Dennis ES-860’s Power Sustainable Maintenance

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Dennis ES-860’s Power Sustainable Maintenance: Roehampton Club, a prestigious multi-sports and social club in southwest London, has embraced sustainable practices with the introduction of two Dennis ES-860 battery-powered mowers.

Head Groundsman Simon Bailey and the grounds team have welcomed these new additions, which have helped improve the club’s maintenance of its tennis grass courts and croquet lawns.

Dennis ES-860’s Power Sustainable Maintenance

Dennis ES-860’s Power Sustainable Maintenance

Roehampton Club, with its vast range of facilities including an 18-hole parkland golf course, 28 tennis courts, croquet lawns, and other sports amenities, requires high standards of upkeep. The introduction of the ES-860 mowers has made a significant difference in the grounds team’s operations.

“We’ve been using Dennis mowers for over 15 years, and when it was time to upgrade, the move to electric felt like a natural step,” says Simon. “The Dennis ES-860 battery mowers are perfect for us. Being in London and surrounded by houses, we need to be mindful of any noise. These battery-powered mowers allow us to start working at 6am without disturbing our neighbours – that’s a big win for us.”

The ES-860 is a 34-inch battery-powered turf management system, designed to handle a variety of tasks using its 13 interchangeable cassettes, including cutting, scarifying, brushing, and verticutting. For Simon and the team, the flexibility of this system is one of its most valuable features.

“We use the ES-860 on our tennis courts and croquet lawns. On the tennis courts, we use them mainly for mowing, while on the croquet lawns, we use the verticutting and scarifying cassettes. The wide cutting width makes the job much quicker, and because we have two of them, we can cover a lot of ground fast,” Simon explains.

Environmental consciousness is a key focus at Roehampton Club. “We’ve got solar panels on all our roofs, and we’re committed to making our operations more sustainable, so switching to battery-powered mowers was the logical choice,” Simon says. “These mowers reduce our fuel costs, and with no hydraulics, there’s a reduced risk of spills and mechanical issues.”

Simon also highlights the impressive battery life. “We maintain 0.7 hectares of lawn tennis, and even after completing all the work, we’ve used less than 50% of the battery. What’s more, the battery performance remains consistent, whether we’re mowing, scarifying, or verticutting. It’s very reassuring.”

The adaptability of the Dennis ES-860 is a major advantage for Simon, allowing the team to change cassettes quickly and efficiently to suit the task at hand. “The best feature is the ability to swap the cassettes out in minutes. One minute, we’re verticutting, and the next, we’re mowing. This flexibility allows us to get more done in a day.”

Simon also praises the mowers for their quality of cut and ease of use. “The quality of cut is exceptional. We can control the speed and cassette speed easily, allowing for precise work without leaving marks when turning. The performance is always consistent, and we’re very happy with how they’ve enhanced our work.”

With the addition of the Dennis ES-860s, the grounds team at Roehampton Club have not only improved their day-to-day operations but have also taken a significant step toward greater sustainability. “If you’re looking to reduce costs, noise, and emissions, while maintaining a high-quality playing surface, the Dennis ES-860 is the perfect solution,” Simon concludes.

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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Toro guarding the resource at Royal County Down

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Toro guarding the resource at Royal County Down: Delivery met expectations, when Toro, Reesink Hydro-Scapes, Adrian Mortram Associates and MJ Abbott Limited united to provide Royal County Down Golf Club with a new system to redefine the areas of irrigation and act as a guardian of the resource in a project about as big as it gets in the UK.

The preservation of the traditional links conditions of Royal County Down in Northern Ireland is of paramount importance to Links Manager Eamonn Crawford and his team, who adhere to a strict links maintenance programme.

Toro guarding the resource at Royal County Down

Toro guarding the resource at Royal County Down

The club needed an efficient state-of-the-art irrigation system for its fairways, greens, tees, and pathways to be used as a management tool and in times of drought. More control over application and better management of the resource was needed, and it was important to use water conservatively, only irrigating the surfaces required.

