Hanging up his boots

SERVING THE TURFCARE INDUSTRY
August/September 2011
Issue No. 38 £4.50
pitchcare
The turfcare magazine
from pitchcare.com
TEN YEARS OF
FEATURE
PITCHCARE
COMMUNITY
SPORTS
Dave Saltman
talks about ten
years of Pitchcare
and his plans for
the future - glad
he told us!
As grassroots sport
struggles to survive in the
face of austerity, we visit a
centre that has developed
a model for success in its
community
Hanging up
his boots ...
Steve Rouse has given forty-five years service
to Warwickshire County Cricket Club. He tells
Pitchcare why it is finally time to retire
TALKING
POINT
FORKING
AROUND!
A football league head
groundsman gives his
views on life working
for a professional
football club and how
undervalued he and
his staff feel
ROCKCLIFFE•ROYAL HOSPITAL SCHOOL•VILLAGE CRICKET
GABALA FC•FFOS LAS•HASTINGS•OLYMPICS
FIDDLERS FERRY•SHREWSBURY FC•ROLLS OF MONMOUTH
is a worldwide brand of AGCO.
WELCOME TO
Say that again!
“We have to trust our head
greenkeepers to know better than
we do, as this is their profession
and job”
pitchcare
”Ian Quirk, Chairman of the
Greens, Lymm Golf Club
A perfect ten?
AT the end of August, Pitchcare will
celebrate its tenth anniversary. You can
read more about how we got to where we
are on pages 4-7 of this issue. But, here, I
do not wish to dwell on our successes.
What I would like to do is use the past
ten years as a time frame to look at
where our industry has progressed to in
that period.
Possibly the biggest influence on our
industry has been the demands placed
on turfcare professionals by EU pesticide
legislation, with many products having
been withdrawn without a suitable
alternative being made available. This
has resulted in greenkeepers and
groundsmen having to review their
cultural practices and become more
environmentally friendly - no bad thing
in the scheme of things, I guess, but it
has required considerable time and effort
to keep abreast of all the new regulations
and, with many more in the pipeline,
further extra curricular activity seems
likely!
Of course, our employers rarely see this
extra effort, or understand the
implications to our cultural practices.
They just need the grass cut.
We have seen many new stadia; the
Millennium Stadium, where I was fortune
to work for a few years as consultant
groundsman, introduced a brand new (to
the UK) palletised pitch that required
completely different groundsmanship
skills; Wembley, built hugely over budget,
had initial issues with the pitch which,
thankfully, now appear to have been
resolved; Arsenal’s Emirates stadium,
which is widely recognised as the best
playing surface in the UK; the Rose
Bowl, England’s newest Test venue; and,
of course, the Olympic stadium and
allied facilities that will be completed
under budget and ahead of schedule.
We have some of the most iconic sports
stadiums in the world. As well as those
mentioned above, Lord’s, Wimbledon,
Twickenham, Murrayfield, and the
various Open golf courses are regularly
put under the media spotlight, receiving
intense scrutiny from TV presenters
prodding and poking the surface, often
with little or no knowledge of how it has
been prepared.
The last ten years has also seen huge
advances in the machinery available to
turfcare professionals. Top of the list
must go to the Toro Field Topmaker, the
Graden and Blec Sandmaster, all of
which have helped to improve the
surfaces we work with.
And then there’s the increased amount of
sport being played. Nowhere is this more
noticeable than in cricket, where the
inaugural, thrash about Twenty20
tournament of 2003 has, eight years
later, become a worldwide phenomenon.
Golf and Polo are the latest sports to
attempt a T20 makeover with PowerPlay
Golf and Polo in the Park respectively.
But, what of the groundsmen and
greenkeepers - has their lot been
improved by these new innovations? At
the highest level, and in respect of
tending the grass, the answer is probably
yes. At the lower levels, where budgets
are stretched to the limit, or even nonexistent, clearly the answer is no.
What is apparent, especially from
comments posted on our message board
and in the recent Viewpoint articles in this
magazine, is that groundsmen and
greenkeepers often feel undervalued.
Ever longer hours, the facilities being
used for events other than sport concerts, conferences and the like,
additional fixtures, dwindling budgets,
no liaison with management, and frozen
(often at an already poor level) wages are
the main gripes.
It seem incongruous that, in this day and
age, with televised sport at an all time
high, turfcare professionals are still the
poor relation in the workforce, yet are
subjected to such extreme pressures
when, for whatever reason, the surface
misbehaves.
It is time that some of the money spent
on improving corporate facilities, or
acquiring the latest prima donna to
strengthen the team, filtered down to
where it really matters - the playing
surface for, without that, no team or
individual can perform to their best. It is
time that groundsmen and greenkeepers
were paid an honest wage for a very
honest day’s (and night’s) work.
Oh, and I shall resist the temptation to
dwell on the fact that it is ten years since
the ‘big boys’ went biennial in an effort
to force the hand of the industry’s
exhibition organisers!
Cheers
Dave Saltman
“For me to hear that our
members and visitors are happy
with the course is what the job is
all about
Davy Cuthbertson, Rockliffe Hall
“God gives us seventy years, I’m
sixty-three now, hopefully I’ve
got another seven to enjoy the
travelling”
Steve Rouse, Warwickshire CCC
“It’s been good to see the
stadium being used to benefit the
people of Shrewsbury and
Shropshire, not just football
fans”
Richard Barnett, Shrewsbury Town FC
“Too often the management,
marketing and maintenance of
local authority pitches are
overseen by different
departments working to different
agendas”
Alex Welsh, LPFF Chief Executive
“There’s a load of us out there
struggling on with old
machinery, lack of funds and a
bunch of suits that don’t know
the difference between a verticut
and a vertidrain”
A Football League Head Groundsman
“If I were just the groundsman,
I could plead hammer and
tongs for this, that and the
other”
Simon Rudkins, Hastings United FC
“We should all consider what
impact we are having as
greenkeepers on the courses we
look after”
Justin Lee, Macdonalds Portal
Contents
Mike Powell, Rolls of Monmouth
Cricket
Welcome to Autoguide...
Down a long farm track, and hidden behind a high
ornamental hedge, lies the home of Autoguide, makers of
the Auto-roller, and a whole lot more, as Peter Britton
discovers. Pg44
Funny old game?
How do village cricket clubs survive with just a few willing
volunteers, minimal financial input and equipment that
would be better suited to the British Lawnmower
Museum? Pg47
Cover Story - Steve Rouse,
Head Groundsman,
Warwickshire CCC
Inside
THIS
ISSUE
After forty-five years service, Steve
Rouse Head Groundsman at
Warwickshire County Cricket Club,
has been bitten by the wanderlust.
Hanging up
his boots...
Page 38
THE PC TEAM
DAVE SALTMAN
Managing Director
Dave’s addiction to
eBay continues, with
recent purchases
including a cherry
picker, a selection of
desks (we don’t know
why either!) and a
ride-on mower - the
list of cast-offs he is
accumulating is
endless. Patience is,
apparently, a virtue partner Nicky must
have it in abundance!
JOHN RICHARDS
Operations Director
As his job title infers,
John is the hub of the
Pitchcare machine (aka
monster!), regularly
having to deal with
loose cannons and
tantrums (and that’s
just from Dave!). He
was delighted to
discover the ‘Oxford
comma’ recently which should be used
before a coordinating
conjunction, apparently!
Reason to believe...
... or should that be Manic Mundy? How Dave Reason and
Dave Mundy have guided their village club through the
past eleven years. Pg48
Golf
Davy’s on the road again...
Itchen to play!
Davy Cuthbertson, Golf and Estates Manager at Rockliffe
Hall, predicts a famous future for the stunning new
course in County Durham. Pg12
Long Itchington Cricket Club play out of a farmer’s field,
and are watched on by livestock; this is rural cricket at the
most humble level, yet they still attract a strong
membership. Pg50
Taking a short cut ...
Never Again!
From allotments to the Ryder Cup, Stratford upon Avon
Golf Club has an interesting history. Head Greenkeeper,
Howard Middlebrook explains all. Pg18
Mike Atherton, Head Groundsman at King William’s
School on the Isle of Man, provides a diary of events
during the recent ICC Division 2 Under 19’s Tournament.
Pg52
Heads you win!
Outfield of dreams
Our editor meets Justin Lee, Head Greenkeeper on the
Premier Course at the Macdonald Hotel Golf & Spa in
Cheshire. Pg24
Bob Stretton looks at the importance of cricket outfield
maintenance, the problems caused by dual use and how
they might be rectified. Pg58
Power Rangers
Laurence Gale MSc heads to Merseyside to look at an
interesting project in the shadow of the imposing
Fiddlers Ferry Power Station. Pg30
Working with nature
Mike Powell, Head Greenkeeper at the The Rolls of
Monmouth Golf Club, works with the elements to
manage the turf in a natural way. Pg34
LAURENCE GALE
Editor
With a new caravan,
and a new car to tow it,
Laurence took his
entourage to Tenby for a
couple of weeks.
Running, rowing and
sailing were the order of
the day, losing 7lb in the
process. He must have
kept off the shandies as
well. He’s also been
asked to coach another
ladies rugby team - but
don’t tell Dawn!
PETER BRITTON
Sales & Production
Having reached an age
milestone in August
Peter was expecting to
be travelling around
England courtesy of his
new bus pass. However,
it appears that he won’t
now be elligible until
January 2013, and for
his winter fuel payment
in 2014. Strange that;
he doesn’t remember
having two separate
birthdays!
School Report
Parker on Parade ...
Captain’s log star date twenty eleven or something, Editor
Gale has tasked me with a reconnaissance mission into
deepest darkest Suffolk. Colin Mumford describes what he
found when he visited one of East Anglia’s finest schools,
the Royal Hospital School in Suffolk, Pg64
ELLIE TAIT
PR and Marketing
It’s just as well Ellie is
of the fairer sex as the
final third of 2011 is set
to be a busy time for
her. Not only has she
got the usual round of
press calls to organise
and releases to write
for her clients, she will
be multi-tasking,
putting the final
touches to her wedding
day extravaganza in
November.
ALASTAIR BATTRICK
Web Monkey
Following an official
complaint from Al’s
mum, we have to be
nice to him in this
issue. So, what can we
tell you? His happy go
lucky persona ... nope,
struggling here! I can
tell you that his IT skills
were, once again, much
in demand, this time
linking the automatic
parking barrier to the
phone system!
DAN HUGHES
Sales Manager
Dan is looking fitter and
healthier than he has
done for a long time.
We believe that this has
a lot to do with a
certain French
mademoiselle moving
over to these shores.
Hopefully, some of her
French chic will rub off
as he is still way ahead
in the ‘dragged through
a hedge backwards’
stakes.
Also in this issue:
Simon Rudkins, Hastings United FC
Pitchcare Tenth Anniversary .... 4
News ............................................ 8
Talking Point ............................ 36
Forking around ........................ 94
Variety the spice of life ........ 126
Training .................................. 134
Frank Newberry .................... 136
End of season renovations .. 138
Roy gets in the rootzone ...... 140
The future of fertilisers ........ 142
Sowing the seeds of love .... 144
Choosing sand correctly ...... 146
Return of the worm .............. 148
Biomass trip to Belfast ........ 150
I don’t believe it .................... 152
Arwyn Morgan, Ffos Las
Winter Sports
Technical
Go east young man...
How did it get to this?
MANAGING DIRECTOR:
David Saltman
When Phil Sharples was asked to manage a contract to
build grass football pitches in Azerbaijan, little did he know
of the challenges that lay ahead. Pg70
How does a new grass seed come to market?Laurence Gale
MSc follows the trail from collecting initial species to
harvesting the final plant. Pg128
OPERATIONS DIRECTOR:
John Richards
The Greenhous Effect...
The Anatomy of a Golf Course
The groundstaff at Greenhous Meadow, home of
Shrewsbury Town Football Club, have been overseeing the
recovery of the pitch following the staging of the club’s first
ever concert, an evening with Elton John. Pg76
In this article, Andy Watson of Andy Watson Golf Design
looks at what the golf course architect has to consider in
designing a successful golf teeing ground. Pg132
A fan-tastic groundsman
Neville Johnson visits the south coast to see a non-league
pitch and its award winning groundsman who’s given a new
meaning to wholehearted support. Pg80
Brothers in arms
Graeme Balmer has joined his brother, Grounds Manager
Dave Balmer, at the Kingsholme Stadium, home of
Gloucester RFC.Pg86
Are we being grassed up?
Six years after FIFA accepted artificial grass as being good
enough for use in professional football, research about the
safety of a field is still ongoing and, every so often, sheds
new light on general assumptions. Pg90
Equestrian
Meantime in Greenwich...
One of the most ambitious developments for the 2012
Olympics has been the preparation of an equestrian cross
country course in Greenwich Park. Pg96
Polo in the Park
Polo in the Park, now in its third year and already winner
of London Sport Attraction of the Year, is attracting large
crowds to the former home of the sport. Pg102
It’s all mine!
Britain’s newest racecourse is enjoying the enthusiastic
support of trainers from as far afield as Newmarket and
the Republic of Ireland. Pg106
Contractors
General
Coping with cutbacks
Poorly kept public spaces can be linked to increased antisocial behaviour, crime and fear of crime, and that lack of
access to green spaces results in poorer public health and
well-being. So, is a partnering approach to groundcare
services the way forward? Pg112
Fit for a Queen
McNab Sports was established in 1985. The company is
proud that it is one of the few companies within the
industry that has been awarded a Royal Warrant by Her
Majesty the Queen, for the maintenance work on the golf
course at Balmoral. Pg124
Telephone: 01952 897 910
Fax: 01952 247 369
Em
mail: editor@pitchcare.com
FEATURES AND EDITORIAL:
Laurence Gale
Tel: 01902 440 260
Email: laurence@pitchcare.com
ADVERTISING & PRODUCTION:
Peter Britton
Pitchcare Magazine, 3 Kingsbere
Lane, Shaftesbury, Dorset SP7 8RR
Tel: 01952 898 516
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
e Tait
Email: ellie@pitchcare.com
A Capital Investment
As grass-roots sport struggles to survive in the face of
austerity, Tom James visits a centre that has developed a
model for success in its community. Pg116
Funding Grassroots
In a Q&A session, Alex Welsh, Chief Executive of the
London Playing Fields Foundation discusses the Olympic
legacy and suggests that professional sportsmen and
women have a duty to support grassroots facilities. Pg122
ACCOUNTS:
Sharon Taylor
Tel: 01902 440 261
Email: sharon@pitchcare.com
TRAINING COORDINATOR:
Christine John
nson
Email: chris@pitchcare.com
Tel: 01902 440 263
Pitchcare.com Ltd
Units 2&3
Allscott
Telford
Shropshire
TF6 5DY
Tel: 01952 897 910
Fax: 01952 247 369
Email:
editor@pitchcare.com
CHRIS JOHNSON
Training Coordinator
Recently spent a
wonderful few days
with granddaughter
Charlotte, including a
cinema trip, swimming
and making papier
mache models. At eight
years old (Charlotte,
not Chris - our
memories are not that
long!), she’s just a bit
too young to start
hitting the shops - but it
won’t be long!
SHARON TAYLOR
Company Accountant
Sharon has sensibly
realised, not before
time, that six horses is
far too many for one
person to handle,
especially when you
are a slip of a lass, so
she has sold one of her
star jumpers. However,
she is looking to
offload one or two
more, so get in touch if
you’re interested - in
the horses, not Sharon!
JULIE ROBINSON
Sales Administrator
Julie and husband Dave
love their trips away; had
to make a quick change
of plans recently when
the hotel they had
booked went up in
flames (before they
arrived), so they
rearranged and spent a
very pleasant, long
weekend in Bournemouth
instead. I suppose the
amber nectar tastes nice
anywhere!
KIRAN CONTRACTOR
Sales Administrator
Keen to avenge his
defeat by Dan H (and
numerous others! Ed.)
in last year’s Pitchcare
Fantasy Football
League, Kiran has
loaded this season’s
team with Arsenal,
Spurs and Liverpool
players. We don’t know
if that is true, but it’s
always good to wind
him up before the
season gets under way!
STUART BURTON
Web Designer
Another member of the
team currently on a
fitness regime, the
quiet man has, though,
injured his knee. It’s
just as well that the
new IT offices are on
the ground level. With
his V Festival tickets
purchased he was off to
see the Arctic Monkeys,
M&Ms and the Dave
Clark 5 - or have I got
that wrong?
DAN BURTON
Web Developer
Dan hat sich auf die
Einführung des
Pitchcare Deutschland
gearbeitet ... sorry, Dan
has been working on
the translation and
launch of the Pitchcare
Germany website in his
usual quiet and efficient
manner. Considerable
concentration was
required - not difficult in
an office that is more
akin to a library!
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Dolphin Way, Shoreham-bySea, West Sussex BN43 6NZ
In the
beginning Pitchcare
As Pitchcare celebrates its 10th
anniversary, Managing Director,
Dave Saltman, charts the
company’s progress
E
“Like everything in
life, you have to
grow organically.
The funding that we
had initially didn’t
seem to last very
long. It surprised
me how much
everything cost”
4
very entrepreneur can tell you the exact moment,
when the light bulb lit up and the seeds of a
business idea began to germinate. For Dave Saltman
it was a question from a young groundsman, at the
beginning of the 2000/01 football season, as they
were busy preparing the pitch at Molineux. “How do you
make money from the internet?” asked the youngster.
So started the thought process which led Dave to spending
all his savings, and more, plus investments he coaxed from a
large number of supportive family and friends, on pursuing a
dream to produce the best ever website for the sports turf
industry, offering free help and advice and, hopefully, making
a living for himself in the process.
After fifteen months in the planning, and investment in
design and developing the website, Pitchcare went live on the
26th July 2001 with, not unsurprisingly, Dave Saltman as its
first member. By the end of August, membership had zoomed
to the grand total of twenty-two! Ten years on and the website
is attracting fifteen new members a day.
As Pitchcare celebrates its 10th anniversary, we ask the
founder and Managing Director, David Saltman, to share
some of the highs and lows of a website that has
revolutionised the sports turf industry.
Where did the idea for Pitchcare come from?
I was half way through cutting Molineux on a lovely June day
in 2000. The lad working with me (Simon Britton) and I
stopped for a break and sat up in the North bank. He asked
me how to make money on the internet, did you get paid for
the number of hits the website got? I replied saying, no but
that, with good traffic, you could get advertising and, by
selling online, there was also generation of revenue.
As far as I can remember, that was the catalyst that gave me
the idea to start Pitchcare at that moment. I excused myself
from Simon and went and knocked on the door of the club
secretary, Richard Skirrow. Richard invited me in, and I asked
him if I could bounce an idea off him - it took about one
minute to do so and, when I finished, he said “what are you
going to write about at the end of the first year?”
I said that I could probably write a different article at each
venue and for each sport every year as finances, resources,
usage and weather were always changeable.
How did you go about turning the idea into reality?
Well, initially, I spoke to the local chamber of commerce and
enrolled with a business adviser to get a business plan written.
This service was free and I’d meet up, maybe once a week for
a month or so, to finalise the dialogue and then work closely
with the adviser to put some figures and forecasts together. I
also started making appointments to meet up with various
key figures working within the industry, both practitioners
and Managing Directors of companies, to explain the concept
that was Pitchcare.
Richard continued to advise and mentor me, meeting up
after work for a jar in the local, to go through various issues.
He also set up some meetings with accountants and solicitors
that he knew. We even took Mark McGhee, the then Wolves
manager, out one night for a meal, as he’d recently bought
L-rr: our launch edition paper at Saltex 2001; In 2003
we took the UK’s talllest man, Chris Greener, to Saltex;
The first mag cover in July 2005; we have sponsored
Terrain Aeration’s Unsung Heroes award from its very
beginning in 2003
and funded a different website venture.
The other main issue was funding the
project. I didn’t think about it too much
at the time, but it’s a massive step to
leave a ‘safe’ job and step into the great
unknown. Finding funding wasn’t an easy
task, Pitchcare was going to launch soon
after the Dot Com stock market crash,
and persuading people to part with cash
on a new internet model for a small
equity stake was difficult.
However, I did receive some money
from friends and family, as well as two or
three businesses in the industry, before
being permitted to do a presentation to
the Wolves players one lunchtime.
Happily, a couple of the lads also bought
into the idea, and I had raised over
£100,000 to get started.
So, it was now time to leave my job as
head groundsman at Wolves, but Richard
Skirrow still continued to mentor me. I
remember saying to him, “I think I’m
ready to start now, but I could do with
someone who can shoulder responsibility
and doesn’t need a big salary, initially”.
At that point he suggested I spoke with
John Richards, my former MD at Wolves.
I went to see John (he loved the
concept) and, within a week or two, he
and I set up in our first office on the
Wolverhampton Science Park. That was
July 2001, just over twelve months from
the original idea.
What was your biggest hurdle in getting
the project off the ground?
I’m not sure if there was particularly one
big hurdle, but there were certainly many
hurdles to overcome; some, as I’ve
detailed before, were in the initial setup.
People that I went to see, who weren’t
interested (for varying reasons),
obtaining funding, companies that
couldn’t understand or see the virtues of
what Pitchcare could offer.
Like everything in life, you have to
grow organically. The funding that we
had initially didn’t seem to last very long.
It surprised me how much everything
cost; rent, car, fuel, insurances,
advertising, salaries, travel and
accommodation. It all adds up, and I was
soon using a host of credit cards to their
maximum limit to keep the business
going. At the time of starting out, I’d
applied for every single credit card
going, and many of them had maximum
borrowing of up to £15,000 each.
NatWest, Visa, MBNA, Marbles, Lloyds,
Barclays, American Express, Capital One
... I had them all!
It was nearly two years before we
started getting any real sort of income,
and the end of year three before we
showed a slight profit on paper for the
year. Years one and two showed losses of
around £250,000!
See us at stands W58 & W59
+44 (0)1332 824777
www.dennisuk.com
PROUDLY BRITISH
5
I could write a book on the dealings
with both BIGGA and the IOG. Both
organisations, for whatever reasons,
have seen Pitchcare as a direct threat
to their respective associations
Pitchcare Timeline
August 2001 - Pitchcare website
goes live
April 2002 - 1,000th member
September 2002 - 2,000th member
January 2003 - Pitchcare sponsor of
inaugural Unsung Heroes Award
June 2003 - 5,000th member
July 2003 - Technical Merit Award
launched
October 2003 - Pitchcare Survey of
Premier and Football League
Groundsmen, leading to
implementation of warm-up and
warm-down procedures
January 2004 - Pitchcare host the
first ever internet cafe at BTME
Harrogate
July 2004: 10,000th member
July 2004 - Pitchcare, in association
with Cricket World, launch the
Cricket Groundsman of the Year
Awards
July 2004 - Pitchcare build a grass
tennis court on a Thames barge for
an American Express publicity event
July 2005 - Pitchcare hard copy
magazine launched
September 2005 - Pitchcare run the
internet cafe at Saltex for the first
time
June 2006 - 20,000th member
May 2007 - Dave Saltman awarded
the 2007 Professional Excellence on
a Global Scale Award by The Ohio
State University
August 2007 - Pitchcare Oceania
launched
February 2008 - 30,000th member
August 2009 - merger with ALS
October 2009 - Pitchcare become
main sponsors of the Racecourse
Groundstaff Awards
In 2004, with assistance from Darren Baldwin, Peter
Craig et al, we built a tennis court on a Thames pontoon
Pitchcare introduced the concept of the internet cafe to
BTME Harrogate and Saltex
What was the initial reaction to
Pitchcare from within the industry?
As I said before, many companies were
not really certain about what Pitchcare
was. The most common response was, “we
have our own website, why do we want to
be involved in yours”. Another was
“groundsmen and greenkeepers don’t
have access to the internet”. However, the
response from those that did get online
was amazing, and it was their
encouragement that kept us going
through those early, dark days.
I could write a book on the dealings
with both BIGGA and the IOG. Both
organisations, for whatever reasons, have
seen Pitchcare as a direct threat to their
respective associations. Both, I believe,
have it noted in Board meeting minutes
on a number of occasions.
It was a shame that they viewed
Pitchcare only with suspicion, and chose
to fight us verbally, in writing and, in
some instances, legally. The internet
allows for so much diversity and freedom
of information. It’s a shame, because we
could have helped both associations reach
the 21st century amicably.
Most people that I speak to, either from
a greenkeeping or a groundsmanship
background, don’t see the point in having
two separate associations anymore. Even
the few that believe that they should
remain autonomous can’t give me a good
reason as to why that should be the case.
It’s surely just a case of resisting change.
Whilst this continues, the industry remains
in an unhealthy position, in my view.
Did you, at anytime, consider giving up
on the project?
I’m not sure that I considered throwing in
the towel, I’ve never quit at anything in
my life, not without pursuing something
(or someone) to a natural conclusion.
However, there were many dark days,
certainly in the first two years of Pitchcare.
There were a lot of good days too, and I
describe that time as a rollercoaster of
emotions. One day on the peak of a wave,
the next in the bowels of the ocean. I was
always encouraged and motivated by my
team, and by the sheer goodwill and
thanks that we received from a growing
membership of groundsmen and
greenkeepers. People who were grateful
that so much good information and
advice was becoming available to them for
free. The opportunity to see everyone
interact, chat online and share knowledge
was immensely gratifying.
What have been the key turning points
and milestones for the business?
Where do I start? The thousandth
member, finding someone a job, the first
paid advertisement, the first shop sale, the
first export sale, the internet cafe at
various events and shows, the merger with
ALS, doing the Millennium Stadium,
while the team continued to grow the
business.
There are hundreds of milestones, but
the key ones are the team themselves.
From John Richards getting involved at
the start, we aimed to bring in qualified
individuals who were experts in their own
fields. Sharon Taylor, who ran the finances
brilliantly in those early days, robbing
Peter to pay Paul. Alastair Battrick, who
has developed a web platform that can be
used globally, both from a Pitchcare
2009 - Pitchcare becomes main sponsor of the Neil
Wyatt Racecourse Groundsman
n of the Year Award
Jonathan Carr, Bob Bolland, John Richards and Dave
Saltman at the merger with ALS
May 2010 - 40,000th member
May 2010 - Pitchcare magazine
nominated for ‘Best Front Cover on
a Trade Magazine’ in the national
Maggies award - cover features Gary
Kemp of Norwich FC
September 2011 - Pitchcare
Germany launched
6
perspective to any other industry business.
Dan Hughes, who has grown the online
sales and marketing strategy of the
business, Laurence Gale who ... is just
Loz, and I love him to death. Peter
Britton also deserves special praise,
producing the most fabulous magazine,
where every issue continues to be “the
best yet”, as he keeps telling us!
The biggest milestone though, and my
biggest thanks, goes to John Richards. He
has steered the good ship Pitchcare
through those storms, keeping my feet on
the ground and always offering sound
advice, despite me ignoring it from time
to time!
With the merger of ALS, we have grown
to a group of businesses that employ sixtyfive staff, all of whom are exceptionally
talented, experienced and qualified.
Despite a recession, they have managed to
increase profitability year on year, as well
as quality of service. As a business we have
continued to plough back the profit to
grow and improve our range of services,
as we well and truly become the one-stop
advice, service and shop. Everything I
always wanted, as a groundsman or
greenkeeper, from an online resource.
Achievements of which you are
particularly proud?
Pitchcare achieves so much that, again, it’s
difficult to be specific, scanning the
message boards is always a great source of
achievement. Reading about people
helping each other on a daily basis is what
Pitchcare is all about. Yes, there can often
be a difference of opinion; what works for
one, doesn’t necessarily work for another,
and that’s what’s so great. All the articles
produced by Pitchcare show someone in
their environment doing something a
particular way. Others read it and can
decide on whether that would offer the
same results at their venue.
Education is key and everyone takes
learning at very different paces, Pitchcare
allows everyone the opportunity to learn
at a level that they are comfortable with.
If you can educate the practitioner they,
in turn, can educate the committee,
bursar or chairman. Together we can all
improve sports and golf surfaces for the
end user to enjoy.
What next for Pitchcare?
Interesting question and the answer is,
who knows! All the way through, Pitchcare
has experienced a diverse number of
opportunities and we’ve looked at all of
them uniquely.
There are many fronts to the business
now and so, I suppose, it’s about first
consolidating and then expanding each
avenue.
The most exciting of these is the
development of a Global business.
Pitchcare Oceania launched about three
years ago and has now started to turn the
corner over in Australia. Pitchcare
Germany is about to launch and there is
interest from many other countries.
Our trading arm is now global and the
ability to communicate and share
information worldwide, using the
Pitchcare template, seems the most
appropriate way forward.
“John Richards
has steered the
good ship
Pitchcare through
those storms,
keeping my feet
on the ground and
always offering
sound advice,
despite me
ignoring it from
time to time!”
Saltex 2011
See us at stands W58 & W59
working for a brighter future
designer & manufacturer
of natural and artificial turf
maintenance machinery
since 1932
6,6,6'LYLVLRQRI+RZDUGVRQ/WG
+RZDUGVRQ:RUNV$VKERXUQH5RDG.LUN/DQJOH\'HUE\'(1-8.
7HO)D[(PDLOLQIR#VLVLVFRP
www.sisis.com
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7
For he’s a jolly
good Fellow
OSU’s Mike O’Keeffe collects honorary
fellowship from Myerscough College for his
tireless work placing students on the
university’s careeer changing programmes
MYERSCOUGH College were delighted to
make Sportsturf expert, Mike O’Keeffe,
an Honorary College Fellow at their
Further Education Awards Ceremony on
Friday 15th July.
Mike was awarded the fellowship in
recognition of his achievements in
forging International links between
Myerscough College and The Ohio State
University.
A dual citizen of America and Ireland,
Mike grew up on a small dairy farm in
Southern Ireland. He won a scholarship
to attend a Horticulture College in Dublin
which was the springboard to his world
travels. He now manages a programme
for The Ohio State University, recruiting
Agriculture, Horticulture, and Turfgrass
students from over thirty two countries
every year for training in the United
States.
Mike was instrumental in helping set up
the ‘Study Abroad’ programme which
Myerscough College coordinates,
Signing off!
One of the industry’s most endearing characters,
Carol Dutton, is retiring to warmer climes. Here she
offers her thanks to all those industry folk she has
had the pleasure to work with over the years
“AFTER more years in this business than I
care to count, I’ve decided to retire. Let’s
face it, I’m knocking on. The eyesight’s
going, the hearing’s going and the waistline
left years ago. As I’ve said before, when it
gets to the stage where you actually LIKE
your passport photo, simply because it’s
younger than you are, then it’s definitely
time to quit.
I’d like to thank my clients, past and recent,
not only for their business but also for their
infinite patience. Over the years, you’ve
valiantly explained a host of different turf
related topics ranging from the difference
and merits of granular, liquid, conventional
and compound fertilisers, the dangers and
reasons behind black layer, the mechanics
of compressed air decompaction, the design
behind the latest line marking machines, the
latest techniques of sports field drainage
and the growth habits of rhizomatous tall
fescue. You were dealing with an unscientific
and non-mechanical mind, and any
knowledge I’ve accumulated is down to you.
I don’t think I’ve ever spoken to a
greenkeeper or groundsman without
learning something new or coming away
with renewed respect for their expertise,
dedication and the daily pressures they face.
8
If I’ve managed to get any of you into print,
I’m happy. Thank you for telling me your
stories.
Ladies and gentlemen of the press you’ve
been good to me. You’ve helped and advised
me, and how many times have you
responded, whether on a deadline or not, to
“could you just change this”, “ignore that”
or, the recurring “is this picture okay to
print?”
I’ll stay in touch. You’ll all get info on the
Menorca place just as soon as I’ve got rid of
the lime green paint left by the previous
owner. But, for now, I’ll leave you, linkedin,
tweeting with your ipods and ipads and all
those other technological mysteries which I
couldn’t grasp to save my life, and head for
the sun. I just want to say one huge thank
you to anyone I’ve worked with, spoken to or
interviewed over the years. You’ve made the
last ???? years an adventure and a joy.”
The Pitchcare team would like to thank Carol
for her invaluable input into the magazine,
both through the exclusive articles she
provided and the countless press releases
from her clients. We will miss her cheery
persona in the press rooms, and wish her a
happy retirement.
bringing not only students but Master
Gardeners into Britain every year from
the States to gain experience in British
horticulture and explore our wonderful
public gardens and parks.
Additionally, Mike has introduced other
universities to Myerscough, encouraging
them to send students to Myerscough,
most notably Auburn University and, as a
result, that exchange has grown over the
years. Mike also encourages tutor
exchange between Myerscough and Ohio
State University.
Ann Turner, Myerscough College’s Chief
Executive and Principal, said: “It is a
pleasure to make Mike O’Keeffe an
Honorary College Fellow. His outstanding
achievements in the Sportsturf industry
are an inspiration to all our students,
and he has proven to be a great friend to
Myerscough College over the years.”
Course Enquiries on 01995 642211 or
email: enquiries@myerscough.ac.uk
Website: www.myerscough.ac.uk
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What has bio-fuel
got to do with me?
Simon Taylor, UK Sales & Marketing
Manager for Euro Grass B.V explains
about the increase in bio-fuel crops and
the threat to grass seed production
Is it just me or am I getting that feeling of
déjà vu? Higher grass seed prices are with us
again, and when I say ‘us’ I mean the whole of
the industry, from the seed producers to seed
consumers.
It was only back in 2006/2007 that we saw
huge increases in grass seed prices as a
direct response to farmers receiving high
cereal prices. Are things different this time,
and are there greater forces at work that may
affect the price you pay for your seed?
2012 is set to see some of the highest grass
seed prices I have ever known in
twenty years, and here are some
of the reasons why.
For farmers to be interested in
growing grass seed, the price
needs to be equal to, or higher
than the return from cereals. The
fact remains that the risks are
far greater growing grass seed
than cereal seed, and
unpredictable weather conditions
at harvest in recent years has
further deterred growers.
Growing grass seed is a
complicated business and there
are many market and
environmental factors
influencing the crop. Grass seed
contract managers are fighting
an uphill battle just to keep
farmer growers interested in
grass seed production. Grass seed production
areas across Europe have declined by 30% for
2011 and 2012 harvests; taking the UK as an
isolated case, areas have fallen by 60% since
the mid 90s.
So, where do bio-fuels come into all this? In
2010, Russia stopped all its wheat exports
worldwide due to widespread fires they had in
their country. Wheat supply decreased and
strengthened the price and gave all the grass
growers a hard time.
In the same year, the world economy
recovered from the investment crash of
2008/2009, which resulted in the need for
more energy. The price of oil jumped from 35
USD to over 100 USD a barrel. Energy out of
agricultural was becoming interesting again
and, as a result, the price of wheat increased.
On the back of this, various political
programmes were developed to support an
alternative way of energy production.
The UK has a Renewable Transport Fuel
Obligation (RTFO), which is a requirement on
transport fuel suppliers to ensure that five
percent of all road vehicle fuel supplied is
from sustainable renewable sources. The
Government intends to set variable targets for
the level of carbon and sustainability
performance expected from all transport fuel
suppliers.
In practice, the RTFO will mostly be achieved
by blending bioethanol, biomethanol,
biodiesel and biogas (derived from sources
such as palm oil, oilseed rape, cereals, sugar
cane, sugar beet, and reprocessed vegetable
oil) with fossil fuels. The USA currently
10
allocates 28% of its
wheat harvest to
bioethanol production.
To put it into
perspective, that is
seventeen million
tonnes!
The requirement that
bio-fuel sources should
be sustainable is
apparently important.
In South America and
Asia, the production of bio-fuels for export
has, in some cases, resulted in significant
ecological damage, including the clearing of
rainforest. There’s also a question of ethics
about growing crops to fuel cars. Wheat is the
single most important source of protein for
the global population. Anyway, enough of that,
so I’ll get off my soap box now.
In the future, the Department for Transport
estimates that up to one third of the fuel in
the UK transport sector could be produced
from home-grown bio-fuels. It is, therefore, no
surprise that there is huge competition for
land to grow these renewable energy crops,
and grass seed becomes low priority.
Surely, this can’t be the whole of the story?
Grass seed prices are influenced by the
commodities market. The production of staple
ingredients, such as creeping red fescues, tall
fescues and perennial ryegrasses have,
traditionally, been produced in large volumes
in the United States and Canada. The
combination of bumper harvests and large
stock inventories can drive prices down but,
currently, neither of these factors exist.
Even the European stock holdings and harvest
expectations are very low. The dry conditions
we’ve experienced across Northern Europe,
from early this year, have not been good for
grass seed production and, as sods law would
have it, unsettled harvesting conditions are
creating further challenges.
The usual scenario in a shortage is for the
seed industry to have a knee jerk reaction by
placing larger areas of production. 2011 crop
is currently being harvested and expectations
are low; 2012 areas are already contracted,
and well below normal consumption
requirements. The earliest possibility to rectify
the shortages is the 2013 harvest. This seed
will only be available for consumption in
2014.
Competition from other crops is here to stay,
and the continuing thirst for energy will
further drive up commodity prices. Grass seed
companies will only be able to contract
production by paying higher prices to the
growers. More often than not, the better
performing turf varieties tend to be lower seed
yielders, which is an additional consideration
for seed growers. They would prefer to
produce high yielding forage type grasses, but
these are of no use for us amenity boys. The
concerning trend is that once a grower drops
out of grass seed production, there are no
new ones coming through with the expertise
to grow the crop.
What does all this mean for the end user?
Well, you will certainly be paying more for
seed mixtures from all suppliers. The
important point for grounds managers is that
they review the supplied mixture components.
Last season’s mixture may not be the same
this time round. If components are in short
supply, you may not be supplied with what you
were expecting. Euro Grass is concentrating
on producing varieties from its portfolio that
are needed by the market - not just producing
bag filler items, but the better quality varieties
to sustain its mixture programme.
Amenity grass seed varieties and mixtures,
even at higher prices, still represent great
value for money when you consider the long
term
investment
and activities
involved to
supply the
final product.
The
expectation
for high
quality
natural grass
surfaces has
never been
greater. Let’s
keep it that
way!
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Davy’s on
the road
again...
Davy Cuthbertson, Golf and Estates Manager at
Rockliffe Hall, predicts a famous future for the
stunning new course in County Durham. Rob Stewart
caught up with him to find out why
A
s Davy Cuthbertson finally
prepares to take a sip of his
coffee at Rockliffe Hall, there
is a flurry of activity and a
whirr of satisfaction that sees a
smile spread across his face as a group of
eight North-East businessmen stride
towards their clubhouse table following a
round of golf. It is impossible not to
overhear their plaudits for the region’s
most celebrated new course and, as Davy
is Rockliffe Hall’s Golf and Estates
Manager, that chorus of approval was the
ultimate seal of approval.
“For me to hear that our members and
visitors are happy with the course is what
the job is all about. It’s what we are all
focused on here,” Davy said. “It’s the beall and end-all and makes all the hard
work worthwhile.”
Davy heads a team of thirteen full-time
staff who work around-the-clock, from
before dawn ’til after dusk, throughout
the year, tending the picturesque course
that is perched on the northern banks of
the River Tees which divides County
12
Durham with neighbouring North
Yorkshire.
In taking on the club’s key position at
Rockliffe Hall three years ago, he
accepted the challenge that came to turn
the course into the North of England’s
foremost golf destination.
“Here, there is a stunning five-star
hotel with great rooms, wonderful
restaurants and a vast spa. They want a
golf course to match it,” Davy added.
“People who succeed here are those who
can’t wait to get the place recognised.
Top greenkeepers, such as Pete Newton,
who came from the Belfry, and Jon Wyer,
who came from the Forest of Arden,
courses which have held large
tournaments nationally and
internationally. I’ve always liked a
challenge and this is the biggest I’ve
taken on. That’s why I’m here.”
Since Davy picked up the gauntlet at a
course masterminded by Rockliffe Hall
chairman Warwick Brindle, awardwinning course designer, Mark
Westenborg from Hawtree, and
consultant agronomist George Shields,
he has had to use his many years of
experience to keep the course heading in
the right direction.
And how! He has had to use all his
know-how, because there are all sorts of
natural and man-made issues, from the
choice of grass more suited to the
sunnier climes of the United States for
the greens, to dealing with floodwater
from the Tees.
That means this family man has to be
on the top of his game at this course,
next to the acclaimed Middlesbrough
Football Club Academy, just south of the
village of Hurworth in County Durham.
Bearing in mind that the area, up until
just four years ago, was once used for
farming, that is no easy task, but Davy
and his team are leaving nothing to
chance in their quest to establish
Rockliffe Hall as a leading course.
“The golf course used to be purely
farmland; sheep and an array of crops.
Those crops, especially, were always
going to be difficult because, no matter
“For me to hear that our
members and visitors are
happy with the course is what
the job is all about. It’s what
we are all focused on here”
Davy Cuthbertson, Golf & Estates Manager, Rockliffe Hall
what you did, the crops that had been
grown there would still be trying to
regrow, regardless of what you did with
the soil,” Davy explained.
“That is especially the case with us in a
northern climate, because you are always
going to get a lot of weed grasses coming
through when it is cold, and the seeds
that we want to grow can be a little
slower to take.”
“Good grass comes in second and,
therefore, growth rates are difficult to
control. For areas such as fairways they
can appear ‘speckly’ because the
undesired grasses are growing at a
quicker rate than the preferred grasses
that we are really after. Initially, aerating
the soil gave it extra life and, so,
seedlings from past crops, as well as
unwanted weed grasses, were always
going to come through. That needed
treatment before a ball was struck on the
course.”
So, it is a good job that Davy had so
much experience under his belt from his
days at Durham’s South Moor club, and
then Slaley Hall in Northumberland,
when he answered Rockliffe Hall’s call.
“I was hit by the golf bug in my last
year at school and I started playing with
two mates. We realised being on the
course was a lot better than just messing
about and standing on street corners,”
Davy added.
“The reason I went to work at my local
club, South Moor, after school was to get
a membership. The only way in was if
you worked there, so it was a no-brainer
once a job as a trainee greenkeeper came
up.
“In the early days it was simple stuff,
like raking bunkers and strimming; all
the little menial tidy-up jobs, jobs that
are very important nevertheless, and
then, once I’d learned the ropes, I did
everything, using every machine and
progressed rapidly.”
“Now I’m in charge of everything on a
beautiful estate like Rockliffe Hall. It’s
very difficult to play now because I have
a family back home and have plenty to
be busy with. I do try to get out there
now and again. Usually ,three holes to
test the course and see it from the
golfer’s point of view. That is important.
You can appreciate a green’s nuances
much more if you hit a few putts on
them.”
Davy spent eleven years as the second
man in charge at South Moor before
heading to Slaley Hall where he spent
another eleven years - seven as second
man and four years as head man - before
moving down the A1 to Rockliffe Hall
just as the construction of the first six
holes were nearing completion.
The fact that the club had decided to
use creeping bentgrass A4/G6 for their
greens illustrated just how ambitious the
owners were when it came to the golf
course.
“It was like a statement of intent,
because good golfers like good greens
and good greens are fast greens, so that
is the reason you pick this sort of grass,”
Davy said.
“Greens dictate how good you want the
golf course to be, while tees and fairways
13
“It was like a
statement of
intent, because
good golfers like
good greens, and
good greens are
fast greens, so
that is the reason
you pick this sort
of grass”
are a close second. Greens are the one
thing that golfers remember. If golfers
have good day on the greens, they are
happy. They can play rubbish but, if they
sink putts, they are content.”
“It was ambitious to go for a grass that
some might deem unsuitable for this
neck of the woods, but it underlined
their intent in a big way. When you look
at the biggest tournaments, they always
have very quick greens and, to replicate
that, you need species of grass that grow
laterally, so you get them tighter and
shorter.”
That is all well and good for the golfer,
yet it means that the greens had to be
given plenty of TLC by Davy and his
team because that A4/G6 blend is
generally associated with warmer
climates than County Durham.
Davy continued: “Very few clubs in the
UK use that mix, mainly because they
are from America and are warm-season
grasses. They like heat, so the hotter it is
the better they grow. That is the biggest
challenge here because, as far as I’m
aware, we are the only course this far
north that uses this mix in England.”
“So how do we make it thrive? They
don’t like a lot of harsh treatment. By
that, I mean the type of treatment which
could constitute normal treatment at any
other course anywhere in the UK.”
“You’ve got to pick them [greens] up
by brushing with small brushes mounted
onto the pedestrian mower, as well as
standing the leaf up via a grooming
system on all the mowers. There are little
teeth that pick up all the grass plant, so
the leaf is lifted ever so slightly. And,
there is a nice clean cut that helps
promote the growth, health and green
speed. They need a gentle touch; a flick,
because they don’t like aggression.”
“Anything heavy is not appreciated.
You have to be gentle and, when you are,
the rewards are clear for all to see. The
grass creeps sideways, whereas normal
grass grows straight up. It is great,
because it makes for a tight, slick green.”
On a daily basis, Davy has up to six
men tending the greens with their ‘soft
touch’ pedestrian mowers, and they even
14
change the holes on
every second day.
“Golfers appreciate
different challenges
plus, the more you
move it the better it is
for the grass, so it is a
win-win situation for
all,” he added.
“The weather is also
a factor. It’s no
surprise that the further north you head
in the UK, the bigger the challenge in
terms of weather conditions. There is
very little we can do regarding the
weather - we are in the lap of the Gods.
“If it’s windy for three weeks, then you
can’t fertilise or spray for three weeks.
So, you have to make the most of the
opportunities you get. But, then again,
we have seen around here the wind has a
tendency to drop around tea-time, so you
can get stuck in then, or get in early the
next morning. The guys are used to long
days and waiting for the opportune
moments.”
“It’s very much a microclimate because
it is a windy site and most of the rain
seems to bypass us. It can be tipping it
down just a few miles away in Darlington
or Northallerton, and we are sat here dry
as a bone.”
The weather might make life tricky for
the team, but they also harness it when
the Tees reaches flood point. The
intricate drainage system around the
fairways, coupled with a number of
raised greens and tees, means flood
threats are kept to a surprising minimum
when the rains do come.
These conditions, coupled with the
course’s location nestling, in parts, on
the banks of the River Tees, mean Davy
is quick to rubbish allegations that a new
course is a threat to wildlife.
“Since we’ve arrived here, it has led to
a whole plethora of wildlife. We have
nesting geese and swans, cormorants,
great crested grebe, herons and gulls all
complementing the existing wildlife such
as rabbits, hares, badgers, deer, and
squirrels.”
“It means there is healthy combination
of birds and wildlife, which was part of
the vision. Rockliffe Hall wants a retreat
working in harmony with its country
surrounds. It’s surprising how many
complimentary comments come in from
golfers about the wildlife.”
Rockliffe Hall was in the spotlight
recently, when the great and the good of
North-East football congregated at the
club for the Sir Bobby Robson
Foundation Golf Day, and Davy is
confident that he can set the stage for
more high-profile events on the
championship course in the near future.
“I have no qualms about the ability of
our course to host a big competition and
the interest is definitely there. I know we
have the know-how to make sure the
course would be ready for a big
tournament,” Davy said. “The course is
quite young and is in the process of
developing, but we could easily host
something big here very soon.”
‘Watch this space’ seems to be the
message from a man who has been
watching Rockliffe Hall
very, very closely over
the last two years.
From allotments to the
Ryder Cup, Stratford
upon Avon Golf Club has
an interesting history as
our editor discovers
when he meets Head
Greenkeeper, Howard
Middlebrook, who is ...
Taking a
S
tratford upon Avon Golf Club’s
main claim to fame is its
connection to Samuel Ryder, the
founder of the Ryder Cup
competition. Sam and his famous
professional, Abe Mitchell, along with
three former Open champions, George
Duncan, Ted Ray and Alex Herd,
officially opened the Hawtree/Taylor
designed course in 1928, and Sam was
to become captain from 1929 to 1931.
He remained the club’s Vice President
until his death in 1936.
With the onset of the Second World
War, parts of the course were given
over to allotments. These were
allocated to members for growing
vegetables. The 7th, 15th, 17th and,
later, the 12th holes were used for
growing potatoes, whilst gravel was
extracted from the 10th, 16th and
17th, leaving deep depressions that are
a feature of the course today.
Imaginative tree planting from the
outset has resulted in a veritable
arboretum. Sprinklers were added to
the greens in 1970 and to the fairways
in 1999. The grandson of the original
course designer, Martin Hawtree
(consultant to the R & A for the Open
Championship courses), ensures that
16
course changes are in keeping
with modern needs, but
safeguard the subtleties
of the past.
The course has
changed very little
in terms of holes
and overall layout
although, as
with many
clubs, bunker
placements
and tees have
been
modified
over the
years to
cater for
the
modern
game.
The
greens are
still
pushed
up soil
based,
with no
primary or
secondary
drainage. In
short cut ...
fact, there is no drainage on the course
anywhere as the natural soils are
very free draining, hence parts
of the course being quarried
for gravel.
With the course prone
to drying out, the club
has invested in a fully
automatic irrigation
system to water
greens, tees and
fairways. A Toro
system draws water
from two
boreholes with an
extraction licence
for 6,000,000
cubic metres, an
amount not fully used to date.
The club employ five greenkeeping
staff. Head Greenkeeper is Howard
Middlebrook, who came to the club in
2003 having previously working at
Bloxwich Golf Club for seven years
and, before that, a number of other
clubs, including Sinsheim Golf Club in
Germany and The Warwickshire, where
he was specifically employed to grow in
and set up the course.
His first assistant is Sean McDade.
Paul Snelson, Phil Morris and Chris
Carvell make up the team. All are very
experienced and qualified. Howard
likes to ensure they take responsibility
for the equipment and machinery, so
they are assigned specific tasks and
pieces of machinery to manage and
maintain.
The team have over 100 years of
greenkeeping experience between
them, so they are well accustomed to
the expectations and work ethos
required to manage a busy members
club.
Stratford upon Avon is a parkland
course which has retained many
original features; none of the greens
have been modified and most of the
bunkers are in their original position,
as are the tees, but these have been
made bigger to accommodate the
increase in golf traffic.
The course is open 365 days of the
year, playing off grass tees all year
“People often take for granted the sheer
amount of work that has to be done in
any one week to keep the course
operational and, more importantly, to
perform to a standard that attracts and
pleases players”
Howard Middlebrook, Head Greenkeeper, Stratford upon Avon Golf Club
17
Some tees have been enlarged to cope with increased traffic
round. No temporary greens are ever
used.
