Earning his Spurs - Pitchcare

SERVING THE TURFCARE INDUSTRY 

FEATURES 

SECURITY & THEFT 

Part II of our in-depth look at 

issues of security and theft reviews 

security buildings and CCTV, plus 

tips from the the police on how 

best to deter determined criminals 

GUERNSEY SPORT 

We meet some of the groundsmen 

and look at the challenges they 

face due to the island’s 

topography and location 

Earning 

his Spurs 

Tottenham Hotspur Grounds Manager, Darren 

Baldwin, is playing a pivotal role in the club’s 

new stadium and training facilities 

June/July 2010 

Issue No. 31 £4.50 

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The turfcare magazine 

from pitchcare.com 

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The best in 

the world ... 

IT is always difficult writing this editorial 

three weeks before publication and, so, 

my nick name of ‘Deadline Dave’ proves 

justified as I try to be as current as 

possible. Unfortunately, the World Cup 

will be in the knockout stages when you 

read this. So, let’s hope England are still 

involved! 

No doubt the state of the South African 

pitches will have been commented on 

and, in the main, I have welcomed the 

increased media discussion about our 

sports surfaces over the last decade. 

This issue of the magazine - our 5th 

anniversary, by the way - will be delivered 

in the middle of a hectic and high profile 

summer of sport. Already in the media 

spotlight will have been the AEGON 

Tennis Championship at Queens, the 

opening Test of the summer at Lord’s, 

The Derby at Epsom, Royal Ascot and, as 

this issue thumps onto your doormat, we 

will be enjoying the All England Lawn 

Tennis Championships from Wimbledon. 

Messrs. Kimpton, Hunt, Whybrow, Gilford 

and Seaward will have delivered superb 

surfaces fit for the intended sport, whilst 

Ken Siems at Loch Lomond, Gordon Moir 

at St. Andrews, and Jim McKenzie at 

Celtic Manor will be flying the 

greenkeepers’ flag further into the 

summer. Throw in all the groundsmen at 

the cricket venues up and down the 

country hosting ODIs, T20s and Test 

matches, and never has our industry had 

such a high media profile. 

However, the more recent debates have 

been born out of the inability to get our 

iconic ‘home of football’ stadium pitch 

right. 

You could say that the Wembley project 

was doomed from the start, with the 

Football Association promising one thing 

and the builders, Multiplex, clearly failing 

to deliver! Ongoing litigation is due to be 

heard in High Court early in 2011 - 

possibly! Where Wembley is concerned, 

you never quite know. 

So, three and a half years after the 

stadium eventually opened, horribly late 

and massively over budget, what has 

changed at the home of football? Well, the 

pitch has - eleven times to be exact. The 

schedule of extra curricular events 

continues to plague the surface and the 

levels of criticism have become louder and 

more vociferous. 

Following the end of season Cup semi 

finals, finals and league play-offs, players 

and managers were united in their 

condemnation. “Worse than many nonleague 

pitches”; “scandalous”; “very poor” 

and “no excuse” were bandied about in 

the national press. PFA chief executive, 

Gordon Taylor, said: “The pitch is a big 

concern.” “It ruined the [FA Cup] final,” 

said Chelsea and England’s John Terry. 

“It’s probably the worst pitch we’ve played 

on all year.” 

However, Sir Trevor Brooking, the FA’s 

director of football development, denied 

that the use of the stadium for nonfootball 

events was a major factor, whilst 

the then FA chairman, Lord Triesman, 

before his fall from grace, insisted 

“Wembley’s pitch problems are over.” 

So, there you have it - a bugger’s muddle 

of the highest order. 

England are bidding to host the World 

Cup in 2018 and noises from FIFA are 

positive, But, and it’s a big but, if the 

Wembley pitch continues to receive bad 

press, will that affect the awarding of this 

prestigious tournament? 

And, where does it leave the reputation of 

our industry? 

The UK has some of the most highly 

respected Groundsmen in the world. Paul 

Burgess recently delivered a stunning 

playing surface for the Champions 

League final between Bayern Munich and 

Inter Milan, at Real Madrid’s Bernabéu 

Stadium - and that at the end of an 

intense La Liga. Chris Hague works a 

multi-use pitch in Copenhagen, with a 

similar event schedule to Wembley, and 

on a budget! 

The majority of the top-flight stadium 

pitches in the UK are a joy to behold, but 

the ongoing and highly newsworthy saga 

of Wembley and ‘that’ pitch negate that 

good work. 

If anyone at Wembley reads this article, 

please take note. Employ a Groundsman 

with experience at this level, give him 

autonomy and an open cheque book and 

let him answer to one person, preferably 

the Chief Executive. Allow that person to 

attend all concept, pre and de-brief 

meetings to provide his expert advice and 

that way the surface can be managed 

correctly. All the science is a wonderful 

tool, but nothing beats good practical 

experience and decision making, all of 

which is based on event schedules and the 

day to day assessment of the turf. 

Our industry deserves better! 

Cheers 

Dave Saltman 

Say that again! 

“After all, it’s hard to get a 

mower through a roof” 

Clive Baker, British Security Industry 

“We manage to provide a 

county standard ground on a 

club budget” 

Roger Ward, Horsham Cricket Club 

Poor green performance is 

usually the result of restricting 

the maintenance programme to 

suit the golfers rather than 

being an indication of bad 

greenkeeping or agronomy 

“In our opinion, backlapping 

should be banned as the 

carborundum paste is 

environmentally unsound” 

Patrick Callaby and Peter Hampton 

“I’m relying on a retired farmer 

for help - at least he can drive 

a tractor!” 

Darren Baldwin, Tottenham Hotspur FC 

“We need to understand that 

we may not just be part of the 

problem we may actually BE 

the problem!” 

The Fantastic Four 

“We have been known to row a 

boat across six fairways without 

touching dry land” 

Martyn Savident, La Grande Mare 

“There’s a place for figures and 

science in the industry, but you 

can’t always go by the book, 

sometimes you have to deal 

with matters as they come up” 

Nigel Whybrow, Epsom Racecourse 

Paul Fiske, Aberdeen FC 

“We have to help ourselves in 

this industry, if we don’t work 

together, we’ll be all the poorer 

for it” 

Frank Newberry, Trainer 

and Conference Speaker

Contents 

Cover Story -Darren Baldwin, 

Grounds Manager, Tottenham Hotspur FC 

Inside 

THIS 

ISSUE 

Tottenham Hotspur Grounds 

Manager, Darren Baldwin, is 

playing a pivotal role in the 

club’s new stadium and 

training facilities... and he 

gets on well with Harry! 

Earning his Spurs .. Pg 14 

THE PC TEAM 

DAVE SALTMAN 

Managing Director 

With the new offices 

having some essential 

work done (the 

installation of a new 

kettle), the recent PC 

team meeting had to be 

held in a local pub and, 

surprisingly, Dave turned 

up for the first time in 

months. Sadly, for him, 

there was no beer on the 

menu. It must have been 

the longest he has ever 

spent in a pub sober! 

JOHN RICHARDS 

Operations Director 

With that ash cloud 

delaying his departure 

to Australia, John was 

able to hone his proof 

reading skills on home 

territory. Since the 

magazine was 

launched five years 

ago, we reckon he has 

added over 10,000 

commas and deleted 

countless misused 

apostrophes and 

hyphens! 

Golf 

Making Waves! 

Mother Nature throws all kinds of problems at 

Martyn Savident, Course Manager at La Grande 

Mare Golf Club, in Guernsey. Pg70 

Bishop’s Move 

Paul Bishop is Estates Manager at the stunning 

Manor House Golf Club at Castle Combe, close to 

Bath. Pg74 

Firmness First 

The dynamic duo become the fantastic four as 

Henry Bechelet and Richard Windows are joined 

by Dr Christian Spring and Jay Dobson to outline 

the STRI’s new programme... brace yourselves! 

Pg78 

The Drain Brain 

Jonathan Tucker, STRI Golf Course Architect and 

Head of Golf Development Services, offers up 

some advice for an environmental approach to 

sustainable drainage. Pg84 

LAURENCE GALE 

Editor 

In five years as editor of 

this magazine, Laurence 

has cajoled, compiled 

and collated over 1,000 

articles from all corners 

of the industry. His 

enthusiasm knows no 

bounds, and the articles 

what he wrote are 

particularly ‘enjoyable’. 

We probably couldn’t 

have done it without 

him, but don’t ever tell 

him that. 

PETER BRITTON 

Sales & Production 

As the Pitchcare staff 

are now referred to as 

the ‘in-house’ team, 

Peter is concerned that 

he is now part of the 

‘out-house’ team! Aware 

that he can, occasionally, 

be responsible for a 

load of poo, it is, 

nevertheless, a worrying 

development! Still, the 

promise of a second 

grandchild has tempered 

his ‘meldrewness’. 

ELLIE TAIT 

PR and Marketing 

Learned to drive a 

tractor recently - “I don’t 

know what make, but it 

was blue” (that’ll be 

New Holland then. Ed). 

Apparently, it was 

towing a chain harrow 

and the zig zaggy 

driving movement was 

“good fun”. Must have 

been a harrowing 

experience for all 

concerned, not least the 

poor old instructor! 

Paul Bishop, Manor House Golf Club 

General 

Security & Theft 

In part II of his article, Tom James questions the 

police about security issues, investigates what 

deterrents there are on the market and finds out 

what one manufacturer is doing to make their 

products more secure. Pg28 

Taking tree work in-house 

Chainsaw use on the golf course is usually classified 

as ‘occasional’. Even so, strict regulations are in 

place to ensure safety for both the operator and 

the public. Pg50 

Earley ... and on time! 

Andrew Earley is charged with returning Seaclose 

Park to playability after 65,000 revellers have 

enjoyed the Isle of Wight Festival. As he explains, it 

begins with aeration before the event. Pg58 

Helping Hands at Hartpury 

Stewart Ward, Grounds and Sport Turf Manager, 

Hartpury College, is highly qualified, highly 

committed and highly motivated to deliver the best 

possible facilities for the students. Pg88 

STARRS in their eyes! 

Tonight Matthew, Dr Tim Lodge is going to sing 

the praises of consultants. Not those ‘money for 

nothing’ management types, but the consultant 

agronomists who assist with contracts. Without 

them you might be in ‘dire straits’. Pg104 

The Wrack’s Progress 

Perhaps the most sustainable crop on the planet, 

seaweed is being heralded as the answer to the ever 

decreasing list of chemical products for the turfcare 

industry. In their first article, Sea-Chem look at the 

history of seaweed products. Pg108 

ALASTAIR BATTRICK 

Web Monkey 

Having spent the past 

umpteen years telling 

all and sundry that 

Firefox “is the way 

forward”, Alastair has 

now converted 

everyone’s computer to 

Outlook. The resultant 

loss of important data 

was, according to Al, 

“just a minor glitch” 

and would be resolved 

“some time soon”. 

Bless! 

DAN HUGHES 

Sales Manager 

Being able to support a 

Premiership team for 

two years running is a 

rarity for Dan. So, too, is 

seeing him in a jacket 

and tie, but that’s what 

he has taken to wearing 

over the past weeks. 

Sadly, as the summer 

temperatures have 

risen, his new attire 

doesn’t sit comfortably 

with flip flops and 

Bermuda shorts!

Roger Ward, Horsham Cricket Club 

Cricket 

Finding Freddie 

A brand new cricket facility at Westhoughton may 

just help to uncover the next England cricket star. 

Laurence Gale MSc meets Head Groundsman and 

ECB Pitch Advisor, Paul Tatton, to find out more. 

Pg34 

The Ward of Horsham 

Cricket is just one in a thriving stable of sports in 

one of Britain’s loveliest locations, Horsham. Tom 

James met up with Head Groundsman, Roger Ward, 

to find a man happy with his lot and already 

grooming his successor! Pg40 

The Brotherhood of Solihull 

Dr Johnson was turned down for a headship at 

Solihull School because he was deemed ‘unsuitable’. 

No such problem with Head Groundsman, Karl 

Brotherhood, who is preparing high quality cricket 

wickets. Pg46 

Winter Sports 

Fiske’s Tale! 

Scottish Premier League club, Aberdeen, battled the 

worst winter in thirty years, with snow falls of more 

than a foot, and weeks of sub zero temperatures. 

Head Groundsman, Paul Fiske, battled to keep the 

pitch playable and to renovate the damaged turf in 

its wake. Pg20 

Field of Dreams 

AFC Wulfrunians have taken over the former RFU 

National Training Centre at Castlecroft, a move they 

hoped would see them playing Midlands Alliance 

football next season. Pg24 

CHRIS JOHNSON 

Training Coordinator 

The round trip to the 

new office now takes 

Chris another hour and 

a half, and, despite her 

protestations, it seems 

unlikely that the 

Pitchcare minibus will 

ever head east to 

Northampton for team 

meetings. Which is a 

shame really, as it 

would be a good 

opportunity to hone 

her catering skills! 

STUART BURTON 

Web Designer 

The ‘quiet one’ in the 

Pitchcare nerd centre - 

not that the others are 

particularly rowdy - Stu 

has been racking up the 

miles in his Corsa since 

passing his driving test. 

Mind you, with petrol at 

£5.50 a gallon, it won’t 

be long before a 

request for a pay 

increase lands on Mr 

Saltman’s desk. We can 

tell him the answer! 

KIRAN CONTRACTOR 

Sales Administrator 

We were surprised to 

learn of Kiran’s camp 

activities! A recent 

expedition to the Lake 

District, sleeping under 

canvas, was not ‘normal 

behaviour’ for the 

beautifully crimped one. 

We trust he took a 

plentiful supply of hair 

gel, moisturising cream 

and grooming 

attachments in his 

make-up bag! 

Paul Fiske, Aberdeen Football Club 

Technical 

Testing yourself 

No testing ground can reproduce the levels and 

intensity of wear, timing of use, exact conditions 

and all the other variable inputs that you, as the 

turf manager, put into your turf surfaces. Pg106 

What a Relief 

The importance of bed-knives and how much relief 

do you really need? A personal view on the debate 

by Peter Hampton and Patrick ‘Cal’ Callaby. Pg110 

Racing 

Ups on the Downs 

There’s a place for figures and science in the 

industry, but you can’t always go by the book, says 

Epsom Head Groundsman, Nigel Whybrow. Pg94 

Short Circuit 

Pugh, Pugh, Barney McGrew, Cuthbert, Dibble, 

Grubb ... John Richards reports on Plumpton 

racecourse, a little course with a big heart and 

award winning Groundstaff. Pg100 

Employment 

Why won’t you be open? 

In the second and final part of his article, Frank 

Newberry looks at the methods people use to avoid 

being open and honest in the workplace, and how 

we can tackle this problem in ourselves and in 

others. Pg114 

JULIE ROBINSON 

Sales Administrator 

The usually cheerful 

Julie has been suffering 

a pesky knee injury 

recently. This has meant 

that hubby, Dave, has 

had to hone his 

chauffeuring skills. It is 

a situation that she has 

become used to, 

although we think that 

sitting in the back of the 

car perfoming the Royal 

wave is taking things a 

bit far! 

SHARON TAYLOR 

Company Accountant 

Suffered a few bumps 

and bruises recently 

when one of her horses 

refused a jump - and 

she didn’t! It appears 

the steed was suitably 

reprimanded as Sharon 

has had great success 

in recent weeks, 

winning four 

showjumping events in 

three consecutive 

weekends. Hi ho Silver, 

away. 

Also in this issue: 

Another bloody magazine ...... 10 

Chainsaw case studies .......... 54 

Trees on the golf course ........ 55 

Saw points - what’s new? ...... 56 

Sporting life on Guernsey ...... 63 

Lunar Energy ............................ 66 

L’Ancresse Golf Course .......... 68 

The Coating Question .......... 115 

Divine Intervention .............. 116 

Stress Busting ...................... 118 

Going Dutch III ...................... 120 

IPM Scouting ........................ 122 

21st Century Foxes .............. 124 

Wallabies .............................. 126 

I don’t believe it! .................. 128 

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 

LYN PRICE 

Accounts Admin 

Our ‘brown owl’ has had 

a run in with CRB 

checks as she tries to 

organise a scouting 

holiday. With some of 

the volunteer helpers 

local teachers, that 

have already had 

checks, she sees no 

point in them having to 

go through the process 

again. Mr Clegg is about 

to get a stern letter 

from her. What a hoot! 

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

A Concern for the 

Amenity Sector! 

Are parallel imported products a 

threat to the future? Richard 

Minton, of the Crop Protection 

Association, believes so 

CHEMICAL manufacturers are investing a 

lot of time, money and effort developing, 

registering and maintaining product 

approvals and then stewarding and 

technically supporting them for use 

throughout the amenity industry. 

Unfortunately, parallel imports are then 

coming into the industry very cheaply and 

being sold purely on price. They do not 

have to justify any of the costs other than 

importing and re-labelling after an initial 

small registration fee. 

There have been instances where 

parallel products have omitted key 

product stewardship wording off the 

labels, which have given them a 

competitive advantage in some instances, 

as well as putting the molecule at risk 

from misuse. With a global internet, any 

negative news from mishaps travels very 

fast, and can put a molecule at risk 

globally. There have also been reports 

that end-users have ordered a branded 

product, but received the equivalent 

parallel. 

The chemical manufacturers are, 

therefore, being both directly impacted by 

head to head competition, and indirectly 

affected by parallels generally bringing 

the value of the markets down. Whilst 

4 

this is all 

great in 

terms of 

ensuring the 

end user gets the 

most competitive 

price short term, it has serious 

implications for the long term viability of 

the industry. 

Companies who invest in approved 

products need to get the message across 

to the distributors and, in particular, the 

contractors and end users that, if this 

continues much longer, there will be no 

future for their industry as core R&D 

manufacturers will cease to support old 

products, yet alone develop new ones, as 

it will not be financially viable. When 

these products lose their registrations, so 

will the parallels. 

This is not being anti-competitive, but 

simply stating the facts, so that the 

buyers can make an informed decision. 

Obviously, end-users and distributors can 

make a choice as to which products they 

support – but if they do choose the 

parallel, then at least they cannot be in a 

position to complain when they lack the 

necessary products to control their weeds, 

pests and diseases in the long term. 

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Still available 

after 2010 

Carbendazim will be approved 

until at least 2012 say 

Barclay Crop Protection 

CARBENDAZIM, the important and widely-used wormcast 

suppressant product, will still be available after 

December 2010, Barclay Crop Protection has stated, 

clarifying comments recently made by Jon Allbutt, 

former chairman of the Amenity Forum. 

“Carbendazim, which we sell under the trademark 

Ringer, is currently under review as a Plant Protection 

Product,” says Eric Gussin, UK area manager for 

Barclay. “The outcome of this review is due at the end 

of the year.” 

“But, because of the way the legislation is 

structured, products are given an expiry date which 

reflects the review date. That is why carbendazim 

appears to have an expiry date of December 31, 

2010,” he explains. 

“To complicate matters, carbendazim is also being 

reclassified as a biocide, rather than a pesticide, so 

that, eventually, it will be subject to a different 

directive.” 

Mr Gussin says that if the transfer to the biocides 

directive is not completed by the date of the Annex 1 

expiry, CRD (formerly PSD) will issue suitable 

approvals to ensure it can continue to be used for 

worm control. 

“Therefore, we expect to be able to continue to sell 

carbendazim until the current expiry date of 2012,” 

he adds. 

“This clarification is very useful for greenkeepers 

and groundsmen and it is good to know that the 

approval holders are committed to supporting 

carbendazim for the future,” said Jon Allbutt. 

AgriGuard Pro Turf Carbendazim is available from 

the Pitchcare online shop. 

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Racecourse 

Groundstaff 

Awards 

York and Newcastle groundsmen 

collect their 2009 Neil Wyatt 

Groundstaff awards 

FOLLOWING on from the 

award to the Plumpton 

groundstaff team for the 

Best Jumps Racecourse of 

2009, subsequent 

presentations have been 

made to the winners of the 

other two categories - Best 

Flat Racecourse and Best 

Dual Purpose Racecourse. 

York received the accolade 

for the Best Flat Racecourse, 

and on hand to present the 

award to Adrian Kay and his 

groundstaff was Neil Wyatt, 

the former Senior Inspector 

of Courses, after whom the 

award is named. York’s 

groundstaff team 

successfully completed one 

of the largest track and 

drainage projects 

undertaken on a British 

racecourse costing around 

£3.5 million. 

The Best Dual Purpose 

+44 (0)1332 824777 

Racecourse award went to 

Newcastle, runners-up on 

two previous occasions in the 

last five years. 

The course was recognised 

for its significant investment 

in drainage and general 

improvements to the track, 

and taking into account their 

extensive schedule of 

fixtures. Head Groundsman, 

Guy Woodward, and his team 

received their award from 

John Richards (Pitchcare) 

and Bob Bolland (Amenity 

Land Solutions) who, 

together with Fornells, are 

the sponsors of the awards. 

Grounds Maintenance Equipment 

for Professionals 

Neil Wyatt presents the Best Flat Racecourse award to 

Arian Kay, Head Groundsman at York Racecourse 

Left to right: Alan Wren, Alex Woodward, Mark Ryan, John Richards, 

Guy Woodward, James Armstrong and Bob Bolland 

www.dennisuk.com PROUDLY BRITISH 

5

Win a trip to 

Las Vegas 

Take the Primo Maxx Fairway Challenge 

and win a trip to the Golf Industry Show 

(GIS) in Las Vegas 2012 

GOLF course managers and greenkeepers are 

being invited to take part in The Primo Maxx 

Fairway Challenge, to witness the fairway 

quality improvement from a summer 

programme of Primo Maxx and the new water 

soluble fertilizer from Scotts, Sportsmaster 

WSF High N, and there’s the chance to win a 

trip to the Golf Industry Show (GIS) in Las 

Vegas 2012. 

The Primo Maxx Fairway Challenge, 

organised by Scotts Professional and 

Syngenta, gives turf managers the opportunity 

to use a programme of Primo Maxx and the 

new Scotts Sportsmaster WSF High N fertiliser 

on one selected fairway, and to score the 

results against an untreated fairway. The 

‘before’ and ‘after’ assessments will be made 

by the greenkeeper and club secretary or golf 

professional. 

The Challenge will involve a programme of 

three Primo Maxx applications, each tankmixed 

with Scotts Sportsmaster WSF High N 

fertilizer. The Scotts Sportsmaster WSF range 

consists of three high quality premium foliar 

fertilizers, for enhanced foliar and root 

nutrient uptake. The range covers all turf 

feeding requirements and seasons. 

Fairway quality improvements from the 

combined Primo Maxx and turf nutrition 

programme will be judged on selected 

attributes important to individual 

greenkeepers, including 

sward density, mowing 

reduction, colour, 

drought resistance, divot 

recovery, root 

development, wear tolerance and cutting 

pattern retention. 

Syngenta and Scotts are so confident that 

course managers will see a beneficial result, 

that they are offering a ‘Money-Back 

Guarantee’* on the Primo Maxx Fairway 

Challenge investment. 

All entries will also be entered into a free 

Prize Draw, with the winner receiving travel, 

accommodation and entrance for two to the 

world-leading US Golf Industry Show. 

Syngenta Turf & Landscape Portfolio 

Manager, Rod Burke, highlights Primo Maxx is 

now widely used on golf greens and tees. “For 

those already using Primo Maxx on fairways 

the primary objective has been to simplify 

management and give greater flexibility 

through reduced mowing requirement. 

However, we have had repeated comments 

that the turf quality of fairways has been 

significantly enhanced with the Primo Maxx 

programme and the right nutrition.” 

“These improvements have also been 

identified by the club management and 

players, which can help course managers gain 

the financial commitment to deliver better 

overall turf quality across the course.” 

Ed Carter, Scotts Professional National Key 

Accounts and Development Manager, added: 

“The prize of a trip to the Golf Industry Show is 

an amazing experience to see the very latest 

advances in turf management, and identify 

opportunities to improve turf quality.” 

The Primo Maxx Fairway Challenge is open 

to all greenkeepers and course managers 

across England, Scotland and Wales. They 

must register on the GreenCast website - 

www.greencast.co.uk - or Scotts’ website - 

www.scottsprofessional.co.uk - by July 16 

2010 to take part in this year’s Primo Maxx 

Fairway Challenge. 

The Golf Industry Show and Education 

Conferences is organised by the Golf Course 

Superintendents Association of America and 

attracts over 17,000 turf managers and 

industry specialists from all over the world. 

The education programme covers both 

agronomic and economic aspects of golf 

course management. 

*Terms and conditions apply to entry for The Primo 

Maxx Fairway Challenge money-back guarantee. Please 

refer to the GreenCast website (www.greencast.co.uk ) 

for further information and details.

One day event will 

showcase latest 

innovations 

Inaugural Turf Science Live will focus on golf turf 

management for greenkeepers, course managers 

and agronomists 

TURF Science Live is a completely new 

format, one day event to showcase the 

latest research, development and 

technological innovations in turf 

agronomy. 

Put together by Syngenta, Scotts 

Professional and STRI, Turf Science Live 

will give a practical hands-on opportunity 

to interact with leading specialists in many 

aspects of turf management, and find out 

how the techniques can be used to benefit 

your turf playing surfaces. 

Turf Science Live practical 

demonstrations will include: 

Playing Surface Conversion 

Keith Kensett, Kensett Sport 

The Art of Application 

Ben Magri, Syngenta 

The STRI Programme 

Henry Bechelet, STRI 

Enhancing Fairway Quality 

Simon Barnaby, Scotts Professional 

Operation Pollinator 

Dr Simon Watson, Syngenta and Dr Ruth 

Mann, STRI 

Turf Nutrition 

Ed Carter, Scotts Professional 

STRI Lab Research 

Michael Baines, STRI 

The inaugural Turf Science Live will be 

focusing primarily on golf turf 

management for greenkeepers, course 

managers and turf agronomists. Future 

events are planned for groundsmen and 

winter sports turf managers. 

Numbers for Turf Science Live are 

strictly limited, due to the format of small 

groups designed to get the most 

information out of each demonstration. 

To find out more and to register online, 

log on to www.greencast.co.uk 

Turf Science Live 

Tuesday 27 July 2010 

The Sports Turf Research Institute 

Bingley, Yorkshire 

9.30am – 4.00pm inc. lunch 

Training News 

Advance Notice - Essential 

Management Skills Course 

PITCHCARE are pleased to confirm that later this year 

we will again be offering our Essential Management 

Skills Course for Head Groundsmen, Head 

Greenkeepers and their Deputies. 

The course is held on two days during the 

autumn/winter. Three months separate these days, 

so delegates have the opportunity to implement their 

learning from Day One and bring case studies back 

to the group to be discussed and examined on Day 

Two. 

The course is led by Frank Newberry. Frank has over 

20 years’ experience as a trainer and careers 

counsellor within the groundcare industry, and well 

understands the particular challenges faced by those 

in management and supervisory roles. 

Topics covered include: 

• Personal Work Planning, Objectives and Priorities 

• Leadership and Delegation, Managing Stress 

• Leading the Work Team and the Power of Personal 

Example 

• Performance Management 

• Communication Skills 

• Dealing with Confrontational Situations 

• Negotiating in the Workplace 

• Writing at Work 

... and much more besides! 

Previous delegates have also commented on the 

benefit of sharing management challenges with their 

peers - it’s good to know you are not alone! 

To register your interest in the 2010/11 course and 

receive further information, just e-mail Chris Johnson 

at chris@pitchcare.com.

Future pain 

or future gain? 

Who would believe that the 

substitution of one English word for 

another, and the introduction of 

three initial letters, would give rise, 

potentially, to such big changes for 

so many people? 

THE substitution of the word ‘Risk’ by the 

word ‘Hazard’ was approved by the European 

Parliament towards the end of last year, 

when an EU Directive established a change 

in the way that pesticides are approved and, 

in essence, set out revisions to the article 

91/414. The approvals process for pesticides 

in the UK has worked well, and with an 

excellent safety record for many years, since 

the Control of Pesticides Regulations (COPR) 

was introduced in the UK in 1986 and then, 

in part, changed by the introduction of the EU 

Plant Protection Products Regulations in the 

early 1990s (PPPR). 

Until then, the effects on people, the 

environment and biodiversity, from 

pesticides, had been assessed on risk issues 

and, so, if a potentially harmful product had 

a label or a formulation or a restricted field 

of use, or all of those, to ensure its use was 

safe, then that was the way it was approved, 

i.e. with a tight control on restricted use of 

the product in ways which avoided risk. 

However, for some people, that process 

was not enough. So now, in future, if the 

product (or it’s formulation ingredients) are 

considered “harmful”, then the product will 

not be approved, even if the risk is minimal. 

The other day, I heard the analogy that the 

situation we are now in is like owning a car 

that will do 140mph. Previously, driving tests, 

the Highway Code, Autobahn rules etc. 

permitted fast driving within the ‘Risk’ rules, 

but now, it would not be possible to even sell 

the 140mph car because it could be 

‘Harmful’ - an interesting view! 

Of course, this whole issue hangs on the 

definition of ‘Harmful’, and that is what 

scientists around Europe are seeking to 

define, so we will all just have to wait and 

see. That definition will eventually inform us 

which pesticides we can keep and which will 

go. As if that is not enough, along come the 

three initial letters – SUD – Sustainable Use 

Directive. This abridged wording relates to 

the second part of the new EU Directive 

which is due to be implemented in the UK by 

November 2011, and it is expected that it 

will affect the working practices of 

professional pesticide users more than any 

other legislation since 1986. How? - Answer, 

in many ways. 

The SUD focuses on a cross section of 

issues which include training, qualification 

and Continuing Professional Development 

(CPD) of advisers, managers, operators and 

others involved in professional pesticide use. 

There have already been some very 

significant actions taken to facilitate the 

capability to deliver the directive’s 

requirements. Many of the actions are in the 

Amenity sector because all the information 

available shows that this sector is behind 

agriculture in qualifications, training and CPD 

type activities. 

In qualifications, BASIS has revised the 

Field Sales and Technical Staff Certificate to 

give it specific purpose for three skills areas 

from which candidates select, i.e. hard and 

permeable surface weed control; sports and 

amenity turf and shrubs and borders. 

Successful candidates, who attain this 

8 

certificate are qualified and legally 

recognised as competent to give advice on 

the use of pesticides in the sector they 

selected, and on which they were examined. 

There is also the recent introduction of the 

Foundation Award in Amenity, which is 

designed as a short (circa 2 days) training 

course to inform managers, supervisors, 

contract specifiers etc. of the ways that 

professional pesticides can be used safely 

and effectively. 

To recognise the required increase in 

training and qualifications that the SUD will 

bring, BASIS has also introduced the BASIS 

Amenity Register. 

This register is for managers, supervisors, 

advisers, contract specifiers and those who 

have a need to be up to date with Amenity 

pesticide use and knowledge (spray 

operators will be members of the NRoSO 

Scheme with PA qualifications). 

The BASIS Amenity Register will enable 

those who are already qualified, and those 

who intend to become qualified, to be part of 

the independent, confidential register, to 

capture CPD events, training and 

qualifications and maintain ongoing records 

as an individual. 

There will be an annual points 

requirement to ensure membership is carried 

forward each year. 

Membership of the BASIS Amenity 

Register will demonstrate that the person is 

up-to-date and ‘a knowledgeable person’ in 

the use of Professional Amenity Pesticides. 

The POWER qualification is also being 

updated by BASIS and City & Guilds NPTC to 

provide training and focus for those who wish 

to concentrate on the Protection of Water 

and Environmental issues. 

More than two years ago BASIS introduced 

the Amenity Assured Scheme to audit and 

annually certificate Amenity contractors to 

show compliance with a set of standards 

(Best Practice) agreed between BASIS, NAAC 

and City & Guilds NPTC. 

The Amenity Assured Scheme has grown 

about 10% a year since its formation, and a 

survey last year showed that more than 

18,000 miles of Network Rail mainline track, 

more than 200 local authorities (roads and 

pavements), and many golf courses, 

recreational areas, sports areas and utility 

sites were cared for and sprayed by Amenity 

Assured contractors. 

BASIS is now setting up the Amenity 

Assured audit as a standard which can be 

used across the whole amenity sector as 

best practice guidance. 

As in all walks of life, those contractors, 

operators, companies and local authorities 

who are employing qualified people and 

doing “best practice” work, have nothing to 

fear from the changes. The use of 

alternative, integrated approaches will also 

be key for the future, as part of best practice. 

However, to those who think “this doesn’t 

apply to me!”, beware! It will. 

By Paul Singleton – Chairman of BACCS and 

Amenity Assured 

Letters of Exemption 

and the BASIS 

Certificate in Amenity 

Rob Simpson, Managing Director 

BASIS (Registration) Ltd, outlines 

the Sustainable Use Directive 

The Sustainable Use Directive consultation is now 

published and the industry is actively participating in 

discussions about how we wish to see the directive 

translated into regulations: 

BASIS is involved in a number of areas covered by 

the directive, not least Article 5 on Training and 

Certification requirements. 

One aspect of this, which is highlighted from 5.30 to 

5.33 of the directive, covers Letters of Exemption 

which were issued by BASIS some years ago and 

before COPR made the BASIS certificate a statutory 

requirement. 

Sellers, suppliers and advisers who had five years 

experience of the industry in 1979 could apply for a 

‘Letter of Exemption’ from the requirement to 

undertake the BASIS examination. 

Quite a number of these ‘exemptions’ were granted 

at the time, though it is now not clear how many of the 

original exemption holders are still working in the 

industry in any capacity. We do know that there are 

370 exemption holders who are currently members of 

the BASIS Professional Register. 

The Sustainable Use Directive places obligations on 

member states to implement the directive and the 

requirement for certification and on-going CPD is not a 

negotiable point; it is a requirement and, therefore, the 

UK along with other member states will have to 

comply. 

Those sellers, suppliers and advisers with a BASIS 

certificate will have to ‘renew’ their qualification, 

probably every 3 years. We could do this in two ways: 

• Undertake the BASIS examination every 3 years 

• Demonstrate 3 years Continuing Professional 

Development through membership of the BASIS 

Professional Register 

BASIS fully understands that people will not want to 

take an exam every 3 years and would urge people to 

support the option to ‘renew’ qualifications through 

CPD and Professional Register Membership. 

How does this leave exemption holders? 

Amenity exemption holders do not have a certificate in 

the same way that those who have taken and passed 

the exam do. 

We propose that CPD is the way forward for this 

group and, where individuals can demonstrate 3 years 

Professional Register Membership (CPD), their 

qualification can be ‘renewed’ in the same way as 

certificate holders. 

Once individuals have qualified (examination or 

exemption letter), there should be no difference in the 

methods of keeping up to date through regular, 

monitored CPD activity. 

We would encourage everyone to support the use of 

CPD and the BASIS Professional Register as a 

recognised method for qualification renewal in the new 

regulations. 

It is likely that individuals will need to be able to 

demonstrate 3 years on-going CPD activity (history) by 

2014. 

It is, therefore, vitally important that those who wish 

to maintain their qualification post 2014, register for 

CPD (BASIS Professional Register) before the end of 

2010. This will ensure that we can demonstrate to 

government that those individuals have a recognised 

qualification and 3 years relevant on-going CPD. 

Obviously, those Amenity people currently on the 

BASIS Professional Register are already doing what is 

and will be required of them to maintain their 

professional status. It is important that these 

individuals continue to maintain their BASIS 

Professional Register membership. 

The requirement for certificate renewal will also 

apply to storekeepers, and it is likely that all BASIS 

qualified storekeepers will need to attend a refresher 

training course every three years. 

Those holding an exemption letter for the 

storekeeper’s qualification will need to attend refresher 

training in the same way as current certificate holders. 

All letters of exemption will be invalid under the new 

regulations.

2005 

Feb 

Toro BUY Hayter 

Toro BY Hayter 

NEW Toro CT Series from Hayter 

CT2120 & CT2140 Compact Triple Turf Mowers 

The introduction of the new CT Series heralds the start 

of the transition of Hayter Commercial Products to the 

Toro brand in the UK grounds care market. 

With a compact, lightweight design and a productive 212cm 

cutting width, the CT Series is the right choice for many 

mowing operations. It is ideal for transport from site-to-site 

on its own, on a trailer or even in a van – suitable for use by 

Category B license holders. 

2010 

Apr 

For more information or to arrange for a 

demonstration contact:- 

Hayter Limited 

Spellbrook, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts. 

CM23 4BU. England. 

Tel: +44 (0)1279 723444 Fax: +44 (0)1279 600338 

email: sales@hayter.co.uk 

website: www.hayter.co.uk

“Does this 

industry 

really need 

another 

bloody 

magazine?” 

To mark its fifth 

anniversary, Peter Britton 

charts the success of the 

Pitchcare magazine since 

its launch in June 2005 

Back in May 2005, 

coincidentally on the day my 

granddaughter was born, I 

attended an interview at 

Pitchcare’s headquarters in 

Wolverhampton - wearing a pink shirt in 

honour of the new arrival! 

I already knew Dave Saltman from my 

association with Turf Professional 

magazine, which I had helped launch 

back in 1999. 

Pitchcare existed as an interactive 

website for groundsmen and 

greenkeepers, with a then membership of 

just over 14,000. It had been launched in 

2001 by Dave and former Wolves striker, 

John Richards, and proved instantly 

popular with turfcare folk. 

“I think the magazine is very 

good and is probably the best of 

them all. So it is 

needed and 

enjoyed by myself 

and my staff.” 

Ewan Hunter, 

Grounds Manager 

Nottingham 

Forest FC 

“Congratulations on your 5th 

Anniversary. Good to have a 

magazine with a broad content 

and interesting articles.” 

SISIS Equipment (Macclesfield) 

Ltd 

“Five years eh, doesn’t time fly 

when you’re having fun!” 

Steve Mitchell, ABR Publicity 

My remit was to launch a Pitchcare hard 

copy magazine. I had been suffering 

some ill health and, at the time, the 

opportunity to work from home was 

important to me, and proved even more 

so in the years that followed. 

So, armed with a copy of the BTME 

and Saltex catalogues, I began to 

compile a database of companies and 

contacts. Many, of course, I already knew. 

We had decided that the magazine 

would be bi-monthly and that the launch 

issue would be June/July, to be published 

at the end of June. This gave me just 

over four weeks to put the first one to 

bed! 

In time honoured fashion, I contacted 

my database in alphabetical order, 

The views of our readers 

“Congratulations 

on making it so 

far, so well, while 

remaining 

challenging, 

informative and 

supportive of the 

industry. Best 

wishes and good luck for the 

next five years, and beyond!” 

David Hart and the John Deere 

team 

“With its widespread and diverse 

readership, Pitchcare has 

certainly helped get across to 

groundsmen and greenkeepers 

of all levels the importance of 

grass seed selection in 

producing quality surfaces - 

something that is welcomed by 

us as a serious grass seed 

breeder. Well done to all at 

Pitchcare for making the 

magazine such a success and 

we look forward to continuing to 

work with you to 

promote this vital 

message.” 

Jayne Leyland, 

Barenbrug 

Research and 

Development 

Manager 

“Congratulations on your 5th 

anniversary from everyone at 

Campey Turf Care Systems. We 

are very happy to have been 

involved with the Pitchcare 

magazine from its first issue. 

We are very pleased too, with 

outlining what we hoped to achieve and 

sourcing support advertising. One of the 

first people I spoke to was Harry Jurgens 

of AFT Trenchers whose comment was; 

“Does this industry really need another 

bloody magazine?” 

No, it did not need another magazine 

full of press releases and self promotion 

but, what it did need, in our opinion, was 

a magazine dedicated to groundsmen 

and greenkeepers, highlighting the work 

they do and the issues they face on a dayto-day 

basis. More FHM than IOG was 

how I tried to explain it. 

More by chance than design, the 

England cricket team were about to set 

off on their ultimately successful 2005 

Ashes campaign, so our editor, the 

the professionalism and topics 

covered, and to see it develop 

into one of the best editorials.” 

Campey Turf Care Systems. 

“Congratulations to everyone at 

Pitchcare magazine on your 5th 

anniversary. Continue the good 

work and keep providing the 

interesting and informative 

articles that help to promote 

best practice within the turf care 

sector. We look forward to 

celebrating your 10th 

anniversary.” 

Ransomes Jacobsen 

“Bayer Environmental Science 

would like to take this 

opportunity to congratulate 

Pitchcare on the 5th anniversary

Issue 5 

Issue 11 

inimitable Laurence Gale, set about 

contacting all the head groundsmen at 

the Test venues to get their views on the 

series and the work they had carried out 

in preparation for the eagerly awaited 

contest. Laurence was already ‘righting’ 

articles for the website, so the transition 

into hard copy was, for him, fairly 

straightforward - if anything can be 

straightforward in Loz’s life! 

Forty-two companies supported the 

launch issue, most of whom still support 

us to this day - it took Harry Jurgens 

until issue 4 to join the fold! 

That first issue consisted of just fiftyfour 

pages and was saddle stitched (i.e. 

using staples). Featured on the front 

cover were Mick Hunt from Lord’s, 

Stuart Kerrison (Essex CCC) and the 

wonderfully supportive Dr Kate Entwistle 

who, to this day, still supplies us with 

excellent technical articles on soil 

science, bugs and other nasties! 

It carried fourteen articles across all 

sports disciplines, including Peter 

Robinson - Volunteer Groundsman at 

Warley Cricket Club; Jason Booth from 

Headingley (sans Carnegie at the time); 

Dan Duffy - Swansea Stadium; Gordon 

Moir - St. Andrews Links Trust; Jimmy 

Stevenson - Leicester Racecourse and our 

other ‘ever present’, training consultant 

Frank Newberry. 

The launch issue also included the first 

batch of ‘Lozisms’ and ‘Readers Lives’ - 

both remain popular with readers to this 

day. 

of their very successful 

publication. Pitchcare is a well 

respected magazine in the 

Turfcare industry and we are 

delighted to advertise and work 

in partnership with them. A very 

well deserved congratulations!” 

Bayer Environmental Science 

“Time flies - your 

magazine has 

gone from a 

‘decent sized’ 

magazine to a 

huge read - all are 

exclusive stories. 

The industry 

needed a champion and 

Pitchcare have taken on that 

role.” 

Lynda Green, Terrain Aeration 

“Over the years Pitchcare has 

become a leading magazine 

Issue 20 

Having identified 7,000 recipients 

from our website database, the first issue 

was posted out, and we sat back and 

waited for responses. 

It wasn’t long before we were rewarded 

with congratulatory comments from all 

quarters and, so, with renewed vigour, we 

started on the second issue. Display 

advertising support grew and we were 

able to publish a sixty-eight page 

magazine - the first to be perfect bound 

(a glued spine). 

By issue five we had established a 

successful format, with a mix of articles 

across all turfcare disciplines, technical 

info and some humour. Our first spine 

message appeared - “Wishing speedy 

recoveries to Peter, Mike and Kerry” - a 

reference to three industry folk (the first 

being myself) who had suffered major 

health problems. 

Our first 100 pager was issue 12 and, 

subsequently, the magazine has grown to 

an average content of 132 pages. It was 

also in this issue that we took the 

decision to include some of the smaller 

technical articles in the classified ads 

section. This, we believed, would be of 

greater benefit to the advertisers as the 

reader remains on the page longer and, 

therefore, the ads have a greater chance 

of being noticed. 

In an era where many ‘paper’ 

publications are struggling, the Pitchcare 

magazine continues to buck that trend. 

Our last issue was the largest we have 

ever published, at 148 pages, and it goes 

which is well read by us and 

many other foreign people. I 

always look for highlights, new 

products, news and articles that 

can improve our brands ‘Imants’ 

and ‘Koro by Imants’. It is not 

always easy to find enough time 

to read all the 

industry’s 

magazines, but 

Pitchcare is 

always on top of 

the pile.” 

Felix Peters, 

Imants BV 

“It feels much longer ago that 

you arrived on the scene with a 

magazine that covered every 

conceivable corner of the Turf 

Care Industry, developed the 

best website in the industry and 

were not afraid to ruffle a few 

feathers on the way. Well done, 

Issue 21 

without saying that we could not have 

done any of this without the fantastic 

support of our advertisers and editorial 

contributors. As if to come full circle, 

issue 30 showed Mick Hunt on the cover. 

Along the way we have given our 

readers product comparison tests, indepth 

interviews with 

turfcare 

practitioners, 

detailed 

technical 

articles and 

legislation 

updates, as 

well as 

stimulating 

debate on all 

manner of 

issues. We’ve 

rattled a few 

cages too and 

that, we 

believe, can 

keep highlighting the 

professionalism of groundsmen 

and greenkeepers and the 

industry obviously “needed 

another bloody 

magazine” when it 

is the quality 

product that 

Pitchcare is.” 

Keith Cann-Evans, 

former Managing 

Director of Hunter 

Grinders 

“Well done Pitchcare! You have 

proved, through a quality and 

well produced 

publication, that 

the industry did 

need another 

magazine. There 

is plenty of 

interest for all 

involved in the turf 

Issue 26 

Issue 30 

only be good for our industry. 

Our remit remains unchanged, to 

bring you, the reader, a high quality 

magazine across all sports and amenity 

turfcare disciplines - a publication worthy 

of the professionalism of our industry. 

On a personal note, my thanks go to 

the fantastic team at Pitchcare, who have 

stood by me through some difficult 

times, and to all my clients for their 

support. 

Here’s to the next five years. 

care sector. We have been with 

you from the start and have 

reaped benefits from advertising 

and editorial coverage.” 

David Mears, Joint Managing 

Director, Highspeed Group Ltd. 

“Five years of consistently 

excellent magazines covering a 

broad range of topics, giving the 

readers exactly what they want - 

information, 

advice, facts ... 

and Loz’s humour! 

Well done.” 

Ian Howard, 

Managing 

Director, Dennis 

Mowers

Our favourite Lozisms .. 

With so many to choose from over five 

years this was a difficult list to compile, 

but here’s our top twenty from the king 

of wordsmithery: 

Ludlow nestles in the heart of the 

Shropshire countryside, close to 

Ludlow Castle and the town centre 

April is a very busy week for 

greenkeepers 

The John Smith’s Grand National will 

be held on the 6th, 7th and 8th April 

Simon Hutton is one of the country’s 

smallest turf producers 

I think we could catch a large 

mackerel if we play our cards right 

365 days of the week 

The pitches were flooded with up to 

300 metres of water laying on top 

... test the skills of precipitating 

golfers 

It is essential to have water for 

irrigation purposes 

The pitch is virtually mown daily 

I’ve worked in local authorities for all 

my life and know how to pluck a fish 

It’ll be the injuries that kill them 

Nobody has heard of Seth Blatter 

Who else is partial to the decision 

making process? 

We could style them up in chronical 

order 

He’s the last of the remaining few 

Phil and his staff have only one pair 

of hands 

They’re stabbing themselves in the 

foot 

Most of the golf courses are designed 

by people who are still dead 

In the evening there was a gangsters 

and moles party 

Daftest Questions? 

Why does the Cushman you want cost 

more than a Fiat Panda? 

Is the pitch with stumps the one we are 

playing on today? 

What do you do in the winter? 

Will it be okay to spray selective herbicide 

in frost? 

Could you put the triple mowers out to cut 

the snow? 

Is it real grass? 

How do you make those stripes - is it 

different grass? 

Do you talk to the grass to make it grow? 

14 

Favourite kit? 

Over the years, we’ve asked our contributors 

to tell us what their favourite piece of kit is. 

The most popular has been the Dennis 

G860, closely followed by the Lloyds 

Paladin. Notable mentions were given to the 

The views of our readers 

“Since its inception, Pitchcare has always 

sought out innovative and practical 

solutions to help turf managers achieve 

consistently better results; an ethos we at 

Syngenta fully embrace with our products, 

service and support to help deliver the best 

possible performance. 

Pitchcare is to be congratulated in its 

initiatives to raise the standards and 

professionalism of the whole industry. The 

outstanding magazine, website and 

training ensures groundsmen, 

greenkeepers and course managers are all 

better informed to consistently produce 

great playing surfaces in the future. 

Pitchcare.com has 

revolutionised the way the 

internet and website 

communication can benefit 

turf managers. The creation 

of such a successful forum 

format, involving so many 

turf managers, has been 

instrumental in connecting 

people to share knowledge 

and experience across the industry. The 

technology has huge potential, and we look 

forward to working with Pitchcare on 

further exciting developments in the 

future.” 

Rod Burke, Syngenta Turf & Landscape 

Portfolio Manager. 

“Pitchcare has been a great 

addition to the turf industry 

journals that I read and use 

to keep up to date. The 

articles are interesting, 

topical, understandable and 

well presented. I enjoy 

receiving it.” 

Alistair Beggs, STRI 

“Pitchcare plays a vital role in our industry, 

providing groundsmen and greenkeepers 

with a highly accessible 

platform for sharing their 

experiences and advice with 

peers and tackling the hot 

topics affecting turf 

professionals. It is also 

unique in uniting all sectors 

of the professional turf 

maintenance market. 

