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SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2026 • Issue number 76 • £6.50
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Bedford School’s class act Head of Grounds George Mills puts his plan in place
ROBOTIC MOWERS AERATION
Key benefits of hollow coring
SEE YOU AT ST ON
Freeing up time for more interesting tasks EL
16 GH EI
-17 SEPTEM
BE R
WELCOME
Turf Matters Water in theSport… spotlight Don’t forget
With most of the country having come through a period of The last two months have been a nightmare for many people in certain exceptional heat and drought the question must be todealing all you with turf parts of the country and my heart goes out to everyone managers – “How have you all coped?” the aftermath of unprecedented flooding and devastating erosion. The best case scenario for many is months of temporary living. For We know that turf can be incredibly resilient, even if it does lose its others, lives will never return to what they were. colour, but keeping it in a condition where sport can be unaffected While the fate of sports grounds and golf clubs might seem is extremely trickyin– the particularly if you are trying toTurf keepMatters irrigation inconsequential face of such hardship, we at have use to a minimum. a particular empathy with everyone who has seen years of agronomic husbandry literally washed away in the space of a few weeks.
It is an issue about which we are going to have to become much It must be hoped that banks – the financial institutions, not the more acquainted and find ways of maximising the water resources things which edge overflown rivers – take an understanding approach wetohave at our disposal and/or finding better ways of loans harvesting sporting facilities which have been unable to service as a grey water. result of them being unplayable and so unable to bring in revenue. As we have seen with the recent Winter Olympics, sport has such a It’sgalvanising not a goodeffect look on having households hosepipe society and can bewith the catalyst forbans so much good, witnessing irrigation in operation on the nearby course that it is imperative sporting facilities are not forgotten golf when the and we are all wellisaware where golf sits in the minds promised assistance being of allocated. the issue of improving sportingpublic. facilities, we havegolf been ofOn certain quarters of the general However invited byand Briggs & Stratton become involved in its Pitch courses, sports fields, to are invaluable national to Win competition, provides a £3,000 makeover for assets which have which to be preserved. what is judged to be the Under 18s football pitch in most need find outnote moreI’d onlike pages 16-17.on I am the judging On a–related to pass myonthoughts to panel visits willGolf be made a shortlist of deserving all at and Stourbridge Clubto and, in particular, Head pitches soon. WeTom will be looking not witnessed so much at fire the Greenkeeper Barnett, who DESSO but the desperate! ravaging their beloved golf course last month. On a final note, I am thrilled by the reception that the first issue of Turf Matters received. Many people have Scott MacCallum taken time to say how much they liked the look of the Editor magazine and how they enjoyed the articles. We’re all pleased you found it to your liking and we will work hard to maintain the high standards. Thank you all very much.
iWelcome
Distributed every two months to sports turf professionals, independent schools, universities, local authorities and buyers of turfcare machinery and Distributed every two months to sports products. turf professionals, local authorities and buyers ofMacCallum turfcare machinery and Editor: Scott products. scott@turfmatters.co.uk Editor: Scott MacCallum Design/Production Editor: Tim Moat scott@turfmatters.co.uk tim@timmoat.co.uk Design and Production Editor: Tim Moat Sales Executive: Marie Anderson tim@turfmatters.co.uk marie@turfmatters.co.uk Sales Manager: Pauline Thompson Contributor: Susan Lindsay
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All material © Turf Matters magazine 2026 Turf Matters is published by Straight Down the Middle Communications Winner of awards includingLtd. Best Writing and Best Design in the Turf & Ornamental All material © Turf Matters magazine 2014. Communicators Association (TOCA) Awards 2019-2025 No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form whatsoever, No part of this publication may be reproduced either for sale or not, without the written in any form whatsoever, either for sale or permission of the publisher. Information not, without the written permission of the contained in Turf Matters is published publisher. Information Turf in good faith and everycontained effort has in been Matters is published in good Turf faithMatters and every made to ensure its accuracy. effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. can accept no responsibility for any error Turf Matters can accept responsibility or misrepresentation. Allno liability for loss, for any error or misrepresentation. All liability disappointment, negligence or other for loss, disappointment, negligence or other damage caused by reliance on information damage caused reliance information contained in Turfby Matters oron in the event of contained in TurforMatters or inor the event of any bankruptcy liquidation cessation anytrade bankruptcy or liquidation or cessation of of any company, individual or firm of trade of any company, individual or firm mentioned is hereby excluded. mentioned is hereby excluded. Printed by Warners Midlands PLC. Printed by Warners Midlands PLC.
Scott MacCallum, Editor You can follow me on Twitter @TurfMatters
Inside this issueissue Inside this In-tents at Silverstone..................4-5 News .........................................................4-15 Spraying tips...........................6, 8, 10 Pitch to Win........................................16-17 Zero to Hero..............................12-13 Mowing .................................19-22, 24-27 Aeration.....................................14-15 Tea Breakmaintenance. Teaser ......................................29 Autumn .............16-18 Gleneagles..........................................30-35 Campey’s 40th anniversary......20-21 BTME ......................................36-41 Hand review tools.................................25-27 Diary of aSchool.........................28-36 Golfing Nobody.................42 Bedford As seen on Twitter.......................39-47 ..................................43 Robotic mowers. GroundsFest preview...............50-70 Check out our website: Check out our website:
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NEWS
Suddenly, it goes from calm to in-tents… W
ell, there you are. You’ve come through winter, enjoyed a favourable spring and have now reached the summer months. The course is looking fantastic, the greens are smooth, the fairways running true and the members’ complaints about the bunkers are at an all-time minimum.
JUST AS THE COURSE IS REACHING ITS PERFECT BEST, FOR A WHOLE TWO WEEKS THE COURSE IS TURNED INTO A GLAMPING SITE, CAR PARK AND THOROUGHFARE FOR THOUSAND UPON THOUSANDS OF PETROL HEADS.
Then, just as the course is reaching its perfect best, for a whole two weeks the course is turned into a glamping site, car park and thoroughfare for thousand upon thousands of petrol heads. That’s the life of Silverstone Golf Club Course Manager, Tony Hunter, during the fortnight of the British Grand Prix. But don’t feel too sorry for Tony. He is also one of those petrol heads, often found racing his VW Golf around the circuits of the country. “It started with one fairway being used for camping, but now it has escalated to five, with the 1st, 8th, 9th, 10th and 18th all being taken over with pre-erected tents,” said Tony, adding that another three fairways are used for ordinary tents and camper vans. This year with the dry weather damage to the course was minimal but it’s not always so. “We’re definitely weather watching leading up to the Grand Prix, because it did rain one year and we were left with big ruts and mud everywhere. It’s not so bad if it rains during the racing, as everyone is already there, but in the lead up it’s a different story,” explained Tony.
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“We now have a roadway that cuts across our 9th and 10th fairways. Before that it was much worse. The electricians were bringing great big generators over the course and all the beds and living paraphernalia were arriving in more big boxes. “It was a nightmare for us and I said that it couldn’t happen again. So, we had the plastic roadway put in. There is still damage, but it’s nothing like it was. Inevitably, there is pressure on to get the course back in to play as soon as possible. “We’re not helped because the tents don’t come down until everyone has left and there are often some still sleeping there at Monday lunchtime. You can imagine it’s quite a big military exercise to get all these tents down. The glamping tents sound an ideal way to attend a grand prix with everything supplied for you. “There’re bedrooms, duvets, little lights. Everything you need. You basically just turn up with a spare pair of pants. Everything else is in the tent,” laughed Tony. With guests more keen on motor sport than they are on the royal and ancient game it can cause issues.
Silverstone Golf Club Course Manager, Tony Hunter. Right, the glamping tents
“We haven’t had any damage recently, but in the early years, we did catch people playing tennis on greens. They don’t really understand what a golf course is. They just see a nice piece of short grass and think we’ll sit on that. We now fence off all the greens while they are here.” There can be 5,000 people camping on the course but during the race days themselves the golf course gets even busier. “It’s not just our campsite. There are three more further down the road
and they all have to cross over the temporary bridge from our course to the track. They are not allowed to walk down the road, so they’re all ushered in and along our hedge line. Tony and his team use the period of non-golf to the best effect. “We’re very busy because it gives us a chance to spray the fairways which don’t have campers on. We spray those with selective weed killer to get rid of the clover. “This year, on the first day we shut, we had a contractor come in, and he spiked the greens, and we put on 20 to 30 tonnes of sand, watered them, brushed them, rolled them, and after a week, we cut them. There’s no big rush so it’s quite good. We use it to our advantage. “It’s not the ideal time of year but we’re not in a rush to get the greens back into play as we have two weeks, so it works well for us,” he said. But that’s not the end of the day for Tony and the team. “Once the daily course management work is completed in the afternoon we help out by escorting campers to their tents,” said Tony, who lives on Silverstone Golf Club’s
sister club, Cherwell Edge, a few miles away in Banbury, and this is where the Silverstone members can play their golf during the two week shut down. Silverstone has recently signed up for another ten years for the Formula 1 contract which allows Jim Gallant, the owner of Silverstone Golf Club, to make plans for the next decade in the knowledge that the two-week summer transformation is likely to continue. It also means Tony and the team will be developing their weather watching skills for quite a long time to come.
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SPRAYING TIPS Ryan Gall is the 2026 Amenity Sprayer Operator of the Year. Based at the prestigious Loch Lomond Golf Club in Scotland, Ryan ensures that every application is delivered with care, attention and professionalism. Here he offers advice to other sprayer operators
Let us spray… I would say that it is much more than somebody who just holds qualifications. A good operator understands what they’re doing and why they’re doing it. He or she will be trying to make the best decisions possible, being switched on and always assessing what’s happening around them. Also, keeping up to date with industry standards, new products, regulation and keeping on top of the admin is vitally important. You must stay conscious of what you are doing at all times, even if what you are doing is repetitive. You can’t cut corners because when goes wrong it can go wrong pretty monumentally. There’s no hiding from it, and it can cost someone their job.
SHOULD SPRAYING ALWAYS BE THE FIRST OPTION?
Spraying is mainly based on insecticides, pesticides and fertilisers and those applications shouldn’t be the first consideration. What it should be is part of an integrated pest management plan, and you shouldn’t just go reaching for the keys to the chem safe every time you have a problem. You need to appreciate what is causing the problem and how the issue can be culturally or mechanically resolved. It is a case of, “Do we actually need to spray?” or “Can we carry out some cultural work and find out what, in time, we can improve”. You also have to consider whether it is the right time to spray? If you are going to spray, is it the right window for it? However, knowing when not
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to spray is perhaps a more important question than knowing when to spray. In that sense it sounds corny, and I’m probably talking myself out of a job, but knowing when to put away the key to the sprayer is important.
UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM IS PART OF THE SOLUTION.
If you don’t calibrate properly, you can be over applying or under applying fungicides, herbicides or insecticides. Indeed, if you are not calibrated properly you could potentially be breaking the law. If you are calibrated properly you are being more efficient with your application, reducing waste and saving money. There are apps out there to help, including those from Green Cast and Syngenta, which are really good, but my boss, Loch Lomond Course
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WHAT MAKES A GREAT SPRAY OPERATOR?
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Manager, Peter Haggarty, drives it home that you must know what you’re doing and not to rely purely on apps, because you might not always have access to them. Indeed, before I started as a spraying operator I first had to show Peter that I could calibrate and understand the calibrations. At Loch Lomond we’ve built our own recalculators on Excel and we always go back to these and only use
Let us spray… the apps to back up our calibration. For calibration itself, you should be checking forward speed, nozzle output, pressure, boom height and different water volumes etc.
EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE
We carry out a nozzle check every morning before we start spraying just to make sure we don’t have any blocked nozzles and then we check the spray pattern. It is essentially just a dry run to make sure everything’s all good before we go out on to the turf. I also jug test, just to make sure everything’s okay. We’ve got 13 hectares of fairway at Loch
Lomond, so if something’s out, then we could be using a lot of product unnecessarily which could cost the club a lot of money. It helps ensure that nozzles aren’t worn out, while you can often tell if the nozzle output is too high through jug testing. Other elements to check regularly are the filters; making sure that hoses aren’t showing any wear; ensuring that the pump is receiving the correct pressure; that all agitation systems are working so that nothing settles in the tank, and finally, that the boom is aligned correctly. If it is a fold-out boom, you must make sure that it is level and at the correct height. Being on top of all these checks gives you the confidence that the machine is operating as it should.
HOW DO YOU CHOOSE THE CORRECT NOZZLE?
Choosing the correct nozzle is based on what you’re trying to spray, what the target is and what your water volume is. We use 04s because we spray everything at 336L/ha and this is the nozzle that suits that watervolume. we go to 06s for higher water volumes such as wetting agents and products that need to be in the soil as opposed to the leaf. When selecting a nozzle you must consider your coverage, your target, your water volume, penetration, and product retention. A lot of new nozzles now have anti-drift technology which are more efficient and reduces these buffer zones slightly, depending on the rating. The correct nozzle can be dictated by the product and it will tell
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you on the Product label, what is the ideal water volume. At Loch Lomond we have a John Deere Sprayer which has a chart on the side of its tank, while Syngenta provides you with a nozzle chart from which you can reference Water volume, Travelling speed and pressue Wind speed also affects drift, but with some of the new nozzle technology, you do have a bit more leeway. My guide always has always been that if the wind can blow a crisp packet, then you’re on shaky ground and shouldn’t really be spraying.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR PRODUCT LABEL AND WHAT YOU’RE SPRAYING, KNOWING WHERE TO FIND THE INFORMATION This covers approved uses, application rates, timing, water volume, any buffer zone regulations you need to abide by, as well as any extra PPE you might need to wear. Also, with some pesticides and insecticides you have a maximum number of applications, so you need to know that in certain cases you can only apply a specific quantity, or a certain number of times, within a year. You also need to know active ingredients and what groups they fall under and what the different active ingredients do for the most efficient protection. Knowing this information is so important.
PAPERWORK AND RECORD KEEPING
I maintain all the spraying records at Loch Lomond, and we are extremely thorough. We have records for – product used; the plant-food ratio,
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Above: Nozzle selection is important to ensure the optimum and most efficient application. Right: The latest technology provides all the information necessary for the modern day spray operator
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SPRAYING TIPS
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SPRAYING TIPS
active ingredients; the rate per hectare per sprayer; the amount we have used; the tractor settings, including boom width, water volume, nozzle output and pressure. We also include comments. For example, when spraying fairways we will note that it took “x amount” to spray, or that an extra area was included, just so that next time we go and do the same area, we know that
Let us spray… we’re not under or over mixing Again, we’ve built our own Excel files and they are broken down into different workbooks. I’ve got a different workbook for every surface that gets sprayed - greens, tees, fairways, approaches, and rough. Anything that is applied chemically goes into these records sheets, whether that is granular fertiliser, fungicide, or pesticide. Everything is colour-coded and dated. It’s part of legislation that you have to keep a record. And again, from the records we keep, stock. We spray a lot of straight fertiliser and we do our own mixes, so keeping track of what we have used is massive. we
can use for a few hundred kilos of of ammonium sulphate for example to spray fairways so we always like to keep a few tonnes in stock because running out part way through an application wouldnt be ideal! That highlights the potential issues on not having accurate paperwork.