The staff start earlier in the summer
months, working 6.00am-2.30pm and
one hour later in the winter (7.00am3.30pm). Howard always gets in an hour
before his staff to check on the weather
and plan the work for the day.
The club hosts many competitions and
society days. On the day of my visit they
were hosting their Seniors Open event,
so the staff were in even earlier, starting
at 4.30am and working until 11.00am,
which allowed them to get the course
fully prepared before play started.
As the saying goes, if you look after
your equipment it will look after you.
Apart from a couple of items, all the
machinery is Toro; some £500,000 worth.
Howard cannot fault it for reliablity and,
he says, the service back up is second to
none. “You might pay more for the
An ESD Waste2Water washdown facility has been an asset
equipment, but you get it back in the
long term in performance and
reliability.”
“The machinery is fully serviced in
house after every 100 hours of work,”
says Howard, “and they are greased and
cleaned after use. A few years ago we
invested in a Waste2Water washdown
facility, and that has been a great asset.”
“We have a five year rolling
programme to replace machinery”
explains Howard, “but the lads have
looked after the machinery so well, we
are getting another two-three years out
of it. We now have a considerable fleet of
Toro machinery, which has given us back
up for most of our big machines, should
the need arise.”
As always, when I visit clubs I like to
look around the course as soon as I
arrive to take the all those important
pictures that show the quality of the
course and the work being carried out.
Howard was keen to show me the
condition of the course and, as you
would expect on a competition day, it was
looking immaculate; not a blade of grass
was out of place. The greens were
exceptional in colour and firmness and
were running at 10.5 on the stimpmeter.
Howard measures green speed every
week. “They rarely go below 9.5 on the
stimp in the summer months,” Howard
says, “and 8.5 in the winter. For
competitions we like to get them running
between 10.5 and 11.” The greens are
very smooth and fast because of the
maintenance regime Howard has
perfected. It is, if you like, the much
discussed ‘Greg Evans’ theory.
“With the greens being soil pushed up,
with no drainage installed, we have to
rely on their natural draining ability,
which has been helped by the heavy
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grass seed mixtures.
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18
The team built a new path system to the first tee
rootzone dressings that have been
applied over the years. It’s a vigorous
programme of aeration and dressings.
The greens get vertidrained twice
between October and December, using
13mm diameter, 300mm depth tines at
50mm spacings, followed straight after
with the verticut units and sarrel rollers
to help restore levels. Every six weeks,
throughout the winter months, soluble
iron is applied.”
“During the first week in February the
greens are again vertidrained, using
19mm diameter tines to a depth of
300mm but at 100mm spacings, again
followed by verticutting and sorrel
rolling.”
“In the first week of March, without
fail, I begin the spring renovations. I like
to start early, hollow coring the greens
with 13mm tines and topdressing with a
fen dress 90/10 dressing at a rate of two
A tulip tree is maturing nicely
tonnes per green, which is followed by a
dose of turf hardener.”
“A month later another tonne of
topdressing is applied and dragmatted
in. This continues throughout the year
on a monthly basis, giving firm, smooth
free draining greens.”
“Some preventative fungicide
applications are made when required.
There has been no nematode damage to
date, and I reckon it is the ‘robust’
cultural practices that are the reason
why.” In April, a 6:1:12 Guardian NPK
fertiliser is applied to help kick start the
greens, with further applications of
12:0:9 NPK in May.
“The greens are cut daily at a height of
2.5mm in the summer months and 4mm
in winter. We use the Toro Triple
greensmowers, which are always kept
sharp and accurate. A prism gauge is
used to check the actual cutting height. I
don’t believe in using turf irons to gain
speed, because I believe this impacts on
the greens unnecessarily. We’ll change
the hole positions four or five times a
week.”
Tees are kept at 12mm and hand
mown twice a week, they get
vertidrained, topdressed and fertilised
once a year, and are regularly divoted.
Fairways are cut at 15mm all year
round and vertidrained twice during the
winter months, aprons are kept at 9mm,
whilst the rough is mown at 60mm.
“This short grass policy across the
course is set up for the members, who do
not want to lose their ball or be hindered
by slow play. My ethos is to produce the
course the members want.”
Howard has built up a great
relationship with the greens committee
and works with them to improve the
quality of the course. As he rightly points
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“This short
grass policy
across the
course is set up
for the members
- my ethos is to
produce the
course the
members want”
out, they pay his wages.
Winter work is centred on the usual tee
and bunker improvements, tree work,
path refurbishments and any other
projects to improve the condition of the
course. Last year, a number of tees were
rebuilt along with a new path feature to
the first tee, and a practice putting
green.
As for wildlife, there is plenty about,
including Muntjac deer, foxes, badgers,
rabbits and moles, as for birds too many
to mention, a pair of buzzards are
nesting on the course. All twenty-five tit
boxes have been full this year, with most
producing broods of eight or more.
The course has a wide range of trees.
Like most parkland courses they tend to
follow trends over the years and become
arboretums for ornamental specimens.
There is a fine Liriodendron tulipifera
(tulip tree) maturing nicely out on the
course, along with many cherry trees that
were planted in the 1970s.
As for a wish list, Howard is content
with the investment the club has made
20
over the years and very happy with the
way things are going. However, he did
say, if there was one thing he would like
it would be an extra member of staff,
which would help enormously. “People
often take for granted the sheer amount
of work that has to be done in any one
week to keep the course operational and,
more importantly, to perform to a
standard that attracts and pleases
players. It is a constant battle with only
five staff,” he says “Also, with so many
scheduled competitions, the time to carry
out specific maintenance regimes is often
compromised by the lack of resources.
Having an extra pair of hands would
make a huge difference.”
With over 140 players taking part in
their Seniors Open event, it seems that
the club have it right on both fronts, a
well run clubhouse and facilities and a
head greenkeeper who is able to deliver
members expectations, especially in a
challenging economic climate.
Howard has perfected a robust greens
management programme that, some
would say, is not sustainable, but his
greens have been consistent now for
several years. Howard’s little and often
approach when it comes to aeration,
feeding and topdressing the greens
seems to be working very well at
Stratford upon Avon. The condition of
the greens were exceptional, especially
when you realise there is no drainage
and that they are cut at 2.5mm!
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Driving Environmental Performance
Our editor meets Justin
Lee, Head Greenkeeper on
the Premier Course at the
Macdonald Portal Hotel
Golf & Spa in Cheshire
“If the course is
not finished by
opening day, I will
have your head put
on a spike outside
the main gates”
Justin Lee, Head Greenkeeper, Premier Course
J
ustin Lee is Head Greenkeeper at
the Premier golf course, which
forms part of the Macdonald
Portal Hotel, Golf & Spa near the
village of Tarporley in Cheshire.
The hotel and golf resort boasts three
courses; two eighteen hole and one nine
hole, set out on two distinct sites. There
is also an 85 bedroom hotel, swimming
pool and full leisure and spa facilities.
The Lee Westwood Golf School has
recently been set up at the Premier
course offering a unique BTEC extended
national diploma in sport.
Justin has been head greenkeeper at
the eighteen hole Premier course ever
since it was built back in 1989. In fact, he
was part of the construction crew that
shaped and set out the course under the
guidance off the course designer, Tim
Rouse. He then remained on site to help
grow in the course. This progressed to
being responsible for the day to day
maintenance and, twenty-two years later,
still finds himself managing the course
and its four staff.
He knows every nook and cranny of
Heads you win!
the site and, over the years, has seen the
results of his hard work in terms of the
playability of greens, tees and fairways.
The other bonus has been seeing the
diversity of flora and fauna that have
made the course their home. Marsh
orchids have, this year, provided an
impressive show of flower heads and are
now firmly established on the site. As we
walked the course, a kestrel hovered
above us and dived to capture a mouse,
whilst a flock of Canada geese, perhaps
annoyed by our presence, waddled off the
fairway back to the pond they now call
home.
Justin has also been introducing yellow
rattle to help improve the permanent
grass areas. Yellow rattle is an attractive,
semi-parasitic, grassland annual. In the
past, this plant was a serious pest for
farmers as it weakens grasses which, as a
result, can reduce hay yields by as much
as 50%. In a greenkeeping context,
however, this suppression of grass growth
is welcomed, as it helps to produce a
better display of wildflowers and eases the
mowing required.
Yellow rattle germinates in late
February to early March, flowers in June,
and sets seed in July. At the end of each
growing season, as the plants die back,
they leave gaps into which new
wildflowers can establish.
Back at the mess room, I am keen to
find out how Justin got the course to
where it is today - the threat of
decapitation being one motivational
factor! Justin takes up the story.
“TEN years have got behind you” or, in
my case, double that; a classic line from a
well known song. How many of us
wonder where the time has gone? I know
where my time has gone, although
looking out on the course and seeing how
it has matured, it does seem like no time
at all.
It started in 1989, when I had a job
interview for an assistant golf course
construction manager on a new build in
the heart of Cheshire. The interview went
fairly well and I secured my position; the
worrying thing, at the time, was
something one of the directors said to me
during the interview; “if the course is not
finished by opening day, I will have your
head put on a spike outside the main
gates”. At the tender age of twenty one
this had a very lasting effect on me - fear!
- which tends to focus your attention on
the job in hand.
I had served my apprenticeship at
Green Drive Golf Club (Open qualifying
course) in Lytham, under the tutelage of
a very passionate Scotsman called Charles
Smith. He was to be the construction
manager in Cheshire, building Oaklands
Golf and Country Club.
Construction started in March 1989.
The construction team consisted of three
greenkeepers and a selection of machine
drivers and labourers. These were
interesting times for me as I was thrown
right into the deep end.
Construction progressed well and was
finished on time and within budget.
There were lots of challenges along the
way, not least turfing USGA greens in the
height of a drought, and with no
irrigation system! Watering greens in the
middle of the night with a water bowser is
23
“Greenkeepers can
find themselves
getting bogged
down with all the
hype and trends
that abound in our
industry”
Marsh orchids are now firmly established on the site
not much fun when the turf is dying in
front of your eyes.
Because of time constraints during
construction, the decision was taken by
management to turf rather than seed
greens. It was that decision that would
cause us the biggest problems for many
years after construction had finished.
All the greens were turfed during the
drought of 1989, without the irrigation
being fully operational. Despite our best
efforts, ten of the greens died off and we
had to strip the turf and relay new turf. I
remember that, on the 10th green before
it was lifted, we had a potato plant
growing as a weed through the many
cracks in the dead turf! This was a
stressful time for all of us.
With the decision taken to relay, we
struggled to find a turf producer who was
still prepared to lift turf and supply. We
did, however, find a local grower who was
growing turf on clay and was prepared to
supply us with the turf we needed.
Although we knew that importing a turf
grown on clay would give us problems, we
had no choice, so we decided, in the first
winter, that we would embark on a
massive soil exchange programme, for as
long as it would take, to remove as much
clay as possible, this would hopefully
reduce the risk of impeded water
movement and stunted root
development.
Several pieces of kit had to be bought
to help with the programme, namely a
Sisis Technicore with large 19mm hollow
tines, a Richard Long drop spreader and
$)ʋʛɵʙɨ%XʣʖȸHVɡ(Vɢ
a Sisis Oscar brush
to move the sand
into the holes.
We carried out this
operation several
times a year, and
continued doing so
for as long as it took
to break the layering
up. This took many
Yellow rattle encourages other wildflowers to establish
years and lots of
hard work. There is
their own lines of thought on.
still some evidence, deep down in the
As the soil exchange programme
rootzone, that there was such a problem,
continued, and showed signs of having a
and we still suffer from less than perfect
positive effect on the sward quality, I
water infiltration rates.
started to think about fertiliser inputs
Although it was costly and time
and looked closely at the make-up of the
consuming, and at times very disruptive
mineral fertilisers we were using at that
to golf, it was work that could not be
time. We were suffering from black layer
ignored as we would have stored
due to water percolation rates being
problems up for the future.
slower than you would expect on a
One very valuable lesson came out of
modern USGA construction. This was
all this hard work - which was carried out
obviously due to the clay import layer.
by myself and the different members of
There was not a lot of information
my team over the years - you need to
around at this time regarding black layer,
understand the importance of creating a
and the associated smell of rotten eggs
healthy growing medium for your grass. I
(hydrogen sulphide), something that was
tried every method known to man, and
beginning to develop.
some new ones, to speed up the process
As I looked deeper into the subject, it
of soil exchange and, consequently,
was clear that alongside thatch control,
thatch management.
water movement and soil management,
When you undertake such extensive
fertiliser or, more specifically, cheap
work, you can gain a deeper knowledge
fertiliser could have a negative effect on
of soil mechanics and management.
the well-being of the rootzone and the
Every day would throw up new
plants we try to grow in it. By cheap
challenges, and solutions had to be
fertiliser, I mean fertiliser that is loaded
found, something that everybody was
with sulphur and mineral salts, these
encouraged to think about and develop
elements can contribute to the occurrence
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24
“We should all
consider what
impact we are
having as
greenkeepers on
the courses we
look after”
Temporary custodians of a valuable landscape
and trends that
abound in our
industry.
Thankfully, I
eventually gravitated
towards organic
fertilisers, and
everything started to
come right. I felt
this approach would
A small flock of Canada geese have made the course their home
simplify everything,
and would
of black layer. For a while, I got quite
complement what I was trying to achieve
obsessed with how much sulphur was in
on the greens and give me consistent
some fertilisers, and would swap from
long lasting results.
one brand to another trying, in vain, to
It is easy to get confused with the vast
control results.
array of information and products that
I used soil analysis to test the levels of
are available today, I have always been a
sulphate, iron, CEC and all the other
great believer in keeping it simple and
parameters found when carring out soil
finding an easier way to manager things.
analysis. Soil analysis, although an
For years, nature has provided
important tool, is no substitute for
everything that is necessary for healthy
observation and experience; these two
plant growth, provided the plant is happy
things give you confidence in what you
to grow in the habitat it has been placed
are trying to achieve.
in. Specific species of plants develop and
Instinctively, I knew things were still
dominate certain habitats over long
not right, as I would get inconsistent
periods of time. We need to understand
results with peaks and troughs in greens
this principle if we are going to
quality being the norm. Couple this with
encourage plants that are suited to
the soil exchange programme going on,
growing in nutrient poor, free draining
and the fact that the greens were still very
soils, i.e. bent fescue. After all, these are
young and pretty sterile when looking at
the species that are coveted above all
the soil microbe and fungi count, and you
others and are dominant on our links
get a picture of how difficult the greens
and moorland courses.
were to manage back in the good old
It is not by coincidence that they are
days! This is a situation that many
there, they are hardy and well
greenkeepers can find themselves in,
accustomed to the environment they have
striving to improve greens quality and
evolved in. Other species cannot get
getting bogged down with all the hype
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established easily, unless the conditions
change and tip the balance in their
favour, something that can happen all to
easily on a golf green, i.e. watering,
fertilising, reducing heights of cut,
spraying fungicides.
My ethos, when it comes to golf greens
management, is to provide food in its
most basic form (not over refined or
tinkered with), i.e. organic. Let the
nitrogen cycle do its work, let all the
microbiology get on with what they do
best. Provide a healthy growing medium
with as much air as you can get into your
greens, without disturbing golf to much.
This will allow the plant to make use of
the products that the bugs have been
busily producing, and then things start to
fall into place and you begin to wonder
what all the fuss was about. That is my
theory but, of course, life is never that
simple yet, if you get the foundations of
your greens working properly, this affords
you more time to concentrate on the
other challenges that this glorious job
throws at us.
After using mainly organic feeds for ten
years, I have recently started to apply
compost tea to my greens. I feel that the
greens are at a stage when compost tea
might prove beneficial if used over a
prolonged period. I will assess its affect
on the health of the rootzone against
benchmark pointers that I have in place
on the greens, i.e. photos and
measurements taken over several years.
One interesting benchmark I have is
the annual occurrence of dollar spot on
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25
What’s in the shed?
Toro 5410 fairway mower
Toro 6500 fairway mower
Toro 3250 greens mower
Toro 3250 tees mower
Toro 3100 surrounds mower
New Holland T4020D tractor
New Holland TC24D mini tractor
John Deere 670 mini tractor
Toro Procore 648 aerating machine
Toro Workman (electric)
Lloyds rough gangs
Sisis Litamina leaf collector
Hardi AMK300 sprayer
Sisis Oscar brush
McConnell digger
Brouwer turf cutter
Rotavator
Large trailer
Richard Long high lift trailer
Marston small trailer
TDS fairway slitter
Sisis spiker
Sisis overseeder
Sisis greens slitter
Sisis TM1000 deep scarifier
Richard Long topdresser
Sreagle fairway rake
Soil shredder
Soil riddle
Hover mower
Stihl MS260C chainsaw
Stihl FS200 strimmer
Stihl hedgecutter
Robin leaf blower
Tractor mounted leaf blower
Transport box
The Premier team: l-rr Mark O’Brien , Andrew Porter, Justin Lee, Steven Mason and Carl Dobson
three of the greens; it has steadily got worst
over recent years, despite trying to manage
its occurrence through preventative sprays,
correct nutrient levels and aeration. If the
outbreak is reduced or stopped, it could be
assumed that compost tea has had some
role in checking its advance through
competitive exclusion. Time will tell.
The buzz words of today - ‘low input’,
‘sustainability’, ‘budget control’ - these
terms, when I first heard them, did not
have much of an impact, yet now, thinking
about it, I realise why. I had worked for a
canny Scotsman through my younger
impressionable days. Everything that was
used on the golf course was considered very
carefully - would it have the desired effect;
how much would it cost; would it last a long
time; how much would it cost; would it
assist the greenkeepers in reducing their
workload and free time up for other tasks;
and, oh yes, how much would it cost?
We should all consider what impact we
are having as greenkeepers on the courses
we look after. We are only temporary
custodians of these valuable landscapes and
havens for wildlife. They will pass onto
somebody else. This is a large responsibility
that we carry, and one that should not be
taken lightly.
The success and constant improvements
that the course has seen over the twentytwo years since the club has been open is,
without doubt, down to the dedicated and
passionate staff that I am fortunate to have
worked with. These are just a few who have
helped and I would like to thank everybody
concerned; Chris Haspel, James Street,
David Fisher,
James Grundy,
James Billington,
and my current
team. But, most of
all, Charles Smith
for showing me
the way.
TWENTYQuestions
Justin Lee - would like to have several lives, so that he
can spend more time diving and fishing, no doubt!
Who are you? Justin Lee, Head Greenkeeper
on the Premier Course at Macdonald Portal
hotel.
Family status? Married to Joanne with three
children, Isabelle, Olivia and Charlie.
Who’s your hero and why? Chris Yates, a
legend in the fishing world. Lives by his own
set of rules.
What is your dream holiday? Scuba diving
on the Great Barrier Reef.
What annoys you the most? People taking
swipes out of the green with their putter
when they miss a shot.
What would you change about yourself?
My age. I would like to have several lives so I
could do all the things I want to do.
Who wouldn't you like to be? Someone
who works in an office all day.
Favourite record, and why? Pink Floyd’s
Animals, reminds me of a time when life was
simpler and without stress.
Who would you choose to spend a
romantic evening with? My wife, of course.
If you won the lottery, what is the first
thing you would do? Buy a house near the
sea and build a large outdoor reef aquarium.
What’s the best advice you have ever
been given? Keep it simple.
What's your favourite smell? Garlic.
What do you do in your spare time? Go
fishing, DIY, gardening, keep Bonsai.
What’s the daftest work related question
you have ever been asked? We had been
hollow coring and someone asked me if the
cores were cattle feed!
What’s your favourite piece of kit? John
Deere 670 mini tractor.
What three words would you use to
describe yourself? Fascinated, reliable,
friendly.
What talent would you like to have? To
play a musical instrument well (guitar).
What makes you angry? People who are
not tolerant of others.
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Power
Rangers
Laurence Gale MSc heads to Merseyside to look at
an interesting project in the shadow of the imposing
Fiddlers Ferry Power Station
I
n terms of new builds, the golf
course construction industry has
virtually come to a halt in the UK in
recent years, with many of our golf
course architects now focusing on
redesigns/refurbishments or heading
further afield to the continent and
beyond for new course constructions.
However, there are a few new
developments either coming on line or
just being completed.
Fiddlers Ferry in Cheshire is one such
course that has recently been completed;
a self build project that the owners, Mark
Overton and his wife Elaine, took upon
themselves to begin constructing back in
2002.
Owners of True Fit Golf (TFG), they
took the decision to invest in building
the new course in the shadows of the
Fiddlers Ferry power station, perhaps not
the most attractive of backdrops but one
that certainly gives the course its
individuality.
The TFG story began in 1988 when
Mark and Elaine started manufacturing
golf clubs in barns which are now the
golf shop and driving range. They
produced golf clubs here until the
industry moved back to the Far East
about ten years ago.
At this point, Mark decided to go into
custom fitted golf clubs and a golf shop.
The shop was opened within three
months of the mass production of clubs
finishing.
The original plan was to build a nine
hole par three course to help promote
the sale of golf clubs. However, one thing
led to another, and the original scheme
soon turned into a full blown, par 36,
nine hole course.
Not stopping there, they continued to
expand, acquiring further land to build
another nine holes to complete a full 18
hole course, complete with driving
range, which is now open to the public as
a pay and play facility.
What makes this project most
intriguing is that they built the whole
course themselves, bringing in over one
million tonnes of soil to transform the
barren landscape at the foot of the power
station.
Plans for the nine hole course were
first drawn up in 2001, and tipping of
soil started soon after. In 2002, it was
decided to try a make it 18 holes when
more land became available.
The first nine holes were shaped up in
the summer of 2004 and, in November
of that year, Director of Golf, Darren
28
James Cope
Chapman, came on board. In the
summer of 2005 nine fairways were
cultivated and seeded by Mark and
Darren, and a good start was made on
building the USGA spec greens.
In the February of 2006, greenkeeper
James Cope joined the fold. Darren and
James soon realised that the design of
the course left a lot to be desired; they
felt that its playability was a big problem
and suggested alterations to Mark. These
were taken on board and the back nine
was redesigned to work in better with the
front nine.
James came with plenty of experience
and a thirst for a challenge. He began
his career in irrigation, at TIS Scotland,
before moving to Kestrel Golf to help
build the Nicklaus Course at Carden
Park.
He learned a lot from working under
the guidance of Andy Campbell and
Keith Homes, deputy on the Cheshire
course. After five years there he moved
on to help build and grow in Henlle Park
Golf Course in north Shropshire.
He spent three very enjoyable years
there and was able to watch the course
change from a Georgian park into an
established 18 hole parkland course.
“The move to Fiddlers Ferry was a great
opportunity for me to construct a brand
new course,” says James, “and work on
every aspect of build, growing in and
maintaining a new course.”
A second greenkeeper, Garry Curran,
was soon to join the team. He arrived
from Childwall Golf Club and assisted in
building eleven greens and tees and the
installation of an automated irrigation
system.
“During the build period the team
were often working fifteen hours a day to
make the most of the summer weather
and daylight hours,” says James,
“enabling us to get as much done before
the ground condition became too poor to
get around the course. Remember, this
part of the country is renowned for its
rain, and the snow of the last two winters
slowed us down somewhat as well. In any
event, most of the winter months were
set aside for planting swathes of trees
and gorse, so we had a plan in place,
regardless of what Mother Nature threw
at us.”
The first phase of the course was
opened in April 2007 to provide both a
new pay and play facility and allow TFG
customers to try out their newly acquired
golf clubs.
The next stage was to build a driving
range and shed complex to house all the
golf course equipment. Every bit of
equipment is owned by the company,
even the large 360° diggers, dumpers
and bulldozers.
The new course takes its name from
the old Mersey Golf Club that used to be
sited on adjacent land, which closed in
the 1960’s, but was always known as
Fiddlers Ferry by the locals.
TAt the same time, they took on
another greenkeeper, Mariusz Prus, to
help manage the course. “He could not
have joined at a busier time,” says James.
“We not only had to manage and
maintain a new nine hole course and
continue with the growing in - we still
had a further seven holes to construct.”
This work was completed in August
2009, allowing a further ten months to
establish before the official opening in
June 2010.
“The greens and tees are USGA spec
constructions, which we have slightly
adapted to reduce costs. They have a
herringbone primary drainage system,
over which is placed a full 300mm
rootzone layer and then sown with a bent
and fescue mix. Initially, cutting was
done daily with our John Deere 220B
hand mowers throughout the growing
29
Swan with cygnet
Work continues with the Fiddlers Ferry power station looking on
“There is great emphasis in today’s
climate on making sure the
environmental impact of any new
course is a positive one, and I am
confident that we will be
successful on that front, too”
Darren Chapman, Director of Golf, Fiddlers Ferry Golf Club
seasons,” explains James. “Mowing
heights in the summer are 6mm, and
between 7-8mm in the winter. Now the
greens are more established, and to save
time, we use our triple mower in the
summer months switching back to
pedestrian mowers during the winter
when we have more time on our hands.”
“Tees were seeded with a rye grass mix
at the same time as the greens, and are
cut twice a week using John Deere 260B
hand mowers to 12mm. They are divoted
once a week with the same rye grass seed
mix to get the best and quickest recovery
period.”
“Fairways are cut twice a week to15mm
with a John Deere 3235B. Currently, we
are in the process of draining the
fairways at five metre intervals and, at a
later date, we will sand band them as
well.”
Semi rough is single cut around the
fairways and greens, once a week, at
about 35mm with a John Deere 2653A
Darren Chapman
Rough is cut at 50mm once a week
with a Toro Groundsmaster 4700D.
Native rough is cut once a year and is left
to its own devices the rest of the time, to
allow nature to take its course.
“We’ve also dug out a number of
drainage ditches and ponds to control
water run off and to help the course
drain quickly. They also challenge the
golfer and make the course more testing
whilst, at the same, becoming a wildlife
haven for many birds and mammals.
When first built, the ponds had quite a
bit of pond weed, but this now seems to
be under control with foliage taking
over,” says James. “A few swans have
taken up residence, with one pair rearing
a single cygnet this year, which is great to
see. It is, now, not unusual to see hares,
geese and heron on what was, originally,
unused waste ground separating Wigan
from Warrington! I believe that the golf
course is having a positive affect on local
wildlife,” states James, “which is the
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Garry Curran and Mariusz Prus
complete opposite of what many believe
about golf courses raping the land.”
“We’ve planted over fifteen thousand
whips around the course, and these are
establishing well. We’ve also planted over
800 semi-mature trees, between four and five
metres tall, that have given the course some
maturity whilst also helping to define the
fairways.”
Not content with resting on their laurels,
James and his team have now started on the
final phase of, what was, the original
concept; building a nine hole, par three
academy course. More waste soil spoil has
been delivered to site, and shaped to form
the basic course layout. Green positions have
been agreed and sculpted out ready for
USGA construction.
It will be a couple of years before the
academy opens but, when it does, Fiddlers
Ferry will become a unique pay and play
facility for the people of Cheshire. The
course is already doing pretty well, with over
15,000 rounds of golf played this year to
date on its new 18 hole golf facility, whilst
the driving range is fast becoming a popular
teaching facility with its brand new video
studio facilities.
Director of Golf, Darren Chapman says;
“We have been determined to create an
accessible course that will be both
challenging and enjoyable for players of all
abilities.”
“There is great emphasis in today’s climate
on making sure the environmental impact of
any new course is a positive one, and I am
confident that we will be successful on that
front, too. With any water on the course
Creating a wildlife haven amidst the urbanisation
draining into the system of ponds, we would
hope to be self sufficient in the face of a
drought,” he explains. “We also have our
own bore hole.”
At under 7,000 yards, Darren admits that
the overall length will not be competing to
stage championship events, but says putting
on big events is not the focus of the
development. “We want this to be a course
that will challenge the low handicappers, but
will also be a fair test to the higher
handicapper players.”
The club are also looking at renewable
energies to help save money and reduce
their carbon footprint. They are currently
working on a project to reduce the amount
of diesel and electricity they use by
developing a system to recycle waste food oil,
changing it into biodiesel for use in their
vehicles, along with fuelling a generator to
produce their own electricity.
So, it goes without saying, working at
Fiddlers Ferry has been an interesting
challenge for all the staff, in more ways than
one. James’s main concern now is to ensure
the course continues to mature into a
challenge that offers something for golfers of
all ages and abilities.
I can vouch for how well the course has
come on since my last visit back in 2007,
when the first nine holes opened; the greens,
fairways and tees are much more dense, and
it now looks and feels like a proper golf
course.
It would appear that Mark and Elaine’s
vision is nearing completion; a remarkable
feat, especially given the difficult economic
climate.
What’s in the shed?
John Deere 220B Greens Mowers x 2
John Deere 260B Tees Mowers x 2
John Deere Pro Gator
John Deere 4520 Tractor
John Deere 5410 Tractor
John Deere 3235B Fairway Mower
John Deere 6x4 Gator
John Deere 1200A Bunker Rake
John Deere 2653A
Toro Groundsmaster 4700d
Kawasaki Mule
Cat 247 Loading shovel/fork lift
Cat 311c 360 Excavators
Takeuchi TB016 Mini Digger
Ausa 3 Tonne Dumper
Kirby Stone Crusher BPS 250
Kilworth Stone Burier
Reco Maschio Tiller Rotovator
Tycrop trailer with conveyor
Turfmech Pro Pass 180 Topdresser
Turfmech Seed-Air 3000
Wiedenmann Terra Spike XF
Shelton Supertrencher
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31
Working
with nature
Mike Powell, Head Greenkeeper at the The Rolls of
Monmouth Golf Club, works with the elements to
manage the turf in a natural way, befitting its
picturesque setting
C
omplete peace and quiet,
broken only by birdsong,
awaits golfers at The Rolls of
Monmouth, purpose built as a
championship course in 1982.
The idyllic 6733yd par 72 course sits in
the grounds of a stunning manor house
once owned by Charles Stewart Rolls, cofounder of Rolls Royce, and the
outbuildings house the pro shop, offices
and clubhouse, while the mansion itself
hosts functions and events.
The feeling of splendid isolation is
completed by the vast acres of forestry
that surround the course. The back nine
holes were carved out of the estate’s
farmland, whilst the front nine are
surrounded by great swathes of open
parkland. A dense, wooded hill,
populated with deer, divides the two.
“Greens are constructed from loam
and sand over a stone and drainage
layer, in the older style rather than to a
spec,” explains head greenkeeper, Mike
Powell, “They were originally seeded with
Pencross, but it has been hard to keep
the levels up, although recently we have
been overseeding more to get these
creeping bents back.”
With a natural feel to the course and
the rich wildlife population part of the
attraction for many members, Mike
manages the turf accordingly.
“There is minimal chemical use - we
weed kill every two or three years, using
a contractor other than on the tees and
greens. Feeding is also light, mainly
based on seaweed products and
topdressing, adding nitrogen only when
necessary. An autumn/winter feed can
last all year round.”
Water runs off the clay based soils up
to a point, and Mike comments that the
greens stay in use year round, although
he admits that winter traffic is low, and a
larger membership would take a greater
toll on the course. “We have a lot of
societies playing the course and the
winters tend to be a lot quieter,” he
explains.
The current greens committee has
supported wider use of aeration, and
Mike comments that this has helped
reduce disease levels considerably, again
cutting the chemicals needed. He uses
one of the oldest tools in the club’s
armoury, a 1991 Verti-Drain 105-145
model on a monthly basis, fitted with
pencil tines to relieve compaction and
get air and water down to the turf roots.
“The Verti-Drain has been exceptional,
totally reliable, even though it is quite
ancient now,” he laughs. “We also sarrel
Mike Powell with ancient but exceptionally reliable verti-d
drain
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34
roll once a fortnight - this
doesn’t go as deep and
minimises disruption to play.”
Hollow coring is carried
out annually, and Mike says
that, although this is often
done later than the ideal
timing due to pressures from
society golf bookings, it still
proves effective.
He also tends to work in
four to six holes at a time
rather than do the whole
course, also to minimise
disruption to play.
“The course is at its best
early and late in the season
but, where possible, I try to
work with the turf ’s needs
rather than follow a set
programme, and I don’t
water excessively,” he
comments. “The irrigation
system is fairly antiquated
and only waters the greens
anyway, so many operations
are governed by rainfall. We
avoid cutting tees too short,
and topdress when there is
some moisture in the
ground.”
Tucked in below the
forestry, The Rolls of
Monmouth is in a frost
pocket, but Mike is
philosophical about this. “It
works both ways - frost kills
disease. You want to be able
to let the golfers play while
still protecting the greens in
frosty conditions.”
The hard winter had a
relatively small impact on the
course compared to many,
although Mike recalls that, as
the frost began to come out
of the ground, the greens
were soft on top but still
frozen seven inches down.
“We closed briefly, but the
members were supportive,
and the greens came out of
the winter well, especially
when you consider the dry
spring,” he says.
The influx of golfers to
Wales during 2010’s Ryder
Cup proved a mixed blessing
for Rolls of Monmouth, like
many clubs in the area.
“The course was very busy
yet, because it was so wet, the
greens were flooding and we
were constantly squeegying to
keep them open,” he recalls.
A recent purchase which
has made a significant
difference to the course is a
Dakota Turf Tender, Mike
reports.
“We can topdress every
month lightly; it has little
impact on the golfers and has
helped the greens a lot,” he
explains. “When the rain
came in July we pencil tined
and then gave them a light
topdressing, and they are now
looking very good.”
Greens are cut every other
day to 4mm with a pair of
Toro greens triples, and
rolled with vibratory rollers
once a week to maintain
TRANSFORM YOUR WORST
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If the answer is yes,
you need to try the
green speeds, although Mike
comments that the
undulating greens play better
if they are not too fast.
Groomers are put in and
dropped out as required, and
a verticut reel is used
occasionally.
A John Deere 3235C
fairway mower takes care of
the vast expanses of semirough, while trailed gangs are
used on the rough.
“The gangs follow the
ground contours well,
although the downside is that
you don’t get the finish of a
deck mower. There’s minimal
long rough and this is cut
once a year for hay.”
Tees and approaches are
kept in check with a Toro
greensmower fitted with tees
units, whilst a Toro
Sidewinder is used on the
banks and bunkers.
“We have not gone for set
agreements, preferring to
work with local dealers Frank
Sutton, Ted Hopkins and
David Evans Agricultural,”
comments Mike. “We have a
good relationship with John
Deere and Toro and we like
to get the best deal.”
He admits that he likes to
get the maximum working
life out of machines and
doesn’t particularly enjoy
spending money for the sake
of it. “Our manager, Linda
Kedward, will source any
machinery that we need, but I
prefer to have a small fleet of
good quality machines.”
Mike has a team of four
greenkeepers - his son
Gareth, Mark Timmins,
Steven Baldwin and Andrew
Parry - and says that a young
team, working to the same
ethos as the head
greenkeeper works well.
“They can work through
their NVQ levels, and then
have qualifications based on
experience. It’s important to
work as a team and for the
head greenkeeper to take
responsibility rather than
blame individuals if
something goes wrong,” he
comments.
Future strategy for the club
is centred around
maintaining its natural look,
allowing growth along the
lakes and streams, although a
large lake below the mansion
was set to be dredged to
control overgrown reeds at
the time of our visit.
A new tree planting scheme
will replace old oaks which
have been stricken by disease,
and retain the wooded feel of
the course.
“The look of the course is
very much part of its appeal,
and that is something that we
are very keen to encourage
whilst keeping the greens
close to tournament standard
at all times,” Mike confirms.
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35
TalkingPoint
Ian Quirk is Chairman of the Greens at Lymm Golf Club in
Cheshire. Here he talks about the loss of ‘Britishness’ in
modern UK golf courses and how committees should
trust the knowledge of their greenkeepers
MANY members and friends ask me why I
bother, when it appears that the good times are
massively outweighed by the bad. The answer is
simple. Working with a team of committee
members and, most importantly, a committed,
enthusiastic and skilled greens staff, provides
enormous pleasure, both in the good and bad
times which, in turn, keeps the light shining at
the end of the tunnel.
You should try it, if you have an interest in
helping to provide future members with a
healthy and stable golf course for years to
come. Do not get involved if all you want to do
is change the golf course to benefit your own
golf and views/perceptions, as this will, for 95%
of the time, be detrimental for the course.
In my experience, and from many
conversations with numerous head greenkeeper
and course managers, most of them have a
clear understanding of what their course
requires. Unfortunately, many of them do not
feel they have the support or understanding
from the members to allow them to proceed
with the required maintenance programmes
that will give long term benefits, but with short
term disturbance.
We have to trust our head greenkeepers to
know better than we do, as this is their
profession and job. As far as I can see, they all
take pride in their jobs, their course and only
want the best for their members. This only
ceases, when they become brow beaten and
pressured to deliver conditions that make
poorer golfers (with less control of their ball)
look better than they are, and courses that are
managed with a “garden mentality” instead of a
“natural” approach. In my view, British courses
should look like they have been cut out of
“common land” not out of a managed park.
I have been playing golf for some time now,
and can remember the days when British golf
was played on British golf courses that were
designed and managed for our climate,
indigenous grass species and style of play. If it
PlanetAir
PlanetAir’s shatter knife technology, combined with its
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blade movement.
The motion of the 48 blades
shatters the soil profile
creating pore space and
allowing water to connect
and percolate rapidly
through the soil particles.
This provides the oxygen
delivery system to plant
roots and soil microbes.
was dry, we played on the ground; if it was wet
we played in the air. Simple. Part of the skill of
being a golfer must be to assess the ground
and air conditions and play golf according to
them. Not to expect that each day you play, the
conditions of the ground to be the same!
The unfortunate rise of the “foreign” style
courses in the UK, that mimic golf styles from
other parts of the globe and are designed and
managed in a similar way, has led us to the
point where the British golf course is becoming
a rare breed.
Just look at the changes to Wentworth’s West
course. You may like or dislike them, but one
thing is for sure, the “Britishness” of its design
has been reduced massively. I agree that
customer choice is important, but I don’t agree
that every country in the world should have all
other styles of course.
If people want to play Spanish or American
style golf, they should go there. For me, British
golf is revered around the world as best in class.
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36
parent plant, resulting in greens with
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Why do we always seem to put
down our own in favour of what
is on the other side of the fence?
The unfortunate consequence
of these imported styles has
been the overwhelming
tendency for golfers to demand
that their courses be managed
to mimic these foreign
conditions and designs. Why has
this happened? Because, over
the last forty years, the majority
of people coming into golf have
watched the sport being played
on TV, on courses from all
around the world that are
managed and presented in the
same way, in order for the TV
spectacle to be as exciting as
possible. This then has become
the “norm” for most golfers and,
therefore, what they expect to
play on everyday - green, lush,
soft and receptive courses.
The only championship in the
world that comes close to being
presented in its natural state is
The Open. If it is dry, it is firm
and fast, if it is a ‘normal’ British
summer, it is softer and more
receptive. The US Open is often
depicted as extreme because its
greens become very, very firm
and difficult for the best players
to control their balls on. If the
courses in warm climate areas
did not have irrigation systems
and could only irrigate by hand
from a bowser, this would be the
norm, and they would have to
promote grasses that are
happier in drier conditions and
provide firmer less forgiving
greens.
This then asks the question,
why are we designing and
managing our courses to mirror
those in the US, Spain, Portugal
and the Far East? Why don’t we
give our golfers a British
experience instead? Why don’t
we utilise and promote our
natural grass species that thrive
in our temperate climate? Why
don’t we all see the beauty in a
natural golf environment where
some areas away from the main
playing surfaces are managed
under a very minimal regime?
Why can’t golfers appreciate
that the course should live hand
in hand with the ecology and
wildlife that are on the site, and
even promote it to increase the
diversity?
Surely, a healthy and more
natural course will have a more
diverse wildlife and will be more
cost effective to manage. This
will also have the advantage of
making it better able to cope
with future climate and
regulatory influences.
So, come on, let’s support our
greenkeepers and trust they
know what is best. That is why
we pay them.
Let us all embrace natural UK
golf and not the manufactured
“garden style” high maintenance
golf.
“We have to trust
our head
greenkeepers to
know better than we
do, as this is their
profession and job”
Ian Quirk, Chairman of the Greens, Lymm Golf Club
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37
After giving forty-five
years service to
Warwickshire County
Cricket Club, the
wanderlust has got the
better of Steve Rouse.
Here, he talks to
Pitchcare about his
time at the club and his
plans for the future
W
“God gives us seventy
years, I’m sixty-three
now, hopefully I’ve got
another seven to enjoy
the travelling”
Steve Rouse, Head Groundsman, Warwickshire CCC
hen the news broke of the
impending retirement of Steve
Rouse, Head Groundsman at
Edgbaston, our intrepid editor was on
the case immediately to find out what
had prompted his decision.
A trip to Edgbaston by Laurence
usually signals rain - on the last visit
Steve described it as “being so black, I
thought God had turned the lights off ”,
after three month’s worth fell in just a
few hours. And, as the Pitchcaremobile
swung into the car park, the storm
clouds gathered!
Steve has served Warwickshire County
Cricket Club man and boy, both as a
player - he was a left-arm pace bowler
who took 270 wickets at 30.78 in his 127
games for the club - and then as a
groundsman. Born in Glamorgan in
1949, his father, a former hurricane
pilot, had wanted him to join the RAF
and, dutifully, Steve sat and passed his
entrance exams at RAF Cranwell.
Hanging up
his boots ...
So, how did you come to join the staff at
Warwickshire County Cricket Club?
During the winter, I came down to
Edgbaston to catch up with a couple of
mates. One of them was the rugby
fullback, John Gray, who was training at
the indoor school in preparation for a
game that afternoon between his side,
Coventry, and Moseley. Well, in those
days, there was no heating in the indoor
school and I was sat at the back freezing
my proverbials off, thinking, let’s just go
for a pint. I was approached by the then
cricket coach, Derief Taylor, who said, in
his broad Jamaican accent, ‘come and
have a bowl man’. I told him I was a big
rugby man and knew nothing about
cricket, but I gave it a go, just to keep
warm. He must have seen some ability
because, after the session, he suggested I
joined the groundstaff at Edgbaston. I
had no idea what that was, but Derief
said that, if I was good enough, I stood a
chance of becoming a professional
cricketer. Once I knew I would get paid
for the job, I jumped at the chance!
So, on Monday morning, I was back at
the ground to meet Head Groundsman,
Bernard Flack, and started the following
Monday. Sadly, my dad never ever
forgave me. He had always wanted me to
become an RAF officer. He died a few
years later of a heart attack whilst filling
up his car with petrol. Very sad.
I started here, straight out of school, in
1966, aged sixteen. We were working
with Kings Norton loam back then. It
was very light and used to crack easily.
The ground would actually move. I was
told a story that, on one occasion, over
500 plugs were put into a Test wicket to
stop the plates shifting.
What was it like working for Bernhard
Flack?
Bernard was a hard taskmaster. He was
officious and thorough. We started work
at 8.00am. Not a minute after! Tea break
was ten minutes. You finished at 10.00am
on the dot and started again at 10.10am.
Lunch was from 12.00 noon to 12.40pm,
and then it was straight through to
5.00pm. No breaks, nothing. You either
grafted or got out. Bernhard used to say,
‘the only reason for being late is if you
are dead’.
Those principles have stuck with me - I
can’t stand people being late.
When did you become head groundsman?
Andy Atkinson took over from Bernard,
and I took over from him in 1994.
What prompted your decision to retire?
I’d been thinking about it for a couple of
years. Both Jill, my wife, and I love
travelling. I mean we ‘love’ it. She’s got a
high pressure job in Birmingham,
working long hours, as I do, and we
hardly see each other.
We’ve got a place in Cape Town which we
go to every March. We love Africa and we
39
“I’d never go back
to pushing those roll-on
covers and dragging
flat sheets about. The
hover cover is brilliant”
love the Cape especially. I have done
ever since I played there. We’ve been
going for over twenty years. I love the
people and I love the heat. I can’t stand
the cold. I’ve helped out at Newlands
too, I just love the lifestyle. So, we sat
down and talked very seriously - probably
over the fifth bottle of red - about what
we should do. What decided it for us was
a friend of ours, who came back from
holiday complaining of stomach cramps
and, within weeks, had passed away from
cancer of the pancreas. So I said, right,
God gives us seventy years, I’m sixtythree now, hopefully I’ve got another
seven to enjoy the travelling.
So, it was nothing to do with the pressures
of the job?
No, you make your own pressure. My
shoulders are big enough to take the
pressure, and the guys I work with really
are first rate. The best any head
groundsman could wish for.
What has been the highlight of your
career, both as a player and groundsman?
As a player, the Lord’s finals. It’s such a
fantastic atmosphere playing at Lord’s.
I’ve played with some top players; Rohan
Kanhai, probably one of the best batters
I have ever seen, Dennis Amis, who is
still a very good mate - although he yaps
on about his golf too much these days and Gary Sobers, without doubt the best
cricketer I have ever seen.
As a groundsman, the highlights have to
be the 1999 World Cup semi-final
between South Africa and Australia,
when South Africa needed one run to
win off the last ball and Allan Donald
didn’t run, and the Ashes Test of 2005,
when Australia were eight wickets down
40
and eighty odd runs adrift. I
came to the ground in the
morning and there were
thousands of people waiting
to get in. The whole five days
were fantastic and so noisy
but, when Australia got down
to wanting just two to win,
you could have heard a pin
drop, such was the tension.
Me and the crew had stood
waiting to go out with the
hoses, thinking it’ll be all over
in a few minutes. Two hours it
A relaxing job
lasted for! When Harmy got
the last wicket the place went
might raise a smile, but he just gave us
ballistic.
an almighty bollocking. He wasn’t afraid
How has cricket groundsmanship changed
of using the F word, I can tell you. After
over the years?
that we never cut any faster than 5mph,
Undoubtedly, the soils. they are far more
but were always dying to open them up.
consistent now. And the amount of
It used to take four blokes around six
cricket being played. If you ask any of
hours just to cut the outfield.
the county groundsmen they’ll all say the
Now, we use a Toro triple, which was
same thing. There’s simply no time to
chosen after we trialed all the major
carry out proper preps. What gets my
brands. It was the personal preference of
goat though is the misuse of the net
the groundsman that had to use it. They
facilities. Constant throw downs from the
are upgraded every three years. They’re
same spot, and then they complain that
a great secondhand buy for anyone who
the top’s gone. They still carry on
wants one, as they only ever go from the
though, even though I tell them not to
shed to the outfield.
do it!
What innovation has made your life
Machinery has improved too. We used to
easier?
cut the outfield with the old 1950s 36”
The
hover cover. I’d never go back to
Dennis mowers that plodded along at
pushing those roll-on covers and
about 1mph. Then we got four Alletts,
dragging flat sheets about. It’s brilliant.
with four gears, that were capable of
No mucking around with tractors towing
going over 20mph. The speed of them
on the covers, putting out the flat sheets
shocked our then chairman who, when
and pipes, blokes waiting around in the
he saw them being used for the first
middle to join the covers together. The
time, came out and said [puts on posh
hover takes about twenty-five seconds to
voice] “this is not a race track”. We told
get out into the middle. It’ so quick it’s
Bernard what had happened, thinking it
“We had six blotters
going all afternoon
and evening, and right
through the night. We
used something like
140 gallons of petrol
that night”
unbelievable. And, of course,
the reverse is true when play
needs to resume.
We now have machines like
the BLEC seeders, the Vertidrains, Groundsman Aerators
and Gradens. They have
made things so much easier.
The blotter is another great
innovation. They saved a Test
match against Australia in
2009. It started to rain at
lunchtime on Saturday and it
was torrential. The place was
like a lake. We had six
blotters going all afternoon
and evening, and right
through the night, to take
away the water as it continued
to fall. We used something
like 140 gallons of petrol that
night. By 8.00 on Sunday
morning we were able to cut
the outfield and the match
started on time. The Sky TV
boys were gobsmacked. They
couldn’t believe what we had
achieved. Mind you, we were
all knackered. It’s a brilliant
piece of kit. It saved the club
over a million pounds.
But, this is how daft the
schedules are. The day after
the Test match, we started a
four day county game. At
least those four days were dry
- we spent the time sleeping!
The Climate Cover
germination sheets that totalplay Ltd supply have been
brilliant too. Dave Bates has
done a great job with them.
So, what would you say was
your favourite bit of
equipment?
The keys to the office when I
shut up to go home!
I enjoy all aspects of the job;
spiking, vertidraining.
Cutting the square I find
especially relaxing actually.
Should all Test wickets be the
same?
I know that most Test
grounds are on Ongar now,
with the exception of Old
Trafford, where Matt is still
using Pete Marron’s mix, and
possibly Trent Bridge. I’m
not sure what Steve is using
there. The trouble is, it will
create boring cricket. Once
upon a time you could say
that, if the weather turned
overcast at Headingley, the
ball would swing. Or, at the
Oval in August, it would turn
square. The only way we can
change the way the wicket
responds now is by how much
grass we leave on or take off.
We still get requests to
produce a certain type of
wicket and, when we do, the
players still complain, for
example, that it “turned
square”. It’s not my fault that
the opposition brought a
spinner as well!
What tips would you give
cricket groundsmen at any
level?
Don’t be afraid to leave grass
on. As soon as the strip is
finished with, get it opened
up by spiking, get air down
into the roots so that it is
ahead of itself for next
season. Aeration is so
important. We’ll go down six
inches with the Groundsman
and then put the vertidrain
through once it’s soft enough.
At the end of the season we’ll
vertidrain longways and then
wicket to wicket. I’m a great
believer in vertidraining. We
go down about twelve inches.
Terrific bit of kit.
How much has Edgbaston
changed over the years?
You wouldn’t recognise it as
the same place. You’ve only
got to look at that new
pavilion - over thirty million
quids worth! The RES Wyatt
stand used to be an open area
where wooden seats were put
out, and there was a grass
bank that we cut with a Flymo
on a piece of rope. We
couldn’t do that now. Health
& Safety didn’t exist in those
days; what a joke!
Not one stand is the same as
when I first came here in
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41
The old scoreboard will be incorporated
into the new development
“You wouldn’t
recognise it
as the same
place. The
only thing
that’s not new
here is me!”
1966. The only thing that remains is the
old scoreboard, and that will be
incorporated into any new development.
As well as the new stand, we’ve had five
new floodlight stacks installed.
The outfield has been completely
replaced. The work was carried out by
Steven Pask - the best in the business in
my book. I wouldn’t use anyone else.
