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All Ten Open Venues Achieve Gold Standard For Sustainability

All ten host venues for The Open have achieved golf’s coveted global eco-label, GEO Certified^®.  The certification recognises clubs which have shown a strong commitment to environmental stewardship, resource efficiency and community value. 

The certification is administered and assured by the Golf Environment Organization (GEO), the not-for-profit group dedicated to sustainability in the golf industry. The independently verified and publicly reported standard is internationally recognised as a credible and significant distinction.

Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said, “The Open is played over many of Great Britain and Ireland’s most cherished links courses.  We are delighted that all ten host venues have demonstrated a long-term commitment to sustainability best practices by achieving GEO Certified^® status.  This is very much in line with The R&A’s approach to sustainability and is certainly a key priority for us in the years to come.” 

Royal Troon, host venue for The 145^TH Open from 10-17 July, was the fourth host venue to earn the certification, meeting criteria across the categories of nature, water, energy, supply chain, pollution control and community, while working closely with ecology experts to enhance the habitat for a wide range of wildlife.

This commitment to sustainability will be underpinned at the ninth staging of the Championship at Royal Troon through The Open’s GreenLinks programme, which addresses the broader sustainability considerations around staging a major sporting event. It includes sustainable and ethical procurement policies for food and beverage, waste reduction initiatives, energy efficiency measures and a commitment to conserving the natural links landscapes which play host to the Championship.

The other Scottish host venues to achieve GEO Certified^® status are St Andrews Links, which was the first Open venue to earn the designation and was re-certified in 2015 before staging The 144^TH Open on the Old Course, Carnoustie, host of The 147^TH Open in 2018, Muirfield, and Turnberry. In England, Royal Birkdale, host of The Open in 2017, Royal Liverpool, Royal St George’s and Royal Lytham & St Annes have all earned the certification.

The most recent venue to achieve the certification is Royal Portrush, which will host The 148^TH Open in 2019. The Northern Irish links will welcome golf’s oldest and most international major championship for the first time since 1951. Course changes are being made in preparation for The Open with a focus on conservation of the natural dune habitat.

“This is a fantastic achievement and an impressive show of leadership from the ten Open venues and The R&A,” said Jonathan Smith, Chief Executive of GEO. “As well as providing stable and safe habitats for some of the UK’s rarest wildlife, and demonstrating some of the most sustainable turfgrass management in the world, a great deal of innovation is taking place on these Open venues.  Solar power, rainwater harvesting, electric and hybrid machinery and partnering with local environmental and community groups are just some of those.  This announcement is symbolic of growing momentum in the advancement of sustainability through golf and a very fitting way for the industry to celebrate Earth Day.”

GEO provides tools, guidance and support through the OnCourse^® programme which is available free to clubs worldwide. OnCourse^® and GEO Certified^® raise understanding and facilitate tangible progress in sustainability across the industry, as well as providing credible recognition.For more information, please visit www.golfenvironment.org

Certification and verification reports for all ten host venues for The Open can be found at www.golfenvironment.org

NewsMay 11th, 20160 comments

Enhanced formula MelgreenMn, with proven results

Melspring Internationals product Melgreen^Mn has a new, enhanced formula. Due to extra micronutrients and a renewed composition of seaweed extracts the results of this manganese product, part of the Melgreen Liquid Range, have greatly improved. Melgreen^Mn is a manganese-based fertiliser solution in which the manganese is complexed with sugars of a unique algae extract. This algae extract has properties that with seaweeds have not been demonstrated before. Trials of research institute Lumbricus show that the extract of Melgreen^Mn stimulates growth and that the production of dry matter and the uptake of nutrients is greatly enhanced. Melgreen^Mn ,with this algae extract, is specially made for the early spring and ensures a significant boost to the plant and a quick start of growth. Melgreen^Mn should only be used in case of manganese deficiencies. This situation very often occurs in the top layer of a green. Because the manganese is captured in the soil fertilisation through the leaf is the best method. Manganese deficiencies often occurs…:

• In soils with pH > 7
• In soils with lots of organic matter
• In soils with lots of iron
• After strong magnesium fertilisation

Trial Lumbricus

Proven results In the Autumn of 2015 an initial trial was done by Lumbricus with the algae extracts used by  Melspring International, some competitive products and control. Which kind of algae has the best effects? In terms of general turf grass development the use of the algae extract used in Melgreen^Mn resulted the fastest in a high density, in a significantly bigger turf grass height and in a higher biomass production than the control or other products. Also, the products algae extract gave significantly broader and thicker leaves.

