January/February 2010

As Kubota Corporation increases its presence in the larger horsepower M-Series tractor market in Europe, the Australian subsidiary Kubota Tractor Australia (KTA) is set to benefit from this impact in the years ahead, as higher “speced” European models become available according to KTA Product Manager Lars Pasedag.

With the arrival of warmer weather and longer days comes an increase in Do-It-Yourself (DIY) injuries around the home and garden. The frequency and type of injuries are very much related to the time of year, according to statistics.

With approximately 34,000 cases of skin cancer and 200 melanomas caused by sun exposure in the workplace every year,1 Pro-Visual Publishing has responded with a call for education with its 2009/10 edition of the Sporting Amenities Guide to Workplace Safety.

Making golf accessible for non-traditional players is the primary goal of the first-ever Links Across America project, a universally accessible short course and golf practice facility scheduled to open here next summer.

Buffalo Turf varieties reviewed, research reviewed and where does Buffalo turf fit as a sports turf.

November/December

Golf and Sports Turf Australia spoke to Leigh Yanner , Golf Course Manager National Golf Club, Victoria. Leigh has been involved with the club for the last 2 years and has been instrumental in strategizing several processes to ensure maximum efficiency and conservation.

CASCAIS, Portugal — Oitavos Dunes, the feted Portuguese links located 30 kilometers north of Lisbon, has capped a dizzying 8-year rise to the highest ranks of world golf with a pair of honors, both bestowed by GOLF Magazine (U.S.) and published in its September and October 2009 issues.

By Todd Layt There is a new revolution in warm season turf breeding with the introduction of new Kikuyu turf types, a new native turf, and the rise of Empire Zoysia as a sports and amenity alternative. In parts one and two we looked at Couch varieties and Queensland Blue Couch, now it is time to think outside the box. Couch types have been the mainstay of the sports turf industry, but with the advent of these new turf types, its time to consider alternatives.

Knox City Council-Rowville Reserve In May of this year, Aquatrad Services of Dandenong in Victoria, was contracted to install a subsurface drip irrigation system into a newly constructed sports ground in Rowville, South-East of Melbourne, through Laser Grade Pty Ltd for Knox City Council.

By Brenda Dossey Manager, Seed, Molasses & Export Division Williams Group Australia, Pty. Ltd., Murwillumbah, NSW

September/October

LAS CRUCES - The success of a grass seed developed in the 1980s at New Mexico State University shows the kind of success possible when university researchers work closely with commercial businesses.

BY PHILIP BUSEY AND SUSAN BOYER University of Florida, Fort Lauderdale

By Todd Layt In part two of this three part article we look at Couch all-rounders and warmer climate Couch all rounders that are vegetatively propagated. Last time we showcased the Putting green and specialised sports couch types. There are so many new types of warm season turf being introduced it is essential for the turf professional to keep up to date.

Golf & Sports Turf spoke to Jon Robertson of Sanoway about soil conditioners and believe me there are many. Their uses and benefits are often not well understood. Sanoplant is a soil amendment which must be incorporated into the profile at time of construction or reconstruction; it is not a maintenance product.

The National Golf Club is located at Cape Schanck on the Mornington Peninsula less than 90 minutes drive from Melbourne CBD. The National is a highly desirable golfing complex with three Championship golf courses, excellent practice facilities and a magnificent Clubhouse. The Club has approximately 2,500 members and guests may by introduced by members.

July/August 2009

Celebrating its transformation from market gardens, to animal grazing and horse racing, to what is now one of Australia’s premier 18 hole champion golf courses – Noosa Springs turns 10 years old in May, 2009.

A search for green speed in the Turfgrass Information File (TGIF) database at Michigan State University produces a count of 543 articles. A search of the Green Section Record reveals that green speed has been discussed in 75 articles since the 1920s.

New breeds of cool season turf come every year, but up until recently, new varieties of warm season turf were introduced less frequently. Breeding warm season turf in Australia has come a long way since 1965 when the late Rod Riley bred the first Australian Couch grass called Greenlees Park Couch.

Davey Water Products has materially expanded its in-house project skills for major commercial pumping installations, principally for those of more than three individual pumps, associated control systems and pipe flow manifolds.

More than 10 years ago the Glen Eira Council put in a Motorola Irrinet centralised control system to computerise the watering of their public playing fields making it easier to manage their overhead sprinkler system and reducing the requirement for manual sprinkler management which was both water and staff intensive.

May-June 2009

ALVATON, Kentucky, USA — In early March 2004, a few weeks prior to ground breaking at The Club at Olde Stone, the design and construction principals gathered in an Atlanta hotel conference room for a team meeting that soon turned into an agronomics roundtable. Olde Stone owner Jim Scott reiterated his determination to build the state’s best golf course, and all agreed what that meant: bentgrass wall-to-wall. Just one problem: The state in question was Kentucky. Olde Stone would take shape in Alvaton, just outside Bowling Green, on the southern edge of North America’s vaunted Transition Zone — not a cool-season turf climate, but not a warm-season climate either.

It is one of Australia’s more idyllic golf course settings, just 13 kms north of the Perth CBD. Lake Karrinyup Country Club boasts absolute tranquility - a large natural lake, native forest, lush couch fairways and manicured Bent grass greens. But this beauty belies a course known for its challenging layout and a competition history that includes several Johnnie Walker Classic titles.