Congratulations from Lely 

UK and Toro on your fifth anniversary!” 

Peter Mansfield, Lely UK, Toro General 

Manager 

John Deere Gator, Toro Procore, Charterhouse 

Verti-Drain and the Graden. 

When asked “who would you spend a romantic 

evening with?” most diplomatically answered “the 

wife”. Those that were brave enough, or perhaps 

confident that their other half would not see the 

magazine, put Kate Winslett at the top of the 

‘Favourite Kit Off’ chart. 

Not surprisingly, most people said that they would 

not like to be the Prime Minister, and dog walkers 

came in for some 

flack when asked 

about what legislation 

they would introduce. 

Some of the 

measures suggested 

for their control were, 

however, rather 

extreme! 

“The strength of any 

publication is reflected in 

how it fares in the difficult 

times as well as the good. 

Pitchcare can be rightly 

proud of its achievements 

over the last five years for 

managing to produce a 

journal which not only retained its position 

in a precarious economic climate but, in 

fact, consolidated and strengthened it. As 

a long serving Public Relations Consultant 

to the groundscare industry I am delighted 

that Pitchcare has delivered on its 

promises and more than justified the faith 

placed in it by advertisers. Congratulations 

to you all.” 

Charmian Robinson, ABR Publicity 

“My utmost congratulations 

to all involved at 

Pitchcare.com for producing 

a marvelous turf 

management magazine over 

the past five years. 

Many attention-grabbing 

and relevant topics have 

been covered and highlighted in the past 

30 issues of the Pitchcare magazine. 

These have, no doubt, been of great benefit 

to the readers and also the turf industry as 

a whole. 

As an overseas based golf course 

greenkeeper, I particularly enjoy reading 

about other aspects of the sportsturf 

industry. Numerous top industry 

professionals from a wide array of 

different specialist areas, locations and 

levels have dedicated much time and 

effort to enable this to happen. It is also 

important that these people are thanked 

accordingly, as the sharing of many 

different experiences has been of great 

benefit to us all in our quest to produce top 

quality playing surfaces and sports 

facilities. 

Being a keen believer in education, I feel 

that the Pitchcare magazine and website 

has raised awareness and furthered the 

education of its readers on many issues 

that currently affect, and could potentially 

affect, our industry in the future. Keep up 

the good work” 

David Edmondson, Assistant Golf Courses 

Superintendent, Golf de St Nom La 

Breteche, Paris

Not sure which way to go? 

Ransomes are definitely GREEN 

Ransomes Jacobsen Ltd 

West Road, Ipswich, IP3 9TT UK 

01473 270000 

www.ransomesjacobsen.co.uk 

Code: TP/06/10/H3Green 

Ransomes commercial mowers are green, in more ways than one. 

Just take a look at the latest Highway 3. Built in our Ipswich factory with ISO 14001 

accreditation, the international standard for environmental management. That means we 

follow strict ‘green’ guidelines for all our manufacturing processes. Built with significant 

‘Voice of the Customer’ input to provide the triple mower that the grounds care industry 

wanted. And painted in that highly recognisable, traditional Ransomes green. 

Change your direction; we’re green, whichever way you look at it. 

Driving Environmental Performance

Earning 

his Spurs... 

Tottenham Hotspur Grounds 

Manager, Darren Baldwin, is 

playing a pivotal role in the club’s 

new stadium and training 

facilities. 

These are exciting times for the 

North London club as Tom James 

finds out 

Travel north of the bright red heartland that 

is Arsenal and a swathe of blue washes 

London as derby rivals Tottenham Hotspur, 

the Gunners’ understudies for so long, 

assume dominance on their ‘patch’. 

Just by the White Hart Lane headquarters, the 

scene is one of fading grandeur - decaying buildings 

and shop premises, many closed and shuttered as 

the local team buy up property. This is a township 

in transition, however, as Spurs join their 

Premiership counterparts in starting afresh with a 

brand spanking new stadium that will match any 

venue in that league. 

Are the Hotspurs about to enter a golden era not 

seen since the league and cup double days of 

Blanchflower, Jones and Mackay in 1961? 

Their original club emblem - the cockerel - that 

once perched atop the main stand, greets visitors 

through the main entrance today as a poignant 

reminder of past glories. 

Harry Hotspur, from whom the club is said to take 

its name, was famed for his riding spurs and 

fighting cocks, and the sculptured metal icon 

carries a fearsome prong on its leg to remind us that 

this is no tame bird. 

Another Harry has taken command here of late 

and, on current performances, is on track to repeat 

history. ‘To dare is to do’ - the club motto - seems 

highly appropriate when speaking of Harry 

Redknapp. 

The rising fortunes of Spurs come at a time when 

those spearheading turfcare are more prominently 

positioned than they’ve ever been. The media is 

interested in what grounds managers have to say 

and they are growing more influential at boardroom 

level. 

That burgeoning profile, particularly at the high 

end of sport, is bringing those that tend the top 

footballing surfaces into sharp relief as the onus of 

responsibility spreads and deepens. 

A respect for grounds managers is gathering path 

though, seen nowhere better perhaps than at 

Tottenham Hotspur, where that role embraces 

crucial aspects of management at a club that has 

gone from bottom of the Premier League to a worthy 

fourth in just 18 months, landing them a place in 

the Champions League for the first time. 

Some may argue that, wherever Harry Redknapp 

hangs his hat, success will follow sooner or later. 

Man management is his strong suit certainly - the 

ability to nurture the differing personalities and 

sensibilities that are the hallmark of a Premiership 

football squad - so too is a shrewd judgment of his 

fellow managers’ make-up. 

But, behind the man, there’s the support team that 

has to deliver the quality of playing surface that 

players, managers and the public demand. 

Charged with that task is 37-year-old Darren 

Baldwin, whose responsibility it is to oversee White 

Hart Lane’s stadium pitch as well as the 

increasingly complex training facets of the club. 

No stranger to success himself, Darren has 

previously bagged the Premiership Groundsman of 

the Year crown and is busy developing a fruitful 

relationship with both club chairman and manager, 

whilst also playing a pivotal role in the plans for the 

club’s new stadium and £30m training development 

now underway north near the M25 orbital 

motorway. 

Darren cut his teeth in the industry at 18 (one’s 

tempted to add ‘at only 18’ but, in turfcare, it seems 

grounds professionals leap straight out of the cradle 

and on to the grass) when he joined the support 

team at Highbury, after spending a brief stint 

working for Thames Water on leaving school. After 

six years with the Gooners, he walked into White

Jim Buttar and Darren Baldwin on 

the White Hart Lane pitch 

“I’m honoured that both our 

chairman and Harry Redknapp 

really listen to what I and my 

team have to say, and that 

they respect my opinion and 

professional judgment” 

Hart Lane in 1996. 

“I knew I always wanted to be involved 

with football,” he says, “and, at 18, I 

realised that it wasn’t going to progress 

at the playing end, so decided to focus 

on groundsmanship, which I was really 

drawn to as a career.” 

“Joining a Premiership side proved a 

real baptism of fire though and I soon 

realised that I’d been thrown into the 

deep end at a very tender age - 

something I’m now very grateful for, 

however.” 

Working alongside Darren is Jim 

Buttar - head groundsman at White Hart 

Lane - who takes over much of the 

responsibilities of the first team pitch 

throughout the season. Jim has a deputy 

and two assistants to aid with the 

punishing task of maintaining the Desso 

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Grassmaster reinforced pitch. 

Paul Jones takes the role as the second 

of the club’s two head groundsmen, his 

responsibilities resting with the upkeep 

of the current training grounds at 

Chigwell, Essex. 

So, Darren has overall responsibility of 

managing and overseeing no less than 

four separate sites and projects - White 

Hart Lane, the development of the new 

training ground (he’s in charge of a 

£10m plus spend), Chigwell and the 

recently acquired interim training 

ground at Frenford in Barkingside - the 

two-year deal signed with the sports club 

means Darren and the team will also take 

over the responsibility of maintenance of 

all the club’s sports pitches for the 

duration of their time there. What a 

boost for a site in much need of the kind 

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of specialist input that Spurs can bring. 

I walked out through the tunnel into 

blazing sunshine and a most unexpected 

experience. “Isn’t the ground small,” I 

blurted out. Darren laughed. “That’s 

what most people say when they first see 

the pitch. It’s the television camera 

angles that make it appear so much 

larger than it is. Everyone used to 

remark on the size of the old Highbury 

pitch when, in fact, ours is only an inch 

shorter.” 

That said, the 36,000 capacity will 

swell to more than 52,000 in the new 

stadium, due to open next door in 

2012/13 (subject to planning 

permission). 

With post-season renovation completed 

just days before, the surface structure of 

the Desso pitch was clearly visible - neat 

rows of freshly germinated ryegrass 

interspersed with sand, and germination 

sheets still shrouding the shady south 

end, where, to coin a phrase, the sun 

refused to shine. 

White Hart Lane is not alone in 

battling the effects of lack of sunlight - 

many modern stadia, with their arena 

seating towering above the pitch, suffer 

similarly. 

“We have to work to produce the best 

surface we possibly can, regardless of the 

constraints,” says Darren. “That’s what 

we’re paid to do, not to get a pat on the 

back when something goes right. We 

have to be constantly on the top of our 

game.” 

The bulk of the post-season pitch 

renovation began here on May 12th. 

Plastic reinforced pitches are now 

common in Premier League clubs - about 

half of them are Desso Grassmaster, and 

nearly all with some sort of syntheticbase. 

The plastic blades of grass stitched into 

the turf keep the ryegrass growing 

upright and help the root establish itself 

in the early stages after germination. 

The artificial roots are embedded 

200mm deep and the grass stitched in at 

20mm intervals with seed sown in 

between - the one rootzone aiding 

establishment of the other, giving a 

playing surface less prone to movement 

and divoting. 

The sand construction also allows for 

much freer drainage, explains Darren - a 

TGX 

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vital asset for clearing rainfall away 

swiftly, yet the team have to balance this 

with the problems of nutrient leaching 

away from where the natural grass needs 

it. 

To help address the problem, Darren is 

trialing a new product, a nutrient-rich 

volcanic rock that holds four times its 

own weight of water. 

“The very nature of Desso pitches 

means they are free draining but, as a 

result, we do lose nutrients extremely 

quickly, so have to work hard to keep the 

good stuff in the soil,” he explains. 

“The product was recommended to us 

by Symbio and formed part of our desire 

to look down a different avenue. New 

advancements in playing surfaces throw 

up fresh challenges, so we constantly 

have to keep on our toes.” 

Maintenance of top flight football 

surfaces is a different animal to other 

forms of turfcare, Darren believes, with 

microclimates and the strictures of 

modern stadia meaning groundsmen are 

forced to fashion world-class surfaces in 

conditions largely unsuited to the process 

- something he knows all too well. 

“People just don’t realise the huge 

variables that play their part in 

maintenance from site to site,” he insists. 

“When I joined from Highbury, I 

discovered that none of the things that 

worked for me at Arsenal worked here. I 

was forced to just go back to basics and 

learn my new environment.” 

Disease is also a problem with the mix 

of climates produced across the pitch, 

Darren explains. “Under-soil heating, 

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irrigation and 

warmth from the 

growing lights all 

help to produce the 

perfect conditions 

for disease to thrive, 

so we have to be 

always on our 

guard.” 

“We were hit by 

nematodes a few 

years back - a 

problem I’d never 

experienced before, 

so it all goes to show that, even when 

you’re doing all the things required at 

this level, you can’t guard against 

everything, and there’s no guarantee that 

a good pitch can be reproduced year on 

year to a consistently high standard - 

something that’s often hard for many 

groundsmen to get across to 

management.” 

The differing microclimates at the 

club’s various sites spread out across 

north London mean that choosing the 

right seed is no easy feat either, he 

admits. Mixing it up between several 

suppliers and adopting an approach of 

trial and error to discover what works 

best is the best solution, he believes. 

“We now use a combination of 

Johnson's Stadium, Limagrain and 

Barenbrug Bar 7, having also trialed new 

coated seeds earlier this year. Whilst we 

are enjoying the best germination rates 

OUR GROUNDCARE RANGE IS 

VERY WIDE 

GROUNDCARE : COVERED 

we’d ever seen, we confronted problems 

with flow rate when we applied the 

mycorrhizal coating,” he explains. 

"As the coating is used primarily in 

golf for overseeding, the problems we 

experienced with flow would not have 

been encountered in that sector. Because 

we seed from scratch, and the flow rate is 

larger, we found that we needed twice as 

many passes to apply the same amount 

as untreated seed.” 

“On the training ground, applying 

three different seed types, each coming 

out at the same rate, and with the same 

tractor settings and the same seed size, 

we still found flow was slightly different 

every time.” 

Many groundsmen would say that 

Darren is in an enviable position - 

commanding the ear of the decisionmakers 

at Spurs. “Having the club 

chairman as a ‘go to’ is fantastic, and I’m 

honoured that both him and Harry really 

listen to what I and my team have to say, 

and that they respect my opinion and 

professional judgment,” he says proudly. 

“It’s invaluable for me to know that, if 

I ask for something and I get told ‘no’, I 

can rest easy that its either my fault for 

not pitching well enough or it’s a 

financial constraint. Knowing no other 

forces are at work preventing things 

happening is a good feeling to have for 

all of us.” 

Darren’s career at the club could have 

progressed far differently, and he recalls 

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Darren’s integral role in 

the Tottenham Hotspur 

machine has meant he 

can play a pivotal role 

in the planning of the 

new stadium and 

training facilities 

one event in particular that could have 

stopped it dead in its tracks. 

It was back in December 1996, in his 

first season at Tottenham, during the 

second half of a game against Liverpool. 

“Steve McManaman fired a shot that hit 

a divot right in front of our goalkeeper, 

costing us a goal and eventually the 

game. I thought my number was up 

when I got called to climb the seventynine 

steps up to the chairman’s office.” 

“Luckily, I’d always prided myself on 

my honesty, and it’s been something 

18 

that’s put me in good stead today. It was 

an unfortunate set of circumstances back 

then. A new pitch had been laid in July, 

leaving us only six weeks to get it ready 

before the new season. It demonstrates 

just how important good preparation is.” 

Darren and the chairman have enjoyed a 

good working relationship to this day, 

something he believes is down to his 

honest approach. “He knows I’m no yes 

man and always honest on what I can 

deliver. If you try to cover things up, they 

always come out in the end and the 

result is a loss of respect - the last thing I 

would want.” 

Darren’s integral role in the 

Tottenham Hotspur machine has meant 

he can play a pivotal role in the planning 

of the new stadium and training 

facilities. As a part of the multi-million 

pound redevelopments, the football 

academy and first team training base will 

be relocated at Bulls Cross, Enfield, a 20minute 

drive from White Hart Lane, with 

completion of the £30m Green Belt 

undertaking still two years away. 

The planning applications for the new 

stadium, next door to the present one, 

were processed in May after the club 

accommodated a number of the listed 

building issues on the High Road site as 

well as the appropriate quantity of 

housing and retail provision. 

“We’re currently working alongside the 

architects to resolve some of the lighting 

issues with the initial plans,” Darren says. 

“Our problem with having such a big 

stadium is our ground footprint. We have 

only a very narrow strip to work with, so 

the new stadium will have to be built 

upwards.” A staggering 28m higher than 

currently, in fact. 

“The grounds team has been looking 

into a number of solutions that may help 

us with some of these high roof issues, 

with plans to incorporate built-in fans 

into the track that will replicate a breeze 

across the pitch, making up of for some 

of what’s lost naturally. 

“Disease-wise, fusarium will be our 

biggest problem,” states Darren, who 

confirms that the pitch will almost 

certainly be another Desso. “There will 

also be environmental issues to take into 

account such as recycling rainwater and 

irrigation, which will also help reduce the 

volume we leach - by creating a 

mycorrhizal ‘tray’, we hope to create a 

base of nutrients that will continue to 

feed the turf.” 

The Bulls Cross development will see 

the club take ownership of its training 

facilities for the first time in its 128-year 

history. “Over the last fifteen years, 

things have changed and now top clubs 

are much more conscious of owning and 

developing their training facilities to 

replicate a match day pitch,” Darren 

argues. “Before this, training facilities

“We have to help 

ourselves in this 

industry, if we don’t 

work together, we’ll be 

all the poorer for it” 

were largely just functional and not so 

highly developed.” 

The new facility, due to be opened for 

the 2012 season, will feature a mix of 

sand based, Desso and Fibrelastic pitches 

for the first, reserve and academy teams. 

No fewer than twenty-three staff will 

work permanently on site, including a 

mechanic, irrigation engineer, secretary, 

head groundsman, and head gardener. 

A real green dimension permeates the 

project, with a recycling plant, 

Waste2Water washpad facility, two 

236,000 irrigation tanks fed by two newly 

drilled boreholes, as well as a 

conservation area and a large 

programme of new plantings aimed to 

create a grand ‘manor house’ style 

entrance. 

An attenuation lake will hold water 

ready for outflow at the rate designated 

by the Environment Agency, Darren 

explains. 

Still only 37, Darren is relishing the 

challenge the new projects bring him, 

Who are you? Darren Baldwin, Grounds 

Manager, Tottenham Hotspur FC. 

Family status? Married to Kelly. Two girls, 

Katie 6 and Holly 4. 

Who’s your hero and why? My boyhood 

hero was Spurs and Arsenal legend Pat 

Jennings. I always had aspirations, like most 

young lads, of being a professional footballer. 

Whilst I was never going to make the grade, 

Pat was truly world class. 

What is your dream holiday? Gold Coast 

Australia, very lucky on this one as my 

brother lives there. 

adding that a job on 

this scale involves 

nothing less than a 

labour of love. “The 

workload does take 

its toll and you never stop worrying 

about it,” he admits. “We have to 

continually adapt and look to new ways 

to address issues.” 

He still has time to take a keen interest 

in groundsmanship at all levels of the 

game - he is a judge for the FA awards 

for best non-league groundsman - a role 

he says is always rewarding. “I find the 

story is the same in the non-leagues. 

Teams are often working on tight 

budgets, with limited machinery, but still 

producing high standards - this year 

particularly so,” Darren explains. 

“Also, I never fail to pick up a few tips 

on my travels; they really show how you 

can improvise with machinery, allowing 

one piece of kit to do a number of jobs. 

One of the best examples of this was a 

guy that had converted a cylinder mower 

to incorporate a brush at the front, which 

allowed him to get the maximum cutting 

height before mowing - a very clever use 

Work continues apace at the 

Bulls Cross training ground 

What annoys you the most? Negativity in 

the industry. 

What would you change about yourself? 

Lose 4 stone for starters! And a new lower 

back. Wear and tear of the job left me with 

two prolapsed discs requiring surgery. I now 

have two wire cages and 12 titanium screws 

holding me upright! 

Who wouldn’t you like to be? Easy ... the 

Head Groundsman at Wembley!!! 

Favourite record, and why? The Lightning 

Seeds. Life Of Riley ( work it out !) 

Who would you choose to spend a 

romantic evening with? Er, the wife ... or 

Kirsten Dunst. 

If you won the lottery, what is the first 

thing you would do? Pay off the mortgages 

of my nearest and dearest. 

If you were to describe yourself as a 

musical instrument, what would you be 

and why? The drums. Big and loud. 

What’s the best advice you have ever 

been given? You may not achieve perfection 

but there’s nothing to stop you trying. 

of limited equipment.” 

Being involved in such projects 

highlights, for Darren, just how fortunate 

a position he and his team are in, and 

he’s passionate about aspects of the 

business that he feels need some serious 

changes, believing that the industry 

continues to be blighted by too many 

people who prefer to moan about their 

issues rather than do something about 

them. 

“I help arrange twice yearly grounds 

managers’ meetings, with the aim of 

getting as many of us together to discuss 

our issues, share ideas and brainstorm 

different methods. 

“In the past, I’ve had calls 

after the event from people with 

concerns who weren’t willing to 

turn up to these events. We have 

to help ourselves in this industry, 

if we don’t work together, we’ll 

be all the poorer for it.” 

TWENTYQuestions 

Darren Baldwin - looking for positivity, perfection, 

a new back and Kirsten Duntz! 

What's your favourite smell? Burning 

Castrol R oil. If you’ve ever been to Speedway 

you will know what I mean. 

What do you do in your spare time? 

Watch Speedway, race my quad bikes or 

spend a day out with my girls. 

What’s the daftest work related question 

you have ever been asked? What do you 

do in the summer? 

What’s your favourite piece of kit? Used 

to be my Dennis Premier mower, now it’s the 

mobile phone and a laptop! 

What three words would you use to 

describe yourself? Positive, honest and 

opinionated. 

What talent would you like to have? Be 

able to predict the future! 

What makes you angry? Bad drivers (and 

not the golf ones!). 

What law/legislation would you like to 

see introduced? Length of prison sentences 

being enforced. - If a judge gives you 10 

years then you should serve 10 years, not out 

in 5 years for good behaviour!

“It is a huge challenge to produce good 

pitches in these conditions, and the long 

hours can be tough. But, like most 

football groundsmen, I’m here because 

of my love of the club. As a big 

Aberdeen FC fan, it’s my ideal job” 

Paul Fiske, Head Groundsman, Aberdeen Football Club

Fiske’s 

Tale... 

Scottish Premier League club, Aberdeen, battled the 

worst winter in thirty years, with snow falls of more 

than a foot, and weeks of sub zero temperatures. 

Head Groundsman, Paul Fiske, battled to keep the 

pitch playable and to renovate the damaged turf in its 

wake, reports Jane Carley 

Eastern Scotland was one of the worst 

affected parts of the country during 

this winter’s big freeze, yet Aberdeen 

Football Club lost just one fixture - and 

that was due to police closing the icy 

roads around the Pittodrie Stadium rather 

than the condition of the pitch, which 

Head Groundsman, Paul Fiske, reports 

was fully playable that January night. 

But, the severe weather, and the 

demands placed by the team training on 

the club’s only heated pitch, inevitably 

took its toll. 

The pitch at Pittodrie was 

reconstructed five years ago, after a half a 

season’s ground sharing with Inverness 

Caledonian Thistle doubled the wear on 

the 100 year-old facility. Contractors, 

Greentech of Stirling, took the surface 

down 16in, relevelled and installed a 

drainage system with 10m laterals. Then 

8in of sand and 8in of rootzone was used 

to construct the pitch, with the work 

finishing just six weeks before the first 

game. 

From frequently losing games to 

waterlogging, the new pitch represented a 

dramatic improvement, until the most 

severe winter for thirty years struck. 

Paul, who joined Aberdeen Football 

Club fourteen years ago from a 

greenkeeper’s job at Moray Golf Club, 

Lossiemouth, explains: “The first snow 

fell on 16th December, but we had to 

prepare the pitch for one match and four 

training sessions in fourteen days, and 

kept the undersoil heating on for twentytwo 

days.” 

In January the snow lay for three weeks 

and, from the middle to the end of the 

month, temperatures averaged minus 

10 O C. In total, Aberdeen endured eight 

weeks of snow, yet Paul managed to 

produce playing conditions for four 

training sessions and four matches in one 

three week period. 

“When the team were training for the 

Scottish Cup match on Friday 8th 

January, the temperature was minus 11 O C 

at ten o’clock in the morning,” Paul 

recalls. “The pitch was so white that you 

could not see the lines yet, due to the 

heating, it was soft enough to train on. 

Afterwards, we brushed the surface and 

put the covers back on ready for the next 

day’s game with Heart of Midlothian. On 

Sunday, the team trained again and, 

although there was grass coverage, you 

could see that the sward had gone.” 

The pattern was repeated three weeks 

later. Paul had to clear the stadium itself, 

snow ploughing and gritting as well as 

preparing the pitch for the game with 

Motherwell on 30th January, and a fixture 

with Falkirk on 2nd February was 

followed by two days’ training in sub zero 

temperatures, once again giving the grass 

a battering.

“We were able to maintain stability for 

most of the season, and we start out with 

a good root structure, but it is a battle 

with a rootzone pitch,” Paul comments. 

“Ideally, you need to get water on the 

pitch, but it is difficult in those 

conditions. I just give it a heavy roll with 

a Rotoknife and try and water, if possible, 

but, once coverage is lost, it is hard to 

recover. In total, we had fifty-one days of 

undersoil heating, and it just burnt the 

roots.” 

A cold spring, which has not 

encouraged regrowth, hasn’t helped, and 

Paul comments that, with limited funds, 

it is difficult to bring the turf back. He 

also has a small team to maintain six 

pitches in total, with three training 

pitches at the local barracks and two at 

the university, and it has been smaller 

than ever this year. 

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“My two groundsmen are both 

currently on long term sick leave and I’m 

relying on a retired farmer for help - at 

least he can drive a tractor!” he says. 

Going forward, he believes that a 

compromise will need to be reached with 

the management to minimise training on 

the stadium pitch in severe weather. 

“We just cannot afford to use lights or 

returf, as other clubs do, to revive their 

pitches, and players and the media need 

to understand that we are always going 

to struggle this far north. Once grass has 

been damaged by playing on it in 

freezing conditions, there’s no coming 

back,” Paul says. 

By broadcasting seed throughout the 

season to encourage fresh growth, 75-80 

percent coverage was achieved, with the 

pitch looking good by the end of the 

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been necessary. 

“We koroed the pitch in 2009 to 

remove black layer and algae before 

reseeding, so this year I’ve just used my 

Dennis cylinder mowers set at 10mm to 

fraise mow, cleaning up the surface,” 

Paul explains. “We put 40 tonnes of 

rootzone topdressing on and overseeded 

on 18th May before putting the covers 

on, so it was a relatively easy job.” 

To ease the staffing issues, Greentech 

were engaged to vertidrain and sand 

band the barracks grounds, before 

applying 100 tonnes of sand and 

overseeding. The university grounds just 

needed a heavy topdress and overseed. 

Paul uses Johnsons Premier Pitch 

ryegrass mixture, citing its good mix of 

cultivars which, he says, germinate 

quickly and have a strong root system. 

“Prior to seeding, I use PrimoMaxx to 

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“I’m relying on a retired farmer for 

help - at least he can drive a tractor!” 

stunt the growth of the existing sward 

and allow the new seeds through, and I 

don’t apply a pre-seed.” 

After a week, the covers were removed 

and, after two weeks, the pitch was ready 

for a light mow with a Hayter rotary. 

“Terralift TX10 organic fertiliser gives 

the turf body at this point and, at the 

end of June, I add Scotts Sierrablen slow 

release. Just before the season starts, 

Scotts Greenmaster goes on to improve 

the colour,” explains Paul. “I like to use a 

pedestrian sprayer to apply biostimulants 

rather than take a tractor on the pitch, 

and Floratine really gets into the plant. 

Sand based rootzones need a lot of 

feeding, and it’s a way of improving 

nutrition while getting the right balance 

between foliar feeding and granular 

applications.” 

Equipment is one area where the club 

is well blessed. After success in Europe a 

few years back, the chief executive 

provided the cash to upgrade the fleet 

from an old Ransomes Mastiff and a 

spiker. 

“We have the machinery to do most 

maintenance and renovation work inhouse, 

except when I’m short staffed like 

this year. The Rotoknife is one of the 

most valuable items of kit, as it does a 

great job of rolling, and the discs can be 

used to keep the surface open. I also like 

my Hayter rotaries, as it is good to be 

able to use such a lightweight mower on 

the young grass. In July, we move onto 

the Dennis cylinder mowers and then the 

Toro cuts the pitch at the end of the 

season, although I’ll use it before the 

match as it allows me to get it mowed on 

my own.” 

Groundsman, Nigel MacRae, is a 

trained mechanic which, Paul says, is 

enormously helpful, as equipment can be 

maintained economically and in a timely 

fashion. 

“Nigel even takes the mower blades to 

a local golf club to use their grinder and, 

if we have a breakdown, we don’t have to 

wait until a dealer can fit the machine in, 

he simply fetches the required part and 

fixes it. It’s ideal for a club on a tight 

budget!” 

After more than 100 years at Pittodrie, 

Aberdeen FC is preparing to move on. A 

planning application for a new stadium 

at Loirston is to be submitted this 

summer, after a lengthy consultation 

process which was generally well 

received. The new Aberdeen Arena is 

likely to host concerts and rugby matches 

as well as being the club’s home, and will 

incorporate training facilities for the first 

time. 

Picture this! 

“It is very early days,” says Paul, “but I 

have visited a number of other clubs to 

study their facilities, right down to 

machinery storage - currently much of 

our equipment is kept outside. As it will 

be multi-purpose, the pitch will have to 

be constructed of Fibresand or a similar 

material. Rangers have Mansfield 

Fibrelastic which looks excellent.” 

Relocating the training pitches to a 

main stadium will also end one logistical 

nightmare. Currently machinery has to 

be transported through the main roads 

of Aberdeen to the training grounds. 

“It is an exciting prospect - the current 

stadium is getting old, so it is definitely 

the right thing to do. It’s important to 

get the new pitch right from the start 

and make sure that it can cope with its 

multi-use role,” Paul comments. 

Whilst he admits to being envious of 

his well funded southern counterparts, 

Paul says that he is unlikely to be 

tempted by a job offer in a more 

temperate climate. 

“It is a huge challenge to produce 

good pitches in these conditions, and the 

long hours can be tough. But, like most 

football groundsmen, I’m here 

because of my love of the club. 

As a big Aberdeen FC fan, it’s 

my ideal job.” 

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23

Field of Dreams 

AFC Wulfrunians have taken 

over the former RFU National 

Training Centre at Castlecroft, 

a move they hope will see 

them playing Midlands 

Alliance football in the not too 

distant future 

Laurence Gale MSc meets 

Head Groundsman, 

Matt Clayton

Talk about landing on your feet. 

AFC Wulfrunians certainly have, 

and they must be the envy of many 

football clubs in the Midlands. Why? 

Because they have acquired one of the 

best purpose built sporting facilities in 

the West Midlands, the Castlecroft 

Stadium. 

The site was originally owned and 

developed by Wolverhampton 

Wanderers Football Club as a training 

ground, and was acquired by 

Wolverhampton Council in 1986 when 

the club went into receivership. The 

Rugby Football Union (RFU) took a 

lease on the site in the early 1990s and 

made considerable improvements to the 

facilities, in conjunction with Tarmac 

plc, adding both a hotel - opened by 

Bill Beaumont in October 1992 - and a 

stadium, which doubled as a stand and 

office block, to create the RFU National 

Training Centre. 

The hotel was sold, a decade later, to 

become a private housing complex, but 

the role of Castlecroft grew, with the 

stadium hosting upwards of seventy 

games each year, many of them 

schoolboy internationals. 

When the RFU decided to relocate 

the National Training Centre to 

Twickenham in 2007, the local 

authority put the whole site up for 

lease. And that’s when, eventually, AFC 

Wulfrunians stepped in. 

The club, founded as the 

Wolverhampton Grammar School Old 

Boys Football Club in 1923, and later to 

become Old Wulfrunians, played in 

local amateur leagues. In 2005 AFC 

Wulfrunians, was established to give 

senior players the opportunity to 

compete at a higher level. 

Success was instant, with the Wulfs 

winning Division 2 of the West 

Midlands (Regional) League in their 

first season. This was followed by 

promotion from Division 1 to the 

Premiership the following year. A 

season of consolidation, when they 

finished sixth, was followed by 

becoming Premiership champions in 

the 2008-09 season. 

Normally, this would have meant 

promotion to the Midlands Alliance, 

but the Brinsford Lane ground they 

shared with Wolverhampton Casuals, 

which both clubs believed was of Step 5 

standard, was not deemed so by the FA. 

So, another year in the Premiership 

looked on the cards. 

However, in the spring of 2009, the 

club approached Wolverhampton 

Council to enquire about Castlecroft, 

whose extensive facilities were lying 

unused, and with the pitch and training 

area turning to meadow. 

Taking on this facility was a bold 

move for the club, as they were reliant 

on a dedicated band of volunteers to 

undertake the maintenance. 

The stadium offers a full size floodlit 

pitch plus an area for training. The 

stadium seats 500 spectators and has 

top class changing room facilities, 

along with offices, function rooms and 

a licensed bar. 

The club took over the management 

of the stadium in March 2009, and it 

was to be a huge effort to try and get 

the ground up to Step 5 condition in 

the short period of time before the start 

of the 2009-10 season. 

Sadly, they just missed the league’s 

deadline and, whilst the club felt the 

decision was harsh, as all could see that 

it would eventually meet requirements

Pitch looking like a farmer’s field before Matt took over ... ... and now, in May of this year 

by the start of the season, no exception 

could be made. As they say, rules is rules! 

In fairness to the league, they would 

already have begun the process of 

finalising fixtures in the various divisions. 

So, at the start of the 2009-10 season, 

the club found themselves in the strange 

situation of having, what is arguably, the 

best Step 5 ground in the country, yet 

unable to play at that level. 

However, with Step 5 now approved, 

the Midlands Alliance beckons “any time 

soon”. Sadly, the club missed out by one 

place on promotion at the end of the 

2009-10 season. But, as club manager, 

Tim Tipton, explains “Success will, in 

turn, attract more senior players to the 

Matt Clayton with club manager, Tim Tipton 

club and expand the youth section. We 

are already reaping the benefits of a 

better quality pitch and this, in turn, will 

give us a sounder financial footing and 

enable us to invest even more in the 

facilities, including the pitch.” 

Head Groundsman is Matt Clayton, 

who spends around twenty hours a week 

at the ground, alternating his time with 

his landscape garden contracts. 

Whilst Matt busied himself bringing 

the pitch up to Step 5 standard, the 

club’s Stadium Manager, Steve Brindley, 

Vice Chairman, Ian Round, both 

volunteers, plus a host of other club 

members, worked tirelessly to get the 

facilities back in order. Much of this was 

cosmetic, redecorating throughout, 

26 

ensuring that the changing room 

plumbing worked and that the bar and 

catering facilities met hygiene 

regulations and would be able to cope 

with the influx of members. Matt takes 

up the story: 

“It was all hands to the pump. We had 

a very tight schedule to bring everything 

up to Step 5 standard. As it turned out 

we just missed the deadline, but we are 

ready for the next level, whenever that 

may be. 

Actually, although the pitch looked like 

a meadow, all it really required was a bit 

of TLC. It hadn’t been touched for 

eighteen months. 

I was able to get valuable advice from 

Still evidence of the RFUs legacy 

the Wolves groundstaff, who have been 

absolutely brilliant, particularly Ken 

Bates, whose son plays for our youth 

section. 

They outlined the work that would be 

required to get the pitch into a playable 

condition as soon as possible. We had 

patches of overgrown grass, low spots 

and bare areas. We even invested 

£10,000 in pitch improvements to try 

and make the deadline. 

We took a number of soil samples to 

establish what we were dealing with in 

terms of soil make-up and the nutrient 

status of the pitch. We are blessed with a 

very free draining soil profile with root 

growth below 150mm. 

I mowed the grass to a manageable 

height to encourage it to tiller and 

become more dense. This was followed 

by a programme of vertidraining to 

relieve compaction and help increase 

aerobic activity within the soil profile. I 

then topdressed with 140 tonnes of sharp 

silicon sand to help improve surface 

levels and surface drainage. 

Once that had been done, it was a case 

of regular ongoing maintenance to help 

improve the condition of the playing 

surface. I mowed every other day to 

around 28mm, fed the grass with 

granular fertilisers and harrowed to keep 

the sward open and to remove dead 

surface vegetation. I say ‘around’ because 

my current ‘very old’ Ransomes 24 inch 

Mastiff really is not 

up to the job, so I’m 

looking at getting a 

Dennis G860 36 

inch mower to 

improve the cutting 

quality. 

Paul Littlehales, a 

local spraying 

contractor, comes in, 

as when needed, to 

control the weeds 

and apply wetting 

agents and 

fungicides. 

With a full 

growing season 

behind me, the pitch 

has come on leaps 

and bounds and is 

beginning to look the part, especially 

when prepped for matches. It must be 

okay because the Wolves U15 Academy 

side play here now.” 

AFC Wulfrunians have taken a bold 

step by running the Castlecroft facility. 

Steve, Ian and Matt are mindful that the 

club now has some of the best facilities in 

the country at their level. They are also 

aware that everything revolves around 

the quality of the pitch. 

To that end, Matt has enrolled on a 

mentoring scheme at Wolves, where he 

attends college and gets the opportunity 

to work alongside the professional 

groundsmen at the club - and he’s even 

picked up an old Ransomes Mastiff 

that was no longer being used!

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Security 

and Theft 

Most crime reduction 

measures are common 

sense but, sadly, they 

are not common 

practice. 

In part II of his article, 

Tom James questions 

the police about 

security issues, 

investigates what 

deterrents there are on 

the market and finds 

out what one 

manufacturer is doing 

to make their products 

more secure 

It is often said that prevention is 

better than cure, so a little effort to 

reduce the risk of an attack on 

premises or sportsgrounds will save 

time, money and heartache in the 

long run. 

So says Andrew Gregory, Crime 

Prevention Design Advisor/Crime 

Reduction Officer for West Midlands 

police, who urges that, for specialist 

advice, a club’s first port of call should 

be his local equivalent, who will be able 

to carry out a thorough survey of your 

site. 

“First, remember that many crimes 

are opportunistic, so the thief will not 

necessarily have planned an attack but, 

because a simple opportunity has arisen 

(leaving grass-cutting equipment 

unattended on a sportsfield), they take 

it. 

Clubs can conduct a simple survey 

themselves, he continues, yet rarely do 

people have any idea how a thief 

operates. They also have little 

knowledge about basic crime reduction 

measures. 

As most thefts are opportunistic, try 

and look at your building or 

site “through a thief ’s 

eyes”, he suggests. 

Criminals 

try to 

pick premises that look unoccupied, 

have little or no obvious security and 

where they think they won’t be seen or 

apprehended. “The technique that we 

employ in all security surveying, 

however large or small, is called the 

‘Onion-peeling principle’, Gregory 

explains. 

“Imagine peeling off the layers off an 

onion. The process simply means 

starting at the outside and working 

inwards to the ‘risk target’ (what the 

potential offender might want to 

damage or steal). In practice, this 

involves some preparation before 

visiting the sportsground or building.” 

Clubs then need to look at the 

environment - outside the perimeter or 

boundary - and work into the centre of 

the area that is to be protected (the 

interior). “This process applies to every 

type of building, from detached houses 

with gardens through to a bedsit in a 

shared house,” he adds. “It also 

includes commercial buildings, 

sportsgrounds, garages, outbuildings 

and sheds.” 

Next, look at the perimeter or 

boundary, and the state of the walls, 

fencing or other barriers. “We examine 

the shell of the property including 

windows, walls, doors and accessible 

roofs and, finally, work in towards the 

interior of the building - its layout, 

design and the property stored inside. 

Always bear in mind that a 

target can be in any of the 

layers.” 

At each 

layer,

“Even the toughest steel is no match 

for an angle grinder - the tool of 

choice for many criminals now - but, 

what you can do is minimise the risk” 

the aim is to delay the offender and 

protect or, if possible, remove any 

potential targets, make it more difficult 

for the potential offender to attack the 

property and give the maximum 

amount of surveillance. 

“Your local crime prevention design 

advisor (CPDA) or crime reduction 

officer (CRO) can give advice on CCTV 

and alarm systems, but most crimes can 

be prevented by some simple 

housekeeping procedures,” adds 

Gregory. 

“Many police areas run 

Neighbourhood Watch, Business Watch 

or Community Watch schemes that I 

would encourage clubs of any size to 

engage with. This could provide clubs 

with regular information and advice via 

a written bulletin, telephone ringaround 

or text/SMS facility.” 

They are excellent ways to share 

information quickly with other 

concerned members within the 

community, he believes. “We often 

receive valuable intelligence about 

people acting in a suspicious manner, 

loitering around sports areas with the 

intention to commit crime. 

His final words of advice: “Contact 

your CPDA or local police 

Neighbourhood Team to enquire about 

the schemes running in your area. In 

any case, if you have any intelligence 

that may assist in preventing, reducing 

or detecting crime, call Crimestoppers 

anonymously on 0800 555 111 - 

www.crimestoppers-uk.org.” 

But, how secure is ‘secure’? Newport 

Fugitives Athletics Club in South Wales 

thought they’d taken the appropriate 

measures to ensure the safety of their 

grass care machinery, until, when 

arriving one morning, voluntary 

groundsman Robert 

Franklin realised 

they’d 

fallen prey to thieves, who had broken 

in to their steel padlocked container, 

taking with them several hand tools. 

Franklin is also managing director of 

West Country Steel Buildings, 

specialists in the supply and 

installation of horticultural buildings 

for the last twenty years. 

“We’re relatively new to the sports 

sector, but we’ve definitely seen a 

growing demand for more secure 

units,” says Franklin. “It is nigh on 

impossible to completely prevent theft. 

If thieves are determined then they will 

break into anything,” he adds. “Even 

the toughest steel is no match for an 

angle grinder - the tool of choice for 

many criminals now. What we can do 

though is minimise the risk by 

reducing potential access points, with 

front opening doors and padlocks being 

some of the easiest routes in for 

criminals. We only supply a 14-part 

locking system, which has no padlocks 

so, short of using an industrial tool, it’s 

difficult to access our units.” 

The padlock proved to be the weak 

point for Newport Fugitives, with 

thieves able to access their shed with 

relative ease using a battery powered 

angle grinder. Since the theft, Franklin 

has installed a modest steel building 

and all the large machines are now 

tagged, he adds. 

The club is not alone in its desire to 

boost security. He reports a growing 

number of golf clubs wanting to secure 

machinery by installing steel buildings. 

“The issue of saving money comes 

into play much more now,” Franklin 

argues. “Many clubs simply cannot 

afford to risk machinery thefts.” 

The company also advises sites on 

the level of insurance they need to 

allow for any claims they might make - 

with many insurers insisting security 

measures are in place for policies to be 

valid. 

Clubs should strive to be “as 

secure as it is practicable to 

be”, according to 

John 

Hodgson, general manager of 

Cleveland Sitesafe Ltd, which 

manufactures and installs bespoke or 

‘off the shelf ’ all-steel security and 

vandal resistant products, spanning 

from small steel transit boxes to large 

modular steel buildings used for 

garaging compact tractors and mowers. 

Made primarily in 3mm steel plate, 

buildings can be clad to suit in brick, 

stone or timber to create a ‘softer’ 

attractive exterior that disguises the 

inner strength of the structure. 

“We manufacture to a higher level 

than insurers require,” says Hodgson, 

who adds that a spate of crime often 

leads clubs into a false sense of 

security. “It only affects a limited 

number of sites and is noticeable for a 

while. Then there may be no cases for 

years.” 

“Simply replacing stolen tools or 

machinery after a theft is not enough. 

Thieves may come back to find that 

security has not been addressed.” 

The tools and machinery under lock 

and key may not always belong to the 

club. 

Sports contractors may store their 

equipment and vehicles on site if it’s 

more convenient to do so. 

Tending a number of cricket clubs 

and local schools in Surrey, Roger 

Ward, who runs Southern 

Sportsground Services, frequently has 

to transport his vehicles and 

machinery from site to site in the 

playing season, and finds that storing 

some of them on site makes good 

sense. But, he has been the victim of 

theft more than once. 

“I insure my own equipment and 

apply appropriate security measures,” 

he says. “Insurance companies are 

becoming tougher, although, when I 

had a tractor stolen, the company 

settled without too much fuss.” 

The science behind theft baffles him 

though. “At Old Whitgiftians in South 

Croydon, thieves made off with a 

trailer and a rotary mower, leaving a 

brand new Toro in the shed. I’d wheelclamped 

the trailer but they dragged 

it around the ground until it came 

off. Now, I’ve added more 

clamps and locks to 

my kit to

FIVE YEARS 

The views of 

our readers 

I find the Pitchcare 

magazine an 

excellent read. The 

articles from real life 

situations I find most 

interesting. The 

people’s mag written 

by real people. 

George Alexander, Director of 

Grounds, Tonbridge School 

Congratulations 

Pitchcare on five 

fantastic years. I 

remember first 

picking up an early 

edition of Pitchcare 

and thinking how 

well laid out it was 

and also how the 

magazine delivered all its features 

in a new ‘relaxed’ way. It was 

bright, clear and was one of those 

magazines where you actually read 

every article. 

This has continued successfully 

over five years and, today, the 

magazine is perfectly in tune with 

the needs of today's groundsmen. 

I believe the Pitchcare website is 

probably the best in the industry 

and I use it every day in my work. 

I regularly travel the world with 

my job and have recently seen 

copies of Pitchcare on the desks of 

turf professionals in places as far 

reaching as Nigeria, Sudan and 

China. No-one would have believed 

that five years ago! 

I only have one worry when it 

comes to the future of Pitchcare 

magazine and that is, if it 

continues to grow at the rate it has 

in the last five years, it will be like 

having the phone book pushed 

through my letter box every other 

month! The postman will not be 

happy!! 

Well done Dave, Loz and the 

team at Pitchcare and keep up the 

outstanding work! 

Ben Taylor, Bernhard & Company 

Wow! Is it five years 

already? Five years 

of fun in my view! 

Fun to look at and 

fun to read. Pitchcare 

is a magazine that is 

also fun to write for. 

I am grateful to 

Dave, John, Peter, 

Loz and all at the magazine for 

their kind help and 

encouragement. 

I am particularly grateful to Ellie 

for inviting me to write my first 

article, and for the exposure that 

the magazine gives to me and my 

humble offerings. 

Here’s to many more years of 

great trade journalism! 

Frank Newberry, Performance 

Consultant and Conference 

Speaker 

30 

“Once a club has fallen victim 

to crime, a natural ‘knee-jerk’ 

reaction is to overcompensate 

by investing in all manner of 

elaborate, often unnecessary, 

security measures” 

make it harder for them.” 

The choice of security products available 

continues to grow, so it’s difficult to know 

what’s right for your club. With so many 

options and many suppliers insisting their 

products are “ideal” for preventing breakins, 

clubs that arm themselves with 

the right information may well 

avoid unnecessary outlay on 

inappropriate solutions. 

“Clubs first need to work 

out what the most valuable 

equipment they own is, 

then look to installing a 

secure building, ideally a 

brick or steel 

construction,” argues Clive 

Baker, chairman of the 

physical security section of the 

British Security Industry 

Association (BSIA) - the trade body 

covering the UK’s professional security 

industry. 

As managing director of Swedish lock 

manufacturer, KABA, Baker has a firm 

handle on locking and key control. “No 

matter how good a padlock might be, 

there’s nothing that can stop determined 

thieves,” he insists. “If the padlock 

method is chosen though, it’s essential to 

have one that is shielded or shrouded.” 

“A gate shield steel clamp or lock shield 

will make it extremely difficult for thieves 

to break in as the tools often used, like 

power grinders, cannot physically get to 

the lock to cut it.” 

Securing all access routes is one simple 

but often overlooked facet of security, with 

traditional entry, such as outward opening 

doors and windows being some of the 

most vulnerable aspects of a building. 

“It’s always best to go for inwardopening 

doors if the size of the unit 

allows it,” advises Baker. 

“They’re good because they 

hide the hinges, which are 

often the weakest part of 

any door. We would 

recommend using hinge 

pins or hinge bolts as well 

to avoid risk of tampering.” 

Securing buildings does 

not have to be expensive, he 

stresses. One of the easiest 

ways to guard against window 

break-ins, or through glazed doors, 

is by using a simple grill, Baker adds. 

These can be easily and cheaply bolted on 

to the front of the window to deliver an 

effective deterrent. Crucially though, all 

bolt ends should be cut off so they cannot 

be unscrewed with professional tools. 

Access through roofs is another route 

worth protecting against, especially if it’s a 

pitched or felt lined one, which can often 

be cut through easily. A tiled or timber 

roof would be preferable but, on the 

whole, the roof is perhaps the least 

successful route for criminals, Baker 

believes, especially if they’re targeting 

larger machinery - “after all, it’s hard to 

get a mower through a roof”. 

Cleveland are able to 

add ‘softer’ exteriors 

to their buildings 

“It’s nigh on impossible to 

completely prevent theft. If 

thieves are determined then 

they will break into anything”

“If possible, always take as 

many precautions as is 

affordable, as many insurance 

policies will stipulate such 

measures,” he advises. 

Although large machines 

are harder to steal, 

professional thieves will, in 

most cases, be looking to take 

these big ticket items as they 

are the most lucrative to sell 

on. Employing a second line 

of defence within the 

building may prove to be the 

difference between keeping 

and losing expensive pieces 

of kit. 

“The most important step 

to take to secure big machines 

would be to fit a ground 

anchor, which is concreted 

into the floor. The machine 

can then be securely chained 

to the ground and will, 

hopefully, be thief proof,” 

explains Baker. 

If the worse does happen 

and expensive machinery is 

stolen, a third line of defence 

can come into play. Smart 

water or smart marking is a 

way of labelling machinery so 

it can be traced if stolen. It’s 

a valuable tool as it allows 

police to identify any lost 

property although, as Baker 

explains, it’s still not being 

employed widely enough. 