NEW TECHNOLOGY
With technology these days, you have to keep up to speed with the new developments. To keep up to speed with the latest technology you should be attending manufacturer training or demonstration days and conferences like BTME and the Scottish conference just to talk with likeminded people. It’s about knowing what your technology is doing and using it to advantage. We are lucky at Loch Lomond, all our surfaces are mapped, so I can spray all their surfaces using the GPS and section control, which switches nozzles off automatically as I leave the surface which goes back to efficiency. You must be up to speed to know how to use that technology, and knowing when something’s not right. A lot of it can mask a problem, so knowing what to look for is important. Sometimes it is the basic stuff like a blocked filter or a blocked nozzle that can catch you out. I appreciate that not everyone has the luxury of the very latest technology, but just because you can now spray fairways using auto steer doesn’t mean that you can switch
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off. There are many other things that you need to watch out for including obstacles and always making sure the sprayer is operating correctly. One thing that has not been taken away is the skill element of the job. Knowing how to spray with new technology is just as difficult as learning to spray with a 400 litre sprayer with fold out booms. It just gives you something different to worry about and a different set of challenges.
ADVICE TO A NEW SPRAYER OPERATOR
What I would say to a new sprayer operator is: 1. Never stop asking “Why” 2. Always know what you’re spraying 3. Don’t just spray because somebody else has or because you’ve done it in the past 4. Understand the problem 5. Understand the product 6. Understand the conditions and the big one – 7. Understand your equipment. I take a lot of pride in what I do because if you get a bad finish, you’ll see it for weeks. You get better every time you apply something. I’m not the same sprayer that I was five years ago. I’m always trying to get better, always trying to become more confident in what I do. For example I now know how to route myself around the golf course, and I didn’t know when I started. That just comes from preparation and time in the seat.
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ZERO TURN MOWERS While multifunctional machinery has established a niche in the industry there is also a rise in popularity for one piece of machinery which does one role and performs it extremely well.
Zero
In recent times the Zero Turn mower has become a key piece of kit in the Grounds Manager’s armoury. Matt Wilson, Groundcare Product Manager for Kubota UK, explains what they can do and why they do such a good job. WHAT IS A ZERO TURN MOWER?
A zero turn mower does exactly what it says on the tin and offers a zero degree turning radius, meaning the machine can rotate fully on the spot. The advantage is that it is a very fast and highly manoeuvrable method of mowing. In today’s society, time is money and that’s where the advantage really comes in with a zero turn. They are very productive and time efficient. With a lot of the Kubota customers being busy turf professionals, the time saving element can be the difference between cutting eight sites in a day and cutting ten sites in a day. In simple terms, with the same amount of horsepower and manpower you can get more done because you’re not spending your time doing threepoint turns!
WHEN DID ZERO MOWERS ARRIVE ON THE SCENE?
Zero mowers have been around for quite a long time, certainly the last 20 years or so, but in the past decade their use has really increased across Europe, the UK and Ireland. The UK and Irish business has grown in recent years, more generally, we’re one of the largest users of ride-on mowers.
WHICH GAPS ARE FILLED IN THE MACHINERY ARMOURY BY ZERO TURNS?
There is an element of displacing traditional ride-on tractors and when I say traditional, I mean front engine, steering wheel etc. With waste removal becoming harder from a local authority or residential point of view, having a great big grass heap in the corner on a premises is not always practical so the cut and drop element of the zero turn works well. The ride-on mower market hasn’t
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necessarily got bigger, it’s just moved and evolved, which has seen an increase in the zero turn options available. People, in both their personal and professional lives, value their time so just want the task of grass cutting done quickly and that’s where the zero turn is satisfying that demand.
HOW HAVE THEY DEVELOPED SINCE THEY FIRST CAME ON THE SCENE?
The development started in the U.S., where side discharge is the preferred cutting method, so the cut material drops out the side and spreads. In European markets, and certainly the UK, we prefer rear discharge and that’s certainly a development we’ve seen in the Kubota lineup in recent times. Rear discharge keeps the councils happy, for example, because you’re not spraying clippings and debris out into the road or pavements. Electrification and the advantages of the ZE in this case is another
to Hero major development. It merges the technological benefits of a zero turn with the more recent growing trend of electrification.
options available, we have the added benefit of being able to pick models which we can ‘Europeanise’ and certify for use.
WHAT MAKES THE KUBOTA MACHINE STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD?
BATTERY OPTIONS. WHY DO THEY WORK SO WELL WITH ZERO TURNS?
It’s our dealer network that makes our machinery stand out now. Kubota is synonymous with quality, and we expect nothing less than high-end quality when it comes to the product support. It’s also our ability to be able to react should things go wrong. We obviously don’t want anything to go wrong with our products, but they’re hard working machines and unfortunately, things can sometimes go wrong.
WHERE ARE THE KUBOTA MACHINES BUILT?
I suppose the simplest answer is that power transfer is slightly easier. If you think about a zero turn, it has a motor on each wheel, so an electric motor on each wheel means that you can scale down the forces required when powering two different motors. If you were putting a battery on a traditional front engine steering wheel ride on tractor, you’d have to develop a potentially single axle and it would have to be a much bigger transmission – which has an implication of cost.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO A GROUNDS MANAGER WHO DOESN’T NECESSARILY BELIEVE THAT THEY NEED A ZERO TURN?
While I appreciate it’s not for everyone and very much depends on the site or the task at hand, I’d really encourage people to try one, because with these machines seeing is believing. If you have a requirement for cut and drop, you’ll be absolutely amazed at how productive a zero turn mower can be. Have a conversation with your local dealer, secure a trial, and get out of there and start using it. Once people get used to them and realise they can cut grass up to 20% faster than utilising other methods, they quickly appreciate the benefits. It’s very rare that people don’t like them! n www.kubota-eu.com
These are all built in the US, where the scale of the zero turn market is vast! Because the U.S. have so many model
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AERATION
Hollow Coring: H
ollow coring pushes hollow tines straight up and down into the soil, ejecting organic material. This is called removing cores or pulling plugs. Coring creates space for roots to grow deeper and to receive more water, air, and nutrients, leading to more resilient, longer-lasting turf. This process is known as soil exchange. Hollow coring is also great for removing thatch. Importantly, after hollow coring, the holes need to be filled with sand or topdressing material, or else the benefits of the soil exchange can be lost. Importantly, waiting for cores to dry can make them easier to remove.
KEY BENEFITS OF HOLLOW CORING Soil exchange: Water, air, and nutrients can reach deeper and
strengthen the roots. Organic material can be removed, and topdressing or sand added to change and improve the soil composition. Thatch removal: by removing thatch, hollow coring removes competition from the grass for the water, air, and nutrients. Thatch also puts additional stress on the grass. Balances organic matter: Hollow coring and topdressing help maintain the ideal 6–7% organic matter in the soil profile. Improves drainage: Hollow tine holes let water flow to the root zone, improving drainage in waterlogged areas and reducing puddling. Deepens roots: Roots grow deeper and become more resistant to drought. Open holes allow water and nutrients to reach further down. Roots grow healthier from increased airflow.
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HOLLOW CORING VS. DEEP TINE AERATION
Aeration isn’t one-size-fits-all. Hollow tines and solid tines can both reach sufficient depths. Some turf managers prefer one method over the other, but many recognise the importance of both methods, depending on specific conditions. Solid tining is the most standard aeration method. Once pushed into the surface, the tine heaves and ‘kicks’ up as it is pulled out, leaving a small hole. It also does not leave debris on the surface, as it does not remove material from the soil. Instead, solid tining lifts the surface. Varying the working depth helps break up the hardpan, i.e., dense, highly compacted soil. Hollow coring does not kick. The hollow tine is pushed and pulled straight up and down, removing the
When and why?
core. As the next core is pulled, the previous one is ejected out the middle of the tine. Therefore, hollow coring leaves debris on the surface. Hollow coring can be done gradually, allowing the playing surface to be used continually, dividing its costs over multiple seasons. Hollow coring is often done at the start or end of the season for a given sport. Many golf courses hollow core in October in the Northern Hemisphere, for instance.
WHY HOLLOW CORE?
Managing organic material in sports turf is essential to maintain surface performance and soil health. Insufficient organic matter leads to poor cushioning and increased reliance on chemical fertilisers, while excessive build-up causes the soil to become overly saturated and spongy, potentially resulting in black layer due to decay. Hollow coring helps remove up to 5% of this material, but without topdressing to fill the holes and dilute the remaining content, the benefits are lost as the holes naturally collapse. According to field research by the Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI), the optimal level of organic material in the upper soil profile should be maintained between 6–7% to ensure ideal playing conditions and turf resilience.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT FOR THE JOB
When it comes to aeration equipment, matching the machine to your turf’s needs is critical. Redexim offers specialised solutions, including hollow coring and solid tine aerators.
The Verti-Core focuses on a hollow coring approach, though hollow tines are also available for some Verti-Drain models.
VERTI-CORE: HOLLOW CORING FOR ROUTINE AERATION
the surface, swap out tired soil for fresh material, and set your turf up for a season of vigorous growth. Pair it with strategic solid-tine work and let roots grow deeper and turf rebound faster.
The Redexim Verti-Core III is a hollow core aerator designed for fast and efficient hollow coring. It hollow cores by punching out soil plugs vertically using hollow tines, removing plugs rapidly across large areas. The machine is available in various widths. The Verti-Core III is also built for speed and productivity. Its high working speed and beltdriven design make quick work of fairways and sports pitches. A key advantage of the Verti-Core III is its “straight-down” tine action that consistently and reliably leaves a clean hole in a way that does not damage the hollow tine itself. Redexim also offers the Core Collector 1200SP, which drags behind the hollow coring machine, collecting plugs in a single pass.
CONCLUSION: HOLLOW CORING
Hollow coring remains critical to a sound aeration programme. It’s the quick, dependable way to open www.turfmatters.co.uk SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2026 | TURF MATTERS | 15
AUTUMN MAINTENANCE Tom Wood offers some valuable advice on maximising an autumn maintenance programme.
It’s time to restore and improve A
s another golfing season moves towards the time when many start to renovate the surfaces, golfers will notice significant work taking place on the greens. These are processes such as hollow coring, scarification, topdressing and overseeding which can temporarily affect playing surfaces, often leading to questions about why these disruptive operations are necessary. While the immediate impact may be noticeable, end-of-season renovations are among the most important maintenance practices carried out on a golf course. The primary purpose of these renovations is to restore and improve the health of the turf following months of intensive play (wear) and environmental stress (heat, light, drought). Throughout the season, greens are subjected to constant foot traffic, mowing, rolling, and varying weather conditions, all of which contribute to soil compaction, organic material accumulation, and reduced turf vigour. If left unmanaged, these issues would compromise surface quality, drainage, root development, and ultimately the long-term performance of the greens. By undertaking a comprehensive renovation programme at the end of the season, greenkeeping teams can relieve compaction, improve soil structure, encourage deeper rooting, and create optimal conditions for healthy grass growth.
These essential practices help ensure that the greens recover strongly through the autumn and
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winter months, providing firmer, smoother, and more resilient playing surfaces for the seasons ahead. In this article, we’ll consider what is informing and driving the decision making for exactly what work is carried out during the renovation process. A question I ask… Is data driving this decision? Or is it something that is just done routinely? One of, if not the, key features of the golf course, are the putting greens
(Woods, 2009)
Water movement with sand channel below soil surface
(Woods, 2009)
and the quality of the putting green surfaces (how well they play). Are they smooth, true and well-paced for the design of the green? Therefore, at any point when considering disprupting this surface, the question has got to be, do we need to do it? Also, what is the least disruptive way to get the desired results that we are looking to achieve. Going over the greens with a 1/2” hollow tines at 2”x2” spacings and following up with over 30 tonnes of straight sand to tick a box of carrying out essential maintenance, is not strictly the best approach, unless the data collected indicates this is the process required. For most, greens renovation revolves around putting green performance, in terms of Organic material (OM) build up/ reduction and drainage. Firm and fast putting greens are the goal. Reducing compaction built up from a season of play and increasing airspace for overall turf health. Before you arrive at the curative approach of material removal to manage OM levels in putting green surfaces, there needs to be focus on nutritional inputs, in particular, nitrogen inputs, which is going to have the most significant influence on
growth rates. Ideally, growth should only be produced at a rate that is enough to counteract the wear and stress imparted from play, which provides enough recovery to achieve consistent playing conditions, that have been pre-determined. In a similar way to moisture management from irrigation inputs, where you only replace what has been lost via E.T. rather than just applying a given set volume. This way, via controlling growth, you are directly influencing what will cause you to have to carry out potentially disruptive maintenance work to keep on top of organic material build up. Build up is the key word. Excessive growth will undoubtedly lead to a build up of unwanted organic material, unless there is an aggressive removal strategy to counteract it. This would need to be intensive and disruptive, and I would propose, it would be unsatisfactory to the golfer and club management. The flipside of this is minimal growth (achievable by different management strategies) which will still lead to a build up as plants grow and senesce or clippings are not 100% collected. However, the difference is that
Depth
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Green
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Another factor to consider when planning maintenance works such as hollow coring is the reason you are doing it. If it is for organic material removal, there is documented research that shows the impact of tine size and spacing has on the amount of surface area that is impacted by such works (Woods, 2025). In the example used earlier, a ½” tine at 2”x2” spacing would impact 4.91% surface area, meaning that the operation would have to be carried out 4 times to reach approx. 20% surface area. Therefore, when using hollow coring to remove organic
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Water movement down sand channel filled to soil surface
growth is more controlled and therefore the management can be significantly less intensive, which is better for playability, player satisfaction and the promotion of finer grass species, which will assist in providing excellent playing surfaces. As an example, the table below shows the organic material results of a typical golf course. Three indicator greens have been sampled and an average taken. The sample is split into 3 sections to assist the turf manager in understanding where the organic material sits within the profile. For high performing surfaces the upper 20mm should be between 3-7% as a guide, taking into account the type of course, environment and parameters set out by the club. The 20-40mm should be around 4% and 40-60mm below 4%, as a guide. Looking at these results, the disruption of carrying out intensive hollow coring to a depth of 60mm and backfilling the holes with straight sand would outweigh the benefits. The main area to target is the upper 20mm of the profile, this can be achieved by less invasive equipment that allows the turf to repair quicker, such as scarification or dilution via light and frequent dressings.
