured plan 

would reduce the burden on the 

greenstaff, it would give ownership to the 

issues identified at all levels within the 

club, all of which could be dealt with in a 

prioritised and structured way. 

All images are of Fulford Golf in 

Yorkshire, where head greenkeeper, 

Mark Mennell, works closely with the 

STRI on environmental matters. 

©Pitchcare/Laurence Gale MSc 

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23

Aberdovey Golf Club has 

undergone a dramatic 

rebirth in the past three 

years, thanks to the 

efforts of the 

greenkeeping staff. 

Deputy Head 

Greenkeeper, Rhys 

Butler goes ... 

Back to nature! 

Aberdovey Golf Club, winner of the 

Welsh regional section at the 2009 

Golf Environment Awards, has 

undergone a dramatic rebirth in the last 

three years, returning to its traditional 

links landscape and preserving 

important habitats. The challenge was to 

achieve this on a Site of Specific 

Scientific Interest to the satisfaction of 

the Countryside Council for Wales, whilst 

retaining the attraction of the course for 

members and to the holidaymakers that 

flock to the area in summer. 

The renovation began in January 

2009, with the main changes being to 

reshape the bunkers to provide a natural, 

rugged, rustic links-like appearance that 

seamlessly integrated into the 

surrounding landforms. 

Another task was to break up some of 

the runway-style tees which were alien to 

the surrounding natural environment. 

24 

“These were broken up into individual 

tees and the land around shaped to 

blend into the surrounding 

environment,” explains Deputy Head 

Greenkeeper, Rhys Butler. 

Architect John Kemp, of Islander Golf, 

was appointed, producing the drawings 

and reports that were presented to the 

‘green’ sub-committee and the course 

management staff. 

“The work was carried out in-house, 

with John Kemp on site,” explains Rhys. 

“The greenkeeping staff were split into 

two teams - one to carry on with the 

general course maintenance and the 

other team to proceed with the course 

changes.” 

In the first phase, from January to 

March 2009, seven new bunkers were 

constructed and forty-three reshaped. 

Out of date bunkers were filled and 

sympathetically shaped, and the 

positioning of others was altered. Work 

continued in the winter of 2009-10 with 

the construction of a further newly 

positioned bunker and nineteen others 

reshaped, the work being carried out inhouse 

by the greenkeeping staff. 

The club’s membership had been 

highly vocal on course design in the past, 

even rejecting alterations to 

championship standard made by James 

Braid, so getting them on side was vital, 

as Rhys explains: “The decisions were 

made by the greens sub-committee and 

all proposed changes were available for 

members to see, either by being posted 

on the club website or by drawings that 

were available for all to view in the 

clubhouse. John Kemp also hosted a 

walk/talk around the course for members, 

so that they could see and understand 

any change or redesign of the golf 

course.”

The delicate nature of the land 

required careful planning of the 

renovation process. A non-managed area 

was used for ‘chunking’ (grass 

transplantation), with the chunks 

deployed around the bunkers to help 

blend the golf course into the natural 

landscape. 

“Work on the bunkers was planned 

around their proximity to grassland 

translocation sites,” says Rhys. “This 

minimised unnecessary travelling 

between work areas and, therefore, 

damage by heavy construction vehicles. 

The only extra material needed was 

rootzone to help rooting, so we were able 

to use existing golf course machinery - 

a tractor with back hoe and front bucket, 

plus a tractor and trailer for carrying 

material around were about all that was 

required.” 

Rhys also resorted to more unusual 

tools to get the desired effect. “One of 

the best tools we used was a pick axe to 

rough up the sides of the translocated 

chunks, as it gives a great looking natural 

edge!” 

Additional bunkering is now a feature 

of a large number of holes to make for a 

more challenging experience, whilst 

allowing golfers the chance to test their 

skill from teeing grounds of their choice. 

Cattle have traditionally been grazed 

on the course year round, but this has 

now been restricted to the winter 

months, leading to the establishment of 

high rough. 

“We had no rough before, now we have 

definition between fairway, semi-rough 

and rough and the course now plays in a 

totally different way - it’s a proper 

championship links golf course,” says 

Rhys. 

Head Greenkeeper, Meurig Lumley, 


“We have a direct responsibility for the day to day management 

of the site, we have a legal duty to maintain and enhance where 

necessary the quality of the habitats within” 

agrees: “Taking the cattle off from May 

to October has enabled the course to 

grow in areas that would otherwise be of 

same height, which allows us to manage 

the roughs to have proper definition in 

the right places. A semi rough collar on 

nearly all holes has changed the look of 

the hole, allowing the golfer to have a 

fair chance.” 

A new Kubota 1600 diesel ride on 

mower has been added to the club’s 

machinery fleet which, Meurig says, is 

ideal for the rough. 

“The lie of the land, and the fact that 

it is in a SSSI, restricts areas that can be 

cut, but this does not have too much 

effect on the look of the hole,” he 

comments. “Now that the majority of the 

new features have become established, 

the course can be managed with 

attention to detail to make sure it is 

working in the way we want it to.” 

25

“To work combining 

the ecology and day to 

day tasks makes the job 

very interesting” 

Meurig Lumley, Head Greenkeeper 

Meurig adds that, whilst the club has 

to consider the environment and the 

appearance of the course in its 

management, the aim of the turf 

improvement regime is to produce 

greens of a fescue/bent mixture to 

establish good playing surfaces, which is 

also mirrored through aprons, tees and 

fairways. 

“An ongoing overseeding programme 

has helped to establish the surfaces that 

we want,” he says. “We are still able to 

carry out the traditional golf course 

maintenance tasks, such as aeration, 

topdressing and verticutting, but use 

minimal water and fertiliser, and stick to 

light treatments only.” 

Rhys adds that the golfers are seeing a 

real difference in the course. 

“The course was generally quite easy 

to play before. You could hit the ball 

anywhere, find it and hit it again; there 

was no real strategy required. Now you 

have to really plot your way around, it's a 

true test, whilst being fair at the same 

time,” he says. 

“You only have to look at the scores 

now in most competitions to see the 

difference. When the club hosts the 

Welsh Amateur championship in 2011 it 

26 

will be a real championship golf course 

again.” 

However, the course still offers 

something for the ‘leisure’ golfers, he 

insists: “All golfers have the choice to 

play either from the yellow tees or, if 

they want a real challenge, the 

championship ‘Darwin’ tees. The semi 

rough is fair, although if you do stray off 

line there is some pretty thick stuff out 

there, but hey, it’s a championship golf 

course!” 

And the work is not yet complete. 

Ongoing scrub clearance, especially the 

removal of bramble and reduction in 

gorse, has the aim to improve 7000sqm 

of ecological habitat and thus retain the 

SSSI requirement of satisfactory 

condition. 

The environment is also given 

consideration in other areas of the day 

to day routine. “Waste is managed in 

various ways - for example, grasscuttings 

are stored in bays around the course, 

stockpiled for future use with other 

materials, such as turf waste, and then 

used for bases of tees or banking. Water 

harvesting is another concept that has 

been put forward to the club, but the 

initial funding to set this process up is 

not yet in the club’s budget.” 

Rhys adds: “We have a direct 

responsibility for the day to day 

management of the site, we have a legal 

duty to maintain and enhance where 

necessary the quality of the habitats 

within. It is of paramount importance 

that no operation may negatively affect 

the quality or quantity of the SSSI 

habitat. Therefore, each member of staff 

has a duty to act and follow our policies 

of using the washdown areas for cleaning 

off machines, and following 

maintenance tracks to avoid damage to 

the environment and compaction to 

areas of play.” 

But, Meurig insists that the golf still 

comes first. “Any work that may cause 

disruption or disturbance to the 

playability of the course prior to a 

tournament is put off until afterwards, 

or done well in advance. There has 

been no compromise in the way we aim 

to work the course, in fact it has made 

the team more aware of what 

is important. To work 

combining the ecology and 

day to day tasks makes the 

job very interesting.” 

Detailed description 

of the work at 

Aberdovey 

Dune management 

The dune system running along the 

12th hole was exposed to local erosion 

through high tidal action and strong 

winds. To protect the SSSI, Gwynedd 

Council organises excess and 

accumulated sands to be gathered and 

deposited into ‘blowouts’ along the 

dune system. These areas are then 

planted with marram grass, and 

‘chunked’ for stabilisation as well as 

using brashings to keep the sand from 

blowing and erosion, which also helps 

the marram establish. As the picture 

below demonstrates, this has been 

extremely successful and the dune line 

is constantly improving and 

strengthening. 

Scrub management 

Scrub is a serious issue and certain 

areas have already been cleared, 

replanted with the natural marram 

grass and seeded with site specific seed. 

Rhys explains: “We have many more 

areas planned for clearance but, with a 

change of club management and 

change of personnel in CCW, progress 

was halted until both parties were in 

place. We are currently still awaiting a 

meeting between both ‘new parties’ so 

that we may discuss future work 

programmes.” 

Roughs 

Other areas of discussion with the CCW 

will include rough grassland 

management - extensive swathes of 

grassland dominate the landscape and 

provide the overriding ecological 

interest through the course and its 

immediate environs. 

Thinner and more upright swards will 

be positioned closer to the fairways, 

whilst the denser and less disturbed 

grasslands are well away from the 

playing line. From a golfing 

perspective, this will allow ball retrieval

from the wayward golf shot and provide 

a penalty that is appropriate to the 

distance from play. 

Rhys says, “Currently, we only cut 

approximately 4-5 yards as a first cut of 

rough. All other deep rough grassland is 

left without intervention and provides a 

valuable habitat for small mammals and 

invertebrates.” 

Where there is a risk or possibility of 

sensitive areas being trampled or 

destroyed by vehicles, which may include 

rare plants such as the Common Spotted 

Orchid, these are protected by hoops and 

this also makes the golfer aware that they 

are in a sensitive area. 

Fences are used to guide course traffic, 

preventing trolleys and buggies entering 

environmentally sensitive areas and 

maintaining definition between roughs 

and fairways which, again, enhances the 

visual impact on the golfer. 

Communication 

Aberdovey Golf Club engages with 

partners, members, guests and visitors so 

that they are fully aware of its aims and 

objectives. Regular updates and reports 

on environmental works and other 

developments are posted on the club 

website. 

Various signs are used in environmentally 

sensitive areas such as scrub and in the 

sand dunes, informing members of the 

public and golfers of the special area 

they are in. Where there is public access, 

controls such as fencing and boardwalks 

are in place to prevent man-made 

erosion. 

The club communicates and interfaces 

with the Countryside Council for Wales, 

STRI, Gwynedd Council, the 

Environment Agency and the Snowdonia 

National Park Authority to ensure the 

site is protected and promoted 

accordingly. 

Naturalisation of tees 

The teeing ground on the 15th used to 

be 90 yards long and of a ‘runway’ style, 

which looked completely alien to the 

surrounding natural environment, 

explains Rhys. “This has now been 

altered and four separate ‘free form’ tees 

created which blend into the existing 

topography, whilst minimising visual 

impact and integrate seamlessly into the 

natural environment.” 

“In the winter of 2009/10, there were a 

further three new tees built to add extra 

yardage to the golf course and allow it to 

stay in touch with today’s equipment and 

modern distances. These are, again, 

totally natural and blend into the 

surrounding landscape.” 

The bunker project 

Rhys explains: “The bunker project we 

undertook was focused on shaping a 

natural, rugged, rustic links style that 

integrates seamlessly into the landscape.” 

This creates visually dominant hazards 

whilst also serving to direct the golfer 

away from certain areas. It also offers a 

risk option to achieve preferred angles 

into the greens and penalise poorly 

judged or reckless shots. 

The bunkers maximise course strategy to 

test and tease the golfer in equal 

amounts, so that the experience is 

enhanced when the challenge is 

conquered, Rhys suggests. 

“One of the important factors behind the 

bunker style is that they are approved, if 

not encouraged by CCW,” he comments. 

“The unkempt style helps reduce the 

visual impact of the (managed) course in 

the natural environment and its 

influence on the surrounding habitat.” 

“Environmentally, the bunkers act as 

‘semi mobile dune’ habitats where dune 

species can survive in an otherwise ‘fixed 

grassland’ habitat.” 

The naturalised bunkers consist of 

blowout-style hollows with visible sand 

flash faces and extensive marram 

planting in the banking and surrounds. 

As Rhys says, “They are simply part of 

the landscape.” 

Waste management 

The debris arising from scrub clearance 

is allowed to dry out on site, and is burnt 

in a specially designated area on hard 

standing away from any ecologically rich 

grasslands. 

“Grass cuttings collected from our three 

bays around the course are brought to a 

central composting area,” Rhys explains. 

“Clippings are left for no longer than 

two weeks in these bays, as this lessens 

the impact of chemical residues and 

nutrients being washed through into the 

ground.” 

Composted clippings can then be used 

should fill be needed to create 

hummocks or humps - a good example 

of this is the elevation in front of the 

pumping station house on the 1st hole in 

a bid to lessen its visual impact for the 

golfer when playing the hole. 

“All of our empty containers from white 

lining aerosol cans, pesticide containers 

and fertiliser bags are collected and 

disposed of by specialist waste disposal 

company Interlude,” he adds. 

Water Management 

The club is constantly increasing the 

population of drought resistant grasses - 

fescues and bents - minimising the need 

to water on a regular basis. Other water 

management activities include watering 

at the optimum time during the day or 

night, paying attention to topographical 

features such as slope angling and 

contouring, and hand watering to deliver 

the optimum precipitation rate into the 

rootzone. 

Wetting agents are also used to balance 

air to water ratios in the soil, reducing 

the need to over-water by ensuring 

consistent moisture and air levels in the 

rootzone. The use of a Hydroject is also 

used to maximise hydration directly into 

the rootzone. 

“We regularly monitor our irrigation 

system for pressure loss, so any leaks may 

be detected and repaired,” says Rhys. 

Aberdovey Golf Club is investigating the 

possibility of water harvesting from 

around the clubhouse and around the 

course, along with the future installation 

of a reed bed to treat washings from 

buggies or mowers. “These are still in the 

planning stages and need to be discussed 

through various committees to be passed 

and given the go ahead,” he explains. 

Entry to the Golf Environment Awards is open 

to all golf clubs and courses in the UK, no 

matter what size or type. Every golf course has 

an equal chance of winning an award - the 

judging is based on your environmental focus 

and projects, not on your course.


Herptiles and 

Handicaps... 

Of all sports’ facilities, golf courses, 

with their mosaic of habitats, 

provide arguably the best 

conditions for a range of UK wildlife 

species. Despite the large areas of 

intensely managed grassland, which are 

obviously vital to the function of the golf 

course, the type of other habitats 

common on golf courses, such as 

waterbodies, rough grassland, scrub, 

trees and hedgerows, are ideal for 

wildlife. 

As habitats disappear across the 

country, golf courses are becoming 

increasingly important for the wildlife 

potential they have, and this is 

increasingly recognised on their 

inclusion within local councils’ 

Biodiversity Action Plans (BAP) and with 

national designations for their wildlife 

conservation importance (over 100 golf 

courses in England are wholly or 

partially designated as Sites of Special 

Scientific Interest SSSI). 

In particular, golf courses provide 

good conditions for amphibians and 

reptiles - together, these are referred to 

28 

as herptiles [no, we didn’t know that 

either. Ed.]. The majority of the general 

public are unaware of the presence of 

these creatures on our shores, associating 

reptiles, in particular, with tropical 

climates and assuming these creatures to 

be something we should fear. In fact, as 

well as frogs and toads, three species of 

newts are native to the UK and six 

species of reptiles. 

Perhaps the most notorious of 

amphibians amongst landowners and 

developers, the great crested newt 

Triturus cristatus is the largest of our 

native amphibians, growing up to 17cm 

in length (other UK newts tend to reach 

only 9cm in length), and easily 

distinguished from lizards, which they 

are often confused with, by their bright 

orange belly. 

Great crested newts are well known 

amongst developers and land managers, 

including golf course owners seeking to 

expand or significantly alter their 

courses, who have heard many horror 

stories about huge sums of money 

invested in the protection of one newt! 

However, the presence of this species, if 

identified early, will rarely halt a project, 

and ecological consultants can work with 

land owners and developers to ensure 

cost effective and sensible solutions are 

reached, that will safeguard this species 

as well as ensuring the continuation of 

any development works. 

As for reptiles; adders (Vipera berus), 

grass snakes (Natrix natrix), common 

lizards (Zootoca vivipara) and slow worms 

(Anguis fragilis) are present across much 

of the UK, with the smooth snake 

(Coronella austriaca) and the sand lizard 

(Lacerta agilis) having a more restricted 

distribution in the south of England. 

Often feared by the general public, 

reptiles in the UK pose only a minimal 

risk to humans, with an adder much 

more likely to escape into the 

undergrowth if they see any sign of 

danger, rather than stay put and attack! 

Although they have different life cycles 

and habitat requirements, both reptiles 

and amphibians have, in common, the 

need for a variety of habitats in close 

proximity. Golf courses could provide a

Great Crested Newt 

haven for reptile and amphibian species, 

that are at risk due to a decline in 

suitable habitat and, by ensuring 

appropriate management works, their 

presence may go unnoticed. 

Great Crested Newts 

These amphibians are most often seen in 

water, although they are only usually 

present in ponds between mid-March 

and mid-June. During this time, the 

males will perform complex courtship 

displays and the females will lay the 

resulting eggs within the pond’s 

vegetation. Each egg is individually 

wrapped within the leaves of the aquatic 

vegetation. The adult newts will then 

leave the ponds and forage within 

woodlands, scrub and rough grassland, 

using habitat corridors such as 

hedgerows, to move between suitable 

sites. Newts will forage at night time and 

will usually move only in temperatures 

higher than 5OC, and particularly on 

damper nights. 

During daylight, newts are most 

commonly found in damp, dark places, 

“Great crested newts are well 

known amongst developers and 

land managers who have heard 

many horror stories about huge 

sums of money invested in the 

protection of one newt!” 

such as under rocks or in piles of 

vegetation. The juvenile newts, which are 

aquatic and possess gills, live for around 

three months in the water. During this 

time they will grow rapidly and, 

eventually, will lose their gills and leave 

the ponds. They will then live on land 

for up to three years until they are 

sexually mature, when they will return to 

the ponds to breed. A small number of 

juvenile newts will not undergo this 

process in their first year, and will remain 

in the pond over winter until the 

following year, when they will lose their 

gills and become terrestrial. 

Great crested newts are carnivorous 

and will feed mainly on insects, although 

they have been known to eat other newts. 

Reptiles 

Reptiles will hibernate over winter in dry 

places that are free from frost, including 

features such as old rabbit burrows, 

compost heaps and rubble mounds. They 

will begin to emerge from hibernation in 

spring, when they will first seek to mate 

before foraging continually over the 

summer. Adders, common lizards and 

slow worms will incubate their eggs 

within their body and will lay ‘live young’ 

in late summer. Grass snakes, however, 

will lay eggs in June/July, in rotting 

vegetation that will incubate the eggs for 

them. The eggs will then hatch in late 

summer. Juvenile common lizards and 

slow worms will then forage on small 

invertebrates, while juvenile grass snakes 

forage on amphibians and fish, and 

Common Lizard 

adders will forage on small mammals 

and lizards. 

In order to fulfil all of these stages in 

their lifecycle, reptiles need a range of 

habitats in relatively close proximity to 

one another, although adult grass snakes 

can maintain a home range stretching up 

to 5km. Ideally, reptiles require open 

areas where they can bask in the sun in 

order to warm up for their day’s 

activities. However, in close proximity 

they also need more overgrown, rough 

areas where they can retire to if they 

sense danger. They also require good 

foraging habitat, which may include 

ponds and rough grassland, as they 

forage on small mammals, amphibians 

and invertebrates. 

Ideal environments 

It can be seen that the conditions 

provided by golf courses, with 

waterbodies, rough, fairways and 

footpaths, provide an ideal mixture of 

habitats that can satisfy the requirements 

of both reptiles and amphibians, without 

too much additional work from the 

course management. 

Heathland golf courses, of which there 

are many fine examples across the whole 

of the UK, provide possibly the best 

habitats for amphibians and reptiles, with 

the perfect mix of habitats for warmth, 

shelter, foraging and dry conditions 

suitable for hibernation. 

However, all golf courses can offer 

some potential for these species, and 

simple steps can be taken to consider the 

29

Grass Snake Male Adders 

wildlife potential of course 

redevelopments or the construction of 

new courses. 

Decline of herptiles 

The UK has long been a stronghold for 

great crested newt, which has suffered 

severe declines across continental 

Europe, where pond destruction, either 

through neglect or for development, has 

resulted in a severe decrease in available 

breeding habitat, and the fragmentation 

of suitable terrestrial habitats has made it 

harder for newts to move to another, 

suitable pond. However, these declines 

are now being mirrored in the UK, where 

lowering of ground water levels for 

development, destruction of hedgerows 

and increased pollution are resulting in 

declines in this species. 

In order to attempt to halt the decline 

of this species, great crested newts are 

now protected under UK and European 

legislation. In practice, this means: 

destruction of habitats, killing, injuring, 

disturbing, taking or offering for sale, all 

of which can result in hefty fines and/or 

imprisonment! This means that a licence 

is required in order to survey for this 

species. 

The four widespread reptile species in 

the UK; adder, grass snake, common 

lizard and slow worm, are currently 

relatively common, if often undetected. 

However, it is widely considered that 

these species are suffering declines across 

the country, due to loss of habitat or 

fragmentation of areas of suitable 

habitat. All UK reptiles are now 

protected from killing, injuring and sale, 

in an effort to halt the declines in their 

populations. 

Herptiles on golf courses 

Golf courses provide an ideal 

Slow worm Great Crested Newt 

30 

opportunity to create ‘safe havens’ for 

these declining species, with only simple 

changes to the habitats and the 

management that is already in place. In 

fact, several golf courses around the UK 

are known to have populations of great 

crested newts and good reptile 

populations already present, and may 

have done so for several years, without 

any impacts on the running of the course 

and the enjoyment of its use. 

Several simple steps can be taken to 

encourage these species to colonise golf 

courses: 

• Ponds - great crested newts prefer to 

live in medium sized ponds that are 

well vegetated, but also have areas of 

open water, as these are used by the 

males for their elaborate courtship 

displays. It is also ponds like this that 

look the most visually appealing and, 

therefore, would fit in well on a golf 

course. Newts like to live in places 

where there are several medium sized 

ponds in close proximity to one 

another, and this can easily be 

considered in the design or 

redevelopment of courses. 

• Fish - fish will eat great crested newt 

larvae and so, if possible, ponds on 

golf courses should not be stocked with 

fish. Frogs and toads should, however, 

be encouraged as they provide a great 

food supply for reptiles. 

• Habitat - as mentioned above, all 

herptiles like areas of rough grassland, 

scrub and woodland, all of which are 

usually readily present on golf courses. 

These habitats will require no 

additional maintenance to ensure that 

they provide perfect conditions for 

newts. 

• Connectivity - if possible, habitat 

corridors; lines of habitat connecting 

other habitat features, such as a strip 

of rough grassland between two ponds 

(for example, along the edge of a 

fairway) or a hedgerow between two 

patches of woodland, should be 

incorporated into the course design to 

allow herptiles to move freely between 

all the ideal habitats that are present. 

It is no use creating a lovely, fish free 

pond, ideal for breeding newts and 

foraging reptiles, if the animals have to 

cross the shortly mown green, where 

they are at risk of aerial predation, to 

get to it! The connectivity does not 

need to encircle the pond, a strip of 

rough along the rear of the green, 

connecting to one side of a pond and 

along the side of the fairway, would 

provide an excellent habitat 

connection. 

Prior to any alterations to golf courses, 

the presence of herptiles should be 

confirmed (or otherwise) by an 

appropriately licensed ecologist, who can 

offer advice to ensure that the works will 

not result in breaking the law and 

causing harm to these species. 

For those simply enjoying the golf, 

without being actively involved in the 

management of the course, the presence 

of herptiles will rarely be detected, unless 

you are playing particularly late into a 

damp dusk or early on a damp morning. 

However, by regularly using golf courses 

that actively seek to encourage protected 

species, golfers are contributing to the 

maintenance of these vital spaces and, 

hopefully, ensuring the survival of this, 

and other, increasingly rare species in the 

UK. 

With thanks to Sarah Hallen at 

Peak Ecology Ltd. 

Email: sarahallen@peakecology.co.uk 

Website: www.peakecology.co.uk

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GOLF and the 

environment 

This article looks at the statutory 

protection of trees covered by a Tree 

Preservation Order (or Conservation 

Area) from the perspective of the sports 

field manager. 

The TPO as a land charge 

The Tree Preservation Order is a land 

charge affecting land and landowners, 

which seeks to maintain amenity trees by 

controlling the space that those trees 

occupy, and to control any cultural 

treatments that might impact on 

continuity of tree cover. 

This is a key point of note, effectively 

the individual trees are not protected 

directly, and it is the control of land 

using a map and a legal charge that 

allows for councils to approve or refuse 

planning applications to fell trees. 

Remember that, for Forestry Act 

purposes, a whole set of additional 

32 

TPOs and how 

they affect you! 

Tree Preservation Orders and Management of Sports 

Grounds and Golf Courses. By Oisin Kelly, Principal 

Land Consultant of Landscape Planning Ltd. 

controls impact the volume of timber 

that can be removed in a any given 

period from land. 

Amenity and Continuity of Tree Cover 

Amenity is defined as “advantages that 

accrue” from the presence of a ‘thing’. 

These advantages can be the 

community’s visual amenities, strategic 

landscape amenities (Local Plan and 

policy reasons) or landscape character 

reasons (including Conservation and 

Heritage). The TPO is a planning tool 

for maintaining tree cover (Note: not 

maintaining individual trees in 

perpetuity) and ensuring that continuity 

of tree cover might exist at a particular 

location, all other considerations (Local 

Plan, policy or legal) being equal. 

TPOs, Conservation Areas and Sports 

and Recreational Facilities - The 

relationship between landowners and 

TPOs 

Tree Preservation Orders are a charge 

over land and, as such, contain detailed 

provisions, both protecting amenity and 

those circumstances in which works to 

trees are exempt from planning control. 

In determining to make a TPO as a 

response to an application to carry out 

building or development works or, more 

generally, in the interests of local 

amenities, Tree Officers should ensure 

that they are aware of the local planning 

policy status of a sports ground, the 

history of management of the site, the 

landowners past behaviour (i.e. a 

responsible and knowledgeable 

landowner) and the landscape 

significance in regard to character of the 

various trees on site. 

All of this is, simply to say, that 

planning officers and tree and landscape 

officers should know why they might 

make a TPO - is it a strategic reason, is it 

due to new planning circumstances or 

applications for built development, is it 

because of alleged tree felling or 

pruning of poor management quality? 

What Council officers should not do is 

make TPOs simply because there are 

trees present. They should be able to 

demonstrate exactly how the TPOs are 

connected to strategy and policy, and

they should be able to demonstrate a 

system for the consideration of trees and 

the making of orders. 

Critically, these orders should be kept 

under constant review, orders should not 

be allowed to become procedurally 

outdated (changes in the law) or 

physically outdated (the order is so old 

everything has changed). 

Councils should review and seek to 

update orders regularly, and involve land 

owners in this process. 

This is a key opportunity; it is our view 

that many large strategic landowners on 

well established sites would be better 

agreeing long term (10–25 year) masterplans 

for trees and woodlands. This 

reduces bureaucracy, administrative costs 

and conflict, and allows landowners to 

manage to long term plans free of the 

burden of TPO applications. 

Exemptions to control exist 

In terms of the exemptions, the 

individual order will detail the form of 

words used in respect of the regulations 

in force from time to time. However, 

dead, dying, diseased and dangerous 

trees, trees causing a nuisance to a third 

party - trees under control of a statutory 

undertaker - may all be exempt from 

planning control. 

Given the position taken on public 

safety to hazard trees, and the potential 

conflict with statutory protection by TPO, 

the following should be considered: 

• That a recent case (Poll v Asquith) has 

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established that all tree inspectors 

need to be qualified and competent to 

undertake assessments 

• That Poll v Asquith has restated the 

duty of care that landowners owe in 

respect of their trees 

• That an estate manager and warden 

were recently arrested on suspicion of 

manslaughter following the failure of a 

beech tree that killed an 8 year old boy 

• That the Health and Safety Executive 

have highlighted the need for those 

involved in tree work operations to 

carefully check the competency of their 

contractors 

Prior to relying on the exemptions to 

planning control, it is essential that 

landowners have properly considered the 

issues, and that they have notified the 

planning authority that they intend to 

rely on the exemption before they 

proceed. 

Objecting to new orders 

The Act requires that those affected by 

TPOs be given the right to object to the 

making of an order, which the council 

must then fairly determine if there is any 

merit in the objection. 

A selection of reasons for objection 

might include: 

• The land is under effective 

management control and trees are not 

at risk 

• The trees are not sufficiently important 

to warrant a TPO 

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• The Order, its map or schedules are 

wrong 

• Some or all of the trees are exempt 

from controls 

• The land is wrongly referenced or the 

land is under another party’s control 

• The regulations and procedures have 

not been followed 

Tree works 

It is almost inevitable that Tree 

Preservation Orders will exist on many of 

our sports fields and recreation sites - 

sixty years of planning control and 

TPOs, the encroachment of previously 

distant settlement boundaries and the 

high profile of these sites makes them an 

obvious target for the tree officer. 

Therefore, the council, and the 

sportsfield manager, should consider 

agreeing policies for land management 

that allows tree works to proceed, whilst 

maintaining and protecting visual 

amenities. 

It is our opinion that the most effective 

way to do this is through land 

management agreement, either within 

the TPO regulations or as a stand alone 

agreement between the land manager 

and the council. 

About the author: Oisin Kelly is a Principal 

Consultant of Landscape Planning Limited, a 

company specialising in land use and risk 

management of trees, habitats and wildlife 

relating to lawful planning use. 

Visit www.landscapeplanning.co.uk to learn 

more... 

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33

Irrigation 

2010 and 

beyond... 

STRI Irrigation Consultant, Adrian Mortram, looks 

at the growing need for water conservation and 

how best to plan your irrigation requirements 

Water Management in uncertain 

times. Budgets stretched to 

breaking point. The spectre of 

climate change. The developing culture 

of retrospective blame; that degree in 

foresight you put off doing when you 

were in your 20s might have been a 

good idea. 

One thing, however, is one hundred 

percent certain - water is essential for 

plant survival. I use the term survival, 

and not growth, intentionally. As we are 

not farmers, we do not look for yield in 

our grass harvest, but a delicate balance 

between growth and playing quality. 

Over 90% of plant tissue is made up 

from the life giving liquid. It also 

contributes to cooling the plant, 

keeping it turgid, and acts as a vital 

transport system for nutrients and 

chemicals around the plant. 

It is my endeavour, in this article, to 

look at ‘water conservation and usage in 

the future’ in the short, medium and 

long term. 

In the short term, follow the 

principles of ‘Best Practice’ and the 

development of exemplary cultural 

practices. Perhaps, you might say, it is 

not within my remit to discuss cultural 

operations, but I would be failing in my 

duty if I were not to mention such 

considerations. 

It goes without saying that aeration 

is, arguably, top of the list. Deep 

aeration, by whatever means, will 

increase the root biomass, encourage 

deep rooting and present the sward 

with a greater opportunity to search for 

available water. Surface aeration, on the 

other hand, and the constant strive to 

control thatch, will encourage greater 

infiltration and allow vital dew to 

penetrate the rootzone before it is 

burned off and evaporated as the sun 

rises. The use of wetting agents and the 

benefits of switching will assist in the 

harvest of this small, but vital, free 

supply of water. 

Raising the height of cut, and even 

leaving the clippings on certain playing 

surfaces to act as mulch, will play yet 

another small but significant part in 

moisture conservation, but this may not 

sit too well with some of the 

membership, whilst clean sharp 

cylinders will minimise leaf wounding. 

The use of growth regulating 

chemicals are now increasingly 

common in turf management regimes, 

reducing the internodal length of 

grasses, producing denser swards and 

greater root biomass; seaweed extracts 

and soil ameliorants playing their part 

in the general awareness of rootzone 

quality. Gone are the days when 

quantities of unmentionable chemicals 

raped the soil fauna and 

microorganisms, leaving the rootzone 

inert. 

Changing and influencing the 

composition of the sward, towards a 

greater tolerance to drought and salt, 

could be achieved by gradual overseeding 

with new and developing 

cultivars. 

A look at all these factors, and more, 

can have a small, but significant, 

influence on the conservation of water 

supplies. 

Turning our attention to the 

application of water and the irrigation 

system itself. Much can still be 

achieved by checking the system 

thoroughly during the off, or at the 

start of, the season. 

Do the pop-up sprinklers actually

pop-up, are they rotating, have any 

been damaged by winter aeration 

procedures, is the spacing of the 

sprinkler heads correct, are the arcs set 

correctly, and do the pop-ups have the 

correct nozzles to provide adequate 

head to head coverage? Simple 

measures, but you would be amazed 

how often these common problems 

occur. 

Poor spacing of sprinkler heads is, 

perhaps, the commonest problem. 

Without head to head contact, accurate 

distribution of water is not possible. 

Poor spacing may be the fault of the 

initial installation or may be the fact 

that the green shape has changed over 

time. 

Arc settings should be studied and 

checked annually, as should the actual 

water pressure at the sprinkler heads. 

This information can lead to the 

discovery of leaks within the system or 

the change of nozzles to achieve the 

desired outcome. 

When the system is a block design, as 

experienced often with the traditional 

design of tees and greens, then each 

pair of sprinklers will deliver water for 

the same length of time. Where there 

has been an on-site modification to 

allow, for example, aprons to be 

irrigated, both sprinkler arcs must be 

the same for, if one is full circle and the 

other part circle, the full circle will be 

delivering 50% less water than the part 

circle, per unit area, in any given time. 

In the medium term, and each of the 

rather arbitrary terms will overlap, we 

must look at ‘Education and Training’. 

As irrigation is often said to be ‘out of 

sight and out of mind’, at least one 

member of staff should be fully trained 

in its management. After all, a new 

system will possibly be the most costly 

piece of maintenance equipment in 

which a club will invest. 

When a new system is installed, 

ensure a full training course is offered 

on the operation and management of 

the hardware. This is essential as, so 

often, the system is set up in the way it 

was on the first day, with little regard 

for current environmental conditions. 

Trained staff should be able to calculate 

sprinkler precipitation rates and run 

times to coincide with the desired 

application rate, and operate the system 


to its full potential. Courses on this are 

held each year, both at STRI Bingley 

and as Workshops for CPD at BTME. 

But, it is not just the greenstaff who 

should appreciate the need for 

knowledge regarding the use of water. 

The membership of the club should 

also be aware of the dangers of over 

irrigating. With the intervention of 

CAMS (Catchment Abstraction 

Management Strategies) and the Water 

Framework Directive, water usage in 

the future is fast becoming a political 

issue, and indiscriminative water usage 

will be a thing of the past. 

Water and irrigation audits, and the 

justification for the continued use of 

potable water, will become yet another 

chore for the Course Manager. Proper 

accountability, the maintenance of 

detailed records of water usage, and the 

justification for that usage, is 

unquestionably on the way. 

In the long term, modern technology 

must be employed to save the day. Club 

committees should decide on which 

areas of the golf course are to be 

irrigated - modern design can be area 

specific, whether that be simply tees

Water collection 

and the provision 

of storage 

facilities will be 

essential in 

future planning 

36 

It may not be necessary 

to sell off the family 

silver to plan and put into 

operation a new 

irrigation system 

and green or to encompass fairways, 

approaches and walkways. 

Good design, using sprinkler 

densograms for example, can save 

water and take into account the need 

for the conservation of the 

peripheral landscape. It may not be 

necessary to sell off the family silver 

to plan and put into operation a new 

irrigation system. Provided the 

overall plan is discussed and 

approved by all concerned, the 

grand plan should incorporate all 

future requirements. A phased 

development can then be put into 

operation, for example, installing 

initially greens and tees but with 

adequate pipework, cabling 

infrastructure and pumping capacity 

to allow for future expansion to 

encompass aprons, fairways and 

walkways. 

Balancing the infiltration rate with 

the sprinkler 

precipitation/application 

rate and the 

incorporation of a 

correctly positioned 

weather station and soil 

moisture sensors, along 

with traditional ways of 

observing soil moisture 

deficit, can be 

demonstrated to be 

effective in managing 

water, some estimates 

suggesting as much as a 

20% saving. 

However, we should 

also take into 

consideration, when 

planning and designing 

any system, the complex 

issues of water 

resourcing. On the 

Continent, some 

countries are already 

restricting the annual 

quantity of water which it 

is permissible to use. In Denmark, 

for instance, some courses are 

restricted to as little as 5,000m 3 per 

year. 

Borehole usage will be, and in 

many areas already is, controlled 

under the local CAMS, and 

restrictions may apply in the future. 

Water collection and the provision of 

water storage facilities will be 

essential in future planning and, 

depending upon the quantities of 

water required, continued use of 

potable water from the public water 

system will undoubtedly, at the very 

least, become prohibitively 

expensive, if not denied. 

Climate change is another 

complex issue. Speculation varies 

widely. However, over the past few 

years, few will disagree that the 

pattern of our climate has tended to 

be more extreme, in particular 

heavier, but less frequent rainfall. 

We must look to the long term to 

secure our water resourcing and 

install some form of water storage 

facility. For a relatively simple green 

and tees system in the UK, a storage 

capacity of some 10,000-15,000m 3 

should be adequate but, if expansion 

is planned for the future, then 

25,000-40,000m 3 may be required. 

We also need to explore the 

sourcing of that water. Water farming 

and collection of water from the golf 

course, via drainage and hard 

standing areas, such as car parks, 

should be considered. Recycling 

non-soiled clubhouse water through 

reed beds and ultra violet filters is 

another option. Winter abstraction 

from boreholes, rivers and streams is 

yet another possibility. This really is 

long term planning and to discuss it 

should not be deferred. Remember 

that degree in foresight I spoke of 

earlier. 

On a global scale, away from the 

needs of the golf course, water 

resourcing, or the lack of it, is a very 

real issue which has already led to 

inter-border issues and violence; it 

yet may be a far bigger problem 

than oil. 

In conclusion. Yes, there are some 

relatively simple measures which can 

be implemented to conserve water 

and improve our irrigation 

procedures, but there are also some 

difficult choices ahead. 

STRI Irrigation Services are 

available to help in many of the 

areas covered in this article, from 

irrigation system audits and 

feasibility studies for a new irrigation 

system, through to detailed 

irrigation design and the production 

of scaled plans and tender 

documentation (specifications and 

bills of quantities). For further 

information please contact Helen 

Waite on 01274 518918, 

email helen.waite@stri.co.uk 

or visit www.stri.co.uk 

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Abi Crosswood, 

First Assistant at 

Newquay Golf 

Club, reports on 

her recent 

internship at 

Augusta National, 

where she helped 

prepare this 

iconic course for 

the 2010 Masters 

After applying to take 

part in the Ohio State 

University 

international exchange 

programme never, in my 

wildest dreams, did I think I 

would have got such a 

perfect placement! 

It was a real blessing, and 

a major career milestone, for 

me to work for six months 

as an intern at Augusta 

National, a venue that, in 

media coverage terms, is 

probably the number one 

golf course in the world. 

The application process 

It was quite a long 

application process. I 

decided I wanted to work in 

America back in March 

2009, and it was six months 

later, around September 

time, that I found out I was 

actually going. 

After my CV had been 

‘tweaked’ by Pitchcare 

columnist Frank Newberry, 

it was sent to Mike O’Keeffe 

who has run the OSU 

international exchange 

programme for a number of 

years. Mike then sent my CV 

to a number of golf clubs in 

the ‘top 100’ in the USA. 

Once an internship at the 

Augusta National became a 

possibility, the selection 

process began in earnest. 

My next step was to write a 

personal description and 

complete a number of other 

forms. This was the ‘paper 

sift’ to decide on suitable 

candidates for interview. 

Once I was through this 

phase of the selection the 

Augusta people spoke to my 

employer, the Course 

Manager at Newquay Golf 

Club. 

Fantastic news 

After having some initial 

discussions with my Course 

Manager, the First Assistant 

and the Administrator at 

Augusta National 

interviewed me by 

telephone. It was during the 

next week that I was told the 

fantastic news that I had 

earned a place on the greens 

team at Augusta National! 

However, it was not all 

done and dusted at this 

point. Augusta National had 

to run background checks 

on me and I had to sort out 

a number of formalities, 

such as my visa application. 

Only then was I all set for 

my adventure to the United 

States. In October 2009 I 

would start my six months 

internship. 

A very daunting prospect 

This was going to be such a 

big move for me. I had 

never been away from home 

before. I have only ever had 

the one proper job, working 

at the same golf club since I 

was 16 years old. Now, that 

same employer had 

permitted me to go on a six 

month sabbatical to 

America. 

I had many apprehensions 

at first. I had no idea what 

to expect and it seemed like 

a very daunting prospect to 

just ‘up and leave’. I 

particularly did not want to 

let my employer down. 

A great experience and an 

excellent introduction 

On arrival into America I 

met Mike O’Keeffe in 

Columbus, Ohio for an 

orientation session, at which 

he briefed me fully on what 

to expect on my trip. 

I was also told about the 

short course training, and 

an educational weekend, 

organised by Mike and his 

team, which I was to 

attend later on in my 

internship at Hilton Head in 

South Carolina. I found the 

course very enlightening, it 

was a great experience for 

me and an excellent 

introduction to the way 

greenkeeping is done in 

America. 

It was also a good 

opportunity to mix with 

other greenkeepers of my 

age and to learn about their 

work issues and 

experiences. Although we 

were not together long, I 

still keep in touch with a lot 

of the people who were on 

the Hilton Head course. 

Is this really happening? 

After leaving Columbus 

Ohio, I got a flight to 

Augusta where lots of 

thoughts were running 

through my mind as to what 

to expect. As it happened 

everyone was very 

welcoming. As soon as I 

landed, an employee of the 

Augusta National picked me 

up from the airport and 

helped me settle into my 

new accommodation. 

I will always remember 

being driven through the 

gates and thinking ‘Is this 

really happening?’ 

After only a couple of 

weeks of settling into my 

internship I was given my 

main duties. I was 

scheduled to do a task 

known as ‘Greens Care’. 

Basically, this meant caring 

for two allocated greens on a 

regular basis and setting 

them up before morning 

play. 

This usually involved 

mowing the greens and then 

raking the greenside 

bunkers. Following this, with 

any extra time, I would 

repair pitch marks, dust ball 

marks and pick any poa 

annua. 

When raking the bunkers 

I would also take the time to 

pick any weeds, check sand 

depths and 

Crosswood’s 

Crossover ... 

remove any debris from the 

bunker and surrounding 

areas. Generally, if I was not 

scheduled for a greens care 

task in the mornings, then I 

would be doing spray 

applications instead. 

An extra effort to improve 

the holes assigned to me 

After the morning tasks 

were completed I would 

normally be assigned to 

‘Hole Care’. This involved 

taking responsibility for the 

general maintenance of two 

holes, and then putting in 

an extra effort to improve 

the two holes assigned to 

me, these were holes 1 and 

9. 

Each green was ‘looked 

after’ by whoever was 

allocated that green under 

the ‘Greens Care’ system, 

and the large areas - such as 

the fairways and the large 

strips of second cut - were 

cut by a team of people on 

ride-on mowers. Everything 

else was my responsibility. 

For example, if I thought 

it would improve turf 

quality to mow any parts of 

these large areas using 

pedestrian methods, I could 

decide to complete the task 

personally and take it upon 

myself to rope off specific 

areas. 

The main mowing duties 

on my allocated holes 

involved using a pedestrian 

rotary mower to finish the 

second cut areas, in and 

around the trees, and the 

grass areas around the 

bunker fingers to blend in 

with the fairway. This work 

was necessary because the 

ride-on mowers cannot 

adequately reach into these 

areas. 

Once I was satisfied that 

these areas were in an 

acceptable condition, I was 

left to tackle other issues 

that I thought might 

benefit the

holes. This could involve a 

number of different tasks 

including topdressing, 

overseeding, aerating etc. 

My eye soon adjusted to 

spotting the early signs 

Whilst I was constantly 

encouraging the growth of 

new grass, it was very 

important to keep the 

already established grass 

alive. A main concern was 

‘wilt’, and it was a constant 

battle to keep on top of this, 

although my eye soon 

adjusted to spotting the 

early signs. After 

a time I 

got 

to know ‘hole care’ really 

well and, because I was 

constantly observing the 

same two holes, it made it 

possible to fairly easily 

identify changes or 

deteriorations, and deal with 

them quickly and effectively. 

Generally speaking I was 

left to make all the decisions 

about holes 1 and 9. 

However, course walks 

would be done every day 

and direction would be 

given, if necessary, but it 

was always nice to stay one 

step ahead of the game. 

For me the whole concept 

of ‘hole care’ was just 

excellent. It has definitely 

improved my attention to 

detail and given me 

an increased 

sense 

of 

pride in my work. This 

drove me to ensure that the 

two holes that were my 

responsibility were the very 

best that they could be. 

It was like being the 

superintendent of my own 

small golf course 

I benefitted greatly from 

‘hole care’, I learned a great 

deal, especially about 

personal ‘ownership’ and 

responsibility. I learned how 

to manage my time and 

work as efficiently as 

possible. I found being 

given the responsibility very 

rewarding; to me it was like 

being the superintendent of 

my own small golf course. 

All the work for the 

Masters was completed to an 

amazingly high standard, 

and the lead-up to the 

tournament, held in April 

2010, was very exciting. A 

lot of hours had to be 

worked and a great team 

effort was needed and given. 

By the time it actually 

came to the Masters, it 

seemed rather surreal to me 

that my internship was 

about to end. 

I have to find ways to be 

better than the competition 

Now, more than ever, I 

realise that travel and 

networking are key parts of 

my career development. 

Being able to add the 

words ‘Augusta National’ 

to my CV is not just a 

thrill, but it can help 

open doors to many other 

opportunities. 

Times may be tough at the 

moment, with tax increases 

and government cutbacks, 

and I know that I inhabit a 

small part of a very big 

world. As far as my career is 

concerned, I also know that 

a lot of good people will be 

competing for the better 

jobs, and I have to find ways 

to be better than the 

competition. I need to be 

better educated, better 

travelled and better 

prepared if I am to get the 

right jobs in the future. 

I also feel a great loyalty 

to my home club at 

Newquay, who have again 

permitted me to seek 

another sabbatical this 

coming winter. It is great 

that they want me to have 

the very best vocational 

education, networking 

opportunities and career 

prospects. I will always be 

grateful to the Newquay 

Golf Club for their fine 

example as employers, their 

encouragement and their 

operational flexibility. 

I was very sad to leave 

Augusta. I enjoyed my work 

there very much and made 

lots of great friends. I found 

leaving the most difficult 

part, but it was definitely 

the experience of a lifetime. 