By Jamie Dawson

Turf Producers Australia recently held their annual conference and Expo, this year it was Melbourne's turn to host. The opening day of the conference was held at Crowne Plaza Hotel, and included presentations from John Lloyd,Chairman of the Industry Advisory Committe and Stuart Burgess, Bob Greasley from Rochedale Turf ,Kevin Sheedy and Bruce Stephens from Anco Seed and Turf,. A magnificent tour of the Flemington racecourse, Telstra Dome and the MCG also took place later on in the afternoon. Jason Hodges was also name the new ambassador for the Turf Industry .

March/April 2009

The tropical island paradise of Bali, known worldwide for its exquisite dancers and world-class surf, is set to make waves of another sort when the tournament 18 at New Kuta Golf & Ocean View welcomes the best players from two separate tours.

Alexandra Farm increases warm season turf capacity: As a reflection of the changing climate and customer requirements, HG Turf‘s farm has transitioned itself to 90% warm season turf and only 10% cool season turf.

Research on the use of recycled organics under a range of irrigation methods will be conducted on ten playing fields in Western Sydney over the next two years.

January/February 2009

WEIHAI, China: In the course of a lifetime, your typical golf course architects might dream of procuring a single project site with 10-plus holes of ocean frontage. Golfplan-Fream, Dale & Ramsey are in the midst of a run of four. The latest to open is Weihai Point Golf & Resort, here in the northeast Chinese province of Shandong.

Few would deny that healthy turfgrass is an essential element of any outdoor sportsfield. Thick, green, lush turf provides a safer surface for athletes, reducing the amount of injuries experienced on the playing field. It’s also aesthetically pleasing for athletes and spectators alike. A properly-designed irrigation system is necessary to keep most sports field turf in this type of beautiful, healthy condition. However, sports field managers and groundskeepers are often faced with tight maintenance budgets, watering restrictions, playability concerns and unique design considerations that can make irrigation a challenge. Fortunately, today’s more efficient irrigation products can maintain safe, beautiful fields with less water.

When you investigate the properties, benefits and functionality of artificial turf compared to real grass, you soon realise it can not replace real lawn, but it can be a good alternative to concrete or other hard surfaces. Artificial grass is simply a softer alternative to concrete, allowing a surface to be treated harshly, yet still allow people to play some sports that real grass has trouble coping with.

In the late 1980’s a joint venture began between M.T. Agricultural of Braintree, Essex & M.J. Abbott of Dinton, Wiltshire in the design & build of tractor mounted, P.T.O. driven wheel trenchers. By the late 1990’s the existing machines were becoming outmoded & so M.J. Abbott & Aardvark Equipment developed a P.T. O. driven rock wheel trencher, The R.W.T. 100 model, 1.0m max. depth with laser grading & a cutting width of 135mm, mounted on 140 – 200 h.p. tractors.

November 2008

Changes to the environment have now made it commonly accepted that; small and large councils and communities, are no longer able to simply rely on sweetwater supplies to irrigate their ovals, lawns, golf courses and gardens as once was the case. The only water available is either a bore or the local treated sewage supply which has been turned into a reusable saleable supply by the local utility.

When you partner with John Deere, you get more than just the finest golf & turf equipment made today; you also have access to state-of-the-art compact utility tractors, commercial mowers and utility vehicles.

Using alternative water for irrigation is neither a new idea nor practice. However there are still a number of setbacks in its use mainly centring on public acceptance that Cooperative Research Centre for Irrigation Futures is investigating.

September 2008

The trade show section at the AGCSA Conference fielded some good enquires from a broad range of industry sectors.

Yering Meadows is the new home of the Croydon Golf Club nestled in the Yarra Valley 12 Kilometres from the former Dorset Rd site in Croydon where it all began in 1925.

Wesley College Glen Waverley Campus is a unique environment consisting of approx 7 hectares of playing fields, together with ornamental lawns and gardens. The campus is 40 years old and was originally apple orchards. Being clay based with a shallow root zone of loam sand it is quite often boggy in winter and rock hard and cracking in summer.

Establishing turf by vegetative means, rather than seed has many advantages, but often people believe seed to be much lower in cost. New machines and techniques have brought the cost of establishing these non seeded varieties of turf via vegetative means to rates that are close to competitive with seed.

We are only a few days away from the Annual General Meeting being held on Tuesday, 2nd of September starting with a tour of Suncorp Stadium at 4pm (meet outside the security gate on Castlemaine Street - the brewery side of the stadium). Following the tour, proceedings will move to the XXXX Alehouse for the AGM, dinner and networking.

Salicylic acid pathway – Induces SAR (systemic acquired resistance), a natural biological defence response to pathogen attack.

July 2008

Golf enthusiasts around the country can rest a little easier knowing the future of their greens is in safe hands.

Expansion of ETP’s business.

Each of these two major fungicide groups works in distinctly different ways. Strobilurins injure fungi by disrupting the electron transport chain at work within the cells.

Many hard decisions have been made, and many more need to be made if the future of Australia’s water needs to be sustained- Stephen Mills, Chairman Irrigation Australia Ltd.

“The rapidly growing Green Roof and Wall industry is providing a realistic and tangible response to the climate change challenges many cities are currently facing.” Sidonie Carpenter- President, Green Roofs Australia.

The Country Club at Castle Pines is located just south of Denver, Colorado. Truly one of a kind, the course is set with spectacular views throughout the property.

Also on 1st July 2008, new regulations require every organisation to meet the new health and safety requirements in part 5.1 of the Occupational Health & Safety Regulations 2007 (all regulations).

May 2008

Cronulla Golf Club was officially opened on 15th December, 1923 by Sir William Vicars.

