About Agrostis Sports Surface ConsultingAgrostis is an independent sports and amenity surface consultancy founded by Dr Tim Lodge in 2005 and incorporated (as Agrostis Turf Consultancy Ltd) in 2008. We base our work firmly on the scientific principles relevant to the field; soil, surface and material science, botany, hydrology, geology etc. We also adopt an holistic approach to the interpretation of sites that takes into account the social, community, aesthetic and environmental aspects of sports facility design, construction and maintenance.
The service Since we operate within an already highly specialised field, we aim to provide all our clients with a comprehensive (and comprehensible) service applicable to sites and projects at all levels and stages. This ranges from the provision of simple agronomy advice or sample data interpretation to the complete consultancy service for new facility development. We also provide expert witness and specialist surface and soil testing services. Agronomy advice might take the form of an inspection and report on a sports facility such as a golf course, cricket pitch, domestic lawn or polo ground. We will advise for example on the choice and use of fertiliser, aeration work, top dressing and seed selection. We also carry out some in-house sample testing. With new developments, or where substantial improvement operations are intended for existing facilities, we try to follow a consistent process:
If a planning application is required, we’ll deal with that also, before or simultaneously with the development of the detailed design and specification. It is this approach that is normally expected where projects are being part funded by external bodies such as the Football Foundation or Sport England. Consequently, the style of our documentation is such that it conforms to the expectations of these organisations and may be used therefore in the process of grant applications etc. If you're in any doubt about whether or how we may best be able to help you, simply give us a call. We love talking about the sports surface business anyway! Independence Having been in that business since 1989 Agrostis, and especially its founder Tim Lodge, is well known within the industry. We enjoy friendly and business-like relations for example with most of the contractors who commonly operate in the field. We retain complete independence, however, our obligations being solely to each and every one of our clients, no-one else. Rigorous adherence to this policy sometimes causes frustration in some quarters but it has meant that our technical opinion is highly regarded and sought after, entirely uninfluenced as it is by commercial considerations. Dr. Tim Lodge Tim Lodge examining the splendid turf of the Waikato Chiefs rugby team's Waikato Stadium in Hamilton, New Zealand.
Tim has over 30 years experience in sports surface research, agronomy and construction and has worked throughout the UK, in the USA, in Europe, Africa and China. He has a PhD in sports turf, acquired in 1994 from the University of Leeds with a thesis entitled ‘The Construction, Irrigation and Fertiliser Nutrition of UK Golf Greens’ while working for STRI. A list of his commercial and academic publications may be seen here.
After undertaking additional research work on golf courses, in 1995 Tim began advising sports facilities in the north-east of England, from the Scottish Borders to The Wash. In 1997 he moved to Suffolk to operate initially in East Anglia and subsequently as a senior agronomist with responsibilities to clients throughout the south of England. In August 2005, Tim founded Agrostis, working first as a sole trader until the company was incorporated in 2008. He’s also visited golf courses across the USA from Pennsylvania down to Florida and across to Louisiana and turf research establishments including Rutgers, Penn State, Washington DC, Griffin Station - Atlanta, and Palm Springs, Florida. Here he developed a particular interest in warm season turf grasses. For an interesting article Tim has written on grasses in the USA click here (610Kb)and another one on warm and cool season photosynthesis click here (311Kb). In 2005 Tim applied for a patent for a device to measure the smoothness of golf greens, a patent awarded in June 2010. See here for more information about this. Away from Agrostis, Tim has a keen interest in theatre, mountaineering and rock climbing. He also plays the cello. Email tim@agrostis.co.uk or call 01359 259361 LinkedIn Iker Orue-Alda
Iker joined Agrostis in March 2019 as a Sports Surface Consultant. He has a degree in Technical Agricultural Engineering (Ingeniero Tecnico Agricola) awarded in 2008 by the Public University of Navarre (Pamplona, Spain), and a full degree of Agricultural/Land-based engineering (Ingeniero Agronomo) awarded in 2012 by the same university. In addition he has attended many courses related to plant protection, garden design, work safety, SuDS, sport surfaces construction and drainage etc. After obtaining his degree, Iker worked as an estimator in the technical projects department of a company specialising in providing environmental services in Bizkaia in northern Spain. He wrote bids and prepared projects and quotations related to different urban services, especially in soft landscaping and sport turf maintenance. He became Bid Manager leading the department in winning contracts related to environmental services, grounds and sport facilities maintenance and construction projects in different cities across the Basque country. To expand his knowledge of sport turf science, maintenance and construction, subjects about which he is passionate, he came to England in 2016 and volunteered for some months with Agrostis turf consultancy. He then obtained hands-on experience of UK golf courses, working as an apprentice greenkeeper on the West Course at Wentworth. Here he was involved, among many other activities, in the preparation for the BMW PGA Championship 2018. After a year, Iker became assistant greenkeeper for The Melbourne golf club at Brocket Hall before we welcomed him back as a full time consultant with Agrostis. Email: iker@agrostis.org.uk Mob: 07858730605 Mrs Sarah CousinsSarah takes care of all Agrostis office administration and also a good deal of the work for RIPTA. Highly experienced in book-keeping and general secretarial work, Sarah started with Agrostis in 2006. She certainly knows her way around the business and much of the sports turf industry in general.
Email sarah@agrostis.co.uk or call 01359 259361 |
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© Agrostis Turf Consultancy Ltd. Registered office: Eldo House, Kempson Way, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP32 7AR.
Company No: 6675140. VAT Reg No: 889 4960 43. Site by Drydesign.
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Company No: 6675140. VAT Reg No: 889 4960 43. Site by Drydesign.
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