Sharon Singleton-Bruce, BSc (Hons)
Laboratory Manager & Director
Sharon has been with ETL since 1997 and now is employed as laboratory manager. She graduated from the University of Stirling in 1994 with a degree in Environmental Science. After graduating, Sharon was employed as a laboratory technician with Rufford Top-Dress Supplies in their Scottish quarry. Sharon’s main role is to manage the day-to-day running of the laboratory and is responsible for maintaining ETL’s quality management system. She is the main contact for the company and can help you determine your testing needs.
Lee Dawson
Laboratory Supervisor
Lee joined the team at ETL in 2007 after finishing secondary school. Lee is a keen footballer and is captain of his team. When not on the football field, he enjoys playing golf. Nicholas and Lee’s daily role is to undertake the testing of your samples and calibration of the laboratory equipment.
Nicholas Cram
Laboratory Technician
Nicholas joined ETL in 2005, after graduating from Falkirk College of Technology with an HND Applied Biological Sciences. Nicholas enjoys travelling and visiting places of interest, cycling, gardening, listening to music and has a keen interest in different modes of transport.
Blair Drew
Laboratory Technician
Blair joined ETL in 2017 after finishing secondary school. Blair is a keen footballer and when he is not playing, he referees games in his spare time. Blair’s daily duties and responsibilities include testing samples and the routine calibration of laboratory equipment
European Turfgrass Laboratories Ltd (ETL) provides an independent and unbiased service for the analysis of soils, sand, peat, gravel, rootzone and other materials specifically for the turfgrass and landscape industries.
Who Do We Test For?
Formed in 1996, we have been testing materials for many of the world’s leading golf clubs, football clubs, national stadiums, racecourses and other natural grass sports surfaces.
ETL’s market began in the UK and Ireland and has rapidly expanded across Europe into Africa, Middle East, Australasia and South America.
Golf course architects, agronomists, material suppliers, contractors, local authorities and government agencies use our testing services extensively during project planning and construction to ensure that all materials are conforming to their project’s specifications.
How Do We Test?
ETL is an A2LA-accredited laboratory (Geotechnical – Putting Green Materials) and only 1 out of 10 in the world on the USGA approved list of physical soil testing laboratories.
Accreditation involves a two yearly visit from an A2LA assessor to review our quality procedures and ASTM compliance. ETL’s scope of accreditation comprises of a variety of ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) methods – as listed in the “2004 USGA Recommendation for a Method of Putting Green Construction.”
Producing accurate and reliable test results as quickly as possible is essential.
ETL take part in the USGA Proficiency Testing Program – this is a quality control exercise where samples are sent to all participating laboratories for testing and the results are statistically analysed. This ensures that ETL remains one of the leading test centres for rootzone material testing.
Why Test With ETL?
Having materials testing provides an invaluable and essential took for golf course architects, agronomists, course superintendents and groundsmen in making informed decision on which materials are right for you and your projects needs.
Testing at ETL can provide data to help with:
- Selecting materials for new construction projects
- Identifying problems with rootzones or topdressings
- Recommending soil nutrient levels
- Ensuring materials are compatible
- Choosing suitable bunker sand
- Determining suitable construction depths for different materials
- Ensuring irrigation water is fit for use
- Providing accurate and independent analysis of materials gives you the comfort of knowing that Europe’s first A2LA-accredited and USGA approved laboratory
- is working together with you and for you.