Over the years, he’s done my squares, the
training ground and the number one
practice area. When the outfield work was
being planned, the chairman asked me
who I wanted to to do the job, and I told
him ‘Pasky - book him now, otherwise
someone else will get him!’ You know
that he’ll do the job. Not 100%, but
120%.
Every little detail was documented, right
from the first machines coming in to the
final sweep up and taking the machines
out.
We had a ten foot drop from one end of
the ground to the other, and that has now
gone. The new drainage has made a huge
difference, as has the sprinkler system.
The turf was supplied by Inturf, it was a
Barenbrug mix and was magnificent. The
only thing that’s not new here is me!
What’s the funniest thing you have seen in
your time here?
Streakers. It doesn’t happen so much now
and, when it does, it’s usually a man!
[there follows a discussion about Erica
Roe’s famous Twickenham streak, which
is not for public consumption].
Back in the days of uncovered wickets, we
were playing against Yorkshire on an
absolutely sodden track. Only the ends
were covered back then. MJK Smith, our
captain, had been recalled to the Test
side but, before he left, warned us of a
chap called Johnson, who fielded at
cover, and to ‘watch out because he was
ambidextrous’.
Dennis Amis was batting with a lad called
Jamieson - and, on the fourth ball of the
over, pushed the ball to backward cover
and took off for a quick single to the
fielder’s left arm. Half way down, he
remembered what MJK had told him and
shouted ‘no’. Amis fell on his face in the
wet conditions, Jamieson was in full flow
and tried to put the brakes on, and
Bairstow, the Yorkshire keeper, ran to the
wicket to collect Johnson’s throw,
grabbing the ball with his right hand,
slipped, demolished the stumps with his
crotch [the polite version] and gouged a
huge trench, about three inches deep,
right down the wicket. Jamieson was run
out at the bowlers end and stormed off
cussing Amis, hurling his bat into the
ladies bog in the process. Dennis had to
come off to clean off the mud and
sawdust - and face the wrath of Jamieson
- and it took the groundstaff half an hour
to repair the wicket! It was hilarious - and
we lost.
Has Twenty20 helped or hindered?
It’s certainly brought the crowds in,
although, saying that, it’s noticeable how
they have dwindled in the last couple of
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42
seasons. There are too many games. A
dad and his son have to pay £30 for their
tickets. Throw in a coke and a hot dog,
transport costs etc. and you’re looking at
the best part of sixty quid for an evening
out. Then you ask them to turn up two or
three times a week. They just can’t afford
it. There’s now eight home games before
a club reaches the quarter finals. It’s daft.
And we have no time for preparation. It
used to be that we had ten days to prep a
wicket. We are lucky if we get seven now.
There’s so many more games, but we
only have the same number of strips to
work with, which means that they have to
be reused over and over again. That
brings complaints from players and
commentators, but what can we do?
What more could be done to support the
head groundsmen at county grounds?
I think they need to be paid a
considerable amount more, respected
more by the players and not taken for
granted and, if at all possible, shorter
working hours. A thirty-four working
week? ... you’re having a laugh! We don’t
get paid overtime, we have to take time
off in lieu. This means that some of the
lads can take three months holiday. It
makes planning my schedules very
difficult. But it’s the fault of the system,
not the staff.
What do you think of the ECBs role in all
this?
They do some very good courses for
groundsmen, which are to be
commended. But they’ve got to look at
50
the fixture levels to give us a chance. The
county board here certainly supports the
clubs at grassroots level very well. We had
one club that needed a new roller as
their old one would only start when it felt
like it, would reverse when put into
forward gear and, when put in reverse,
wouldn’t go at all. Funding was provided
by the board.
As you hang up your boots do you have
any regrets?
None at all. To be honest, I’m just
looking forward to having the time to
travel. Last year, Jill and I took the ferry
to Santander and drove back through
France. It was beautiful. We want to do
and see so much more of that.
And I want to play more golf. I might
even get the chance to play John
Richards - he owes me one!
The plan is to spend six months in South
Africa and six months back here. I don’t
like the cold.
What advice would you give to your
successor?
Keep an open mind and think before you
speak. Whoever it is, they can certainly
trust in the team they’ve got here. They
are a great bunch of lads and very good
grafters.
So, after giving forty-five years service
to Warwickshire County Cricket Club,
the wanderlust has got the better of
Steve Rouse. Let’s hope God is kind to
him and gives him a good few extra
years.
Steve in the new £30m stand
“It makes
planning my
schedules
very difficult.
It’s the fault
of the system,
not the staff”
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43
Welcome to
Autoguide...
Down a long farm track, and hidden behind a high
ornamental hedge, lies the home of Autoguide,
makers of the Auto-roller, and a whole lot more, as
Peter Britton discovers
I
had an inkling that my destination
would be somewhat rural when my
sat nav informed me that it was
directing me to ‘the centre of the
road’ I had chosen in north
Wiltshire, but little did I expect this to be
the sort of ‘rural’ that even Bear Grylls
would struggle to survive in.
Fortunately, Sally Satnav’s directions
were spot on, and I duly arrived at my
destination, the home of Autoguide,
makers of the Auto-roller. Reached by a
long straight driveway through farmland,
the entrance to the complex is more akin
to a grand country house than a bustling
manufacturing facility, but it is here that
the now famous roller is produced, along
with, as I was about to discover, a wide
range of equipment.
Most readers will know of the Autoroller and, perhaps, the company’s Turf
Trooper triple mower, but it was
surprising to learn of their other
products. These include the
Starstrimmer, a tractor mounted, PTO
driven strimmer for cutting around fence
posts - particularly suitable for equestrian
establishments - and the mini postmaster,
a vibrating post driving attachment for
diggers.
And there’s more. The company also
manufacture earth drills, augers and
torque heads that are used by many
utilities companies in the course of their
44
work, whilst their sister company, ABC
Anchors, have supplied the screw piles to
erect the safety fencing for the Open at
Royal St George’s, the work being
undertaken by Tildenet.
Autoguide was formed in 1977 by
Peggy and Richard Robinson who, along
with their son Rob, are still very much
involved in the day to day running of the
business. Richard and Rob are
considered the ‘boffins’ of the
organisation and are behind the product
innovations that the company have
introduced.
Autocad and Alibre 3D systems are
used throughout the design and
manufacturing process.
I am met by the company’s sales and
marketing assistant, Kay Middleton, and
introduced to their commercial manager,
Eddie Charity. Over coffee we discuss the
history of the company, and Kay
produces a sales record book showing,
what the company believe to be, the very
first roller sale in June 1932 to Gilbert
Machinery. They say ‘believe to be’
because there is a view that some roller
models from the late 1920s bear the
hallmarks of the Auto-roller, but there is
no substantial proof.
Each entry into the sales record gives
the serial number of both the roller and
the engine, along with the name and
address of the purchaser. Rollers were
first produced by the Automower
Company, Norton St Philip, Bath in the
late 1920s, and extensive trials were
carried out to determine the optimum
layout, which remains almost unchanged
today. Other Automower products used
Ford tractor skid units, and this led T.H.
White, the dealer responsible for
warranty on the Ford parts, to purchase
the company. Subsequently, Autoguide
purchased the business in 1995 from
T.H. Whites.
It is interesting to note that a good
number of the early entries are for golf
clubs; perhaps an indication of how turf
maintenance practices have changed
over the years.
I ask how many rollers are produced in
an average year? “I’d rather not say,”
says Eddie with a smile. “We wouldn’t
want our competitors to find out! Let’s
just say that we are currently shipping
new models as far afield as Guyana and
Australia. It may come as a surprise that
sales, even in the current economic
climate, are increasing. I believe there
are two reasons for this. The growth of
cricket worldwide - twenty years ago we
would never have sold a roller to
Holland, for example - and the increased
level of funding for grassroots cricket
from the ECB. I’d also like to think that
we are the first name groundsmen think
of when considering a purchase.”
“As a roller is a ‘must have’
piece of kit for cricket clubs at
all levels, I suppose we are in a
fortunate position,” says Eddie.
“And, of course, they are used
at schools, universities and lawn
tennis clubs as well.”
The company produce two
models, in 4ft and 3ft (Junior)
widths, and also offer re-power
kits to refurbish older models.
This consists of a new 9hp Hatz
diesel engine, full hydrostatic
transmission, power steering
and key operated electronic
start.
One satisfied recent customer
has been Ian Smith, the head
groundsman at St. Albans
School, who, having purchased
a new 4ft model a year ago,
sent his fifty year old roller
back for an overhaul.
“I was really impressed when
we got the roller back,” said
Ian. “It was rusty and not
working when Autoguide came
and collected it. They stripped
it down, shot blasted it back to
bare metal, rebuilt it with the
re-power kit, realigning the rear
roller at the same time, and
repainted it. They have given
me back virtually a new roller,
but costing me much less than
buying a new one. It’s a real hit
with the staff now. I only hope
they can give me the same
quality makeover when I hit
fifty in a couple of year’s time!”
Autoguide are aware that, for
many clubs, the cost of a new
roller is a considerable outlay,
so finance and hire options are
also offered. “We have to make
the process as simple as
possible,” explains Eddie.
“Grants from county boards
and the ECB have certainly
helped.”
The company employ twentytwo staff, ten of whom are
engineers involved in the
manufacture and assembly of
the various products. All are
highly skilled and the company
pride themselves on the
longevity of their staff. Most are
from neighbouring villages and
towns, the longest journey to
work being from Salisbury, just
twenty-five miles south.
The manufacturing facilities
are spread across various old
farm buildings, as are the rabbit
warren of admin offices. Very
little could be called ‘modern’,
but everything is functional.
Eddie Charity
45
Sales record book entries start in 1932
Veterans kept out of loyalty to the model
St Albans School staff with ‘old’ and new
As Eddie takes me on a guided tour
we pass augers and torque heads ready
for delivery to their extensive client
list.
Tucked away amongst the new kit are
three old rollers - circa 1960 at a guess
- that have been taken in part
exchange. At some stage these will be
re-powered and sold on but, as Eddie
explains, manufacturing is flat out at
the moment.
At the back of the complex there are
two further old models that are
probably beyond saving. I get the
impression that these two veterans
remain on site simply out of affection
and loyalty to the product.
Back inside, I am shown around the
manufacturing plant. Here,
Turftroopers are being assembled. This
product was, initially, part of the Allen
Power Equipment line-up but
manufactured for them by Autoguide.
When Allen’s went bust, Autoguide
retained the product as their own,
making considerable improvements
along the way. Believed to be the
world’s smallest triple cylinder mower,
it sits in the semi-professional sector large gardens, estates and such like but, at under £7,000, is now finding
favour with cash strapped councils
looking to make savings anywhere they
can. “The improvements that have
been made since bringing the product
into our portfolio has increased
interest from the professional market,”
explains Eddie. “Mowing at two acres
per hour, we believe it is worthy of
consideration for all manner of
mowing tasks.”
A re-powered roller sits ready to be
taken to Saltex, along with a re-power
kit, both roller models and a
Starstrimmer.
Looking around the factory, with its
paint shop, modest parts depot - what
can go wrong with a two tonne roller? and various tooling and welding
equipment, it is fair to say that this is
no lean ‘Flymo’ type slick operation.
Instead, the criteria is firmly
established as ‘build quality’ first and
foremost across all products.
As Eddie and I return to his office a
company 4x4 and trailer laden with a
roller swings into the yard. “This is
Bath University’s roller which has come
in for repair,” says Eddie. “We’ve let
them have a replacement until we have
completed the work.”
It is just that ethos that has kept
Autoguide very much at the heart of
British manufacturing and the turfcare
industry. Long may it continue.
Autoguide Equipment
Rolling our way to victory!
Designed and built in the UK
46
For more details please call 01380 850 885
email: sales@autoguide.co.uk
www.autoguide.co.uk
Funny old
game?
The local cricket club is
often the hub of village life.
But, how do these clubs
survive with just a few
willing volunteers, minimal
financial input and
equipment that would be
better suited to the British
Lawnmower Museum?
Or is the situation not that
bleak? Our editor visits two
local rivals to find out how
they survive?
J
ohn Arlott, infamous and sadly
missed commentator for the
BBC’s Test Match Special, once
noted that “villagers do not think
that village cricket is funny”.
But, according to the Daily Telegraph,
“compared with ‘proper cricket’, the
village brand ‘borders on the ridiculous
- there’s plenty of huff and puff as
twenty-two odd-shaped men posture
about the green like Test cricketers’’’.
That’s perhaps, a typical view from the
popular press; those that are far too
busy to delve deeper for a proper story.
They, of course, forget the even more
oddly shaped umpires and the army of
volunteers working behind the scenes.
Village cricket continues to perform
an important function in the lives of the
local inhabitants. Often the hub of
village social life, they not only provide
something for the youngsters to get
involved in, but often progress young
cricketers up through the ranks to first
class cricket. Everyone, as they say, has
to start somewhere.
It is believed that around forty
percent of current English first class
cricketers started out by playing for
their local team, an important fact when
one considers the demise of all sport in
schools. Of course, the greater
percentage still come from more
privileged backgrounds, but the balance
is shifting as the ECB and County
boards are now providing more funding
to grassroots cricket.
Again, according to the Telegraph,
“one of the main reasons that village
cricket is funny to watch is that
everybody is encouraged to play,
regardless of their skill with bat or ball.
This fundamental principle sets it apart
from the Australian only-play-to-win
mentality.”
Whilst the reality might be that
enthusiasm counts for more than ability
on the field of play, it still remains that
the volunteers who keep village clubs
going - from committees and captains
to cake-makers and coaches - are the
lifeblood of the sport. None more so
than ‘out in the middle’, where the
work of the groundsman often goes
unnoticed and ‘unhelped’.
These individuals, often former
players who have taken on the role after
retiring from playing, generally work
alone, with the bare minimum of
equipment, putting in long hours to
ensure that the wickets are prepared to
the best of their ability. Where once
they had little or no reference point,
they now have the benefit of various
grassroots training courses, County
trailers loaded with specialist
machinery, the opportunity to seek
advice on the Pitchcare message board often given by professional groundsmen
- and, of course, the ECB County Pitch
Advisers to call on.
On the following pages, our editor
visits two local league rivals in
Warwickshire - Hunningham and Long
Itchington cricket clubs - to see how
they are facing up to the challenge.
Reason to
believe ...
Geoff Calcott, Dave Reason
and Dave Mundy check out
the improving square
... or should that be Manic Mundy? Dave Reason
and Dave Mundy have guided their village club
through the past eleven years, adding a new
clubhouse and seeing improvements being
made to the playing surface
W
ith a population that hovers
around the two hundred
mark, the village of
Hunningham would seem an unlikely
candidate to boast a thriving cricket
club. However, the opposite is true,
thanks to two Daves who are at the
hub of the club; Chairman, Dave
Mundy, and Pavilion Manager, Dave
Reason.
These two, along with several other
dedicated club members have, in
recent years, transformed the club
and its facilities.
The village sits just south of a line
between Leamington Spa and Rugby,
in picturesque Warwickshire
countryside. Members are drawn
from the surrounding area as well as
the village. These total forty adults
and a buoyant junior membership of
seventy.
In the late nineties, although the
club was thriving, it was felt that, as
they entered the new millennium,
improvements needed to be made to
attract more junior members that
would become the lifeblood of the
club in later years. So, the two Daves
embarked on an ambitious project; to
provide the club and the village with
a social centre in the shape of a new
clubhouse and bar.
48
Their old wooden pavilion, whilst
picturesque, was well past its sell by
date and did not meet the needs of
an ambitious club. So, in 2000, they
began raising funds and, over the
following ten years, have completely
rebuilt the pavilion/clubhouse and
changing room areas.
The work was undertaken in two
phases. Phase one (2002-2004) saw
the rebuilding of the changing rooms
and kitchen facilities, at a cost of
£50,000, with most of the money
being raised by the club, and the
majority of the work being
undertaken by the members,
adopting a beg, borrow and steal
approach to the whole project.
Phase two began in 2008, with the
aim of improving the main room and
bar areas. This required an
additional £40,000 and, again, the
club raised a good percentage of the
money themselves by arranging loans
and organising fundraising events.
However, this time, they were also
fortunate to receive £14,000 from
Warwick District Council and £2,000
from the local Parish Council.
By the summer of 2009, the whole
clubhouse had been transformed into
a modern and much improved
facility. Whilst it had been a hard
Dave Reason and Dave Mundy
The old pavilion
The new clubhouse, decking area and scoreboard
Geoff Calcott comments ...
New Roro covers
slog, the club are now
reaping the benefits, with
the facilities open most
days of the week to
accommodate the
increased usage.
With the clubhouse
issues resolved,
Hunningham turned
their attention to the
playing facilities. If new
players were to be
Climate covers have improved germination
attracted, these also had
to be improved.
machinery. In the shed is a Ransomes
Dave Reason had been the
213D Triple mower for the outfield, a
groundsman for a number of years,
Ransomes Auto Certes 51 cylinder
but had to give up three years ago
mower for prepping the wickets, and
due to work commitments. His
a Ransomes Marquess 61 for cutting
successor was Simon Greaves who also
the square. A rotary mower and
had to retire at the end of last year,
strimmer are used for cutting
leaving just a group of willing
perimeter areas and around obstacles,
volunteers with little or no
whilst an Auto-roller, acquired from
experience.
Worcestershire County Cricket Club,
So, the club has hired the services
is used for rolling the square. Geoff
of Geoff Calcott, ECB pitch adviser
Calcott supplies whatever is needed in
for Warwickshire, sportsturf
terms of aeration and scarifying
contractor, Pitchcare trainer and
equipment. They have also invested
contributor to this magazine, who is
in two Climate Cover Systems from
advising and assisting on the
total-play Ltd, along with roll on roll
management of the square and
off covers.
outfield.
The club are now running junior
Geoff has been a self-employed
teams at all levels from under 10 to
sportsground contractor since 1984
under 17, the 1st XI competing in the
and has worked at many venues
Warwickshire County League, and the
covering a variety sports, including
clubhouse more than earning its keep.
rugby, football and cricket. He
Dave Mundy and Dave Reason have
currently looks after King Edward VI
every reason to be delighted with
School grounds in Stratford, and
their efforts to date. And, with the
helps to carry out end of season
addition of the services of Geoff, they
renovations at more than twenty
know the ground is in good hands.
cricket clubs within the county.
They have already seen improvements
Hunningham pay a fee for Geoff ’s
in the ground’s overall presentation
services, which includes pre and post
and how the square has been playing,
season activities and also regular visits
and hope it will become a long term
to apply fertilisers and tonics, whilst
partnership to ensure that cricket will
also keeping an eye on the
be an attraction for the next
maintenance carried out by the club’s
generation of village cricketers.
volunteer groundsmen.
With the club celebrating its
The club’s square provides seven
seventy-fifth anniversary this year, the
senior and three junior strips, all built
future certainly looks bright for this
on Boughton County loam, so it is
‘small’ village club.
important that, with the amount of
fixtures being played, they are
repaired and rotated ‘sensibly’. Six
games per track is the norm, and this
is where an improved maintenance
regime will certainly help.
With the club’s finances now on a
solid footing, they have invested in
“I began working with
Hunningham Cricket Club
in January of this year and
immediately carried out
two sessions with the
Groundsman punch action
spiker to 100mm depth at
50mm centres - roughly at
three week intervals, but
only when conditions were
suitable. Even with the
bad weather, the square
had, remarkably, remained disease free.
In late February, two 25kg bags of
autumn/winter fertiliser were put down to
toughen up the grass in readiness for preseason rolling. Core samples showed a ph of
6.5, which is ideal for a dwarf perennial
ryegrass square.
By March, the square was in wonderful
condition for pre-season rolling - the malleable
conditions could not be missed and I managed
ten complete passes of the square with the
Auto-roller, finishing on the line of the pitches
on 21st March. Height of cut was gradually
reduced from 25mm to 18mm by the end of
month.
An application of a liquid worm controller in
late March had to be watered in, such were the
dry conditions. The square was then verticut
and heavily watered on a weekly basis.
The first game was on 7th April - pretty early
for a small village club. It played okay, with
over 450 runs being scored. An application of 2
x 25kg spring/summer fertiliser had to be
watered in heavily.
The height of cut on match pitches was kept
at 6mm and, although it sounds high, the extra
grass gives more pace, bounce and zip in my
opinion. Height of cut on the square is 15mm
increased to 18mm in light of the extremely
dry conditions.
Through May, June and July, I carried out
regular verticutting of the square on a four
weekly cycle, with fertiliser application every
5/6 weeks. The pitches are repaired once they
have come out of play, usually after 5/6
games.
As the season comes to an end, I will talk to
committee regarding funding for heavy duty
scarification, with a Graden in three directions,
to remove the thatch/buried fibre layer.
On my travels around Warwickshire, whether
as part of the ECB funded PQS (Performance
Quality Standards) scheme in conjunction with
the local Cotswold Hills League, or as part of
the Warwickshire Groundsmen’s Association
PQS scheme, there are clubs whose cricket
squares receive little or no attention in the
crucial autumn period.
The major problem is one of thatch and
buried fibre which, of course, is usually the sign
of little or no deep scarification having taken
place at the end of the playing season. When
one considers that, on average, only 70% of
grass clippings actually go into the box, there
will always be thatch - it is a fact of life.
Regular verticutting and power brushing
throughout the playing season will help reduce
the thatch content, but the autumn period is
absolutely crucial in controlling what was
missed.
More often than not, cricket clubs tend either
to ignore the thatch problem or are simply not
vigorous enough in their approach. Don’t forget
this will have to be done every season.
In cases where clubs have not dealt with this
problem (and there are many), the costs of
recovering the square to an acceptable level
are going to be high, particularly if the last
resort is to employ the use of a Koro Field
Topmaker.
49
Long Itchington Cricket Club
reformed in 1976 to offer cricket to
the villagers. Playing out of a
farmer’s field, and watched on by
livestock, this is rural cricket at the
most humble level, yet still attracts
a strong membership who are ...
Itchen
to play!
T
welve miles south east of
Hunningham is Long Itchington.
Situated on the banks of the river
Itchen, from whence the village gets its
name, the population is ten times that of
its near neighbour and cricket rivals.
The club runs two senior Saturday
league teams in the Cotswold Hills
league, a senior Sunday side that plays
friendlies only, and five junior teams at
under 10, 11, 13, 15 and 17 age groups.
Players have to live or have lived in the
village, or been junior members to turn
out for the club, unless a special
invitation has been extended by the
committee. Current playing membership
stands at just over forty seniors and
seventy juniors.
It is here that Steve Mitchell, John
Deere’s PR guru in the UK, played most
of his cricket and where, whilst
remaining a vice president of the club,
he also coaches at the local school.
The ground is situated in a very rural
setting where, until recently, sheep used
to graze the outfield all year round. Now,
they are confined to winter grazing on
the outfield to help keep the grass down,
whilst neighbouring cows are kept off the
ground (and out of the nearby river) by
electric fencing. The land belongs to a
local farmer, and the club pay a
peppercorn rent for its use.
In somewhat of a contrast to the
smaller village of Hunningham, Long
Itchington’s pavilion is an old wooden
building acquired from the Stoneleigh
Royal Showground. It was transported in
two halves and put back together on site.
There are no main services at the
ground apart from a water supply;
electricity is provided via a generator,
whilst toilet waste is collected in a septic
tank. Although old, the pavilion still
50
offers all the necessary facilities
for a cricket match. Recent
improvements have seen showers
installed to meet with league
requirements. There are no bar
facilities as, with six pubs in the
village, it was deemed
unnecessary!
Club President is Allen
Hickling, who has been with the
A huge improvement
club since it reformed back in
1976, and he has been the driving
Graham. “Something had to be done so,
force for much of that time.
when the last groundsman retired, about
Head Groundsman is Graham Foster,
ten years ago, I decided to take it on. A
who is also 2nd XI captain (and a keen
Graden was hired and, with advice from
Pitchcare member). He is assisted by
Karl, I started my first autumn
Steve Rawbone, one of the club’s youth
renovation and have been doing the job
coaches, who also manages the under
ever since. Now I use our own scarifier, a
11s.
Sisis Autorake, which I couldn’t do
Graham has been a member since the
without.”
club reformed in 1976, playing junior,
Graham and/or Steve can be seen at
then senior cricket since the age of
the ground most evenings during the
sixteen. Now forty-nine and still playing
summer preparing the ground for
and captaining the 2nd XI, he first got
fixtures.
interested in the ground when he was
To assist Graham and Steve, the club
eighteen, helping out by cutting the
operate a ‘volunteer’ rotation system,
outfield with an old Massey Ferguson
whereby current first team players have
tractor with gang mowers. “At that time
to make themselves available for a week
there wasn’t any real preparation of
at a time to carry out various tasks, like
wickets,” says Graham. “The club’s
putting out boundary ropes, cones and
groundsman used to just cut a wicket out
other chores to help get the ground
and roll it with a walk-behind, ex-council,
ready for weekend and evening matches.
path roller on the night before the game.
The square is built on Kaloam, and
There were certainly no autumn
this season has probably been one of the
renovations!”
best in terms of playability; all the
It was through talking to Karl
prepared pitches seem to have had the
Brotherhood - the head groundsman at
best carry and bounce ever experienced.
Solihull School, and also a close friend Indeed, ECB Pitch Advisor, Geoff Calcott
back in 1992, that Graham realised there
(yes, he of Hunningham) rated the
was a bit more to groundmanship than
wicket ‘a huge improvement’.
had previously been carried out. “I
The machinery is very basic; old Atco
always wondered why, as an opening bat,
mowers are used to cut the square, and a
I was being hit on the hand or being
Sisis scarifier is used to keep thatch levels
bowled by a shooter!” comments
down. With Steve Mitchell’s influence,
and Karl Brotherhood’s help in sourcing
it, the club have recently bought a John
Deere 300R ride-on rotary mower from
Parks & Grounds Machinery to cut the
outfield. The roller is an old Bomag, a
tried and trusted road roller that “does a
good job”, according to Graham.
Graham carries out the end of season
renovations himself, co-opting other
members to help, undertaking the usual
processes of scarifying, topdressing (eight
bags per strip) and overseeding. As for
aerating the square, this is done when
hiring in suitable equipment and weather
conditions allow.
Like most village cricket clubs, there
seems to be precious time left in the
week to maintain the square, especially
with so much activity going on - the
junior sides utilise the square Monday,
Tuesday and Thursday, U17s have net
practice on Fridays and the senior sides
usually play on both days of the
weekend.
FOOTNOTE: It is imperative that village
cricket clubs continue to survive; they are
the catalyst for providing the next
generation of cricketers to go on to
represent their counties or country.
Both Hunningham and Long
Itchington are a fair representation of
village cricket life the length and breadth
of the UK, in the way they provide the
opportunity for local people to get
involved in the game.
These clubs also provide a valuable
L-rr: Allen Hickling, Tom Crosthwaite,
Steve Franks, Graham Foster, Alex Jack
and Steve Mitchell
service to the community, encouraging
young people to learn the life skills that
are part and parcel of playing for a
sports club. It gives them something
constructive to do in the long, balmy
summer’s evenings (I wish, Ed).
And, how do you put a price on what
the villagers themselves gain?
However, everyone, cricketers and
villagers alike, need to understand that
there is a cost to playing cricket in terms
of pitch provision. The ECB reckon that
the minimum cost of putting on any sort
of cricket match is £200, yet I still see far
too many clubs charging next to nothing
for being an active member. Surely, it is
Players ground rota
about time people paid a fair price or,
better still, devoted some of their time to
helping their club remain viable.
Hunningham CC and Long Itchington
CC are prime examples of what can be
achieved with a team of devoted
members.
From village green to county ground
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51
Never again!
Mike Atherton, Head Groundsman at King
William’s School on the Isle of Man, provides
a diary of events during the recent ICC
Division 2 Under 19’s Tournament
“NEVER again”… they were my
words following our last ICC
Tournament - the first time such
an event had been held on the Isle
of Man. Why “never again”? I
don’t recall much of that week, but
I do remember tiredness, an awful
lot of hard work, not enough
sleep, horrible weather, and what
seemed like ‘Groundhog Day’
when it came to running on and
off with the covers repeatedly.
For me personally, I was also
only a couple of months into the
position of Acting Head
Groundsman - I knew that our
performance in the tournament
may well lead to a permanent
promotion, or failure to make the
grade; I won’t lie - I was very
nervous during the build up to
the tournament. Fortunately, for
me, the umpires and organisers
must have seen my apprehension
from the off, as to whether we
would get it right, despite a deep
determination and eagerness to go
the extra mile to make sure it ran
smoothly - they rallied around my
team and I, making sure that we
knew where we had to be, and
when - we were all strangers to
one another, yet I recall an
overwhelming feeling of teamwork
and togetherness. I look back on
that time fondly, as it was far from
what I was expecting.
So, after all of the effort that
went into the tournament prep,
and upon reflection (when I
eventually woke up from a well
deserved sleep!), I asked myself
two questions; ‘Did we pull it off ’,
and ‘Was it worth it?’ Well, the
answers soon followed. I look back
with great pride at what I
considered to be a job well done.
Secondly, ‘Did we pull it off?’
Well, that answer came in
December, when we were
approached to see if we would be
interested in hosting another
tournament in 2011… there’s all
of the confirmation that I needed
to suggest that we did get it right.
Further confirmation that we
had done alright was made in
September, when I was called into
a meeting with our Bursar, where
he offered me the permanent
position of Head Groundsman - as
it transpires, much of the decision
to offer me the position was based
on the performance of our team
during the tournament, and the
feedback we received… I have a
lot to be thankful for.
So, many meetings later, and
here we find ourselves ten days
out from the start of our second
ICC Tournament - the u19
Division 2 European
Championships. Granted, not full
international cricket, but this
game is all about levels - two years
ago, we hosted school matches
and local league cricket - we have
come a long way. I now ask
myself, where will we be in
another two years, or five years
time, and I look forward with
great anticipation to what the
future holds.
Anyway, enough stories and
reminiscing, as I already talk too
much as it is…
So, the first day of prep starts. I
look out of my window… I can’t
see the hills to the west of our
grounds and, as I look out to sea
to the south of us, I can’t see the
horizon. This means only one
thing… we’re in for it (rain, that
is, and lots of it!). At this stage, I
am guessing that this isn’t going
to be any easier for us than the
last time round.
Anyway, the show must go on pitches have already been
“To make matters worse, the
one moment that I have not
been looking forward to is
upon us. Stump stickers!”
indentified, the rain is coming hard,
fast and horizontal and the squares
are too wet to work on. The covers
come out, and the two pitches for the
first day’s play are covered. We have
allocated six wickets across two
squares - I like to keep a spare pitch
prepared on each square, just in case
something goes wrong! Following the
covers, and a bit of running around,
it’s time to call it a day, so I go
home, and read through the
tournament playing conditions, then
read them again, (then walk the
dogs) then read them again, email
the tournament organiser with last
minute panic questions - all in an
effort to ensure that the tournament
runs as smoothly as possible. I
would never forgive myself if I left
any stone unturned.
Day 2: Hmmmn, more wind, more
rain, and the all too frequent sight of
dark clouds peering over the hills
with a look of menace about them. A
quick check of the forecast suggests
that the clouds will clear, to bring
sunshine and isolated showers.
That’s more like it, something that
we can work with.
Plans are made for the day, and all
staff are instructed accordingly. My
assistants are tasked with repairing a
set of cricket nets which have come
down with the strong winds
overnight, and making sure the site
is looking tidy for our 150 or so
guests. I make a beeline for the two
squares which will be in play for the
tournament, armed with a mower,
verticutter, string lines, tape
measures… you know the drill. Off
come the covers and the wickets are
cut to 10mm. The sward is thinned
out with the verticutter, followed by
six passes with the heavy roller - this
is repeated on both wickets, which
are then re-covered.
Day 3: What’s this… no rain? The
hoses come out, and flood another
two wickets to be prepared, and
works continue to thin the sward,
and consolidate the two wickets
already under prep. The rest of the
staff are working hard to ensure that
the rest of the site is a well
presented as possible. Things are
coming together nicely, or they were
until late afternoon, when we find
our trusty Auto-roller has rolled its
last wicket. Disaster! Fifty odd years
old isn’t a bad innings (pardon the
pun) for a roller though. Several
phone calls later, that disaster is
averted, and a substitute roller is
brought in.
Day 4: Rain! Everything under
cover in the morning. New practice
nets arrive to accommodate the 150
or so players, who, going by last
year’s experience, seem to have
boundless energy and want to spend
every spare minute they have in the
nets. Work goes ahead to erect the
nets, the rain stops, so the covers
come off and the team is split up, to
allow work to recommence on the
squares, and the remaining staff
continue to erect the nets. Today, I
get the feeling that things are
coming together.
Day 5: Forecast is good, covers
come off, and out we go, armed with
verticutters, mowers and a roller.
10.00am… run for cover… rain
again! Extra sight screens arrive,
and these are erected whilst the
squares are too wet to work on. Lots
more running around, sourcing and
fitting extra scoreboards for the
Duckworth Lewis system that is in
operation this year. It seems like the
role of our groundstaff isn’t solely
restricted to the grounds! Following
lunch, the rain has cleared, the sun
is shining, and work recommences
on the pitches that are dry enough,
with further thinning of the sward,
and rolling taking place across the
“I believe that
the forming of
relationships
with the players,
umpires,
scorers and
officials is
vitally
important”
Game on in front of the main school building
four wickets that are now under
preparation. Covers are set out again,
but two wickets are left uncovered, in the
hope that the weather is kind, and allow
them to dry a little overnight.
Day 6: Sunshine and a drying wind to
go with it… just what I was hoping for!
Prep starts on the final two pitches, and
work continues on the remaining four,
consisting of further thinning of the
sward, rolling, and careful management
of the covers to control the drying. At
this stage I’m thinking that, whilst we are
making good progress, we are only four
days from our first two games, yet there
still seems to be so much work to do.
Day 7: A warm and windy day - no sign
of any rain. I get an early start as there is
still an awful lot of work to do. As we now
have six wickets at different stages of
preparation, and also nine practice bays
spread across two sets of nets, we seem to
be here, there and everywhere, moving
covers from one pitch to another,
verticutting, brushing, cutting, rolling,
and that’s just the pitches. Intensive work
is also taking place on the squares and
the outfields. Then there is the small
matter of the league match that we have
to set up for today, too! Looking at the
pitches for the tournament, I am happy
with how the ones for the first day’s play
are shaping up.
Day 8: A good start to today – the sight
of the newest addition to our fleet - an
Imants Rotoknife, a machine I have had
my eye on for a number of years coming down our drive takes the
weariness from my eyes and brings a
beaming smile to my face. No time to
play with it however, as there is still an
awful lot of work to do. Efforts must be
doubled.
Again, the boys are working very hard
across the site, and I’m busy on the
squares, putting the final preparation
into the first pitches to be used, and
progressing with the other pitches. As it
always seems to happen, disaster strikes
at the most inopportune time, an
incident which renders one of my
assistants unable to continue working,
and a trip to the hospital is the order of
the day for him.
54
To make matters
worse, the one
moment that I have
not been looking
forward to is upon
us. Stump stickers!
For anyone who has
ever had to put
these on stumps,
you will know what I
mean. I recall sitting
up at 2.00am last
Josh Bowman, Mike Atherton and Christian Hawthorn
year, on the eve of
our first match,
trying to put them
for. Everything is put under cover for the
on straight. Here we go again!
evening, so it’s home time for me, albeit
Representatives from ICC Europe also
on the wrong side of sunset, yet the
arrive for the ground inspection, which
young players are still out in the nets,
they seem happy with (that’s a relief!!),
practice drills on the outfields, having a
and our first guests start to arrive, in the
kick around with a rugby ball etc.
shape of some coaches. Players start to
One last job for the day - enhancing
arrive tomorrow, so we have a very busy
international relations by dropping a
day scheduled. It is a huge effort across
couple of coaches off at the local Chinese
many departments (transport, catering,
takeaway on my way home. I can
accommodation, cleaning etc.). I head
honestly say that, as I leave the site, I am
home as the sun sets - armed with stump
delighted that we have ‘stage 1’
stickers and new stumps - wondering
complete, and I’m looking forward to the
what tomorrow will bring.
start of play tomorrow. The only thing
Day 9: The eve of the tournament is
left for this evening is food and Radox!
upon us, and we have, what must be, the
Match day 1: Game on… or should I
hottest day of the year so far. Players,
say both games on! Another beautiful
coaches and umpires start to arrive ‘en
day, and final pre match preparation
masse’ and there is a definite feeling of
takes place, tidying up of any loose ends,
excitement in the air. There is an awful
before the start of the matches.
lot of ‘meeting and greeting’; many faces
Today, we host Gibraltar v Spain on
I recognise from last year, along with
KWC1, and Denmark v Belgium on
many new faces, and interesting people
KWC2. Everything seems to go well with
to meet. This is one part of the event
the games, but I am concerned about the
that I really enjoy.
low scoring on KWC1. I question
Once everyone is settled in, the players
whether the pitch is playing poorly, or if
are straight out on to the fields for
it is just a case of good bowling, poor
practice drills, the nets are full, and our
batting, or a combination of both.
newly installed astroturf wicket is also in
We have a fantastic game on KWC2,
use. It really is a spectacle to see so many
with Denmark racking up 302 runs on
players spread across the fields. Coaches
their way to victory. Following the
and players are also looking at the pitch,
matches, everything is cleaned up and
and the inevitable question is asked
put under cover again for tomorrow.
repeatedly “what’s it going to play like?”
Match day 2: Tough day today. Only
I always try to avoid answering this
one game today, to be played on KWC2.
question, so I swerve it by talking about
Heavy rain through the night and, as I
the weather!
arrive to work at 6.00am, the rain is
I am busy finalising the pitch prep,
heavy, and things aren’t looking good.
and I’m delighted to say, the site is
Fortunately, everything is under cover,
looking better than I could have hoped
but work to the wicket is required to get
Mike Atherton in discussion with the umpires
it ready for play.
Each time I see a break in the clouds,
the covers come off, only for the heavens
to open again. Eventually, we had to
concede, and the match was delayed for
one hour. Fortunately, the weather
improved, and we got the game on,
albeit an hour late. Spain v Italy today.
The Italians made the final last year, just
losing out to the Isle of Man team.
The Spanish bowling is superb in the
first innings, and likewise for the Italians
in the second innings. The Spanish
narrowly miss out in a tight, low scoring
game. Reports come in that the pitch was
a little slow and inconsistent - those
problems have been identified, and a
rolling programme of works is underway
to resolve a thatch issue and root breaks.
With that said, however, this was the
same wicket that Denmark scored 302 on
yesterday… funny old game.
I recall three high points of today; the
Josh Bowman likewise
young Gibraltar team taking a dip in the
freezing cold Irish sea, on the
instructions of their coaches following a
heavy loss, a young French player kindly
offering to help me cover a pitch as he
returned to his room from supper, and
the sight of a rogue sight screen from
KWC1 taking a trip across the outfield of
KWC2 during the match, courtesy of the
Manx wind. Perhaps even more
humorous was the sight of the ageing
and out of shape KWC groundstaff
running up the boundary to address the
situation, only for the hardy Spanish
fielders to beat us to it, and push the
sight screen out of the way. Running
around the boundary made me realise
that, perhaps, I am getting too old for
this game!
Match day 3; Rain! First job of the day
is identifying any wet patches in the
outfields, forking them, covering with
hessian matting and rolling to soak up as
much moisture as possible.
More problems follow, with umpires
requesting a change of pitch on KWC1
(good job I did get a spare ready!), albeit
with a challenge from the Italian coach much discussion, deliberation and delays
followed, and works to try to save the
game on the original wicket, until we
were finally given the go ahead to get the
game on the original wicket.
Things ran more smoothly on KWC2,
with only a thirty minute delay, where we
hosted Denmark v France. It has to be
said, that the Danish do look a class
above at this stage, and it showed in their
performance, by making short work of
the French batsmen, followed by some
superb batting by the Danish, which led
to an early finish to the match.
KWC1 hosted Italy v Gibraltar. This
game followed the blueprint of the game
on KWC2, with the Italians taking the
early victory. Some more great memories
See us at SALTEX
Stand T26
55
Pesky stump stickers
from today, with the young French team
helping me remove a rain soaked cover,
and also having a mass ‘skipping rope
jump’, whilst we were ‘roping’ the
outfield to remove moisture from the
surface.
The Spanish team had a day off today,
so much of our day was spent in the
company of the young Spaniards, who
are a credit to the country that they
represent. I believe that many things like
this are often missed when we talk about
cricket, but I believe that the forming of
relationships with the players, umpires.
scorers and officials is vitally important,
and these are the moments that make
events such as this for me.
Rest Day!
Match day 4: Bad weather forecast for
today; however, when I arrive to work,
the weather is fine, so I make the most of
the opportunity before the poor weather
comes in to get some extra preparation
done on KWC1. We only have one game
scheduled today - Belgium v Israel, on
KWC1. The game is delayed for thirty
minutes, but the skies are clear, the pitch
is dry, so we are all waiting to get play
underway. This happens at 11.30am,
with the Israel team opting to bat first.
The batting goes well, with Israel soon
racking up the runs, until 1.50pm, when
the heavens open. A decision to take an
early lunch is made, so everything is shut
Where is everybody?
Rain clouds gather over the hills
down until the rain clears. Israel rack up
195-9 to take the victory.
Match day 5: More rain… bit of a
recurring theme. Everything is under
cover again, so most of our work is
directed at the outfield, addressing any
areas of standing water. The start is
delayed for one hour as the light but
incessant rain looks like it is in for the
day. Fortunately, the rain does clear, and
enables us to finally get things under
way.
With the damp atmosphere, and soil,
combined with a thatch issue at KWC2,
we are left with a ‘soggy’ pitch, which is
very inconsistent in the morning, but
becomes easier to bat on in the
afternoon as the temperatures start to
rise. In this instance it really is a lottery,
and whoever wins the toss is at a distinct
advantage. The Isle of Man win the toss,
and put Spain in to bat. This is a very
difficult position for the Spanish, and
they are all out for 79. As the Manx
come in to bat, the sun starts to shine,
and the pitch dries out. The Manx team
went on to win comfortably, and now face
Denmark in the final tomorrow.
We set everything up for tomorrow’s
two games, but leave the covers off in the
hope that the wickets will dry further,
before returning to work late in the
evening to cover the wickets before the
forecast rain comes in.
As I arrive back to work, I take a
moment to watch some of the Manx
team playing football with the French
players… this immediately brings a smile
to my face. Shortly after, two great
moments for me - firstly, the Gibraltar
coaches approach me, seemingly over
the moon (and slightly inebriated!!) at
their first win of the tournament earlier
in the day against Germany, and give me
two bottles of cider, and compliments on
the work that we have done during the
tournament. On paper, you could say
that Gibraltar have had a poor
tournament, but I would say, and more
importantly than any results, that they
have had a good time - the look on their
faces was priceless. Secondly, a young
Spanish player came out to help me with
the covers, We had a good chat, and
talked a lot about my job - the young
man expressed an interest in a career in
groundsmanship… you can’t buy
moments like that.
Match day 6: Finals day - rain! Today
we host the 1st v 2nd place playoff on
KWC1, and 5th v 6th on KWC2. As I
arrive into work at 6.00am, I am faced
with a problem. The torrential downpour
overnight has soaked KWC1, and we are
left with a nasty wet patch right on a
length. This is not what we wanted for
the final.
KWC2 is playable, so we get that game
Mike marking out
Corridor of uncertainty!
underway, and divert all available
manpower to KWC1. When the umpires
arrived at 9.30am, we were looking at
losing the match; things were not
looking good. Through a combination of
hard work, a bit of fortune with the
warming weather, and more hard work,
we managed to get the game on for
12.45pm, and having the match
shortened to 42 overs. In the 5th v 6th
place playoff, we have Spain v Israel.
Israel are put in to bat, and rack up a
fine total of 232-7 to take the victory.
In the final, the Danish won the toss
and elected to bat first, despite the damp
conditions. The Manx bowled very well,
and the Danish batsmen were all out for
140. A feeling of enthusiasm seemed to
resonate throughout the strong Manx
support; however, this was short lived as
the Manx soon found themselves 2 for 3.
Denmark were the eventual winners
mowers, with an assortment of cassettes
to the Isle of Man - one was used at
KWC, alongside our own - and another
at Cronkbourne Cricket club.
My final feelings as I look back on
what was a great event isn’t “never
again”, like last year, but more like “bring
it on”, such is the feeling of satisfaction
that we take from hosting such an event.
All credit must go to the Danish who
kept the pressure on, and the Manx
batsmen on the back foot, and ended up
winning by eighty runs.
Cue the celebrations, clean up job, and
rest! We have taken some fantastic
memories from hosting this tournament,
many friendships have been fostered,
some great cricket has been played, and
many people have learned many new
things, which is what the ICC
development programme is all about.
This development is not just for the
players, but also the scorers, umpires and
groundstaff alike. I can only compliment
ICC Europe on their approach to this
programme.
I must also thank Dennis Mowers who,
following a cheeky request from myself
back in February, were kind enough to
send two brand new Dennis FT510
engineered for perfection
A first class finish
…. everytime
For more information on our full
range of cricket ground maintenance
equipment call 01332 824777
PROUDLY BRITISH
www.dennisuk.com
57
Outfield
I
Bob Stretton looks at the
importance of cricket
outfield maintenance,
the problems caused by
dual use and how they
might be rectified
58
n the maintenance of a cricket
outfield, success or failure of such
work is influenced by whether the
area is to be used solely for cricket or
for any winter sports.
The ideal cricket outfield should be
firm, fast and true, and present no
hazards to any player as a result of a ball
bobbling up from an uneven surface.
Ideally, from a cricketer’s point of view,
hockey would be a preferred winter sport
as it tends to be less stressful on the
grasses and ground conditions. Alas
though, hockey is now established as a
game played on artificial surfaces, and
long gone are the grass pitches we knew
in the past except, perhaps, at
independent schools. However, if football
or rugby is the preferred sport, then a
different strategy has to be employed.
In the past, old and ancient cricket
clubs possessed poor levels of outfields, a
feature for some clubs, but also as a result
of having originally being constructed
from existing ridged and furrowed land
or land left fallow where heavy clay is the
predominant factor.
Where this problem is severe, i.e. where
the topography is very undulating, it can
lead to varying depths of topsoil existing
over high and low spots which, in turn,
will affect grass coverage and create wet
and dry hot spots. The only way that this
problem can be overcome is to carry out
large scale regrading and levelling. This
can be very costly and involves regrading
sub soils and the levelling of topsoil.
Where the undulations are not too
severe, and there is a good depth of
topsoil, then it is more practicable to
remove the topsoil, grade the subsoil to
the required levels and replace, or
introduce new topsoils compatible to the
ground conditions. Where isolated
undulations occur, much smaller scale
work could be undertaken to overcome
the problem.
The installation of a pipe and slit
of Dreams ...
drainage system would also be beneficial,
as this will remove excess water from the
site, although this type of work should
only be undertaken by an approved
contractor.
Where the outfield has a reasonably
level surface, but is used for more
vigorous, heavy duty sports, such as
rugby or football, then the maintenance
of it becomes more involved. The area
needs to be sustainable for the duration
of its season and contain good grass
coverage, be weed free and possess good
drainage.
To have good grass coverage, a sward
composition favouring a mixture of high
quality perennial rye grasses (Lolium
perenne) would be the preferred choice,
as the close season for football can be
relatively short and, with moisture levels
very low, it is crucial to select cultivars
that will give you rapid establishment,
exhibit wear tolerance that is required by
such sports and require little or low
fertility; but also show resistant to
disease.
For outfields that are solely for cricket,
then a sward composed of fine turf
cultivars such as Chewings fescue (Festuca
rubra commutata), Slender creeping red
fescue (Festuca rubra ssp. litoralis) and
Brown top bents (Agrostis tenuis) are more
desired, as these species are more
tolerant to drought, fast germinating and
can be mown as short as 7-10mm,
providing a faster, smoother surface.
When swards are dominated by fine
leafed fescues and bent grasses, the need
for fertilisation is greatly reduced as
these grasses thrive in low fertility
conditions. Furthermore, a faster growth
rate would require more frequent
mowing and adds to the maintenance
costs. To be exact on the fertility rates
can be extremely difficult, as this
depends on the inherent fertility of the
soils and intensity of wear and tear.
Of the three main plant nutrients for
fine turf, N, P and K, nitrogen is the
most important, since it is the element
that is primarily responsible for
encouraging the growth of stem and leaf.
Phosphate, however, affects all plant
growth processes and is particularly
involved in root development, whilst
potash, which rarely produces obvious
benefits in turf, is linked with the general
health of the plant. Its function is to
encourage resistance to disease, drought
and to severe winter weather, particularly
when there is a high level of nitrogen in
the soil.
Apart from N, P and K, iron is one
minor element of definite value, when
included in fertiliser programmes for
most kinds of fine turf, since it helps give
the grass a good dark green colour and
reduces weeds, worms and disease.
Sulphate of iron is widely known for its
darkening effects on turf colour,
producing a more attractive sward as well
as a traditional treatment for the control
59
Soil Type
pH 6.0-6.5
5.5-6.5
5.0-6.5
4.5-6.5
Sand
1.5 (1338)
2.5 (2231)
4.5 (4015)
6.5 (5760)
Loam
2.0 (1784)
4.0 (3569)
6.5 (5800)
10.0 (8922)
Clay
2.5 (2231)
5.0 (4461)
8.5 (7584)
12.5 (11153)
Limestone - tonnes per hectare (lbs per acre)
of moss. The greening effect is mainly
due to the darkening of dead material at
the base of the sward which makes thin
or bare areas less noticeable.
Fertilisers, when regularly used on fine
turf, should be slightly acidic or neutral
in their effects. Where possible, avoid
alkaline materials as this will influence
the botanical composition of the grasses
encouraging weeds and worm activity.
pH testing
It is most important to know the fertility
of your soil before applying any type of
fertiliser treatments. You should have
your soils tested regularly to determine
the pH to ensure the acidity levels are
correct. Soil pH may vary from area to
area in which you intend to plant or
amend. Therefore, it is important that
you take a number of samples for
analysis. pH is measured from 1-14, 1
being the most acidic, 14 the most
alkaline. Most plants have a reasonable
wide tolerance of at least 1pH point and
will be comfortable with a pH of around
6.5.
pH can contribute to the build up of
fibre, with acidic conditions favouring an
increasingly fibrous surface. After having
a soil analysis taken of the outfield, and if
results show a high rate of acidity (less
than 5.0), then careful adjustments need
to be made to increase the alkalinity via
your fertilising programmes. Annual
applications of ground limestone
(carbonate of lime) could be considered
in the early autumn or winter, allowing it
to be washed into the soil following a
programme of aeration.
