Toro maintains championship course for The Open

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Toro maintains championship course for The Open: Once again Toro machinery and irrigation is being used to present the iconic Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush Golf Club to the world for The Open.

The UK’s Toro distributor, Reesink Turfcare, will provide additional backup Toro machinery and support throughout the week-long tournament in July and can confirm a new long-term agreement to continue working with Royal Portrush has recently been completed.

Toro maintains championship course for The Open

Toro maintains championship course for The Open

With over a million fans applying for tickets and an anticipated 278,000 spectators expected to attend according to The R&A, it’s shaping up to be the biggest Open in history (outside of St Andrews), and maintaining a cool, calm head throughout years of preparations is Course Manager Graeme Beatt.

“It felt like there was no time at all between the 2019 Open finishing and preparations for the 2025 tournament starting,” Graeme says. “With 40,000 more people coming and a significant increase in corporate hospitality, we, along with The R&A, have been focused on improving the spectator experience and it was agreed we’d enlarge all of our spectator areas, rebuild the range and reconstruct the front nine of the Valley course.

“The rest of the changes are subtle. We’ve adjusted the first and seventh greens and have two new Championship tees on the fourth and seventh – the fourth is now 25 yards longer and the seventh about 15 yards longer than in 2019.”

Preparations are now focused on maintaining the courses at their general tournament standard: “From season to season we’re busy with members and events so we maintain the courses at a tournament standard year-round with Toro,” Graeme explains.

A Toro customer for over 30 years, Royal Portrush, its team of 30 staff and an international support team of 18, will use the club’s complete fleet of Toro equipment including battery-powered ride-on greens mowers, fairway mowers and utility vehicles, plus a new state-of-the-art Toro Lynx Central Control System to achieve the ideal playing conditions.

In addition, the club welcomes for the first time four Toro Vista shuttles configured for four, six and eight passengers to aid personnel transportation around the site.

There are changes to the way the Toro machinery is being used for the Championship, the biggest, Graeme tells us, is that the electric ride-on mowers are being used for the greens instead of hand cutting as was the case in 2019.

“The precision and technology of the Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370 ride-on mower is such that the results are equal to a hand mower,” Graeme tell us. “This was an approach favoured by St Andrews and Royal Troon when they hosted The Open and eliminating the chance of an oil leak brings peace of mind.”

The irrigation system upgrade, which included replacing all sprinkler heads with Infinity and B Series across both courses, is currently accommodating an unseasonably dry spring says Graeme: “We’re having a really dry spell which would be absolutely perfect if it was the end of June, but as it’s springtime we’re having to employ the technology of the system.

“The individually controlled irrigation heads are perfect for giving precise control over watering ensuring only the exact amount needed is used and we can achieve our goals without wastage.”

Danny Campbell, General Manager at Royal Portrush, commented on the new agreement with Toro: “The Club has had a wonderful relationship with Toro for more than three decades and we’re delighted to extend it even further. Graeme’s team produce the best surfaces all year round and their dedication, along with the support of Toro, enable us to continually deliver our courses to the highest standard.”

Jon Cole, Divisional Business Manager at Reesink Turfcare, concludes: “Our relationship with Royal Portrush is 35 years strong and to be providing Graeme and the team with all the equipment and backup and support they need to make hosting their third Open a success is an honour.”

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Howardson launches new Dennis Gang Mowers

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Howardson launches new Dennis Gang Mowers: Howardson Group is proud to introduce the latest addition to its Dennis brand: the Dennis Gang Mowers, a new range of precision-engineered gang mowers designed to provide a superior cut across large areas.

Built with simplicity, durability, and efficiency in mind, the Dennis Gang Mowers offer an exceptional solution for maintaining expansive turf surfaces.

Howardson launches new Dennis Gang Mowers

Howardson launches new Dennis Gang Mowers

Each individual cylinder boasts a 30” (760mm) cutting width, ensuring a fast and uniform cut.

The standard model, featuring a 190mm diameter cutting cylinder, is ideal for sports turf applications such as golf fairways, cricket outfields, football and rugby pitches, as well as ornamental landscapes. For semi-rough and amenity spaces, the Giant model comes equipped with a larger 250mm diameter cutting cylinder.

Designed for versatility, the Dennis Gang Mowers can be towed as a single unit or configured in sets of three or five cylinders.