More commonly used on 

cash machines and in banks, 

smart water is released when 

equipment is tampered with. 

Once on the skin, it can be 

seen under a special light for 

up to seven months - 

although this method is more 

of a deterrent to thieves than 

a precautionary measure for 

clubs, says Baker. 

The more practical method 

for machine safety is to use a 

special varnish. Within the 

varnish liquid are tiny 

numbers making up a unique 

code. The varnish is then 

applied to the machine in an 

inconspicuous place. 

The numbers cannot be 

seen by the naked eye, only 

under a high-powered 

magnifying glass so, if stolen 

items are recovered, they can 

be returned to their owner. 

“One of the biggest problems 

with machinery thefts is that, 

once they are gone, it’s highly 

unlikely that the owner will 

ever get them back again 

unless they’ve been marked.” 

“Marking is still in its 

infancy in sport and amenity, 

but I would strongly advise 

that clubs consider it if some 

of the other measures have 

not already been taken.” 

Machinery theft in other 

sectors, such as construction 

and agriculture, has become 

so serious that one 

manufacturer has started to 

tag its products in an effort to 

address the issue. 

John Deere is collaborating 

with Datatag ID Ltd, which 

operates the Construction & 

Agricultural Equipment 

Security and Registration 

(CESAR) scheme, to protect 

certain of its smaller tractors. 

They prominently display 

“tamper proof” CESAR 

registration plates, fitted to 

deter theft or vandalism, 

along with additional ID 

technology, including 

miniature transponders, 

Datadots and a forensic DNA 

solution. 

All Deere’s Mannheim-built 

tractors will be fitted with the 

official CESAR Scheme 

Datatag system as standard, 

starting later this year with 

the agricultural sector. “We 

began to see thefts increase 

when the pound weakened 

against the Euro,” explains 

Henry Bredin, their turf 

product marketing manager. 

“It became appealing for 

thieves to steal tractors in the 

UK and sell them in 

Eurozone countries, so we 

had to take sensible measures 

to protect our customers and 

reduce the expense of stolen 

machines.” 

Whilst the 500 series 

tractor, a model currently 

fitted with Datatag, is used in 

amenity, the scheme is yet to 

be rolled out fully across this 

sector, although investigation 

is underway so see which 

machines would benefit most, 

Bredin reveals. 

Before CESAR was 

introduced, the average 

recovery rate for stolen 

machinery was only 5%, 

according to industry 

estimates. Latest figures show 

the recovery rates for a stolen 

CESAR-registered machine 

have risen to almost 30%, 

and suggest that owners are 

four times less likely to have 

such a registered machine 

stolen and six times more 

likely to have it recovered. 

Leading insurance 

companies, including NFU 

Mutual, have already 

indicated that discounts are 

available for Datatagged 

equipment, with further 

reductions for machines fitted 

with additional tracking and 

immobiliser systems. 

Individual door keys are 

already available for John 

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In contrast to leading edge 

advances, when budgets are 

so tight across sport, 

commonsense sometimes is 

all it takes to heighten 

security. Making sure care is 

taken with keys is one simple 

but often overlooked 

precaution, Clive Baker 

believes. 

“Keys should all be 

registered and properly 

controlled,” he insists. “Find 

out whether the keys are 

protected and if they are of 

an unusual design to make 

replication difficult. Ideally, 

each key should have a 

unique design on it, allocated 

to a specific member of the 

team. When the key is issued, 

make sure it can’t be 

duplicated and that there’s an 

individual mark on it to 

identify the user.” 

For those with the budget 

for bigger outlays, or simply 

those wanting to take the 

toughest measures to 

safeguard expensive 

machines, fencing is proving 

increasingly popular. 

“Pallersafe fencing, for 

example, is effective but isn’t 

the most attractive product, 

and can become expensive if 

perimeters are long. It could 

be used in some areas and 

not others, but take advice 

before going ahead.” 

You would expect expense 

to be one of the primary 

drivers behind why some 

clubs have adequate security 

provisions and why others do 

not. The fear, as the recession 

took hold two years ago, was 

that the industry would fall 

victim to a rise in crime, with 

security precautions seen as 

one of the first things to be 

jettisoned as budgets 

tightened. 

Yet, a recent survey 

conducted by the BSIA, 

looking at how the industry 

had been affected by the 

economy, showed that 

investment in security had 

not diminished. Local 

authorities were still investing 

and there were no signs of 

cutbacks. 

Once a club has fallen 

victim to crime, a natural 

‘knee-jerk’ reaction is to 

overcompensate by investing 

in all manner of elaborate, 

often unnecessary, security 

measures. Undertaking a 

professional assessment will 

give clubs the information 

they need about what form of 

security best suits their 

requirements and 

circumstances. 

“Part of the problem of 

over-securing is simply that 

most clubs don’t know what’s 

best for them,” says Julie 

Halliday, spokesperson for 

BSIA’s security consults 

section, who stresses the good 

sense of completing an 

assessment before committing 

to any outlay. 

“We’re increasingly finding 

that clubs are either under or 

Smart water showing 

up on a training shoe

“Whilst security is 

essential, too much of 

it is needless and, 

ultimately, a waste of 

money” 

John Deere are fitting 

‘CESAR’ tracking 

systems to some of 

their tractor range 

over secured,” says Halliday, 

who also works for 

independent firm, SGW 

Security Consultants. 

“Companies will want to sell 

as many products as they can, 

so they tell clubs that their 

products are what they need. 

It’s important to get impartial 

advice from someone who has 

no vested interest in any one 

company’s products or 

services. Whilst security is 

essential, too much of it is 

needless and, ultimately, a 

waste of money.” 

An assessment can be done 

on any size of open space, 

private building, residential 

building, university grounds 

or local authority sports 

pitches, she explains, and a 

list of security consultants can 

be found via the BSIA website 

on www.bsia.co.uk. 

Halliday explains what 

clubs can expect from their 

assessment. “We start by 

surveying the whole site, 

looking for any weak spots or 

vulnerabilities. Once 

completed, we consider the 

methods that might be best 

suited to guard against those 

weaknesses.” 

“One of the main issues for 

security is guarding the 

perimeter, which is often the 

best access point for thieves 

as people can come and go 

freely throughout the day. 

Professional thieves will often 

know at what times a target 

site will be busy or quiet, so 

the club needs to also know 

this information.” 

“If CCTV is in operation 

you have to be careful of the 

blind spots and that cameras 

are targeting the right areas. 

People will often put cameras 

all over the place without 

thought for their 

effectiveness. Unless they’re 

monitored regularly, they’re 

of little use.” 

Another problem with 

cameras, explains Halliday, is 

that people aren’t scared of 

them anymore as they’re seen 

all the time. However, 

recently introduced software 

called Viseum is aiming to 

offer a new dimension to 

CCTV operation, and works 

by having an array of cameras 

grouped together with one 

major camera centrally 

positioned. 

The smaller cameras survey 

the whole area, whilst the 

main camera will focus in on 

an individual, if needed, and 

follow him or her if 

something suspicious is 

detected. 

Typically, a two-day indepth 

assessment, including 

recommendations by a 

professional surveyor, would 

cost between £1,500 and 

£2,000, although surveyors 

wouldn’t generally 

recommend a specific 

installer, preferring to remain 

independent. 

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33

A brand new cricket facility at 

Westhoughton may just help to 

uncover the next England 

cricket star. Laurence Gale 

MSc meets Head Groundsman 

and ECB Pitch Advisor, Paul 

Tatton, to find out more 

Finding 

Freddie 

Lancashire County Cricket 

Club’s Director of Cricket, 

Mike Watkinson, believes 

the onus is firmly on local 

clubs to bring through the 

next Andrew (Freddie) Flintoff or 

Jimmy Anderson. 

The demise of the sport in 

schools means there are few other 

avenues for the stars of the future 

to rise through the system. 

And, the former England and 

Lancashire all-rounder admits it is 

becoming harder for cricket to 

compete with the various other 

modern day distractions. 

“The leagues are in competition 

with so many more varied interests 

than they were thirty years ago,” 

he said. “Back when I started out, 

kids would have a football or a 

cricket bat, and that would be it.” 

“There are many leagues in 

Lancashire and they play a really 

important part in bringing through 

our next generation of cricketers.” 

One such club that has always 

provided a steady flow of talented 

cricketers is Watkinson’s old club, 

Westhoughton Cricket Club, who 

play in the Bolton League, and that 

trend will hopefully continue, 

especially now they have one of the 

newest and best equipped grounds 

in the county. 

The club began life somewhere 

back in the mid 19th century, 

although nobody is too sure when, 

as there were no records kept. 1864 

appears to be the likely year the 

club was founded. 

Westhoughton was the scene of 

one of the worst mining disasters 

in the country when, in December 

1910, 344 men lost their lives. 

Situated just five miles from Bolton 

and fifteen miles from Manchester, 

the town is at the very heart of the 

cricketing traditions of 

Lancashire. 

The new facilities came 

about after 

supermarket chain, 

Sainsburys, bought the

“There are many leagues in 

Lancashire and they play a really 

important part in bringing through 

our next generation of cricketers” 

old ground for the site of a new 

superstore in the town, enabling the 

club to build a brand new ground and 

clubhouse costing £2 million, a far cry 

from the £30.12s.5d they had to shell 

out for a new ground in 1875! 

The club employed the services of 

Club Design Ltd. to design and project 

manage the new facilities. The ground 

construction work was awarded to John 

Mallison (Ormskirk) Ltd. Work began 

on building a twenty strip square and 

large outfield in 2008, with the new 

facilities officially opened in August 

2009. The club also received input from 

former Old Trafford groundsman, Pete 

Marron, to oversee some of the work. 

The ground is protected by a 6ft high 

perimeter fence and, whilst an 

expensive item in itself, was added to, 

to the tune of £25,000, when Great 

Crested Newts 

were found on the site. The extra cost 

was to comply with planning 

regulations, conducting a survey and 

building a ‘newt run’ to a nearby pond. 

The club were also required to plant 

over one hundred trees and various 

hedges to soften the fence line. A 

memorial garden was also constructed 

to allow members to remember their 

loved ones. 

A two bay practice net was installed 

at a cost of £25,000. Unfortunately, this 

has already suffered some mindless 

vandalism when a section of the 

artificial carpet was cut away! 

The club have also installed the 

latest, advanced technology scoreboard, 

which allows the scorer to upload 

remotely from any part of the ground 

or clubhouse - perfect if he fancies a 

pint! 

The club run three senior men’s sides 

and provide a number of junior teams 

from under 11s to under 18s. Total 

membership hovers at 

around 1,000, 

Mike Watkinson, Director of Cricket, Lancashire CCC 

providing an important social life for 

the town. They also have a thriving 

ladies rounders league, utilising some 

spare ground away from the outfield. 

The club run five teams using two 

rounders courts. Matches are played 

most evenings throughout the summer 

months. 

Westhoughton have appointed Gary 

Dixon, a former player, as chairman. 

Gary runs a tight ship, organising a 

number of people to help run the club. 

All the work is on a voluntary basis, 

apart from the cricket coach, 

groundsman and bar steward. 

The club are keen to maximise the 

earning potential of the new clubhouse 

facilities. There are already over 150 

bookings for weddings, corporate 

business and birthday bashes. As Gary 

points out, it is all well and good 

having great facilities, but they must be 

managed correctly to ensure the future 

of the club. 

The club has enlisted the services of 

Paul Tatton as Head Groundsman to 

oversee all the 

maintenance works 

required at the club.

£25,000 for practice nets 

£25,000 for a newt run 

Over 100 trees were planted 

36 

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Boughton Kettering, Club, and County Loams 

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dried and sterilised or untreated for construction projects. 

The extra cost was to 

comply with planning 

regulations, conducting a 

survey and building a 

‘newt run’ 

He is also one of three ECB Pitch 

Advisors for Lancashire. 

Paul is well known in Lancashire, 

having spent most of his working life 

involved in cricket in one capacity or 

another. He started taking an interest 

in grounds as an 18 year old at 

Farnworth CC. He played as a 

professional for a number of clubs, 

including Read CC , Atherton CC 

and the Walker Institute. During his 

playing career he represented the 

County, playing for Lancashire 

seconds. He currently stands as an 

umpire and also helps out with 

coaching when time allows. 

Paul has advised the club on 

equipment purchase, and they now 

have a new Poweroll 15 roller, a John 

Deere 2653A ride on triple, a John 

Deere X300R rotary mower, a JD 

Gator and a Dennis FT 610 cassette 

mower and, at the time of writing, 

were awaiting the delivery of a Lloyds 

Paladin for cutting the strips. 

From village green to county ground 

As Paul has access to the ECB 

County Trailer, that provides a SISIS 

Mk4 scarifier and Groundsman 

spiker, he felt that purchasing these 

two bits of kit, which are primarily 

only used for renovations and winter 

spiking, was not necessary. 

The club has also invested in roll 

on roll off covers from Stuart Canvas, 

plus a number of flat sheets that 

enable the whole square to be 

covered, plus bowlers run ups, as 

required. There are two 75m x 15m 

drapes that fit on the covers, two 75m 

x 50m drag on sheets and two 30m x 

15m bowlers run up sheets. The 

raised covers are easy to manouvre, 

but it takes around six people to help 

put out and move the flat sheets. This 

is where the Gator is particularly 

useful. 

The square is built on a gravel raft 

and has a perimeter drain and trap 

facilities. It was constructed using 

100mm of Boughton Club Kettering 

Boughton Loam is available nationwide. To find your local stockist of bagged products please use the post code selector 

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Running a modern 

cricket clubs takes a lot 

of time and commitment 

from all concerned, and 

comes at a high cost 

loam (27%) which was upgraded to 

Boughton County loam during 

renovations. 

The outfield has a primary 

drainage system, installed at three 

metre centres, to ensure the ground 

can drain at a rate of 13 litres per 

second, helping to reduce the 

number of games lost to rain. 

Existing soil was ameliorated with 

50mm of sand to improve the surface 

drainage capabilities of the outfield. 

As with any new builds, there have 

been a few teething problems, with a 

majority of the cut and fill work 

undertaken using existing soils which 

produced some settlement problems 

in parts of the outfield. Paul has 

instigated some localised repairs and 

seeding to re-establish levels and 

sward composition. 

Whilst it is still early days - the 

square is barely 15 months old and 

still growing in - more root growth is 

needed to reduce a few plating 

problems, but these are not causing 

huge concern. Paul is monitoring the 

situation, and is confident it will 

improve in time as root growth 

strengthens. The worse case scenario 

would be to introduce more loam into 

the cracks, and monitor moisture 

levels to prevent the loam from 

cracking. 

Having come through a tough 

winter, Paul decided he needed to 

rectify some poor levels and improve 

sward density, so he undertook a light 

renovation programme in March, 

carrying out some scarification, 

adding 3-4 bags of loam per track 

and overseeding with R9. This 

appeared to do the trick. 

Pre season rolling was curtailed a 

bit this spring, due to the poor 

weather. However, he must be doing 

something right, as the County side 

will be playing two, four day, first 

team fixtures next year, whilst the 

square at Old Trafford is turned 

Stuart Canvas Roros 

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37

Memorial garden View from the pavilion 

through ninety degrees. 

With this in mind, Paul consulted with 

Old Trafford’s Head Groundsman, Matt 

Merchant, to see what needed to be done 

to ensure the tracks would be okay for 

the allocated matches. It was agreed that 

three central strips would be 

decommissioned from play and 

renovated in late May 2010, the strips to 

be fraise mown, levelled, deep spiked, 

topdressed with Boughton County Loam 

and re-sown with a BSH seed mix, the 

aim being to get decent root growth and 

a deeper loam profile during this 

summer’s growing season. Paul has also 

fed the square with a granular 12:0:6 

NPK fertiliser to promote growth. 

The square gets cut at 9mm during the 

growing season and reduced to a match 

Who are you? Frank Newberry, Performance 

Consultant and Conference Speaker. I have 

been happily working in the turfcare sector 

for over twenty years. 

Family status? I am married with three 

grown-up sons. Just to keep the balance my 

brother has three daughters. 

Who’s your hero and why? My clients are 

all heroes. Any individual who wants to 

improve themselves or the work 

performance of their people is taking up a 

heroic position in my view. Their ‘heroism’ 

inspires me to do better. 

What is your dream holiday? In recent 

years I have been asked to speak at 

conferences abroad. This makes it possible 

for me to travel to some of the places I have 

always wanted to visit. I can do my work at 

the conference and then have a few days 

holiday with my wife. I love the work I do so I 

guess a working holiday is my dream holiday. 

What annoys you the most? More than 

anything else I get annoyed with myself. 

38 

playing height of 3mm via a ten - 

fourteen day preparation programme. 

This is where the Dennis FT610 

cassette comes in useful, with the 

tungsten verticut reel fitted to clean out 

debris. There is a hydrant at the corner 

of the square for watering. 

Early season performance of the 

square has seen good pace and bounce. 

The rest of the summer will be based on 

fulfilling a busy fixture list until the end 

of the season. 

Paul has good experience of 

maintaining new grounds, having done 

similar at Haydock Cricket Club, and 

which he continues to oversee, eleven 

years later. Paul is confident that 

Westhoughton will be successful, but it 

needs the support from players and 

social members. Running a modern 

cricket clubs takes a lot of time and 

commitment from all concerned, and 

What would you change about yourself? I 

would get less annoyed with myself. 

Who wouldn’t you like to be? I wouldn’t 

like to be anyone who was without hope. 

Favourite record, and why? Lady Gaga 

sings three or four of my current favourites. 

It’s great that she can be so talented and so 

scary at the same time. 


romantic evening with? My gorgeous wife. 


thing you would do? I don’t do the lottery. 



and why? The tuba. I am somewhat round 

and I have a big mouth at one end. 


been given? Seek first to understand, then 

to be understood. 

What's your favourite smell? I love the 

smells you get at the seaside. The sea air, 

hot dogs, candy floss etc. 

What do you do in your spare time? I like 

to relax by reading whilst I am soaking in a 

nice hot bath. 


you have ever been asked? I was once 

asked by a client to ‘keep my eye’ on 

someone during one of my training courses, 

because the client intended to sack him if I 

did not think he was up to the job. I was to 

be his last chance. Thankfully, I was able to 

Chairman, Gary Dixon 

comes at a high cost. 

As an example, on the grounds side 

alone, the club has to commit around 

£40,000 each year to materials, 

machinery, consumables and wages, so it 

is important that they have the means to 

generate such figures by being organised 

and well run. 

Westhoughton will, no doubt, attract 

new players. The club have a policy of 

not paying players, so rely on the fact 

that they want to join a forward thinking 

club with excellent facilities and good 

coaching programmes. Who knows, 

maybe the next Freddie is 

already turning his arm over in 

one of Westhoughton’s junior 

teams. 


Frank Newberry - wants to learn to play the piano in 

another language and is gaga about Lady Gaga! 

quickly explain that a lot of people behave 

quite differently on training courses than 

they do in real life, so his work on my course 

would not be a reliable indicator. 

What’s your favourite piece of kit? It’s 

boring, I know, but I have two rather 

expensive, but cleverly designed and very 

robust flip chart stands that I like having 

around on seminars. 


describe yourself? Positive, competitive, 

expressive. 

What talent would you like to have? I 

would like to be able to speak other 

languages and to play the piano. 

What makes you angry? More than 

anything else, I get angry with myself. I tend 

to the view that a lot of the time, when 

people get angry, they are angry with 

themselves first. ‘Why did I trust this 

person?’ ‘Why did I not check this out 

properly?’ They cannot cope with feeling bad 

for very long, so they quickly turn their anger 

onto someone or something else. 


see introduced? This is easy. In the UK we 

should have a ‘presumed consent’ or ‘optout’ 

organ donor card system. This would 

mean that, unless you had an ‘opt-out’ card 

on you, organs from your dead body could be 

used to save the lives of others. It is 

scandalous that thousands of people die 

every week because only a tiny proportion of 

the population carry donor cards.

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Cricket is just one in a thriving 

stable of sports in one of Britain’s 

loveliest locations, Horsham. 

Frank Fielding reports on... 

The Ward 

of Horsham 

Driving out of Horsham uphill 

towards the A24, it’s easy to slip 

past the narrow turning into 

Cricketfield Road. 

But, if you have done so, you’ll have 

missed one of the most joyous sites for 

any fan of the sound of leather on willow. 

For, tucked away at the end of the 

road, lined as it is by smart bungalows, is 

Horsham Cricket & Sports Club, whose 

home, nestling in the characterful rolling 

West Sussex countryside, is acknowledged 

to be one of the most beautifully located 

grounds in Britain. 

Lined by low hills to the west and the 

London to Portsmouth mainline railway 

to the north, the ground is a hark back 

to olden times, when any cricketing fan 

could drive straight on to the 

surrounding grass verge beyond the 

boundary, take out a picnic and gaze 

across to the sporting action. 

On selected days, steam locomotives 

still haul train enthusiasts past the 

historic setting, overlooked by the 14th 

century spire of St Mary’s church, 

positioned at the end of the Causeway, 

Horsham’s signature street of timber 

framed houses, once owned by the local 

merchants. 

Amid this setting and strong spring 

sunshine strolls Roger Ward, sporting 

Rayban sunglasses, every bit the 

groundsman in form as he finishes 

tending the square during a second 

eleven match between Sussex and Surrey. 

Nearby, the shed’s open to display his 

range of machinery, equipment, seed 

and fertiliser. More akin to a three-bay 

garage converted from a rustic barn, it 

blends perfectly with the tranquil 

location and rural feel of the ground. 

With him is his assistant, Ben Gibson. 

Three years at Horsham, before that at 

Brinsbury College, Adversane, West 

Sussex, and undertaking an NVQ Level 2 

in Sports Turf management, he is 

warming to his role. 

“It’s a lovely place to work,” says Ben, 

whose main responsibility at the ground 

is managing the four grass tennis courts, 

which sit alongside the five all-weather 

ones, as well as the cricket outfield - 

Roger focusing on the square with its 

sixteen wickets. 

Horsham Cricket Club has played at 

this magnificent site since the mid 1800s, 

and now ranks in the Sussex Premier 

League. Although the game was played 

in Horsham before 1768, the first record 

of a town side was on 8 August 1771, 

when the club was created. It shifted 

locations over the years before settling at 

the present ground in 1851. 

The club runs two grounds, four 

Saturday teams in the highest leagues

Horsham Festival week heralds peak attendances at the 

picturesque ground - more than 4,000 a day typically 

roll up to line the boundary and throng the clubhouse 

and a thriving junior section, with ages 

from under 9s to under 16s. Clearly this 

is no sleepy hollow of cricket. 

With the likes of renowned cricketing 

writer and TMS broadcaster, Christopher 

Martin Jenkins, as members, the club’s 

performance at all levels no doubt comes 

under constant scrutiny. 

That’s not the whole story though, and 

Horsham Cricket & Sports Club can 

boast more than 1,000 members across 

cricket, hockey, squash and tennis 

sections, with players in those groups 

competing at county, national and 

international level. 

Horsham Lawn Tennis Club, 

meanwhile, is a long-established and 

thriving arm that appeals to all 

standards, from social and family play to 

competitive leagues. 

Founded in the late 19th century, it 

grew considerably after the Second 

World War under the presidency of Col 

WJ Legg OBE and his successor as 

Wimbledon Referee, Capt Mike Gibson. 

In the early 1970s the constituent 

sports and social sections came together 

to create a parent club to oversee the 

running of the whole club. 

Horsham Festival week heralds peak 

attendances at the picturesque ground - 

more than 4,000 a day typically roll up to 

line the boundary and throng the 

clubhouse. 

This year sees Sussex play Derbyshire 

on 18-21 August and Somerset on the 

22nd. And there’s Ladies Day on the 

25th, when Horsham hosts Glamorgan 

for a 40-over Division 1 floodlit match. 

The Festival typifies the function of the 

club as somewhere that has something to 

offer everyone, as a community and 

family-orientated hub bringing positive 

elements to Horsham by encouraging 

development in sports from a young age. 

The ground hit the headlines a few 

years ago for all the wrong reasons, 

however, when it lost its slot as 

an outground for county 

first-team games. “The 

club was between 

groundsmen then,” 

Roger explains. 

“It was at the 

beginning of 

May, a key time in 

the cricketing 

year, and the 

contractor brought 

in to look after 

things took it into 

his head to scarify 

the surface in two 

different directions, 

with disastrous 

consequences. Sussex 

went back to Hove and 

the club sued the 

contractor.” 

By 2006 though, 

everything was back to 

normal and 

Horsham was 

restored 

to its 

rightful place, alongside Arundel, as a 

Sussex outground. 

Roger runs groundsmanship at the 

club under contract and is now in his 

fifth year in charge. As boss of Southern 

Sportsground Services - the business he 

has headed for twenty years, assisted by 

his two sons Ben and Ollie - he is 

on site four and half days a 

week and Saturday 

mornings. When not 

at Horsham, he’s 

busy looking 

after Purley, 

Sutton and 

Cheam cricket 

clubs, as well as 

East Grinstead 

and the Old 

Whitgiftians 

ground near 

Croydon. 

Not content 

with those tasks 

however, Roger 

also works as an 

ECB pitch adviser 

for Surrey, so time 

management for the 

63-year old is 

obviously one of 

his key skill sets. 

Sussex

Grass tennis courts 

“The contractor 

brought in to 

look after things 

took it into his 

head to scarify 

the surface in 

two different 

directions, with 

disastrous 

consequences” 

42 

Nursery ground and nets with main square beyond 

grounds are within his portfolio, 

however Roger’s early experience 

came at Surrey venues, working part 

time at Kenley and Oxted cricket 

clubs, while employed for 

pharmaceuticals giant Upjohn. 

“I was batting for Surrey second 

team in the early 1970s. I played a lot 

of cricket and am still as passionate 

about it as I am about 

groundsmanship. Nothing looks 

lovelier than a nicely striped up 

ground. I experimented with circles 

and dabbled with diagonals but landed 

back with the traditional look.” 

When his job at Upjohn came to an 

end, Roger decided to take a chance 

and move into the industry full-time. 

“I look after about ten grounds and 

that keeps me and my staff busy. I 

need a day a week away from 

Horsham to check that everything’s 

okay.” 

Perhaps, like so many cricket venues, 

money can get tight. “We manage to 

provide a county standard ground on a 

club budget,” Roger states proudly. 

“It’s a constant battle to maintain 

standards. Once you let them slip, you 

have to work that much harder to 

bring them back up. Not many 

grounds in the south-east are as good 

as Horsham.” 

You suspect that Roger would never 

entertain that idea for a moment, 

although he concedes that the weather 

earlier this year thwarted his plan of 

action for 2010. 

“We found it difficult to find a 

window for weeding. The windy 

weather, with its sudden gusts, made 

spraying impossible, and the worst 

times to be doing it are when players 

want to practice.” 

He accepts that keeping the weeds at 

bay is growing harder as the battery of 

chemicals deemed safe to apply 

dwindles. “Glyphosate we apply to the 

surrounds of the ground and 

chlordane worked wonderfully on the 

worms, but that’s not permitted now, 

and carbendazim is being phased out 

too. Chafer grubs can be a problem, 

but Merit tackles that and helps 

prevent the damage that crows can do 

in digging around for grubs, 

particularly on the practice ground. 

The last attack of the grubs we had 

here cost the club £700 to put right. 

Snow mould didn’t get hold here 

during the snowy spell and, thankfully, 

we don’t suffer from fusarium.” 

First play comes around in April 

when the club takes to the field, then 

county matches follow. The season’s 

arriving earlier each year it seems, as 

the demand for practice time 

impinges on what is traditionally the 

preparatory period for the 

groundstaff. 

“By January, I’m finishing off 

aerating the square and spraying on 

iron to add strength to the turf. 

February’s the time for the pre-season 

roll with the two and half tonne roller 

then, in spring, I’m applying the first 

fertiliser and iron to strengthen and 

encourage colour. It’s then time to 

verticut the outfield.” 

He rents an Earthquake aerator, 

which, hauled behind one of the club’s 

35hp tractors, generates 10-12in deep 

slits. “This is the second year we’ve 

brought it in and it works well,” says 

Roger. “We tend to alternate it with 

vertidraining.” 

To complicate matters though, 

Roger has to be careful to use the right 

equipment and machinery in the right 

parts of the ground. “On the south

“We manage to provide a 

county standard ground 

on a club budget” 

side, we have chalk six to eight 

inches down,” he explains, “then 

that gives way to sandy soil - it’s a 

bit of all sorts here.” 

”We suffer from thatch build-up 

and moss,” Roger adds. “They 

cause us problems. I’d like to hire 

a Graden at some stage to help 

clear the organic material.” 

By the end of March, Roger’s 

rolling out the wickets and 

reducing cut height from 6mm to 

3mm, using his trusty Dennis 

mower; “but I do like to leave a bit 

of grass on there. After all, every 

groundsman is fighting to achieve 

bounce and pace.” 

“The speed of growth sometimes 

takes me by surprise,” he 

confesses. “We can get three boxes 

off it and I think ‘where did all 

that come from’?” 

The six grass nets at Horsham, 

now in their third year, have 

recently come in for a thorough 

makeover, Roger applying five 

inches of Surrey Loams Ltd’s 

Gostd, then overseeding with 

triple ryegrass mix. 

Having a second, ten wicket 

ground next to the main one has 

allowed Horsham to develop its 

cricket across a spread of age 

groups. “We have a large junior 

section, plus third and fourth 

teams, all of whom play on the 

nursery ground.” 

Horsham has a good record of 

developing talent through its 

cricket academy, one of the 

innovations brought in by former 

club chairman, Dr John Dew, 

whose vision it was to foster junior 

talent. 

Although he died last year, the 

fruits of his labours are clear for 

all to see in such bright hopes as 

21-year old Sussex leg spinner, 

Will Beer, who impressed in the 

England U19s test series against 

New Zealand in 2008. 

“John was a great man. He’d 

always ask how everything was 

going and appreciated the 

difficulties of the groundsman’s 

task,” Roger recalls fondly. 

Since he arrived, Roger has 

been busy repairing wickets but 

knows that it can take at least two 

or three years before a 

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43

Roger with his ‘exit strategy’ Ben Gibson 

44 

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“I feel like 73 sometimes, 

but I have an exit strategy 

and am grooming Ben to 

succeed - he’s still only 18, 

but coming on really well” 

reconstructed one is ready for 

county cricket. “I’ve tried pretty 

much everything on the square 

over the years and it’s achieved a 

very good root structure now but, 

when I came here, there were major 

difficulties and it took a couple of 

years to sort them out. But, I think 

our efforts here to turn things 

around have been appreciated.” 

Most important of all is the end 

of season renovation, stresses 

Roger, pointing to the bags of loam 

and Sheriff ’s TT23 triple ryegrass 

mix. That’s when the Graden may 

well come in handy, he adds. 

Coming full circle, aerating begins 

again in November. “I do five 

passes over about two to three 

months using the Toro Greens-Air, 

which provides a four-inch depth,” 

he adds. 

As a contractor, Roger owns all 

his own equipment, which can 

supplement the items that 

Horsham run. Hove, the county’s 

cricket home, loaned the ground a 

motorised Blotter to relieve Roger 

of the chore of drawing sheets 

across the square when it rained. 

“The weight of water that could 

accumulate on the sheets was 

huge,” he remembers. “The 

motorised unit, plus our two 

pedestrian Blotters do the job well.” 

The John Deere 2563, used on the 

outfield and purchased after the 

five-year lease expired, is the 

workhorse at Horsham. “As a 

mower, it is not too complicated 

and does the job.” 

At 63, Roger might be forgiven 

for seeking retirement. “I feel like 

73 sometimes,” he jokes, “but I 

have an exit strategy and am 

grooming Ben to succeed. He’s still 

only 18, but is coming 

on really well.” 

Images 

© Clare Turnbull and 

speedmediaone 

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Who are you? Roger Ward - Head 

Groundsman at Horsham Cricket Club and 

Managing Director of Southern 

Sportsground Services. 

Family status? Married for 37 years with 

two sons, Ben and Ollie, who are both 

Partners in the business, plus four 


Roger Ward - Cyclists give him the blues and his 

grandchildren give him the runaround! 

grandchildren and another on the way. 

Who’s your hero and why? Brian Clough, 

as I have been a lifelong Derby County 

Supporter. 

What is your dream holiday? To travel 

across USA by train. 

What annoys you the most? Cyclists. 

What would you change about 

yourself? I’d like to be forty years 

younger. 

Who wouldn’t you like to be? A Crystal 

Palace supporter. 

Favourite record, and why? Dark Side of 

the Moon by Pink Floyd. 


romantic evening with? My wife, of 

course. 


thing you would do? Buy a few acres of 

land and build a cricket ground. 



and why? A Blues guitar. 


been given? To always try my best. 

What’s your favourite smell? Freshly cut 

grass. 

What do you do in your spare time? I 

read history books, watch cricket and run 

around behind the grandchildren. 

What’s the daftest work related 

question you have ever been asked? 

Why is the wicket slow after six weeks of 

rain? 

What's your favourite piece of kit? 

Dennis Verticut and SISIS Combirake. 


describe yourself? Hardworking, loyal 

and empathetic. 


would like to be a brilliant blues guitarist. 

What makes you angry? Customer 

service departments. 


see introduced? Road cyclists having to 

have some sort of road tax. 

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45

Talking cricket with 

Karl Brotherhood, Head 

Groundsman at Solihull 

School 

Report by 

Laurence Gale MSc 

Brotherhood 

of Solihull... 

One of the Midland’s oldest 

independent schools, Solihull 

School, is celebrating its 450th 

birthday this year. Founded as a free 

grammar school to teach the sons of 

Solihull residents English, Latin and 

Greek free of charge, it began life in a 

room that once stood by St Alphege 

Church in Solihull town centre. 

The school moved to, what is now, 

Malvern House in the late 16th Century, 

before moving to its present 50-acre site 

at Warwick Road in 1882. 

Its fine academic reputation attracted 

the likes of the great 18th century poets 

Richard Jago and William Shenstone as 

pupils. 

Poet, essayist and literary critic, Samuel 

Johnson, often referred to as Dr 

Johnson, was also impressed enough to 

apply for a headship - but was turned 

down as unsuitable! 

Well-known former pupils include the 

BBC newsreader Michael Buerk, Top 

Gear presenter Richard Hammond and 

Radio 5 Live presenter and host of Radio 

2’s Drive Time show, Simon Mayo. 

46 

In 1946, it became an Independent 

School, breaking its links with 

Warwickshire County Council. 

The school has gradually expanded in 

numbers and buildings. However, the 

most spectacular developments have 

taken place in the past twenty-five years 

with the opening of a new sports hall and 

pavilion, theatre and outside pursuits 

centre, as well as new classrooms, a 

rebuilt junior school and a new music 

school. 

In June 2003 the Governors decided 

that the School would become fully 

coeducational (in 2005), taking girls as 

well as boys into the junior school and at 

11+. 

Solihull School has a reputation for 

sporting prowess, with many pupils 

representing their county. Sport is high 

on the curriculum with cricket, rugby, 

football, hockey and athletics proving to 

be the most popular. The school grounds 

are in constant demand and are probably 

one of the busiest areas of the school. 

The school employs a small team of 

groundstaff under the supervision of the 

Head Groundsman, Karl Brotherhood, 

who came to the school five years ago. 

He has four staff to help him prepare 

and maintain the grounds - Deputy Head 

Groundsman, Mark Bailey; Assistant 

Groundsmen, Ian Ross and David 

Dresser, and gardener, Paul Groom. 

Karl previously worked as Assistant 

Groundsman at the Edgbaston County 

Ground, home of Warwickshire CCC, for 

23 years, under the guidance of four 

different Head Groundsmen - Bernard 

Flack, Rob Franklin, Andy Atkinson and 

most recently Steve Rouse. He has 

applied his considerable knowledge to 

producing wickets that are well presented 

and consistent in colour. 

There are four established cricket 

squares. The first has nine wickets; the 

second ten plus two artificial wickets; the 

third has eight plus one artificial and the 

fourth, known as Hampton Lane cricket 

square, has four wickets plus one 

artificial. 

There are approximately seventy 

scheduled games per season, not 

including house matches and cup

competitions. These are played 

from Easter through to early July, 

which makes this time of the year 

particularly busy for the 

groundstaff. 

Karl takes full responsibility 

for all the maintenance 

operations carried out on the 

main square, overseeing all 

the preparation and repairs of 

the wickets, along with all the 

mowing duties. 

The rest of the school 

cricket squares are looked 

after by Mark Bailey. 

Mark has been Deputy 

Head Groundsman at 

Solihull School for thirteen 

years. Prior to this he 

worked within the 

horticultural industry and 

gained a National 

Certificate in 

Horticulture (level 3) 

and National Craftsman 

Certificate in Horticulture 

at Isle of Ely College of 

Samuel Johnson was 

impressed enough to 

apply for a headship - 

but was turned down as 

unsuitable!

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Mark Bailey, Deputy Head Groundsman 

Further Education and 

Horticulture. Mark’s career 

has included working as a 

nursery manager, looking 

after a large private country 

estate and running his own 

garden contracting business 

for several years. 

Whilst at Solihull School 

Mark was presented with a 

Licentiateship from City & 

Guilds. Mark studied under 

Andrew Turnbull at 

Warwickshire College and 

graduated from Harper 

Adams University College 

with an HNC in Sports Turf 

Management. He is currently 

completing his Graduateship 

for City & Guilds, which he 

hopes to gain later this year. 

Winter preparation is 

essential, says Karl. For the 

last few years Phil Day, a local 

sports turf contractor, has 

come in and koroed, 

topdressed and seeded all of 

the wickets in August. This 

has proved to be a labour 

saving and cost effective 

practice. It has also improved 

the quality of play on all 

squares. The school has 

recently purchased a 

Groundsman Spiker for 

aeration during the autumn 

and winter months. 

Karl believes it is essential 

to clean the pitches 

thoroughly and ensure all 

debris is removed from the 

table, leaving a key for new 

loam material (Kaloam) to be 

worked into the pitches at a 

rate of 6-8 bags per strip. 

In the autumn a tonic of 

Scotts Pro-Iron, 7% fe 

+seaweed, is used right up 

until December, and again in 

February. 

Plenty of pre season rolling 

is essential for good pitches, 

and Karl likes to start as early 

as he can, usually in February, 

while there is still plenty of 

moisture in the soil profile. 

He begins his rolling 

programme using the weight 

of the square mower, and 

then moves quickly onto his 

main roller, rolling in the 

traditional union jack 

pattern. 

Pitches are then prepared 

in the usual way bringing 

down the height of cut in 

stages, cleaning out, watering 

and covering if required. A 

Dennis Cassette mower, fitted 

with a tungsten tipped 

verticutter reel, is used to 

help prepare the wickets, just 

cleaning out the sward 

without damaging the soil 

profile. 

The square and outfields 

are kept at 13mm, enabling 

the triple mowers to mow 

straight across the squares for 

presentation. 

Pitch preparations take 

anything between 14-10 days 

to prepare depending on 

time available. Final cut is set 

between 3-6mm, depending 

on the fixture and time of 

year, using a Lloyds Paladin. 

Karl and Mark have a

policy of prepping a number 

of wickets in advance, 

allowing for changes in the 

fixture list. Mark prepares his 

wickets up to three weeks in 

advance, this is the only way 

he can accommodate the 

large amount of cricket 

played at the school and to 

the level required. 

During the season they use 

a renovator fertiliser 10:2:4, 

normally on used wickets 

after being topdressed with 

Kaloam and seeded. Early 

wickets will be reused later in 

the season. 

An appropriate timescale 

for preparing a wicket, 

including rolling and 

preparing, can be as many as 

twenty hours per wicket. They 

use a Lloyds Paladin, a Sisis 

brush scarifier, a Hako brush 

and a Dennis 24” mower with 

a scarifier attachment, plus a 

1.5 tonne roller as equipment 

for the preparation of a 

wicket. 

The squares are rested in 

early July following the end 

of the cricket season, and 

Autumn and Winter Sports 

then the whole sequence 

begins again. 

Players at all levels have 

been inspired by the quality 

of the pitches and, having 

David Hemp, the former 

Warwickshire batsman, who 

captained Glamorgan for two 

years and is the current 

captain of Bermuda, as fulltime 

cricket coach, enusres 

that cricket is high on the 

agenda at Solihull. 

Summer is also a busy time 

with athletics featuring 

prominently on the summer 

calendar, A six lane grass 

athletics track is marked out 

on the sportsfields, with 

initial marking taking a 

couple of days with the aid of 

carrot markers. The lines are 

marked using a Bowcom 

Trike linemarker on a weekly 

basis. Field events are also set 

out on the playing fields. 

Mowing of the sports fields is 

carried out with triple 

mowers at 13mm, 

two-three times a 

week, depending 

on grass growth. 

Once the school returns from the summer break it is straight 

into a heavy winter sports programme, with rugby, football 

and hockey being the main sports played. 

There is just enough room to fit five senior rugby pitches, 

one senior football and seven junior football pitches on site. 

Hockey is played on the all weather pitch. 

Rugby is very popular, 

with ex Harlequin, 

Stephen Thompson, 

being the head of 

sport. With over one 

hundred matches 

played, along with 

daily training, the 

pitches take quite a 

hammering. Grass is 

mown at 80mm using 

a Trimax rotary 

mower and marked out on a weekly basis. 

Regular spiking and brushing helps keep the pitches in good 

condition, whilst a feeding programme of granular fertilisers 

(Scotts 24:5:11) helps maintain grass vigour. 

The school also runs a seven a side rugby tournament that 

sees three days of play on all the pitches. Once the playing 

season is over the extent of the renovations is governed by 

what budgets Karl has available at the end of his financial 

year. Emphasis will be given to cleaning them up, using their 

Amazone, plus deep spiking and use of an earthquake and 

topdressing if budgets allow. 

The school also has large 

areas of formal gardens 

and ornamental lawn 

areas, maintained to an 

excellent standard by Ian 

Ross and the gardener 

Paul Groom. These 

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49

SawPoints 

“Golf courses tend to have one or two members 

of staff who are trained in tree work - if a tree 

comes down it is useful to be able to have 

someone on hand to deal with it quickly”

Taking Tree 

Work in-house 

Chainsaw use on the golf course is usually 

classified as ‘occasional’. Even so, strict 

regulations are in place to ensure safety for 

both the operator and the public. 

Jane Carley investigates what regulations 

are in place, what qualifications are required 

and where to find training courses 

There are, of course, plenty of 

experienced arborists available to 

provide contract services to course 

managers - the Arborists Association 

can provide a list of members at 

www.trees.org.uk - but it may be more 

efficient to undertake routine 

maintenance in house. 

However, it is not just a matter of any 

greenkeeper or groundsman picking up 

a chainsaw. The Provision and Use of 

Work Equipment Regulations 1998 

(PUWER) requires that any person who 

uses or supervises the use of work 

equipment has had adequate training. 

In particular, the Approved Code of 

Practice accompanying the Regulations 

requires anyone working with 

chainsaws to hold a Certificate of 

Competence award or national 

competence award relevant to the work 

they undertake. 

For professional chainsaw operators 

working in forestry and arboriculture, 

the adequacy of training for all 

chainsaw operations, including aerial 

tree work, needs to be confirmed by an 

independent assessment, leading to the 

award of an accredited NPTC 

Certificate of Competence in the 

relevant unit or units. 

Core NPTC qualifications are CS30.1 

‘Maintenance of the Chainsaw’ and 

CS30.2 ‘On-site preparation and basic 

cross cutting’, which can be completed 

in one or two days depending on the 

candidate’s experience. Felling 

qualifications can then be added on, 

along with additional training and 

certificates for tree climbing and 

arboricultural work, if required. 

Chainsaw operators working outside 

forestry and arboriculture at a basic 

level (occasional users) can attend an 

Integrated Training and Assessment 

(ITA) course leading to a Lantra Awards 

Certificate of Basic Training. This 

applies to the operations of chainsaw 

maintenance, basic cross-cutting and 

felling material up to 200mm diameter. 

This will be recognised as meeting the 

requirements of the Provision and Use 

of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. 

However, occasional users wishing to 

fell material over 200mm diameter 

must hold the relevant NPTC 

Certificate of Competence. 

Under PUWER, chainsaw operators 

are required to attend a refresher 

course every five years, if in the 

professional category, and every three 

years if in the occasional category. 

Due to the high risk nature of 

arboriculture, training is usually 

provided by colleges or specialist 

training centres and delivered by 

trainers who are industry/technical 

specialists. 

Qualifications are also available for 

operating stump grinders and wood 

chippers, which can be useful on the 

golf course or sports ground. 

Hartpury College offers the NVQ 

level 2 in Greenkeeping and NVQ Level 

3 in Golf Course Supervision, and 

chainsaw courses, from the Lantra basic 

training certificate up to aerial rescue 

and tree climbing, are optional modules 

within the two year modern 

apprenticeship course. They can also 

be taken as add-ons for qualified 

greenkeepers, with discounts offered to 

mature students. 

“Spraying courses are probably the 

most popular, but we can offer training 

and certification for tree work,” 

explains trainer/consultant Chris 

Pickles. “The training would be 

appropriate for work on a golf course, 

as it includes aspects such as setting up 

a safe zone to protect golfers and other 

bystanders.” 

GOSTA Training is a learning centre 

used which specialises in training for 

greenkeepers and the landscape 

industries. Managing director Lesley 

Lowrie comments: “Golf courses tend 

to have one or two members of staff 

who are trained in tree work - if a tree

Occasional users wishing 

to fell material over 

200mm diameter must 

hold the relevant NPTC 

Certificate of Competence 

52 

“It’s a tidy tractor, a 

doddle to use – the right 

size for what we need.” 

L5240 Mid Range Tractor 

Head Groundsman, Brian Walker knows how to get the best from the 

pitch at Cardiff Arms Park. Brian operates a Kubota L5240 tractor for 

varied tasks from dressing to drainage. “It’s multi purpose, ideal for 

deep spiking and dressing as it will take a tonne no problem on the 

front loader - the tractor will go all day.” 

Kubota (U.K.) Limited, Dormer Road, Thame, Oxfordshire. OX9 3UN 

comes down it is useful to be able to 

have someone on hand to deal with it 

quickly. The level of training depends 

on individual courses, but most only 

want to deal with timber up to 200mm 

diameter, so the Lantra Awards 

certificate of basic training is usually 

adequate; a contractor is called in for 

more demanding work.” 

However, Lesley adds that 

greenkeepers who work for a local 

authority, or other large landowner, may 

find it useful to take the full NPTC 

certificates of competence. 

“Chainsaw training is certainly 

becoming more popular, and we are 

now running courses throughout the 

year to cater for demand,” she says. 

Whilst the course content is detailed 

on the Lantra website, the right trainer 

can tailor the information to the 

student, suggests Lesley, so that the 

skills learned are appropriate to a golf 

course, rather than a forestry situation. 

“It does depend on who delivers the 

training; we are lucky that our trainer is 

very good!” she says. 

Lantra Awards is the training 

organisation providing a UK-wide 

register of training providers and 

instructors, offering training across all 

aspects of tree work. Registered training 

providers may be colleges, training 

organisations, companies or individual 

instructors. www.lantra-awards.co.uk 

NPTC is the awarding body, 

accredited by the UK regulatory 

authorities, offering assessment for 

Brian Walker 

Head Groundsman 

Cardiff Arms Park 

“Chris, at our local Kubota dealer Ted Hopkins Ltd. 

completely looks after our equipment and servicing 

requirements. The tractor can’t really go wrong, with 

an automatic gearbox, it’s like being in a car.” 

Find your local dealer or book a test drive today: www.kubota.co.uk UK 0800 023 1111 ROI 1 800 848 000 sales@kubota.co.uk

Certificates of Competence across all 

aspects of tree work and other landbased 

skills. www.nptc.org.uk 

The PPE at Work Regulations 1992 

require that personal protective 

equipment is supplied and used at work 

wherever there are risks to health and 

safety that cannot be adequately 

controlled in other ways. Employers are 

required to provide PPE free of charge to 

their staff. 

The Regulations also require that PPE: 

• is properly assessed before use to 

ensure it is suitable 

• is maintained and stored properly 

• is provided with instructions on how to 

use it safely 

• is used correctly by employees 

The following PPE should be used for 

tree work: 

• Safety helmet (complying with EN 397) 

• Eye protection (mesh visor complying 

with EN 1731 or safety glasses to EN 

166) 

• Hearing protection (complying with 

EN 352) 

• Gloves. The type of glove will depend 

on a risk assessment of the task and 

the machine. Consider the need for 

protection from cuts from the 

chainsaw, thorny material and cold/wet 

conditions. Where chainsaw gloves are 

required, these should comply with EN 

381-7 

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• Leg protection incorporating chainclogging 

material (complying with EN 

381-5) 

• Protective boots with good grip and 

protective guarding at front vamp and 

instep (complying with BS EN 20345) 

• Non-snag outer clothing. The use of 

high-visibility clothing may also be 

appropriate 

• Each person should carry a personal 

first-aid kit including a large wound 

dressing 

• Hand-cleaning material such as 

waterless skin cleanser or soap, water 

and paper towels should be readily 

available 

HAVS (Hand-arm vibration syndrome) 

Hand-arm vibration is vibration 

transmitted from work processes into 

workers’ hands and arms. It can be 

caused by operating hand-held power 

tools, such as chainsaws, so is an issue 

when carrying out tree work on the golf 

course, which is likely to take place over 

a concentrated period in the winter. 