Water Conservations design criteria had to encompass the ability to put at least 2 products into the ground to a depth of 100 mm and leave the playing surface in a usable state with minimum recovery time so fields were not out of action for any lengthy periods.

Wesley College are currently installing a combined bore water desalination and storm water harvesting and storage system at their Glen Waverly campus.

What effect does autumn fertilising have on winter colour and spring green up? Slow release versus a chemical fertiliser? Does Spring fertilising help? What about mowing height?

Australia’s largest women’s amateur teams golfing event, the Peugeot Women’s Classic 2008 was launched at the Melbourne International Motor Show, Melbourne Exhibition Centre on March 5th, 2008.

Paspalum is a group of rather recently introduced varieties of turfgrass suitable for golf turf use. Paspalum is the most salt-tolerant of the modern golf turfgrasses.

March

Set to be held at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre on May 20 – 22, the Irrigation Australia Exhibition 2008 is the largest event of its kind in the southern hemisphere, and is expected to attract up to 3,000 visitors over the three days, along with 500 Australian and overseas delegates expected to gather for the concurrent Irrigation Australia Conference.

Having been focused on the golf market for more than 50 years, Turfco Manufacturing Co., a family-run company, have made it their priority and are well-known within the industry for producing quality turf maintenance equipment. Furthermore, adhering to their positive reputation in 1961, Turfco, in conjunction with golf course superintendents, introduced the first mechanized topdresser. Since then, Turfco says they have been ‘driven by a passion for helping golf course professionals improve the health and playability of their turf.’

The City of Glen Eira, situated in the inner South East of Melbourne, has installed a network of 32 x Aquaflex soil moisture sensors plus 8 x meteorological stations across the Municipality. The sensors have been integrated into the existing radio based Motorola Irrigation Control system. All data, real time and historical, is readily accessed at the base control computer.

It is usually a crisis that creates the stimulus to re-evaluate practices, perhaps our thoughts, and the opportunity to consider changing the way we do things. Ongoing drought conditions, increased scrutiny of water use and, demand for greater water use efficiency are all good stimuli for considering change in irrigation methods, and equipment.

Davey Water Products has materially expanded its in-house project skills for major commercial pumping installations, principally for those of more than three individual pumps, associated control systems and pipe flow manifolds.

By Steve Capeness, Regional Industry Development Officer, QTPA

January

Orica Watercare’s Remediation business was awarded the prestigious Technology and Innovation Award for the Landguard™ technology at the annual Agribusiness Awards for Excellence, held on October 31 in Melbourne.

JH Williams & Sons is an Australian family owned and managed company. Managing director Bruce Williams is the grandson of James Henry Williams who founded the company when he acquired an agricultural supply business in Murwillumbah, New South Wales on 1 April 1935.

Water conservation has become a priority in Victoria, as it is clear water restrictions are her to stay! Subsequently, this has led to an increase in demand for more efficient ‘Sub-surface Drip Irrigation’ systems.

Defined as using resources to purchase an item, then paying it back in a set period of time, on a weekly or monthly basis, financing is a good option when purchasing items for your small business.

Good agronomic practices necessitate aerification of the soil profile to maintain a high level of macro-pores in the root zone. A well-aerated soil is cooler in the summer since air is a better insulator to heat than water. In contrast however, water is an excellent conductor of heat.

Established in 1931 Located in the northern suburbs of Auckland, New Zealand, North Shore Golf Club features a picturesque course with 27 tree-lined holes. Layne Young has been a Superintendent at North Shore since 1993 and says having 27 holes is one of the best parts of the club.

November

Due to the seemingly endless drought Australia is suffering under, Victorian turf managers have started to examine other options, such as installing warm season grasses where cool season used to dominate. However, this process can be quite costly and initially use quite a bit of water. Robert Sundblom of the City of Monash speaks to Golf and Sports Turf Magazine about his experience in making warm season grasses work in cooler climates….

Super Evaporation Control (SEC) uses the latest in environmental polymer technology. SEC forms an invisible membrane over the entire plant/tree or grassed area which causes a deceleration in the effect of the exterior environment. SEC reduced evaporations by a predetermined percentage of 65%. This process has no effect on the normal breathing of the plant, nor any effect on the photosynthesis of the plant. The SEC transparent film is well ventilated and protects the plant or grassed area during extreme cold or intense heat.

A new peak body for the irrigation industry in Australia has been formed Irrigation Australia Limited (IAL).

With over 14 years of experience Course Manager Gary Bass had dealt with everything from course preparation for tournament play to working with a limited budget.

The scene is being set for a very busy and productive IRRIGATION AUSTRALIA 2008 exhibition as the industry gears up for the outcomes of the National Water Initiative.

In a previous article for Golf and Sports Turf Magazine, I wrote about the value of using special events as a core part of organizational marketing efforts. If properly targeted and planned, events can reap many rewards in enhanced customer relationships, increased visibility, and sales.

September

Unfortunately, SE QLD is not looking any closer to finding relief from these harsh drought conditions, and many parts of the state are truly suffering. The Queensland Turf Producers Association are still running their two IDO's to help growers improve their on farm irrigation efficiency. Both Dan and Steve have been doing excellent work and Steve has been covering some distance as he calls on growers further north in the state.

By Dr Richard Gibbs,Vice President, International Turfgrass Society The Board of Directors of the International Turfgrass Society (ITS) recently convened in Chile for their inter-conference business meeting. In July 2009, Chile is slated to be the venue of the 11th International Turfgrass Research Conference (ITRC). It will be the first time that the conference has been held in Latin America. Held once every four years, the ITRC is the premier international meeting for turfgrass scientists, advisors and researchers to share and discuss the latest developments and technology in turfgrass management.