I would recommend an 

internship like this to 

anyone who loves 

greenkeeping. 

“Being able to add 

the words ‘Augusta 

National’ to my CV 

is not just a thrill, 

but it can help 

open doors to many 

other opportunities” 

Abi Crosswood, First Assistant at Newquay Golf Club

How do we 

make golf more 

attractive? 

Devon Cliffs 

Hafan-y-mor 

Golf Course Architect, 

Jonathan Gaunt, gives a 

personal view of what is 

wrong with golf and how, 

in his opinion, it can 

attract more juniors and 

families to particpate 

It seems to be an endless, recurring theme in 

golf conferences - well, we could start with 

making it less time-consuming. The golfing 

authorities could make it easier to participate in, 

or make it a less complicated sport to play. 

Golf is now an Olympic sport, and the way 

things are looking in the UK (a fully developed 

golfing nation), especially if the education system 

and/or the Government has anything to do with 

it, we’ll be struggling to put together a consistent 

team of golfers in the future. The development of 

golf in juniors has always been the responsibility 

of the golf club, and not the school. The attitude 

outside the UK is very different. 

Okay, there are now initiatives, such as Tri Golf 

- it is designed to be fun as well as informative; 

allowing those that take part to enjoy the game of 

golf, and feel the excitement that can come from 

competition in a sport that isn’t as popular as 

national curriculum sports that are provided in 

schools. Tri Golf is a new form of developing 

junior golf produced by the Golf Foundation and 

it is targeted at children aged between 4 and 16. 

I know a young golf professional in Cheshire 

who coached eight schools on a six week 

programme and, at the end of this time, each 

school took part in a golf festival where the pupils 

of each school played a tournament for the Tri 

Golf School Award - it was very successful. He’s 

been asked to run the six week course again this 

autumn. He’s also given juniors free golf lessons 

once a month to help to promote and improve 

future talent amongst the youngsters. 

It’s a good move forward, however, this 

professional is in the minority. Many are less 

interested in nurturing youngsters and 

encouraging them to take up the game - there’s 

no incentive for them to do so. 

Concerning the opportunities in this country - 

there has always been a desperate shortage of 

high quality, exciting and attractive golf courses 

and practice facilities that are open to the general 

public. Many private clubs in the country still 

have a situation whereby golfers hit their own 

balls into a mown grass field and collect them by 

hand. 

Municipal golf courses, as a recreational facility, 

have now become a very low priority within local 

authorities - in general they are too expensive to 

maintain, many struggle to break even and most 

lose money. Birmingham Council is currently 

tendering all of its seven golf courses Boldmere 

Golf Course, Cocks Moors Woods Golf Course, 

Hatchford Brook Golf Course, Hilltop Golf 

Course, Lickey Hills Golf Course, Pype Hayes 

Golf Course, Harborne Church Farm Golf Course 

(9 holes), for a private operator to take over. 

Whether a private operator is able to make any of 

them turn a profit remains to be seen. Why are 

they not making good money? 

The quality of municipal facilities is, in general, 

poor and this is where the problem begins. Where 

else can a golfing beginner get an introduction to 

the game? Okay, they can visit a local, privately 

owned driving range and take a lesson with the 

local professional. However, many of these are

“The future of golf lies in attracting the family 

unit and providing smaller, customer-focused 

facilities for all, that take less time to play” 

stand-alone and have limited additional 

or ancillary facilities, i.e. practice 

chipping greens, bunker practice 

facilities and putting greens. This may be 

because of the cost of maintenance - 

these need to maintained to a reasonably 

high standard to give a realistic playing 

experience. 

There are driving ranges with 9-hole 

courses attached, and this is an excellent 

formula - the Hazelwood Golf Centre in 

Sunbury-on-Thames, Middlesex, west of 

London is well-designed and was built in 

1992 on a former landfill site for less 

than £1 million, including golf 

clubhouse, car parking, maintenance 

facilities and infrastructure. The land 

extends to not more than 25 hectares, 

and the course remains busy for golfers 

of all levels, especially juniors, where 9holes 

of golf can cost as little as £8 and 

take only 1½ hours to play. This is a 

relatively new course, however, and the 

developer saw a niche in the market. 

Many other golf course developments 

like this have been established in the past 

thirty years or so, many in the suburbs or 

on the edge of the urban fringe. Some 

have succeeded, others have not. Many 

are operated by private companies, such 

as Crown Golf or Burhill Golf & Leisure, 

specialists who know how to make these 

facilities profitable. 

But, these facilities are proprietary - 

owned, pay and play courses, not 

municipal, therefore, not necessarily 

“open-access”. Living in Leeds as a 

young boy, and before I had an official 

handicap, I remember playing golf on 

reasonable standard municipal golf 

courses, such as Gott’s Park, Temple 

Newsam (designed by Alister 

MacKenzie), Middleton Park and 

Roundhay Park - all are still in play and 

they are, what you would say, fit for 

purpose. 

I also played on the par-3 pitch and 

putt course in Horsforth Hall Park, 

which had a great “Himalayan” putting 

green alongside. It was such fun to play - 

we even paid to play it (when the park 

warden saw us) - but mostly played on 

evenings, early mornings or Sundays. 

We’d even take my dad’s lawnmower 

there to cut the greens shorter as we 

became more demanding! These 

facilities have been allowed to return to 

rough grassland, sadly. 

I had the opportunity to play two 

municipal 18-hole pitch and putt courses 

in public parks in Norwich, at 

Mousehold Heath and Eaton Park - both 

nicely designed and really fun-to-play, 

and busy every weekend - you just hired 

a putter and a wedge. The Mousehold 

Heath site is now mostly covered by 

broad-leaved semi-natural woodland, 

although some areas of heath remain 

and are actively managed. Mousehold is 

part of north Norfolk’s Heathland 

Heritage Project and has been funded 

through the Heritage Lottery 

Tomorrow’s Heathland Heritage Project. 

The project aims to re-establish open 

areas of heather and gorse. This is a rare 

gem. There are other municipal classics, 

too - Belleisle in Ayr and Queen’s Park in 

Bournemouth. 

When was the last municipal golf 

course built in the UK? I’m not sure - it 

would be interesting to know. New public 

golf facilities have not been built because 

so many private ones have satisfied 

demand. However, many of the new 

facilities do not necessarily attract 

complete beginners to the game - some 

have restricted access policies, excessive 

dress rules, are too expensive for many 

and have an atmosphere that is 

intimidating. 

So, the courses at Birmingham Council 

may be loss-making, but can they be 

made more attractive to the beginner? 

What would need to be done to make 

them more attractive? 

Well, these are ideas that might make a 

difference: make the 18-hole courses into 

9-hole courses (with wider fairways and 

larger safety margins, both internally and 

externally), and add high quality practice 

facilities - floodlit driving ranges, for 

example, and an Adventure Golf Course 

- a bit like crazy golf, but of a higher 

standard, and using materials that don’t 

need high maintenance. 

Reducing the courses to 9 holes would 

reduce maintenance costs immediately. 

Adding better practice facilities and 

Adventure Golf would add two extra 

income generating opportunities. The 

land area saved by reducing the courses 

from 18 to 9 holes would also release 

space for other related, income 

generating facilities, for example, 5-aside 

football pitches - like Goals. 

The first course I designed was the 

Chesfield Downs Family Golf Centre near 

Stevenage, the brainchild of local golf 

professional, Martin Blayney, and Tim 

Franklin, a local farmer. The course has 

27 holes (18 full length and 9-holes 

academy - The Lannock Links) and 

floodlit driving range, with a clubhouse 

catering for families, including a crèche. 

It was pretty revolutionary at the time, 

and it has continued to thrive under its 

new owners Crown Golf. 

Today, the golf club must provide not 

only golf but a whole host of healthy 

Littlesea 

related activities - and a well designed 

centre must cater for all social levels, 

ages and genders. 

There has to be a revolution in the golf 

industry, and it must be led by the 

authorities who run the game - the R&A. 

They need to lead the way. They already 

encourage golf in foreign climes and 

developing golfing nations, through 

provision of (limited) funding, as a result 

of their highly successful Open 

Championship. But, they need to get 

involved at “grass roots” level in the UK - 

providing support for local authorities to 

develop entry level, municipal facilities. 

These don’t need to be extravagant 

facilities, but they need to be designed to 

satisfy a demand that is currently 

untapped - the non-golfer. 

Adventure Golf seems, to me, to be the 

missing link between the non-golfer and 

the golfer. It’s not “real” golf, but it 

involves hitting a golf ball with a putter, 

and it is played within a carefully 

designed mini-golf course environment. 

It’s open to anyone to play and it attracts 

families to the game. They then move on 

to the driving range and then the 9-hole 

course. 

The future of golf lies in attracting the 

family unit and providing smaller, 

customer-focused facilities for all, that 

take less time to play. Oh, and increasing 

the diameter of the golf hole to 150mm. 

41

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“Once people find out 

you are in financial 

difficulties, they don’t 

want to deal with you” 

Mark Perrin, Head Groundsman, Crystal Palace FC 

A buyer emerged at the 

eleventh hour to claw Crystal 

Palace out of administration. 

Tom James talks to the man 

who made sure the team 

would be playing on a worthy 

surface, despite all the 

money troubles 

An estimated two billion viewers 

tuned in to watch events unfold at 

the FIFA World Cup in South 

Africa. Even as the greatest 

showcase of football on the planet 

played out its final acts, back home, managers 

at top flight clubs were busy taking note of the 

emerging talent, ready to launch multi-million 

pound bids as the 2010/11 Premiership season 

approached. 

While big money deals and hefty weekly 

wages are now part and parcel of life for the 

elite few, the operational climate is starting to 

look markedly chilly further down the football 

leagues, with a growing tally of clubs unable to 

withstand the financial pressures of the game. 

The penalty is severe for those forced to go 

into administration but, remarkably, south 

London Championship side Crystal Palace FC 

survived a traumatic season - and relegation - 

to fight another day, as long as they could find 

a buyer to revive their fortunes and rebuild 

anew. 

After six months in administration, it 

emerged - safely gathered up into the hands 

of a consortium of local businessmen - ready 

for action on the field of play, and sealing the 

survival of the 105-year old club and its 

Selhurst Park ground. 

In the early 1980s, Crystal Palace had paved 

the way for, what is now, commonplace - 

mixed retail, residential and sporting 

developments.

The Fall and Rise 

of Mark Perrin! 

Nearly thirty years on, however, 

Sainsbury’s continues to flourish, whilst 

the adjacent housing that lines one side 

of the ground looks as new as the day it 

was erected. 

In stark contrast, the stadium is tired 

and played out, a good proportion of its 

plastic seating suffering the effects of 

disintegration by the sun’s ultraviolet 

light. Financial constraints, 

administration and the economic 

downturn had left Selhurst Park 

groundstaff with precious little money to 

spend on operational essentials, such as 

the end of season pitch renovation. 

”I couldn’t gain sign-off for even the 

smallest purchase, it was that bad,” 

confesses Head Groundsman, Mark 

Perrin. 

Survival on a shoe-string was the 

reality for Mark and his team, as was 

redundancy, when he was forced to bid a 

reluctant farewell to one of his staff as 

administration bit hard and deep across 

the whole club. 

Heading up a perilously slimmed 

down team of just three, forty-four year 

old Mark admits there were times when 

he had to consider his own future amid 

talk of closure as a buyer failed to 

materialise. 

But, that was in the bad old dismal 

days, three months ago. Despite all the 

turmoil around him, as acrimony soured 

the departure of the previous owner and 

uncertainty hung over everyone, Mark 

has continued to produce a playing 

surface fit for Championship, not to say 

Premiership, football in the face of fierce 

adversity and against all the odds. 

Starting off life in cricket, a sport he 

admits is his “first love”, Mancunian 

Mark’s first job was at south-west 

Manchester club, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, 

where he worked from 1989 to 1992. 

Passionate about playing cricket since a 

boy, and developing into a useful, 

successful all-rounder in the Manchester 

leagues while growing up, Mark was 

always drawn to a career in the game, 

explaining that, on leaving education, it 

was a natural progression for him. 

“I was always a better cricketer but 

enjoyed watching football far more, so 

had always considered taking a position 

at a football club,” he expands. After 

leaving Chorlton-cum-Hardy to seek “a 

greater challenge”, he moved to a post at 

Manchester Grammar School, drawn 

there by “its many sports pitches and 

especially its cricket square”, which he 

took pleasure in maintaining until 1995 

when he took his first steps into 

professional football, joining Stockport 

County FC as head groundsman. 

“I enjoyed my time at Stockport,” he 

recalls, “but, after four years there, I felt 

it was time to leave. The best jobs in this 

business will always be in the south-east, 

so I made the move down here and was 

lucky to find a very nice post at St Mary’s 

College in Twickenham, where they were 

looking to develop their sports pitches.” 

As grounds manager, he was charged 

with looking after the site’s plethora of 

pitches. Yet, as the position proved to be 

“more office based than I’d been used 

to”, when the head groundsman vacancy 

came up at Crystal Palace he leaped at 

the chance and, in 2005, made the move 

further south still. And, with true 

northern grit, he is still there. 

Since Palace fell from the Premier 

League in 2004, the budget Mark has to 

play with has shrunk year on year, to the 

point where he and his two assistants - 

Phil Down, who works at the Beckenham 

training ground, and Gareth Read, who 

assists him at Selhurst Park, are forced to 

argue their case for every penny. “An 

extra member of staff would be great, but 

I don’t see it happening anytime soon, 

given the recent redundancies and tight 

budgets,” he states with resignation. 

“We’ll just have to cope as well as we can 

with the three of us.” 

You sense that he has grown adept at 

‘coping strategies’ in his years here but, 

as the financial rot set in, other 

45

challenges emerged. “We, like other 

departments, have to cut our cloth 

accordingly, and we were faced with a few 

problems last season, finding suppliers 

being one of our most troubling,” he 

reveals. “Once people find out you are in 

financial difficulties, they don’t want to 

deal with you.” 

Some take the longer view though, and 

Mark is fulsome in his gratitude for the 

help that one key contractor provided 

when all seemed lost. Staring at the 

prospect of an end of season without a 

pitch renovation, Mark has nothing but 

praise for Keith Kensett, who set about 

the task without any clear prospect of 

being paid for his troubles. 

”Luckily, we’ve been fortunate to have 

Keith help us out a lot last season. If it 

wasn’t for him, we wouldn’t have been 

able to do many of our renovations, 

including the koroing, which we have ‘off 

pat’ now,” Mark discloses. “It’s always 

good to have people that keep the faith, 

and stick with you. Keith has been one of 

those guys, and I suppose it helped that 

he’s a Palace fan himself.” 

Selhurst Park has gained notoriety as 

one of the windiest venues in the football 

leagues, a dubious honour, due largely to 

the stadium’s history. Constructed in 

1922, it was built out of a former 

brickworks after being bought from the 

Brighton Railway Company for £2,570. 

Designed by Scottish stadium architect, 

Archibald Leitch, it was built by 

Humphreys of Kensington for around 

£30,000 and officially opened by the 

Lord Mayor of London on 30 August 

1924. 

46 

Kensett Sports koroing off 

the stadium pitch and, left, 

decompacting the training 

ground goalmouths 

”We’re exposed to the elements here,” 

says Mark. “But, on the positive side, we 

don’t have any problems with air 

circulation like some modern stadia.” 

Years before multi-use venues became 

the norm, Selhurst Park was playing host 

to both Wimbledon FC and Charlton 

Athletic FC, who used the site for home 

matches at various times from the mid- 

1980s until 2003. As you’d imagine, 

when as many as three games were 

played on it in a week, the pitch proved 

difficult to manage at times. 

Although, by the time Mark arrived, 

Palace was the sole user and he was 

pleasantly surprised by what he found. 

“Construction of the pitch was, in fact, 

very good when I took over. The dual 

usage did not have too adverse an effect, 

but one of the problems I did inherit was 

a significant proportion of Poa annua in 

the sward.” 

He’s well versed in dealing with the 

weed grass now though. “We usually 

know to expect a surge in the third week 

of August, so are able to take the 

appropriate measures,” he explains. 

Mark controls the invasive species with 

a treatment of growth regulator Primo 

Maxx, applying the chemical monthly 

throughout the season and cutting before 

the annual meadowgrass has the chance 

to seed. 

The Fibresand pitch he inherited, 

installed in 2001 by Premier Pitches, is 

still in place, and Mark believes it is 

suited to the weather conditions and 

unique microclimate in the stadium. “As 

we’re an extremely windy site, we have 

no problems with airflow but, in the 

summer, the warm winds provide ideal 

conditions for disease to spread,” he 

adds. 

“About five weeks after the post-season 

sowing, leaf spot starts to show up on the 

sward as the grass growth accelerates. 

Leaf spot can be tricky, as not everyone 

knows how to diagnose it correctly. The 

grass appears wilted, so some 

groundsmen will often water and feed 

the turf, which only exacerbates the 

problem. My solution is to apply Primo 

Maxx first, then Chipco Green, through 

the spring and summer, and Daconil in 

the winter.” 

The post-season work begins in earnest 

“It’s always good 

to have people that 

keep the faith, and 

stick with you. 

Keith Kensett has 

been one of those 

guys, and I 

suppose it helped 

that he’s a Palace 

fan himself” 

after the last home game and the club’s 

various corporate commitments, which 

include a marquee erected on the pitch 

for two weeks, hosting both the player of 

the year awards and local business 

events. 

This year, reseeding was late because of 

the uncertainty over if and when a buyer 

would emerge. The process finally got 

underway on 28th May, using a DLF Pro 

81 seed mix, one that Mark favours for 

its fast germination. 

“We only had six weeks to get the seed 

established before the first home friendly 

match against Chelsea,” he explains. 

“That was a tough call, but the club 

needs the money. I tend to stick with 

what I know when it comes to seed. 

There’s really only a fag paper between 

the major producers so, for us, given our 

tight margins, a rapidly germinating 

seed that turns around quickly will get 

my vote every time.” 

He usually aims to achieve a five-day 

establishment, yet he tends to force the 

grass through a little in the pre-season 

preparation, especially if certain areas of 

the pitch need thickening up. 

“The goalmouth at the Holmesdale 

Road end causes us most problems, as it’s 

in shade nearly all the time, so the grass 

struggles there - and we cannot run to 

the expense of grow lamps like 

Premiership clubs can.” 

Ironically, the support of the loyal 

Palace fans merely aggravated the issue, 

he reveals. “They protested over the 

possibility of club being liquidated, and 

all their jumping up and down at that 

end of the ground resulted in 

compaction in the goalmouth.” If it 

doesn’t rain it pours. 

My thoughts turn, once more, to the 

windiness of Selhurst Park as I note the 

build-up of litter around the pitch 

perimeter and, what I take to be, the 

three-foot high fence erected to stop it 

blowing onto the playing surface. 

”No, this is an electric fence to keep 

the foxes off the pitch,” reveals Mark. “It 

maddens you when you arrive in the 

morning to find they have dug up the 

surface all over the place. Their urine 

burns the grass too. Urban foxes are a 

fact of life, so we had to take steps to nip 

the problem in the bud. I bought the

There’s really only a 

fag paper between 

the major 

producers so, for 

us, given our tight 

margins, a rapidly 

germinating seed 

that turns around 

quickly will get my 

vote every time” 

fence from Hotline - the best £800 I’ve 

ever spent, I reckon.” 

I stretch my leg gingerly over the fence 

and step on to the pitch, before Mark 

informs me that he only switches the 

power on when they leave for the day! 

The lush, vibrant green forms a perfect 

platform for, what all of football hopes 

will be, an upswing of fortune for Palace 

this season. The topdressing is still just 

visible - it’s another source of weeds, he 

says. “Seeds are imported in the mix, but 

an application of Vitax Green Up sorts 

the broad leaf stuff out.” 

In terms of mowing, the applications 

of Primo Maxx has cut the quantity of 

clippings dramatically, also encouraging 

Urban foxes are kept out by an electric fence 

development of the rootzone which, 

Mark believes, is better for the pitch over 

the longer-term than any need to 

constantly cut it very short. 

“When I first started here, we were 

taking off more than twenty boxes a cut 

during the growing season. We’ve halved 

that now - any more than ten boxes and 

we know we’re applying too much 

fertiliser.” He prefers to keep sward 

height to around 28mm in the summer, 

spraying regularly and “leaving it as high 

as I can get away with” - a programme 

that continues into winter. 

Slim budgets have offered scant scope 

for investment in new machinery, yet 

Mark seems content with the few 

engineered for perfection 

machines he retains, employing two 

Dennis G860s with independent cassettes 

for the “vast majority” of pitch work. “It’s 

a lightweight machine and is particularly 

good for football pitches as it has a 

minimal footprint.” A ten year old Tym 

T290 tractor still sees regular duty, whilst 

Mark spikes with a Multicore MC15 that, 

“despite its age, circa 1990, continues to 

deliver the goods.” 

Other than on match days, the Palace 

first team and academy sides spend their 

time at the club’s training ground in 

Beckenham, some five miles south of 

Selhurst Park, on what was the Lloyds 

Bank site. 

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48 

Multicore MC15 behind ageing Tym tractor 

“I suppose you could say 

that we were two years 

into a five-year plan, and 

it’s stayed that way for 

the last three” 

transform the facility soon, 

Mark reports, adding 

wistfully, “I suppose you could 

say that we were two years 

into a five-year plan, and it’s 

stayed that way for the last 

three.” 

With only two first-team 

Fibresand pitches, and basic 

soil ones for the reserve and 

academy sides, Palace are 

keen to upgrade further. 

“The first stage in the plans 

will be to replace the soil 

pitches with Fibresand ones. 

I’d like to have another two, 

giving us four in total, but I’d 

settle for one if that’s all I 

could get - a part 

construction of the surface 

only would cost around 

£80,000 per pitch, as 

drainage is already installed.” 

Most of the work at the 

training ground is left largely 

to Phil, with Mark visiting a 

couple of times a week. The 

machine story is a similar one 

at Beckenham, with a 

Jacobsen 250 five-unit rideon 

fairway mower and a 

Kubota L46 the two main 

machines at his disposal, plus 

an SR-72 soil reliever. 

The critical financial 

position that Palace found 

themselves in, and the 

resulting process of 

administration, had left many 

at the club anxious for the 

future. Yet, for Mark, the 

whole sorry saga was 

alleviated for him by one or 

two important figures at 

Selhurst Park, whose stance 

allowed him time to reflect on 

the job and his position at the 

club. 

“That whole period helped 

focus my mind far more on 

what my role is here, and 

where I want to be in the 

future,” he says candidly. 

“During the worst time, we 

we were all in the boardroom 

waiting to hear our name 

called out for redundancy, 

then breathing a sigh of relief 

when it wasn’t - that was 

stressful.” 

While former Palace 

chairman, Simon Jordan, 

reportedly was viewed, by 

some, as being part 

responsible for the downfall 

of the club, his brother, 

Dominic Jordan, who ran the 

club day to day, prior to 

administration, was praised 

for his work through the 

turbulent times. Mark, for 

one, was grateful for the 

support he and his team were 

given. “Dominic was a crucial 

influence on our position; he 

always recognised the value of 

a head groundsman and the 

importance of what we did. 

He also understood that 

being a groundsman, like any 

position of responsibility, 

involves taking ownership of 

it, not just being someone 

who receives and issues 

orders. 

In turn, Mark appreciates 

his role in maintaining a 

tightly-knit, albeit small, 

turfcare team. 

“You have to treat staff like 

men, not children. The one 

benefit to having a small 

team is that we are like a 

family. We’ve all bonded 

much more now, with the 

financial troubles bringing 

those of us that have stayed 

on, closer together.” 

If he ever moved away from 

Palace, he’s certain it would

Excellent results at the training ground 

“During the worst time, 

we were all in the 

boardroom waiting to 

hear our name called 

out for redundancy” 

be out of football altogether, 

to return to private sector 

education most probably, 

where he enjoyed many years 

of experience and where he 

believes considerable work is 

still needed. 

“There’s been significant 

under-investment in these 

sports facilities in recent years 

and, apart from a few notable 

exceptions, many are 

generally of a poor standard, 

so a position where I could 

help change things could be 

an option,” he adds. 

While Mark recognises that 

a Premiership role would be 

the next natural progression 

for him, he also views posts in 

the top flight remain “a 

closed shop.” “Few are ever 

advertised. The most realistic 

hope I’ve got of becoming a 

Premiership groundsman is if 

Palace gains promotion,” he 

admits. “Whilst a return to 

the premiership for Palace 

would be welcome, along with 

the resulting additional 

budget, I don’t believe the 

game is heading in the right 

direction,” he continues in 

typically candid fashion. 

Big money is now part and 

parcel of football yet, for 

clubs like Palace, in the 

Championship or lower 

leagues, it is in danger of fast 

becoming an unsustainable 

and potentially damaging 

aspect of ‘the beautiful game’, 

he adds. 

“What I’ve seen happen 

here has given me real doubts 

about how long it will all 

last,“ he reflects. “We’ve 

reached a position where the 

Premiership is seen as the be 

all and end all, with clubs 

striving to get into the top 

league and, where finishing 

fourth from bottom of it, is 

seen as a success, by avoiding 

relegation and the fall-off in 

funding that goes with 

playing in that league. For 

me, that isn’t what football 

should be about - it’s more 

than just the top league.” 

The plight of home grown 

players in the Premiership 

has been another 

development that Mark 

believes will only serve to 

damage the English league. 

Only 38% of current 

Premiership players were 

born in England, he notes, 

which he believes is creating a 

growing disincentive to 

nurture home grown youth 

players, as the big money 

foreign players take 

precedence. 

”The one good result of 

clubs like Palace having so 

little money is that they 

simply cannot afford to buy 

in loads of players, so have to 

rely on fostering their youth 

sides and scouring the 

leagues for good deals and 

free transfers. It’s not all 

about the money, it’s about 

good management, and 

being able to pick out good 

players from the lower 

leagues.” 

Palace is in a prime 

position to make the best of 

that opportunity and help 

develop the next crop of 

promising English players. 

And, whilst it goes about 

doing that, Mark will 

continue to produce a 

Premiership standard 

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49 

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Jane Carley meets Norman 

Southernwood, Head 

Groundsman at Leeds United, 

and finds a man who ... 

Leeds United Football Club 

has certainly weathered 

the storms - from financial 

difficulties in 2007 to the 

resulting sanctions by the 

Football League, putting the club 

15 points adrift before they even 

started the season. But, showing 

typical northern grit, they rallied 

and, with promotion to the 

Championship for 2010/11 and 

nomination for the Elland Road 

stadium as a potential 2018 world 

cup venue, things are looking up. 

However, for Head Groundsman 

Norman Southernwood, who has 

been at the club for twelve years, 

it is business as usual at Elland 

Road. 

“All football groundsmen aim to 

present the best possible pitch, 

regardless of where their team is 

in the league. Even at the lower 

levels, the playing surfaces are 

maintained to the highest 

standards,” he comments. “It’s 

sixteen years since the drainage 

was renewed here, and the 

undersoil heating is quite old too, 

but it is a matter of managing any 

issues and producing the best 

possible turf for the job.” 

An intensive programme of end 

of season renovations help - with 

the top half inch of the surface 

koroed off in May by contractors 

Premier Pitches, and this year, 

new approaches were made to deal 

with compaction. 

“There are iron pans in several 

areas, and my aim is to break 

these up and improve drainage. 

We tried a Gwazae deep probe 

aeration unit to blast air into these 

areas, but it didn’t really work, so 

we then used an Earthquake 

decompactor, working at 8in deep, 

before adding limestone and 

seaweed granules and re-seeding,” 

Norman explains. 

Seeding was carried out on 26th 

May and, a month later, the sward 

looks healthy and is growing well - 

it is all that Norman can do to 

keep on top of it on his own while 

his assistant is on holiday! 

“I like to cut with a rotary for 

the first two to three weeks. With 

the water and fertiliser, the new 

grass grows quickly, although you 

have to be careful not to wash all 

the valuable nutrients out in this 

dry weather.” 

The difficulty with pitch 

renovations, Norman suggests, is 

the increasingly short closed 

season, particularly where clubs 

are involved in play-offs. 

“When I started out as a 

groundsman at Halifax Town, the 

local finals were played the week 

after the FA Cup, which was never 

Leeds...

later than the first Saturday in May, 

now the season finishes later and later.” 

Fortunately for Norman, the prospect 

of pop concerts mooted for the stadium 

did not come off this year, although he 

says that the homecoming of local 

band, the Kaiser Chiefs, caused very 

few problems in 2007 as it was straight 

after the end of the season. 

But, with the first friendly set for 31st 

July, there is a very tight window for 

establishing new seeds. 

“We use Rigby Taylor R14 and, like 

most modern varieties, it germinates 

quickly and establishes well. But, it 

doesn’t matter what you use - you can’t 

buy time,” he comments. “Fortunately, 

when we start playing again, the grass 

is still growing and, with a bit more 

seed put on any bare patches in 

September, it copes well.” 

He suggests that there is also a fine 

balance between keeping the grass cool, 

when the British summer excels itself, 

and not overwatering. 

“Too much water and you’ll get 

plenty of top growth, but the roots don’t 

establish as well. Sometimes, I like to 

let the grass dry out a bit.” 

Once Norman can get going with the 

cylinder mowers, either Allett Buffalo 

or Dennis models with a 34in cut, he is 

able to get on a lot quicker. He has used 

triple mowers in the past, but Elland 

Road lacks the storage space for too 

much large machinery. 

“We are a relatively small team - as 

well as my assistant, there are three full 

time groundsmen for the stadium and 

the eight pitches at the training ground, 

so we are always busy. We retained the 

facilities of a top club even when 

relegated, but not the staffing levels.” 

Still, Norman says that the 

management are always supportive, and 

have never placed any budget 

restrictions on him, even when times 

were tight. 

“The level of support shows 

particularly when we are up against it,” 

he explains. “During the bad weather 

we cleared snow from the pitch four 

times. We had the undersoil heating on 

but, when the temperatures are below 

zero in the daytime, ice still forms on 

the turf. The whole team pulled 

together and we were determined not to 

lose a game; before the replay against 

Spurs we were frantically trying to clear 

the pitch of falling snow and, at the last 

minute, it stopped!” 

Such conditions take their toll on the 

turf, and when Norman needed extra 

funds to bring it back up to scratch, 

there was no hesitation from the 

management. 

“We don’t have a lot of machinery, 

but there is no limit to the amount of 

fertiliser and other inputs that I can 

use. STRI recently did a report on the 

condition of the turf and I have been 

able to follow their suggestions 

closely.” 

And, even without extreme weather, 

the work continues apace. 

“Because of the likelihood of 

standing water, I verti-drain as much as 

possible in the season to keep on top of 

the drainage issues. But, you do have to 

be careful or you can lose a bit of 

grass,” he explains. “The pressure is 

growing as we seem to have more and 

more matches, but it is a matter of 

managing the conditions in hand.” 

This includes liaising with the team, 

as shading from the West Stand, with its 

V-type roof, creates potential problem 

areas on that side of the pitch. 

“I try to avoid warm ups on that side 

of the pitch, as they can cause a lot of 

wear. We encourage the warm ups on 

the east side, which gets the winter sun, 

but then you have to be careful that that 

area does not get too much wear.” 

The prospect of Elland Road 

becoming a World Cup venue is a 

thrilling one for any Leeds fan, and 

Norman suggests that such a move 

would bring more extensive 

renovations, including the renewal of 

the drainage into the frame. 

“When the picture becomes clearer, 

we can schedule that in,” he says. “It 

will take plenty of planning and, of 

course, money. But, in the meantime, 

we are happy managing what we have 

got and producing a pitch that is fit for 

the Championship.” 

from the front!

Premiership new boys, 

Blackpool, are ready for their 

first season in the top flight, 

thanks to the efforts of Head 

Groundsman, Stan Raby. 

Laurence Gale MSc reports 

The future’s... 

Having Blackpool’s manager, 

Ian Holloway, in the Premier 

league, for at least a season, 

is bound to be ‘interesting’. 

His honest appraisals and 

slightly off-the-wall comments have 

made him somewhat of a legend in the 

lower leagues, and he joins the likes of 

Redknapp and McCarthy to, hopefully, 

put some commonsense (or should that 

be nonsense?) ahead of the usual 

rhetoric. 

The history of the club can be traced 

back to 1877 when Victoria Football 

Club was founded. Ten years later, after 

a dispute amongst the players, it was 

renamed Blackpool Football Club. One 

year later, the club became founder 

members of the Lancashire League and 

enjoyed eight successful seasons, 

culminating in the winning of the 

championship in 1893-94, after being 

pipped on goal average by Liverpool 

the previous season. 

Players of note have included 

England internationals Jimmy 

Armfield, Stan Mortensen, Stanley 

Matthews and Alan Ball, the latter 

being the only Blackpool player to play 

in a World Cup. When he was 

transferred to Everton in 1966 for 

£112,000 it was, at the time, a record 

fee between two English clubs. 

Notable successes have been few, with 

an FA Cup win in 1953 their only major 

trophy. However, promotion to the 

Premiership this year ranks as a major 

achievement, one that Ian Holloway 

believes has written the current squad 

of players into the club’s folklore. 

Certainly, with the likes of Manchester 

United, Chelsea and age old rivals 

Liverpool visiting the Bloomfield Road 

stadium this season, every game will 

seem like a cup final. As Holloway put 

it, “the future’s bright, the future’s 

orange” in reference to the club’s 

colours. 

Looking after the ‘Seasiders’ facilities 

is Head Groundsman, Stan Raby, who 

says he is relishing the challenge of 

preparing pitches for the Premiership. 

Stan, previously a farmer, joined the 

club five years ago. He has one 

assistant, Alex Reeves, and one summer 

season helper, Connor Cross, who is 

currently studying at Myerscough 

College. Between them they look after 

both the stadium pitch and training 

ground pitches. A number of volunteers 

have been trained up to help on match 

days. 

Stan has not been able to rest on his

Orange 

laurels since the club gained 

promotion. He was busy organising and 

overseeing the end of season 

renovations, and enduring quite a bit of 

upheaval whilst a new, temporary stand 

was being built in readiness for the 

Premiership games, taking the capacity 

up from 12,000 to 17,000, still small by 

top flight standards. 

His last game on the pitch was in late 

May, leaving him little over seven weeks 

before the first competitive match, a 

Network Rail rugby cup final between 

Widnes Vikings and Batley Bulldogs on 

18th July. The first home football match 

on the pitch was played against 

Hibernian on 8th August with the first 

Premiership game on 28th August 

against Fulham. 

Stan likes to undertake a lot of the 

work himself. Having been a farmer for 

many years, he is very experienced in 

the use of tractors and implements. His 

aim is to reduce dependency on 

contract machinery and carry out 

essential maintenance and renovation 

work in-house. 

With this in mind, Stan has built up a 

healthy stock of equipment, purchased 

through Campey Turf Care Systems, 

and the club now own their own Koro 

Field Topmaker, Muratori power 

harrow, 1.8m Reist Aeraseeder, 

Charterhouse Verti-Drain, Raycam 

Sports Field Harrows, a New Holland 

TC27 tractor and a Landquip Sprayer 

to help renovate the pitches themselves. 

“We have saved a considerable sum by 

investing in our own equipment,” said 

Stan. “Not only does it give us the 

flexibility to control our own 

maintenance and renovation 

programme, but we can get the work 

completed faster by having everything 

on site. We know the investment will be 

paid back within three to four years.” 

This year, Stan enlisted the help of 

contractor, Derek Crane, to help him 

carry out the work at both the training 

ground and stadium. Work began on 

the training ground on 17th May. Both 

the pitch and a small training area were 

koroed, power harrowed and 

topdressed with 150 tonne of sand 

before being oversown with Johnsons 

Premier grass seed. 

A new Rain Bird pop up watering 

system was also commissioned this 

year, giving better control over watering 

requirements. This consisted of a fully 

automated, thirty-two head system 

connected to the mains. There are 

twenty-four heads around the

The world of football - 

Ian Holloway style! 

“Right now, everything is going wrong for me - if I fell in a 

barrel of boobs, I’d come out sucking my thumb!” 

“Some weeks the lady is good looking and some weeks 

they’re not. Our performance today would have been not the 

best looking bird, but at least we got her in the taxi.” 

She may not have been the best looking lady we ended up 

taking home but it was still very pleasant and very nice, so 

thanks very much and let’s have coffee.” 

“To the people who booed -boo to you!” 

“When my mum was running our house, when I was a kid, all 

the money was put into tins. She knew what was in every tin 

and I know how much I’ve got in my tin - that’s the way we’ll 

run this club.” 

“I feel a bit like the nanny who is trying to calm down the 

kids.” 

“When their man was sent off, it seemed to wake up the 

crowd and give them someone to get their teeth into and, 

fortunately for us, that was the referee.” 

“There was a spell in the second half when I took my heart 

off my sleeve and put it in my mouth.” 

“I’ve got to get Dan Shittu ready for the Stoke game. I’ve told 

him to go to Iceland and ask if he can sit in one of their 

freezers.” 

“Apparently it’s my fault that the Titanic sank.” 

“It’s all very well having a great pianist playing, but it’s no 

good if you haven’t got anyone to get the piano on the stage 

in the first place, otherwise the pianist would be standing 

there with no bloody piano to play.” 

“I am a football manager. I can’t see into the future. Last 

year I thought I was going to Cornwall on my holidays, but I 

ended up going to Lyme Regis.” 

“You can say that strikers are very much like postmen: they 

have to get in and out as quick as they can before the dog 

starts to have a go.” 

“I always say that scoring goals is like driving a car. When the 

striker is going for goal, he’s pushing down that accelerator, 

so the rest of the team has to come down off that clutch. If 

the clutch and the accelerator are down at the same time, 

then you are going to have an accident.” 

“I’ve got to knock that horrible smell out of my boys, because 

they smell of complacency.” 

“We need a big, ugly defender. If we had one of them we’d 

have dealt with the first goal by taking out the ball, the player 

and the first three rows of seats in the stands.” 

And finally ... 

“He’s six foot something, fit as a flea, good looking - he’s got 

to have something wrong with him. Hopefully, he’s hung like 

a hamster - that would make us all feel better. Having said 

that, me missus has got a pet hamster at home, and his 

cock’s massive.” - talking about Cristiano Ronaldo. 

perimeter, with eight set in the 

playing area. 

Work on the stadium pitch 

commenced on May 30th. 

Vegetation was koroed off, leaving 

a clean profile to be power 

harrowed, levelled and topdressed. 

90 tonnes of new Fibresand was 

added to the pitch to improve the 

density of the fibre in the top 

100mm, which was then oversown 

with Johnson’s Premier. 

A Dennis G860 cassette mower is 

used on the stadium pitch for final 

preparation. Four Asuka pedestrian 

rotaries are used to mow and clean 

up the pitch before and after 

matches. The pitch is maintained 

at around 27mm. 

At the training ground, trailed 

gang mowers and a Trimax Pro- 

Cut rotary are used. 

On the day of my visit, Stan was 

out on the stadium pitch taking a 

number of soil samples with Gary 

Potter, ALS Sales Manager, to 

ascertain the nutrient status of the 

pitch. The new seed had been up 

for several days and was looking 

good, awaiting its first cut with the 

rotaries. 

Gary sends the soil samples off 

to ETT Laboratories for testing, to 

ensure that Stan has a clear 

understanding of what the pitch 

needs in terms of NPK and trace 

elements. In this instance, the 

results showed a deficiency in both 

potassium and potash, which was 

addressed with an appropriate 

dose of NPK to bring the feeding 

programme up to speed. The pitch 

will receive several feeds during 

the peak growing season, both 

granular and liquid. 

Once the grass has established, a 

programme of Primo Maxx is 

applied to improve sward density 

and rootmass. The new pop up 

system will deliver water uniformly 

over the whole pitch. Any bare 

areas will be oversown, and the 

whole pitch will be oversown 

sometime in September with 

rough-stalked meadow grass. 

At this point in time, Stan is 

unsure how the temporary stand 

will affect grass growth but, like 

many stadiums, the pitch already 

suffers because of shade when the 

sun is low and soil temperatures 

drop, so it is a situation that he is 

able to cope with. He remains 

confident that he can deliver the 

quality playing surface required for 

Blackpool’s excursion into the best 

football league in the world. 

I would like to wish Stan and his 

assistant Alex all the best, and 

hope they enjoy their 

time preparing their 

playing surfaces for 

some of the world’s 

best players.

Saltley Leisure Centre, Birmingham 

Technical Surfaces 

explain the basic 

maintenance 

requirements for 3G 

synthetic turf and 

discuss the launch of 

FIFA’s Quality Concept 

for managing ‘Football 

Turf’ to the highest 

possible standard 

Close up of the The New Saints FC pitch 

Standards 

delivered... 

3rd Generation (3G) synthetic turf has 

certainly made its mark in the sporting 

world. Since the introduction of the 

longer pile, rubber-filled pitches in the 

mid 1990s, attitudes towards playing on 

synthetic grass have evolved from openly 

hostile (think Luton Town and Queens 

Park Rangers in the 1980s) to, if not allembracing, 

certainly more accepting and 

even positive. 

Designed to replicate the playing 

characteristics of natural turf more 

closely than ever before, 3G carpet 

systems are being increasingly adopted 

for use at varying levels of the game by 

the Rugby Football Union, the Football 

Association and even FIFA, thereby 

propelling artificial grass pitches to the 

international stage. 

With increased exposure comes greater 

scrutiny of the quality of these facilities, 

with doubters waiting in the wings ready 

to pour scorn on the suitability of 

synthetic turf for anything beyond a kickabout 

in the park. It is, therefore, 

encouraging to note that sport’s leading 

national and international bodies 

understand the importance of continued 

maintenance to ensure that artificial 

pitches offer a consistently high level of 

playability over a number of years. 

In its published document, 

‘Maintenance of an artificial turf field’, FIFA 

acknowledges that little or no 

maintenance on a synthetic sports surface 

will affect its overall playing 

performance, longevity, safety and 

aesthetics. Equally, a correctly maintained 

artificial facility can be an aid to success, 

as Welsh Premier champions, The New 

Saints, have found; having achieved 

double success in 2009/10 with wins in 

the league and cup, the Oswestry-based 

club and their synthetic turf pitch are 

soon to embark on a European adventure 

in the Champions League. 

What, then, is the secret to boasting a 

successful 3G sports surface? Here, in this 

article, we explains how a regular 

programme of effective maintenance 

techniques can help you achieve an 

artificial pitch that FIFA would be proud 

of. 

The basics of maintenance 

To get to grips with the essentials of 3G 

pitch maintenance, it is important to 

understand the unique construction of

With increased exposure comes greater 

scrutiny of the quality of these facilities, 

with doubters waiting in the wings ready to 

pour scorn on the suitability of synthetic turf 

for anything beyond a kick-about in the park 

these carpet systems that enables them to 

replicate natural sports surfaces. Playing 

characteristics, such as ball roll and 

bounce, stud slide and shock absorption, 

are generally considered to be improved 

by the carpet’s longer fibres (around 40- 

50mm) and cushioning rubber infill. 

Logic dictates that these features must, 

therefore, be preserved to allow the pitch 

to continue offering the same high 

standard of play to end users. 

This can be achieved with regular 

decompactions to agitate the surface and 

remove contamination, simultaneously 

lifting the carpet fibres and loosening the 

rubber particles, which become flattened 

and compacted during play. Keeping the 

pile upright not only protects the carpet 

fibres from wear, it also preserves the 

playing characteristics and restores the 

aesthetic qualities of the pitch. 

Loosening the rubber infill, meanwhile, 

helps to improve drainage and control 

the feel of the surface underfoot, whilst 

allowing for infill levels to be regulated 

at repeated intervals. 

The ultimate aim of regular 

maintenance must be to preserve the 

playing characteristics and life 

expectancy of an artificial pitch and, to 

achieve this on a 3G pitch, regular 

decompaction works are essential. 

However, decompaction is, by no 

means, the only maintenance process 

required to keep a 3G pitch in top 

condition. Regular maintenance 

encourages familiarity with the way a 

pitch reacts to factors such as player 

footfall and natural weathering. 

Rubber infill is removed from a 3G 

surface on a daily basis, and frequent 

monitoring can help to ensure that 

rubber levels and distribution are 

assessed and corrected before infill 

displacement is able to weaken the carpet 

fibres, increase the rate at which the 

carpet wears, compromise the playing 

characteristics and shorten the life 

expectancy of the surface. As a minimum 

requirement, rubber levels must be 

topped up every one to two years. 

As with any artificial surface, 

combining daily and weekly in-house 

routines with specialist, deep-cleaning 

works is the key to a successful 

maintenance programme. Dragbrushing 

should be carried out, at least once a 

week, to maintain a consistent 

distribution of rubber infill and raise the 

carpet pile. Compaction of the infill can 

also be reduced on a regular basis with 

suitable equipment. 

There are various types of machinery 

available to carry out this function, which 

can be used as a stand alone item or 

attached to existing machinery. We can 

offer advice on a selection of such 

equipment should pitch owners and 

managers wish to purchase items to build 

upon their existing maintenance 

practices. 

Alongside these everyday surface-based 

tasks, it is important to regularly remove 

the accrued dirt, debris and 

contamination that can bed in amongst 

the infill. Dragbrushing alone does not 

achieve this, so it is important that the 

pitch is swept, using a rotary brush with 

filtration systems, which lifts and clean 

the top layer of rubber infill before 

returning it to the carpet. This service 

should, ideally, be carried out on a 

monthly basis to complement the inhouse 

dragbrushing of the surface. 

Furthermore, to ensure comprehensive 

decompaction and dirt removal, a more 

intense cleaning of the surface should be

FIFA is keen to 

stress the 

importance of 

continued 

maintenance in 

order to ensure 

that Football 

Turf continues 

to fulfil its strict 

requirements 

on criteria such 

as ball roll and 

bounce, stud 

slide and 

deceleration, 

and shock 

absorption 

The pitch at Park Hall Stadium, Oswestry, where 

The New Saints play their home games, is 

maintained on a regular basis, which has helped 

to preserve the playing characteristics of the 

facility to FIFA-approved standards 

completed, either annually or as a 

minimum every second year. This 

process is designed to get much 

deeper into the carpet pile, removing 

any dust, debris and broken-down 

carpet fibres that have migrated lower 

into the rubber infill. 

As with all synthetic grass carpet 

systems, moss and weed growth can 

create problems on 3G pitches and 

must be tackled on a regular basis. 

Failure to remove this material will 

soon increase contamination levels, 

leave the pitch looking unsightly and, 

most importantly, pose health and 

safety risks to players in the form of 

slip hazards. 

