The Official Magazine of the GCSAI l www.gcsai.org l December 2011 GREENSIDE We wish our readers a happy christmas and the very best for 2012 the art of revetting bunkers l The Solheim Cup Review l Course Feature - Sutton Golf Club l Terryland Park l President’s Cup l Sportspitch Maintenance1 l Regional Reportsgreenside l Trade magazine News | December 2010 Greenside www.gcsai.org 2 Greenside Enjoy your moments Contents Greenkeeping Awards 6 t’s a bizarre old world. It is hard to believe that another year The Solheim Cup Review 8 has almost come to an end. It seems like only yesterday that Revealing the Art of we were experiencing record low temperatures. As I write this Bunker Revetting 12 Iarticle in November, temperatures are reaching 16°C - compare this to minus 17°C almost twelve months previously, when we were GCSAI Charity Day 16 shovelling snow. Yes, it’s a strange world we live in. Health & Safety 18 The year gone by had its memorable moments. For me, attending The Solheim Cup was particularly special. A great atmosphere prevailed during the Terryland Park 20 three days of competition. I was particularly impressed with the friendly rivalry Safety Management of Trees 24 between the European and American spectators, especially on the pre-match warm up on the first tee of A New Look at New Problems 27 the final day single matches. Even the Course Feature - Sutton Golf Club 30 players on both teams, lead by their Regional Round-up 36 respective team captains, Alison Presidents Cup 46 Nicholas and Rosie Discovering my Irish Roots 48 Jones, got into the party atmosphere Personal Development 50 as they walked onto Trade News 53 no.1 tee before they competed to claim the coveted trophy. During the matches everyone forgot about recessions, unemployment, cut backs, budgets, and lost themselves in the atmosphere. Ireland has just qualified for the 2012 European Championships, so next year gives us a chance to lose ourselves again. We need to have these moments, otherwise we would be living in a dull old world. Wishing you a merry Christmas and a happy new year. Front cover: Wexford Golf Club Photo: Alan Mahon Editor: Alan Mahon Tel: 053 9158606 | Email: [email protected] Greenside designed by: S DESIGN REMINDER Back issues of Greenside www.sdesign-belfast.com can now be seen on the The deadline for receiving GCSAI website: The views expressed in contributed advertising and editorial for articles are not necessarily the views www.gcsai.org the next issue of Greenside is: expressed by the editor of this publication. Editorial content and photographs cannot be reproduced without prior 20th January 2012 permission from the editor. 3 greenside magazine | December 2011 Dates for Your Diary Rush Christmas Outing 16 December Time certainly does fly. It seems like yesterday when golfers were playing in frosty conditions, at last year’s annual Rush Christmas How cool was our Outing. This year the famous golf day out will take place on Friday 16th December. There will be a shotgun start at 11.00am. Eddie Summer? Donlon, event organizer, advises those who are interested in taking It was an unusual summer weather-wise. No high part, to book early, as places are limited to forty four. The time sheet is open from Monday 5th - 12th December. Contact Eddie on 087 temperatures to boast about and yet some parts of the 2908199 between 1.00 and 1.30pm. country experienced drought conditions. During the June bank holiday weekend we were led into false hopes of a hot summer when temperatures reached the mid twenties Harrogate Week 2012 Shaping up Nicely (25.1°C was recorded on 3rd June in Mount Juliet), but it was 24 - 26 January 2012 not to be. It turned out that it was one of our coolest summers. Harrogate Week will see educational workshops and seminars Mean air temperatures recorded in the south and southwest were rub shoulders with the trade turf management exhibition BTME, the lowest recorded in a number of years with Shannon Airport and numerous social gatherings. Next year is particularly special reporting the coolest summer since 1962 (49 years). The summer as it will be the 25th anniversary of BIGGA, and the centenary of maximum temperature of 21.5°C measured at Cork Airport was Greenkeeping Associations. This milestone is to be celebrated on the lowest daily maximum air temperature recorded at the site the evening of Tuesday, January 24th, with a special event being during summer since 1962 (49 years). The majority of the season’s held at the Old Swan Hotel, Harrogate. The evening will provide lowest temperatures were during the first half of June when the ideal opportunity for visitors to socialise, not only with each ground frost was recorded at some midland and eastern weather other, but also with the BIGGA Board of Directors