Tackling compaction on previous untouched ground, a Redexim Verti-Quake® 2516 has dramatically improved the downward movement of moisture at Rotherham’s Phoenix Golf Club. Constructed on clay-based land, the 65 hectares that make up the complex includes cricket facilities, a bowling green and nine football pitches, as well as the 18-hole parkland golf course.
The Verti-Quake® was delivered to the club in the late summer of 2021 and complemented the aeration work conducted with their existing Redexim Verti-Drain®. Multi-sport complex manager Mark Smith cited outstanding results on some of the area’s historically waterlogged areas.
With just a team of five working on maintenance, Mark found that operations such as aeration had been limited by time and resources. “The Verti-Drain® has traditionally been utilised on the greens but not on larger, open areas because of staffing levels,” he explains.
“We’d seen a contractor utilising a linear aerator on our football pitch and decided something like that could bring benefit to areas, such as the fairways, on the golf course.” After exploring the options, Mark opted for the Redexim Verti-Quake® 2516 – offering a 1.6m working width and effective compaction relief down to 250mm. “As soon as it was delivered by our local dealer Cheshire Turf, we were out on some of the historically challenging areas and the results spoke for themselves. We went into the winter, and emerged the other side, so much drier than we ever have before.”
“Considering a lot of the areas we used it on had never been aerated previously, the Verti-Quake® broke straight through the compaction and helped to move the water down and towards the water courses – providing a much more cost-effective alternative to installing drainage.” After making such a strong first impression, Mark is now looking forward to the further improvements the Verti-Quake® can deliver. “If it’s open land, and it’s likely to get wet, we’re going to get the Verti-Quake® on it!”
That mantra extends to work on other areas of the complex, including the football pitch, reducing the reliance on external contractors. “We’ll get the Verti-Quake® out during the end of season renovations, giving us important compaction relief and getting the ground repaired and recovered in time for the busy playing season.”