Etesia increases UK dealer network; Barenbrug continues growth with another new distributor; Scorpio trials at UK golf clubs; Versatile deep aerator for Paisley Golf Club; Rolling replacement programme begins at The Vale Resort; Power boost for professional diesel ride-on mowers; Kersten’s answer to problems with compacted sand in artificial turf; Autoguide solves a challenge; Finnish golfing specialist tees off with Metso Minerals crushing plant
Etesia increases UK dealer network
As part of Etesia’s on-going plan for expansion in the UK, the company has announced the appointment of a number of new dealers across the country. Etesia’s range of professional ride-on and pedestrian rotary mowers and Attila brushcutters are now available through Oaks Land Power of Wickham in Hampshire; Tomlinson of Stowmarket, Suffolk and Norfolk dealer Randells of Horstead near Norwich. Burgess (AE) Ltd are covering the Shropshire and Anglesey territory from their Shrewsbury and Anglesey centres.
Commenting on Etesia’s growth, UK sales manager Colin Plumb says, “More and more contractors and professionals now realize that with Etesia they are buying machines that do the job and do it cost effectively. As the demand for our innovative range continues to grow, so we need to ensure that there is continuity of sales and service coverage across the whole of the UK.” Etesia www.etesia.com
Barenbrug continues growth with another new distributor
Barenbrug’s plan to expand its business in Scotland and the north of England has been given an additional boost with the appointment of another new distributor, Turfcare Specialists Ltd (TSL), based in Consett, Co. Durham. The company will be distributing Barenbrug’s BAR range of grass seed to the amenity market in the north of England.
TSL has been trading for over 20 years and employs ten staff. It sells a wide range of amenity products – such as grass seed, chemicals and fertilisers – to the golf, sport and landscaping market. In addition, TSL has a contracting side, which specialises in the renovation of all types of sports turf.
Barenbrug UK www.barenbrug.co.uk
Scorpio trials at UK golf clubs
Information just released by Bayer Environmental Science regarding user trials of their new mesostemic fungicide Scorpio, reveal just how effective the product is.
In September last year Little Hay Golf Club in Hemel Hempstead ran trials of Scorpio, as a treatment for fusarium. The course, ex-agricultural land, is a heavily played local authority course with no temporary greens. The sward is 25 year old meadow grass with heavy shade over certain greens.
Two were particularly prone to fungal attack so course manager George Reid decided to spray Scorpio as a precaution to one half of each green. A week after spraying George checked the greens and noted no discolouration.
Returning from holiday at the beginning of October, he discovered that all greens had a bad attack of fusarium. Greens were badly scarred but there was not sign of the disease on the right hand sides of greens seven and eight, those treated with Scorpio. The left hand sides of these greens had been attacked.
On 5th October George noted there was still no sign of fusarium on the Scorpio treated areas and proceeded to spray all greens with Daconil. A month later there were still signs of the disease and the greens were sprayed with Bayer’s Chipco Green. Chipco Green was used at this time as a contact fungicide works better over late autumn and winter months.
In mid March 2005, although there had been a re-occurrence of fusarium on all greens, the two areas where Scorpio had been applied were relatively free and a further application of Chipco Green was made.
George has been very impressed with Scorpio and plans to treat all greens this year: “We can predict to within a week when fusarium will attack. This year we will be using Scorpio as a preventative treatment on all greens, which should greatly reduce the scar damage we usually experience over winter and spring.”
Bayer Environmental Science www.bayer-escience.co.uk
Versatile deep aerator for Paisley Golf Club
Head greenkeeper Rab Grant has recently purchased a Wiedenmann Terra Spike XP deep aerator from Nairn Brown to help relieve compaction and improve drainage at The Paisley Golf Club, situated some 800 feet above sea-level on top of the Gleniffer Braes, southwest of Glasgow.
“With its 1.6 metre working width, it’s a versatile machine that can be used from ‘fence to fence’ around the course. We are using it on greens, tees and approaches, to a reasonably shallow depth to help improve the rootzone,” he said. “On the fairways, we’re obviously going in deeper with a fair amount of heave to relieve compaction. The anti-vibration dampening on the XP coupled with its robust build quality makes it ideal for the rocky undulated nature of the course, whilst ensuring a comfortable ride for the operators.”
The Club has celebrated its 110th anniversary recently. Originally laid out over 40 acres leased from Bushes Farm at an initial annual rental of £45, the club moved to its present home in May 1953. The first official club competition to be played over the new course was a special event to mark the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth.
Today, this moorland course has matured into a true test of golfing prowess. The fairways are fairly wide and most are tree-lined with well-bunkered greens that tend to be large and undulating and, as such, test the putting ability of the player.
Wiedenmann www.wiedenmann.co.uk
Rolling replacement programme begins at The Vale Resort
The Vale Resort, the luxurious five star hotel, golf and spa complex, situated in the Vale of Glamorgan, is beginning a rolling replacement programme of its golf course maintenance machinery.
In 2002 The Vale, owned by the Leeke family, signed an £1 million agreement with local Ransomes Jacobsen dealer R S Bird Ltd, to supply a complete range of turf maintenance equipment. Now, three years on, a rolling replacement programme has been initiated to ensure that the two courses, The Lake and the Wales National, are maintained to the highest possible standards.
The first package of new equipment, worth in the region of £250,000, has been delivered and includes a Jacobsen LF3800 light fairway mower, G-Plex III greens mower, two AR250 semi-rough mowers, Cushman Turf-Truckster, Ryan GA30 aerator and four E-Z-GO ST350 turf utility vehicles.