Regular and frequent exposure to handarm 

vibration can lead to permanent 

health effects. This is most likely when 

contact with a vibrating tool or work 

process is a regular part of a person’s 

job. 

Hand-arm vibration can cause a range 

of conditions, collectively known as 

hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS), as 

well as specific diseases such as carpal 

tunnel syndrome. Symptoms include 

tingling and numbness in the fingers, 

loss of sensation, loss of strength in the 

hands, the fingers going white 

(blanching) and becoming red and 

painful on recovery. 

Employers are required to assess 

vibration risks to workers to check if their 

job brings them to the exposure action 

value (EAV), a daily amount of vibration 

exposure above which employers are 

required to take action to control 

exposure - for hand-arm vibration the 

EAV is a daily exposure of 2.5m/s 2 A(8). 

The exposure limit value (ELV) is the 

maximum amount of vibration an 

53

employee may be exposed to on any single 

day. For hand-arm vibration the ELV is a 

daily exposure of 5m/s 2 A(8). It represents a 

high risk above which employees should not 

be exposed. 

Vibration data for particular machines, 

such as chainsaws, can be obtained from the 

manufacturer’s handbook or from the HSE. 

Employers can use this, and online tools 

available from the HSE or the services of a 

specialist consultant, to determine whether 

an employee is at risk. 

Preventative action includes steps limiting 

the amount of time spent using a particular 

machine, selecting machinery which has 

lower vibration ratings, and ensuring 

machinery is well maintained, eg that 

chainsaw teeth are sharpened regularly 

(following the manufacturer’s 

recommendations) to maintain the machine’s 

efficiency and to reduce the time it takes to 

complete the work. 

www.hse.gov.uk/vibration/index.htm 

SawPoints 

Pitchcare is also a Lantra Awards Registered 

Training Provider. 

We have strong links with our associate 

Pitchcare Training Partners and work with a 

network of other Training Providers 

throughout the UK to offer a wide range of 

arboricultural training, including Basic Tree 

Survey and Inspection and Professional Tree 

Inspection courses. This means that we can 

often source local courses for our individual 

members, which can greatly reduce travel 

time and time “off the job”. 

For minimum groups of four we are 

usually able to arrange training on your site, 

delivered by a registered Lantra Awards 

instructor, providing you have suitable 

woodland areas. It may therefore be worth 

approaching neighbouring golf courses, 

sports associations, parish councils etc. to see 

if they have staff who could join with you. 

The most popular Chainsaw modules for 

our members include: 

- CS30 Chainsaw Maintenance and Basic 

Crosscutting 

- CS31 Fell and Process Small Trees 200mm- 

380mm 

- CS32 Fell and process medium trees 

380mm-760mm 

- CS38 Climb trees and perform aerial 

rescue 

- CS39 Use of chainsaw from rope and 

harness 

- CS40 Carry out pruning operations 

- CS41 Carry out dismantling operations 

- CS47 Use of a chainsaw from a MEWP 

- CS48 Powered pole pruners 

We can also provide training on Stump 

Grinders, Brushcutters, Brushwood Chippers 

and other arboricultural equipment. 

For further information on general 

chainsaw training and qualification, I suggest 

you follow this link to the Health and Safety 

Executive’s website 

http://www.hse.gov.uk/foi/internalops/sectors/ag_fo 

od/1_04_02.pdf 

If you are interested in any of these 

courses for yourself or your staff, contact 

chris@pitchcare.com. 

54 

Golf course case studies 

Tyrrells Wood, Surrey 

The parkland setting of Tyrrells Wood 

Golf Course in Surrey is resplendent 

with mature trees and Course Manager, 

Billy MacMillan, has the services of 

three chainsaw-trained greenkeepers 

and a trusted contractor to keep them 

looking their best. 

“We deal with windblown or fallen 

timber ourselves and undertake 

pruning up to head height. Anything 

else is down to our contractor, with 

whom we have worked for eight years, 

so he knows the course well,” he 

explains. “I tend to accumulate tree 

work jobs to bring the contractor in for 

a full day.” 

A major clearance operation adjacent 

to the public highway, which runs 

through the course, required the skills 

of a specialist arborist plus a traffic 

management crew, as Billy explains: 

“We were asked by the local authority 

to remove 28 trees, most of which were 

mature beech some 95ft tall, so the 

road had to be closed between 9.00am 

and 3.00pm. The work required some 

complex planning, as we also had to 

zone the course, close certain holes, 

cordon off the work site and set up 

temporary playing facilities to protect 

the golfers.” 

Several of the members have formed 

an arboreal group to take care of 

replanting, with the emphasis on 

indigenous species. 

Belton Woods, Lincolnshire 

AS a relatively new course, Belton 

Woods in Lincolnshire features mainly 

newly planted trees, for which minimal 

maintenance is required. Head 

Greenkeeper, Angus McLeod, 

comments that many older trees within 

the country club grounds have tree 

preservation orders on them, requiring 

negotiation with the local authority 

before any work is done on them. 

“I employ greenkeepers with LANTRA 

tree work qualifications. We have done 

a lot of planting, and have recently 

changed the management regime to 

move away from strimming under the 

trees, developing a richer environment 

and enhancing their health.” 

Angus previously worked at Newport 

Golf Course, part of a Site of Specific 

Scientific Interest (SSSI) and with 60 

acres of woodland at its heart, and has 

used his experiences to help in his new 

position. 

“Newport has lots of ancient 

hedgerows and protected trees, some 

of which form strategic aspects of the 

course layout. Work included raising 

crowns to allow golfers to play 

“Some of the stock comes from the 

existing woodland, with whips 

transplanted out onto the course, while 

we have also hired in a tree spade or 

used a 360 excavator to provide larger 

rootballed trees. We are keen on 

succession - the course has a number 

of majestic trees, and if they are lost it 

would have a significant impact on the 

landscape, so we need to have 

replacements ready.” 

There is, of course, one downside to 

this many trees. Billy reckons that his 

team spend three and a half months 

clearing leaves in the autumn. But, 

continuing the green approach, the 

debris is composted and then spread in 

the woodland. 

underneath, and I also used contractors 

to pollard trees which had been 

affected by fungi. It was a costly 

process - £800 per day when £2000 

would have covered felling, but it 

enabled us to save important trees,” he 

explains. 

Angus suggests that it is important to 

develop a good relationship with the 

local authority tree officer. “Get the tree 

officer on board with what you are 

doing, and they are less likely to object 

when you do have to take a tree down. 

I’d like to pollard some of the old oaks 

at Belton Woods, and am working with 

the tree officer to progress this. In 

addition, the tree officer tends to stay 

on site when we have arboricultural 

contractors in, and offers more cost 

effective advice and help than using a 

consultant.” 

Another new project involving the 

contractor is the development of a new 

rock climbing area for the country club, 

which will necessitate the planting of a 

number of new trees, which will also 

come under Angus’s remit.

SawPoints 

Trees on 

the Golf 

Course 

To get the most out of golf course 

trees, careful management is needed, 

says the STRI’s Bob Taylor 

Trees can play an important role on 

the golf course, depending on its 

type; parkland courses rely heavily 

on trees for their landscape, whereas 

there will be relatively few trees on a 

links course. 

They can provide: 

• A strategic point of interest, for 

example at the back of a green 

• An offset gateway in a fairway that 

golfers can play through 

• Definition of a hole 

• Screening between holes 

• General visual impact, particularly on a 

parkland course. 

• Ecological value 

• Carbon sequestration 

However, trees can also create 

problems for the greenkeeper. They can 

restrict light and airflow to the turf, 

slowing the speed at which moisture is 

removed from the surface. Dew needs to 

dry before golfers walk on the surface, or 

fungi can spread, leading to diseases 

such as fusarium. 

Roots can spread towards, or onto, the 

surface of the green, risking damage to 

mower blades, and robbing the turf of 

vital water and nutrients. The 

greenkeeper needs to be aware that root 

spread can be one and a half times the 

size of the canopy! On heathland 

courses, leaf drip and shading from 

overhang can threaten heathers. 

Certain trees can also be inappropriate 

on golf courses. Leylandii are non native 

and short lived with a lifespan of 30-40 

years. As well as looking contrived and 

offering minimal wildlife value, they start 

to degenerate, split and can blow over 

after 25-30 years. 

The Lombardy Poplar is another 

species with a short life, and matures 

from the inside out, so disease can’t be 

seen from the exterior. Branches snap off 

and leaf and twig fall is prolific, 

presenting dangers to man and 

machinery. 

So, to get the best from golf course 

trees, they must be managed. Alongside 

the greenkeeper’s own skills, he may 

need to take advantage of specialists such 

as the STRI. Removing trees can be a 

contentious issue, but a hemispherical 

analysis, a technique offered by the STRI 

provides a quantitative route to assessing 

if it is necessary, e.g. by pinpointing in a 

non-subjective way a particular tree is 

causing the problem. 

Where a lack of air movement is the 

problem, removing just one or two trees 

may not remedy it. By assessing where 

the winter sunlight is in the morning 

(generally to the south east, tracking 

south west), the ride of trees up to 40- 

50m long by 10-20m wide, which should 

be removed, can be identified. 

Even if just one tree is the problem, 

remember that it may be home to bats, 

which are protected by law and can’t be 

disturbed. A bat survey will establish 

whether it is possible to proceed. 

Crown lifting can successfully remove 

low branches and allow golfers to play 

from the edge of a green, as well as 

improving air movement. 

Localised careful thinning through the 

understory (where young trees up to 6m 

high are growing through) is another 

useful technique, but does need 

supervision as the understory is an 

important component of the woodland 

structure. 

While golf club members may worry

about tree removal from an ecological 

perspective, the woodland edge supports 

more species than the centre, so creating 

rides actually encourages diversity by 

extending the area of woodland edge. 

Dead trees have considerable 

ecological value, with log piles providing 

a home for invertebrates, fungi and even 

small mammals. Standing dead wood is 

also useful and ‘weed’ trees such as 

sycamores could be treated with bark 

ringing to kill the tree, leaving it in situ 

for maximum ecological benefit. 

Greenkeepers should consider 

replanting too, looking at suitable sites to 

CHAINSAWS have become 

sophisticated machines with a 

range of specialist designs for 

large timber or climbing work. 

But, many of the developments 

have been geared towards 

improving the health and safety 

record of tree work and to 

making operation easier for 

occasional users. 

Stihl is now incorporating 

much of its advanced 

technology, first developed for 

foresters, into general purpose 

chainsaws such as the new MS 

391, designed to tackle 

anything from fallen trees to 

fence posts. The company 

suggests that this would be an 

ideal choice for a golf course, 

with its 64.1cm 3 engine and 

choice of 16-20in guide bars. 

These include the 2-Mix 

engine designed to offer fuel 

consumption savings of up to 20 

percent compared to a 

conventional two-stroke engine, 

lower emissions and improved 

performance. 

The engine’s four-port 

technology optimises fuel 

combustion to improve 

efficiency, while stratified 

scavenging reduces the 

scavenging losses typical of twostroke 

engines, where unburned 

fuel emissions are emitted to 

the environment with the 

exhaust. The new technology 

injects a layer of clean air 

restock. New trees should ideally be 

native species, of local provenance, and 

planting in single species groups, 

possibly in multiples of three to replicate 

how trees seed and spread naturally. 

Closer planting at woodland edges than 

in the centre also helps to give a natural 

‘domed’ effect to the woodland. 

There is a wide range of species to 

choose from, including understory trees 

such as field maples, hawthorn, rowan, 

goat willow and holly. Tall canopy trees 

would include birch, Scots pine, oak and 

beech, whilst crab apple is another 

important woodland tree. Remember, 

SawPoints - What’s new? 

between the burned charge in 

the combustion chamber and 

fresh mix in the crankcase. 

What escapes as the scavenging 

loss with the exhaust emission 

is not fresh fuel mixture, but air. 

The exhaust, therefoe, contains 

fewer pollutants. 

A new long life air filter 

reduces maintenance by 

incorporating a pre-separation 

system that extends the service 

life of the air filter. The preseparation 

system uses 

centrifugal force and a threedimensional 

air flow to remove 

larger, heavier particles of dirt 

and route them away from the 

intake air, before they even get 

to the physical air filter. The 

largely particle-free air is then 

directed to the filter via a preseparation 

channel. 

Stihl’s anti-vibration system 

uses a combination of Cellasto 

AV elements and special springs 

between the engine unit and 

handles to reduce the vibration 

caused by the engine and saw 

chain, even at high speeds. This 

is said to offer comfortable 

operation as well as improved 

guiding of the saw bar, 

enhanced by low vibration Stihl 

Comfort Saw chains fitted as 

standard. 

An option is the Picco Duro 

(PD3) saw chain with a drive link 

thickness of 1.3mm and 3/8in 

pitch. This carbide tipped low 

profile saw chain is said to stay 

sharp up to four times longer 

than a standard saw chain while 

offering low vibration and low 

kickback properties. Stihl 

suggests that this chain is also 

ideal for the less experienced 

chainsaw user, or someone 

working with dirty wood such as 

fence posts or railway sleepers. 

Husqvarna’s latest 

developments include TrioBrake 

and AutoTune. 

In addition to the usual inertia 

mechanism and the front 

kickback guard, the chain brake 

can be triggered in a third way 

with Trio Brake. A new guard, 

which be activated by the user’s 

right hand, has been added to 

the rear handle. Together, the 

three different modes form a 

brake system that can prevent 

injury in certain kickback and 

fall situations. 

Trio Brake is said to be ideal 

for occasional users and those 

who have not used a saw 

before. It can also encourage a 

more ergonomic working 

posture, because if the user 

doesn’t bend their knees when 

working and, instead, bends 

their back, the right hand is 

likely to trigger the chain brake. 

The brake may be activated 

manually or automatically 

(during a kickback and during 

improper or dangerous use). 

Users have commented on 

benefits from improved safety, 

improved work techniques and 

efficiency, productivity and a 

reduction in physical strain, says 

Husqvarna. 

AutoTune is a new technology 

that provides the saw with 

improved engine performance 

through an automatic engine 

that not all trees may be appropriate on 

all golf courses - for example, white 

beam drops white leaves which can make 

balls hard to find! 

Sentinel trees can add interest, with 

horse chestnut, ground fir or noble fir 

working well, as can cedar, but remember 

the spreading habit of this species. 

Any tree nursery can supply suitable 

stock, and specialists attend the major 

events, such as BTME, offering a good 

source of advice and information. 

Where the ground permits, extra heavy 

rootball trees can be sourced from 

suppliers if immediate impact is needed, 

setting function. This avoids 

wasting time on carburettor 

adjustments, as the saw 

automatically adjusts for 

different fuels, altitudes, 

humidity and temperature. It 

also compensates for clogged 

air filters, will regulate idle, low 

and high speed settings and 

comes with diagnostic 

technology. 

The heavy duty 576XP AT 

chainsaw is the first of 

Husqvarna's chainsaws to 

feature Auto Tune, although it 

will be introduced as an option 

on other models in the future. 

As well as AutoTune this saw 

features an X-Torq engine, 

designed to produce high torque 

over a wide rpm range, 

combined with low fuel 

consumption and reduced 

emission levels. Its low 

emissions technology is 

designed to use fuel more 

efficiently than a conventional 

two-stroke engine, the company 

suggests, with 20 per cent fuel 

savings and a 60 per cent 

reduction in emissions. 

Makita says that chainsaw 

safety is a fundamental element 

of the design and manufacturing 

its saws with three key safety 

factors: an efficient chain brake, 

a new easy-start system and low 

vibration levels. 

Saws feature a forward finger

ut remember that they 

need a pit one and a half to 

two times the size of the 

root ball. They also require 

staking and the installation 

of an irrigation system. 

Trees can be supplied as 

two year old forestry 

transplants or as standards. 

The latter are larger initially 

but grow little for five or six 

years. Forestry transplants 

are 45-60cm tall but will 

grow relatively quickly. 

There is also the matter of 

price - forestry transplants 

are 20-30p each as opposed 

to £20-30 for a standard. 

Mycorrhizal root dips can 

be used before the 

transplant is placed in a 

tree tube, and we have seen 

extremely good results with 

them. 

Tree and hedgerow work 

cannot be undertaken 

during the nesting season 

from March to August but, 

guard and chain brake. When 

the operator shuts down the 

throttle completely, the clutch 

automatically slows the chain 

drive and stops the chain 

running. If the operator pushes 

the finger guard forward, the 

chain is mechanically halted 

immediately. The guard must 

be re-set before the chain will 

move again. 

The new easy-start system 

featured on the latest 

DCS3501 and DCS4301 

models provides a spring 

assisted cord action, said to 

reduce the cord effort by 50%. 

Coupled with a new variable 

ignition timing and push fuel 

pump, the new easy-start 

system is designed to ensure 

efficient first time starting 

which eliminates the risk of 

operator strain or accidental 

machine movement whilst 

starting. 

In operation, Makita’s 2mass 

system effectively 

separates the grip handles 

from the body of the machine 

by mounting the handles on 

spring-fulcrums, designed to 

substantially reduce the 

transmission of vibration 

through the handles to the 

operator. For instance, the 

50cc DCS5030 has tri-axial 

rating of 4.7m/sec2, reducing 

HAV risks. 

Another approach is the 

battery powered saws offered 

by Pellenc and distributed by 

Etesia. With a power output 

equivalent to 30cc, the Selion 

Pole and Telescopic chainsaws 

are fitted with an Oregon chain 

for accurate cutting. With a 

lightweight design and +90°/- 

45° angle adjustable head, 

the Selion Pole and Telescopic 

chainsaws allow vertical and 

horizontal cutting from the 

base of the tree. Pellenc chain 

guide bars are made from 

composite materials for 

torsional flexibility and to 

once the autumn work is 

finished, provides variety 

and motivation for 

greenkeepers through the 

hard winter months, so 

bringing the work ‘in house’ 

can have advantages which 

are more than just financial. 

While many greenkeepers 

will have chainsaw 

qualifications from their 

training and may have 

added further skills in 

climbing or large tree 

felling, a woodland 

management course can 

provide further tools for 

caring for golf course trees. 

STRI’s own course is 

dedicated to ecology, 

including woodland 

management, and 

comprises classroom 

training along with half a 

day at St Ives Golf Club, 

next to the Bingley 

headquarters, studying 

woodland on the course. 

prevent breakage in case of 

accidental jamming. 

Automatic chain tensioning 

features a simple ‘click’ from 

the spring when the guide bar 

is fitted, providing assurance 

that both the guide bar and 

chain are correctly tensioned. 

The chain can be removed and 

installed easily using a 

retractable spanner integrated 

in the head of the tool. 

The retractable spanner is 

also used when the chain 

needs re-tensioning during 

cutting. Electronic oil flow 

control is said to give a 30 

percent saving on oil 

compared with a typical petrolengine 

chainsaw. Benefits of 

the Ultra lithium battery are 

odour and pollution free 

operation and a high working 

capacity. 

Selion C15 and M12 electric 

chainsaws weigh in at 2kg and 

less than 1.7kg (excluding 

battery packs) with a power 

output equivalent to 35cc and 

30cc respectively. An Oregon 

chain, composite guide bar, 

automatic chain tensioning 

and electronic oil flow control 

also feature on these saws. 

The Selion C15 and M12 have 

a direct drive chain sprocket 

rather than a clutch and 

gearbox for efficiency and 

reduced weight. An 

electronically-triggered 

kickback sensor 

instantaneously applies the 

electric chain brake in the 

event of a fall or kickback. 

In professional hands 

ECHO has been creating industry standards for 

over fifty years and constantly brings innovation 

to chainsaw production. The ECHO Easy 

Start system is the latest of the many unique 

developments introduced over those years. 

ECHO chainsaws start easily, run smoothly 

with minimum noise and vibration. Built for 

professionals and to the highest quality, an 

ECHO chainsaw delivers reliability and 

performance over a very long working life. 

www.echo-tools.co.uk 

0800 597 7777 

PC0610C 

57

“Why the hell is he doing 

that when 65,000 people 

are about to jump up and 

down on it?” 

Earley... and 

At the mention of the Isle of Wight 

you’d be forgiven if Cowes Week 

came first to mind, the largest 

sailing regatta of its type in the world. 

However, the island is also home to 

another monumental annual event. 

The Isle of Wight Festival is a three day 

music gathering that has played host to 

some of the biggest names in music 

including Jimi Hendrix, Free and Bob 

Dylan. After an absence of thirty-two 

years, the festival returned to the island 

in 2002, and has grown in popularity 

year on year. June 2010 will see 65,000 

revellers descend upon Seaclose Park and 

call the Isle of Wight their home for 

three days. 

Pan Publicity’s’ Greg Doggett 

combined his love of music, and a tip off 

from client Charterhouse Turf 

Machinery, to find out whose job it was 

to plan and prepare the island’s grounds 

for such a massive event - and then 

58 

return it to normal again after the 

festival goers have staggered off the 

island! 

Seaclose Park is a multi sports venue 

owned by the Isle of Wight Council and 

the job falls to Andrew Earley, Contracts 

Inspector for the Parks and Countryside 

Division. The task of getting the island 

‘festival ready’ is enormous, and the buck 

does ultimately stop with him. 

It helps that Andrew was born and 

bred on the island, and that he has 

worked at the Council since he left 

Carisbrooke High School (near Newport) 

in 1985. “I always liked being outdoors 

and knew that a desk job wasn’t for me,” 

he explained. “When I left school at 

sixteen, I applied for a place on a 

government funded Grounds 

Maintenance Youth Training Scheme. 

This supplied me with a good, broad 

overview of the skills that I would need 

later on to look after all of the different 

grounds on the island. Once the course 

was completed, I took a job at the 

council as a School’s Groundsman, 

looking after a catchment area of sixty 

schools”. 

In 1990, the Grounds Maintenance 

Department was privatised to become 

‘Group 90’ and then ‘N-viro Grounds 

Maintenance’ where Andrew became the 

Contracts Manager. But, by 2002, and 

coincidentally the same year the Festival 

was re-established, he took up the 

position of Contracts Inspector back with 

the Council. 

“I contract monitor a core workforce of 

fifteen to oversee the maintenance and 

upkeep of 100 sites all over the northern 

part of the island, including football 

pitches, bowling greens, parks, gardens, 

ornamental areas and a pitch and putt, 

in addition to the festival that is held on 

Seaclose Park each year. You can 

appreciate I’m kept very busy!” says

on time! 

Andrew. 

Preparations for the June festival 

begins at the start of April each year 

when Andrew has a ‘pre festival’ 

meeting with his Parks Officer, 

Andrew Mcintyre, to put an action 

plan in place. Andrew believes good 

preparation is essential for good 

recovery, so they discuss the aeration, 

seeding and mowing requirements 

and draw up a work schedule for the 

eight football pitches, and one cricket 

pitch, that all need to be restored 

after the festival is over. 

Over the three days of the festival 

the pitches get majorly compacted 

and, up until last year, they only had a 

small Verti-Drain to do the work. “I 

decided we needed to invest in 

something that could handle the large 

area in a smaller amount of time,” 

said Andrew, “so we did some internet 

research and found that nothing else 

Image © Solo 

Seaclose Park before the festival

Seaclose Park prior to the festival ... and another. 

on the market had the same spec as the 

Charterhouse Verti-Drain 7626, the 

biggest Verti-Drain they manufacture.” A 

trip to Saltex followed, and a chat with 

Nick Darking secured a demo at the 

Arsenal training ground to see their 

7626, with the ultimate sale being 

managed by New Forest Machinery. 

They start preparing the ground in the 

middle of April, with intense aeration, as 

they believe it’s important to plan in 

advance to tackle the problems that the 

festival will cause. Andrew’s contractor 

aerates with 25mm tines set to a depth of 

about 14/15 inches, which the 7626 

makes short work of because of its size. 

After that, they follow on with an 

overseeding programme, using a 

Charterhouse 1.5m Overseeder. Andrew 

fully expects people to say ‘why the hell 

is he doing that when 65,000 people are 

about to jump up and down on it?’ 

“The reason I do this is to aid recovery 

after the festival has finished,” he 

reasons, “April and May are ideal months 

to seed because we have a bit of moisture 

in the ground. Even if all of the seeds 

Who are you? Andrew Earley, Contracts 

Inspector (Parks and Countryside Division at 

Isle of Wight Council). 

Family status? Married to wife Susan. Have 

two boys - Matthew, 11 and Nicholas, 7. 

Who’s your hero and why? I don’t believe 

in having heroes! 

What is your dream holiday? Going to the 

Rockies in Canada. I love the train journey 

around the mountains. It’s beautiful and a 

very peaceful place. 

What annoys you the most? Unruly 

children! 

What would you change about yourself? 

I’m happy being me. 

Who wouldn’t you like to be? Gordon 

Brown directly after his ‘Bigotgate’ foul up on 

the Jeremy Vine Radio Show before the 

elections. 

Favourite record, and why? Anything by 

Queen. 


don’t germinate, we still get a head start 

in the recovery process after the festival 

has moved on. I like to use a 100% 

perennial ryegrass mix that is made up 

of various different cultivars, it’s hard 

wearing and recovers quickly making it 

ideal.” 

At the end of May, just before the site 

is handed over to the event organisers, 

Solo, they do their final mow with a 

Kesmac five gang mower. They leave a 

little bit of time before the production 

team arrive at the site for two reasons, 

firstly, it gives the grass time to grow and 

thicken up again and, secondly, it is a 

hard task to mow once equipment and 

staging arrives on the site. 

The site is handed over to Solo’s 

control from 1st June for three weeks, 

after a pre festival meeting and walk 

round with Andrew and his Parks Officer. 

They assess the general state of Seaclose 

Park during this initial inspection, and 

list down what damage is already there, 

so that Solo are aware of how the site is 

to be left when the festival is finished. 

Seaclose Park isn’t the only place that 


Andrew Earley - placid, happy and easy going, except 

when free tickets are not on offer! 

romantic evening with? My wife. 


thing you would do? Well, firstly I would 

pay off all my family’s mortgages (mine first, 

of course). I would then take my family on a 

dream holiday and treat my boys. 



and why? A drum - because I like beating 

things! 


been given? Only buy it if you can afford it. 

What’s your favourite smell? Freshly cut 

grass. 

What do you do in your spare time? Spare 

time - what’s that? I love spending any free 

time with my boys. 


you have ever been asked? The public are 

always asking ridiculous things. 

What’s your favourite piece of kit? My 

Charterhouse Verti-Drain 7626 

sees a transformation during the festival. 

“It’s unbelievable,” Andrew reminisces, 

“Newport (the capital of the island), sees 

a massive influx of people in and out of 

the bars. It’s brilliant, you have a sea of 

festival goers walking through the town 

centre in colourful costumes of all shapes 

and sizes, and generally enjoying the 

weather!” 

But, the £10 million that the festival 

brings to the island each year doesn’t 

please everybody, he goes on to say. “If 

you ask the younger generation, then 

they will tell you how much they love it. 

On the other hand, if you ask the older 

people in the community, especially 

those who live in the area that backs on 

to the park, they will give you a totally 

different answer! I suppose to 

summarise, it really is a case of mixed 

feelings.” 

Paul McCartney finishes off the festival 

late on Sunday 13th June and, the 

morning after, the park reveals its true 

state. “The morning after the night 


describe yourself? Placid, happy, easygoing 


would love to be able to play the electric 

guitar. 

What makes you angry? Not getting free 

Isle of Wight Festival tickets! 


see introduced? I would like to see tougher 

punishment for anti-social behaviour and 

fixed penalties introduced for littering.

Andrew (left) and Parks Officer, Andrew Mcintyre Bowling Club at Ryde 

before,” laughs Andrew, “I am not 

kidding you, there is litter piled a foot 

high across the entire park. Luckily, Solo 

still have tenancy for another week so 

they clear all of the litter - they do a 

fantastic job, I can’t fault them.” 

“But, even after eight years of being 

involved with the festival, it is still quite a 

shock to see the park ‘naked’. I have to 

say, it looks like a desert!” 

Before they can start on grounds 

reparations, they have to carry out the 

post festival inspection. Once the last of 

the articulated stage trucks has left the 

site, a walk-round with Solo is taken to 

assess any damage, such as broken curbs, 

oil spills and damaged footways. Once 

that work is taken care of, the real 

damage limitation starts. 

“We put into action a programme of 

aeration to recover the ground. I prefer 

to use my smaller 18mm tines on the 

Verti-Drain 7626, because the ground is 

so compacted. If I tried to go in with the 

25mm tines I use before the festival, I 

would cause too much damage. Directly 

after aerating, I overseed the whole 

park.” 

“At the end of July, after the seed has 

had a chance to germinate and establish 

properly, we do our first mow. I always 

use a Spearhead flail mower for the first 

post-festival cut; the reason being is that 

there may still be debris like bolts, screws 

and glass lurking in the grass. Bolts and 

screws would destroy the contractor’s 

gang of cylinder mowers - flail mowers 

are a lot more rugged and can withstand 

debris. Once August arrives, we return to 

our normal maintenance schedule and 

prepare for the new football season that 

begins in September.” 

Andrew’s plan of action is obviously 

well rehearsed, as he has been in charge 

QUALITY 

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of festival preparations since it restarted 

in 2002 and, luckily, they haven’t had 

one wet festival since that time. Not so 

for the ‘Bestival’ - another festival held 

on the island in September each year - 

which had an extremely wet event a 

couple of years back and ended up being 

a total mud bath. 

“I have a young family here, and I can 

honestly say that I am happy,” he says. 

“It’s a different way of life on the island 

that I just don’t think I’d get on the 

mainland. I visit the Saltex show in 

Windsor each year to keep up to date 

with the latest techniques. Logistically, I 

don’t think it makes that much of a 

difference to cost - it’s not like I live on 

the Shetland Islands!” 

Andrew is someone who is 

clearly in love with the island 

he calls home. 

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Grounds Managers, Groundsmen, Grounds Maintenance Managers, Greenkeepers and those involved in the management of public 

and private playing fields, sports pitches, golf courses, bowling greens, polo lawns, tennis courts, parks, gardens, grounds and estates 

in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands 

Sports clubs, manufacturers, suppliers, dealers, distributors and contractors in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, 

Isle of Man and the Channel Islands

Guernsey is one of the 

British Isles most 

southerly outcrops. 

Only its sister islands, 

Jersey, and a bit of 

Sark, are further south. Together, 

with Alderney and a number of 

smaller islands, they are 

collectively known as the Channel 

Islands. 

Guernsey is the furthest west - 

30 miles off the Normandy coast 

of France and 75 miles south of 

Weymouth in Dorset. To its 

eternal credit, it is not a member 

of the EU. Neither is it part of the 

United Kingdom, but a separate 

possession of the Crown. 

The climate is temperate, with 

mild winters and cool, sunny 

summers. The hottest months are 

August and September, where 

temperatures are generally around 

20°C (68°F). The coldest month is 

February with an average weekly 

mean air temperature of 6°C. 

Snow rarely falls. The 

temperature rarely drops below 

freezing, although strong windchill 

from Arctic winds can 

sometimes make it feel like it. 

The island is made up of two 

distinct geographical regions, the 

Haut Pas, a high southern plateau, 

and the Bas Pas, a low-lying and 

sandy northern region. In general 

terms, the Haut Pas is the more 

rural of the two, and the Bas Pas 

is more residential and 

industrialised. It has a total area 

of just 25 square miles and a 

population of around 62,000. 

Its close proximity to France is 

evident in the names of people, 

GuernseySport 

places and roads. Whilst French is 

spoken, the first language is 

English. The island’s most famous 

sporting son is ex Southampton 

and England footballer, Matt Le 

Tissier. 

For such a small island its range 

of sporting activities and facilities 

is impressive and include: 

• Golf - two courses at La Grand 

Mare and L’Ancresse, plus a 

nine hole course attached to St 

Pierre Park hotel. The 

L’Ancresse course hosts two 

clubs, Royal Guernsey and 

L’Ancresse, and a May bank 

holiday race meeting 

• Cricket - associate member of 

the International Cricket 

Council, with possibly the best 

indoor cricket facilty in the 

British Isles 

• Football - the top tier is the Sure 

Mobile Priaulx league 

consisting of seven teams - each 

with its own stadium and 

training facilities. Run by the 

Guernsey FA 

• Gaelic football - the Guernsey 

Gaels compete in a European 

league 

• Other sports - including one of 

the oldest softball associations 

in the world, a purpose built 

table tennis centre, an extensive 

modern leisure centre, athletics, 

hockey and rugby 

On the following pages we meet 

some of the groundsmen and look 

at the challenges they face due to 

the island’s topography and 

location. 

Sporting life on 

Guernsey 

Compiled by Laurence Gale MSc

ALAN Hamilton looks after 

two cricket grounds on the 

island and was project 

manager of the new, state 

of the art Indoor cricket 

facility. 

Originally from 

Northampton, he moved to 

Guernsey four years ago, 

bringing with him his desire 

to improve the provision of 

cricket on the island. Last 

year he was voted ICC 

Cricket Groundsman of the 

Year for his services to 

cricket on the island. 

Alan’s opportunity to 

come to the island was 

through Jason Shambrook, 

Guernsey’s Cricket 

Development Officer 

against whom he used to 

play in Northampton. They had 

been on cricket courses together 

and, when the Guernsey Cricket 

Association started talking about 

bringing someone over in a 

groundsman role, Jason 

recommended Alan. 

His assistant is the island’s 

current international cricket 

captain, Stuart Le Prevost who, 

last year, oversaw two highly 

successful World Cricket League 

divisional campaigns, including 

wins over the likes of Malaysia, 

Norway, Nigeria and Japan. 

Alan has been kept busy 

overseeing the building of a brand 

new square at Port Soif, home of 

Rovers Football club. The square 

came into play this summer. The 

main cricket facility on the island 

is at the King George V playing 

field. 

A comprehensive article on Alan 

featured in issue 28, but here’s 

what he has been up to recently: 

“After an extremely wet winter, 

we find ourselves watering like 

mad after having around seven 

weeks with no significant rain 

here in ‘sunny’ Guernsey! 

How quickly things change! 

Saying that, temperatures have 

not been as high as we had hoped 

(as I’m sure is the same on the 

mainland), so seed germination 

hasn’t been as good as it could 

have been - especially when we 

have to get from football and 

rugby pitches to cricket outfields 

in about two weeks! 

On the cricket wicket front, both 

King George V and Port Soif have 

produced an encouraging amount 

of runs for early season games. 

Having taken some advice from 

Andy Mackay (Sussex CCC Head 

Groundsman), we have tweaked 

our rolling programme and pitch 

preparation slightly, and it seems 

to be doing the world of good. It is 

amazing to think that such small 

adjustments to our daily routines 

can have such a big effect on the 

way our pitches play. Simply 

GuernseySport 

Island cricket... 

Alan Hamilton 

(left) with Stuart 

Le Provost 

rolling for different amounts of 

time, and leaving more grass on 

wickets in the build up to games, 

has produced drier, harder wickets 

which, in turn, have produced 

more runs and higher scoring 

games. 

At Port Soif recently, we were 

lucky enough to host the Sussex 

2nd XI for two fixtures which was, 

hopefully, a forerunner to hosting 

a First Class game in the not too 

distant future. All went really well, 

and the tourists were very 

impressed with the facilities, both 

on the pitch and off it. Grass 

practice wickets, fielding nets and 

a general training area are all par 

for the course in a first class 

match, and the Sussex coaches 

and players reported that all were 

very much to their liking. Watch 

this space! 

With the ICC European Division 

2 Tournament looming (July 13th- 

19th), we have to be more aware 

of our wicket usage on the 

squares. On our nine wicket 

square at KGV, we will use five 

wickets in the space of two weeks 

during the build up to, and during 

the tournament. It is a similar 

situation at Port Soif, where we 

have eleven wickets. 

This event is the highlight of our 

cricket season and, having 

successfully hosted a European 

tournament and, more recently, a 

World Cricket League tournament, 

we are looking to maintain the 

high standards we have set for 

ourselves. Hopefully, our national 

side can do us proud on home soil 

and become victorious on July 

19th.” 

On you marks ... 

Funding 

for sport 

Thanks to the States of Guernsey, the island is well 

provided for in terms of facilities, despite the fact 

that there is no financial support at all from the 

UK government. 

The Channel Islands are independent of the UK in 

the same way Gibraltar is, with its own government 

and laws. The link between Guernsey and the UK is 

through the Crown. 

It means that all the revenues required to finance 

the island’s services, such as health, education and 

sport, have to be self generated. Sources of funding 

available for sport in the UK, such as the National 

Lottery, are not available to Channel Island sports. In 

fact, it is not possible to buy a National Lottery ticket 

on any of the islands. 

The Culture and Leisure Department has a rather 

modest £3.6 million annual budget, of which just 

£967,000 is allocated to the Leisure Services section. 

The department also receives £250,000 a year for 

capital items, but this has to be shared between 

various sections and is not just for sports facilities and 

services. Nonetheless, the facilities are extensive and 

of a high standard. 

The independent, Guernsey Sports Commission, 

provides development officers in a number of key 

sports. 

The island, along with Jersey, operates a Channel 

Island lottery, but the amounts raised are relatively 

modest. The leisure centre does receive some funding 

from this source, but the bulk of the proceeds goes to 

Guernsey charities. 

The States attracts significant help from the local 

business community, and many support sport through 

sponsorship. 

Online gambling company, Sportingbet, moved its 

European operation to the island three years ago. 

Employing 100 staff at its headquarters in St Peter 

Port, the company has become heavily involved with 

local sport. 

In its first year on the island, the company secured a 

three year sponsorship deal with the Watson family to 

help their daughter and local rising tennis star, 

Island football... 

THERE are currently ten clubs on the island, all very 

active and very much involved with the community in 

running teams (senior, juniors, girls and womens) playing 

at various levels. All have reasonable standard stadium 

and social facilities, and generate their own funds to 

maintain their operations. 

During my visit, I was able to see a number of these 

grounds which, on first impression, looked in good 

condition. However, when it came to a closer inspection 

of the playing surfaces, they all lacked the polish I was 

expecting. Presentation, grass cover and levels were 

poor. Admittedly, it was coming to the end of a long 

playing season, after a poor winter and a very heavy 

fixture list. 

Talking to some of the clubs, it was apparent that the 

lack of resources was a contributory factor. Equipment is

Heather, in her bid to become a world 

class senior tennis player. Since this deal, 

the largest sponsorship for an individual 

in the island, Heather has reached 

number three in the world (Juniors), won 

her first major grand slam (The US Junior 

Open 2009) and has turned professional. 

Sportingbet’s further involvement in the 

Guernsey sporting scene includes 

sponsorship of the Channel Islands Sports 

Personality of the Year Awards, the 

Guernsey Marathon and the Channel 

Island Athletic Club. 

Managing Director, Bob Dutnall, 

explained, “As one of Guernsey’s major 

investors in the local community, the 

company is dedicated and passionate 

about wanting to make a real contribution, 

whether this is through sponsorship, 

fundraising, employee volunteering or 

mentoring. The company is immensely 

proud of the success of these 

relationships.” 

Wealthy benefactors have also been 

basic, in most cases just an ageing mower 

and a linemarker; the odd club had access 

to an old spiker. The work, in virtually all 

cases, is undertaken by volunteers who lack 

proper groundsmanship knowledge. 

The States of Guernsey Works Department 

offer end of season renovation works (pitch 

repairs, deep aeration and overseeding), but 

some of the clubs consider this service to be 

too expensive, so renovations are often 

restricted to some localised repairs, seeding 

of worn areas (goalmouths and centre circle) 

and little else. 

In many ways, the clubs on Guernsey are 

in the same situation as many on mainland 

UK -they have other pressing priorities with 

regard to players, coaching and clubhouse 

requirements, and they rely heavily on the 

goodwill of their volunteer members. 

known to give local sport a boost. One 

such case in question is cricket which, 

thanks to the generosity of businessman, 

Jon Ravenscroft, has one of the UK’s best 

indoor cricket centres. Opened by former 

England captain, Mike Gatting, in April 

last year, the huge 1200 square metre hall 

can host two matches simultaneously, as 

well as providing an area for coaching or 

fielding practice. 

It has to be said that such a level of 

benevolence is exceptional, and most 

sports generate their funds through more 

usual means, such as subscriptions. 

Despite the not insignificant investment 

in the island’s facilities, unfortunately, the 

States has not been able to please all its 

sporting groups. The impressive Foote’s 

Lane stadium, with its 6 lane athletics 

track and newly redeveloped stand, is the 

showpiece venue for most of the island’s 

major events. Until recently, that also 

included the annual football match 

against neighbouring rivals, Jersey, with 

GuernseySport 

the match alternating between the islands, 

Known as the Muratti (after a cigarette 

company), the fiercely fought fixture 

attracts a couple of thousand fans. 

However, the Guernsey Football 

Association have decided that the intimacy 

of one of its own club venues, albeit with a 

poorer standard facility and playing 

surface, is preferable to a stadium pitch 

surrounded by a running track. 

On a more positive note, the Culture & 

Leisure Department and Guernsey Sports 

Commission are keen to promote the 

island’s facilities as a training base for one 

of the smaller nations taking part in the 

2012 Olympics. If successful, this would be 

a great PR coup for the island and would 

provide a once in a lifetime opportunity 

for Guernsey youngsters to see Olympic 

athletes in action on their own track. The 

resident athletics club, based at the 

stadium, originally had some reservations, 

but would now welcome a visiting team of 

Olympians or Para-Olympians.

Shane Moon 

Iwas invited to visit Guernsey 

by Shane Moon, Head 

Groundsman at the island’s 

Footes Lane Stadium, one of the 

sites run by the States Of 

Guernsey Culture and Leisure 

Department, who are responsible 

for promoting and maintaining a 

range of sporting services. 

Shane has been with the States 

of Guernsey Leisure and Culture 

Department for twenty-six years, 

and has worked at most of the 

sports facilities on the island 

during his time with the 

department. 

He has spent the last seven 

years at Footes Lane. The 13acre 

site was redeveloped in 

1992 at a cost of £1.2 million to 

provide a much improved 

stadium pitch, a Polyflex all 

weather floodlit athletics track 

and a full size artificial turf 

pitch, which has recently had a 

purpose-built hockey pavilion 

added. 

A major development of the 

Garenne Stand, seating 720 

spectators, has transformed the 

complex into a showpiece venue 

for sporting events on the island. 

Guernsey Rugby Club have 

two rugby pitches adjacent to the 

site, but rent the stadium pitch 

for all their first team fixtures 

and when hosting overseas 

touring parties. Shane has to 

manage an ever-growing list of 

fixture and events. 

In the course of a year, footfall 

can reach 150,000, much of it 

GuernseySport 

Lunar 

Energy... 

from local schools and football 

clubs who use the pitch for 

matches and training camps. 

During my visit, Southampton 

Football Club were holding a 

week long football camp, which 

involved children of all ages 

being coached by the club’s staff 

coaches. 

Every year, Shane organises 

the renovation of the stadium 

pitch, usually going through a 

process of scarification, aeration 

using a vertidrain, applying 90 

tonnes of imported sand from 

mainland UK and overseeding 

with Advanta MM50, a perennial 

rye grass seed mixture. A relative 

straightforward job you might 

think, but it usually comes at a 

cost! 

In the UK, sand is usually 

delivered to site at around £25- 

30 per tonne. On Guernsey, 

Shane has to pay around £125 

per tonne due to the cost of 

transporting materials and 

machinery to the island. The 

total cost for topdressing just 

one pitch is a staggering 

£12,000! 

Sand and topdressings can 

only be sourced from mainland 

UK, hence the cost. In fact, all 

grounds maintenance machinery 

and amenity supplies, such as 

seed and fertlisers, have to be 

imported from the mainland. 

All of these supplies come 

through local dealer, Stan 

Brouard Ltd, who have been in 

operation since 1950. Originally

Southampton FC training camp at Footes Lane Footes Lane marked out for rugby 

agricultural and horticultural suppliers, 

the company has had to divesrsify into 

amenity products as the other two sectors 

have declined. 

Once the football and rugby seasons 

are over, the stadium pitch is marked out 

for athletics field events. During the 

summer Shane spends much of his time 

at the stadium, mowing 2-3 times a week. 

This is the peak time for usage. 

The States of Guernsey recoup some of 

the costs of the facility by charging up to 

£360 a day to hire the stadium. 

Shane also oversees the work on two 

bowling greens. The sward is maintained 

at a winter height of 10-12mm and, 

between April and September, they are 

cut every other day at 5mm. 

One of the greens has a unique 

characteristic - it has Cotula (Cotula 

squalida) growing in the sward. This 

southern hemisphere evergreen plant is 

used as a grass substitute, often on 

bowling greens, in New Zealand. Many 

years ago, the Cotula was introduced 

onto the green, by a previous 

greenkeeper, and has now become quite 

established. Shane did try to eradicate it 

a couple of years ago, by spraying the 

whole green with glysophate and heavily 

deep scarifying the base of the plant in 

the hope of killing it. However, it 

managed to re-establish itself and is now 

back with a vengeance. 

The cost of digging up the whole 

green and relaying a new one is 

prohibitive, so it looks like a case of 

having to live with it. In New Zealand, 

Cotula is used extensively for playing 

bowls on when cut below 2mm, so Shane 

is considering changing his maintenance 

regime to favour the Cotula and let it 

become the dominant playing surface. 

Guernsey could end up with one of the 

only Cotula bowling greens in the 

northern hemisphere. 

Disease, worms and moss problems are 

treated with appropriate chemical 

Other facilities visited... 

Beau Sejour Leisure Centre, which was 

successfully revamped between 2001-03, 

now offers facilities and services of the 

highest quality for sports and leisure 

pursuits. 

The Centre’s Manager, Martyn 

Boourgaize, is responsible for promoting 

and delivering a wide range of activities 

and events on a daily basis and has a 

dedicated team of staff who have helped 

the centre gain a much deserved ‘Highly 

Commended’ accreditation by Quest (see 

right). This puts the centre into the upper 

echelons of leisure centres in the UK. 

The Northern Athletic FC pitch is tended by 

Jose Alvarez, one of the island’s football 

and tennis coaches, who undertakes work 

on the ground in his spare time. Jose helps 

to mow and mark out the pitch every week, 

spending up to twenty hours a week at the 

club. He is assisted by Gary Cortez, the 

club’s fixture secretary, who also has 

committed many years to the cause of 

looking after football facilities on the island. 

The States of Guernsey provide a 

vertidrain and seeder for end of season 

renovation. 

products such as lawn sands, moss killers 

and fungicide treatments when required, 

Shane likes to adopt a more cultural 

method of control by carrying out 

effective regular maintenance operations 

such as brushing, aeration and scarifying 

to keep the sward open and free 

draining. Feeding is kept to a minimum 

to promote the finer grasses he sows 

each year. 

There are few pests on the island - no 

moles. foxes or badgers - just rabbits, 

that tend to be a problem everywhere! 

The States of Guernsey are also 

responsible for maintaining all the school 

playing fields (sixteen junior and six 

secondary), road verges, parks and open 

spaces. 

These are overseen by Contracts 

Manager, Peter Jackson, who has a large 

team of groundsmen and gardeners in 

his charge. Peter also undertakes 

contracts work for the various sports 

clubs on the island. 

GuernseySport What is Quest? 

Quest is the UK Quality Scheme for Sport and 

Leisure. 

Quest is a tool for continuous improvement, 

designed primarily for the management of 

leisure facilities and leisure development. 

Quest defines industry standards and good 

practice and encourages their ongoing 

development and delivery within a customer 

focused management framework. 

There are two models to use for your team: 

1.The Facility Management (FM) model is 

aimed at the management of any facility 

which provides an activity for customers; 

public, private, trust and voluntary sector. 

2.The Sports Development (SD) model is 

aimed at the management of any team which 

provides or facilitates participation in an 

activity; public, private, trust and voluntary 

sectors. 

Although initially designed for the sports and 

leisure industry, the good practice is flexible 

enough to relate to all cultural activities. 

Each of the areas identified above has both a 

self-assessment improvement programme, 

and the opportunity for an independent 

external assessment. 

To kick start the assessment process you will 

need to purchase a Quest Pack. This purchase 

includes subscription to the members only 

area of the website where you can access all 

the best practice guidance documents as well 

as benchmarking data and case studies.