They can be easily attached to a compact tractor, ride-on mower, or ATV, with a minimum towing requirement of 20hp for sets of three and five cylinders.

Engineered for stability and balance, the mowers deliver a quality cut without bouncing, and their robust construction allows them to perform consistently in both wet and dry conditions.

The innovative framework enables each cutting unit to follow ground undulations, ensuring an even and professional finish across the entire surface.

Unique Features of the Dennis Gang Mowers:

  • Available with cast iron or rubber wheels for enhanced adaptability
  • Easily dismantled for convenient transportation and storage
  • Cylinders available with 4, 6, or 9-bladed options to suit various cutting needs
  • Can perform in wet or dry conditions
  • Designed to allow each unit to follow undulations
  • An unrivalled combination of simple mechanics with high-quality engineering
  • Low lifetime ownership costs

The Dennis Gang Mowers are now available for purchase.

Howardson launches new Dennis Gang Mowers

Howardson launches new Dennis Gang Mowers

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

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow Dennis on X and Instagram @DennisMowers and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/DennisMowersUK.

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Nothing compares to Toro for Auchterarder

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Nothing compares to Toro for Auchterarder: Auchterarder Golf Club in the heart of Penrithshire, Scotland, has chosen Toro again for straight replacements of two of its pivotal mowers.

The club needed to update its frontline cutting equipment and decided there was no comparison on the market for the Greensmaster TriFlex 3420 hybrid for the greens and Toro’s Groundsmaster 3500-D for the tee banks at its parkland course.

Nothing compares to Toro for Auchterarder

Nothing compares to Toro for Auchterarder

Shaun McNaugton, Head Greenkeeper, says: “We’ve tried other brands over the years but always come back to Toro.”

The reasons for this are quite straightforward, he says: “The club has used Toro since before my time and I’ve worked here for 21 years. Every piece of equipment we buy must earn its keep and deliver a return on our investment. I expect longevity, value, performance, and reliability.”

Shaun moved away from his usual diesel greens mower last year, opting instead for the Greensmaster TriFlex 3420 hybrid model and he’s been so impressed with the savings in fuel with no compromise on performance that he ordered another.

“I haven’t done any number crunching on the diesel savings but they’re certainly obvious and significant’” he says. “It operates so efficiently in energy savings mode, representing impressive value.”

Another key selling point is the machine’s reduction in hydraulic components, says Shaun: “Reducing the risk of hydraulic leaks on the greens was equally as important as the savings in fuel consumption,” he confirms.

The Groundsmaster 3500-D that Shaun is replacing is 17 years old. He says: “That kind of longevity is important to us, but the technology in this machine is equally as important.

“It’s as if the Groundsmaster with Sidewinder was designed specifically for our course,” he continues. “In a parkland setting with an undulating landscape and sloping tee banks, the technology behind this machine comes into its own. Its easy manoeuvring and shifting cutting units deliver a close cut around the trees, on the bankings, and along hedgerows saving an unbelievable amount of effort and delivering a superb aesthetic.”

Add to that the fact that Toro machines are, according to Shaun, “easy to maintain, incur minimal downtime and a firm favourite with all the full- and part-time staff who use them as well as the local mechanic” and it makes sense that Auchterarder Golf Club is a repeat customer for distributor Reesink Scotland, the Scottish service branch of Reesink Turfcare based in Livingston.

John Rankin, Area Sales for Reesink Scotland, says: “Anyone who has the pleasure of playing or visiting Auchterarder Golf Club will know it is maintained with the utmost pride. Shaun is a loyal customer who trusts Toro implicitly to support him and the team as they endeavour to present the course in the best order possible.”

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Kubota reliability keeps contractors Djuke on course

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Kubota reliability keeps contractors Djuke on course: The milestone of the ‘1000th installation’ of Hydrowick greens drainage is on the horizon for specialist sports turf contractors Djuke, and ensuring they get there is a trio of tractors from Kubota.

Djuke Managing Director Cameron McMillan is no stranger to Kubota reliability having been loyal to the brand for over 30 years, with his latest purchase of an M5-112 and L2-522 from Lister Wilder providing the dependable power to tackle every task and every terrain with ease.