Production of biomass (C = Melgreen^Mn algae extract)

Next to the boost in growth the new algae extract ensures a larger production of dry matter compared to the old algae extract that was used for the former Melspring manganese product. Also, the new algae extract used in Melgreen^Mn ensures a better uptake of nutrients in the leaf compared to control.

Uptake of nutrients (Extract C = Melgreen^Mn algae extract)

Melgreen^Mn: part of Melgreen Liquid prevention programme Melgreen^Mn is one of three products in the Melgreen Liquid Range, together with Melgreen^Si and Melgreen^Cu. It focuses on prevention by optimal nutrition through the leaf, with healthy turf as the main target. The programme allows the plant to better resist to stressful events of whatever kind. The complete programme consists of carefully selected products geared to each physiological phase in turf development. Melgreen^Mn for a quick start of growth in spring, Melgreen^Si for a high stress tolerance and Melgreen^Cu for hardening in periods after summer and in the late winter, when a higher resistance to fungal diseases is needed.

NewsMay 10th, 20160 comments

European Turfgrass Laboratories Ltd Celebrate the company’s 20th anniversary

European Turfgrass Laboratories Ltd are pleased to announce the company’s 20th anniversary. Formed in 1996 by six of the UK’s leading agronomists, George Shiels, Jack McMillan, John Souter, Eddie Connaughton, Mike Harbridge and John Hacker to provide an independent testing laboratory for the sportsturf industry.

Becoming the first A2LA-accredited laboratory (Geotechnical, Putting Green Construction Materials, Certificate No. 903.01) outside of the USA in 1997 was a major accomplishment for ETL.

In 2016, the company remains at the forefront of testing for the sportsturf industry, renowned for its speed of service, reliability, accuracy of results and most important of all, remaining independent.

The company is currently managed by Sharon Singleton-Bruce who has seen the company grow since joining the company in 1997. “It’s amazing to think of the prestigious venues that we have provided testing for, the origin and types of materials that we have been sent are from all over the world. This industry is a fantastic environment to be a part of and here we are in Stirling, with a super client base, going strong after 20 years!”

Sharon is assisted by Carolyn Rutherford, Lee Dawson and Nicholas Cram – a small, dedicated team with years of experience.

Accreditation is a key component to the business and it ensures that ETL remain on the soil physical testing laboratories list approved by the USGA – currently, 1 of 10 such laboratories in the world to achieve this status.

Please contact Sharon Singleton-Bruce on 01786 449195, if you require any further information, or peruse the new website on www.etl-ltd.com

NewsMay 10th, 20160 comments

Kazan Golf Greens Up to Par – In just ten weeks!

Advisor (left), Alina Kolchina, Vice Chairman (centre) and Arne Van Amerongen, Chairman. (right)

Arne van Amerongen is currently Golf Project Manager at the exclusive, privately-owned Kazan Golf and Country Club in Tatarstan, in Russia, where a 30-month, five-season construction programme extending the golf course from nine to eighteen holes has just completed.

The 80-hectare course is about 40km from Kazan, Russia’s third largest city and the thousand year old capital of the Tatarstan Republic. One of the largest economic, scientific and cultural centres in the country, Kazan is home to many athletes and clubs competing at national, international and Olympic championship level, playing host to major international events including the FINA High Diving World Cup, 16th FINA World and World Masters Championships. Kazan is also one the Russian cities for FIFA’s World Cup matches in 2018.

