Golf
What’s in the shed? Toro 1000 Pedestrian greens mower x 2 John Deere 220A pedestrian greens mower Jacobsen Greens King VI triplex Toro Reelmaster 5410 Toro Reelmaster 216-D Lastec 721XR
Toro Workman 3300-D with 1800 topdresser John Deere Gator New Holland TD 5010 tractor with loader John Deere 4600 tractor with loader SCH PSP70 sprayer Allman 400L sprayer Multicore MC15 aerator Fleming fairway fertiliser spreader Ryan pedestrian scarifier Marshall 3 tonne tipping trailer. Stihl strimmers x 3 Stihl handheld blower Stihl MS 180 chainsaw Flymo hover mower Hunter Juno cylinder grinder
“The majority of the bigger mowers we purchased second-hand. When I started, the club had £40k to spend, so we upgraded most of the necessary machines with good second-hand stuff. We are currently in the process of spending £20k to purchase a verti-drain, new turfcutter and hopefully a Toro Sidewinder/Reelmaster for surrounds. This will be on a 3-year loan. Once that is paid off, we will look at the next few machines which need to be replaced and continue with running programme, as this method suits our club best.
We go with what is the best deal. I, like most folk, prefer Toro machines so, if we can afford decent second-hand ones, then we’ll purchase them.
Prior to my employment here the club didn’t have a topdresser or aerator. There was no topdresser in Orkney, so that was a revelation the first time they saw it in use! The club used to borrow Stromness Golf Club’s aerator. Those two bits of kit have made greens renovation a far less laborious task, and the members comment on how much smoother greens are, also changing to walk-behinds mowers has made the greens play truer.
We hire in a mini excavator when I am doing any sort of construction, drainage or cleaning ditches.
To remain compliant with current legislation, we installed a Waste 2 Water system in 2015; it has been a game changer! Previously, machines were washed with the excess water running into a ditch, which then ran into a field; that field is proposed for houses in ten years time, so we are ahead of the game!!
What would my wish list include? Where to start! AFT trencher, 2.5T excavator, a second triplex mower ...”
34 I PC FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017
fortnightly to keep them looking tidy. “We are in the process of purchasing a
Wiedenmann Terra Spike, which we will use on the fairways as they have never been properly aerated. We will also use it on the greens to get down and break up the solid layer which is restricting water penetration and root development.” “Tees, aprons and fairways are sprayed with a selective herbicide to control the daisies, which are huge problem here. Being on a windy site and having the surrounding fields ploughed twice a year means the weed situation is a priority to keep on top of. We don’t apply selective herbicide to the greens as I prefer to undertake this task by hand. We go over them thoroughly in winter. Then, in summer, all four of us will go across them once a month for the first session of a morning, meaning we can have all greens hand weeded by 9.00am, I find this to be the best method by far, and I can have a bit of banter with the boys in the process!” “Wind is the main issue up here,” bemoans
Chris, “it makes spraying rather difficult! I have seen myself coming in at 3.00am to get the fairways sprayed when there is a break in the wind, and with the daylight we get up here, it’s usually done with clear skies! We get the odd frost or snow and a fair bit of flooding through winter. I’ll use temporary greens when I have to in the winter, but try to leave it as long as possible before they come into play. With the greens having no drainage, they can become waterlogged quite quickly.” Clearly, there’s a lot going on at Orkney Golf Club and the increase in membership
must be very pleasing for the committee. “We won’t be hosting a Major anytime soon,” jokes Chris, “but it’s good to leave my mark. I always talk with the members on the course if they want a question answered. And Facebook is a great tool to show them what and why we are doing something. We have just added a maintenance page to our new website too, so I look forward to utilising that in the future. I feel the membership certainly appreciate what we do and the skills and knowledge we have.”
“
I have seen myself coming in at 3.00am to get the fairways sprayed when there is a break in the wind, and with the daylight we get up here, it’s usually done with clear skies!
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148
