Greenkeepers attend Education Day at Royal Birkdale Golf Club

Course Walk at Royal Birkdale

The days agenda included a course walk, led by Sean McLean, the Course Manager at Royal Birkdale, which gave attendees the opportunity to see firsthand the preparations underway for The Open.

The event also featured several key presentations focused on essential topics for turf management.

Presentation on Controlled Release Fertilisers (CRFs)

Turf agronomist Henry Bechelet, ICL’s Technical Manager, presented on the benefits of controlled release fertilisers (CRFs). He explained how CRFs improve turf health and sustainability through precise nutrient delivery, ensuring that the turf receives essential nutrients at the right time and in the right quantities.

Strategies for Managing Dollar spot

Glenn Kirby, Technical Manager for EAME Sports Turf and Landscape at Syngenta, led a discussion on managing Dollar Spot. He highlighted effective strategies and the AIM strategy for integrated disease control, providing greenkeepers with valuable insights into combating this persistent turf disease.

Benefits of Turf Rewards

Rob Ainscough, Technical Area Sales Manager from ICL, discussed the benefits of Turf Rewards. He explained how greenkeepers can earn points by purchasing qualifying ICL and Syngenta products. These points can then be redeemed for a wide array of rewards, including the latest turf care technology and professional development courses for their team.

Practical Insights and Takeaways for Greenkeepers

The Education Day at Royal Birkdale provided greenkeepers with practical insights and strategies to improve turf management.

Attendees left with a better understanding of disease control, fertilisation techniques, and industry best practices, ready to apply these learnings to their own courses.