Pitchcare Sweden Launches

Following on from Pitchcare Germany's launch early in 2011, we are pleased to welcome www.pitchcare.nu to the fold. Headed up by Tomas Nilsson, the Swedish Pitchcare version further strengthens the respect and belief that free advice, help and community spirit are very much alive and needed by groundsmen and greenkeepers.

Working, as so many do, in isolation, makes the job in hand that much harder, so the opportunity to share experience and information through the Pitchcare hub has become part of many people's lives and has benefitted tens of thousands in their quest to further their personal knowledge.

Swedish born Tomas now resides in Trelleborg in the south of the country. His career started at Hills Golf Club in 2003, and he fell in love with greenkeeping immediately.

The ambiance, being with nature, the smell of freshly cut grass and, more importantly, the science behind it all, inspired him to learn more about the occupation.

From Hills Golf Club he moved on to the PGA National in Sweden and then Nötteröy in Norway, where he had more opportunity to study the complexities of grass management. More recently, Tomas worked in sales for Bionutria Scandinavia, who specialised in carbohydrate use on turf, and then LMI AB in Sweden, an organisation specialising in the understanding of the chemical processes within the turf and soil.

Tomas has always been a believer in the whole Pitchcare concept of freely sharing knowledge. "I first heard about Pitchcare many years ago, and it helped me immensely in my quest for information. I knew it was a great idea and could see this platform as the future in our industry. With the Pitchcare model, I am no longer following progress into the future, but creating it for my fellow countrymen."

"I started Pitchcare Sweden as there is a clear need for an independent hub to raise the status of our groundsmen and greenkeepers. We often work long hours and there is not great financial reward. We take huge pride in our work, but most still see us as grass cutters. Nowadays, we identify bacteria, fungi, talk about cytokinins and root exudates and so much more, but also manage staff and still need to keep track of what grease is best in a mower as well as our other machinery service requirements."

"Sadly, in turf grass, much of the business is still labour intensive, driving around shaking hands. Why, I ask? With this technology available for most of us at our fingertips, there is not the need anymore. Sure, we still need interaction but, as a groundsman or greenkeeper, you can get many visits in a day from company representatives, which eats into an already busy schedule."

"In the years to come we aim to grow, and become, a force in driving progress forward in much the same way that Pitchcare UK has helped fashion the industry. I know that the task before us is daunting, but that's the way heroes are made…"