Heather Brock, joint managing director at RS Bird commented, “The Vale is committed to providing members and visitors with the highest possible standards right across the resort. The golf courses are no exception and course manager John Borja and his team are dedicated to producing the very best playing surfaces. We are delighted to secure this latest order as it’s a testament to the relationship that we have with The Vale. We provide the highest levels of service and after sales support while meeting, and often surpassing, the expectations of a prestigious client.”
Ransomes Jacobsen www.ransomesjacobsen.com
The Vale Resort www.vale-hotel.com
Power boost for professional diesel ride-on mowers
Designed for professionals who earn their living primarily from cutting grass, Kubota’s new G21-PRO and G21HD-PRO diesel ride-on mid mowers supersede the highly successful G18 and G18HD models launched by the company in the UK and Ireland in 1999. In both cases, the HD suffix signifies a high-dump grass collection option.
The principal differences between the new G21-PRO mowers and their predecessors are a boost in engine power from 18hp to 21hp, the fitting of upgraded 1.22m (48in) PRO cutter decks and the inclusion as standard of an adjustable high-back seat with parallel linkage suspension.
Both the G21-PRO and G21HD-PRO retain the unique Glide Cut grass cutting and collection system first introduced by Kubota on its G18 mower six years ago. Heralded as the world’s first triple-bladed through-cut mowing system with integral rear-mounted grass collector, Glide Cut features a rear discharge cutting deck that both cuts and collects the grass, channelling all cuttings rearwards into an integral grass catcher. The hydraulically-tipped catcher is available in both standard and high-dump (HD) versions, the latter having a maximum tipping height of 1.75m (69in).
Because there are no ducts or pipes extruding from either side of the mower, the overall width of the G21-PRO and G21HD-PRO is just 1.28m (51in), allowing the machines to access confined spaces while being able to execute tight turns in either direction. This latter ability is enhanced by Kubota’s electronically-controlled, speed sensitive power steering which produces a minimum turning radius of 2.05m (81in).
Commercial users of the G21-PRO and H21HD-PRO will appreciate the new upgraded PRO cutter deck which offers cleaner cutting and collection than its predecessor thanks to increased internal suction which helps prevent the grass from being flattened prior to cutting. A reduction in clearance between the cutting blades and vacuum plate has enhanced also the rearward movement of clippings into the collector. The deck also incorporates two water hose connection points for easy cleaning.
Prices of the G21-PRO and G21HD-PRO start at £ 7,800 (plus VAT) with demonstrations available now from appointed Kubota dealers throughout the UK and Ireland. Kubota (UK) www.kubota.co.uk
Kersten’s answer to problems with compacted sand in artificial turf
Artificially surfaces, including golf practice zones, all suffer at some time from sand filling infected by algae spores emanating from decaying organic matter. When infected the filling becomes sticky and slippery whilst wet, hardens when dry and a serious hazard to all using the facility. For those in charge of grounds maintenance removal and replacement of the sand is a time consuming problem that must be dealt with.
Kersten’s K2000 Surfacemaster has now been developed to carry out the task of surface cleaning, levelling and even sand removal/replacement in a speedy and efficient manner, making all previous practices obsolete. Of particular note amongst the machine’s many features is the special filter that allows debris to be safely deposited into the collector and an adjustable brush speed/height for when used purely for the sweeping of debris. For additional operator comfort the unit can be supplied with a ride-on attachment. Powered by a Honda 9hp motor the K2000 Surfacemaster has a reliable and surprisingly quiet hydraulic self-propelled transmission system, dispensing with the need for gearbox, clutch, belts and levers.
Kersten UK www.kersten-machines.com
Autoguide solves a challenge
The people at Autoguide Equipment Limited were set the challenge of producing a quiet, environmentally friendly mower that would cut not only short grass but long and dense matted growth too. The cut grass should be easily collected or left for hay making and in addition the blades must not damage any fragile or ancient objects they cut around plus the operator must work with minimum fatigue.
Undaunted by the above criteria, Autoguide Equipment set about the design task with relish. The result is the GAT, a sturdy, two-wheel grass cutter powered by a low revving 6hp 4-stroke Briggs & Stratton engine and a dual cutting action.
Even matted and dense growth is swiftly cleared by a 52cm cutting head consisting of three swinging nylon blades containing metal inserts for performance and long life, plus three lines of nylon cords for ‘contact’ trimming against walls, fences, gravestones, trees etc. The cutting heads are protected by a metal hoop, which can be raised where there are no hazards.
The three nylon ‘Starline’ lines are each fed by a central drum containing 2 metres of replacement line meaning a minimum of downtime replacing worn line. Large wheels with traction tyres cope easily on wet ground and banks whilst Hydrostatic transmission means manoeuvrability is a breeze.
The GAT is supplied complete with tools, spare blades and cutting line in a sturdy tool box and is priced at £1,500 plus VAT and carriage.
Autoguide Equipment Ltd www.autoguide.co.uk
Finnish golfing specialist tees off with Metso Minerals crushing plant
Special materials for golf courses accounts for more than half of Finland’s Niemisen Sora Oy’s turnover; with a recently delivered track-mounted Locotrack crushing plant providing increased capacity to meet demand.
Niemisen Sora Oy operates four gravel plants, producing almost a million tonnes annually of various aggregate materials in Finland, with more than half a million tonnes being supplied to golf courses.
“Golf courses need several special types of materials,” explains Mr Timo Nieminen, the owner, adding, “Ash is needed for fairways, crushed fines for backfill, and several types of specially screened materials for greens and bunkers. One recent golf course project, for example, required 150,000 tonnes of various special materials.”
Metso Minerals, part of Metso Corporation, is a global market leader in the rock and minerals processing industry. The company focuses on the supply and service of processes and related equipment. Metso Minerals has sales and service units, dealers and distributors in 150 countries, and more than 40 production units worldwide.
Metso Minerals www.metsominerals.com