To increase soil alkalinities annually,
add ground limestone as indicated by the
table above.
Mowing of outfields should be carried
out throughout the growing season, two
to three times a week if playing a high
standard, and more frequently for first
class matches. In an ideal situation, the
use of a ride on triple cylinder box
mower, with a cut width of 72" and all
resulting clipping being boxed off, will
help maintain a fast smooth surface and
aid presentation. The mower (or
cylinder) should be set between 1015mm. Resist scalping as this, in turn,
can create stress on the grasses and
encourage disease.
Where time is of the essence, then the
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60
use of a tractor mounted set of hydraulic
or trailed gangs would be very beneficial.
These have a distinct advantage as the
clippings generated by this operation are
returned back to the turf. Any loss of
nutrients is limited as everything is
recycled, resulting in less fertiliser being
applied. The only downside to this
operation is the trailed or mounted
gangs do not have the capacity to firm
the surface, as a ride on or box mower
would have, and the tractor wheel
markings would be more noticeable
during times of inclement weather.
Mowing should be carried out at
regular intervals, with the frequency
being reduced during the winter months
and only carried out during active
growth.
Where the outfield is adopted for a
dual use purpose, i.e. rugby or football,
then the mowing regimes and the type of
machinery required would have to be
tailored to the resulting sport. Tractor
mounted rotary mowers can produce a
good even surface for winter sport as well
consolidating the surface for the ball to
run smoothly. The height of cut will vary
between 25-35mm for football and 5075mm for rugby.
However, during the early spring and
summer months, these heights can lead
to problems with mowing; the need to
reduce to cricket heights should be
resisted, as this will also put stress on the
grasses. The heights should be reduced
gradually at 5mm or no more than
2/3rds of the grass plant at a time. This
will strengthen the sward and create
more density to help with wear and tear.
When regular maintenance is not
carried out, then a cricket outfield can
quickly become soft and spongy, as a
layer of fibrous organic material develops
at the base of the sward. This problem is
most particular where fine leafed grasses
Quality
made affordable
dominate and where regular aeration has
been neglected. Scarification and
aeration of the outfield is vitally
important to reduce the effect of thatch
build up. Scarifying at the start of the
cricket season will prove highly beneficial
in combating thatch. This operation, by
linear aeration, will physically rip out
and remove any straggly stoloniferois
and procumbent growth. By regular
scarifying, verti-cutting, harrowing or
raking, at least once a month, will help
keep the surface open and dry. It will
also reduce the accumulation of organic
matter, allowing much needed air and
nutrients to the roots.
Thatch, the accumulation of a layer of
fibrous material, is a natural feature of
turf development and cannot be entirely
prevented. Total prevention would, in
fact, be most undesirable as surfaces with
no underlying fibre would lack resiliency
and would easily become muddy in wet
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61
Compaction on a cricket
outfield, caused by intensive
play and heavy maintenance
equipment, is the biggest
single problem encountered
on sports pitches today
conditions. However, when fibre builds
up to an excessive degree it becomes a
problem. A few millimetres of thatch in
most cricket outfields is acceptable, whilst
a layer of 25mm or more would become
troublesome.
Thatch is water retentive throughout
most of the year and smells strongly of
decay and stagnation. It is yellow/brown
in colour with black streaks showing the
activity of the anaerobic bacteria. The
underlying soil is wet or saturated,
compacted and usually on clay with
restricted drainage. Organic matter
accumulation may, therefore, be caused
by excessive production or insufficient
decomposition of grass clippings. In the
case of sportsturf, excessive fertiliser
treatments increase production.
Where a thatch problem has
developed, deeper scarification should
be adopted. Ideally, a tractor mounted
rotary unit with collecting facility should
movement and nutrients being made
available to the plants root system and
promote a healthier sward.
Compaction on a cricket outfield,
caused by intensive play and heavy
maintenance equipment, is the biggest
single problem encountered on sports
pitches today. Grass roots grow in the
pore spaces created between soil particles
and, when these spaces are reduced by
surface compaction, the roots are
deprived of oxygen, water and nutrients,
resulting in a weak, shallow root
structure. Without strong root growth,
the grass becomes weak and sparse and
is prone to excessive wear and vulnerable
to turf disease.
Deep seated compaction can also lead
to drainage problems. If this is the case,
then the only remedy is to carry out
deep, solid tine aeration, penetrating to
a depth of 250-400mm with 25mm tines.
This will create fissure breaks in the
underlying soils and allow water
movement through the soil profile.
Further deep aeration should follow
during the winter months, with the use
be used, as this will
remove a large
majority of material
in a single pass. If
this is not available, then a pedestrian
unit can be perfectly adequate if used on
the area immediately behind the cricket
table. A tractor mounted rake or short
toothed harrow will also suffice.
Where the problem of thatch is
particularly severe, then a more drastic
approach is required. The process of
koroing, the removal of all vegetation
and organic matter built up in the
surface is an expensive and costly
exercise.
A cheaper option of hollow coring is
more practicable, but may take many
years. This will incorporate the use of
hollow tining, the physical removal of
cores containing thatch. The cores
should then be collected up and
disposed of or recycled as compost. A
dressing of medium fine sands worked
into the profile will also help to break
down any thatch build up at the base of
the sward. This will also assist in air
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62
Other main concerns, where
the outfield has dual usage,
is the renovation of worn
areas through the short
period at the end of winter
sports season
In areas of fine
turf, the lime
content of the
topdressing material
is critical. If the sand contains large
quantities of shells or calcareous material
then the pH of the surface layer will
increase. This could have an affects on
weeds, earthworm activity, turf grass
disease and the composition of the grass
species within the turf, in particular the
invasion of annual meadow grass (Poa
annua), at the expense of fescues and
bent species.
Other main concerns, where the
outfield has dual usage, is the renovation
of worn areas through the short period at
the end of their season, such as football
goalmouths, touch lines and centre
circles.
In the case of rugby, bare areas caused
by scrimmaging, the work required here
would be to harrow or rake over the
worn and bare areas to reinstate the
levels and create a seed bed. Aerate the
area with solid tines to a depth of 100150mm to decompact. Overseed the area
of slit tines, penetrating to a depth of
100-150mm, or an Imants Shockwave if
ground conditions warrant. This too will
improve root structure, as the grasses
search for the pore spaces being made
available.
On areas of fine turf, the main purpose
of topdressing is to preserve a true and
level surface and to dilute the build up of
thatch. Ideally, an annul application of 56kg/m2 of topdressing, divided into
several applications, is the most practical.
If the playing surface is on a heavy clay
soil with poor drainage, or has excess
thatch larger quantities, topdressing
should be applied in conjunction with a
hollow tining programme, so that
drainage and aeration of the surface
layer can be improved.
Consistency in the use of topdressings
on fine turf is important, as the use of
pure sands (or straights) for one year,
and reverting to a mix of sand/ soil the
next, could form a root break, causing a
significant effect on the vertical
movement of soil moisture and the
penetration of grass roots.
with a suitable perennial ryegrass and,
where possible, topdress to cover the
seed. A pre-seed fertiliser may be
required in the event of larger areas of
recovery.
Irrigate as required to establish early
germination to prevent the area being
taken over by weeds. Where worm
casting, moss colonisation or an attack of
disease, such as Fusarium (Microducium
nival) becomes noticeable, an
appropriate control for fungicide should
be adopted with a person holding the
necessary qualification certification.
Remember, your outfield will have a
major effect on a game if unattended.
The outfield should be treated the same
as any other natural grass pitch, carrying
out regular mowing, verticutting,
aerating, topdressing and feeding
programmes to maintain a level surface,
healthy sward and a sustainable playing
environment.
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63
Captain’s log star date
twenty eleven or
something, Editor Gale
has tasked me with a
reconnaissance mission
into deepest darkest
Suffolk to reveal the
hidden gems that adorn
the east coast. If I
accept the mission my
sandwich will selfdestruct; so I pack my
marmalade message into
my briefcase and set off
for the east coast, not
knowing what to expect,
only knowing that,
somewhere along the
line, I had my classic TV
introductions mixed up.
Colin Mumford describes
what he found when he
visited one of East
Anglia’s finest schools
T
hey say it is better to travel in
anticipation than to arrive in
hope. When I travelled recently,
it was late spring and most of the
country was caught in the midst
of an unseasonal drought. I was
expecting nothing but brown parched
fields at my destination, so I didn’t arrive
in hope, I arrived in Holbrook instead, to
meet Tim Parker, the Head Groundsman
at the Royal Hospital School (RHS),
which was a green oasis, and that was
without using water.
The Royal Hospital School is a leading
independent full boarding and day
school for approximately 700 pupils. It
was founded in 1712 as part of
Greenwich Hospital, a ‘charitable
institution for the aged, infirm or young’.
The school moved to its present site in
the heart of the Suffolk countryside in
1933, because a bigger campus was
needed to meet the increasing demand
for places at the school.
The school is located on the
peninsular of the river Orwell and the
Stour estuary, meaning it can be very
windy and exceptionally cold in the
winter months. From the school, you
can see Harwich on the far side of the
Stour estuary, and the cranes of
Felixstowe port on the other side of
the Orwell. The whole site is designated
a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
and the view to the Stour estuary and
Shotley peninsula should be an Area of
Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB),
especially in the winter when the wading
birds on the mud flats take flight and
give spectacular aerial displays before
they settle down for the night.
The site is approximately 200 acres in
size, and comprises roughly 100 acres for
buildings and surrounding grounds, and
100 acres for sport, of which five acres
account for non-turf sports areas. These
areas include a parade ground, a
tarmacadam hard court surface with six
tennis courts and six netball courts, and a
floodlit, full size sand filled artificial
hockey pitch that doubles up as a further
nine tennis courts in the summer
months.
Tim Parker was born and bred in
Guildford, Surrey. Sports mad, he left
Read School in Cobham with five Olevels and decided to go to Merrist Wood
Agricultural College to do the National
Certificate in Agriculture, during which
time he worked one day a week on a
farm in Farnham, Surrey. After
completing his National Certificate, he
then worked a further two years on
farms in Chichester and Bury St
“We work with the indigenous
grasses that have adapted to the
conditions of the maritime
exposed south facing site, rather
than interfering with the natural
ecology by trying to introduce
industry standard grasses”
Tim Parker, Head Groundsman, Royal Hospital School
Edmunds. This was followed by another
stint at Merrist Wood to achieve the
National Certificate in Farm
Management.
Tim then took over the running of his
uncle’s small family farm in Woolpit,
Suffolk, remaining there for twenty-three
years. At the age of forty-seven, it
became obvious to Tim that the farm’s
small size meant it was no longer a viable
business, so it was let to seed specialists,
Nickerson, who took over the farm for
plant breeding purposes.
Being sports mad, Tim played
representative cricket and a good
standard of rugby throughout this
period. He also looked after the local
village cricket pitch at Woolpit, gaining a
reputation as an exceptional
groundsman, due to the fact he had
brought the once brownfield site up to
county standard. It was this reputation
that helped him secure the Head
Groundsman position at Victory Ground,
Bury St Edmunds.
When the Head Groundsman’s
position became available at the RHS,
Tim applied as it was the natural
progression that he sought. He was
offered the post and started in October
2003.
The Staff
The groundstaff consists of nine full-time
staff (including Tim), plus two minibus
drivers who help out when they can.
Their service record suggests that
working at the school must be an
enjoyable experience. Longest serving
member of staff, Adrian Willis, has
worked at the school for forty years,
whilst the most recent full-time member
of staff, John Burbury, has been at the
RHS for six years. Minibus driver, Doug
Beech, is the newest member of staff with
one year’s service.
The sports surfaces have four
dedicated staff, which include Tim and
his charge hand, Alan Hinton, who also
carries out all the maintenance and
repairs on the machinery as the
groundstaff ’s mechanic. The remaining
five full-time staff carry out the
maintenance operations on the gardens
and surrounding grounds.
All the staff have a wide range of
experience and skills. Indeed, it was
through carrying out her work
experience at the RHS, whilst studying
for her landscaping qualifications at
Otley College, that Claire Hayes found
herself employed at the school. Claire
was initially recruited to oversee the
headmaster’s walled garden, as it needed
someone with her experience and skills
to manage the garden efficiently and
effectively; to not only maximise the
yield of the vegetables grown in the
garden, but in a sustainable and
environmentally friendly manner.
Unfortunately, a change of
management direction, beyond Tim’s
control, meant that vegetable production
in the walled garden ceased, and the
garden was laid to lawn. As a result,
Claire was amalgamated with the
groundstaff, and has been at the school
for seven years now.
Currently, there is no Continuing
Professional Development (CPD) scheme
for the staff, although this is under
review. They do receive on-the-job
training and, between them, have the
requisite certificates - PA1, PA2, PA6 and
chainsaw certificates - to ensure all
maintenance operations can be carried
out. Any specialist operations however,
such as tree surgery, are contracted out.
As you might expect, being called the
Royal Hospital School, the school has its
own staffed medical facilities, so there
are plenty of certified first aiders on site.
At the moment the groundstaff work
fixed hours, but a change to flexible
Parker on
Parade ...
hours to make the maintenance
operations more efficient is under
consideration.
The Facilities
The sports surfaces at RHS are split
across the three school terms. In the
Michaelmas term there are nine rugby
pitches, six football pitches and four
grass hockey pitches to be looked after.
The spring term then sees a seven-a-side
pitch for rugby marked out, and four
rugby pitches converted to football,
taking the total for football pitches to
ten. Summer term is predominantly
athletics and cricket, with a 400 metre
grass athletics track, plus javelin, long
jump, high jump and 110 metre hurdles.
Additional sports surfaces include a
bowling green and a nine hole golf
course, part of which incorporates the
66
main playing field. Unfortunately for the
school’s golfers, this means that, for
health and safety reasons, some of the
golf holes have limited use if any other
sports are being played on the field.
For cricket, there are four grass squares
with eight, seven, four and thirteen strips
respectively, with no overlapping
outfields, such is the size of the site, plus
two single artificial wickets. Three of the
squares are for school cricket; the main
square, with thirteen strips, was
professionally constructed for 1st team
and representative matches.
In October 2003, nine of the thirteen
strips were dug out to a depth of six
inches (150mm) and infilled with
GOSTD from Surrey Loams Ltd, under
the supervision of Total Turf Solutions
(TTS). The remaining strips and the
other three squares are managed with
Ongar loam.
All major renovations on the cricket
squares are carried out at the end of the
playing season in accordance with ECB
guidelines, using GOSTD and Ongar
loam where appropriate. Only quality
dwarf perennial rye grass is used on the
squares, and in the football goalmouths.
The squares are rolled with a Benford
double drum vibrating roller, without the
vibrating function engaged, so that it is
just a dead weight that rolls across the
surface. The height of cut on the squares
for match play is 3mm, and the school
has invested in a cylinder grinder to
maintain the quality of cut, which Tim
says has helped tremendously.
Indeed, Tim’s favourite piece of
equipment is the Dennis 510 twenty inch
cylinder mower that he uses for the fine
mowing of the cricket squares.
water restrictions to date, as water
consumption for irrigation purposes is
low; only the cricket squares and bowling
green are irrigated. Other irrigation
options, however, such as grey water use
and modern irrigation methods, are
under review as it is felt that the present
system in not sustainable.
Beating the weather
This year, there had been no significant
rainfall between late February and early
June, making 2011 the driest spring and
early summer experienced at the school.
However, it was noticeable that the nonirrigated playing fields were a healthy
green; not the parched desert look that
many fields I passed on my way to the
RHS had. Tim puts this down to
maintaining the indigenous grasses
which have adapted to the conditions of
the maritime exposed south facing site,
rather than interfering with the natural
ecology by trying to introduce industry
standard grasses. He cites regular cutting
with a good quality of cut as the secret to
the sites superb presentation and visual
impact.
The playing fields are mown using a
John Deere tractor equipped with a large
Trimax triple rotary mower with rollers
fitted, which means the fields can be
mown all year round. A Jacobsen fairway
mower is used to mow the cricket
outfields, although Tim is considering
changing this for a smaller rotary mower
with rollers, due to the cost of
maintaining and running the Jacobsen.
The soil texture at the RHS is
predominantly sandy silt, due possibly to
the close proximity of the maritime
coastline. This means the site is very free
Ed
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Late July/early August sees the RHS
host the now famous U12 and U13
minor counties cricket festival, with
county sides from as far afield as
Cumbria and Staffordshire taking part in
competitive residential cricket.
As the ECB Pitch Advisor for Suffolk,
Tim has no excuses for poor pitches. To
his credit, the cricket pitches looked in
great condition, in spite of the drought
conditions at the time of my visit in early
June. This fact is all the more
remarkable as there is no dedicated
irrigation supply.
In truth, the only service supply to the
school is mains electricity. They have no
gas or water supply, instead relying on oil
fired boilers for heating, and a bore hole
for potable water, sewage, and irrigation.
The bore hole water is filtered and
stored. Tim hasn’t had any problems with
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67
TWENTY
Questions
Tim Parker - dog owners, scratching
batsmen and renaging ‘team’
members be very afraid!
Who are you? Tim Parker,
Head, Groundsman at Royal
Hospital School, and Club
Captain and Groundsman at
Woolpit CC. ECB County Pitch
Adviser for Suffolk.
Family status? Married for over
20 years to the lovely Kathy,
daughter Alice 22, son William
20.
Who’s your hero and why? Ian
Botham. Natural talent,
irreverent, but box office when
he came off, in all aspects of
the game.
What is your dream holiday?
An MCC Tour of India.
What annoys you the most? Dog owners who don’t clear up
their animals poo in amenity areas.
What would you change about yourself? Stop eating so much
to regain the figure I had in my twenties!
Who wouldn’t you like to be? Mike Gatting, the second before
Malcolm Marshall rearranged his nose!
Favourite record, and why? Stones ‘Brown Sugar’. It was the
iconic song during my ‘pomp’ around Guildford in the early 70s beer, girls and fun!
Who would you choose to spend a romantic evening with?
Naturally, my wife.
If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do?
Retire, travel, MCC tour every winter and keep preparing pitches
for Woolpit whilst playing lots of golf and setting up my children’s
future.
If you were to describe yourself as a musical instrument,
what would you be and why? Drums - a constant in the
background to depend on.
What’s the best advice you have ever been given? Believe in
your natural sporting aptitude, I was a nervous young man.
What’s your favourite smell? Fresh mown grass - of course!
What do you do in your spare time? I don’t have much as, in
the summer, I rush from the huge task of maintaining the school
to my village ground to prepare and tend cricket pitches right
through the season and, at weekends, I play. My wife is the
ultimate cricket widow, so she scores and helps with teas or she
would never see any of us, as my son, when back from
Loughborough, opens the bowling for the 1st XI and my daughter
skippers the ladies when she can get off work! In the autumn, I
help loads of clubs putting their squares to bed and delivering the
county trailer.
What’s the daftest work related question you have ever
been asked? One of the school teachers asked me at the end of
term if I was looking forward to having the rest of the summer off!
What’s your favourite piece of kit? Dennis 510 wicket mower so easy to use and adjust.
What three words would you use to describe yourself? Big,
dependable, greedy!
What talent would you like to have? I would love to be able to
read music and play an instrument.
What makes you angry? Pathetic excuses to not play for the
team at weekends, when I think of the commitment and sacrifice
people like myself are making to prepare surfaces for sport all
over the country - and it’s getting worse!
What law/legislation would you like to see introduced?
Penalties for cricketers who vandalise the pitch with their studs
after taking guard and before each ball thereafter! Trott you have
a lot to answer for!
draining and ideal for winter
sports and, as a result, Tim
doesn’t feel the need to vertidrain too often given the free
draining nature of the sub soil.
The school doesn’t have its
own weather station at present,
but is looking into the
possibility of purchasing one.
This will provide an additional
tool to help Tim make more
informed decisions in the
management of the unique
environment. In the meantime,
he currently uses the Pitchcare
website for weather forecasts, as
well as local weather reports.
Hedges
The school is reputed to have
eight miles of hedging,
although Tim admits he hasn’t
measured it to be sure, but
agrees there is a lot! It is all cut
by hand using double sided
hedge trimmers, as it is
impossible to use tractor
mounted equipment because a
large part of it forms the
boundaries of the gardens of
staff housing. The outlying
hedges that do not form part of
the main school campus are the
only exception, where it is
possible to use tractor mounted
equipment. It is mostly a mix of
yew and holly, plus some mixed
hedging around the
Headmaster’s garden. Cutting it
back starts in August, with the
aim to finish in early January.
Wildlife stewardship
The school attracts an
assortment of wildlife, mainly
because of its location. Wildlife
that can be seen includes
oystercatchers, redshank,
various gulls, egrets, and little
owls, as well as the usual
squirrels, foxes and rabbits.
Within the current management
plan for the grounds there is no
specific wildlife stewardship
scheme, save for a few owl
boxes that have been installed,
and some measures that have
been taken to control foxes and
rabbits. But the site is quite
diverse and large, providing a
wide range of naturally
occurring habitats, so there is
no need to manage the wildlife
at present.
There is a surprising number
and variety of trees on the site
given its open field appearance.
Holly, oak, beech and lime are
all in abundance, providing
additional wildlife habitats. The
tree population was boosted
further in 2005 when ten acres
of school land was planted with
mixed woodland species by the
school’s pupils. The wood,
adjacent to the school and now
known as Prince Wood, was
previously a poor stony tract of
land that was not suitable for
crop production. The planting
achieved an 80% success rate
and is well on the way to
becoming an established wood.
Succesful pupils
Pupils from the RHS are
generally renowned for their
musical talent. This was more
than ably demonstrated by the
school’s band, which was invited
to play at the England v France
Six Nations Rugby match at
Twickenham earlier this year
(which England won 17-9). The
band led the singing of
‘Jerusalem’ and the two
national anthems.
However, RHS pupils have
also found success on the
sportsfield, with many
representing their counties and
regions across a variety of
sports disciplines. Success at
national level has also been
achieved.
Jonathan Ilori, a year 13
pupil, is one example. Jonathan
won the Under 20 (U20) Triple
Jump at the South of England
Athletics Association Indoor
Championships, with a personal
best of 14.92 metres, for which
he became ranked number one
in the U20 category nationally.
BOWLED OVER
Bourne Amenity’s clay loams and kiln dried
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For details on our 2011 Early Order
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Jonathan has also
made his
international debut
as part of the
England team at
the National U20
Championships,
winning a bronze
medal in the Triple
Jump.
Another sporting
success from RHS is
Reece Topley, the son of
former England and Essex
cricketer, Don Topley, who
has recently been signed up
for Essex’s 1st Xl; a
remarkable feat for a
seventeen year old
schoolboy. Reece
hasn’t just been
playing, he’s been
taking wickets
galore, including a
five-for in a county
championship
match against
Middlesex at Lord’s
a few weeks ago and
4-23 against Sri
Lanka in a touring
game.
All things being equal
Reece is set to become one of
the hottest prospects in
English cricket, thanks, in
part, to the skills of the RHS
cricket coaching staff ... and
no little talent!
Visit our website to download
Topdressing: A Complete Guide
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Bourne Amenity Ltd,
The Wharf, Rye Road, Newenden, Kent, TN18 5QG
Tel: 01797 252299
Fax: 01797 253115
GROUNDSMAN’S
STORE
VANDAL RESISTANT
DESIGNED TO ORDER
RE-LOCATABLE
HIGHLY SECURE
What’s in the shed?
John Deere 5100R tractor with
front loader, forks and bucket.
JD 4300 tractor
Jacobsen 405 7 gang fairway
mower
Progressive triple roller mower.
Trimax 3 metre roller mower
JD Roberine 900
JD 740 with 54in deck and hi- tip
clamshell collector
JD 740 with 48in deck and
powerflow collector
Dennis Premier 36in diesel with
roller seat
Dennis 510 with 9 blade cylinder
Ransome Super Certes Bowling
Green mower
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Allett Aztec with 24 & 20in 10
blade floating head units
Etesia ride-on mower/collector
2 tonne Benford 1.2 metre
double drum roller
3 x John Deere Turf Gators
E-Z-GO utility vehicle
Sisis Quadraplay
Sisis 5m outfield brush
Charterhouse 2.5m slitter
Various Hayter/Honda
professional pedestrian mowers
4 x Tanaka hedgecutters
5 x Tanaka strimmers including
smartfit with pole and
hedgecutter attachements.
3 x Stihl handblowers
2 x Stihl backpack blowers
Usual array of hand tools
Cylinder and bottom blade
grinder
2 x Fleet Combis
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unit
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69
When Phil Sharples was
asked to manage a
contract to build grass
football pitches in
Azerbaijan, little did he
know of the challenges
that lay ahead. Now
appointed as Stadium &
Surfaces Director at
Gabala FC, he talks about
life in the former Eastern
Bloc country
Go east
young man ...
E
arly 2010 started a normal
enough year for me, little did I
know what late 2010 and now
2011 had in store! To be the
one and only professionally
qualified groundsman in a country, in
this day and age, is a rare thing!
October 2010 saw me flying out to
Azerbaijan, after many meetings with
Dave Saltman (MD of Pitchcare), as he
had secured a contract to manage the
grounds at Gabala FC. It was then that I
began to start work, initially on a one
year contractual basis, as the pitches
manager for the club.
Some of you may already be familiar
with the name Gabala FC, as it has been
covered and discussed in the UK press
after Tony Adams took over the reigns
as the team manager back in early
2010.
The brief seemed simple enough; go
and manage the training and, soon to
be, stadium pitches for a Premiership
Soccer Club in Azerbaijan - Gabala FC,
and train Azeri national staff in the fine
art of sports pitch management. With
over twenty-two years experience in
sports pitch management and golf
course management, including nine
years experience teaching Turfgrass
Science in the UK, the challenge was
perfect for me.
The club’s facilities (to date) include
five natural grass, full size soccer
pitches; one full size 3G artificial; two
small training 3G surfaces; one half
size fully sealed and covered ‘air dome’
all weather 3G surface and, as I write
(June 2011), we are in the final stages of
finishing another one of two new
natural pitches we are building this
year. All surfaces on site are relatively
new, with construction of the site and
training facilities only beginning in
early 2010.
We will have three stadiums at the
club, one seating around 2,000, one
seating around 5,000 and the final, and
biggest, seating around 15,000. The
second stadium (Academy) will be
completed by December of this year,
and the largest stadium by summer
2012. The last two pitches built will
have undersoil heating systems
installed.
Initially, I came out to manage the
surfaces only, but it was not long before
I was in charge of the entire site. I now
manage the club’s entire infrastructure
here in Gabala, from the existing
stadium (that is currently being
revamped) to the new build stadiums
and all surfaces and services. I manage
match days, security, personnel; in fact,
everything to do with the grounds,
stadium and the facility. I have fifteen
staff (four for the pitches) and oversee
all contractors visiting the site and the
workforces they bring.
All natural surfaces are suspended
water table construction with drains at
5m spacing, 150mm gravel raft, 200mm
sand base and 100mm top layer (mixed
with 10% peat); there is no blinding
“I have learned that, if you
understand the dynamics
impacting growth and counteract
them, you will find that you can
manage turf successfully at just
about any pH level”
Phil Sharples, Stadium & Surfaces Manager, Gabala FC
layer. The base sand layer incorporates
about 8% fines, so has the ability to
hold and exchange nutrients. All
pitches have been built in the same
manner using the most suitable sand we
could find in Azerbaijan. To this end,
sand was sourced from three quarries
and sent to the UK for analysis before
the final decision on which to use was
made.
The sand we used has an excellent
particle size distribution, giving us the
water holding and drainage
characteristics required, and is
available in the quantities we need building six full size natural turf
pitches takes a lot of sand! - but, it has
one undesirable characteristic - a pH of
8.8! Still, it met all other criteria, so we
had no choice but to go with it.
Our pH issues do not end there. The
irrigation water has a pH of 7.8 and the
bicarbonate levels are off the scale! All
this has forced us to think about the
chemical nature and make-up of
everything we apply to the surfaces,
and the consequences of doing so.
Being in Azerbaijan, we have no
documented evidence of disease
occurrence related to the local weather
conditions encountered, significance of
diseases on grass nor what pests may
infest a grass stand. There is no
statistical weather data we can reliably
look back on, and there is no
information on what grasses thrive here
(that would be used in sports turf), or
how best to manage them in this
particular environment.
The high soil and water pH has
required us to adapt the management
styles we use, and ensure that decisions
we make are the right ones for the
longevity and health of the plant, whilst
also encouraging the growth required to
recover from wear. The high pH of the
sand - which also doubles as our only
topdressing material - has quite an
impact on the growth and development
of the plant. I have learned that, if you
understand the dynamics impacting
growth and counteract them, you will
find that you can manage turf
successfully at just about any pH level.
The challenges we needed to
overcome did not end on the pitches
either! It was vital that we quickly
trained local people the skills required
for the upkeep of professional football
pitches. This was a challenge in itself,
as the local population had only ever
seen natural grass pitches on TV (if
they were lucky enough to have one).
Most games over here have traditionally
been played on artificial turf. If they
are played on grass, it’s in a very poor
condition. You would be amazed at
some of the pitches I have seen football
being played on!
The skill base we had to choose from,
for this type of work, was generally
very poor. The average monthly salary
here is around 300 Manat per month
(around £250.00), with staff having a
different work ethic from that which
Azerbaijan - a brief history
Oil-rich Azerbaijan gained independence
from the Soviet Union in 1991 amid
political turmoil and against a backdrop
of violence in the region of NagornoKarabakh.
It has been famed for its oil springs and
natural gas sources since ancient times,
when Zoroastrians, for whom fire is an
important symbol, erected temples
around burning gas vents in the ground.
I’m used to in the UK. However,
after a series of interviews, I was
lucky enough to find four very
keen guys who had the attitude I
was looking for.
Training and development
needed to occur quickly with the
new ground staff so, whilst the
winter weather did its worst, we
In the 19th century this part of the
Russian empire experienced an
unprecedented oil boom which attracted
international investment. By the
beginning of the 20th century Azerbaijan
was supplying almost half of the world’s
oil.
In 1994, Azerbaijan signed an oil contract
worth $7.4bn with a Western consortium.
Since then Western companies have
invested millions in the development of
the country’s oil and gas reserves.
However, the economy as a whole has not
benefitted as much as it might have
done.
Caspian oil is now flowing through a
pipeline running from Baku through
Georgia to the Turkish port of Ceyhan,
providing western countries with ready
access to a vast new source of supply.
Environmental groups have protested that
the cost of this benefit is unacceptable.
Azerbaijan has large gas reserves too.
Azerbaijan became a member of the
Council of Europe in 2001.
As the Soviet Union collapsed, the
predominantly Armenian population of
the Nagorno-Karabakh region stated their
intention to secede from Azerbaijan. War
broke out. Backed by troops and
resources from Armenia proper, the
Armenians of Karabakh took control of
the region and surrounding territory.
In 1994 a ceasefire was signed. About
one-seventh of Azerbaijan’s territory
remains occupied, while 800,000
refugees and internally displaced persons
are scattered around the country.
Azerbaijan was in the media spotlight in
June 2007 when Russian President
Vladimir Putin offered the US the use of
the Gabala radar station for missile
defence as an alternative to using bases
in Poland and the Czech Republic.
72
studied at work, at my hotel, had formal
lectures via powerpoint, and carried out
general practicals on site as best we
could - from tractor driving and
machinery safety, to reversing trailers, to
the maintenance of machinery and
equipment. Intense and frequent formal
lectures covered all subjects from plant
morphology to soil moisture deficits. We
covered about a year’s worth of material
(pitched at HNC level) in three months it was an intensive time for the new
recruits who, of course, all spoke good
English.
From October 2010 (when the first
three pitches were initially established)
until January 2011, we had no fertiliser
or professional machinery at the club.
This led to a steady decline in the
quality of the training pitches due to
the lack of post establishment
maintenance. We then had nearly two
full months of snow cover from
January until the beginning of March
2011. This brought additional
challenges when trying to keep the
artificial surfaces in play and in top
condition! By mid March, the natural
pitches were ... well, a disaster! At the
point of snow melt they were covered
in pink snow mold, with at least 85%
of the grass affected. All were straw like,
yellow, patchy, thin and weak. We had a
case of very poor establishment and,
generally, they were atrocious to look at!
Quite embarrassing for me really! Only
artificial surfaces were used to train and
play matches on at this time.
But, thankfully, at the end of the
month, we had the ‘majority’ of the
equipment we needed to work effectively
- though not everything - the weather
changed for the better, the soil
temperature ramped up quickly and we
were able to start the recovery plan.
All hands to the deck, we worked
intensively on the pitches (they
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“All were straw like,
yellow, patchy, thin and
weak. We had a case of
very poor establishment
and, generally, they were
atrocious to look at!”
desperately required it),
improvising where we needed
due to lack of equipment
and, of course, I was
continuing to train the staff
on best practice with turf
machinery and renovation
practices. It was a life saver
for me that the pitches had
been constructed
professionally, with the right
materials, the previous
autumn. This definitely aided
our management of them
and allowed us to turn bad
surfaces to excellent ones
quickly.
The training of staff was
tailored to ensure that they
were completely competent
using all the equipment at
our disposal, and time was
taken to make sure they
understood the reasons for
doing the job. I could not
afford time lost due to poor
workmanship on the surfaces.
Tony Adams wanted to use
the training pitches at the
beginning of May. The
intensive staff training paid
off, with no major mistakes or
mishaps occurring on the
pitches. The quality of
workmanship carried out on
them was up to the
professional standards I
required, and we met the
deadline with ease. It was
some turnaround, even if I do
say so myself.
Through the spring and
summer of this year, we will
continue to work on pitch
quality, texture and density.
Our goal and focus is to have
outstanding surfaces unlike
any seen here before, and a
match for the best in Europe.
Match pitch quality
training surfaces are a must
in my mind. Generally, my
staff learn something new
everyday and I am very
proud of the quality of work
they produce. The pitches
would not be where they are
today without them. I have
very high standards when it
comes to quality of pitches
Used as a backfill within slit and band drainage systems, our rubber
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The result?
• Drainage systems better able to handle heavy or prolonged rain
• Surfaces remain open for longer and return more quickly to play
• Less disruption and downtime benefiting clubs and players alike
Produced from recycled tyres, our rubber crumb also makes a great top
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“Getting to know, and
then understanding, the
population’s customs and
culture was essential to
allow me to adapt my
management style and
practices to get the
results I needed. I learned
this very quickly!”
and they have all, genuinely, outperformed my expectations.
As I write, we are constructing a
further two match pitches (SIS being our
main contractors) and, by mid August,
the first team will be playing all their
home matches on natural grass; a first in
their seven year history.
We will have a total of forty days to
produce a match pitch from sowing seed,
and all staff are looking forward to the
challenge. On the new pitches, I will be
incorporating about a tonne of calcium
sulphate into the rootzone at
construction stage, to see if we can make
nutrients a little more available due to
the pH issues we have.
In Azerbaijan, August brings with it
near 40OC temperatures coupled with
high humidity. I’m keeping my fingers
crossed that our management plan works
as we hope. The grasses we are
maintaining here are Lolium perenne
and Poa pratensis.
A side effect of the work we are
producing is that the pitches are seen as
something of a novelty in the country. We
have frequent visits from the national
press and TV, who all take an active
74
interest in what we are doing, and all
visitors to the club will, at some point, be
found down by the training pitches
looking at them and discussing what they
see. I have no idea what they are talking
about actually! I can only assume! My
Azeri - a language made up of Turkish,
Russian and local Azerbaijani - is enough
to get by, but it is a country mile away
from being fluent!
What we do here in Azerbaijan will
never be a mirror image of the practices
we use in the UK. There are some things
that will always remain the same and no
level of management will change them and rightly so!
Being productive and effecting change
is very much a case of being flexible,
open-minded and finding solutions that
fit everyone’s needs, wants and desires.
Getting to know, and then
understanding, the population’s customs
and culture was essential to allow me to
adapt my management style and
practices to get the results I needed. I
learned this very quickly!
The role continues to bring new
challenges every day, and the experience
has forced me to think laterally on many
levels. One thing I am sure of is, having
worked in the US, mainland Europe and
now Azerbaijan, the bug for working
abroad is now firmly ingrained in my
spirit and I look forward to what the
future holds. I really don’t think there is
a better way to test your resolve!
Thanks for taking the
time to read this and I wish
you luck with your turf,
wherever you may be.
Cheers. Phil Sharples,
Stadium & Surfaces
Director, Gabala FC
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“The timing of the concert was
critical to the pitch’s recovery,
and had to be worked around
our end of season renovations”
Richard Barnett, Head Groundsman, Shrewsbury Town FC
The
Greenhous
Effect ...
The groundstaff at Greenhous Meadow, home of Shrewsbury Town
Football Club, have been overseeing the recovery of the pitch following
the staging of the club’s first ever concert, an evening with Elton John
W
hen Elton John
came to play at
Greenhouse
Meadow, in front
of 16,000
adoring fans at the 10,000
capacity venue, the pitch had to
be covered to provide seating
for the additional 6,000.
A Trackway system was
employed to completely cover
the pitch, with the stage being
erected behind the north end
goalmouth. “With over 300
tonnes of stage and equipment,
it was important to keep most of
this weight off the main pitch,”
said Head Groundsman,
Richard Barnett, “especially as
it’s a fibresand construction
designed to be very free
draining.”
Richard explained that it took
him, and his assistant, Andrew
Muir, a couple of years to get to
grips with managing a sand
based pitch, compared to the
soil based pitch they had been
used to at the club’s old Gay
Meadow ground.
“Keeping the pitch watered,
aerated and well fed are the
prime drivers in maintaining a
good sward. Rye grasses are very
hungry and often require a
steady feed throughout the
growing season,” Richard said.
“The timing of the concert
was critical to the pitch’s
recovery, and had to be worked
around our end of season
renovations. This year, we were
able to begin renovations in late
May. The plan was to do a part
renovation prior to the concert
on the 12th June, and complete
it as soon as the concert
paraphernalia had been
removed from site.”
For the team of three, which
also includes assistant
groundsman (and winner of
Pitchcare’s Fantasy Football
League), Dominic Murray, the
experience of putting on a
concert for the first time has
been very rewarding, if also a
little fraught.
With the stadium being just a
ten minute drive from the
Pitchcare offices, I popped over
to get a first-hand account of
how they had coped with the
concert and, more importantly,
see the condition of the pitch
after the event.
I was met at the ground by
Richard, who was busy
vertidraining the pitch, and
Andrew, who talked about their
worries ahead of the event and
how, with careful planning and
sound advice from various
quarters, it turned out to be a
great success all round.
“There was a lot of anxiety
amongst the groundstaff when
the concert was announced. The
biggest issue, in our eyes, was
the date; right in the middle of
the pitch renovation period.
Also, thoughts of the Don Valley
Stadium, following the U2
concert a couple of years ago,
when half of the pitch failed to
recover in time for the start of
the season, kept cropping up in
our conversations.”
“Back in February, our
Operations Director, Ian
Bebbington, arranged for us to
meet Wolfie from Marshall Arts.
He was the man in charge of the
logistical set up for the concert,
and explained everything that
would happen before, during
and after the event in great
detail. He also gave Richie his
counterpart’s number at
Ipswich, where Wolfie had done
two back to back concerts the
previous season at Portman
Road, under the gaze of the
redoubtable Alan Ferguson.”
“Richie spoke with Alan for
over an hour, and he gave us
lots of good advice and told us
not to worry. Coupled with
Wolfie’s explanation of how
things would go, it was fair to
say we were a lot happier with
the situation.”
“Taking everything on board,
we set about devising a pitch
renovation plan around the end
of season fixtures, even taking
into account the possibility of a
playoff game. These plans were
slightly compromised by the late
inclusion of the Shropshire
Senior Cup Final fixture but,
following this game, we
reseeded the goal areas and
assistant referee runs and gave
them a topdressing of sand.”
“On Monday 16th May, we
reseeded and topdressed the
goal areas again and, on the last
day of that month, sprayed the
whole pitch with Dedicate. This
was to stop the grass getting any
disease whilst it was sweating
under the Trackway covers - the
ideal conditions for disease to
set in.”
“On Thursday 2nd June, the
pitch was cut to 20mm and, the
following day, verticut to ground
level. On Monday 6th June the
pitch was again cut to 20mm
and then overseeded with eight
bags of Barenburg Bar 7 in
three directions.”
“The following day,
preparations for the concert
began in earnest. It was a case
of watching the media company
come in and construct the stage
using huge lorry mounted
cranes. We just had to let them
Richard Barnett (left) and Andrew Muir
“It’s been good to
see the stadium
being used to
benefit the people
of Shrewsbury and
Shropshire, not just
football fans”
get on with it, but it was
interesting to see the build up
of the stage and the on-pitch
seating that transformed ‘our’
pitch into a large concert
venue.”
“And, of course, we had the
added bonus of attending the
concert and seeing what
Elton John does best, playing
to a large, responsive
audience.”
By Tuesday 14th June, the
pitch was back under our
control. The first job that
evening was to give the pitch
a good watering and, the
following day, we walked the
T wi
st &
pitch to clean off any
remaining surface debris mainly litter and some metal
clips that held the seating
together.”
“The next day the pitch was
brushed, followed by a cut at
25mm. On Thursday, the
pitch was fertilised with
250kgs of Marathon with an
NPK of 16:4:8 and watered
every night over the next four
days.”
“Tuesday and Wednesday of
the following week, the pitch
was vertidrained to try and
relieve some of the
compaction and, on
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Natural or Synthetic surfaces - every time!
Thursday, the stage area in
front of the North Stand, and
out to the eighteen yard line,
was heavily scarified, brushed,
reseeded and topdressed with
sand. This was the only area of
the pitch to show any signs
that a concert had happened;
understandable with 300
tonnes of stage on it!”
“Overall, at this time, it is
fair to say that we are very
happy with the state of the
pitch, and much relieved to
see only a minimal amount of
damage where the stage had
been.”
“It will now be a case of
monitoring its recovery and
continuing with our tried and
tested maintenance
programme. We’ll cut at 25mm
up to the start of the season as
well as giving it a weekly
verticut. Two more passes with
the vertidrain will also happen
in this period, as will regular
fertilising.”
Despite all their
reservations, Richard and
Andrew have been happy with
the way it all went, and are
confident the pitch will be up
to speed for the start of the
season. “It was good to come
through this process and learn
a lot of new skills,” said
Richard. “Above all, it’s been
good to see the stadium being
used to benefit the people of
Shrewsbury and Shropshire,
not just football fans.”
With this concert done and
dusted and, having been so
successful, the club are
considering more of these
events in the coming years.
Having now experienced a
concert at first hand, Richard
says that he will be more than
happy to accommodate more
of these events, “as long has
the club recognise our
concerns and needs.”
“The damage to the pitch
this year was minimal. That
may not always be the case,”
said Richard, “and the club
need to be aware that the
weather before, during and
after the event will influence
how the playing surface copes.
This year we were fortunate.
The timing of the event is
crucial. Any later in the
summer would leave no time
for the pitch to recover,”
concludes Richard.
In essence, the best policy is
for the club is to ensure
Richard is kept informed and
is able to advise on the
best dates for these
events. This year it
has been ‘no
sacrifice’!
at
See us
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79
A fan-tastic
groundsman
Simon Rudkins: director, groundsman
and commercial partner
Neville Johnson visits
the south coast to see a
non-league pitch and its
award winning
groundsman who’s given
a new meaning to whole
hearted support
T
he Battle of Hastings is etched
on every Englishmans’ mind:
1066 and all that. It actually took
place over six miles from the
south coast resort, but there is a
battle every year these days in the town
itself - to keep its football club afloat.
Hastings United just managed to hang
on to its Ryman Premiership status last
season. A single point kept it from
relegation. This is the bedrock of the
game, life on the edge. If you are a fan
of Hastings United, you mean it. You are
a true fan. There’s no glamour, no
Europe beckoning, just a patient bedside
vigil with maybe a back of the mind
dream that your club might just ‘do a
Wimbledon’ and end up beating
Liverpool in a Wembley final.
80
One such fan is Simon Rudkins. He’s
Hastings United through and through,
always has been, since moving to the
town over ten years ago. No boyhood
climbing on a Manchester United or
Chelsea bandwagon for him. His loyalty
and practical involvement is like few
others in football, and this has led to a
rare double-act on and off the pitch.
At the age of twenty-eight Simon made
a career changing decision. Tired of
office work, and yearning for the
outdoor life, he embarked on a BTech
National Certificate course in amenity
horticulture at Plumpton College near
Brighton. Ten years later, as well as
running his own successful landscaping
business, he is a director of the football
club he loves, and now its award-winning
groundsman to boot. You don’t get much
more outdoors than that.
The Hastings United ground is called
the Pilot Field. Along one side it is a
natural amphitheatre and it has one very
distinctive feature, the pitch area being
surrounded by the remnants of a cinder
speedway track, which ceased operation
over forty years ago. When I was invited
to visit and meet Simon earlier this
summer, I had this notion that it had
been named after a local World War 1
fighter ace or a pioneering aeronaut who
had landed there after an epic flight.
Sadly no: it was so-called simply because
what was once a farm close by grew a
type of oat called pilate, which was used
as animal fodder. Hence, the loose
derivation of the word pilot, so it is very
“If I were just the groundsman, I
could plead hammer and tongs
for this, that and the other”
Simon Rudkins, Head Groundsman, Hastings United
The Pilot Field stadium - the old speedway track can clearly be seen
much a result of local speak rather than
anything more dramatic.
The Pilot Field is owned by Hastings
Borough Council, and the football club
leases the pitch and all the stands and is
responsible for overall day-to-day
upkeep. The club has no actual training
facilities. It all has to be done on the
pitch itself adding, potentially, to upkeep
headaches. Not a bit of it, because
although the club’s last end of term
report read ‘18th, could do better’, as far
as its pitch is concerned it is unsurpassed
in Ryman league ranks.
When, three seasons ago, the club was
left without a groundsman there was only
one man who was going to step into the
breach, its biggest fan and member of
the board. Simon was already a serial
volunteer for hands-on duties. He had
been for years since being a match day
steward with all the attendant tidying up
tasks, emptying the refuse bins, cleaning
the toilets and such like. When the
current owner, Dave Walters, bought the
club he could see that Simon was a rare
asset even though, at that stage, he was
just a supporter. If something needed to
be done, he could rely on Simon to do it.
When the match programme editor left,
who else but Simon took up the reins?
Three years on from that, he was asked
to be a director of the club - definitely an
offer he couldn’t refuse. This was five
years ago and before he had any ideas of
being a groundsman.
For the job of keeping the Pilot Field
pitch in order, however, it was more than
merely enthusiasm that made him do it:
he did have some credentials, his
landscaping business gave him a decent
level of know-how. Also, Simon says that
if he sees something wrong with anything
to do with the environment, he has to
put it right. It’s both a good and bad
trait he admits. He just couldn’t bear the
idea of the Hastings pitch deteriorating,
so saying “I’ll do it” came naturally to
him.
Simon’s responsibilities as a Hastings
United director were specifically in
connection with spectator facilities,
ground health and safety matters and, in
particular, that ground grading was up to
scratch. The latter, of course, included
the state of the playing surface. He had
been helping out the previous part time
81
Simon with his own spreader
groundsman now and again and,
when the club parted company
with him three years ago, he
simply filled the void by taking on
the whole of the job. The
extraordinary thing is that, up
until that moment, he had never
used a piece of turf care kit.
For three seasons now he has
been in charge of pitch care at
Hastings and, this summer,
collected an FA award for the
results of his work: a meteoric rise
in anyone’s book.
Simon admits that previously he
really had no idea how much time
was needed to prepare a pitch. He
soon discovered that two or three
hours before kick-off, cutting and
marking didn’t begin to cover it.
His natural inclination that, ‘if
something wasn’t quite right to
see that it is’ took over. A quest for
perfection began.
He had had no formal turf
training and learned things very
much as he went along, picking
up tips from all manner of
sources. The best of these, he says,
is the Pitchcare forum, and he’s a
regular visitor. Simon is entirely
self-taught, but says he’s gained so
much knowledge from trade
contacts, the most significant of
these being Andy Russell at
Headland Amenity.
“There’s maybe a bit too much
emphasis on science these days
when it comes to pitch care,” says
Simon. “All that’s really needed is
a practical approach and attention
to detail. Andy’s been very helpful
in this regard.”
“I’ve noticed in the last twelve
months how switching to using a
slow release fertiliser has given the
pitch much more even growth
around the calendar. Drainage
conditions here are pretty good
anyway, but consistent grass cover
means I seldom get problems with
surface water.”
Money is tight at this level of
football for all clubs. Hastings is
no exception. Survival is the
abiding watchword. Simon’s
situation is an interesting one: he
has a foot in both camps when it
comes to budgeting and spending.
Groundsmen, especially in these
lower echelons, can be seen as a
club servant always having to go
‘cap in hand’ when it comes to kit
or materials. So which cap does
Simon wear?
“Obviously, I do know how
restricted things are financially so,
in that sense, it’s easier for me to
be realistic, but it is harder now
knowing just what it takes to do
the job properly,” he says.
“If I were just the groundsman,
I could plead hammer and tongs
for this, that and the other.”
The kit is limited, to say the
least, so it’s all the more
remarkable how good the pitch is
and that its custodian received an
FA accolade. Playing the lead
week in week out is a Ransomes
Mastiff, now over twenty years old.
When I visited, Simon had it
cutting handsome swathes and the
pitch looked a picture. No need
for a kit change here it seems.
The prolonged spring drought
meant that the pitch did suffer
towards the end of the season.
There are no irrigation facilities
and Simon has to lug around
hyper-flex hoses with sprinkler
attachments to do the job.
Admittedly, in June when I visited,
there had by then been some
meaningful rainfall, but no doubt
Simon’s hard work, watering daily
since the end of March, had kept
the grass flourishing through the
dry spell.
About a year ago, the rear axle
went on an ageing Westwood
tractor, an all round workhorse. It
was irreparable, so a new John
Deere garden tractor was bought
for duties such as pulling a light
roller.
