Kersten UK & Tadmarton Golf Club

I’ve been a member of Tadmarton Heath Golf Club since November 2019, but am still very much a cricket/rugby player playing golf. I am still learning the differences in the nuances of what makes for a good green vs a cricket pitch and a fairway vs an outfield and I couldn’t be more thankful that there aren’t any bunkers involved in cricket.

I started at Kersten in March 2025 with experience in thermal weed control through my time at Rootwave selling what is now the Kersten Electro Lance. I am happy to say I have learned a lot quicker when it has come to hard and artificial surface management complimenting my ever growing knowledge on our wider range of thermal treatments.

Taddy is a golf course that is playable all year round, to complement this and save ware, new Huxley artificial tees were installed on a select number of holes, adding to the existing artificial tees on the driving range/practice area.

As a left hander, I was getting splattered in mud from other golfers shoes from the mats. It’s hard to complain without a reasonable solution. Skip forward to March ‘25 when I started with Kersten UK, the solution started to reveal itself.

The importance of hard surface and artificial surface management and maintenance became obvious the longer I worked in the groundscare sector. Much like grass and sports turf, you get out what you put into hard and artificial surfaces. Specifically for artificial tee boxes, if left, compaction, weed growth and cleanliness all become issues contributing to the surface's reduction in quality of use, aesthetics and life span.

Regular maintenance via sweeping combats common, preventable problems:

• Removing debris, mud and detritus from the surface reduces the medium weeds have to grow in. You will also remove seeds that have blown on to or been brought onto the surface.    
• Decompacting the surface, restoring the fibers of the matt/fluffing them back to their original state, not only enhances performance for the players, but keeps the area clean and looking smart
• A well maintained, regularly swept artificial surface will out last a neglected one. Regular and often sweeping will get far better results saving you money in the long run.    

On Course and Front of House

This is not exclusive to the Huxley tees on the course and driving range. It is relevant across most if not all hard surfaces. Around the club house, along building edges, on paths and in the car park.  Even for clearing up to 2-3 inches of snow a Kersten sweeper is the perfect tool for improving your maintenance to a much higher standard saving countless hours vs manul operations.

Thermal Control

When surfaces are kept clear of mud and detritus and weeds have less nutrients  to grow in, they will tend to be smaller annual weeds. These are easier, quicker to treat, using less energy. Thermal treatments become undoubtedly viable alternatives to synthetic chemical treatments.

Much like sweeping, multiple uses for machines makes better sense for a golf club. So which thermal treatment is going to be the most versatile?

The same building edges, paths and car parks can all be treated with thermal options. As well as gravel paths and bunkers.

Bunkers! Those bunkers are always the problem!!

If its not hitting my ball into them, it's managing them. Spraying chemicals in bunkers can lead to golfers spreading weedkiller via their shoes to the green.  Fast drainage and access make hot water and electrical treatments less practical. This leaves many golf courses and green keepers hand pulling grass and weeds growing in the sand, this is hard time consuming work, being done by skilled workers whose time is better spent in areas where their expertise is needed.

Hot air will kill the weeds in bunkers. It will also kill the weeds on hard standing. It uses the hot air produced from a flame, rather than the flame itself to increase the temperature of the plant above 75/80 degrees C. At this point the cells and structure of the plant are damaged to a point the plant will no longer photosynthesize.

With the combination of a K-Series with sweeper attachment and a Ripagreen Mobility Kit, you are not only tackling two major problems, but you are utilising the machines for much more. Getting more for the investment and improving the look of the golf club for everyone.

In short a dream combination for golf club maintenance, that all equipment sheds will benefit from.