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AUTUMN MAINTENANCE
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It’s time to restore and improve material, consider whether this is going to be effective for achieving your goals, for the level of disruption that is created. The mechanics of water in soil also needs to be considered as hollowing coring is used to create sand channels which reduce compaction and improve drainage. Water infiltration is increased when the sand channel is to the turf surface. This is when the water can infiltrate through the sand, down the backfilled core channel and down through the profile. However, once the aeration hole has been covered over by vegetation (recovered) this process is drastically reduced.
WHILE RENOVATION WORK CAN TEMPORARILY AFFECT PLAY, IT IS A VITAL INVESTMENT
Water will not flow quicker through the sand channel compared to the surrounding profile, in a ‘finger’ pattern, rather it will flow through at a similar rate. Again, do the end results outweigh the negative disruption? For some it will, as there are many factors at play in addition to the ones mentioned. For others, with similar organic material readings, where the top 20mm is the focus for management, there are numerous approaches which can be adopted to reduce to total organic material % (Jacobs, 2020) while still providing an acceptable surface for play, with a quick recovery lead time. Timing is critical to maximise recovery. The optimum time is when there is sufficient growth rate for quick recovery. Although this can be in the main playing season, the speed of the recovery means the disruption is minimal. In comparison, a later maintenance when the conditions are not as suitable can mean a longer recovery and more disruption. This can
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sometimes still be felt at the start of the following season. While renovation work can temporarily affect play, it is a vital investment in maintaining highquality putting surfaces. The narrow window of disruption that is experienced helps deliver healthier, smoother, and more consistent greens throughout the following season. n Tom Wood, B.Sc (Hons), MBPR, FQA is a member of the Agrovista Technical Team References: Woods, M. [Micah Woods ]. (2009, July 24). Water Movement Into Aeration Holes [Video]. YouTube. Woods, M. (2025). Organic matter reduction by hollow-tines, solid-tines, and sand topdressing. [Online] Asian Turfgrass Center. Jacobs, P. (2020). New Trends In Aeration and Organic Matter Management. [Online] Green Section Record.
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CAMPEY 40th ANNIVERSARY
Well
I Turf Matters’ Scott MacCallum, left, with a 40th anniversary gift for Richard Campey
t’s the mid 1980s and the Spandau Ballet and Duran Duran are duelling it out to be top dogs – Through the Barricades or Notorious – you took your pick. Whichever one he had playing on his in-car cassette player at the time, I know not, but one young man had just arrived at his Macclesfield-based bank for an important meeting with the manager. His goal was to set up his own company and he had saved £15,000 to help make it happen. What he needed from the bank was matched funding
Scott MacCallum attended Campey’s 40th birthday celebrations and chatted with the man himself… so that he could purchase some second-hand machinery and set up a contracting business. He had been encouraged to strike out on his own by the prospect of a Government-led Enterprise Allowance Scheme, which offered £2,000 per annum and the Bank Manager, while approving the loan, also offered some friendly and practical advice on how to get started. Nowadays a Bank Manager is almost as mythical a beast as a fraize mower would have been back in the 1980s, but the benefits of that meeting cannot be overstated The young man was Richard Campey and that small contracting company, set up in 1986, has gone on to phenomenal success with the Campey name known and respected across not just the north west of England, but the entire country, Europe and the rest of the world. Sitting in the state-of-the-art Campey Turf Care premises, on the occasion of the company’s 40th anniversary, Richard could look out the window at the vast array of machinery assembled for the occasion,
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not just from Campey itself, but many other associated brands, and look back at a career which had surpassed even his most optimistic of expectations. Campey Turf Care Systems is now one of world’s largest independent sports turf and ground care machinery suppliers, distributing innovative sports turf maintenance equipment. Over the years Campey has earned a reputation for offering practical advice and superb aftercare service. The company acts as a new equipment importer for some of the most respected grounds care machinery manufacturers including Dakota, Imants, Koro, Vredo, Foley Air 2G2, BellonMit, and Omarv. They also have a thriving used machinery business and a subsidiary company, Tines Direct, which supplies replacement tines, blades, and replacement parts for a wide range of turf care machinery. Richard lays much of his success at the door of his introduction to the industry. He started as a Demonstrator for SISIS, in 1976 and worked there through to when he launched Campey Turf Care. During his time at SISIS he
done, Richard
travelling around Europe in a wagon, extolling and demonstrating the virtues of the machinery, and also as far afield as Australia, “I think sales people have it easy nowadays. We didn’t have mobile phones so we had to find the nearest phone boxes and either put our coins in, or reverse the charges,” recalled Richard. “If you were going abroad, everything was done by telex. You’d be given the address of your first demonstration and have to find your way there. No SatNav – you had to stop at a garage and buy a map!” he said, thinking back to another era. “What sticks in my mind when we got to Australia, there were two of us and we met the Managing Director and Sales Director of a dealership just outside Melbourne. They were delighted to meet two Englishmen who didn’t wear suits or carry briefcases,” laughed Richard. Richard bought his first premises 18 months after starting the company and it is still the main Campey HQ with the new building, and site of the 40th celebrations, four miles away “Our main building was an old dairy, set in about two acres. Over the years, we’ve improved it, and it is where everything’s run from nowadays. “This building is where we keep tractors. It looks great now but it took
two of us, eight months to tidy it up.” And with Richard’s hands-on approach to life you can bet that he was one of the two. There must be a secret for continuing to grow a family company in times when so many others are struggling… “George Fox, at Stockport, who was in demolition and responsible for clearing up Manchester after the war, He had his own business and he told me that his philosophy of business was that if somebody rings up for something don’t ever say no. “Say ‘Yeah, we could do that. I can get you that.’ If there is a problem, you’ll find a way and you keep your customer happy,” said Richard. So what are Richard’s thoughts looking back over the last 40 years of building what is very much a family business? “The family want to keep it on. Two work in the business, while my second daughter lives next door to me.” Julia, is now Managing Director and Richard credits her for bringing a new level of organisation to Campey Turf Care. “She’s a brilliant organiser and very good at handling people. She also remembers everything. I really don’t know how she manages to store so much in her head,” said the proud dad. Much of the credit for the success of the company, however, lies with
someone who isn’t around to celebrate the company’s anniversary. “I couldn’t have done it without a good wife who stood by me. Sadly, Jean died two years ago. She stood by me when I was spending a lot of time away from home and travelling when the kids were small. My dad did warn me that I was spending too much time away, and the fact that I was able to devote so much time to building the business was down to Jean.” With 40 years behind them Campey Turf Care Systems has a proven track record which ensures customers and potential customers know they are dealing with an established and well respected company and, under the stewardship of Julia, they can look forward to many more years serving the industry.
The Campey team
“THE COMPANY ACTS AS A NEW EQUIPMENT IMPORTER FOR SOME OF THE MOST RESPECTED GROUNDS CARE MACHINERY MANUFACTURERS.”
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LINE MARKING
Smarter pitch marking for modern sports facilities A
s sports facilities face increasing expectations, grounds teams are under growing pressure to deliver consistently high-quality playing surfaces while working with limited time and resources. Despite advances in turf maintenance, pitch marking often remains one of the most labourintensive and repetitive tasks in dayto-day grounds management. SWOZI is helping to modernise this process by combining high-precision GPS technology, intelligent software and automation into one easy-to-use marking solution. Designed for football, rugby, athletics and multi-sport venues, SWOZI enables grounds professionals to create accurate, repeatable pitch layouts without manual measuring or string lines. With more than 100 pre-configured pitch templates and an intuitive tabletbased interface, operators can mark
a full-size football pitch in around 20 minutes. Depending on the model, the system can be used manually, semiautonomously or fully autonomously, giving facilities the flexibility to choose a solution that matches their operational requirements. In addition to saving valuable time, SWOZI helps reduce paint consumption and minimise unnecessary rework, supporting a more efficient and sustainable approach to pitch maintenance. By simplifying one of the most time-consuming tasks in grounds care, grounds teams can focus on what matters most: maintaining safe, professional-quality playing surfaces throughout the season. As technology continues to shape the future of sports turf management, SWOZI provides a practical, reliable solution that combines precision, efficiency and innovation for grounds professionals worldwide.
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Forest Green Rovers turns to Kress F
orest Green Rovers’ reputation the most environmentally conscious football club in the world is reflected in every area of its operation, including the way its pitches and surrounding landscapes are maintained with Kress battery-
powered equipment. Head Groundsman Nick Johnstone oversees both the stadium pitch and the club’s Eco Park training facilities, where sustainability plays a central role in day-to-day operations. To support the club’s environmental goals, Nick and his team have fully integrated Kress batterypowered equipment across the site. “Sustainability is key for everything we do here at Forest Green and it touches all areas of the club,” said Nick. “From what we do in grounds care, to transport, energy and food. For us that means how we maintain our pitches and the products we can or can’t use. “No pesticides, no harmful chemicals. We recycle rainwater where we can. All our machinery is electric, and we pair that up with sustainable sources of energy.”
The grounds team now uses a range of Kress battery-powered equipment including mowers, backpack blowers, handheld blowers, strimmers and hedge trimmers for maintaining both the pitches and surrounding landscaping areas. Nick said the decision to work with Kress was driven not only by the performance of the equipment, but also by the company’s shared values around sustainability. “It’s important that when we partner with companies, we align ourselves with businesses that hold the same values as us. With Kress, from day one, it’s been all about electric equipment and sustainability, so we were really keen to get involved.” According to Nick, the switch to Kress equipment has improved efficiency across a variety of day-today tasks without compromising on performance. “The Kress equipment is really easy to use, and you don’t compromise on power,” he said. “We’ve actually found that Kress equipment has saved us time with certain tasks compared to some of the
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HAND TOOLS
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HAND TOOLS
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Forest Green Rovers turns to Kress older battery equipment we had in the past. “Now we’ve fully integrated across to Kress equipment and it’s actually made us more productive and more efficient in our work day-to-day.” Battery performance and charging speed have also impressed the team, especially during busy working days across the wider Eco Park site. “The battery power, not just the performance but how long they last and how quickly they charge, is massive. There are days where we’re doing a lot of work maintaining landscaping areas and the guys don’t have to keep making trips back for batteries. “We’ve got the Kress CyberSystem charging unit as well, so we’ve always got batteries charging and ready to go. The beauty of that is there are no cables and wires everywhere. They’re tidy, compact and easy to access.” For Nick, the relationship with Kress has been just as important as the equipment itself. “We have found it really nice working with the Kress team. It was clear straight away that we were going to have a good relationship with like-minded people,” he explained. “It’s not just about buying equipment; there’s also the aftercare and support. You can pick up the phone at any time if you need help and they’re always really helpful.” Nick believes the combination of sustainability, reliability and performance makes Kress a strong option for other professionals in the industry. “If there are groundskeepers out there not sure what equipment to go for, I would absolutely urge them to go for Kress,” he said. “You don’t compromise at all on power or performance. “Some of the equipment we’ve used, not just compared to other battery equipment but also combustion equipment, is the best I’ve ever used.” n www.kress.com/en-gb/
Quiet power, serious performance: The evolution of Pellenc’s batterypowered blower range F
or amenity managers, local authorities, and landscaping contractors, the seasonal battle against leaf litter, tarmac debris, and wet detritus is a relentless task. While commercial blowers have historically relied on noisy, highemission petrol engines, strict urban noise regulations and corporate sustainability targets have rapidly accelerated the shift toward zeroemission tech. At the forefront of this transition is Pellenc, distributed exclusively in the UK and Ireland by Etesia UK. Long revered for its pioneering commercial lithium-ion engineering, Pellenc has systematically expanded and refined its commercial blower portfolio. With the recent introduction of the highly accessible Essential Line alongside their heavy-hitting Airion 3 professional standard, grounds teams now have a targeted, petrol-matching tool for every operational tier. For intensive, day-in, day-out clearance, the Airion 3 remains the
FOR INTENSIVE, DAY-IN, DAY-OUT CLEARANCE, THE AIRION 3 REMAINS THE LIGHTWEIGHT POWERHOUSE OF CHOICE
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lightweight powerhouse of choice for municipal and large-scale amenity teams. Weighing a record-breaking 2.55 kg in hand, the Airion 3 tackles one of the biggest hidden operational hazards of clearing: musculoskeletal strain. Traditional blowers create a rotational twisting force on the wrist when throttled. Pellenc solves this via a patented angled air intake, which completely counteracts the standard gyroscopic recoil, keeping the tool perfectly balanced along the vertical axis from shoulder to wrist. Delivering 17.5 N of effective thrust and an actual airflow of up to 920 m³/h, the tool easily handles heavy, water-logged autumn leaves. Built around a tough magnesiumalloy turbine housing, the tool boasts an IP54 sealing rating, making it completely dustproof and 100% waterproof for relentless operation in unpredictable UK weather. When paired with the ULiB 1500 backpack battery, it delivers up to six hours of continuous runtime. Recognising that smaller contractors, heritage sites, and educational facilities need professional performance without the top-tier price tag of massive backpack batteries, Pellenc recently rolled out the Airion Essential. This clever development shifts the narrative by introducing highperformance, on-board battery
clipping systems directly onto the tool body. Retaining the signature patented angled intake to eliminate wrist fatigue, the Airion Essential is fully ambidextrous. Despite being part of Pellenc’s budget-conscious professional line, there are zero compromises on raw muscle: it achieves a massive 23 N of thrust in boost mode (18 N at regular high speed) and a high velocity 1,200 m³/h airflow. The Essential functions via ultralightweight plug-in batteries on the chassis – either the ULiB 200E (keeping the total working weight to 4.4 kg) or the higher-capacity 400E (offering up to two hours of continuous work). Both the Airion 3 and Airion Essential have been awarded the prestigious, independent LONGTIME label. This European certification guarantees that the tools are purposefully engineered for durability and true repairability. n www.etesia.co.uk/pellenc
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BEDFORD SCHOOL
Putting a plan in place 28 | TURF MATTERS | SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2026 www.turfmatters.co.uk
Scott MacCallum catches up with George Mills, of Bedford School, who has spent the last two years implementing a plan to make the grounds as good as they could possibly be. www.turfmatters.co.uk SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2026 | TURF MATTERS | 29
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BEDFORD SCHOOL
G
eorge Mills took over as Head of Grounds at Bedford School a couple of years ago at a very good time. The school had just made a conscious decision to refocus on their sporting provision and to put the resources in place to enhance what had always been a key element of the school.