and officials. stations. Casement Aerodrome reported its lowest grass minimum Exhibitors will also find that the opportunity to mingle with the temperature since 1965 (46 years) during this period with -2.5°C. assembled company is a must. Rainfall amounts were slightly below average with the eastern part 2012 will see the 24th consecutive annual event held at of the country being drier. The table below shows the temperature Harrogate International Centre, between January 24th to 26th, and and rainfall recordings from three golf courses across the country everything is well on track to build on the success of the BTME – Killarney, Mount Juliet, Killarney (bucking the trend with higher held earlier this year. Last January, despite the tough economic rainfall amounts recorded in all four months), and Galway Bay. climate, BIGGA delivered a successful exhibition and education Greenside is grateful to Aidan O’Hara CGCS, Michael F. O’Connor, programme, with overall visitor numbers up by 2.3% on the 2010 and Damien Coleman respectively for providing their data. exhibition, and 2012 looks on track to match that success. Hall M is back in play for 2012, boosting the available display space Average Recorded Daytime temperature 0C by nearly 1000SqM. It is encouraging that some exhibitors are Mount Juliet Galway Bay completely new to BTME and a similar number are returnees after June 17.5 16.6 a break from exhibiting. July 19.1 18.5 The ‘Continue to Learn’ programme is traditionally innovative, thought provoking and comprehensive and 2012 is no exception. August 18.7 18.3 Delegates can choose from Conferences, Workshops and Seminars September 17.4 17.1 which cover a host of subjects to help Greenkeepers, Course Managers and Club Management in their day to day activities. Recorded Rainfall (mm) The subjects covered range from turf maintenance, renovation Mount Juliet Killarney Galway Bay and rebuilding, to photography, social media, human resources, June 84.2 114.5 76.0 IT and management. In excess of 20 different streams of learning can be booked over five days starting on January 22nd. Further July 37.7 75.0 38.0 information on the Continue to Learn Education Programme is August 35.4 53.0 44.0 available on the website www.harrogateweek.org.uk September *100.6 130.0 94.0 *The total rainfall amount for September gives a sort of a false result of how dry the month was. Rainfall is recorded at 09.00 GMT and the amount entered into the previous day, 49.9 mm of rain was recorded on the morning of October 1st, but was 2012 GIS Show and Education Conference registered on September 30th. That 49.9mm was half of the 27 February 2012 total amount for September for Mount Juliet. Starting on Monday 27th February 2012, the GCSAA Education Conference is the year’s leading opportunity to learn from industry experts, share best practices with your peers, and pick up tips and techniques that will save your facility time and money. The Conference FOR SALE concludes on Friday 2nd March which includes two days of the Golf Industry Show (29th Feb. & 1st March). For more information visit Kioto 45 (Excellent Condition) www.gcsaa.org €12,000 plus VAT Flotation tyres, creeper box and cab FEGGA Conference 16 - 19 February 2012 Smaller tractor or suitable grass machinery The 2012 annual FEGGA Conference takes place in Prague from taken in exchange or part exchange February 16th – 19th Contact Dean Cleaver on dean.cleaver@ btinternet.com for information. For more details contact: Dan Galavan Carrigleade Golf Course | Mobile: 087 2569012 www.gcsai.org 4 News Turners Cross wins Airtricity Sun Exposure Study AWARDS League Pitch of the Year arry McElroy, a urners Cross Stadium in Cork, home ground of Cork member of City FC, has won the 2011 Airtricity League Pitch the GCSAI B of the Year award, following an inspection by the for the last 15 TIrish Institute of Sports Surfaces (IISS). The winner of the years, is currently award was announced after the IISS visited the 3 shortlisted undertaking an MSc in grounds, Sligo Showgrounds, Tallaght Stadium and Turners Occupational Safety and Cross, following nominations by the Airtricity League Health at University College Dublin. referees and players, in association with the PFAI. As part of his studies, Barry intends The award, which is organised by the FAI, IISS and to carry out a research project into specialist sports turf fertiliser company Whites Amenity, was the health risks associated with working in the sun and presented at half time during the FAI Ford Cup final at Aviva how this relates to outdoor workers in the golf course Stadium on November 6th. maintenance industry. Barry is keen to involve GCSAI members, with input from all GCSAI membership categories actively encouraged to aid this research project.