FIFA and the launch of Football Turf 

When maintained correctly, a 3G pitch 

offers a consistent playing surface for 

sports such as football, at all levels of 

the game. The benefits of artificial 

turf, in climates where natural grass is 

unsustainable, and the increased 

amount of use such facilities can 

support in comparison with natural 

pitches, led to FIFA launching their 

Quality Concept for Football Turf in 

2001. Identifying a growth in 

popularity of synthetic sports pitches, 

football’s world governing body 

wanted to promote a recognised 

international standard for artificial 

grass, or ‘Football Turf ’. 

The manufacture, installation and 

maintenance of Football Turf is 

subject to intense scrutiny, and a 

synthetic pitch must pass a series of 

laboratory and field tests before being 

awarded FIFA Recommended status. 

While the FIFA Recommended 1* 

artificial surface is intended mainly 

for community use, the 

Recommended 2* certified pitch is 

designed to mimic professional 

football surfaces as closely as possible, 

and guarantees an artificial pitch that 

can host top level UEFA and FIFA 

competitive matches. 

Recommended 2* Football Turf 

must, above all, provide a consistently 

high level of playability throughout its 

life. Neglecting to properly look after 

the pitch serves to undermine any 

original investment, by shortening the 

projected life of the installation. Not 

only that, but FIFA will revoke the 

Recommended status of any Football 

Turf field that fails to meet its 

ongoing maintenance requirements. 

FIFA is keen to stress the 

importance of continued maintenance 

in order to ensure that Football Turf 

continues to fulfil its strict 

requirements on criteria such as ball 

roll and bounce, stud slide and 

deceleration, and shock absorption. 

Facility operators of FIFA 

Recommended 2* pitches must 

demonstrate to FIFA that appropriate 

maintenance equipment is available 

on site, or supply photographic 

evidence of such equipment if 

maintenance is completed by a third 

party, such as Technical Surfaces. 

The New Saints FC - a synthetic 

pitch success story 

FIFA recommends a series of simple, 

yet effective, principles of maintaining 

an artificial football pitch to achieve 

longevity, a profitable return on an 

initial investment and, above all, 

player satisfaction. Central to this is 

the fundamental rule that prevention 

is better than the cure. This sentiment 

has been adopted by Welsh Premier 

football club, The New Saints FC, 

whose own 3G Ligaturf pitch is 

accredited with FIFA Recommended 

2* status. 

Installed by Polytan Sports Surfaces 

in 2007, the pitch at Park Hall 

Stadium is maintained on a regular 

basiswith a combination of Power 

Sweeps, decompactions and remedial 

works has helped to preserve the 

playing characteristics of the facility to 

FIFA-approved standards. While The 

New Saints’ league record at home in 

the 2009-10 season (played 17, won 

14, drew 3, lost 0) cannot be 

attributed solely to the quality of the 

playing surface, it does show that an 

artificial pitch is no hindrance to 

playing competitive sports, and can 

even be a positive factor. 

“Our team enjoys playing good, 

technical football, so the artificial 

pitch is perfect for us,” explains Mike 

Davies, Team Manager of The New 

Saints FC. “The surface suits our 

method of play and allows players to 

get the ball down - above all, it gives 

us a consistent playing field that 

reflects our players’ abilities.” 

Whilst opposing teams might feel at 

a disadvantage playing on artificial 

turf, it can just as easily be argued that 

teams such as The New Saints face a 

similar, if not worse, situation when

playing away fixtures on pitches whose 

condition is changeable throughout the 

season. 

And it’s not only on match days that 

the artificial pitch has proven to be a 

boon for The New Saints; the surface is 

also utilised for first-team training four 

days a week, and is in constant use by the 

academy. “Coaching the first team and 

also having a direct involvement with the 

academy means I practically live on the 

pitch.” says Mike. “The pitch plays 

superbly, and allows continuous use 

morning, noon and night. As a business, 

which all clubs now are, what better way 

is there to generate an income stream for 

your club?” 

The club’s successful record last season 

saw them crowned Welsh Premier 

champions in April 2010, following 

which they were subsequently entered 

into the qualifying rounds of the 

Champions League. To be able to host 

matches at the highest level of European 

football, it is vital for The New Saints to 

safeguard their FIFA Recommended 

status and, to that end, they have 

recently opted to increase their 

maintenance contract. At the 

professional level, the financial 

consequences of a poorly-maintained 

pitch are clear and unequivocal, and not 

a risk The New Saints FC is willing to 

take. 

3G carpet is not simply a development 

in the world of synthetic surfaces, it is 

also symbolic of a culture shift towards a 

greater acceptance of artificial turf in 

sport as a whole. As technological 

advances are made within the industry, 

Groomed 

for Success 

Surface Grooming is just one 

of the maintenance methods 

which can be applied to keep 

your artificial surface in perfect 

playing condition. 

Make Technical Surfaces 

your first point of call. 

so do a growing number of sporting 

bodies recognise the many advantages of 

synthetic turf, and it is testament to the 

constructional quality and consistent 

performance afforded by 3G turf that 

this carpet 

system is 

the one to 

finally 

bridge the 

gap 

between 

natural turf 

and the 

‘Astroturf ’ 

pitches of 

old. 

As with 

natural 

grass, the 

good 

condition 

of an 

artificial 

pitch can 

only be 

sustained 

with 

regular 

care and 

attention 

throughout 

its life. It is essential to understand the 

routines and practices relevant to 3G 

surfaces, and utilising the services of a 

maintenance specialist with a working 

knowledge of maintaining FIFA 

Recommended rubber-filled surfaces, 

provides added peace of mind that your 

investment is in safe hands. 

For REPAIRS, MAINTENANCE and ADVICE, 

contact the UK’s leading Maintenance Specialists 

Tel: 08702 400 700 

So, the secret to boasting a successful 

3G sports surface? 

It’s no secret at all - quite simply, if 

properly maintained from day one, with 

on-hand support from industry experts, a 

As a synthetic pitch ages, granular (sand or rubber) top-ups can be 

required at regular intervals to overcome issues of infill migration and 

compaction caused by factors including wind, rain and play 

3G pitch will provide you with a 

consistent playing surface all year round. 

For further information please call Technical 

Surfaces’ National Office on 08702 400 700 or 

visit www.technicalsurfaces.co.uk and ask to 

speak to a Technical Manager. 

www.technicalsurfaces.co.uk

Welcome to 

Butleigh... 

Peter Edmondson, Chairman of the Butleigh Playing 

Fields Association, talks about life in rural Somerset 

Tucked away behind high, hawthorn 

hedgerows there are occasions when 

an unsuspecting visitor might miss 

the playing field in the quiet, rural, 

Somerset village of Butleigh. 

Unsurprising, given that the village itself 

is somewhat off the beaten track, sitting 

in the middle of a triangle of small 

market towns - Glastonbury, Street and 

Somerton are all within 4/5 miles. 

Butleigh is currently home to 

approximately 1000 people, living in 300 

or so dwellings, a small primary school 

(typically 100 pupils), a pub and a village 

post office stores. 

The village also boasts a proud 

sporting tradition, with some 

magnificent assets. Just on the outskirts 

of the village lies historic Butleigh Court, 

a period house now converted into four 

apartments, in front of which Butleigh 

Cricket Club (two Saturday league teams, 

Sunday friendly and three youth teams) 

have proudly played for nearly fifty 

years. The village rugby club have their 

home in nearby Kingweston and, behind 

the aforementioned hedgerows, lies the 

village playing field, the home of 

Butleigh Dynamos FC, and an important 

base for other local football clubs at 

junior and youth level. 

Owned by the Parish Council, and 

leased on a peppercorn rent to the 

Butleigh Playing Fields Association, the 

compact Back Town site boasts two acres 

of grass pitch area and an area of hard 

standing, suitable for ball-games and 

skating, but most commonly used by 

youngsters learning to cycle in safety. 

The facilities on-site reflect the 

committees desire to work with the 

existing village sporting bodies to 

provide a suitable, pertinent and, 

hopefully, sustainable facility. 

The last ten years has seen a 

determined drive to engage all of the 

local sporting clubs to consider using 

the playing field for either practice, 

games or coaching, with the result that 

we are now home to a Kwik-Cricket club 

which offers an introduction to cricket 

that will lead those who wish to into the 

local competitive cricket scene. A further 

link with the primary school sees us 

coaching football in the winter months, 

and probably our biggest success is the 

weekly Tag rugby sessions, currently 

attracting forty plus visitors on a 

Wednesday evening. 

Facilities at the site include a full sized 

football pitch (which is currently used by 

the Dynamos and two youth teams from 

nearby Street FC) and an area which can 

easily accommodate a 60 x 40 yard mini 

soccer pitch alongside. In between these, 

we have an artificial cricket wicket with 

mobile-net cage. Wheel away the cage 

and you get an acceptable cricket facility 

for youth games, although one 

particularly wet summer saw us hosting a 

Butleigh CC game against a touring 

team from Harborne CC on a pitch with 

And woe betide them if they don’t mop out the 

changing rooms - they have been dragged out 

of the pub in the past! 

61

Most football, 

rugby and 

cricket facilities 

are either run 

by clubs or 

parishes and, 

therefore, are 

reliant upon the 

diligent 

stewardship of 

volunteers 

Mowers for 

Professionals! 

PC080910 

62 

 

 

 

 

T: 01420 478111 

RMX 

45 yard boundaries! 

As with all of our facilities the cricket 

net is available free of charge 

throughout the summer, and we also 

try and maintain access to mini-soccer 

goals. One recent addition which is 

proving popular is a concrete tabletennis 

table, which was installed this 

Easter at a cost, including solid base, of 

£2000. 

In 2006, we were grateful recipients 

of a Football Foundation grant which 

enabled us to build a circa £320,000 

marvellous new pavilion, comprising 

function-room and kitchen for sixty 

visitors, ample toilet facilities and 

changing rooms for home and away 

teams and officials. 

In addition to this site, the Butleigh 

Playing Fields Association volunteers 

also look after a children’s play park at 

the other end of the village where, 

once again, mini soccer goals are sited 

on a level and well maintained area of 

amenity grassland. This play park was 

the subject of a recent £14,000 

upgrade, money which helped clear 

some out of use areas, install pathways 

and generally tidy it up. 

Fortunately, for the voluntary 

groundstaff, the work has made 

maintenance a lot easier due to 

improved access, wider pathways etc. 

With its blossoming trees and 

sympathetic landscaping the Holm 

Oaks Play Park is a safe, peaceful and 

tranquil area for families to enjoy the 

children’s playground equipment. 

All of which would be more than 

satisfactory to the people who 

originally established the Playing Field 

Association, and would exceed their 

expectations of what could be 

achievable in a small village. 

However, the passing of time has 

brought greater pressure to bear on 

the facilities of voluntary associations 

such as ourselves, as the amount of 

traditional council-owned, available for 

hire pitches has declined - so much so 

that, in their entire area, our local 

authority, Mendip District Council, 

currently have only one football pitch 

available for hire and one further 

training pitch, which is covered by 

covenant preventing organised 

matches from taking part! 

The installation of a 3G artificial 

surface at nearby Strode College, 

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www.wessexmachinery.co.uk 

available to hire by the hour, has been 

a godsend. Other than that, most 

football, rugby and all cricket facilities 

are either run by clubs or parishes and, 

therefore, are reliant upon the diligent 

stewardship of volunteers. 

The quality of such pitches is then 

heavily dependant upon the 

aspirations and resources of the 

volunteers at these places. The typical 

facility is likely to be a donated field 

from a benevolent land-owner who 

wanted to help the community have 

somewhere to play or, like Butleigh, as 

a result of planning gain, a landowner 

has been required to make available a 

field for recreational purposes in order 

to be granted planning permission for 

housing on another site. 

The likeliest scenario is that you will 

be playing on converted pastureland, 

but not necessarily the best of that. 

Another possibility is the land is 

purchased for you by a developer who, 

perhaps, buys your existing ground for 

housing/retail development and then 

purchases, for you, an area of land on 

the edge of town in order to redevelop 

it as sports fields. 

Care needs to be taken before 

accepting what is offered, as the land 

may not be that desirable - in Somerset 

there is a lot of low-lying land. 

Unfortunately, the fact that 

generations of farming families have 

been unable to drain it satisfactorily 

seems to get overlooked, and there are 

sports clubs around who must be 

wishing that they had had more 

control, before accepting what was 

offered to them. 

During the recent extreme winter, 

one local senior football team had to 

temporarily relocate to Somerton 

Playing Field, at a distance from their 

base, due to no other pitches being 

available locally and their own facility 

suffering from a severe drainage 

problem. 

Many playing field associations are 

able to serve the needs of their own 

parishioners and, thereby, satisfy the 

terms of their own constitution. One or 

two problems are starting to stack up 

for those like us at Butleigh who offer 

their facilities to the wider footballing 

community. 

As with everybody else, our greatest 

challenges are matters concerning 

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The British public seem to think we should be 

participating and succeeding in, or hosting, 

every world event, an extraordinary amount of 

the workload, which would lead us to that, is 

being left in the hands of an unskilled, 

underfunded volunteer workforce 

budgets and availability of access. Put 

simply, if you are spending 

approximately £2,500 per annum of 

fund-raised money on trying to maintain 

your football pitch, is it prudent to then, 

at certain times of the year, have the 

goalmouths roped off, thereby denying 

access to the local after-school children 

who just want to have a kick-around? It 

is, after all, ‘their’ pitch and likely that 

their families are the more significant 

source of funding than the weekend 

teams for whom it is being so carefully 

maintained. 

This problem continues out of season 

as well. This spring’s renovation saw 

whole areas effectively out of commission 

as we attempted to restore the condition 

of the pitch after the dreadful winter, 

which even the South-West of England 

had to endure. 

Our pitch, which is regularly vertidrained 

and sanded, and therefore 

considered to be a ‘good-drainer’, was 

permanently wet, frozen or covered in 

snow. Between goalmouths it was hard to 

find the grass at the end of the season, 

which, this year, saw us host 48 football 

matches, down from 2008-09’s highpoint 

of 64 games. 40-45 games per season is 

probably about the right amount given 

the restoration budget is established at 

£2500. 

Pitch hire fees are another contentious 

issue. There are, apparently, facilities 

where you can be charged anything up to 

£70 per game. We charge adults £30, a 

figure that is slightly lower than the 

average in the area. For that, the teams 

will find they have nothing to do except 

wash out the changing-rooms, put the 

corner-flags away and lock up. And woe 

betide them if they don’t mop out the 

changing-rooms - they have been 

dragged out of the pub in the past! 

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Our maintenance schedule is fairly 

straightforward. We mow weekly, using 

either a Kubota BX 2300 or, as often as 

possible for Dynamos games, the old 

Dennis Premier 36" will make an 

appearance. We chain-harrow monthly, if 

possible, and we have an ancient SISIS 

spiker which gets used when conditions 

allow. 

Another useful piece of 

kit is a 36" sarell 

spiker/roller. Lines are 

marked using a spray line 

marker, incidentally the 

same one that the 

Pitchcare community 

encouraged me to buy all 

those years ago when I 

first joined to get a few 

hints on groundsmanship! 

Thanks. 

Annual maintenance 

goes out to local 

contractors. We try to have 

it verti-drained three times 

every two seasons. 

Although this isn't enough, 

it’s what we can afford. We 

also have between 50 and 

80 tonnes of sand 

topdressing added most years. This year, 

we have experimented with rubbercrumb 

in the high wear areas between 

goalmouths. We will be watching 

carefully and monitoring the outcome. 

Probably the most visually useful 

maintenance procedure that we carry out 

is weed killing - we use a local specialist 

for this, as we do for hedge trimming. 

The committee are grateful to The 

Football Foundation for their help in 

funding the pavilion and are aware of 

out commitments back to the footballing 

community. It has to be said, though, 

that a lot is being asked of voluntary 

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organisations and, given that the sports 

mad British public seem to think we 

should be participating and succeeding 

in, or hosting, every world event, an 

extraordinary amount of the workload, 

which would lead us to that, is being left 

in the hands of an unskilled, 

underfunded volunteer workforce. 

All governing bodies now talk about 

the benefits to the community of people 

being involved in leisure pursuits and 

recreational games. Wouldn’t it help the 

voluntary sector provide these facilities if, 

say, the local authority or the County FA 

could use their purchasing-power and 

help affiliated organisations secure much 

lower prices on their consumables or 

contractor services. That would be very 

easy to establish and 

maintain, and would show 

an almost instant return for 

those who were able to 

affiliate. 

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63

The Real Deal! 

As the ‘Special One’ gets his feet under the 

management table at Real Madrid, Dave Saltman meets 

Paul Burgess, Head Groundsman at the Bernabéu, to 

find out just how he has made such a huge difference 

to the playing surface in such a short space of time 

With temperatures rising towards 

40 degrees centigrade for 

much of the summer, looking 

after Real Madrid’s training ground 

complex and main stadium pitch can 

become a fraught experience. Certainly, 

during the hottest part of the year, 

preventing rye grasses from wilting 

and dying back in the heat of the day is 

a challenge, but one that Paul Burgess 

is keen to face. 

It was a quite amazing decision to up 

roots from the secure surroundings of 

the newly built Emirates Stadium, and a 

club that he’d been with for over ten 

years; but that’s what Paul did, by 

taking on the role of Grounds Manager 

at, arguably, the biggest and most well 

known club in world football, Real 

Madrid. 

Paul’s appointment went clearly 

against the grain of typical European 

stadium pitch management, where most 

clubs outsource all stadium 

maintenance to a company, and they 

tend not to employ experienced 

groundstaff, unlike the UK. Instead, 

each club is reliant on an external 

consultant to make the decisions and 

prescribe the works plan. 

At Real Madrid, Paul’s staff are still 

from outsourced labour and, whilst it’s 

a different system, it does have its 

advantages. If there is a need to get in 

extra hands for a specific job or event, 

then Paul just asks the company for 

more people. If a worker isn’t doing a 

good job or doesn’t get on with Paul, 

then he/she is replaced. I say she, 

because, when I visited Paul recently, 

some of his staff were female. 

Going to the Bernabéu is a lovely 

experience, given the famous history of 

the club but, to walk out onto a honed 

carpet of rye/smooth stalk that, 

historically, didn’t live up to similar 

expectations as the team, was very 

satisfying. 

In the seventeen months or so that 

Paul has been in charge, the quality of 

the main stadium pitch has improved. 

So much so, that even the national 

papers have featured it. The players 

have commented on it and inferred that 

it has made a big difference to the way 

they play. 

Often, when the new President is 

elected, it’s out with the old and in with 

a new staffing structure, and it can be 

difficult to maintain any sort of 

equilibrium within the club. However, 

the dramatic improvements made by 

Paul, has gone a long way to securing 

his future. 

The Ciudad Real Madrid is the new 

training ground complex, purpose built 

near the airport, outside of Madrid. It is 

quite an amazing complex of natural 

and artificial pitches, nearly all are

surrounded with their own grandstands 

and floodlights. Within the complex 

there is also the Estadio Alfredo Di 

Stéfano, an 8000 seat mini stadium used 

by the 2nd division side, Real Madrid 

Castilla, in many respects the Real 

Madrid reserves. 

Inaugurated in 2005, the training 

centre consists of academy offices, 

equipment rooms, audio-visuals rooms, a 

strength and rehab centre, and training 

facilities, as well as thirteen and one 

third fields - three full size synthetic turf 

fields and two full size natural grass 

fields for the youth section, along with 

five full size and one third size synthetic 

turf fields, and two full size natural grass 

fields for the first team. 

The on-site medical centre consists of 

examination rooms, treatment rooms, 

additional rehab facilities and 

66 

 

 

 

Armed with Grade A mixtures, these men 

promptly toured the country spreading their 

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by professionals, they survive as experts in 

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equipment, and an amazing 

hydrotherapy centre that includes hot 

and cool pools, a cold plunge, and a long 

but narrow resistance wave pool. 

In all, Ciudad Real Madrid covers 1.2 

million square metres although, to date, 

only 21,578m 2 has been developed. 

When I was there, the pitches were in 

various states of renovation or 

construction. The 1st team pitch was in 

the process of being returfed after a five 

week construction, which included the 

installation of a new undersoil heating 

system. This system was split so that 

parts of the playing surface could be 

heated independently. 

The main contractor was SIS (Support 

in Sport) and they have been involved in 

the works at both the training ground 

and the Bernabéu for the last twelve 

months, working closely with Paul to 

 

 

 

 

improve and create consistency across all 

the playing surfaces. 

The pitch also had additional sandy 

rootzone spread and graded to improve 

the depth of material and, therefore, the 

drainage capacity. 

Two days before I arrived in Madrid, 

Jose Mourinho had been unveiled as the 

new club coach and, while I was watching 

the big roll turf being laid, he came and 

stood by his office window to view 

proceedings. Not wanting to waste any 

time, Paul quickly arranged a meeting 

with the new manager to find out his 

requirements, and to discuss any 

concerns Paul may have had with them. 

While there has been a great deal of 

money spent so far, it was necessary to 

bring the playing surfaces up to, what 

Paul regards as, Premiership standard. 

The previous constructions were

inadequate. In many cases, at the 

training ground, there is and/or has been 

insufficient depth of rootzone to allow 

for free draining surfaces. The depth of 

rootzone has meant water being held in 

suspension and creating waterlogged 

pitches in the winter time. To add to the 

problems, the majority of the existing 

pitches were also inhabited with 100% 

Poa annua. 

Paul concedes that, for around two 

months of the year, during the hottest 

period, he’d be better off with a warm 

season Bermuda grass to survive the 

intense heat but, for the rest of the year 

the sward mix of rye and Poa pratensis 

(smooth stalk meadow grass) performs 

admirably. Madrid is at quite a high 

altitude and, being inland, has an 

extreme range of temperatures between 

the sub zero winter months and the arid, 

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hot summer months. 

Rainfall is relatively low and all the 

pitches, including the synthetic surfaces, 

have automatic irrigation installed. Paul 

has two shifts that work at the training 

ground, a morning and an evening shift 

and they include irrigation experts who 

monitor the moisture levels. This is on 

top of sensors that also detect drop in 

moisture content and automatically top 

up the pitches. 

Disease is a problem with the heat and 

the grass varieties used, so any incidence 

of fungal activity has to be checked 

immediately. Paul has seen Pithium wipe 

out half of a pitch in as little as fortyeight 

hours, so he’s now on a programme 

of preventative control, but it’s not as 

straightforward in Spain to use certain 

chemicals as it is in the UK. 

Paul has also gone through the 

machinery inventory at both the main 

stadium and the training ground. 

Previously, the machines available were 

inadequate, including a 5 gang fairway 

mower and a 18” pedestrian scarifier. He 

has brought in Dennis pedestrian 

cassette mowers, ride-on triple mowers, 

tractors, topdresser and aeration 

machines. 

The working ethos that has been Paul’s 

life at Arsenal, was a massive culture 

shock for his new staff in Madrid and, 

initially, it caused unrest and problems, 

trying to get them to work to the 

standards that Paul insists upon. 

But, as always, the proof is in the 

pudding, and now the team can see the 

improvements made to the playing 

surfaces over the last year or so, they are 

a much easier group to organise. 

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67

A schedule 

of some of 

the work 

undertaken 

at the 

Bernabéu 

and training 

ground 

Training Pitch 4 

1) Strip existing turf with SISavator, and 

tip spoil on site using tractors and 

trailers. 

2) Laser grade existing rootzone using 

tractor and box grader to desired level. 

3) Import 2200 tonnes of new rootzone 

material (15% peat content) to increase 

pitch profile by 150mm - over 3 days. 

Laser grade. 

4) Supply, install and infill of SIS 

synthetic carpet to pitch perimeter and 

new technical area, including stone 

subbase. This is to aid maintenance 

around the pitch perimeter netting 

and to give a tidy, professional finish to 

the pitch. 

5) Supply and install new goalposts and 

ground sockets. 

6) Seed pitch with Advanta seed, 50% 

Ryegrass / 50% Poa Pratensis. 

Works to pitch 4 were completed over a 

period of twelve days working within 

specific dates, security restrictions and 

tight space restrictions for material 

deliveries. SIS have recently completed 

the same work on Pitch 3, but with 

40mm turf rather than seed. 

First team training pitch no. 2 

1)Strip existing turf with SISavator and 

tip spoil onsite using tractors and 

trailers. 

2)Laser grade existing rootzone using 

tractor and box grader to desired level. 

68 

3)Import 750 tonnes of new rootzone 

material (15% peat content) - one day. 

Laser grade 

4)Supply and install undersoil heating 

pipe system to whole pitch. The 

heating pipes were installed over a 

period of 4 days. 

5)Supply, install and infill of SIS 

synthetic carpet to pitch perimeter, 

including a new technical area, all of 

which included installation of a stone 

subbase. 

6)Supply and install of new goal posts 

and ground sockets. 

7)Supply of 8700m2 of 20mm thick turf 

harvested and transported in 15 

refrigerated trucks from France. Turf 

mix 50% Ryegrass/50% Poa Pratensis. 

8)Install turf using SIS specialist kit over 

two days during temperatures of 30 

degrees. Constant irrigation was in 

place during the installation. 

Previous work at the Bernabéu 

Stadium 

During the summer of 2009, SIS 

removed the existing Grassmaster pitch 

in the Bernabéu, through a process 

which allowed the rootzone material to 

be re-used, along with a small amount of 

new sand to reconstruct the pitch profile. 

Irrigation and heating systems were 

renewed. Turf was harvested and 

transported from Germany. All work was 

carried out with very tight access and 

space restrictions, along with time 

limitations, worsened by new player 

signings taking over the stadium and 

pitch area for a few days! 

“SIS have undertaken a number of 

projects here at our training centre,” says 

Paul Burgess. “This involved large 

amounts of material, restrictions with 

timings, dates, access and security and, 

yet, they were able to complete work on 

time and budget, and to a high quality - 

an essential combination when working 

for Real Madrid. I’m pleased to say all 

works met the high standards that we set, 

and a great deal of thanks must go to all 

involved in the SIS project team.” 

George Mullan said; “Working for Real 

Madrid at their state of the art training 

centre has been an exciting challenge, 

and we are pleased to have been able to 

assist in providing some of the best 

training pitches in Europe for some of 

the world’s best players. Thanks must go 

to Paul and his team at Real Madrid for 

their help and assistance during the 

works.” 

“We have a long working relationship 

with Real Madrid and look forward to 

continuing this, and are already in 

discussions about more works to pitches 

at the training centre this autumn.” 

“Having previously installed the turf at 

the training ground five years ago, 

following construction by a Spanish 

company, it was great to see as a working 

facility and how well the site had 

progressed. Working for a 

prestigious club like real Madrid is 

always an exciting challenge but, 

ultimately, a very rewarding one.”

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Chesterfield Football 

Club’s new stadium, the 

B2net, not only heralds 

a bright new future for 

the club but will also 

benefit the whole 

community, reports 

Carol Dutton 

Aspiring 

Spireites 

“WE’D been looking to relocate for the 

last ten years, if not longer” says Stadium 

Director, Philip Taylor. “A new local plan 

for the town included a 22 acre 

regeneration area beside the A61 by-pass 

which had formally housed the old Dema 

Glass works. Part of this area was 

allocated for the club, with the remaining 

area going for retail and mixed use. 

Tesco, who needed bigger premises, took 

up ten acres and, with the planning gain 

on the land, the move became financially 

viable. The outcome has worked in 

everybody’s favour.” 

Philip maintains that Chesterfield FC 

has always had strong links with the 

community, and the new state of the art 

stadium will give the club the 

opportunity to provide extensive first 

class facilities for all. “The East stand will 

house a soft play area for the kids, a 

cafeteria and toilet and changing 

facilities, including those for the 

disabled,” he continues. “I think that, at 

the moment, we’re the only sports club 

in Derbyshire to do this.” An infinity 

swimming pool, gymnasium and 

education suites are in the pipeline for 

the future with, possibly, a community 

police station and a wide range of 

facilities for other community groups. 

Meanwhile, in footballing terms, 

everything hinges on the new pitch and 

the performance and quality of the 

football. 

J Pugh-Lewis was given the pitch 

construction contract, having maintained 

the old Saltergate ground for the last 

fifteen years. Director James Pugh-Lewis, 

had been involved with the architects 

and designers for two years before the 

company arrived on site on the 1st 

March. “Originally, the start was delayed 

due to bad weather,” recalls Tim Pugh- 

Lewis who has overseen the whole 

project, “but we got going in the 

beginning of April and were seeding by 

13th May.” 

“The construction is a standard 

suspended water table pitch with, 

essentially, 100mm twinwall pipe drains 

at 5m centres, geotextile, 150mm depth 

gravel carpet and then 150mm depth of 

lower rootzone sand and 150mm depth 

upper rootzone, the top 100mm of this 

being Fibresand reinforced,” Tim 

explains. A fully automated irrigation 

system has been installed, and the pitch 

is graded into a ‘flat pyramid’ profile 

with the centre spot 300mm higher than 

the perimeter of the pitch. “The pitch is 

a similar specification to the one we 

installed at Birmingham City’s St 

Andrews Stadium last year, and will make 

it one of the best pitches in the league,” 

Tim continues. 

“It’s a very good pitch,” Philip Taylor 

confirms. “Because of the adverse 

weather at the start, we were a week or 

two behind and people kept asking me if 

it would be ready in time. James Pugh- 

Lewis reassured us that it would and the 

company made up the time. The grass 

was growing one week after seeding and 

we knew we’d be ready for our first 

fixture, a friendly with Derby County on 

24th. July.” 

Philip thinks that the new facilities 

usher in a new era for Chesterfield FC, 

and the way the season tickets were 

selling by the end of May - already up on 

the previous year - was a very positive 

sign. “Hopefully, this season will see an 

increase in gate numbers and automatic 

promotion for the club,” he says. “We’ve 

now got car parking for over 350 cars, 

whereas, before, people had to park 

either in the town or the local school, 

and we’re hoping to become the premier 

banqueting and conference centre in the 

region. The new stadium stands 

to re-generate the whole area 

and provide so much more for 

both football supporters and the 

local community.”

Robbie and Venus 

Williams, Madonna and 

Maradona, Mick Jagger 

and Tyson, R2D2, 

Speedway, Monster 

Trucks, dinner parties, 

exhibitions, conferences, 

operas and musicals. The 

turf industry has 

progressed in recent 

years. 

Chris Hague guides us 

through two years in the 

life of Denmark’s 

‘Wembley’, the Parken 

Stadium, in Copenhagen 

Parken Stadium is home to the 

Danish National team and FC 

Copenhagen. Originally 

constructed in 1954, Parken was 

redeveloped with the addition of three 

new stands, in 1992. 

Don’t look back in anger! 

The focal point of any stadium is the 

pitch. As with many stadium designs, the 

pitch in Parken was not considered when 

drawing up the plans. The south west 

corner of the playing surface receives less 

than 45 minutes daylight, even on the 

sunniest day of the year. 

In 1993, grow lights were positioned 

across the playing surface. Growth was 

encouraged, but was weak and leggy, and 

easily kicked out. Grassmaster fibres were 

injected in an attempt to stabilise the 

surface in 1994. 

In March 1999, I took on the 

responsibility of the Parken pitch. 

Renovation works in the summer of 1999 

were aimed at re-establishing the 

grassmaster fibres. A period of six weeks 

was allowed from seed. The fibres 

stabilised the pitch and the required 

surface was produced. 

Parken’s calendar already included 

72 

Denmark’s 

many of the world’s top artists, and the 

intention was to maximise the stadiums 

potential. The pitch is a business and the 

events would now provide a challenge to 

producing the required surface. 

A Song for Europe 

Denmark sang their way to Eurovision 

Song Contest glory with the Olsen 

brothers toe tapping classic “Fly on the 

wings of love”. Winners in 2000, 

Denmark were duly awarded the hosting 

of the 2001 contest, and Parken was the 

venue, staging three shows with in excess 

of 80,000 in attendance. Terry Wogan 

could now be added to the stadium’s 

growing celebrity list. 

A condition of hosting the event is that 

it has to be staged indoors. Parken and 

Danish Radio collaborated and a 

retractable roof was constructed. A 

heating system was included in the 

design to enable events to be staged 365 

days of the year. 

Satisfaction 

The introduction of speedway, in 2003, 

placed further demands on the playing 

surface. Renovations after the speedway 

event required total removal of the 

decayed plant, and recovery from seed. 

Establishment periods reduced as the 

events list increased. In 2004, the pitch 

was established in less than four weeks 

from seed. Simon and Garfunkel staged a 

concert on the pitch just twenty-one days 

after seeding! 

Producing a fibre based pitch was 

achievable in the limited time frame. 

The required growing-in period, 

restricted the options for the events 

department. During the establishment, 

the pitch was closed and the events 

scheduling during the season was 

planned to increase. 

Whilst the fibres provided us with an 

excellent playing surface, it did restrict 

the options when considering the diverse 

events. Individual areas damaged during 

events could not be returfed, as it would 

produce an inconsistent playing surface 

combined with the fibres. Turfing on top 

of the fibres was successfully maintained 

on occasions, but we were still restricted 

with our surface preparations when 

installing turf. Cultivating to aid rooting 

was the aim. 

In January 2009, the fibres were 

removed from the pitch. The works 

needed to be completed by February to

“We have changed our “keep off 

the grass” sign to “it will cost you” 

Wembley... 

prepare for the league’s second round 

and the spring season’s opener, a Lego 

exhibition. 40,000 ‘Lego heads’ attended 

the exhibition over four days. 

Manchester City were to be our next 

guests for a Champions League qualifier. 

The Lego production cleared the 

stadium on the 15th and we received the 

pitch back on the 16th. The surface was 

cultivated to a depth of 10cm and base 

nutrition applied. Support in Sport 

commenced the turf installation and 

completed the pitch in fourteen hours. 

FC Copenhagen trained on the pitch 

on the 17th, and that offered us a good 

indication of the playability of the 

surface prior to the official training 

sessions scheduled on the 18th. 

Irrigation, traction, ball response and 

roll could all be assessed. A 2-2 draw was 

played in the snow on the 20th. 

Money’s too tight to mention 

The strategy was to increase the use of 

the pitch. In 2009, the non-football 

events attracted over 300,000 customers 

into the stadium. Working in multi-use 

environments offers the potential to 

modify the turf manager’s attitude 

towards the surface. We have changed 

our “keep off the grass” sign to “it will 

cost you”. The pitch is a business. 

Standards are maintained with the 

correct management strategy and 

experience. 

The total non-football events in 2009 

were: 

Lego World - 12-15th February 

Speedway - 13th June 

AC/DC - 19th June 

Depeche Mode - 30th June 

Britney Spears - 11th July 

Madonna - 11th August 

Novo Dinner Party - 21st August 

Fleetwood Mac - 8th October 

Bavian Rock -17th October 

Muse - 26th of October 

Sensation Rave - 31st October 

Christmas Gala x 2 - 4th and 5th 

December 

Dance for Climate Change - 7th 

December 

The production for the events has 

increased and access to the pitch for 

cranes and trucks is often requested. 

Providing the production with a user 

Chris Hague, Grounds Manager, Parken Stadium, Copenhagen 

friendly environment encourages events 

and revenue. Renovation works are 

budgeted for in the planning of an 

event. Pitches installed must earn their 

fertiliser. 

Planning events involves consideration 

of the fixture list and calculating the 

potential solutions. Any production is 

possible, we assess the practicalities and 

consequences. 

Is there time available, and do the 

figures add up? If yes to both, then we 

schedule the event. 

All events are planned in detail for the 

‘load in and load out’, and a production 

plan is circulated. Meetings will take 

place involving the relevent departments 

for the show, e.g. operations, security, 

ground staff, maintenance, production, 

riggers, cleaning. The operations 

department will co-ordinate and draft a 

production plan. 

Occasionally, the production for an 

event will contribute to the renovation of 

the pitch. If the stage requires cranes in 

situ on the pitch, or steel plated roads 

for access to the stage, an agreement can 

be reached. 

When budgeting for pitch renovations, 

it can be cost effective to plan a new 

73

Preparing for Monster Trucks 

NOVO party 

Speedway 

Les Miserables - well, you would be! 

It’s only Rock and Roll ... 

74 

“Developing a positive approach, 

and appreciating the commercial 

responsibilities of our business, 

is important to progress the turf 

industry” 

installation. Allowing production to 

go ahead with their event, without 

limitations and stressed grounds 

persons, can be beneficial to all. 

Under Pressure 

2009 was another successful year in 

Parken. FCK were champions, 

Denmark qualified for the World 

Cup and the pitch performed 

consistently well. 

Challenges faced by the grounds 

team were motivational and many. A 

relaxed spring season, with football 

and one exhibition being our only 

customer, the autumn calendar was 

set to entertain the locals. The 

schedule for the newly installed 

pitch would include concerts, a 

dinner party, and be finished off 

with a rave at the end of October, 

which required covering the pitch 

with steel plating. 

The timeframe for the installation 

was limited, when we received the 

pitch back from Britney on July12th. 

We installed a pitch on the 13- 

14th, and staged Champions League 

on the 15th July. 

FCK then played at home on 1st 

August. Madonna sang like a virgin 

on the 11th August. 

Madge’s production wrote off the 

penalty area, so we stripped and 

relaid the area (1500m2 ) ready for 

training on the 14th, with a home 

game on the 15th. This was followed 

by a Champions League match on 

the 18th. 

On the 21st August, we staged 

NOVO, a dinner party with up to 

10,000 diners on the pitch. 

September was uneventful, with a 

local football ‘super league’, a World 

Cup qualifier and a few training 

sessions. 

However, the following few weeks 

was a different story! 

1st - Europa League 

4th - Danish Super league 

8th - Fleetwood Mac 

10th - Denmark v Sweden WCQ 

14th - Denmark v Hungry WCQ 

17th - Bavarian rock concert 

25th - Super League 

26th - Muse 

31st - Rave 

5th Nov - Europa League 

The rave would stress the pitch to 

the extent we would need time to 

recover the damage. The calendar 

limited our renovations and, 

therefore, the option to replace the 

turf was scheduled. This enabled 

Muse to put on a show on the 

Monday, leaving the pitch 

protection covers on, to reduce the 

costs and increase the revenue. 

Work commenced removing the 

pitch on November 2nd, and it was 

installed ready for training on the 

4th. 

The autumn/winter pitch staged 

two concerts in December, and the 

X Factor in March 2010. 

Relax 

FCK claimed the title at Parken in 

May 2010. After the final whistle the 

gates were opened and the crowd 

enjoyed a free for all on the pitch. A 

stage and safety barrier had been 

pre-rigged outside and driven into 

position on a goalmouth for the 

celebration party. 

The schedule for the 2010 

summer events consisted of: 

May 16th - FCK final league match 

May 22nd/23rd - Monster trucks 

(grass recoverable) 

May 29th - Rave (terraplas, 

recoverable) 

June 5th - Speedway (9 days 

production, roof closed for the 

duration, removal and establishment 

of plant required) 

July 16th - Stevie Wonder concert 

July 17th - Danish league fixture 

July 25th - Pink concert 

July 27th - Champions League 

fixture 

August 1st - Danish league 

August 4th - Champions League 

fixture 

August 11th - Denmark v Germany 

Considering the schedule, it was cost 

effective to hand over the stadium to 

the operations department. 

The installation for the new turf 

was set for June 23rd, to enable time 

to settle the pitch and allow the 

grass to strengthen ahead of the 

scheduled concerts. 

In consultation with the 

operations department, the decision 

was made to install a further pitch 

on July 26th, after the load out from 

Pink. 

The installation was completed on 

Monday July 27th, ready for prematch 

training on the Friday. 

Roll With It 

Selecting the turf, preparing and 

planning the installation are crucial 

to the success of the playing surface. 

Rooting is the key to the success of 

the turf system. To achieve sufficient

ooting, attention to the daily 

maintenance includes monitoring 

irrigation, aeration and nutrition. The 

lighting rigs enable us to energise the 

plant. Concentrate on the roots and the 

grass will thrive. We are trying to grow it 

down not up. Ideally, a period for 

growing-in the surface is advised, with a 

minimum of fourteen days. 

Turf selection includes stadia and 

farm visits. Assessing the turf on the 

farm is required. Assessing the turf in a 

stadium environment offers a greater 

understanding of the turf ’s suitability. 

The time taken to transport the turf is 

a consideration, and the option to cool 

it, in transit, is considered in the warmer 

months when working in Scandinavia. 

Assessments of the turf are carried out 

at the turf farm including: 

Turf strength 

Grass species composition (Poa pratensis 

providing lateral strength, Lollium 

perenne good wear and recovery) 

Pest and diseases 

Rootzone - particle size distribution and 

compatibility 

Turf maturity 

Turf maintenance prior to harvesting 

(nutrition, dressing, cutting height) 

Moving On Up 

Managing stadiums as a business 

enables development of the turf 

manager’s role. 

Economic responsibilities and 

understanding are a part of our daily 

work. 

There are currently four full-time 

grounds persons managing the stadium 

and three at the training ground 

pitches. The standard produced in 

recent years is a credit to the team effort 

of Daniel, Matt, Pete and Thomas, the 

“green team” as we are collectively 

known in Parken 

The operations department are also 

key to the success of the pitch. With the 

resources and challenges we face, it is 

vital that all involved are working 

together. My role is somewhere between 

the green team and the operations. 

Developing a positive approach, and 

appreciating the commercial 

responsibilities of our business, is 

important to progress the turf industry. 

When proposals are discussed 

concerning usage of a pitch, educating 

the planners will enable us to become 

part of the plan. 

Stadiums will continue to stage non 

sporting events. Investing in stadiums 

and pitch systems is expensive and 

clubs/companies are required to recover 

their costs. There are solutions to all the 

challenges. 

Pitch protection systems allow the 

pitch to survive, lighting rigs encourage 

growth in shaded areas, turf installations 

offer full pitch recovery. 

Managing the numerous events on the 

pitch offers the opportunity to learn and 

progress as a turf manager 

It’s Only Rock and Roll but we like it! 

The modern 

stadium pitch 

manager ... 

By Carl Pass, Director of 

Premier Pitches Ltd 

Professional football pitch 

management is no longer about 

providing a surface which will 

withstand the rigours of 90 minutes of 

football, any league groundsman will 

testify to this. 

Groundsmen now have the additional 

pressure of providing a surface that will be 

used for a pre-match warm-up which can 

last up to 30 minutes. There are also half 

time activities, including penalty 

shootouts, marching bands, dancers and 

junior matches played across the pitch. In 

addition, many teams now insist on a 

warm-down after the match which, in 

some cases, becomes a full-blown training 

session for squad players not involved in 

the 90 minutes of action which has just 

unfolded. 

Success in European competitions 

brings additional burdens as visiting 

teams have access to the match pitch for 

training sessions on the day prior to the 

tie being played. Other events, such as 

music concerts, bring in much needed 

revenue to clubs who are in the business 

of making money by what ever means to 

support their main objective, which is to 

be successful on the pitch. 

All these activities are often undertaken 

in grounds which have either evolved into 

multi-use venues or, worse still, have been 

designed with little or no thought to the 

well being of the pitch. The consequence 

of such relentless use is a degenerated 

surface which may suffer from 

compaction, poor drainage, little or no 

grass cover and uneven levels. 

So, where does this leave the person 

entrusted with producing a surface 

which will cater for all the needs of a 

professional football club? 

Clubs will not reduce the height of stands 

to reduce the impact of shade, nor will 

they open up corners of the stadium to 

allow increased air movement or reduce 

the amount of additional activity on the 

pitch during match days and in the close 

season. It is my view that we must take a 

positive stance to the situation by 

adopting a new philosophy of preparing 

new pitches rather than repairing old 

ones. 

Come the end of the season, clubs who 

wish to maintain a high standard of 

playing surface, whilst maximising 

revenue from other opportunities, must 

accept that the pitch has done its job and 

replace it. Particularly in a stadium 

environment where the groundsman is, 

essentially, growing grass indoors, 

beginning the season with a new pitch 

offers the greatest opportunity for the 

surface to withstand the difficult 

environment it is expected to perform 

within. 

Stadium pitches, in general, have 

improved tremendously over the past ten 

years, which is a credit to all involved 

including groundsmen, researchers and 

manufacturers of specialist turf 

“Clubs will not reduce the height of 

stands to reduce the impact of 

shade, nor will they open up corners 

of the stadium to allow increased 

air movement” ...continued over

“In a stadium environment the groundsman 

is, essentially, growing grass indoors” 

maintenance equipment. I’m fortunate to 

work alongside progressive agronomists 

and the new generation of sports turf 

managers/groundsmen, who realise the 

advantages of preparing a new pitch, 

rather than repairing an old one. 

So, what are the advantages of pitch 

preparation rather than repair? When 

should it start and how is it achieved? 

The advantage is that the existing pitch is 

available to the club to safely utilise for 

income generation prior to the new pitch 

preparation. Corporate and community 

....the North East of England, 

NATIONWIDE! 

events, sports days, pay-to-play football 

tournaments, five-a-side leagues and music 

concerts can all be undertaken, in the 

knowledge that they will not affect the 

quality of the playing surface, as it will be 

removed and replaced. An additional 

benefit, in some cases, is that part of the 

income generated from such events may 

be used to part-finance the pitch 

improvements. 

Pitch preparation can start as soon as 

the corporate events are completed, but 

preferably before the beginning of June. 

How does the preparation system work 

in practice? 

A consultant, or the groundsman, should 

either prepare a specification or discuss 

with a reputable contractor the work that 

is required and when it can commence. 

The specification will include a bill of 

quantities which will outline to the 

contractor what he is expected to supply 

and what the club may wish to supply 

themselves. As a contractor, I feel it’s 

important that the groundsmen choose 

materials that they want to work with as, 

when we’ve finished and left the site, it is 

they who are responsible for seeing the 

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pitch through to the end of the season. 

Materials should be ordered and 

provision made to store them safely away 

from the elements as required. Bulk 

materials, such as Fibresand or Fibrelastic, 

need to be ordered in advance and a 

delivery time and date agreed. 

As soon as the club’s corporate 

department has finished with the pitch, 

and all coverings are removed, the 

contractor should be on site ready to 

commence work. 

The existing pitch surface should be 

stripped using a Koro TopMaker, a superb 

piece of equipment that has revolutionised 

the way pitches are renovated. The Koro 

strips the entire surface, removing all 

organic accumulations, leaving a clean, 

debris-free rootzone which can then be 

worked with to produce the desired 

playing surface. 

Initial cultivation can then commence to 

break up any pans or layering which may 

be present within the top 100mm of the 

pitch profile. This work also serves as the 

ultimate form of aeration, as it 

redistributes particles around the profile 

and allows any anaerobic conditions to 

become oxygenated. Should any soil 

conditioners, such as seaweed or 

granulated lime stone and fertilisers be 

required, they should be applied at this 

stage to ensure they are thoroughly 

incorporated in to the vital top100mm of 

rootzone. 

Once initial cultivations are complete 

and, dependent upon the specification, it 

would be normal practice to apply new 

rootzone material, which is often 

Fibresand or Fibrelastic. This is intended 

to replenish any material lost during the 

removal of the surface. It’s important to 

use a specially adapted drop spreader 

capable of handling this type of material 

without bridging or blocking as work 

progresses. 