At his interview the school agreed that money would be invested in bringing the facilities back to a level which had seen the talents nurtured of such figures as 1924 Olympic 100 metres Champion – and Chariots of Fire star – Harold Abrahams, and England Cricket Captain, and record runs and 100s maker, Sir Alistair Cook.
In addition, from rugby former pupils include Martin Bayfield and two current England internationalists, George Furbank and Fraser Dingwall. Emilio Gay has also just broken into the England Test cricket team It is quite a legacy. “When I walked around the site, I could see areas where we could make some tweaks,” admitted George, who
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“ALL OF THE CRICKET SQUARES NOW HAVE POP UP IRRIGATION, AND THIS YEAR THE FIRST TEAM RUGBY PITCH ALSO HAS HAD POP UP IRRIGATION. THE WHOLE SYSTEM HAS BEEN DESIGNED SO WE CAN KEEP ADDING TO IT.”
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The Bedford School Grounds Team, from left, Glenn Denny James Griffin George Mills Andrew Brightman and Anthony Maylor
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BEDFORD SCHOOL
added that he had found some wicket mowers which were older than him. At his interview, George discovered that the school wanted to put a long term plan in place for their sport provision to ensure that their place as the premier private school in the area was maintained. “They’ve been absolutely superb because, since the day I came in, they’ve been true to their word and backed me with equipment and funding for projects,” said George, who had an unfortunate start to his Bedford career, when clipped his knee with a hedge trimmer, taking him off his feet for a period. But for every cloud there is a silver lining, and it proved to be an accident which brought some benefits. “It actually gave me time to sit down and assess the equipment we had, and I wrote up a long-term procurement plan for the site. It ended up being a real positive because we ended up getting a big influx of equipment straight away off the back of it.” So, what was top of his to-do list once George and his team got going?
“We started to do more work inhouse. Previously they would bring in a contractor twice a year to spray for weeds and it was done to the contractor’s schedule rather than the optimum time for it to be done. “We moved it in-house and having targeted sprays at times when they would be most effective. I was also putting in some nitrogen and some pH buffers to make sure the pH level was correct. So, we got the best possible strike rate.” Remaining on that to-do list, but creeping nearer the top, is the first team rugby pitch which currently has a 40 mil thatch layer. “The plan is to remove that 40 mil, stone bury the next three to four inches, integrate 300-400 tonnes of sand and level it all off. We’ll then create a sort of homogenous pitch that’s not too different from the native soil.” George also found issues with the drainage on the predominately heavy clay site. “My view is that drainage that had been put in had been overspeced. It’s
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great in the winter, but when we get into April the pitches would suffer. “We’ve got 80 mil drains at three metre spacings and we can’t retain moisture during dry spells,” said George, who is working out how best to move to six metre spacing in the future. The irrigation issue has already been addressed. “When I started, we had three main water points dotted around the field which had around one bar of pressure each. It just wasn’t fit for purpose. “We’ve installed over a 1,000 metres of irrigation pipe; installed a borehole; a couple of tanks and pumps. “All of the cricket squares now have pop up irrigation, and the first team rugby pitch this year also has had pop up irrigation. The whole system has been designed so we can keep adding to it.” The idiosyncracies of the site don’t end there. “When I started the first team rugby pitch had a cricket square in the middle of it. It was literally on the 22 metre line at one end.
on how they played this year,” said George, who added that the new layout is much easier on the eye with the striping all going in the same direction and avoiding strange angles. There was also one thing that had niggled George from the day he had walked onto the grounds. There was something about that first team rugby pitch which didn’t quite seem right. “It came to a head when I watched the guys erecting the 13 metre steel rugby posts at the beginning of the season. They were old fashioned posts and for health and safety reasons I decided that we should have hinged posts that could be erected in a much safer manner.” So new hinged posts were purchased for every pitch. “The posts had been in place for an extremely long time, and replaced in 2022, but when we were reconfiguring the field in 2025 we noticed that the first team pitch was off – wider on one side than it was on the other. “So, when we went to the hinged posts we took the opportunity to rebalance the pitch,” said George, adding
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“ONE OF OUR BIGGEST PROJECTS WAS LAST SUMMER WHEN WE INSTALLED THREE NEW CRICKET SQUARES AND RECONFIGURED THE ENTIRE FIELD.”
“In the winter, it would flood and they’d have games called off, or they’d resort to having to move the scrums across the pitch because of the potential damage to the square,” he explained. Fitting sufficient pitches into a finite piece of land and doing so in the most efficient manner was another brain teaser. “One of our biggest projects was last summer when we installed three new cricket squares and reconfigured the entire field. “We moved every rugby pitch at least a few metres and adjusted the angles of the first and second team cricket square. We also had a third cricket square to one side of the site. “This was a major team effort and it took us ages to come up with a plan of how we could end up with more cricket squares and better quality rugby pitches by reconfiguring such a finite amount of space.” The new configuration was introduced in August last year and played this year. “We’ve had really positive feedback
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BEDFORD SCHOOL
that it was one of those things that once you’d seen you couldn’t un-see. With rugby mandatory at Bedford School and such a big roll coupled with a small site, George and the team also have their work cut out when it comes to preparing and repairing pitches throughout both the rugby and cricket seasons. Football provision has been enhanced in recent times too. There are also two full sized astroturf hockey pitches. “We can go from 10 fixtures in quieter times to over 30 a week at our peak. It means that turnaround time for pitch preparation can be extremely tight. “We go straight into renovating the cricket squares, which we now do in-house, then, after that, we’ll go into
setting up all of the rugby pitches. It turns around pretty quickly. For George groundsmanship is very much in the blood. “My father, Bob, is a groundsman. He has spent the last 11 years at the Royal Artillery Company, in London, and is retiring later this year, while my brother is also a groundsman at the Odney Club, in Reading. “I love it and can’t imagine ever doing anything else. I used to be told off at school for not doing my homework. I remember once, when I was 12 years old, leaving school, walking up to the football club at Bishop’s Stortford, and cutting the pitch with a G860 for a West Ham reserve game in the evening. That’s why I hadn’t done my homework.”
He is also delighted to be at a place where there is so much variety. “A school is a bit of a Swiss Army knife. I think that’s the coolest bit. Particularly somewhere like Bedford where we’ve got so many historic issues. We need to resolve so many different issues for some many different sports with such short turnaround windows. “The hardest bit of the job is to accept when the field doesn’t look nice. I hate July and August because you spend all year trying to make it as good as you can and then you just watch it die. “Then off you go again in September and they’ll be playing rugby six days a week.” There are five in the Grounds Team.
George’s plans for reconfiguring the sports pitches
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“THE HARDEST BIT OF THE JOB IS TO ACCEPT WHEN THE FIELD DOESN’T LOOK NICE.”
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BEDFORD SCHOOL
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“ONE OF THE BIGGEST SUCCESSES HAS BEEN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MORE MULTI-SKILLED TEAM.” including George. There is his Deputy James Griffin, who arrived last year from a golf background, Andrew “Moose” Brightman, Glenn Denny and Anthony Maylor. There is also a Gardens Department team of three. Between the five members of the Grounds Team there is around 90 years of industry experience, a bank of knowledge and experience that would be hard to replicate at many other schools. Indeed, George himself completed the GMA Level 5 Technical and Sports Turf Management qualification before he joined the school. “One of the biggest successes has been the development of a more multiskilled team. They tackle far more of the servicing, repairs and machinery set-up in-house than before, which helps to build knowledge and reduce reliance on external support,” explained George. “I have told the school that I think
it’s incredibly rare to find a team of five with that much quality. Within the next year, we’re going to have our least qualified member of staff, either someone with 20 years’ experience, or someone with seven or eight years’ experience and a Level Three qualification.” George is also quick to recognise the support that he has had from Charlie Seager, at Agrovista, and Duncan Toon, Head of Grounds at nearby Warwick School, who have both been generous and quick with their advice. Likewise, companies such as JK Irrigation and Elite Sports Turf have worked closely with the in-house team on the major projects. “Rather than simply carrying out their work and leaving they have involved our team throughout the process giving us valuable learning experiences.” Having achieved so much in the first two years, George has prepared his
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line managers for the fact that such a rate of progress can only slow. “I’ve said to my boss that we’ve probably made a 30% improvement over those two years. Going forward that will reduce and we might see 5% and then 2%. Beyond that, it’s about what finances can be provided to make further advances,” said George, who is realistic enough to appreciate that external financial pressures inevitably play a role in how quickly projects can be delivered. “But we are continuing to make steady progress with our long term plans. George is not someone who looks back, but if he were to, he’d appreciate just far he and the team have come over the past two years. Looking forward can only be exciting for all concerned. Perhaps they will have facilities fit for Britain’s next Olympic sprint champion, or another record breaking cricketer.
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LAWN MASTER
Lawn Master: 25 years of turning turf professionals into business owners A
s 2027 approaches, Lawn Master is preparing to mark a landmark 25 years of franchising. A quarter of a century built on a simple but powerful idea: the skills you’ve spent your career mastering on the course, the pitch or the estate are exactly the skills customers are searching for when it comes to caring for their lawn. Established by Bob Underhill and his wife, Lawn Master remains the only company in the UK that actively recruits turf professionals into franchise ownership. Greenkeepers, groundsmen and turf professionals do not need to retrain or reinvent themselves to succeed with Lawn Master – they simply need the right business behind them to turn deep agronomic knowledge into a thriving, profitable business.
YOUR EXPERTISE, BACKED BY A PROVEN SYSTEM
Every Lawn Master franchisee joins with an exclusive local territory, comprehensive training, professionalgrade equipment, national marketing support and ongoing operational backup. It’s the reason so many franchisees hit the ground running, and why so many stay for the long haul.
THE ROBOTIC MOWER OPPORTUNITY
The rise of robotic mowers is often talked about as a threat to lawn care businesses. At Lawn Master, it’s viewed very differently. Robotic mowers cut grass, but they don’t feed it, treat it, aerate it or diagnose what’s happening beneath the surface. The domestic lawn owner was never employing a team of staff to mow their lawn – they were either paying for a mowing service or doing it themselves. When a robotic mower takes over that task, it doesn’t displace a job; it
displaces a chore, and it frees up a slice of budget which can be used towards another service. Crucially, that freed-up budget doesn’t just disappear, it gets redirected. It tends to flow straight into the services a robotic mower can’t provide: scarification, feeding and treatment programmes, disease control, aeration and lawn renovations. These are precisely the specialist services Lawn Master franchisees deliver.
SUCCESS IN THE FIRST MONTH
Few case studies make the point better than Jon Eves, the ex-Chelsea FC and Tottenham Hotspur FC groundsman, who covers Bromley & Sevenoaks. A turf professional before joining the network, Jon hit the ground running with a level of success that surprised even him, earning back over a third of his entire franchise fee within his first month of trading. “I’m now in my 15th year as a franchise owner, and we’re continuing to do really well. The business continues to grow, with more members of staff working alongside me and other vans on the road,” said Jon. “We’ve built a strong customer base over the years, retaining customers who believe in us, both as a lawn care
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company and as lawn care professionals,” he added. His story isn’t a one-off. Across the network, franchisees with turf backgrounds consistently convert their existing credibility and know-how into a fast, sustainable growth, supported every step of the way by a business that’s spent 25 years refining the model.
A CAREER CHANGE THAT ISN’T REALLY A CHANGE AT ALL
For turf professionals considering the leap into business ownership, the question isn’t whether their skills are transferable. It’s who will back them while they make the transition. With 25 years of experience, a proven franchise system and a genuine focus on recruiting from within the industry, Lawn Master offers exactly that: the chance to keep doing the job you love, on your own terms, with the support of a company that understands exactly where you’ve come from. To find out more about franchise opportunities with Lawn Master, visit www.lawnmaster.co.uk/ franchise to apply for a prospectus and the company will call you to book a 20-minute consultation to discuss the opportunities available to you.
ROBOTIC MOWERS
More than mowing A
s labour pressures and tighter maintenance windows continue, getting more working hours from every machine is becoming increasingly important. Before the first tee time or match, dew may need clearing, grass needs cutting and driving ranges require ball collection. For teams already working with limited labour and narrow maintenance windows, fitting everything into the day adds considerable pressure. The FJD Rough Ranger has been developed around the idea that one robotic platform can remain productive beyond mowing. At its core, is an autonomous mower designed for demanding turf environments, while interchangeable attachments allow the same machine to take on other routine jobs as priorities change. That versatility starts with capable mowing. Golf course roughs and facility surrounds can present slopes,
uneven ground, dense grass and obstacles. The Rough Ranger combines a front suspension chassis with a floating cutting deck, helping it remain stable on uneven terrain. It can operate on working slopes of up to 20°. On an autumn morning, the Rough Ranger can be fitted with a threesection dew brush spanning 2,930 mm. Working ahead of play, it can clear dew from the turf, while automatic lifting and folding allow the brush to retract during turns and manoeuvring around obstacles. Once dew removal or mowing is complete, the same machine does not have to return to the shed. With the ball-picking attachment fitted, it can move to the driving range and collect up to 3,000 golf balls per hour. In practical terms, one machine can begin work before golfers arrive, move on to mowing during the maintenance window and later continue working on the driving range.
Other attachments can extend the platform into tasks such as sportspitch line marking and the collection of grass clippings, leaves and light debris, giving facilities additional flexibility as requirements change. For grounds managers, this changes the conversation around automation. The question now is how much useful work can the same machine complete across the day.