As part of its leasing
arrangement, Hastings Borough
Council handle annual reseeding,
and this is carried out as soon as
the season is concluded in early
May. This is the council’s only
involvement. Simon hadn’t been
happy with the seed the council
had been using, so part of the
budget for the pitch was used up
by switching to a new DLF
perennial ryegrass mixture - Pro
Master 79 - for the major reseed
and, after just six weeks since
sowing, when I visited, the results
were clearly very impressive. He’d
already been using the mixture for
overseeding repairs throughout
the season and found it worked
well with the clay-based
conditions, germinating very
readily
For aeration refurbishment,
Simon calls in specialist contractor
Peter Mannington based at
Robertsbridge. At the end of the
past season, Simon sourced sand
from a supplier called
Construction Materials, and Peter
came to the ground with his
spreader and vertidrain. It is a
more than satisfactory
arrangement, well worth it, and
well within budget.
Areas where Simon’s directorial
hat comes to the fore are
fertilising and weed control. He
decided, some time ago, to do it
himself, using his own new
spreader. It takes longer, but it
works and saves the club money.
It’s where the crossover from the
day-job really pays off. Simon runs
his business, Gardenworks, from
his home in St Leonards, so he’s
nearby and has some of the tools
Simon using his trusty Ransomes Mastiff
Magpies - not Newcastle United - have been causing a
spot of bother in the penalty area, and for some odd
reason a particular spot. Some extra reseeding was
needed and Simon uses a bottle crate to deter them
The FA award
is the result of
cumulative
match-bymatch scores
given by the
match
referees
Remnants of the 1950s speedway track in front of the main stand
of the trade, like his Scotts spreader. I’m
always just a phone call away, as Simon
puts it. He used Headland Amenity’s
Blaukorn 15:3:20+2MgO+10S plus
micronutrients, which has a high
potassium content for spring or autumn
usage. He had recently applied the
company’s Multigreen 28:3:15+2MgO
and already had stored Multigreen
15:0:22 for application in Autumn.
He reckons that, during the playing
season, his average time spent on pitch
work during a single week is about
sixteen hours - and he does it all for
love. Club Chairman Dave Walters did
offer to pay him but, with his pecuniary
interests in the club in mind, Simon said
he’d rather know that if he really needed
something to do a decent job on pitch
upkeep, he’d get it.
His FA award says it’s a deal that seems
to be suiting all parties. Minimum outlay:
maximum result. The irony is Simon’s
business, Gardenworks, is a business
partner of the club, so paying for
advertising around the ground and the
match programmes means he goes part
way to paying for the pitch work he does
himself for nothing. He assures me that
he pays the full rate: no favours for being
a director!
The trophy for pitch excellence, which
Simon was looking forward to receiving
at the new season’s kick-off game against
an Arsenal XI, is no freebie, no fluke. It
is the result of cumulative match-by-
match scores awarded to
the pitch over a whole
season by the match
referees. The top
nominees in respective
league sections are then
visited by Premier
League groundsmen and
their pitches assessed.
Simon says Tottenham
and West Ham custodians
The cinder left-o
over from speedway days still
affects grass cover near the corner flags
came to the ground
towards the end of
March. They didn’t give
the pitch or how it was looked after.
much away, he says. He just hoped he
Simon thinks the coming season will
might improve on the previous season’s
be an interesting one. He’s optimistic
third place.
that the team will improve on their get
A few weeks after this visit, a letter
out of jail performance last season, but
from the FA advised him that he was
income from supporters and
number one in the Ryman League and
promotional partners has declined over
second overall in levels 3 and 4 of the
the past twelve months due, he feels, to
non-league game: that’s 200 or so clubs
the effects of the recession. I put it to
from nine separate divisions in the
him that Hastings is a town on the up
Southern, Northern and Isthmian
with a new university in the offing and
Leagues.
more of an up beat buzz about its seaside
Half way through last season a new
status. He agreed that there were
manager, Jason Hopkinson, took over
grounds to be optimistic of a spin off in
team matters. He had been a coach at
time, but the director in him was putting
Brighton and Hove Albion and,
a cautious veil over this for the time
according to Simon, is the first man at
being.
the helm, in his time as director or
This coming season will be tough
groundsman, with a real appreciation
financially, he told me, not least because
and understanding of the importance of
there is no main sponsor in place. His FA
a decent pitch. In the past, no one from
award is sure to attract a lot of attention
the playing side had given him the
locally, and may just be a turning point
impression that they really cared about
in this particular Battle of Hastings.
Not a regular fixture for Hastings, but a big kick-o
off to the 2011-2
2012
season and when Simon was due to be presented with his FA Award
84
Hastings (in Hammers strip) against Margate last season
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Dave and Graeme Balmer
Brothers
in arms
Graeme Balmer has joined his
brother, Stadium Manager Dave
Balmer, at the Kingsholm Stadium,
home of Gloucester RFC.
Laurence Gale MSc catches up
with the duo to find out how they
are both coping
I
t’s been five years since I last
visited the Kingsholm stadium,
home of Gloucester Rugby Club, so
I thought it was about time to call
in and catch up on the latest gossip
and see how the pitch had been
performing. It was coming to the end of
a long, hard season in which the club
had done well, finishing third in the
Aviva Premiership behind the winners
Bath and second placed Exeter.
Even though the domestic rugby
season had finished, the pitch was still
being used to accommodate Churchill
Cup matches. In fact, when I arrived,
Dave Balmer, the Stadium Manager, and
his brother Graeme, were getting the
pitch ready to host two of these
matches; England Saxons v Tonga and
Italy v Russia, both to be held on
Saturday 12th June, with kick offs at
2.30pm and 5.00pm.
Graeme joined the grounds team at
Kingsholm, as Head Groundsman, last
December. He is no stranger to the
ground, having spent many years
helping his brother whilst he was the
Head Groundsman at King’s School.
However, after serving the school for
twenty-five years he felt he needed a
change.
He is self-employed and contracted
to work thirty hours a week at the club.
This allows him to undertake other
work as well; his services are used by
local bowls and cricket clubs, whilst he
is also an ECB county adviser. In this
role he works closely with Jason Hobs,
another of Gloucestershire’s county
advisers.
The pitch looked very good. Dave
and Graeme said that the pitch had
recovered really well from the severe
winter weather and the exceptionally
dry spring. Also, they were not able to
carry out a full pitch renovation,
knowing that they had to accommodate
the Churchill Cup matches. The
brothers had, therefore, decided to split
the renovation work into two cycles,
doing some work on the pitch as soon
as the domestic playing season
finished, May 7th, and continuing
straight after the Churchill Cup Games.
Because of the split renovation
schedule, they could only carry out a
basic renovation programme: mowing
the sward down, verti-draining the
pitch, topdressing and overseeding.
Only forty tonnes of 70/30 (sand/soil)
was applied and eight bags of seed (4
bags of MM50, 4 bags MM60). It was a
case of raising the height of cut until
the grass had germinated, and then
mowing on a regular basis to help the
sward tiller.
Just prior to the new rugby season
starting in September 2011, Graeme
will again aerate the pitch, this time
using the Earthquake linear aerator set
at 200mm centres, and topdress with
another forty tonnes of 70/30.
They feed the pitch with an array of
products using granular and liquid ,
with some seaweed and other organic
materials to keep the soil in balance.
The pitch has remained fairly
unchanged since it was constructed in
1891. Being soil based it has had its fair
share of drainage problems in the past.
However, a recent programme of
localised drainage works has improved
matters.
The club use additional facilities at
Hartpury College, where there are
natural and artificial grass pitches.
Dave does not have an unlimited
budget for the pitch and, consequently,
has to ensure he gets value for money
when buying and procuring services.
However, with such a long history of
groundsmanship in his family, he is not
short of a few contacts to help him
achieve his aims. His substantial
experience at the club additionally aids
his success - Dave has been Stadium
Manager at Kingsholm for over fifteen
years, and has done virtually every job
involved in running a busy rugby club.
He explained what a typical week
would be like leading up to a match:
Monday:
Dave is ever mindful that the weather
will influence the work he and Graeme
can achieve on the pitch, so keeping an
eye on the weather is crucial. He has a
number of sources he can take forecasts
from, including Pitchcare’s own
service, which sends him email updates
on a daily basis. They also have a
contract with Sports and Stadia Services
that offers them a frost cover system
should they feel the need for extra
protection during the winter months.
Dave and Graeme aerate the pitch at
the beginning of the week to allow it
time to settle down before the weekend
match. Deep tining is done using a
Wiedenmann Terra-Spike to a depth of
anything between seven and ten inches
(175mm-250mm), with 20mm diameter
tines set with little or no heave.
Depending on the tine spacing, this job
can take as little as three hours or as
much as ten hours to complete.
Tuesday:
Verti-draining is completed, and the
pitch is brushed, using an 8ft Sisis
brush on a Singleplay frame, to help
stand the grass up, before cutting with
their Toro Triple TPlex 185D
cylinder mower, set at 38mm
(Dave will raise the height of
cut to 45mm during
November through to March
to help reduce wear).
It generally takes Graeme
around two hours to cut the
pitch lengthways in set bands
but, if a more elaborate
pattern is decided on, it will
take longer.
Wednesday:
Wednesdays can be quite
busy; not only do they have to
paint four logos in the dead
ball areas, they also have to
go and maintain pitches at a
local school (an ongoing
contract), mowing and
marking out a number of
sports pitches - football,
rugby and athletics. In the
afternoon, if they have
enough time, they return to
Kingsholm and mow the
stadium pitch again.
Thursday:
Dave oversees the placement
of any commercial advertising
boards around the ground,
and the painting of the main
sponsor’s logo in the middle
of the pitch. Usually this is
done by specialist contractors
using a combination of
aerosols, standard marking
fluids and removable paints.
The size and complexity of
the logo, and the paints used,
determines whether they mow
before or after it has been
applied. Normally, they look
to get in a bit earlier and
mow the areas involved
before the contractors arrive.
Dave also carries out checks
on the floodlights,
scoreboards and public
address systems, making sure
they are working. The last job
of the day is to mark out the
pitch ready for the ‘Captain’s
Run’ - the 1st Team’s training
session on the Friday before a
game- which usually lasts a
couple of hours.
Friday:
If the game is to be shown
live on TV, all the cable
rigging will completed.
Graeme will put out the post
protectors and kicking nets
ready for the Captain’s Run
whilst the players are out on
the pitch. Dave takes the
chance to catch up with the
broadcasting company, check
other issues and ensure all
the toilets are working.
As soon as the players finish
their training, Dave, Graeme
and any other helpers will
quickly divot the pitch before
mowing it again.
88
Their final job of the day is to
overmark the pitch using a
spray jet marker set at four
inches (100mm). This ensures
that the lines are bright
enough for the TV cameras to
pick up.
Saturday:
Below is a brief extract of
timings and events taken
from their Match Day
Operations Schedule:
0700 - Car park secured
0800 - Emergency gates
unlocked and flags up
0830 - All stadium toilets
opened and checked
0900 - Pitch branding
checked and touched up if
required. Post pads and flags
put out
0930 - Scoreboards and PA
system checked
1000 - Media areas opened
and TV interview backdrops
set up
1100 - Ticket office systems
checked
1130 - Stadium secured (all
contractors to be on site).
Duty electrician arrives.
Tournament organisers’
meeting (if required)
1200 - Turnstiles open. Bars
open to public. Community
Dept. Stadium tours begin
1230 - Community Dept.
Coaching sessions begin on
pitch (weather permitting)
1300 - Pre-match
entertainment begins (brass
band)
1400 – Players individual
warm up begins on pitch
1430 - Gloucester squad
warm up begins
1450 - Players tunnel access
to key staff only
1458 - Teams out
1500 - Kick Off
1540 - Half Time
1550 - Second Half
1630 - Final Whistle
1700 - Spectators cleared
from the stands. Commence
locking stadium
1730 - Toilets and all gates
locked.
1830 - Hospitality areas begin
closing
1930 - Stadium closes - bars
remain open
Are we
being
grassed
up?
Six years after FIFA accepted artificial grass
as being good enough for use in professional
football, research about the safety of a field is
still ongoing and, every so often, sheds new
light on general assumptions
A
rtificial grass was accepted
by FIFA as an official surface
in 2005, but the continuing
developments by the
artificial grass industry have
contributed to such high quality
surfaces, FIFA claims, that they believe
it is fair to refer to them as ‘football
turf ’ since late 2009. But, the debate
about whether the surface contributes,
or prevents injuries from happening is
still ongoing.
“The problem is that, in many
competitions, players only play a match
on artificial grass a few times per
season. Most of the matches they play
take place on natural grass. But,
regardless, the quality of the surfaces, it
takes up to six weeks for a human body
to adjust to a new surface, meaning
that, in the days or even weeks after a
match, players can sometimes still
complain about stiff muscles and
irritated ligaments,” says Jules van de
Veen, a physiotherapist who has studied
the correlation between injuries and
artificial grass surfaces.
“Other complaints are caused
because few players really take care of
their feet and fail to realise the
importance of selecting the right
footwear. Manufacturers of shoes have
not come up with a shoe specifically for
use on a football turf surface like they
have done for hockey. And, contrary to
hockey and athletics, shoes used for
football don’t contribute to shock
absorption or energy restitution.”
“These shoes are ‘stiff ’, so it is the
human body that has to compensate for
the hardness or softness of a surface.
But most of all; players do not realise
that artificial grass surfaces tend to be
warmer. These surfaces are made of
plastic fibres and often have a black
rubber infill between the grass blades.
Both reflect the heat of the sun.
Because of that heat reflection, feet
tend to swell up and the shoes don’t
compensate for that.”
“No wonder that many players
complain about shoes being too small
after a match.” Van de Veen believes
that the current range of shoes can be
improved by another 30%. “And shoes
specifically designed for use on an
artificial grass surface could add
another 20% improvement. So, all in
all, there is still much to achieve.”
“There are no significant
differences between high
quality natural turf and FIFA
certified Football Turf
pitches in relation to fatigue
and ankle dynamics”
FIFA research findings
More damping?
Despite FIFA claiming that the quality
of artificial grass is similar to that of a
natural grass field in a pristine
condition at the best time of the year,
the surface is less forgiving than
natural grass. “Artificial grass doesn’t
tear when you plant your studs in the
surface and want to run off,” Van de
Veen points out. “The tension and
pressure this places on the ligaments is
another cause for complaints and
injuries.” According to Dr Jan
Ekstrand, the inability of artificial grass
to handle tension at an angle is
something FIFA has to investigate.
Ekstrand has been involved in
researching the surface on behalf of
UEFA since early 2000. “The FIFA
quality standards do have a benchmark
for shock absorption, but this is
measured vertically, whereby the
testing equipment stands on a field at a
90 degree angle. Yet, no player
interacts with a field completely
vertically. There is always an angle.”
According to Ekstrand, the trend to
install a shockpad underneath a field
that has recently entered the market is
something that could contribute to the
reduction of possible injuries on
muscles and ligaments. “These
shockpads tend to divert the energy
that is exercised on the field in a
horizontal direction. Because the
energy now moves horizontally, a field
will have less vibration, which is
actually the cause of many injuries, as
these vibrations go into the soft tissue
of a body and make muscles and
ligaments react. And, as the leg is in an
angle, possible vibration will not make
it all the way to the muscles and
ligaments in the first place.”
But, where the FIFA quality criteria
do have a benchmark for shock
absorption, testing criteria for this
vibration, better known as ‘energy
restitution’, is no longer part of the
testing criteria. “Some countries did
have quality criteria for energy
restitution several years ago, but this
has fallen away since their national
standards were harmonised with those
of FIFA. There are, however, talks to
have criteria for shock absorption reintroduced.”
“Shoes specifically
designed for use on an
artificial grass surface
could add another 20%
improvement. So, all in
all, there is still much
to achieve”
Becoming the norm?
Use of shockpads seems to have become
more common these days. “Field
installing companies have realised that
the thick layer of rubber that they used
to use, tends to compact within a few
years and, given the fact that this rubber
is a recycled material, it is also difficult to
predict its performance and durability.
By using a shockpad, the shock
absorption and energy restitution of a
field is guaranteed, but it also allows for
a thinner layer of alternative infill
material that is produced specifically for
its purpose,” Frenk Stoop of Sekisui
Alveo points out.
The Swiss company does a lot of
research in comfort and safety of
artificial grass fields. According to Stoop,
there are various solutions to improve
the elasticity of a field. “Some fields
make use of a thick layer of lava and
rubber, whilst others use a combination
of asphalt and rubber. And then you
have the foam layers that are specifically
produced for this purpose, and which
keep in mind the environmental and
practical disadvantages of the two
existing solutions.”
With the introduction of infill material
that is specifically produced for its
purpose, the artificial grass industry
claims that a new era is about to start.
“Installing companies call fields that use
the combination of a shockpad and
alternative infill material an ‘engineered’
system, as all the specs have been
calculated and measured. They know
exactly how the field will perform and
for how long, thus ensuring that the
customer will receive a field according to
his or her requirements."
Opening up new markets
Use of a shockpad for football could
stimulate the acceptance of artificial
grass in rugby. The International Rugby
Board’s (IRB) quality standards are close
to those of FIFA, except the IRB, being
more demanding on the shock
absorption of a field, a demand that was
hard to be met by FIFA. “It would not be
appropriate to prioritise injury types. It
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92
is always the case of FIFA consulting with
players and medical staff to find out what
their main concerns are when playing on
a certain type of surface,” a FIFA
spokesperson says.
Where the IRB is concerned about
possible head injuries for players being
tackled, FIFA does not want to make a
field too soft from fear it will contribute
to fatigue of the players. Based on such
consultation, in 2010, FIFA
commissioned research into fatigue and
ankle dynamics during a one-month
research programme in three countries
in Europe. Whilst this research is yet to
be peer-reviewed and published, the
indications are that there are no
significant differences between high
quality natural turf and FIFA certified
Football Turf pitches in relation to these
two areas.
A layer that would improve the shock
absorption and energy restitution of a
field, without contributing to fatigue,
could see the same field being used for
both football and rugby, making the
investment in an artificial grass surface
worthwhile for many municipalities and
schools around the world. Football is, by
far, still the most played sport. “FIFA are
currently surveying professional players
to gather more detailed information on
the problems that they feel they have on
each type of surface. To date, all the
areas mentioned have
been suggested as
problems for players,
but all research
suggests that FIFA
certified fields do not
have any greater
impact on these issues
than high quality
natural turf. It is
important to note here
that all of our tests use
FIFA certified fields
and we have no research data on these
problems relating to fields that are
uncertified.”
Greg Fredericks, a former rugby player
and currently involved in the installation
of fifty-two artificial grass pitches in
South Africa as part of the FIFA 2010
World Cup legacy, believes that a
multipurpose field, that would allow use
for both rugby and football, would be
greatly beneficial, particularly in a
country that is still divided along racial
and sports lines. “Rugby is still a sport
that is being played by predominantly
white people, whilst football is the sport
of choice for the black community. We
will install fifty-two pitches which will be
the legacy of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
When these pitches can be used by
children of all ages and race, they would
be the ultimate legacy achievement.”
Fredericks is not concerned about the
safety. A joint study in the US by Colin
Fuller, Randall Dick, Jill Corlette and
Rosemary Schmalz had already
concluded, several years ago, that “there
are no major differences in the
incidence, severity, nature or cause of
match and training injuries sustained on
new generation artificial turf and grass.”
The researchers analysed the National
Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA)
Injury Surveillance System for a twoseason study of American college and
university men and women’s soccer
teams, and recorded some 80,000 player
hours. “I have played both rugby and
football matches on surfaces that were
much harder than those artificial grass
football pitches, so this type of surface
would certainly be a step forward. And I
believe they will also be much safer,”
concludes Fredericks.
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93
ViewPoint
Forking around!
GRASSCUTTER
A football league head groundsman who,
not surprisingly, wishes to remain
anonymous, gives his views on life working
for a professional football club and how
undervalued he and his staff feel
I WAS having a chat with the guys from
Pitchcare earlier in the summer, and was
just passing comment on how
undervalued we felt we were as
groundsmen at our club, and described a
few incidents where we had performed
above the call of duty. They said we were
not unique amongst Football League
groundsmen, and it was a common theme
they heard as they travelled around the
country. It was suggested I put my
thoughts down on paper. So, here they
are.
As you have probably already deduced, I
am employed by a professional football
club - professional, at times, in the loosest
possible terms.
Our machinery store and brew room is
stuck away as far as possible from the
main stand and offices at our stadium,
which is fine with us. If any of the suits
wish to make contact they have to
physically walk over to “our” side, as we
can never hear our phones for the noise of
an engine and, anyway, if they do want us,
it’s generally nothing to do with the
football club.
The most common request is; “have you
got anything to make my grass green”. We
always oblige with half a bag of fertiliser,
and tell them to make sure they put it on
when the weather is warm and that, once
they have put it on, to keep watering the
grass. Two weeks later you see them and
they moan at how they have to cut the
grass daily since putting the fertiliser on.
“Welcome to my world”, is my general
reply.
During a rare visit to the offices to pick
some mail up, I got into a conversation
with one of the desk bound members of
staff about the football club. Halfway
through the conversation she came out
with the classic line, “well you’re only a
groundsman”. In her eyes all I did was cut
the grass.
I think that is the general view of the
public - a groundsman is someone who
cuts the grass. Here is another case.
I was lucky enough to get away abroad
on holiday for a couple of weeks at the
beginning of June, where I struck up a
“There’s a load
of us out there
struggling on with
old machinery,
lack of funds and
a bunch of suits
that don’t know
the difference
between a
verticut and a
vertidrain”
conversation with a fellow Brit by the pool
one day. He got round to asking me what I
did for a living, and was most impressed
when I told him. “It must be great getting
most of May and all of June and July off,”
he suggested to me. I then spent fifteen
minutes explaining that most of May is
taken up with renovations at the training
ground and stadium, and that the players
are back for pre-season training at the end
of June ... and the grass still needs cutting.
“I never thought of it like that, tell you
what there’s a lot more to your job than
meets the eye”, was his reply.
That seems to be a general theme. The
public, and even people employed by
football clubs, have no idea what a
groundsman’s job entails. We always
seem to get the rough end of the stick.
How many times have you heard a
manager put his side’s victory down to the
excellent surface prepared by the
groundstaff? I bet you can count them on
one hand. Whereas, after a defeat, excuse
no. 2 in the football manager’s handbook
is the pitch (excuse no. 1, as you are
probably aware, is the officials). Every
week during the season, without fail, it will
get trotted out. “Well, the pitch was a bit
bobbly; the lads just couldn’t get the
passing game going”. This, despite the
fact they have played route one football all
season!
I just wish the interviewer would have
the balls to say; “surely it’s the same for
both teams”, but they never do.
I must say, I do chuckle whenever there
is high profile pitch problem in the news usually Wembley stadium - and, nine
times out of ten, the perceptive managing
director of Pitchcare is quoted. In fact, it
became an in-house joke with Hawksbee
and Jacobs on talkSPORT a few years ago,
“... if it’s a Wembley pitch problem it’s
Dave Saltman of Pitchcare.com”
In fairness to Dave, he comes across
really well and does the industry proud,
not just Wembley but all other aspects of
groundsmanship that he is often quoted
on.
As groundsmen, we need to get our
views and points over to the general public
and educate them in the way the industry
works.
For those of you who get the chance,
make sure you get your perspective and
opinions known. Some of us are lucky in
that respect. The club I work for are happy
to print in the programme, or put up on
the website, any article I may write
concerning all things grass, and it’s very
gratifying when supporters come up to you
and mention something you have written
and how they see things differently now
concerning my work.
At times, especially in the middle of
winter, a football groundsman’s job can be
a thankless task at any level. But I know
all the groundstaff at our club are always
determined to do their best, whatever the
circumstances, and on the odd occasion
thanks and gratitude will be handed out.
This always makes the job that much
more enjoyable.
So, however depressed you may feel in
your work, always remember the grass is
not always greener on the other side.
There are loads of us out there struggling
on with old machinery, lack of funds and a
bunch of suits that don’t know the
difference between a verticut and a
vertidrain.
Keep the faith and keep cutting the
grass, after all, that’s all you do.
“It is certainly the most complex
sportsturf contract that the STRI
have ever been involved with”
Lee Penrose, STRI Strategic Projects Manager
Meantime in
Greenwich ...
One of the most ambitious developments for the 2012 Olympics has
been the preparation of an equestrian cross country course in
Greenwich Park. Jane Carley caught up with the team responsible in
the run-up to the test event this summer
G
reenwich Park is to provide a
spectacular site for the
equestrian and modern
pentathlon events at the
2012 Olympics, set in
seventy-three hectares of lush parkland
with views across the capital. Yet, it has
not been an easy road to create an
Olympic venue - complete with a
world-class cross country course - from
scratch. There was opposition from
locals and others who feared that the
development would irreparably damage
a historic park, and the venue has had
to remain largely open to the public
throughout its construction.
With eventing specialist, Tim
Hadaway, as equestrian manager for the
London Olympics Organising
Committe (LOCOG), the challenge was
set in 2008 to assess whether the
exacting standards of modern
equestrian sport could be met on such a
sensitive site. The plan was to develop a
world class cross country course, with
temporary fences (jumps), making use
of the topography and landscape of the
historic park.
The STRI was
initially involved in
the scoping
exercise, at the
end of 2008, to establish how the turf
surface in the park could be brought up
to the required standard within the
constraints of the site, and its proposals
became an essential part of the
planning application that was required
for the construction to go ahead.
“During 2009, we produced a method
statement that was used to get the
planning permission, and supported
LOCOG in public meetings and
presentations,” explained Lee Penrose,
STRI Strategic Projects Manager. “We
had to plan the development of the
cross country course, literally on a
metre by metre basis, to achieve the
standards required for an Olympic
competition within the constraints of
the site.”
On every part of the site, there were
ecological features to consider.
Greenwich Park has more veteran trees
than any other park in the country, as
well as a number of rare habitats,
including acid grasslands. And then
there were the archaeological features the all-weather arena at the centre of
the course is surrounded by a parterre
which could not be altered in any way,
while the planned site for one of the
fences was a Roman temple.
“These features had to be protected
anywhere that the course ran over or
alongside them, and this affected
everything from the type of equipment
used to vehicle movements on the
course,” explained Lee. “It is certainly
the most complex sportsturf contract
that we have ever been involved with.”
The plan of action to develop and
construct the course involved using
aerial photographs and detailed maps
to precisely chart the location and
nature of the sensitive areas, and the
work has required constant monitoring
to ensure that the LOCOG contractors
meet the exacting planning
requirements.
GPS mapping and guidance has
proved an essential tool for this,
ensuring that machinery operators are
always aware of any protected features.
“For example, we couldn’t just
vertidrain to a uniform depth around
the course because of the risk of hitting
archaeological works,” said Lee.
However, even this was not
straightforward - a steep south-north
gradient on the site, and shading from
the numerous trees, meant that basic
GPS systems could ‘drop out’ all too
often. Lee approached positioning
equipment specialist Trimble, who were
working on a system using Real Time
Timeline
September 2008: STRI invited to take part in
scoping exercise to determine if the event could
be held in Greenwich Park
September 2009: Planning application submitted
March 2010: Planning consent granted by
Greenwich Council
August 2010: Ground preparation work begins
4-6th July 2011: Equestrian test event
7th July: Cross country fences removed and
public access returned to much of the park
8-10th July: Modern Pentathlon test event for
riding, running and laser shooting
Autumn 2011: Acid grassland enhancement
project to mitigate temporary loss
Winter 2012: Preparation of Olympic cross
country course and testing of surfaces at STRI HQ
in Bingley
Spring 2012: Watering, seeding, fertilising of the
course. Small scale turfing works to protect
sensitive tree roots
June: Final preparations and design tweaks with
Sue Benson, course designer, on the presentation
of the course
28th July – 9th August: London 2012 Equestrian
events
Post event: Autumn 2012-2015 STRI will carry
out a full restoration of all areas of the park
affected by the cross country course. This
includes following detailed ecological restoration
plans agreed by Natural England and the Royal
Parks.
Fence on the parterre
equipment specialist Trimble, who
were working on a system using Real
Time Kinetic (RTK) and GLONASS
signals to give machine guidance
within 2cm accuracy.
“The system hadn’t been launched
at the time in the UK, but the
company worked with us to get the
technology right. Our drivers have an
RTK receiver on their machine and a
display screen which shows exactly
where they are working and if any
sensitive features are close by.”
Preparing the full 5,800 metre
cross country track, which loops
around the park and, in places,
widens significantly to accommodate
combination fences or those with
alternative routes through them,
involved mainly standard turf
establishment equipment and
techniques.
After aerating and decompacting
RIPTA
Register of Independent Professional
Turfgrass Agronomists
Those listed on the Register are
able to consult regarding:
Feasibility Studies
Turf maintenance programmes
Agronomy
Turfgrass disease problems
Drainage advice
Soil analysis/interpretation
Construction documentation
Recruitment of staff
Project management
Training and education
Expert witness work
For more information and contact details for the
Consultant Agronomists on the RIPTA Register go to:
www.RIPTA.co.uk
98
USA
the existing surface, an improved
sward was planted with a drill seeder,
and then irrigated and fertilised. But,
at every stage, the constraints of the
site had to be considered.
“We were only able to decompact
to a set depth, and it was not always
possible to use heave because of
archaeological features and works,”
explains Lee. “So, it has to be an
ongoing process to get the benefits of
decompaction, and the GPS
equipment has been vital to identify
vulnerable areas.”
The course was seeded with a
single variant of ryegrass to avoid the
spread of invasive species such as
fescues into the native grassland.
During the reinstatement phase,
ryegrass selective herbicide will be
used to kill off the rye and restore the
turf to acid grasslands.
Irrigation of the ten metre wide
USA
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The last fence on the test event course
Greenwich Observatory overlooks the jumps
track presented a special challenge, as
the ground in this area cannot be
penetrated. Pipe systems and pop-up
sprinklers were not an option.
“We developed a bowser system which
is towed behind a GPS-guided tractor
with a low level folding applicator bar,”
says Lee, “It is also fitted with a water
cannon for areas which can’t be driven
on, so that they can be irrigated from the
side.”
Fertiliser had to be planned on a site
specific basis too: “Around protected
trees we used organic based fertilisers, as
synthetic products can affect the
symbiosis between the tree roots and
beneficial fungi. The acid grasslands
were treated with low nitrogen fertiliser
to avoid changing the species
composition whilst, on less sensitive
areas, we could use a golf grade fertiliser
at a higher rate.”
Mowing the entire site is achieved with
a Toro Groundsmaster ride-on rotary,
with cut height set at 30mm during the
establishment phase to encourage the
sward to thicken, rising to the required
competition cut height of 65mm.
As the sward has established, Lee and
his team tested the quality of the
underfoot conditions to ensure that it
would provide the quality riding surface
needed. A Clegg hammer measures
firmness, while an STRI-developed
traction meter - proven at the recent
developments in the Hickstead
international show jumping arena assesses the strength of the turf, and a
moisture probe measures moisture levels.
“The combination of measurements
enables us to assess the quality of the
surface, and we are aiming to develop
this as a benchmark for the Federation
Equestre Internationale (FEI) to use as a
standard for future events - until now
there has been no set standard,”
comments Lee. “It showed that our
approach had worked - the Clegg meter
gave firmness readings of 80 Gravities on
the cross country course, which is the
FEI’s ideal range for this type of event,
as opposed to 160G elsewhere in the
park.”
Throughout the development, the
park remained open to the public, with
only certain areas fenced off in the
immediate period surrounding the test
event, so the contractors were constantly
surrounded by bystanders.
“Up to two million people a year use
the park, and the areas where we were
working could be filled with families
picnicking, children playing and dog
walkers, so our machinery operators had
to be very focused,” says Lee. “We tried
to do as much as possible early in the
morning, but having good operators was
essential - they are all qualified to MSc
level, and are well aware of the health
“No significant differences in the cut
quality in terms of shredding, rough
cut edges or turf die back between the
Merlin 320 rotary mower and the
control (reel type) mower”.
Mitchell, A. (2011). Trimax Merlin 320 Mower Trial.
NZ Turf Management Journal, 26(2), 20-24.
MOLCBPPFLK>IQO>@QLOMLTBOBAJLTFKDBNRFMJBKQ
Unit 11B, Hill Farm Estate, Irthlingborough Road, Little Addington
Kettering, Northamptonshire, NN14 4AS, United Kingdom
PHONE: 01933 652235 EMAIL: info@trimaxmowers.co.uk
www.trimaxmowers.com
PDUWLQL P
99
Greenwich Park
The 73ha park is London’s oldest Royal Park,
created in 1433, and has been a World Heritage
Site since 1997. It was a gift from King James I
to his wife Queen Anne, who commissioned a
home for herself on the site, now known as the
Queen’s House and providing the backdrop to the
main arena.
It has numerous archaeological features, veteran
trees and protected species, and is home to
many historic buildings include the Royal
Observatory, Royal Naval College and National
Maritime Museum.
LOCOG has worked closely with the Royal Parks,
Natural England, English Heritage and Sport
England to ensure that all their needs are met
during the construction phase.
After the games, the park will be restored to the
Royal Parks’ satisfaction, with the final sign off in
2015.
Veteran trees
Greenwich
Park has
more veteran
trees than
any other
park in the
country, and
protecting
their roots
from damage
is essential.
No vehicle
heavier than a golf buggy can drive in their root
area, and their surrounds are woodchipped to
avoid damage by the horses’ hooves.
Bowser irrigation behind GPS tractor
and safety requirements.”
They also found themselves taking
on a PR role. The decision to host
the equestrian events in Greenwich
Park had been controversial from the
start, with protesters concerned
about damage to the park and
impact on the community. Despite a
concerted publicity campaign and
the backing of the council, formal
protests took place at the test event
and objectors have continued to
make their feelings known to the
media.
“We would get fifteen to twenty
people a day stop us and ask what
was going on. Local objectors have
made their feelings known but, in
general, we found people to be very
positive. We aimed to make any
disruption minimal and most
residents are excited by the potential
benefits,” commented Lee.
LOCOG Equestrian Manager, Tim
Hadaway, said: “LOCOG engaged
STRI as its contractor because of
their expertise in ecological work,
and they have worked a miracle,
taking sparse, desert-like terrain to a
lush green surface resembling a golf
course.
“The standards required for
equestrian sport have risen
dramatically since Sydney 2000,
when I first became involved at this
level - the quality of riding surface
has to be as good as a racecourse, or
better.”
He added: “ The FEI’s technical
delegate walked the course with me
before the test event and he was
highly impressed with what has been
achieved.”
Lee added that the surface is
performing at about eighty percent
of the quality that it will be for 2012.
“We are almost there with the turf
establishment but, as it is not a
closed site, we have to deal with
damage from public use. Charlton
The all weather arena
All weather competition and practice areas
have been installed by contractor Andrews
Bowen to give the consistent footing
required for high traffic during dressage and
jumping events
The main arena, constructed by The
Structure Group, is on 2,000 stilts to avoid penetrating the surface of the park. Each
stilt can be adjusted for height via a screw mechanism. A membrane and blinding
layer is overlaid with a plastic box section drainage layer, and then topped with a
sand and fibre mix. This can be harrowed to provide a ‘fluffy’ surface for horses, but
was also rolled and compacted for the running and shooting phases of the modern
pentathlon test event.
A grandstand with 2,000 seats was installed for the test event but, in 2012, 22,000
spectators will enjoy a birds’ eye view across London from their seats.
Not just turf
The cross country course makes full use of the
park’s undulations, and this downhill run between
fences was too heavily shaded to support a stable
turf surface. So, the contractors sourced a
crushed stone skin – but this had to match the
pH of the local acidic soil. Northamptonshire
company, Bennie Stone, supplied the right
material and this was mixed in and graded.
Toro Groundsmaster in action
Athletic also use the park for
training, and it is the start and warm
up area for the London Marathon, so
we are working closely with the
organisers for next year’s event!”
The test event and beyond
LOCOG has planned eighteen test
events for the Olympic Games - of
which the equestrian event was the
first - involving 5,000 athletes and
attended by 250,000 spectators.
The objective of a test event is to
test the ‘field of play’, i.e. the venue,
the technology
(scoring/timing/results) and the
contractors and workforce. The cross
country course was about half the
length that will be used for the
Olympic event itself, but was
representative of the track and
terrain that will challenge horses and
riders in 2012.
“We are very pleased with how it
has gone,” commented Lee. “The
turf behaved pretty much as
expected. One or two shaded areas
have cut up, which we were prepared
for, and we will cut those out and
returf. We will also continue to work
on the areas of the course that were
not used for the test event and bring
the entire track up to the same
standard.”
The test event also provided an
opportunity to get feedback from
some of the sport’s most experienced
competitors: Australian team member
Clayton Fredericks said after the test
event cross country: “It was a little bit
slippery around the bends. Maybe
they could think about banking the
corners to protect the horses.”
Lee explained: “The slippery
corner was down to an issue with the
placing of a jump immediately before
an adverse camber. Therefore, one or
two horses put their back legs in a
low section upon landing, hence the
slip. It was, luckily, not a footing
issue. We will take heed of this,
however, and ensure that the hairpin
bends are worked on particularly to
get the strongest possible rooting.”
The event was won by British rider
Piggy French, who said: “As you walk
into the park you get goosebumps.
The organisers have done a great job
with the stabling, the arenas and the
cross-country course. It's going to be
fabulous and I can’t wait to come
back.”
Acid Grass will be restored
STRI has now returned to a
maintenance phase - mowing,
watering and aerating for the rest of
2011. After a ‘quiet winter’,
preparations for the Olympic event,
which starts on 29th July 2012, begin
in earnest in March.
“We were watering for ten hours a
day in the run up to the test event,
and have contingency plans in place
for whatever the weather throws at us
over the next year,” commented Lee.
“If it turns wet, we will keep
machinery off the course and use
smaller equipment wherever possible.
The test event has shown us that the
surface works for equestrian sport at
this level, and we can now build on it
for 2012.”
Equestrian events at the Olympics
Part of the Olympics since 1900,
equestrian disciplines are the only
Olympic sports in which men and
women compete on an equal footing.
Greenwich Park will host Dressage
and Paralympic Dressage,
Showjumping, Eventing (a three
phase sport comprising dressage,
cross country and showjumping) and
Modern Pentathlon.
Facilities include a 5800m cross
country course (2800m of which was
used for the test event), 90x113m all
weather surface arena, stabling, grass
and all weather practice arenas.
Roman temple revived
This fence is on the site of a Roman temple
which had been repeatedly excavated, leaving a
rough, damaged surface. Local archaeologists
excavated the site once more to the ruin, and
mapped and charted it fully before it was
capped and turfed by the contractors.
“This is our part of the legacy – the temple is
now protected and won’t be dug up again,”
explains Lee.
The Olympics and the community
Greenwich Council has been closely
involved in the management and
restoration of the site; leader Chris
Roberts points out that the Games
benefits local employment and
businesses, and will drive tourism in
the area.
It has committed £20m to the
project, which will include raising
twelve parks to Green Flag status,
planting numerous trees and making
improvements to children’s play
facilities.
The community has also been
involved - local schoolchildren will
help to design a
‘Greenwich’ jump for
the cross country
course and, when
1,000 tickets were
offered for the
equestrian test event,
the council received
12,000 applications.
Lee Penrose
101
Polo is getting the T20 treatment as the
public’s thirst for fast and furious sport
ekes into the equestrian world.
Polo in the Park, now in its third year and
already winner of London Sport
Attraction of the Year, is attracting large
crowds to the former home of the sport.
AT Bone are the contractors charged with
turning a council facility into a world
class venue in just a few weeks.
Report by Laurence Gale MSc
POLO
in the
PARK
P
olo in the Park,
held on land
adjoining and
formerly owned by
the Hurlingham
Club in Fulham, London, is
fast becoming one of
London’s most popular
events. Now in its third year,
it provides a fascinating
introduction to the sport of
polo and, what makes it even
more interesting, is that it’s
held on the very same ground
it was originally played on
more than one hundred years
ago.
Polo was brought to
England in 1869, owing
largely to the initiative of one
of the Hurlingham Club’s
first Trustees, Lord De L’Isle
and Dudley, and its Manager,
Captain the Hon J D (later
Lord) Monson, and the game
was established at
Hurlingham in 1874.
Bordering the Thames in
Fulham, and set in forty-two
acres of magnificent grounds,
The Hurlingham Club is a
green oasis of tradition and
international renown.
Recognised throughout the
world as one of Britain’s
greatest private members
clubs, it retains its
quintessentially English
traditions and heritage, whilst
providing modern facilities
and services for its members.
The Hurlingham Club
became - and remained until
the Second World War - the
headquarters of Polo for the
British Empire, and was the
scene of major competitions,
notably the famous
Westchester Cup matches
between England and the
United States of America.
Unfortunately, after the
Second World War, the club
lost both of its polo fields to
the Government through a
Compulsory Purchase Order.
One polo field was built on,
whilst the other was turned
into a public open space,
which is still in use today.
However, in 2009, an event
PR company saw the
opportunity to promote ‘Polo
in the Park’, working on the
fact that they had the ideal
venue for the pitch and were
able to associate themselves
with the famous Hurlingham
Club, which is used for
corporate hospitality during
the event.
The three day event
comprises a number of
matches between some of the
world’s best international
polo teams and players. The
playing field is surrounded by
a corporate hospitality village
where there is a variety of
attractions, including the
Veuve Clicquot Champagne
Garden, Harrods Food Court
and lively bars, Mahiki and
The Punch Bowl Pub - all
with direct views of the polo
field.
Since its debut in 2009,
Polo in the Park has rapidly
established itself as one of the
leading central London
sporting events, selling out to
both the corporate market
and general public in 2010
and, in the same year,
winning London Sport
Attraction Of The Year.
In a similar way to how
Twenty20 has changed the
image of cricket, Polo in the
Park has adapted the
traditional rules of polo to
create a high octane, fast
moving and dynamic sport
which attracts both spectators
and the media alike.
Six teams - Mint Team
London, City AM Team New
York, Gaucho Team Buenos
Aires, Otkritie Team Moscow,
Team Abu Dhabi and IG
Index Team Sydney - play in
a round robin format over
three days, culminating with
the final and the presentation
of the MINT Trophy.
The job of changing the
park into an elite polo
playing field has been a
testament to the skills and
hard work of Rob Kendle,
operations manager for AT
Bone & Sons, who took up
the challenge back in 2009.
The company is a
successful sports turf
contractor which, under Rob’s
guidance, has secured many
interesting jobs in terms of
sports turf provision, with this
being one of their toughest
challenges to date.
In less than six weeks, Rob
and his team have to turn a
swathe of public open space
into a top quality playing
surface for horse and rider to
perform on.
The park generally
provides the local community
with a number of rugby and
football pitches to play on,
with both incurring a lot of
wear during the playing
season. It is upon these
pitches that the polo field is
created.
Work begins in earnest as
soon as Rob can gain access
to the park - this year they
managed to get on site on the
26th April. Rob will have
already inspected the site to
ascertain the level of input
required. In the first year it
was a bit of a guess on their
part, as they had to tender
against other companies and
were not fully familiar with
the possible outcomes; it was
a case of suck it and see.
However, now into his third
year, he knows, with some
confidence, what can be
achieved in a relatively short
period of time. The public,
however, still have access to
the park until two weeks
before the event - this year
the park was closed to the
public on the 23rd May.
Closing the park is
important, as it allows Rob
and his staff the freedom to
get their job completed
without the worry of kids
coming on to the playing
surface to play football.
Rob enlists the help of two
other staff members to help
set up and maintain the polo
field during the three day
event - Rob Draper and Pat
Bradfield - who remain on
site everyday once the park is
closed, spending their
valuable time mowing,
watering, feeding and
overseeding.
No two years have ever
been the same; the weather is
the driving factor and the
condition they receive the
park in dictates the way
forward. This year’s dry
spring did not help, with
grass cover being thin with
little vigour. Rob’s plan was to
decompact the area using a
vertidrain, topdress to restore
levels, overseed and feed to
promote quick growth. The
polo field area was sown with
one of Rob’s own blended rye
grass seed mixes.
With the experience of the
last two years under his belt,
the one driving factor to the
success of the project is
having the availability of
water on site. Last year they
worked closely with the local
environment agency and
gained permission to drill a
bore hole to extract twenty
cubic metres of water a day,
back up by the mains supply.
This enables them to provide
with the large amounts
required to water the new
polo playing area of two
hectares (200m x 100m).
A twenty four hour step test
was carried out to ensure the
borehole could produce the
allocated amount of water
required under the terms of
the licence. The test was
successful, thereby ensuring
they had enough water to
cope with the likely demand.
A T Bone have designed
and built a number of
specialised mobile pumping
containers which can store up
to twenty six cubic metres of
water that can be pumped, at
pressure, using Grundfos
pumps to operate their self
Pat Bradfield, Rob Kendle and Rob Draper,
the team responsible for ...
turning this ...
into this ...
with spectacular results
The AT Bone team mowing and marking out
Rob Draper tackles the big divots ...
... while the high heel brigade help out!
Large crowds on all three days
104
travelling sprinklers and
water cannons. They have two
mobile units, allowing plenty
of capacity to cope with
demand and effectively be
able to apply 8mm of water in
one pass of the playing area.
It can take between 4-8 hours
to complete a full cycle.
The underlying soil in the
park tends to be quite free
draining, so it is inclined to
dry out quickly, hence the
need to irrigate in dry
conditions. Without the water
it would be extremely difficult
to produce a good sward in
the time they have.
Once the new seed has
germinated, it is a case of
waiting for it to get to the two
leaf stage and begin the
process of cutting, starting
with rotary mowers and then
moving on to cylinder
mowers to get a closer,
sharper cut. Height of cut
(HOC) at the start of the
cutting regime is around
60mm and this is then
gradually reduced, over the
coming weeks, until they get
to match playing height of
around 28-30mm.
To help speed up the
growth and enhance colour,
the sward is fed with a
Humber Palmer organic
granular 10:5:16 + 1% fe at a
rate of 40 gms/m², which is
followed, eight days before
the tournament, with some
seaweed products.
I caught up with Rob and
his staff on the day before the
event to see, first-hand, the
work they had achieved
leading up to it, whilst also
taking on board the sheer
scale and size of the project. I
also wanted to witness the last
minute preparations and
enjoy seeing the pitch being
used by these skillful and
highly respected polo players.
Rob and his staff were busy
mowing the pitch, putting the
goal sockets in and setting up
the sprinklers to give it a final
watering. Like horseracing,
the welfare of the horse and
rider is paramount and,
therefore, ground conditions
have to be safe and
consistent; not too firm and
not too wet.
The following morning I
returned to see Rob’s final
pitch preparations - one final
cut and the marking out of
the pitch. The pitch is 100m
x 200m and needs a
perimeter pitch line to
demark the playing area, a
half way line and penalty
areas.
Using a laser guided spray
jet linemarker, it was a simple
case of setting up the laser
guides and marking out. To
help make the half way line
stand out, blue lines were
sprayed either side of the
white line. All the work was
completed by midday when
the public are allowed in. It
was good to stand back and
admire the standard of work
the lads had achieved; the
pitch looked absolutely first
class from the stand.
The true test, though,
comes when the first game is
played; Rob can then judge
the playing condition of the
pitch and see how it stands
up to six horses running and
turning at break neck speed.
The format of the game is
two teams of three players,
with each rider having four
horses, with the rules of this
event stating that horses have
to be changed for each
chukker. So, for every game,
twenty four horses are used,
with the aim of ensuring they
get adequate rest and are not
over-exerted.
A game consists of four
chukkers, each of seven
minutes duration and,
allowing for changeovers,
divot replacement and rest
periods, lasts about one hour.
We had to wait until
Six international teams ready to do battle
2.45pm to witness the first
game and see how the pitch
would perform. In the
meantime, we were able to
soak up the atmosphere and
enjoy the hospitality the
event has to offer, plenty of
drink and food outlets, with
thousands of people enjoying
the glorious sunshine.
The organisers were
expecting good numbers to
attend - the first day is
usually fairly quiet, getting
busier as the event
progresses, with 16,000
tickets sold for Sunday. It
looked like it was going to be
a very busy weekend.
Finally, the players make
their way onto the pitch to
begin their match. The game
is played at fast tempo with
horses galloping up and
down the pitch at breakneck
speed and turning on a
sixpence. The players’ control
of the ball is amazing; goals
come thick and fast, making
it a highly exciting and high
scoring game.
Rob was watching the
horses closely, seeing how
they perform on the surface
and, more importantly, how
the surface stood up to this
activity. The variability of
soils over such a large area
can cause problems, with
different parts of the ground
having different playing
characteristics. On the whole,
Rob was pleased with the way
the pitch was standing up to
the rigours of the game.
After each game the
spectators are allowed
onto the pitch to help
put the divots back,
quite a sight to see all
these fashionable ladies
in high heels walking
all over the pitch. In
amongst the melee of
spectators, Rob and his
staff - armed with forks
- put back the worst of
the divots.
Three more matches were
to be played that day and,
once play had finished, it was
a case of getting back onto
the ground and repairing it,
using a set of brushes, rollers
and rakes to restore levels. If
time allows, they mow it and
mark it again for the
following day’s play.
Once the event is over,
repair work is carried out,
before handing the park back
to the local authority. AT
Bone are also required to
repair all the damaged and
worn areas where the stands,
stables and hospitality
tents/marquees have been.
This involves decompacting
the areas using a vertidrain,
topdressing and over sowing usually leaving the site in a
better condition than when
they started!
It is a tremendous event
and plans are afoot to
promote it in other parts of
the country, allowing more
people to witness a
spectacular spectator sport.
It is certainly a full-on
effort to get the polo field up
and running in such a short
time frame, but the rewards
are excellent when you see
the event unfold over three
days.
Rob must be very proud of
what he and his staff have
achieved this year and is, no
doubt, looking forward to yet
another exciting challenge
next year.
105
Ffos Las
IT’S ALL
MINE!
Britain’s newest racecourse is enjoying the
enthusiastic support of trainers from as far
afield as Newmarket and the Republic of
Ireland, whilst drawing a loyal following of
knowledgeable racegoers from the South
Wales communities which surround it.
Jane Carley reports on the ‘clean sheet’
approach that has served Ffos Las so well
F
or Head Groundsman Arwyn
Morgan, to see top quality
racing taking place on the
pristine turf at Ffos Las is
particularly gratifying. He grew
up just a few miles away - his brother still
farms in a neighbouring village - and he
recalls the valley being turned from the
largest opencast coal mine in Europe to a
crudely backfilled and derelict site when
its resources were exhausted in 1992.