A whole range of incentives are available to assist small businesses but owners are often unaware of what is out there…

As turf managers, our responsibility is to develop practices unique to each location to improve plant health. Turfgrass diseases are difficult to understand as the pathogens exist in a dormant state and do not attack active and healthy plants. Diseases occur when conditions are favourable for pathogen populations to increase around the weakness of the plant. The focus of this article is on Best Management Practice which can be adopted for improving turfgrass health, as the most important aspect of disease management is to understand where we may intervene.

Wellington City treated 600 delegates attending the 2007 NZ Turf Conference and Trade Show to a great week of fine weather and warm hospitality. Held at The Westpac Stadium (aka the cake tin) in Wellington, the choice of venue was first rate. There was a large concourse area, transformed by the colourful and busy Trade Show, and plenty of space in the various corporate lounges for presentations, workshops, and a conference dinner with industry awards. A large patch of high quality turf was also available right on the doorstep!

July

When managing people, keeping the approach simple pays dividends. Wal Beattie explains…

Bowling Green construction generally uses a modified USGA profile with a clay base shaped to a rooftop or multi-rooftop design, then sand over a gravel layer to create a perched water table. The technique works quite well, but the challenges of construction costs, competition with synthetics and the lack of water means that we need to improve construction technique.

In their quest for perfect playing services the Melbourne Cricket Club has purchased a new Lawless Turf Grader and the latest in laser levelling technology from Lawless Lasers, Shepparton Vic.

Torquay is home to some of Australia's greatest surf beaches and - according to golf course designer and golfing legend Stuart Appleby - it is also home to one of the most challenging golf courses on the Surf Coast.

Sustainability is an approach to planning a lifestyle development taking into consideration environmental, social and economic factors. Golf courses are now seen as the catalyst for rehabilitating degraded land and creating recycled water systems. Peter Thomson and Ross Perrett are sole partners in a business entity that specialises in these sorts of projects.

This bio-degradable sod and turf staple is a brand new easy to use system which is both labour saving and environmentally friendly. With Turf Tacs you can instantly lay down turfgrass divots, erosion control netting, grass and flower mats effortlessly and economically.

May

The Golf Industry Show is an innovative show designed for owners/operators of golf facilities, and professional members of the golf course and club management industries. Featuring its signature interactive solution centers, as well as the largest exhibits floor in the industry, the event combines education, networking and solutions for golf course superintendents, owners/operators, general managers, chief operating officers, architects and builders.

It doesn't matter if you are a superintendent, curator, landscaper, or trying to sell turf in the domestic market, the current lack of rainfall over most of the continent is making it hard to achieve the results we need – lush green grass.

The internet and information technology is playing an increasingly important role in the management and marketing of the turf industry. Turf management today involves many different people working in different positions including managers & employees in multiple offices, ground crews, and a variety of vendors.

With greater demands and the pressure of the constant pursuit of excellence in our industry, Turf Mangers looking to save time and money will find the need to incorporate tools such as Information Technology (I.T.) into their daily work.

With water quickly becoming the new liquid gold, it makes economic sense to recycle as much of it as possible, not to mention the added benefits in minimising the damage to the environment. In mid 2003, Barwon Water advertised interest in exploring the options with recycled water and a business case was eventually developed clarifying the economic feasibility of supplying recycled water to the Bannockburn Golf Club.

Irrigators will soon have access to an Automatic Weather Station Monitoring Network that will potentially save large quantities of River Murray water by increasing the efficiency of their water use and aid improved irrigation scheduling.

Jacks Point is one of the newest golf course developments in New Zealand. It has been designed and planned by Darby Partners Ltd, the same company responsible for the Clearwater Resort in Christchurch (home of the PGA Championship) and the Michael Hills Golf Course in Arrowtown. The par 72, 6367 m course is located 15 minutes' drive from Queenstown in 1200 hectares of unique private residential estate with spectacular views of the Remarkables mountain range and Lake Wakatipu.

March/April

With over 500 delegates and 15 countries represented-from America to South Africa and everywhere in-between - the TPI's Midwinter Conference 2007 was fantastic way to learn about the turf industry and turf issues on a global scale.

The potential for large scale job losses is very real, the only unknown is how many jobs will be lost and that question is linked directly to how long these restrictions are enforced for. The losses to date are after only one month, what will happen if this situation remains for six months?

Wile at the Turf Producers International Conference held on the Gold Coast this February, I had the opportunity to talk to many American turf farmers, only to discover that they experience the same problems with regards to the turf industry as us. In fact, in most cases the US experiences them before we do.

Adopting a management strategy that reduces the stress imposed on turf will go a long way towards improving its ability to tolerate heat. The key is to encourage a deep rooting, healthy turf. However, apart from traditional actions such as fertilising with organic fertilisers prior to the onset of summer, increasing the height of cut to reduce stress and encouraging deeper rooting, what other options are available?

Cricket season is upon us. Now that the Ashes have finished, what's next to look forward to? Well the Cricket World Cup in Barbados of course! With a newly redesigned ground, there is nowhere more exciting to be right now than Barbados. Golf and Sports Turf has nabbed an exclusive interview with the owner of Gregori International – the designers of the grounds - to find out what went into making such a superb sports venue.

