Reesink’s BNPL offer allowed Stratford Oaks to do it all

Stratford Oaks Golf Club committed to another five years of course excellence and financial sustainability with a significant reinvestment in Toro machinery, facilitated through the hugely popular ‘buy now, pay later’ finance agreement with Reesink Turfcare.

With the finance offer secured in December, the latest investment sees the club upgrade and expand its machinery fleet, enabling the team to enhance operational efficiency while simultaneously progressing key course improvement projects.

“We didn’t want to have to put project work on hold while we upgraded the fleet,” says Course Manager James Cleaver. “The option of the ‘buy now, pay later’ deal meant we didn’t have to. We could secure the essential maintenance equipment we needed without compromising on investments elsewhere.”

Following routine due diligence, the Board of Directors concluded that this approach represented the most effective use of the club’s resources. “We invest carefully and it’s vital we get it right first time,” says James.

“A thorough evaluation of pricing versus total cost of ownership, parts availability, and long-term reliability across multiple brands confirmed that in practice and on paper Toro and Reesink would give us the financial predictability and continuity in course maintenance standards we were looking for.”

The five-year payment plan aligned strategically with the club’s machinery replacement cycle and the process itself was described as seamless by James, with Reesink’s team managing the bulk of the administration. “Josh Nash and the team at Reesink handled everything from start to finish. All we needed to do was review and sign off — it was incredibly straightforward.”

The investment comes at a pivotal time for the club, which is currently undertaking a series of major improvement projects. It is in phase two of a four-phase bunker refurbishment programme and replacing all its tees sprinklers. Construction is underway on a new maintenance facility, and it is developing its academy and introducing a new driving range and short game facilities. With these improvements intended to increase value for members while maintaining cost efficiency, it was important they could continue — and with Reesink’s ‘buy now, pay later’ deal they could.

Jon Cole, Divisional Business Manager at Reesink Turfcare, says: “We understand clubs need to balance investment with day-to-day operational demands. The goal of our flexible finance options is to make it as easy as possible to access the right machinery at the right time, without delaying important projects or compromising on quality.”

The deal includes two Toro Greensmaster 3420 mowers, three Greensmaster 1021 and two Greensmaster 1026 walking mowers, Workman utility vehicles, a Groundsmaster 4500 mower and two Reelmaster 3575-D which have been particularly useful for the site as it can get quite wet, says James. “We don’t risk any tearing or scuffing with this mower because they’re so lightweight.”

Looking ahead, Stratford Oaks is closely monitoring advancements in robotic mowing technology. “We’re very interested in how robotics are being adopted across UK golf clubs,” James added. “We expect Toro robotic mowers to play a role in our next machinery investment cycle, particularly on the new driving range.”

Jon concludes: “What stood out with the 2025 ‘buy now, pay later’ offer was just how popular it was. Now more than ever, we can see how much clubs value being able to spread the cost over a structured term, focusing on long-term value, improving efficiency, and planning with confidence — while we handle the process.”

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