25th February 2019
Turfdry was recently invited to give a presentation at the Northumberand FA’s Natural Turf Pitch Maintenance Conference, alongside Ian Powell from the Institute of Groundsmanship and The Football Federation’s Adrian Morris. The conference was held at the beautiful Close House Golf Club - home to the world’s only two Lee Westwood golf courses, as well as a stylish modern clubhouse and some rather chic accommodation, which we were lucky enough to enjoy.
The conference offered a mix of practical demonstrations and talks, and provided an excellent opportunity for networking and learning. Industry bodies such as the IOG and Football Federation, grounds staff, and contractors like Turfdry are united by a common goal: the delivery of the best possible playing surfaces for sport at every level; events like this highlight the clear benefits of open communication and closer cooperation between contractors, industry bodies, and the ‘boots on the ground’ soldiers on the frontline of pitch maintenance: the groundsmen themselves.
It was a privilege to be invited to speak at the conference, and we hope that those in attendance found it interesting and informative. Our presentation explored the mechanics of pitch drainage, and detailed Hydraway Sportsdrain’s unique qualities - including how its rapid water intake upends conventional wisdom regarding optimal drainage design for pitches with clay soil. Our resources page is designed to provide anybody with a richer understanding of drainage problems, and the options available to remediate them; the Understanding Sports Pitch Drainage article touches on some of the topics covered in the presentation, and we look forward to updating the page with more resources in the future.
Check out some of the social media coverage of the event, including some questionably flattering photographs of the speakers!