It's the race that stops a nation. The Melbourne Cup is one of the most important three minutes in Australia every year. With more than one million people tuned to their TV sets, the prospect of the race not running is unimaginable. It's therefore lucky the upgrade of the Course Proper at Flemington, which includes design and project management, is in safe hands with Cardno Young!

January 2007

Happy New Year! New years and resolutions seem to go hand in hand don't they? The unfortunate thing about resolutions is that they fade away almost as quickly as the excitement of a new year. The pressure of having to change a habit overnight is too much for many to handle and most people, including myself, end up letting their resolutions fall by the wayside to be forgotten until another new year.

A fully planned community, with world class education and recreation facilities, natural bushland, manicured parklands and sparkling lakes, Caroline Springs, located 22kms west of Melbourne, is the largest urban land development in Victoria.

The Toro Groundmaster® range of mowers is considered by many municipal and contractor customers as without peer. That high opinion will be enhanced by the availability of new state of the art air conditioned cabins, suited for the 6 foot, 11 foot and 16 foot Toro out front rotary mowers. Jim Brown, Regional Sales Manager for Toro's ‘Commercial Grounds' division commented, “I think we can safely say that with these innovations, we are well ahead of the pack.”

“The end user should always be looking for quality over price when purchasing replacement spare parts,” says Mark Stephens, formerly national service manager at Jacobsen Australia.

“At John Deere we recognise that when a customer invests in John Deere equipment, they not only invest in a quality, technologically advanced machine, they also invest in a support system that will see them through for the life of the machine. The Australian & New Zealand Distribution Centre (ANZDC) is the heart of that support system. And guess what? It's just doubled in size!” said Tony Paltridge, Parts and Distribution Manager, John Deere Limited.

Water is a precious resource which needs to be conserved. It's a fact we have always known, but have not been forced to put in practice until just recently. The good news however, is that Australians appear to be doing a excellent job at putting these new practices into action. According to information recently released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, water consumption in Australia decreased by nearly 3,000 Gigalitres (GL) or 14%, in 2000-01 and 2004-05.

November 2006

Problem based learning is an innovative teaching approach where students are educated through experience and not lectures or textbooks. How can this program work for you? John Mason, Principal ACS Distance Education reports….

By David Aldous

The World Golf Championships - Mission Hills World Cup, will be held November 19-25, 2007, at the Olazabal Course at Mission Hills Golf Club in China, located just 30 minutes from the Hong Kong border, and will mark the first time the World Golf Championships have visited China.

This year's Open celebrates Australian golf and the unprecedented success of Australian golfers on the world stage. With 13 Aussies in the top 100, a record number of wins by Australians on the PGA Tour, Adam Scott's number 4 ranking in the world (a feat not achieved since the legendary Shark ruled golf) and Ogilvy winning the coveted US Open, the greens at Royal Sydney are set to sizzle.

Promote your product to a large international turf audience. The Turf Producers Australia Field Day in conjunction with the TPI Convention in Qld, will be held at Jimboomba Turf Friday 9th February, 07.

STEPPING UP Managing the water supply at Waverley Golf Club is just part and parcel of Troy Cashman's new role as superintendent……

PEDOCARE® ULTIMER A NEW GENERATION OF SOIL CONDITIONER Pedocare® Ultimer is a patented formulation of linear polyacrilamide, offering the same effectiveness as Pedocare® coupled with increased ease of use and reduced application rate.

A HANDS-ON APPROACH TO TRAINING Providing young people with meaningful work place opportunities, AFL SportsReady has facilitated employment traineeships and training for over 4,000 school leavers in a wide range of sporting organizations.

September/October 2006

At some stage in their careers Turf Managers will be involved in some form of new construction or reconstruction of a current facility.

The 2006 Ryder Cup will be heading to Ireland this September with the eyes of the golfing world focusing on The K Club's Palmer Course – one of Europe's finest golf courses, equipped with Toro's irrigation systems and turf equipment technologies.

John Deere ProGator™ Utility Vehicles are heavy-duty and versatile, designed with a large cargo box that can be easily removed to install other attachments that make maintaining golf courses and other grounds easy and efficient.

Thomson Perrett & Lobb, the international golf course architecture practice founded by five times Open Champion Peter Thomson, with partners Ross Perrett and Tim Lobb, has won the contract...

The place to be seen at the Australian Turfgrass Exhibition this July was Toro's adopted pub – The Plough Inn at Southbank.

Peter Howat looks at ClearUp 700 Bio-Dri Herbicide which contains the active ingredient Glyphosate. Glyphosate accounts for nearly a quarter of all herbicide sales in the world…

Although only six years old, Advanced Seed has a long history in the turf industry in Australia. A recent exciting development – the addition of native grasses – is set to take the business even further…

July/August 2006

The golf scene in Japan has undergone considerable changes over the last ten years. Trevor Clarke reports from Windsor Park Golf and Country Club…

It might not have been top of mind for the billions of football fans watching the World Cup matches in Germany, but those who noticed would have agreed – the pitches came up a treat.

Soil conditioning product, TerraCottem®, is now accredited by the Smart Approved Watermark scheme.

Several weeks ago, four greens at the picturesque Bairnsdale Golf Club on the Gippsland Lakes at Paynesville (Vic) were sprayed with Glyphosphate, in an act of vandalism that will cost the club close to $65,000.

Toro has announced that it will now distribute products from the American company, Tycrop. Richard Walne, Managing Director of Toro, advised that the addition of ‘Tycrop' products would complement the Toro turf equipment range.