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ROBOTIC MOWERS
Constant cutting maintains high standards and quality of pitches W
hen robot mowers first arrived on the scene much was made of their potential. The benefits to the turf of the constant cutting that the robots provided was a main feature but also the other benefits provided by the futuristic machines. Their use in hospital, care home and school grounds, for example, was touted as a huge plus, with their near silent operation meaning no noisy disruption to those who require quietness to thrive. Additionally, the opportunity to resolve recruitment issues, or free up staff for other tasks within the grounds, have become positive byproducts since the advent of the robot. A prime example of this is Merchiston Castle School, in Edinburgh, which has just invested in a fleet of robots and already seen the benefits with the new recruits even carrying on working while the
students were inside, a small distance away, taking exams. The robots were supplied by Robotic Mower Solutions Ltd, for whom Directors Scott McNeill and Derek Downie are delighted to be supplying one of the most prestigious educational establishments in Scotland. The man who made the final decision to invest in the robots was Gavin Wickham, Head of Facilities at the school. “We looked at different options, but when RMS brought in the Luba robots, together with the service they provided, it was a no brainer for us,” explained Gavin. RMS came in, surveyed and mapped the site to assess which size of robot would best suit the space, and meet the exacting requirements of an elite boarding school. The Luba range starts at 1000 square metres with 1500, 3000, 5000, and
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10,000 options. They are all four wheel drive with twin cutting discs and omi wheels to avoid turf scuffing. “We had the robots on site, on and off for around a month cutting different areas so that we could assess what could and could not be done, including some sloping areas and to be fair there wasn’t much they couldn’t handle,” said Gavin, of the robots which can cut on slopes up to 30%. What particularly impressed Gavin was how precisely the robots performed their tasks. “The accuracy of the robot is particularly notable. Looking across the site you can see just how beautifully striped it is, and the robot will follow that same stripe every single time. There’s no deviation,” he said. Robots need to cut their designated area every three days. If they don’t do that, they will fall behind, but the daily cutting means that the turf doesn’t
get left to grow beyond the height set which with the Luba robots is between 10mm and 100mm. In times when recruiting can be a thankless task for anyone looking to appoint groundsmen or greenkeepers, the robots ensure that time-consuming operations, including cutting the 94,000 square metres of lawns that Merchiston boasts, can be carried out without other jobs being sacrificed. “What the robots do for us is not necessarily to enable us to reduce our staff levels, but allows the team to do more,” said Gavin, who added that there is currently three on the team, the optimum being four, but the robots are ensuring that the usual standards are being maintained until the team is back up to full strength. Merchiston is proud of how many Scottish international rugby players it has produced over the year and the quality of its pitches and general
facilities has much to do with the school’s success. The reaction of the students to the robots has also been interesting. “We’ve had technically minded students desperate to understand the technology behind the robots and ask us thousands of questions. Others, we’ve seen standing in front of a robot to see what happens…as boys do. That’s why we chose these particular robots because of the size and the technology – they are safe. Merchiston has also had the larger Belrobotics machines on trial to cut the pitches. “They have also been absolutely fantastic and the only reason that we haven’t purchased them just now, is that we have to get out own housekeeping in order. That’s the only reason we’re not doing the pitches just now with robots. Once we have our protocols in place we will be using them,” said Gavin.
The Belrobotics range starts at the 850 which can do 30,000 square metres a day; the 1050 which can do 45,000 sqm a day; the 2050 which can do 75,000 sqm a day, The cutting ranges from 10mm to 100mm with five cutting discs each with six blades on fully floating heads. Belrobotics range also includes a ball picker for golf course practice grounds or driving ranges which can pick from 15,000 up to 17,500 balls a day. As a new company, founded in May of last year, RMS is delighted to have secured the Merchiston order “We would like to thank Gavin for his vision and for trusting us to deliver with the robots. “We’re sure that it’s going to be a partnership that’ll thrive for a long time. Gavin is happy for people to talk to him about the robots and to come in and see them working on the site,” said Scott.
Scott McNeill shakes hands with Gavin Wickham with Derek Downie looking on
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ROBOTIC MOWERS
Taking care of arduous task T
he rise of robotic lawnmowers is transforming the way large gardens are maintained, as seen in a remarkable real-life project on the Hampshire coast. At the Old Mill in Milford on Sea, a Grade II-listed former mill site, owners Simon and Amy Davies have spent the past nine years restoring both a historic property and its surrounding land, including a lawn which spans more than 6,000m². Inspired by a belief in autonomy and automation, the site is maintained by a Segway Navimow Terranox, which
tackles its undulating landscape and successfully dodges its wildlife and water features. Left overgrown, untouched and damaged by yearly floods for nearly three decades, the site has been completely rebuilt, using over 3,000 tonnes of soil and extensive groundwork to create a thriving lawn at its heart. After more than nine years of hard work with more to come, Simon and Amy now adopt a modern approach to lawn care which pays them back for their efforts and saves them an estimated ten hours of mowing each week. “When we first took on the property, the challenge was clear. The land had fallen into disrepair, with uneven ground, dense overgrowth and no meaningful lawn to speak of,” explained Simon. “Restoring the space has required a lot of patience, persistence, sensitivity to the wildlife in the surrounding area and a significant amount of groundwork that is still ongoing.” Despite the late sowing window, the lawn established quickly, developing
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into a dense, resilient sward that continues to improve year on year. Today, it provides a rich, green canvas that anchors the outdoor space and enhances the overall setting. “We’ve got an enormous task on our hands with a pond and stream running through it, uneven, challenging turf and no real borders, which means all kinds of wildlife coming and going. The Navimow is the perfect solution in that it can take care of an arduous task that would otherwise mean me losing a full day every week during the summer. “Time is valuable, and having the Terranox allows us to reclaim some of that, do the job as well as I could, and not have the lawn hanging over us in our day-to-day lives.” The wider renovation project has also gained TV recognition, featuring on Channel 4 in Tinie Tempah’s Extraordinary Extensions in 2021, a testament to the scale, ambition and success of the build. The garden and lawn now play a central role in that story, offering a striking contrast to the site’s once-derelict state.
ROBOTIC MOWERS
GroundTech secures UK distribution for SWOZI linemarkers G
roundTech, one of the country’s principal suppliers of autonomous and specialist groundcare and turf maintenance equipment, has been appointed the exclusive UKwide distributor for SWOZI – globally recognised as one of the leading manufacturers of high-performance linemarking equipment. Effective immediately, this new partnership strengthens GroundTech’s offering to sports clubs, schools and community venues around the country by bringing the full SWOZI linemarker range to the UK market, backed by renowned sales, service and aftercare support. SWOZI is a Swiss sports technology company with strong foundations in machine automation. The cutting-edge GPS and robotic technology embedded within their professional range helps to improve efficiency, simplify workflows and meet sporting codes with 100% accuracy. At the forefront of the range is the SWOZI Auto, an advanced linemarker
engineered for robust reliability, accuracy and consistency. Ideal for high-use environments where performance and efficiency are key, the SWOZI Auto features intuitive operation and automated paint flow control for reduced paint waste. Alongside the SWOZI Auto is a range of semi-autonomous and manual markers, with a variety of configurations and spray systems to suit different budgets and marking requirements. All SWOZI machines are designed with operator comfort, ease of use and long service life
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in mind, giving you complete control over linemarking whether you manage a single pitch or multiple sites. “The combination of GroundTech’s established UK market presence and customer relationships with SWOZI’s technological expertise results in a strong partnership with clear customer benefits” says Marc Burgunder, Marketing & Sales Manager at SWOZI. A sentiment echoed by GroundTech Director Marcus Glover: “SWOZI’s reputation for quality and innovation aligns perfectly with our commitment to supply industry-leading maintenance solutions to the professional market. The SWOZI Auto in particular delivers an outstanding solution for customers looking to improving marking accuracy and productivity, without the financial outlay associated with other robotic markers currently available.” n For more information, or to arrange a demonstration, contact GroundTech’s technical team: groundtech.co.uk
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ROBOTIC MOWERS
Kress joins Wentworth K ress has announced a strategic partnership with Wentworth. Under this collaboration, Wentworth has integrated 16 Kress Commercial RTKn autonomous mowers across the famous West Course as well as the driving and academy ranges. The Kress team alongside Winchester Garden Machine, have provided comprehensive on-site training, joint performance evaluation, and close technical collaboration with Wentworth’s expert greenkeeping
team to ensure optimal results. The implementation of Kress technology delivers substantial operational and environmental advantages: • Zero direct on-site emissions with significant overall CO₂ reduction • Reduced fuel consumption • Quieter operations protecting wildlife habitats and minimising disruption to members and properties on the estate • Consistent micro-mulching returning nutrients to the soil, reducing fertiliser requirements
“CONSISTENCY IS A KEY FOCUS FOR US, AND THE ABILITY TO DELIVER UNIFORM, HIGHQUALITY SURFACES ACROSS THE COURSES HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT STEP FORWARD.”
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• Reduced ground compaction from lightweight electric units, supporting long-term turf health • Enhanced playing surfaces through precision cutting technology • Cleaner, safer working conditions with no fumes, leaks, or fuel handling • Lower operational costs and reduced storage of hazardous materials • Optimised energy use through high-density battery technology and intelligent charging cycles • Freeing up staff from manual mowing to concentrate on other skilled tasks • Clear support for Wentworth’s long-term sustainability and ESG commitments • Demonstration of innovation leadership in professional turf management. “Since installing the Kress autonomous mowers in October 2025, we’ve seen a noticeable uplift in the consistency and overall presentation of the West Course rough and our academy outfield and fairways,
something our members have clearly recognised,” said Daniel Clarke, Director of Greenkeeping & Estate. “Winter conditions can make traditional rough cutting challenging, particularly on softer ground. The frequency of cut combined with the light footprint of the Kress units has removed that issue entirely, allowing us to maintain standards without compromising the turf. “Consistency is a key focus for us, and the ability to deliver uniform, high-quality surfaces across the courses has been a significant step forward. The installation of the Kress mowers has been a valuable addition to our operation and has genuinely enhanced how we manage presentation.” For Kress, this partnership establishes a flagship national reference site, providing highquality performance data and
a world-renowned platform to demonstrate next-generation autonomous turf-maintenance technology to the professional green-space industry. “This partnership reinforces Kress’s commitment to innovation, sustainability, and supporting professional greenspace teams with world-class solutions,” said Tony Macer, Sales Director at Kress. “Working alongside Wentworth’s renowned greenkeeping team allows us to demonstrate the realworld performance and environmental benefits of autonomous electric technology at the highest level.” Both organisations view this partnership as a longterm collaboration that will help define best practices for sustainable turf management across golf and sports-turf sectors.
n www.kress.com/en-gb/
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GROUNDSFEST
THE GROUNDSFEST DIFFERENCE A Unique Industry Gathering
Free entry. Free parking. Live demonstrations. Education. Innovation. Entertainment. GroundsFest brings everything together in one place – creating an event where the whole industry can connect, learn and enjoy.
Try Before You Buy
Get closer to the latest machinery and technology with live demonstrations and hands-on experiences.
Innovation Everywhere
Be among the first to see exclusive product launches and new solutions from leading brands.
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Education That Gives Back
Through the GroundsFest Academy, profits from the show are reinvested into free educational events across the UK, helping professionals develop
SEE IT TEST IT LIVE IT Outdoor Demonstrations
See machinery working. Test performance. Make informed decisions. The heart of GroundsFest is the opportunity to see the latest equipment in action. Across the outdoor demonstration areas, visitors can watch leading manufacturers put their machinery through its paces in real working conditions. From mowing and turf care equipment to landscaping machinery, vehicles and new technology, it’s the perfect environment to compare products, ask questions and get hands-on with the innovations shaping the future of the industry. At GroundsFest, you don’t just look at machinery – you experience it.
Machinery Nation LIVE
Where machinery meets entertainment. Machinery Nation LIVE returns with even more action. Watch professional operators demonstrate incredible machines in a high-energy showcase designed to entertain, educate and inspire.
Indoor Exhibition Halls
Discover hundreds of brands under one roof. Step inside and explore a huge range of products, services and solutions from leading industry suppliers. With hundreds of brands exhibiting across the halls, you’ll find the latest machinery, irrigation, software, tools, vehicles, PPE, landscaping products and much more. Expect exclusive launches, show offers, competitions and plenty of opportunities to meet the experts behind the brands.
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GROUNDSFEST
LEARN, CONNECT… FREE Educational Seminars
GroundsFest is committed to helping industry professionals develop their knowledge and skills. Our free seminar programme brings together leading experts to share practical advice, technical knowledge and the latest industry insights. With sessions covering a wide range of topics, visitors can gain valuable CPD opportunities and take fresh ideas back to their workplace.
The Landscape Zone In partnership with BALI A must-visit destination for anyone involved in landscaping.
…AND GROW
Explore the latest ideas, meet industry experts, visit the BALI stand, enjoy expert-led sessions and hear conversations from the BALI Podcast stand.
The Innovation Award In partnership with HortWeek
Discover the products shaping the future of the industry. Join us at 3:30pm on the HortWeek and BALI Theatre as we reveal the winners of the Innovation Award and celebrate the exhibitors bringing exciting new ideas to market
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MORE THAN JUST A
SHOW!
Live Music Festival
The show doesn’t stop when the exhibition closes. From 4pm on day one, GroundsFest transforms into an evening festival atmosphere. Enjoy live music, great food, drinks and the chance to continue networking in a relaxed environment. By popular demand, the world’s greatest Queen tribute band returns to the stage – so get ready to sing along!
Lawn Mower Racing In partnership with Kramp UK
Fast, noisy and completely unique. Lawn mower racing returns to GroundsFest, bringing excitement and entertainment to the show. Whether you’re a fan from last year or watching for the first time, make sure you grab a spot trackside.
More Than a Show
GroundsFest is about people. It’s about conversations, connections and celebrating the incredible industry we’re all part of.
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GROUNDSFEST
Exhibitors to watch at GroundsFest STAND RB381
Visitors to the show will have the opportunity to see the latest developments in autonomous turf care technology when Agrovista Amenity showcases a range of innovative robotic solutions on their stand. With robotics continuing to transform the way turf professionals manage their surfaces, Agrovista Amenity will be demonstrating a selection of advanced machines designed to improve efficiency, precision and productivity for a variety of turf management tasks. A key highlight will be the chance to see the RM21 in action, a fully autonomous mower and line marker designed for professional environments including sports pitches, golf courses, parks and large landscaped areas. Also taking centre stage will be the new Paint Master Pro RLM01 robotic line marker, offering a smarter and more efficient approach to sports pitch marking. Also on show with be the FJD Dynamics FR4000 robotic mower, highlighting how autonomous mowing technology is becoming increasingly affordable for many users. Alongside the robotic showcases, the Agrovista Amenity team will be on hand throughout GroundsFest to offer expert advice. Visitors can speak with the company’s team of amenity specialists about their individual challenges.
AMAZONE STAND RB62 PIC 39
environments such as parks, sports fields, cemeteries, golf courses and contractor operations, the Profihopper’s compact, self-propelled design combines precision cutting with powerful auger driven collection and compaction technology — all in one pass. The Profihopper is distinguished by its integrated PowerCompactor system, which uses longitudinal and transverse augers to convey and tightly compact cuttings into the rear hopper. At the heart of the machine is the SmartCut fine flail rotor, delivering a clean, even finish. Its ability to mow, scarify, mulch and collect makes it a genuine all-season solution — from earlyseason renovation through to autumn leaf clearance.
ARIENS
STAND RB80
Pic 1
With its Electric Portfolio, AS-Motor takes a user-centred approach. Rather than tying its customers to its own battery system, AS-Motor focuses on integrating established battery technologies into its professional machines. This means existing battery investments are retained, machines can be seamlessly integrated into existing fleets. With Ego Power+, the new Stihl Allpro System and the FusionCore interchangeable battery system, the company offers the right solution for every performance class. FusionCore is the highperformance interchangeable battery system for professional ride-on mowers. The system is used in both Ariens’ professional zero-turn mowers and the AS 920 E-Sherpa 2WD from AS-Motor.