The evenly spread material can then be 

integrated in to the top 100mm by further 

cultivation, normally with a rotary harrow. 

At this stage, visual inspection will dictate 

how many passes with the cultivator are 

required to produce an evenly blended 

rootzone. The final pass will be made and 

levels trimmed to be consistent with those 

of the original construction. 

Consolidation will be required next. 

This is a vital aspect of the works and 

should be carried out evenly and 

accurately all over the pitch to achieve 

consistent results. As work progresses, it 

may be necessary to irrigate at this stage 

to maintain a degree of moisture in the 

immediate surface, preventing the 

separation of fibres. Fines in the rootzone 

can also find there way onto the surface as 

a dusty residue if irrigation is not 

available, causing problems later in the 

season by impeding surface drainage. 

Fine finishing is a vital aspect of 

achieving the end result. This work should 

be undertaken by skilled operators using 

specialist machinery and equipment. 

When surface levels are seen to be 

satisfactory, the next stage of the works 

can commence. 

The pitch should be over-seeded with a 

seeder designed specifically for sowing a 

pitch from scratch. Usually, two passes will 

be made with this type of machine, but 

more may be required if the groundsman 

or consultant dictate otherwise. Finally, the 

pitch should be flat rolled to seal in the 

seed and produce the finished level. 

The first stage of pitch preparation is 

then complete. It is then up to the 

groundsman to use his skill and the 

relevant technology available to him to 

produce and maintain the new sward. 

He can carry out this work in the 

knowledge that he has a completely 

refreshed rootzone, free from any layering 

and its associated problems. Drainage 

rates will be increased considerably, 

preventing waterlogging during the wetter 

winter months. The sward will be made up 

of new grass plants, all establishing 

seminal roots, which will form the basis of 

a strong root mass, essential for durability. 

The weedgrass Poa annua will be largely 

eradicated, to the point when it is no 

longer a problem, and the whole pitch will 

be in better condition than it would have 

been if it was a pitch renovated from the 

previous season. 

The work I’ve described is more 

expensive than standard renovation, but 

not so high that it should not be within 

the budget of any professional football 

club. Those with very limited budgets 

could achieve an acceptable result by 

fraize mowing to clean out the vegetation 

and overseeding, enabling them to begin 

each season with a new sward. 

To get the very best from the playing 

surface, new pitch preparation should be 

carried out each year. In reality, budgetary 

constraints and other issues, such as 

restricted timescale, may prevent it. From 

my experience of working across the UK 

and in Europe, it should be a major 

consideration for any club who want to 

maximise both pitch performance and 

profitability.

Marshalling 

his troops! 

Under a blood red sky, Paul Marshall, 

Head Groundsman at Northants 

County Cricket Club, comes to the 

end of a fifteen hour working day. 

Laurence Gale MSc joined him for the 

duration (nearly!) 

After spending a couple of days 

visiting the groundstaff at 

Northants, I was able to see 

the rewards of all their hard 

work at a Friends Provident 

Twenty20 game against Yorkshire, which 

ended in a high scoring, 180 run tie and 

satisfied a large, appreciative crowd of 

cricket supporters, with the pitch also 

gaining a very good mark from the 

umpires. 

Twenty20 cricket has become the 

financial lifeblood of county cricket, so 

much so that the ECB has invested 

hundreds of thousands of pounds in 

erecting top specification lighting 

systems at many of the county grounds, 

to enable clubs to arrange evening 

fixtures to increase revenue streams. 

The new lights at Northants are 

78 

impressive. They are amongst the 

highest (50 metres) and most technically 

advanced in the country. The high 

definition quality system offers reduced 

light pollution, saves power, whilst still 

delivering a staggering 3000 lux of 

lighting power. The lights are also self 

cleaning and are guaranteed for ten 

years. 

The system consists of six columns - 

four with 72 lamps, and the two central 

columns with 48. They were designed 

and installed by Musco Lighting, and are 

one of several new sets that have been 

installed at various county grounds 

around the country. 

The lights only take ten minutes to 

warm up, and are very efficient to run. 

They are currently powered by a large 

mobile generator, a temporary 

arrangement until they decide on a 

permanent location for the switch gear 

and incoming feed. 

The Head Groundsman at Northants is 

Paul Marshall, who has been at the club 

for over twenty years. He has four staff 

who help him; assistant head 

groundsman Paul Taylor, who has been at 

the club eight years, Craig Harvey (8 

years) Daryl Day (2 years) and Paul’s son, 

Rikki Marshall, who joined the team at 

the start of the season. Rikki has recently 

enrolled at Myerscough College, whilst 

Craig and Daryl have, respectively, just 

completed the second and third years of 

their degree courses at the college. 

Paul became head groundsman in 

2002, inheriting a significant layering 

problem into the bargain. The desire to 

improve the condition of the square

equired an innovative programme of 

end of season renovations, and Paul 

chose to combine deep scarifying, deep 

drilling and drill and fill, using 

Ecosolve’s tried and tested methods. 

The drills used have been designed 

and developed by Ecosolve and the ECB 

Pitches Consultant, Chris Wood, for 

specific use on cricket wickets. A number 

of different designs and dimensions were 

tried before reaching these bespoke 

items. There was, says Paul, no real 

alternative, other than digging up 

several tracks and starting again. 

They have been drilling four wickets a 

year since 2004, and identify which 

pitches need to be done, either because 

they are next in line for the ongoing 

programme or perhaps have not 

performed as well as they would have 

liked that year. 

The drilling programme usually 

consists of drilling at 165mm (6.5”) 

centres using a 25mm (1”) diameter drill 

bit to a depth of 250mm (10”). This 

equates to over 1700 holes per wicket. 

The holes are then back filled with the 

desired loam, either Boughton County or 

Ongar depending on which wickets are 

being worked on. It usually takes three to 

four days to complete the whole process. 

They have perfected a good method of 

working. As soon has the holes have been 

drilled, a metal rod is hammered into 

each one to smooth the sides, ready to 

ensure the new loam material can be 

worked to the bottom of the holes. The 

same rod is used to consolidate the back 

filling material. 

Once the drilling has been completed, 

the whole square is then scarified in 

several passes, using a Graden scarifier, 

to remove thatch and debris, with all the 

arisings cleaned up using brushes, rotary 

mowers and blowers. The square is then 

soaked, using a couple of oscillating 

sprinklers, ready for sowing with R9, a 

dwarf perennial rye grass mix, sowing in 

several directions. 

Paul may use germination sheets to 

help force the seed to germinate but, in 

most cases, the seed is up within seven 

days. Grass is left to mature before 

cutting with a pedestrian rotary mower. 

An autumn granular feed is applied to 

help promote growth, followed by 

applications of liquid iron, amino and 

bio stimulants once aeration takes place; 

the aim is to promote microbial activity 

in the soil profile, which helps improve 

79

Paul Taylor mixing up his concoction for repairing 

bowlers’ footmarks 

80 

L-r: Paul Taylor, Daryl Day, Paul Marshall, 

Craig Harvey and Rikki Marshall 

the soil structure, along with 

maintaining a decent sward colour 

during the winter months. 

Ecosolve usually come back in 

November each year to undertake 

deep drilling and aeration on both 

the square and net areas, drilling 

down to a depth of 250mm (10”) 

using 12mm diameter drills set at 

175mm spacing. More aeration is 

undertaken in December using a 

Groundsman spiker set at 100mm. 

This completes the renovation 

programme, allowing Paul and his 

staff to take some much earned rest 

and recuperation. 

However, the club always seem to 

find additional work for the 

groundstaff, who usually get a 

number of interior jobs to 

undertake. These may include 

painting and decorating offices and 

stands. The club, like many of the 

older county grounds, are 

continually trying to improve their 

infrastructure with better facilities. 

Many of the older stands are in 

need of refurbishment and 

modernisation. 

During the winter, working hours 

are 8.30am to 5.00pm. During the 

season the set start time is 7.30am 

and they finish ‘whenever’! On 

match days, though, Paul staggers 

the start times to give his team 

slightly more sensible hours. 

Paul does not have a great deal of 

equipment to hand. His old Massey 

Ferguson tractor is currently in for 

repair, so he is having to hire one 

(a Kubota STV40) until he gets it 

back. He is hoping budgets will 

allow him to upgrade his tractor 

soon. All the mowers are serviced in 

January to ensure they remain 

sharp and fit for purpose. 

Match wickets are cut using either 

a Lloyds Paladin or a 24” Allett, 

whilst a John Deere triple mower is 

used on the outfield. A few years 

ago, Paul decided to use only 

pedestrian rear roller rotaries for 

cutting the square, with the aim of 

reducing compaction. The square is 

kept at between 15-20mm in the 

summer and 20-25mm in the 

winter. The Paladin is set between 

3-5mm for final cut. 

Pre season rolling gets going as 

early as possible to accommodate 

the practice matches scheduled for 

mid March. They begin by using 

the weight of the Allett mower, 

gradually building up to the 1.5 

tonne heavy roller. Paul does not 

roll ‘for the sake of it’, preferring to 

roll as the weather dictates and 

maximising what moisture is in the 

ground. This year, he managed to 

get all his wickets done with less 

than thirty hours of rolling. 

The square is fed with granular 

and liquid feeds - 14:0:7 spring and 

summer fertiliser along with a 

17:2:5 liquid - throughout the 

growing season, as and when 

needed. 

Time allotted to prepare wickets 

is set between 10-14 days, which is 

generally determined by weather 

conditions and the time between 

games. Both Pauls like to keep a bit 

of grass on their wickets and not cut 

too short. The wicket is prepared by 

a combination of brushing, 

scarifying, watering, rolling (the 

pitches get an initial roll of 45 

minutes at the start of preparations

and then rolled for twenty 

minutes for subsequent 

rolling days, with no more 

than three hours of total 

rolling carried out for each 

pitch prepared), covering and 

cutting. 

The club have invested in a 

number of covers, both flat 

and raised, to protect the 

wickets. These include three 

85 x 50 feet TTS Climate 

Covers, two sets of raised 

covers (with side sheets) to 

protect match wickets and net 

areas. Having manageable 

sheets and covers is essential 

in the modern game. 

With just twenty wickets on 

the square allocation for 

matches is crucial. The 

central twelve are used for 

first class matches, and two of 

these have to be set aside for 

international games, leaving 

just ten to accommodate an 

ever increasing fixture list. 

This means that Paul has to 

make the wickets last as long 

as possible. For example, the 

wicket used for the Twenty20 

game against Yorkshire had 

already had three games - 

two 50 over A Internationals 

and another Twenty20 - 

played on it. 

Pitch repairs are, therefore, 

essential and Paul Taylor has 

perfected a robust method 

using, perhaps surprisingly, 

Kaloam. This is mixed into a 

solution of water and Permazyme, 

a bonding agent 

developed by Flicx Cricket. 

300ml of Perma-zyme is 

diluted into 20 litres of water 

and the loam is mixed into a 

tacky mass and left to air for 

a couple of hours before 

being bagged for use. The 

Perma-zyme helps bond the 

soil particles together, giving 

it more strength. The 

damaged foot holes are then 

chiselled out to create a key 

for the new loam mix and 

then tampered down. This 

method has proved very 

successful. As soon as a pitch 

is finished with, usually after 

four or five matches, it is 

soaked up, scarified in several 

directions and sown with R9 

perennial rye grass. It is 

covered to speed up 

germination. 

With the square 

approaching somewhere near 

the standard that Paul wants, 

he will now turn his attention 

to the outfield which, he 

admits, is some way behind 

other county grounds. It 

needs to have a pop up 

watering system installed, 

along with some work to 

address levels and 

undulations. Paul hopes that 

this work will happen in the 

not too distant future. 

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follow Paul and his team 

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81

...Dateline Friday 2nd July... 

N o r t h a n t s S t e e l b a c k s v Y o r k s h i r e C a r n e g i e . . . 

I arrive at the county ground in 

Northampton on the morning of the 

Twenty20 match against Yorkshire Carnegie. 

Accompanying me was Bob Stretton, former 

ECB Pitches Advisor for Warwickshire and 

current Head Groundsman at Massey 

Ferguson Sports Club. It was to be a great 

opportunity to see what goes on before, 

during and after a match - and what a 

match it turned out to be! 

07:30 

Paul Marshall arrives to check the pitch 

and see what the weather forecast is 

predicting for the day. The pitch was 

covered overnight, with both the raised 

covers and TTS Climate Covers, to protect 

it from some forecasted rain. 

08:00 

Paul oversees the parking and setting up of 

the lighting generator. 

08:30 

Paul meets up with other heads of 

department for final team briefing. 

09:30 

Paul checks out the weather forecast and 

briefs his staff on what was said at the 

heads of department meeting whilst, at the 

same time, reminding the team what they 

need to do as their final preparations for 

the game. 

10:00 

First cup of tea of the day. Met up with the 

electricians who had come in to check the 

generator. They would stay on site for the 

remainder of the day. 

11:00 

Daryl gets out the John Deere Triple and 

begins mowing and striping up the 

outfield. This takes over three hours. 

12:00 

Groundstaff inspect and set up the practice 

82 

nets areas for both teams. 

13:00 

Paul keeps an eye on the weather to see if 

he can take the covers off. He also liaises 

with other departments to check when the 

players, coaches and umpires are due to 

arrive. 

The staff take the chance to refuel with 

some lunch, and keep an eye on how Andy 

Murray is getting on at Wimbledon. 

14:30 

Paul decides to remove the covers and 

begins setting up the pitch, and it’s all 

hands on deck. It takes about 20 minutes to 

remove all the covers and store them away. 

Daryl is just finishing mowing the outfield! 

15:00 

Paul Taylor inspects the pitch - not too 

much to worry about. He is confident it will 

perform well, based on its performance in 

the last two games (28th and 29th June). It 

had been cleaned up and rolled the 

previous day. It was simply a case of 

marking out for tonight’s game. 

16:00 

A few of the home players begin to arrive 

and wander out onto the ground to discuss 

the condition of the wicket with Paul. Paul 

Taylor and Daryl mark out the pitch using 

a straight edge and paint brush. Paul then 

decides to stripe up the square with his 

Sarp pedestrian rotary. 

16:30 

Gates open and supporters start arriving. 

Mark Tagg, the club’s Chief Executive, 

appears out on the square to see how things 

are. I am introduced to him and he tells me 

that he receives the Pitchcare magazine and 

how much he enjoys reading it. He is very 

supportive of Paul and his staff, knowing 

only too well the role they play in making 

Northampton a successful club. A near to 

capacity crowd of 4,000 is expected for 

tonight’s game. 

17:00 

Both teams come out to begin their warm 

up routines, utilising areas of the outfield, 

practice nets and bowling on two of the 

tracks. 

17:45 

The floodlight generator is started up, 

lights are up and running after ten minutes 

18:00 

Paul and his staff carry out the final 

preparations to the square and outfield. 

This involves taking down the practice nets, 

covering over adjacent pitches with coconut 

matting, placing out the stumps, putting 

out the infield markers and sorting out the 

boundary rope. 

18:30 

The umpires and captains (Steelbacks’ 

Andrew Hall and Carnegies’ Jacque 

Rudolph) meet out on the pitch, are 

introduced to the crowd and carry out the 

toss which Yorkshire win, choosing to bat 

first. 

19:00 

The game begins. Yorkshire get off to a 

flier, with Herschelle Gibbs (don’t worry, 

we’ll mention an Englishman later) scoring 

his first T20 century of the summer. The 

innings closes on 180-3. The wicket 

produces plenty of bounce and pace, with 

the ball coming on to the bat nicely.

20:30 

Between innings, Paul and his team have 

just ten minutes to clean up the square 

ready for the Steelbacks innings. This 

involves sweeping the wicket, repainting 

lines, rolling the wicket with a light hand 

roller and resetting the stumps. 

20:40 

The Steelbacks are chasing a very 

competitive score. Openers Chaminda Vaas 

and David Sales (there’s our first 

Englishman) race to 50 off just 27 balls. 

However, wickets fall regularly and, as the 

sun sets in stunning fashion, the Steelbacks 

require 13 runs off the last ball to win. It 

can’t possibly happen ... enter Englishman, 

Richard Pyrah, to write himself into the 

record books. An above waist height no-ball 

from him is smashed for a six by Nicky 

Boje (sorry, not English) totalling eight 

runs scored. The rebowled ball is then hit 

for four, resulting in ‘twelve’ runs off the 

last ball, and a tied game. Henceforth are 

the visitors to be known as the Yorkshire 

Puddings? Incidentally, this was the second 

tied game for the Steelbacks in four T20 

matches! 

22:00 

With the game finished, the stumps are 

removed as quickly as possible, to deter 

souvenir hunters, and the wicket is covered. 

It’s all hands on deck for fifteen minutes. 

22:20 

And then it’s time to go home. It’s another 

early start the next day to prepare the same 

pitch for a Twenty20 game against Pakistan 

which starts at 15.00. 

22:30 

The floodlights are switched off and the 

ground is plunged into almost darkness, 

with just a faint red glow in the sky from 

that fantastic sunset. It’s time for me to 

drive home after a long, yet rewarding and 

exhilarating day with a great team of 

groundsmen who are a credit to our 

industry and the cricket club they serve so 

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83

Life can be tough when 

budgets are tight, but 

even tougher when 

premium playing 

surfaces are demanded 

across the board. Tom 

James meets a man who 

walks a fine line to 

satisfy differing 

sporting priorities 

Demain man! 

“I’M a great believer in the power of 

nature to regenerate, and in turf ’s ability 

to come back to life.” Head groundsman 

Vic Demain voiced these sentiments 

whilst gazing out over a baked, brown 

expanse at Uxbridge Cricket Club, 

currently Middlesex County Cricket 

Club’s number one outground. 

Vic has witnessed such sights before - 

when the playing surface turns ‘white’ - 

and he knew that the four days of rain 

forecasted following my visit to him in 

July would prove the remedy for the 

parched playing surface. 

Vic’s sanguine approach reflects his 

generally more relaxed stance towards 

his daily task of managing the sometimes 

conflicting demands of, what is, a multisport 

venue. 

Passion for his job and a quest for 

excellence under trying circumstances 

had conspired to create an inner tension, 

he reveals, but insists he is “far calmer 

about things now. I don’t let the job get 

to me as much as it once might have 

done.” 

He then expands on his earlier 

reflection. “I never cease to be amazed 

by the power of grass to compensate. It’s 

84 

an amazing species. When times are 

tough, it shuts itself down and just ticks 

over until conditions improve.” 

One reason, perhaps, why grass, in one 

form or another, has populated virtually 

every square metre possible on the 

planet. 

Vic is now in his fifth season at 

Uxbridge, having joined in 2006. Before 

coming into the post, he had enjoyed a 

multifaceted career, coming into turfcare 

with “passion but little experience”, he 

confesses. 

“I’d worked as a painter and decorator 

for many years but, once the housing 

industry slumped, I decided to apply for 

jobs in groundsmanship. I had little 

hands-on knowledge or experience but 

had enthusiasm in droves.” 

He was lucky enough to land a 

position at Ascott Park in 

Buckinghamshire, a job he secured 

thanks to the coaching qualifications he 

had gained whilst still in the decorating 

trade. 

Joining there in 1996, he spent eight 

seasons on, what is, the country estate of 

financier Sir Evelyn de Rothschild. As 

joyous as his arrival had been was the 

shock and disappointment at the news 

that his “over-zealous” estates manager 

wanted to move towards a contractorbased 

operation. 

“They wanted to save money, so felt 

that not employing a full-time 

groundsman would help them do this - a 

move I have always felt was a mistake on 

their part,” he explains. Despite efforts 

to save the position, the deed was done 

and Vic moved on to work for Richard 

Bryce (Sports Ground Services) Milton 

Keynes for two seasons where he looked 

after Campbell Park, a Northants 

outground. 

Vic moved to the position of Head 

Groundsman at Uxbridge Cricket Club 

in 2006, and can now claim to be one of 

the club’s longest-serving groundsmen. 

That fact, in itself, conceals the reality 

that a high staff turnover has 

characterised the club over the years. 

“It’s a challenging club to work at,” 

says Vic candidly, “given the scope of 

provision here, which includes not only 

cricket but also tennis, bowls and rugby.” 

A major issue in that legacy has been a 

lack of continuity in club chairmen, Vic 

contests. “That’s made decision-making

problematic. You might agree a strategy with the 

current chairman one year, then they’re gone the next 

and the new chairman may well have other priorities,” 

he continues. 

“The chairman can be drawn from any section of the 

club, so their knowledge will be confined largely to one 

particular sport,” he adds. “That can make it difficult 

to secure the right level of investment across all the 

provision.” 

Middlesex utilises three outgrounds - Richmond Old 

Deer Park, Southgate and Uxbridge. The county’s first 

choice, currently, is Vic’s domain, sometimes used 

intensively during the season, and to a level dictated 

by how many days the county side can play at Lord’s, 

which now, more than ever, plays host to a gruelling 

calendar of club, test and one-day cricket. 

In 2008, Middlesex returned to Uxbridge after 

around a twelve year absence, during which they 

played most of their games at Southgate. This return 

saw Uxbridge host no fewer than twenty-eight days of 

cricket in that season. Last year saw twenty-two days of 

action. This year, only six days are in the calendar - 

two Twenty20 matches (the first, against Hampshire, 

was played on the day I visited Vic) and a four-day 

game later in the month that, together, constitute the 

Uxbridge Festival. 

The two cricket squares, one of thirteen strips, the 

other ten, come in for a fair old battering - being used 

every day of the week for either club or amateur level 

“Preparing the finest 

surfaces for county play 

can be a real challenge, 

yet still be a real thrill” 

Vic Demain, Head Groundsman, Uxbridge Cricket Club

Vic Demain, parched outfield and Hampshire CCC warming up! 

Vic with his ‘invaluable’ good friend Ramesh Patel 

Players warm up ahead of the T20 game 

between Middlesex and Hampshire 

“We are expected to 

work 12 to 14-hour 

days for little financial 

reward, and that’s 

something that just 

doesn’t appeal to 

younger people now” 

86 

cricket. Vic and his 

“invaluable” assistant, 

Ramesh Patel, have a tough 

job of keeping the square up 

to the standards that 

cricketers of all levels 

increasingly demand. 

“Preparing the finest 

surfaces for county play can 

be a real challenge, yet still 

be a real thrill,” says Vic, 

“because I’m seeking to 

provide bounce, pace, spin, 

seam and consistency. We 

can only try and do the best 

job we can with, what is, a 

very limited budget.” 

“When I do need 

something extra, I have to 

go to the committee and, in 

most cases, our requests are 

turned down.” 

Not one to moan about 

his plight, Vic is professional 

enough to know that he just 

has to get on with the job in 

hand. “When Middlesex 

come here, they take over 

the ground. That’s the way 

it is. You’ll never be able to 

control them, just mop up 

afterwards,” he jokes. 

Given the daily grind of 

matches, Vic’s key priority is 

to try and protect the main 

square as much as he can 

and to maintain standards. 

With the rugby pitch, bowls 

green and grass tennis 

courts to manage to boot, 

he knows that he has to 

devote the level of care and 

attention to the cricket 

surfaces that will deliver 

results. 

“It’s a bit of a change 

from my positions at Ascott 

Park and Campbell Park, as 

I have to tend to these 

facilities in the same 

timespan as I used to look 

after just one cricket pitch - 

and here we have around 

500 club members to keep 

happy as well,” he explains. 

For the four-day games, 

Vic likes to leave a little 

more grass on the pitch and 

allow for a tad more bounce, 

particularly on the first day. 

“It can get a little one- sided 

if we’re not careful,” he says. 

“For Twenty20 games, my 

aim is to produce wickets as 

dry and hard as possible - 

everyone wants to see the 

runs pile on, so we’ll aim for 

a wicket that can generate at 

least 120 an innings.” 

His wish came true in the 

Hampshire game although 

the result may not have 

suited him - Middlesex 

ramped up a total of 165, 

but were outflanked by their 

opponents Hampshire, 

losing by three wickets. 

“I like the strip ready two 

days before the event so we 

can keep it as hard as 

possible. If rain does come 

in the run-up, we have a 

large Blotter ready in the 

shed and plenty of cover, so 

we can be out playing after 

only a couple of hours if we 

need to.” 

Once the Festival, which 

attracts crowds of up to 

3,000 a day, is over, the first 

task is to apply water to the 

ground, and especially the 

square, by hose or sprinkler, 

as Uxbridge are unlikely 

ever to see the scale of 

outfield irrigation that is 

transforming the top 

venues. 

With only an inch of 

topsoil, then gravel below 

that, the surface turns a 

bright white in hot summers 

as the grass shuts down and 

lies dormant. 

With daily irrigation on 

the squares, his wickets 

turns into, what Vic calls 

poetically, “an oasis of green 

in the centre of a white 

desert,” scenes reminiscent 

of the Oval in the 

unprecedentedly dry 

summer of 1976, he recalls - 

a period many will 

remember for the 

appointment of Labour MP 

and avid cricketer Denis 

Howell as Minister for 

Drought, and the 

Government’s plea to the 

nation to ‘Bath with a 

friend’ to save water. 

With so many fixtures, 

and Uxbridge first and 

second elevens using the 

main square, Vic stresses the 

need for caution to balance 

the desire for hard surfaces 

with simply keeping the 

grass alive when so little 

rain has fallen. 

Irrigation is something 

that Vic wishes he had more 

control over though. “The 

outfield is not in great 

shape at the moment - it’s 

built to a very ‘old school’ 

design and, unfortunately, 

we don’t have irrigation to 

deal with the dry spells. It’ll 

be a long time before we see 

the benefit of ECB grants to 

transform the outfield,” he 

adds wistfully. 

“It’s something we have to 

live with - there’s no point 

getting worked up about 

things you can’t control, so I 

don’t worry about it 

anymore.” The angst of a 

turfcare professional, clearly 

frustrated by a predicament 

unlikely to change anytime 

soon, is tangible enough to

“In a sector like ours, it 

has be a labour of love 

to put the hours in and, 

for many youngsters, I 

don’t feel the passion 

is there” 

touch. 

Vic is a man who likes to go 

back to basics, advocating the 

benefits of the hands-on 

approach. “I’m a big fan of 

hand-scarifying, and we also 

brush and rake manually each 

day,” he explains. “It’s a 

practice used widely at 

Lord’s, and something that’s 

not done enough these days. 

The younger groundsmen 

prefer to use ride on mowers 

instead of getting down on 

their hands and knees,” he 

says stridently. 

Benefitting from one 

assistant over the summer, Vic 

must knuckle down for the 

rest of the year to complete 

the necessary tasks himself. 

Despite that, he relishes the 

challenge and recognises his 

need to ensure standards 

always remain high - “the 

long hours are a part of the 

job you just have to accept.” 

Still fired with enthusiasm 

as he turns fifty, Vic fears for 

the prospects of an ‘ageing’ 

industry. “I have real worries 

about the future and the role 

of the full-time groundsman 

at this level. I don’t see 

youngsters coming into the 

job in the numbers that they 

need to be. We are expected 

to work 12 to 14-hour days 

for little financial reward, and 

that’s something that just 

doesn’t appeal to younger 

people now,” he states. 

Such a trend could cause a 

snowball effect, and he fears 

that standards will fall if there 

are moves to a contractor-led 

industry. “In a sector like 

ours, it has be a labour of 

love to put the hours in and, 

for many youngsters, I don’t 

feel the passion is there. Not 

enough is being done to 

really address the issue.” 

The future of the 

groundsman is a subject close 

to Vic’s heart, and one he’s 

become increasingly more 

active in over the last few 

years, believing that 

disillusionment over 

workload, or their career 

futures, can set in all too 

easily. “We’re looking over 

our shoulders more now than 

ever, so we can’t afford to get 

complacent. Top men like 

Phil Frost at Somerset, Mike 

Garnham at Kent and 

Lawrence Gosling at Sussex 

have lost their jobs 

controversially, prompting 

the onset of the First Class 

Groundsman’s Conference,” 

he explains. 

February saw the first 

meeting convened when, 

high on the agenda, were 

issues such as how to protect 

groundsmen from being 

chopped unceremoniously 

after long years of service. 

Talks of union membership 

were rife, Vic reports, with 

UNITE, among others, aired 

as possibilities, whilst talks 

surfaced of involvement with 

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87

Bowls green with tennis courts beyond 

the Professional Cricketers Association - 

the players union - to reflect the reality 

that turfcare professionals are now seen 

as part and parcel of ‘the team’. 

The Uxbridge site sits, like many a 

London counterpart, on heavy London 

clay. Whilst this material might provide 

an optimum substrate for cricket, which 

favours a hard base, it has caused untold 

problems for one of the club’s other 

sports facilities - the rugby pitch. 

Leased from Hillingdon Borough 

Council two years ago, the pitch has 

proved one of Vic’s and the club’s, 

biggest headaches. “We’ve managed only 

eleven games on it in two years,” he 

admits. 

The problems started following the 

lease agreement, when the council 

agreed to install a new drainage system 

to help solve the problem of drainage 

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Equipment is ‘basic’ 

from the clay-base pitch. 

Unfortunately, the design proved to be 

“insufficient and totally inadequate for 

the needs of the club and the teams that 

play there. We’re now locked in an 

ongoing battle with the council to 

remedy the problem, and a series of poor 

winters, coupled with the inadequate 

drainage, has resulted in few games 

being played and, ultimately, costing us a 

lot financially,” Vic explains. 

The council have since tried to remedy 

the problem with sand banding, he goes 

on but, as the job was undertaken “at the 

wrong time of year”, it has been 

unsuccessful. “The pitch was getting so 

bad, we called in Keith Kent, head 

groundsman at Twickenham, to give us a 

second opinion. His diagnosis was a 

pitch that was totally unfit for purpose.” 

The upshot is that Uxbridge is forced to 

hire other rugby pitches to complete its 

fixtures. 

Luckily for Vic, not all the site’s pitches 

cause as sticky a problem as rugby has. In 

contrast, tennis provision has come on 

leaps and bounds since Vic took over. 

“The grass courts here had always been 

treated as somewhat of an afterthought, 

so I made it a goal of mine to get them 

up to a good standard,” he states. The 

club has three grass courts and three 

tarmacadam ones, yet fears linger that 

the days of lawn tennis at Uxbridge may 

end soon as real grass gives way to allweather 

surfaces. “I’ve had an ongoing 

battle with our tennis coach who’s been 

pushing the idea of replacing the grass 

with a hard surface,” explains Vic. “The 

thinking behind it is mainly due to the 

revenue capacity for hard courts over 

grass, as all-weather surfaces allow 

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“When the £60,000 installation cost and 

maintenance overheads are accounted for, 

grass works out no more expensive to run, so I 

don’t really see the logic in doing it” 

greater winter use. Yet, when the £60,000 

installation cost and maintenance 

overheads are accounted for, grass works 

out no more expensive to run, so I don’t 

really see the logic in doing it,” he adds. 

“The life of a tarmacadam or artificial 

grass court is usually around ten years, 

depending on use and maintenance, 

something which people often overlook 

when replacing grass with other surfaces. 

In many instances, it might be better to 

stay put and make the most of what is 

fast becoming a rarity across multi-use 

sports sites.” 

Preparing the bowls green is another 

aspect of his job that has thrown up its 

fair share of challenges for Vic. He had 

never had experience of tending a 

surface renowned for being hugely 

labour intensive so, for him, the 

challenge has been in balancing how he 

allocates his time. 

“The sand construction of crown bowls 

greens was something I’d never dealt 

with before, so it’s been the most 

technically challenging side of the job for 

me. I’ve been lucky to have contact with 

As supplied 

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Darren Gough. Its unique and modern 

design offers cricket players a balanced 

game between bat and ball and is 

designed to encourage and improve 

player performance at all levels. 

Mark Hammond, a man very 

experienced in preparing these surfaces, 

who I contacted through the Pitchcare 

website. Although he is based in 

Lincolnshire, I speak with him almost 

daily by email and he’s helped me 

tremendously. It proves to me the value 

of sharing ideas within our industry.” 

As a result of their brainstorming 

sessions, Vic has greatly reduced the 

volume of rolling on the bowls green, 

which is showing signs of success. “Since 

I’ve become more aware of the crown 

green reforms, it’s really changed my 

thinking on the value of rolling - we 

restrict heavy rolling far more now.” 

Whilst mostly working alone, Vic has, 

over the years, established valuable 

contacts, who have helped him improve 

his skills and also balance his busy 

summer workload. Stuart Kerrison, Head 

Groundsman at Essex CCC in 

Chelmsford, who chaired the 

groundsmen’s meeting earlier this year, 

has been an important sounding board 

for Vic. 

But, two assistants in particular have 

made a huge impact, he notes. The first 

is twenty-two year-old New Zealander, 

Simon Hardy, who Vic praises 

unstintingly as “the most knowledgeable 

groundsman I’ve ever come across,” 

adding, “his first visit to the UK, in 2008 

- he was only here for a year - was an 

invaluable source of help and 

information to me, and was keen to get 

involved in first-class pitches. We keep in 

regular contact now and share ideas.” 

Over the longer term, Vic’s biggest 

influence has been Ramesh Patel, who he 

met by chance in 1986 while attending a 

cricket training course at Lilleshall 

Abbey. 

Despite spending a week together, the 

two didn’t remember one another until 

years later. The 55-year old Patel is now 

in his second season at the club and he 

and Vic have struck up a great 

partnership. “Without those 

two, I would not be here 

right now,” says Vic. 

“They’ve been a tower of 

strength in the face of many 

problems we’ve faced.” 

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89

The last thing I want is 

people giving me their 

opinions whilst I’m trying 

to get on with my job!” 

Andy Dixon, Head Groundsman, Dean Park 

Andy Dixon has had a 

few ‘issues’ to deal with 

since taking over as 

head groundsman at 

Bournemouth 

University’s Dean Park 

Cricket Ground. As he 

tells Peter Britton, sod’s 

law brought about a 

combination of 

unfortunate timing, bad 

weather and a 

congested fixture list 

that led to season long 

problems in 2009 

The 

Dean Park is an iconic ‘little’ cricket 

ground that nestles in a leafy suburb of 

Bournemouth. Okay, not iconic in the 

Lord’s sense, but certainly for followers of 

cricket on the south coast. Now part of 

Bournemouth University it was, for many 

years, a Hampshire County Cricket Club 

outground and, for anyone old enough to 

remember the last time Hampshire won the 

county championship, it was at Dean Park that 

the deciding victory was achieved. 

That was back in 1973, just one year before 

Bournemouth swapped counties in the 

Government’s ‘reorganisation of local 

government’ becoming Dorset’s largest town 

in the process. In 2007, a First Direct Bank 

survey found the town to be the ‘Happiest 

place in Britain’. 

But, all has not been happy in recent years 

at the home of Dorset County Cricket Club. 

When long serving groundsman, John 

Fazackerley, retired in 2008, his replacement 

was sought via the Pitchcare website jobs

law of sod? 

section. The salary offered - £18,000 at 

the time - was roundly and rightly slated 

by members as being derogatory and 

insulting. Enter Andy Dixon. 

Andy left school to take a three year 

apprenticeship in aircraft engineering at 

British Airways, Heathrow but, after 

qualifying, spent just three months in the 

job, citing “acute dermatitis and a 

loathing for working indoors” as his 

reasons for getting out. 

He joined Guildford Borough Council 

Sports Department as a trainee 

groundsman, working on bowling greens, 

whilst studying at Merrist Wood College 

under David Rhodes. Here he gained his 

NVQ Level 2, passing out as top student, 

followed by an HNC, which he passed 

with distinction. “It was fitted in around 

the day job,” he recalls. “I spent eight 

hours a week at college and a further 

twenty hours a week on homework.” 

I interviewed Andy in the splendidly 

named W. G. Grace Meeting Room in 

Dean Park’s historic pavilion, which dates 

back to 1869, during a Minor Counties 

Trophy game between Dorset and 

Wiltshire. When I arrived, the scoreboard 

looked frightening for Dorset, with two 

Wiltshire batsmen on centuries, 290 on 

the board and still seven overs to go! 

So, how did he get into being a cricket 

groundsman? “Whilst working for 

Guildford Council, I was given the 

responsibility of looking after the astro 

pitch at King’s College Secondary School 

in the city. The adjacent cricket square 

was looked after by head groundsman, 

John Yates, and I just started to help out 

in my spare time.” 

So, was he your mentor? “No, that was 

David Cooper at Burpham Park. We were 

looking after four bowling greens and 

three cricket squares, and that’s where I 

truly got the bug. In addition, when 

Surrey CCC played a first class game at 

Guildford, myself, and around seven 

other council groundsmen, were 

seconded to help out head groundsman, 

Bill Clutterbuck. He’s a bit of a legend in 

Surrey groundsmen’s circles. I still speak 

to him occasionally when I need a bit of 

advice - that’s if I’m not on the Pitchcare 

message board - and we met up last 

Christmas for a pint.” 

After thirteen years with the council, 

Andy applied for the post at Dean Park - 

he was due to start on 1st October but, 

due to the small print in his employment 

contract, was not able to take up his 

position until the first week of November. 

“John Fazackerley had, in effect, already 

retired, so no renovations were carried 

out on the square and, with the dreadful 

winter we had, there was simply nothing 

I could do.” 

The result was, by Andy’s own 

admission, some pretty poor wickets in 

the summer of 2009 and, as is often the 

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The Cooper Dean pavilion 

case when a long standing 

groundsman retires, the 

blame was firmly laid at the 

feet of the new boy. 

“I simply could not 

produce a flat surface. There 

were clumps of rye grass, 

thick basal sheath and just 

two inches of root growth. 

Chuck in 104 fixtures in the 

2009 season and I simply had 

no time to improve things.” 

By the middle of the 

season, Andy was receiving 

flack from all quarters. “I 

confess that it was really 

affecting me. I spoke to my 

boss at the university and 

suggested I should hand in 

my notice. His response was 

great. ‘Tell me what you 

intend to do at the end of the 

season?’ he asked. So, I 

explained to him the 

circumstances that had led to 

the wickets being so poor and 

that I intended to thrash the 

square to bits, outlining all 

the methods I would use. 

‘Then you have no need to 

resign’ he said. ‘I’ll stand by 

you’.” 

Andy got through to the 

end of the season, still 

fending off criticism, and 

began his ‘thrashing’ of the 

square. “Officials at the 

county club were horrified by 

the work I was carrying out. 

Dorset v Wiltshire 

One even asked me if I knew 

what I was doing!” 

So concerned were they, 

that they called in the 

county’s ECB Pitch Advisor, 

John Old, Head Groundsman 

at Sherborne School (an 

occasional venue for Dorset 

representative sides), to 

‘urgently’ come and take a 

look. 

“John asked me what I was 

doing, why I was doing it and 

what I expected to achieve? 

After I had explained my 

programme of work he just 

said ‘well, done, carry on’. I 

confess to breathing a sigh of 

relief.” 

The Dean Park square has 

twenty-four tracks. The six 

middle ones are kept 

exclusively for first class and 

minor counties games. There 

are four junior and four 

practice strips. The 

remaining ten tracks are used 

for ‘others’. These include 

club matches and university 

fixtures. This year, there will 

be a total of ninety-seven 

matches played across the 

square, with the final game 

scheduled for 19th 

September. 

The 2010 season started 

well for Andy, with the wickets 

playing much more 

consistently. The strip for a

Clydesdale Bank 40 game 

between the Unicorns and 

Glamorgan received a ‘very 

good’ report from umpires 

Tim Robinson and Mark 

Benson, and Andy hopes 

that, on the back of their first 

win in the tournament, the 

Unicorns will eventually make 

Dean Park their permanent 

home. 

I asked about preparation 

for the Dorset v Wiltshire 

match. “Typical really,” said 

Andy. “I had a match on the 

Saturday which, because 

England were playing their 

first world cup game, finished 

at 6.30pm. That meant that I 

could get on to the square a 

bit earlier than normal. I did 

a final scarify, followed by a 

brush, cut and roll, marked 

out and put out the 30 and 

15 yard circles. I hand 

watered the used ends and 

put the covers and side sheets 

on. Then I moved the 

boundary rope and sight 

screens, before finally cutting 

the outfield. I finished just 

after 10.00pm.” 

“I was back on the ground 

at 7.00am on the day of the 

match, with the game due to 

start at 10.00am. I tell 

everyone that the gates will 

be open two hours before the 

game. This allows me some 

Hand rolling and brushing between innings 

time to do my work without 

any interruptions. But, still 

people moan about not being 

allowed in. The last thing I 

want is people giving me 

their opinions whilst I’m 

trying to get on with my job!” 

“I’ve got the covers to take 

off, the practice nets to put 

up on the outfield and the 

stumps to put in. Then, I’ve 

just got to be plain sociable 

with everyone!” 

“The rules of the 

competition state that final 

cut and roll are to be 

completed within 30 minutes 

of the start so, as you can 

imagine, it is pretty full on. 

And, just to add to the 

workload, the pulley system 

on the scoreboard broke, so I 

had to fix that as well.” 

At the time of my visit, 

Andy had no assistance, other 

than a couple of cricket fans 

to help with hand rolling the 

strip on match days. It is a 

punishing schedule that, 

because of the extensive 

fixture list, allows Andy little 

or no spare time. “During the 

season I will easily work a 100 

hour week. When games are 

on, I do set my alarm and 

grab an hour or so’s sleep - 

that’s if some bloke from 

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early starts and late finishes are the only 

way I can get everything done.” 

At the start of the season, Andy allows 

sixteen days for preparation, but that 

reduces to eleven days through the 

season due to the fixture schedule. “I’ve 

got a Dorset Under 15 Twenty20 final 

the day after the Trophy game. I’ll spoil 

them and let them play on today’s 

wicket,” he says with a smile. “I might get 

an extra half hour’s lie in!” 

The heavy fixture list means that Andy 

can rarely use covers on his square to 

assist with his preparation. Coupled with 

a fairly regular on shore breeze, 

controlling drying is very difficult. The 

square is Kaloam to a five inch depth 

and is susceptible to cracking when it 

dries out too quickly. 

But, it was the outfield that thwarted 

Hampshire CCC’s attempt to return to 

the ground they last played on twelve 

years ago. A warm-up ‘friendly’ Twenty20 

game against Dorset, prior to the start of 

the Friends Provident T20, had to be 

called off due to a waterlogged outfield. 

“It’s another area I have got to address,” 

says Andy. “I carry out regular slitting, 

but that is not enough. It really needs a 

good deep aeration programme but, with 

John Fazackerley with Andy Top marks for the wicket 

“Regardless of the hours I put in, there’s 

nothing better than producing a wicket that 

everyone praises. It makes it all worthwhile” 

Pitchcare Comment 

As a follower of Dorset cricket, and a known 

employee of Pitchcare, I began to hear the 

rumblings about Dean Park in the summer of 

last year. It was almost as if those doing the 

complaining wanted (or needed) me to endorse 

their views, so as to give them more kudos. 

When things go wrong, it is easy to look for a 

scapegoat - Wembley has been a recent prime 

example - and often, the person targeted is not 

the correct choice! And I believe that is what 

has happened at Dean Park. 

Here are some of the rumblings I heard - 

The bloke is unshaven - correct, he has a beard! 

He is covered in tattoos - sorry, didn’t see any 

tattoos. Perhaps the ‘rumblers’ have seen 

something in the showers that I could not! 

He is scruffy - He is a groundsman doing a dirty 

and sweaty job. On the day of my visit he was 

an annual budget of just £3,000, that 

simply isn’t viable. And, anyway, I’ve 

already allocated £2,000 of that to end of 

season renovations!” 

Andy is contracted to work a thirtyseven 

hour week on the original wage as 

advertised. He does get a one bedroom 

flat thrown in but, I ask, why the hell do 

it? “I love this job,” he says. “Regardless 

of the hours I put in, there’s nothing 

better than producing a wicket that 

everyone praises. It makes it all 

worthwhile. The flack I got last year, 

whilst not justified for being targeted at 

me, was a further incentive to put things 

right.” 

During the winter months Andy takes a 

much needed holiday. His work time is 

centred around doing the non-essential 

jobs, like repainting the many benches 

and generally keeping the place looking 

tidy. And, of course, he will get his 

fixture list - probably close to 100 - so 

that he can plan the use of the tracks 

over the course of the season. 

As Dorset struggled to 98-5, I decided 

that I could not watch my adopted 

county get a bigger thrashing than Andy 

gave his square, and made to leave. As I 

walked back to my car, I bumped in to 

wearing a Bournemouth University staff polo 

shirt and black trousers and looked respectable 

enough - for a groundsman. 

All the machinery is left out around the ground - 

partly true, the machinery was parked all 

together, under trees close to the equipment 

shed. The shed was full of other equipment and 

materials. 

The whole ground looks a mess - not on the day 

of my unannounced visit - it looked a picture. 

Now, those comments are all rather personal 

and suggest that the person is not fit for the 

job, regardless of his qualifications. 

By turning up unannounced, I felt I would get a 

clearer understanding of the situation. I had not 

been to Dean Park for about five years and my 

first impression was that I had not seen it 

looking better - ever. I sought out Andy Dixon, 

who was delighted to see me - a rarity in itself - 

and found him to be personable and friendly, 

and particularly open and honest about the 

John Fazackerley, who had come down to 

the ground to watch the game. In typical 

forthright Lancastrian fashion, he gave 

me his views on Dorset cricket, 

groundsmanship and retirement, the 

latter of which he seems to be enjoying. 

It was good to see him looking so well. 

Later that evening I went online to 

find out just how heavy was Dorset’s 

defeat. Imagine my surprise to find that 

they had lost by just 22 runs. 

Both teams had heaped praise on 

Andy’s wicket: “That was the best wicket I 

have ever played on,” said Wiltshire 

captain, Michael Coles. Nick Park, 

Captain of Dorset, walked out to the 

square, whilst Andy was doing his 

repairs, to say “thanks for an amazing 

wicket!” 

Barry Lewis, Dorset committee 

member, said “that’s the best wicket I 

have seen here for years,” whilst Dorset 

batsman, Darren Cowley, son of former 

Hampshire player and now first class 

umpire, Nigel, said, “what do I think 

about the wicket? It made 670 runs in 

100 overs. Good, hard and fast, and 

that’s what you want for one-day cricket.” 

Whilst talking to the Dorset coach, 

Alan Willows, Andy was explaining how 

situation at the ground. 

There clearly were some big issues with the 

quality of the wickets throughout 2009, but 

perish the thought that that may have been the 

fault of the outgoing groundsman. He had, after 

all, produced good wickets throughout his time 

at Dean Park. 

Well, actually, no, not if the rumblers have any 

memory, for those same people used to 

complain about the Dean Park wickets being 

dead, slow, low, inconsistent ... well, you get the 

picture. 