The James Bond production company chose New Holland, to supply a total of 11 machines, including two W190 wheel loaders (not offered in Australia), to support the making of the latest blockbuster, Casino Royale.

Golf is booming in China with an influx of investment to construct golf courses and residential developments. These lifestyle projects are marketed to Chinese nationals and foreigners taking up residence.

Thorsten Petri, the greenkeeper at the Veltins Arena (Auf Schalke) in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, lets us in on a few secrets on caring for heavily used sportsgrounds...

The new Multi Tine (MT) series AERA-vator is a complete management tool for all sports surfaces and can be used in many applications…

AHI Jensen is a leader in the Australian landscape industry and is now expanding overseas. Mark Harding reports…

Grant Reuther travelled to Alice Springs on a working holiday in 1986. Twenty years later he's still there and Super of the Alice Springs Golf Club. Mark Harding reports…

May/June 2006

How do you drive a 125 hp, five tonne tractor across a lawn without doing any damage? And why would you need a tractor that big for lawn duties anyway?

Tony Cross from Caboolture Turf and Southern Pacific Turf recently participated in the 2006 Young Rural Leaders Course...

The AGCSA has announced a world-first initiative to have Australian golf clubs develop environmental management systems.

McMahons Construction has just commenced work on an 18-hole golf course in the goldfields near Kalgoorlie in WA.

Preparing playing fields for major competitions has been a lifelong challenge for Mick O'Shannessy.

A new $190 million soccer and rugby league stadium will be built in Melbourne's Olympic Park precinct by 2009.

Australia's $1.3 billion turf industry has voted for the introduction of a Research/Development and Marketing levy for their industry.

Melbourne and Chinese sister city Tianjin have reached agreement to contest an annual golf match following a proposal from Peter Thomson AO, a five-time British Open champion.

The Vortex Insect Trap is an apparatus that attracts and eradicates insect pests, and disrupts the breeding cycles of entire populations…

Global turf nutrition manufacturer, Floratine Products Group, has been involved in the Australian turf industry for only 18 months – but they are already making significant inroads...

Ben Marshall's environmental practices at Club Pelican near Caloundra (Qld) have earned him a swag of awards. Mark Harding reports…

March/April 2006

Centenary Park in Frankston (Vic) is set to make golf history with the first synthetic green in Australia to be part of an 18-hole layout.

David Dickson has exchanged his seat in the Clearmake headquarters in Noosaville, for an office in Brisbane.

Melbourne-based company, Pacific Coast Design, is kicking major goals overseas with projects in China, India, Pakistan and Vietnam.

Club4Golf Pty Ltd is the appointed Australian agent for the Japan Golf Fair and was responsible for the development of the first Australian Pavilion at the 2006 Japan Golf Fair.

Within the USA there are four main racing events – the Preakness Stakes, The Kentucky Derby, the Belmont Stakes and the Breeders Cup.

The Landscape Australia Expo and Conference, being held on July 26-28, 2006, at Sydney Olympic Park, is attracting a growing list of exhibitors.

Minister for Sport, Tom Barton, has announced that the Gold Coast Stadium is heading towards construction kick-off in mid-2006.

Brookwater, a joint venture between Medallist and Springfield Land Corporation, has been honoured by the Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA), winning the national award for Best Residential Subdivision.

The TERRA SPIKE® XF is bound to turn a few heads with its faster performance and exclusive damping systems – designed to prevent wear on tear on both man and machine…

For over 20 years, Turf & Irrigation (T&I) has been providing a comprehensive range of competitively priced, high quality turf and irrigation products throughout Australia…

St Michael's Golf Club, situated at Little Bay on the northern headland of Botany Bay, between Sydney Airport and Maroubra beach, has a fascinating history dating back to 1938. Pauline Hoogen reports…

This issue is due out on Friday 19th May.

January/February 2006

University of Melbourne (Burnley campus) Associate Professor, David Aldous, has received a prestigious award from the peak park professional body, Parks and Leisure Australia.

Sportsturf Consultants (Aust) Pty Ltd is pleased to announce that Alan Stobbie has joined their Melbourne-based consultancy team.

The TGAA (Vic) once again hosted a very successful seminar in Geelong late last year.

When your golf course is an international showpiece for the hospitality, sporting and property industries, top levels of environmental responsibility come with the territory.

Syngenta has implemented a new distribution model for its turf business, Mr Sam Hole, Business Unit Manager, Lawn and Garden, announced today.

More than 100 competitors took part at the renowned Macquarie Links International Golf Club last month in the second annual ‘Let's Play for a Sheep Station' golf tournament, to raise vital funds for the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS).

Ken Woods, Toro's Irrigation Business Manager, advised that Paul Woloszyn has joined the team as Victoria and Tasmania Specification Manager.

This is the story of how a nifty tool came into being just because one John met another...

Victorian company, Sistems, proves that keeping it in the family, works…

With golf courses built over landfill, Jeremy Cutajar, Superintendent of Ringwood and Dorset Golf Clubs in suburban Melbourne, faces unique challenges…

November/December 2005

Most people in the turf industry raised their eyebrows when Lloyd Williams hired a full-time staff of 36 to maintain his ultra-private Capital Golf Club...

At the official launch of GolfEx Dubai, an international golf summit and destination for the golf industry, the Guinness world record for the world's largest golf tee was broken.

The $20 million Darebin International Sports Centre was officially opened last month by Victorian Minister for Sport and Recreation, Justin Madden.

