Industry Keith Porter, Leigh Sports Village
Here’s just a few ‘things and people’ that have made a difference to me in the past ten years:
Desso Grassmaster; this has brought unrivalled play and usage, allowing more events and increased revenue at the majority of venues it is installed at.
The likes of John Mallinson, Carl Pass and John Hewitt who are now very well geared up to understand the requirements of a Desso pitch. You could add Will Kidd, Derek Crane, Duncan Ross
Primo Maxx is one such product that is now widely used in the sportsturf industry to help promote and retain a healthy grass sward.
Primo Maxx - diverts growth downwards
Seed trials take a decade or more
Trinexapac-ethyl is the active ingredient, which works by redirecting plant growth. It specifically targets the gibberellic acid site responsible for cell elongation in grass. Not only does it inhibit vertical growth, but actually diverts plant growth downward into the root system to produce increased food reserves and lateral stem development. This, in turn, produces a thicker, healthier sward that better equips turf to withstand temperature extremes, moisture loss, traffic and wear and tear, and even helps in the management of Poa annua.
Desso installation at Leicester City training ground
Seed: Many of the excellent playing surfaces we see today are the result of selecting the right grass seed for the given sport, location and soil profile, combined with the correct management practice to look after the surface.
The development of grass
Gordon Moir, St Andrews Links Trust
I’m not sure there is one particular item that has made a significant difference to us at St Andrews Links, but there have been lots of small things that have helped us provide better playing surfaces.
The increase in lightweight rolling has been beneficial to both turf health and smooth surfaces after aeration and through winter.
14 I PC APRIL/MAY 2015 and Pugh Lewis to the list
Richard Campey’s quest for niche products that become the ‘norm’; Air2G2, Dakota Spreaders, Vredo seeders, Koro Top Drain, the list goes on.
John Deere, Toro, Dennis Sisis, Allett Mowers, Honda Mowers and Honda and Kohler engines, for great reliability and service.
Stihl; for their advances in design and efficiency and unrivalled reliability.
Wiedenmann spikers. Artificial rakes, brushes, turf
cleaners - as if we have to have them, we have to clean them.
All this new equipment took on the new advances and became more efficient.
Pitchcare; by far the most educational magazine and website. People sharing and bouncing best practice and ideas off each other, which has opened up the turfcare industry for the better.
SGL Grow Lighting, RA-TLS Lighting and SeeGrow CO2 tents would conclude my list.
grow
varieties for amenity use is a long-term, costly and sophisticated business, with breeding (crossing, selecting and conducting trials) typically taking a decade or more before varieties become available to market. What you will be using in ten years time is probably just beginning its trials!
Turfcare professionals now have a comprehensive, ranked list of over 350 grass seed cultivars based on performance, colour, disease resistance and vigour.
Reinforced Pitches: The Fibrelastic and Desso systems have become the preferred choices of playing surfaces at high level winter sports venues, mainly due to their capacity to withstand a lot of wear and provide a consistent and firm surface.
Arsenal’s Emirates stadium Desso pitch is often regarded as the best playing surface in the Premier League, although it would be difficult to find a ‘bad’ surface at any of the eighteen grounds.
Investment in the technology
Mowing equipment technology in general, with the move away from petrol or diesel to either electric or hybrid machines cutting down on noise and fuel usage, as well as lessening the risk of hydraulic oil damage, and I’m sure further improvements in this field will be made in the next few years.
The improvement in both deep and shallow aeration equipment, allowing us to carry out aeration
James Mead, Rugby School
The establishment of the Pitchcare magazine and website has undoubtedly broadened the debate for the enhancement of our industry.
Electric mowers have nearly come of age, especially ATT mowers.
Organic fertilisers and liquids.
The Koro has given a huge boost to pitch renovation across all sports.
Training and qualifications across a breadth of disciplines has benefitted in highlighting the skills needed to be a top grounds technician.
more quickly and with less disruption to the surfaces, thereby making the recovery time shorter, which is better for the customer and the golf club and/or course.
There’s now more awareness in the golfing world, and indeed the wider public, about the environmental benefits of golf; still a long way to go on that one though.
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