No end of season renovations were undertaken 

in 2008 because, as stated in the article, the 

exact five week period when they should have 

been carried out, the ground had no 

groundsman. Could John Fazackerley have 

stayed on? Should the university have called 

someone in to do them? Quite possibly, yes to 

both questions but, they didn’t. 

And then, to make matters worse, the snow and

“I’ll just continue to do 

the best job I can. If the 

worse comes to the 

worst, I’ll get a job in a 

supermarket stacking 

shelves!” 

the square will get even better 

once the advantageous rooting 

system has established itself. 

“What do you mean it will get 

better? You can’t get any better 

than that,” he replied. “Just 

watch me,” says Andy. 

Next stop for Andy is an 

HND in Sports Turf 

Management. Where will he 

find the time, or will he be 

doing it online? “I’m not sure 

on both counts,” he says. “I’d 

rather attend college, as I think 

interaction with fellow students 

is 50% of the learning. I’ll 

probably have to go back to 

Merrist Wood, although 

Cranfield is an option.” 

With the umpires reporting 

good, even bounce, good, even 

grass cover, fast pace, with 

medium spin and no 

inconsistencies, Andy looks to 

freezing temperatures arrived in early 

2009. So, Andy Dixon was on a hiding to 

nothing! And a hiding he got, with 

vitriolic comments the order of the day. 

Fast forward to 2010, after an intensive 

end of season renovation in 2009, and 

the wickets are performing well. The 

comments from umpires and players 

must be music to Andy’s ears. But still 

the rumblings go on. What appears to be 

important to them is that they have a 

scapegoat. And what will that achieve? 

For seven months of the year, Andy 

works around sixty hours a week over his 

contracted thirty-seven. Of course, the 

rumblers don’t see all that huge effort, 

don’t understand that, as well as their 

little game, there are ninety-six others to 

contend with. And all that on just 

£18,000 a year. 

Peter Britton 

Andy on his trusty Auto-roller 

have come through a difficult 

time. Whilst there are a few 

‘grumpy old men’ who still hark 

back to last season’s problems, 

Andy wants to be judged on 

what he is achieving now. As he 

says “the grass is always greener 

on my side.” 

As we were going to press, we 

learned that the university had 

provided Andy with an assistant 

“at his beck and call” and, also, 

that the sports department were 

supplying work experience 

students to help out. 

Sometimes, seeing things in 

black and white (the original 

text was a tad more ‘aggressive’) 

highlights issues that go unseen 

by the powers that be. 

I am delighted for 

Andy that his 

concerns are being 

addressed. 

What’s in the shed? 

Allett Tournament 20” 

Allett Regal 36” 

Kubota 

B1550 

tractor 

Auto-roller 

3 tonne 

Hand roller 

of unknown make 

SISIS Autorake 

SISIS Slitter 

BMS Lute 

BMS Ferret 

Various hand tools, blood, 

sweat and tears! 

TWENTY 

Questions 

Andy Dixon - 

Tomorrow’s 

World would 

include 

Phillipa 

Forrester, a 

private jet 

and a Lloyds 

Paladin! 

Who are you? 

Andy Dixon, Head 

Groundsman, Dean 

Park. 

Family status? Single. 

Who’s your hero and 

why? My best friend, 

Alan. For having a hell 

of a rough upbringing 

but now being a very 

successful father and 

businessman. But, most of 

all, for never giving up. 

What is your dream 

holiday? A week on an 

international pub crawl with 

Alan, in a private jet! 

What annoys you the 

most? Not being able to 

afford my dream holiday! 

What would you change 

about yourself? I would like 

to live a healthier lifestyle. 

Who wouldn’t you like to 

be? Elvis, mainly, as he is 

dead. 

Favourite record, and 

why? Usually whichever one 

I am working on at the time. 

Who would you choose to 

spend a romantic evening 

with? Phillipa Forrester! I 

have strange tastes. 

If you won the lottery, 

what is the first thing you 

would do? Buy a huge 

camper van with all modcons 

and travel across 

Europe while deciding where 

to go next! 

If you were to describe 

yourself as a musical 

instrument, what would 

you be and why? Electric 

Guitar, as I can change my 

mood to suit the 

circumstances. 

What’s the best advice 

you have ever been given? 

If you’re not happy with your 

life, change it. Don’t keep 

trying when you know it’s 

time to move on. 

What’s your favourite 

smell? Basil - the herb, not 

the Torquay hotel owner! 

What do you do in your 

spare time? Enjoy the 

Christmas festivities. 

What’s the daftest work 

related question you have 

ever been asked? “Why 

don’t you just cut a new one 

out, soak it and roll it - it will 

be fine tomorrow?” would be 

one of them, but I have 

many. 

What’s your favourite 

piece of kit? I love the 

Lloyds Paladin but, 

unfortunately, I don’t have 

one at the moment. 

What three words would 

you use to describe 

yourself? Kind, honest, 

diligent. 

What talent would you like 

to have? The ability to 

fertilise in one direction 

without banding. I have seen 

other people do it, so why 

can’t I? 

What makes you angry? 

People not admitting to their 

own mistakes and trying to 

‘pass the buck’. Other people 

that listen to them. 

What law/legislation 

would you like to see 

introduced? More control 

over the use of home 

pesticides and herbicides. It 

makes me cringe sometimes 

when I see what home 

gardeners have done with 

chemicals, yet professionals 

are subject to ever stricter 

rules.

Much ado 

about 

Wenlock... 

® 

If something’s worth doing 

then do it yourself. That is 

Tim Pinches’ motto and, true 

to his word, he has put this into 

practice by transforming the 

fortunes of his local cricket club 

whilst, at the same time 

achieving a life changing 

experience of becoming the 

Mayor of his town, Much 

Wenlock in Shropshire. 

When the retired farmer found 

his beloved cricket club in dire 

straits, through lack of facilities 

and poor ground maintenance, 

and hardly any support from the 

town coucil, Shropshire Council 

and Bridgnorth District Council 

he, along with six others, 

decided to stand for election to 

improve the way the town was 

being run. This new group of 

people were all elected, and vast 

improvements are now evident in 

the town and, needless to say, the 

cricket club now has more 

support. After just a couple of 

years in office, Tim found 

himself serving as Mayor in 

2009-2010. 

All this in the town where the 

modern Olympic Games, as we 

know them, started. The town, 

with a population of just over 

2,600, is soon to become known 

worldwide with the recent 

When Wenlock and 

Mandeville were 

unveiled as the 2012 

Olympic mascots, the 

little Shropshire town of 

Much Wenlock was 

thrust into the limelight. 

For it was here that the 

modern Olympic Games 

were born. And it was 

also here that a council 

coup took place to save 

the town’s cricket club! 

Laurence Gale MSc reports 

introduction of the London 2012 

Olympics’ mascots, one of which 

is called ‘Wenlock’. 

Strongly supported by former 

Olympic gold medal triple 

jumper, Jonathan Edwards, and 

former 5,000 metres world 

record holder and now head of 

British Athletics, David 

Moorcroft, the town also believes 

it will play host to the Olympic 

torch - an incredible honour for 

this most modest little town. 

It has also been suggested that 

Tim, because of his knowledge 

and love of sport, should be 

Mayor again during Olympic 

year. 

Much Wenlock abbey predates 

William the Conqueror, and the 

town itself has buildings dating 

back to 1540. But the story of the 

modern Olympics began here. A 

local doctor, William Penny 

Brookes, started an annual 

athletics meeting. This became 

so popular it reached the ears of 

Baron de Coubertain, who 

visited the doctor to see the 

games and took the idea away 

with him. The rest of the story, 

as they say, is history. 

To this day, the priceless 

documents relating to what was 

the inspiration and founding of 

today’s Olympic games are still 

in the possession of the town. 

Now the council are trying to 

raise the money to create an 

Olympic museum in Much 

Wenlock. 

Much Wenlock Cricket Club 

has been at the heart of the 

community since 1870 and, for 

well over one hundred years, has 

played on the town’s Gaskell 

Field, next door to where the 

Wenlock Olympic Games were 

first held in 1850, the same year 

the first cricket match was 

played in the town. But, despite 

its sporting inheritance, the 

village cricket club had declined 

in recent times. 

Tim, who had retired from 

farming after a heart attack and a 

coronary by-pass put an end to 

his working life, took the 

opportunity to help revive the 

club’s fortunes. 

With just twelve playing 

members and a ground that had 

long been neglected, he sought 

the assistance of friends, 

including the club’s current vicechairman, 

Mike Grace. Between 

them they wrestled control from 

the county council, first, by 

taking over the maintenance of 

the square and, subsequently, the 

outfield. 

“I never put in less than a

Getting cricket club members on to the 

Town Council has paid off handsomely, 

both on and off the field of play

Tim Pinches and Keith Banks 

with their new Allett C24 

98 

couple of hours a day,” says 

hardworking Tim, for whom 

it is plainly a labour of love. 

Together with another Much 

Wenlock CC enthusiast, Keith 

Banks, they became the club’s 

groundsmen. 

The club put together a five 

year plan and approached the 

English Cricket Board (ECB) 

and other funding agencies 

for help. Having played 

football for Wellington Town, 

and been good enough to 

have had a trial for Wolves, 

Tim had plenty of friends in 

the sporting world he could 

call on for advice. Their early 

aims were to: 

• build a new sports pavilion 

• improve the wickets and 

invest in new machinery 

• achieve Club Mark 

accreditation 

• establish a youth section 

and extend coaching into 

local schools 

• increase the number of 

teams 

Now, five years later, the 

world of Much Wenlock 

cricket has changed 

immeasurably. The club has: 

• permission for a new twotier 

pavilion 

• got a long term agreement 

with the local council, as 

owners of the field, that the 

club are its principle 

user/occupier 

• taken on full responsibility 

of all grounds maintenance 

issues 

• completed a playing surface 

review with Shropshire 

County Cricket Board 

resulting in a good report 

• achieved sponsorship for 

two new site screens costing 

£1,500; three raised covers 

costing £8,000 and secured 

an award from the ECB of 

£3,500 to buy a new 

dedicated cricket mower 

• achieved Club Mark status 

and now employ an 

overseas player/coach 

The club now runs three 

cricket teams. Their coaching 

extends all over the area, with 

ECB accredited members 

coaching at six local primary 

feeder schools and the 

adjacent secondary school. 

They have attracted one 

hundred and twenty new 

youth players to join the club. 

Sunday morning sees a twohour 

coaching session in their 

nets, and there are plans to 

start a girls team. The club 

also hosts an annual Kwik

Cricket Tournament which is 

held as part of the town’s 

‘Olympian Games’, with over 

eighty local children 

participating. 

The club is going from 

strength to strength under 

the new management 

structure, with plenty of 

volunteer members pitching 

in to help with coaching and 

running the club. 

Tim and Keith have formed 

a formidable grounds team, 

who spend over thirty hours a 

week preparing and repairing 

the playing surfaces. 

Having to cater for three 

teams and a large junior 

section, plus other bespoke 

games, involves a lot of work 

for both of them. 

The outfield is cut two or 

three times a week using a 

Hayter LT324 triple mower, 

which has been kindly loaned 

to them by The Edge 

Adventure Centre. They also 

have an old Atco ride on 

rotary mower as back up. The 

square is cut and prepared 

using their brand new Allett 

C24 pedestrian cylinder 

mower. 

“We have a ‘very fast’ 

outfield,” Tim chuckled, “and 

some very fine batsmen.” He 

rejoiced in telling me of a 

recent game when, having 

scored over 400, they skittled 

their opponents out for just 

over 50. “It could be the 

biggest winning margin ever 

recorded in these parts.” 

The square, at present, only 

provides eight strips. Tim is 

looking to increase the size of 

the square by adding a couple 

of new junior tracks, as soon 

as possible, to accommodate 

the ever increasing youth 

teams. 

The club has been using 

Kaloam (31% clay content) 

for a number of seasons and 

are pleased with its 

performance. Tim and Keith 

like to spend at least ten days 

prepping new wickets to 

ensure they perform well and, 

once it comes into play, they 

try and keep it going for at 

least four matches. 

The club also works very 

closely with the adjacent 

William Brooke School, 

accommodating many of 

their matches on the square 

and artificial strip during the 

summer months. They also 

welcome a number of touring 

sides. Whilst I was there, Tim 

and Keith where busy 

preparing a wicket for an 

evening match against a 

strong touring party of twenty 

Tim and Keith with the Delhi 

Students touring team 

New raised covers have been purchased 

99

Tim with Town Clerk, Sharon Clayton, and a presentation from the 

British Olympic Committee. The handwritten inscription reads: 

“To the people of Much Wenlock. We hope you are as proud of 

Wenlock as we are. It was very important to us that our mascots 

are anchored in Olympic and Paralympic heritage. Thank you for 

letting us share your story, and we hope that you will follow 

Wenlock and Mandeville’s journey to 2012.” Sebastian Coe 

Tim Pinches in the Mayor’s office 

Who are you? Tim Pinches, one of two 

groundsmen at Much Wenlock Cricket Club. 

Family status? Married to Kim, with one 

daughter, Hannah, and two grandchildren, 

William (3) and Felicity (9 months). 

Who’s your hero and why? Nelson 

Mandela, one of the greatest men on earth, 

who never gave up on his principles. 

What is your dream holiday? No particular 

place, but I would like to travel the world to 

experience all the different cultures. 

What annoys you the most? Arrogant, 

pompous people who always think they know 

it all! 

What would you change about yourself? 

I’m young in mind, but the body is getting 

worn out - ask the wife! 

Who wouldn’t you like to be? Anyone who 

is responsible for war, where innocent people 

are slaughtered, especially women and 

children. 

Favourite record, and why? My Way, 

because it typifies me, although I’m always 

keen to learn. 

Who would you choose to spend a 

romantic evening with? Tina Turner, 

five students from Delhi. 

These games are great for 

promoting the club and give 

their players the opportunity 

to improve their skills against 

good opposition. 

Raised covers have recently 

been purchased, and are used 

to control the moisture in the 

wickets during preparation. An 

increased cutting regime on 

the outfield has improved 

smoothness and levels. 

However, there is still a large 

plantain problem that Tim 

wants to address with some 

deep aeration and spraying off 

with a selective weed killer. 

The club undertakes end of 

season renovations themselves, 

cleaning off the square, 

scarifying in several directions 

and topdressing with new loam 

and seed. Tim applies between 

five and eight bags of Banbury 

K loam to each pitch and 

overseeds with a perennial rye 

grass mixture. 

In April 2009, the club 

members took part in a very 

successful Cricket Force 

weekend, installing new shower 

facilities and undertaking a 

complete makeover of the 

existing clubhouse to ensure it 

complied with Shropshire 

County regulations. They are 

hoping that it will just be a 

short-term fix until they get 

their brand new 

clubhouse, which is 

scheduled to be 

TWENTYQuestions 

Tim Pinches - has a soft spot for Tina Turner, Rod 

Stewart’s violinist and, of course, the wife! 

particularly in her earlier years. And, of 

course, the wife, just in case she reads this 

magazine! 

If you won the lottery, what is the first 

thing you would do? Look after my family, 

closely followed by providing the cricket club 

with the best machinery and facilities that I 

could buy. 

If you were to describe yourself as a 

musical instrument, what would you be 

and why? A violin - I’ve got a soft spot for 

the lady violinist in Rod Stewart’s backing 

band! 

What’s the best advice you have ever 

been given? Always do the best you can, 

and don’t expect others to do what you can’t, 

or won’t! 

What’s your favourite smell? Bacon, as 

part of a full English breakfast. 

What do you do in your spare time? 

Being a town councillor, groundsman, child 

welfare officer and general dog’s body at the 

cricket club, what spare time? 

What’s the daftest work related question 

you have ever been asked? “Why do you 

cut the grass so short when you’ve 

encouraged it to grow, and then roll it?” 

completed in 2012. 

The planned clubhouse will 

take the club to a new level, 

providing excellent facilities 

for both off and on field 

activities. 

Tim is hoping the local 

football club, who play on the 

outfield, will buy into this new 

facility, along with the local 

community using it for 

weddings, corporate hospitality 

and many other functions. 

The benefits, in terms of 

sports provision, are enormous 

for the town. Replacing the old 

clubhouse will also 

complement the brand new 

William Brook School building. 

Tim has thoroughly enjoyed 

his dual roles of being an 

ambassador for the town and 

helping to mastermind the 

improvements to Much 

Wenlock cricket club and 

ground. 

A final extraordinary fact in 

this extraordinary town is that 

Mike Grace, the crickets club's 

current vice-chairman, has now 

taken over from Tim as the 

Mayor of Much Wenlock. It 

would appear that the idea of 

getting cricket club members 

on to the Town 

Council has paid off 

handsomely, both for 

the club and for the 

town. 

What’s your favourite piece of kit? 

Anything that makes outfield and square 

work easy! 

What three words would you use to 

describe yourself? Passionate, very 

competitive, humanitarian. 

What talent would you like to have? To be 

a politician of the people. 

What makes you angry? Players 

complaining about the wicket, usually after 

they’ve had a poor game, yet they aren’t 

prepared to help! 

What law/legislation would you like to 

see introduced? A relaxation in Health & 

Safety legislation. Whatever happened to 

common sense?

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Cricket end of season 

renovations - why should I, 

and what happens if I don’t? 

We all dread 

the ‘R’ word...

David Goodjohn of 

Green Infrastructure 

explains 

“Whatever is going on 

below the surface almost 

always dictates what goes 

on at surface level” 

It’s September, and the end of 

another long hard cricket season is 

drawing near. The last pitch has 

been prepared and rolling can 

become a distant memory until next 

spring. It’s been such a long demanding 

year and now we are all dreading the ‘R’ 

word ... 

What has been bugging the country all 

through 2010, what single thing is 

foremost in all cricket groundsmen’s 

minds as they near the end of another 

season of hard slog? The ‘R’ word, that’s 

what ... 

What are we talking about? Recession? 

No, we mean Renovation! 

Looking after a cricket square is a 

many splendoured occupation for the 

‘recreational’ groundsman. Yes, it’s okay 

for the ‘big boys’ to open their sheds to 

reveal a vast range of gleaming 

machinery, all ready to do the many tasks 

required to keep their squares in tip top 

shape, but what about the after work and 

spare time brigade working on a wing 

and a prayer with equipment kept 

together by a rubber band and various 

cable ties? 

There is a tried and tested menu of 

essentials for end of season club cricket 

renovations - scarification, overseeding, 

topdressing and fertilising. 

However, do these narrow parameters 

address all of the issues satisfactorily? 

They are many and can be classified in 

the following categories: 

• Poor levels 

• Bare areas 

• Thatch 

• Compaction 

• Weeds 

• Worms 

• Saddles/ raised ends 

• Poor fertility 

• Layering 

Quite a daunting variety, I’m sure you’ll 

agree. With financial pressure and 

restraints coming from all quarters, what 

are the consequences of ‘ignoring’ end of 

season renovations? 

As with all good campaigns, we need to 

set out with an accurate ‘roadmap’ in 

order to plot our path to addressing all 

of the issues. So, how can we define our 

starting point? 

Each and every cricket square is 

different, so an audit needs to be made 

by every individual club and groundsman 

around the country. If it is not possible 

for the club in question to make a 

David Goodjohn, Green Infrastructure 

sufficiently detailed assessment, then 

help is always at hand in the form of the 

various County Boards. The County Pitch 

Inspector can be commissioned to 

complete a PQS (Performance Quality 

Standards) test at the club and produce a 

detailed report on what is necessary to 

address the issues from which that 

particular club suffers. 

The ECB and the IOG have combined 

to implement this form of testing across 

the Premier Leagues in the country, and 

their findings and benefits are already 

being enjoyed in several counties. 

However, not every club is in the 

position to be able to invest in the cost of 

PQS testing, so how can the grounds 

manager carry out his or her own 

assessment? 

Let’s look at the areas we need to 

assess: 

Herbage 

This is broken down into length of 

herbage, bare areas (total area and 

diameter of any individual bare area), 

total ground cover, grass species, both 

desirable and non-desirable, weeds 

(whether large or small leaved), moss 

algae and lichen. 

Quite a list then, but all quantifiable by 

the keen amateur, given enough time. 

Pests and Diseases 

Fairly self explanatory, covering diseases, 

earthworms and pests. Again, achievable 

for the keen amateur with a keen eye and 

access to internet search engines. 

Profile 

If you have a core sampler, then use it to 

take cores and assess how your profile is 

made up. If you don’t have one, then get 

one immediately - it is the most essential 

part of the cricket ground manager’s 

arsenal outside of his regular preparation 

equipment. 

We need to assess root depth, depth of 

thatch (if there is any present), depth of 

appropriate medium in the rootzone (i.e. 

how much genuine clay loam you have), 

rootzone particles/ clay content and soil 

strength. 

Again, the majority of these are visual. 

Clearly, an assessment of clay content 

and soil strength is only achievable 

accurately via a laboratory test, but the 

method of Motty testing can be done in 

house and give you a very strong idea of 

the quality, or otherwise, of your 

medium. 

So, now we have all of the relevant 

information to hand, what is the next 

step?

“Just because one particular mix of rye grass 

cultivars worked for you ten years ago, doesn’t 

mean that other superior blends haven’t been 

developed in the meantime” 

From your PQS findings, or your own 

investigations, you will now have a very 

good idea of the make up of your cricket 

square. Even if you don’t choose to go 

down this particular root, and trust the 

evidence of your own eyes, you know the 

issues you need to address: 

• Poor grass coverage - Clearly a 

‘Chicken and Egg’ situation here. If we 

find that our grass cover is 

unsatisfactory, then this is a sympton 

created by a cause. So, what has caused 

it? Identify the issue(s) and then 

address them 

• Incomplete repairs to ends 

• Poor germination 

• Incorrect grass seed used 

• Insufficient feeding of the sward 

• Disease/unsatisfactory disease control 

Hopefully, you won’t have all of these, in 

fact you may not have any but, if you are 

aware of the issues, then you can address 

them by improving your sward 

management. 

Just because one particular mix of rye 

grass cultivars worked for you ten years 

ago, doesn’t mean that other superior 

“By saving a tenner on 

grass seed, how much 

extra expense will you 

be creating by having 

to do extra hours of 

work on the square?” 

104 

blends haven’t been developed in the 

meantime - look into them, try them if 

you get the opportunity and keep an 

open mind. 

Let’s look in more detail - 

Pests and Diseases 

Yes, it’s self explanatory, but experience 

is a great teacher and, sometimes, by 

suffering the slings and arrows of various 

pests and diseases, whilst not particularly 

palatable, can give you the knowledge to 

cope with them and try to avoid them in 

the future. Use a negative as a positive, 

and learn from the experience and vow 

to avoid it happening again in the future. 

Profile 

Possibly the most important aspect for 

the cricket grounds manager. Whatever is 

going on below the surface almost always 

dictates what goes on at surface level - 

that’s a truism you come to appreciate in 

the world of cricket. 

Root depth is clearly an indication of 

the health of your grass plants, and a 

guide to their strength as well. Shallow 

rooted Poa annua (annual meadow grass) 

will not withstand the rigours of cricket’s 

harsh preparation regime, but it’s an 

ever present in all but the very best 

profiles and, of course, can be blown in 

from anywhere. 

So, while it’s not unavoidable, it can be 

managed during the season and removed 

at the season’s end through vigorous 

scarification, or even more extreme 

actions such as treatment with a total 

herbicide and reseeding of the area. 

Even then, Poa annua will somehow find 

its way in, possibly carried in by 

unwelcome breezes or sitting as a seed 

bank deep in your profile - it’s the real 

Millwall of grass species, no one likes it, 

but it doesn’t care! 

Thatch 

Our next bug bear is possibly the most 

influential aspect in any cricket profile, 

and that is the issue of thatch. 

We are all likely to get it to a greater or 

lesser extent as invasive species, such as 

our friend AMG Millwall, will inevitably 

get in there somewhere and create some 

thatch. Clippings will go astray and cause 

some more. Whatever is causing it, we 

need to address it! 

Scarification can be carried out in

many guises. There are pedestrian 

scarifiers of varying effectiveness, and 

tractor mounted scarifiers that will 

decimate your surface and take a very 

great deal out in their wake. 

Whichever form is available to you, it is 

important that you make prudent use of 

it and remove this fibrous mass from 

your profile, and create a clean surface 

with excellent grooves, which might have 

been ready made for creating new growth 

for the following season. 

By scarifying in a variety of different 

directions we can ensure that all bases 

are covered by removing as much thatch 

as possible, and then creating an 

excellent seed bed for new growth. 

Don’t be alarmed by the severity of 

such scarification, as the old maxim ‘you 

have to be cruel to be kind’ is entirely 

appropriate in this instance. By ripping 

out all of the weak growth and thatch 

present in your square you will be giving 

yourself the opportunity to increase the 

percentage of strong new growth and 

improve the quality of your surface. 

Okay, so we know what we have, how 

do we go about improving it? 

We are armed with all the information we 

need and we know which particular 

issues are the ones we need to address. 

All we need now are the resources to do 

it. 

If you plan to go down the DIY route 

then, obviously, most clubs don’t have all 

of the equipment necessary to do a 

successful renovation. For a small joining 

fee, however, your friendly local County 

Groundsman’s Association does have the 

equipment. So, if you need to hire, get in 

touch with them first, and early, to avoid 

disappointment. 

If the equipment is already booked out 

to all of those forward thinking clubs 

who booked it up at the start of the 

season, then look to hire companies to 

get the relevant equipment, and/or get 

some competitive quotes in from 

contractors. 

Hire companies can be both excellent 

and awful. You will need to take a good 

look at any equipment you are going to 

hire, or take a trained colleague along to 

see that the blades on the scarifier, for 

example, are going to do the job you 

require - the same with any other 

Thatch hit for six! 

Graden’s range of machinery dramatically 

speeds up essential de-thatching and 

aereating jobs, to achieve the 

perfect sports surface. 

With five models to choose from - 

GS04, GBS1200, Contour Sand Injection, 

Swing Wing and Roller, Graden have all 

the ground covered. 

Sole importers: 

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www.kensettsports.com 

105

“AMG is the real Millwall of 

grass species, no one likes it, 

but it doesn’t care!” 

equipment you need to use. 

Contractors are also an excellent 

option. They don’t all drive around in 

untaxed vans and disappear with your 

cheque before the job’s done! Talk to 

other clubs in your area and see who 

they have used, and compare 

experiences, there really are some good 

ones out there. You can always ask to see 

their previous work, even inspect their 

machinery and credentials, then you will 

feel far happier spending your club’s 

funds. 

When it comes to loam, seed and 

fertiliser, make the same investigations 

as you would do for a contractor. There 

are many sources for all of these 

products out there (including, of course, 

the Pitchcare shop!), so get quality and 

value for your money, just the same as if 

you were comparing Curry’s and Tesco’s 

for the latest plasma 52” TV you bought 

for watching the Test Match. 

We are a bit short of funds this year, 

so what if I don’t renovate? 

There is only one answer to this 

question. No, no, no, no and no! 

If one of your committee, chairman or 

president sidles up to you in the bar and 

buys you a beer, then beware, he may be 

about to ask you the same question. 

And how can you insist upon doing 

‘proper’ end of season renovations? You 

explain the consequences of not 

renovating, that is what you do. 

By having a PQS assessment done, or 

completing one yourself, you are armed 

with the issues that bedevil your square. 

If you find that you have thatch lurking 

in the upper reaches of your profile, 

remind your friendly committee how 

they are always demanding more pace 

and bounce. 

With 10-20mm of fibrous dead matter 

lurking just under the surface, you can 

carry out as much pre-season rolling as 

you like (clearly you will only do as 

much as the Cranfield Report suggests!), 

and the profile will simply ‘spring back’ 

to its former state with the mattress 

effect that thatch has on a square. 

The long desired pace and bounce 

106 

will quickly become pitch and roll or, 

alternatively, it might create a spongy 

unsatisfactory surface that will allow the 

ball to bite into it and bounce vertically 

- a pretty scarey possibility, especially in 

this age of ‘where there’s blame, there’s 

a claim’. 

Seeing any player escorted from the 

field clutching their mouth, with blood 

dripping through their fingers, is an 

experience none of us wants to 

experience. 

Also, leaving bare areas is as good as 

sending out an invitation to different 

weed species to invade and colonise 

your square. Plantains on a length is a 

similarly scarey notion, whilst 

dandelions and daisies love to have 

space to breathe and deny grass species 

the opportunity to grow. 

So, there we have it. 

Insist on good renovation practice and 

you will reap the benefits. Buy the best 

seed you can afford. It is, after all, the 

essence of what we are trying to create, 

and, by saving a tenner on grass seed, 

how much extra expense will you be 

creating by having to do extra hours of 

work on the square? 

Make sure you have compatible loam, 

and then work it into the surface during 

renovations. Don’t just let it sit on top, 

like a thin film, waiting to explode once 

a cricket ball lands on it next April. 

Look carefully at the kinds of feed you 

use. Don’t go for the so called miracle 

cures, unless you can see the results of 

their use on other, similar surfaces. 

Spend your club’s money as if it were 

your own, it’s taken an awful long time 

to raise those funds and will be equally 

as difficult next year. 

So, good luck with all of your end of 

season work. By assessing the issues 

carefully, and addressing them 

efficiently in the autumn, it is possible 

to save many, many hours of toil the 

following year. Not only does it save 

time, but it helps create a noticably 

improved square that your fellow club 

members will appreciate for months and 

years to come. 

F words about 

the ‘R’ word! 

Phil Frost gives us his views on 

end of season renovations 

A ll 

clubs have their own methods and 

techniques for renovating their 

square, most often dictated by 

budgets and resources and, when asked 

to write this article, I have to be careful, 

especially in the current financial climate. 

But, end of season maintenance is the 

most important task carried out and 

needs to be done to a good standard. If 

not, the results can end up more 

expensive to repair than the cost cutting. 

End of season renovations need to start 

as quickly as possible. Soil, seed, fertiliser 

and equipment all need to be organised 

well in advance to catch that late summer 

heat in the soil, which will affect 

germination rate greatly. 

The first task undertaken is to cut and 

trim the square with a cylinder mower, 

boxing off the clippings. I am not a 

groundsman who likes dealing in heights 

of cut, this is usually governed by how 

much grass is on the square and how 

thick it is, but don’t be afraid to shave it! 

After the cut, heavy scarification begins, 

starting horizontally, then two diagonal 

directions and, finally, in the direction of 

play. All debris is thoroughly cleared on 

every pass - this is very important. Don’t 

be afraid to be brutal with the square. 

Different pitch preparation techniques 

cause thatch and debris build up over the 

season, and this has to be removed 

properly. If not, the consequences are 

expensive, either by koroing or fraise 

mowing and, in extreme cases, dug up 

and relaid. Not a clever option in the 

current economic climate. 

Don’t be afraid. I have seen many 

groundsmen over the years who are afraid 

to be heavy handed with the scarifier. 

Don’t worry, it will recover. 

Grass Seed 

Identifying the best grass seed is very 

important. I have always believed you can 

mask inferior soil with a good covering of 

grass. It can take years to find the right 

seed for your square. For many years at 

Taunton, I used 100% Elica, a dwarf 

perennial rye grass, and it worked a treat. 

But, in the late 90s, it became unavailable 

and it took many years to find something

half as good to replace it, and 

I believe I never did! 

So, finding the right seed for 

you is paramount. Most 

grounds use a mixture of rye 

grasses. There are many good 

ones on the market. I used an 

Evita/Margueretta mix, which 

gave me satisfactory results. 

The seed should, ideally, be 

drilled by machine - the SISIS 

Autoseeder is one machine I 

particularly like. It has 

performed brilliantly on most 

of the squares I have done, but 

most clubs don’t have access 

to a machine like this. So, a 

sarrell spiker will work but, as 

a last resort, overseeding by 

hand is okay, especially if the 

scarification has been brutal 

enough! 

Top Soil 

Topdressing soils 

should be chosen by 

results during the 

season. It is wonderful 

to use native soils, but 

this is rarely possibly. 

So, soils need careful 

consideration 

regarding performance 

of the surface - grass 

cover, recovery rates 

and lack of bounce. 

If there is to be a 

change in soils, effort has to 

be made to marry the soils 

together to avoid layering. 

Before starting the 

topdressing, I have applied a 

light dressing of pre-seed 

fertiliser low in nitrogen, just to 

give the seed a little lift, but 

this can be expensive for many 

clubs. 

Topdressing 

Each pitch will require 

between 8-12 bags of soil 

throughout the whole pitch 

(based on a 10ft strip). Don’t 

just topdress the ends, this is 

false economy and just ruins 

the levels of your square. 

The best way to apply 

topsoil, in my opinion, is by 

hand, with a wheelbarrow, 

shovel and, most importantly, 

a Tru-Lute. You can feel the 

high and low spots and adjust 

accordingly. There is a knack 

to this process, but you will 

soon get the hang of it. Ideally, 

do it in two lines, four feet 

apart, with someone carefully 

spreading the dry topdressing - 

it sounds time consuming, but 

is well worth the extra effort. 

The topsoil will redress what 

the summer playing season 

has taken out of your square. 

With more and more games 

played every year, it makes the 

process more and more 

important. 

The middle stumps should 

be lightly marked and pivot 

points kept for next season. 

When the process is 

finished, the best thing is to 

stay off the area - rope it off 

and be very watchful for 

disease. 

If it is an exceptionally dry 

autumn, you might need to 

water, but this should be a last 

resort. If it is done, a fine rose 

spray should be used. 

Sometimes, as time goes by, 

you can identify low spots and 

sparse ends. These can be 

lightly dressed and 

overseeded. 

I have never liked 

germination sheets at this 

time of the year, but they can 

be useful, especially if 

topdressing has been done 

very late. 

When the square is ready to 

cut I would recommend a 

Flymo hover mower that 

collects, or a light box mower 

which would push the grass 

down and encourage tillering 

and the thickening of the 

sward. The height of cut 

should be no lower than 

12mm. 

Always try to remove heavy 

dew, and be very watchful for 

diseases as these can then be 

easily dealt with by quick 

identification and treatment. 

Aeration 

I know many groundsmen 

don’t like to aerate, and I was 

one of them! I used to try and 

vertidrain every four or five 

years, but this is not suitable 

for many squares. I now 

suggest that clubs try and 

aerate with needle tines in 

November, December or 

January (no later). Hollow 

tining is another option, 

especially if soils are being 

changed, but it is not 

something I would readily do 

as it needs careful panning. 

Although cricket 

groundsmanship is not an 

exact science, there are many 

drawbacks if mistakes are 

made with end of season 

renovations. It is the most 

important task carried out to 

the square and sets the tone 

for pitch performance during 

the next season. It requires 

good homework and planning, 

and the rewards are enormous 

and very satisfying. 

Too many people, in 

decision making situations, 

make knee-jerk reactions to 

their squares. Without any 

planning and a lot of 

homework, that will be a 

recipe for disaster. 

Good luck. 

Phil Frost 

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107

It ‘has’ to 

be done! 

ECB Pitch Advisor for 

Warwickshire, Geoff 

Calcott, on the perils of 

not scarifying 

ON my travels around cricket 

grounds in my home county of 

Warwickshire, whether it be as part 

of the ECB funded PQS scheme,in 

conjunction with the local Cotswold 

Hills League, or as part of the 

Warkwickshire Groundsman 

Association PQS scheme, it soon 

became obvious that there were 

clubs whose cricket squares had 

received little or no attention in the 

crucial autumnal period. 

The major problem, as is nearly 

always the case, was one of thatch 

and buried fibre, often many 

millimetres thick, which, of course, 

is usually the sign of little or no 

deep scarification having taken 

place at the end of the playing 

season. 

When one considers that, on 

average, only 70% of grass 

clippings actually go into the box, 

there will always be thatch - it’s a 

fact of life. Regular verticutting and 

power brushing throughout the 

playing season will help reduce the 

thatch content, but the autumn 

period is absolutely crucial in 

controlling what was missed. 

I would recommend that a soil 

profile is taken to a depth of say 

125/150mm to find the depth of 

thatch/fibre and, depending on the 

findings, deep scarify vigorously in 

three or four directions, using 

heavy duty scarifiers such as the 

Graden or Sisis to the depth of the 

offending layer. 

More often than not, cricket 

clubs tend either to ignore the 

thatch problem or simply are not 

vigorous enough in their approach. 

Don’t forget, this will have to be 

done every season. 

In cases where clubs have not 

dealt with this problem (and there 

are many), the costs of recovering 

the square to an acceptable level 

are going to be high, particularly if 

the last resort is to employ the use 

of a Koro Field Topmaker. 

End of season maintenance 

The Pitfalls - a practical view 

ECB Pitch Advisor for Hampshire, 

Chris Westwood, outlines the 

pitfalls of incorrect end of season 

maintenance 

1) Not planning ahead 

2) Not examining the square to determine 

the conditions that currently exist 

3) Not having sufficient expertise available - 

or failing to seek advice 

4) Not ordering materials in time 

5) Not arranging a suitable contractor in 

sufficient time to coincide with your 

programme, or, if ‘in house’, not 

arranging for sufficient members to be 

available 

6) Not ensuring all the equipment required 

is in good working order 

7) Not commencing as soon as the playing 

season is over 

8) Not continuing to monitor the square 

and maintain it during the winter months 

The autumn repair and renovation of the 

square, combined with ongoing regular 

examination and routine winter 

maintenance, will be a major factor in how 

the square and pitches perform in the 

following cricket season. 

It is important to plan ahead, have 

specific dates for the work (with contingency 

plans in case of inclement weather 

conditions) and programme the operations 

to suit the resources available. 

Examination of the current condition of 

the square will indicate any initial problems, 

such as weed infestation, pest damage and 

disease. All of which can be treated, 

controlled and monitored as part of the end 

of season maintenance regime. 

Core samples, taken from the square in 

advance, will establish the on-site 

conditions, show the level of thatch/fibre 

that has built up throughout the season, and 

the current root development. 

Identifying the levels of thatch/fibre at the 

surface at an early stage will determine the 

depth of scarification required, and the type 

of equipment necessary to clean the surface. 

Root development is important for the 

health of the grass plant and, again, 

inspection of the core will provide a guide 

to the requirement/frequency/type of 

aeration and equipment required 

throughout the autumn and early winter 

months. 

If in doubt, ask! Expertise and advice is 

available through the ECB appointed 

County Pitch Advisors and Pitchcare and 

IOG courses, specific to the maintenance of 

cricket facilities. 

Advice can save time and money, and 

ultimately improve the facility. 

Once the requirements are known, 

materials should be ordered to ensure that 

the supplier has sufficient time to resource 

these and deliver to suit your programme. 

Early orders may attract discounts from 

some suppliers, and combining with other

“Incorrect end-ofseason 

maintenance is 

not only a waste of 

time, resource and 

finance but, ultimately, 

may lead to major 

problems in the future” 

Chris Westwood, ECB Pitch Advisor for Hampshire 

clubs for bulk purchase may 

also have financial benefits. 

Autumn is a busy time for 

specialist contractors and it is, 

therefore, vital to book them 

well in advance to avoid 

delays and minimise the 

affect of our climate. 

Ensure that the contractor 

is aware of your requirements 

by providing a specification 

of the work to be completed. 

Particular attention should be 

paid to the depth of 

scarification, and ensure that 

the contractor can (and will) 

meet your requirements. 

Some contractors apply the 

topdressing, and use a drag 

mat for spreading it. Whilst 

this provides a good finish, 

the drag mat follows the 

existing conditions and, 

therefore, the use of a lute is 

highly recommended. 

Many clubs rely on their 

own members and volunteer 

groundsmen to complete the 

end-of-season maintenance, 

and it is important that the 

machinery is ready for use 

and the work is completed 

correctly - this is where advice 

and attendance at 

appropriate courses prove 

advantageous. 

Incorrect end-of-season 

maintenance is not only a 

waste of time, resource and 

finance but, ultimately, may 

lead to major problems in the 

future. 

Weather conditions at the 

end of the cricket season are 

variable. Therefore, work 

should commence as soon as 

the playing season has 

finished. This is vitally 

important to ensure that the 

new seed has sufficient time 

to germinate and the 

topdressing to key into the 

surface. 

Aftercare is also important 

throughout the autumn and 

winter months, prior to the 

commencement of the 

spring/summer preparation 

programme. 

The square should be 

brushed or swished on a 

regular basis, the grass cut 

when conditions allow, and 

maintained at a height of 

20/25mm until the spring. 

As a guide, the end of 

season, autumn maintenance 

will include the following 

elements: 

• Repairs to the ends and 

other worn areas 

• Thorough scarification to 

remove the build up of 

thatch at the surface 

• Overseeding with a good 

quality seed mix to 

improve the sward 

• The application of an 

appropriate fertiliser to 

replace lost nutrients 

• The application of an 

appropriate fungicide to 

control disease 

• Topdressing with a good 

quality cricket wicket 

dressing, compatible with 

the existing soil, worked 

into the surface using a 

lute 

• Aeration to relieve 

compaction, improve root 

development and transfer 

the moisture and nutrients 

down into the soil base. In 

addition. the regular use 

of a sarrel spiker over the 

entire square will prove 

beneficial in allowing 

surface water to penetrate 

more quickly into the 

surface 

• Regularly brush or swish 

the square to remove the 

dew 

• Cut the grass, with a 

suitable sharp mower, 

when required to maintain 

an even height to the 

sward of 20/25mm 

The above list should be 

regarded as a guide only. The 

full extent of operations will 

depend on the individual 

requirements of the particular 

facility being maintained. 

The SISIS Rotorake 602 

is a superb scarifier/linear aerator for regular routine use.The 

Rotorake 602 can be set up with an integral seeder attached 

so that it can be used for over seeding worn areas of turf 

Range of interchangeable Reels 

Thatch Removal Reel 

Rolaspike Reel 

Faze Mo Reel 

Brush Reel 

Synthetic Brush Reel 

SISIS offer a range of pedestrian and tractor mounted 

scarifiers and a wide range of machinery for most aspects of 

turf and synthetic maintenance. Send for an illustrated leaflet 

SISIS EQUIPMENT (Macclesfield) LTD., 

Hurdsfield, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK10 2LZ 

Tel: 01625 503030 Fax: 01625 427426 E-mail: info@sisis.com 

www.sisis.com

Newmarket’s two courses are world 

famous. Their length and position 

have not altered since the 17th 

century, although the maintenance 

regimes certainly have! 

Carol Dutton reports 

“You’re up at 5.00am, 

and you might leave at 

8.00pm, or you might 

leave at midnight - you 

have to love it” 

Alan Hatherley, Estates Manager, Newmarket Racecourses 

Horses 

Newmarket Racecourse 

is a legend in horse 

racing, with a history 

going back to the 17th 

century. But, although its 

famous courses have 

remained virtually 

unchanged, it is the 

thoroughly modern, 

sophisticated and 

meticulous turf 

management that produces 

the finest flat racing in the 

world. 

At the end of August, 

Newmarket hosted a 

unique three mile and six 

furlong race, in which 

amateur riders competed 

for, amongst other prizes, a 

box of Newmarket town 

sausages. Called the ‘Town 

Plate’ as, originally, the 

winner received his 

sausages on a plate, the 

race has been running once 

a year for almost 350 years. 

King Charles II, who 

instituted the ‘Town Plate’ 

by Act of Parliament and 

contested the race himself, 

was passionate about 

Newmarket. He relocated 

his entire court to the town 

twice a year and used to 

watch the races sitting on 

his trusty hack, Rowley, 

after whom one of the 

courses, the Rowley Mile, is 

named. 

Renowned worldwide as 

the ‘Rolls Royce’ of racing 

and the jewel in the Jockey 

Club’s crown, Newmarket

for courses... 

boasts 28 hectares of racing surface over 

two courses. The Rowley Mile hosts 

racing during spring and autumn, 

starting with the Craven meeting in mid 

April and ending with the final meeting 

of the year during the last weekend in 

October. From the end of June to the 

end of August, the Rowley Mile takes a 

break and racing is transferred to the 

July Course. Both courses can be 

extended by using the Beacon, an extra 

ten furlongs of track, for longer events. 

Amazingly, whilst off track facilities 

have developed, expanded and changed 

beyond all recognition since the reign of 

Charles II - £10 million was invested in 

new amenities for the July Course alone 

in 2006 - the actual race tracks have not 

been altered in terms of position or 

length since the day they hosted their 

first races. 

What has changed is the maintenance 

and turf management of these famous 

grass surfaces, which enables an intensive 

schedule of thirty-eight race days per 

year on surfaces that are as good as, if 

not better than, any in flat racing. 

“We pride ourselves on producing an 

excellent racing surface,” says Michael 

Prosser, Clerk of the Course and Director 

of Racing. “The Darley July Cup is 

recognised as the best sprint in the 

world, and last year attracted horses 

from as far away as Australia. We invest 

time, energy and money to court the best 

sprint horses in the world.” No pressure, 

then, on Alan Hatherley, promoted to 

Estates Manager two and a half years ago 

and responsible for every inch of track 

and paddock at Newmarket. 

Like many turfcare professionals at the 

top of their game, Alan reached his 

current position via a roundabout route. 

Born in Bishop’s Stortford, he started his 

working life as a greenkeeper, before 

moving to Guards Polo Club in Windsor 

Great Park, simply because the job 

involved working around horses. 

“I’ve always loved horse racing,” he 

says. “None of our family has ever 

ridden, but I can remember first coming 

to the races at Newmarket when I was 

three or four years old. Racing was a part 

of our lives. We were regular punters. 

We’d place our bets, and we loved the 

excitement of a modest gamble.” From 

Guards Polo Club, Alan moved to 

Windsor Race Course and, two years 

later, having answered an advertisement 

for a groundsman at Newmarket, he took 

the job despite the fact that, in some 

ways, it represented a sideways, if not 

backward step. “I started at the bottom 

and trained on the job,” he says. “I don’t 

know of anywhere with higher standards. 

Nothing gets missed and nothing gets 

111

left. I was closer to home, both physically 

and mentally. It was where I wanted to 

be.” 

Alan soon rose to become Assistant 

Head Groundsman and, after three and 

a half years, the post of Estates Manager 

was created and he was promoted into it. 

“All Jockey Club racecourses, of which 

Newmarket is one, have a policy of 

promotion from within,” Alan explains. 

“The management spends time and 

money training staff and it makes sense 

to benefit from their experience.” From 

Alan’s point of view this policy is 

invaluable. “I’ve got a fantastic team,” he 

says. “The Head Groundsman has been 

here for twenty years, there’s another guy 

who’s been here twenty-three years and, 

in the gardening section, two guys have 

been here for eighteen years. A few more 

112 

have been here six or seven years, and 

they all ‘know’ the place. To put in the 

hours you have to do - during a three 

day race meeting for example - you’re up 

at 5.00am, and you might leave at 

8.00pm, or you might leave at midnight - 

you have to love it.” 