The Gallop Government in WA has introduced legislation to fast-track the redevelopment of Perry Lakes to deliver much-needed new athletics, basketball and rugby facilities.

The low Hobart average annual temperatures present unique circumstances for maintaining sportsground playing surfaces and preparing turf cricket wickets.

Major changes are underway at the University of Sydney's Plant Breeding Institute (Cobbity), with the University recently allocating the Horticulture group a new and independent headquarters.

The Australian Golf Union and Womens Golf Australia have merged to form Golf Australia.

TGAA NSW recently held the 4th Annual Sportsmans Charity Luncheon at Canterbury Hurlstone Park RSL Club with a great attendance of 450 people.

The new Pogo Portable Soil Sensor – which shows soil moisture, salinity and temperature readings in one operation – will leave turf managers jumping up and down with joy…

Thinking outside, or perhaps beyond the square, has made Streetscapes one of Australia's largest exterior works contractors…

Mossman Golf Club, Qld, the northernmost golf course on Australia's east coast, is a tropical Garden of Eden – with plenty of snakes, of course, for Superintendent Brendan Graham to worry about…

October 2005

One of the world's greatest researchers and developers of new cultivars, Dr Leah Brilman from Seed Research of Oregon, USA, was in Australia recently as a special guest of Advanced Seed.

This year's Victorian Greenkeepers Association's seminar and AGM was held at East Malvern RSL Club and attracted about 70 delegates.

The Western Australian government has formed a Taskforce to review the state of the existing two major stadia in Perth – the WACA and Subiaco Oval.

Robert Savedra, curator of Wesley College in Melbourne, joined Bill Sciarretta – Property Manager, Scotch College, Melbourne and Warwick Starr – Parks and Gardens Manager, City of Bankstown (NSW) on the first Grounds Managers Study Tour of the UK.

In one of the turf industry's biggest partnership deals of the year, Barmac Industries P-L has secured the rights to import US-made products from The Andersons Inc. and will be distributing them through Globe Australia P-L…

Brett Chivers, Superintendent at Keysborough Golf Club, Victoria, has transformed the course into a haven for both golfers and native fauna – and memberships are now the strongest they have been for many years…

The Queensland company Tru-Turf Equipment is now regarded as one of the world's premium greens roller manufacturer – in fact, Tru-Turf is the only roller company licensed officially by the PGA TOUR in the USA…

October 2005

August/September 2005

Three-hole golf courses have a presence in many locations throughout the world. Could this compact, diminutive course format be ready to enjoy a rise in popularity?

For the best part of a decade the annual TGAA (Vic) Cricket Wicket Seminar has been providing groundsmen and women with up-to-date, insightful tips about superior wicket preparation and maintenance.

The second Australian National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (ANTEP) trial was completed recently.

Sir Walter, one of Australia's leading turf varieties has launched a major national television advertising campaign – a first for the company.

Pakenham Racing Club, in Melbourne's outer eastern suburbs, is an example of a course that is better equipped than most to offer sustainable, year-round racing, and the secret lies in the effectiveness of the course infrastructure and its maintenance programs.

Country Club International held their second Environmental Product Day at the Kew Golf Club (Vic) on September 6.

The Western Australian Cricket Association (WACA) has appointed Cameron Sutherland to take over from Richard Winter as the Perth ground's new head curator.

In an ideal world all stormwater would be collected, saved and stored out of sight, ready for subsequent re-use or safe disposal – Now the ideal is an affordable reality…

Danny Brown, Superintendent of the newly opened Barnbougle Dunes Golf Links in Tasmania, says the layout revives the ambience of centuries-old British courses…

Machinery importer and distributor Stocker-Crew, based in Warners Bay, NSW, is a small Aussie company representing some of the world's biggest manufacturers – and all parties couldn't be happier…

June/July 2005

Bobcat Australia – the company that pioneered the compact equipment industry in Australia with skid-steer loaders – has now unveiled the Bobcat 5600 Toolcat Utility Work Machine.

Shaun Probert, Superintendent at Camden Lakeside Country Club, NSW, has a tight grip on the turf management chain...

Recent drought conditions in Australia have underlined the importance of using as much native flora as possible – and grasses are no exception…

April/May 2005

You've seen the “Recyclable” logos on plastic containers – but did you know some of your plastic waste was being used to make durable public benches and seats...

There is nothing worse than the sight of a waterlogged oval or pitch, particularly when important sporting schedules are threatened. Solution – call in the Aqua-Wizzard...

Justin Kelly, Superintendent at Gainsborough Greens Golf Course in Queensland, oversees an 18-hole layout that stirs to the sound of the bush...

February/March 2005

Agrichem has unveiled the latest generation of chelated trace elements in a line of fertiliser products that deliver nutrients where they are needed...

David Lunardelli, Superintendent at Brookwater Golf Club south-west of Brisbane, Qld, maintains his public access course according to two leading principles:...

Large-scale mulching used to be an erratic “dump and spread” affair, characterised by varying depth and compaction levels. But MulchXpress...

Should you change your golf course grasses to Seashore Paspalum? We asked Dr Ron Duncan, who developed the SeaIsle 1 and SeaIsle 2000 cultivars, to answer your questions…

December 2004/January 2005

Faster than a speeding ride-on mower…Able to service entire Councils with a single crew…

Shane Bisseker, Superintendent at Darwin Golf Club, has reinvigorated his course by conceiving some extraordinary business activities and implementing them on behalf of his Club…

The worm has definitely turned for municipal councils and major residential golf club estates that create their own composts and fertilisers – now everybody wants to join in…

October/November 2004

Lawless Lasers, a machinery manufacturer based near Shepparton in central Victoria, is increasing production of its highly successful Lawless Turf Graders…

Tarcoola Turf in Wagga Wagga, NSW, is a turf farm with enviable assets: a transitional climate, excellent watering facilities...

