From the moment James Bledge took over as Links Manager at Royal Liverpool Golf Club, it was all eyes on preparation for the 151st Open Championship.
From the moment Brian Harman lifted the Claret Jug in July 2023, the focus changed to how to retain the top-level presentation and play for members to enjoy.
Part of solving that equation has been a Salsco HP11-III roller which is delivering unparalleled productivity and unprecedented progression in greens speed at the Wirral-based links.
James first came across Salsco rollers in his previous role at Royal Cinque Ports and, while rolling didn’t play a major part in preparations for the Open, he knew it was the solution to retaining standards.
“Hand cutting again and again is the way to go when resources are high, however, when you only have five staff in on a Saturday morning and you’re trying to recreate similar conditions for people travelling hundreds of miles to play the course, it’s simply not feasible. The HP11-III with three wide rollers allows us to deliver the greens to an incredibly high standard and has been pivotal to retaining the post-Open ‘buzz’.”
The Salsco HP11-III roller features three oscillating rollers which articulate to guarantee 100% roll-to-ground contact. With a combined rolling width of 73 inches and an almost 11mph ground speed, it delivers efficiency and quality with every roll, on every terrain.
“We’ll use the Salsco two or three times during the week and after mowing ahead of weekend competitions for that extra bit of greens speed. We also roll throughout the winter instead of cutting to retain presentation and minimise plant stress,” James explains.
“In terms of operation, it’s the comfiest roller on the market in my opinion. Because of the mounted brush system, it’s also the cleanest, dispersing any debris pick-up meaning we can use it after sand-dressing, verti-cutting and grooming operations. It’s gone from being a two-person job, to a one-person job.”
He adds, “There’s also evidence to suggest rolling can reduce the impact of Dollar Spot so, in conjunction with careful nutritional management, we’ve been rolling prone areas to remove moisture and create conditions less conducive to the disease.”
James also had good things to say about the service received from the importers Lister Wilder, having used them at his previous club. “They have always been a good company to work alongside – at the end of the phone if we ever need anything and with the right support and answers to any questions we may have.”