ASPEN FUEL When it comes to professional groundcare machinery that delivers year-round performance, the Amazone Profihopper stands out as the cornerstone of Amazone’s groundcare range. Built specifically for demanding
STAND H50
Pic 2
Aspen Fuel will be making a
popular return to GroundsFest 2026, highlighting the significant benefits for operators, machinery and the environment of switching to alkylate petrol. The technical team will be on hand to answer all of your questions on stand H50, which is also the location to test your strength on the now infamous ‘Aspen Challenge’ – giving attendees a daily chance to win 50L of Aspen Fuel! Unlike traditional forecourt unleaded, Aspen alkylate petrol contains virtually none of the harmful substances such as benzene and other hazardous hydrocarbons. Not only the operator, Aspen also helps equipment perform as its best. Its cleaner composition and ethanol-free formulation promotes easier starting, smoother running and cleaner engine operation. While on the stand, attendees can also take part in a fun test of strength in the form of the ‘Aspen Challenge’ where one lucky visitor can bag themselves a free 50L drum of Aspen Fuel each day of the show.
BAGMA STAND 39
Pic 3
BAGMA are pleased to be returning to GroundsFest in 2026, showcasing their biggest ever range of Service Providers and industry-specific training courses. BAGMA have supported independent garden, groundcare and agricultural machinery dealers for over 100 years – fighting for better terms and drawing on the combined strength of their membership to influence legislation and provide support in areas such as training and apprenticeships. Over the last 12 months alone, BAGMA have introduced partnerships with employee benefits and insurance brokers Brown & Brown, waste management experts Avena Group, security specialists VIN Chip, business rates experts QuoinStone and international payment providers Ascendant. BAGMA training has also
continued to go from strength to strength, with the Off Highway Electric Vehicle & Power Equipment course – launched at GroundsFest last year – cementing its status as the industry’s leading EV training programme.
BARONESS STAND OSA810
Pic 4 Japanese precision and engineering excellence will be the theme at GroundsFest 2026, as Baroness and Kubota team up once again to deliver a showcase of equipment critical to fine turf, groundcare and landscaping applications. Visitors can expect to see a selection of machines from the renowned Baroness mower range alongside solutions for maintenance and renovation, all backed up with the expert support of Baroness dealers – on hand to answer your questions across the two-day event. Particular highlights at Stoneleigh Park this September will include a selection of machines from the LM Series of cylinder mowers. Renowned for their samurai-sword sharp cutting heads, robust build quality and consistency of performance, the LM range finds a home in situations that prioritise productivity and pinpoint precision.
BOSS
STAND OSA720
Pic 5?
BOSS Off-Road Vehicles will be showing their range of utility vehicles, ATV brands and accessories at GroundsFest. BOSS is the sole UK distributor of Yanmar Agri tractors, the AODES Off-Road Vehicles ATV and UTV range, Powerland electric ATVs, Paxster electric UTVs, and Faunamaster compact seed drills, sprayers and flail mowers.
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AGROVISTA AMENITY
GROUNDSFEST
Yanmar Agri offers a range of compact tractors comprising the YT and YM Series. The YT incorporates i-HMT technology to deliver infinite speed control and high torque output while maintaining cleaner emissions. The AODES range comprises the PathCross ATVs and WorkCross UTVs with engines ranging from 525cc to V-Twin engines in 650cc, 800cc and 1000cc displacements. The Powerland Tachyon is a complete, fully electric road-legal ATV with tractor homologation and offers the benefits of conventional off-road utility vehicles while ensuring no damage to the environment. The Paxster Stretch, Paxster Cargo and Paxster Air are all-electric, compact, and agile utility vehicles.
CAMPEY TURF CARE SYSTEMS STAND 35
Pic 6
Campey Turf Care Systems will return to GroundsFest, showcasing a carefully selected line-up of machinery tailored to the turf maintenance needs of landscapers, local authorities and contractors. Leading the display is the Rotadairon Stone Burier, a new addition to the Campey portfolio. Designed to produce a high-quality seedbed in a single pass, the machine buries stones, vegetation and surface debris beneath the cultivated layer while leaving fine soil on the surface ready for seeding or turf establishment. The remainder of the stand continues the specialist theme. The Vredo Turf Buddy and Vredo Turf Fix demonstrate different approaches to overseeding and turf repair, helping grounds professionals improve establishment while minimising disruption to play. For operations where accuracy and timing are critical, the Campey Pedestrian Aeraseeder combines aeration and seeding in a single pass, while the Campey Electric Sarel Roller offers a lightweight, battery-powered approach to surface aeration.
CLEARWATER STAND OSA251
At the heart of our exhibit is the ClearWater System, a selfsustainable, closed-loop wash water recycling unit designed to meet the rigorous demands of grounds maintenance operations. This system captures, filters, and recycles wash water from vehicle and equipment wash off, significantly reducing water usage and eliminating harmful runoff into the environment. Also featured at our stand are our Chemical Storage Kiosks, purpose-built units designed to safely store pesticides, herbicides, and other hazardous substances. These kiosks are constructed to meet COSHH regulations and are ideal for golf courses, sports facilities, and local authority depots. Join us to see live demonstrations, speak with our technical experts, and discover how ClearWater can help your organisation meet its environmental goals while improving operational efficiency. Whether you’re upgrading an existing wash bay or planning a new facility, ClearWater has the solution.
DLF
STAND 30
Pic 7
DLF, the world’s largest grass seed breeder, is set to return to GroundsFest with a showcase of sustainable, resilient and high-performance seed solutions for turf and landscaping professionals. Alongside the opportunity to meet the DLF Technical Team, visitors will be able to explore the newest additions to the Masterline, MM and Johnsons Sports Seed ranges alongside discovering the biodiversity benefits offered by the company’s Pro Flora and Colour Boost wildflower collections. Turf managers,
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contractors and conservationists looking to enhance biodiversity and increase visual merit can find all of the answers to wildflower seed selection on stand 30 this September. With more than 25 carefully constructed mixtures available across the Pro Flora and Colour Boost collections and extensive in-house production ensuring exceptional seed purity. New to the UK native Pro Flora range in 2026 is Pro Flora 17. Another key focus on the stand will be DLF’s 4turf tetraploid ryegrass technology.
DSV
STAND 29
Pic 37
route planning analyses the exact shape of each zone, optimising coverage while delivering premium strip and spiral mowing patterns. ECHO robots combine six-blade cutting discs with automatic height adjustment, delivering precision cuts from 100mm to 10mm across tees, fairways, roughs, and pre-greens. The autonomous GPS-RTK RP-1250 Ball Collector collects up to 15,000 golf balls in 24 hours while weighing just 80kg, significantly reducing turf compaction compared with heavier machinery. ECHO Connect and fleet management software provide detailed oversight of machine performance, schedules, uptime, and process history.
ETESIA Visitors to GroundsFest 2026 will have the opportunity to discover the latest developments from DSV – EuroGrass where the team will be showcasing market leading grass seed varieties and mixtures designed to deliver exceptional performance across the sports turf, amenity and golf sectors. A key focus on the stand will be two exciting grass varieties, EUROGALA and FLANELL, both of which are exclusively available in EuroGrass mixtures. FLANELL has already established itself as one of the UK’s top-performing perennial ryegrass cultivars, ranking second in the S1 Sports Table in the BSPB Turfgrass Seed Booklet, sitting just behind another outstanding DSV variety, Euromagic.
ECHO ROBOTICS STAND RB330
Pic 40 With over 20 years of proven experience, ECHO Robotics delivers autonomous solutions designed to maximize efficiency, turf health, and operational performance. Our latest v5.4 software and enhanced Wisecut technology continue to push automated turf management forward. Intelligent
STAND OSA150
Pic 9
Etesia UK is preparing for another exciting GroundsFest, with the launch of an all-new flail mower, a line-up of its most popular professional equipment, exclusive bargains on preloved machinery and plenty of opportunities for visitors to walk away with a prize. Visitors will be able to see the latest innovations, speak with product specialists and discover why Etesia continues to be a trusted choice for grounds maintenance professionals. Making its debut at the show is the new Attila AH75F, the latest addition to Etesia’s renowned Attila range of professional brushcutters. Available in both petrol and electric versions, the AH75F introduces a flail mowing concept to the range. Alongside the new launch will be the AH75, a compact and highly manoeuvrable brushcutter designed to tackle long grass, dense vegetation and overgrown areas. Visitors will also be able to get up close to the ET Lander, Etesia’s versatile electric utility vehicle and see the Hydro 124DX, a powerful ride-on mower engineered for productivity across large areas. Completing the machinery
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Exhibitors to watch at GroundsFest
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line-up is the Hydro 80 MKHP5, a compact ride-on mower that offers outstanding manoeuvrability without sacrificing performance.
EVOPOS STAND 43
Our latest Evopos for Service Dealers (2.09) has hundreds of great new features that will help you give better customer service, save you more time and increase your profits. Complete with a full stock system, workshop, whole goods sales, accounts package and EPOS, eBay and links to carious online systems all at a costeffective monthly subscription. Our fully automated Web store integrations allow you link to Woo-Commence, and many more, downloading web orders, updating stock and sales at a touch of a button. Evopos-Mobile enables you to access important information and carry out tasks from your phone. Business-Control helps your staff develop their skills and to know exactly how you would like everything should be done. So, why not visit our stand and see a working system in action.
GKB
STAND OSA80
Pic 11 GKB Machines are set to make their GroundsFest debut this September, promising a showcase of robust maintenance solutions for natural and artificial surfaces. Visitors can expect to see the newest addition to the aeration portfolio – the Deep Tine Aerator High Speed (HS) – alongside a selection of brushing and cleaning equipment trusted by facilities around the country to keep synthetic surfaces in firstrate condition. The Deep Tine Aerator HS combines the very best of GKB precision engineering with simplicity of use and significantly enhanced speed of operation,
helping turf managers to deliver all-important compaction relief while reducing surface downtime. From the artificial portfolio, the recently redesigned GKB Deep Clean promises to be another stand highlight. The next generation synthetic cleaner was introduced in direct response to growing concern around microplastic pollution. As the name suggests, the Deep Clean penetrates deep into the infill layer to lift and return cleaned infill back into the surface – restoring the technical characteristics and delivering a cleaner, safer and more presentable pitch in just one pass.
GREENBEST STAND 28
Pic 12
GreenBest will return to GroundsFest giving grounds professionals, landscapers and lawn care specialists the opportunity to explore its extensive range of turf and lawn care solutions. Visitors will meet the GreenBest team, discuss their turf management requirements and learn more about the company’s professional product ranges and bespoke services. The portfolio is designed to support turf and lawn management throughout the year, from routine nutrition and seasonal feeding programmes to targeted treatments for specific soil and turf requirements. GreenBest will also highlight its established Velvit range for the professional turf and amenity sectors, together with SmartLawn, its dedicated range for professional lawn care businesses.
GROUNDSFEST ACADEMY STAND L12
Pic 27
GroundsFest Academy recently welcomed a large number of grounds professionals, students
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and volunteers to Loughborough Grammar School’s Quorn Playing Fields for a highly successful CPD-accredited Integrated Weed Management event. The free one-day event brought together industry experts, manufacturers and training providers to explore the latest developments in integrated weed management, focusing on best practice, funding opportunities, practical solutions and alternatives to traditional chemical control. Delegates also enjoyed a facilities tour before the day concluded with a recap of the key learning points and the presentation of CPD certificates. With demand continuing to grow for practical, hands-on learning opportunities, the success of the Integrated Weed Management event further demonstrates GroundsFest Academy’s role in delivering education that addresses the real challenges facing today’s issues.
GROUNDSMAN INDUSTRIES STAND OSA201
Pic 13
Groundsman Industries Ltd was established in 1990 to develop and manufacture their unique range of elliptical plunge action turf aerators. A product like that does, as they say, ‘sell itself’ but only if it’s seen and demonstrated. That is especially true with an unknown fledgling company promoting a brand with limited track record to its credit, a difficult task indeed. The internet and websites changed all that, the global marketing landscape became flat and available to small start-up companies and even individuals. The early websites were generally only viewed on a PC but gradually mobile phones became much more sophisticated to the extent that they become a permanent personal attachment, an absolutely essential piece of kit you never leave home without and websites developed to accommodate the mobile. Groundsman’s new website is based on this new style of
template and we invite you to have a browse where you will not only learn about our Aerators, Core Collectors, Turf/Sod Cutters and Attachments but we are excited to tell you that we have been busy developing some new products, more about that later in the year. We look forward to seeing you at GroundsFest.
ICL
STAND OSA480
Pic 14
ICL will return to GroundsFest providing practical advice and proven solutions for grounds managers, landscapers, contractors and turf professionals responsible for maintaining high-quality sports surfaces and amenity landscapes. Visitors to the stand will have the opportunity to discuss the latest developments in turf and landscape management with our technical and commercial teams. A key focus this year will be the launch of the new H2Pro TriSmart Granules, extending the H2Pro TriSmart range with a granular wetting agent solution that supports effective moisture management and helps improve water distribution within the soil profile. ICL will also be showcasing its Landscaper Pro fertiliser range, developed to provide reliable, professional nutrition for landscapes, lawns and amenity areas. Weed management remains an important part of successful grounds maintenance, and the team will be available to discuss integrated control strategies.
KRAMP
STAND L80
Pic 15 Kramp, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of spare parts, is returning to GroundsFest. Throughout the two-day event, Kramp’s knowledgeable team will be on hand to offer expert advice, answer product questions and discuss practical solutions to help
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businesses improve workshop efficiency and productivity. Visitors can also take advantage of exclusive event-only offers. Anyone who signs up for a Kramp account at the show will gain access to significant savings. Joining Kramp on the stand will be Kärcher, the global leader in cleaning technology, giving visitors the opportunity to win a Kärcher pressure washer. Away from the stand, Kramp will once again be sponsoring the ever-popular lawnmower racing, where modified mowers battle it out for the official GroundsFest Cup. “Lawnmower racing is always one of the highlights of GroundsFest,” said Lexi. Kramp’s Marketing Manager. “We’re delighted to be sponsoring it again this year and look forward to welcoming customers at the show.”