Experience, dedication and knowledge 

are definitely needed at Newmarket 

because, as well as the phenomenally 

long, seasonal hours, the Rowley Mile 

and the July Course have different 

maintenance programmes. This is partly 

due to the fact that they have different 

grasses - the Rowley Mile and the Beacon 

are predominantly fescues, bents and 

heath grasses, whilst the July Course is 

predominantly perennial ryegrass - but 

also because each course is under 

pressure at different times of the year, 

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and needs to be prepared for its own 

punishing racing schedule whilst the 

other one recovers. 

Alan has been working with Headland 

Amenity for over seven years, who 

perform in depth laboratory soil analysis 

every three years, with follow-up analysis 

annually. The nutritional programme is 

tweaked according to the findings. “We 

adjust the programme according to what 

the grass has taken in every year,” Alan 

explains. “This system was in place when 

I became Estates Manager, it works well 

and I see no reason to change it. 

Headland are experts at the end of the 

day, and they don’t cut corners.” 

Alan begins his nutritional programme 

in mid March with an application of 

Naturvigor, Headland’s organic, 

aerobically-composted cow manure 

INCLUDING SPINDLES* 

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fortified by humic acid. This product 

stimulates microbial activity and 

encourages root development, and is 

applied to the final three furlongs of the 

Rowley Mile and the final two furlongs of 

the July Course. “As the horses are 

accelerating at the end of the race, they 

grab the surface more effectively and 

damage the turf to a greater extent,” 

Alan explains. “We need strong and 

extensive root growth on the whole 

course, but particularly in the final 

furlongs.” Also, in mid March, 

Multigreen 425 (28:0:0), a controlled 

release fertiliser activated by soil 

temperature, is applied to the whole of 

the Rowley Mile and the Beacon, while 

Xtend, the company’s slow release 

product (15:2:20) is applied to the July 

Course. 

“We give the July Course a second 

application of Xtend (46:0:0) at the end 

of May, with a view to stimulating fresh 

growth and improving colour prior to 

the start of the summer season of racing 

on the July Course,” Alan continues. At 

the end of August both the Rowley Mile 

and the July Course receive a second 

application of Naturvigor to the same 

final furlongs as before, and the Rowley 

Mile and the Beacon receive Xtend 

(15:2:20) across all areas, to prepare 

them for their autumn racing. 

In addition, Alan and his team have 

Newmarket’s fine turf areas - the 

ornamental lawns and the parade rings - 

to look after. “Both the Rowley Mile and 

the July Course have their own parade 

ring, and also lawns behind the 

grandstand, around the bar areas, for 

owners and trainers,” Alan explains. 

“Our maintenance and nutritional 

programmes for all these areas are the 

same, starting with an application of 

Headland’s Multiverdo at the beginning 

of March to encourage growth.” At the 

beginning of April, Alan and his team 

apply Multigreen controlled release 

fertiliser, which is expected to perform as 

a background feed over the next four 

months and, at the end of the month, all 

the fine turf is sprayed with TriCure AD 

wetting agent. Turfcomplex organic 

seaweed is also applied at this time 

mainly, Alan says, to enhance colour. “We 

use Greentec fine turf fertiliser in the 

middle of May and again at the 

beginning of July and October to get 

more growth through,” Alan continues. 

“It works well for us in conjunction with 

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113

“We’re not just talking about growing grass, we’re talking 

about ensuring that the surface is safe for the horses. We 

always aim to provide the best possible racing ground” 

the Multigreen, which releases nutrients 

from April to August.” Go Green 

granules are applied during the winter to 

harden the turf and prevent disease. “We 

want the fine turf in these areas to come 

into spring in the best condition 

possible,” explains Newmarket’s Estate 

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Manager. 

Newmarket is built on a silty clay loam 

soil, with approximately two feet of top 

soil above a chalk brash. “It’s extremely 

free draining,” Alan confirms, “and all 

the courses require extensive irrigation 

during a dry spell in order to maintain 

acceptable moisture 

levels.” 

This means more long 

hours for Newmarket’s 

groundstaff who could be 

working from 5.00am to 

midnight. Alan uses two 

Briggs booms, a 50 metre 

boom on the home 

straights and a 30 metre 

boom on the Beacon 

Course. Newmarket has 

its own reservoir, fed 

from a bore hole, and 

Alan receives bespoke 

weather forecasts from 

John Kettley. 

“We need as much 

information as possible,” 

Alan continues. “We need 

to be aware of the 

impending weather which 

is, of course, vital 

information and will 

dictate how we manage 

the courses. We’re not 

just talking about 

growing grass, we’re 

talking about ensuring 

that the surface is safe for 

the horses. We always aim 

to provide the best 

possible racing ground.” 

Last year, Suffolk 

suffered its coldest winter 

for thirty years. “We 

experienced a significant 

amount of die back, with 

the native grass species on the Rowley 

Mile most badly affected,” Alan recalls. 

“Sharp frosts persisted well into April 

and early spring growth was minimal. 

Temperatures may have risen to 15 

degrees during the day, but were 

consistently falling below zero at night. 

We had to remove the die back and 

direct drill several areas.” 

At least the weeds were slow to appear 

- Alan finds that Cabadex helps control 

Speedwell - but, having to deal with the 

consequences of a particularly cold and 

late spring, whilst preparing for the first 

Classics of the year, the 2000 and 1000 

Guineas, hosted during the first weekend 

in May, must have put yet one more 

burden on Alan and his eleven 

permanent staff. 

In two months time, when the last race 

of the autumn season has run, the 

pressure should lessen and the team can 

get on with their aeration programme. 

“We’ll utilise either a slit tine or Blec 

Agitator on each of the courses. This 

machine has 1 inch diameter tines that 

work to a depth of 8 inches,” Alan 

explains. “The fissures in the soil created 

by the Blec are further enlarged by hard 

winter frosts.” 

The Rowley Mile, the Beacon and the 

July Course will lie fallow, replenishing 

their resources in age honoured style. 

And what of the horses, those world class 

international sprinters? They’re no doubt 

racing off to other, warmer parts of the 

world. With any luck, sometime between 

October and March, Newmarket’s Estate 

Manager and his valiant team will be 

doing the same. 

Headland Amenity at: 

www.headlandamenity.com 

or email: 

info@headlandamenity.com

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A Passion for 

polo in the sand... 

116 

Jane Carley reports on the Polo Club 

Dubai and finds that creating a polo pitch 

in the desert is a tall order 

Afew minutes drive from 

the commercial bustle of 

Dubai’s city centre, with 

the dramatic 828m tall Burj 

Khalifa tower at its heart, the 

Polo Club Dubai offers a 

glimpse into a different world. 

Finely honed, fit equines 

pound emerald green turf in 

front of a spectacular colonial 

style clubhouse, surrounded by 

lush gardens and an upmarket 

riding club. Part of an exclusive 

new development, the polo 

club’s neighbours include a 

newly built luxury housing 

complex and the Arabian 

Ranches Golf Club. 

Polo competitors naturally 

include numerous Sheiks from 

the Emirates who have been 

gripped by the adrenaline 

fuelled sport, but this spring’s 

inaugural Threadneedle Gold 

Cup also attracted leading 

names from the top polo 

nations, including England and 

Argentina. 

In contrast with polo in 

Europe, the season starts on 

15th of October, when the 

Gulf ’s weather cools down 

enough, and finishes in May. 

Polo matches are very much 

part of the lively social scene in 

Dubai, with the major 

tournaments promoted through 

the lifestyle magazines and 

featuring post match parties, 

banquets and discos in the 

club’s grounds. The 

Threadneedle tournament 

attracted much of the country’s 

glitterati, including members of 

the royal family. 

Creating a polo pitch in the 

desert is a tall order - the 

surface needs to be firm and 

level, providing safe footing for 

eight horses and their often 

blue blooded pilots, travelling 

at speed and turning on a 

sixpence. But, equally, it needs 

to offer sufficient ‘give’ and 

traction to prevent the animals 

from injuring their delicate 

limbs. 

Each pitch - Dubai Polo Club 

has a main pitch and a practice 

pitch - is 300 yards long and 

160 yards wide, with a 12in 

upright board bounding the

“I have no preference 

on a brand, only that 

it does what it needs 

to do!” 

Darren Smith, Head Groundsman, Polo Club Dubai 

perimeter to stop the ball 

rolling out of play easily. 

The main pitch was 

constructed in 2005 by local 

contractors Orient, using a 

Bermuda grass selected to 

cope with temperatures which 

frequently exceed 40 O C in the 

summer. During 

establishment, vast quantities 

of water were required to 

help develop the root system 

into the sand-based rootzone. 

Even as an established 

pitch, an intensive 

maintenance regime is 

required, as Head 

Groundsman, Darren Smith, 

explains: “Temperatures have 

a major influence on what 

fertilisers we use. During the 

winter months we tend to use 

liquid fertilisers whilst, 

during the summer months, 

granular products are used. 

During the lead up to 

tournaments, we pay special 

attention to the height of cut 

and the smoothness of the 

pitch, rolling it frequently.” 

Watering is another 

important task, with 

irrigators brought in every 

night to keep the pitch 

quenched: “We can’t use an 

in-ground system on the polo 

fields as we don’t want the 

horses treading on sprinkler 

heads, so we use six large 

travelling irrigation guns 

which are extended to the far 

side of the pitch and slowly 

wind themselves in as they 

travel over the turf.” 

Extensive planting around 

the club also requires plenty 

of care. Manicured shrub and 

flowerbeds are irrigated using 

Boomer series T3000 series 

• Compact Tractors 

• Utility Tractors 

• Ride-on Mowers 

• Attachments 

45 45 

CELEBRATING 

YEARS 

O F G R O U N D C A R E 

NEW HOLLAND TOP SERVICE 00800 64 111 111 

a drip system to help 

minimise spray drift and 

evaporation. 

“The landscaping seems to 

be the most labour intensive 

part of the job,” comments 

Darren. “Plants and hedges 

are constantly being pruned 

to help keep the well defined 

look, and a significant part of 

our budget is spent on the 

landscape maintenance.” 

The club has a total of 

twelve staff, who are split 

between the landscaped 

gardens surrounding the 

clubhouse and equestrian 

club and the pitch 

maintenance, but can be 

redeployed as necessary. 

Darren is also in charge of 

the Arabian Ranches golf 

course, an 18 hole, par 72, 

desert style grass course, 

which was designed by Ian 

Baker-Finch in association 

with Nicklaus Design. 

“We also share machines 

and, if needed, the golf 

course staff can also work on 

the polo pitches, so it is a real 

team effort,” says Darren. 

The Dubai Equestrian Club 

is also based on site, offering 

training for show jumping 

and dressage. Facilities 

include luxurious stabling 

and three artificial riding 

surfaces. 

Maintenance machinery in 

Dubai is supplied by two 

importers and the club 

mainly uses Toro and 

Jacobsen equipment. Darren 

says: “I have no 

preference on a brand, 

only that it does what 

it needs to do!” 

OUR GROUNDCARE RANGE IS 

VERY WIDE 

GROUNDCARE : COVERED 

T4000 series TZ series 

G6000 series 

YOUR SUCCESS - OUR SPECIALTY 

117

Manufacturers - 

what have they 

ever done for us? 

On the following 

pages we take a 

look at some 

aspects of the 

work of suppliers 

to the turfcare 

industry 

118 

The true cost of 

Demos... 

It’s quite the done thing, isn’t it? You 

have an idea that a piece of kit 

might do a job for you, but you’re 

not sure, so you ask for a 

demonstration. The dealer, or supplier, 

is always ready to oblige and there’s no 

onus on you to buy. That’s the nature 

of the game. 

But, have you any idea what that 

demonstration has cost? In the old 

days, when petrol was under £1 a 

gallon, and you could put a trailer on 

the back of any vehicle, it was probably 

quite a reasonable cost and well within 

a company’s’ budget. But, nowadays, 

it’s another ball game - that cost could 

be costing you a decent discount off 

the manufacturer’s list price. 

Tony Evans, of PR Company Pan 

Publicity, canvassed opinion from three 

well known names in the industry to 

find out their perspective on the issue. 

Tim Merrell, Managing Director of 

Newmarket based The Grass Group, 

says the true cost of a demo is 

something they’ve really started 

driving through to dealers. For a while 

now, they’ve been offering different 

levels of discount according to whether 

or not they have to do a 

demonstration. He believes the 

industry has already started making 

some ‘unseen’ changes in regard to 

demonstrations. 

“The reason I say unseen,” he 

explains, “is because the changes are 

unseen to the end user. In the past, the 

cost of a demonstration was already 

factored into the final price of a 

machine but, by not having one, the 

dealer can either get a better profit 

margin, or offer the end user a better 

price, simply by cutting out our a 

demonstration.” 

However, Tim accepts that there are 

just times when a demonstration is 

absolutely necessary. But, he does 

think that end users need to be 

educated on the real cost of a demo 

which, he says, works out on average at 

about £500 a day when you take into 

account labour, expenses and travel.

“These days our customers have 

usually done their own research 

on the web, so they’re quite 

serious about buying by the time 

they ask for a demo” 

“I think that, if we do this, people will 

start to appreciate the importance of a 

serious demonstration and appreciate 

our service more. In particular, 

customers need to be made aware that, if 

we have to visit them more than once, 

these multiple demos adds considerable 

cost to the final price.” 

He cites the golf sector as one such 

culprit. “You will go and see a 

greenkeeper to demo a machine. He 

says he likes it but, later on, we’ll get a 

phone call to say he wants us to go back 

so that the committee, greens chairman 

or secretary can see it as well. This just 

duplicates our costs.” 

Nick Darkin, Sales Manager at 

Charterhouse Turf Machinery agrees, 

“Customers still want demos, but I don’t 

think they appreciate the cost involved 

of getting the unit to them. Transporting 

QUALITY 

DELIVERED AS 

STANDARD 

Nick Darkin, Charterhouse 

machines around the country for Dealer 

Open Days, exhibitions or regional 

demos has always been expensive, 

whether you use haulage company 

transport or your own reps running 4 x 

4 vehicles with trailers.” 

“We’re now faced with having to have 

tacos fitted in order to use the trailer, 

and there’s a surprising cost element 

involved in those - you can be looking at 

over £2,000. Factor in £7,000 for 

depreciation, tax, insurance and service - 

that’s before a wheel has moved - and 

then add fuel at over £5 a gallon and 

Tim’s £500 a day is quickly reached.” 

For Dave Roberts, Sales and Marketing 

Manager at Kubota, demos are a key 

part of their sales process. “It can be the 

make or break part of the deal,” he says, 

“and Kubota’s 

investment in demos is huge. We have 

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our dealers’ demo kit which we also have 

to supply.” 

Whilst he accepts it’s a massive cost to 

Kubota, he does believe it brings about 

rewards as they, fortunately, seem to 

have a reasonably good success rate. The 

demo has become the final part of the 

sales process. 

For Kubota dealers though, Dave does 

recognise there is a cost implication for 

them having to hold demo kit, and that 

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119

they have a more onerous task in doing 

demos. “They have to decide what 

products to carry in their demo kit and, 

let’s face it, we do have a wide range of 

products. But, we have seen our dealers 

‘qualify’ the lead more before they 

demo.” 

This qualifying is helped by what each 

of them sees as a better informed 

customer. Tim has seen the use of the 

internet being of real benefit to both his 

business and the end users. 

“Groundsmen and greenkeepers are 

120 

“If someone wants to demo a 

machine over a prolonged amount 

of time, I will now hire them a 

machine, and take the hire cost off 

the price of a machine” 

more time starved than they ever have 

been, and they don’t want to spend 

more time on demos than they need to,” 

he says. We’ve also seen a reluctance to 

support regional demos, with a 

preference to research the internet and 

have a real handle on what they are 

looking at before we are asked to demo.” 

“We can direct the end user to our 

website in advance and they, in turn, can 

use it to brief their committee and show 

them videos. By the time we turn up, 

they have already become accustomed to 

the machine and, hopefully, looked at 

their budgets. This speeds up the 

decision making process and helps stop 

the need for more than one visit which, 

as I said before, is very costly.” 

This is a view shared by Nick Darkin. 

“These days our customers have usually 

Tim Merrell, The Grass Group 

done their own research on the web, so 

they’re quite serious about buying by the 

time they ask for a demo. This makes a 

demo less likely to be a waste of time, as 

the customer has checked out which 

model they want to see on our website, 

and are, therefore, much better 

informed about the machines.” 

“As Nick has already said,” 

commented Dave, “customers are a lot 

more savvy now - they’ve done their 

homework either through our website or 

from a Dealer Open Day.” But, for him, 

and Kubota, the issue is greater in that 

they have a huge spectrum of customers 

- from private users to farm managers 

and owners. “For example,” he explains, 

“a demo to a private user on an estate 

will usually result in us leaving the 

machine with the customer. If the 

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“It can be the make or break part 

of the deal, and Kubota’s 

investment in demos is huge. We 

have around a million pounds 

worth of our own demo kit” 

machine does the job they expected it 

to, having researched it on the web, they 

write out the cheque and we leave the 

machine with them.” 

“A sale to a groundsman or 

greenkeeper is much more complex. 

They might be looking for the unit to 

perform several tasks and may, 

therefore, need a few more hours of the 

dealer’s time on a demo. But, their 

initial internet surfing has shortened the 

sales process.” 

The utopia for all is the day when they 

take a machine on a demo, leave it with 

the potential end user for a couple of 

days, let them see what it can do and 

then make a serious, well informed, 

decision about purchasing. 

Tim adds a caveat to this wish, “The 

practice of ‘lending’ a machine to an 

Dave Roberts, Kubota UK 

end user to assess, for days on end, is no 

longer acceptable in my opinion. If 

someone wants to demo a machine over 

a prolonged amount of time, I will now 

hire them a machine, and take the hire 

cost off the price of a machine should 

they go on to make a purchase. This 

prevents people taking liberties.” 

He would encourage everyone to 

follow his lead with this. “When dealers 

had loads of product in stock and 

making lots of sales, this type of practice 

was okay. But, now, there is less business 

around these days, and dealers don’t 

want to hold too much stock. So, we 

have to provide the equipment and 

travel the great distances to recover the 

kit.” 

It remains to be seen whether internet 

action will take over conventional sales 

routes such as demos and exhibitions, 

but it is clear that cost will once again 

drive the market - although history 

shows us that change sometimes brings 

about a repeat of the past! 

Regional demos has been seen as the 

most cost effective avenue, by a number 

of companies, over the last ten years but, 

with so many doing the same thing, cries 

have been heard for “all of you to get 

together in one place, as we don’t have 

time to come to all of the events!” 

Sounds like an exhibition, doesn’t it? 

121

So, where does cricket loam come 

from? Where is it sourced from, 

how is it harvested and what are 

the processes that bring the various 

grades of dressing to the sports market? 

To answer those questions, I met up 

with Simon Hedley, Business Director of 

Boughton Loams, at their production 

plant near Kettering in 

Northamptonshire. The company has 

been in existence since 1984, and has 

built up a good reputation for the supply 

of soils and loams to the sportsturf 

industry. 

Simon joined the company in 1997 as 

a sales representative and, over the years, 

has seen his role develop to become 

Business Director, a position that enables 

him to pursue new marketing 

opportunities whilst, at the same time, 

continuing to ensure production is 

efficient and meeting demand across all 

sectors of the business. 

Boughton Loam make and supply a 

wide rage of soil based products for both 

the landscape and sportsturf industries, 

including topsoil, cricket loam, mixed 

topdressing and planting compost. 

For the purpose of this article, I will 

concentrate on just one area - cricket 

loam. 

Most of the various types of soils used 

for making products are sourced locally. 

Boughton do not use any recycled soils, 

as they are considered to be inconsistent 

and not suitable for use. 

Simon inspects any potential soil 

122 

CRICKET LOAM 

So, how does a cricket 

loam come to market? 

Laurence Gale MSc 

meets Simon Hedley ... 

The loam 

arranger 

supplies personally, and takes a number 

of samples. These are then sent to Soil 

Science Wales Ltd., to check its quality - 

clay, silt and sand content, organic 

matter content and soil pH. A particle 

size analysis is also carried out to confirm 

soil type and check that it is not 

contaminated. It is at this stage that the 

loam is tested for its binding strength. If 

all the various criteria are met it will be 

certified for use. 

Once approved, the soil is delivered to 

Boughton’s four acre depot storage area. 

The holding area can hold thousands of 

tonnes at any one time, so guaranteeing 

compatibility. 

Ten staff are employed at the depot. 

Five work on the production side, driving 

heavy plant to move and transport soils, 

operating the screening machines and 

bagging the finished product, whilst the 

other five are admin and support staff, 

who arrange deliveries and deal with 

customers. 

So, how does a cricket loam come to 

market? 

The essential element of a good cricket 

loam is that the soil must be consistent in 

texture, and clay content. Once a 

particular batch of soil has been 

identified for use as a cricket loam, it 

goes through a series of processes to 

refine the product to meet its 

specification. 

The first part of the process entails 

breaking down the imported soil into a 

malleable state. This is done by 

spreading the soil in layers and 

cultivating it until it gets to a 

manageable size. The soil is then run 

through a series of screening processes 

(10mm, 4mm and 3mm screens) to 

reduce and refine the material. The loam 

is then put through a soil sterilising 

machine and bagged. 

For every tonne of clay loam produced, 

ten tonnes of virgin soil is put through 

the screening process. However, none of 

it is wasted, as it is used to make other 

Boughton products. 

The machinery used in the refining 

process does not come cheap. The earth 

movers and screening machines cost tens 

of thousands of pounds each, with the 

prime soil movers costing in excess of 

£60,000, and the screens costing in the 

region of £130,000. 

Last year the company produced 

around 90,000 bags of cricket loam 

material alone. 

All cricket loams have their own 

characteristics and need to be managed 

in different ways and, quite often, there 

are other variables that affect its 

performance. In many cases a loam is 

only as good as it is managed. For many 

clubs, particularly at the lower levels of 

the game, the performance of a loam can 

be compromised by lack of resources - 

machinery, covers, staff knowledge and 

time allocated to preparing wickets. 

The company manufacture three 

specific cricket loams. The difference

Soil is spread in layers and cultivated 

between them is their clay content, the 

higher the clay content, the larger the 

shrink/swell properties of the soil, 

coupled with its binding strength and 

higher bulk density. 

Boughton County has a typical clay 

content above 30%, giving a firm true 

pitch able to last at least four days at 

County Cricket level, or to give a better 

surface to higher standard league clubs. 

Boughton Club has a typical clay 

content of between 25-28%. This loam is 

used at clubs that need a true firm pitch, 

but do not have the resources to cope 

with the higher clay content of County 

Loam. 

Boughton Kettering has a typical clay 

content of 24%. This loam has been the 

mainstay of local authority and school 

cricket pitches for many years. It is ideal 

where a pitch is required to give a good 

surface, whilst receiving minimal amount 

of preparation. 

There is a tight weather window of 

opportunity for manufacturing loams. 

The digging and handling of clay soils 

need to be undertaken in the summer 

months of June, July and August when 

the clay soils are in a friable state and 

easy to work. When wet, they are almost 

impossible to work with. 

With storage space at a premium, the 

loam is produced from June onwards. 

Late ordering of loams can mean that 

demand can outstrip supply in the peak 

month of September, this, Simon says, is 

why it is important that customers 

confirm their orders early ready to take 

delivery of their loam in the best of the 

final growing window. 

Simon keeps a close eye on all stages of 

production, to ensure that soils are 

produced to order and do not spend too 

long in the storage area. 

“The manufacture of soil products is 

not always a straightforward process,” he 

says. “They must be handled with care, 

as they can easily be destructured, 

particularly when wet.” 

“The reputation of soil products can 

also easily be tainted when a customer 

has had a bad experience. Often, this is 

caused by the wrong product being 

specified or, on rare occasions, when 

there have been delays in delivery, 

usually because the order came in late.” 

“We have introduced a number of new 

initiatives and services to assist our 

customers, with the launch of a new 

brochure, new website and regular 

newsletters to keep them updated about 

products and services.” 

“Retaining and looking after our 

existing customers is key to the business” 

says Simon. “At the same time, we are 

looking to improve our efficiency, 

particularly in terms of maximising 

production. We are also looking to invest 

Machinery used in refining does not come cheap 

in new machinery and technologies.” 

“Selling soils is a very competitive 

market at the moment. The raw soil is in 

short supply due to the downturn in the 

building industry. Transport costs and 

rising energy prices also have a 

significant impact.” 

“Quality topsoil is fast becoming a 

much sought after commodity, however, I 

am confident that we, along with other 

BRTMA [British Rootzone and Topsoil 

Manufacturers] members, will continue 

to be able to offer a wide range of quality 

topsoil products because we have all 

invested heavily in our businesses.” 

“It takes nature a million years to 

produce 25mm of topsoil, so it is 

important we treat and respect this 

wonderful product of nature. In the end, 

as the saying goes, you get what you pay 

for. Topsoil today fetches a premium 

price, so it is important that we all 

choose and manage this commodity 

correctly.” 

A bag of cricket loam currently retails 

at between four and six pounds, and is 

often considered expensive by many 

groundsmen. However, when you 

consider what goes into 

producing it, and the 

transport costs of getting it 

to site, it is, in real terms, 

well worth the cost. 

Over 90,000 bags of loam were produced last year Simon Hedley - new brochure, new website 

123

They’re black, 

round and have a 

hole in the middle, 

right? Wrong. Jane 

Carley discovers 

that there is more 

to tyres than meets 

the eye - 

particularly for use 

on delicate turf 

The wheel deal! 

“Every application and 

every tractor is different 

and, therefore, it is best to 

contact a tyre specialist” 

Andy Hipkin, Fieldens 

According to turf tyre 

specialist Trelleborg, low 

ground pressure tyres were 

first developed in response 

to demand from 

Scandinavian forestry contractors for 

a way of maintaining traction on their 

machines without damaging the 

surface root structure of the trees. 

Tyres needed to withstand passing 

over ground littered with rocks and 

stumps without punctures causing 

downtime. Sound familiar? The tyre 

industry came up with designs of 600 

and 700mm tread width, allowing 

lower inflation pressures to be used, 

with rounded shoulders to prevent 

surface damage and a tread pattern 

capable of transmitting the required 

power. 

Today, the Scandinavian timber 

industry runs almost exclusively on 

this type of tyre and its qualities have 

been appreciated by farmers and, 

more recently, turf managers. 

Its benefits on turf are the ability to 

travel in wetter conditions, and thus 

gain a longer working season without 

damaging the surface or creating ruts 

that alter its playability. However, 

there are other challenges for tyres 

used in modern turfcare - the need to 

travel at higher speeds on hard roads, 

and to carry increased loads as 

tractors and implements get larger. 

The soft rubber compounds, which 

were developed to tread gently on the 

non-abrasive grass surfaces, may not 

be tough enough for the job, and 

manufacturers are increasingly 

turning to more wear resistant 

materials. 

Over the last ten years, the size of 

grass tractors has risen significantly in 

weight and power, particularly in the 

local authority markets, explains 

Trelleborg’s Technical Support 

Manager, Jon McGott. 

“We have a range of garden tractor 

wide, low ground pressure tyres which 

have a soft compound rubber, and a 

light and flexible carcase. This was 

developed twenty years ago, but is on 

the verge of being redundant. With 

the larger tractors now being used,

John Deere dealers source the ideal tyres for their customers’ requirements 

“Tyres need to carry loads - the temptation to 

use wider and wider tyres should be avoided 

as that just flattens a larger area of grass” 

Mike Taylor, Ben Burgess Ltd 

there is the potential to fit higher 

capacity loaders, or tow bigger chippers 

etc., so our wide Twin Implement range, 

originally developed for agricultural 

machinery is more appropriate because 

of its greater load capability, higher 

speed rating and more suitable, harder 

rubber compound for roadwork.” 

Totrax supplies specialist tyres and 

wheels to a number of industries, and 

product manager, Dave Raynes, explains 

that groundcare tyres are specified on a 

decidedly bespoke basis. 

“We take the gear ratio of the vehicle 

in question, the desired width and 

footprint and then match the data with a 

tyre from one of a number of 

manufacturers. This may be the 

American brand, Carlisle, or a Far East 

make. The ideal combination for the 

larger machines, that we are increasingly 

seeing in the industry, has a large surface 

contact area and rounded shoulders to 

avoid scuffing. However, the footprint of 

the tyre can be restricted by the 

application - in a football stadium for 

example, access to the pitch may be via a 

narrow entrance, which can limit the 

width of tyres used.” 

Nordic Tyres is the UK importer for 

the Finnish Nokian brand, which features 

radial tyres designed to offer the flat 

footprint required for turf. 

“Tyres for higher horsepower tractors 

tend to be developed for agriculture 

rather than groundcare, so it is a matter 

of taking their best qualities and 

matching them to the required 

application,” explains the company’s 

Alan Lindsay. “Many flotation tyres are of 

cross ply construction with the tread and 

sidewall the same thickness. This gives a 

‘dome shaped’ footprint which can cause 

rutting and compaction. We use radial 

tyres which have a radial band around 

the tread and a separate carcass, allowing 

it to be as thin as necessary and produce 

the desired flat footprint.” 

Nokian’s ELS range is described as a 

true flotation tyre, with a shallow tread 

and wide cross section to spread the 

weight of the tractor. 

“These are specialist tyres for 

contractors, groundsmen and turf 

growers who need to use large tractors 

on turf for maximum productivity - they 

are used at Arsenal FC’s training ground 

for example,” explains Alan. 

However, local authorities may find 

that they need a harder wearing tyre for 

travel between work sites, and may also 

find it difficult to justify the extra cost of 

special rims required for the ELS. 

“The TRI 2 tyre gives a half way 

house,” suggests Alan. “It is kind to turf, 

but more natural rubber compound in 

the construction means that it has a 

longer life even than an agricultural tyre. 

Its radial construction also makes for a 

comfortable drive at road speeds.” 

A further benefit for those looking to 

get year round use from their tractors 

comes from the tyre’s Nordic origin. 

“These tyres were developed to run in 

severe conditions, and local authorities 

have reported to us that they coped 

superbly last winter when used for snow 

clearing and gritting,” Alan reveals. 

Cost conscious purchasers may also 

note that the TRI 2 is also considerably 

cheaper than the ELS equivalent, as Alan 

explains. 

“A set of ELS tyres can come to £5,500 

but, if the tractor is used for more 

general duties, TRI 2 versions can be 

supplied for £3,000. However, 

contractors tell us that specifying the 

right tyres can be the key to winning the 

tender, so money is not always the issue.” 

Also of radial construction, Michelin’s 

CargoXbibs are extensively used for 

cutting in parks and recreation grounds, 

golf courses and by turf growers, who use 

them for drilling, treatments and cutting 

the new turf. 

Spokesman Paul Cordle points out: 

“We don’t specifically make tyres for 

grasscare.In my experience, most of the 

proprietary products are of cross ply 

construction, which suffer from 

punctures and heat build up at current 

road speeds. The CargoXbib can put 

down a flat footprint, which significantly 

reduces damage to the turf.” 

Other features of this tyre include a 

large block tread pattern and rounded 

shoulders to avoid scuffing on turns. It 

can be run at low ground pressures and, 

due to its agricultural heritage, the range 

of sizes and carrying capacities are more 

than adequate for groundcare needs. 

The specialist dealer’s view 

Choosing turf tyres for a specific task can 

be a complex decision, according to 

Andy Hipkin of leading supplier 

Fieldens. 

“Whilst small tyres for compact tractors 

are relatively straightforward, as 

horsepower increases, many factors have 

to be taken into consideration. These 

include the amount of roadwork to be 

carried out, the nature of the turf itself 

and the load the tyre has to carry. Some 

purchasers need tyres to fulfil more than 

one role, such as golf course contractors 

who use the same tractor for construction 

and for the ongoing maintenance. Every 

application and every tractor is different 

and, therefore, it is best to contact a tyre 

specialist.” 

Some machinery manufacturers, 

including John Deere and New Holland, 

offer a choice of tyres at the time of 

purchase, but many prefer to leave it to 

the customer’s local dealer. 

And, whilst some of the agricultural 

tyre manufacturers have turf models in 

125

Hand cut tread on Trelleborg tyre 

their range, Andy suggests that there is 

more choice from specialist suppliers 

including Trelleborg, Nokian and Titan. 

“The most popular tyres we sell are 

from Titan, and many of the turf tyres 

supplied as standard with new machinery 

are sourced from this company,” says 

Andy. “They offer two basic types of turf 

tyre. The Torc Trac for the rear is based 

on the old diamond tread pattern, but is 

more of a block pattern these days, 

putting an increased percentage of the 

tyre’s surface area on the turf. At the 

front is the Multi Trac which is, 

essentially, an overgrown garden tractor 

tyre. They are simple designs but have 

been successful for football, golf and a 

range of other sports.” 

Fieldens works closely with the end 

user and, in some cases, will even 

customise tyres to meet their needs - see 

the image of a Trelleborg grass tyre with 

the tread hand cut by the company! 

Amerityrepuncture proof tyres on zero turn mower 

“Polyurethane can be 

landfilled, or 

reground and re-used 

in other products, 

avoiding the disposal 

issues associated 

with rubber tyres” 

James Bowett, Puncture Proof Tyres 

126 

New Holland tractor 

on torc trac and 

multi trac tyres 

Tyre sourcing and care – case studies 

John Deere’s Henry Bredin suggests that, 

while the company offers a choice of turf 

tyres on its groundcare tractors, the local 

dealer is often able to help with more 

specialist requests. 

“We have ongoing agreements with 

some of the leading racehorse trainers 

and racecourses, and dealers work closely 

with them to source the ideal tyre for 

their needs,” he explains. 

Ben Burgess Ltd at Newmarket 

supplies John Deere tractors to Jockey 

Club Estates, which owns Newmarket 

Racecourse, and to Godolphin Racing, 

the massive training set-up which 

produces thoroughbreds for Sheikh 

Mohammed. 

Groundcare specialist Mike Taylor 

explains: “These customers use larger 

tractors to cover the extensive areas of 

grass involved - including Deere’s 80- 

155hp 6030 series at Godolphin, so they 

need good tyres to 

avoid scuffing and 

compaction. Both 

Michelin and 

Trelleborg tyres have 

proved themselves on 

larger tractors in the 

turf growing industry, 

so I can be confident 

that they are suitable 

for this application. It 

is best to avoid tyres 

with too chunky a 

tread for this type of 

work as they can 

damage the turf. 

“Although the tyres 

need to carry loads, 

the temptation to use 

wider and wider tyres 

should be avoided as 

that just flattens a 

larger area of grass. 

The tyres also need to 

be versatile too, as the 

tractors are used for a 

range of jobs, from 

verti-draining and 

mowing to towing 

irrigators,” he adds. 

At John O’ Gaunt 

Golf Club in 

Bedfordshire, 

workshop manager 

Stuart Hall mainly 

relies on tyre specialist, 

Totrax, or his main machinery supplier, 

Toro, to meet his tyre needs. 

“Totrax offers a range of tyres if we 

need anything different from the 

standard models fitted to the machines, 

but for the larger tractors and trailers we 

go to ATS,” he explains. “Due to the 

volumes of tyres that they handle, they 

are able to be very competitive on price – 

we had been quoted £800 for a particular 

large tyre, and their price was £300.” 

Most repairs can be handled in house 

in the club’s well equipped workshop, 

but Stuart points out that larger tyres 

need to be inflated in a safety cage, and 

for this, truck and agricultural mobile 

tyre service On Site Tyres of Eaton Socon 

provides an efficient service. 

“There is a safety issue with larger 

tyres, and I am not trained as a tyre 

fitter, so I prefer to leave repairs to the 

experts,” he says. 

Telford and Wrekin Council contracts 

out its tyre management to local 

company, Chris Hardy Tyres. Workshop 

manager Dave Robinson explains: “We 

have such a range of vehicles, from 

refuse lorries to sweepers and grounds 

maintenance machines, that it would be 

too time consuming to manage our tyre 

requirements in house. Chris looks after 

tyre sourcing, repairs and replacement 

all for a fixed fee.” 

This includes a guaranteed response 

time for puncture repairs, either in the 

workshop or out on site. 

“We cannot afford to have machines 

and drivers stood down for two or three 

hours, as we would be unable to fulfil the 

terms of our own contracts,” Dave says. 

“Using a local company means a quick 

response; fitters also come into the 

workshop when shifts finish in the 

afternoon to check tyre condition and 

replace any worn units.” 

Any new machines added to the fleet 

are notified to Chris Hardy, and their 

tyre specification recorded to allow recutting 

or replacement to be 

rescheduled. 

Contractors, Agripower, specialise in 

construction and renovation of natural 

and synthetic tyres, and Grant Holmes 

explains that large tyres capable of 

carrying substantial weight without 

damaging the turf are essential. 

“Most of our 25-strong fleet of tractors 

are 80-110hp, and we specify Alliance 

tyres at the time of purchase. They offer

low ground pressure, but also 

last a long time.” 

Ongoing grounds 

maintenance contracts are 

usually fulfilled using 

compact tractors or ride-on 

mowers, but major renovation 

work, such as verti-draining 

and topdressing, requires the 

high horsepower and light 

tread of the Alliance-shod 

Kubota and New Holland 

tractors. 

Agricultural tyres are also 

used for heavy construction 

work, and here Agripower 

specifies Michelins, as Grant 

explains: “We still need a 

light tread and minimal 

footprint. Michelins are more 

expensive than other brands, 

but last longer in conditions 

where they are required to 

carry heavy weights and work 

on stony soils.” 

Feeling flat? 

Andy Hipkin suggests that 

punctures are less of a 

problem these days, notably 

since a lot of tyres are 

tubeless designs which resist 

punctures. 

“However, the best way to 

avoid punctures is to make 

sure that the tyre is suitable 

for its application. Customers 

who try to cut corners and 

use the wrong tyre tend to 

spend more on puncture 

repairs.” 

Polyeurethane tyres are 

another option, and come in 

particularly handy for 

machines that are exposed to 

rougher conditions, such as 

commercial mowers or trailed 

implements. 

Official UK distributor for 

the Amerityre brand, 

Puncture Proof Tyres, James 

Bowett, outlines the 

advantages of this type of 

tyre. 

“These are not filled tyres, 

but made of 100% 

polyeurethane, so offer a 

lighter tread on turf, 

eliminating the downtime 

associated with mending 

punctures and checking 

inflation pressures. As the 

height of cut on this type of 

mower is usually set on the 

wheels, using a solid tyre also 

keeps the finish consistent 

across the working width.” 

Fitting does require a 

special tool, which can be 

purchased for larger 

workshops, or tyres can be 

fitted by the company’s 

network of dealers. A range 

of tread patterns and tyre 

sizes is available and James 

comments that the choice is 

expanding all the time. Prices 

are said to compare well with 

a pneumatic tyre and are less 

than the equivalent filled 

tyre. A further advantage, 

according to James, is that 

they are ‘green’. 

“Polyurethane can be 

landfilled, or reground and 

re-used in other products, 

avoiding the disposal issues 

associated with rubber tyres,” 

he explains. 

Punctures can be an issue 

for construction contractors 

running on flinty soils, 

particularly if they are using 

low ground pressure tyres on 

a machine which will also be 

deployed for the 

maintenance of the new turf. 

However, Dave Raynes of 

Totrax points out that most of 

the modern flotation tyres 

used on larger tractors have 

ply ratings of 12/15, which 

can help avoid punctures. 

“But where they are an 

issue, tyres can be filled with 

OKO sealant, which is forced 

into the hole in the event of a 

puncture, blocking it up and 

preventing deflation. 

Alternatively, the entire 

chamber of vulnerable tyres 

can be filled and the tyre 

cured, but this does add 

weight, so is not suitable for 

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127

Without doubt this was a whirlwind 

few days and probably more 

intense than any of us imagined, 

but it was extremely interesting, 

informative, lively and fun for all of us 

involved with Jacobsen’s Future Turf 

Managers (FTM) programme. 

Twenty-nine students from universities 

across the United States, including the first 

two female delegates, attended this year’s 

FTM programme, which was centred on 

Jacobsen’s headquarters in Charlotte, NC. 

The aim of the programme is to provide a 

further insight into the industry that they 

are joining in the coming months. 

The students, who either graduate this 

year or had recently graduated from turfrelated 

study programmes, were 

recommended by their professors as being 

top level candidates with great prospects to 

become future leaders as they progress 

their careers. They had the opportunity to 

learn from experienced turf professionals 

in an educational environment under the 

guidance of industry leaders. Since its 

inception, back in the 1970s, over 700 

students have participated in the Future 

Turf Managers programme. 

On the evening prior to the first full day, 

the group gathered for a welcome reception 

at a local hotel, with introductions to 

128 

Future Turf 

Managers! 

The major equipment manufacturers all have 

educational schemes for students of fine turf, which 

aim to cement relationships with aspiring turf 

professionals as they enter the industry. On a recent 

visit to the USA, Kevin Marks visited Charlotte in 

North Carolina to see what turf equipment 

manufacturer, Jacobsen, has to offer on their Future 

Turf Managers programme 

Jacobsen staff and a presentation on the 

company; its history, products, services and 

its position within the multi-industry parent 

company, Textron inc. 

The hectic first day began with a tour of 

Jacobsen’s Wilmar production facility to see 

how today’s modern mowers and turf utility 

vehicles are designed and built. The 

whistle-stop tour included a visit to the new 

Jacobsen Eclipse 322 production line, to 

see the manufacturing processes involved in 

creating this unique, hydraulic-free mower. 

This was followed by a visit to the Quail 

Hollow Club where superintendent, Jeff 

Kent, explained how he prepared for the 

recent PGA tour championship and how he 

was getting the course back in shape after 

the tournament. The students then split 

into three groups for product 

demonstrations and ride and drives of 

some of Jacobsen’s latest turf equipment. 

Next up was John Patterson, fleet 

manager at Doral Country Club and 

president of the International Golf Course 

Equipments Managers’ Association, who 

spoke about the importance of building a 

good working relationship with your 

technician and the benefits that would 

result. 

The day concluded, as you might expect, 

at the home of NASCAR in Charlotte, with 

a visit to the recently opened Hall of Fame 

and dinner at a local restaurant. Here, 

Jacobsen’s training manager, Erik Sides, an 

avid NASCAR fan, tries the pit crew 

simulator at the Hall of Fame. 

Day two was no less hectic and began 

with an early morning tour of Jacobsen’s 

Distribution Centre and Jacobsen 

University. Three high-profile speakers 

were on hand to share their knowledge and 

experience about the industry. 

Brian Wingerd, the GCSAA’s business 

development manager, spoke of the value 

and the resources available for members of 

the association, and concluded by 

announcing that attendance on the 

programme had earned each student 0.8 

points towards the 5 points required for 

Class A certification. Sharon DeWolfe, 

Jacobsen’s events specialist also announced 

that each attendee had been given a year’s 

student membership of the GCSAA, 

courtesy of Jacobsen. 

Dr. Charles Peacock, professor of 

Turfgrass Science at NC State University 

and FTM alumnus, stressed the importance 

of continuous professional development to 

ensure a progressive career path, and gave 

his thoughts on how the environment and 

sustainability will impact superintendents in 

the coming years.

The final presentation by Chad Price, an 

executive member of the Sports Turf 

Managers’ Association and president of 

Carolina Green Corp, included a look at 

the value of the Green Industry to the US 

economy - $147 million, of which $40-60 

million is the turf grass sector, and the 

structure and benefits of membership of 

the STMA. Of particular interest to the 

student delegates was the information 

relating to the SAFE Foundation 

scholarship programme. 

The next stop, in a busy schedule, was a 

bus ride down the I-77 corridor to the 

University of South Carolina in Columbia, 

where the group visited the baseball 

stadium and heard from field manager, 

Clark Cox, who spoke about his turf 

management programme using Jacobsen’s 

latest Eclipse 322 all-electric triple mower 

at his new 8,500 capacity stadium. A short 

trip across town and the group arrived at 

the 80,250 seat William Brice stadium, the 

home of the college football team, the 

Gamecocks, for a conducted tour of the 

facility. An intense day ended with a group 

dinner at a local bistro. 

Brandon Arnold, one of the participating 

students from Washington State University, 

reflecting on the value of the Future Turf 

Managers programme at the close of the 

event said, “This has been an unbelievable 

experience. Yes it’s been hectic, but it’s also 

been hugely enjoyable. I can’t believe how 

well we’ve been treated here, and the 

quality and experience of the speakers has 

been fantastic. I’ll definitely put this on my 

CV so that potential employers realise how 

special it was for me to attend the FTM 

programme. The value has been immense. 

I think the most surprising aspect was the 

awarding of the points for GCSAA 

accreditation and the complimentary 

student membership; that’s just awesome!” 

Dan Wilkinson, president of Jacobsen 

added, “At Jacobsen we are committed to 

giving turf grass students a practical view of 

the profession, while offering guidance, 

support and the added value of our 

experience to help these turf professionals 

of tomorrow embrace our industry. It was a 

great three days and my thanks go to 

everyone who helped make it such a 

success.” 

From an outsider’s perspective, it’s 

interesting to see how all the major 

equipment manufacturers expend 

considerable time and resource to these 

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events, in which they are undoubtedly 

investing in the men and women who will 

possibly become their primary customers in 

the future. 

However, in Jacobsen’s case, over these 

three days there’s been a real sense of 

investment in these young people, as they 

begin their chosen careers; a sense that it 

really is more about helping solidify the 

future of this industry than it is about 

selling product. 

In 2011, the programme will be rolled 

out to international students, including two 

from the UK. 

Finally, this sign was on the gym wall at 

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129

What’s it all about? 

ALGAE! 

Kelp is the generic name 

for Large Brown Algae, 

that grows into vast 

underwater fields, so 

vital to a huge variety of 

marine life. 

In the second of his 

articles on seaweed, 

Steve Nicholls of Sea- 

Chem looks at modern 

methods of harvesting 

and how best to ensure 

that the native habitat is 

not destroyed 

In our first article, The Wracks 

Progress, we looked at the 

historical uses of seaweed and, 

following the lead from the Rio 

Earth Summit, how many 

alternative uses have been, and 

still are being found. In this article we 

shall be looking at the growth, 

harvesting and sustainability of the 

seaweeds used in our ecologically 

superior products. 

Marine plants have been utilised by 

man for hundreds of years, collected 

traditionally for food, medicines and 

fertilisers. Seaweeds now play a wide 

and varied role in modern life as they 

are increasingly being exploited as a 

food resource and a source of industrial 

and pharmaceutical chemicals. 

Seaweeds provide the foundation for 

aquatic food webs and habitat for 

marine flora and fauna. 

Seaweeds are particularly important 

ecologically: they dominate the rocky 

intertidal area in most oceans, and in 

temperate and polar regions cover rock 

surfaces in the shallow subtidal. 

Although only penetrating to 8-40 

metres in most oceans, some are found 

to depths of 250 metres in particularly 

clear waters such as the Mediterranean, 

the Caribbean and Brazil. 

