Bay Hill’s new Eclipse 360 ELiTE

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Bay Hill’s new Eclipse 360 ELiTE: Legacy building is a daily task at Bay Hill Golf Club & Lodge, and the Jacobsen Eclipse 360 ELiTE is the latest part of that journey.

Every day for the last six months, the lithium-ion powered greens mower has been in use at the home of the Arnold Palmer Invitational and has impressed every operator that’s cut with it for different reasons.

Bay Hill's new Eclipse 360 ELiTE

Bay Hill’s new Eclipse 360 ELiTE

For some, it’s the silent operation, and for others, it’s the timing of the reels. The swing-out center reel put a smile on mechanics’ faces in the workshop, and the battery life and quality of cut have been universally praised.

The club, through Mr. Palmer, has a long and established relationship with Jacobsen, and this latest advancement with battery technology is likely to shape the greenkeeping legacy for years to come, as Director of Grounds, Chris Flynn, explains.

“Arnold Palmer bought this property in the late 60s, and now we’re building his legacy. Jacobsen and Bay Hill have had a relationship literally for decades, and Mr. Palmer was a spokesperson for Jacobsen and had very close relationships, and that relationship is just as strong as ever today.

“The bottom line, and what matters most is performance. For us, this mower could not have performed any better; and I look forward to getting a few of them here on property full-time. I think any Superintendent would be more than pleased if they could get their hands on one.

“We’ve had it on the property for six months now, and we have used it every day since it’s been here. What’s been fantastic for us with all our practice greens being so close to the lodge is being able to go up there with the electric mower without making a lot of noise. That has been huge.

“Another thing is the operators love it. The ease of operation and the timing of how the reels go up and down is great. The cut quality is certainly what Jacobsen has been known for a long, long time.

“In terms of its footprint on the green, we haven’t seen any issues at all. It’s been a win-win all around. The mechanics have been very pleased with it. The way that back reel swings out was one of the first things our mechanics certainly noticed and put big smiles on their faces. It definitely makes their life’s a lot easier.

“When we wrap up with the mower and charge it up when we’re done, it’s ready to go for the next morning at full capacity. We’ve yet to run into a situation where we ran out of power and couldn’t finish mowing. We’ve mowed all 18 greens, we’ve mowed more than that, double-cutting, and we have yet to have an issue with the mower running out of power before us finishing the job.”

The new Eclipse 360 ELiTE from Jacobsen has been designed to combine the next generation of ELiTE lithium-ion batteries with a signature cut that has been trusted for a century.

ELiTE batteries have powered E-Z-GO vehicles for over 15 million hours, and the Eclipse 360 ELiTE has adopted that technology to make a mower that can cut 50+ large greens on a single charge.

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STIHL’s first backpack cordless professional blower

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STIHL’s first backpack cordless professional blower: The new BGA 300 is STIHL’s first cordless backpack blower for professional users, offering high performance and a significantly less disruptive sound thanks to its innovative STIHL Noise Reduction System.

With a blowing force of 26 newton, STIHL’s new BGA 300 cordless backpack blower is the most powerful in the STIHL cordless range and features a high air speed to ensure even wet, heavy autumn leaves can be cleared quickly and efficiently. The new cordless blower is powered using STIHL’s professional AR 2000 L or AR 3000 L backpack batteries.

STIHL’s first backpack cordless professional blower

STIHL’s first backpack cordless professional blower

Thanks to the STIHL Noise Reduction System, the BGA 300 produces fewer high pitch frequencies often associated with cordless blowers, meaning operation is much more pleasant and less intrusive for bystanders. Thanks to this, the BGA 300 is well suited for use in noise-sensitive areas such as schools, parks or around public amenities.

The maximum blowing force can be selected from three power setting options via the selector switch, allowing for efficient energy management and longer runtimes. Boost mode may also be selected to provide maximum power for the toughest clearing jobs. Furthermore, the new cordless blower features an LED power display and cruise control function to enable simple energy management and comfort.

For the optimum blowing angle the BGA 300 boasts a curved nozzle as standard, and the blower tube length can easily be adjusted to meet different requirements and operating situations. A straight nozzle is also available as an accessory

The BGA 300 is exceptionally easy to handle thanks to its slim design and comfortable carrying system that optimally distributes the weight of the backpack device and reduces the strain on the user when used for long periods.

Other features include wide feet for secure footing whilst on the ground, a hook for the blower tube for easy transport and storage, as well as compatibility with the new Smart Connector 2 A.

The BGA 300 will be available from Autumn 2022.

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Agrovista Amenity celebrates National Tree Week

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Agrovista Amenity celebrates National Tree Week: After joining The Tree Council as a Jubilee Partner, Agrovista Amenity recently participated in a planting day to celebrate National Tree Week.

The Tree Council is an official delivery partner of The Queen’s Green Canopy, which is a unique tree planting initiative created to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022.

Agrovista Amenity celebrates National Tree Week

Agrovista Amenity celebrates National Tree Week

By becoming one of the Jubilee Partners, Agrovista Amenity will be playing an integral role in planting trees and hedgerows in honour of Her Majesty’s service to the nation, creating a lasting legacy which will benefit future generations for years to come.

The aim is to achieve the planting of an incredible 35,000 trees and 7 kilometres of hedgerows.

Agrovista Amenity recently celebrated its Jubilee Partner status during National Tree Week by attending a planting day which took place in Bicester in Oxfordshire. The Agrovista Amenity team joined 50 other volunteers who also came from corporate partner organisations.

Together the volunteers planted along a riverbank and a bridleway, creating connectivity for local wildlife as well as helping introduce all the other benefits that trees and hedgerows can bring, such as pollution mitigation and flood prevention. Species included hawthorn, blackthorn, white poplar, holly, oak and more in an incredible 183 metres of hedgerow.

Furthermore, the volunteers planted some rare black poplar trees, of which there are only 10,000 of these left in the UK – so it was encouraging to be boosting their numbers.

Ed Smith, Landscape Team Manager for Agrovista Amenity, was delighted to play a part in the planting day.

Agrovista Amenity celebrates National Tree Week

Agrovista Amenity celebrates National Tree Week

“The positive work that The Tree Council and so many volunteers have undertaken to restore woodland and hedgerows as part of a greener future has been amazing,” he said.

“Our planet is changing and joining The Tree Council on their planting day was a great opportunity to practice what we preach. Not only are we planting to make positive changes for the future, but we are making these changes in the most sustainable way possible.”

Cat Gransden, Development Manager for The Tree Council, said: “We’re so grateful to Agrovista for attending our planting day and for being part of our Jubilee Partner programme. Together, we’re creating an environmental and cultural legacy in honour of Her Majesty’s historic 70 years of service and growing a greener future for all of us. It is thanks to our incredible corporate partners, like Agrovista, that we’re able to plant, protect and promote so many trees and hedgerows. Working together for the love of trees allows us to achieve great things, and green-hearted corporate heroes help us to create a healthy, tree-filled future for our planet. Thank you.”

For more information about Agrovista UK, visit www.agrovista.co.uk/amenity

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