Magazine - Editorial

An Olive Branch for a New Year
29 Dec 2011 - Editorial - Dave Saltman - Issue 40 - Dec / Jan 2012 - 42 comments
With the presents opened and (hopefully) enjoyed, the last of the turkey in a risotto, the New Year is upon us and, for many, the hope that 2012 brings more joy than this current year. The poor economic outlook sits heavily on all our minds but, strangely, a New Year brings hope and renewed enthusiasm to start afresh.

A Wake Up Call
30 Nov 2011 - Editorial - Dave Saltman - 35 comments
Who is going to champion the cause of the groundsmen and the greenkeepers against the growing tide of synthetic surfaces? Supporters of a forthcoming conference 'focusing on further developing the use of synthetic turf within the sporting market', we question whether the Institute of Groundsmanship is losing its own focus.

The silence is deafening - it's time to make a stand
21 Oct 2011 - Editorial - Ellie Parry - 3 comments
Ellie Tait puts 'fingers to keyboard' to raise awareness of what she sees to be one of the most important issues to face the profession of groundsmanship.

A perfect ten?
1 Sep 2011 - Editorial - Dave Saltman - Issue 38 - Aug / Sept 2011 - 5 comments
At the end of August, Pitchcare celebrated its tenth anniversary. Here, I do not wish to dwell on our successes, but to use the past ten years as a time frame to look at where our industry has progressed to in that period.

High tec, high spec and high expectations
20 Aug 2011 - Editorial - Laurence Gale MSc - Issue 37 - Jun / Jul 2011
Laurence Gale MSc looks at the role of the contractor in today’s highly competitive and ever changing marketplace

Final chance for One Show
1 May 2011 - Editorial - Dave Saltman - Issue 36 - Apr / May 2011
The single industry show debate rumbles on but, disappointingly, now without any input from the initiators of the latest talks!

We have much still to achieve
5 Mar 2011 - Editorial - Dave Saltman - 4 comments
The February/March edition of the Pitchcare magazine makes interesting reading from the perspective of our industry's future.

Fighting our corner!
1 Jan 2011 - Editorial - Dave Saltman - Issue 34 - Dec / Jan 2011
FIFA, the weather and the One Show - our Managing Director rounds up 2010 and looks forward to the New Year.

The One Show - an update
1 Sep 2010 - Editorial - Dave Saltman - Issue 32 - Aug / Sept 2010
Following the Trade discussion on the 8th March this year, regarding the ‘One Show’, there was a second meeting between a select committee from the Trade and the representatives of both BIGGA and the IOG at the NEC on the 28th July

The future of our Industry
10 Mar 2010 - Editorial - Dave Saltman - 4 comments
Long before I gave up my day job as a Groundsman to embark on the Pitchcare adventure, discussions about trade shows, raising Industry profile and a unified single Association had been debated.

The FACT Factor
29 Aug 2009 - Editorial - Dave Saltman
Well, it appears that the gloves are off, the cards are on the table, or any other phrase you care to mention, with regard to the ‘state of play’ within our industry and, as so often happens, a few have ‘grabbed the wrong end of the stick’!

The 'WHY' Factor
29 Jun 2009 - Editorial - Dave Saltman - 7 comments
Having pondered for a while as to whether I should have published my ‘X Factor’ editorial comment in the last issue, I have been both amazed and delighted at the response I have received from many key people within the industry.

Do we need the X factor?
1 May 2009 - Editorial - Dave Saltman - 5 comments
Finding an online dictionary definition of X-Factor is almost impossible due to a certain mindless TV programme of the same name. However, an extensive search eventually reveals that it is: a hard-to-describe influence or quality; an important element with unknown consequences.

Bad Press
24 Aug 2008 - Editorial - Dave Saltman - Issue 12 - Apr / May 2007 - 6 comments
It seems that our industry has a penchant for attracting bad press. A recent example would be the unfortunate greenkeeper at Haywards Heath Golf Club who ‘irrigated’ the course with weed killer, damaging vast areas of the course. No facts were given other than he was a ‘groundsman’ or ‘greens keeper’ depending on which paper you read.

Divided We Fall
10 Mar 2008 - Editorial - John Richards - 1 comment
I’m not a Groundsman or a Greenkeeper. Nor am I, come to that, anyone who has any particular detailed knowledge of this sports turf industry.

Attack of the clones!
29 Jan 2008 - Editorial - Dave Saltman - Issue 16 - Dec / Jan 2008 - 9 comments
It is six and a half years since Pitchcare was launched. In that time we have seen a steady growth in membership and, by the time you read this, we could well have busted the 30,000 members mark. No small feat for an idea that was considered, at best, ‘bonkers’ back in 2001.

To speak or not to speak
12 Aug 2007 - Editorial - Peter Mark Craig - 33 comments
Peter Craig voices his opinion on recent editorial in the Groundsman.