TOP DRESSING
Using Attraxor for consistency and ease of maintenance
Golf Course Manager
A from a deluxe golf and spa resort nestled in the scenic Cheshire countryside explains why they use Attraxor to keep their turf green , clear of Poa annua , and easily maintainable .
Golf course manager John Quinn , based at The Mere Golf Resort and Spa near Knutsford , has been using Attraxor for three seasons and has shared the benefits he ’ s seen on the golf course .
The Mere offers a deluxe fourstar hotel experience with a spa and a scenic 18-hole lakeside Championship Golf Course , encompassed by mature trees and extensive vegetation . The 81-room hotel is a popular retreat for avid golfers , with many posting their experience on Trip Advisor complimenting the greens as being “ smooth , fabulous , and well kept .”
John discussed the reasons he began to use Attraxor at The Mere : “ After hearing lots of good stories about Attraxor , I decided to try it with the hope it would make the greens growth consistent and reduce clippings . We also wanted to suppress the growth of Poa annua seedheads to keep the greens smooth .”
Attraxor has been proven to regulate growth effectively as part of a well-managed turf strategy , meaning the hard work put into the upkeep of the grounds lasts longer . The active product within Attraxor is Prohexadione-calcium , which inhibits the gibberellic acid pathway , resulting in reduction of turf height and biomass . Root growth is promoted through Attraxor to aid strength , whilst turf colour and quality are maintained .
John said : “ I use Attraxor every 21 days on our greens and it has lowered the mowing maintenance of the greens and complemented our existing efforts of greens upkeep . During periods of high growth , we alternate days mowing and rolling to reduce plant stress . Attraxor gives me better control of growth rates . Throughout the 21-day period , a more uniform sward is possible each week . I ’ ve found that the Poa annua seedhead suppression qualities are superior to Trinexapac-ethyl products . If any seedheads do pop up , they are remarkably smaller and leave a much finer putting surface .” John also discussed the improvement of quality he is seeing within the grass , saying : “ We have been overseeding with creeping bentgrass for three years now , and in conjunction with our use of Attraxor , we have seen a much better uptake from our overseeding work !
“ Introducing Attraxor to our maintenance regime has meant we spend less time mowing the greens . Having such good control over the growth rates means the option is always there to give the greens a break for a day without any mechanical input if we feel it would benefit . Attraxor has given me so much control over the golf course , it has allowed for consistent and quality greens coverage with minimal growth which is smooth and develops at the same pace as all the other greens .”
To find out more about Attraxor , visit https :// www . pestcontrol . basf . co . uk / en / Products / Overview / Growth-Regulator / Attraxor . html # section-benefits
14 GroundskeepingJournal . co . uk | November / December 2023