June 16, 2023 - Turf Matters

Dennis FT510 is a breeze at Prees: Duncan Austin, Head Groundsman at Prees Cricket and Recreation Club in Shropshire, needed to upgrade the Club’s trusty old Dennis FT510 cylinder mower – and there was only one machine he had in mind.

Duncan Austin has been working at Prees Cricket and Recreation Club for the past six years. He is responsible for maintaining three grass football pitches, two artificial football pitches, a cricket square and two bowling greens.

Dennis FT510 is a breeze at Prees

For the bowling greens, Duncan has long relied on the Dennis FT510 cylinder mower.

“I had a Dennis FT510 which was well over 20 years old,” he said. “Unfortunately, it was coming to the end of its days and the cost of repairing it was similar to the price of buying a brand new one. I didn’t even need to look at other brands of mowers. The FT510 was so good, I was adamant that I wanted another one. The treasurer backed me, and we went ahead and bought one.”

The Dennis FT510 has become the ‘must have’ piece of turf maintenance machinery at bowling clubs around the country and it’s easy to see why. With a 51cm working width, the FT510 provides its user with comfort, flexibility and excellent performance. A true sense of control is obtained through the unique roller clutch drive for a smooth take-up and a variable clip rate helping to create the desired finish.

Available with five-bladed and ten-bladed cutting cylinders the machine can be matched to any situation and the interchangeable cassettes can be changed without the requirement of any tools. The range of 11 different heads mean that one machine can be used for several key maintenance tasks including scarifying, verticutting or brushing.

Duncan explained how he uses the Dennis FT510 on a regular basis to maintain the greens.

“I cut the greens with it 2-3 times a week depending on what games are on and it provides a perfect finish every time. In the winter we normally leave the greens at a length of 10mm, but we maintain them at 5mm during the season. I will also verticut with the FT510 every three weeks and try to rotate that with a sarel roll or a brush.

“The interchangeable cassettes on the FT510 are the best feature – they are so quick and simple to change,” continued Duncan. “If I need a new bottom blade or need it sharpened, I have only got to take the cassette with me rather than take the whole machine.

“Another good feature about the Dennis FT510 is the click height adjuster – it is a very user-friendly mower. I wouldn’t want any other machine for our greens.”

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact Dennis 01332 824 777 or visit www.dennisuk.com

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow Dennis on Twitter and Instagram @DennisMowers and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/DennisMowersUK. You can also view the latest Dennis videos by visiting www.youtube.com/DennisMowers

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SALTEX registration now open: Visitor registration for SALTEX 2023, Europe’s largest free sports turf, amenities, and landscaping trade exhibition, is now open. And with it the chance to win a one-night stay at the Moxy Birmingham NEC on the first night of the show.

The theme for 2023 SALTEX is ‘boost your game’ which will see SALTEX focus on providing visitors and exhibitors with all the key tools needed to be successful in the groundscare sector.

SALTEX registration now open

Sarah Cunningham, director of commercial and events at the Grounds Management Association, the leading not-for-profit organisation organising the show, explains: “At this year’s show, attendees will be supported in boosting their knowledge, career, skills, sales, surface, and network – all of which will result in an industry that is better connected, holds more expertise, and continues to be at the forefront of turfcare around the world.”

Last year’s show brought together over 8,300 visitors from 50 plus countries with the biggest names in the groundscare industry.

Sarah continues: “SALTEX was set up by the industry for the industry, keeping the many different reasons that people attend in mind, at all times. For example, boosting sales is much easier when over 60 percent of visitors attending play a role in the purchasing decision.”

In addition, Sarah confirms, “Visitors can hear from the industry’s leading experts, as well as groundscare professionals from the country’s top sports grounds, covering burning topics in the Learning LIVE seminar programme.

“There will be opportunities to speak to grassroots pitch advisors from the GMA and representatives from the National Governing Bodies to receive technical advice as well guidance on accessing much-needed funding and ways to upskill through the Grounds Management Framework,” she says. “All this is in addition to the unrivalled opportunities to network, earn CPD points and speak to experts offering career advice.”

With soon-to-be-announced exciting new show features making their first appearance at the show, Geoff Webb, CEO of the Grounds Management Association is keen to ensure that SALTEX continues to adapt and cater to the industry’s needs as it has done numerous times over its 76 exhibitions: “All income generated by the show is ploughed back into the industry securing its future for generations to come.

“By attending SALTEX, visitors are supporting the vital year-round work that enables the GMA to invest in important resources for the sector, as well as developing closer and more collaborative relationships with sports bodies that can help create inward investment back into the sector. Registering for your free ticket doesn’t just benefit you, it benefits the industry too.”

Registering now comes with the bonus of being entered into a free prize draw with the first 1,000 people to register as visitors in with a chance to win a one-night stay at the Moxy Birmingham NEC on the first night of the show.

SALTEX takes place at Birmingham NEC on 1-2 November 2023. To secure a free ticket to Europe’s largest and leading sports turf, amenities, and landscaping trade exhibition, register online at https://www.saltex.org.uk/ Competition details and T&Cs can be found at https://bit.ly/3PkITZU