Kubota reliability keeps contractors Djuke on course

Kubota reliability keeps contractors Djuke on course

Starting at the world-renowned Sunningdale Golf Club, Cameron went on to continue his course management career at Queenwood Golf Club before establishing Djuke in 2013. The contractors have gone on to become the UK’s leading specialists in Hydrowick Drainage – a patented ‘wick’ system providing the fast and effective drainage of golf greens. With more intense and prolonged periods of rainfall, Cameron explains that demand is ever-increasing meaning that reliability is pivotal to keeping the whole contracting schedule on track.

“Together with new clubs, a lot of our work is repeat custom who find that the wettest green on the course becomes the driest with Hydrowick and want to replicate that site-wide” he explains. “Our schedule is tight so we have no margin for error, and certainly no time for machinery breakdowns!”

“Kubota, for me, has always been super reliable, comfortable and capable of everything you need from a tractor.” That confidence was reaffirmed with the recent addition of the M5-112 and L2-522 in December 2024. The two new machines joined their existing L2-501, which continues to deliver exceptional performance after more than 2,500 hours of service. “Every job and every green is different so we now have machines to suit all terrain and all ground types – lightweight tractors with good pulling power for the greens, together with our new M5-112 with greater lift capacity for operating bigger equipment on fairways and sports surfaces.”

“One feature the team really like is the creeper gearbox, giving complete control over the operation of some of our bespoke and precision-based implements” he adds. “In addition the heated and air-conditioned cabs are a popular choice, keeping us comfortable in all conditions.”

With routine maintenance simple enough to conduct in-house, further servicing and support is delivered by Lister Wilder, whom Cameron has also worked alongside for more than three decades. “Everything with Lister’s is reliable and professional. You know they understand the machines inside and out which provides added peace of mind with every purchase.”

“Kubota’s brilliant build quality combined with the regular maintenance means that in over 10 years of business, we’ve never missed a job and that’s something we’re incredibly proud of.”

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New look Wiedenmann Terra Spike GXi6 in UK

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New look Wiedenmann Terra Spike GXi6 in UK: One of the first Wiedenmann Terra Spike GXi6s, liveried in Wiedenmann’s new vibrant orange colour and silver logo, has gone to Hilton Park Golf Club, Milngavie, Glasgow.

Stuart Neil, Courses Manager of the 36-hole site, is in the enviable position of already owning a Wiedenmann Terra Spike GXi8 HD, so is in a perfect position to compare.

New look Wiedenmann Terra Spike GXi6 in UK

New look Wiedenmann Terra Spike GXi6 in UK

“The new machine does look sharp and smart. It’s a stronger orange. The logo is more modern; I like it! Having two GXis for us is about efficiency; it lets us double up on aeration when we get necessary weather windows. It will be great to get our 36 greens done in virtually half the time.”

Choosing the 1.4 m wide Terra Spike was a relatively easy decision for Stuart, who has served the club for 39 years.

“The GXi 8 is a fabulous machine, always neat and precise; it leaves a very clean finish, even with our undulations. There is negligible disturbance. Across both our 18-hole courses there are a few tight spots that the GXi8 can reach but needs to manoeuvre to access. The GXi6 at 1.4 m wide is that bit smaller so can just nip in with fewer tractor movements.

“I am particularly looking forward to the solid three-part rear roller which is a real benefit. It’s got a good weight and helps leave a quality job.”

Aeration and coring at the James Braid-designed moorland courses will take place throughout the year as and when conditions allow.

“There are certain greens that seal up quicker than others which warrant a little more attention,” continued Stuart. “I’ve never had issues aerating during the playing season but obviously we would only ever use the finer tines, certainly nothing more than 12 mm.

“For various reasons we’ve had to shorten some of our planned maintenance periods; for instance, at the end of June we have only one week, instead of two, so there is pressure on the team to get tasks completed quicker. Having the new machine eases some of the burden.

“I believe in always having our GXi 8 ‘ready to go’. If it’s finished a task and the tines are worn, we are fortunate enough to be able to re-order spares at once, fit them on and be primed and ready for the next time. We will do the same with the GXi 6.”

Scottish Wiedenmann dealer, Fairways GM at Inchinnan, supplied the aerator with Area Manager, Stuart Cameron, himself an ex-greenkeeper at Hilton Park, providing sales support, alongside Wiedenmann UK’s lead demonstrator, Andy Kerr.

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