With rising disease pressure and increasingly unpredictable weather putting traditional turf management under strain, Southerndown Golf Club has found an effective answer in Maxtima fungicide, backed by the expertise of Agrovista Amenity.
At the heart of the success is course manager Andrew Mannion, who, working closely with Agrovista Amenity’s Ray Hunt, has brought a persistent and escalating dollar spot issue under control. The result: healthier turf and preserved playability at one of Wales’s most iconic links-style venues.
Set high on the South Wales coast, Southerndown is defined by its exposed position and free-draining limestone. Historically, its lean nutrient strategy and breezy conditions helped keep disease pressure low. But that has changed in recent years.
“Warmer, wetter conditions seem to be the trigger,” Andrew explains. “It started with small flare-ups, but built momentum quickly. Once it was in, it kept coming back.”
Determined to find a reliable solution, Andrew leaned on his long-term agronomy partnership with Agrovista Amenity. “We looked at a few products, but Ray recommended Maxtima straight away. He’s very knowledgeable, and I trust his judgement. We initially trialled it on just two or three affected greens – and it worked.”
Maxtima, developed by BASF and distributed exclusively by Agrovista Amenity, is a next-generation DMI fungicide offering standout control against Dollar Spot and other common turfgrass diseases. With its targeted performance and ease of integration into existing programmes, it has become a key part of Southerndown’s preventative approach.
“We were impressed straight away,” says Andrew. “You can actually see it stop disease development within 24 hours. Last year, because it was during the growing season, we even saw full recovery on affected areas. Lesions healed over and with some overseeding, it disappeared completely.”
Following that initial success, Maxtima now features strategically in Southerndown’s disease calendar. “We now use it at specific times of year based on weather trends. Last season, we did two applications—up from one—because the Dollar Spot flared up earlier. It was the second wettest year we’ve recorded in over two decades, so we knew we needed to act.”
Key to Maxtima’s effectiveness, Andrew says, is early identification and accurate timing. “We’ve got a couple of ‘indicator greens’ that show signs first. Once we spot the tiniest speck, we get Maxtima on straight away. That’s when it does its best work.”
The consistent support from Agrovista Amenity has also been crucial. “Whether it’s product knowledge, application guidance or adjusting strategies as conditions change – they’ve been really helpful.”
Reflecting on the journey, Andrew sees Maxtima’s introduction as a decisive shift in the club’s disease control.
“We’re definitely more in control now. Maxtima is a great product and I’d absolutely recommend it to other course managers. If you catch Dollar Spot early, it’ll stop it in its tracks.”