L’Ancresse 

Golf Course 

TWO clubs play on the L’Ancresse Golf 

Course - the Royal Guernsey Golf Club 

(RGGC) and the L’Ancresse Golf Club 

(LGC). Royal Guernsey Golf Club was 

founded in 1890 and achieved its Royal 

status a year later. 

During the German occupation of the 

island in the Second World War the 

unwelcome visitors commandeered the 

clubhouse; turf was stripped from 

greens, tees and fairways to provide 

camouflage for their gun sites. 

A newly designed course, by Scottish 

architect Mackenzie Ross, came into play 

in 1949. Subsequent alterations to this 

design were carried out by Fred 

Hawtree, twenty years later, to form the 

marvellous links that is played today. 

In 2000, the maintenance of the 

course was passed to Golf Course 

Management LBG (GCM) from the 

States Works Department. Golf Course 

Management was formed in late 1999 by 

the members of both clubs, and consists 

of two members of RGGC and two 

members of LGC who act as directors. 

The company also have a chairman and 

a secretary. 

GCM employ seven full time staff and 

one part time staff member. Marcus 

Hamon is the Head Greenkeeper and 

has been at the course for twenty years, 

achieving his NVQ level II and III 

qualifications under the guidance of 

Peter Jones of PJA. 

Marcus was nominated for the Toro 

student greenkeeper of the year in June 

2003, just missing out on the final 

twelve. In February 2004 he was 

nominated for a City and Guilds medal 

for excellence and received this in July 

2004 from HRH Prince Philip at 

GuernseySport 

A tale of two clubs ... and horse racing! 

Marcus Hamon 

Buckingham Palace. Marcus is now a 

qualified NVQ assessor and has three 

members of staff who have achieved 

NVQ level II under his training and 

supervision. 

Greens programme 

Aeration is the key at L’Ancresse to 

keeping the greens in excellent 

condition. Marcus has not had any 

temporary greens in play in the twenty 

years he has been at the golf course. 

They are vertidrained with ½” solid 

tines and full heave to a depth of 

between 6” and 9”, depending on 

ground and weather conditions, in 

November and February. 

The greens are pencil tined (8mm 

solid) once a month during the playing 

season (March to September) to a depth 

of between 4” and 6” with no heave. 

Topdressing is carried out once a 

month in the playing season at about 

500kg per green, and Marcus likes to do 

this after verticutting to get the dressing 

worked in to the base of the plant. They 

are not normally cut the day after 

dressing, only getting a vibrating roll. 

They are fed with Scotts Double K 

(7:0:14) as a base feed, normally at the 

beginning of March when the weather 

starts to warm up, and again towards the 

end of April at a rate of 30gm2 . They are 

then fed with liquids, every four to five 

weeks, with Headland Trisert KS at a 

rate of 60lts/ha mixed with Proturf at a 

rate of 20lts/ha and Scotts PrimoMaxx at 

a rate of 400ml/ha. 

Headlands Tricure AD is applied after 

pencil tining at a rate of 10lts/ha and 

mixed with Turf Complex at a rate of 

20lts/ha, once a month, between Trisert

applications. 

The greens are predominantly Poa 

annua with a small percentage of Rye, 

Yorshire Fog, Bent and Fescue - a 

programme is in place to increase the Bent 

grasses first before trying to increase the 

Fescues. 

Marcus tries to keep the speeds up at 

about 9 on the stimp meter during the 

summer, which is plenty quick enough for 

the playing membership. Any quicker, with 

the slopes that they have at L’Ancresse, and 

the wind would make them unplayable, 

However, on rare occasions for County 

championships, they may be pushed up to 

10, but Marcus needs to watch the weather 

carefully. 

Tees 

Tees are verti-drained with 3/4” solid tines 

in November and February to a depth of 

between 6” and 9” with full heave, and 

again in April with ½” solids to a depth of 

6”. Those that are used through the winter 

are hollow cored with 3/8” tines to a depth 

of 3” (no heave) with the cores recycled 

back in to keep the cost of topdressing 

down. They are scarified and overseeded 

at the same time, using Advanta MM12 

mix. 

Fertiliser used on the tees is Sierrablen 

28:5:5 applied in April at a rate of 40gm2 . 

Without doubt, the weather is the 

driving factor on the island, with the 

Fertiliser and topdressing 

Greens 

Scotts Double K (7:0:14) 

Scotts Invigorator (4:0:8 + 4%Fe) 

Headland Trisert (15:0:12) 

Headland Turfclear 

Headland Pro turf 

Headland Tricure AD 

Scotts Primo Maxx 

Roffey 70/30 100 ton per year 

Island racing... 

A RECORD entry of 28 horses, including a 

first from France, contributed to a fine day of 

racing at this year’s annual May Bank 

Holiday race meeting at L’Ancresse, 

culminating in the biggest field for one race 

since the sport was resurrected five years 

ago. 

Jim Jamumeanu, President of the Racing 

Trust, was very happy with this year’s event, 

especially as 3,500 plus racegoers turned up 

for the event. Jim has a long association 

with racing on the island, having been an 

active member of the trust for many years, 

and also trained a number of horses for the 

race. 

The event is unique in that it runs across 

common land and the L’Ancresse golf course. 

The track is set over one mile 760 yards, 

providing an interesting circuit for the horse 

and rider. 

Upgrades were carried out this year to 

improve the finishing straight, with an army 

of volunteers helping to remove tracts of 

gorse to reline the track. Also, some 

combination of wind speeds and warm 

temperatures dictating the condition of the 

course. In the winter, when there are high 

tides, some parts of the course get flooded, 

with areas on the fairways dying back due 

to the salt contamination. Once the 

floodwater has abated, the contaminated 

areas are reseeded and fed to promote new 

growth. 

The course is unique in many ways. Not 

only having to provide two sets of 

members with a challenging course, 

Marcus and his staff are constantly battling 

with the elements and limited resources to 

keep the course in tip top condition. The 

sheer cost and logistical implications of 

importing products, goods and services is 

challenging, and is often dependant on 

availability. 

Also, every year, the course is closed for 

the island’s annual horseracing meeting! 

Height of cut 

Winter Summer 

Greens 7mm 4mm 

Tees 17mm 10mm 

Collars 17mm 10mm 

Approaches 17mm 10mm 

Fairways 25mm 17mm 

Semi rough 35mm 35mm 

Rough 90mm 90mm 

Tees and approaches 

Scotts Sierrablen (28:5:5) 

Roffey 60/40 5 ton per year mixed with 

Advanta mm12 and used for divots 

Tees are hollow cored in the spring and the 

cores recycled back in, overseeded with 

Advanta MM12 mix 

Fairways 

Humber Palmers 11 

Divot mix Roffey 60/40 with Advanta MM12 

localised flooding prevented the sward from 

maturing, so parts of the track had to be returfed. 

It takes two weeks to prepare the course, 

setting up the running rails and appropriate 

safety fences, and one weekend to set up the 

tented village that provides essential 

facilities - accommodation, stores, offices, 

toilets, entertainment and stables. 

Horses and trainers arrive two days before 

the meeting to acclimatise themselves with 

the course. This year was quite dry, with 

parts of the course having to be watered on a 

daily basis to maintain the going at good to 

firm. The race meeting starts at 2.30 pm and 

finishes at 5.00pm. 

It is a popular event with the islanders and, 

with an entrance fee of just £6.00, is very 

good value. The Trust is now considering 

whether it would be more cost effective and 

attractive to provide two days of racing. So 

far, there has been good feedback from 

trainers, riders and the general public for this 

to happen. 

What’s in the shed? 

John Deere 220 hand mowers x 3 

Ransomes Certes hand mowers x 3 

John Deere 2500A greens mowers x 2 

John Deere 2500B greens mowers x 2 

Jacobsen Greens King VI 

Jacobsen Tri King 

Jacobsen 4600 triple rotary 

John Deere 3235 fairway mower 

John Deere Pro Gator 

Cushman Turf Truckster 

Iseki 380 tractor 

John Deere eGator 

Ez-go buggy 

Redexim 7516 Verti-drain 

Cushman topdresser 

Propass spinner dresser 

Gambetti Barre 450lt sprayer 

SISIS MegaSlit 

Rotary rough topper 

Hunter Juno grinder 

3 tonne trailer 

Farmura F25 sprayers x 2 

Cooper Pegler knapsack sprayers x 2 

Ransomes turf cutter 

Sisis Auto Rotarake 

Flymos x 3 

Strimmers x 2 

Hedgecutter 

Scotts Accu Pro spinners x 2 

1 Set Greentek verti cut, scarify units, 

1 set sorrel rollers and 1 set each of 

rotary and topdressing brushes 

1 Set Greentek vibrating rollers

Mother Nature throws all 

kinds of problems at 

Martyn Savident, Course 

Manager at La Grande 

Mare Golf Club, in 

Guernsey. 

Undaunted by big waves, 

the constant threat of 

extensive flooding at 

high tide and more water 

pumps than the City of 

Manchester Fire Brigade, 

he and his team still 

manage to produce a 

playing surface worthy of 

a Hawtree design. 

Laurence Gale MSc met 

up with him on his recent 

visit to the island 

70 

“We have been known 

to row a boat across six 

fairways without 

touching dry land” 

Making 

Martyn Savident is Course 

Manager at La Grande Mare 

Hotel Golf and Country Club 

in Vazon Bay, Guernsey. He began his 

greenkeeping career in 1980 at the St 

Pierre Park Hotel, a 9 hole, par 3 

course designed by Tony Jacklin. By 

1987 he had become head 

greenkeeper. 

Three years later Martyn was offered 

the position of head greenkeeper at 

the yet to be constructed course at 

Vazon Bay. Designed by Hawtree Golf, 

originally as a 9-hole, the plan soon 

changed to become a full 18 holes. 

Martyn was able to oversee the 

construction of all the push up greens, 

four of which are double greens (18 

holes on 14 greens), excavations of the 

lake and tee constructions. The course 

was officially opened in March 1994. 

The course is situated on the west 

coast of Guernsey and actually sits 

below the high water mark by about 15 

feet. The name, translated from 

French, means The Great Marsh or 

The Big Water, depending on dialect. 

Understandably, drainage is never far 

from their minds! 

The complex is the largest privately 

owned piece of land on the island and 

now covers 120 acres. 

Even with nearly thirty years of 

experience Martyn says he is still 

learning. “There is always something 

new to get my head round - chemicals, 

soil amendments, machinery 

improvements or new thoughts on turf 

management techniques. Networking 

has always been an important part of 

the job. But, living on an island with 

only a few other lads to call on, it’s not 

easy. So, I have found the message 

boards and forums on the Pitchcare 

and BIGGA websites very useful.” 

Martyn always works to a plan, 

whether it is trying to increase the 

finer grasses - bents and fescues - or 

improving the presentation of the 

course. “All plans must end up at the 

same point,” he says, “Improving the 

experience of the golfing customer. 

That is what I see as our main purpose 

in the job.” 

“Alan Fox is my assistant, he has 

been with me for seven years. I’ve got 

two other full time greenkeepers, 

Justin Dowington and Paul McGahy,

Waves ... 

and an almost full time mechanic, Geoff 

Duquemin, who works thirty hours a 

week and has been part of the team for 

six years.” 

“I call in extra labour as required 

during the growing season, just to keep 

up with rough cutting, which takes up to 

forty hours a week, and tees and fairway 

divoting, to which twenty-four hours are 

allocated. I also take in a student from a 

French horticultural/agricultural college 

for between four to eight weeks each 

year.” 

Drainage 

“With the course being below the high 

water mark, flooding is a problem and 

drainage essential. There are a network 

of ditches - douits, pronounced ‘dwee’ in 

the local patois - that criss-cross the 

fairways. These carry the water, that 

enters through the boundaries at around 

twenty different places, to one outlet that 

runs under the coast road through a 

three foot pipe to the beach.” 

“This pipe has a non return valve 

halfway through that closes when the tide 

rises - there is over ten metres height 

difference from the highest and lowest 

tides - and the inward pressure of the sea 

is higher than the outward pressure of 

the water in the drainage ditch.” 

“The non return on a high tide can 

keep the gate closed for up to six hours 

and, with two tides a day, this is always a 

problem during winter months. This can 

become a problem when high tides and 

rain cause the ditches to fill and, on 

occasions flow over the fairways. We have 

been known to row a boat across six 

fairways without touching dry land.” 

“To help control the flooding, a pump 

is positioned near the beach that lifts 

water from the main ditch to the beach 

up a ten inch suction pipe to the pump 

ten feet above. The water is then pushed 

along a further sixty feet, and up another 

five feet, to the coast road drains where it 

then passes under the road to an outlet 

just above high tide mark to the beach.” 

“During the past winter the pump ran 

from late November to early January, 

non-stop, pumping 2,000,000 gallons a 

day, using around four litres of fuel per 

hour - thank God for red diesel. The 

pump can be manually controlled or put 

on a float switch. We keep it on float 

most of the time.” 

“On the outlet pipe, on the course 

GuernseySport 

side, there is a gate valve that can be 

lowered in times of drought to keep 

water in the ditches and raise the water 

table to keep the fairways green. But, this 

would have to be carefully monitored, 

and we have not needed to resort to this 

yet.” 

Design 

“Originally designed by Fred Hawtree, as 

a 9 hole, par 35, it was subsequently 

extended by his son, Martin, to an 18 

hole, par 64. It is a very challenging 

course with ponds, lakes and open 

ditches in play on all but one of the 

holes. Even from this tee though, a 

shanked ball can find water! Martin 

Hawtree still visits us regularly, the last 

time was in February of this year.” 

“All of the greens and tees were 

constructed from the native soil - a 

mixture of peat, sand and clay - dug out 

when creating the lakes and realigning 

and widening the ditches.” 

“Over 17,000 trees have been planted. 

There is quite a contrast in environment 

around the course, from exposed coastal 

areas to sheltered woodland further from 

the sea. We have had to put various 

species around the course, most of which 

71

One of the many ‘douits’ 

that criss-cross the course Thank God for red diesel! The incoming tide! 

have been taken as cuttings and grown 

on by the staff. The holes that are near 

the sea have been planted up with 

Tamarix that are hardy and thrive on the 

west coast of the island. In the wetter 

areas we have planted various willow 

varieties - golden, weeping, tortured and 

red. We’ve also planted poplars and 

alders that also don’t mind wetter 

conditions, and we have established areas 

of pine, hawthorn and oaks.” 

Agronomy 

“With so many differing soils on site I 

employ the services of agronomist, 

Extensive flooding on 1st March this year 

George Shiels, who has been advising the 

club for ten years. During his visits I walk 

the course with him and discuss 

programmes of work, take a number of 

core samples and agree a way forward.” 

Budgets 

“Living on an island has one big 

disadvantage - the cost of carriage. All 

course accessories - flags, sticks, tee 

72 

markers, signs, hole cutters, cups etc. - 

are ordered in one lot, so I have to 

ensure that everything is covered.” 

“To get goods to the island costs, on 

average, £60 per tonne. Topdressing has 

just jumped to £100 per tonne, forty 

bags of fertiliser now costs an extra £60 

to get here. In the present financial 

climate it is now costing us much more 

for less. That is why I try to get 

everything for the year in at one go and 

store it in the shed (greenhouse).” 

“Even visits from Martin Hawtree and 

George Shiels have to be budgeted for; 

tickets and other costs can amount to 

over £250!” 

“I try and keep the total running costs 

to around £250,000 per year. The largest 

cost is the staff wages at £125,000. 

Machinery leasing and repairs costs 

around £35,000 and course consumables 

- fertiliser, seed, topdressing and 

pesticides - between £15-18,000. 

Drainage and flood control will usually 

cost around £12,000.” 

Maintenance Regimes 

“I try to keep applications of fertiliser as 

low as possible on the greens, 

concentrating on applying double the 

amount of potassium as nitrogen, which 

we try to keep below 70kg N per hectare 

per year.” 

“With our warmer climate, we can 

apply a tonic to the greens in early 

March (8:0:0 at 10g/m), before the first 

application of wetter H2Pro at 25 l/h, 

and then every six weeks at 20l/h. This 

will be closely followed by Scotts Blade 

soil supplement at 40l/h and a first 

application of PrimoMaxx at 0.05 l/h 

followed by monthly applications at 

0.04l/h.” 

“I try to get a head start in spring, with 

my first hollow coring work straight after 

our first major tournament, which is 

usually on Easter Monday. We core with 

12mm tines and clear all the greens, first 

with the front nine closed and, later in 

the day, we start on the back nine and 

finish mid-morning the following day.” 

“The greens are overseeded with 

Manor and Heriot browntop bent from 

Johnsons Seeds. This is broadcast with a 

pedestrian spreader at 5-6gm per square 

metre (about 180 kilos for this year).” 

“Each green is then sarrel rolled and 

topdressed with around one tonne of 

90/10 Wessex topdressing brushed in 

with a Sisis Oscar oscillating brush. This 

will be followed with vibratory rollers for 

the next couple of days.” 

“The greens are then topdressed on a 

monthly basis, at half rate, until another 

hollow coring is completed in August.” 

“The height of cut remains at 6mm 

until mid to late April, and is then 

lowered to 4mm over a three week 

period. We never go much below 4mm 

during the season and, for our big 

tournaments, we double cut and roll 

depending on conditions.” 

“A number of other fertiliser products 

are used during the season that include a 

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The 8th green The 15th tee 

light spring and summer granule, but 

mostly High K and Effect Iron liquids to 

increase stress tolerance and improve 

colour.” 

“The tees are hollow cored (very shallow) 

in March and overseeded with Johnsons 

Teemaster, and topdressed with the same 

90/10 mix as the greens. They are fed twice 

a year, first in early April with Scotts 

Sierrablen Turf 28:5:5, which keeps them 

looking good for the season, and then, in 

Autumn, Sierrablen Mini 0:0:37 sees them 

through the winter.” 

“The fairways don’t get fed at all during 

the winter months, as we get flooded right 

across the course from heavy rain, and 

when the sluice gate is closed by the high 

tides. And, because all the surrounding 

hills are mostly farmland, the nutrients 

that are in the floodwater, will look after 

the fairways - help from Mother Nature.” 

Disease management 

“Because of the low lying land, and the 

amount of water that passes through the 

course, plus the proximity to the coast with 

mist and fog, it is essential to get the 

greens dry as soon as possible in the 

morning. This is done with a 3 metre ‘Big 

Dewey’ brush or the tractor mounted Sisis 

Oscar brush.” 

“Fusarium and anthracnose will always 

raise its head when the right conditions 

prevail, and I’ve also seen some dollar spot 

in recent years. However, with the 

development of Heritage, Banner Maxx 

and Instrata, disease control is getting 

easier and disease scarring is kept to a 

minimum using these products.” 

Aeration 

“Aeration is a continuous programme. All 

the greens are solid cored with 12mm tines 

from 130mm depth down to 250mm depth 

each month with the Wiedenmann.” 

“The greens are hollow cored, seeded 

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and topdressed twice a year, in spring and 

autumn. They also get Earthquake 

‘Tremored’ to a maximum depth of 

250mm. This leaves a continual slit right 

across the green from high side to lower. 

During the wetter months we use a SISIS 

outfield slitter with seven inch knives every 

week, weather permitting, and supplement 

this with the Greentek sarrel rollers on our 

old Ransomes 160D.” 

“Tees are also solid cored with the 

Wiedenmann, fitted with 16mm solid tines, 

and this is carried out every two months, if 

possible. We only hollow core them with 

jumbo tines (very shallow) when 

overseeding.” 

“The fairways also get to see both the 

Wiedenmann with the large solids twice a 

year and also the ‘Tremor’ in the spring 

and autumn.” 

Machinery 

“Most of the gear in the shed has been 

purchased, with the exception of the 

cutting fleet and one of the Gators. These 

are secured on a three-year operator’s 

lease. With John Deere being awarded the 

latest five-year deal, which will include a 

new bunker rake and an extra buggy, we 

have found this a much better way to 

replace the fleet and easier to maintain.” 

“We have also invested in a Hunter Juno 

cylinder grinder, and myself and Geoff 

have been trained how to use it. Keeping 

the mowers sharp on a regular basis will 

certainly help with the presentation of the 

course.” 

At various times of the year La Grande 

Mare must be a ‘mare’ to work with, both 

logistically and from what Mother Nature 

throws at it. It is good to see Martyn and 

his team committed to the highest 

standards possible in such difficult 

circumstances. They are to be applauded. 

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What's in the shed? 

Guernsey used to be famous for its 

tomato exports and, for nearly one 

hundred years, the tomato was 

king. 

In the late 

1960s nearly 

half a billion 

tomatoes 

were picked 

and exported 

to England. 

Each one of 

those had to be handpicked, 

packed and shipped out. 

Now, the tomato industry is all but 

gone, but the greenhouses have 

not. La Grande Mare use one as 

their workshop, and here’s what’s 

in it: 

1x JD 3235 fairway mower 

1 x JD 1565 front deck mower 

2 x JD 2500B greens mowers 

1 x Greentech vibratory rollers 

2 x JD gators, one 6 wheeler 

1 x JD 500 triple tees and aprons 

1 x Toro Workman 

1 x Toro 2500 trailed topdresser 

1 x Toro Sand Pro 

1 x Ransomes 180D with sarrel 

roller and verticut units 

1 x Massey Ferguson 360 tractor 

1 x Kubota STA35 compact tractor 

with front loader and mid mount 

deck 

1 x Case International 255 

compact tractor 

1 x SISIS Variseeder 

1 x SISIS oscillating brush 

1 x SISIS outfield slitter 

1 x Wiedenmann Terraspike GXi 

1 x Earthquake Tremor 

1 x 3 tonne Warwick trailer 

1 x Team Sprayer - 300 litres 

A Broadwood International product 

73

Paul Bishop is Estates 

Manager at the stunning 

Manor House Golf Club 

at Castle Combe, close 

to Bath 

Report by Laurence Gale MSc 

Bishop’s move... 

Nestling in 365 acres of stunning 

Cotswold parkland, bordering the 

beautiful village of Castle Combe, 

Manor House Golf Club (part of 

Exclusive Golf) is an 18-hole, par 72 

golf course, one of the most spectacular 

in the South of England - a fact recently 

confirmed with the coveted HSBC Gold 

Star Award. 

Originally designed by Peter Alliss 

and Clive Clark, it is located in an area 

of outstanding natural beauty. Mature 

oak trees, manicured fairways and 

spectacular par 3s, together with the 

River Bybrook meandering through the 

middle, bring both drama and beauty to 

this course. 

The Manor House is tended by 

Estates Manager, Paul Bishop, who has 

a dedicated team of nine staff (Deputy, 

Gian Povey, five other greenkeepers, 

two gardeners and one full time 

mechanic) to look after the golf course, 

the Manor House grounds and the 

estate gardens. 

Paul has been at The Manor House 

since 1994, having previously worked at 

Haywards Heath Golf Club, Tunbridge 

Wells Golf Club, Hever Golf and 

Country Club and East Sussex National 

Golf Club during its construction. 

Having been in greenkeeping since 

1980, nearly half his working life has 

been spent here at this truly stunning 

course, helping it mature and settle into 

the landscape. 

Paul’s qualifications include City and 

Guilds Phase I - IV in Sportsturf, 

Enterprise and Business Management, 

and an Intermediate Diploma in 

Sportsturf. He has also studied 

Business Management at Cranfield 

University. He is currently undertaking 

his Master Greenkeepers Certificate 

(MG) and, as if he doesn’t have enough 

homework to do, he is also studying for 

a degree in horticulture so that he can 

broaden his knowledge of the garden 

side of life at The Manor House. 

Starting at 6.00am, the team run 

through the tasks for the day. This may 

include cutting greens (always cut 

daily), mowing of tees and fairways and 

checking and raking bunkers as 

required. The semi-rough is cut as 

required. Other jobs may include 

topdressing, aeration, fertilisation and 

watering. Then, in the Hotel grounds, 

there is Chef ’s Kitchen Garden, the 

Manor House croquet lawns and the 

idyllic Italian gardens to tend to. In 

addition, there are chickens to attend to 

and the recent addition of beehives to 

provide their own honey. 

Much of the course lies over vast 

areas of limestone that promotes

natural limestone grasslands, rich in 

wildflowers that include early purple 

orchids, cowslips, ox-eye daisy and 

horseshoe vetch (where you might just 

spot a Chalkhill Blue, an extremely 

rare species of butterfly). 

In amongst the large expanse of 

ancient woodland you will find Roe and 

Muntjack deer, badgers, foxes, and 

green and great spotted woodpeckers. 

Look to the skies and you will see 

buzzards, sparrowhawks and kestrels. It 

is a wildlife paradise that Paul is keen 

to preserve, and he follows the 

guidance laid out in a document 

produced in association with The 

Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. The course 

now has numerous bird boxes, 

attracting various species, including 

owls, which are checked and recorded 

annually. 

The course also has a number of 

water features that provide a wonderful 

wildlife corridor for many water loving 

birds, particularly coots, moorhen, 

ducks, dippers, herons and the 

beautiful kingfisher. 

Mature woodland dominates the 

course with many plantations of ash, 

oak and field maple. The maples are of 

exceptional size, constituting a notable 

feature. There are also several elm trees 

and mature holly trees. The shrub layer 

includes willow, hazel, elder, spindle 

and hawthorn. The ground flora 

includes ancient woodland indicator 

plants such as wood anemone, 

enchanters nightshade and violets. 

Paul has overseen many 

improvements to the facilities, 

including the design and build of the 

new workshops, mess rooms and 

storage sheds. He believes that a tidy, 

organised machine shed is essential in 

modern day course management, 

especially with machinery being the 

biggest investment at any golf club. 

Having plenty of room for storage and, 

more importantly, adequately equipped 

repair facilities, is essential to maintain 

reliability and value in terms of 

operational performance. 

Paul has a full time mechanic who 

looks after all the machinery needs of 

the club, ensuring mechanical 

breakdowns are kept to a minimum and 

all are operating at peak efficiency. The 

club hold a good stock of spares to 

ensure downtime is kept to a minimum. 

The club have just purchased two 

new John Deere Triples, John Deere CX 

Gator, Toro 450-D semi-rough mower 

and an electric Gator. Last year the club 

also invested in forty-six new EZ-GO 

Electric Buggies which, along with the 

E-Gator, is very much in keeping with

76 

Bunker work has been ongoing 

A good stock of spares are held 

The Manor House team (l-r): Paul Bishop, Head Greenkeeper; Gian 

Povey, Deputy Head Greenkeeper; Greenkeepers Sebastian Cavilla, 

Mark Venner, Steve Mclaren, John Murzyn; Patrick Kelly (Gardener); 

Tony Simmonds, Greenkeeper; Chris Cowley (Gardener); Steve 

Pickthall, Mechanic/Greenkeeper and Head Mechanic, Charlie 

Gaisford 

the company’s green 

credentials. 

The club have also put in a 

tarmac service road that 

winds its way around the 

course, providing an essential 

transport system for both the 

golfers and staff. The course 

meanders through 

particularly hilly terrain, with 

a number of elevated tees and 

steep drops to greens - the 

double green par 3 17th 

being particularly stunning. 

Walks between greens and 

tees are, in some instances, 

both steep and lengthy, and 

only the fittest walk the 

course. 

Paul has built, in the past, a 

large reservoir lake, giving 

him over 10,000,000 cubic 

metres capacity for his 

irrigation system, although he 

stresses that he uses the 

irrigation sparingly to 

encourage the finer grasses. 

The course has a full Toro 

Trident watering system for 

greens, tees and fairways. The 

pump set was upgraded by 

Irrigation specialists, Topturf 

Irrigation, several years ago. 

There are also a number of 

other small ponds, including 

the twin waterfall on the 

spectacular 18th, plus the 

River Bybrook running 

through parts of the course. 

The underlying soils are 

quite shallow and stony, 

thereby making the course 

very free draining, so some 

areas of the course are prone 

to drying out during dry 

periods. However, this soil 

type does provide the ideal 

conditions for many 

wildflower species, so 

managing these areas 

requires not inconsiderable 

skill and knowledge. Part of 

this is a cut and collect 

regime to encourage 

flowering. 

The greens are USGA that 

have matured over time in 

terms of quality and 

performance. Paul has 

reduced nitrogen inputs 

dramatically. Where once it 

The stunning par 3 17th with its double green 

was over 250kg, it is now less 

than 100kg. The aim is to 

encourage finer grasses and 

not feed the Poa grass 

species. 

In addition to reducing 

nitrogen inputs, Paul is 

currently implementing a 

Symbio feeding programme 

on all the greens, using a 

combination of humic acids 

and seaweed to aid the 

establishment of finer grasses. 

Paul has also begun a 

programme of oversowing the 

greens three times a year with 

a Johnsons All Bent seed 

mixture at 2-4gm per square 

metre. 

Aeration and topdressing 

are key activities, with over 

200 tonnes of sand being 

incorporated into the greens 

during the season on a ‘little 

but often’ regime. Aeration is 

undertaken using a wide 

selection of solid and hollow 

tines - hollow tined three 

times a year, vertidrained 

twice a year and micro tined 

on a monthly basis, with 

regular slitting during the 

autumn/winter. 

Feeding regimes are 

tailored around the swards 

needs at various times of the 

year, using a programme of 

liquids and granular fertiliser 

products, along with some 

organics and amino/humic 

acids. 

The greens are cut daily 

using John Deere Triple 

mowers set at 3.5-4mm in the 

summer, and hand cut to 

5mm in the winter, using 

John Deere 220s, to reduce 

machinery footprint and 

general wear and tear. 

The club also use 

Greensward rollers, rolling a 

couple of times a week. 

Approaches and collars are 

kept at 10mm, tees and the 

croquet lawns are mown at 

10mm in the summer and 

12mm in the winter, with 

fairways at 15mm and 17mm 

respectively. Semi rough is 

kept at 30mm and rough at 

50mm

Tees are double-cut two or three 

times a week and, when required 

during the year, vertidrained, 

topdressed and divoted to maintain 

levels and appearance. 

Last winter, Paul renovated a 

number of bunkers to improve both 

the look and maintenance 

capabilities of those around the 2nd, 

7th and 9th holes. 

Plenty of tree work was completed, 

thinning out plantations and 

reducing canopy cover on certain 

parts of the course. This not only 

increased air flow but improved the 

visual appearance of the course. 

Paul works closely with local nature 

groups and conservation trusts, 

enlisting their help and advice on 

maintaining scrubland and limestone 

grasslands. Part of the course is 

registered as an SSSI, along with 

tracts of ancient woodland, all of 

which require appropriate 

management regimes in place. 

Paul’s two gardeners - Patrick Kelly 

and Chris Cowley - are kept busy 

looking after the formal gardens 

around the Manor House, along with 

growing a range of vegetables and 

fruits for use in the hotel. 

The remains of the castle, after 

which the village is named, are also 

situated on the site. This ancient 

monument prevents Paul from 

carrying out certain types of work, 

for example drainage and tree 

planting. 

The club are hoping to become an 

Open qualifying course in the 

coming years and have recently 

secured the services of the STRI’s, 

Buy online at 

www.lws.uk.com 

John Lockyer MSc, MBPR, RIPTA, 

to help evaluate what needs to be 

done agronomically to improve the 

condition of the course in terms of 

sward composition and performance. 

Improvements are generally 

achieved when the level of 

maintenance inputs are increased 

along with better monitoring of 

existing practises. For example, 

monitoring the level of organic 

matter content, and ensuring 

prescribed feeding regimes are not 

exceeded, will help overcome any 

problems of blacklayer or 

hydrophobic issues such as dry patch. 

Tweaking the feeding regimes will 

help the sward retain vigour whilst, 

at the same time, withstanding the 

rigours of play. 

The overall aim is to refine 

management practices to encompass 

little and often regimes that help 

improve surface playability. For 

example, by careful use of water and 

taking regular soil samples to detect 

moisture content of the profile, Paul 

will be able to make better judgments 

about irrigation requirements. 

Like most things, it is having the 

time and resources available to 

achieve these objectives. The Manor 

House course presentation is second 

to none, and is a credit to Paul and 

his dedicated team. The course is 

visually stunning and makes 

the very best use of the 

natural topography. It 

requires not inconsiderable 

talent and commitment to 

achieve, what is, a golfer’s 

paradise. 

Telephone 0845 230 9697 • enquiries@lws.uk.com • www.lws.uk.com 


John Deere 2243 and 2500A triple mowers for 

tees, collars and approaches 

John Deere 220 and 220A hand mowers for 

greens and tees 

Toro Sidewinder 3100-D for greens and tee 

surrounds 

John Deere 3235A mower - fairways 

John Deere 3235C mower - fairways 

Ransomes Backwing 951 plus - rough 

Kubota F2400 Outfront rotary mower 

Flymo hover mower 

John Deere Gator 

Kawasaki Mule 

Toro Workman 

Amazone Profi Hopper 

Charterhouse Verti-drain 

Kubota tractor 

Iseki tractor 

Massey Ferguson tractor 

Ford tractor 

Hayter pedestrian mower - hotel lawns 

Rotary pedestrian mower JS63C (mulcher) - 

hotel lawns 

Various strimmers and hedgecutters 

Topdresser 

Blue trailer (large) - 2 tonne 

Blue trailer (small) 

Red trailer - 4 tonne 

Slitters 

Tornado leaf blower 

Tractor brush 

Drag brush 

Turf cutter 

Log splitter 

Cultivator 

For all your golf, sportsturf and 

landscape irrigation needs. 

77

The dynamic duo 

become the fantastic 

four as Henry Bechelet 

and Richard Windows 

are joined by Dr 

Christian Spring and Jay 

Dobson to outline the 

STRI’s new programme 

... brace yourselves! 

Firmness First! 

Brace yourselves ... because we have 

got some work to do! 

To get our greens properly into shape we 

all have to knuckle down. The game of 

golf depends on it. Our greens need to 

be firmer to be true to the game and to 

provide better year-round performance. 

Put debates about cutting heights and 

sustainability aside for a moment because 

this is more important. The game of golf 

is in danger of being “dumbed down” 

with soft putting surfaces. This is what we 

found. 

During our 2009 agronomy visits, we 

conducted a pilot study for what has now 

become The STRI Programme. The aim 

of this study was to pioneer a new style of 

agronomy that removes the element of 

subjectivity or personal opinion from the 

assessment of the greens. During these 

pilot study visits, we measured both the 

performance and condition of the 

greens. This included the playing 

qualities (speed, smoothness and 

78 

firmness) as well as the key agronomic 

factors that influence them (soil organic 

matter and moisture content). 

We found that this new approach 

provided a more complete assessment of 

each green, and it also gave a measure of 

the level of consistency being achieved. 

The measurements not only gave us a 

better understanding of the situation, 

they also allowed us to work towards 

specific targets to bring about 

improvement. Participating clients 

welcomed this new approach because it 

really clarified the situation and helped 

them plan the way ahead. The pilot 

study was successful and we launched 

The STRI Programme as a new service in 

January 2010. 

At the end of 2009, we then took the 

time to analyse the data we had collected 

throughout the year. We did this to help 

shed light on the wider situation and 

help us understand how successful we 

were being. The results were very 

interesting, especially when it came to 

the firmness figures. 

You’ll see from the results that it 

appears we might be going soft in our 

old age! At a time when we should be 

challenging the modern golfer to strike 

the ball correctly on approach to the 

green, it seems that we might be 

flattering them with softer “target-style” 

greens that will accept any shot, no 

matter how well (or not) it is struck. 

Surely, the highest aim of our modern 

greenkeeping must be to reward good 

clean ball striking rather than flattering 

average play. 

From our results it appears that we 

might be taking our eye off the ball by 

concentrating too much on the roll of 

the ball. Upon reflection, we think that it 

is time for us all to get a grip on the 

game again and test all aspects of play. 

Golf greens should be firm to test ball 

striking and, so, surface firmness is 

where we will start our final stand.

If you wanted the truth, then this is it 

Our ultimate aim is to create a consistent 

set of well-paced, smooth and true 

surfaces for putting that also receive, 

hold and then release well-struck 

approach shots. We want to reward good 

approach play with greens that receive a 

well-struck ball but discard loose and 

inaccurate play. Fair enough. 

Consistency of firmness is also 

important, and we must work to achieve 

surfaces that don’t fluctuate too much 

throughout the year. Essentially, for 

optimal performance, we want the greens 

to retain the desired level of firmness in 

both wet and dry conditions. So, what 

exactly is the desired level of firmness for 

golf greens? 

STRI Research 

The last major study on the playing 

performance of UK golf greens was 

carried out by STRI in 1996 (Baker et al) 

with the aid of funding from The R&A. 

This study involved the assessment of the 

playing qualities of greens (speed, 

smoothness, firmness etc.) from a range 

of course types situated throughout the 

UK. The survey also measured the key 

agronomic factors that affected playing 

quality, as well as canvassing player 

perception about the green performance. 

In total, seventy-four courses were visited 

and three greens were tested on each 

course. 

Surface firmness was measured using 

the Clegg Impact Hammer, and the 

results were correlated against ball 

impact behaviour and player perception. 

At Clegg values beneath 76* gravities the 

players perceived the surfaces to be too 

soft. As Clegg values increased, the ball 

stopping distance from simulated 5-iron 

and 9-iron shots also increased. 

The study concluded that Clegg values 

of between 76-125* gravities were 

acceptable for play, with the top end of 

the scale being deemed to provide fair 

but challenging surfaces. 

Measuring Firmness 

During our pilot study inspections in 

2009, we measured the surface firmness 

using a new golf specific version of the 

Clegg Impact Hammer (with 0.5kg 

rounded head test mass dropped from 

0.5m). The moisture content of the 

upper soil profile was also measured to 

contextualise the results. 

For both tests a 9-point sampling grid 

was employed (left-middle-right from 

front-middle-back) and an average 

(mean) was calculated for each green. By 

using these standardised sampling 

protocols our aim was to provide an 

accurate assessment of the situation and 

produce results that could be compared 

against our targets. 

Setting Targets 

During our visits we would take the 

readings, calculate the results and then 

discuss their meaning with our clients. 

79

Our aim was for everyone to understand 

the situation fully before we formulated 

our maintenance plan. We set our 

firmness targets depending on the style 

of the course, with reference to the 

research data from 1996 and also from 

our experiences during the pilot study 

itself. 

Remember that our aim is to provide 

challenging surfaces that perform well 

throughout the year. For simplicities 

sake, the table above describes what the 

Clegg readings mean and shows our 

target ranges for parkland and links style 

courses. 

In general terms, for parkland courses 

we were looking to achieve Clegg values 

of 80-100 gravities through the main 

playing season and, for the links, a 

firmer 100-130 would be more 

appropriate. The target for authentic 

heathland might be 90-110. 

During the winter, or through 

extended periods of wet weather, we 

would be working to stay within these 

ranges if possible. 

The targets we set always reflect the 

specific demands of the course and they 

seek to optimise performance at all 

times. Clegg readings towards the higher 

end of each range would provide a more 

demanding (or less forgiving) surface. 

So, that is what we are aiming to achieve, 

but what did we actually find in 2009? 

The 2009 Firmness Results 

The following results were obtained 

during 2009 (May - October). We 

gathered data from approximately 600 

greens from 110 courses, making it one 

of the biggest studies of UK golf greens 

ever carried out. The results were 

obtained for courses in our areas in the 

North/East of England and 

Central/Eastern Scotland. 

In general, we took readings from 

three greens on each course to represent 

the range of standards being set, but we 

sometimes took more measurements to 

help build a complete picture of the 

situation. We feel that the sample size 

and sampling method we used gave a 

good overall representation of the 

80 

standards being set in our area last year. 

The majority of the course types were 

either parkland or links and there were 

approximately 300 results for each. The 

following charts show the firmness 

figures being achieved for each style of 

course. 

Parkland results 

The table below shows the firmness 

results that we obtained from parkland 

greens. 

So, for parkland courses, only 50% of 

the results fell within the optimal 

performance range of 80-100 gravities 

(of which two-thirds were in the softer 

80-90 end). Such surfaces are firm 

underfoot and receive well-struck balls 

with a bounce forward and then a check 

to stop. 

This type of surface is ideal for a 

parkland setting and provides good 

control of well-struck shots, but offers 

less control for poorer ball striking. 

Perfect. 

Our advice for greens in this range 

would have been focused on the ways to 

keep them here for as long as possible in 

the year. We would be targeting specific 

levels of organic matter content in the 

upper soil profile and would be 

communicating the need for essential 

(and possibly unpopular) maintenance 

work to achieve them. In this range we 

Poor green 

performance is 

usually the result of 

restricting the 

maintenance 

programme to suit 

the golfers rather 

than being an 

indication of bad 

greenkeeping or 

agronomy 

are happy with the standard being set, 

but are not complacent or self 

congratulatory. 

Nearly 50% of our parkland greens, 

however, were softer than the optimal 

range. A quarter of all the results were in 

the “receptive” range (70-80 gravities). 

Here, the surfaces tend to receive and 

hold the majority of approach shots, and 

offer no real premium on good ball 

striking, so make them flattering for 

average play. 

A further 12.5% of the parkland results 

were softer still, being within the “soft” 

range (60-70 gravities). These greens 

stop a ball dead and it will leave a large 

pitch mark. Such soft surfaces become 

damaged with pitchmarks, and they 

footprint under play to make the putting 

surface uneven. Around 5% of the 

parkland greens we measured were below 

60 or “very soft” and 

unstable/unplayable. 

So, a significant proportion of the all 

parkland greens we measured during the 

2009 playing season were too soft. Our 

advice for these greens would have been 

focused on firming them up. The soil 

moisture and organic matter content 

measurements will have completed the 

picture and helped focus this work 

properly. 

We will have discussed improving the 

drainage and reducing the influence of

the organic matter content of the upper 

soil profile with aeration and top 

dressing. Specific targets would certainly 

have been set for the organic matter 

levels. 

All elements of the maintenance 

strategy will have been addressed to 

bring about the desired improvement in 

firmness. Again, we will have been 

clarifying the need for essential 

maintenance work and the importance of 

timing it correctly. We always need 

permission to make headway. 

It is true to say that the main cause of 

soft greens stems from the general 

reluctance of the golfers to allow us to 

carry out any disruptive work, such as 

hollow tining to reduce thatch levels. 

Poor green performance is usually the 

result of restricting the maintenance 

programme to suit the golfers, rather 

than being an indication of bad 

greenkeeping/agronomy. 

To highlight this issue we found that, 

where organic matter content (% by loss 

on ignition), was within our target range 

(less than 6% in the top 20mm and less 

than 4% between 20-40mm) the mean 

Clegg value was 88 and situated in the 

middle of our target range. However, 

when the organic matter content was 

higher than our target range, then the 

mean Clegg value was lower (80 

gravities) and barely within our desired 

performance range. 

This information helps committees, 

and indeed members, to understand the 

reason why we need to reduce soil 

organic matter levels and so give us 

permission to proceed. An objective 

approach that explains the situation 

clearly is beneficial for us all. 

Links results 

The table below shows the firmness 

results that we obtained from links 

greens. 

The links greens were firmer than the 

parkland greens but, when compared to 

their own target range, we found a 

similar situation. In our study, only 50% 

of the greens were found to be within 

their optimal firmness range of 100-130 

gravities. These ideal links greens were 

providing very firm surfaces where the 

well-struck ball impacts, bounces on, 

checks and then rolls out. Links greens 

in such optimal condition provide a true 

test of ball striking and shot accuracy, 

with the spill-offs waiting to feed away 

any loose or inaccurate play. 

Clients who had greens within this 

range would be receiving advice focused 

on pushing them towards the firmer end. 

Organic matter content, sward 

composition, topdressing (type, amount 

and frequency), aeration, nutrition and 

water management would have all been 

discussed, and a plan formulated to 

maintain this optimal level of 

performance. You might say that these 

greens were the “real McCoy”. 

Again, nearly half of all the links 

greens we measured were softer than the 

desired range. 40% of all the links 

readings were between 80-100 gravities, 

which are “firm” (and good for a 

parkland situation) but they are not 

really firm enough for the demanding 

links, where we want the ball to release 

out after impact. 

Another 5% were inappropriately 

“receptive” (readings between 70-80 

gravities) to create a surface where the 

ball impacts and then stops on first 

bounce, or even spins backwards! There 

might not be any footprinting on these 

greens but there isn’t any premium on 

ball striking either. Such greens are 

flattering to average play rather than 

being the true test of golf. Our 

discussions and recommendations for 

these greens would have centred on the 

best methods to firm them up, i.e. soil 

amendment, organic matter reduction, 

irrigation strategy etc. 

We improve these greens with good 

solid greenkeeping that is targeted on 

achieving our specific and measurable 

targets. We know the answers. 

The Reason 

By far the most interesting result we 

found in our data was the relationship 

between moisture content and Clegg 

values (firmness). This will, hopefully, 

crystallise your understanding of surface 

firmness for you. 

The above graph represents all the 

readings that we obtained in 2009. 

These results include all the different 

course types, construction methods, grass 

types, organic matter contents etc. 

Even with such a high level of 

potential variation, the relationship 

between moisture content and Clegg 

81

values was still strong. This means that 

the firmness of the surfaces largely 

depends on the soil moisture content. 

Wet soils create softer surfaces than dry 

ones. Get it. 

If we could manage our soil moisture 

content between 20% and 30%, then we 

would generally be within our firmness 

target ranges. We should certainly be 

using moisture meters to guide irrigation 

strategy. Unfortunately, in the North of 

England and Scotland we can’t control 

the rain, so we also need to work at 

making the upper soil profile less 

moisture retentive. 

This is why we focus on drainage, 

construction method, wetting agent 

strategy, ameliorating the rootzone with 

specific sands and managing the soil 

organic matter content. If we set solid 

foundations, then the greens will be less 

82 

moisture retentive and the surfaces will 

be less prone to softening when wet. We 

achieve optimal year-round performance 

by creating soils that do not retain 

moisture. Simple stuff. 

No wonder 

During the course of our pilot study for 

the STRI Programme, we found that a 

significant proportion of our surfaces 

were too soft. At best, these surfaces were 

flattering to average play and, at worst, 

they are not really acceptable for play. 

It is clear that we need to work at 

creating surfaces that are firm enough to 

be true to the game, and maintain 

performance throughout the year. Your 

course needs firm greens. We don’t think 

that this situation is anyone’s intention. 

We think that this has happened because 

we haven’t been working towards specific 

targets. We think that, by using objective 

�� 

We know that the game of 

golf is going to get better 

once it is back in the hands 

of properly focussed 

greenkeepers. This is why 

the programme was 

developed 

measurement tools to assess the 

situation, we can focus our work properly 

and provide simple targets to make the 

greens firmer and perform better. We 

think that our greenkeepers will improve 

the performance of the greens by simply 

being advised of the situation correctly. 

We know that the game of golf is going 

to get better once it is back in the hands 

of properly focused greenkeepers. This is 

why the STRI Programme has been 

developed. If you want your greens to 

provide an optimum test of golf and 

perform well throughout the year, then 

set your sights on firmness first. 

*Figures converted from the Clegg 

used with 0.5kg flat head, dropped from 

0.3m, as used in the 1996 study into 

equivalent figures for 0.5kg 

rounded head, dropped 

from 0.50m, now being used. 

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Kevin Munt - a night out with Christine Brinkley, whilst 

wearing a Frank Lampard shirt, would seem ideal! 

Who are you? Kevin Munt of KMgc - Kevin 

Munt Golf Consultants. 

Family status? Married with 4 children, 

all left home … the oldest is only 14! 

Who’s your hero and why? My best 

mate, his name is David Steel and he 

makes no compromises in life. 

What is your dream holiday? It would be 

to follow the Tour de France for all 23 

days! But that is not going to happen, so 

skiing with friends and family. 

What annoys you the most? Inanimate 

objects that don’t do as they are told. 

What would you change about 

yourself? My singing voice. 

Who wouldn’t you like to be? Kim Jongil’s 

right hand man. 

Favourite record, and why? Creep by 

Radiohead, signature tune of a mid-life. 


romantic evening with? Christine 

Brinkley - don’t worry the wife knows. 


thing you would do? Build my own golf 

course - it would have to be a triple 

rollover. 

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and why? Violin, one of a specialist 

section, plays steadily throughout, 

occasionally gets a solo. 


been given? Your future your choice. 

David Steel. 

What’s your favourite smell? Basil … 

the herb! 

What do you do in your spare time? 

Run. 

What’s the daftest work related 

question you have ever been asked? 

October 16th 1987, Suntory World Match- 

Play post hurricane. Having just cut our 

way through four fully grown Beech trees 

on Wentworth Drive, “scuse me pal, will 

there be any golf today, only I’ve just 

driven from Coventry?” 

What’s your favourite piece of kit? 

Frank Lampard shirt. 


describe yourself? Practical, Hard 

working, Bald. 

What talent would you like to have? To 

be able to play the electric guitar. 

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see introduced? Distance markers, 

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83

The Drain Brain! 

Sustainable drainage for golf courses and sports 

grounds - an environmental approach. 