Designed by golf architect Peter Harradine, the first nine opened in 2009. The more impressive second nine, stretching 3,350 metres from the back tees and offering breathtaking vistas, opened on 12 September this year. The third and final nine is due to begin next year and once finished will make this 27-hole course the largest in Russia.

Having first started the project in 2011, Arne’s final and most important challenge was getting the new golf greens seeded and all 18 holes in play for September 2015, in what seemed an impossibly short time frame. Arne explains that in Russia the growing season is very short with warm and often dry summers followed by long and very cold winters. “Here in Russia the difference between summer and winter temperatures can be as much as 75 degrees, with winter temperatures often dropping to minus 25 Celsius. So in terms of greenkeeping we’re really working at the very edge of what possible! My approach for establishing these new greens was to focus on the fertilization. We needed, fast healthy growth for greens that also had to look good, and literally, within weeks.” He adds, “I use ICL’s fertilizers because, in my experience, they really are the best quality and outperform other fertilizers. I’ve used these products successfully for over 25 years in very different countries and conditions, and while I appreciate they can seem more expensive initially to the client investors, the quality of playing surface you can achieve is what counts.”

ICL products specified for Kazan Golf are as follows:

For greens, tees and approaches, two fertilizers; SierraformGT All Season 18-6-18+MgO which contains both slow release Nitrogen and slow release Potassium, along with normal release NPK in a single compound micro-granule and SierraformGT K-Step (6-0-27+MgO) with slow release Nitrogen and Potassium along with conventional release NPK in a single compound micro-granule.
https://icl-sf.com/uk/products/turf_amenity/sierraform-gt-all-season/

On fairways and semi-roughs, SierraFormGT Momentum, a fertilizer containing both slow release Nitrogen and slow release Potassium, along with normal release NPK in a single compound micro-granule. https://icl-sf.com/uk/products/turf_amenity/sierraformgt-momentum/

For other roughs, ProTurf 12-5-20+2CaO+2MgO, a slow-release mini-fertilizer, rich in polyhalite. https://icl-sf.com/uk/products/turf_amenity/proturf-12-5-20-2cao-2mgo/

Cutting Heights
Greens 5mm
Approaches 12mm
Tees 12mm
Fairways 15mm
Semi-Roughs 38mm
Roughs 76mm

“On greens, the grass seed was L93, a superior creeping bent grass so with the first cutting height at 10mm and with intensive top dressing each week, we achieved a good playing surface ready for the grand opening. For the approaches, we started with a cutting height of 15mm, reducing to a final 12mm. Similarly on tees, the first cut was 15mm, reducing to 12mm. On the fairways, we started with a first cut at 15mm, staying at this height right up to opening. Semi-roughs were cut at 38mm and roughs at 76mm and again remained at these heights until the new nine opened.”

“To keep the greens in the best condition over the coming months, we will scarify deeply this autumn, and spray with a contact fungicide, leaving the surface open for the winter. We won’t top dress as that encourages disease and snow mould (Microdochium nivale). Next spring, we will simply fertilize again, apply a light top dressing and the course will be good to go.”
Arne is understandably very proud of what’s been achieved by the team at Kazan Golf.

“Just two and a half months from seeding to playing surface is outstanding and that happened as a result of hard work and a brilliant team effort. ”With only13 golf courses in the whole country, Arne is also keen to see Russian greenkeeping professionals sharing their ideas, knowledge and good practice so in May 2015, he established a new greenkeeping Association, The Tatarstan Golf Greenkeepers Association, (T.G.G.A)
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• For more information about ICL Products please contact the local ICL-Specialty Fertilizers technical adviser or visit www.icl-sf.com/
• For more about Arne van Amerongen see http://www.qualitywithoutlimits.com/
• For more about Peter Harradine see http://www.harradine-golf.com/
• To contact the Tatarstan Golf Greenkeepers Association, email golftranslators@gmail.com

NewsMay 9th, 20160 comments