The Grove signs 10 year partnership with Toro and Reesink

The Grove signs 10 year partnership with Toro and Reesink

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The Grove signs 10 year partnership with Toro and Reesink

The Grove has secured a long-term partnership with Toro and Reesink UK, continuing a 22‑year relationship and ushering in a new era of integrated turf management.

The Grove signs 10 year partnership with Toro and Reesink

The Grove signs 10 year partnership with Toro and Reesink

As part of a significant new 10‑year agreement, which strengthens a relationship that has existed since the Hertfordshire resort opened more than two decades ago, The Grove has invested in a full machinery fleet renewal and update alongside the installation of a new irrigation system across the entire course.

The Grove’s leadership team put the deal out in a competitive tender process involving multiple manufacturers and selected Toro as its strategic partner for another decade.

“We’ve been a loyal Toro customer since the beginning,” says Will Evans, Agronomy and Facilities Director at The Grove. “And when we reviewed the complete solutions package, it quickly became clear it was again the right fit for us, especially with the irrigation system involved, new technologies emerging and the way the machinery and irrigation systems could work seamlessly together.

“Partnering with Reesink meant we could manage everything through one provider making the decision even more straightforward.”

While the deal includes a full machinery fleet update, there is also a heavy investment in a suite of the brand’s new digital technologies; all designed to transform turf management through real‑time data and precision control.

Fleet management and GPS spraying technology, moisture-responsive irrigation and autonomous mowing will work all together to enhance overall efficiency, sustainability, and course conditioning.

It is, says Jon Cole, Divisional Business Manager, Reesink Turfcare, an agreement that positions The Grove and Toro at the forefront of innovation in UK golf course management: “By integrating Toro’s most advanced software solutions into operations, The Grove is positioning itself as a leader in modern, high‑performance turf management,” he says.

The agreement reinforces The Grove’s position as a designated Toro showcase venue, where customers and industry partners can experience the latest innovations in turf machinery, irrigation, and autonomous mowing in a live working environment.

Will explains: “We’ve had a close working relationship with Toro and have supported its presence in the UK market for many years. It’s exciting to see emerging technologies and new products demonstrated on our course and play a role in introducing them to UK customers.”

The transition to a full wall‑to‑wall irrigation system installation is scheduled and The Grove has already trialled Toro irrigation on reconstructed areas of the course, reporting strong early results.

Reesink UK and dealer Oliver Landpower will be supporting the deal with technical assistance, weekly on‑site visits, and ongoing training for The Grove’s greenkeeping and mechanical teams.

“Our relationship with The Grove dates to 2002, before the venue opened, when we supplied its initial fleet of Toro machinery and there have been many milestones in that time,” says Glen Giddings from Oliver Landpower.

“In 2006, when The Grove hosted the AMEX Championship one of our Master Technicians was on permanent standby, supporting early-morning machinery preparation, re-grinding and technical requirements to ensure tournament-grade performance. Now, we’ve transitioned from a supplier partnership into a trusted and collaborative relationship.”

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Pink Warrior Campaign for Breast Cancer Awareness

Pink Warrior Campaign for Breast Cancer Awareness

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Pink Warrior Campaign for Breast Cancer Awareness

STM Co in Warwickshire import, for the UK market, grasscutting machinery from SCAG Power Equipment in the United States.

Pink Warrior Campaign for Breast Cancer Awareness

Pink Warrior Campaign for Breast Cancer Awareness

For several years now SCAG in the USA have had a campaign called “Simply the Brave”, to support their Nation’s Heroes, with machines in military colours with discounts and a contribution by them for each machine in the special series sold.

This year they have extended the Simply the Brave concept to, as they say, “support our mothers, daughters, sisters, friends, and neighbours who have been affected by breast cancer.”

The machines are bright pink – and look simply stunning.

Sales, and therefore money raised, have started off well in the USA. Over here we have had several enquiries and are having a Prize Draw for a Pink Warrior before the machines go on general sale.

About the Prize Draw:

STM have a special link with the idea of Breast Cancer Awareness in that the wife of our CEO had a gruelling journey because of it. This was what led to the idea of STM doing a Prize Draw for a machine they have bought themselves and ALL proceeds go to Cancer Research.

To purchase a minimum £5 ticket for the draw access is via the QR code which takes you to the giving page.

The Draw will take place at Saltex (11th / 12th November) on our stand QO60

About the Pink Warrior:

It’s a 52” cut petrol engine Zero-Turn Ride-on, based on the SCAG “Patriot” machine.

More details on the STM website www.st-mach.com

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Teamwork makes the dream work at Swaffham

Teamwork makes the dream work at Swaffham

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Teamwork makes the dream work at Swaffham

When Colin Hutt arrived at Swaffham Golf Club in its centenary year in 2022, he was welcomed by a club with excellent natural drainage and plenty of personality, but one working to improve within tight financial constraints. Every decision has to deliver real value which is where the club are seeing positive results from a partnership with Origin Amenity Solutions (OAS) – two years into a programme which is making measured steps in the right direction without overstretching budgets, staff and site limitations.

Teamwork makes the dream work at Swaffham

Teamwork makes the dream work at Swaffham

Starting off in greenkeeping at the age of 16, Colin brought over four decades of experience to the characterful course nestled within Norfolk Breckland Heathland, over which time he’d gained first-hand knowledge of a vast array of tools, techniques and nutritional products. This prior experience, combined with repeated conversations with OAS Area Sales Representative Mark Keysell at regional events, was the start of a positive parentship built on a genuine understanding of the club’s needs.

“While we were using other products initially, Mark continued to pop in from time to time and provided some advice on the greens and always kept us informed of the new and different products within the Origin’s range” Colin explains. “He then organised a meeting at BTME with members of the OAS technical team which provided the extra data and reassurance we needed to give a new programme a try.”

With limited irrigation and free-draining chalk and stone-based profiles, the plan centred around careful nutritional and moisture management to maintain consistency throughout the season. “On the greens we’re using a combination of granular and liquid fertiliser feeds, together with Ascoflex Plus biostimulant and Terafirm and TriCure AD wetting agents. Through the winter we then put down regular applications of the 20-20-30 tank mix to provide additional strength and resilience.”

Additional inputs across the wider course include Greenforce Pro, Darby selective herbicides and two formulations of Multi-Green – which Colin highlights as a particularly familiar and reliable part of the programme. “This is a product I’d used a lot previously and, while conditions are different here to my previous club, Multi-Green continues to deliver fantastic results season after season.”

What started with conversations around chemistry and product support, has extended into broader agronomic discussions, with Mark taking soil samples, organic matter readings and conducting a full review of the programme ahead of entering year two. “This is so important and means we can determine where progress is being made and what adjustments may be needed to ensure we continue taking those steps in the right direction.”

Colin adds, “The club, the players and the directors can all see the improvements in course condition which is incredibly rewarding but it’s not something that is achieved by yourself. I’m incredibly fortunate to have five motivated greenkeepers, fantastically supportive directors and excellent advisors like Mark who prove that, together, teamwork really does make the dream work!”

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