Daniel Mackenzie, owner of DM Sports Turf Solutions, is a rising star in the world of sports turf management.
A former Greenkeeper at Canons Brook Golf Club in Harlow, Essex, and an accomplished county bowls player, Daniel now runs a successful business maintaining seven bowling greens across various clubs.
Daniel’s connection with Origin Amenity Solutions (OAS) began during his time at Canons Brook, where he first met Laurence McCrory, OAS's Technical Sales Manager. This relationship has been pivotal in Daniel’s success, particularly in managing a problematic disease—Dollar Spot—that threatened to overwhelm one of his key clients, Wallfields Bowls Club in Hertford.
Two years ago, Wallfields Bowls Club experienced one of the most severe outbreaks of Dollar Spot that Daniel had ever encountered. Dollar Spot, caused by the fungus Sclerotinia homeocarpa, thrives in humid conditions—perfectly suited to bowling greens in the UK during the summer and autumn.
“This was the worst outbreak of Dollar Spot I had ever seen,” Daniel recalls. At the time, Dollar Spot was still relatively new to the UK turf industry, and very few people knew how to manage it effectively.
It was at this point that Daniel turned to Laurence for expert advice. "Laurence introduced me to Exteris Stressgard and devised a feeding programme to help manage the disease with minimal fungicide use."
Exteris Stressgard, the first combination SDHI fungicide introduced to the UK turf market, was engineered by Envu and contains a revolutionary chemical group—the first of its kind in nearly a decade. It offers top-notch disease management and promotes plant health, a crucial factor in combatting Dollar Spot.
Daniel applied Exteris Stressgard twice in the first year, bringing the outbreak under control. Since then, he has integrated it into a comprehensive programme using OAS products, including seed, nutrition, fungicides, and dressings, alongside tools like the Smith-Kerns Dollar Spot model to monitor conditions and anticipate outbreaks.
Now in his third year of managing Dollar Spot at Wallfields and other bowling greens, Daniel applies Exteris Stressgard just once a year, typically in June. "I manage to keep Dollar Spot to a point of minimal damage," Daniel notes. "I use the fungicide Exteris Stressgard when the Dollar Spot kicks off, and then I follow a feeding programme to keep it under control."
This feeding programme includes a tank mix of Protec Plus 16-4-8, Ascoflex plus seaweed, and Elevate FE an alkaline complex iron source. "From late May through to September, I spray this mixture every two weeks, which helps to keep the Dollar Spot at bay," Daniel explains.
Daniel’s proactive approach ensures he remains prepared for the key period in September, when many clubs hold their finals. "You can only apply Exteris Stressgard twice a year, so I always try to keep an application available for emergencies, especially in September."
Daniel also recommends the C Complex fine turf Organo-mineral fertiliser, which he applies three times a year. "I use it at the start of the season, in early July to manage anthracnose—which we haven’t had any issues with this year—and again at the end of the renovation period."
This holistic approach, combining a structured nutritional programme, managing leaf wetness and soil moisture, a fundamental cultural programme and fungicides, has proven effective across all the clubs he manages, consistently keeping Dollar Spot at bay with minimal damage.
Dollar Spot has presented a recurring issue across all the bowling greens Daniel maintains. However, thanks to the tailored programme developed with OAS, he has successfully controlled the disease across the board. The same strategy that worked at Wallfields Bowls Club has been applied to the other clubs under his management, all of which now benefit from his effective and consistent use of OAS products.
By leveraging innovative products like Exteris Stressgard, Elevate Fe and following a meticulously planned programme, Daniel has cemented his reputation as a go-to contractor for bowling greens and other sports turf. His success story is a testament to the value of expert advice, proactive planning, and the power of industry-leading solutions.