The Giant Kelp is one of the largest 

plants in the world which, in western 

North America, forms an important 

association with the newly rescued Sea 

Otter. Kelp beds, or forests, play an 

important role in coastal zone 

management and act as a barrier 

against coastal erosion, providing a 

nursery and shelter function for many 

species of flora and fauna. The age and 

density of the kelp forest may be an 

influential factor for these species 

Management on an ecological basis 

is, therefore, essential to ensure that a 

balance is achieved between the 

importance of seaweeds in marine 

ecosystems and their exploitation by 

humans. To do this, we need to fully 

understand the life cycle of the various 

seaweeds and their relationship with all 

forms of marine life. 

Seaweeds are far more complex 

organisms than generally realised. 

Many have specialised tissues and 

growth forms. They may have very 

complicated sex, with many of them 

producing sex pheremones (chemicals 

that attract sperm), and with many 

different types of sex organs. Red algae 

have the most complicated sex known 

in plants. 

Kelps are known to have quite rapid 

translocation There is even growing 

evidence of root-like structures in some 

wracks that reach deep into rocks. 

Generally, seaweeds and many algae 

have holdfasts: basal structures that do 

“They may have very complicated sex, with 

many of them producing sex pheremones and 

with many different types of sex organs”

exactly what the name suggests 

- hold fast to the rock. 

Seaweeds must produce some 

amazing adhesives, as quite 

small holdfasts seem to be 

sufficient for quite large plants. 

As the plant grows, its 

holdfast increases in size by 

the addition of haptera (finger 

like extensions) that enclose 

increasing volumes of space. 

These spaces become occupied 

by a variety of animals, both 

immobile and free swimming. 

The surface of the holdfast is 

usually colonised by encrusting 

filter-feeding animals - over 

fifty-three species having been 

identified from an individual 

holdfast. 

Kelp plants are composed of 

three distinct parts: the blade 

or lamina, which is supported 

by the stipe and attached to 

the substratum by a holdfast. 

The holdfast resembles a 

collection of roots, but serves 

only as an anchor having no 

nutrient gathering role. 

The kelp beds around the 

west coast of Ireland, from 

where we source our raw 

material, support a diverse 

assemblage of invertebrate 

fauna. Kelp communities are 

three dimensional in structure, 

providing a vertical addition to 

the seabed. This, effectively, 

increases the surface area and 

habitat variety, which is 

differentially exploited by 

various species. 

There are several physically 

distinct parts of the kelp plant. 

Each supports a different type 

of community, consisting of 

possibly thousands of 

individuals from hundreds of 

species, physically supported 

by an individual plant. In 

particular, the holdfast of kelp 

species provides a physically 

complex matrix, ideal for 

habitation by invertebrate 

animals. We can now see that a 

complex eco-system is 

dependent on seaweed, and we 

must be mindful of this when 

we harvest it for our own 

needs. 

Seaweed harvesting in 

Ireland currently employs 

about 400 people in a mostly 

part-time capacity. It is quite 

clear, however, that the 

situation is deteriorating 

rapidly. Recruits are few as 

people are less and less willing 

to engage in such ‘dirty’ work 

that is so weather and tide 

dependent. 

In general, it will become 

increasingly difficult to get the 

younger people of the western 

seaboard to collect seaweed. It 

became obvious that there was 

a need to urgently examine the 

mechanisation of wrack and 

kelp collection, and seaweed 

cultivation in general. 

Mechanisation has been 

successfully applied in similar 

situations in a number of other 

countries, notably Norway and 

France. In Norway, both 

Ascophyllum and Laminaria are 

harvested mechanically, using 

a range of custom-built devices 

and boats. It is collected by 

special designed seaweed 

trawlers that use a dredge 

trawl. 

Traditionally, in France, L. 

digitata was harvested by hand 

and dragged up the coast by 

horses. However, due to 

increased demand for this 

seaweed, more effective 

methods of kelp harvesting 

have been developed. 

To effectively harvest large 

amounts, a mechanical kelp 

harvester was developed called 

“Scoubidou”. The scoubidou is 

a curved iron hook which is 

suspended from a hydraulic 

arm mounted on the boat. It is 

lowered into the kelp bed and 

rotated. The blades of the 

seaweed are wound around the 

rotating scoubidou and the 

hydraulic arm pulls them out 

of the sea. 

Short blades are missed by 

the device and form the next 

year’s crop. Studies compared 

the difference between kelp cut 

using a scoubidou and kelp cut 

by hand, and found no 

difference in the recovery time 

of the harvested populations. 

This indicates the machinery is 

leaving enough of the L. 

digitata behind to allow 

adequate regeneration of the 

kelp and production of spores 

for the next generation. 

Ascophyllum Nodosum is the 

primary seaweed used in the 

production of our seaweed 

extracts used in amenity, 

horticultural and agricultural 

applications. Harvesting 

techniques for the sustained 

exploitation of Ascophyllum 

have been arrived at by 

observation over a number of 

years. 

If a relatively small stump is 

left behind - about 25cm - this 

will regenerate to allow 

another crop in 3, 4 or 5 years, 

depending on location. The 

situation is not so simple with 

kelps, as the whole plants 

would be harvested. 

From existing scientific data, 

we can roughly predict how 

long regeneration of a bed 

would take, but we cannot be 

certain that data from areas 

would be applicable to Irish 

situations. 

Additionally, we do not know 

Top: Red Algae 

Middle: The small holdfast (about 1cm across) of an Ascophyllum 

nodosum 

Below: Kelp farm with seeded rope wrapped around long line 

131

Above: Scoubidou boats harvesting 

Laminaria digitata off the coast of Brittany 

Right: Kelp is a generic name for large 

brown algae of the order Laminariales. 

Under the right temperatures and light 

conditions (in Ireland in spring and autumn), 

the kelp blades form darl patches on the 

surface which produce zoospores. These 

spores attach to the substrate and grow 

into tiny filamentous male and female 

plants, the gametophytes. The female 

gametophyte produces eggs, which are 

fertilised by the spermatozoids produced by 

the male gametophytes. The fertilised egg 

develops to form young kelp plants 

what effects harvesting will have on other 

components of the kelp communities. 

It is, therefore, quite clear that we must 

adopt a policy of sustainable harvesting 

for our seaweed resources or they will 

become as decimated as some of our 

other marine resources. 

To this end, a wide range of techniques 

have been developed worldwide to 

cultivate seaweed, depending on the 

species being farmed, the life cycle and 

biogeographical factors. 

In general, fragments of adult plants, 

132 

juvenile plants, sporelings or spores are 

seeded onto either ropes or other 

substrata in nurseries and the plants are 

on-grown to maturity at sea. Because of 

the complex lifecycles of many seaweeds, 

a detailed knowledge of both the biology 

and life history of the plants is critical, 

particularly at the nursery/hatchery 

stages. 

It is from initiatives such as this, that 

we source our raw materials for our 

diverse range of Sea-Chem products, as 

this is totally in keeping with our 

company ethos of environmental 

sustainability. 

In our third and final article we shall 

look at the amazing range of applications 

for which seaweed is used and, in 

particular, the great benefits that it can 

give to the remediation of hydrocarbon 

contaminated land and amenity land 

care. 

For further information on this fascinating 

subject contact Steve Nicholls, 

Sea-Chem Ltd. on 01746 710799 

or email steve.nicholls@sea-chem.co.uk 

Website: www.sea-chem.co.uk 

Example of an Irish kelp farming trial with seeded ropes wrapped around a long line 

“It is quite clear that we must adopt a policy of 

sustainable harvesting for our seaweed 

resources or they will become as decimated as 

some of our other marine resources”

The Hurlingham Club is 

an exclusive private 

members club in 

Fulham, South West 

London. It is situated on 

the banks of the River 

Thames between Putney 

and Wandsworth 

bridges, just ten-minutes 

from the heart of the 

West End. 

Grounds Manager, Peter 

Craig, explains some of 

the methods used to 

combat a couple of 

‘natural’ problems 

encountered this year 

134 

Mother Nature 

on the rampage! 

The variety of challenges offered to 

the incumbent Grounds Manager at 

Hurlingham are many and varied. It 

really is a fascinating post and one that I 

enjoy immensely. 

From time-to-time, fresh challenges 

crop up that have not been seen before 

and, currently, there are two such 

challenges that have led to more than a 

little head scratching. 

Managing the fine turf surfaces here 

means an ongoing sequence of feeding, 

cutting, watering, rolling and the 

recognition and treatment of various 

pests and diseases. We have dealt with 

diseases such as fusarium and ophiobolus 

patch, and pests such as leatherjackets, 

frit fly, St Marks fly and the good old 

earthworm. However, the latest problem, 

in the form of nematodes, has been our 

greatest challenge yet. 

Nematodes are slender, worm-like 

animals, typically less than 2.5 

millimetres (0.10 in) long. The smallest 

nematodes, such as we are dealing with at 

Hurlingham, are microscopic and, 

therefore, the only way to ascertain their 

presence is by sending soil samples away 

for labarotary analysis. 

The type of nematode that has caused 

major problems on our croquet and 

bowls surfaces is called a root-gall 

nematode. It lives in the the roots of the 

grass, feeding off the soft tissue inside 

the root. At regular intervals, the 

nematodes literally burst out of the root 

where they breed frenetically. The 

offspring then burrow their way back in 

to any available roots, where the whole 

cycle starts again. 

Dealing with this type of pest presents 

two uniquely significant problems. The 

first is that, as the nematode lives most of 

the time inside the plant root, it is 

protected from outside threats such as 

chemicals. Secondly, as this problem is 

relatively new, there has been little 

research done on combatting it, and 

there are no treatments available at 

present that can guarantee success. 

With the help of our consultant 

agronomist, David Whittaker, who was 

Course Manager at Wisley Golf Club for 

many years, we have put together a 

programme of treatment which we are 

very hopeful will control the problem. 

Whilst the nematodes, by themselves, 

will not kill the grass plant, they do 

weaken it considerably. This combination 

of stress, caused by the pest, very low 

cutting heights and summer dryness will, 

inevtitably, lead to the eventual death of 

the grass. 

Our two-pronged attack was to firstly, 

through cultural methods such as 

nutrition and aeration, ensure that the

“At regular intervals, the 

nematodes literally burst out of 

the root where they breed 

frenetically. The offspring then 

burrow their way back in to any 

available roots, where the whole 

cycle starts again” 

grass plant was as healthy as 

possible. Secondly, we have 

been applying a garlic based 

nematicide, which research 

has shown to be effective in 

controlling the root gall 

nematode. Timing of these 

applications is crucial, as it is 

only effective when the 

nematodes are outside the 

root and breeding, so three 

treatments are made on 

consecutive weeks. 

We have also bought a 

mustard based nematicide 

which has been used at The 

Emirates stadium with good 

results. 

Bowls green one has been 

the worst affected of the 

surfaces, but we think we are 

seeing a genuine and 

sustained improvement in all 

the lawns. We are very 

hopeful that our current plan 

of action, which is being 

implemented with enthusiam 

and expertise by the team, 

lead by new supervisor Tom 

Clarke, will eventually see the 

lawns return to their previous 

high standards. 

The other major problem 

that we have been tackling 

this summer is that of blanket 

weed in the lake. 

This has been an ongoing 

problem for many years but, 

this year, due to the high 

summer temperatures, the 

problem is far worse. 

Firstly, I think it is 

important to stress that 

neither the recent dredging 

of the lake or the installation 

of the new fountain are 

linked to this problem. 

Blanket weed is an algae, 

and is very successful at 

colonising and dominating an 

environment under 

favourable conditions. It 

spreads and recolonises 

vegetatively, by branching off 

and breaking off parts of its 

own structure which will then 

colonise new areas. 

A combination of warm 

water temperatures, high 

nutrient levels and lots of 

sunlight are needed for algae 

growth but, once those 

conditions are right, growth 

can be remarkably quick, as 

has been seen this year. 

We have tried many 

different methods to combat 

this problem, including 

ultrasound devices and 

numerous chemical 

concoctions, all harmless to 

fish and wildlife but, 

unfortunately, also harmless 

to pond weed! 

Barley straw has been used 

to combat this problem for 

centuries, but it is only 

recently science has found out 

how. When the straw rots 

down, it produces a dilute 

form of hydrogen peroxide 

which kills the weed 

Placing barley straw bales 

in the lake is something I 

have always tried to avoid, as 

it doesn’t look nice, but we 

are now trying a liquid barley 

straw extract, and it seems to 

be working. 

Another way of reducing 

pond weed is to starve it of 

sunlight and, to this end, we 

will soon be planting sixty 

pond lilies in the lake, which 

will not only aid our battle 

against the weed but also look 

attractive. 

Working with nature is part 

and parcel of my job, and it is 

the most enjoyable aspect of 

my work. Occasionally, nature 

bites back and the 

nematodes and 

pond weed issues 

are good examples 

of this. 

“We have tried many different 

methods to combat this problem, 

including ultrasound devices and 

numerous chemical concoctions, 

all harmless to fish and wildlife 

but, unfortunately, also harmless 

to pond weed!” 

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135 

SPRAY

FAQs 

about 

Paul Moreton, British 

Seed Houses Technical 

Sales Advisor for the 

North West, Midlands 

and North Wales, offers 

some answers to 

frequently asked 

questions 

overseeding... 

Minimal disturbance to surface with disc seeder 

Ihave found, over the last 

couple of years, that there 

are still a lot of 

greenkeepers who are 

interested in beginning an 

overseeding programme but, 

for reasons other than the 

obvious (budget, time 

constraints, approval etc.), are 

still apprehensive about 

undertaking a seeding 

programme as part of their 

renovation. 

So, I thought I would 

outline some of the most 

common questions, queries 

and concerns that we get 

asked. 

1. When is the correct time 

to sow? 

This has been the most 

frequent question this year, by 

far. My take on it is that, if 

you are really committed to 

increasing the desired species 

in your greens, you need to 

be overseeding regularly. 

Now, this statement obviously 

sounds typical from a 

salesman, but I’m wearing my 

technical hat here and, 

basically, for better results, 

applying seed throughout the 

growing period will increase 

the percentages of the 

establishing plants. 

This doesn’t necessarily 

mean doubling or tripling 

your seed amounts, but 

distributing the total amount 

you would normally apply in 

the autumn - i.e., if you apply 

60kg over an average 18 hole 

course of pure browntop bent 

(Agrostis capillaris) at the ‘back 

end’, divide that into two 

applications of 30kg, one in 

May/June and the other in 

August/September and, if you 

can add another 20-30kg in 

July, that would be perfect. 

My over used quote on this 

subject is, ‘the backend is the 

best time to sow, but that 

doesn’t mean the spring is 

bad, just not quite as good’. 

2. It is too early to sow? 

Again, another frequent 

question. This has obviously 

rung very true the last couple 

of springs, and especially so 

far this year, with day 

temperatures struggling to 

reach double figures and 

night frosts right through till 

mid May. Greenkeepers have 

been very apprehensive about 

putting the seed down, even 

though there were many who 

had planned early sowings, 

only to be stifled by the 

weather. 

I completely agree with 

their concerns, however, if 

time is going to be of the 

essence come June/July, 

getting the seed down early 

can be a time saver, and the 

possibility of dry conditions 

and increased course traffic 

will not help establishment. 

I must take this opportunity 

to mention that some spring 

maintenance practices may 

conflict with this i.e. heavy 

scarifying, hollow coring etc., 

but for the purpose of this 

article I will just comment on 

the seeding aspects. 

Browntop bent is a very 

resilient seed and will not 

suffer from sitting in the 

ground during periods of 

dormancy, and the argument 

from my many clients who 

sow in March/April is that it 

comes up when it is good and 

ready, no matter what month 

you sow. Records from this 

year demonstrated about 21- 

28 days to germination from 

clients who sowed in early 

March, 10-14 days in early 

April and 8 days in May. 

Fescue seeds, too, will not 

suffer greatly from inactivity 

but, unless they are 

sufficiently buried, there will 

be some loss - fescues will 

have a greater germination 

rate than bents early on, but 

then survival becomes an 

issue. 

When the night 

temperatures reach double 

figures this will signify perfect 

growing conditions. There 

are always exceptions to this 

rule and I have many

Shows lineal germination of Aberroyal and 

filling in of groove lines after 8 days 

examples of successful early April and, in 

some cases, March germination of bents, 

and clients who swear by these early 

sowing methods. 

The same rule can apply to ‘how late 

can I sow?’. This is best achieved with 

one eye on the weather rather than preplanning 

an October sowing. The last 

two Octobers have been great, but 

followed by terrible Novembers. There 

has been a trend recently of courses 

having their renovations delayed or, in 

some cases, called off due to the 

improved playing conditions in autumn, 

which is not helpful. I have seen 

successful October sowings, but 

September would be the latest I would 

recommend. 

3. Which cultivars should I choose? 

This topic has been most fascinating in 

recent years. I may have been blinkered 

by the sheer numbers of parkland, 

heathland and hillside courses I deal 

with in the North West, Midlands, West 

Yorkshire and North Wales, but this does 

reflect the greater percentage of British 

golf courses. 

First and foremost, I will say that I am 

a big fan of fescues in greens, they are 

the traditional and desired species that 

provide the least resistant surface for ball 

roll, and are slightly more disease 

tolerant than traditional browntops. 

But, so many of the courses I deal with 

cannot sustain fescue growth. This is 

down to a number of factors, most 

importantly height of cut. Realistically, 

5mm is as low as you technically and 

biologically should cut in order to 

colonise fescues. I have seen it achieved 

at 4mm in special circumstances, but 

definitely no lower (to prune a tree you 

trim the branches ... you don’t cut it at 

the stump!). 

General wear, foot traffic and 

compaction are also contributory factors 

to the decline of fescues. Many courses 

have too many rounds of golf for the 

very fine, hence weaker fescues to 

establish and repair. 

Another culprit is the weather. 

Traditional clay push up greens, with 

poor drainage and low light levels, have 

suffered tremendously from three years 

of constant rain and, simply, the fescues 

die out if their roots are too wet and 

meadow grass invades. 

This is why I have found a massive 

surge in bentgrass popularity, whether it 

is our velvet bents (Agrostis canina) Avalon 

or Vesper (this could be a whole new 

article!) or our very popular native 

browntop, AberRoyal. More and more 

greenkeepers are veering toward a 

bentgrass dominated sward. 

There is still definitely scope for fescue 

application, especially early on, to repair 

winter scarring and in the traditional 

80/20 mix for general repair work but, 

with a long term species improvement 

programme in mind, I believe that 

bentgrass will achieve this a lot quicker, 

bearing in mind the obstructions we find 

on modern golf courses (natural and 

manmade). 

Browntop or velvet bentgrass, 

especially newly bred varieties, are more 

likely to compete against annual meadow 

grass and form colonies with regular 

overseeding much quicker and more 

successfully than fescues. Disease 

resistance, leaf fineness and colour 

should also be a factor in your decision. 

A very recent topic of discussion with 

some of my clients has been a reversal of 

the nursery plant technique, and a 

longer term goal of reintroducing fescues 

back into a predominantly browntop 

sward. This can be achievable once the 

annual meadow grass is the lesser of the 

present species. 

4. How should I apply the seed? 

This is really a double question - there is 

the ‘best way’, and then there is the ‘best 

way you can afford’ to overseed. 

Obviously, there are fantastic machines 

that you can wind down to 2gms per m2 and to 2mm depth, but these are very 

expensive. Whichever method you 

choose, the most important issues are 

good seed/soil contact, correct depth (for 

best results, browntops and fescues 

should be sown separately and at 

different depths - fescues deeper) and a 

rootzone for establishing seedlings. 

This can be achieved with a number of 

methods. My favourite is lineal grooves 

(from a disc seeder rather than 

scarification) but brushing into holes will 

be successful too, as long as there is not 

too much disruption to the putting 

surface and established desired plants. 

I have plenty of clients who sarrel roll, 

drop-spread the seed, drag the seed in 

then lightly topdress - job done with 

effective results. There are still a few 

‘chicken feeders’ out there too! 

Advents, like growth regulators, as a 

preseed assistant are fantastic too. 

If a shorter than desired height of cut 

AberRoyal colonising amongst a traditional greens makeup, note 

very fine leaves and denseness. Second year of overseeding 

has been thrust upon you, then 

topdressing immature seedlings is a great 

way to minimise damage by early 

mowing. 

Thatch levels will also throw up debate. 

Obviously, if there are underlying 

scientific reasons why overseeding will 

not be successful, then your agronomist 

is the best person to advise you on this. 

But, if you do have excessive thatch - and 

I emphasise excessive - then, whilst you 

are hopefully undertaking an extensive 

aeration programme, there is no crime in 

applying seed to the newly constructed 

holes (better than annual meadow grass 

invading). 

This then leads on to the next 

statement; 

5. I have no trouble with germination 

but my seedlings never survive. 

This problem can be attributed to many 

factors: excessive thatch, disease, lack 

of/too much water, soil and air 

temperatures - all reversible or avoidable. 

Even the most experienced 

greenkeepers I deal with are continually 

baffled by this - you do everything by the 

book and still the new plants struggle. 

Like I mentioned earlier, there are now a 

lot of new products and methods to assist 

with this. BSH’s angle is in the breeding 

- choosing a newly bred, native species, 

with quick adaptation to the climate, with 

all the modern attributes and 

requirements bred into it, has certainly 

curbed this issue for many greenkeepers. 

The new seedling shoots need some 

form of loamy soil to root into. This is 

why just generally ‘scattering’ the seed 

on the surface or into a thatch layer has 

limited success. Any form of surface 

breach, along with topdressing, will 

create the perfect environment, 

especially to avoid any thatch layer. 

Irrigation is key too. Obviously, with 

the onset of ‘stressing’ of undesired 

species, many greenkeepers are loath to 

water too much - another argument for 

spring seeding when there is more 

moisture about. 

In conclusion, for every concern you 

may have, there is an answer for it. 

Speak to other greenkeepers, talk to the 

reps (we can be useful sometimes!) and, 

more importantly, have confidence in 

what you’re doing. Involve the 

committee, if necessary. We are always 

available to speak to them, if needs be ... 

and never be afraid to ask questions. 

137

In a previous article (‘Don’t Ask Me - I 

Can’t Change Now’), I touched on 

how older staff can get actively 

involved in passing on a great legacy of 

turfcare professionalism to the younger 

generation. 

These older staff might then start to 

enjoy the respect and admiration that 

may have been denied them in the past. 

But hey, you do not have to wait until 

Grumpy Grumpy 

old old 

Git! 

Git! 

Can you change 

the future? 

Part 1: Coaching and 

Mentoring 

Performance Consultant and Conference Speaker, 

Frank Newberry, makes the case for how you can 

change the future - at any time in your career. 

He concludes that you do not have to wait until 

the last few years of your career to plan the 

legacy of professionalism you will leave for 

posterity. You can start right now - by coaching 

and mentoring people 

you are old and grey - you can start right 

now. 

Here are two ways you can get started 

right away: by coaching and by 

mentoring. 

Coaching 

Let’s start with coaching. This is a work 

activity that rates highly amongst turfcare 

professionals at all levels. It seems that 

Okay, so we all now know that the 

country is skint, totally skint. Where 

all the money went I do not know, 

but failed computer projects and 

consultancy have munched through more 

billions than I care to add up, and a nine 

year war in Afghanistan has also helped 

empty the nation’s coffers. 

I read this with horror: “Today, there are 

some families receiving £94,000 a year 

(£1,800 per week) in benefits. The cost of that 

single award is equivalent to the total income 

tax and national insurance paid by sixteen 

working people on median incomes.” (around 

£25,000 oer year). 

Very few people in horticulture, 

groundcare or greenkeeping ever get the 

slightest sniff at a wage anywhere near 

£100,000 per year. After all, there are very, 

very few golf clubs that could afford a 

greenkeeper on £2,000 per week after tax. 

The article continued: “The study also 

shows that more than 750,000 families receive 

benefits and tax credits worth in excess of 

£20,000 a year.” 

That is over £15,000,000,000 - yes, 

many of us really enjoy developing the 

skills of new and improving turfcare 

workers. In fact, many regard passing on 

skills and advice to ‘learners’ as one of 

the most fulfilling parts of their job, 

whether they are in a supervisory role or 

in an expert role. 

No problem anticipated here then. 

Maybe you just need to let the boss know 

that you want to do some coaching or 

Not seeing the benefit! 

Terrain Aeration’s David Green is off on one again - 

and, you have to say, he has a point. 

fifteen billion pounds a year, which is two 

and a half times the six billion pounds 

that is being cut as the first stage in 

reducing the national deficit. This is the 

tax take on 15 million people on £400 per 

week. 

Hang on, at this rate we are running out 

of working people to pay this bill alone. 

For one of my employees to take home 

just £400, after tax and National 

Insurance, would require an exceptionally 

long week. To maintain this level of 

earnings, long term, is illegal because he 

is classed as a mobile worker, subject to 

the transport working time directive, that 

limits working time to an average of fortyeight 

hours per week. Unlike other 

industries, ‘transport’ has no provision for 

opting out of these rules. 

I pay a reasonable salary for the work I 

need done, yet I cannot find suitable extra 

employees, despite heavy unemployment 

amongst younger men. Why? Principally, 

because they claim that they would be only 

marginally better off working for me than 

if they were to remain on their existing

spend more time doing it. The more you 

do the more widespread will be your 

legacy of good practice in 

groundsmanship or greenkeeping. 

On the days when you take someone to a 

higher level, or stop someone doing 

something wrong or dangerous, you are 

‘changing’ the future for that person. 

Indeed, it might be said that you are 

changing the future - one person at a 

time. 

Mentoring 

Let’s move on now to mentoring. 

Speaking personally, I can only coach 

people in my areas of experience and 

expertise, e.g. management skills, 

negotiating skills, presentation skills etc. 

However, over the years, I seem to have 

acquired more and more ‘mentoring’ 

clients, i.e. people working in the 

turfcare sector who want the magic of 

one-to-one learning sessions as well as, 

or instead of, the classroom experience. 

I am usually a mentor to groundsmen, 

greenkeepers, club managers, stadium 

managers etc., because I cannot really 

coach them to perform their individual 

calling. I am not on the premises, like 

you might be, to coach them, to run 

behind them or sit alongside the 

individual who wants to cut the grass 

better, sell more memberships or inspire 

a group of disgruntled people at a 

meeting. 

What you and I can do, in the mentoring 

role, is listen carefully to the individual’s 

concerns, and then bring a lot of good 

experience into play in a discussion 

about a problem that is really vexing an 

benefits. One guy freely admitted he 

would need to earn £550 per week in take 

home pay (£700 gross) just to maintain 

the standard of living he currently enjoys 

courtesy of the benefits he receives. 

Have we all gone stark staring bonkers 

to pay these sort of payments that 

encourage people not to work? 

So, here come the cuts but, with the 

benefits bill running out of control, where 

is there room to cut? 

We all know that local authorities have 

certain legal requirements, pensions for 

former employees, housing the homeless, 

looking after the aged, poor, child 

protection and social services etc. and 

these cannot, and should not, be cut - 

except where blatant inefficiencies can be 

rooted out. 

However, this means that the cuts will be 

concentrated on discretionary spending, 

which will disappear as the first thing to 

lop off. I have been on site for several 

local authorities recently and, without 

exception, the grounds managers are 

looking at widespread redundancies 

amongst the ground staff, and they are 

also looking to cut higher up backroom 

staff. 

I find it rather sad that many of the 

parks staff, who have worked so hard to 

return their charges to their former glory, 

will now lose their jobs as the parks are 

deprived of the funds needed to maintain 

individual or his/her employer. 

Problems and work situations I have 

helped people tackle successfully, 

through mentoring, include career issues 

at junior and senior levels; dealing with 

demanding people, performance issues 

at junior and senior levels, and a wide 

range of other thorny management 

questions. 

How is this done? Typically, the 

mentoring I do is face-to-face at a 

convenient location, or on the telephone 

(in an emergency). I increasingly mentor 

on-line with e-mail messages going back 

and forth. 

Results 

Results seem to have all been positive to 

date. This is, in no small part, down to 

the honesty and realism that comes from 

a one-to-one session. For example, an 

irritated Golf Course Manager at a top 

club, seeking a substantial pay rise 

immediately, became more realistic, 

following our telephone mentoring 

session he was able to quickly secure an 

close to the amount he was after - with 

the increase spread over three years. 

In recent times, I spent a day mentoring 

a public school Head Groundsman who 

had reading and writing difficulties of his 

own. He confided that he would never 

attend conventional management 

training courses because of the 

(continuing) pain and embarrassment he 

had suffered since his school days. 

However, one to one mentoring sessions, 

that involved a lot of walking around his 

sports pitches and talking about his job, 

helped him to transform his 

them. 

Unfortunately, the next few years look 

very black for all of us who work for local 

authorities in areas such as leisure facility 

provision and maintenance, that are 

almost entirely funded by discretionary 

spending 

Once finished with cutting, the only 

alternative is to raise yet more tax - VAT 

up to 20% will further stoke fuel price 

inflation that is already running at 25% 

year on year. 

It would seem that the business rate is 

also to be used to plug some of the gap in 

the local authority budgets. The latest rate 

revaluation - the third in three years at my 

workshop - now includes charges for the 

number of car parking spaces available at 

the workplace, and the extra fittings, 

fixtures and/or systems that I have paid to 

install in the unit. 

I work out of a rented farm building 

surrounded by at least two acres of 

concrete hard standing. Should I declare 

this area as available parking space or just 

the three spaces immediately adjacent to 

my unit? Of course, the farmer pays zero 

for having all this available parking space, 

simply because agriculture has exemptions 

from almost all planning and rating 

legislation. 

How British Industry PLC is to drag 

itself out of the recession when every 

investment that improves the workplace, 

performance, and his employer now 

recommends mentoring wholeheartedly. 

Again, in recent times, an outgoing 

Turfcare Manager sent his replacement 

(his deputy) for a series of half day 

mentoring sessions. After each session, 

workplace goals were set for the coming 

week and the individual would then 

report on his results at our next half day 

session. The outgoing fellow was able to 

monitor results, which exceeded 

everyone’s expectations and, by using the 

quieter half days, disruption to normal 

working was minimised. 

So, if you are looking to add even more 

satisfaction to your role, then think about 

mentoring as a way to boost the 

performance and confidence of your 

people. It is cost-effective use of your 

time, and you can customise it to the 

needs of the individual and the 

requirements of your employer. 

Good luck with changing the future - one 

person at a time. In the second part of 

this article, I will look at how you can 

change the future by making 

presentations to people - yes you, 

speaking in public, standing up and 

speaking up! 

Frank Newberry has been helping people in the 

turfcare sector to get better results for over 

twenty years. If you are interested in doing 

some coaching or mentoring and, if you think it 

might help to speak to someone, you can 

contact Frank by e-mail or by telephone via the 

contact tab of his personal website which is 

www.franknewberry.com 

in my case up rated electrical and 

compressed air supply, attracts extra 

business rates, I do not know. I do know 

that business rate payers have no votes, 

are seen as cash rich, are easy targets and 

can do nothing but furnish the relevant 

information - penalty £100 just for being 

late with the return - and pay whatever is 

demanded. I now pay more rates for my 

workshop than I do for my house, yet I 

have to dispose of my own business waste 

and I am actually present on site for less 

than 100 days per year. 

It is not only the local authority that is 

on the make. I, like many hundreds of 

others, have a radio in my workshop. Last 

week I received a demand that I pay a 

performing arts licence fee, one month in 

advance, because I was playing music in 

my workshop that could be heard by my 

employees. It appears that my workshop is 

now classified as a public space, despite 

being over a kilometre from the nearest 

public road, in the heart of a privately 

owned farm and privately rented for the 

sole use of Terrain Aeration Services, my 

privately owned company! How this was 

determined when I was the only person in 

my unit and I own the only radio, I do not 

know. So, now I have removed the radio 

from my workshop and, instead, I simply 

leave my vehicle radio playing loudly with 

the window open! 

Only in Great Britain!

AERATION 

AERATORS 

Full range of Groundsman 

pedestrian and tractor mounted 

models with all accessories 

SALES AND HIRE 

Contact Synergy Products on 

01380 828337 

Dave on mobile: 07971 843802 

Email: sales@synergyproducts.co.uk 

www.synergyproducts.co.uk 

ARTIFICIAL 

140 

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Classifieds 

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email: peter@pitchcare.com 

TERRAIN 

Turf and Trees 

10” drill aeration 

1m air injection 

1m soil coring 

Air excavation 

Why not visit our 

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for direct links to 

suppliers websites - 

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Tel: 01449 673783 

www.terrainaeration.com 

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WORTH 

DRAINING 

25 years in 

sports turf maintenance 

Verti-draining 

Blec Groundbreaker 

Overseeding - Sanding 

Top Dressing 

Hollow Coring 

Tel/Fax 01476 550266 

Mobile: 07855 431119/20 

email: worthdraining@talktalk.net 

www.worthdraining.co.uk 

Advertising in this classified section costs as 

little as £200 a year. Telephone: 01747 855335 

Surface Strength 

GIVE ME STRENGTH! 

DST Device 

Surface Strength and Stress-Strain Behaviour 

- Improving testing and understanding 

The strength of natural turf 

winter games pitches is a 

surface characteristic that 

directly governs player-surface 

interaction aspects, such as the 

impact absorption that players will 

feel when running or landing on a 

surface, and the traction they can 

obtain with studded footwear. 

Surface strength also 

contributes to ball-surface 

interaction aspects, such as ball 

bounce and ball roll. Quantification 

of the strength of natural turf 

winter games pitches, and 

understanding of surface 

performance, is an area that 

requires greater research. This has 

been highlighted due to the recent 

concentration of media attention 

on high-profile player injuries, and 

failed sporting movements that 

have been attributed to surface 

condition. 

There are two devices used 

under Performance Quality 

Standards (PQS) to assess surface 

strength: the Clegg Hammer, 

which measures the vertical 

strength of the surface to a falling 

0.5kg or 2.25kg missile and the 

studded disc apparatus that 

measures the torque required to 

horizontally rotate a loaded (46kg) 

studded disc on the surface. 

These two devices have been at 

the forefront of research into 

natural turf surfaces for over 

twenty years, and have aided in 

improving surface quality and 

providing a means to benchmark 

surface characteristics. Although 

these devices are relatively cheap 

and, in the case of the Clegg 

Hammer, portable to use, there 

are drawbacks to using these to 

increase our understanding of 

surface performance: 

• Using the studded disc 

apparatus to assess a pitch 

takes a long time, and involves 

the use of laborious equipment 

(46kg of weight). This restricts 

data being collected from 

pitches regularly (e.g. on a daily 

basis), or across a large number 

of pitches. 

• The devices do not represent 

how a player interacts with the 

surface. This has limited our 

understanding of how the 

surface reacts to being loaded 

by players, and what the players 

experience back from the 

surface (energy 

absorption/return and traction). 

In recent years, advanced 

research at Cranfield and Exeter 

Universities has enhanced the 

understanding of how players 

interact with sports surfaces. This 

area of research requires studying 

surface stress-strain behaviour - 

quantifying the reaction of the 

surface to being stressed. While 

measuring strength provides data 

on the maximum stress a surface 

can withstand before it fails 

(deforms), stress-strain behaviour 

is concerned with quantifying 

ratios of permanent (plastic) and 

recoverable (elastic) deformation 

the surface exhibits when it is 

loaded. These aspects determine 

the amount of energy that will be 

absorbed or returned by the 

surface when impacted by a player 

or ball. 

It is also important to 

understand that the strength 

exhibited by soil-turf surfaces is 

dependent upon the speed at 

which it is loaded (loading rate). 

Increasing the loading rate of a 

force acting on soil results in the 

soil exhibiting greater strength. 

When soils are stressed slowly 

(e.g. by pushing a stick into the 

ground), the soil particles have 

time to move and provide surface 

deformation but, when they are 

loaded quickly, the particles do not 

have time to move, and exhibit 

greater strength by deforming less. 

Modelling of player impacts 

upon soil has shown that the 

faster the soil is loaded, the more 

elastic the soil behaves. This 

elasticity was also found to be 

higher on sand soils compared to 

more clayey soils, and it is 

important to understand this 

loading rate dependency of natural 

turf when considering what effect 

the player has on the surface, or 

vice-versa. 

Relating the strength and stressstrain 

behaviour of a surface to 

specific injury risks, or 

performance potential for players, 

is very difficult, due to their being 

a lack of devices that directly

Studded Disc Apparatus 

and Clegg Hammer 

represent aspects of playersurface 

interaction. This is in 

terms of replicating the forces and 

stresses that athletes impart on 

the surfaces when running or 

landing, their angles of contact 

with the surface, their loading 

rates, and replicating studded 

footwear. 

Consider the two devices used 

under PQS that measure surface 

strength - a 2.25kg weight falling 

on the surface does not compare 

to an athlete, weighing upwards of 

70kg, impacting the surface. 

Comparatively, rotating a studded 

disc in the surface does not 

compare to particular movements 

that a player performs when in 

contact with the surface, or 

represent the surface area or stud 

configuration of the athlete’s boot. 

In summarising the above 

discussion, we are left with two 

issues: 

• Devices that allow quick and 

easy assessment of both 

vertical and horizontal surface 

strength are not available. 

• Devices that better replicate 

dynamic player–surface 

interaction are required. 

As part of my research at 

Cranfield University, we are trying 

to address these issues by 

improving pitch testing. This is in 

terms of both the quality and 

quantity of data that we can 

collect. We are currently trialling 

an existing natural turf testing 

device for future use on natural 

turf pitches, the GoingStick ®. 

Originally developed by 

Cranfield University and TurfTrax 

Course Services Ltd, the device is 

used to provide an objective 

measure of the ‘going’ on a 

racecourse. The device provides 

measures of vertical penetration 

and translational shear (horizontal) 

strength of surfaces, with data 

stored on the stick and easily 

downloaded onto a PC. 

Transferring the Goingstick 

technology, from use on 

racecourse surfaces to use on 

winter games pitches, is a 

challenge we are currently facing; 

racecourse surfaces are lower in 

strength than winter games 

pitches. Additionally, providing a 

reading of the ‘going’ for winter 

games pitches is little use to a 

grounds manager. 

With this in mind, surfacerelevant 

data units are being 

devised. Testing fifteen test points 

on a pitch requires less than 

fifteen minutes of the user’s time, 

which allows surfaces to be 

assessed on a daily basis, if 

desired. Having possession of an 

objective measure of surface 

strength such as this will allow 

grounds managers to tailor 

GoingStick 

maintenance regimes around how 

the surface is performing and how 

they want the surface to perform, 

as well as providing players and 

coaches with a ‘surface 

performance reading’. 

To address the second issue 

identified, a further device has 

been developed, the Dynamic 

Surface Tester (DST). While this 

device is not as portable as the 

GoingStick, and is currently only 

built as a ‘one-off’, it is being used 

to further our understanding of 

natural turf systems. 

The basic function of the device 

involves propelling a studded test 

foot onto the surface using 

compressed air. The device 

impacts the surface at a speed of 

up to 1.3 metres per second, and 

replicates the vertical stress that a 

player imparts onto a surface 

when running. With the device, we 

can measure the time it takes for 

the surface to bring the device to 

rest, the total distance the device 

penetrates into the surface and 

the amount of energy the surface 

absorbs. All three of these 

variables record higher values on a 

softer, weaker surface. 

Data collected from this device 

allows us to understand what 

happens to a natural turf surface 

when players run or land on it. This 

is in terms of how much the 

surface deforms, how quickly it 

deforms and the amount of energy 

absorption it provides. As part of 

our research, we are routinely 

using these devices on a number 

of natural turf pitches, with a 

variation of soil textures and 

surface constructions. This is to 

determine how surface behaviour 

varies with soil texture, soil 

moisture content and time of year. 

We welcome any feedback on 

this area of work from grounds 

managers, and would especially 

like to hear from those 

undertaking regular pitch testing. 

We understand that a link 

between scientific research and 

turf professionals needs to be 

maintained, in order to benefit 

future 

research and 

ensure that 

research is 

tailored to 

aspects that 

will benefit 

grounds 

managers in 

daily 

management. 

We hope to 

provide an 

update on our 

research at a later date. 

You can contact Matt via email 

at m.c.j.caple@cranfield.ac.uk or 

visit www.cranfield.ac.uk/sas/sst 

for more information. 

ARTIFICIAL 

Artificial turf and synthetic grass supply & installation 

We offer a full range products and services including: 

Synthetic Grass Pitches • Multi Use Games Areas 

Tennis court resurfacing and remarking 

Synthetic Cricket Wickets • Sports fencing 

Sports pitch maintenance services • Ancillary Services 

Fencing • Sport Equipment and Supply 

Line marking • Maintenance and Repairs 

Tel: 0871 288 3425 Email: info@astrosport.co.uk 

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WORTH 

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25 years in 

sports turf maintenance 

Artificial sports surfaces 

cleaning and maintenance 

Tel/Fax 01476 550266 

Mobile: 07855 431119/20 

email: worthdraining@talktalk.net 

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SPARES - GRINDING WHEELS 

ianfearftm@aol.com 

07774 258052 

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CYLINDER GRINDERS 

Tel: 01462 683031 

email: admin@huntergrinders.com 

www.huntergrinders.com 

DRAINAGE 

45 

Cost effective drainage 

quick and neat trenching work with 

minimal disruption to play. 

AFT Trenchers 

Tel: 01787 311811 

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DRAINAGE SPECIALISTS 

DESIGN & INSTALLATION 

PRIMARY SYSTEMS 

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141

DRAINAGE 

Draining and Gravel Banding 

also Vertidraining, Hollow Coring, 

Overseeding, Field Top Maker, 

Deep Scarifying 

Mobile: 07860 259692 

Tel: 01284 735105 

Email: peter@buryturfcare.com 

www.buryturfcare.com 

Philip Dixon Contractors Ltd 

Established 1978 

Sportsturf Drainage Specialist 

Drainage Construction Renovation 

Slitting Banding Maintenance 

Tel 01772 877289 (Preston, Lancs) 

Email: info@dixondrainage.co.uk 

www.dixondrainage.co.uk 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Appley Bridge, Wigan, Lancashire WN6 9DT 

 

t 01257 255321 

 

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Miles Drainage Limited 

Quality Land Drainage Systems for Sports 

Pitches, Golf Courses and other Amenity 

Areas 

•Advice, design and installation 

•Piped systems •Sand Slitting 

•Gravel Banding 

Tel: 01359 259424 Fax: 01359 258073 

Web: www.milesdrainage.co.uk 

Email: trenchers@milesdrainage.co.uk 

Traditional 

drainage and 

Lytag banding 

of greens and fairways 

Tel: 01785 812706 

E: NSIrrigation@aol.com 

www.northstaffsirrigation.co.uk 

DRAIN TODAY - PLAY TOMORROW 

Phone: 01507 578288 

Fax: 01507 578790 

info@sheltonsdrainage.com 

www.sheltonsdrainage.com 

Machine sales 

Hire and contracting services 


To subscribe to Pitchcare magazine 

log on to www.pitchcare.com or 

telephone 01902 440 252 

Badgers 

THE TALES OF 

MR BADGER... 

Andy Beddoes offers some advice on badgers 

and what can and cannot to be done to 

control them 

Along with many other native 

British wildlife, authors such 

as Beatrice Potter and 

Kenneth Graham have humanised 

and romaticised the European 

badger, and it is now confirmed as 

one of the ‘good guys’ in children’s 

books and folklore. That’s, of 

course, if they are not doing 

damage to your sports surfaces. 

The European badger (Meles 

meles), or Brocks, as they are 

often referred to, have complete 

protection under both the 

European Bern Convention of 

1979 and the UK’s 1992 

Protection of Badgers Act. Be 

aware of this, as even removing 

nettles from around a sett could 

cause you to face prosecution. 

However, both of these 

documents allow for exemptions 

“to prevent serious damage to 

crops, livestock, forests, fisheries, 

water and other forms of 

property”, provided “there is no 

other satisfactory solution and that 

the exception will not be 

detrimental to the survival of the 

(wildlife) population concerned”. 

In addition, the UK’s Animal 

Health Act of 1981 sets out 

conditions under which a 

designated government minister 

can order a cull. 

The minister must be satisfied 

that a wildlife species is acting as 

a reservoir of an animal disease, 

and “that destruction of wild 

members of that or those species 

in that area is necessary in order 

to eliminate, or substantially 

reduce the incidence of, that 

disease in animals of any kind in 

the area”, then he or she may “by 

order, provide for the destruction 

of wild members of that or those 

species in that area”. Simple! 

A controversial cull of around 

1,500 badgers in south-west 

Wales has been halted after 

protesters won their legal 

challenge to stop it. 

The Badger Trust appealed 

against Welsh Assembly 

Government plans for a trial cull to 

reduce TB within cattle. The trust 

had questioned the cull’s 

effectiveness, though farmers 

losing diseased stock wanted 

action. 

The assembly government said 

it was “disappointed” with the 

Court of Appeal’s judgement. 

Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones 

said she would need to consider 

the judges’ decision in detail 

before deciding the next steps. 

The Badger Trust has 

consistently argued that the cull 

plan wasn’t backed by science. 

What was clarified during the 

Appeal Court hearing was that a 

9% reduction in cattle TB was all 

the government was expecting. 

Two of the three judges said this 

didn’t amount to a “substantial” 

reduction in disease - and that’s 

what’s required in law to kill 

badgers. 

Farmers say they’re 

disappointed, but there is still a 

package of other TB control 

measures in place. 

One consequence could be an 

increase in the extent to which 

farmers quietly (and illegally) 

dispose of badgers on their land. 

But, if there’s one clear 

message emerging from the 

science, it’s that scattergun killing 

will make things worse. 

Systematic killing might have 

made things better - but only 

slightly. 

Why was it planned? 

Infection through contact with 

badgers is one of the main routes 

by which cattle contract bovine 

tuberculosis (though nationally, 

cattle-to-cattle transmission is 

more significant). 

This debilitating disease is

caused by Mycobacterium bovis, a 

close relative of the bacterium 

that usually causes TB in humans. 

Because the bovine bacterium 

can also cause human TB, infected 

cattle have to be destroyed. 

The incidence of the disease 

has been growing in Wales. WAG 

says that more than 12,000 cattle 

were slaughtered as a result of TB 

infection in 2008 (compared with 

669 in 1997), at a cost of £24m to 

the public purse. 

About badgers 

Badgers are members of the 

Mustelidae family,which also 

includes otters, polecats, mink, 

ferrets, stoats and weasels. They 

are widesperad throughtout 

England and Wales, with a few 

small colonies in Scotland. 

Although they are classified as 

carnivores, badgers actually eat a 

wide variety of foods. A large 

proportion of their diet consists of 

earthworms, but they are 

opportunistic foragers and will 

also feed on fruit, berries, small 

mammals, birds, carrion, insects 

and other invertebrates at various 

times of the year. 

An average social group of 

adults will be made up of 5-12 

males, females, juveniles and 

cubs. In areas where the 

population is low, there may be 

just one individual or a pair using 

a sett. In one area of the 

Cotswolds, it is estimated that 

there are thirty adult badgers per 

square kilometre. 