By Jonathan Tucker, STRI Golf Course Architect 

and Head of Golf Development Services 

Quite simply, sustainable drainage 

systems aim to mimic, as closely 

as possible, the natural drainage 

of a site, in order to manage the impact 

of development in terms of flood risk 

and water pollution. 

Why do we need it? 

‘Sustainability’ is the latest buzzword, 

enthused by environmentalists. But, to 

many, its meaning is somewhat fuzzy. 

What relevance has sustainability to the 

drainage of a waterlogged pitch or golf 

course, where the primary aim is to 

remove water as rapidly as possible with 

minimum cost and disturbance? First, 

we need to consider the background to 

the development of sustainable drainage 

and the ‘drivers’ for change. 

There is increasing evidence that the 

earth’s climate is changing, with wetter 

and milder winters (associated with 

more intensive rainfall events), and 

hotter, drier summers. The impact of 

these changes include: 

• Increased run-off and risk of flooding 

• Greater erosion and entrapment of 

sediment in surface run-off which, 

potentially, can cause harm to aquatic 

species 

• Increase in pollutants from 

contaminated floodwater 

• Reduced availability of water for 

irrigation 

• Reduced groundwater recharge - 

which has a knock-on effect on water 

supplies and aquatic eco-systems, 

which are dependent on groundwater 

The government has also set out 

priorities for sustainable management of 

water in the future which include: 

• Prudent use of water resources in 

keeping water use within the limits of 

its replenishment 

• Tackling diffuse pollution of water 

• Minimising the creation of new flood 

risks and effectively managing 

existing flood risks 

Drainage of a new or, indeed, existing 

site may include a number of 

stakeholders, including Local 

Authorities, environmental regulators 

(notably the Environment Agency), 

Highways Authorities, private 

landowners/land managers and, possibly, 

internal drainage boards. Therefore, 

compliance with the relevant 

environmental legislation and 

observance of planning policy guidance 

are vital considerations when planning 

new drainage systems as, potentially, 

they could have a significant impact on 

the environment. 

Effective drainage solutions for sports 

grounds and golf courses are essential to 

both utilisation and playing surface 

quality. Rapid removal of surface water 

is fundamental to the success of these 

systems. But, on the flip side, this leads 

to a sharper spike in the rate of 

discharge and, if there is reduced 

infiltration, there may also be an 

increase in the volume of water reaching 

the final outfall. 

Changes to legislation and the 

regulatory framework will make a 

sustainable drainage approach essential 

into surrounding ground. This effect is 

more pronounced where hard surfaces 

(roads/buildings) replace naturally free 

draining ground, but sports ground 

drainage can still have a significant 

effect when pre and post development 

conditions are compared (refer to 

Diagram 1). 

In order to restore the status quo, a 

‘brake’ may need to be placed on flow 

rates. This process is known as 

attenuation and can be achieved through 

the temporary storage of water in, for 

example, hollows or ponds, from which 

water can be discharged at a controlled 

rate. 

To restore groundwater to predevelopment 

levels, some form of 

infiltration may also be needed, for 

example soakaways, depending on 

existing ground conditions. 

Finally, drainage water can, 

potentially, be a carrier of pollutants 

such as pesticides and fertiliser. 

Therefore, to maintain good water 

quality, some method of mopping up 

potential contaminates is a sensible 

approach, and this could involve welldesigned 

reed beds. However, 

prevention is always better than cure! 

The Management Train 

The concept of the 

Management 

Train (no

connection with 

British Rail) 

underpins good 

sustainable 

drainage design. 

Essentially, it 

provides a series 

of interlinked 

drainage 

techniques or 

features that 

incrementally 

reduce pollution, 

flow rate and 

volumes to 

acceptable levels. 

There are 

numerous features that 

can be selected and 

built in to the drainage 

scheme at an early stage 

(which is preferable to 

bolting on the feature later). 

There may be hybrid features, 

e.g. ponds with shallow wetland 

margins or swales, which also 

infiltrate to ground through 

soakaways. 

The first step in the process can be 

very close to the source of surface runoff 

for drainage, and may involve 

infiltration methods, notably soakaways 

or, for buildings and car parks, green 

roofs and pervious pavements 

respectively. Having small control 

features at source removes the need for 

larger structures further down the chain. 

Drainage water may also be routed to 

soakaways or detention/infiltration 

basins (which hold water during high 

rainfall/storm events and releases it at a 

controlled rate) which, in turn, may be 

connected to wetlands and ponds for 

final clean up prior to discharge. 

Typical Sustainable Drainage Scheme 

Components are: 

FILTER STRIPS - wide, gently sloping 

areas of grass or other dense vegetation 

that treat run-off from adjacent 

impermeable areas. 

SWALES - broad, shallow channels 

covered by grass or other suitable 

vegetation. They are designed to convey 

and/or store run-off, and can infiltrate 

the water into the ground (if ground 

conditions allow). 

INFILTRATION BASINS - depressions 

in the surface that are designed to store 

run-off and infiltrate the water to the 

ground. They may also be landscaped to 

provide aesthetic and amenity value. 

WET PONDS - basins that have a 

permanent pool of water for water 

quality treatment. They provide 

temporary storage for additional storm 

run-off above the permanent water level. 

Wet ponds may provide amenity and 

wildlife benefits. 

EXTENDED DETENTION BASINS - 

normally dry, though they may have 

small permanent pools at the inlet and 

outlet. They are designed to detain a 

certain volume of run-off, as well as 

providing water quality treatment. 

CONSTRUCTED WETLANDS - ponds 

with shallow areas and wetland 

vegetation to improve pollutant removal 

and enhance wildlife habitat. 

FILTER DRAINS & PERFORATED 

PIPES - trenches that are filled with 

permeable material. Surface water from 

the edge of paved areas flows into the 

trenches, is filtered and conveyed to 

other parts of the site. A slotted or 

perforated pipe may be built into the 

base of the trench to collect and convey 

the water. 

INFILTRATION DEVICES - 

temporarily store run-off from a 

development and allow it to percolate 

into the ground. 

PERVIOUS SURFACES - allow 

rainwater to infiltrate through the 

surface into an underlying storage layer, 

where water is stored before infiltration 

to the ground, reuse, or release to 

surface water. 

GREEN ROOFS - systems which cover a 

building’s roof with vegetation. They are 

laid over a drainage layer, with layers 

providing protection, waterproofing and 

insulation. 

What methods are best? 

Deciding which components are most 

appropriate will be dependent on: 

• a thorough site assessment 

• the water catchment characteristics 

• the quality and quantity performance 

requirements 

• amenity/environmental requirements 

For example, on a small compact site 

there may be little room for ponds and 

wetlands and, therefore, infiltration 

techniques (if ground conditions are 

suitable) or sub-surface storage may be 

the only viable alternatives. 

Environmentally sensitive areas can 

also impose stringent design

Diagram 1 - Pre and post development run-off 

hydrographs following storm rainfall 

At a time when 

golf is trying to 

foster a greener, 

environmentally 

responsible 

image, 

sustainable 

drainage provides 

a concept that 

sits comfortably 

alongside this 

ideal 

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The Management Train 

requirements, both in terms of quality and 

quantity of water. Therefore, a multiple, 

staged approach may be needed, 

incorporating a variety of components to 

achieve the benchmark design standards. 

In short, there is not one size that fits 

all, and a thorough understanding of the 

site, the environmental sensitivities of the 

wider area and, of course, the cost 

implications will all influence the final 

design solution. 

What are the benefits? 

At a time when golf is trying to foster a 

greener, environmentally responsible 

image, sustainable drainage provides a 

concept that sits comfortably alongside 

this ideal. In addition to environmental 

protection, there are real benefits which 

can be achieved through creation of 

habitat and boosting biodiversity and 

ecology. Ponds and wetlands enhance the 

landscape and can be integrated 

successfully on the golf course as playing 

features - preferably with a steer from a 

recognised golf course architect to ensure 

that they contribute positively rather than 

ensnaring the unwary. 

Rainwater harvesting 

Collecting water from drainage systems in 

catchment areas has a double benefit as it 

serves to store water for attenuation, as 

well as providing a valuable source of 

water for irrigation. Decent above ground 

reservoirs need room and they do not 

come cheap (with lining usually essential 

to prevent losses of water). However, at a 

time of over-stretched water resources, a 

degree of complete self-sufficiency in 

irrigation water sourcing can be a very 

attractive proposition. 

What are the costs? 

The financial costs will vary considerably 

depending on the complexity of the 

scheme and standards required. 

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enlarged drainage swales may not be as 

financially onerous as conventional 

conveyance through carrier pipe 

drainage. 

There are also the maintenance costs to 

consider, as these systems require a degree 

of aftercare if they are to perform as 

intended. For example, ponds have a 

habit of becoming silted up and ditches 

choked with leaf litter and other debris, 

which can significantly reduce their 

capacity and efficiency. Maintenance of 

these areas is often tied in to the 

environmental management plan that, 

invariably, is required for new 

developments if they are deemed to 

potentially have a significant 

environmental impact. 

At a time of ‘credit crunch’, sustainable 

drainage could be considered by some as 

unnecessary ‘frills’ to satisfy the 

environmentalists. However, the more 

positive can see the potential for 

beneficial spin-offs, such as water feature 

creation and landscape enhancement. 

Water harvesting also has major 

attractions. 

Summing it all up 

Sustainable drainage is the concept of 

maintaining the quality and quantity of 

surface run-off, i.e. drainage, whilst 

maximising biodiversity and amenity. 

Modern methods of draining sports 

grounds and golf courses, and the 

demands of year round playability, must 

be considered in a wider environmental 

context. Planning regulations for new 

developments will often demand 

appropriate sustainable drainage 

proposals to be put in place and 

maintained for the future. 

Undoubtedly, it will become 

increasingly more difficult to rely on 

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Sustainable drainage is not a 

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87

“It was difficult to get others 

to understand that, being 

new and with the bad 

weather coming in, we 

needed the new pitches to only 

be in play when conditions 

were favourable - it was a 

frustrating two months to be 

a sports turf manager!” 

Stewart Ward, Grounds and Sport 

Turf Manager, Hartpury College 

Stewart Ward, Grounds and Sport 

Turf Manager, Hartpury College, is 

highly qualified, highly committed 

and highly motivated to deliver the 

best possible facilities for the 

students. 

Here he talks about his career to 

date and the plans he has for 

improving all aspects of the grounds 

Hartpury College is 

located on a 

beautiful 200 

hectare campus 

just five miles 

outside the city of Gloucester. 

It is home to a vibrant and 

international community of 

3,200 full-time students of all 

ages, studying further and 

higher education courses, 

who all share a keen interest 

in the animal, equine, land or 

sports sciences. 

Hartpury’s continual 

campus development 

programme ensures that 

students have access to 

excellent teaching and 

recreational facilities. The 

college offers both further 

and higher education courses, 

and has links to the 

University of the West of 

England (UWE) - it was 

awarded associate faculty 

status in 1997. This means 

graduating students leave 

Hartpury having obtained a 

UWE degree qualification. 

Stewart Ward is the 

Grounds and Sport Turf 

Manager who oversees “a 

dedicated nine man team”. 

“I began my career as a 

grounds man/gardener on an 

YTS scheme run by Rowntree 

Mackintosh plc,” says Stewart 

“with ‘off the job’ training at 

Askham Bryan College in 

York. I spent two years 

learning the ropes on sports 

turf maintenance, looking 

after two rugby and five 

football pitches, one hockey 

pitch, two cricket squares and 

the factory’s bowling green 

and, in addition, an eighty

Helping Hands 

at Hartpury... 

hectare site of gardens and open spaces.” 

“I completed my National Certificate 

and a National Diploma in Horticulture 

and Landscaping at Askham Bryan 

College. This was followed by more 

student life at Manchester Metropolitan 

University, where I studied Landscape 

Architecture and achieved my BA (Hons) 

degree. Finally, I achieved a postgraduate 

diploma in Landscape Architecture at 

Leeds Metropolitan. I’m currently 

working towards my Masters degree in 

Landscape Architecture. My thesis will 

consider the redesign of the Hartpury 

College campus for 2050 as a future 

environmental and ecology project.” 

“I have always been keen to learn new 

skills and, to meet this need, undertook a 

period of short stays in key areas of 

interest under the umbrella of 

horticulture. I was a groundsman for two 

and a half years, a landscape gardener 

for a further two years, a garden centre 

assistant for six months and a landscape 

designer for six months. All these roles 

were between my studies from 1987- 

1997.” 

“As a Team Leader for Baron 

Landscape Contractors in York, I was 

responsible for projects and liaising with 

clients in both the private and public 

sectors. It was a varied job, working on 

sports pitch maintenance, estate and 

commercial maintenance and hard and 

soft landscaping - a great experience in 

so many ways.” 

“Then it was back to Askham as 

Horticultural Resource Manager, 

managing a staff of thirteen, organising 

the day-to-day running of the college 

grounds and supporting the teaching 

staff on students’ practical assignments in 

horticulture, arboriculture and sports 

turf. Here, I was running a budget of 

£300,000 including wages and 

maintenance.” 

“When I arrived at Hartpury in 

January 2008, I immediately thought its 

setting in the Gloucestershire countryside 

was, and would be, a fantasy place to 

work in, and it is!” 

“When taking over as manager here, 

there were a few things that needed 

updating - the machinery for a start, as 

well as helping improve the skills and 

abilities of my team and the environment 

in which we worked. Despite the college 

being a beautiful place there was still 

much that could be improved, for 

example, the border lawn areas and 

sports pitches.” 

The Hartpury Team 

Stewart has three ground staff who look 

after an extensive area of grass, which 

includes five rugby pitches, three football 

pitches, a golf driving range, a nine-hole 

chip and putt golf course and an 

artificial Jack Nicklaus USPGA 

specification putting green. 

His assistant is Tony Hawker, who has 

spent over thirty years as a groundsman, 

89

Stewart has built relationships with manufacturers such as Etesia ... and Blec 

the last eight at Hartpury. He has an 

NVQ Level 3 in Sports Turf. Ryan 

Duggan has six years service and has 

completed an NVQ Level 2 and 3 in 

Sports Turf. Steve Lane has been a 

gardener at Hartpury for five years and 

has completed an NVQ Level 2 in 

Amenity Horticulture and is now working 

toward an NVQ Level 2 in Sports Turf. 

A team of gardeners look after the 200 

hectare site for the equestrian school, 

orchard, accommodation environment, 

areas of open space and gardens, the 

fishing lake and also assist on the threeday 

cross-country event course. Students, 

as part of their studies, regularly work 

alongside the team on maintenance 

operations. The team also assist the 

lecturers on ‘practicals’ wherever possible 

- weather conditions allowing. “It is a 

very compelling and positive place to 

work” says Stewart. 

90 

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The garden team is run by acting 

supervisor, Matthew Newman, who has 

been a gardener at Hartpury for six 

years. He holds an NVQ Level 2 and 3 in 

Amenity Horticulture. Len Hingston has 

been with the college for five years, and 

Richard Coburn for seven years. They 

both have NVQ Level 2 and 3 in 

Amenity Horticulture. David Bicker, has 

18 months service and has an NVQ Level 

2 in Amenity Horticulture. 

There are two trainees, Henry King 

and Dan Bickers, both of whom are 

studying towards an NVQ Level 2 in 

Amenity Horticulture. 

Machinery 

“When I arrived at Hartpury the 

machinery was of a ‘different standard’ to 

what I was used to, says Stewart “and, 

whilst still working well, was a little 

outdated. So, having worked with 

companies like Etesia, Dennis, BLEC, 

Makita, Stihl, Reco and Merlo at Askham 

Bryan, I approached these companies 

again and explained our needs in terms 

of the maintenance environment and the 

needs of the students. Working within my 

budgets, and utilising the relationships I 

had forged with these companies, I 

managed to improve the fleet, which has, 

in turn, increased the department’s 

productivity and the machinery’s 

reliability to a standard which is more 

acceptable.” 

“As a result of these relationships, we 

have been loaned equipment which we 

can use as a department. It also allows 

the students to carry out basic 

maintenance tasks so that they become 

confident and familiar with these 

manufacturers and their brands.” 

“In return for the loan equipment, we 

offer the facilities as an event space for 

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Gardens have been reshaped to suit machinery The grandstand pitch 

dealer days and training seminars. For 

example, Etesia has held successful 

events here to profile their products and 

the company. Going forward, I hope to 

expand on this and build up stronger 

links with these companies, as well as 

looking to forge new links with other 

companies in the landscaping and 

horticulture industry.” 

“For me, the best part of this is that it’s 

a win-win situation for everyone - the 

campus is well presented and the staff 

and students are using modern and up to 

date equipment and, occasionally, we are 

also involved in demos and trialing 

prototype equipment like the recently 

introduced Etesia mulching mower.” 

The Grounds 

“Over the last year and half we have 

continued to change the lawns and 

borders to help streamline the 

maintenance programme. We are 

currently looking to start grading some 

of the lawn areas as, over the past year, 

building and pipe work has altered 

borders, making the shapes difficult to 

maintain and mow. The majority of areas 

were strimmed to achieve the desired 

affect. So, to reduce strimmer time, we 

changed the shapes to suit the machines 

that were doing the jobs.” 

“We have a list of tasks each month 

and aim to achieve them as a team. This 

is always affected by weather conditions, 

the amount of games and training time 

on each pitch, fixture requirements and 

swapping teams around to suit the needs 

of individual pitches so that the pitches 

perform at their best.” 

“In December last year the college 

played host to an overseas schools tour. 

An Australian Schools Under 19 rugby 

team were resident and trained on site in 

preparation for a series of matches 

against the England Academies. One of 

the games was played on our grandstand 

pitch against the under 19 regional 

academy XV. This required our team to 

change the maintenance programme to 

ensure that the pitch was immaculate for 

the occasion - a tough challenge given 

the weather conditions at the time. 

The Sports Pitches 

“In late May last year, sportsturf 

contractors, J Pugh Lewis, completed 

new pitches - two rugby and two football. 

These pitches have had the top 150mm 

of soil stripped off and stored on site 

before being reused. The grounds were 

sub-soil graded and drainage pipes laid 

every five metres at a depth of around 

600mm. Around 200mm of pea gravel 

was placed on top of the pipe and 

backfilled to the surface with a medium- 

91

grade Mansfield sand. The site was 

graded and stone raked again.” 

“The sand was applied twice, firstly 

with 25mm thick topdressing and 

cultivated in, and then re-applied, before 

seed was sown. A fertilising dressing of 

10:15:10 at 400kg/ha was also applied. In 

September last year the college held an 

Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting 

Excellence (AASE) tournament on the 

two new rugby pitches, and they both 

stood up to the task very well.” 

“During September and October the 

pitches needed to be in regular use, and 

it was difficult to get others to 

understand that, being new and with the 

bad weather coming in, we needed them 

to only be in play when conditions were 

favourable - it was a frustrating two 

months to be a sports turf manager! The 

new pitches needed time to bed in and 

develop the root structure required to 

support the delicate 50mm of top soil 

surface.” 

“The football facilities consist of three 

full-sized grass pitches, together with a 

3G all-weather pitch. They are utilised by 

teams from grass roots level right up to 

the professional game, as well as 

servicing the college academy teams.” 

“During the 2009-10 season, Blue 

Square Premier side, Forest Green 

Rovers, have increased their usage of the 

pitches up to a full-time basis, with 

manager David Hockaday stating that 

“the facilities on offer are of the required 

standard to accommodate the match 

preparations of a professional team”. 

This has been echoed by Bradford City, 

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Leeds United, Huddersfield Town, 

Rochdale, Morecambe and Blackpool, 

who have all trained at the college on 

route to away fixtures in the South West 

in recent seasons.” 

“In addition to Forest Green Rovers, 

local Conference North side, Gloucester 

City, regularly use the facilities, training 

on the grass pitches during their preseason 

programme before switching to 

the 3G all weather surface for the winter 

months. The 3G surface is also used on 

three nights a week 

by the Cheltenham 

Town Centre of 

Excellence, with age 

groups ranging from 

U12 to U16s able to 

train in comfort 

whatever the weather. 

Local youth football 

club Ashleworth 

Woodpeckers have an 

additional booking 

on this surface one 

night a week and the 

Gloucestershire Girls 

Centre of Excellence 

are able to train on a 

similar basis.” 

“The rugby 

facilities consist of 

five full-sized pitches 

including two floodlit pitches, extensive 

grass training areas, a floodlit rubber 

crumb pitch and a scrummage pit and 

sled for coaching forwards. Similarly, 

they are used by teams from grass roots 

level up to the professional game, as well 

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92 

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as servicing the college academy teams.” 

“Gloucester Rugby use Hartpury as 

their permanent training base and train 

on the pitches several times a week. In 

addition, the facilities and the pitches are 

often used by visiting premiership sides 

playing Gloucester at Kingsholm, as well 

as England U18 and U20 teams and 

England Regional Academy sides.” 

“In order to keep on top of the 

extensive rugby programme and pitch 

usage, a rugby diary is adhered to which 

Pugh Lewis undertook the construction of new pitches 

consists of regular aeration with our 

vertidrain and groundbreaker machines, 

plus regular mowing.” 

Helping hands 

“Not only are we working with 

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manufacturers and the students, we are 

also upskilling our department and 

learning new skills to improve the 

environment and our teaching abilities. 

This includes a safer environment for the 

students and others to work in. For the 

students our aim is always to improve on 

the year before and become the best in 

our field.” 

Students are also given the opportunity 

to represent the college in national 

competitions, including the UK Skills 

Hanging baskets are prepared by the students 

to help with fund raising for the local school 

Challenge. This is a landscape 

competition that is open for students to 

show off the skills they have learned. 

Over the last seven years I have been 

involved with the teams at Askham Bryan 

College and Hartpury College. It’s been 

fascinating to work with them and 

develop their skills, often training 

intensively, but always at their own speed 

so they are comfortable and gain 

confidence in their abilities.” 

“The competition has evolved over 

time, with teams varying in numbers 

from two to four students. Last year, 

Hartpury entered a team of just two 

students - their aim, to build a garden in 

just twenty-two hours over three days. 

Hartpury’s team finished a very 

respectable fourth place in the national 

final at the Malvern 

Autumn show and was 

the only English 

college team there. It 

was also the first time 

the college had 

reached a major event 

final. This year the 

competition is taking a 

different route again - 

one student will 

demonstrate their skill 

on disciplines such as 

planting, turfing, 

timber work, paving 

and walling.” 

“In addition, we 

have also sent a 

student to Askham 

Bryan College for a 

training week, where 

his skills and potential for being in the 

British Landscaping team will be 

assessed. The college is also assisting 

several students in this year’s 

competition.” 

“We are also supporting students who 

will be under the age of 21 in 2011 who 

are good enough to be selected for the 

British training camps, as they are fixing 

their targets on 2011 London World 

Skills Landscape competition - as large 

an event that any young student could 

wish for in the landscape industry.” 

“Last year, the First Diploma 

Horticulture students were working with 

the grounds team on the bedding 

programme at the College. This involved 

growing from seed and cuttings from the 

bedding around the main Hartpury 

House, and creating large bedding 

displays around the college and equine 

areas, which included planting around 

the buildings and on the ten-mile crosscountry 

course. This will enhance such 

events as the Festival of Dressage and the 

Hartpury Horse Trials.” 

“Foundation Studies students also help 

the department with preparing hanging 

baskets for the grounds and for the local 

village school, which they sell to help 

with their fund raising activities. To date, 

the College has helped to raise over 

£500 on two projects including summer 

and Christmas baskets, and we hope to 

continue with the project again this year, 

getting the school pupils to start the ball 

rolling and sow the first batches of seed.” 

“Hartpury is a lively, happening place 

and I am very proud of what my team 

and I have achieved over, what is, a 

relatively short space of time. The 

grounds are extensive and we are aiming 

to change the landscape 

to suit our needs and 

then maintain them to 

an extremely high 

standard.” 

93

Ups on the Downs 

Report by Tom James 

This year’s unexpectedly severe cold 

snap caused nightmares for 

turfcare professionals right across 

the country in all sports, leaving them 

with little option than to sit tight and 

wait for the thaw. 

Racecourses were as badly hit as any 

venues. Meetings were cancelled 

throughout early 2010, largely because 

trainers were unwilling to risk running 

thoroughbreds on bone hard, icy tracks. 

The UK’s racecourses have recovered 

quickly though and are busy delivering 

the summer calendar’s big meetings - 

which don’t come much grander than 

Epsom’s June outing. It’s an event 

many see as one of the most colourful 

of the season, drawing huge crowds 

from across all sections of society as 

well as a strong Royal following. 

Epsom Downs racecourse, set in the 

“There’s a place for figures 

and science in the industry, 

but you can’t always go by the 

book, sometimes you have to 

deal with matters as they 

come up” 

rolling hills of Surrey’s North Downs, 

just thirty minutes from London, is one 

of the oldest in the country, with a 

history dating back to 1779 when the 

first running of the Oaks was recorded. 

Edward Smith Stanley, the 12th Earl 

of Derby, organised a race for himself 

and his friends to run their three-yearold 

fillies over one and a half miles. He 

named it the Oaks after his estate, and 

the race is still going strong today. 

The two biggest dates in Epsom’s 

diary, the Oaks (Investec Ladies day) 

on 4 June and the Investec Derby the 

following day, require meticulous 

preparation - beginning well 

beforehand to ensure the eight hectares 

of flat racing track are presented to the 

highest standards, ready for the 

120,000-strong crowd expected on 

Derby day. 

Nigel Whybrow, Head Groundsman, Epsom Downs Racecourse 

Tasked with the roles of Gallops 

Supervisor and Head Groundsman is 

Nigel Whybrow who, along with his 

team of eight full-time staff, look after 

the full spread of facilities at Epsom, 

including the track, three all-weather 

surfaces (Fibresand and Polytrack) and 

a training school, which keeps 160 

horses from racing yards throughout 

the area. 

Now entering his fourth season as 

Head Groundsman, Nigel took over the 

role back in 2006 having been at the 

course since 1994, when he joined after 

leaving his assistant head groundsman’s 

post at nearby Woodcote Park Golf Club 

(see Pitchcare, issue 26). 

“Woodcote Park was my first job after 

leaving school at 16,” recalls the 42year-old. 

“I ended up becoming 

disillusioned with committees, having

had new bosses nearly every year, each 

one wanting to make their mark on the 

club, which meant things changed a lot 

and, as a result, there was a real lack of 

stability.” 

“When the chance came up to join 

Epsom, I jumped at it. There are few 

better places to progress to than here, 

so it offered great potential for me to 

move up.” 

Nigel’s right hand man for the last 

fifteen years was Carl Tonks, until 

March, when he moved to take up the 

head post at Ripon. “Many staff over 

the years have moved up the ranks or 

on to pursue headships at other clubs at 

home and abroad,” Nigel explains. 

“The training here is excellent and 

gives the lads valuable experience of 

working at a top course, something that 

will set them up well if they do move 

on.” 

Nigel’s boss, Clerk of the Course and 

Director of Racing, Andrew Cooper, 

gives him “pretty much a free rein, to 

bring new ideas to the table and 

manage the course as we think best. In 

the past I’ve found too much 

interference only serves to be 

counterproductive”. 

With an average of fouteen meetings 

a year - fifteen scheduled this season, a 

club record - the grounds team has a 

tough, tight schedule to ensure the 

ground is ready for the Investec Derby 

Festival. It’s a programme that Nigel 

admits can mean a battle with the 

elements as wetter springs and hotter 

summers serve up their own 

challenges. “Our location on Epsom 

Downs means we run straight on 

chalk,” says Nigel, “which is brilliant 

for free drainage, yet not so good for 

irrigation.” 

“We are always looking to achieve a 

good going but that means we have to 

overwater, putting hundreds of 

thousands of gallons on the course 

throughout a season. The dry summers 

we experience here - some of the driest 

in the UK - and the fact that we’re on 

such a free-draining surface mean we 

have to over-compensate sometimes.” 

Over the last fifteen years, the Southeast 

has seen a dramatic reduction in 

rainfall recorded in April - a worrying 

trend that has forced courses such as 

Epsom to irrigate more than they would 

like to do, a factor that Nigel believes 

wouldn’t be so bad if they had an 

affordable procedure for doing so. 

“The best method for us is boom 

irrigation and tow lines. A pop-up

“We start at 4.30am on 

the morning of the 

Derby to cut the lawns, 

mark and stripe the 

parade ring and mark 

up the winners circle, 

watering if necessary” 

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96 

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system would be better and 

easier to control but such a 

high site gets very windy, 

which would render any popup 

sprinklers redundant and 

wasteful.” 

The issue of irrigation is 

aggravated further because 

Epsom Downs is a protected 

location and the sole method 

of sourcing water is via the 

mains. “We’re pumping out 

seventeen litres of water a 

second when we run flat out, 

which gets extremely costly,” 

bemoans Nigel. 

“Also, we currently have no 

ability to conserve water on a 

large scale. Our irrigation 

system has two holding tanks, 

which are designed to hold 

rainwater, and the quantity 

they hold would only be a 

drop in the ocean in terms of 

the quantity that we need to 

function properly.” 

Looking ahead, 

sustainability is becoming an 

increasingly prominent issue 

for the course, which is 

searching for ways to grow 

more self-reliant, while also 

balancing the environmental 

concerns of the Downs. 

“Our primary aims for the 

near future will be a focus on 

water conservation, water 

retention and reducing our 

pesticides use,” Nigel states. 

“We compost as much as we 

can, including all our 

clippings but there is scope to 

do much more, especially 

recycling horse waste more 

efficiently.” 

A Waste2Water recycling 

system is in the pipeline, with 

Jockey Club Racecourses, 

Epsom’s owner, looking to 

seal a group-wide deal to 

install them across their sites. 

But, at the Surrey site, much 

will depend on local bylaws. 

The Downs location brings 

with it key responsibilities for 

Nigel, who has to juggle the 

successful running of a Grade 

1 racecourse with the 

sensitivities that come with 

protected land. 

One of those tasks is to sit 

on the board of ten Epsom 

Downs conservators, which 

include two other 

representatives of the course, 

one from the training board 

and six local councillors. 

The board’s remit is to 

balance the needs of 

horseracing with the 

protection of the Downs and 

its use by the public, an issue 

that is the subject of its 

quarterly meetings. 

“The primary danger to the 

Downs is the increased use of 

them by the public,” states 

Nigel. “There are many 

activities that go on 

throughout the year on the 

Downs, such as kite flying, 

remote control racing, hack 

racing and, of course, dog 

walking. It’s partly our 

responsibility to ensure that 

such activities aren’t 

detrimental to the Downs or 

the racing season.” 

Course preparations begin 

in early April with a light 

feed using 12:4:8 Organic 

Delta granular feed. “This 

gets us in shape for the first 

meet on 21 April,” says Nigel. 

“Like many courses, we 

suffered problems earlier this 

year, particularly in mid- 

February, and the extremely 

cold winter left us with snow 

damage to the grass blades.” 

“We topdressed and 

overseeded the affected areas 

with a ryegrass mix and 

finished off by brushing 

lightly with a Greentech 

MaxiBrush to remove any 

dead matter built up over the 

winter.” 

The first weekend in June 

marks the beginning of 

Epsom’s signature meetings, 

and the Investec Derby is the 

jewel in its crown - this year 

being the second in a five-

“We’re pumping out 

seventeen litres of 

water a second when 

we run flat out, which 

gets extremely costly” 

year partnership with the 

sponsor. 

Ready for racing, the team 

cuts to a 3½ inch height, 

leaving a little thatch and 

slightly longer turf to allow 

more cushion for the horses 

on what is, traditionally, a 

harder running chalk surface. 

Mowing is undertaken 

three times a week during the 

season, using a Lastec frontmounted 

machine and a 

seven-set Lloyds gang mower, 

with two in front and five 

behind. “I’m a great fan of 

Lloyds machines,” enthuses 

Nigel. “We’ve found them to 

be highly reliable and they 

give a good clean finish.” 

“Some groundsmen I’ve 

spoken to recently have 

moved away from gang 

mowers to more dedicated 

machines, but the gangs, 

combined with the Lastec, 

works well for our needs.” 

Jockey Club Racecourses 

recently appointed John 

Deere as its preferred 

machinery supplier, part of a 

planned widescale investment 

programme. Any future 

machine upgrades for Epsom 

will come from that 

manufacturer - the newest 

addition being a John Deere 

5720 tractor. 

Although as Nigel 

confirms: “The tractors we 

use at the moment are mostly 

Massey Ferguson. We're really 

happy with their performance 

at the moment, so I doubt 

we’ll have a full John Deere 

fleet for some time.” 

Machine repairs are 

handled out of house, with 

Jockey Club Racecourses 

retaining A&P contractors 

across its South-east courses, 

which include Sandown Park 

and Kempton Park. 

Feeding the turf starts five 

weeks before Derby day, 

Nigel continues, with a 

nitrophosphate - IS55 - used 

on race day to add the 

finishing touch of what he 

describes as “a nice vibrant 

colour and steady growth”. 

Striking the right balance 

between traditional 

greenkeeping practice and 

the growing emphasis on 

science is critical, Nigel 

believes. “Mike Harbride is 

the chief agronomist for the 

majority of Jockey Club 

courses, and he visits us 

several times throughout the 

season to give us his advice, 

but I firmly believe that it 

must always be a two-way 

partnership. I respect his 

knowledge and what he has 

to offer us but, in the same 

breath, if I feel something 

isn’t right, I won’t do it,” 

Nigel states categorically. 

“There’s a place for figures 

and science in the industry, 

but you can’t always go by the 

book, sometimes you have to 

deal with matters as they 

come up. Soil is a living 

entity, so can be extremely 

variable. The men on site 

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98 

“Some groundsmen I’ve 

spoken to recently have 

moved away from gang 

mowers to more dedicated 

machines, but the gangs, 

combined with the Lastec, 

works well for our needs” 

know their own areas and the course 

as a whole perhaps even better than 

someone who comes in a few times 

in a season.” 

“We are “lucky” to enjoy what is a 

“uniform” course on the whole - one 

largely free of particularly 

problematic areas,” Nigel adds. 

It is nature that has traditionally 

thrown up the biggest problems 

though. Chafer grubs have been the 

cause of two race cancellations, he 

reveals. By eating tuft roots, they 

cause the surface to loosen – 

potentially catastrophic to the 

horses. Fox damage is another 

nagging concern. “The Derby start 

is our worst-hit area. It’s the furthest 

point of the course with trees lining 

the track and a place where foxes 

populate. They’ve caused us real 

headaches by digging up the 

course,” Nigel recalls. 

In the Derby run-up, Nigel walks 

the course at least daily for two 

weeks to gain “a good estimate” of 

how much water is needed to 

achieve a good going. This is 

especially crucial if May has been a 

dry month, he says, yet for the last 

three years the opposite has proved 

to be the case, and this year is 

predicted to be similarly bereft of 

rain. 

Long hours are the order of the 

day as the Derby meeting arrives. 

“On the Friday evening after Ladies 

Day we move a mile of rail out eight 

yards to allow a fresh strip of grass 

for the horses,” explains Nigel. “We 

repair divots using a 50-50 

Mansfield sand divot mix, finishing

off with cutting the track in the evening, 

which usually takes us past midnight to 

complete. We ensure we cut every bit of turf 

to make it as presentable for race day as 

possible, before rising at 4.30am on the 

morning of the Derby to cut the lawns, mark 

and stripe the parade ring and mark up the 

winners circle, watering if necessary.” 

Given the Derby’s high profile, Nigel 

knows how vital it is to make sure there’s 

enough back-up, so staff don’t get swamped 

on the day. Some twenty casual staff are 

brought in for race meetings, a figure that 

doubles on Derby day, with groundstaff from 

Sandown Park and Kempton Park also called 

on to ‘muck in’. 

With staffing well in hand, the only other 

issue to worry about on the day is conduct. 

“We have to treat whoever we meet or speak 

to with respect, regardless of who they are. 

People will ask you all manner of questions 

on the day, so we have to prepare ourselves 

by making sure we know the answers to the 

ones most frequently asked. 

“You get a real mix of people at the Derby; 

from the strong traveller following to the 

Royal visits. It’s a hugely rich and colourful 

event.” 

After the races, Epsom usually plays host 

to a hive of entertainment in front of the 

grandstand, which continues for at least an 

hour, Nigel says, before the chore of cleaning 

up the site begins in earnest. 

Then, as the racing calendar draws to a 

close for another year, Nigel prepares the 

course for autumn and winter. 

“At the end of the season we mow the track 

down to an inch, remove all the 

clippings, finish with a light 

harrow and overseed with 

ryegrass.” 

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99

Mark Cornford 

The mention of Plumpton 

generally brings a smile 

to people’s faces, with a 

comment about it being a 

great name and, if the 

person concerned is, 

let’s say, of a more 

mature nature, is 

inevitably followed by a 

rendition of Pugh, Pugh, 

Barney McGrew, 

Cuthbert, Dibble, Grubb ... 

John Richards reports on 

a little course with a big 

heart and award winning 

Groundstaff 

Trumpton was the name of a 

popular children’s TV show back 

in the sixties, and the toy town 

had an array of splendid 

buildings including the town hall, 

a clock tower, a variety of shops and a 

fire station. Impressive though it may 

have all been, one facility Trumpton 

didn’t have, however, was a picturesque 

and award winning racecourse. Which is 

what the real-life tiny village of 

Plumpton, in the midst of the beautiful 

East Sussex countryside, now has. 

Plumpton Racecourse has recently 

picked up one of the horse racing 

industry’s most prestigious accolades - 

the 2009 Neil Wyatt Racecourse 

Groundstaff of the Year Award 2009, Best 

Jumps Racecourse, beating off 

competition from some of Britain’s more 

illustrious and better known national 

100 

For some races 

the horses 

have to pass 

the winning 

post four 

times! 

Short 

hunt venues. 

Considering the size of the course, this 

achievement is all the more impressive. 

Plumpton has the second smallest racing 

track in the country at just nine furlongs 

in circumference. For some races the 

horses have to pass the winning post four 

times! 

The course is also located some 

distance from any significant sized town, 

with only one way in and one way out - a 

mile long country lane. A single sign at 

the end of the lane, plus a regular flow of 

horse boxes, are the only indications that 

a race meeting might be taking place. 

So, how has this small, but beautifully 

formed racecourse managed to reach 

such dizzying heights? 

On meeting the course’s Head 

Groundsman and Clerk of the Course, 

Mark Cornford, the question becomes 

almost academic. It is difficult to imagine 

meeting anyone with as much 

enthusiasm and commitment to his work. 

Just coming up to thirty years service at 

Plumpton, Mark’s first reaction when 

asked about the award is to praise his 

staff. 

“I’m so proud at what they’ve achieved. 

We’ve only got a four man team, and that 

includes myself, my nephew, Mac 

Cornford as assistant head groundsman, 

who tackles most of the tractor and quad 

bike driving operations, John Tampsett is 

our fence man and Alan Greening looks 

after our lawns. I should also add that 

Alan’s DIY talents are legendary. And 

then we have Ray Nye, our regular parttime 

painter, who keeps the interior and 

exterior décor up to scratch whilst always 

finding the time to lend us that extra 

pair of hands when needed.”

Circuit... 

Mark’s pride in his team is matched by 

his undoubted enthusiasm for his award 

winning racecourse. Although, as he 

explained, it hasn’t always been so well 

maintained. With a subsoil of Sussex clay, 

the removal of surface water has always 

been a major problem, causing 

unpredictable and, sometimes, variable 

underfoot going conditions. 

“In the second half of the seventies, 

just before I joined Plumpton, the course 

had some drainage work carried out 

around the bottom bend and the back 

straight hill,” explained Mark. “This 

made a great improvement in these areas 

and, indeed, there was every intention to 

carry out more. Unfortunately, a period 

of what could only be called “standing 

still” followed with little, if no, 

investment in course drainage work 

undertaken.” 

The lack of investment meant 

meetings were lost, season after season, 

to wet weather. “In particular, the pinch 

point area in front of the grandstands 

was often deemed unraceable, when most 

other parts were fine,” recalled Mark. 

“There was also a bad winter in the 80s 

when we lost all our January and 

February meetings to frost.” 

The change for the better took place 

in 1998 when new owners with new 

management came onto the scene. The 

course was purchased by Peter Savill and 

Captain Adrian Pratt, and plans were set 

in place to upgrade all areas of the 

course, including buildings and track. 

Impressive entrance gates and signage 

were installed to kick start the new era. 

“Work started immediately,” explained 

Mark. “Drainage work to the majority of 

the home straight, including in front of 

the grandstands, began after our last 

meeting of that season in early May.” 

“I remember meeting the new Clerk of 

the Course, David McHarg, in late June. 

I was able to show off the newly drained 

area front of the stands, which was 

already well into recovery, and proudly 

declared that we should not lose a 

meeting due to waterlogging on this part 

of the track. And, to this day, we 

haven’t.” 

With this positive, refreshing attitude, 

Plumpton’s development continued 

apace with drainage improvements 

undertaken annually. Over the following 

years work to the hill top of home 

straight, the exit to the top bend, the 

start of the back straight and the entire 

hurdle side of back straight hill, have all 

been carried out. 

“We undertook all the drainage work 

101

“Frost covers certainly have a big future in the racing 

industry, but we must remain cautious and not blindly 

believe that deploying covers equals racing on; Mother 

Nature can often have the last word” 

Mark Cornford, Head Groundsman, Plumpton Racecourse 

to the same standard and specification,” 

stated Mark. “Pipework was put in first 

with main carrier drains fed by laterals at 

5 metre centres, on top of which, and 

running across them, we installed gravel 

and sand banding at one metre centres 

to enable surface water to filtrate 

through the clay and into the pipework 

as quickly as possible.” 

More drainage work was undertaken 

this year, at the end of May, using the 

same local contractor, J Thomas 

(Southern) of Henfield. “We have used 

this company for a number of years now 

with great success, they work to an 

agreed specification and always within 

our budgets to achieve the best result,” 

said Mark. “The project this year is to 

improve the removal of surface water 

from the area at the turn out of the 

home straight.” 

Despite all the improvements to the 

track, Mark appreciates that you are still 

at the mercy of Mother Nature. “You 

could have all the drains in the world, 

but late overnight heavy rain within 24 

hours of your first race will always cause 

you problems. Drains, as good as they 

are, still need time to work!” 

As a pure national hunt course, 

Plumpton has to operate during the 

worst of the British weather. Sixteen 

102 

racing fixtures are staged during a 

season that starts in late September and 

ends in the middle of May. The 

steeplechase course has a relatively 

narrow track that offers very little in 

flexibility of width and, apart from the 

bends, the course line alters very little 

with the fences never moved. The hurdle 

course has a bit more variation, with 

flights positioned on an inner line for 

early and late season meetings and on an 

outer line for mid-winter meetings. 

“Over a season there will be twice as 

many hurdle runners as chasers, and it’s 

our hurdle course that always shows most 

wear towards the second half of the 

season,” explained Mark. “With our 

small circuit the horses run over our 

ground two or three times per race, 

creating damage that would make many 

a groundsman from other spheres cry.” 

In recent years, the use of frost covers 

on racecourses has become more 

widespread, and the team at Plumpton 

has been eager to embrace this new 

technology. The course first deployed 

them in December 2007, and saved a 

meeting from the threat of overnight 

frost. Covers have been used on a further 

five occasions, only once failing to beat 

the weather, in early January 2009, when 

temperatures as low as minus 9 degrees 

centigrade were recorded. 

“We have Tildenet covers which are 

able to withstand frost entering the 

ground at temperatures around the 

minus 4 region at best,” explained Mark. 

“Frost covers certainly have a big future 

in the racing industry, but we must 

remain cautious and not blindly believe 

that deploying covers equals racing on; 

Mother Nature can often have the last 

word.” 

Returning to his favourite topic of 

conversation, his staff, Mark outlines 

some of the usual maintenance 

procedures in place. “When it comes to 

course repairs we all work together, 

pulling in one direction to achieve the 

best possible results. We all build the 

fences, but we follow John’s lead. Right 

from the start, he showed a natural talent 

and keen eye for levels when cutting off 

new fences; his background is 

greenkeeping and his abilities are 

endless.” 

Mark considers himself fortunate to be 

able to call upon a well respected and 

much needed part-time casual workforce 

who bolster the staff numbers for race 

days and track repair days that follow. 

“We aim to walk and fork the course 

back the day after racing, and then 

lightly roll with our Cambridge ring

Parade ring with ‘new era’ gates 

roller to level the surface. We 

topdress after every meeting, 

as necessary, with a 50/50 

rootzone and seed mix. A 

typical year at Plumpton has 

historically accounted for 240 

tonnes of rootzone or sand, 

depending on underfoot 

conditions, with an average 

cost of £6,500 per season.” 

“Other work includes 

aeration, which is carried out 

as often as possible,” Mark 

continued. “But, you have to 

remember we are a winter 

sport and, during the dark 

days of December, January 

and February, the 

opportunities are not as often 

as one would like. Again, 

harrowing the course to 

remove thatch with the Opico 

spring harrow helps to keep a 

healthy sward but, due to the 

excessive wear we endure 

during a season, this is also 

mainly a summer/autumn 

operation for us.” 

During the first week of 

June local contractor, Peter 

Mannington, is brought in to 

decompact the course, using 

a 2.6 metre heavy duty vertidrain. 

“We also hire a Vredo 

seed drill from Peter every 

spring to direct drill our grass 

seed,” continued Mark. 

“Barenbrug Bar 7 seed mix 

has been used here for the 

past three years with great 

success.” 

Supporting Mark in his 

endeavours is the Chief 

Executive of the Course, 

Claire Sheppard. With 

fourteen years experience in 

the racing industry, first with 

Tote Direct, followed by five 

years as Commercial 

Manager at Musselburgh 

Racecourse, she took up the 

post at Plumpton two years 

ago. 

“This is my dream job,’ she 

enthused. “Horseracing has 

been my passion from an 

early age and, after leaving 

university, my ambition was to 

work within the sport that I 

love.” 

“This award is the 

culmination of many years of 

hard work and investment by 

the owners and staff and, 

certainly, we will not be 

resting on our laurels,” 

continued Claire. “We have 

further plans to invest in the 

track and facilities to improve 

the raceday experience for all 

our customers. In addition to 

the current drainage works, 

we will be redecorating the 

public areas and upgrading 

the backroom areas for stable 

staff and jockeys.” 

Ever mindful of the need to 

be aware of other commercial 

opportunities to diversify 

revenue streams, Claire 

explained that they were 

planning to stage their first 

ever drive-in movie at the 

course. 

Come to think of it, that is 

something else the 

toy town of Trumpton 

didn’t have. 


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103

I’ve been in the sports turf industry for 

over twenty years now, but I would never 

profess to know everything about it. 

Recently, I attended the STARSS (Science, 

Technology and Research into Sport 

Surfaces) conference at Loughborough 

where I learned many new and interesting 

things from sports surface research workers 

from around the world. We must never stop 

learning and no one can claim to know 

everything. 

At the conference, I listened to a 

representative of the RFU extolling the 

virtues, as a means of achieving the highest 

quality of surface, of a ‘preferred supplier’ 

agreement. My understanding of this was 

that grant aid from the sporting body would 

only be awarded to projects developed and 

run by one of a small number of preferred 

3G carpet manufacturers. For those projects 

that involve the installation of such a pitch, 

the carpet manufacturer would, by default, 

become the main contractor. 

Now, I can see that this would resolve 

issues of liability if things go wrong. What is 

less obvious is how this approach would 

maximise the quality of the end product. 

The carpet manufacturers I have met 

certainly know a great deal about carpet 

manufacture, and I wouldn’t hesitate for a 

moment to defer to their judgement on 

matters related to the manufacture of 

carpets. I would have some reservations, 

however, about consulting them on issues to 

do with sports surface construction in the 

wider sense. 

Many of the speakers at the 

Loughborough conference were, 

undoubtedly, experts in their particular 

field, for example the quantification and 

104 

STARSS in 

their eyes? 

Tonight Matthew, Dr Tim Lodge is going to sing the 

praises of consultants. Not those ‘money for 

nothing’ management types, but the consultant 

agronomists who assist with contracts. Without 

them you might be in ‘dire straits’ 

interpretation of playing quality 

characteristics of 3G surfaces. There was 

also a half day session on natural turf which, 

for me, is a fascinating subject which poses 

more technical problems than artificial 

surfaces and is therefore the more 

rewarding area to work in. 

A contractor I spoke with once described 

a 3G pitch as a car park with a carpet on 

top. They are certainly more complicated 

than this, but the installation of these things 

is, actually, not rocket science, and there will 

be some carpet manufacturers who have a 

very good understanding of the processes 

involved. This preferred supplier thing 

could work. 

