OFF TO A TEE AT IOG SALTEX

IOG SALTEX HAS THE ANSWERS TO MOLES, MAN-MANAGEMENT AND GOLF COURSE MAINTENANCE

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

Les Shrubb is not the only greenkeeper who has nightmares about moles. But after visiting last year’s IOG SALTEX show, where he gained an all-important update on the safe handling and use of Talunex tablets, he now sleeps a lot easier!

“Moles – and rabbits – are a constant problem here, particularly during the winter months,” says the Sussex-based Head Greenkeeper of the privately-owned Wellshurst Golf & Country Club.

“But after visiting the Windsor show, the team can now control the pests in-house without the expense of specialist contractors. We have managed to reduce the mole population, for example, but it is an ongoing problem.

“I try to go IOG SALTEX at least every other year – last year we all went, and it was my greenkeepers’ first ever visit - because in addition to timely updates on things like pest control, it’s a great place to keep on top of developments across the industry. For example, I like to keep abreast of the latest machinery and its capabilities – though equipment funding is always a problem - and IOG SALTEX is the ideal venue for that.”

Having been involved in grass and sports surfaces since he left school, 48-year-old Les is responsible for the maintenance and management of a driving range, and various soft and hard landscaping in addition to the 18-hole course which, being built on Wealden clay and former farmland, creates its own problems in terms of drainage.

“In the early years – Les has been at the club since1992 – this was a major headache,” he says, “but we are on top of it now after lots of spiking and the installation of open ditches and paths, for instance. The course is a ‘grass factory’ and whenever we have a wet Spring, we have trouble getting the mowers out.”

With four greenkepeepers (reduced to two during the winter months), inter-personal/management skills is a key attribute complementing Les’ raft of training and education accreditations that include NVQ Level 3 supervisory and management, and a range of health and safety courses as well as IOG golf course and turf management training.

In addition to regular communication with his club members and committee concerning course maintenance routines, he also obviously handles any man-management issues with his team of greenkeepers.

“This is another very good reason for attending events like IOG SALTEX,” he says. “There’s so much advice on offer there concerning every aspect of the job that anyone involved in grounds care can’t fail to learn something on every visit.”

Obviously, many greenkeepers and groundmen and -women can but benefit from a visit to IOG SALTEX and to have a closer look at, say, mole control, for which golf course, park, and such does not suffer from moles, and heavily.

Rabbits are another such issue but the latter can, if necessary and feasible, dealt with by hunting, even with air guns, and netting, as they also can be a source on income being sold as meat.

Register NOW at www.iogsaltex.co.uk to receive your FREE entry badge and information about IOG SALTEX, or call the Ticket Hotline on 0845 272 8782 for FREE tickets, but hurry, the show is in less that 2 weeks.

IOG SALTEX 2009 is being held on 8-10 September at Windsor Racecourse, Berks, and will embrace fine turf and sports surfaces, turf maintenance equipment, children’s outdoor play and safety surfacing, landscaping, contractors, commercial vehicles, outdoor leisure and facilities management, as well as software and security equipment. The show is attended by open space management professionals and contractors – from groundsmen and greenkeepers through to play officers, architects, designers and surveyors as well as local authority and outdoor leisure facility managers.

Organized by The Institute of Groundsmanship, the first IOG exhibition was staged in 1938, the forerunner to today’s IOG SALTEX Sports, Amenity & Landscape Trade Exhibition. Held annually at Windsor Racecourse, IOG SALTEX is the annual extravaganza for everyone who cares for and/or manages open spaces – including groundsmen, greenkeepers, contractors, local authority and leisure facility managers. The Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) is the leading membership organization representing grounds managers, groundsmen, grounds maintenance managers, greenkeepers and all others involved in the management of sports pitches, landscape and amenity facilities in the UK. As well as maintaining the IOG Performance Quality Standards and providing a consultancy service for sports grounds, lawn maintenance and amenity horticulture, the IOG’s extensive Training and Education programme includes cricket, football, tennis, horseracing, bowls, artificial surfaces, turf science and many other specialist subjects. For more information visit www.iog.org

© 2009
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