The Wiedenmann Terra Spike XF
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IT HAS LONG BEEN recognised that sports turf aeration is critical in maintaining both the health of the sward and quality of play. Modern aeration equipment has certainly helped improve both the efficiency and speed at which various aeration processes can be carried out, but doing the job at the right time is still a key to ensuring the work done delivers tangible benefits.
KEY INGREDIENT – Timing. It’s a simple word, and one that is a key ingredient to successful turf management. Knowing exactly when to carry out a whole range of tasks is what separates the best from everyone else. But, having the equipment that allows a small timing window to be exploited is what enables the best to deliver.
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A bit of a dramatic over simplification? Perhaps, but good timing and, if we are honest, a bit of luck can make all the difference between having turf looking its best and falling short of what could be achieved.
One job that relies on good timing is aeration. This is an increasingly important process that arguably needs careful management if any of the various techniques on offer is to deliver. It is here where the subject of this article comes in, the Wiedenmann Terra Spike XF.
First things first. This machine does not necessarily move the game on in terms of the actual job it does. Like other mechanical aerators, it can be fitted with a choice of corer and tine types and it will punch a hole of a variety of sizes and densities to suit most demands, with the proviso that its maximum working depth falls short of its ‘slower’ siblings and many competitive machines. It is in its speed of operation that this model plays its hand.
“Were we would perhaps manage to aerate a couple of fairways a day with our existing Wiedenmann XP21 aerator, we can do five with our new XF model,” says Mentmore Golf and Country Club Course Manager Chris Brook.
“As part of a company that includes eleven other golf courses up and down the country, we share this particular machine with other clubs.
“Its speed of operation means it can be moved to where it is needed and carry out the job without missing the chance to aerate effectively.”
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SPEED AIDS TIMING
At Mentmore, the course has retained its own XP TerraSpike aerator, this existing unit working down to about 40cm (16 inches) with its heaviest tines. The faster XF model has a maximum working depth of under 22cm (8 inches). But as Chris Brook points out, the XF comes into its own in enabling the job to be done and dusted at a much faster rate, meaning it is easier to get the timing right.
“Up until course owners, The Club Company, purchased the XF aerator back in November 2004, we would have spread the job of aeration here at Mentmore over the winter months using our XP,” adds Chris Brook.
“The XF, on the other hand, can be run at a fast walking pace behind our New Holland TN75D tractor.
Although I know we are not working to as great a depth as we would possibly go with our XPaerator on solid tines, my aim on this course is to ease the top clay cap and get air down to the roots.”
Supplied with the usual armoury of corers and small multi tines, the XF is seen by Chris Brooks as complimentary to, as opposed to a replacement for, the XP Terra Spike machines. The latter are used for micro tine work on the greens, speed of operation being less of an issue in this application.
“The key purchase decision for the Wiedenmann XF machine is its ability to do a fast job on the fairways,” he says.
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“People do not aerate heavily mown areas enough, possibly because of the time it can take to do the job, but aeration really is critical. We used to see course mowing stop pretty much in October and then start up again in April.
“Now, we mow up until Christmas and are back out again in February. It all puts more compaction pressure on the course, so it is important to ensure air can get down to the grass roots.”
Wiedenmann has over 40 years experience in deep aeration and turf decompaction technology, and now claim to be among the leaders in the turf maintenance sector. The Terra Spike XF was developed over three years, with the aim of offering relatively deep aeration at speeds of up to three times faster than existing units of similar working depth.
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UNUSUAL DESIGN
At the heart of the Terra Spike XF is a continuous crankshaft. Driven from both sides of the machine via ribbed Kevlar V-belts, the design is unusual in two main areas. Firstly, drive from the central tractor powered gearbox is equally divided in two, with separate driveshafts driving the pulleys on each end of the machine. This TwinDrive concept is claimed to ensure an even flow of power to the crank, with reduced strain on the driveline.
A key benefit of this layout is that both sets of belts share the work, considerably increasing their working lives.The same basic crankshaft module is offered with a choice of 6, 7 or 8 legs; this gives rise to the model designations of XF20/6, XF20/7 and XF20/8 with respective working widths of 1.6, 1.8 and 2.1m. The crank itself is obviously balanced, with counter-weights added to help smooth out its operation.Two independent damping systems are also incorporated. These serve two functions.
The first is to absorb the vibration caused when working on hard ground or impact with large stones. The second helps cushion the driveline back from the tines through to the tractor.The tine entry angle can be set at 90° to 65°. This is adjusted using a centrally positioned crank located within the anti-vibration PowerPack system.
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Setting the working depth is done by a hand crank as standard, this altering the setting of the unit’s two rollers. As an option, and one that is specified on the unit purchased, the front roller height can be altered hydraulically.
Chris Brook suggests a key reason for taking this option has less to do with its ease of setting and more to do with making the unit easier to fit and remove. “Our XF will be taken on and off tractors repeatedly, so it was important for us to be able to make the job as easy as possible,” he says.
“One man can easily fit and remove the unit, hydraulically lowering the front roller so it rests on it and the one at the back as it is detached. When it is off the tractor, the unit can be pushed around on a hard surface, which is useful.”
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PRODUCTIVITY
So what about productivity? This point is taken up by David Rae, M D of Inchinnan, Glasgow based Wiedenmann UK.
“The Terra Spike XF is designed to provide deep aeration and compaction relief down to a depth of 22cm (8 inches), at working speeds of up to 5.7 kmph (4 mph) at a hole spacing of 195mm,” he said.
“In terms of deep aeration, that is fast. Even with square hole patterns of 65mm and 130mm, the XF unit can achieve working speeds of 1.9 km/h and 3.8 km/h respectively.”
These claims are always hard to relate to ‘real life’ operation, but Chris Brook suggests the Terra Spike XF certainly does what the club wants it to do, and that is enable aeration to be done quickly over its fairways.
OUTLINE SPECIFICATION
Model XF 20/6
Working Width: 1.60m
Machine Width:2.15m
Approx weight:900kg
Max working depth:220mm
Min Tractor hp: 30
Max tractor hp: 80
Solid tines diameter: 5,8,12,20mm
Hollow tines diameter: 12,16,20,25mm
Model XF 20/7
Working width: 1.85m
Machine width: 2.41m
Approx weight: 1000kg
Max working depth: 220mm
Min tractor hp: 40
Max tractor hp: 80
Solid tines diameter: 5,8,12,20mm
Hollow tines diameter: 12,16,20,25mm
Model XF 20/8
Working width: 2.10m
Machine width: 2.64m
Approx weight: 1100kg
Max working depth: 220mm
Min tractor hp: 45
Max tractor hp: 80
Solid tines diameter: 5,8,12,20mm
Hollow tines diameter: 12,16,20,25mm
Maximum tractor power is determined by crank-shaft speed. This can be 485, 410 or 345 rpm,
with respective maximum power inputs of 80,70 and 60hp.
MENTMORE GOLFAND COUNTRY CLUB in Buckinghamshire was opened in 1992. It is set in 365 acres overlooking the Vales of Aylesbury and the Chiltern Hills. The club comprises two 18-hole courses: the Rosebery and the Rothschild, both par 72. All greens are constructed to USGAspecification and sown with Penncross Bent grass. Owners The Club Company set out to combine a traditional golf environment with health and fitness facilities here and at ten other clubs.The courses are overlooked by Mentmore Towers, built in 1855 and once owned by the Maharashi Mahesh Yogi as HQ for his University of Natural Law. Another claim to fame is that is was Wayne Mansion in a Batman film.
For mo
re information mailto:info@wiedenmann.co.uk or visit www.wiedenmann.co.uk