KRESS
STAND RB290
Pic 41
Kress returns to GroundsFest 2026 with its biggest showcase yet. Once again, you’ll find the team right by the main entrance, making it easy to stop by and experience the latest innovations in professional landscaping equipment. Throughout the show, visitors will have the chance to see cutting-edge technology in action, get hands-on with the latest products and speak to the experts behind the range. Watch live demonstrations of the all-new Voyager 60, the Master Series robotic mower range, iPilot technology and Kress’s gamechanging 4x4 robotic mower. Watch the presentations covering the newest additions to the Kress range, alongside the proven favourites professionals already know and trust. Put the latest chainsaws, hedge cutters, brush cutters, blowers and more through their paces, with the Kress team on hand to answer your questions. Back by popular demand, the Kress blower challenge returns with a golf-themed twist. You can also test your skills in the football
challenge, with plenty of Kress prizes and merchandise up for grabs.
KUBOTA
STAND OSA810
Pic 16
A stop by the stand will be a must for visitors to this year’s GroundsFest, with Kubota and Baroness joining forces to showcase one of the industry’s most comprehensive equipment line-ups. Attendees will have the opportunity to get up close with the latest innovations in the rideon and zero-turn mower market, which will proudly sit alongside the very best in compact tractors, utility vehicles and mini excavators. Stand highlights will include the latest addition to the FC cut and collect range, the FC4-441. With flail and rotary cutting deck options together with a number of optional attachments, the FC4441 is an adaptable addition to any machinery shed. A number of models from the significantly extended zero-turn collection also making their way to the show. No Kubota stand would be complete without an array of compact tractors and GroundsFest 2026 will be no different, with models from the L, LX and B-Series all on show.
LCVT
STAND RB285
Pic 17
The LCVT Grounds Maintenance Side Tipping Beavertail has proved enormously popular since its official launch at last year’s GroundsFest Show, where its groundbreaking design in a number of key areas was recognised by being awarded the Innovation Award at the show. The vehicle concept was conceived following feedback from vehicle operators who had a desire to move away from all
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the challenges that towing a trailer caused them on a daily basis but needed greater all yearround utilisation than a 3,500kg beavertail vehicle offered them. From the above conversations and input from a leading figure in the sector Angus Lindsay, LCVT produced the first prototype vehicle which resulted in the vehicle launch last year. For GroundsFest 2026 the vehicle will be on display with further innovations including removable mesh sides to allow the full payload capabilities of the vehicle to be recognised, while in the winter period the mesh side itself pivots on the top frame allowing waste to be carried safely and tipped easily when required.
MACHINERY NATION MNL ARENA
Pic 18
One of the biggest crowd-pullers at GroundsFest is back for 2026, and it’s set to be louder, bigger and more action-packed than ever. Machinery Nation LIVE is back with an expanded programme of demonstrations, challenges and interactive experiences that promise to be one of the biggest attractions at the show. Throughout both days, visitors can experience an action-packed schedule featuring live machinery demonstrations, thrilling chainsaw relays involving some of the world’s leading brands, tractor and loader challenges, and an exciting ATV and UTV course. Visitors will also have the chance to get up close to the latest equipment, speak to industry experts, compare machines side by side and even pick up exclusive giveaways from some of their favourite brands. Machinery Nation’s engaging presenters will once again bring every demonstration to life, offering expert insight, honest opinions and plenty of entertainment as they put a wide range of machinery through its paces. The return of Machinery Nation LIVE perfectly complements GroundsFest’s unique hands-
on format, giving visitors the opportunity to not only watch equipment in action but also test machinery for themselves across the show’s extensive outdoor demonstration areas.
MAJOR EQUIPMENT STAND A460
Pic 19
Major Equipment will be exhibiting at GroundsFest and visitors to the stand will fiind a range of tractor-mounted mowers and flail collectors designed to deliver high-quality results, improve efficiency and reduce downtimes. Features will be the MJTDR-490 TriDeck Roller Mower, offering a 4.9m cutting width, independent folding wings and excellent striping performance across sports fields, parks and amenity grassland. Also featured will be the new MJ29-153-HL Flail Collector, a versatile machine for cutting and collecting grass, leaves and meadow cuttings, with a 2m tipping height for easy unloading. In addition there will be the MJ65-300 CS Pro Mower, trusted by contractors and local authorities for its wide cutting width and superior finish, and the MJ71-400 Swift Roller Mower, renowned for its durability, corrosion resistance and consistent performance.
MANSFIELD SAND STAND OSA260
Pic 20
Visit Mansfield Sand’s stand and discover a comprehensive range of premium sand-based solutions designed for the sports turf industry. With more than 180 years of expertise, Mansfield Sand has built a reputation as one of the UK’s leading suppliers of high-quality silica sand products. Its solutions are trusted by elite sports stadiums, championship golf courses, professional training facilities and equestrian venues,
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delivering reliable performance where it matters most. Featured products will include: Reinforced Rootzones, Sand Soil Rootzones, Sand Compost Rootzones, Top Dressing and the Mansil Silica Sand Sports Range Whether you’re planning a new sports turf project or looking to improve existing playing surfaces, be sure to visit the stand and speak with the team.
MM SEED STAND 30
Pic 21
The DLF stand at GroundsFest will highlight a wide range of sustainable solutions from the world’s largest grass seed breeder, featuring products from the MM, Designer Seed brands. Alongside leading cultivars for sports and amenity turf, stand thirty will also display an array of colour with demonstration planters from the popular Pro Flora and Colour Boost wildflower ranges. As autumn renovation programmes begin, DLF’s 4turf tetraploid technology will be a key focus on the stand. Another key focus will be wildflowers and their growing importance in land and amenity turf management. They provide essential food and habitat for pollinators and wildlife. DLF’s Pro Flora native-origin wildflower range includes 17 formulations, each designed to enhance colour, biodiversity and interest across a wide variety of environments.
MONTY MIRACLE
STAND NUMBERS RB8 & L76
Pic 22
Monty Miracle is returning to Groundsfest with national awards and a growing professional customer audience, following last year’s successful debut. Monty Miracle is an easy-to-
use outdoor cleaning range – a patented formulation which significantly reduces time, costs and resources needed for landscaping, amenity management, turf care, and related outdoor cleaning tasks. The family company has enjoyed huge success in the 12 months since last year’s event. Thanks to the high standard and ever-increasing popularity of its product and accessories range, it has won a Which? Best Buy award – with a rare 100% score – and been named Good Housekeeping Institute’s Best Overall patio cleaner 2026. The team is working with Premier League football clubs, world-famous racetracks, councils, award-winning holiday parks, tennis and cricket clubs, golf courses and a range of public spaces across the UK. The team will be demonstrating the power of Monty Miracle’s outdoor cleaning range on its stand, showing professionals just how quickly the product can remove stains from stone, wood, plastic, concrete and render. The Monty Miracle team will be showcasing its full product list including its Outdoor Cleaners; Artificial Grass Cleaner; Pump Sprayer and Protective Gauntlet Gloves.
ORIGIN AMENITY SOLUTIONS STAND RB140
Pic 23
Origin Amenity Solutions (OAS) will be among the mustsee exhibitors at this year’s GroundsFest, bringing one of the industry’s most comprehensive portfolios of products, services and technical expertise to Stoneleigh Park. Visitors to the stand will be able to explore innovative solutions for the landscape and amenity sectors, designed to deliver improved efficiency, sustainability and green space quality. Alongside the many well-known products from their comprehensive range, GroundsFest 2026 will also be the launch platform for a number
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of new OAS products including Eco Ice Melt. Another stand focus will be FleetKleen, Origin’s specialist vehicle cleaning range designed to keep fleets operating at their best with professional-grade cleaning and maintenance solutions. Innovation will also take centre stage with a spotlight on the TinyMobileRobots range. Proven to transform line marking operations through precision automation, the TMR range is an increasingly popular choice for contractors, schools and sports facilities looking to improve both the productivity and accuracy of their marking. Adding to the excitement, visitors will have the chance to test their skills on a TinyMobileRobots obstacle course challenge, taking place across the two days.
PELLENC
STAND OSA150
Pic 24
Pellenc UK will be returning to GroundsFest 2026 with its complete portfolio of professional battery-powered equipment, alongside the chance to win some fantastic prizes. Visitors can not only explore the latest innovations in sustainable grounds maintenance and landscaping but also take part in a scratch card competition. The Pellenc team will be on hand throughout the event to demonstrate the capabilities of the full Pellenc and Alpha ranges, offering expert advice on selecting the right equipment for a wide variety of professional applications. Recognised as a pioneer in battery-powered technology, Pellenc has built a reputation for developing high-performance equipment that delivers the power professionals need while reducing noise, emissions and ongoing running costs. Visitors will be able to see Pellenc’s extensive range of professional battery-powered tools, including hedge trimmers, brushcutters, blowers, chainsaws and pole saws. Alongside the Pellenc range,
visitors can also discover the Alpha collection of batterypowered equipment.
PENNY UK STAND L155
Pic 25 Visitors to the Landscape Zone at GroundsFest 2026 will have the opportunity to discover Penny UK’s comprehensive irrigation offering. Well established within the fruit growing and horticultural sectors, Penny UK is now expanding its presence in the landscaping market, bringing its expertise and extensive product portfolio to landscape professionals, contractors and nursery operators. At GroundsFest, the team will be showcasing a wide range of irrigation solutions, including dripline systems, sprinklers, drippers, controllers, valves and fittings, demonstrating how they can help deliver efficient, reliable and water-conscious irrigation for landscape projects of all sizes. As a one-stop shop for irrigation equipment, Penny UK supplies products from leading global manufacturers including Rainbird, Rivulis, Tricoflex, Bermad, Hunter, Yamit, Senmatic and many more, ensuring customers have access to trusted, high-quality solutions.
PRICE TURFCARE STAND RB50
Pic 26
Price Turfcare, will again have their famous 30 degree slope demo area at GroundsFest There will be several of the 4520 tractor units including the new 45RC radio controlled model which enables even safer access to more precipitous and inaccessible areas, regardless of the attachment being used. As many of the 32 different attachments available as space allows will be showcased. Hundreds of machines have been sold to a wide variety of customers over the last seven
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Landscaping Turf Matters Matters Where there’s a Will…
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years. The stand will demonstrate what is proving specifically attractive to managers and operators, which is the fact that one tractor unit can complete many tasks such as mowing rough areas, fine turf, wide area spaces, then, within minutes, it can be used for aeration, top dressing, drainage or path reclamation tasks and other soil engaging activities. All this but for less capital outlay than something like a traditional mower. The uniquely low centre of gravity allows more precipitous (up to 30 degrees) areas to be tackled without fear of tipping of slipping. This versatility ensures Ventrac users get more out of the traction unit than they would out of a job specific machine.
PROSPORT UK
642 allows operators to restore a sharp cutting edge quickly, helping to reduce machinery downtime and preserve the reelto-bedknife relationship required for a clean, consistent cut. Together, the two machines demonstrate a complementary approach to sharpening, combining accurate bedknife grinding with fast reel touch-ups. As Foley Company’s UK dealer, ProSport provides grinding machinery, technical knowledge, and ongoing support to customers across the professional turf industry. Its offering also includes Salsco petrol and electric greens rollers, which it distributes throughout the UK following Foley Company’s acquisition of Salsco.
REDEXIM
STAND OSA230
STAND 46
Pic
ProSport UK will put quality of cut at the centre of its GroundsFest display as it brings the Foley 672 Accu-Pro AT and 642 Quick-Spin Reel Grinder to its stand Listed under the Foley Company name, ProSport will demonstrate how accurate bedknife and reel grinding can improve cutting performance, turf presentation, and workshop efficiency. The Foley 672 AccuPro AT semi-automatic bedknife grinder has been designed to deliver consistent results while simplifying setup and operation. Fast angle positioning, electromagnetic mounting, and a precision traverse system help operators achieve an accurate grind across a wide range of bedknives. Alongside it, the floor-level Foley 642 Quick-Spin provides a practical solution for touchup spin grinding between scheduled relief grinds. Its roll-on, roll-off design removes the need for lifting equipment, making it particularly suited to the wider and heavier cutting units commonly used on sports pitches. Capable of accommodating reels up to 42 inches wide, the
Pic 28
Visitors to GroundsFest 2026 will have the opportunity to be among the first in the UK to see the new Turf-Tidy 5000, as Redexim showcases its latest innovations. Making its UK debut following its launch earlier this year, the Turf-Tidy 5000 is the largest cut-and-collect machine in the Redexim range. Designed for large-scale turf maintenance, it combines flail mowing, scarifying, dethatching and debris collection in a single pass. The Turf-Tidy 5000 joins the established Turf-Tidy 3000 and the compact Turf-Tidy 1100, giving visitors the chance to see the complete Turf-Tidy range together for the first time. Visitors can also explore the renowned Verti-Drain range, the aerators that have become synonymous with effective soil decompaction, as well as a selection of seeding equipment including the Multi-Seeder 1600, Speedseed 1500 and Overseeder 3D 1575 LV. The stand will also feature RINK top dressers, including the DS1600 EVO, designed to deliver accurate and consistent material application across sports turf and amenity surfaces.
STIHL
STAND OSA30
PIC TO COME
STIHL will mark its 100th anniversary at the show with the showcase of its new ALLPRO battery system, demonstrating how the next generation of professional battery technology is helping grounds maintenance and landscaping teams maximise productivity, minimise downtime and work more efficiently throughout the day. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore the company’s latest battery innovations and discover how its growing professional battery ecosystem is designed to support demanding commercial applications. At the heart of STIHL’s stand will be the ALLPRO battery system, a new generation of high-performance batteries engineered to deliver increased power output, longer running times and significantly longer service life, while maintaining the durability expected from STIHL professional products. Visitors will see the new AL 1802 MO charger, designed to keep professional teams moving throughout the day. When paired with the ALLPRO battery system, batteries can be charged to 80% capacity in just nine minutes. Alongside the new charger, STIHL will showcase the PS 2000 Portable Power Supply, providing a flexible source of power for working across multiple sites. STIHL’s appearance at GroundsFest comes during a landmark year, as the company celebrates its 100th anniversary. Since 1926, STIHL has helped shape the forestry, landscaping and gardening industries through continuous innovation.
STIGA
STAND OSA790
Pic 29 STIGA is set to bring its latest professional outdoor power
equipment to Groundsfest, with the APX Pro autonomous robotic mower taking centre stage with cordless tools and robotic solutions for modern grounds maintenance.Designed for sports facilities, municipalities, golf clubs and large estates, the APX Pro is engineered to handle extensive, complex mowing areas with minimal operator input. Visitors will also be able to explore STIGA’s wider cordless range, including professional battery-powered mowing, cutting, trimming and grounds-care equipment designed to provide powerful performance without the need for petrol engines. Alongside its cordless equipment, STIGA will demonstrate its robotic mowing technology and digital management solutions, including STIGA.GO and Web Pro. These platforms help professional users manage machines, plan schedules and monitor equipment remotely, making it easier to coordinate maintenance across sites.