“It is amazing to see what has been
achieved here, and how much it is
appreciated,” he says.
The site was purchased by the directors
of civil engineering contractor, the
Walters Group, in 2002. After a false
start, when it became apparent that no
grants would be available to help raise
the £22m cost of developing Ffos Las as
a racecourse, planning permission was
granted in 2007 for the adjacent
residential and commercial development
needed to fund it.
Considerable pre-construction work
was needed to protect the ecological life
on the site - including lapwings, newts,
otters and hares, which thrive in the
106
centre of the course now - before
development began in June 2007.
The design was managed and
coordinated by Tim Whinney of Walters
Group, working with architects Powell
Dobson and contractor Professional
Sportsturf Design; the construction team
was made up of local companies where
possible.
Clerk of the Course and General
Manager, Tim Long, explains: “The
other racecourses in Britain are mainly
located by default and have developed
over the years, which presents a lot of
challenges. Racehorses are now
extremely valuable, and courses require
considerable ongoing investment to
present a uniform racing surface of a
sufficiently high standard. We were able
to create a racecourse with a clean sheet,
taking the best elements from other
courses, and developing a track that
would produce fair, competitive racing.”
Every aspect has been developed to
exacting specifications set by the British
Horseracing Authority (BHA), from the
perfectly positioned parade ring to 120
immaculate stables complete with hot
and cold washdowns, individual
tackrooms and drug testing facilities.
Tim Long was engaged in 2008, as
part of an agreement with Northern
Racing, to set up the racing operation at
Ffos Las, and initially remained as Clerk
at Chepstow, but has since been
appointed as general manager at the new
course.
By this time, the BHA had become a
constant presence during the
construction, keen to retain some level of
control after difficulties in the
development of Great Leighs racecourse,
which eventually folded in 2009.
“They were here every couple of weeks,
but were extremely supportive, and it was
reassuring to know that the development
was progressing on the right track,”
comments Tim.
How the course was built
The opencast overburden was rolled and
dressed before drains were inserted every
seven metres, running to a main drain,
and overlaid by sand slits every two
metres. Topsoil from the local airport
was imported and graded using GPS
guided dozers, with a further three inches
of sand added and incorporated. Seeding
began with the back straight in 2007, using
a DLF ryegrass and fescue mixture, and
was completed on the home straight in
2008.
“That was a challenging process, as 2008
was so wet,” confirms Arwyn Morgan, “and
the track has remained a bit firmer on the
home side, although it has matured and
evened out all round.”
“I think we have all been surprised how
quickly the track has matured and it gets
easier to manage; although I think we have
also learned how to manage it better as
time has gone on,” comments Tim Long.
The highly effective drainage system is a
saving grace in the winter, and no fixtures
were lost in 2010-11 to waterlogging; but
does mean that the track can be dry in the
summer? Another benefit of the new build
is the availability of the latest ‘green’
technology, and all rainwater is harvested,
draining via the gutters into ditches which
run around the course and fed to lagoons,
where it can be recycled for irrigation.
Planning has also been agreed for a solar
panel ‘farm’ on twenty acres of adjoining
“It is amazing to
see what has been
achieved here,
and how much it is
appreciated”
Arwyn Morgan, Head Groundsman, Ffos Las
“I think we have all
been surprised how
quickly the track
has matured, and it
gets easier to
manage”
Tim Long, Clerk of the Course, Ffos Las
Tim Long
land, which will make Ffos Las
completely energy self-sufficient.
In the early stages of the sward
development, frequent tight mowing to
encourage tillering and minimise
clippings, along with judicious fertiliser
use, was key to producing a quality
racing surface.
The first year also saw the mammoth
task of installing the 9,127 metres of
running rail - the jumps track is divided
into twenty metre sections to ensure fresh
ground for each meeting, requiring
ongoing running rail movements,
although the flat tends to run across the
full sixty metre width; most British
courses are between twenty and forty
metres wide.
Aeration was, and continues to be,
another key factor in establishing the
racing surface, with
a contractor
providing a vertidraining service
three times a year although the course
does have its own
smaller machine for
decompacting take
off and landing
The home straight
areas supplemented by
regular slitting, especially before
irrigation.
A pair of Briggs 40m boom irrigators
make light work of watering the course,
fed from the 55,000 cubic metre
attenuation ponds via a ring main, with
hydrants every 200 yards.
Humber Palmers organic fertiliser was
used initially, but Arwyn comments that a
Yara 21:8:11 compound meets the turf ’s
needs better. “As the surface drains well,
we have to be careful to avoid leaching,
so applications are made little and often
with a Vicon spinning disc spreader,” he
says.
The strongly established turf has seen
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108
“It takes two men to
organise the
watering, and the
mowing is a big job,
plus there are other
tasks including
fence repairs”
Repairing fences
Mowing the rough with a Joskin topper
few problems with disease, but Arwyn
says that, as the track matures, it is ready
for some selective herbicide, although
this will have to be fitted around the busy
racing programme.
Mowing is carried out up to twice a
week, using a 14ft Votex front mounted
rotary deck, with a blower fitted, to the
rear of the 100hp
Massey Ferguson
tractor, which is
shod on turf tyres,
cutting without
wheelmarks and
clearing clippings as
it goes.
“There’s 17.5
hectares to mow, so
we need productive
equipment,” says
Arwyn. “We use a Joskin topper to cut
the rough areas at the centre of the
course and the grass car parks, to avoid
the risk of damage to the Votex.”
Two 80hp Renault tractors were
inherited from the Walters Group’
landscaping business, which also still falls
within Arwyn’s responsibilities, and these
are used for lighter work and as back-up
to the Massey Ferguson.
Mowing the ornamental areas is also
part of the job for Arwyn and his team of
three full time groundsmen; Arwyn’s son,
Rhydian, also helps out in the summer
and local casuals come in on racedays.
“We’re kept busy - it takes two men to
organise the watering and the mowing is
a big job, plus there are other tasks,
including fence repairs.”
The fences are portables so that their
locations can be reassessed as time goes
on, but stay in position on the track
between meetings.
After racing, contractors Turf Services
take care of track reinstatement, using
PM 79 Playing Fields + Gromax divot
mix from Whitemoss Horticulture.
Looking to the future, Tim says: “We
Roller Mowers
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W W W . M A J O R - E Q U I P M E N T . C O M
109
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01748822666 / 07966529666
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Aerial view of the superb Ffos Las racecourse
“The major trainers are
prepared to drive from
Newmarket, because
they know what a good
facility this is”
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110
hope that the track continues
to evolve into a great Welsh
racecourse for people who
want a good day out. There’s
a strong community spirit
and the people are very
proud of Ffos Las. Although
jump racing is more popular,
even at the quieter flat
meetings, there is plenty of
enthusiasm.”
There are also plans to
build on the bigger days, as
Tim explains: “The Welsh
Champion Hurdle is now
fixed in the calendar for the
first Saturday in February,
and it has proved to be an
ideal Cheltenham Festival
trial. Our two day meeting in
August has also become
increasingly popular,
particularly as it features a
Family Day and Ladies’ Day the hospitality sold out early
for Ladies’ Day this year.”
Whilst there is strong
competition for spectator
sports locally, with Ospreys
and Llanelli Scarlets just
down the road, and Swansea
in the premiership for
2011/12, the course holds its
own, and even attracts local
sports stars, which all adds to
the atmosphere.
The crisis in racing prize
money funding is a concern
and affects planning. Whilst
Ffos Las has pledged to keep
prize funds above the
Horsemen’s Tariff
recommendations, it has had
to fund much of this from its
own resources, and Tim
insists that the more valuable
races will not suffer to beef
up the poorer races.
More frustratingly, the
breakdown in levy discussions
means that the process of
allocating fixtures for 2012
has been suspended.
“We were initially allocated
just sixteen fixtures in 2010
but, because we were
confident that we could
provide good going when
others couldn’t, we leased
additional fixtures from the
BHA. With the shortfall in
levy funding, to get to our
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N
FU OW
APP LL UK
ROV
ED
Former site of the largest opencast mine in Europe
What’s in the shed?
An environmental nematicide for protecting grass
•
Reduces Nematode populations in sports
grounds and golf courses
•
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Quick, clean and easy to apply
Economical - 5 litres treats up to 9 greens
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Natural product - safe to use in public areas
eco
ECOspray Ltd, Grange Farm
Hilborough, Thetford, Norfolk IP26 5BT
Tel: 01760 756100 / 07810 305605
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• In particular, ECOspray secured Annex l approval in August 2009 and now has a number
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eco
111
SPRAY
Massey Ferguson 100hp tractor
Two Renault 80hp tractors
Browns Slitter
Votex 14ft front mount rotary
mower
Verti-Drain
Two 40m Briggs irrigators
Allman mounted sprayer
Iseki high tip collector mower
Iseki ride on mower
Joskin topper
Moore uni-drill
Vicon spreader
JCB Groundhog utility vehicle
John Deere Gator utility vehicle
Tipping trailer
Stihl hedgetrimmer
Husqvarna pedestrian rotary
mower
Atco cylinder mower
ECOspray is very
pleased to announce
that Eagle Green CareTM
has been granted UK
approval as a
horticultural liquid
nematicide for amenity
and sports turf (MAPP No 14989)
spray
target of twenty-nine fixtures
we funded the remainder
ourselves,” Tim explains. “It
was a big gamble, but it
worked. Although the fixture
process has been suspended,
we’re confident that we’ll get
sixteen fixtures plus Boxing
Day funded for 2012.”
Tim suggests that the
greatest achievement has
been to build and successfully
run a racecourse on such a
difficult site, and in West
Wales.
“We’re a long way from the
major trainers, but they are
prepared to drive from
Newmarket, because they
know what a good facility this
is. We’re also getting support
from Irish trainers, even at
the smaller meetings, so the
future is extremely bright.”
Coping
with
cutbacks
Poorly kept public spaces
can be linked to increased
anti-social behaviour,
crime and fear of crime,
and that lack of access to
green spaces results in
poorer public health and
well-being. So, is a
partnering approach to
groundcare services the
way forward? Steven
McInroy of SGM Contracts
believes so
SIXTEEN months on from the General
Election, which saw David Cameron
appointed as Prime Minister of a
Conservative/Liberal Democrat
coalition government, the future of
many public services remains uncertain
- not least for groundcare services. But,
what does this mean for the
groundcare industry as a whole? Both
public and private sector organisations
must consider the changes to the
market over the past year and the
developments that are shaping the
future of the industry.
Last October, when Chancellor
George Osborne unveiled the new
Government’s Comprehensive
Spending Review, the reality of
Britain’s deficit reduction plan came
into force. It was inevitable that
councils would have to be ruthless in
making urgent decisions on frontline
service priorities, in order to survive
departmental budget cuts averaging
19% in the four years to follow.
For Parks, Open Spaces and
Horticultural Services, additional
budgetary pressures came coupled with
new legislative requirements and
higher public expectations. Where
groundcare is concerned there is no
simple way of cutting costs: “When
seeking cost reductions, crude cuts run
the risk of damaging the underlying
service, lowering the quality standards
and, ultimately, damaging the visual
environment and public perceptions,”
said a spokesperson from the
Association for Public Service
Excellence (APSE) earlier this year.
Simon Richard, UK Agent for the
Reform and Shibaura tractor ranges,
and also Muthing flails, agrees that
decisions regarding groundcare services
should not be made hastily, saying,
“Undoubtedly, following the cuts, the
favoured route for the majority of UK
local authorities will be a combination
of a reduction in staffing levels and
number of cuts per annum. But
“Our partnering approach to
groundcare fleet management has
previously achieved savings of up
to 35% of current equipment
maintenance costs and reduced
equipment downtime levels”
Steven McInroy, Managing Director, SGM Contracts LLP
112
pressures will come from within, through
much smaller overall budgets and from
the general public, who will continue to
demand a reasonable level of open space
maintenance in return for their taxes.”
The impact that neglect of parks and
green spaces has on communities has
also been acknowledged in research,
indicating that poorly kept public spaces
can be linked to increased anti-social
open-minded in talking to the private
sector to see how efficiencies can be
achieved,” says Steven. “We are talking to
a number of local authorities about
various joint initiatives, for example.
This could include SGM maintaining a
client’s own fleet, perhaps also utilising
and managing existing workshop
facilities they might have, as we are often
able to achieve greater efficiencies
behaviour, crime and fear of crime, and
that lack of access to green spaces results
in poorer public health and well-being.
Experts have suggested that, for these
departments, the impact of the spending
review means more than just cutting
costs, it means finding new ways of
operating in order to add value to the
services they are offering.
In response to the 2010 Budget, Lord
Bichard, Director of the Institute for
Government, said, “Those who run
public services can do one of two things:
carry on trying to run services as they do
now and wait for the fallout from the
budget, knowing that current flaws will
only become more obvious and more
entrenched. Alternatively, ask serious
questions about how a service is
functioning and radically rethink its
design. It will take imagination and
innovation, and it won’t be pain-free, but
doing it could help get even better
services than before and cut waste.”
Several private sector organisations are
now working to make the transition to
what has been coined an era of “citizen
creativity” less painful by offering
flexibility and collaboration.
Steven McInroy, Managing Director of
SGM Contracts LLP, the UK’s largest
hirer of groundcare equipment, holds
the view that partnerships between the
public and private sector can be
particularly effective for achieving
performance improvement and best
value in the delivery of groundcare
services.
“The public sector has to be even more
through our processes and our buying
power for spare parts.”
Such service delivery partnerships are
becoming increasingly attractive to both
local government and to suppliers in the
groundcare industry. According to APSE,
the local government body promoting
excellence in public services, shared
services “can be used to pool knowledge
between organisations, whilst retaining
local sovereignty.”
Steven McInroy has seen, first-hand,
the cost and efficiency savings that can
be made with collaborative working:
“Our partnering approach to groundcare
fleet management has previously
achieved savings of up to 35% of current
equipment maintenance costs and
reduced equipment downtime levels.”
A recent paper published by APSE
stated: “Greater machinery utilisation in
a grounds maintenance unit can result in
a reduction of the number of ride-on
mowers/compact tractors; a potential
saving of up to £100k.” Indeed, SGM’s
partnering fleet management systems
have led to a reduction in capital
expenditure with its maintenance
programmes, allowing customers to
reduce their groundcare fleet sizes by up
to 40% without any loss of operating
capacity.
Partnering between public and private
sector organisations can only be effective
through increased flexibility and
adaptation. Over the past year, SGM has
proven the power of flexibility in a
number of contracts with customers such
as Stockport Metropolitan Borough
Council, Northampton Borough Council
and Rotherham Metropolitan Borough
Council. The Stockport contract, which
commenced in 2005, has evolved
throughout the economic downturn and
government changes. The company has
been working in partnership with the
council and its wholly owned subsidiary,
Solutions SK, to manage the council’s
fleet of grass cutting machinery.
At the start of the contract,
approximately 25% of the kit was still
council owned and was to be maintained
by SGM. This equipment would be
replaced during the course of the
contract as and when both parties agreed
that it was uneconomical to repair but,
whilst still on the fleet, needed to have
accurate service records and be fit for
purpose.
By 2009, machines owned by the
council had fallen to a level of under 5%
of the total fleet, with SGM employing
three engineers and a business manager
working from the same depot in
Stockport, and with monthly meetings
with the council to discuss current issues,
new developments and any new products
they felt could bring additional value to
the contract.
As the end of the five year contract
came into sight, SGM recognised that
pressures surrounding local government,
and particularly the forthcoming cuts in
public spending, would play an essential
part in Stockport MBC’s decision to
extend the contract. They, therefore,
guaranteed further flexibility in all
aspects of the contract, as well as offering
efficiency savings in areas such as fleet
numbers and utilisation, response times
and machine downtime, and operator
training and staff development.
These proposals were in line with
Stockport MBC’s and Solutions SK’s
visions for the future, resulting in a five
year extension to the contract with SGM
feeling confident enough to invest in
excess of £150,000 this year to replace a
key element of the fleet.
Partnerships between public and
private sector organisations involve
shared management and shared risk, and
local government also has a liability to be
open to change when entering a joint
initiative.
Simon Richard suggests that a large
part of the solution to the problems now
confronting them is for local authorities
to reassess their whole machinery fleet in
terms of value, performance and
functionality, saying, “The skill for all
concerned will be to arrive at the
optimum level of capital expenditure
that will deliver the best service possible
for the taxpayer.”
Simon goes on to make a more specific
suggestion for adding value to
groundcare services: “In my opinion, the
ability of local authorities to achieve
those two objectives of delivering quality
of cut at less frequent intervals, will be
greatly increased by taking the decision
to increase the level of rotary and flail
mowers as a percentage of their
groundcare machinery stock.”
The shift away from cylinder gangs
113
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“The skill for all concerned
will be to arrive at the
optimum level of capital
expenditure that will
deliver the best service
possible for the taxpayer”
and towards rotaries and flail
mowers is just one example of
a recent development,
coming as a result of the
spending cuts, that has had a
major impact on both the
public and private sectors for
groundcare services.
Not only do rotaries and
flail mowers generally cost
less to purchase, they also
cost less in maintenance.
Added to this is the
increasing tendency to cut
less frequently. “A reduction
in frequency of cuts per year,
possibly in the order of fifty
percent, will inevitably result
in the need for grass to be cut
when both longer and wet,”
says Simon. “Whilst the
cylinder option will
undoubtedly struggle to cope
with such conditions, flails
and rotaries are far more
effective and efficient in
longer wet grass conditions,
as the discharge area reaches
the full width of the machine.
Perhaps the main claim of
these machines is the ability
to deliver very acceptable
surfaces in all grass
conditions, and at a fraction
of the cost of the
alternatives.”
In addition to making
changes to the machinery
fleet and working practices,
local authorities are also
looking into different options
for acquiring machinery. In
particular, contract hire is
becoming increasingly
attractive to councils.
By hiring equipment,
councils can eliminate the
risks associated with
purchasing such goods,
removing assets from their
balance sheet, thereby
reducing the amount of
depreciating assets. Hire
contracts allow businesses and
authorities to maintain the
image of their fleet with a
disciplined replacement
programme, whilst
benefitting from a fixed
budget and the opportunity
to release funds for more
profitable use and to improve
cash flow. Some hirers are
now offering hire contracts
with all maintenance and
repairs built in, a more
efficient option for councils
looking to keep variable costs
to a minimum.
Suppliers are also
extending their product and
service offerings to be able to
cater better for the market.
Councils are now looking
for more than the mere
supply of machinery: they are
increasingly outsourcing all
aspects of fleet management,
from maintenance to training
to sourcing of spare parts.
Groundcare suppliers are now
required to shape their
service delivery models
around the needs of the users
and the changing demands of
the marketplace.
Shelton Chain Trencher
“The future of these
services will depend very
much on the extent to
which councils have been
innovative and adaptive
and continue to be so”
Looking at the various
options available to local
government for reducing
costs, whilst improving parks
and green spaces services, it
would be wrong to assume
that a solution to the
spending cuts in this area has
been found.
The harsh reality is that
there is no single solution.
The future of these services
will depend very much on the
extent to which councils have
been innovative and adaptive
and continue to be so. And, it
is through partnerships with
private sector organisations
that these adaptations can be
made as effectively as
possible. There is, indeed, a
certain level of comfort that
can be sought from the
notion of ‘shared pain’ that
comes with joint initiatives.
SGM has proven the value
of a partnering approach to
groundcare fleet management
in these trying times and, in
doing so, has managed to
secure numerous stable and
mutually beneficial contracts.
For example, the company
has recently completed a
£100,000 investment in Toro
Fairway Mowers to meet the
seasonal hire requirements of
Glasgow City Council.
Likewise, a £10,000
investment has been made
towards further hand tools
for Manchester City Council.
Recognising the value of this
collaborative approach, a
number of councils have
extended their contracts in
the past year, including
Tamworth MBC for which
SGM has made a £50,000
investment in new
replacement machines for the
contract extension period.
Steven McInroy concludes:
“Parks, Open Spaces and
Horticultural Services are
undoubtedly highly valuable
in their contribution to health
and leisure, the quality of the
environment, the economy,
social inclusion and
combating climate change.
Furthermore, suppliers of
groundcare equipment, such
as ourselves, depend on
continued care for these areas
to survive the economic
downturn. Whilst the
pressures on local
government are in no way
slackening, a partnering
approach to groundcare fleet
management can certainly
soften the blow for the public
sector, whilst also creating
opportunities for suppliers
and generating a more
positive outlook for the
industry as a whole.”
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115
T
Alex Welsh
As grassroots sport
struggles to survive in
the face of austerity, Tom
James visits a centre that
has developed a model
for success in its
community
he London Playing Fields Society
(now the London Playing Fields
Foundation (LPFF)) was formed
in 1890 by a group of visionary
Victorians concerned with the
need to protect London’s open spaces for
current and future generations.
By protecting the capital’s playing
fields from the threat of development,
the newly-formed society was able to help
sustain the public’s enthusiasm for
sporting and recreational pursuits.
More than a century later, the charity’s
work remains unchanged and unstinting,
yet the challenge to safeguard precious
green spaces has stiffened, as the density
of urban living intensifies.
Throughout the 20th century, and into
this millennium, the Foundation has
successfully acquired grounds across
London and currently numbers eight
sites on its books.
Every one of its ‘projects’ strives to
increase participation in sport by offering
community access to good quality sports
pitches and facilities, with key usage
groups including schools, clubs,
disadvantaged and under-represented
groups, as well as inactive people.
One of the most successful of LPFF’s
developments, which has proven the
commercial viability of blending sound
outdoor pitch provision with high quality
indoor leisure, is the Peter May Sports
Centre in Walthamstow, East London.
A former Inner London Education
Authority (ILEA) site known as Wadham
Lodge Sports Centre, the land was
acquired by the Foundation in 1991 with
the vision of creating a “regionally
significant” cricket focus.
The centre is named after the former
England cricket captain, Peter May, who
was a Vice President of the LPFF from
1985 to 1994. The appeal was launched
by his family and friends to
commemorate Peter and his support for
the LPFF.
It is here that a young David Beckham
played for three years, scoring over one
hundred goals for his club, Ridgeway
Rovers, prior to signing for Manchester
United.
Plans and costings for redevelopment
were drawn up in the early 1990s, but the
earmarked £7.5m project cost proved too
great at the time. “It wasn’t until the
introduction of the National Lottery in
1995 that the scheme got off the
ground,” explains Alex Welsh, LPFF chief
executive.
In 2000, as a result of the Peter May
Appeal, which raised £1.6m and funding
from the National Lottery (£3.8m) and
Waltham Forest (£475,000), the site was
transformed into the Foundation’s
flagship facility, with a bespoke indoor
cricket hall with cricket nets, a sand-filled
artificial 2G pitch, complete with new
drainage, a health and fitness club and
changing rooms.
The thirty-four acres of playing fields
include three mini football pitches, one
junior football, four adult football and
four cricket pitches, with the grounds
playing host to some of the Foundation’s
innovative inclusion projects, such as
Active Angels and Coping Through
Football.
Users of the centre include local clubs,
schools, universities, and it is also used
for county and district fixtures, whilst
also acting as a London base for the
Essex County Cricket Board to identify
and develop talented young cricketers.
The outdoor football pitches have also
provided a home venue for Leyton
Orient FC Girls Centre of Excellence. By
A Capital
Investment
working in partnership with operator,
Greenwich Leisure Ltd., and other
leisure providers at its venues, LPFF have
established a successful business model,
which combines a modern health and
fitness centre with a first-class multi-sport
hub that is able to generate income to
reinvest back into turf maintenance
programmes.
Six of their other seven locations,
Fairlop Oak Playing Field; London
Marathon Playing Field (LMPF)
Redbridge; LMPF Greenwich; LMPF
Greenford; Douglas Eyre Sports Centre,
Boston Manor Playing Field, Hounslow
are a mixture of indoor and outdoor
provision, and making quality and
inclusion their governing principles. The
eighth site - Prince George’s Playing
Fields, Merton - is leased to David Lloyd
Leisure Ltd.
For Alex, the key to the success of
grass-roots pitches is in providing quality,
because high standards generate
throughput. “The best defence against
playing field closures is high usage. If
you can make fields attractive and of
good quality, they will be well utilised.
Only when standards slip does the
community lose interest.”
“In the beginning we felt that, to make
this work, there needed to be multiple
elements - not only high calibre playing
fields, but also an indoor provision that
would bring users to the site throughout
the year,” Alex explains.
“As cricket was our biggest draw, we
believed that making this a hub for the
sport could prove successful, and there
was nothing in the area working to the
model we had planned - with the same
level of indoor provision.”
The indoor 27m x 31m sports hall was
created to accommodate winter Uniturf
cricket practice, with its six lanes, sprung
floor and shockpad. It is the most heavily
used indoor cricket facility in the region
and a good part of the reason Essex
County Cricket Club were attracted to
the venue.
Whilst ensuring that a solid business
model is in place is crucial to long-term
sustainability, the primary goals of LPFF
are to promote playing fields and ensure
that pitches have a voice. For Alex, there
still remains much to be done to see that
playing fields are better utilised and
maintained.
“Grass-roots developments need to be
much more articulate in promoting their
social and health benefits,” says Alex,
“and more effective at working in
collaboration with business partners,
often from outside the sports sector.”
“As well as its health benefits, sport is a
fantastic tool for engagement with hard
to reach groups and brings the
community together.”
“Playing field usage should be
underpinned by sports development
principles, rather than marketed on a
first come, first served basis. Too often
the management, marketing and
maintenance of local authority pitches
are overseen by different departments
working to different agendas,” he insists.
It is projects like the Peter May Sports
Centre that Alex believes offer the kind
of multi-use development needed to
allow pitches to prosper.
”The Peter May is a multi-sport hub - a
sun in a solar system of smaller facilities.
Such centres can help drive sports
development locally,” he states.
In the LPFF’s work with the London
Mayor’s Office, they identified a network
of existing and potential multi-sport
hubs across the capital as part of a wider
2012 Legacy Plan for grass-roots sport.
The network provides a framework for
strategic investment for the Mayor’s Play
Sport Legacy Fund. Each site within the
framework complied with a set of key
characteristics (based on the Peter May
Sports Centre experience), which aimed
at getting more people to play sport. The
investment needed to develop the whole
network was £173m, with only 13%
matched funding already in place.
“At a time when there are many more
opportunities to do things in what is
classified as leisure time, we need to
provide the best experience possible so
that the customer wants to return time
and again,” he explains.
“This entails ensuring clubs have
access to facilities that are not just
attractive, but also are provided in the
right location and used to full capacity.
Clubs cannot rest on their laurels,
expecting members to turn up every
week.”
”They should have an understanding
of where the club fits within the bigger
picture, and be prepared to change with
the times. Just because a club has always
existed, and has a history, does not mean
that it is the right model for the 21st
century.”
One of the guiding principles of the
LPFF’s approach to pitch maintenance is
to offer a solid start in the industry for
young and aspiring groundsmen. The
age bracket across their seven sites is
wide; from their most senior
groundsman, 65-year-old Colin Howard
at Douglas Eyre, to the two youngest,
who are both based at the Peter May
Sports Centre.
The turfcare duo, who are required to
meet a punishing schedule of seasonal
sports, are twenty-six year old Paul Cox
“Next time you’re in a new
supermarket, or retail outlet, remember
that, once upon a time, you might have
been standing in the centre circle of a
football pitch or on a cricket wicket”
Alex Welsh, LPFF Chief Executive
“We want to engender a
sense of team spirit in our
groundsmen, which is why
we put a big emphasis on
meeting regularly to share
ideas”
Paul Cox and Billy Beech
“Unfortunately, in our
business, you cannot
cater for everyone, but
we have to listen to
people and make sure
they feel that you have
taken on board what
they’re saying”
118
and his assistant Billy Beech
who, at only twenty, is the baby
of the bunch.
Paul joined the team six years
ago having acquired an early
taste for the industry from his
uncle, Darren Rorie, who works
at Boston Manor in Ealing. “I
had never taken any formal
qualifications in horticulture or
groundsmanship, but the
grounding I gained from my
uncle is something that I will
always value - it gave me the
solid foundations I needed to
help build a successful career in
the industry,” explains Paul.
After leaving school, he was
faced with two career options “gas or grass”. Thankfully, for
him and for the Foundation, he
swept aside any thoughts of a gas
maintenance job, jumped into
groundsmanship and hasn’t
looked back.
For both Paul and Billy, the
chance they have been given to
take on such a big responsibility
at an early age is one they relish
and, it seems, is one they have
taken in their stride.
Billy came to the centre fresh
out of school, eager to start at
the highest level he could. “Billy
was eighteen when the post of
head groundsman became
vacant but, at the time, his
experience wasn’t quite enough
for him to take on such a
challenging role,” explains Alex.
“Taking him on as an assistant
was the best way forward, as it
will allow him to develop and
hone his skills so he can
eventually take on a head
groundsman position at one of
our other sites,” he adds.
Billy began his training at
sixteen, with the LPFF meeting
the costs of his education. Billy
took his NVQ in Horticulture
and later a BTec level 2
qualification in Sports Turf,
which he received last year.
Aspirations are high among the
young LPFF staff.
“I definitely want to work in
top-flight football one day,”
states Billy. “Seeing how much
the profession has moved on in
only a few years, and how people
like Darren Baldwin at Spurs
command much more respect
than ever before, gives us
something to aspire to.”
For Alex, it’s important to have
the right mix of experience and
youth in the ranks. “All the lads
have a great relationship with
each other and we share
information and equipment
between us,” explains Paul. “It’s
important for us to show the
older guys that we’re just as
capable and can deliver great
playing surfaces here. We have
regular meetings with each other
so, when they come to us, we
have a chance to show off our
work.”
Keen to also stress the sense of
operational independence the
groundstaff enjoy, Alex chimes
in: “You won’t find anyone
checking their watches at 8.00am
to make sure the lads have
started on time. The proof of the
pudding is in the eating, so we
can tell if the pitches are up to
scratch or not. The end user is a
good guide of quality and we are
soon told if they feel something
is not right.”
“We want to engender a sense
of team spirit in our
groundsmen,” adds Alex, “which
is why we put a big emphasis on
meeting regularly to share ideas,
and allow the younger staff to
learn from the older guys.”
One of the biggest influences
on Billy’s development has been
LPFF groundsman Dave Garrett,
who sadly died of bowel cancer
two years ago. “It was from Dave
that I learned how to prepare a
cricket wicket - tips that I will
always remember him for,”
reveals Billy.
Learning how to maintain
grass cut heights to prolong the
life of the wicket was one of his
most valued pieces of advice that
Billy puts to good use during the
summer.
“Keeping the grass to a 3-4mm
height is vital to allow the
wickets the longevity they need
to cope with the volume of play
we get here,” Billy notes.
“Despite the fact that some of
our clubs would like it as short as
possible, it’s just not practical for
us, and would end up ruining
the wickets, so we have to
maintain that extra length.”
Paul again remembers his
uncle as the one who offered
him the most guidance in his
early development, and it is
cricket where his passion lies.
“Perhaps the best piece of advice
he gave me was how to scarify
the square. At the time it was not
“Too often the management,
marketing and maintenance
of local authority pitches
are overseen by different
departments working to
different agendas”
the conventional approach, but I
was taught to scarify in a
diamond formation in a crosshatching process. I find this
brings greater results and works
particularly well for our squares.”
Timing also plays a key part in
correctly preparing pitches and
when to start work for a new
season. As the football season is
slightly longer, and can often run
over, the pair like to leave the
changeover as late as possible.
“Seeding at the right time is
important,” says Billy, “and as
the warmer weather seems to
come much earlier, we have to
tailor our times accordingly.”
“We started seeding at the end
of May this year due to the
particularly warm and dry April
but, in general, the margins
between seeding, establishment
and summer play are growing
tighter.”
It can sometimes be a
thankless task having to cater for
all tastes, especially when the
margins between the winter and
summer seasons are so tight.
Paul and Billy only have a twoweek window, once the whistle
blows on the last football match
of the twenty-eight week season,
to bring the four cricket squares
up to scratch for the beginning
of their twenty week term.
“Any complaints received are
always relayed back to the lads
and we have a talk through
whether the comments are fair
or not,” Alex explains. Billy
adds: “Unfortunately, in our
business, you cannot cater for
everyone, especially with cricket,
but we have to listen to people
and make sure they feel that you
have taken on board what they’re
saying.”
”There is no pecking order
here. Every pitch is maintained
to the same high standard, no
matter who is playing on them,
so everyone is entitled to their
SEE US AT SALTEX
STAND E1
119
“The best
defence
against playing
field closures
is high usage.
If you can
make fields
attractive and
of good quality,
they will be
well utilised.
Only when
standards slip
does the
community
lose interest”
120
opinion.”
Football and cricket both enjoy 95-100%
usage throughout the season, the centre
catering largely for schools and university
fixtures mid-week, and a busy programme
of club matches at weekends.
That leaves just Friday for Paul and
Billy to repair any damage and bring the
pitches up to the standard that
participants have grown to expect.
When the LPFF embarked on the
programme of investment at the centre, it
was recognised that reliable equipment
was essential to achieve the standards the
Foundation expected.
“With our close links with Essex CCC,
we asked their head groundsman, Stuart
Kerrison, to draw up a wish list of
machines he would choose if he could
have anything,” explains Alex.
“John Deere was the manufacturer that
was named most often, so we made
arrangements to test some equipment and
eventually settled on a five-unit gang
mower, a JD 466 tractor and a two-tonne
Auto-roller, all of which we are still
happily running ten years later. Before
that, we had a horse and a plough,” he
quips.
Alongside the John Deere items, the
team has two Ransomes walk behind
wicket mowers, an Allett Regal, a Sisis
Autorake, a Sisis manual rake, sand slitter
and a Vertidrain that are shared among
the seven locations.
As a charity, with little if any additional
funding able to be pumped into grounds
maintenance, the Foundation have to
place machinery and equipment
replacement on the back burner, and
ensure that regular servicing and a make
do and mend approach preserves the
lifetime of the fleet.
“To prepare a good cricket pitch costs
in the region of £300 a game, in
manpower and supplies, so a big chunk of
our budget goes on that,” explains Alex.
“The end user generally has no idea of
the costs involved to deliver high
standards. Fine turf surfaces require time
and tender loving care, something that
has not always been recognised by those
controlling sport’s purse-strings,” he
continues.
“At all LPFF grounds, our staff are the
public’s first point of contact, and it is
critical that they develop a rapport with
our users and partners, who have to be
adaptable and buy into the philosophy of
intensive use.”
Alex believes that this philosophy has
been dealt a massive blow with the
introduction of Compulsory Competitive
Tendering (CCT), which he insists
“ravaged groundsmanship”.
“It was hugely detrimental to
professional turfcare, and led to poorly
written maintenance contracts where work
on a cricket square would be done in a
matter of minutes, not hours.”
Years of poor maintenance created a
generation of bad wickets that became a
health and safety issue, he insists,
signalling the downfall of many urban
green spaces.
“As the wickets worsened, they were
used less and provided local authorities
with a great excuse to get rid of them or
sell off the land altogether.”
The efforts of bodies such as LPFF too
often pass unnoticed, Alex believes. He
dubs the Foundation “London’s best kept
secret” because of the huge amount of
work it puts into ensuring the capital
keeps hold of as many of its playing fields
as it can.
“Playing fields play a crucial role in
sports development. Remember that all
professional players started out at their
local fields,” Alex argues. “We need to not
only make people more aware of their
value but also of the importance of wellmaintained playing surfaces to the future
livelihood of grass-roots sport.
”There needs to be a massive
investment to train a new generation of
full-time, part-time and voluntary
groundstaff. Thankfully, the sports
governing bodies and associations are
addressing this issue.”
As I prepare to head home amidst the
throng of youngsters teeming into the
Peter May Sports Centre, Alex leaves me
with his most poignant reminder of the
potentially parlous state of turfgrass
sports facilities, one that will strike a
chord with all who recognise the huge
social value that playing fields bring to
communities everywhere.
“Next time you’re in a new
supermarket, or retail outlet, remember
that, once upon a time, you might have
been standing in
the centre circle of
a football pitch or
on a cricket
wicket.
”Once a playing
fields is lost, it is
lost for ever.”
Protecting Playing Fields
Improving Lives
In a Q&A session, Alex Welsh,
Chief Executive of the London
Playing Fields Foundation
discusses the Olympic legacy
and suggests that professional
sportsmen and women have a
duty to support grassroots
facilities
Funding Grassroots
Q: What advice do you have for
community sports clubs struggling to
survive in the present climate?
A: Do not fear change, embrace it. Be
more business orientated and use the
professional expertise that exists within
the club. Consider joint ventures and
amalgamations with other organisations,
if appropriate. Develop good working
relationships with schools, local
authorities and national governing
bodies of sport. Garner political support
and raise awareness of your contribution
to the local community.
Q: What are your top tips for attracting
funding?
A: Lead with the need. Have a clear
vision and realistic objectives. Look
beyond the obvious and identify multiple
outcomes that might attract funders from
outside the sector. Do your homework
and understand where your project fits in
to the bigger picture. Source professional
advice and do not expect something for
nothing. And, most importantly, don't
give up, because perseverance pays.
Q: How important are groundsmen to
the livelihood of grassroots sport and
why?
A: On-site groundstaff are extremely
important, as the pitch quality is crucial
to maintaining your customer base and
122
sets you apart from the competition. Fine
turf surfaces, such as bowling greens and
golf courses, require time, commitment
and TLC.
LPFF groundstaff are the public’s first
point of contact, and it is critical that
they develop a rapport with our users
and partners, are adaptable and buy into
the philosophy of intensive use.
National governing bodies, Pitchcare and
the associations can also provide help
and advice on maintaining pitches.
Q: Do you believe that the amount of
money being made available under the
2012 legacy is sufficient? If not, how
much should be being made available?
A:The vast majority of public money
available has gone into staging the
Games and only very small amounts have
been allocated to the grassroots legacy.
In London this amounts to £15m
compared to £3.9bn initially allocated for
the Olympic Park and its infrastructure.
Ironically, at a time when the 2012
Games has shone the spotlight on sport,
at grassroots level we have been
enduring a perfect funding storm
created by the following:
- Massive cuts in local authority
spending
- A huge drop in Lottery funding for
grassroots sport from £423m in 1995
to £213m in 2009
- 33% drop in philanthropic giving
- A halving of the Football Foundation
budget
- Dismantling of the Schools Sorts
Partnership network
Sport England has recently launched its
Places People Play £135m programme,
but you could argue that this should have
been introduced much earlier to have
the desired effect.
Q: Do you think that there is a strong
and clear enough strategy for the
continuing development of grassroots
sport, post 2012? What is your solution
for creating a more sustainable future
for grassroots sport?
A: Sport England is currently working up
a new strategy for grassroots sport, and
the FA is in the middle of a national
consultation exercise on player pathways
that will inform its approach to shaping
the future of the game.
Many of us in grassroots sport are
looking forward to the post 2012 funding
landscape, where there should be more
money available. As the money for good
causes is realigned, with the proportion
for sport going up from 16% to 20% and
funds that were hitherto allocated to
staging the Games coming back to
grassroots sport, it should be easier to
acquire grant aid.
In terms of the National Governing
Bodies, we think that sports like football,
cricket and rugby should be more
customer driven rather than slavishly
following the school/club link model.
They need to be more innovative and
empower local deliverers to be creative in
the way that they stimulate and sustain
participation. At the moment, it is too
top down driven.
The other big weakness is the failure to
recognise that the biggest barrier to
participation is ability or the perceived
lack of it. In our major team sports, if
you are not considered good enough you
are not selected. This means that, as only
the top 25% of talented performers are
picked for the teams at school and club
level, a large number of enthusiastic
participants of average ability or below
are neglected.
The NGB’s need to engage with this
untapped audience who would love to
play sport, but are deemed surplus to
requirements. At the LPFF, we have
successfully delivered a project known as
Keep on Playing Sport (KOPS), which
targets 16-19 year-old males who have
never represented their school or club
teams, and the results have been very
encouraging.
The other major step change needed is
for NGBs to be more adept at realising
multiple outcomes, by recognising that
the wider health and social benefits of
playing sport can be huge.
sport? How would such schemes work
do you think?
Q: Under the Big Society vision, do you
think that top-flight sportsmen and
women should plough some of their
salaries and winnings into grassroots
sport. Chelsea’s John Terry recently
announced that he was to help the local
club where he played in his younger
days. Singlehandedly, such sporting
stars could save many local clubs from
extinction.
A: Under the Big Society theme the
Government is trying to reinvigorate
philanthropy, which is an under tapped
resource. Emerging trends in
philanthropy indicate that private wealth
is increasing, more people are giving
within their lifetime, givers want to see
the impact of their donations and, as a
result, individual giving is becoming
increasingly important to third sector
organisations.
Do you think that a national initiative
ought to be launched, under which a
set proportion of earnings was
channelled into grassroots sport
automatically?
A: The idea of our high-earning
footballers investing a small percentage
of their salary (in a tax efficient way) into
grassroots sport is excellent. We have
fourteen Premiership and Football
League clubs in London, and most of the
home grown players at these clubs
started off their fledgling careers on local
playing fields or play grounds.
Players and clubs should recognise the
debt they owe to organisations like the
LPFF and engage in some form of
charitable giving. With this type of
investment, support and publicity we
could help safeguard the long-term
future of playing fields and help to
widen, increase and sustain grassroots
participation.
Q: Is there scope for the general public
to bequeath more money to grassroots
Some of the bigger health charities have
benefited from some huge legacies and,
at the LPFF, two of our senior trustees
are spearheading a Legacy Giving
Campaign. One big problem of this type
of donation is that you cannot plan for it
but, when it arrives, it comes as a nice
surprise.
Startling statistics
• Twenty years ago there were 26,000
playing fields across the country. Now,
there are 19,000.
• In 1990, there were 1,126 grass cricket
wickets in London. By 2010, this figure
had fallen by 40% to 681.
• In the Olympic borough of Tower
Hamlets, there are no grass cricket
wickets, for a population of 220,000.
• London has 1,500 playing fields, but
very unevenly distributed. Barnet has
ninety-seven, whereas the Royal
Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
has four.
123
Fit for
a Queen
I
McNab Sports was
established in 1985 by
Duncan and Maggie
McNab. The company is
proud that it is one of the
few companies within the
industry that has been
awarded a Royal Warrant
by Her Majesty the
Queen, for the
maintenance work on the
golf course at Balmoral
Castle.
Here, Duncan talks about
some of the contracts the
company maintain and
the difficulties
associated with H&S,
staff recruitment, training
and tendering
124
had previously worked as a Technical
Representative for Fisons Amenity,
representing the company in Scotland,
and was also Sales Manager for an
Edinburgh based sportsturf contracting
company. Maggie was working in the PR
Department for BP Oil in Edinburgh at
that time.
We made the joint decision to start our
own company back in 1985. I went out
on the road and Maggie looked after the
office side of the business. We decided to
expand the areas of sport which included
the sales of amenity products, sports
equipment and specialised sports
clothing, which the company still
supplies to the present day, to local
authorities and sports clubs.
The main areas of the business today
have centred on sports turf maintenance
and construction, and drainage of sports
facilities.
Over the years, the company has grown
and now employs seventeen staff, with
the majority working within the Perth &
Kinross county area.
In 2003, we entered into a partnership
agreement to maintain the fine and
outfield turf sports facilities for Perth &
Kinross Council. The total area of
7000km2 makes Perth & Kinross the fifth
largest land mass in Scotland and, within
this area, we maintain over two hundred
pitches, which include football, rugby,
hockey and shinty, as well as school
athletics, artificial surfaces, six bowling
greens and an eighteen hole golf course.
The North Inch Golf Course lies beside
the banks of the River Tay, as it flows
through the city of Perth. It is reputed to
be one of the oldest courses in Scotland
and was played by King James IV of
Scotland (1473-1513).
Although it is picturesque on a
summer’s day, the river can cause serious
problems to the course. In 1993, the
course was completely flooded when the
river burst its banks - the course was redesigned then to become a flood plain as
the first line of defence for the town.
A stream now runs through the new
back nine and backs up when the river
rises, reducing the course to just nine
playable holes. The latest major flood
was in 2009, which washed away ten
bunkers and one complete tee.
Operations
The company has recently started an
artificial pitch cleaning and maintenance
service, with the purchase of a Hörger
SKU 1500 cleaning machine, which has
proved to be a great investment. Part of
our council contract is to maintain five
artificial surfaces, and we have found out,
over the years, that brushing alone was
not sufficient on the 2G surfaces, so we
decided to purchase specialised
equipment for maintenance. We are now
carrying out this work the length and
breadth of Scotland to local authorities,
schools, colleges and prisons.
The company has just completed a
reconstruction and drainage project for
Carlisle Council, and is currently working
on a football pitch construction project
outside Selkirk in the Scottish Borders.
Forest Pitch is a community arts project,
funded as part of the twelve projects
being created across Britain for the 2012
Cultural Olympics.
It is a completely unique situation.
Initially, 2,000 trees had to be felled and
the stumps removed. The trees were kept
on site as they will be used to build a
clubhouse/shelter, but the 290 tonnes of
stumps were taken away to a recycling
centre. Currently, we are at the formation
TWENTY
Questions
Duncan McNab Sociable - unless you
happen to be a late,
tailgating driver!
Who are you? Duncan McNab of McNab
Sport, Kinross.
Family status? Married to Maggie, son
Rob and daughter Lucy.
North Inch Golf Club is liable
to flooding ...
level stage. The ground itself
is predominantly clay and,
with July being as wet as it is,
earthworks are having to be
delayed. Topsoil and sand
will be brought into the site
and, after levelling, seeding,
etc., we will look at the
drainage next year. When the
pitch is finished, it will be
... often with devasting results
used for two games on one
day and then it will revert
considerable overhead, and we now carry
back to nature, with some natural species
out all our Health & Safety training inof tree replanted to encourage a more
house. All McNab Sport staff are trained
diverse environment. More information
to carry out on-site risk assessments,
on this £460,000 project is available at
which has saved the company a lot of
www.forestpitch.org
time and expense.
Health & Safety
The company puts great emphasis on
Although these projects are exciting, the
training, with regular ‘toolbox talks’
main day-to-day work is the bread and
geared mostly towards Health & Safety,
butter of the business. We have invested
which we get different staff to organise
heavily over the past ten years in
during the year.
machinery and staff training. The biggest
Costs and Budgeting
change we have found in our work, is
Scotland has a big landmass and the cost
that so much now comes from Health &
of transport is now becoming a major
Safety issues. Although a lot of people
overhead with the price of fuel and
complain about Health & Safety
haulage. We are having to look at this
legislation, we have decided to put this
much closer. If, for example, we are
issue as our number one priority. In
asked to vertidrain a bowling green in
2005, I decided to go back to college and
Inverness, which is a 260 mile round trip,
undergo NEBOSH training in Health &
the cost of labour and transport can
Safety. Being a small company and
almost cost as much as the operation. It
employing external consultants is a
Who’s your hero and why? Nelson
Mandela, because of what he did for
South Africa.
What is your dream holiday? The
Palace on Wheels train travelling through
India.
What annoys you the most? People
who are always late.
What would you change about
yourself? I would be 3 stone lighter.
Who wouldn’t you like to be? Colonel
Gaddafi.
Favourite record, and why? The Green
Fields of France - it sums up the futility of
war.
Who would you choose to spend a
romantic evening with? Can’t say - the
wife also reads this magazine…
If you won the lottery, what is the
first thing you would do? Stop sending
out the begging letters.
If you were to describe yourself as a
musical instrument, what would you
be and why? A triangle - evenly
balanced, pretty small, without a lot of
noise.
What’s the best advice you have ever
been given? Drive on the left.
What’s your favourite smell? Food
cooking on the barbecue.
What do you do in your spare time?
Play golf, watch rugby and ride my
motorbike.
What’s the daftest work related
question you have ever been asked?
“How often do you cut artificial pitches?”
What’s your favourite piece of kit?
Imants Shockwave.
What three words would you use to
describe yourself? Conscientious,
methodical, sociable.
What talent would you like to have?
To be a much better golfer.
What makes you angry? Drivers who
tailgate.
Drainage work on one of the Carlisle Council football pitches
What law/legislation would you like
to see introduced? That all football
goals should conform to BS standard in
the UK.
15
Cleaning the artificial at St Johnston FC
can be very difficult to pass this overhead
on to the customer, as we tend to be
dealing with small clubs who sometimes
do not appreciate the scale of these
additional costs.
The vagaries of the Scottish climate are
always an issue. At the end of 2010, we
had heavy snowfall which lay for almost
twelve weeks. As there is only a limited
time which can be spent on machinery
maintenance during these ‘down times’,
it can be very difficult to keep staff
motivated. It also puts a big financial
demand on the company.
This year, we have had a very wet
period in June and July, which causes
problems with our short, two month
window of opportunity to get the sports
pitches ready for the season.
With the reduction in public spending,
Stump clearance at the Forest Pitch site
I foresee that specialised contractors may
have the opportunity of operating public
facilities and, provided these are
contracted out in reasonable periods
before re-tendering takes places, this
could be the future for specialised sports
contractors.
Staff and Recruitment
When we were awarded the contract for
Perth & Kinross Council, staff were
transferred over to ourselves under
TUPE (The Transfer of Undertakings
(Protection of Employment) Regulations
2006) and we also recruited our own staff
of trained personnel for the fine turf
work, as the existing staff did not have
the training for golf course work.
Our staff have all been trained in their
particular profession. Our Head
Greenkeeper, Glenn Campbell (who plays
off a golf handicap of plus 3 and has
represented Scotland in amateur golf
tournaments over thirty times), runs the
course with two assistants, who have
worked on the course for the past eight
years.
Outside of grass cutting, we have a
team who carry out all other work such
as selective spraying, hydrojecting,
topdressing, linemarking, etc. The same
team carry out the specialised work on
football and rugby pitches, which
includes spiking, fertilising, overseeding
and selective weed control.
The sportsground team were recruited
from the agricultural industry rather
than the sports turf industry, because we
felt that they had the basic skills required
for the work, and also a much better
Variety is the
spice of life ...
