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GRASS HARROW HELPS CAMBERLEY GOLF CLUB RESTORE HEATHLAND

Just three months after purchasing an OPICO 3-metre Grass Harrow/Turf Comb Camberley Heath Golf Course in Surrey is already reaping the benefits, particularly in its drive to restore the Surrey club's heathland to its original condition.

Throughout the winter whenever the weather was dry enough the machine has been used for raking out leaves and grass from the heather, and for removing moss and dead grass from rough areas. It has then been possible to remove most of this waste material the following day with a grass collector or, where there are steep slopes involved, with a blower.

This is the first machine of its type on the 18-hole old-established heathland course. "Years ago I used an old chain harrow but the grass harrow is much better," says the Club's head greenkeeper Martin Roberts. "You don't get so much tearing and build up of material in the tines - it just passes though."

There has been a significant improvement in the quality of the treated areas through the clearing of the dead material and stimulation of fresh growth. "Because this is a really old course and the dead material has been building up over a long time I reckon it will take four or five passes a year to start with, then gradually less, using the machine fairly regularly through the heather area.

"We probably spend 3-4 hours a day on it and that's probably an average over the week because there's a lot of material to be picked up afterwards with the grass collection unit."

The ground staff at Camberley are working hard to stimulate and increase the heather areas in order to restore the heathland to its original condition. An added consideration is the removal of a considerable quantity of needles and dead material from the pine trees on the course.

Martin envisages that the Grass Harrow will have year round use, aided by the fact that the course lies on sand so drainage is good.

Taken from an article published in Amenity Machinery & Equipment March 2000.

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