STM
STAND Q060
Pic 30 STM are pleased to be back at GroundsFest – a show we really enjoy and which has proved to be extremely worthwhile. In addition to products from the popular SCAG range of grasscutting machinery we are also showing this year the “Pink Warrior” which is part of our joint campaign with SCAG USA. This is a SCAG ride-on mower and it’s PINK because it is part of a Breast Cancer Awareness initiative. Pink Warriors are Limited Edition machines specifically produced in the recognisable pink colouring, and with a sum from each machine sold going to Breast Cancer Awareness in the USA. In addition, the STM management have chosen to offer a Pink Warrior machine in a Prize Draw, with tickets at £5.00 being available using a QR code on our website, promotional literature and magazine adverts with a draw to take place at Saltex.
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SUSTANE STAND 44
Pic 31
Visitors to GroundsFest 2026 looking for sustainable nutrition and plant health solutions will find all the answers with a stop by Suståne Natural Fertilisers. This year, the focus will be on two products designed to deliver long-lasting performance across amenity and landscape turf: Suståne 18-1-8+Fe and Bolster Liquid Plant Biostimulant. 18-1-8+Fe combines controlled release fertiliser technology with Suståne’s natural organic compost base to provide up to 16 weeks of consistent nutrition and support long-term soil health. The formulation features three slow-release nitrogen sources and one quick-release form to deliver
a steady supply of nutrients without the flush of growth sometimes associated with conventional fertilisers. This even, controlled growth makes Suståne 18-1-8+Fe ideal for golf courses, sports turf, parks, lawns and amenity landscapes – creating turf with excellent colour and reliable performance. Complementing the granular fertiliser is Bolster Liquid Plant Biostimulant – a product specifically formulated to help turf and ornamental plants cope with environmental stress. Containing 5% chelated iron, 4% humic acid and 2% seaweed extract, Bolster is designed to enhance root development, improve chlorophyll production and strengthen plants against drought, temperature extremes, poor soils and other environmental challenges.
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TEAM SPRAYERS STAND RB359
Pic 42
Team Sprayers will return to GroundsFest this September, showcasing its comprehensive range of British-built ground care sprayers. Visitors to the stand will be able to explore spraying solutions for applications of all sizes, from compact pedestrian models through to high-capacity selfpropelled and tractor-mounted machines. The popular Cub and Scout pedestrian sprayers offer a practical, highly manoeuvrable solution for accurate application across smaller or difficult-toaccess areas. For operators requiring greater capacity and productivity, the Vixen Pro SP provides versatile solutions for
larger turf areas. Electrically driven, the Vixen Pro SP combines a 150-litre tank with a powerful diaphragm pump and 3 or 4m boom, helping operators cover ground efficiently while maintaining accurate application. Team will also be highlighting its wider range of tractormounted and specialist spraying equipment, providing options for grounds teams, contractors and turf professionals with a variety of requirements.
TORO UK
STAND OSA640 & OSA760
Pic 32
Toro UK is set to deliver one of the most compelling live demo experiences at GroundsFest, giving turf professionals hands on insight
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into the latest advancements in manoeuvrability, productivity and battery performance. A major highlight will be the UK debut of the new Toro GrandStand 32”, demonstrated in a purpose built zone designed to replicate the tight access points and complex layouts contractors face daily. Visitors will be able to see how this compact stand on mower delivers exceptional control and output in restricted environments. The limited edition black Dingo TX1000 will also be showcased in action, tackling real world lifting, loading and handling challenges. Its striking finish and powerful performance make it a standout attraction for anyone wanting to understand how versatile compact loaders can transform day to day productivity. Battery innovation features strongly too, with demonstrations of the Toro Revolution blower and Harrier Pro 60V.
TP WOOD CHIPPERS STAND OSA272
Pic 33
It’s set to be a very exciting autumn season for the team at TP Wood Chippers! Confirming their attendance at both GroundsFest 2026 and the APF Exhibition, the company are set officially to launch not one but TWO new woodchipper ranges to the UK market. With the 8-inch woodchipper market continuing to experience significant growth, TP is building on the success of its highly capable TP215 platform with the introduction of the allnew TP216 and TP206 ranges. The TP215 has earned a reputation for exceptional performance and reliability, powered by a robust 59hp Hatz
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diesel engine which makes it one of the most powerful machines in its class. Working closely with customers, TP’s engineering team in Denmark have spent the last 18 months making a great machine even better – refining the TP215 in time to get the new TP216 and TP206 ranges ready for the autumn season. GroundsFest and APF will provide the perfect platform for these new ranges to make their UK debut, giving grounds managers, contractors, arborists and forestry professionals the opportunity to see the models up close for the first time.
TRIMAX STAND RB9
Pic 34 Visit Trimax at GroundsFest 2026 and discover how our range of high-performance mowing
solutions can help grounds professionals achieve outstanding results with exceptional reliability, durability and reduced maintenance requirements. Making its UK debut, the all-new FlailDek S4 delivers enhanced flail mowing performance and versatility, with simplified maintenance designed to reduce downtime. Also on display will be a selection of Trimax’s leading flail and rotary mowing solutions, including the new Pegasus OptiAdjust, which features instant height-of-cut adjustment technology so operators can make quick, precise changes directly from the tractor cab. Visitors can also see the Snake S3, ProCut S5 and Striker, each engineered to deliver outstanding cut quality, productivity and dependable performance across a wide range of applications.
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Exhibitors to watch at GroundsFest TURF TANK STAND RB200
Pic 35
Turf Tank, the leading name in robotic line marking solutions, is returning to GroundsFest 2026 to showcase the newest additions to their robot line marking solution. Visitors to stand RB200 will experience live demonstrations and get a first look at new technologies. Turf Tank is releasing the Base Station Pro at the show. A permanent, fixed installation designed to deliver high accuracy through a private connection signal. Base Station Pro extends signal coverage to five miles without needing a clear line of sight. A single Base Station Pro can support multiple robots at once. Multiple units can also operate
together on the same network, extending coverage across large sites or facilities with complex layouts. In addition Turf Tank will be showcasing versatile features designed to save grounds teams time and labour. Car Park Marking: Beyond sports pitches, Turf Tank now simplifies site management. Facility managers can mark complete car parks or individual bays on their own schedule. Logo Bundles for Pro Subscribers: Grounds teams can instantly select and paint from a preloaded library of sports logos, seasonal graphics, and event designs.
WEIDENMANN STAND OSA500
Pic 36 Wiedenmann UK’s line-up showcases every aspect of turf renovation – from deep aeration
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and overseeding to scarification, collection and surface refinement. Taking centre stage will be Wiedenmann’s Terra Spike deep aerators – a name synonymous with high-performance aeration. The best way to judge a Wiedenmann is to see it working. Live demonstrations throughout the show will give visitors the chance to check
out both the Terra Spike range and the new Terra Core M6 in action. On display will be the Terra Spike XP, capable of reaching depths of up to 400 mm, alongside contractor-favourite XD, delivering aeration to 275 mm with the work rates, productivity and durability demanded by busy contractors. Making its UK debut, the pedestrian Terra Core M6 brings professional aeration to smaller and more confined areas. Compact, agile and built to the same exacting standards as its larger stablemates, it delivers clean, consistent results wherever access is limited or a tractor-mounted machine simply isn’t practical. Completing the line-up are Wiedenmann’s versatile Super range of turf collectors, the high-output Terra Rake for scarifying and thatch removal, and the Terra Float Air precision overseeder.
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UTILITY VEHICLES
Redefining the Utility Vehicle A
s groundscare teams, local authorities, and estate managers face growing pressure to cut carbon emissions without compromising operational muscle, Etesia’s 100% electric ET Lander utility vehicle is proving that sustainable turf management doesn’t mean settling for less. Designed and manufactured in France, the ET Lander was codesigned alongside green space professionals specifically to meet the daily grind of grounds maintenance, municipal tasks, and estate management. Combining compact dimensions with serious off-road capability, the roadlegal N1-homologated workhorse bridges the gap between urban transport and heavyduty field performance. At just 3.72 metres long and 1.51 metres wide, the ET Lander boasts an exceptionally tight 4.4-metre turning
radius, making it ideal for navigating narrow park paths, crowded sports facilities, and restricted historic grounds. Despite its compact footprint, it offers a payload capacity of up to 1,000 kg and a towing capacity of 750 kg. Key operational features built for turf and municipal teams include: • 3-Way Tipping Bed: Operated directly from inside the cabin or via an external wireless remote control, allowing precise dumping in tight spots. • Integrated Loading Ramps: The bed’s side panels double up as heavyduty loading ramps, eliminating the need to haul separate ramps when transporting pedestrian mowers, brushcutters, or aerators. • On-Board Mobile Power Station: Equipped with a 230V AC converter (2 kW continuous / 3.2 kW peak), the ET Lander allows operators to plug in corded tools or top up portable battery-powered machinery directly from the vehicle’s power supply.
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• All-Terrain Ground Clearance: A generous 201 mm ground clearance paired with long-travel suspension and off-road tyres gives the vehicle a 35% gradeability rate, conquering steep banks, wet turf, and high kerbs with ease. • All-Day Range: Powered by highcapacity lithium-ion battery configurations, the ET Lander delivers up to 100 km of range on a single charge and connects directly to standard Type 2 EV chargers or domestic wall sockets. “What I really like about the ET Lander is that it fits and can manoeuvre in tight spaces around the Olympic Park,” said Gary Spreadbury, Head Gardener at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. “We’ve got a lot of small paths which big vehicles can’t fit down, so it’s very efficient and time saving. It’s used mainly for the transporting of materials around the site, especially during the winter and autumn months when it comes to the leaf clearing and for the mulching of the gardens.”
MANAGEMENT
Golf Course Management Consultant
BUYERS’ GUIDE Golf Course Advice; Locum Greenkeeper Service; Project Management; Practical Solutions for Genuine Problems www.billymcmillanassociates.co.uk Tel: 07774 632747
To advertise here contact Marie Anderson – email: marie@turfmatters.co.uk MACHINERY MACHINERY
SPRAYERS
MOWERS
GRASS CUTTING MACHINERY
Toro Reelmaster 5010-H with PowerMatch
Horsepower on Demand
s arrived.
ble 1
www.etesia.co.uk www.toro5010.com
EQUIPMENT
TC1038 Turf Matters Buyers Guide.indd 1
ble 2
GRASS SEED
21/12/2015 17:35
Bringing technical excellence and service to turf and groundcare www.wiedenmann.co.uk 0141 814 3366
WETTING AGENTS SOIL SURFACTANTS ORGANIC FERTILISERS 01233 633267 UK.aquatrols.com
www.pellenc.co.uk TUrf
www.mm-seeds.co.uk/
AERATORS
EQUIPMENT
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SCARIFIERS
www.campeyturfcare.com Telephone: 01260 224 568
Email: info@campeyturfcare.com
TYRES MOWERS
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BUYERS’ GUIDE AERATION
GRASS CUTTING MACHINERY
Invicta Groundcare Equipment Ltd
SYNTHETIC SURFACES
Equipment built with experience www.synprobysisis.com SPRAYERS AND SPRAYING
One of Europe’s largest quality used golf machinery buyers
PROFESSIONAL SPRAYERS
www.berthoud.fr/en/
InvictaTurfcare
Call us on 01474 874120
Invicta_groundcare
www.invicta-groundcare.co.uk
EQUIPMENT
SPORTS EQUIPMENT
IRRIGATION
TYRES
LINE MARKING
ATV and UTV
FERTILISERS AND PESTICIDES FERTILISERS AND PESTICIDES
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PERENNIAL
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erennial, the UK’s only charity for everyone working in or retired from horticulture, is celebrating 25 years of innovation and development in their free services, supporting people facing financial, health, career or life-changing challenges. Seasonality of work, physical injury and isolated working are just some of the horticulture specific issues people can face, as well as the impact of major events such as bereavement or homelessness. Today the charity provides personalised support through a national helpline, network of case workers and regulated money and debt advice, as well as information and guidance on a wide range of issues affecting people in horticulture. In 2000 the charity recognised that its services needed to expand to support more people, including people of working age – one of the first benevolent funds in the UK to make this significant change. An interactive timeline on the charity’s website (perennial.org.uk/ about-us/our-impact/innovation-inservices) shows the development of Perennial’s services over the last 25 years, highlighting the innovations that reflect changing needs, as well as the growth in impact of their work: n 2000: the charity supported 400 retired gardeners with financial assistance and linen parcels. n 2001: structure of services changes and broadens support to working gardeners n 2003: the charity rebranded to Perennial to reflect the expansion of their support to all sectors of horticulture. n 2004: Alan Titchmarsh CBE VMH DL joined as the charity’s President, in recognition of the importance of supporting everyone who works with plants, trees, flowers and grass to create the beautiful green spaces we all enjoy. n 2005: centralised helpline launched n 2008: debt advice service launched
Horticulture charity celebrates 25 years of support services n Since 2019 Perennial have expanded
their digital and guidance-focused activities so people can access the information they need when they need it, making positive changes to prevent an issue becoming a crisis. n 2025: the charity supported 2,445 people with tailored one to one support. “It has been an incredible journey over the last 25 years, changing how we support people in all sectors of horticulture so that we can offer services that make a difference to lots of people’s lives. My family have been in horticulture for several generations and I’ve seen firsthand the challenges people have to cope with,” said Director of Services, Helen Waddington, who joined Perennial in 2001 as part of the original expansion of the charity’s services. Perennial’s latest impact report for 2025 clearly demonstrates how the charity is supporting people in horticulture today, including: n 2,445 people received holistic support n 19,753 preventative activities and informative programmes delivered n £235,335 of personal debt disputed or written off n £16,373 invested in employment and training support n 64 people seeking legal advice and n £380,645 secured in benefit entitlements. The full report is available at
perennial.org.uk/about-us/our-impact “Not being able to do my job was hard to accept and triggered a lot of anxiety and depression. I felt useless, to be honest... My physio treatment has been brilliant. If you’re not yourself physically or mentally, reach out because you’re not alone. I should have got help years ago, but I know Perennial are always there for me and encourage others to get in touch too,” explained a Grounds Maintenance person who received physio and mental wellbeing support. Today the charity works closely with people from all sectors of horticulture to ensure the development of their services reflects the breadth of issues people are facing. Industry Ambassadors Mark Gregory, Angela Oliver and Steve Harper support with this and help to raise the profile of the charity in their professional fields. You can find out more about the support Perennial provides to everyone in horticulture at perennial. org.uk, as well as how you can fundraise for them to support the ongoing provision of their tailored services.
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