C H Grounds Maintenance - rising to the challenge
of the economic downturn through diversity
C H Grounds Maintenance Ltd, based in
Chesham on the border of Buckinghamshire
and Hertfordshire, was formed in 1988, to
service the basic day to day maintenance
requirements of local sports clubs. Within
one year a rapid expansion evolved, with a
significant investment in plant, machinery
and an increased labour force being made,
as the diversity and volume of contracts
undertaken increased. By the early 1990s,
an extensive range of projects was being
undertaken including sports turf and golf
course construction, drainage, renovation
and maintenance.
The company was taken over by Philip
Matthews in 1997 who, as a major
agricultural contractor in Buckinghamshire
at that time, determined that his existing
company, Philip Matthews Agricultural
Contractors, and CH Grounds Maintenance
Ltd would dovetail perfectly to form one
organisation.
Further expansion continued apace, with
an ever increasing investment in plant,
machinery and staff, for which Philip’s
existing premises provided ample
storage and office and welfare
facilities.
The comprehensively fitted
workshop provided the means by
Philip Matthews
which servicing and repairs could be
undertaken in-house, reducing
downtime to a minimum, whilst a
success over three decades. The project
mobile fitter provided a rapid response to
range is considerable and includes spring
any breakdowns on site.
and autumn renovation, drainage and
Being based ten miles from the M25, and
construction works, civil engineering and
in close proximity to the M40 and M4,
regular maintenance programmes for
provides the ideal location from which to
clients such as Watford Borough Council
readily transport plant and machinery to
and Hertfordshire University. Clients include
any area in the south of England, Wales and
local authorities, parish councils, utility
the Midlands. Naturally, the company will
companies, polo grounds, private sports
travel further afield to any part of the UK to
clubs, golf courses and major landscaping
fulfil certain contracts and, whilst transport
companies. The company is an approved
costs are increasing relentlessly, these can
contractor for the FA, RFU and ECB.
be absorbed to some degree to secure
Diversity ensures that the company
orders.
remains profitable for at least ten months
Diversity in the annual programme
of the year and breaks even for the
undertaken, and clients’ requirements
remaining two months.
serviced, has remained a significant thread
In a severe winter, heavy snowfall is quite
throughout the company’s activities and
welcome, enabling plant to be utilised to
What is TUPE
Earthworks at the Forest Pitch site
understanding of different
machinery.
One of our main problems in
recruiting is staff being able to
drive vehicles pulling a trailer.
If they passed their test after
1997, they must sit an
additional trailer test which,
including the training costs of
around £500 per person, can
put a huge financial burden on
the company.
Tendering for new work
We find a lot of time is now
being spent on filling up pretender questionnaires for local
government and the raft of
legislation that goes with it. I
appreciate that it is important
to have supplier information,
Health & Safety, etc. but do we
really need to fill in a twenty
page document every time for
each local authority? Would it
not be sensible to have a
standard format where local
authorities can draw this
information from a central
source, without having to
complete this amount of
paperwork each time we apply
for a
tender? I
would like
to hear
other
contractors
views on
this subject.
undertake snow clearing for local
authorities and, in the case of the last two
winters, clients such as Twickenham
Stadium, both on the pitch and in the car
parks. The wide range of services offered
has ensured that, despite the current
challenging economic climate and
Government cuts in expenditure, there is
sufficient variation in the works programme
to ensure that the company thrives.
Provision of plant and machinery to
undertake the various projects includes:
- Six John Deere tractors
- Laser controlled trenchers and backfilling
machinery
- AFT Whizz Wheel
- Blec Sandmaster
- 360° Excavators
- Bulldozer D6
- Seeding and topdressing machinery
- Koro Field Topmaker
- Blec Groundbreaker
- Six Verti-drains
- Cultivation and laser controlled grading
machinery
- Grass cutting machinery
- Spraying equipment
To utilise plant and machinery to its full
potential, and ensure that projects are
undertaken to the highest of standards, a
considerable investment has been made in
the training of staff, to produce an able,
conscientious and motivated workforce.
The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment)
Regulations 2006 (SI 2006/246), known colloquially as TUPE, are
the United Kingdom’s implementation of the European Union
Business Transfers Directive.
It is an important part of UK labour law, protecting employees
whose business is being transferred to another business. The 2006
regulations replace the old 1981 regulations (SI 1981/1794) which
implemented the original Directive.
The regulations’ main aims are to ensure that, just because of the
transfer, employees are not dismissed before or after (unless there
is an ‘economic, technical or organisational’) reason, employees’
most important terms and conditions of contracts are not
worsened before or after the transfer, affected employees are
informed and consulted through representatives
This does not apply to transfers which go merely through the sale
of a company’s shares. When that happens, because the company
is still the same company, all contractual obligations stay the
same. The Directive and Regulations apply to other forms of
transfer, through sale of physical assets and leases. The
regulations also apply, in some cases, for work transferred to
contractors. These protected contract terms for workers include
hours of work, pay, length of service and so on, but pension
entitlement is excluded.
EXAMPLE:
Imagine a company that has in-house cleaners. The company
decides that they want to tender-out the contract for cleaning
services. The new company that takes over the work may employ
the same cleaners. If it does so, TUPE will make it likely that the
new employer will have to employ the cleaners subject to the same
terms and conditions as they had under the original employer.
If any staff are dismissed by either employer for a reason
connected with the new arrangement, this will automatically be
deemed an unfair dismissal and the new employer will be liable for
any statutory claims arising as a result.
This is also the case where a target business (as distinct from
shares in a company) is bought from company A by company B
(often much larger) and integrated with the business of company B.
Training courses are attended on a regular
basis to ensure the continued development
of the personnel.
Serious consideration is given to the
demands of the work programme, on an
ongoing basis, to ensure that, whilst
including as many projects as possible, it
remains feasible and logistically practical to
fulfil the requirements of all the clients.
Much of the spring and autumn
renovation work is repeat business, booked
in up to one year ahead, some of which has
been undertaken for over twenty years. This
is clearly a reliable indication of client
satisfaction and also provides the
framework around which further projects
are booked into the schedule at those
particularly busy times of the year.
Throughout the schedule, during the
period February to November inclusive,
flexibility and consideration in respect of
ground and weather conditions prior to and
during contracts become of optimum
importance, and the fulfilment of client
expectation and completion of projects to
the highest standard and to tight timescales
becomes an all consuming task.
Whilst a reduced schedule is undertaken
in December and January, the ongoing week
to week maintenance packages continue
throughout these months.
Despite the plethora of challenges faced
by contractors in the sports turf industry in
the current economic climate, the company
is well-established and in a sound, secure
position from which to expand further over
the coming years. In fact, the schedule of
works planned for 2011 is as intensive, and
potentially more so, than in previous years.
Philip Matthews, Managing Director, sums
up the ethos and mission statement behind
the success of CH Grounds that has
remained throughout the years, “to provide
a competitive, diverse service without
compromising on quality and to ensure that
all clients’ expectations are totally fulfilled,
through a process of communication and
attention to detail and the provision of up to
date, well-maintained, plant and machinery,
operated by a professional motivated, welltrained staff.”
Whizz Wheel in operation
Field Topmaker being put through its paces
How did it
get to this?
How does a new grass seed come to market?
Laurence Gale MSc follows the trail from collecting
initial species to harvesting the final plant
T
he Institute of Biological,
Environmental and Rural Sciences
(IBERS) is a world-class, awardwinning research and teaching centre at
Aberystwyth University. It is an
internationally recognised centre of
excellence and students’ choice for the
study of biological, environmental and
rural sciences.
A recent invite from British Seed Houses
(BSH) to a press day allowed me to catch
up with the latest grass breeding research
programmes taking place, and to see how
all the modern grass varieties make their
way through hundreds of trials and years
of research before coming onto the
market. It can take anything between
twelve and fifteen years of work to
produce a commercial seed product for
the sportsturf and agricultural industries.
The day began with an introduction
from BSH's William Gilbert, who
explained how the company became
involved in the grass breeding
programmes at IBERS.
British Seed Houses is the UK’s largest
privately-owned grass seed company,
providing a comprehensive seed service to
the amenity market through two
strategically placed units at Lincoln and
Bristol.
IBERS is the UK’s major centre for
independent research into improving the
efficiency, potential and sustainability of
grassland. Their remit includes research
aimed at understanding the physiological
128
mechanisms involved in grass plant
nutrition, quality and stress resistances.
BSH has funded the amenity turfgrass
development programme since 1987,
working together with the institute to form
the UK’s largest grass breeding
programme. It has already produced some
outstanding performance cultivars that
have been used in many top sporting
facilities in recent years, and are supplied
throughout the UK and other EU
countries. Most notable are the AberImp
and AberElf varieties.
IBERS was created in 2008 from the
amalgamation of the Institutes of Rural
Sciences and Biological Sciences at
Aberystwyth university, and the Institute of
Grassland and Environmental Research
(IGER).
The institute employs 350 staff, has an
annual turnover of £25 million and
represents the largest land-based science
department in the UK.
William introduced us to two of the
IBERS staff; Sheena Duller and Ian
Thomas who, for many years, have been
involved in developing and overseeing the
successful grass breeding trials.
Sheena, a grass breeder, began by giving
an interesting talk on her role at IBERS,
the history of the research department and
the work with which she has been involved
in bringing several species to market.
Grass breeding trials were formerly
documented in large bound books, with
the first ever records completed back in
Sheena Duller
Grass seed trials
1919. Sheena was able to show us the first
record book and the entries made back
then.
She explained how grasses are selected
for trial and grown to produce further
material for ongoing trials, monitoring the
swards performance in relation to plant
health, vigour, colour, growth, habit and
stability.
The main turf grass species that have
been bred and evaluated are Perennial
ryegrass, browntop bent and some fescues
(slender, chewings and sheep’s fescues).
The institute has spent years collecting
plant material for trials, travelling all over
the world to find suitable specimens that
may have the traits they want to breed into
new grass varieties; for example, salt,
drought or shade tolerant. To find these
Pot trials
grasses the plant collector needs to travel
and find locations and environments that
induce grasses to survive in these
conditions.
Over the years, IBERS plant collector
and breeder, Ian Thomas, has done just
that and has spent years travelling the
globe collecting material. His work, along
with that of other colleagues, has resulted
in a collection of over 25,000 original
plant types that are stored in a seed bank
on site.
Seed is produced from the parent plant
material and is harvested, put into special
sealed bags and stored in a refrigerator at
minus 18°C. This ensures material can be
stored indefinitely. Ian records his
collection and shares the information with
other plant breeding organisations.
It is amazing to think that someone has
to make a substantial guess on what traits
are required for a new grass variety that
will meet the future needs of greenkeepers
and groundsmen in, say, fifteen years’
time.
Sheena was keen to point out some of
the different target traits they look for
when breeding new grasses: visual merit,
shoot density, leaf colour, disease
incidence, fineness of leaf.
Over the years, she has trialed many
grasses and uses her experience, along
with Ian’s, to advise on which parent
plants are most likely to have the potential
to develop into the target crop they are
after. Parent plants are sown into plots and
left to mature. They are mown on a
regular basis to enable Sheena to monitor
their performance.
If the grass shows promise, and meets
some of the traits they are looking for,
they will then proceed to the next stage
where thousands of plants are sown and
planted outside, individually as spaced
plants, to monitor uniformity, vigour,
growth habit and other traits. Following on
from this, plants are selected and isolated
to produce seed. There are several stages
to this seed multiplication phase, the aim
being to generate enough seed for further
trials, both ‘in house’ and official testing.
Eventually, enough plants are grown to
produce 2kg of seed, which is enough seed
material to produce plants for the next
series of trials. Some will go to the STRI,
where further rigorous testing and scoring
of the material will take place. If
successful, the plant will then be sown for
full seed production. In essence, all this
work takes time and often results in twelve
Danny’s PhD student, Chloe
Manzanares, gave a talk on her recent
work that is on the cusp of identifying the
genes responsible for self-incompatibility
(SI) in grasses. This is a physiological
mechanism that prevents plants from
producing seed from self-pollination, the
consequence of which, in many grass
species, is inbreeding depression which
leads to poorly-growing plants.
Identifying the genes responsible for SI
in all grass species, including those used
for world-wide cereal production, will be a
major scientific breakthrough, after over
half a century of active research.
Practically, knowing the variants of the
genes involved in the SI response, plant
breeders will be able to select certain
individuals that, when crossed together,
Crop pollination
years or more of development before a
single gramme of seed is sold.
Our next speaker was Dr Danny
Thorogood, also a plant breeder, who has
spent years breeding grasses at IBERS. He
led the team responsible for producing the
now famous AberImp and AberElf
varieties.
Embracing the new academic
environment the merger with Aberystwyth
University has created, Danny is now
turning his attention to researching how
molecular markers can be used to speed
up the process of selecting new grass
varieties. He explained how modern
science techniques, using the basic
principles of genetics (Mendels laws of
segregation and independent assortment)
and genetic linkage can be applied to
develop genetic maps of the genes (the
genotype), that translate to the
characteristics of the grass plant that we
see and experience (the phenotype).
Characteristics of the genes can be
distinguished directly in the laboratory as
differences in the properties of DNA (the
chemical of life from which genes are
made). By selecting for these differences
in DNA properties, the characteristics of
plants can be indirectly selected in the
laboratory, without having to make
laborious, time-consuming measurements
in the field. The breeding programme
can, therefore, be accelerated, bringing
improved varieties to market quicker.
One example has been the successful
screening of DNA variants that make
plants stay green, a characteristic that has
been bred into turf ryegrass varieties
through the Germinal Holdings-funded
IBERS programme.
will maximise hybrid vigour (the opposite
of inbreeding depression) that has the
potential to produce superior performing
grass varieties for the turfgrass industry.
Finally, we were given a tour of the
research centre, visiting the seed storage,
seed trial areas and greenhouses to see
some of the current promising grasses
being researched and bred. It was
interesting to see how new grass varieties
are sought and trialed to get to the stage
where the crop can be commercially grown
for seed harvesting.
The next stage of my seed education
tour took me to a commercial seed
production farm which specialises in
growing and harvesting forage and
amenity seed crops.
A call to John Fairey, BSH Seed
Production Manager, soon got me an
invitation to a farm in rural Herefordshire
to see for myself the production of a
specific well known Perennial ryegrass seed
crop called Escapade.
I was introduced to the farmer, Philip
Gorringe who, with his father, has been
involved in growing specialist amenity
grass crops for many years.
They farm about 700 acres, of which
110 are currently sown with the Perennial
ryegrasses, Escapade and Cadix. To ensure
there is no cross pollination between
different varieties, each crop is separated
by several fields.
To maximise the potential income from
a crop of grass, Philip grows his Ryegrass
as a two year crop. This spreads costs and
ensures a better return.
New crop varieties are sown in
September and follow a 7-9 year crop
rotation. As an example, an amenity grass
129
John Fairey checks the crop
Philip Gorringe
130
crop will be in the ground for two years,
followed by two years of cereal crop, one
year pea crop, another two years cereal
crop, before another amenity grass crop
can be planted in the same fields.
Before sowing, the ground will have
some herbicide treatments to kill weeds
and any remaining cereal plants and other
unwanted grasses (such as rough stalked
meadow grass). The ground is then
cultivated and drilled with the new seed, in
this case Escapade.
Once the seed has germinated, John will
commence regular visits to identify any
weed issues and leave recommendations
for treatment. In amenity crops it is vital to
remove all Poa species. This usually starts
with a residual treatment as soil
temperatures drop in the latter part of the
year.
The crop is monitored through the
winter and top up herbicides are applied
in the spring if necessary.
If required, potash and phosphate are
applied. Ryegrass needs regular
applications of potash, because a lot is
removed each time the hay is collected at
harvest time. Nitrogen is applied in two
doses in the spring. Total application is
around 160kg per Ha.
As well as controlling weeds, it is vital to
control disease. Ryegrasses can be prone to
rusts, although varieties grown by BSH are
particularly good at resisting rust infection.
Nevertheless, John will advise that at least
one fungicide is applied during the
growing season. Research in New Zealand
and Oregon is also indicating a yield
benefit from a further late fungicide.
Philip relies on natural rainfall, which is
usually around 1,000mm per year. This
year’s early dry spell in April and May has
meant that crops were unable to take up
nitrogen properly which reduced yield
potential, particularly on the second year
crops.
Because of the extra work that goes into
producing a top quality, turf grade amenity
crop, prices have generally been higher
than for forage ryegrasses. The effects of
Seed being cleaned
the recession, and a shortage of forage
types, has reversed that position recently.
Although tempted to make the change,
Philip has the specialist skills to grow
amenity, so is going to stick to it. He is
planting more Cadix and Escapade for
BSH this autumn.
Harvesting is a busy time for Philip, and
he is hoping for decent dry weather. A
special grain store with a ventilated floor is
required to dry the seed down to below
14% moisture The combine harvester cost
in excess of £220,000 and is specially
adapted to cope with the crops they grow.
Once harvesting starts, it tends to be a
race against the clock to get the crop in
and get it dried. The moisture content of
the seed, at point of harvest, can vary, but
tends to be around 35%. It has to be dried
rapidly to prevent germination loss.
They can harvest about thirty acres per
day (around fifteen tonnes of seed). The
seed is laid on the storeroom floor to dry,
and ventilation can be targeted to the crop
to speed up the drying process.
Seed ready for bagging
Philip is also able to carry out the next
stage of the seed cleaning process; he has
invested in a large industrial cleaning
machine which, via a number of sieves,
cylinders and controlled air vents, can
begin the cleaning of the seed.
Effectively, the seed runs through a
number of sieves to separate dirt, larger
seed species, weed seeds and other
detritus. Philip has perfected the machine
to work efficiently and produce a very
clean end product.
Samples of the seed are taken during
cleaning and are sent to BSH, who check
for purity, moisture content and
germination. Any waste material is
collected and stored ready for composting.
The cleaned seed is then bagged and
sealed in one tonne bags, before being
sent to either of BSH’s depots at Lincoln
or Avonmouth.
The residue grass stalks and leaves are
left to dry in the field, turned and baled,
in the form of hay or haylage which is
either fed to Philip’s own cattle, or can be
sold. Well made ryegrass hay attracts keen
interest from forage buyers and can
supplement seed income by £200 per Ha.
Once the hay has been picked up,
regrowth is grazed by sheep, which helps
to consolidate the field, tiller the sward
and control broad leaved weeds. The
sheep remain until February, when the
grass is encouraged to grow, by applying
nitrogen and the cycle starts again.
From these two visits, I could certainly
understand why amenity grass seed
varieties can cost so much - taking over
twelve years to get to a commercial
marketing stage. However, we are all able
to see the benefits of this important
research and development in the form of
stunning sports turf facilities which are the
envy of the rest of the world. It should also
be remembered that, to produce a high
quality amenity seed, good growers and
professional
advice are
essential.
131
The Anatomy of
a Golf Course:
TEES
Tees are one of the more
functional elements of a
golf course, but they are
more than just platforms
for drives. In this article,
Andy Watson of Andy
Watson Golf Design looks
at what the golf course
architect has to consider
in designing a successful
golf teeing ground
Figure 1: The proximity of the 1st green and 2nd
tee at St Andrews Old Course
Fig 2
132
WHEN the game of golf was first
developed, the green for the previous hole
was used as the teeing ground for the
next, creating a continuous journey across
the links land. The first recorded rule
book for golf, created for the Annual
Challenge for the Edinburgh Silver Club
in 1744, stated that balls must be teed up
“within a club’s length of the hole.”
As the game was formalised, and rules
altered, the teeing ground gradually
moved away from the previous hole to
form a separate entity within the anatomy
of a golf course.
Initially, they were merely placed on the
edge of the green. This history continues
to be demonstrated on some older
courses. For example, the St Andrews Old
Course still has teeing grounds in close
proximity to the previous greens (see
figure 1). These original tees were purely
functional boxes which were relatively flat
in nature. The early golf course architects,
such as Old Tom Morris, would use areas
adjacent to the playing surface and flatten
them, moving as little earth as possible,
purely to create a level ground in order to
begin playing the next hole.
In the modern game a combination of
safety guidelines, and a continued need to
elasticise the course to challenge players
of all abilities, has determined the
position of modern teeing grounds. The
European Institute of Golf Course
Architects has published a set of
guidelines which states that teeing
grounds should be at least 60m away from
the previous hole’s green or centreline,
with a preferred distance of over 100m, in
order to adequately protect the golfer
from balls being hit from other golf holes.
The evolution of tees on to separate
grounds, depending on the ability of the
golfer, has also meant that some teeing
grounds can be separated to cover up to,
and sometimes more than, 100 yards from
the hole.
The need to respond to technology is
common in all aspects of golf design. The
constant strive for length in every golfer’s
game, helped by the technological
advancements made by club
manufacturers, tests the golf course
architect to react by placing different sets
of tees that will match up with the range
of abilities likely to play the course.
A championship layout, for example,
may require up to five or six different sets
of tees to cope with all types of player,
from the professional golfer in
competition playing from the back tees,
through the society day playing from the
daily or middle tees, to a beginner’s oncourse lesson playing from the front set of
tees. A good design will test all of those
golfers equally, and figure 2 shows, in very
simple terms, how these challenges can be
replicated.
The alignment of the golf tee is also an
important factor. Each teeing ground
should be aligned with the centreline of
the hole or, on a dog-legged hole, the tees
should line up with the perceived landing
zone for the average player from each tee
box. The teeing area should give a clear
guide as to the direction of the hole.
Depending on the shape of the teeing
area, it should either run lengthways
towards the landing zone or
perpendicular to the line of the hole (see
figure 3).
The impact of technology has extended
to the equipment available to the
greenkeeper, and the need to shape tees
so they can be easily mown. For example,
more recently, tee squares have developed
rounded edges to make them easier to
maintain using sit on mowers (see figure
Fig 3
4). Amoeba forms have also been created
in some cases, arguably more organic
shapes which can fit into their
surroundings more naturally than a box
shape, although they should maintain
some reference to the direction of the
hole, in order
to help with
alignment (see
figure 5). This
is a matter of
preference per
architect, and
both styles of
tee can look
appealing
within a
golfing
landscape.
Tees need to
be a
substantial
Fig 4
size, large
enough to accommodate the golfer and
their playing partners, and they need to
have enough space available for
alternative teeing positions in order to
spread the wear of the ground from day
to day, leaving other areas to recover.
They need to be significantly deep to
allow the tee markers to be placed more
than two club lengths from the back of the
tee, and they also need to be of a suitable
width to allow the tee markers to be
placed, allowing for a stance to be taken
on flat ground outside of the markers on
both sides.
The general rule is that a teeing ground
should include, cumulatively, no less than
400m² of playing surface area on par 4s
and 5s, and no less than 600m² of playing
surface area on par 3s. An individual
teeing ground should be over 100m²
under all circumstances in order to allow
for all the factors stated above.
Synthetic turf is often considered as an
alternative to a grass tee in areas where it
is less possible to successfully keep a good
sward of turf. Driving ranges and pitch
and putt courses for example, often use
synthetic turf in order to cope with the
high number of damaging golf shots
played from a relatively small surface
area. Synthetic turf is also used for winter
tees, in order to protect the wear of a turf
tee which cannot successfully re-establish
in the winter months when turf tees would
be largely dormant.
Synthetic turfs are also becoming a
more viable option for tees which exist in
poorer positions. A typical example of this
would be a tee on the edge of, or within a
woodland setting, where tree canopies
and under-storey plants slow down the
rate of exposure to light and air flow that
the grass sward would require for
successful growth.
Flat ground is specified for a golf tee,
although each tee should actually be on
the slightest of slopes at around 1 in 100
in order to create an area where turf will
successfully grow without becoming
flooded or keeping puddles. The slope
should follow the run of general ground
water flow. Tees on very flat ground can
often be raised to help protect against
them being flooded, and also to aid the
golfer’s view of the hole laid out in front
of them.
Where tees are placed in the side of a
hill and cannot, therefore, be raised away
from the general flow of water, a mound
can be added on the high side of the
teeing area to deflect surface water run-off
around the edges of the tee.
Drainage is especially necessary when
considering a site on sloping ground,
where it is not possible to raise up the tee
from the surrounding landscape, or place
a deflecting mound on the high side of
the tee. A gravel catch drain, with a
perforated pipe to an outfall in the base,
can be placed between the tee and the
slope as an exit route for water in heavy
downpours, and act as a barrier to keep
the tee from excessively flooding.
To improve the aesthetics in this
situation, it may also be possible to cut the
drain slightly further up the hill to take it
out of view of the golfer.
This article has discussed all the elements that
Andy Watson considers when designing a new
tee, or re-designing an existing tee. In future
episodes of the Anatomy of a Golf Course, Andy
will look to give some insight into greens,
bunkers, and everything in between.
www.andywatsongolfdesign.co.uk
Figure 5
TWENTY
Questions
Andy Watson - remains
positive and optimistic
that he can become a
tidier person!
Who are you?
Andy Watson, golf
course designer.
Family status?
Engaged.
Who’s your hero
and why? Grandad
and Tiger Woods,
as they introduced
me to the game of
golf.
What is your
dream holiday? Honeymoon, planning it at
the moment! Quiet luxury and seafood!
What annoys you the most? An untidy
desk.
What would you change about yourself?
I would like to be a tidier person!
Who wouldn’t you like to be? Rupert
Murdoch, right now.
Favourite record, and why? Zero 7 by
Simple Things; best female vocalists and
mixologists I have ever heard; flawless
album.
Who would you choose to spend a
romantic evening with? My fiancee,
followed by Scarlett Johansson if she was
unavailable!
If you won the lottery, what is the first
thing you would do? Smile!
If you were to describe yourself as a
musical instrument, what would you be
and why? A trombone, it sounds funny!
What’s the daftest work related question
you have ever been asked? There are no
daft questions. The more a client knows
about their project, the better. I try and
answer all questions as honestly as possible.
What’s the best advice you have ever
been given? “Don’t argue with a woman
son, you’ll never win” - my father when I was
a child.
What’s your favourite smell? The smoke
created from blowing out a candle.
What do you do in your spare time? Play
golf.
What’s your favourite piece of kit? Scotty
Cameron Studio Design 1.5 putter.
What three words would you use to
describe yourself? Happy, Positive,
Optimistic.
What talent would you like to have? To
play golf to scratch.
What makes you angry? Not playing golf to
scratch.
What law/legislation would you like to
see introduced? I am wary, when asked this
question, as I am aware of a butterfly effect.
It would be great to introduce tons of laws,
but they might not be received the way I
would picture it, and could possibly make a
situation a whole lot worse! So I will leave
law making to the people who know what
they are doing!!
pitchcare.com Training
FORTHCOMING COURSES
- With 3 months between the training
days, delegates will be able to develop
'best practice' and bring case studies
and specific challenges with them on
Day Two
- It can contribute towards their workbased CPD programme!
Topics covered will include:
- Preferred Learning and Working Styles
- Personal Work Planning, Objectives
and Priorities
- Leadership and Delegation, Managing
Stress
- Leading the Work Team and the Power
of Personal Example
- Performance Management 1: Setting
and Monitoring Standards
- Performance Management 2:
Motivating the Team to Meet High
Standards
Pitchcare’s Essential Management
Skills Course
opportunity to contribute and gain
optimum benefit from the learning.
Specifically designed for Head
Groundsmen, Head Greenkeepers and
their Deputies
- Performance Management 3:
Appraisal, Discipline and Corrective
Action
Leeds - 1st November and 1st February
Three months separate the two training
days, so delegates have the opportunity
to implement their learning from Day 1
back in the workplace and bring case
studies back to the group for discussion
on Day 2. Frank is available for support
and assistance with any management
issues that arise within this period.
Milton Keynes - 1st December and 1st
March
After the training programme, delegates
will know how to:
- Enhanced Communication Skills 2:
Team Meetings
As in previous years, the course leader
will be Frank Newberry, who has been
assisting groundsmen with their personal
development and career management
for over twenty years. Frank fully
understands the demands made on
groundsmen and greenkeepers from all
sides - management, colleagues, end
users - and how these have increased in
recent years as clubs strive to offer high
quality facilities in a competitive
environment.
- Motivate their staff so that they will
work willingly to their full potential
much sooner
- Enhanced Communication Skills 3:
Management Meetings
We are offering this popular 2-day course
again this winter at Northern and
Southern locations:
We are well aware of the specific
challenges faced by those new to
supervisory positions within the turf care
industry so, unlike ‘off the shelf’ generic
management development courses, ours
focuses on their common and specific
issues.
Although the course content is
structured, it will be delivered in Frank’s
usual energetic and creative style, which
encourages plenty of involvement and
interaction from the delegates. Places
are limited so that everyone has an
134
- Take charge in any difficult situation
and resolve problems much faster
- Manage stress and uncertainty and be
a positive example to others at all
times.
How these objectives will be achieved
- The workshop is designed specifically
for sports turf and land-based
professionals
- The trainer contacts delegates before
the training and customises the
workshop content and exercises to fit
their specific development need(s)
- Delegates have the chance to share
their experiences and knowledge with
other turf care professionals on the
workshop
- Frank gives lots of practical tips and
advice to take back to the workplace
- Conflict at Work and Managing
Difficult People
- Enhanced Communication Skills 1:
‘One to One’ and Networking
- Enhanced Communication Skills 4:
Making Presentations
- Negotiating in the Workplace
- Writing at Work, Reading and Recall
Visit www.groundsmantraining.co.uk for
more information and to see comments
from previous delegates, and to book
your place on either course.
Dealing with difficult people and
situations
Does your day to day work bring you, or
your staff, into contact with the general
public?
If so, this could be just the course for
you.
It would be of value to anyone whose
working environment brings them into
contact with the general public, e.g.
school sports fields, local authority
amenity land, village or community
sports facilities or play areas, golf
courses, public parks and gardens,
theme and leisure parks.
Inevitably, such people will meet
situations of potential conflict and
misunderstanding. Such events demand
well-developed communication skills if
they are to be dealt with sensitively with
the best possible outcome being
achieved for all concerned.
The aims of the course
At the end of the course, delegates will
be confident that they can deal
satisfactorily with difficult situations and
difficult people, and have learned how
to:
1.Perform their ‘day to day’ work,
confident in the knowledge that their
communication and conflict handling
skills are sufficient for them to be able
to handle difficult situations involving
a range of different people with
competence and without unnecessarily
involving others e.g. security
2. Prevent difficult situations/conflict
situations from getting worse in an
authoritative but understanding way
3. Utilise agreed ‘best practice’ for
dealing with conflict at work in a
discreet and sensitive way
4. Apply their ‘learning’ immediately
and review progress regularly with
their colleagues and supervisors.
Topics covered include:
- The Definition, Causes and Stages of
Conflict
- The five natural responses to
conflict
- Adapting our natural
responses
- Appropriate use of our
natural responses
- Key Principles and
Critical Steps
- Ten tips for handling conflict
www.groundsmantraining.co.uk/courses
for current dates and venues.
- Words that work
Email me: chris@pitchcare.com or
telephone 01902 440 256.
- Body language and how it can help or
hinder
Pitchcare’s General Sports Turf
Maintenance Courses
- Learning review and issues arising
These 1-day courses, theory based and
accredited by Lantra Awards, have been
designed specifically for volunteer or
part-time groundsmen and
greenkeepers. They are led by an
experienced turf professional and give an
overview of all the machinery, processes
and equipment used to prepare,
maintain and renovate the playing
surface.
- Learning transfer and action plans
This course is delivered to small groups
(typically a maximum of twelve
candidates) in order that all can
participate fully.
The course tutor is Frank Newberry.
Trainer and counsellor Frank, a regular
contributor to the Pitchcare magazine,
has trained groundsmen and
greenkeepers for more than twenty years
and so well understands the particular
challenges they face.
Playing surfaces covered include Cricket
(Autumn Renovations), Bowls, Winter
Sports (Football, Rugby) and Artificial
Surfaces.
A range of delivery techniques is used,
including interactive sessions and
partner work. Written work is kept to a
minimum.
At the time of writing, current dates and
locations include:
If you manage a team of people for
whom you feel this course would be
of benefit, please contact me
to discuss your requirements.
The outline above is
adaptable flexible and can
be tailor-made to meet
clients' particular demands
or situations.
Bath Cricket Club, Somerset 31st August
If you are an individual
looking to join one of our
public courses, check out
our website
Cricket Pitch Autumn Renovations
Guildford Cricket Club, Surrey 1st September
Abingdon Cricket Club, Oxfordshire
- 14th September
St Christopher’s School, Letchworth,
Hertfordshire - 20th September
Bowling Green Maintenance - Flat and
Crown Greens
Leeds - 15th September
Swindon - 27th September
New courses are constantly being added,
so check out our website at
www.groundsmantraining.co.uk
Bookings can be made
online.
For further details email:
chris@pitchcare.com
www.groundsmantraining.co.uk
135
Can you be better?
Or is this as good as you are
going to get?
In his last article Performance Consultant and
Motivational Speaker, Frank Newberry, explored
how the power of your expectation can
influence the performance of others. In this
article he considers how our expectations of
ourselves can affect our own performance.
LIKE many others who made the move from
management to skills training, I was soon
made aware of what many call the ‘Conscious
Competence Model’, more accurately
described as Albert Bandura’s ‘Four Stages of
Learning’. Canadian Bandura observed that
people pass through four stages when they are
learning something new. These stages are,
first - unconscious incompetence, second conscious incompetence, third - conscious
competence and fourth - unconscious
competence.
For me - when I first learned to drive a car the process of learning went as follows:
Stage 1: Unconscious incompetence
As a non-driver watching experienced drivers
close up, I was blissfully unaware of just how
much of a skill it was and how much training
would be needed for me to reach competence.
I was totally unaware of how incompetent I
was.
Stage 2: Conscious incompetence
During my very first driving lesson it became
immediately clear just how much I did not
know and how much I could not do. I had no
idea from watching experienced drivers that
each of my limbs would have to perform
different actions (at the same time), that I had
to look forwards and sometimes backwards
and that I had to be able to use the gear stick
and all the other controls without taking my
eyes off the road. At my first lesson I became
very aware of how incompetent I was.
Stage 3: Conscious competence
As time went by and I took more driving
lessons I found that, if I really concentrated
hard, I could become more skilled and more
confident. However, at this stage, if my mind
wandered for a second I would make a mistake
that - if repeated at my driving test - would
cause me to fail the test. I was now aware that
I could be competent if I really concentrated
hard.
Stage 4: Unconscious competence
As more time went by I began to forget how
much I could do without having to think. My
limbs could automatically do different actions
(at the same time), I could look forwards and
backwards and I could locate all the car’s
controls without taking my eyes off the road. I
eventually became unaware of how competent
I was - that is until I nearly had an accident.
Then like everyone else in that situation - I
went back to ‘conscious competence’ and
concentrated more whilst I was driving - for a
while at least.
Relating this back to my last article called
‘What do you expect? I suggested that, to get
a better performance (or reaction) from
others, you may need to consider what your
expectations are of them. I suggested that if
you communicate a positive expectation their
performance will improve to meet your
136
expectation. We can extend that to your
performance and pose the question ‘What do
you expect of yourself?’
The power of expectation will ‘kick in’
between stages 2 and 3
A positive expectation can be crucial to your
continued skill development, and the power of
this expectation will ‘kick in’ between stages 2
and 3 above. As we go from incompetence to
competence we, at some point, will consciously
or unconsciously ask ourselves the question:
‘Can I be better - or is this as good as I am
going to get?’
The messages we send to our body and limbs,
as they strive to master new skills or achieve
greater competence, have also been observed
and analysed by Dr Bandura.
How many times have you been on a sports
field or a golf course and played a great shot
or scored a really good goal, and said ‘that was
a fluke’?
You are getting better. You are getting good
at this game!
This is, apparently, a very normal reaction
when you play rather well the first time. When
you do it again it’s not such a fluke and you
may not make that comment. When you play a
great shot or score a great goal for the third
time in a short period, then it’s no fluke. You
are getting better. You are getting good at this
game!
Sadly, there are people who do not see you
play so often who will try to tell you that it was
a lucky shot or a jammy goal - ‘Bet you can’t
do that again!’ This does not help your skill
building or your confidence when it happens.
I often wonder why people say such things. I
usually conclude that this is to put you off or
to comfort them when they are not playing so
well themselves.
Worse, these people are usually not around
when you consistently show improvement. For
example, when you are playing computer
games for long periods and your hand/eye coordination or body balance is progressing in
leaps and bounds as the minutes and hours
tick by.
Your confidence is higher and your
expectation of further improvement is
greater
(who sees a consistent good performance from
players during practice) expects that
performance to continue on to the field on
match day.
Those of us in supervisory or other leadership
positions can also expect that individuals and
teams will do well at work if we:
1. Identify the competences we need them to
display
2. Train them and let them practice until they
become confident and competent
3. Resist telling them that their good
performance is a fluke!
Why number three? Because they are worrying
enough about it themselves and do not need
you to validate in their minds that it was just a
fluke. Dr Bandura concludes that when we
think a good performance is a fluke, our
performance can peak at ‘the fluke’ and then
go down or progress more slowly.
Stop thinking that a good performance is an
exception or a fluke
He concludes that you and I can be better if
we will stop thinking that a good performance
is an exception or a fluke. Our performance
will exceed our expectations (permanently),
and we will move faster towards a much
higher peak, if we will just say to ourselves
‘You are getting better’ rather than ‘you were
lucky that time’.
I would like to encourage you to have a
positive expectation of yourself. In a learning
or challenging situation, you may need to stop
remembering past mistakes and start recalling
how you felt when you were successful at
learning a skill or overcoming an obstacle.
Most of us ‘hope for the best’, but sometimes
we ‘fear the worst’ so much that we prepare
more for the consequences of failure than we
do for the prospect of success.
I am asking you to prepare for success by
concentrating hard and then expecting it to
happen. Some success will happen quickly and
some will take a little longer. May you have
lots of little successes and some big ones, and
may you reach your full potential much
sooner!
When you return to the game after some
success, your confidence is higher and your
expectation of further improvement is greater.
The more often you play well the greater the
expectation you will continue to play well. If
you do not practice for a while doubt may set
in, your confidence might lower and your
performance can suffer.
Frank Newberry has been helping people to fulfil
their potential in the turfcare sector for over twenty
years. If you feel that you need some coaching or
leadership training, then please consider the highly
interactive and down-to-earth Pitchcare Essential
Management Skills Course, running at a location
near you this autumn. The course is two single
days separated by approximately three months.
Contact Christine Johnson for more details at the
Pitchcare office on 01902 440256 or email her at
chris@pitchcare.com.
So many times we hear football managers say
that they select the match team on the basis of
their players’ fitness and performance in
practice games. This is because the manager
If you have staff who are not working to their
potential, and you think it might help to talk about
it, you can contact Frank directly via the contact
tab of his personal website
www.franknewberry.com
To advertise in this section contact
Autumn Opportunities
Classifieds END OF SEASON
Peter Britton on 01952 898516
email: peter@pitchcare.com
AERATION
RENOVATIONS
AERATION
TERRAIN
Turf and Trees
10” drill aeration
1m air injection
1m soil coring
Air excavation
Tel: 01449 673783
www.terrainaeration.com
terrainaeration@aol.com
WORTH
DRAINING
25 years in
sports turf maintenance
Verti-draining
Blec Groundbreaker
Overseeding - Sanding
Top Dressing
Hollow Coring
Tel/Fax 01476 550266
Mobile: 07855 431119/20
email: worthdraining@talktalk.net
www.worthdraining.co.uk
AERATORS
Full range of Groundsman
pedestrian and tractor mounted
models with all accessories
SALES AND HIRE
Contact Synergy Products on
01380 828337
Dave on mobile: 07971 843802
Email: sales@synergyproducts.co.uk
www.synergyproducts.co.uk
Why not visit our
on-line Buyers Guide
for direct links to
suppliers websites www.pitchcare.com
ARTIFICIAL
Advertising in this classified section costs as little as £200 a
year for a single column x 4cm
Telephone: 01952 897910 for further information
138
Bill Riley of Vitax offers some seasonal tips
to prepare your turf for the onset of winter
and to aid spring recovery
A
utumn is almost like a
second spring growing
season for turf, so remedial
work needs to begin in good time
to make use of good weather and
warm, moist soil. September and
early October are ideal months for
turf germination, root growth and
recovery, but are followed by
November as growth shuts down
when temperatures drop below
6OC. We need to begin remedial
work early, first with aeration and
topdressing, and then fertiliser and
beneficial organism application.
Robust turf growth, not soft and
lank, has a better chance of
resisting winter disease, wet and
cold stress, and then responding
quickly to meet your exacting
needs in the following spring.
Aeration and thatch removal are
first priorities, especially where dry
summer conditions have limited
aeration operations. Gas exchange
into the organic layer and rootzone
is essential for healthy turf growth
and disease suppression. Roots
need to respire, and oxygen
encourages development of
aerobic microbes that fight
disease and decompose organic
matter into valuable humic acids
and soluble nutrients. Verticutting
encourages upright growth and
regrowth within the sward and
permits shallow aeration.
Scarification removes thatch
and allows air penetration into and
through the lower organic layer.
Spiking, slitting and hollow coring
allow aeration to greater depths down to 30cm - where root action
is so important.
Deeper aeration, with specialist
compressed air equipment, is
possible and desirable where
compaction and panning in lower
soil strata restricts rooting and
impedes drainage and gas
exchange.
Topdressing, with a suitably
open substrate after hollow core
aeration, establishes air and water
channels through the organic layer
into the rootzone, maintaining
aeration and water percolation for
months.
Attend also to drainage,
especially on heavier soils and
sub-soils where “ponding” under
greens can occur. Poor drainage
gives rise to root death through
lack of oxygen, and benefits many
soil pathogens. Salt accumulation
damages roots too, another good
reason for good drainage.
After aeration procedures, water
and nutrients need to be
managed. Water infiltration and
percolation through the turf
continues to be important to
transport nutrients and beneficial
organic compounds through the
soil or substrate to the roots to
support recovery growth.
Hydration aids (surfactants), in
combination with kelp seaweed
extracts, encourage water to
percolation vertically and
horizontally through the substrate.
Seaweed also supplies beneficial
cytokinins and auxins for
enhanced root development and
turf regeneration. Avoid long
lasting wetting aids late in the
year. Amino acids and similar
humic and fulvic organic acid
products will also benefit rooting
bulk, depth and nutrient
availability and capture.
Organic compounds encourage
a healthy biota in the soil or
substrate to recycle nutrients,
regulate pH and compete and
suppress pathogens. Natural
processes are encouraged to work
for you; effective turf nutrition is
far more than applying fertiliser.
Autumn fertilisers are essential
in recovery and winter resistance.
Soil analysis of principal areas is
recommended to establish the
turf’s individual nutrient needs.
Nitrogen is required, but in modest
amounts. Phosphate is vital for
energy transfer and root
development. Potassium regulates
water and sugar transport, so is
vital in autumn for firm strong turf
growth.
Autumn and winter fertiliser
provides suitable seasonal nutrient
balance, e.g. 5:2:15+2MgO+TE,
even better if they contain organic
materials such as amino acids and
To advertise in this section contact
Classifieds
Peter Britton on 01952 898516
email: peter@pitchcare.com
ARTIFICIAL
CYLINDER GRINDERS
Tel: 01462 683031
beneficial bacteria to produce
ideal recovery and root
strength.
Some more unusual
fertilisers have strong benefits
for turf in autumn. Potassium
Phosphite (not phosphate)
stimulates meristem activity,
so enhancing both root and
shoot development. Phosphite
fertilisers are rapidly absorbed
and transported through the
turf to areas of need where they
aid the turf’s regeneration and
disease resistance. Typically apply
at around 50ml per 100m2 in 10
litres of water.
Potassium silicate (the
forgotten element) fertilisers have
a hardening effect on turf,
producing erect growth and aiding
air penetration, so can physically
reduce disease incidence and
enhance playing surface quality.
Application rate is similar to the
phosphite.
Iron fertilisers are in common
use for hardening and darkening
turf, so are useful later in autumn.
Iron sulphate is also useful in
lowering pH, but progressive
applications may be needed.
Sulphur, as elemental sulphur
used as mini-prills that are easy to
spread, provides an essential
major nutrient and also slowly
helps in pH reduction, making the
soil less attractive to worms and
coarser grasses.
As temperatures fall through
the autumn and dampness rises,
fungal problems increase and
grass growth slows, so resistance
to disease and recovery from
attack is slower. Good
management practice will reduce
the incidence and severity of
disease attack, but the inevitable
will happen.
Review your armoury of
email: admin@huntergrinders.com
www.huntergrinders.com
DRAINAGE
fungicides now and be
prepared. To avoid
resistance building in
the pathogens, use a
rotation of active
ingredients with
different modes of
action to break this
cycle. If 10% of a fungal
population survives your
attack and prospers to
multiply, resistance will
be far worse in the
future and your
problems even greater.
Rotating your actives
will almost eliminate
this.
More and more biofungicides are entering the
market. These are based on
selected, effective strains of fungi
and bacteria with three modes of
deterrence to the pathogens.
Bacteria, such as Bacillus
subtilis, colonise the roots and
benefit from carbohydrate
excretions from the roots. The
bacteria produce exudates with
anti-fungal properties, thereby
preventing pathogens attacking
the roots that are surrounded by a
sheath of beneficial bacteria.
Fungi such as Trichoderma
virens (Trichoderma harzianum)
colonise the substrate, thereby
physically inhibiting pathogen
spread and digest the pathogens.
Some strains of Trichoderma
also effect auxins (plant
hormones) in roots, promoting
more lateral growth.
Watch out for these and other
bio-fungicides and bio-pesticides
and predators for rootzone pests,
thereby widening your range of
control products and reducing your
dependence on toxic chemicals.
Combine them with beneficial
organics and good management
to produce a quality playing
surface, with less reliance on
conventional nutrients and
pesticides, and lower
environmental impact.
Bill Riley BSc. Hons. Dip.
Geoscience, Vitax Ltd.
DRAINAGE SPECIALISTS
DESIGN & INSTALLATION
PRIMARY SYSTEMS
SAND SLITTING & GRAVEL BANDING
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
Tel. 01722 716361
www.mjabbott.co.uk
Philip Dixon Contractors Ltd
Established 1978
Sportsturf Drainage Specialist
Drainage t Construction t Renovation
Slitting t Banding t Maintenance
Tel 01772 877289 (Preston, Lancs)
Email: info@dixondrainage.co.uk
www.dixondrainage.co.uk
45
Cost effective drainage
Miles Drainage Limited
Quality Land Drainage Systems for Sports
Pitches, Golf Courses and other Amenity
Areas
•Advice, design and installation
•Piped systems •Sand Slitting
•Gravel Banding
Tel: 01359 259424 Fax: 01359 258073
Web: www.milesdrainage.co.uk
Email: trenchers@milesdrainage.co.uk
quick and neat trenching work with
minimal disruption to play.
DRAIN TODAY - PLAY TOMORROW
AFT Trenchers
Tel: 01787 311811
info@trenchers.co.uk www.trenchers.co.uk
Phone: 01507 578288
Fax: 01507 578790
info@sheltonsdrainage.com
www.sheltonsdrainage.com
www.pitchcare.com
Machine sales
Hire and contracting services
139
To advertise in this section contact
Football
Classifieds ROY GETS IN
Peter Britton on 01952 898516
email: peter@pitchcare.com
DRAINAGE
SPORTS TURF DRAINAGE
AND CONSTRUCTION
NATIONWIDE SERVICE
www.turfdry.com
Contact: Melvyn Taylor
Office: 01283 551417 Mobile: 07836 259133
DESIGN : INSTALLATION : MAINTENANCE
Pitch Construction : Piped Drainage Systems : Sand Slitting
Pitch
Construction : Piped Drainage Systems
Blec Vibro Sand Banding : Koro Surfacing : Vertidraining : Topdressing : Overseeding
Sand Slitting : Blec Vibro Sand Banding : Landscaping
Koro Surfacing : Vertidraining : Topdressing : Overseeding
Email: melvyn@turfdry.com
If it’s drainage, it has to be Duncan Ross!
If it’s drainage, it has to be Duncan Ross!
Willow Farm,
Red Cat Lane, Burscough, Ormskirk L40 0RF
t 01257 255321
www.duncanrosslanddrainage.co.uk
Traditional
drainage and
Lytag banding
0IEHMRKWTSVXWXYVJGSRWXVYGXMSRGSQTER]
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of greens and fairways
WORTH
DRAINING
Tel: 01785 812706
E: NSIrrigation@aol.com
www.northstaffsirrigation.co.uk
www.pitchcare.com
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
GRASS CUTTING MACHINERY
Trimax PegasusS2
Tractor not included ...
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Email: sales@rtmachinery.co.uk
Website: www.rtmachinery.co.uk
140
Manchester City’s
Grounds Manager,
Roy Rigby, talks
about his decision to
install a Fibrelastic
pitch at the club’s
training ground
A
Appley Bridge, Wigan, Lancashire WN6 9DT
t 01257 255321 f 01257 255327 e office@duncanrosslanddrainage.co.uk
RIÀFH#GXQFDQrosslanddrainage.co.uk
www.duncanrosslanddrainage.co.uk
e
THE ROOTZONE!
Tel: 01933 652235
info@trimaxmowers.co.uk
www.trimaxmowers.com
s the man responsible for the
60,000 sq metres of
Manchester City Training
ground, Main Stadium and
Academy pitches, Grounds
Manager, Roy Rigby, is devoted to
developing the best pitches
possible for Manchester City.
Roy joined the club ten years
ago, after working at Blackburn
Rovers Training Ground for twelve
years. He manages a team of
twelve staff across the five sites
and isn’t afraid to trial different
products. In order to keep track of
his work Roy keeps a diary of any
problems he encounters, large or
small, along with his actions to
rectify them.
Roy has spent the last four
years researching, observing and
testing the Fibrelastic pitches,
from Mansfield Sand, that have
been installed in other Premier
League stadiums and training
pitches. He has witnessed, firsthand, the stadium and training
ground pitches at Wolverhampton
Wanderers, installed in 2010, and
recorded their progress throughout
the last season. He has also
closely studied the performance of
Newcastle United’s Fibrelastic
pitch at St James Park and their
training pitches at Darsley Park,
visiting on a regular basis since
2007. As a result he has formed a
great relationship with Head
Groundsman Michael Curran.
The player-friendly and hardwearing nature of Fibrelastic, as
well as how players reacted to the
surface, prompted Roy to make
the decision to install one of their
own for the first team at their
Carrington training ground. “I saw
how the first team at Newcastle
Roy Rigby
walked across several pitches just
to get to the Fibrelastic training
area. They realised it was the best
surface to play on, which is why
they have installed another one.