But, sports facility development projects 

usually involve a lot more than the selection 

and installation of a carpet on a constructed 

base. For example: 

- the Environment Agency and local 

planning authorities are becoming 

increasingly interested in the attenuation 

capacity of 3G pitches and their 

propensity to generate surface run-off 

and increase flood risk 

- there are, invariably, technical and 

planning issues surrounding the design of 

the floodlighting system 

- the specific form of the fencing around a 

3G pitch can be chosen from a wide 

range of options which have a similarly 

wide range of prices 

- in a wider sense, community development 

experts are increasingly concerned about 

the consequences of enclosing areas of 

what has often been considered public 

open space 

The original and still the best 

3G maintenance machine 

For For fast, fast, simple simple and and effective effective routine routine maintenance maintenance of third third 

generation generation artificial artificial surfaces surfaces choose choose the the ATC 

Removes surface surface debris, debris, lifts lifts folded folded fibres, fibres, and and relieves relieves 

surface surface compaction compaction in one one operation operation 

- very often, moderately sized projects also 

involve the development of some natural 

turf pitches and all the complexity that 

that entails 

- A well-designed project should have 

considered all of these things, and a lot 

more besides. The solutions to the various 

problems and impositions should, in each 

case, be incorporated into the design to 

the best of the designer’s ability. This 

seems an awful lot of responsibility to 

place on someone with a background in 

carpet manufacture 

The larger contractors themselves have 

also been drawn towards this over-arching 

approach through what is known as ‘design 

and build’. I’m in danger of upsetting 

people I know and respect here, so I shall 

try to tread carefully. 

There are many individuals working for 

larger sports turf contractors for whom I 

have a great deal of respect, and who 

genuinely aspire to delivering the highest 

standards to their clients. In the purely 

commercial sense, however, this is not their 

primary function. Their main purpose is to 

win contracts and maximise profits for the 

companies concerned. 

‘We want an all-weather pitch for our 

team to train on. Obviously, because there’s 

no grass on it, it’s going to be cheaper for 

us to maintain. How much is that going to 

cost us Mr Contractor, and can you rebuild 

that natural turf pitch while you’re about it?’ 

That’s slightly simplistic perhaps. I don't 

want to sound patronising, but I reckon it’s 

not dissimilar to at least some conversations 

that have taken place in the past. The thing 

is that many projects, if they are to be done 

Arrange a demonstration today - contact David Reynolds at Sweepfast Ltd, the Official ATC UK Dealer 

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properly, are often more complex than even 

the clients themselves appreciate. 

There are quite a few issues arising from 

this that I have difficulty with. Firstly, the 

ball is entirely in the contractor’s court. A 

single contractor approached in this way 

may well think of a number and, as far as 

the client is concerned, that is how much 

the project will cost. An element of 

competitive tendering could be brought into 

play by asking the same question of several 

contractors, assuming the client knows who 

to contact, but the primary aim of each and 

every one of those contractors will be to 

maximise their profits, not necessarily to 

give the client the best facility. The very 

vagueness of the question allows the 

contractor to operate in a world that the 

client is entirely mystified by. In this 

procurement process, the extent to which 

the client may or may not be taken for a 

ride will remain forever unknown. 

Another problem is that the wider 

implications of the project are not taken 

into consideration. For example, such 

projects usually require planning permission 

and the phrase ‘get through planning’ will 

soon enter into the conversation. In terms 

of achieving the best overall quality of any 

new facility it seems to me that we, as an 

industry, should have greater aspirations 

than simply to meet those standards laid 

down by planning authorities. Competitive 

tendering amongst companies that offer 

‘design and build’ will not automatically 

allow this to happen. 

This is where the consultant enters the 

picture. Having said that, we don’t know 

everything. It should be said that we are 

consultants because we have made it our 

business specifically to investigate and try to 

understand the issues and principles 

involved. This allows us to place an 

individual project in the wider setting. 

We can anticipate and address planning 

issues, resolve technical problems, maximise 

environmental benefits and, hopefully, make 

a new facility deliver more than its core 

purpose. 

When the client asks for the best quality 

we will ensure that they achieve this in every 

respect, many of which the client may not 

even have thought about. 

Needless to say, we must also deliver the 

best value for money. The drawing up by a 

consultant of a detailed specification, 

drawings and contract documentation, and 

going out to tender with that, will ensure 

that the tender process is not allowed to 

operate in the vague and mysterious 

commercial world that exists among the 

various contractors and suppliers. Using a 

detailed specification drawn up beforehand 

ensures that contractors really are forced to 

compete upon a level playing field, and one 

where the referee, though he can’t control 

the outcome, at least gets to see and control 

exactly what is going on. 

Of course the client has to pay the 

consultant to do this. Unfortunately, our 

fees are often resented. I think this is partly 

because the word ‘consultant’ brings to 

mind management consultants and the like 

who are drafted into large public sector 

organisations where they are seen, by the 

majority, to bring no tangible benefit at 

enormous cost. 

I do not think this can be said of the 

consultants in the sports industry. 

Organisations such as RIPTA (for the 

natural turf consultants) and SAPCA (which 

has the Professional Services section for 

consultants) have been established with the 

highest motive, genuinely to deliver the best 

quality to the client. 

A good consultant will go out of his way 

to find the best way of doing things. He’ll 

keep himself up to date with developments 

in the industry. He will also try to maintain 

good relations with contractors, and within 

the industry in general, so that projects can 

be concluded smoothly and amicably with 

the least cost to the client. 

As consultants, we spend a great deal of 

money on liability insurance, because we 

know that, we alone, will be liable should 

things go wrong. We don’t want this to 

happen, of course, which is another reason 

we try to produce tight specifications that 

will deliver the best end product. 

‘Honour good men and women; be 

courteous to all; bow down to none.’ This is 

a phrase that some Edwardian 

schoolchildren were asked to memorise as 

part of their instruction in personal 

development. I think it is a wonderful 

phrase because it encapsulates my approach 

to life in general, and to the running of my 

consultancy business in particular. 

When you’re dealing with a technical 

issue you need technically minded people 

who know a lot about the job. You must 

show respect to those people that know 

more about things than you do. You are not 

beholden to others that may be in the 

middle of commercial price wars, or deals 

made with other people around issues that 

have nothing to do with you. 

Dr Tim Lodge, Agrostis Turf Consultancy Ltd. 

Tel: 01359 259361 www.agrostis.co.uk 

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unknown” 

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www.sweepfast.com www.tartanbahn.de 

105

No testing ground can 

reproduce the levels and 

intensity of wear, timing of 

use, exact conditions and all 

the other variable inputs that 

you, as the turf manager, put 

into your turf surfaces. 

By Andrew Turnbull 

BSc (Hons) 

Testing Yourself ... 

There is much talk about making sure 

that products you use are 

independently tested and the results 

available for groundsmen/greenkeepers. 

Whilst I fully endorse this view point, 

there is no greater verification of 

whether a product or treatment is 

suitable for you than by testing them on 

your own turf. No testing ground can 

reproduce the levels and intensity of 

wear, timing of use, exact conditions and 

all the other variable inputs that you, as 

the turf manager, put into your turf 

surfaces. 

This article is written to provide some 

guidelines on how you can gain 

meaningful results that are relevant to 

your playing surfaces. In particular, I 

want to show two methods that you can 

use to compare treatments of different 

products. 

First, some guidelines: 

1. Before the experiment starts: 

Be clear in your mind on why the test is 

being conducted in the first place. It is 

very important that you start a trial with 

clearly defined objectives and purposes. 

Decide on how the trial will be run. 

You may want to carry out plot trials that 

measure many treatments and require 

the use of statistics to produce accurate 

data. Or, you may just need a simple 

comparison between one treatment and 

another. 

Approach your trials with an open 

Fig 1. Plywood test on a fairway 

mind. Many experiments are made 

invalid because of a bias towards a 

certain result, which affects how the data 

is collected and interpreted. 

2. Materials and Methods 

List the materials to be used (products, 

sprayer, etc.) and the methods that will 

be used to implement the test (sprayer 

settings, product rates, evaluation 

methods). 

Decide what is actually to be measured, 

e.g. colour, growth rates, density or 

playing characteristics. Bear in mind that 

measurements can be subjective, e.g. how 

do you measure difference in green if 

you are colour blind? Avoid too 

ambitious measurements that require 

expensive recording data, e.g. infra red 

measuring of leaf chlorophyll content. 

Keep it to practical levels. 

Concentrate on the most important 

reason for choosing a particular product 

or treatment. The more variables you 

introduce the less likely you will be able 

to determine the response of your turf. 

Keep everything consistent with your 

normal turf management, and then 

introduce the one change you would like 

to make on test areas. 

3. Once the experiment has started: 

Begin recording observations for each 

product or process being tested. 

Observations can be descriptions of 

visual characteristics (“excellent”, “good”, 

“fair” are all visual descriptions), 

numerical ratings (weights of clippings, 

electrical conductivity readings, etc.) or 

relative ratings (subjective performance 

estimates of quality, such as a 1-9 turf 

quality rating system). 

Without good record keeping, the 

effort put into a testing programme will 

be wasted, because you will have no way 

of remembering how and why your 

results were obtained. 

Use a notebook to record your 

Objectives, Materials and Methods, 

observations and Discussion, as well as 

any other thoughts you have about 

product performance, the reaction of 

golfers to management practices, or any 

difficulty you experience handling or 

applying a material. Date each entry, and 

take notes carefully and legibly! 

Remember - excess information is always 

better than insufficient information, so 

don’t be stingy with your words. If you 

are able to take photos, tape them inside 

your experimental log; these can be 

invaluable in summarising your results. If 

you are a good record keeper, you’ll find 

that your notebooks will hold their value 

for years to come - in resolving disputes 

about which practice or technique is best, 

where or how a product was applied, or 

the history of a problem area of turf. 

4. At the end of the experiment: 

Review your notes and write a discussion, 

or summary of your findings, why you 

Fig 2 - non-randomised plots Fig 3 - randomised plot design

think these observations occurred, how 

valid you think the test was, and how the 

information will be used. Consult with 

colleagues and staff members to bring 

out different interpretations and ideas 

than your own. Ask how will you 

incorporate these results into your 

management programme? Are there any 

follow-up tests that might be useful? 

These four components are essential to 

any testing programme. If you omit any 

of them, you will find it difficult to 

determine what actually happened, and 

your time will be wasted. 

Experimental Design 

Replication - Never compare one 

treatment with another without 

replication. Trials work is about 

comparing the average (or mean) results 

of one set of same treatments with the 

mean of another set of different 

treatments. 

Despite our best efforts, the turf on a 

green or fairway is usually not exactly the 

same. There are differences in 

microclimate, moisture, turf quality and a 

host of other factors that result in 

variability that is beyond the control of 

the researcher. Without replication 

(repeating a treatment in two or more 

locations), this type of variability can lead 

us to draw the wrong conclusions from a 

trial. 

In order to be sure that the differences 

observed during an experiment are the 

result of a treatment, and not simply due 

to differences in the quality of the turf 

across the test area, each treatment 

should be repeated, or replicated, in 

three different areas. In most cases, three 

replications should be sufficient to 

separate out the good from the lousy 

treatments. 

Control Plot - Once you have selected 

an area within a green, tee, fairway or 

rough that you want to apply a new 

treatment or product to, you will also 

need to select an adjacent area to serve 

as the non-treated plot. The non-treated 

plot should be managed exactly the same 

way as your treated area, with one 

exception. That is, you should not 

subject the non-treated area to the 

product or practice that you are 

evaluating. 

By applying the concept of nothing to 

your test in this way, you will be able to 

use the non-treated control as a yardstick 

to measure any improvement (or 

damage) that results from the treatment 

under evaluation. If you fail to include a 

non-treated plot in your test, you really 

have no way of knowing how well the 

new product or practice is performing. 

For this reason, you should always be 

Fig 4 Fig 5 

wary of manufacturer’s data that doesn’t 

include a non-treated plot. 

Carrying out simple trials work 

We shall now look at two different 

methods of carrying out simple trials 

work. The first is a simple method of 

comparing the application of a treatment 

on turf with not applying the treatment. 

1. Where plywood is king 

Plywood is one of the most effective and 

easy ways of creating “instant” nontreated 

plots. Let’s say you want to see 

the effects of using a particular fertiliser 

or pesticide. To make instant non-treated 

plots, simply place three or four pieces of 

plywood on top of a few of the treated 

areas, just before you are ready to begin 

applying the test product. 

When you treat with the product, the 

areas covered by the plywood will remain 

untreated. 

After application, mark each of the 

plywood’s four corners with turf paint. 

You can now remove the plywood, and 

the turf paint will allow you to locate the 

non-treated areas so that you can make 

your observations. 

If you observe the treated and nontreated 

areas daily for several days 

(recording your observations as described 

below), you should be able to determine 

whether the application improved, 

decreased, or had no effect on turf 

quality. 

If there is no visible difference between 

the treated and non-treated areas, the 

product probably doesn’t have much 

effect on that area of turf, and you will 

have saved yourself time, effort and 

expense by avoiding an unnecessary 

application. If, on the other hand, the 

treated area looks better than the nontreated 

area, then you can treat with the 

confidence that the product will produce 

the desired effects. 

Plot Trials 

Whilst simple, using plywood does not 

answer the question of ‘what is the most 

effective application rate?’, or ‘how would 

this product compare with another 

product?’. The answer is to set up a 

series of trial plots and apply different 

treatments to make simple comparisons. 

Plot Size 

Most research trials are conducted using 

small plots, usually all placed within one 

green, one tee or one fairway. But what 

size? The smallest plots that I would 

recommend for on-site testing are 1.5 

metres x 2 metres. For most small plot 

work, this is a convenient size for using a 

knapsack sprayer or not too big for 

applying granules by hand. 

Another method is to treat one half of 

a green or fairway and not the other, but 

this will require replication on three 

other separate greens or fairways. 

Randomisation, or rolling the dice 

The use of a randomised design helps us 

to properly arrange the treatments in the 

test area, so that variability is minimised, 

e.g. a dry area on one side of the test 

area. There are several choices available 

to us in how we arrange the different 

treatments in each replicate, so that the 

test plots are arranged to factor out the 

influence of that dry area on the results. 

Problems can arise if the treatments 

are arranged in the same order in each 

replicate, as shown above (assume that 

treatments 1 and 2 represent two 

different fertilisers, and treatment 3 

represents a non-treated check; the dry 

area is indicated by the shaded gray 

area). 

In Fig 2. treatment 1 is receiving an 

unfair amount of pressure, because the 

dry spot is concentrated in the treatment 

1 plots. Using this design, would you be 

able to tell whether the poor 

performance of treatment 1 is due to the 

negative effects of fertiliser 1, or is it due 

to the our having placed treatment 1 

plots where soil conditions are dry? You 

have no way to find this out, using a nonrandomised 

design. 

In contrast, treatments can be 

arranged randomly as in Fig 3 above. In 

this case, the randomisation has been 

done correctly, and the negative effect of 

the dry area is more evenly spread over 

all of the treatments, giving you a fairer 

look at the performance of each 

treatment. 

Trials work, whilst being great fun, can 

take up large amounts of time, and a 

busy turf manager needs meaningful 

data on which to base decisions on where 

and when to spend his/her employer’s 

money. The use of the Plywood Sheet 

method will give very quick results, and 

simple plot trials help in comparing 

combinations of treatments. 

If you are unfamiliar with trialing, 

practice by setting out a simple trial of a 

known application, e.g. a fertiliser at 

different rates, as in Fig.5. 

Finally - keep and open mind, be 

precise in application of treatments, 

replicate treatments, record everything 

and discuss the results with colleagues 

before making a final conclusion and/or 

recommendation. 

About the author: Andrew Turnbull BSc (Hons), 

Dip. RSA, Cert Ed. Owner of AllTurf 

Management, and Managing Director of The 

Great Lawn Company Ltd. Contact 

allturfman@ntworld.com 

Fig 4. A randomised plot trial of 

comparing carbohydrate 

nutrition products with 

conventional fertiliser. Three 

products, three treatments 

each, three non-treated plots 

Fig 5. A simple plot trial 

comparing full rate application 

of a natural product (top left 

square) with half rate 

application (bottom right 

square). The other two squares 

are control plots (no 

treatment). (Courtesy of Dr. 

Peter Barrett)

Perhaps the most 

sustainable crop on 

the planet, seaweed is 

being heralded as the 

answer to the ever 

decreasing list of 

chemical products for 

the turfcare industry 

The Wracks 

Progress! 

Seaweeds are found throughout the 

world’s oceans and seas and none are 

known to be poisonous. Many are 

actually nice to eat and even considered a 

great delicacy in many Asian countries. 

Seaweeds are also used in many maritime 

regions for industrial applications and as a 

fertiliser. 

The role of seaweed in agriculture dates 

back thousands of years, and has been an 

integral part of coastal farming, and it can 

be said, with honesty, that it is a most 

effective fertiliser. Whilst it is still used in 

all of these ways, a significant event took 

place at the end of the last century that 

dramatically changed the way in which we 

now look at seaweed and its potential 

utilisation. 

In 1992, more than one hundred Heads 

of State met in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for 

the first international Earth Summit, 

convened to address urgent problems of 

environmental protection and socioeconomic 

development. The assembled 

leaders signed the Convention on Climate 

108 

Change and the Convention on Biological 

Diversity, endorsed the Rio Declaration 

and the Forest Principles, and adopted 

Agenda 21, a 300 page plan for achieving 

sustainable growth in the 21st century. 

The UN implored governments to 

rethink economic development and find 

ways to halt the destruction of irreplaceable 

natural resources and pollution of the 

planet. Following this UN mandate, the 

EEC invested in several projects to replace 

existing chemicals known to be toxic or 

hazardous, and be replaced with 

sustainable, environmental and ecologically 

friendly solutions that perform as well as 

the chemicals they replace. It was following 

the successful conclusion of one such 

project that explored the potential of the 

properties of seaweed, that Sea-Chem was 

formed. 

Many products used throughout industry, 

agriculture and the home contain 

chemicals known to be toxic or hazardous. 

An increased awareness of the effects of 

chemicals on human health, coupled with 

escalating levels of global pollution, has 

driven governments across the world to 

produce ever more stringent chemical and 

environmental legislation. 

In order to comply with this legislation, 

there is a growing demand for safe 

alternatives to traditional chemical 

products. Sea-Chem was established to 

fulfil this demand, and it is against this 

ethos that our product range has been, and 

continues to be developed. None of the 

products carries any hazardous 

classification symbol. 

The Virtuous Circle 

Process Efficiency - Solution as effective as 

the chemicals it replaces 

Ecologically Enhancing - Natural enzymes 

help nature diffuse hydrocarbons 

Environmental Superiority - No harmful 

substances, Lower Carbon footprint 

Naturally sustainable - Seaweed 

replenished on a 3-5 year cycle 

Cost Effective - Lower energy, COSHH 

Regulations, Highly efficacious, Operator 

benefits, Disposal costs

The products are as effective as the 

traditional chemical products they 

replace, but have none of the associated 

health, safety or environmental problems. 

The company formulates and 

manufactures all its own products with 

health, safety and the environment in 

mind. Where possible, they incorporate 

their own unique seaweed extracts. They 

have over one hundred years combined 

experience in formulation chemistry and 

problem solving in industries as diverse as 

engineering and manufacturing, food and 

beverage processing, janitorial cleaning, 

waste water and sewage treatment, 

pollution control, agriculture and 

horticulture. 

Seaweed has been recognised and used 

in the agricultural, horticultural, amenity 

and garden markets for many years as a 

growth stimulant, or combined with 

nutrients to form a comprehensive range 

of fertilisers and soil conditioners. 

However, research conducted by a pan 

European body found it was an excellent 

surfactant, coupled to being produced 

from a highly sustainable resource. 

The products are derived from brown 

seaweeds such as Laminaria digitata and 

Ascophyllum nodosum, which are fast 

growing cold water kelps found in 

abundance around the coast of Northern 

Europe and Iceland. Research illustrates 

an estimated 100 million tonnes of kelp 

seaweed are available worldwide for a 

sustainable annual harvest, with a 

renewable life cycle of between three and 

five years. 

Sea-Chem produces a number of 

seaweed extracts from various brown cold 

water seaweeds. The seaweed is 

sustainably harvested from the West Coast 

of Ireland; it is washed, dried and ground 

before being shipped to their contractor’s 

factory in England for processing. The 

extracts are produced using a proprietary 

natural process that does not include the 

use of high temperature, high pressure or 

additional chemicals such as caustic 

potash and solvents, and have developed 

a comprehensive range of products, based 

on several unique technologies, which 

replace hazardous materials used in the 

following diverse areas: 

• Agriculture, horticulture and amenity 

• Industrial cleaning and process 

degreasing 

• Janitorial and consumer cleaning 

products 

• Oil spill clean-up and land remediation 

• Waste water and effluent treatment 

Seaweeds and kelp have been used for 

thousands of years by mankind to assist 

with the growing of food, as a direct food 

source and in housing and industry. 

Utilising modern technology, access to 

seaweed has improved together with a 

greater understanding of the ecology of 

the seas. The whole basis of the seaweed 

industry is no different to that of 

sustainably managing land-based crops - 

understand the capacity of the resource 

base and utilise it to the best long-term 

advantage by ensuring its use is targeted 

to the most appropriate application, as 

determined by its particular qualities. 

In conjunction with taking energy from 

the sun in the form of photosynthesis, 

kelps and seaweeds have always relied on, 

and will continue to rely upon, nutrient 

run-off from the landmass for their 

growth and provision of unique qualities. 

It is the ongoing return to the land of this 

complex plant nutrient, in the form of 

seaweeds, that makes for investigation 

into the future sustainability of marine 

derived materials, and the benefits this 

recycled resource can provide to man and 

the global ecology. 

As the demands on agricultural land 

increase, and production expectations 

become higher, so too is the importance 

of sensible utilisation of all possible 

nutrient inputs into the human food 

chain. 

Nearly four fifths of the world’s surface 

is covered with oceans and seas. Over 

millions of years, various nutrients of the 

land have been washed into the seas of 

the world making them increasingly 

mineral rich. For eons, since before the 

first recording of history, man has sought 

nutrition from the seas - either directly or 

as a means of enhancing the soils in which 

crops are grown or to grow the crop itself. 

The predominant use of health giving 

Knotted Wrack (Ascophyllum nodosum) Oarweed (Lamininaria digitata) 

kelp, seaweeds and fish were - and in 

some cases still are - based on cultures 

such as Japan, whereas many other parts 

of the world have gone through phases of 

utilising this remarkable resource. 

Seaweed’s usage was dependent on the 

availability of conventional food crops at 

various times, together with the quality 

and production expectations of crops 

grown with the assistance of seaweeds and 

fish. On the islands of Orkney, seaweed 

had long been gathered by Orcadians, 

dragged up from the beaches and spread 

across the fields as a fertiliser. This 

tradition was capitalised on by the island 

lairds who quickly saw that there were 

profits to be made gathering the seaweed 

and burning it to produce kelp. The ash 

produced was rich in potash and soda, 

substances that were eagerly sought after 

by the glass and soap industries. 

Various initiatives around the world are 

being taken in response to the 

environmental pressures, either already 

applying to seaweed habitat or that which 

can be anticipated to occur as a result of 

population growth on coastal zones. As 

more is learned about the oceans’ 

resources and the complex relationships 

contained in marine ecology around the 

world, local and broader programmes, 

including research, are increasing to 

conserve and understand what is 

considered a very valuable asset to the 

world. 

In future articles, we shall consider the 

diverse ways in which seaweed is now 

used, how it is sustainably harvested and 

processed, and look in depth at the 

advantages that it can bring to 

horticulture, agriculture and, in particular, 

amenity land applications. 

For further information email: 

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

www.sea-chem.co.uk 

109

The importance of bed-knives and 

how much relief do you really need? 

A personal view on the debate by Peter Hampton, 

professional grass machinery supplier and 

technician since 1963, and Patrick ‘Cal’ Callaby, 

Workshop Manager at The Celtic Manor Resort 

What a 

relief... 

We have read several articles 

about sharpening reel mowers 

recently, and very few discuss 

the bed-knife. In fact, some writers 

thought that the bed-knife was not 

considered important enough to mention 

in its relationship to the quality of cut. 

In our experience, the “bed-knife” is 

the most important part of the cutting 

process and needs careful attention when 

sharpening and setting any reel type 

cutting unit for a fine finish. 

While we are on the subject, please 

allow us to set the story straight on the 

“relief issue” in relation to the 

sharpening of reel type grass cutting 

units, drawing from years of practical 

experience. 

Let’s first clarify a few fundamentals 

regarding relief: 

• Most importantly, what is relief? 

• What do we mean when referring to a 

‘ground in relief ’? 

• How do we actually achieve relief? 

• What does it do for the mower? 

Relief is the reduction of contact 

110 

pressure between reel and bed-knife 

surfaces, offering a “relief ” to the engine 

or mechanism that is powering the reel. 

In the turf machinery industry, making 

the profile of each reel blade thinner, so 

that there is less metal to metal contact 

between reel and bed-knife, is usually 

called relief grinding. 

This relief reduces the mechanical 

effort required to drive the reel when 

reel and bed-knife are in contact. 

It is better to refer to this relief 

grinding as “blade thinning”, it is a 

much more appropriate description. 

The required thickness and angle of 

blade thinning (or none) varies from one 

mower manufacturer to another, and you 

must look at your own supplier’s 

recommended requirements. 

It’s worth noting, however, that 

excessive relief angles and relieving to a 

thin edge will weaken the reel blades, 

and render them more vulnerable to 

wear and damage from stones or metal 

objects such as golf shoe studs or coins. 

Here is a short summary of how blade 

thinning or relief grinding tends to 

operate in practice. 

When you reduce the profile of each 

reel blade to 25% of its original 

thickness, by blade thinning from the 

back edge, we could call this a 75% relief, 

when there is light contact between the 

reel and bed-knife blades. 

Most golf course equipment 

technicians will agree that, after running 

through sand or back-lapping the cutting 

units a few times, this area (25% in 

contact) starts to grow, and it’s not long 

before over 50% of the reel blade is in 

contact across the partially worn bedknife. 

So now we have only 50% relief 

remaining. 

If, however, the same reel blade were 

to operate without any contact with the 

bed-knife, then you could say that this is 

‘zero contact’ and is, therefore, 100% 

relief, because the reel is no longer 

rubbing on the bed-knife. 

So, surely, it makes more sense to set 

all of your cutting units with “zero 

contact” and have 100% relief all of the 

time? We do at Celtic Manor and it 

works well for us, however, the real trick

“In our opinion, backlapping should 

be banned as the carborundum 

paste is environmentally unsound” 

is to keep that zero contact at all times 

and also to keep a superior quality cut. 

Relief has nothing to do with cutting 

grass. It is all about making the mower 

work easier when running contact. 

We have found that sharpness of the 

reel has nothing to do with relief 

whatsoever. Sharpening reels need only 

take place when the quality of cut 

deteriorates. 

The true answer to relief is to keep a 

good sharp edge on the bed-knife and 

never allow the reel and bed-knife to 

touch - 100% relief. 

So how does your reel mower really 

work? 

Is it a Scissor? As a scissor, the cutting 

unit will be set-up with contact between 

the reel and the bed-knife. 

This is how the mower unit will be set 

if you backlap at any time during the 

cutting season, because, once you have 

back lapped, you will have made the 

blade surfaces match each other by 

rubbing them together with a 

carborundum lapping paste. The blades 

will then only work as a scissor, which 

requires reel and bed-knife contact. 

The lapping process will not have 

sharpened the bed-knife’s front edge, so 

you have not improved the quality of cut, 

you will have just smoothed out the 

action of the reel blade and bed-knife 

working in contact, which will show a 

temporary improvement in cut. Have you 

noticed that lapping becomes more 

frequent in order to keep a barely 

acceptable quality of cut? 

With a scissor cut, grass blades are torn 

off when they are trapped between the 

reel and bed-knife. As you can easily see 

with a magnifying glass (or macroscope), 

the torn edges of cut grass blades look 

ragged and suffer agronomically from 

this tearing action. In fact, bearding of 

grass underneath the bed-knife, or a 

build up of grass resins on the face edge 

of reel blades, are visual symptoms of 

this tearing and bruising action. This is a 

scissor cut. 

A few facts about backlapping 

Whenever you see evidence of sand wear 

grooves on the reel blades, there will 

always be opposite and matching grooves 

on the top face of the bed-knife. 

After back-lapping, take a magnifying 

glass and you will be able to see similar, 

but finer grooves on the reel blades, your 

bed-knife top face will be the same. No 

sharpening has taken place, you have 

only matched the faces of the reel and 

bed-knife together, the blades will now 

only cut when set in contact. 

You should understand that 

backlapping paste is just a finer form of 

sand. 

Understand, therefore, that it is 

absolutely essential to continually relief 

grind (blade thin) the reel blades, by at 

least 75% of their thickness, if you are 

going to continue to backlap and run 

contact, thereafter setting up as a scissor. 

It is the only way this lapped mower 

will work without major stress to the 

transmission, reel bearings and power 

unit. 

In our opinion, backlapping should be 

banned as the carborundum paste is 

environmentally unsound. In addition, 

backlapping damages your mowers in 

several ways including, most notably, it 

111

cones reels and can damage reel 

bearings. 

The time spent annually lapping 

mowers vastly exceeds the time it takes to 

face the bed-knife, with a facer or file 

and in-situ spin-grind a reel properly. 

Is it a scythe? 

When you set a mower as a scythe the 

reel becomes a gathering device, 

bringing the grass crop to the bed-knife. 

The bed-knife is the scythe’s cuttingedge. 

Correctly sharpened and angled, it 

allows it to present the grass crop for the 

reel to pull in against the sharp front 

cutting edge. 

No contact is required between the reel 

and bed-knife when setting as a scythe, 

just sharp edges, particularly on the bedknife. 

The spiralled helix shape of the 

reel blades are designed to provide a 

sideways action when drawing the grass 

along the bed-knife. The bed-knife has 

to be sharp at all times. 

Scissors will cut, but a scythe cuts 

cleaner. This is precisely why a surgeon 

uses a single-blade scalpel (which is 

drawn through the flesh) instead of 

scissors. 

When setting the mower as a scythe, 

with zero reel to bed-knife contact, there 

is no need for a blade thinning a relief, 

100% relief is there all the time, so the 

machine runs easier and with less energy 

input, less fuel use, lower hydraulic 

pressures and so on. 

When using an easy to set, in-situ type 

spin grinding method with the ability to 

set up and sharpen quickly, you can 

lightly renew the reel’s edges as needed, 

face up the bed-knife and always keep 

the “no contact” setting in minutes. This 

is a scything cut. 

To maintain a scything cut the bedknife 

is the most important part. The 

bed-knife has three functions: 

1. Presentation - the front face edge 

primarily stands the grass up and 

presents it for the reel, at the right 

height. It must be sharpened at the 

correct angles. 

2. It is a cutting edge, therefore, the bedknife 

must always be sharp. 

3. Ejection - the top face angle is for 

ejecting the grass cuttings from the 

cutting edge. This angle will vary 

according to the mower’s intended 

use, but the top face angle is never 

112 

smaller than the reel diameter. 

Therefore a 5 inch diameter reel will 

require a 5 degree top face minimum, 

then add 2 or more degrees for the 

grass crop on say a fairway cut. This 

will vary in different growth 

conditions. 

Bedknives do all of the cutting when you 

set up a mowing unit like a scythe, the 

blade must be sharp and have the correct 

angles on the top face and the front face. 

Two thousandths of an inch gap 

between reel and bed-knife is ideal in 

Northern Europe, but will need to be 

reduced by half on some exotic or desert 

grass species. 

It is important to maintain the sharp 

edge on the front of the bed-knife, with a 

facer or a good file, in order to cut 

cleanly without bruising the grass. This 

will also enhance the definition of stripes 

on the green, thereby improving the 

after cut appearance and keeping the 

pace consistent on greens all day during 

competitive play. 

Experiences at Celtic Manor 

We have eight Toro 5410 fairway mowers, 

five were purchased in 2007 and three in 

2008. We do not backlap in favour of 

grinding because it’s quicker using our 

spin grinders. 

The 2007 machines have been 

sharpened twice, the first time to see how 

long it took two men to grind five 

machines during the average work 

period in peak season (7 hours). Using a 

calculator it’s easy to see that: 

7 hours = 420 minutes divided by 25 

cutting units = 16.8 minutes per unit. 

The time started from driving in the 

first machine to driving out the last one. 

This included removing the bed bar, 

grinding the bed-knife on the top edge 

and front face, adjusting the height of 

cut post grinding, and greasing each unit 

before refitting it to the machine. 

The technicians carry out all bed-knife 

to reel adjustments, we set-up all of our 

units with no contact at all and the 

quality of cut is first class. 

During tournaments, we give every 

pedestrian greens mower a very quick 

spin each time they are used, this takes 

around five minutes per machine and 

includes a couple of passes with our 

Rapid Facer to ‘freshen’ the bed-knife 

front face, and make fine adjustments to 

the height of cut. 

This is a ‘belt and braces’ measure, 

purely for tournaments, because of the 

limited time for course set-up before the 

first tee-offs, the mowers must go out in 

“perfect” condition. 

Some figures for you to consider; 

From independent field trials we know 

that, when running a five unit fairway 

mower set with zero contact, the 

hydraulic pressure will be around 900lbs, 

causing minimum mechanical stress to 

the machine. 

Running the same mower set with light 

contact, but with reels easily turning, the 

hydraulic pressure will increase to 

1800lbs. Because the reel and bed-knife 

contact begins to act like a brake, as reels 

get hotter and begin to expand slightly, 

more heat or heavy contact will increase 

the braking effect still further. 

Due to this braking effect of running 

reels with light contact, the mower’s fuel 

consumption will increase by 25 to 30%, 

the transmission oil and engine oil 

temperatures will be raised, producing 

extra stress on hydraulic hoses, motor 

seals and reel bearings, the risk of oil 

leaks will increase, reel and bed-knife 

wear will be much higher and quality of 

cut will deteriorate rapidly. 

Professional hydraulic mowers have 

built in safety relief systems (similar to 3 

point tractor lifts), which will release 

pressure when the hydraulic system 

reaches about 3,000lbs. This means that 

any heavy reel and bed-knife contact will 

begin to open the safety valves and risk 

causing the hydraulic safety system to 

bleed off pressure and, so, reduce the 

efficiency of the mowing unit or stall the 

cutting units entirely. 

Remember that the way you set-up, 

maintain and use your equipment will 

change the performance and useful life 

of your mowing machines. It will also 

effect your manufacturer’s reputation 

and warranties. 

Reducing the wear and tear on your 

machinery, and always setting your 

mowers with a perfect zero contact cut, 

will enhance your own reputation and, by 

providing consistent, high quality playing 

surfaces, you will ensure that your 

members and paying customers want to 

return again and again. 

Do your own ‘zero contact’ cutting trial 

today. It may change your life.

There was a time, within the 

lifespan of people now 

reading this article, when we 

would all bite our lips and 

accept that some things were 

not up for discussion in the 

workplace. 

But that was then, and this is 

now. People are much more 

socially confident these days 

and more people are better 

educated than ever before. 

Nowadays, people are more 

open and expect others to be 

open with them. 

So, when people (especially 

colleagues and bosses) are 

not open and honest with us, 

it can lead to a lot of 

frustration and anxiety. We 

may even feel that ‘they 

should know better than to 

treat me this way’. 

Avoiding by promising to 

speak, but then never 

actually getting around to it 

An increased awareness of 

how others can, and will, 

react has caused many 

people, who fear the 

consequences of openness, to 

devise and deploy ever more 

sophisticated ways of 

avoiding being open with 

others. Here’s ten to start you 

off. Please add any others, 

which you have experienced 

yourself that are not listed 

here. 

1. Telling lies, that have 

some plausibility, to fob 

people off 

2. Telling half-truths, that 

sound convincing, so that 

114 

Why won’t you be 

open with me? 

people go away 

3. Distracting people with 

(say) humour or other 

issues to get them off 

track 

4. Changing the subject or 

re-prioritising other 

issues, so that they talk 

about something else - at 

least for the time being 

5. Delaying the discussion, 

as in ‘I can’t talk right 

now - I’ll get back to you’ 

6. Claiming that they ‘do 

not know the full picture’ 

so cannot really comment 

7. Quoting precedent, e.g. 

‘that’s not the way we do 

things around here’ 

8. Avoiding by promising to 

speak, but then never 

actually getting around to 

it 

9. Feigning sensitivity - ‘I 

can’t say anything, I do 

not want to risk hurt 

anyone’s feelings - at this 

stage’ 

10. Claiming ignorance of a 

situation, but all the time 

avoiding finding out, as 

in ‘Don’t say anything to 

me - then I will not have 

to lie to keep people 

happy’ 

There is evidence that 

overwhelmingly supports the 

view that people want others 

to be open with them. 

Openness is seen as being far 

preferable to being ‘kept in 

the dark’ about something 

important. 

Part 2: Options and 

Opportunities 

In Part 1, Performance Consultant and Conference 

Speaker, Frank Newberry, made the case for more 

openness in the workplace. 

In the second and final part of his article, he 

looks at the methods people use to avoid being 

open and honest in the workplace, and how we 

can tackle this problem in ourselves and in 

others. 

Betrayal can live in the 

memory for a lifetime 

People, on key matters, like 

bad news, can get very angry 

if information is known by 

others but withheld or not 

shared immediately. Not 

sharing difficult information 

can sometimes be seen as a 

betrayal, and betrayal can live 

in the memory for a lifetime. 

We need some strategies that 

will, somehow, get the person 

- who is not being open with 

us - to feel more confident, 

and to believe that being 

more open is the best option 

for all concerned. If we, 

ourselves, are not being open 

when appropriate, then we 

need to understand that we 

may not just be part of the 

problem, we may actually BE 

the problem! 

First of all, those of us in 

management positions need 

to set a good example of 

openness and honesty in the 

workplace. If you have ever 

been guilty of the sins listed 

in 1-10 above, chances are 

people have already found 

out that you can’t deal with 

the truth, and morale and 

performance have already 

started to decline. 

Five Key Strategies or 

Options 

Strategies 1, 2 and 3 are 

mainly preventative, and 4 

and 5 are principally 

remedial in nature. All can be 

a great opportunity for you, 

but will need to be done in 

private, and in strict 

confidence. 

1. Set up Feedback Contracts 

This is a good way to start 

being more open at work. It 

is usually done on a one-toone 

basis, where two people 

agree how, and when, 

feedback at work will be 

given and received. People 

decide what news or 

information should be 

included, and the process can 

be undertaken regularly and 

then reviewed at agreed 

intervals. 

2. Have a Team Discussion 

This is very similar to 

number 1 above and, again, 

it is a good starting point for 

more openness. On this 

occasion, the whole team 

agree how and when 

feedback at work will be 

given and received. People 

decide what news or 

information should be 

included, what should be 

shared with the team and 

what should be done one-toone. 

Again, the process can 

be undertaken regularly and 

then reviewed at agreed 

intervals. 

3. Exchange Perceptions and 

Expectations 

This is probably best done 

one-to-one, and is very useful 

when people are not as aware 

as they should be of the 

impact that their behaviour 

has on others. It is very 

important that this process is 

not one-sided or dominated 

by one person. It is

important that both, or all 

sides, give their perceptions 

and expectations of each other 

at work. The process can be 

undertaken regularly and then 

reviewed at agreed intervals. 

4. Set a Deadline for 

Disclosure, Data or Decision 



when damage has been done 

by people not being open, 

frustration has set in and 

performance is suffering. 

People meet privately and, one 

or more of them, imposes a 

deadline on the provision of 

the required disclosure, data or 

decision. One person says ‘if I 

have not heard anything more 

from you by this date (person 

gives deadline date), I will 

assume (person gives his/her 

preferred version or a realistic 

outcome) and act accordingly 

when the deadline passes’. 

5. Have an ‘Off the Record 

with Clarity’ Session 



when number 3 above has 

failed, or has been avoided, 

and people are getting very 

angry or upset. The process 

involves one person requesting 

an ‘off the record’ session with 

another person. ‘Off the 

Record’ simply means that 

people can say whatever is on 

their mind, how they feel etc. 

without it ever being held 

against them. Indeed, if 

reference is ever made to the 

discussion, both sides are free 

to say ‘You are a liar!’ or ‘that 

discussion never took place’. 

It can really help because 

people can say, for example, 

‘Would you like to know how 

your decision made me feel?’ 

or ‘Would you like to know 

what I thought of you at the 

time?’ In my personal 

experience it can really ‘clear 

the air’ and is then over and 

done with … until the next 

betrayal! 

Good luck with getting the 

important people in your life 

to open up, and good luck 

with being more open yourself. 

You may find that you are in a 

‘who goes first’ situation. In my 

experience, it is better to go 

first yourself, that way you can 

set the level of disclosure you 

need from the other person. 

Frank Newberry has been helping 

people in the turfcare sector to get 

better results for over twenty years. 

If you are facing a situation that 

needs more openness and honesty, 

and you think it might help to speak 

to someone, you can contact Frank 

by email or by telephone via the 

contact tab of his personal website 

which is www.franknewberry.com 

The 

Coating 

Question 

Barenbrug’s research and 

development manager, Jayne 

Leyland, explains the company’s 

position on grass seed coatings 

As the hype surrounding 

seed coatings, and 

impressive claims about 

their benefits abounds, 

Barenbrug stands out as one 

of the only UK seed 

companies not to be launching 

such a product. 

And, as the market-leading 

grass seed breeder renowned 

for bringing new and 

innovative products and ideas 

to the turf industry, you could 

be forgiven for wondering why 

we haven’t come up with a 

coatings product to keep up 

with the competition. 

Well, the answer is, simply, 

that we haven’t found a 

product that delivers 

advantages and, until we do, 

we won’t be recommending 

coatings. 

No proven benefit 

As part of the Royal 

Barenbrug Group, we have 

looked at the potential for 

coatings over the last two 

decades across our globally 

operating seed company and, 

in some countries, introduced 

products that are delivering 

tangible benefits for 

customers. 

But, this has only occurred 

in areas of the world like the 

USA, Australia, New Zealand 

and Argentina where 

legislation allows useful 

ingredients, such as fungicides 

and insecticides, to be 

included - and that’s just not 

the case here in Europe. 

We have been inundated 

with offers of seed coating 

products and treatments and 

we have trialed many but, todate, 

have not found any that 

deliver scientifically proven 

benefits. And, it’s not just a 

case of there being no proven 

benefit - in some cases our 

trials, and those at the STRI, 

have demonstrated that 

coatings can actually 

inhibit germination and 

establishment. 

Pay a premium 

We would also urge any 

greenkeeper or 

groundsman 

considering coatings to 

look very carefully at the 

financial implications of 

using such products. 

Budgets are tight, so 

who wants to pay a 

premium for coated 

grass seed only to have to 

purchase twice as much seed 

as normal? 

With coated seed, the 

recommended sowing rates are 

twice the normal rate - so you 

won’t be placing an order for 

20 bags but 40! Yes, there is 

some fertiliser included in a 

coated grass seed bag, but 

you’re paying a very high 

price for less than 10kg of 

fertiliser. 

When you’re under pressure 

to produce quality playing 

surfaces while cutting costs, it’s 

tempting to put your faith in a 

promising new product and to 

try ‘the latest best thing’. But, 

when times are tough, it’s 

more important than ever to 

take the tried and tested route, 

so our advice is to ignore the 

hype and stick instead with 

proven performers. 

So what’s the alternative? 

High seed vigour and cooler 

temperature germination and 

establishment capability is 

what really matters. Seed from 

new harvest - and in our case 

we produce around 1,700 

hectares of grass seed in the 

UK - offers high vigour that 

means faster establishment 

and healthier plants. When 

you combine this high vigour 

with the highest levels of 

purity and germination, then 

top-performance is delivered 

time after time. 

Combine these stringent 

standards with an innovative 

breeding programme and 

substantial trials, and the 

results speak for themselves - 

innovative solutions in terms 

of new cultivars and mixtures. 

But, don’t just take our word 

for it. Recent introductions 

such as our rapid turf repair 

mixture BAR 50 SOS, yearround 

bents mixture BAR Duo 

and disease tolerant BAR 

Fescue continue to outperform 

other mixtures in trials, as well 

as wow greenkeepers and 

groundsmen across the 

country with reliable results 

and high performance. 

However, it’s important to 

say that we remain optimistic 

about seed coating technology 

and will continue to trial 

products. And, as with all 

Barenbrug products, if and 

when we launch such a 

product, you can be confident 

it will be backed by the 

extensive independent trials 

we are renowned for. 

But, in the meantime, we 

will not be treating seed until 

we have found a scientifically 

proven enhancement that is of 

benefit to our customers. 

“We would urge any greenkeeper or 

groundsman considering coatings to look 

very carefully at the financial implications”

AERATION 

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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 

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 

www.astrosport.co.uk 

116 

To advertise in this section contact 

Classifieds 

Peter Britton on 01747 855335 

email: peter@pitchcare.com 

TERRAIN 

Turf and Trees 

10” drill aeration 

1m air injection 

1m soil coring 

Air excavation 

ARTIFICIAL 

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Why not visit our 

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for direct links to 

suppliers websites - 

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AERATION 

Tel: 01449 673783 

www.terrainaeration.com 

terrainaeration@aol.com 

WORTH 

DRAINING 

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sports turf maintenance 

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Overseeding - Sanding 

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Tel/Fax 01476 550266 

Mobile: 07855 431119/20 

email: worthdraining@talktalk.net 

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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 

www.worthdraining.co.uk 

Dowsing 

DIVINE 

INTERVENTION? 

Is there anything behind the ancient art of 

dowsing or water divining? 

Laurence Gale reports 

Arecent message board thread 

on the ancient practice of 

dowsing - often referred to as 

water divining - prompted me to 

investigate the subject further. As 

you might expect, members’ views 

ranged from “divine intervention” 

to “a complete load of b......”. Well, 

you get the idea! 

My first experience of dowsing 

came many years ago when a 

contractor came to the golf course 

I was working on to undertake 

some drainage work. He 

confidently pulled out a set of 

divining rods and proceeded to 

map a number of drainage runs. 

I also remember a time when, 

as an apprentice gardener, we 

were planting trees in Kings Heath 

Park, Birmingham, when one of 

the lecturers came out with a set 

of divining rods to indicate where a 

water pipe was, so we did not dig it 

up or plant a tree on it! 

Over the years I have watched 

many of our industry colleagues 

use divining, or dowsing, rods to 

locate drains, ditches, water 

sources and electricity cables. 

One such colleague is Berwyn 

Evans from ALS. I met up with him 

at Shifnal Town Football Club 

where he was using a set of rods to 

map out some defunct drains. 

Here, he was attempting to find out 

exactly where the drains were, at 

what depth, and where they had 

stopped working. 

Berwyn was introduced to 

dowsing over twenty years ago 

when a friend helped him locate 

some drains in his garden. He was 

so impressed he began practising 

and, over the years, has become 

very experienced in interpreting the 

signs and movements of his 

divining rods. He can now define 

drains, power cables, water pipes, 

French drains and old foundations. 

The British Society of Dowsers 

represent anyone who practices 

the art of dowsing and supports its 

Code of Ethics. The Society also 

maintains a Register of 

Professional Dowsers and 

approved Tutors. 

www.britishdowsers.org 

The definition of dowsing is “to 

search, with the aid of simple hand 

held tools or instruments, for that 

which is otherwise hidden from 

view or knowledge”. It can be 

applied to searches for a great 

number of artefacts and entities. It 

is most commonly known in 

association with searching for 

underground water. 

What is less readily known is 

that dowsing can be also used for 

searching for other underground 

features such as archaeological 

remains, cavities and tunnels, oil, 

veins of mineral ore, underground 

building services, missing items 

and, occasionally, missing persons. 

Although no thorough scientific 

explanation for dowsing has yet 

been found, it is frequently 

acknowledged that there is some 

correlation between the dowsing 

reaction and changes in magnetic 

flux when dowsing on site. 

We have to rely on illustrations 

and the written word for historical 

evidence of dowsing. The mosaic 

floor in the ancient synagogue at 

Bet Alfa in Israel’s Jezreel Valley 

appears to be the earliest 

evidence, whilst many references 

to dowsing occur during the 

seventeenth century, including 

reports of one Jacques Aymar who, 

starting as a successful water 

dowser found, in the 1690s, that 

he could also usefully employ his 

gift in searching for missing 

persons. 

By the beginning of the 

eighteenth century it is clear that 

enquirers into the modus operandi 

of dowsing were divided into two 

camps; those who believed that 

the dowsing reaction was the result 

of a physical influence, against 

those who lent support to the idea 

of it arising from a mental cause. 

This controversy remains with us 

today and it is possible that both 

may be correct. 

During the nineteenth and 

twentieth centuries dowsing for

water, to mark the spot for drilling 

wells and boreholes, was (excuse 

the pun) a well established 

practice. 

Whilst a scientific explanations 

still eludes us, the true value and 

worth of dowsing can be verified 

from the track record of successful 

dowsers, and the experience of 

those who willingly spend good 

money in employing them today. 

