Expert advice on bowls at Dennis seminar
Keeping a bowls green in perfect condition is a precise art, so there was keen interest from groundsmen attending a seminar hosted by Sheffield City Council and organised by Dennis to raise awareness of the processes and machinery available to create and maintain the ideal playing surface for bowls recently.
More than 70 groundsmen attended, and the highlight of the day was a presentation by
Head Groundsman for the Metropoilitan Police, Dave taught grounds maintenance for 30 years and is currently writing a book on the subject.
He also developed the Slotter spiker and seed slotter, now marketed by Dennis as the S500.
In an entertaining and informative speech, Dave offered a number of top tips to get bowling greens in the best condition possible:
“First and foremost you need to make sure your grass is a summer growing grass!” he explained “In April the grass should start growing and in the winter it should grow roots ready for the next summer. The two main summer grasses are Fescue and Agrostis. Fescue has a tufted habit, whereas Agrostis, commonly called Bent spreads in the spaces left by the fescue, this gives a more even coverage. The two varieties work well together,” he explained.
On the subject of rolling, Dave explained that this should start in the spring, after the frosts. “Once the green has swelled with water and dried out, you need to start rolling the ground to make it firm. The surface needs to be free running, as this affects the game and the woods.”
He advised groundsmen to get to know their greens. “You need to control the water or moisture intake. If there is dew on the ground in the morning, you must knock that water off. The grass needs to be 5 deg C to wake up and start functioning so it will need some water removal. Only the areas that do not have dew will need to be watered.”
Dave cautioned not to over feed the green when using fertilisers. “You do not want the greens to get too lush because the ball will not roll because of the fullness of the leaves,” he explained.
Cleanliness was pinpointed as a must. “Brush the turf to remove debris, this will raise the heat of the turf and get rid of unwanted rubbish. You should brush with a coarse brush to get rid of heavy thatch, then use a finer brush to remove dew,” suggested Dave. “Think of the grass like hair that you need to comb. You need to get the knots out first, then style it into position.”
Scarification was identified as another important element although Dave advised caution “You should scarify at least once a month, but remember, you want to rake the grass, not the soil. Don’t go down too far, only disturb the grass.”
Aeration is a always controversial area, but Dave clarified his view. “Through the summer months you should use a solid round tine. Chisels should be used in the winter only, October to March so that the work does not influence the direction of the wood,” he explained.
Mowing is the most regular task throughout the season, but Dave emphasised that it was important to use the right equipment.
“The best way to cut is to use a steady mowing speed. With a Dennis mower, you can control not only the throttle but also the clutch, so this is the perfect machine for mowing a bowls green. An adjustable thrower plate guides the grass cuttings into the box and should be set depending on the weather conditions. The thrower plate needs to be close to the cylinder when the grass is dry. Features such as this are another advantage of the Dennis mowers.”
Dave had more praise for the Dennis range in general: “I think the thing about Dennis is that the engineering is fantastic, the machines are solidly made and well designed. As a company they listen to what you say and improve upon them. Their after sales service is second to none, the staff at Dennis are dedicated to doing a very special job and it shows.”
Dennis mowers were much in demand on the day, with Sport Ultra, Sport, FT510, FT610 and G860 among the sales.
The event was clearly enjoyed by groundsmen who attended. Paul Tankard at Sheffield City Council said: “The talk by Dave Bracey was fascinating and there was good mix of bowlers, clubs and professionals giving balanced and mixed opinions at the seminar. It was a great day organised by Dennis.
Andy Numford of Sheffield City Council – Parks and Countryside added: “I am confident my staff will use the information provided to produce better playing surfaces. It was also an excellent venue and with great catering facilities!”