David Morgan, Secretary at Royal County Down, says: “We have a social responsibility to manage our water usage, as well as an obligation to the course and our members to present it as a traditional links course. This requires a certain level of irrigation control and precision to keep it alive but not green.”

Eamonn and David had done their due diligence in terms of brand comparisons before specialist irrigation designer and consultant, Adrian Mortram from Adrian Mortram Associates, tendered for the project and Adrian was instructed to gear the irrigation system specification plans entirely towards Toro.

“Having the best technology and resources available is essential to ensure we deliver our links maintenance programme effectively and efficiently and to the best of our capabilities,” says Eamonn. “There was never any doubt that Toro and Reesink were the partners for us in that respect.”

Toro Lynx Central Control system and Smart Hub were specified and Robert Jackson, Divisional Manager, Reesink Hydro-Scapes, explains this provided Eamonn “with all the data needed to make decisions in real-time and run the system with precision from the first sprinkler to the last, controlling the application of water on different areas with different conditions and requirements.”

Toro Infinity and Flex sprinklers were chosen to provide accurate and precise watering from the source and installation ran simultaneously on both 18-hole courses over winter 2023, the wettest season and hardest winter in 25 years. The effects of this on working conditions for the installation teams were not to be underestimated, especially when adding the terrain of a links course to the situation.

But that didn’t affect delivery as David says: “Overall delivery met expectations. All parties came together seamlessly to deliver Royal County Down with an irrigation solution to the budget and timescale set.”

This system, its design and installation are a classic example of how to redefine the areas of irrigation to act as a guardian of the resource. Through technology, the club has increased its area of irrigation but uses less water and wetting agents and now water can be retained in the low structure of the course.

“Now, we have full control in managing the system and water application,” says Eamonn. “There’s no wastage and we only use what is needed where it’s needed. Irrigation really is made easy with Toro and this is the best system at this time and the process has been well worth it.”

Jim Price from MJ Abbott Limited concludes: “This is now a fully connected course in real-time. To deliver a project of this magnitude in those conditions on time is a huge success story.”

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Mansfield Sand Sets New Standards

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Mansfield Sand Sets New Standards: Cutting Edge Grounds Maintenance, a leading provider of grounds maintenance services, has selected MM40 from Mansfield Sand as its preferred choice of sand for sports pitch maintenance.

Established by industry expert Joshua Blackburn in 2021, Cutting Edge Grounds Maintenance specialises in comprehensive grounds maintenance services for schools, sports clubs, and grassroots football clubs.

Mansfield Sand Sets New Standards

Mansfield Sand Sets New Standards

“At Cutting Edge, we strive to offer our clients the very best in grounds maintenance and that requires using the best products,” says Joshua. “In my opinion, MM40 from Mansfield Sand is the best sports sand on the market.”

Mansfield Sand, boasting a rich history dating back to 1840, is renowned for its premium sand-based products and cutting-edge technology. With a comprehensive range of solutions for various applications, Mansfield Sand has earned a reputation for excellence and reliability.

MM40, which is relied upon at some of the most prestigious sport stadiums in the country, offers unparalleled quality and performance. Its medium fine texture and superior drainage properties make it ideal for renovations, maintenance, and day-to-day upkeep of sports pitches.

“We’ve found that MM40 consistently delivers outstanding results,” adds Joshua. “Its medium fine texture allows for excellent drainage, ensuring the health and performance of sports pitches throughout the year.

“Typically, on a football pitch we will use MM40 for renovations in May and then again in September/October time. It will also be applied during the season to areas such as goal mouths. It is a perfect product to use all year round.”

As well as being delighted with the results he receives from MM40, Joshua speaks highly of Mansfield Sand’s customer service.

“I can ring Mansfield Sand up and ask any questions I like; they give me all the support I need,” he says. “The customer service they provide is brilliant for contractors like me. The sand is always delivered on time too.”

By leveraging the quality and performance of products like Mansfield Sand’s MM40, Cutting Edge Grounds Maintenance continues to set new standards and exceed client expectations.

For more information visit www.mansfield-sand.co.uk

You can also follow the company on Twitter – @MansfieldSand and Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MansfieldSandSportSurfaces/

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