Can Anyone 

Dowse? 

Basically, The 

British Society 

of Dowsers 

think the 

answer is yes, 

insofar as the 

ability appears 

to be a natural 

human faculty. 

After all, 

animals have the instinct to seek 

water, often from many miles 

away. It is a skill which can be 

taught and the Society regularly 

holds lectures, courses and 

workshops to this end. However, a 

few people do appear to have 

some difficulty, whilst at the other 

end of the spectrum lie those who 

have a particular gift. 

Tools and Equipment 

The instruments and tools used are 

simple. For the most part they are 

simply an extension of the human 

response, giving clearer signals 

than can sometimes be detected 

without them. 

V Rod: Traditionally made from a 

forked twig, this instrument can be 

made up from any springy material 

such as wood, cane, plastic or 

metal. 

Angle Rods: These are L shaped 

rods, usually used in pairs. The 

sorter arm of the L is held in the 

closed palm with the long section 

parallel to the ground and to each 

other. Typically, when the target is 

reached the rods will cross 

indicating the spot. 

Wand: This is a single long rod held 

in the hand and will react with 

circular or oscillating movements. 

Pendulum: A bob on a twine reacts 

with a number of different 

movements and is often used in 

conjunction with charts or over a 

map for distant dowsing. 

So, how does it work? 

Martin Wood earns a living from 

dowsing. He his known as The 

Geopathic Property Doctor, and 

deals with problematic ‘Earth 

Energies’ that can affect the health 

and well-being of both ourselves 

and animals. 

“Essentially, dowsing is a way of 

using a simple, non technical 

instrument to locate something 

that is not known to us” he 

explains. 

“Most dowsing tools are 

relatively inexpensive but, when 

obtaining dowsing rods, go for a 

simple sturdy design without all 

the frills, which do little to enhance 

the rods operation.” 

“Finding services such as gas 

and water pipes, telephone and 

mains cables, sewerage pipes or 

drainage pipes, will probably be 

part of a turfcare professional’s 

requirements at some time in his 

career.” 

“Take drainage as an example. 

Much like the process of dowsing 

for water, the depth of the 

drainage pipes, and whether it is 

blocked or broken, can be 

determined. Indeed, the turfcare 

professional may have 

more technical 

requirements to ask of 

the rods and could, 

possibly, be better as a 

novice dowser than an 

experienced one who 

could not focus or 

understand the 

technicalities of what was sought.” 

“Let’s cover the basic principles 

of dowsing. Firstly, get to know 

your rods. I favour the angle field 

rods which I manufacture myself 

from 16” mild steel.” 

“Be comfortable - hold your 

rods, firstly with your arms by your 

side. Raise your arms and rods up 

until the rods are pointing forward, 

arms slightly bent at the elbows. If 

you are holding rods with handles, 

try to get a balance for the rods so 

they are not rotating round and to 

all sides prior to dowsing. Once the 

rods feel balanced, try to establish 

a reaction. For ‘YES’, the rods 

usually turn inwards and, for ‘No’, 

the rods turn outwards.” 

“What is key to the success of 

this operation is focus, and this is 

vital for your rods to react. 

Whatever you visualise is what your 

rods will react to. You must be 

precise with your focus. For 

example, to find a flowing 

underground stream, focus on an 

underground stream coursing its 

way through the rock or ground.” 

“Don’t allow the rods to become 

the main focus, they are just an 

extension of you. Now, slowly walk 

forward and watch for a reaction 

from the rods, which should either 

cross or point in one direction 

when water is found, to show flow 

direction. Some people’s rods will 

remain crossed until they have 

cleared the water route.” 

“If you have no luck with that 

focus, then try visualising the 

colour yellow, it is the colour 

naturally given off by water. If you 

manage that, then try determining 

the depth of the water by asking 

the question, is the water between 

a proposed range of depth, e.g. 10- 

20ft, then continue to narrow the 

scale until your rods say ‘YES’.” 

“Give it a go, you may amaze 

yourselves. I once had a lady who 

could only find water when she 

thought of kryptonite! Sometimes, 

the reaction from the rods is so 

severe and affirmative that many 

swear the rods have a life of their 

own. Actually, it is the operator that 

subliminally moves the rods, even 

though it sometimes feels as 

though you have a tiger by the tail. 

Have fun!” 

ARTIFICIAL 

45 

Cost effective drainage 

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PITCH CLEAN 

SYNTHETIC PITCH CLEANING SERVICES 

Experience enhanced playing 

characteristics and improved 

drainage and aesthetics 

• Synthetic Turf Cleaning 

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CYLINDER GRINDERS 

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email: admin@huntergrinders.com 

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DRAINAGE SPECIALISTS 

DESIGN & INSTALLATION 

PRIMARY SYSTEMS 

SAND SLITTING & GRAVEL BANDING 

Tel. 01722 716361 


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 

To subscribe to pitchcare 

magazine log on to 


or telephone 01902 440 252 

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DRAINAGE 

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 

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Miles Drainage Limited 

Quality Land Drainage Systems for Sports 

Pitches, Golf Courses and other Amenity 

Areas 

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•Piped systems •Sand Slitting 

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Web: www.milesdrainage.co.uk 

Email: trenchers@milesdrainage.co.uk 

Traditional 

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Mowing 

STRESS BUSTING 

Mowing practice to de-stress your turf. By 

Conor Nolan, STRI Turfgrass Agronomist for 

Ireland 

Mowing is the most widely 

used maintenance 

operation in the preparation 

of grass surfaces for sports use. It 

is generally regarded as the most 

influential treatment affecting both 

the playing quality of the surface 

and plant health. However, 

although being an essential 

process that prepares playing 

surfaces for users, one must not 

forget that, at the same time, it 

can damage the grass which, in 

turn, can result in the turf being 

vulnerable to other stresses. 

Mowing often results in the 

significant removal of a large 

proportion of leaf tissue that would 

otherwise be used by plants to 

convert solar energy into chemical 

energy. Mowing reduces the rate of 

photosynthesis and, in doing so, 

reduces the ability of the plant to 

produce carbohydrates which are 

necessary for growth and survival. 

The challenge for the turf 

manager, therefore, is to balance 

playability with turf health. This 

article aims to look at some 

aspects of mowing that help the 

turf manager favour the health of 

the turf, particularly at the lower 

end of the mowing tolerance range 

for grasses. 

Plant physiology 

It is well documented, but worth 

repeating, that the changes occur 

as a result of varying heights of cut 

and increasing mowing frequency 

that is invariably necessary for 

preparing playing surfaces. As the 

mowing height is adjusted to the 

optimum for each turfgrass 

species, in general the following 

changes can occur: 

• Carbohydrate synthesis and 

storage are reduced 

• Leaf width and root growth are 

reduced 

• Shoot density is increased 

• Shoot growth is increased 

• Chlorophyll content is increased 

• Tissue succulence is increased 

As the mowing frequency is 

increased, further changes occur: 

• Carbohydrate storage reserves 

are reduced 

• Root, rhizome and stolon 

development are reduced 

• Leaf width and elongation rate 

are reduced 

• Shoot density is increased 

• Tissue succulence is increased 

Mower type/configurations 

Careful selection and 

manipulation of mowing height 

and frequency are very important 

considerations for the turf 

manager. Recognition of the 

mowing tolerances of grass 

species, the use to which the turf is 

put, as well as environmental 

stresses need serious 

consideration. 

Currently, in putting green 

situations, the role of mower type 

and roller configuration has taken 

on great importance, especially in 

the US. At the better US golf 

courses, greens mower 

configurations are applied to 

match the circumstances. Mowers 

are invariably pedestrian, reel type 

cylinder mowers at such courses. 

The configurations range from 

fixed head pedestrian mowers with 

grooved front rollers, to pedestrian 

mowers of floating or flex reel 

arrangements with solid front 

rollers. 

If turf is growing vigorously, then 

the more aggressive mower 

combination of fixed head and 

grooved front roller are often 

chosen. Early research findings by 

Rossi & Thurn (2004) indicated 

and supported the notion that all 

pedestrian cylinder mowers are not 

alike in their effect on turf quality 

and anthracnose disease 

occurrence at the same height of 

cut. Somewhat controversially 

perhaps, it was noted that there 

was significant difference between 

fixed head mowing units. 

Whilst some of the better 

resourced UK and Irish courses 

may use pedestrian mowers on 

their greens, there is normally less 

variation of set-up to suit 

circumstances. 

Good quality fairway type turf 

can be produced with ride-on 5 unit 

mowers, but, even here, there are 

options for mower configuration. 

Mower set-up 

Further Rossi & Thurn work 

indicated that the positioning of

the bedknives relative to the reel 

influenced the aggressiveness of 

cut. The distance of the front roller 

from the cutting unit as 

determined by groomer design, 

also seems to have an influence on 

scalping. Howieson & Christian’s 

(2001) examination of mower 

settings emphasises the 

importance of appropriate reel to 

bedknife adjustment. Least injury 

(shredding and browning), highest 

visual quality and chlorophyll 

content was found from the mower 

maintained with slight reel to 

bedknife contact for the duration 

of the trial. The poorest results 

were found from the mower that 

was left with slightly “dull” setup 

and without any contact between 

bedknife and reel. 

Rossi & Thurn observed that 

fixed head units came out of 

adjustment sooner than flex or 

floating units. Carson (2007) also 

suggests that bedknife thickness 

influences turf quality. He found 

that thick bedknives produced the 

lowest turf colour ratings, although 

the research was deemed nonconclusive. 

Quite recent research, by the 

STRI for Bernhards & Co. Ltd., has 

confirmed the importance of sharp, 

correctly set-up mowing 

equipment, not only in terms of 

quality of cut and presentation, but 

also reducing the stress on turf 

and decreasing the risk of disease 

incidence etc. 

De-stressing the turf 

Under environmentally induced 

stress situations of heat, disease or 

shade, adjustment of mowing 

practice to turf surfaces that may 

already be below optimum cutting 

height range, becomes crucial. It is 

one of the first means of 

alleviating the stress and 

promotion of recovery. 

Typically adjustments to 

stressed, short cut turf involve the 

following: 

• Postpone mowing for a number 

of days to arrest decline and 

until turf health improves. 

Resume mowing at a higher 

height 

• Raise the mowing height. Simple 

adjustment of mowing height 

upwards by 0.38mm from 

3.2mm to 3.6mm alleviated 

anthracnose disease 

significantly. The shorter the 

mowing height, the less leaf 

area that remains to gather light 

and perform photosynthesis 

• Delay mowing until surfaces are 

free of surface water. Scalping is 

possible if mowers sink into soft, 

wet turf 

• Skip mowing once or twice per 

week. In doing so, frequency of 

cut shall be mindful of the one 

third rule, which removes no 

more than one third vertical 

growth per cut 

• Stop double cutting. Whilst 

recent research into 

anthracnose disease 

management would suggest 

double cutting to maintain ball 

speed, at a higher height of cut, 

significantly reduced this 

disease stress, earlier findings 

suggest avoiding this practice 

• Maintain well adjusted mowers 

to reduce wounding. Wounds 

offer a further entry point for 

disease and reduce the leaf 

chlorophyll content 

• Deploy the lightest pedestrian 

mowers possible 

• Use pedestrian mowers instead 

of triplex mowers. Whilst there is 

no hard research evidence to 

support the difference upon turf 

quality of the two types of 

mower, the lighter option should 

reduce tissue damage. The 

action of triplex mowers on 

perimeters can be quite 

damaging and is sufficient 

reason to mow with pedestrian 

cylinder mowers 

• Empty grass collectors before 

mowing each green and each 

perimeter to reduce downward 

force 

• Reduce mowing frequency to 

perimeters 

• Reduce mowing speed to 

perimeters 

• Stop verticutting (and possibly 

grooming). Whilst not mowing in 

the truest sense, verticutting is a 

form of defoliation. Recent 

research into cultural influences 

upon anthracnose disease 

occurrence indicates that, once 

verticutting is limited to the leaf 

and not the crown, there is no 

negative effect on disease 

incidence. In a stressed 

environment, however, it would 

seem sensible to stop 

verticutting altogether to 

maximise leaf area 

The adjustment practices above 

have largely been driven, in the last 

decade or so, by research into 

anthracnose disease control to 

putting surfaces. 

Stressing turf through mowing 

practices has been observed at 

potentially harsh coastal golf 

course environments, noted for 

their slower growing conditions. 

The reduction in mechanical stress, 

especially through mowing, has 

found particular favour in the 

gradual promotion of fescue in 

such environments. 

In situations other than fine turf 

surfaces, the value of replacing 

grooved or spiral front rollers with 

solid front rollers has been notable 

on the perimeters of tees and 

fairways, where mowing of nonstraight 

lines may otherwise see 

stressed turf. 

In difficult sports environments, 

the effect of the mower in relieving 

turf stress is also recognised. Who 

would ever have envisaged in 

recent years the incorporation of 

lightweight pedestrian rotary 

mowers within the mowing 

regime? Such mowers have come 

to dominate general mowing 

practice at some sites in the UK 

and Ireland. They have the added 

advantage of ensuring a more 

upright plant and removal of thatch 

forming debris. Importantly, they 

offer a lighter weight option to 

heavier cylinder mowers where the 

potential to surface smear is 

greater. 

Adjustment of the mowing 

practice can overcome a 

sometimes disastrous situation, 

and allow better sleep at night! 

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SPORTS TURF DRAINAGE 

AND CONSTRUCTION 

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Office: 01283 551417 Mobile: 07836 259133 

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Green Infrastructure specialises in 

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IRRIGATION 

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British Turf & Landscape 

Irrigation Association 


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Cricket 

GOING DUTCH III 

Andy Atkinson and Alan Hurst 

from the ICC with Frits Makkee 

and officials of VCC inspecting 

the square 

The final chapter in 

Mel Pooley’s Dutch 

extravaganza, where 

ODI status is eventually 

given to the new 

square at Voorburg 

Cricket Club 

Dateline summer 2009 

To continue with my quest to 

complete the training for the Dutch 

groundsmen, I have been keeping 

in touch with Frits Makkee and I 

have agreed to deliver the autumn 

renovation and winter maintenance 

course at the end of the season at 

Voorburg CC. 

I have also been monitoring the 

new square at Voorburg using 

modern technology, a web cam 

that is focused on the square. 

Photos and information sent over 

by Frits, using email, have allowed 

me to advise on the work being 

carried out on the new square 

since my last visit in April. 

The new square has established 

quite well but had some cracks 

that were quite extensive. This, of 

course, is quite common in the first 

year of establishment. The grass 

cover is good and, with some light 

topdressing and watering, the 

cracking was reduced. 

The square at Voorburg is one 

that has been identified for staging 

the One Day International (ODI) 

Division one games in July 2010, 

subject to the facilities meeting the 

required standards. I received an 

email from Frits to inform me there 

was to be an inspection of the 

ground by Chris Broad, the ICC 

match referee and dad of current 

England player, Stuart, on the 27th 

August 2009. With this in mind, I 

booked a trip to Holland for the 

week so that I could be on hand to 

answer any questions regarding 

the square. 

My wife and I made the trip over 

so that we could also have some 

time together and have a bit of a 

break. I must thank her for the 

tolerance she has shown over the 

last twenty-five years because, as 

most groundsmen know, the 

summer is spent at the cricket 

ground and not taking holidays like 

normal people do. It takes 

someone special to be that 

tolerant enabling me to achieve 

the things I have been able to. 

On the 25th August we drove to 

Harwich to catch the day crossing 

to Holland. This proved to be costly 

for me as my wife decided she 

would stock up with perfume from 

the duty free shop on board - 

maybe her tolerance levels had 

worn a bit thin! 

On Thursday the 27th we went 

to the Voorburg ground to meet 

with Chris Broad and 

representatives of the KNCB. This 

meeting proved satisfactory, with 

the facilities meeting, and 

exceeding, the required standards. 

Of course, a decision could not 

be made on the square as it had 

not been played on, and there was 

no way of making an assessment 

at this time. I did explain the 

construction of the square and my 

thoughts on how it would be in 

2010. Chris Broad recommended 

that a further inspection would be 

required in the early summer of 

2010 to see how the square was 

playing, and to make the final 

decision then. 

The square had a good even 

grass coverage and I took some 

core samples to see how well the 

root had established. This was very 

good, with roots at 170mm, and 

the soil structure was becoming 

established and had keyed 

together very well. I was confident 

that the square would be up to the 

standard required for the ODI in 

July 2010. 

During my visit I arranged with 

Tim De Leede to set up the autumn 

course for the groundsmen on 

Saturday 26th September 2009. 

This meant that I would have to

travel over on the night sailing 

from Harwich because of my 

lecturing work at college, and 

would have to be back for work 

again on Monday morning! 

Once in Holland, I drove directly 

to Voorburg, where the course was 

to be delivered, arriving at 8.15am. 

I set up the equipment and had a 

look at the square. Frits had also 

arrived at the ground to get things 

organised. 

I had brought with me a SISIS 

drop spreader, a lute and a weasel 

which the club had purchased to 

enable them to carry out the work 

required. They had also purchased 

a SISIS ARR5, with all of the 

attachments, plus two mowers, 

one a second hand Lloyds Paladin 

from Upsons in Essex, plus a new 

Masport for general square 

mowing. A two tonne cricket roller 

was also to be purchased from 

England to ensure the correct 

equipment was available when 

required. 

The delegates arrived, and so it 

was time to get down to business 

by first going through the basic 

theory of why we need to carry out 

the renovations in the autumn. I 

also explained the need for this to 

happen on a new square to enable 

any minor faults to be corrected. 

The weather was fine and dry, ideal 

for renovation work. The square 

had been watered well during the 

week and had been left to soak 

through Thursday and Friday, the 

surface was perfect for the work I 

needed to carry out. 

The Ongar loam had been 

delivered and so the work began 

carrying out all of the procedures 

to ensure a good surface for the 

coming spring. The delegates were 

quite surprised at the amount of 

work and the severity of the 

procedures to a cricket square, 

especially a new one. Throughout 

the day there were lots of 

questions and, with the course 

being practical, I could 

demonstrate as well as explain the 

answers. 

So, at the end of a very busy 

day, the delegates left wondering if 

there would ever be grass visible 

on the square again, and possibly 

doubting my sanity after what they 

had seen. 

Through the winter, Frits was 

carrying out the work, as and when 

it was required, to maintain the 

square but, of course, we had a 

severe winter with more snow than 

we have had for many years and 

this created a few problems with 

snow mould. 

Luckily, when the snow finally 

cleared, the damage was minimal 

and, with the onset of spring 

although much later this year, the 

square quickly recovered and the 

autumn work had paid dividends. 

The grass cover was very good and 

the sward was healthy. 

The roller had been delivered 

and it was time to start the preseason 

rolling, using a light roller 

to begin with, to start building up 

compaction, and then moving on to 

the heavy roller, rolling in different 

directions. 

The first game was to be at the 

end of April, and so Frits started 

his preparations ten days before 

and followed the preparation 

format. On the day of play the pitch 

looked a good and received a lot of 

positive comments. But, as we all 

know, it is how it plays that is the 

key factor. In this case, the 

umpires and players said it had 

played very true and with good 

bounce and pace. 

The ICC inspection took place on 

23rd May and was carried out by 

the ICC’s Andy Atkinson and Alan 

Hurst, and I am delighted to say 

that, after a very busy day at VCC, 

the venue has been successful in 

its bid to gain ODI status. 

I must congratulate Frits 

Makkee and his team for the hard 

work they have put in to achieve 

international status in such a short 

time. Holland now has a third 

ground with ODI status, the others 

being VRA in Amstelveen and VOC 

in Rotterdam. 

The first ODI to be played at the 

VCC will be on 1st July 2010. I will 

be continuing my involvement at 

VCC, giving advice and guidance 

when it is required to ensure the 

best possible surface will always 

be available for the game of 

cricket in Holland. 

The pictures top and below are 

of the game that was being played 

on the day of the inspection. 

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SPARE PARTS 

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SLITTERS, SPIKES & TINES 

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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. 

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SPORTS TURF CONTRACTORS 

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the pitch of performance 

Football, Hockey Multi-Sports, 

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Design and construction of synthetic 

and natural sports surfaces and facilities 

Tel: 01474 364320 

www.activeleisurecontracts.co.uk 

Integrated Pest Management 

IPM SCOUTING ... 

In the first of a series of articles written by 

sports turf students, William Gray, currently 

studying at Askham Bryan College in York, 

looks at Integrated Pest Management 

Integrated Pest Management 

(IPM) is defined as “multiple 

tactics used in a compatible 

manner in order to maintain pest 

populations below levels that 

cause economic or unacceptable 

aesthetic injury without posing a 

hazard to humans, domestic 

animals, or other non-target life 

forms.” (Voigt and Fermanian, 

1998). 

The definition of a pest is; 

1. an annoying or troublesome 

person, animal, or thing; 

nuisance. 

2. an insect or other small animal 

that harms or destroys garden 

plants, trees, etc. 

3. a deadly epidemic disease, esp. 

a plague; pestilence 

IPM is a system which uses 

different control methods to keep 

pests from reaching harmful 

levels, whilst minimising effects on 

humans and the environment. It is 

a system that uses pesticides as a 

last resource and uses best 

management practices (BMP) first. 

This could be by either cultural or 

biological methods. 

Cultural operations are the most 

effective IPM methods by carrying 

out mowing, irrigation, fertilising, 

and aeration correctly. 

Biological is the introduction of 

hybrids that are pest resistant, or 

the use of nematodes, fungi, or 


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 

parasitic insects to control pest 

organisms (Voigt and Fermanian, 

1998). 

Threshold is the benchmark at 

which a pest shall be treated. 

Thresholds should be determined 

at the start of the IPM system. 

Darlington (2009), suggests that 

costs can be saved depending on 

what thresholds are selected. He 

also states that it is essential to 

have well trained staff that 

recognise issues as they arise and 

report them back to the decision 

maker. 

Field Scouts are key elements 

of an IPM system. They are the 

individuals who go out and 

monitor the surface. This prevents 

calendar applications of 

pesticides. It is vital that the 

scouts have a good knowledge of 

pests and their life cycles. 

The flow chart above shows the 

Avonmore Associates 

sportsfield construction 

25 year of experience in 

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tasks that should be carried out 

within an IPM programme. The 

first four stages need a scout to 

carry out the process. The scout 

must be given enough time to 

cover all the turf areas. They also 

need to be competent, dependable 

and committed. The longer they 

carry out this role the more 

experienced they shall become 

with pest’s life cycles and the 

thresholds the surface can 

withstand. The scouts must 

understand when the damage is 

likely to occur, the most 

susceptible stage of the life cycle 

for control, and how much pest 

activity can be tolerated before 

action must be taken. 

Other employees at the club can 

take on the responsibilities of the 

scout’s role when they are carrying 

out the day to day operations, 

such as mowing or switching, and 

then report back to the scout. 

Therefore, it is essential that the 

Grounds Manager or Head 

Greenkeeper keeps all their staff 

up to date with training to gain the 

knowledge needed to carry out 

scouting programme. Once a scout 

has been selected they have to 

decide on the methods to be used 

to identify the different pests. 

Traps, like the cup trap above, 

can be used to trap insects to 

check on population. However, 

often the best way is to dig down 

and visually inspect the number of 

insects. It is important to have an 

understanding of the life cycle of 

the insect as this, along with the 

time of year, can affect the 

amount present. 

For diseases, the turf should be 

studied for irregularities and 

differences in colour. These should 

then be examined for signs and 

symptoms of diseases. Lesions on 

the leaves and the presence of 

mycelia and other fungal growth 

should also be searched for. 

Diseases on leaves may have to be 

collected and sent for laboratory 

examination if it is unidentifiable 


• Supplies 

• Renovation 

• Drainage 

• Construction 

01797 252299 

www.bourneamenity.co.uk 

enquiries@bourneamenity.co.uk 

(Grant and Ferrentino, 2006). 

Weeds are easiest to be 

monitored, as this can be done 

visually. All results need to be 

recorded at the time of 

observation. Field data sheets can 

be used. 

It is recommended that scouts 

should record weather conditions 

such as soil and air temperatures, 

soil moisture, relative humidity, 

and leaf wetness. Measuring these 

weather parameters, and 

correlating them to disease 

development, could produce 

indicators to disease and insect 

activity (Menzies et al, 1994). 

After the monitoring has been 

concluded, the scout will produce 

a report recording the site location 

and the sampling results, including 

ranking infestation. The report can 

then be correlated to the 

thresholds set at the start of the 

IPM system to determine what 

action is going to be chosen. This 

could be as simple as rising the 

height of cut for a couple of weeks 

to allow the plant to gain full 

health. 

Regular scouting is essential, as 

it can provide information on 

changes in pest population and 

turf grass health. Ideally, all the 

turf should be monitored at least 

once a week, however, time does 

not often allow this, so highly 

susceptible and high priority areas 

can be used as indicators. 

New European Union legislation 

encourages IPM systems. The 

ongoing decrease in pesticides 

available on the market, as well as 

training and sprayer inspections, 

means that IPM systems may 

have to be the way forward in the 

sports turf industry (Darlington, 

2009). 

IPM is a method that 

encourages best management 

practices rather than turning to 

pesticides all the time. However 

the key to IPM is the ongoing 

scouting of the turf, the setting of 

the thresholds and acting on the 

problem when necessary. 

References: 

Darlington, Everett (2009) Spending Cuts. 

Pitchcare, Oct/Nov, Issue No.27 pp88-89 

Grant, Jennifer PhD, Ferrentino, Gerard and 

Neal, Joseph PhD (2006) Pest Monitoring 

Available at; 

http://www.auduboninternational.org/PDFs/C 

URS-%20Pest%20Monitoring%20- 

%20A%20Key%20to%20IPM%20for%20Turfgr 

ass.pdf (Accessed 3rd March 2010) 

Laub, Curt (2009) Available at; 

http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/444/444-416/444- 

416.html (Accessed 17th March 2010) 

Menzies, Geoff, MacConnell, Craig and 

Havens, Dyvon (1994) IPM Available at; 

http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/eb17 

86/eb1786.html (Accessed 3rd March 2010) 

Scouting Form (2009) Available at 

http://www.ontarioipm.com/documents/Scou 

tingForm.pdf (Accessed 3rd March 2010) 

Voigt, Tom and Fermanian, Tom (1998) 

Integrated Pest Management for Turf 

Managers. Available at; 

http://www.turf.uiuc.edu/extension/extipm.html 

(Accessed 3rd March 2010) 

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 


D W Clark 

DRAINAGE LTD 


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SPECIALIST SPORTSTURF CONSTRUCTION 

& DRAINAGE CONTRACTORS 

• Gravel Banding • Sand Slitting 

• Top Dressing • Renovation • Irrigation 

Unit 7, Brailes Industrial Estate, Winderton Lane, Lower Brailes 

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

123


CONSTRUCTION 

Sports Fields and Golf Courses 

DRAINAGE 

Sand Slitting, Gravel Banding 

RENOVATION 

Verti Draining, Hollow Coring, Scarifying, 

Koro Field Topmaker, Topdressing, 

Overseeding, Sand Spreading 

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• Sports Pitch Construction 

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• Custom Grown Turf 

• Install n Playball Turf Tiles 

01400 251605 

www.fine-turf.co.uk 

info@fine-turf.co.uk 

FTS 

Quarry Hall Farm, Spring Bottom Lane 

Bletchingley, Surrey RH1 4QZ 

T: 01883 340 969 

F: 01883 346 533 

E: info@earthboundservices.co.uk 

W: www.earthboundservices.co.uk 

124 


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Sportsturf Services Limited 

Sportsground & Amenity Contractors 

Drainage, Construction, Renovation 

& Maintenance 

Cricket Pitch Specialists 

Unit 39, Centerprise House, 

New Greenham Park, Newbury 

Berkshire, RG19 6HW 

Tel. 0845 519 2729 

Fax. 0700 349 6494 

Mobile. 07768 696291 

web.www.fts-sportsturf.co.uk 

email.info@fts-sportsturf.co.uk 

SPORTSTURF 

iain watson 

GREENKEEPING 

Renovation, construction 

and spraying 

Tel: 01772 335162 

Mobile: 07894 727361 

Email: IWGreenkeeping@aol.com 

www.iwgreenkeeping.co.uk 

ANY SPORT - ANY SURFACE 

CONSTRUCTION - MAINTENANCE 

www.sgcgroup.co.uk 

SeniorGolfConstruction 

RapidTurf 

SeniorSportsMaintenance 

SeniorSportsConstruction 

Tel: 0161 343 1044 

Natural and synthetic 

pitch construction 

Tel: 01256 880488 

Email: info@kestrelcontractors.co.uk 

www.kestrelcontractors.co.uk 


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Earthbound Services specialise in the highest 

quality sports pitch construction, renovation 

and maintenance. A professional and friendly 

service based in the South East of England. 

Fox Control 

21ST CENTURY 

FOXES 

Andy Beddoes offers 

some advice on 

controlling the 

opportunist fox 

The sly old fox is an animal of 

folk songs, legends and 

children’s books; they are 

often portrayed as the ‘bad guys’ - 

remember the fox brothers in 

Pinocchio? - but are also the 

heroes of certain stories, Disney’s 

Robin Hood and Roald Dahl’s 

Fantastic Mr Fox spring to mind. 

It is this indecision about their 

character that splits the nation, 

with some calling for total wipeout 

and others for conservation. In 

truth, the fox is an opportunist, 

more than capabale of catching its 

own supper, but equally happy to 

decimate the contents of a 

chicken shed or a rabbit hutch! 

There are twelve true species of 

fox worldwide, but the one that 

concerns us here is the European 

or Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes), the 

most common of them all. The 

males are known as reynards or 

dogs and the females, vixens, the 

latter often used in reference to a 

sexy woman as, indeed, is the 

term foxy! 

Foxes are canines, closely 

related to domestic dogs. They are 

generally nocturnal but, if left 

undisturbed, will happily forage for 


Sportsfield Construction 

Drainage Schemes 

Renovations & Improvements 

Cricket Specialists 

Tel: 01529 455757 Fax: 01529 455775 

e-mail: steve@stevenpask.co.uk 

www.stevenpask.co.uk 

food during the day. 

Their diet is extremely broad, 

and includes invertebrates, small 

mammals and birds. They will also 

take fruit, carrion and items 

scavenged from dustbins, bird 

tables and compost heaps. Eggs 

and fledgling birds are high on 

their shopping list. They will also 

readily take earthworms, but a 

long term diet of worms will wear 

down their teeth making feeding 

difficult. This is when a fox can 

become bold and troublesome in 

urban areas, turning its attention 

to pets such as cats, guinea pigs, 

rabbits etc. 

One study of foxes recorded 34 

different mammal species, 14 

species of bird, 15 families of 

insects and 21 species of plants in 

their diet. 

The average litter size is 4-6. 

The vixen generally feeds the cubs 

on her own although, in some 

cases, the dog fox will stay close to 

the den (or earth) and help rear 

the litter. 

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CONTRACTORS LTD 

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A fox will average between 2-6 

years in the wild, but live longer if 

food is easily available. 

The breeding season for foxes in 

the UK is December through to the 

end of February. The vixen will 

take up occupancy of a breeding 

earth in February, staying there 

until mid June, when the cubs will 

appear above ground after being 

weaned. 

During the mating season dog 

foxes will travel great distances to 

finds a receptive vixen, stopping 

during his travels to make his 

unmistakable high pitched bark, 

then waiting to hear the banshee 

like three screams made by a 

vixen - this is not the sort of thing 

you want to hear in the dark if you 

are of a nervous disposition, as 

both calls can be blood curdling! 

Rural foxes can have territories 

ranging between 200-500 

hectares. Urban foxes tend to stay 

closer to home near their food 

source. There will be at least two 

earths on a territory, one for 

rearing the cubs and the other for 

general day time resting. Foxes 

will happily use a dry drain as 

harbourage. 

The only true natural predator of 

the fox is found north of the border 

in Scotland - the Golden Eagle. 

Control 

Cage trapping of urban foxes can 

be very easy. Baiting a trap with a 

cooked chicken, pork pie, dead 

rabbit, or almost anything else 

that is meat based, will attract a 

foraging urban fox. 

Rural foxes are a different story. 

These animals have usually 

survived on their wits, finding food 

when, and wherever, they can. 

Design Construction Renovation Maintenance 

Specialists Specialistsinturnkey in turnkey natural naturalturf& turf & artificial artificialpitch pitch solutions 

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They certainly cannot rely on 

human handouts or wheelie bins 

for dinner! 

A different approach is needed 

for reynard in the country. Snares, 

or shooting at night with a rifle 

and a high powered light, will be 

the most productive methods. 

Both of these methods need to be 

undertaken by someone with 

experience that has been suitably 

trained. 

Foxes can easily be called into 

range of a rifle or shotgun if they 

have not been ‘lamped’ by an 

amateur before. You get just one 

chance at culling the targeted 

animal - they won’t fall for it twice! 

Snaring is an art that takes a 

good while to master. Be aware 

that you will need to have in place 

a method to humanely kill a fox 

should one be trapped. Don’t 

forget that non target species, by 

law, have to be released 

unharmed - removing a very angry 

badger from a snare is not for the 

faint hearted! 

Any traps set for foxes must be 

checked regularly - once a day is 

barely enough, even if it is first 

thing in the morning. They must 

also be securely anchored. 

By law, any snare set for a fox 

has to be free running under the 

Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 

Section 11. Any animal trapped 

MUST be alive when you check 

snares. If you choose to set them 

yourself be very very careful. 

A new type of snare, called a 

Collarum, is available from a 

company called Pro Trapper - 

www.protrapper.co.uk. 

A list of UK pest controllers can 

be found here: 

http://www.ukpcoforum.co.uk/sm 

f/index.php?action=googlemap. 

You will need to register. 

Don’t forget, you can always ask 

me or www.ukpestcontrollers.org 

for advice. 

Andy Beddoes 

www.abcomplete.co.uk 

Sports Ground Contractor 

Turnkey Projects 

Artificial Facilities 

Natural Turf 

Land Drainage 

Environmentally Conscientious 

Your Choice 


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SPORTS TURF COVERS 


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Total Turf Solutions 

One resource for all your turf care needs 

SPRAYERS 

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125

SWEEPERS 

KERSTEN SWEEPERS 

We offer the largest and most comprehensive 

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equipment and sweeping attachments 

SALES • SERVICE • PARTS 

Kersten (UK) Ltd. Reading RG7 3AH 

Tel 0118 9834337 

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Advertising in the classified 

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as little as £200 a year 

TOPDRESSING & LOAM 

Top quality dressings 

Kaloam & Ongar Loam • Fertilisers 

Specialist grass seeds, 

machinery & tools 

Contact: Alan Ford - Tel:0870 242 1090 

Alan.ford@monrogoundrey.co.uk 

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Contact: Philip Furner - Tel:01277 890246 

sales@binderloams.co.uk 

www.binderloams.co.uk 

Contact: Andy Hodges - Tel:01202 537777 

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126 


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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 

establish compatibility and conformity. 

They are then screened and can be 

supplied dried and sterilised or untreated 

for construction projects. 

TREE SUPPLIES 

Boughton Loam is available nationwide. To find your local stockist 

of bagged products please use the postcode selector on our website 

at www.boughton.co.uk or telephone 01536 510515. 

Grass Control 

DO YOU WALLABY 

BE STARTING 

SOMETHING? 

Jim Fenton 

discovers the 

natural 

alternative to 

mowing 

Looking after an 

acre or two of turf 

is one thing, 

tending 200 acres is 

another. Which is why the owners 

of one of Britain’s greatest 

woodland gardens resort to other 

means than mower machinery. 

“We’ve used various machines 

over the years, including my 

favourite, a Dennis,” declares 

Robin Loder, whose family has 

tended the Grade 1 listed 

Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens for 

more than 150 years. 

“Given the acreages that we 

have to manage, we felt we had to 

look at other alternatives, which, 

bearing in mind that as a graded 

garden we have to maintain our 

environmental credentials, we 

believed offered a greener 

solution.” 

Any visitor to this West Sussex 

paradise cannot fail to notice how 

closely cropped the grass is, even 

out of season. Whatever the 

TURF SUPPLIERS 

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measures he’s adopted, they seem 

to work. 

“We’ve not seen a mower 

working in the grounds for years,” 

Robin confesses, who clearly 

doesn’t allow the grass to grow 

under his feet. 

His solution? Why, wallabies of 

course. A ‘mob’ of 50 of the cuddly 

marsupials, native to New Zealand 

and in appearance akin to a 

kangaroo, have enjoyed a 

permanent residence on site for as 

long as the Loder family itself. 

Walking through the upper 

reaches of the gardens, famed for 

their stunning displays of spring 

flowering trees and shrubs, such 

as rhododendrons, azaleas, 

magnolias and camellias, you 

realise what Robin means. 

Smooth enough for any of the 

finest golf greens in the world, the 

Growers of natural & rootzone sports 

turf using the very best STRI cultivars 

• Custom grown turf 

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email: info@countyturf.co.uk 

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lawns give every appearance of 

being primed for championship 

play. “We just leave them to it,” 

explains Robin, “confident that we 

never need to apply any sort of 

cutter to the grass. It’s all done for 

us.” The ‘mob’ has grown into a 

visitor attraction in its own right, 

and recently gained world 

prominence when a host of TV 

crews travelled to spend time with 

them earlier in April when the 

baby joeys were emerging. 

BBC 1’s hit magazine 

programme ‘The One Show’ came 

down to see for themselves just 

how effective wallabies can be at 

keeping grass trim, Robin 

continues. 

“Out came one of our old walk 

behinds but really there was no 

contest. The wallabies won hands 

down. Some of our areas are quite 

knobbly and undulating, as well as 

steeply inclined, so using 

machinery used to prove tricky.” 

Most of the mob roam around 

their purpose-built enclosure, 

which includes sleeping quarters, 

or browse the lawns and adjoining 

pastures. You may even spot the 

odd one relaxing among the 

bluebells, sunning itself. 

Interbreeding has taken hold 

over the years, with plenty of 

albino additions to the originally 

• Sports Pitch Construction 

• Earthworks • Maintenance 

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all brown mob now 

enjoying life at 

Leonardslee. 

As the old ones fade 

away and die, the next 

generation of grass 

cutters takes their 

place. Springtime sees 

a welter of baby joeys 

peeping out of mum’s 

pouch, but they can’t 

spend too much of the 

day hidden away 

because there’s acres 

of green stuff to munch on. 

Effective as wallabies are at 

their groundsman’s task, some 

jobs are simply beyond them it 

seems. 

Can they create those distinctive 

stripes or cross-hatched effects, 

beloved of so many groundsmen? 

Clearly, no. 

Can they collect waste 

clippings? Again, no, but they do 

produce copious quantities of their 

own organic material. 

Can you ride on them and sup a 

mug of tea at the same time? 

Alas, no. 

Are they the ideal boy’s toy? 

Many would say not. 

So, for the foreseeable future at 

least, turfcare professionals 

appear likely to still rely on 

traditional means and methods to 

maintain manicured sports 

surfaces. However, if you do wish 

to test drive a wallaby, you know 

where to go, because Robin’s 

daughter, Mary, breeds them on 

her farm next door to the gardens. 

“They give me endless hours of 

fun just watching them potter 

about,” she enthuses. “Judging by 

the calls I receive, plenty of people 

in Britain want them as pets. 

That’s fine, but high fencing is 

crucial because they like to jump.” 

www.leonardsleegardens.com 

Specialist growers of turf 

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Winter sports 

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TURF SUPPLIERS 

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Telephone: 

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TYRES 

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WASTE WATER MANAGEMENT 

USED MACHINERY 


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Magazine delivered direct to 

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independent, comprehensive, 

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Go to www.pitchcare.com 

to subscribe on-line or 

telephone 01902 440252 

WEED CONTROL 


UPSONS RECONDITIONED MACHINERY 

ROLLERS • MOWERS • TRACTORS • SCARIFIERS 

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

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127

©BBC 

Some people are 

on the pitch ... 

WHAT’S this, a 

pitch invasion of 

the hallowed Lord’s 

turf? 

Nope, just another 

move to de-stuffify 

the venue by the 

powers that be at 

the home of 

cricket. 

During lunch on 

the fifth day of the 1st Test 

against Bangladesh, the 

crowd were allowed access to 

the outfield for the first time 

ever. 

Over 9,000 spectators had 

turned up to witness an 

England win against the ever 

improving opposition, and 

many of them took advantage 

of this rare opportunity. 

Nasser Hussain was out in the 

Ox to the slaughter ... 

AN ox was slaughtered at 

Johannesburg’s Soccer City 

stadium to bless the country’s 

stadiums for the FIFA World 

Cup. 

Xhosa warrior, Zakhele 

Sigcawu, 70, of the Tshawe 

clan, speared the ox in the 

back of its neck between its 

horns. 

“He is a specialist in doing 

this,” said Zolani Mkiva, 

president and director 

general of the Institute of 

African Royalty. “He came all 

the way from the rural 

Eastern Cape to do this.” 

“We centralised the blessing 

here as the tournament starts 

here and ends here,” he said, 

adding that the spiritual 

communication process was 

very “sacred”. 

The ceremony, which started 

with the slaughter, was 

attended by about 2,000 

people from most South 

African cultures, and most of 

them in traditional attire. 

128 

I don’t believe it! 

The not so serious side of the industry 

middle signing anything that 

was thrust in front of him, 

whilst fellow commentators, 

David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd and 

David Gower marvelled at the 

scenes whilst trying to 

summarise the morning’s 

play. 

MCC chief executive, Keith 

Bradshaw, described the 

event as ‘ground breaking’. 

We hope, for Mick Hunt’s 

sake, that was not the case! 

The traditional herb, 

impepho, was burnt, and 

healers called on African 

ancestors and God to ensure 

a successful World Cup. 

They all also communicated 

the “spirit” of the day’s 

proceedings to the other 

stadiums in the country 

spiritually. 

“Our stadiums are now 

officially blessed, according to 

our culture, for the 

tournament,” Mr Mkiva said. 

Could this be the answer to 

the Wembley pitch problems? 

Divot Divas bed in well! 

When it comes to 

keeping things neat 

and tidy, a woman’s 

touch is often best. 

And it would appear 

the same rule applies 

to top-class golf 

courses. 

Those teeing off on 

the iconic Old Course 

at St Andrews this year 

have a troupe of 

glamorous Eastern 

European women to 

thank for its meticulously 

groomed fairways and greens. 

After struggling to find local 

workers happy to brave the 

chilly 5.30am starts, St 

Andrews Links Trust 

managers turned to an 

employment agency for help 

- and they have been 

delighted with the results. 

The ‘divot divas’ are busy 

preparing the course for this 

summer’s Open 

Championship and the 

arrival of top golfers such as 

Tiger Woods (oo-er!). 

And they have settled into life 

in the sedate Scottish coastal 

town so well that one has 

married a local, whilst four of 

the others are living with 

members of the greenkeeping 

staff! 

Six days a week, the ladies 

turn out to maintain the 

course’s clipped and polished 

landscape in the face of overzealous 

golfers and the 

unforgiving North Sea winds. 

From March to October, they 

earn £5.80 an hour by filling 

the divots with sand. For the 

rest of the year they dig out 

up to 40,000 divots and 

replace them with fresh turf. 

Gordon Moir, the Trust’s 

director of greenkeeping, 

said: ‘It wasn’t what I was 

expecting but it couldn’t have 

worked out better. The girls 

are such brilliant workers. 

Their timekeeping is 

exemplary and there is no 

such thing as sickness.’ 

The girls, aged between 23 

and 30, come from Latvia 

and Estonia. 

Loz has his hands full! 

WE know we 

shouldn’t let him 

out but, just 

occasionally, we 

feel he needs a bit 

of fresh air. 

This picture was 

taken at a Hooters 

bar in the States, 

and came to us 

via one of our 

clients. It might 

explain why our 

Laurence had a 

smile on his face for the best part of a week after he got back! 

Anyway, if you can think of a suitable caption, email it to 

editor@pitchcare.com and we’ll send a bottle of bubbly to the best 

one.

Quote me happy 

“For the first nine holes I thought I was playing 

with a square ball.” Sandy Lyle after his 

second round 86 at The Masters. 

“They were far the better team, we were lucky 

to get nil. We had our pants pulled down and 

our backsides slapped.” Tony Pulis on Stoke’s 

humiliating 7-0 defeat by Chelsea. 

“There are some of the best players in the 

world in the Premier League and certainly 

some of the best managers in the world, and 

don’t forget there is also the Wolves and Mick 

McCarthy.” Comment from WBA’s manager 

Roberto Di Di Matteo. 

“Tried on a pair of Speedos ... 

absolute budgie crushers ... a 

definite NO!” David ‘Bumble’ 

Lloyd on Twitter whilst in the 

Caribbean for the Twenty20 

World Cup. 

“He steals half a couple of 

inches.” BBC Oxford commentary as Adam 

Chapman prepares to take a free-kick in 

Oxford’s 1-0 win against Wrexham. 

“The referee looks at his whistle.” 

Commentator Dave Woods, at the end of the 

first half of extra-time in the Liverpool- 

Atletico game. 

“Tina, Tina, give us a wave!” 

Wolves fans take the mickey 

out of David James’ afro at 

Portsmouth. 

“The boss just said ‘If you win 

tonight you’ll be immortal for 

the rest of your lives’.” 

Rangers legend Derek 

Johnstone on a TV 

programme about Rangers’ 

1972 Cup Winners’ Cup 

victory. 

“You could say Watson’s contribution has been 

elementary.” Mark Lawrenson talking about 

Wigan’s Ben Watson on 5 live, during their 8- 

0 defeat to Chelsea. 

“Pietersen is on the charge and on the pull!’ 

‘Bumble’ again whilst commentating on the 

England-Pakistan T20 match. Watch out 

ladies! 

“I’d rather do that than build chicken sheds 

no-one wanted!” Blackpool boss Ian Holloway 

after taking his side to the play-off final, 

having been out of football for a year, when 

he tried his hand at building hen houses. 

More at www.bbc.co.uk/sport 

... and state of the art Hoover cover 

Drainage is never far from the front of 

their minds 

Once the flood water has resided ... 

The Eurostar was good - it took you right 

across 

... the historic town of Le Mans, home of 

the Plantagents dynasty - Kink Henry II 

Samuel Johnson, later to become the 

famous Dr Johnson ... 

He needs to pull his ideas up 

Forward THINKING 

Dates for your diary 

JULY 

5th - Cricket, Twenty20 

International, Pakistan v 

Australia, Edgbaston 

(www.cricketworld.com) 

8th to 11th - Golf, Barclays 

Scottish Open, Loch Lomond GC 

(www.europeantour.com) 

11th - FIFA World Cup Final, 

Soccer City, Johannesburg, South 

Africa (www.fifa.com/worldcup/) 

15th to 18th - Golf, 139th Open 

Championship, Old Course, St. 

Andrews, Scotland 

(www.opengolf.com) 

25th - Polo, Cartier International 

Day, Guards Polo Club, Windsor 

(www.guardspoloclub.com) 

29th to 2nd August - Cricket, 

England v Pakistan, 1st nPower 

Test, Trent Bridge 


AUGUST 

6th to 10th - Cricket, England v 

Pakistan, 2nd nPower Test, 

Edgbaston (www.cricketworld.com) 

8th - Football, FA Community 

Shield, Wembley Stadium 

(www.thefa.com) 

12th to 15th - Golf, US PGA 

Championships, Whistling Straits, 

Wisconsin, USA 

(www.europeantour.com) 

28th - Rugby League, Carnegie 

Challenge Cup Final, Wembley 

Stadium (www.therfl.co.uk) 

31st to 3rd September - BASIS 

Course in Amenity Horticulture 

Dr Johnson I presume? 

Our Laurence gets defiantly kinky, and is rather impressed with the Eurostar’s ability to 

get from England to France - ce qui sera sera! 

I shall defiantly be calling back to see 

the course in all its glory 

... exporting products and services both 

to the UK and abroad 

... although faulty finished products are 

rare and unheard of 

It is most commonly known by most 

people ... 

... is there anything else you don’t know 

about? 

You can now follow Loz on Twitter - 

http://twitter.com/pitchcareloz 

Week 1, STRI, Bingley 

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

SEPTEMBER 

2nd to 5th - Burghley Horse Trials, 

Burghley House, Lincolnshire 

(www.burghley-horse.co.uk) 

5th - Cricket, England v Pakistan, 

Twenty20 International, SWALEC 

Stadium, Wales 


7th to 8th - Four Oaks Trade Show, 

Macclesfield, Cheshire 

(www.fouroaks-tradeshow.com) 

7th to 9th - IOG 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) 

27th to 1st October - BASIS 

Course in Amenity Horticulture 

Week 2, STRI, Bingley 

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

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.

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Freephone 0800 085 25 22 

www.JohnDeere.co.uk 

C 545.1 E

Earning his Spurs - Pitchcare

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