The pitches performed really well
last season, despite the extreme
weather conditions suffered in the
North East, and I’m excited about
bringing it to the Man City training
ground.” He’s satisfied that the
new surface installed on the first
team pitch will be well-received:
“The players, coaches and physics
will love it! It really is at the
forefront of pitch technology and
will help us to deliver a top-quality
pitch for the first team.”
Head Groundsman at the
Carrington Training Ground, Lee
Metcalfe, agrees with Roy after
seeing how well the Fibrelastic
training pitch performed during an
intensive training session at
Wolves. “We were lucky enough to
witness the performance for
ourselves during a visit to see
Wayne Lumbard, Head
Groundsman at Wolves. You could
just feel the difference when you
walked across it. We are all really
looking forward to working on the
new training pitch and I’m
confident the end result will be
well worth the hard work we’ve all
put in.”
The new pitch has been seeded
with a new Barenburg formulation
BAR 7 grass seed, to add to the
To advertise in this section contact
Classifieds
Peter Britton on 01952 898516
email: peter@pitchcare.com
IRRIGATION
Richard Aspinwall of J. Mallinson
“It’s important for me to
understand the new products on
the market and to be able to
choose the very best to establish
and maintain our pitches to the
highest standard”
hard-wearing properties of the
work on the Manchester City sites,
Fibrelastic rootzone, which allows
“We really do have the best staff
for a reduction in surface
working for us.”
hardness, resulting in fewer
Roy dedicates so much of his
injuries to players, together with
time to researching new pitch
an increase in surface resilience.
technology and management
Roy’s team started the
techniques, in order to improve the
renovations on the
first team pitches
at Carrington at
the end of April
and had
completed them
the by 1st July. Roy
admits that,
although it was
hard work, his
team, and the
contractors
J. Mallinson, led by
site manager
Richard Aspinwall,
did a great job,
despite the time
constraints. During
this year’s pitch
Man City’s training ground
renovations,
approximately 300
bags of Barenbrug grass seed
overall playing performance of the
were used.
pitches that some people joke that
The club have a fleet of Toro
he loves grass more than his wife!
Reelmaster 6700s as well as
Roy explains, “I enjoy being at the
Ransomes Cylinder mowers for
top of my profession, so it’s
cutting. The pitches are marked
important for me to understand
out with a laser guidedline marker.
the new products on the market,
However, Roy admits that he
and to be able to choose the very
couldn’t do his difficult job without
best to establish and maintain our
the hard-working ground staff who
pitches to the highest standard.”
IRRIGATION SPECIALISTS
DESIGN & SUPPLY
INSTALLATION
MAINTENANCE
Tel. 01722 716361
www.mjabbott.co.uk
For all your golf, sportsturf and
landscape irrigation needs.
Buy online at www.lws.uk.com
Telephone 0845 230 9697
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Irrigation
GREAT ALL OVER
THE PARK
Call Lely: 01480 226848 or
email: irrigation.uk@lely.com
www.toro.com
PEST CONTROL
Design
Installation
Service
Irrigation supplies
Professional Pest Control
RABBIT SPECIALIST
Also foxes, moles, insect control, etc.
Tel: 01785 812706
E: NSIrrigation@aol.com
www.northstaffsirrigation.co.uk
Mobile: 07837 888108
Tel: 01270 611376
Email: jeffngriffiths@fsmail.net
www.hobbswildlifeservices.co.uk
British Turf & Landscape
Irrigation Association
ROLLERS
OVERSEEDING
NEED TO
OVERSEED?
Moore Uni-Drill is the proven
machine for accurate seed placement
on flat or undulating areas
Contact Synergy Products on
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Dave on mobile: 07971 843802
Email: sales@synergyproducts.co.uk
www.synergyproducts.co.uk
Roy with the training ground staff
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please mention that you
‘saw it in Pitchcare’
141
To advertise in this section contact
Grass Seed
Classifieds THE FUTURE OF
Peter Britton on 01952 898516
email: peter@pitchcare.com
ROLLERS
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WWW.HANCOX.CO.UK
142
www.pitchcare.com
Dr David Lawson, Senior Research Officer for
the STRI, discusses the future of fertilisers
and their impact on the environment
Fertilisers and Turf
For intensively managed turf,
fertiliser input is essential to
promote growth and to allow grass
to recover from wear and tear. By
far and away the most important
nutrient for grass growth is
nitrogen.
A considerable amount of
research has been carried out to
ascertain the total amounts of
nitrogen (N) required for golf
greens and football/rugby turf,
growing under a range of
conditions from sand-based
constructions to normal soils.
Other nutrients are important,
e.g. phosphate and potassium. The
former is particularly important for
seed establishment, the latter for
drought tolerance and strength of
growth. Deficiency in these may
occur in some soils, and this can
be ascertained by soil testing.
Other nutrients, such as sulphur,
magnesium and calcium, are not
likely to be deficient in most soils.
In addition, there are
micronutrients, such as copper
and manganese, which are
required by the turf in very small
quantities and are rarely found to
be deficient.
The Environment
There has been increasing concern
about the environmental impacts
of using fertilisers and, in
particular, nitrogen. Up until now,
this has focused on the potential
for N to be leached as nitrate from
soils to adjacent waterways or to
aquifers used for drinking water.
As a consequence, some
precautions are taken in turf
management, e.g. the use of
controlled release fertilisers in
situations where leaching could be
a problem, for example where
there is poor grass cover (it is
worth noting that a dense turf is
actually very efficient at taking up
any applied fertiliser). The
optimum amounts of fertiliser
application for turf growth are not
likely to lead to any major leaching
of N.
Phosphate application on golf
greens is generally kept to a
minimum and unlikely to lead to
leaching losses. However, greater
amounts tend to be used on winter
games turf and so losses are
potentially greater, especially on
sand-based constructions.
However, it should be noted that
phosphates do tend to be
immobilised in soils, thus reducing
losses in drainage water.
Large amounts of potassium
are commonly applied in turf
maintenance, probably much more
than are actually needed. For
sand-based rootzones the
amounts leached are likely to be
substantial.
Energy and Resources
Although the concern about overapplication of these nutrients has
been associated with ecological
aspects (particularly with nitrogen
and phosphate), the concern is
now widening to take in other
environmental and economic
aspects. The first of these is the
high energy requirements required
to produce fertilisers, especially
nitrogen. This is of particular
concern for nitrogen, because the
process of producing ammonium
from atmospheric nitrogen has an
extremely high energy input, with
associated carbon dioxide output if
fossil fuels are being used to
produce the energy. The energy
requirement is known as the
embedded energy of the nitrogen.
To advertise in this section contact
Classifieds
Peter Britton on 01952 898516
email: peter@pitchcare.com
REPLACEMENT AND SPARE PARTS
design, manufacture
and distribution of
turf aeration solutions
for the past 20 years
Large amounts of potassium are
commonly applied in turf
maintenance, probably much
more than are actually needed
Phosphate and potassium also
contain embedded energy for their
production as fertiliser. The table
shows the calculated amounts.
Fertiliser nutrient;
applied at
1.0 g/m2
N (as ammonium)
N (as nitrate)
P (as phosphate)
K
Energy
requirement:
Wh
5.2
4.9
1.6
3.8
Therefore, for a one hectare area
(10,000 m2) of intensively
managed turf receiving 25g/m2 of
N from ammonium, the energy
input is 5.2Wh x 25 x 10,000 =
1,300kWh of energy.
This is the energy content of
135 litres of petrol.
A second area of concern is that
some of the minerals mined and
quarried for producing the
nutrients in fertiliser are running
out. This is particularly true for
phosphate, where the rock
phosphate in Morocco and other
countries is becoming depleted;
and therefore more expensive.
There are resources in China, but
very little is being exported. This
phosphate is required for
agricultural production and,
indeed, there are major concerns
that production could be limited
through the lack of phosphate. It
is an extremely serious issue.
Recycled products
Scientists and other practitioners
have realised that the situation
with regard to fertiliser for food
crops needs to be addressed. A
major focus of current research is
the capturing of fertiliser nutrients
in waste materials and re-using
them as fertiliser. There is a
considerable amount of work
being carried out on this at
present. For instance:
- Composted green and food
waste contains N, P and K
which can be re-applied.
However, the concentrations
tend to be rather small, and
substantial quantities of
compost would need to be
applied to intensively managed
turf
- Waste water in water treatment
centres contains significant
quantities of nutrient,
particularly phosphate derived
from many domestic products.
Industrial processes are now
being installed to capture the
phosphate, along with nitrogen,
and process it to a fertiliser
- There is an increasing
processing of food waste in the
UK through anaerobic digestion.
This is a biological process
whereby methane gas is
produced from the food waste
material and, thereafter, used
for energy production. However,
most of the food waste is still
present and requires disposal. It
is normally split into a liquid
and solid fraction. The liquid
fraction contains some N, P and
K, along with other nutrients
such as sulphur, and it can be
used as a fertiliser, although
nutrient levels are low. The solid
fraction can be composted
- By-products from industrial
processes may produce
nutrients. In turf management,
ammonium sulphate is
commonly used as an N source
and most of this is derived from
an industrial by-product. There
are likely to be other materials
with fertiliser value
- Greater interest is being taken
in the ability of some plants to
‘fix’ atmospheric nitrogen.
Clover is used to fix atmospheric
N and is used within some
turfgrass mixes. The possibility
also exists to process
leguminous crops such as peas
or beans to produce a nitrogen
fertiliser. As nitrogen fertiliser
prices continue to increase, this
may become an economically
sound strategy for producing
fertiliser
Most of these technologies are at
an early stage and further
developments will take place over
the next few decades. However,
because of increasing energy
prices, the technologies used must
have a low energy input.
One way or another, the cost of
fertiliser will continue to increase
and more recycled material will be
used as fertiliser.
Blair Precision
Engineering Ltd
began
manufacturing
tines in1987 after
Carnoustie Golf
Links approached
the company
looking for
custom shapes and sizes of tines to fit their
aeration machines. More than 20 years later,
Steelmaster Tines are used by greenkeepers
and groundsman all over Europe.
Tel: +44 (0)1241 853639
www.steelmaster.co.uk
E: sales@steelmaster.co.uk
RUBBER CRUMB
Established 1998
Replacement Tines
Hollow, Solid and Cross specialising in carbide tipped
technology.
Verticut and scarifier blades.
Brush sections
OEM specification.
Accessories
Backlapping paste, linkage
pins, PTOs, specialist grease
and bedknives cold rolled for
uniform hardness.
All major brands catered for
and special requirements met.
L VERTI-DRAIN
L THATCHAWAY
L WEIDENMANN L TORO
L JOHN DEERE
L GRADEN
L RYAN
L RANSOMES/JAC
Fast efficient service from
our extensive stock.
0800 083 0216
Division of Campey Turf Care Systems Ltd
SEED SUPPLIERS
The use of RUBBER CRUMB on
grass as top dressing has been
granted a PATENT in the UK and
Ireland under Number EP0788301B1
TEBBUTT ASSO.
ARE THE LICENSEES
with CROWN III rubber crumb Turf
Reinforcement, the licensed product.
Contact Tebbutt Asso.
on 01253 342003 or Fax 01253 346644
e-mail: tebbuttasso@btconnect.com
www.tebbuttassociates.co.uk
• Catering for all sectors of the industry
• Standard amenity grass mixtures
• Special mixture formulation service
• Expert advice
• Nationwide delivery
For further information contact:
Simon Taylor
Tel: 01522 868946 Mob: 07824 601471
Email: simon.taylor@eurograss.com
www.eurograssseed.co.uk
SEED SUPPLIERS
Cricket Renovation Seed Mixes CR1 & CR2
WASP coated seed also available
24 hour delivery
Sportsground Mixtures
Hurrells Specialist Seeds, Beverley Road
Cranswick Driffield East Yorkshire YO25 9PF
• Next day delivery
• Technical advice
Tel: 01522 868714
Fax: 01522 868095
Email: nick@hmseeds.com
Tel: 01377 271400
Fax: 01377 271500
www.hmseeds.com
seeds@bshlincoln.co.uk
Order online at
www.bshamenity.com
SOIL SCREENERS
SOIL ANALYSIS
ULTRA T1500 TROMMEL SCREEN
HIRE AND SALES
A2LA Accredited & USGA
Approved physical soil
testing laboratory for the
analysis of construction
materials for the
sportsturf industry
Contact ETL on
01786 449195
email:
europeanturf@aol.com
www.etl-ltd.com
Produce high quality topsoil from
recycled soil/green waste
Contact Synergy Products on
01380 828337
Dave on mobile: 07971 843802
Email: sales@synergyproducts.co.uk
www.synergyproducts.co.uk
Advertising in this
classified section costs
as little as £200 a year.
Telephone: 01952 898516
143
To advertise in this section contact
Grass Seed
Classifieds SOWING THE
Peter Britton on 01952 898516
email: peter@pitchcare.com
SPORTS TURF CONTRACTORS
SEEDS OF LOVE!
SPECIALISTS IN TURF MANAGEMENT
DESIGN • CONSTRUCTION
IRRIGATION • MAINTENANCE
i n f o @ avon m o r e -a s s o c i a t e s . c o. u k
t: 01789 293439
www.avonmore-associates.co.uk
the pitch of performance
Football, Hockey Multi-Sports,
Cricket, Tennis & Bowls
Design and construction of synthetic
and natural sports surfaces and facilities
GOLF COURSE & SPORTSGROUND
CONSTRUCTION
RENOVATION & MAINTENANCE
Tel: 01474 364320
www.activeleisurecontracts.co.uk
IRRIGATION SYSTEMS
LAND DRAINAGE SCHEMES
WATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Tel. 01722 716361
www.mjabbott.co.uk
•
•
•
•
Supplies
Renovation
Drainage
Construction
01797 252299
www.bourneamenity.co.uk
enquiries@bourneamenity.co.uk
Tel: 01494 866776
email: info@agripower.co.uk
www.agripower.co.uk
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
CH GROUNDS
MAINTENANCE LTD
DRAINAGE
Piped Drainage, Sand Slitting, SandMaster
CONSTRUCTION
Sports Fields and Golf Courses
RENOVATION
Verti-draining, GroundBreaker, Over-seeding
Top-dressing, Koro Field Topmaker
Tel: 01494 758208 info@chgrounds.com
www.chgrounds.com
144
Valentine’s Day encounter ends in love for
Andy Mackay but, this time, it’s for coated
grass seed
F
resh thinking about seed has
transformed the turf
maintenance programme at
Sussex County Cricket Club’s main
stadium.
The club currently hold the prize
for the best wickets in one-day
First Class cricket, so are no
strangers to working at the top
end of turfcare. Now in his fourth
year in charge at the club’s
headquarters in Hove, West
Sussex, Andy Mackay has once
more raised standards by moving
over to a new form of coated grass
seed, not only in his practice nets
but also on the main square.
It is the dramatic results he
achieved earlier in the year trialing
Johnsons Ji premier wicket iSeed
mixture that have prompted him to
shift to the mix across the board.
The thiteen practice nets at
Hove are used intensively yearround, with each rotated three
times during any season, so the
pressure is on to turn wickets
round quickly, Andy says.
The main square comes in for a
battering too, he adds. “We have
just eleven first-class wickets on
the main square, but only nine
were available this year as we are
in the midst of relaying them all.”
“Added to that, most of our
home fixtures were crammed into
the first half of the season so, by
the end of June, we had used
them all and desperately needed
to overseed with a mix that would
produce a fast turnaround.”
He learnt of iSeed from Matt
Merchant, head groundsman at
Old Trafford, when the two met at
the England and Wales Cricket
Board’s spring conference for firstclass cricket groundsmen, held at
Derbyshire County Cricket Club.
“I remember the date, 14th
February, Valentine’s Day,” recalls
Andy. Was it a case of love at first
sight then for his encounter with
the coated seed mix? “Initially, I
was sceptical of the claims being
made, and was perfectly happy
with our existing choice, but
decided to test it out after reading
and hearing about Matt’s
experiences in the Pitchcare
magazine.”
In April, Andy started trialing the
seed in the nets area at Hove, in
direct competition with his
favoured mix and pre-seeder
fertiliser. As iSeed comes coated
with quick and slow release
fertiliser, he had no need to apply
any additional feed, he says.
In fact, fertiliser accounts for
half the weight of iSeed. To
compensate, rather than oversow
at 75g/m2, as he had done with
his usual mix, he increased the
rate to 120g/m2 - a strategy that
has paid off handsomely for him.
“The iSeed germinated at the
same speed as the competitor, but
really kicked on around day ten,”
says Andy. “After two weeks, the
renovated wickets were like chalk
and cheese and I was amazed by
the vitality of the grass plants: they
were thick, upright and actually
felt stiff underfoot.”
”The colour also bears out the
health of the plant, and we are
achieving superb density of cover.
We were achieving pretty good
results with our previous seed - a
three-cultivar mix of dwarf
perennial ryegrass - but even the
players are noticing it and
commenting.”
The test results in the nets
prompted Andy to rethink his
choice of mix for the mid-season
renovation. “I needed to revisit
every wicket on the square and
To advertise in this section contact
Classifieds
Peter Britton on 01952 898516
email: peter@pitchcare.com
SPORTS TURF CONTRACTORS
'PSUIFWFSZCFTUJO
TQPSUTQJUDIDPOUSBDUJOH
%SBJOJOHTQPSUTUVSGMBOEJTTUJMMUIFGBTUFTUXBZPGSFNPWJOHTVSGBDFXBUFS
RVJDLMZ8FBSFTQFDJBMJTUDPOUSBDUPSTDPOWFSTBOUXJUIUIJTUZQFPGXPSL
0OMZBDPOUJOVFEQSPHSBNNFPGHSPVOENBJOUFOBODFBOEDPOEJUJPOJOHDBOHVBSBOUFFBRVBMJUZTVSGBDF
Sports Ground Contractors Ltd
“As many a groundsman can
confirm, once your players are
behind you, you’ve cracked it”
had a sixteen day gap in the
fixture list to resow everything,” he
recalls.
On day nine, the Hove ground
played host to Elton John, leaving
Andy an even tighter deadline in
which to complete the renovation.
He reseeded throughout with
iSeed and, by the end of July,
could survey what he describes as
“a very healthy-looking square”.
The price per bag for iSeed
is slightly more than the
existing mix, says Andy, but
adds: “The extra cost kg for kg
of seed is more than recouped,
I believe, by the savings in
fertiliser and, most
importantly, the benefits to be
gleaned. This is a big thumbs
up from Sussex County Cricket
Club.”
Good news travels fast, as
they say, and Andy was able to
extol the virtues of his new find
to forty-five cricket club
colleagues around the county
at a Groundsman’s Association
meeting held at Hove recently.
“I can’t believe I ever
doubted it but, until you see
something with your own eyes,
you never know.”
He recalls a moment, a few
weeks ago, when a visiting
player walked into the nets
carrying his bag, got halfway
across a wicket that had been
recently renovated and stopped.
“He put down his bag and
proceeded to examine the grass
and to stroke it.”
“As many a groundsman can
confirm, once your players are
behind you, you’ve cracked it,”
said Andy with a smile.
$BMEFS'BSN4BOET-BOF
.JS¾FME8FTU:PSLTIJSF8')+
5FM
'BY
.PCJMF
&NBJMJOGP!BMBODIBQQFMPXDPVL
8FCXXXBMBODIBQQFMPXDPVL
D W Clark
DRAINAGE LTD
SPECIALIST SPORTSTURF CONSTRUCTION
& DRAINAGE CONTRACTORS
• Gravel Banding • Sand Slitting
• Top Dressing • Renovation • Irrigation
Unit 7, Brailes Industrial Estate, Winderton Lane, Lower Brailes
Banbury, Oxfordshire OX15 5JW
Tel: 01608 685800 Fax: 01608 685801
email: jim@dwclarkdrainageltd.co.uk Web: www.dwclarkdrainageltd.co.uk
D CRANE
SPORTS TURF
Construction
Golf Courses,
Natural/
Artificial Pitches,
MUGAs
Renovation
Koro Field Top
Maker, Fibre Sand
Installation, Laser
Grading, Seeding
CONSTRUCTION
Sports Fields and Golf Courses
DRAINAGE
Sand Slitting, Gravel Banding
RENOVATION
Verti Draining, Hollow Coring, Scarifying,
Koro Field Topmaker, Topdressing,
Overseeding, Sand Spreading
Drainage
Piped Drainage,
Sandmaster, Whiz
Wheel, Gravel
Banding
Mobile: 07768 122577
Tel: 01772 780545
Email:info@dcranesportsturf.com
danvicturfcare@btconnect.com
Website:www.dcranesportsturf.com
Tel:01254 878047
Pitchcare Magazine SUBSCRIBE NOW!
You can have each and every copy of Pitchcare - The Magazine
delivered direct to your door for just £30 a year (Overseas £50).
The independent, comprehensive, bi-monthly magazine for everyone
involved in working with turf.
Go to www.pitchcare.com to subscribe on-line or
telephone 01952 897910
145
To advertise in this section contact
Sand and Topdressing
Classifieds ARE YOU
Peter Britton on 01952 898516
email: peter@pitchcare.com
SPORTS TURF CONTRACTORS
Philip Dixon Contractors Ltd
Established 1978
Sportsturf Drainage Specialist
Drainage t Construction t Renovation
• Sports Pitch Construction
• Earthworks • Maintenance
• Drainage & Irrigation
• Custom Grown Turf
• Install n Playball Turf Tiles
01400 251605
www.fine-turf.co.uk
info@fine-turf.co.uk
CHOOSING
YOUR SAND
CORRECTLY?
Slitting t Banding t Maintenance
Tel 01772 877289 (Preston, Lancs)
Email: info@dixondrainage.co.uk
www.dixondrainage.co.uk
A N Y S P O R T - A N Y S U R FA C E
CONSTRUCTION - MAINTENANCE
w w w. s g c g ro u p . c o . u k
"
!
#$%
&
'
()
'
(
*%+&,
-
,
.//+0+%+1%*
23./%/41*.44/ SeniorGolfConstruction
RapidTurf
SeniorSportsMaintenance
SeniorSportsConstruction
Tel: 0161 343 1044
-5655
-7655
Natural & Synthetic
Sports Pitch Design - Construction
Renovation - Drainage - Maintenance
Sports Surfaces for Quality & Excellence
CONSTRUCTION • DRAINAGE
IRRIGATION • MAINTENANCE
SOFT LANDSCAPING & PLANTING
Scotland: Tel 01236 453030
Cheshire: Tel 01565 889220
Email: info@souterssports.co.uk
www.souterssports.co.uk
Tel: 01256 880488
Email: info@kestrelcontractors.co.uk
www.kestrelcontractors.co.uk
SPEEDCUT
CONTRACTORS LTD
A professional service
for all Sportsturf:
• Drainage
• Construction
• Renovation
Oxford 01865 331479
www.speedcutcontractors.co.uk
Specialists in Sportsfield
Construction, Fencing,
Drainage and Landscaping
Sportsfield Construction
Drainage Schemes
Renovations & Improvements
Cricket Specialists
Tel: 01529 455757 Fax: 01529 455775
e-mail: steve@stevenpask.co.uk
www.stevenpask.co.uk
Get in touch on: 01773 872362
www.pugh-llewis.co.uk
146
www.pitchcare.com
So, you’ve chosen the sand for your
topdressing and rootzone - is that it? Andy
Law of Whitemoss Eco thinks not!
A
ll sports surfaces require
maintenance inputs in the
form of feeding, irrigation,
aeration and, of course, surface
treatments such as topdressing;
all of these are advised and
recommended to achieve a top
class finish, whatever division or
leaguer or class of surface you are
preparing.
When looking for information,
on bulk materials in particular, the
usual options all concentrate their
attention on the sand content of
topdressing and rootzone alike.
Okay, given that, in most cases,
this makes up 70-95% of the
overall mix, this approach is
acceptable and expected; but what
about the plant’s requirements for
macro and micro nutrients, and
even mycorrhiza, the actually tool
that holds tight onto nutrients and,
in fact, actually attracts them to
the plant’s root system?
Given that sand is, essentially,
an inert material offering no
nutrient value at all, merely in fact
a drainage medium when fully
considered and, on a well
balanced sand, also a good home,
having both air and water pore
space. Sand though is like a house
without furniture, or gas and
electric.
In terms of a rootzone situation
for instance, if you decided to
‘save costs’ and build a new green
using only straight sand, what
would the ongoing implications
be?
If we take a medium grade
sand, where the majority of the
particles fall between .25 and
.150 microns, with very little below
0.075 microns, this would,
typically, have a percolation rate of
around 700mm/hour!
Imagine how dry the surface
would be... brilliant, or what?
Well no, not really, because
what happens in an ideal world,
immediately after you’ve applied
fertiliser, is that it rains and
washes the feed into the profile.
Given the open profile of our
‘ideal’ sand, the feed you have just
applied will end up very quickly in
the drainage carpet!!
So, what do we do to stop feed
and irrigation water simply
leaching straight through our
rootzone?
Organic amendment is the
simple answer. However, the tough
question is - which one is best?
In the UK market there are
currently three main options for
amending a rootzone or
topdressing mix. These are,
Topsoil, Sphagnum Moss Peat and
Green Compost.
I would like to tackle each
independently and give their plus
and negative points and then
assess at the end that which, in
my experience, is the best, not for
all, but for the vast majority of
applications.
Topsoil:
Plus: Availability
Negatives: Inconsistency; Price;
To advertise in this section contact
Classifieds
Peter Britton on 01952 898516
email: peter@pitchcare.com
SPORTS TURF CONTRACTORS
Design
Construction
Renovation
Maintenance
Specialists
turf
& artificial
pitch
Specialistsin
inturnkey
turnkeynatural
naturalt
urf&
artificialpi
tch solutions
solutions
Sports Ground Contractor
Turnkey Projects
Artificial Facilities
Natural Turf
Land Drainage
Environmentally Conscientious
Your Choice
Rootzone mixes with green
compost of varying blend
ratios have all indicated
strong germination patterns
and increased yield
Low nutrient value; High bulk
density; High sand content;
Clay/Silt content; Stone/Glass;
Environment
Sphagnum Moss Peat:
Pluses: Low bulk density; Water
holding capacity; Low ph value
Negatives: Price; Breaks down
quickly; Virtually sterile - needs
inputs; Environment
Green Compost (pas100/2005
certified):
Pluses: Low bulk density: Very
consistent supply chain; High
nutrient source; Proven to have
and attract Mycorriza; Disease
resistant; Drought resistant;
Fibrous - resists compaction; Price;
Availabilty
Negative: Twiggy (10mm minus)
TopSoil:
In a blend, especially a rootzone
mix, topsoil is added only to slow
down the movement of water
through the profile - it offers and
has no other benefits to give. Most
UK topsoils are, in themselves,
90% made of sand particles,
usually medium, medium fine,
very fine and silt/clay particles in
particular. Yes, it is a widely
available source and, yes, it is
cheap, enabling the producers to
maximise their profits. Topsoil is
the most inconsistent source of
organic amendment that is
available. FACT!
From one side of a field to the
other, much like most golf
courses, the soil type changes and
varies from sandy loam to silty
clay loams yet, still, some
manufacturers of sands in the UK
are using topsoils in their mixes.
Sphagnum Moss Peat:
Sphagnum is still the most widely
used organic in all USGA mixes FACT.
It offers a short term nutrient
sponge effect until it breaks down
- in my experience, within 3-5
years. It is usually incorporated at
a rate of around 10-15% by
volume and is there only to slow
down the loss of nutrients in sand
dominated rootzones. It offers a
low ph - typically 5.5-6 in most
USGA mixes - and this is, of
course, ideal for Bent grasses and
some of the US species like
Penncross etc. It is also quite light,
rootzones averaging around
1.55t/m3, as opposed to topsoil
rootzones usually 1.7-1.9t/m3.
Green Compost:
Used in the US for in excess of
thirty years!
Proven to reduce the occurrence of
a number of turf diseases,
including Red Thread and
Fusarium.
Does not breakdown in the
rootzone profile, prevalent for 1015 years.
Nutrient supply - offers an
immediate feed source
Batch tested to ensure 100%
consistent supply chain
Quality scheme assured pas100/2005
Very low bulk density around 1.451.5t/m3
Rootzone mixes with green
compost,of varying blend ratios,
have all indicated strong
germination patterns and
increased yield, alongside the
added disease tolerance AND
weight/cost saving.
We have supplied greens and
tees mixes to a number of clubs
and, indeed, football pitches, and
some mixes have been down to
1:1 and still performed excellently
in all weather, handling rain, lack
of rain etc., all with the same
results, all using green compost as
the organic amendment.
Our research, in real time
situations with real greenkeepers,
has shown that green compost is
the best performing AND the most
consistent organic amendment
available; it is also the most
environmentally friendly and
sustainable organic on the planet.
Andy Law, Managing Director
Whitemoss Eco Supplies Ltd
www.whitemosseco.org.uk
Tel: 01924 497283
www.stanleylanddrainage.co.uk
sales@stanleylanddrainage.co.uk
SPORTS TURF CONSULTANTS
The tts culture is based on its independence.
tts embodies a new generation of turf consultants combining experienced
and practical groundsmen with in-depth technical knowledge.
For more information on how tts can improve your playing surfaces and contribute
effective resource management to your organisation, don’t hesitate to call.
Telephone: 01604 862925
Website: www.totalturfsolutions.co.uk email: info@totalturfsolutions.co.uk
SPORTS TURF COVERS
SPRAYERS
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‘saw it in Pitchcare’
147
To advertise in this section contact
Worms
Classifieds RETURN OF
Peter Britton on 01952 898516
email: peter@pitchcare.com
SPRAYERS
THE WORM...
TOPDRESSING & LOAM
Ongar Loam cricket dressing
and top quality golf and
bowls dressings
Order direct from the
manufacturer and our
distributors
Moreton, Ongar, Essex, CM5 0HY
Tel: 01277 890246
Fax: 01277 890105
www.binderloams.co.uk
Email: sales@binderloams.co.uk
For many years earthworm casting on sports
turf was easily prevented by the pesticide
chlordane. But chlordane was then banned,
and now the problem of casting has returned
because none of the chemicals currently
used in the UK are as effective at controlling
earthworms
T
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VDOHV#PDUWLQOLVKPDQFRP
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148
his article looks at which
species are pests on golf
courses, and examines the
current situation regarding
earthworm control.
Earthworms present
greenkeepkers and groundsmen
with a dilemma. On one hand
earthworms improve soil quality.
Earthworms are important in the
decomposition process and
nutrient recycling because they eat
dead plant material, including
thatch. Their feeding and
tunnelling activities improve soil
structure, drainage and aeration.
In addition, their casts are a rich
source of essential plant nutrients,
including nitrogen, phosphorus
and potassium.
On the other hand, surface
casting on greens and fairways is
a serious nuisance. It can interfere
with the roll of the ball, create an
uneven playing surface, damage
mower blades, smear across the
surface reducing water infiltration,
encourage weed invasion and spoil
the look of the turf. However, not
all species cast on the surface
and, therefore, chemical control
has always been a blunt
instrument because it kills all
earthworms, not just the surface
casters.
Chlordane
Until the early 1960s, casting was
a serious problem on UK golf
courses and other close-mown
sports turf. From about 1962,
chlordane started to be sold widely
in the UK as it proved to be highly
efficient at killing earthworms.
Chlordane quickly became the
greenkeepers’ weapon of choice
against earthworms and, for thirty
years, casting was effectively kept
in check.
Chlordane is a persistent
organochlorine that binds to
mineral particles and organic
matter, and has a half-life of about
four years in the soil. As a result of
its environmental toxicity and its
risks to human health, chlordane
was banned in 1992. Because of
its persistence, chlordane
remained partially active in the
soil for up to ten years after the
ban. However, by 2003, a survey of
greenkeepers suggested that
earthworms were their most
common pest. The chemicals
currently available in the UK for
controlling earthworms are far less
effective than chlordane and have
relatively short-term effects. In the
last ten years or so, casting has
become a major management
issue again, with many golf
courses reporting that casting is
now a moderate to severe
problem.
British earthworms
There are twenty-seven native
species of earthworm in the British
Isles. They can be divided into
three ecological groups based on
where they live and how they feed.
Anecic earthworms are deep
burrowing species whose
permanent vertical burrows can go
two metres down into the soil. The
burrow is open at the soil surface
and the earthworm will emerge at
night to forage for leaf litter, and
deposit its casts on the surface.
Endogeic earthworms live in the
top 15cm of the soil profile. They
make horizontal tunnels that don’t
open to the surface, and most
usually cast in their tunnels not on
the surface. They eat soil, breaking
down the plant fragments it
contains.
Epigeic earthworms usually live
To advertise in this section contact
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SWEEPERS
TURF SUPPLIERS
KERSTEN SWEEPERS
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in the leaf litter and organic
matter at the soil surface, rather
than in the mineral soil. They feed
on decaying leaf litter and are
most common in woodlands, and
are rarely found in golf courses.
The most comprehensive
research on earthworms on golf
courses in the post-chlordane era
was the work of Binns, Baker and
Pierce, who investigated the
factors influencing earthworm
populations on fairways at thirtytwo golf courses across the UK.
Their research was published in
the Journal of Turfgrass Science in
1999 (volume 75). Some of their
key findings are summarised
below.
The average density of
earthworms on fairways was 45
per m2, although the highest
recorded density was 170 per m2.
The three commonest species
collected were all surface casters:
Aporrectodea longa and Lumbricus
terrestris are both deep burrowers,
while Aporrectodea caliginosa
usually lives in the topsoil. The
average number of surface casts
was 42 per m2, although the
highest number recorded was 119
per m2.
Other species that sometimes
occur in moderate to high
densities on fairways are
Aporrectodea rosea, Lumbricus
rubellus and Allolobophora
chlorotica, but these rarely cast on
the surface, preferring to deposit
their casts within the soil profile.
The higher rates of casting
occurred in areas with higher pH,
higher moisture content and more
vigorous grass growth.
In the absence of chlordane, or
any chemicals that are as
effective, many turfgrass
managers have adopted cultural
control methods. Two
management practices in
particular can significantly reduce
the amount of surface casting.
The first is to reduce the
earthworms’ food supply by
removing grass clippings and any
tree leaves. The second is to lower
the pH of the soil with the
application of acidifying fertiliser.
Most species of earthworm will
avoid acidic soils. However, the
second method needs to be
carefully monitored, as the quality
of the turf is reduced if the soil
becomes too acidic.
A new invasive earthworm
A new earthworm pest has
recently arrived on British golf
greens and bowling greens.
Microscolex phosphoreus is a nonnative species that occurs in closemown turf and casts on the
surface. Since 2005, there have
been confirmed records from at
least fifteen localities in England,
and many more unconfirmed
sightings. It is a small earthworm,
10-35mm long and 1.0-1.5mm
wide. It produces small sandy
casts on the surface that can be
10-20mm in diameter, and up to
about 15mm in height. Although
the casts are relatively small
compared with those of British
species, they are still a problem
because heavily infested areas
have been reported to have as
many as 340 casts per m2.
Discussions with turf managers,
whose greens are infested,
suggest chemicals used to reduce
surface casting of native species
have no effect on Microscolex
phosphoreus, even when applied
at the highest recommended
concentrations.
In conjunction with Dr Kate
Entwistle of the Turf Disease
Centre, I am running a project to
map the distribution of
Microscolex phosphoreus.
We need your help to discover
how far this species has spread
across the country. If you have
these small sandy casts on your
greens, please send a turf sample
to the address below. Use a hole
changer to take a turf sample
containing one or more casts, and
send the top 5cm of the core with
the grass and roots intact. Place
the turf sample in a small plastic
container that is strong enough
not to get crushed in the post.
Puncture small air holes in the top
of the container. Ensure the
sample is damp but not
waterlogged. Loosely pack
scrunched-up newspaper around
the sample to prevent it being
thrown about inside the container
while in transit. Put the container
in a padded jiffy bag and send by
first class post.
Please include the following
information: your name, email
address, name and address of the
club where the sample is from,
and date of sampling. The
information you send will be
treated as confidential. If you have
any questions, please contact me
by email on dtj@nhm.ac.uk.
Send your turf sample to: Dr David
T. Jones, Soil Biodiversity Lab, 7th
floor, Darwin Centre 2, Natural
History Museum, London SW7
5BD
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TREES
Specialist growers of sportsturf and golf
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Tel: 01904 448675
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GROWERS OF
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TURF TO BE PROUD OF
Tel: 01724 855000
email: info@countyturf.co.uk
www.countyturf.co.uk
• Sports Pitch Construction
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• Custom Grown Turf
• Install n Playball Turf Tiles
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Specialist growers of turf
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Winter sports
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www.tillersturf.co.uk
149
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Biomass Sugars
Classifieds ADVANCEMENT
Peter Britton on 01952 898516
email: peter@pitchcare.com
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WASTE WATER MANAGEMENT
WEED CONTROL
John Handley, Technical Marketing Executive
for Maxwell Amenity, visits Queen’s
University in Belfast where Dr Colin Fleming
explains how their current independent test
on BioMass Sugars will produce facts rather
than fiction
I
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150
recently undertook a fact-finding
mission in Ireland. No, nothing
to do with the ‘black stuff’; it
was a whistle stop tour of the
facilities at Queen’s University in
Belfast. Dr. Colin Fleming and
Maggie McDowell were kind
enough to give up their time to
allow me to look into the case
study they are currently
undertaking on behalf of BioMass
Sugar.
There is a growing awareness of
the importance of microorganisms found within a healthy
soil. Maintaining microbial activity
in the soil has become one of the
mechanisms used by turf
managers for producing a healthy
plant. Many species of turf grass
plants export up to 25% of their
photosynthates through the roots,
to feed the soil microbes that are
the primary decomposers of
organic matter and liberate
minerals needed for plant growth.
When a plant is under stress, it
is unable to produce enough
proteins and sugars to meet its
own needs. The importance of
carbohydrate reserves to
management practices can be
seen when considering cutting
heights, and the ability of the
grass to make its own sugars or to
withstand stress from shading and
drought. At this point in the year,
one may consider the impact of
renovation operations such as
intense scarifying and coring upon
the plants reserves.
Turf managers face increasing
pressures to produce better
surfaces with diminishing
resources; diminishing in terms of
budgets and also in terms of
products being removed from the
list of approved chemicals.
Over the past few years we have
seen a number of products, that
were once in every turf manager’s
chemical store, disappearing and,
in certain cases, not being
replaced. Turf managers have
been resigned to looking at the
alternatives of either reducing the
quality of the surface or
investigating alternative
management practices and
products.
In some situations the latter
route appears to be opening up
new possibilities. Controversially,
sometimes, we have to question
the way that we do things, e.g.
what’s the best way to control
disease? What species do I want
to be dominant on my greens?
These aren’t new questions but,
importantly, one resource that has
massively increased is
information. Many turf managers
now have internet access in their
office. This vast resource is an
important tool that requires
management, but offers
considerable benefit to the
organisation. The best reps in the
industry will be able to provide
independent data substantiating
the claims made by
manufacturers.
New suppliers are also
establishing themselves within the
market, the very best of them
legitimately, by providing an
evidence base for their product. Dr
Colin Fleming agrees that there
should be evidence for products,
and that this should be statistically
based. Pretty graphs are all well
and good within marketing
material, but turf managers are
becoming increasingly savvy as to
To advertise in this section contact
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USED MACHINERY
“Pretty graphs are all well and
good within marketing
material, but turf managers
are becoming increasingly
savvy as to what products
they use”
what products they use. As Colin
pointed out, “If a turf manager can
calibrate a sprayer, they should
have no problem working out the
significance of a ‘p-value’.”
Turf managers have known that
some things work well for years,
though they haven’t always known
why. We are now in a situation
where we can discern not only that
something is happening but we
also know how. The entire gene
sequence of Thale Cress
(Arabidopsis thaliana) has been
mapped, this allows us to see
what is happening within the
plant; to see how it reacts to
particular events, e.g. stress in the
form of cold, low-light levels, heat
or drought. This level of technology
is startling and will have a distinct
impact upon what we do.
One of the products that Dr
Colin Fleming is currently looking
at is BioMass Sugar; a by-product
of the cane sugar industry created
in South Africa. Amongst the
benefits they will be assessing is
the following;
• Increased disease resistance
• Can assist in helping the plant
under low-light conditions
• Increased drought resistance
• Shade resistance/shade
tolerance
• Increased root depth
• Increased populations of
beneficial fungi and bacteria
• Provides a ‘green-up’
• Variation of application rates to
suit purpose
• Tank mixable with seaweed
• Increases nutrient take-up
• Improves soil structure
• Assists mycorrhiza
• Balancing of carbon to nitrogen
ratio in the soil
• Increase in cold-hardiness and
heat stress resistance
• Evidence of thatch reduction
Undertaking such independent
trials is an important process,
which means turf managers can
make decisions based upon
evidence. It also allows consumers
to compare the merits of one
product against another. The
application of science will be an
increasing function of progressive
turf managers, and knowing
where to go for good quality
information is more important
than ever.
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Ryan Ren-O-Thin – choice of 3, 2001 model, all in ex demo condition
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Limpar Scarifier – pedestrian – NEW
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Greentek Greens Groomer – greens brush system
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Turfco Wide Spin 1530 Topdresser – own engine, can be pulled with any power unit
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Turfco SP1530 Spinner Topdresser off Cushman Truckster in good working order
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Sisis Veemo VMO/3H – in good working order
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Dennis Sport – 2007, in ex demo condition
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JOB FINDER
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151
I don’t believe it!
The not so serious side of the industry
©BBC
N n n n nineteen!
Cock-ney rhyming slang?
PREPARING for the start of
the new Premier League
season can be an expensive
business, and a rich
benefactor is certainly a
huge bonus when it comes
to the transfer market and
securing (poaching) the best
players.
Even pre-season tours can
have a significant effect on
the bank balance.
For example, Premiership
high fliers Chelsea went on a
pre-season tour that took
them on a 19,091 mile round
trip to Malaysia, Thailand
and Hong Kong.
ADIDAS have announced
that the 2012 Olympic
football will be known as The
Albert!
The name was suggested by
Robert Ashcroft (pictured) of
Long Ashton in Derbyshire,
who submitted his suggestion
because of the link to cockney
rhyming slang - with ‘Albert
Hall’, one of London’s most
iconic landmarks, meaning
‘Ball’.
Adidas say that other ‘albert’
references, such as Uncle
Albert from Only Fools and
Horses, Albert Square from
EastEnders, Albert Bridge
over the River Thames and
the Albert Docks are also
relevant to London.
By contrast, top-flight new
boys, Swansea, travelled just
19 miles - playing away
friendlies against Neath and
Port Talbot.
There’s lovely!
The pie’s the limited!
ACCORDING to a BBC
survey on the cost of a day
out at a professional football
match, Tottenham Hotspur
have the most expensive
pies in the Premier
League, costing a
stonking £3.50. The
cheapest were found at
Bolton and Wigan at
£2.10 - content not
known!
The survey
concluded that
the cheapest day
out can be had at Newcastle
United or Blackburn Rovers for just £17.50 - assuming
you bought their cheapest
match day ticket (£10) and
also a cup of tea, a pie and a
programme.
Following the same criteria,
the most expensive day out is
to be had at Liverpool at
£46.95, substantially more
than the two Manchester
clubs and Everton. The
Gunners offer the most
expensive match
day ticket at
£100.
At the time of the
survey, Fulham, Man City and
Chelsea were unable (or is
that unwilling?) to divulge the
cost of a pie or a cuppa.
Harper Seven heaven
A GREENKEEPER at
Newcastle Golf Course was
thrust into the media
spotlight after finding that he
shares a name with David
Beckham’s newborn daughter.
James Harper set up his
account on Twitter in 2009
with the name Harper7 to tie
in with his surname.
However, the coincidental
choice of David and Victoria
Beckham to name their
daughter Harper Seven
sparked an early-morning call
Monty’s ‘rough’ justice ...
WRITING in the Daily Mail, celebrity
gardener and TV presenter, Monty Don,
has been praising the virtues of
unmown grass.
He writes; “If we want to encourage
more insects into our gardens, there is
no better or easier way to do so than by
simply not mowing our grass. If we wish
to officially make this a ‘wildflower'
meadow then all well and good, but the
flowers in it make very little difference
to the quality of wildlife.”
The solution, says Monty, is to set aside
152
Of course, there could also be
a connection between the
Olympic Rings and Prince
Albert... but who would want
five about their personage?
an area of long grass which will look
good and make a huge difference to the
insect population and the food chain.
Monty goes on to say; “This will
maximise the chance for wild flowers to
thrive among the grass, adding to what
will be, in my opinion, as beautiful as
any neatly mown lawn - and far more
environmentally friendly.”
Strange, isn’t this what all golf clubs
have been doing for years whilst
copping flack for being blots on the
landscape?
from Capital FM presenter
Lisa Snowdon.
James said: “I’d just got into
work and they were like, ‘Do
you know the name of the
Beckham's latest child?’ I
didn’t and then they told me.
“The next thing, Lisa
Snowdon was on Twitter
asking if they could have a
word.”
He added: “He’s my favourite
ever football player so I love
it - the fact my Twitter name
is the same as his daughter.”
Quote me happy
“McIlroy has never looked anything less than
invincible this week; Barcelona in a three-button
shirt.” A great line from the Guardian’s Lawrence
Donergan.
“I could ring up Barcelona and enquire about
Lionel Messi, but it doesn’t mean I’ll get him.”
Ipswich boss Paul Jewell plays down interest in
striker Connor Wickham.
“When you get to my age, you don’t buy green
bananas.” Veteran Tom Watson refuses to make
bold predictions about how much longer he can
compete.
“It’s not easy putting a rubber on.” TMS
commentator, Jonathan Agnew, left Michael
Vaughan lost for words when commenting on
Kevin Pietersen’s excellent attempt at putting a
grip back on his bat handle.
“Empty your suitcase, the washing machine is
waiting.” US Open champion Rory McIlroy
reveals the greeting he received from girlfriend
Holly on his return home from Congressional.
“Samit’s had much-publicised problems with the
fridge.” Recalled by England for the first time
since 2008, Samit Patel is unlikely to be allowed
to forget why he was axed if Graeme Swann has
his way.
“It’s like us calling it the Ann Summers stadium.”
West Ham owner David Sullivan questions
Manchester City’s stadium sponsorship deal with
Etihad.
“He has a stance like using a 1950’s French toilet.”
Sky TV’s Jeremy Coney tries to explain Sussex
opener, Ed Joyce’s, rather unusal ‘squatting’
stance.
“He should stick to doing what he does best, which
is building leisure clubs.” Andy Murray hits back
at criticism from former Great Britain Davis Cup
coach David Lloyd.
“I’ll probably get bored with it after a week and
give up.” Darren Clarke has admitted he may lose
interest in his plan to go on a diet having
clinched Open Championship glory.
“I never thought about it, except of course, before,
when I thought about it.” Ashley Cole clears up
whether he’s ever thought about Real Madrid.
“You have 70-odd people who got murdered in
Norway. That’s a lot more important than talking
about whether I had one pint too many or not.”
Darren Clarke tells critics of his drinking to gain
some perspective.
“If you are serious, you can play 90 minutes. If not,
you can come and sit by me on the bench.”
Roberto Mancini cosies up to Mario Balotelli.
Cobbled together from Sky Sports, ESPN Sport and
watching far too much sport on television!
Forward THINKING
Dates for your diary
SEPTEMBER
NOVEMBER
1st to 4th - Equestrian, Burghley
Horse Trials, Stamford, Lincolnshire
(www.burghley-horse.co.uk)
1st – Pitchcare Essential
Management Skills Course Day 1,
Leeds Rugby
(www.groundsmantraining.co.uk)
6th to 8th - SALTEX, Windsor
Racecourse (www.iogsaltex.co.uk)
9th - Rugby Union, Rugby World Cup
begins, New Zealand
(www.rugbyworldcup.com)
17th - Cricket, Clydesdale Bank 40
Final, Lord’s (www.cricketworld.com)
23rd - Cricket, NatWest
International Twenty20, England v
West Indies, The Kia Oval
(www.cricketworld.com)
25th - Cricket, NatWest
International Twenty20, England v
West Indies, The Kia Oval
(www.cricketworld.com)
25th - Syngenta Operation
Pollinator Workshop, Burnham &
Berrow GC, Somerset
(www.greencast.co.uk)
29th to 2nd Oct - Golf, Alfred Dunhill
Links Championship, Old Course, St
Andrews (www.alfreddunhilllinks.com)
OCTOBER
8th - Rugby League, Engage Super
League Grand Final, Old Trafford,
Manchester (www.therfl.co.uk)
14th - Cricket, Start of one-day
international series, India v
England, Hyderabad
(www.cricketworld.com)
23rd - NFL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers v
Chicago Bears, Wembley Stadium,
London (www.wembleystadium.com)
It’s a jungle out there ...
It must have something to do with travailing sprinklers and mowing heights!
The greens have a herribone primary
drainage system
He knows what can be achieved in
such a relevant short time
... to operate their self travailing
sprinklers
I’ve come up with this idea for three
years now
Every crook and nanny
He’s wet between the ears!
... the club lost both of its polo
fields to the Government through a
Compulsive Purchase Order
... recovered really well from the
savages of the winter
All course arsings are collected ...
The mowing height on the courts
should be lowered to around 6-10m
for the playing season
You can now follow Loz on Twitter http://twitter.com/pitchcareloz
9th to 13th – International
Conference on Sustainable Golf,
Landscaping and Sports Turf, San
Jose, Costa Rica
(www.golfturfandgarden.com)
19th – Rugby League, Gillette Four
Nations Final, Elland Road, Leeds
(www.therfl.co.uk)
24th to 26th – Horse Racing,
Hennessy Winter Festival, Newbury
Racecourse, Berkshire
(www.newbury-racecourse.co.uk)
DECEMBER
1st - Pitchcare Essential
Management Skills Course Day 1,
Harbern House, Milton Keynes
(www.groundsmantraining.co.uk)
8th - Rugby Union, Varsity Match,
Twickenham Stadium, London
(www.rfu.com)
25th - Happy Christmas
27th - Rugby Union, The Big Game 4
- Harlequins v Saracens,
Twickenham Stadium
(www.thebiggame.co.uk)
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.
Go for green
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Freephone 0800 085 25 22
www.JohnDeere.co.uk
C 438.1 E
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