David Scutts, superintendent at Bonville International Golf Resort, NSW, faces the same challenge every day:...

August/September 2004

The new Carryall 294 utility vehicle from Club Car (Australia) is more than an easy-to-use 4x4 labourer—it also looks good in front of the members' lounge…

Michael Freedman, Managing Director of the project management company Turnpoint, is taking golf course, racetrack and landscape construction to a new level…

Don't be fooled by Joondalup Country Club's ‘Resort' status—Superintendent Jeff Lane says there is little time for “rest and relaxation” on this strategically demanding layout…

June/July 2004

Agriculture Holdings Pty Ltd has just released the latest tractor from South Korean manufacturer Daedong — and the combination of affordability and reliability is turning heads...

Melbourne-based company, Country Club International, is now one of the biggest players in the golf and turf industries. However, its origins were far more humble.

Coolangatta & Tweed Heads Golf Club, on the border of NSW and Queensland, features 36 highly diverse holes constructed over 70 years — and Superintendent Peter Lonergan has the delicate task of micro-managing the lot…

April/May 2004

McCormick Tractors International has just released cab options for some of its most popular models in Australia...

Effective moisture sensors play a vital role in the management of healthy turf, and a recently established company, Aquaflex Australia, is helping to...

NSW Golf Club at La Perouse, 12 kilometres south of Sydney, is rated as the best course in NSW and one of the Top 50 courses in the world —

February/March 2004

The main problem with assessing the quality of greens is the high degree of subjectivity involved in the procedure.

Sporting grounds and other high-traffic or high-impact turf areas are prone to tremendous variations in quality.

Jeff Hutchinson, greenkeeper at Strahan Golf Club in western Tasmania, is the turf guardian of a 9-hole golf course abutting some of the wildest, remotest wilderness in Australia…

December 2003/January 2004

Unsightly pitch marks on greens have been a curse ever since the invention of golf balls - but a new device developed in Australia has the problem licked...

There are different types of sands for specialist applications - from top-dressing and bunkers to drainage, construction and soil amendment.

Jason Fleming from Albany Golf Club, WA, was "born to be a Super" -

October/November 2003

With water buffaloes on the greens…and magpie geese scratching up the fairways...

Forget blower vacs, tiresome brooming and raking…

First impressions are always important — just ask David Golf & Engineering...

August/September 2003

With about 2,300 product lines, in excess of 500 dealership partners and...

Turf herbicides are alternative methods for weed control in Microlaena stipoides.

The challenges of working at a prestigious, twin-layout golf club are numerous:

Fungi are the predominant pathogens in agriculture and horticulture, causing more than 70% of all major crop diseases.

The new Rondo from Antonio Carraro Oceania will hit the Australian market shortly...

June/July 2003

During the last 15 years, local authorities in New Zealand have capitalised on the UK success of this cost-effective drainage technique...

It takes a special kind of superintendent to make a big difference to a course in a short time.

The development of high-quality sod and the maintenance of turf under intensive use and management is an ongoing challenge...

Read the reports for the TGAA WA, VIC and NSW.

April/May 2003

Improving the drainage of natural turf sports fields is an involved process requiring....

Jeff Austen, superintendent at El Caballo Golf Course for the past eight years, is a young, award-winning professional with plenty of work on his plate...

It's the end of a long, hard cricket season, but there's no rest for the curator...

February/March 2003

Robert Schmidt, golf course superintendent at Hyatt Regency Coolum on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, has a parental appreciation of his course.

The authors were fortunate enough to receive Victorian TAFE Association funding to undertake a study tour of the US last October. Our aim was to look at the latest developments in turfgrass research. This report summarises some of the breeding research we saw.

Sports turf areas have once again struggled through another long, arduous summer period where searing temperatures and limited rainfall have made it a difficult proposition to keep grass healthy and alive. This summer has also seen the added pressure of enforced water restrictions in many locations Australia-wide.

December 2002

Statements have been published such as “all turfgrasses are higher water users than trees and shrubs”. This is totally false.

It is important to know what to look for when selecting soils to be used in a pitch, either as topdressing or for a complete reconstruction…

With much of Australia in the grip of a prolonged drought, managing a scarce water supply is just one of the challenges facing turf managers.

If you would like to foster a calf or donate to assist with Australian drought conditions please go to: www.coonabarabran.com/foster/index.htm and also read the letter to Di Barker from one of the farmers below.

October 2002

Australia's only "desert" golf course - Alice Springs Golf Club (ASGC) - is an emerald orphan supported by Australia's harshest and most inhospitable terrain. This unlikely child of the desert, however, demands a terrific amount of attention and nurturing...

Many golf clubs are faced with the prospect of rebuilding one or a number of their greens.

Our inaugural "focus" is on BH Turf Machinery in Victoria, a new company that is capitalising on its broad industry affiliations to offer consumers a top service.

August 2002

Few games played on open turf fields are as skilful and lighting-fast as Lacrosse.

Buttercups are more of a problem in New Zealand turf than within Australia.

Golf course construction requires vision, imagination and a "What if…?" mentality.

June 2002

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December 2001

October 2001

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February 2000

There are different types of sands for specialist applications - from top-dressing and bunkers to drainage, construction and soil amendment.