STRI Group

08/09/2026

They're the people who arrive before everyone else, work in all weathers, have incomparable attention to detail and put in countless hours to create surfaces for great sport.

Greenkeeping is a skilled profession. It takes knowledge, experience, patience and an incredible attention to detail, and much of that work happens behind the scenes.

At STRI, we see that dedication every day. Our groundspeople work hands-on with turf across our research sites, supporting greenkeepers by helping us understand how surfaces perform in the real world.

We know just how much goes into getting a sports surface right. So today, we’re celebrating greenkeepers everywhere, at golf clubs, sports grounds and venues around the world. Tom Hudson, Groundsman at STRI shares a few words on the profession, and from everyone at STRI we want to say thank you to all greenkeepers.

03/09/2026

Water resilience starts long before the next drought.

For sports venues, managing water isn’t simply about using less. It’s about understanding where water comes from, how it is captured, treated, stored and reuse, and how the whole system can work together.

Our latest article explores how sports venues can build greater resilience by taking a more integrated approach to water management, from rainwater harvesting and alternative water sources to storage, treatment and reuse.

As pressure on water resources continues to grow, planning for every drop is becoming increasingly important.

In discussion with Stella Rixon, Senior Agronomic Consultant - read the full article here: https://strigroup.com/capturing-treating-and-reusing-water-building-resilience-into-sports-venues/

02/09/2026

Today we hosted an event at Ewood Park, home of Blackburn Rovers Football Club Rovers, bringing together clubs from across the EFL and National Rugby League, alongside colleagues, clients and partners from across the sports turf industry.

The day focused on our recently completed redevelopment of the stadium pitch, and more specifically, what it takes to deliver a major pitch reconstruction in just 84 days.

From initial design through to construction, technical oversight and the final playing surface, we explored the decisions, challenges and collaboration involved in delivering a new pitch within a live stadium environment.

A huge thank you to everyone who travelled to Ewood Park and contributed to what was a really valuable morning of knowledge sharing, discussion and collaboration. And of course, a special thank you to James Podesta, Greg Whately, Phil Collinson from ICL, Steven McInroy, Toby Grace and Ian Lacy for their presentations and contributions to the panel discussion.

Projects like Ewood Park demonstrate what can be achieved when the right expertise, experience and collaboration come together, from the first design decisions through to the first ball being played.

28/08/2026

We’re pleased to announce that STRI will be supporting the UEFA European Under-21 Championship 2027, taking place across Albania and Serbia next summer.

With 16 national teams, 31 matches and venues across eight cities, ensuring consistent, high-performing playing surfaces will be an important part of tournament preparation.

Our team will provide construction monitoring, pitch testing and tournament support, working alongside the teams responsible for preparing and delivering the playing surfaces across the tournament footprint.

In Serbia, several venues and training centres are undergoing significant pitch works, including new drainage and irrigation systems, full pitch renovations and new hybrid and natural turf installations. From construction through to competition, our role will be focused on providing the independent technical expertise, testing and insight needed to support pitch performance throughout the tournament.

We’re proud to be part of the team helping prepare for one of European football's major international tournaments and look forward to supporting the project through to kick-off.

21/08/2026

Hot off the heels of completing a redevelopment of Blackburn Rovers Football Club' stadium pitch, James Podesta, STRI's Director of Development has been speaking with BBC Radio Lancashire ahead of their first home game of the season.

They discuss the solutions provided to ensure the pitch is ready for elite level football. Listen here: Blackburn Rovers - Podesta:

STRI's James Podesta on overhauling the pitch and facilities at Blackburn Rovers.

20/08/2026

With the new EFL requirements in place, all EFL clubs must have a FIFA Natural Playing Surface (NPS) Full Assessment completed by the end of September 2026. Testing must be undertaken by a FIFA-accredited Test Institute.

As one of only 13 FIFA-accredited Natural Playing Surface Test Institutes worldwide, STRI has been involved in the FIFA NPS testing programme since its inauguration, contributing to its development and delivery.

We’ve already been working with several EFL clubs in recent weeks, providing independent, data-led assessment of pitch performance.

FIFA NPS testing goes beyond how a pitch looks. It provides objective insight into how the surface performs for the people who matter most, the players - assessing characteristics including:

✔️ Ball roll and ball rebound
✔️ Shock absorption and rotational resistance
✔️ Surface hardness
✔️ Infiltration and moisture
✔️ Turf and rootzone performance

With the EFL season now underway, independent testing can give clubs confidence that their playing surface is performing consistently, safely and to the required standards.

If your club still needs to complete its FIFA NPS assessment, now is the time to arrange testing. Find out more here ➡️ https://strigroup.com/why-fifa-pitch-testing-matters/

To discuss your requirements, contact Greg Whately at [email protected]

13/08/2026

Are we running out of water – or are we simply failing to hold on to it?

As drought, heat and water restrictions put increasing pressure on sports surfaces, the question for grounds teams is becoming more than “How do we use less?”

How do we capture it? Store it? Reuse it? And apply it in the most effective way?

For golf courses, racecourses and football clubs alike, water needs to be treated as a strategic resource.

Our latest article explores why building water resilience means looking at the whole water cycle, from drainage and storage through to soil, irrigation, agronomy and climate adaptation. Read the article here with Dr Christian Spring ➡️ https://strigroup.com/water-management-in-sport-why-planning-for-every-drop-has-never-been-more-important/

The clubs that understand and manage their water today will be better prepared. And being better prepared needs to happen now.

Explore best practice water management for sports facilities, including irrigation, drainage, water storage and climate resilience for natural turf.

07/08/2026

After more than 30 years of celebrating environmental excellence in golf, the Golf Environment Awards are entering an exciting new chapter.

We're incredibly proud to have helped establish and grow the awards since 1995, recognising the clubs, greenkeepers and individuals leading the way in sustainability, biodiversity and environmental conservation.

As stewardship passes to BIGGA, we're delighted to continue our involvement and encourage all golf clubs to share any and all environmental work they carry out, nothing is too big or small. Thank everyone who has supported the awards over the years, wishing all entrants the best of luck.

Entries are now open, read more about the next chapter below and how to enter⬇️
https://strigroup.com/the-next-chapter-for-the-golf-environment-awards/
📸 by Colmworth Golf Club

After 30 years of celebrating environmental excellence in golf, STRI Group is pleased to announce that the GEAs are back for 2027 with BIGGA.

03/08/2026

It's been a summer of incredible sport, and we're looking back at our time working across the Wimbledon tournament, supporting the grounds team in producing elite surfaces. The stats are in...

🎾Moisture assessments: 18,048
🎾Ball bounce assessments: 2,016
🎾Blades of grass counted by eye: 72,000
🎾 Number of courts tested: 68
🎾Hardness assessments: 22,032
🎾NDVI assessments: 6,704

All data capture is carried out by our research team pre, during and post tournament. Working closely with the AELTC for over 30 years means we have archival data to analyse and compare, helping grounds teams and our experts with insight to continually improve the surface each and every year.

We're pleased to have delivered another tournament for one of the biggest sporting events in the calendar so a huge thank you to all involved. We love our two weeks at Wimbledon and look forward to the next tournament.