Knowing neatness, efficiency and speed are non-negotiable, a leading Kent course manager has bought the same Wiedenmann Terra Spike aerator again.
Mark Bell, who heads the team at Birchwood Park Golf Centre, Wilmington, has chosen a Wiedenmann Terra Spike XF6 supplied by local dealer, Ernest Doe & Sons, of Dartford.
“I inherited the original aerator when I came here four years ago but why change when we were entirely happy? The XF gives me choice across the entire course. Particularly in winter it has to be fast across our fairways or the job won’t get done and we know what the XF can do; it’s an absolute pleasure,” he said.
“Last week when it arrived we had it over the tees and some heavy traffic areas to improve the grass coverage. It will be out through the summer on the greens to keep the surface open. We’ll go lightly taking 8mm tines down to about 100 mm and follow up immediately with the roller and put the greens straight back into play.”
Birchwood Park offers 27 holes of golf; the 18 hole Main course and the 9 hole Orchard course, and is part of the Surrey-based BGL Golf (Burhill Group Limited) which has a further 9 golf venues and 20 courses.
“We do over 53, 000 rounds of golf here a year and it’s important that we do as much aeration and compaction relief as we can,” said Mark Bell.
Since Mark Bell’s arrival in 2012 each of the tees on 18 holes of the Main Course have been reconstructed and bunkering on hole eight has been reconfigured. The facility has also earned its eco credentials by becoming self-sufficient on water. Rainfall that accumulates in the wettest months is harvested from the club house roof and car parks then stored in a reservoir adjacent to the 11th hole for use across dry spells. Last month a £5M investment got underway to construct additional leisure and gym facilities as part of rebranding the venue as Birchwood Park Golf & Country Club which completes mid-2017.
John Bignell, Area Manager Groundcare at Ernest Doe & Sons, Dartford said: “An XF is the ultimate aerator if you’ve got a narrow window of opportunity, a ticking clock and a power of work. The team at Birchwood knows the machine well already but we’re always on hand to support should the need arise.”
Birchwood Park Golf Centre www.birchwoodparkgc.co.uk
Wiedenmann UK www.wiedenmann.co.uk