Badgers make runs to and from 

their setts. These can become very 

obvious pathways over time, and 

very little will prevent a family 

group using an established run. 

They will dig under fences, walls 

etc. if they are put in the way of 

their path. 

The entrances to a badger sett 

will be oval, similar in shape to the 

human eye, the shape is created 

because badgers dig out by 

pushing all the spoils from the 

side. Bedding is regularly changed 

in a set, the old bedding is pushed 

outside and left - an oval hole with 

dead grass and lots of dug out soil 

is a dead give away that it is an 

active sett. 

Established setts can be over 

one hundred years old, and the 

underground tunnels can cover 

thousands of square metres. 

Dug pits, which are scrapes in 

the soil with very runny droppings 

in the bottom, are another definite 

sign badgers are present. 

The grubbing up of grassland by 

badgers is the result of foraging 

for earthworms or insect larvae 

that can be found just under the 

surface. 

Control 

Under the Protection of Badgers 

Act 1992, it is a criminal offence 

to wilfully kill, injure, take, cruelly 

ill treat or offer for sale a living 

badger. It is also an offence to 

damage a badger sett or any part 

of it, including; to obstruct access 

to, or entrance of a badger sett; to 

cause a dog to enter a badger sett; 

or disturb a badger when it is 

occupying a sett. 

It is an offence to use creosote 

or any other chemical preparation 

to prevent a badger entering a 

sett. 

What can be done? 

Reducing the numbers of 

earthworms, insect larvae and 

beetles by using one of the 

approved pesticides can reduce 

the impact caused by badgers in 

sensitive areas. 

High powered electric fences, 

that are switched on only at night, 

with one strand of wire 8cm from 

the ground and a second wire 

18cm high, will deter all but the 

most determined badger from an 

area. 

We, as a business, have 

achieved some good results 

keeping badgers off grassland 

with the chemical repellent, 

Rezist, that I mentioned in the 

articles on rabbits and mole 

control. This is, however, a new 

product and its long term effects 

have yet to be established. 

Don’t forget, you can always ask 

me or www.ukpestcontrollers.org 

for advice. Andy Beddoes 

www.abcomplete.co.uk 

DRAINAGE 

SPORTS TURF DRAINAGE 

AND CONSTRUCTION 

NATIONWIDE SERVICE 

www.turfdry.com 

Contact: Melvyn Taylor 

Office: 01283 551417 Mobile: 07836 259133 

Email: melvyn@turfdry.com 

GRASS CUTTING MACHINERY 

Amazone Heavy Duty Flail Mower/Collector 

2.1m Cut with large capacity High Tip Hopper 

•Large lawns 

•Sports fields 

•Golf Courses 

•Polo Pitches etc. 

60-100hp tractors 

Available in Central Southern Counties 

Contact: Richard Cooper 

Tel/Fax: 01256 886058 Mob: 07788 422962 

Email: parcooper@tinyworld.co.uk 

FLAIL MOWERS 

MAJOR EQUIPMENT LTD 

Tel: 01524 850501 

WWW.MAJOR-EQUIPMENT.COM 

A range of quality traditional gang mowers at 

an affordable price offering outstanding value 

Tel: 01296 738197 

Email: sales@rtmachinery.co.uk 

Website: www.rtmachinery.co.uk 

Trimax PegasusS2 

Tractor not included ... 


Classifieds 



... but everything you 

need for years of 

superb mowing is! 

Tel: 01933 652235 

info@trimaxmowers.co.uk 

www.trimaxmowers.com 

 

 

 

 

 

IRRIGATION 

 

 

IRRIGATION SPECIALISTS 

DESIGN & SUPPLY 

INSTALLATION 

MAINTENANCE 

Tel. 01722 716361 


For all your golf, sportsturf and 

landscape irrigation needs. 

Buy online at www.lws.uk.com 

Telephone 0845 230 9697 

www.lws.uk.com 

Design 

Installation 

Service 

Irrigation supplies 

Tel: 01785 812706 

E: NSIrrigation@aol.com 

www.northstaffsirrigation.co.uk 

British Turf & Landscape 

Irrigation Association 


143

IRRIGATION 

Irrigation 

GREAT ALL OVER 

THE PARK 

Call Lely: 01480 226848 or 

email: irrigation.uk@lely.com 

www.toro.com 

OVERSEEDING 

NEED TO 

OVERSEED? 

Moore Uni-Drill is the proven 

machine for accurate seed placement 

on flat or undulating areas 


01380 828337 




REPLACEMENT PARTS 

144 

the 


Classifieds 



ROLLERS 

perfect finish 

every time... 

Call NOW: 01902 826826 

www.crocodilegolfproducts.com 

POWEROLL 

ROLLERS 

NEW AND USED 

Tel: 01822 832608 

www.poweroll.com 

RUBBER CRUMB 

The use of RUBBER CRUMB on 

grass as top dressing has been 

granted a PATENT in the UK and 

Ireland under Number EP0788301B1 

TEBBUTT ASSO. 

ARE THE LICENSEES 

with CROWN III rubber crumb Turf 

Reinforcement, the licensed product. 

Contact Tebbutt Asso. 

on 01253 342003 or Fax 01253 346644 

e-mail: tebbuttasso@btconnect.com 

www.tebbuttassociates.co.uk 

Replacement cylinders 

and bottom blades 

and much more... 

Advertising in this classified section costs as little as 

£200 a year. Telephone: 01747 855335 

Health & Safety 

FINETURF - A 

HAT-TRICK OF 

ACHIEVEMENTS 

Ever had that thought? Health & Safety - oh no!! 

Fineturf’s Anthony Hardy guides us through one 

company’s approach to improving industry 

standards 

Goal One ... 

Fineturf, one of the country’s 

leading sports ground contractors, 

specialise in the construction, 

maintenance and installation of 

natural sports turf surfaces. With 

16 years experience, Fineturf have 

successfully completed contracts 

for golf courses, football and rugby 

pitches, cricket pitches, bowling 

greens, race courses and local 

authorities, both at a local and 

national level. 

A new partnership, formed in 

2009 between Fineturf and 

Lakeland Specialist Earthworks, 

presented opportunities to expand 

the national role of the company, 

to compete for larger more 

technical earthwork construction 

contracts. These contracts 

presented new challenges, 

especially relating to health and 

safety. 

Following the formation of the 

partnership, directors Simon 

Hutton and Wayne Freeman felt a 

complete review of all health and 

safety procedures was necessary. 

The next six months saw a vast 

amount of review and assessment, 

with new processes put in place to 

ensure the correct health, safety, 

training and up skilling were 

achieved. 

How this was achieved 

Firstly, all existing policy 

documents and procedures were 

examined to ensure they were up 

to date and met current 

legislation. Secondly, an evaluation 

of employee skills and future 

training requirements took place. 

Anthony Hardy, Operation 

Manager of Fineturf, shares with 

us the steps the company went 

through in terms of improving 

health and safety, environmental 

and quality control procedures. 

Anthony explains; “It wasn’t 

about training every employee 

across the board, but looking at 

present and future contracts and 

the skill sets and specific training 

that would be required to 

maximise our performance.” 

An employee representative was 

nominated to work closely with 

Anthony and the team to identify 

employee training needs and 

wishes. 

Following the review, and 

discussions with health and safety 

representatives, a twelve month 

programme was established which 

set the ambitious target to achieve 

the required health and safety 

qualifications for 100% of the 

operational staff. 

Through its membership with 

the British Safety Council, Fineturf 

took advantage of the free NVQ 

level 1 health and safety 

qualification. External training was 

undertaken and employees were 

also required to pass the 

Construction Skills Certification 

Scheme (CSCS) touch screen test. 

Successful completion of the 

test demonstrates health and 

safety awareness, with a number 

of contractors and clients 

requesting proof of this prior to 

being eligible to even submit 

tenders for many larger contracts. 

Simon Hutton had identified 

potential contracts with some of 

the country’s biggest civil 

engineering construction 

companies. “It soon became clear 

that some of our most 

experienced staff, who had been 

operating tractors, plant and 

machinery for over twenty years, 

would not be allowed on the 

national sites without the CSCS 

and Construction Plant 

Competence Scheme (CPCS) 

cards” says Simon. 

The latter covers the operation 

of agricultural tractors, and plant 

and machinery, such as dump 

trucks, 360 excavators,

telehandlers, ride on rollers etc. 

This ultimately led to additional 

investment and subsequent CPCS 

training for a number of 

employees. 

Anthony sourced the help of a 

Lincolnshire based training 

provider, Terra Train, and utilised 

the government’s Train to Gain 

skills programme, which helped 

part-fund all of the courses taken. 

Terra Train delivered a number of 

formal training days, followed by a 

theory exam and practical 

operator test. 

One nervy moment saw Fineturf 

operative, Mick Green, receive a 

visit from a CPCS test auditor 

during his test. Weak at the 

knees, he kept his composure and 

successfully passed. Fineturf now 

boasts 100% of all operational 

staff having CSCS Sports Ground 

Simon Hutton and Anthony Hardy 

Contractor Cards. All staff have 

undertaken NVQ level 2, with 75% 

having passed and the remaining 

25% due to pass by September 

2010. This results in fully 

experienced operator cards being 

obtained which are then valid for 

five years. 

In terms of supervisory and 

management staff, three 

employees were put through the 

IOSH Managing Safely Course, 

which was successfully completed 

in March 2010. 

The four day course covers 

health and safety management. 

Both Directors and the Operations 

Manager have also completed the 

Site Management Safety Training 

Scheme (SMSTS) and the 

Construction Design and 

Management Regulations 2007 

(CDM). All of these awards meet 

the competency level expected in 

connection with potential new 

contracts. 

Despite the cost and time 

investment, Simon has now 

identified a need for further 

management investment in terms 

of the company’s health and 

safety ‘Competent Person’ 

becoming GRAD, IOSH and 

NEBOSH qualified. 

Simon states “Fineturf proudly 

boasts a genuine culture of health, 

safety and environmental well 

being and wish to continue this 

going forward. I have to thank my 

team for their efforts, which is 

allowing the company to move 

forward in these testing times.” 

Simon was also proud to 

announce that all the teams effort 

and hard work had resulted in two 

new major contracts being 

awarded, the first for Balfour 

Beatty Construction Limited. This 

contract is to construct new sports 

facilities and playing fields at the 

new school academy site in 

Lincoln. We hope to have an 

article on the progression of this 

contract in a future issue. 

The up-skilling of employees has 

also created a happier, more 

fulfilled and, most importantly, a 

safer workforce. Employees have 

benefitted from improved 

remuneration packages and 

increased job security based 

around the investment Fineturf 

and the effort the staff have put 

in. Following the health and safety 

review, and successful completion 

of numerous awards, the next 

step was to look at quality and 

environmental practices. 

Fineturf quickly realised the 

need to be independently 

assessed, and recognised, 

through the UKAS ISO quality 

and environmental 

accreditation. 

Anthony says, “Fineturf were 

already carrying out a lot of 

the criteria set out in the ISO 

accreditation schemes, but 

needed to evidence and 

document what we were 

doing.” 

Simon also states, “We’ve 

been renowned for quality and 

workmanship for years. 

However, I realised totally 

independent assessments of 

our practices were required to 

move us forward.” 

The Fineturf success story 

continues 

Goal 2 -ISO 9001 

During the winter months, 

when things were apparently a 

little slower - Fineturf were 

working on constructing two new 

American Football Pitches until 

Christmas Eve! - Simon asked for 

a meeting with Anthony and 

enquired if Fineturf could 

complete the ISO 9001 within a 

year? “No problem boss,” a 

somewhat sarcastic Anthony 

replied; “Let’s do ISO9001 and 

ISO14001 at the same time.” 

“Brilliant,” Simon replied, “and I’ll 

give you two days a week in which 

to collect and collate all the 

documents and evidence 

required!” 

Hat-trick -ISO 14001 

Both ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 

have been achieved this year, 

running both accreditation process 

concurrently. Help and support 

was received by their auditors, the 

British Assessment Bureau. 

Here to help 

Anthony Hardy points out that, 

whilst the processes involved 

appear daunting, they are 

relatively straightforward. He says 

that the company is more than 

willing to advise any other 

contractors wishing to undertake 

any of the above. For further 

information or guidance on 

completing the relevant health and 

safety qualifications mentioned, 

then contact Fineturf on 01400 

251605 or visit the Fineturf 

website: www.fine-turf.co.uk 

Fineturf is also a registered 

British Safety Council NVQ 1 Test 

Centre. 

SEED SUPPLIERS 

Sportsground Mixtures 

• Next day delivery 

• Technical advice 

Tel: 01522 868714 

Fax: 01522 868095 

seeds@bshlincoln.co.uk 

Order online at 

www.bshamenity.com 

The Grass Seed Experts 

Standard & Special Seed Mixtures 

Contact: Simon Taylor 

Tel: 01522 868946 

Mob: 07824 601471 

Email: 

simon.taylor@eurograss.com 

www.eurograss.com 

Cricket Renovation Seed Mixes CR1 & CR2 

WASP coated seed also available 

24 hour delivery 

Hurrells Specialist Seeds, Beverley Road 

Cranswick Driffield East Yorkshire YO25 9PF 

Tel: 01377 271400 

Fax: 01377 271500 

Email: nick@hmseeds.com 

www.hmseeds.com 

SOIL ANALYSIS 

SOIL SCREENERS 

ULTRA T1500 - 

TROMMEL SCREEN 

HIRE AND SALES 

Produce high quality topsoil from 

recycled soil/green waste 


01380 828337 





Classifieds 



A2LA Accredited & USGA 

Approved physical soil 

testing laboratory for the 

analysis of construction 

materials for the 

sportsturf industry 

Contact ETL on 

01786 449195 

email: 

europeanturf@aol.com 

www.etl-ltd.com 

SPARE PARTS 

Call for your 

copy NOW! 

Central Spares Ltd 

3-7 Brook Road 

Wimborne 

Dorset BH21 2BH 

01202 882000 

www.centralspares.co.uk 

HANCOX 

THE ENGINE SPECIALISTS 

A complete line of 

premium power petrol 

and diesel engines 

DIRECT SALES SERVICE - 

order today and receive 

your goods within 24 hrs 

Tel: 0844 800 6493 

Email: sales@hancox.co.uk 

View parts or replacement engines online at 

WWW.HANCOX.CO.UK 

GOALS MAKE GAMES. 

WE MAKE GOALS. 

TALK TO MARK HARROD 

01502 710039 

www.markharrod.com 

design, manufacture 

and distribution of 

turf aeration solutions 

for the past 20 years 

Blair Precision 

Engineering Ltd 

began 

manufacturing 

tines in1987 after 

Carnoustie Golf 

Links approached 

the company 

looking for 

custom shapes and sizes of tines to fit their 

aeration machines. More than 20 years later, 

Steelmaster Tines are used by greenkeepers 

and groundsman all over Europe. 

Tel: +44 (0)1241 853639 

www.steelmaster.co.uk 

E: sales@steelmaster.co.uk 

Help us to help you! 

When responding to 

advertising please 

mention that you 

‘saw it in Pitchcare’ 

145

SPARE PARTS 

GOLF COURSE & SPORTSGROUND 

CONSTRUCTION 

RENOVATION & MAINTENANCE 

IRRIGATION SYSTEMS 

LAND DRAINAGE SCHEMES 

WATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS 

Tel. 01722 716361 


Natural & synthetic pitch 

design & construction 

Tel: 01494 866776 

Email: info@agripower.co.uk 

www.agripower.co.uk 

Broomfield Farm, Rignall Road, Gt. Missenden, Bucks, HP16 9PE 

146 


Classifieds 



SLITTERS, SPIKES & TINES 

For a 

Free 

Brochure please contact us at: 

P S Marsden 

(Lawnmower Services) Ltd 

TEL: 

0115 9614734 

FAX: 

0115 9615473 

Website - www.protine.co.uk 

E-mail - sales@protine.co.uk 

High Performance, Standard & Custom-Made Tines 

GENUINE PARTS & TINES 

Deep Aeration - Pure & Simple 

OLD & NEW MODELS 

Tel: 0845 026 0064 

PARTS@JSMD.CO.UK 

SPORTS TURF CONTRACTORS 

Established 1998 

Replacement Tines 

Hollow, Solid and Cross - 

specialising in carbide tipped 

technology. 

Verticut and scarifier blades. 

Brush sections 

OEM specification. 

Accessories 

Backlapping paste, linkage 

pins, PTOs, specialist grease 

and bedknives cold rolled for 

uniform hardness. 

All major brands catered for 

and special requirements met. 

VERTI-DRAIN THATCHAWAY 

WEIDENMANN TORO 

JOHN DEERE GRADEN 

RYAN 

RANSOMES/JAC 

Fast efficient service from 

our extensive stock. 

0800 083 0216 

Division of Campey Turf Care Systems Ltd 


the pitch of performance 

Football, Hockey Multi-Sports, 

Cricket, Tennis & Bowls 

Design and construction of synthetic 

and natural sports surfaces and facilities 

Tel: 01474 364320 

www.activeleisurecontracts.co.uk 

Topdressing 

STRAIGHT 

TALKING ... 

The STRI’s Stella Rixon looks at the case for using 

straight sand when topdressing 

With ever-rising costs, many 

golf clubs are looking at 

ways to reduce their 

maintenance budgets. Topdressing 

is a fundamental part of producing 

quality putting surfaces: it firms 

and smoothes the surface and, by 

building up a layer of uniform, 

sand-dominated material, it 

maintains good drainage and air 

exchange, which helps prevent 

thatch accumulation. 

Regular application is advised, 

aiming to apply somewhere in the 

region of 6 x 20 tonnes on an 

average 18-hole course, which 

represents a significant cost. This 

article discusses the possibility of 

using straight sand, both for 

financial reasons (it is sometimes 

half the cost of a traditional 

sand/soil mix), as well as to obtain 

the desirable quality and 

consistency from your topdressing 

material. 

Quality supply issues 

Getting a consistent, suitable 

topdressing supply can be difficult. 

I have recently studied 

independent particle size analyses 

of various topdressings and 

rootzones for golf course clients. 

Many, commonly used, sand/soil 

topdressing mixes failed to meet 

industry standard guidelines. The 

majority failed on particle size 


Avonmore Associates 

sportsfield construction 

25 year of experience in 

bowling greens, fine turf 

management, pitch design, 

sportsfield construction 

and irrigation 

Tel: 01789 293439 

email: info@avonmore-associates.co.uk 

www.avonmore-associates.co.uk 

distribution - they contained too 

many fine particles (fine sand, very 

fine sand, silt and clay). This 

negatively impacts on the 

drainage properties of the 

material. 

One way to address a 

topdressing mix that fails, would 

be to reduce the percentage of soil 

in the mix, e.g. move from an 

80:20 to 90:10. However, if the 

sand used in the mix is largely fine 

in particle size, and only just 

passes particle size/drainage 

criteria, then it will likely fail as 

soon as soil is added. In this 

instance, there is a case for going 

over to straight sand. 

Particle size analysis 

recommendations 

There are two main industry 

standards used to identify suitable 

topdressing material - USGA 

specifications, as shown in the 

table, and more recently produced 

STRI standards for the UK, as 

shown in the grading curve. The 

latter have slightly lower drainage 

rates to reflect the differences in 

our climate compared to the US, 

i.e. less monsoon-type rainstorms 

and more general grey drizzle! The 

UK guidelines were developed 

following research assessing a 

broad range of rootzone 

materials/mixes. 

• Supplies 

• Renovation 

• Drainage 

• Construction 

01797 252299 

www.bourneamenity.co.uk 

enquiries@bourneamenity.co.uk

Particle size distribution of USGA rootzone mix 

Name Particle Diameter Recommendation (by weight) 

Fine gravel 2.0-3.4mm Not more than 10% of the total particles 

in this range, including a maximum of 

3% fine gravel Very coarse sand 1.0-2.0mm (preferably none) 

Coarse sand 0.5-1.0mm Minimum of 60% of the particles must 

Medium sand 0.25-0.50mm fall in this range 

Fine sand 0.15-0.25mm 

Not more than 20% of the particles may 

fall within this range 

Very fine sand 0.05-0.15mm Not more than 5% 

Silt 0.002-0.05mm Not more than 5% 

Clay Less than 0.002mm Not more than 3% 

Total fines Very fine sand 

+ silt + clay 

Less than or equal to 10% 

Consider 

straight sand 

If a fairly coarse 

sand, or 

sand/soil mix 

that drains well, 

dominates your 

existing 

rootzone/upper 

profile, then 

moving to 

straight sand is 

unlikely to be 

suitable. 

However, if you 

have a soil-based 

profile where 

drainage could 

be improved, and your existing 

topdressing is on the fine end of 

the recommended spectrum, then 

straight sand is, potentially, a good 

option. 

Provided the chosen sand is of 

the correct particle size range (not 

too coarse or with too many fines, 

silt and clay), compatible with your 

existing topdressing/rootzone and 

incorporated correctly, then there 

should not be any concerns with 

root breaks or overly droughty 

surfaces. An agronomist, 

supported by independent 

laboratory testing, should ideally 

verify compatibility. 

Important points to note before 

making the change: 

Particle Size Analysis - It is 

essential that the sand is chosen 

carefully, verified by laboratory 

testing to determine its particle 

size analysis. The STRI would be 

happy to check the suitability of 

sand for use. 

Compatibility - If possible, it would 

be best to use the same sand as 

found in your existing topdressing. 

You could ask your supplier to drop 

the soil content so as to reduce 

the quantity of fine particles. The 

resultant material should be 

analysed for particle size 

Grading curve for rootzone layer 


Vertidraining, Hollow Coring, 

Overseeding, Draining, 

Gravel Banding, Field Top Maker, 

Deep Scarifying 

Mobile: 07860 259692 

Tel: 01284 735105 

Email: peter@buryturfcare.com 

www.buryturfcare.com 

distribution to check its suitability. 

Consistent Use - Once the change 

to sand has been made, do not go 

back to using a sand/soil mix, 

otherwise drainage and root break 

problems could occur. 

If it is felt that more 

nutrient/moisture holding 

potential is required, then perhaps 

apply inorganic, diatomaceous 

earth ceramics such as Profile, 

Axis or Isolite CG. These need to 

be applied at a generous rate, e.g. 

300g/m 2 once a year. 

Alternatively, try seaweed meal at 

75-100g/m 2 once or twice a year. 

Integrate old with new - Ensure 

that the new material is well 

integrated with the existing 

rootzone. The surface should be 

regularly aerated to work the new 

material into the soil profile to 

avoid creating a layer at the 

surface. Regular light sand 

dressings would be best, rather 

than one or two heavy dressings, 

as this may increase the risk of 

layering. 

Further advice - The STRI’s 

agronomy team would be happy to 

give more advice specific to your 

site. STRI Laboratory Services are 

available for particle size analysis 

and other soil testing services. 

Contact: 01274 565131. 


D W Clark 

DRAINAGE LTD 


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email: jim@dwclarkdrainageltd.co.uk Web: www.dwclarkdrainageltd.co.uk 

Quarry Hall Farm, Spring Bottom Lane 

Bletchingley, Surrey RH1 4QZ 

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Earthbound Services specialise in the highest 

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& Maintenance 

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147


SPORTSTURF 

148 

ANY SPORT - ANY SURFACE 

CONSTRUCTION - MAINTENANCE 

www.sgcgroup.co.uk 


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SPORTS TURF 

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Golf Courses, 

Natural/ 

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iain watson 

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and spraying 

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Natural & Synthetic 

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Renovation - Drainage - Maintenance 

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SeniorGolfConstruction 

RapidTurf 

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SeniorSportsConstruction 

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CONSTRUCTION 

Sports Fields and Golf Courses 

DRAINAGE 

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RENOVATION 

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Sportsfield Construction 

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SPEEDCUT 

CONTRACTORS LTD 

A professional service 

for all Sportsturf: 

• Drainage 

• Construction 

• Renovation 

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Consultancy, Management & Renovation 

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Renovation Specialists 

Hollow core and collect for 

golf greens - Deep scarification 

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Mobile: 07779 333010 

Tel: 01889 567449 

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Email: lee@vitalturfmanagement.co.uk 

Grinding 

A SET-UP AT 

THE MANOR! 

Peter Hampton joins the workshop team at 

Celtic Manor as they set up the mowers for 

the Wales Open 2010 

Day one and two 

I arrived early on Monday 24th 

May at the Coldra Woods 

maintenance compound and met 

up with Workshop & Machinery 

Manager, Patrick ‘Cal’ Callaby, to 

discuss the week’s plan over a 

pleasant cup of tea. 

Chris Heales, the workshop 

supervisor, whisked me off to the 

new maintenance facility on the 

impressive and specially designed 

Ryder Cup 2010 golf course where 

The Celtic Manor Resort was due 

to hold their own Wales Open 

Tournament on 3rd to 7th June. 

Martin Perrott and Dean 

Gwillym, the two resident 

machinery technicians, gave me a 

warm welcome and set me 

straight to work. 

The first task was to sharpen 

eight of the Toro 5410 fairway 

mowers for the 2010 course and, 

whilst Dean continued with the 

day to day duties of a golf course 

maintenance technician, Martin 

and I began stripping and 

sharpening the first of the mowing 

units. 

Martin replaced the five worn 

bedknives of one machine and I 

sharpened the cutting reels and 

refaced the new bedknives, using 

the Bernhard’s Express Dual and 

Anglemaster 4000. 

Incidentally, the 5410 that 


 

 

 

 

Jim McKenzie testing the Toro Flex 21 

required five replacement 

EdgeMax blades had 986 hours on 

the meter, these were the first new 

set of blades to be fitted to this 

machine since it was purchased in 

2007, a tribute to non-contact 

setting, together with the superb 

quality of the bedknives, I think 

you will agree. 

Martin was in charge of 

reassembling the cutting units, 

setting reels and the height of cut. 

It is always best for one person to 

do this as, then, the mowing units 

are all set exactly the same. I also 

helped by reassembling some 

units, and we remounted them on 

the 5410s when the sharpening 

and setting was all done. 

The two of us completed three 

of the five unit 5410 mowers on 

Monday, and five more on Tuesday, 

taking special care with the height 

of cut and reel to bed knife 

settings. 

These eight fairway mowers 

were all rigged out with grass 

catchers for the preparation period 

and the tournament week, and all 

set at the same height of cut. 

It was no mean feat to sharpen 

and set up forty fairway mower 

cutting units for a tournament, in 

two days, but the new Toro DPA 

cutting units are very user friendly, 

and so is the Bernhard sharpening 

system.

Cal Callaby on the 2010 course 

Day 3 Wednesday 

Martin and I set about sharpening 

the seven Toro Flex 21 greens 

mowers. When we had replaced 

the usual tournament bedknives 

with the micro-cut blades, we 

trued up the new bedknives using 

the Anglemaster and spun ground 

the reels. Martin then carefully set 

the height of cut to the pre-agreed 

tournament height. 

We also sharpened ten Toro 

1600 26 inch walk behind tees 

mowers, replacing bedknives on 

some as we went. 

All of these seventeen Toro walk 

behinds were to be used as the 

morning mowers for the 

tournament days. 

Day 4 Thursday 

The primary task for today was to 

sharpen and set up the 

second/reserve set of six Toro Flex 

21 greens mowers. There was 

some discussion and 

experimenting with bedknives, due 

to a temporary shortage of new 

micro cut tournament blades, 

which had not arrived in time due 

to a mix up with the order. 

We set up one Flex 21 unit with 

a part worn, but carefully 

sharpened, standard tournament 

bed knife, which are the normal 

blades for daily cutting on all of 

Celtic Manor’s greens mowers. 

The first of the sharpened Flex 

21 greens mowers was set at the 

same height, and checked that it 

had the same “ground clearance” 

as the seven Flex 21 mowers, 

sharpened and set up the previous 

day. Clearance was checked using 

a feeler gauge device, inserted 

between the bottom of the bed 

knife and top of the height setting 

bar - we did not want bedknives 

rubbing the greens surface. 

After cutting trials on a green, 

comparing the first mower from 

each day’s group of six greens 

mowers, a decision was made to 

continue with the standard 

tournament blades. The other five 

machines were then all sharpened 

and set up ready for the 

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tournament. 

With all the checking and 

testing we were running out of 

time, so the ten pedestrian 

mowers were all that we achieved. 

I did, however, have enough 

time to check over the new 

Bernhard Rapid facer 1000 and 

offer some tips and tricks to the 

technicians, ready for their daily 

rapid face and cutting checks. 

Day 5 Friday 

Martin and I sharpened a further 

three Flex 21 greens mowers as 

spare/reserve units, then spun 

ground and rapid faced three DPA 

greens triplex units. 

We also sharpened the nine 

cutting units on three Toro 

Sidewinder triplex mowers. These 

were to be used for close semi 

rough cutting alongside the 

fairways. 

JOB DONE - 108 cutting units 

sharpened in five days. Not a 

record for an Express Dual system 

but, if an outside sharpening 

contractor had been employed: 

1. There would be no control 

over quality 

2 There would be no control 

over the delivery time. 

3. At about £110 per unit for 

sharpening (£11,880) you would 

have almost paid for three years 

lease purchase of the Bernhard 

Express Dual and Anglemaster reel 

mower sharpening system, with 

just one week’s sharpening costs! 

During Friday, Cal and I 

managed to fit in a tour of the 

Ryder Cup Course. 

I was most impressed with all of 

the facilities at both workshops 

and, having worked all week with 

Chris, Dean and particularly 

closely with Martin, I was suitably 

impressed with their work ethic, 

product knowledge of the Toro 

equipment and ability to get 

everything spot-on for the most 

efficient cutting performance from 

their Toro machinery. 

Contributed by Peter Hampton and 

Patrick (Cal) Callaby 

Sports Ground Contractor 

Turnkey Projects 

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SPRAYERS 

SPORTS TURF CONSULTANTS 


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TREES 

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10” drill aeration 

1m air injection 

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149 

AERATION 

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TOPDRESSING & LOAM 

Top quality dressings 

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Contact: Andy Hodges - Tel:01202 537777 

sales@roffey.ltd.uk 

150 


Classifieds 



From village green to county ground 

Visit our website at www.boughton.co.uk 

and download an analysis sheet to find out 

which of our three cricket loams are most 

suitable for your ground. 

Boughton Kettering, Club, and County 

Loams are sourced locally and analysed to 

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They are then screened and can be 

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TURF SUPPLIERS 

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Grinding 

GRIND OUT 

A RESULT! 

In the second of our 

articles by young 

students, Ricky Drew, 

Greenkeeper at 

Ashbury Golf Club in 

Devon, relates his 

experiences of a 

grinding tutorial 

Irecently attended a tutorial day 

at Duchy College, the aim of 

which was to inform and 

educate on the importance of reel 

and cylinder grinding, and the 

benefits of this if done regularly. 

The tutorial was held by Ben 

Taylor, Bernhard Limited’s 

Technical Training Manager, as a 

demonstration of their Express 

Dual and Anglemaster grinders. 

Starting with a Toro fairway 

mower, the Bernhard 

representative set the mower units 

up to ‘Greenkeeper’ specifications. 

This meant adjusting the units 

until contact was made between 

reel and bedknife, as this is how 

countless greenkeepers believe 

units should be set to get the best 

results. We also measured how 

much diesel was in the tank prior 

to cutting. 

We used the mower to cut half 

a football pitch on the site, and 

timed the operation. As we 

observed the cutting it began to 

rain which, we would later find out, 

would have an effect on the 

amount of grass that was cut. We 

used boxes throughout the cutting 

so that we could empty them into 

a sack and weigh them to record 

how much grass was taken off. 

After the first half was finished, 

we headed back into the shed to 

record the results; 

We then removed the units and 

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bottom blades and put them in 

their respective grinders. The 

Bernhard representative then ran 

us through how to set up each 

machine to get optimum results 

when cutting. 

He began by telling us about the 

different ‘faces’ on a bottom blade 

and the desired angles. The top 

face angle, or ‘ejection angle’, 

should be set at 8°. This is to 

ensure that, after the grass is cut, 

it is ‘ejected’ out of the reel to 

leave a clean surface for 

oncoming blades of grass. 

The second angle mentioned 

was the front face angle and its 

importance to stand the grass up 

straight, and in position, as the 

reel spins and cuts the grass. 

We talked about how surgically 

shard blades and reels can 

improve the quality of cut and 

general health of the turf. This is 

because sharp mowers employ a 

scythe action when cutting, not a 

tearing action which would leave 

an open wound in the turf and 

create an environment susceptible 

to disease. Using a macroscope, 

we confirmed the suspicions that a 

poorly set up mower would shred 

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the grass. 

As we went to lunch, the rest of 

the reels were ground and set up 

the correct way, with light/no 

contact. We re-filled the fuel tank 

to match the level of the first run 

and cut the second half of the 

pitch in exactly the same way, and 

using the same driver. However, on 

this run, the rain had stopped and 

the grass dried out a little. 

*It may seem as though we cut 

less grass when the reels were 

sharp but this is because the grass 

was dry on the second run. When 

It’s a mower 

Jim, but not as 

we know it! 

During my visit to the Celtic 

Manor Resort workshops, 

when helping the team to 

sharpen and set-up the Toro 

mower fleet for The Wales Open 

Golf Tournament, I was able to 

complete the assembly and 

sharpening of a restored 1950s 

Ransomes Auto Certes Mk1 

greens mower (the 2 stroke engine 

drives the cylinder only). This 

mower is owned by, and has been 

totally restored for, my friend Noel 

Broderick, CEO of Broderick’s 

Grass Machinery, the Textron 

dealer based in Dublin and 

Belfast. It is to be displayed in 

their showroom. 

When seeing me sharpening 

this quite rare mower, Jim 

McKenzie, Director of Golf at Celtic 

Manor, began telling me that, as a 

seventeen year old trainee at 

Haggs Castle Golf Club, in 

Glasgow, he was trained to use 

one of these mowers as his daily 

greens cutting machine, and that, 

during the early 1980s fuel crisis, 

he also used the original 16 inch 

hand push model Certes without 

an engine. 

The 16 inch hand Certes was 

extremely hard to push when 

newly set, and Jim remembered 

an old time greenkeeper, Rab 

Robson, showing the younger lads 

how to place a match on the 

ground then, when the mower was 

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carried out on a dry day I would 

expect to see more grass removed 

when reels are sharp. 

It is obvious to see that sharp 

units not only reduce the amount 

of time taken to do a job but also 

the amount of diesel used and, in 

today’s current economic climate, 

can your golf club afford NOT to 

grind reels regularly? 

In summary, the tutorial was 

interesting and eye opening and, if 

you still have any doubts on the 

benefit of reel grinding, I urge you 

to attend a tutorial near you. 

pushed over it, this relieved the set 

and made the mower easier to 

push. 

Jim was keen to have his 

photograph taken with the old 

Auto Certes mower, and so we 

took it up to the 18th green on the 

2010 Ryder Cup Course. I really 

get a kick out of re-uniting people 

with their memories of using old 

machines. 

I have, over the years, amassed 

and restored a large collection of 

old golf course machinery, mainly 

because it was being discarded to 

be scrapped. 

Now, having recently been 

elected Chairman of The Old 

Lawnmower Club, I have a new 

task - to encourage the 

professional turfcare industry to 

preserve these old professional 

machines, and I encourage you to 

join us at 

www.oldlawnmowerclub.co.uk 

For further details contact 

peter.hampton@blueyonder.co.uk 

Pitchcare Magazine 

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involved in working with turf. 

Go to www.pitchcare.com 

to subscribe on-line or 

telephone 01902 440252 

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WEED CONTROL 


UPSONS RECONDITIONED MACHINERY 

ROLLERS • MOWERS • TRACTORS • SCARIFIERS 

100’s of mowers in stock, trade prices, warranty 

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SISIS EQUIPMENT (Macclesfield) LIMITED 

Designer and manufacturer of sports ground maintenance machinery require an 

AREA MANAGER 

to cover the North East Counties of England. 

Applicant should be able to present the smart, professional image of the Company. 

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Applicant must be able to work as part of a team but also work on their own 

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Clean driving licence essential. 

Company Car, Excellent Salary and Commission 

Applications in confidence, stating experience and salary to: 

The UK Sales Manager, SISIS EQUIPMENT (Macclesfield) LIMITED 

Hulley Road, Hurdsfield, Macclesfield, Cheshire SK10 2LZ 

151

©BBC 

Ready, steady, cook ... 

Knotweed! 

ANTHEA Gerrie, writing in 

The Independent on 9 June 

2010, featured chef Dino 

Paviedis at Terre á Terre 

restaurant in Brighton 

preparing a Knotweed and 

Wild Garlic Soufflé. 

Olivia Reid, of the restaurant, 

explained that an 

environmental consultancy 

got in touch to see whether 

they fancied cooking with 

knotweed. 

She describes the taste as 

“lemony and zesty”, others as 

having a fresh rhubarb taste 

with the texture of asparagus. 

“It produces a wonderful 

liquor when braised and 

works really well in a 

compote made with 

raspberries and ginger - a 

very versatile weed.” Best of 

all, she says, is the knotweed 

and shallot jelly served with 

Sussex slipcote cheese. 

However, knotweed will never 

The ‘Blue’ Lagoon? 

SEATON Carew Golf Club, in 

Hartlepool, has distanced 

itself from stories that a 

production crew was caught 

shooting an ‘adult’ film on 

their course. 

They admit a film crew was 

found in the early hours of 

the morning, but say there is 

“nothing to support the 

rumours” that it was a blue 

movie. 

Head greenkeeper, Tony 

Cartwright, found the film 

crew in the early hours of 

Saturday, June 26, during his 

round of morning 

inspections. He spotted 

bright lights on the 10th 

green, known as the Lagoon 

hole, and went over to 

investigate. 

He discovered a group of half 

a dozen people, ranging in 

age from 35 to mid 50s, 

filming on the green at 

152 

I don’t believe it! 

The not so serious side of the industry 

make it permanently onto the 

menu of any restaurant, as it 

is illegal to grow, harvest and 

dispose of, so supply would 

be a problem for a catering 

kitchen ... and demand, 

probably! 

Oh well, back to those good 

old hedgerow staples of 

nettles, elderflowers and 

blackberries. 

around 4.00am. 

Tony explained: “I was doing 

my early morning checks of 

the greens when I spotted the 

bright lights. There was a 

man dressed in golf clothes 

on the green, alongside 

another man wearing 

ordinary clothes and a pair of 

bright orange boots. It looked 

like they had been there for 

around an hour, and there 

was a group of people sitting 

on a nearby wall, too.” 

“Everybody was fully clothed, 

but it was still quite a strange 

thing to come across, I have 

never seen anything like it in 

my time.” 

The film crew were politely 

asked to leave, says Tony. “I 

explained that it was private 

land and asked them to leave, 

and they packed up and left 

shortly after in a large van.” 

Art for art’s sake ... 

WHEN Boughton Loam 

received an order for ‘2kg of 

white bunker sand’ you could 

have excused Sales 

Coordinator, Richard Chinn, 

for checking the calendar to 

make sure that it was not 1st 

April, and then consigning 

the email to ‘deleted’ items. 

However, on further 

inspection, it turns out that 

this ‘little’ order was rather 

high profile. It came from a 

London framers who were 

preparing an exhibition of 

work by artist Jonathan Yeo, 

to be shown at a top venue in 

Beverley Hills, California, 

organised by Lazarides. 

The sand was to be used for 

the internal frame of one of 

the works featuring Tiger 

Woods, and ‘had to be right’. 

The main frame was astro 

turf! 

The order was placed in 

sealed plastic bags and sent 

off in a jiffy bag, with the 

framers only charged for 

PERHAPS not quite so high 

profile, except in PC Towers 

of course, a recent trip to 

Slovakia for the Turf 

Education conference, where 

our esteemed Managing 

Director, Dave Saltman, was 

speaking, resulted in this 

masterpiece. 

The artist, who has to remain 

nameless because, quite 

honestly, we can’t spell it, was 

producing caricatures of some 

of the dignitaries at the 

conference. 

This one has found pride of 

place in Dave’s new office, 

although our suggestion of 

framing it with a bit of 

Molineux turf and discarded 

football studs was not 

received too well! 

For you information, the 

Oxford English Dictionary 

describes ‘caricature’ as: a 

postage. Sadly, for Richard, 

his request for two 

complimentary first class 

tickets to LA was refused, but 

Boughton did get a mention 

in the exhibition catalogue, 

which was entitled ‘Porn in 

the USA’. And, if you want to 

know why, check out 

www.lazinc.com, or get out 

your magnifying glass! 

... funny for God’s sake! 

picture, description, etc., 

ludicrously exaggerating the 

peculiarities or defects of 

persons or things - and who 

are we to argue!

Quote me happy 

“We can’t all be as gorgeous as me, when we 

play the game.” England spinner Graeme 

Swann concedes that winning ugly is better 

than not winning at all. 

“If I did that, it wouldn’t be the penalty box I’d 

be in, it would be a wooden box! Kris Boyd 

realises that a move from Rangers to Celtic 

would be an unpopular one, to say the least. 

“Good Lord! I think that girl has bought the 

wrong size shorts.” David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd gets 

taken with one of the dancers at the opening 

Friends Provident T20 game between Sussex 

and Somerset. 

“He’s very nice looking and we 

need to learn his name.” 

Virginia Wade gives her views 

on rising star Oleksandr 

Dolgopolov Jr. 

“If I start going baaahhh, you 

know what’s going on.” 

Australian golfer, Robert Allenby, has started 

taking tablets containing sheeps’ placenta to 

reduce swelling in his wrists. 

“I ended up travelling home on the 5.23am 

train from Brighton. I had no choice. The wife 

said I had to put the bins out.” Bumble, again! 

“That’s the result of 10 years acting like a 

buffoon. The captain won’t listen to me 

anymore.” Graeme Swann reveals Andrew 

Strauss won’t take his advice. 

“I have not been back to Senegal since the age 

of ten, when I went to be circumcised - which 

was not a pleasant experience.” Patrice Evra 

explains the mitigating circumstances behind 

his decision to snub Senegal for France. 

“At the end there was only going to be one 

winner.” Alan Hansen on the 2-2 draw 

between Slovenia and USA. 

“These greens are like putting over a herd of 

turtles.” Tom Watson left no one in any doubt 

about the speed of the greens at Pebble 

Beach. 

“My only problem with Dunga is his dress 

sense. His weird blazer covering his purple 

shirt and yellow t-shirt combo was almost as 

horrific as seeing Dirk Kuyt in HD.” Brett 

Mendoza. 

“If I am in charge of the keg of Guinness, that 

will be fine.” Darren Clarke discusses the 

importance of his role as vice-captain in the 

European Ryder Cup team. 

Cobbled together from Sky Sports, ESPN Sport and 

watching far too much television! 

... to consider the benefits of 

using floral flower mixes 

the removal of a couple of bolts 

gained aces to the shaft 

... they whittled their opponents 

out for just over 50 

... has paid off handsomely, both 

off and off the field of play 

Greens are mown with pedestrians 

Forward THINKING 

Dates for your diary 

SEPTEMBER 

2nd to 5th - Burghley Horse Trials, 

Burghley House, Lincolnshire 

(www.burghley-horse.co.uk) 

5th - Cricket, England v Pakistan, 

1st T20 International, SWALEC 

Stadium, Wales 

(www.cricketworld.com) 

7th to 8th - Four Oaks Trade Show, 

Macclesfield, Cheshire 

(www.fouroaks-tradeshow.com) 

7th to 9th - SALTEX, Windsor 

Racecourse (www.iogsaltex.co.uk) 

15th to 18th - GaLaBau 

international trade show, 

Nuremburg, Germany 

(www.galabau.info-web.de/en/) 

20th to 22nd - GLEE, NEC 

Birmingham 

(www.gleebirmingham.com) 

22nd to 23rd - SalonVert trade 

show, Saint-Chéron (Essonne), 

France (www.salonvert.com) 

23rd to 25th - APF International 

Forest Machinery Exhibition, 

Cannock Chase, Staffordshire 

(www.apfexhibition.co.uk) 

27th - 1st October – BASIS Course 

in Amenity Horticulture Week 2, 

STRI, Bingley 

(www.stri.co.uk/en/training/) 

OCTOBER 

1st to 3rd - Golf, 2010 Ryder Cup, 

The Celtic Manor Resort, Wales 

(www.rydercup.com) 

3rd - Horse Racing, Prix De L’Arc 

de Triomphe, Longchamp 

Racecourse, France 

(www.prixarcdetriomphe.com) 

He told me to ‘mow’ this way ... 

Laurence has discovered a new way to tend greens, plus a novel approach to the 

ancient art of whittling ... all sounds a bit evil to me! 

The wild life seen out on the 

course is immeasurable 

… while having to put up with 

quite a bit of up evil while a new 

temporary stand is being built 

He’s the industry’s marmite really 

- you either loathe him or hate 

him! 

You can now follow Loz on Twitter - 

http://twitter.com/pitchcareloz 

7th to 10th - Golf, Alfred Dunhill 

Links Championship, St Andrews, 

Scotland (www.europeantour.com) 

12th - Football, England v 

Montenegro, Wembley Stadium 

(www.wembleystadium.com) 

12th - Campey Demo Day, Deer 

Park Golf Club, West Lothian. 

More dates and venues at 


31st - American Football, San 

Francisco 49ers v Denver 

Broncos, Wembley Stadium 

(www.wembleystadium.com) 

NOVEMBER 

3rd to 4th - IOG Scotsturf, 

Highland Hall, Edinburgh 

(www.iogscotsturf.co.uk) 

13th - Rugby Union, Investec 

International, England v Australia, 

Twickenham Stadium 

(www.rfu.com) 

25th to 28th - Golf, Dubai World 

Championship, Jumeirah Golf 

Estates, UAE 

(www.europeantour.com) 

27th - Rugby Union, Wales v New 

Zealand, Millennium Stadium, 

Wales 

(www.millenniumstadium.com) 

To add your event to Forward Thinking 

please email details to 

ellie@pitchcare.com and don’t forget 

that you can add it to Pitchcare’s online 

calendar yourself! Simply log on to 

www.pitchcare.com, select ‘Calendar’ 

in the Home drop down button on the 

top banner and click on “Add event’ at 

the top of the page.

Compact size, XXL versatility. 

0% 

Finance! 

On a range of 

Compact Tractors* 

Don’t let their size fool you, because the 2020 Series Tractors are 

big on versatility. These multi-taskers can handle blades, OnRamp 

mower decks, spreaders, loaders, plus many other implements. 

And with their quick-attachment system, you can go from loading 

to blade work in minutes. That’s making the most of your hard 

earned money. Talk to your John Deere dealer, who offers the best 

customer support in the business. 

www.JohnDeere.co.uk 

*Visit www.johndeerecredit.co.uk for terms and conditions 

Freephone 0800 085 25 22 

C 435.1 AUT10 E

Marshalling his troops - Pitchcare

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