When a Redexim Top-Brush was unloaded for a working demonstration at Woolley Park Golf Club in September last year Head Greenkeeper John Rowbottom was so impressed that it never went back on.
Twenty minutes spent on the 18th fairway of the West Yorkshire club were enough to convince John and his team of the improvements the Top-Brush could make to course presentation, and the role it would play in the non-chemical control of worm casts.
The complex, now consisting of 27-holes, was built by John’s father and grandfather and opened to the public in 1995. John has been involved since its inception and has witnessed many changes when it comes to maintenance tools and techniques in that time – particularly recently with the restrictions on chemical controls for worms. He explains, “We’ve been looking for new ways to manage, what is, a problem not just for us as greenkeepers but for our customers too. We’d read about the Redexim Top-Brush and so organised for Andy O’Neill, together with our local dealer Cheshire Turf, to bring in a demo unit which seriously impressed!”
“The day of the demonstration came at the end of a particularly warm spell so, despite not struggling with worms at the time, it’s potential was evident. We ran it over one of our fairways and it gave us an instant improvement in definition and overall presentation.”
Since September, the Top-Brush has been used up to three times a week, going out ahead of the fairway mowers to stand the plant up, dry the plant out and improve the quality of cut. When worm activity then increased significantly during October & November, the 6m working width of the Top-Brush meant casts were quickly and effectively dispersed.
“Using the Top-Brush to disperse the worm casts has also helped to prevent damage, wear and tear to our equipment than can otherwise occur when casts are fed into them – we noticed that we weren’t having to constantly re-sharpen the mower blades for example.” John adds. “Redexim have come up with a fantastic solution to what is now a major problem for Greenkeepers, with a piece of equipment that doesn’t just come into play during the autumn but brings benefit to plant health and course condition year-round.”