Time Of Change At Woking GC

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Time Of Change At Woking GC: It’s been a time of change for Woking Golf Club in Surrey culminating in the recent signing of a machinery agreement plan with Toro and Reesink Turfcare.

It all started a couple of years ago and has seen the appointment of Andy Ewence as course manager, major works to restore the course to its fast running heathland roots and the undertaking of some modern initiatives in preparation for the milestone 125th anniversary in 2018. The result is a club that has risen 22 places in the Golf World Top 100 Golf Courses in Britain and Ireland ranking in 2018, now ranked 17th in England, and the delivery of a new Toro fleet is the icing on the cake says Andy.

Time Of Change At Woking GC

For 125 years golfers have been playing at Woking Golf Club, Surrey’s oldest heathland golf course, and it was this milestone moment that sparked a period of change, confirms Andy: “My appointment in 2017 coincided with progressive plans for the club. There have been major works to the course and the pressure is always on to maintain and improve.”

Andy has long been a Toro customer so is very aware of the quality of the machinery and the advice and service provided by Reesink Turfcare. At The Buckinghamshire, where he spent five years before joining Woking Golf Club, there was a five-year leasing plan for machinery in place and Andy had just finished overseeing the installation of a new irrigation system across the 226 acre course.

He says: “I knew from experience that Toro was well ahead of the competition, but it’s like chalk and cheese when you compare Toro to what we had here before. The quality of machinery and the service is just unbeatable. However, we made sure to explore all the options when the last lease ended. We trialed machines from several different brands, but it proved quickly that Toro was the right way to go.”

Now with a comprehensive Toro fleet which includes a Greensmaster TriFlex 3400, Groundsmaster 4000-D, ProCore 1298 and a Workman HDX-D to name a few, Andy is thrilled with how the new machines are meeting the needs of the club as it enters its 126th year.

“We have undulating greens, so having pedestrian mowers that provide precision and a high quality of cut is really important,” says Andy. “In particular, the Toro Greensmaster eFlex 2120 is great. The Lithium-ion battery technology reduces noise so we can get out and start work earlier, plus it saves fuel.”

And, as mentioned, it’s not only the machines that have impressed Andy, but the advice and service from Reesink, too. “The whole process with Reesink has been great,” he says. “They didn’t try to sell us anything the club didn’t need – they listened to what we wanted and came back with the best possible solution. They’ve also come in and given a day long training course to the team on how to use the machines. Nothing has been too much trouble.”

Woking Golf Club is a prime example of golf course architecture. Designed by Tom Dunn and further improved by former members John Low and Stuart Paton, it has long been regarded as an essential place to study for aspiring and existing golf architects and with keen eyes on the club, Andy is confident that with Toro on board the course will go above and beyond expectations.

“I’m sure the playing surface is only going to improve massively with Toro now at the club,” he says. “It’s definitely going to bring the already high standard of the course up a notch, which we’re all really excited to see.”

For more information, visit: reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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ECHO Launch First Mower

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ECHO Launch First Mower: ECHO has built an enviable reputation for producing quality outdoor power tools, both professional and domestic. Until now, only a lawnmower has been missing from the range but that has been rectified with the introduction of a new 58V battery powered mower. Part of ECHO’s new 58V range, the LM-58V4AH offers petrol performance from a battery product. ECHO is quick to point out the new mower is the product of extensive development and built to the same professional standards as all its tools.

The question is, why would you choose battery power over petrol? ECHO answers this with a mower that has all the power of its petrol counterparts, whilst bringing a range of battery benefits and green credentials. These include low noise, low vibration, no emissions at the point of use and minimal maintenance. This makes it ideal for working in noise and emission sensitive areas such as parks and public gardens, educational establishments and around hospitals as well as domestic gardens. Coupled with no fuel filling or fuel storage required, no pull start and a lower lifetime cost of ownership, it’s easy to see why ECHO’s new lawnmower is perfect for today’s keen gardener.

ECHO Launch First Mower

The LM-58V4AH is powered by a 58V lithium-ion battery and a brushless motor, which is long lasting and maintenance free due to non-wearing parts; helping to reduce downtime and servicing costs. It has a run time of up to forty minutes on one battery and comes with a quick charger to fully charge the 4Ah battery in sixty minutes. So you just charge and go. There are dual battery compartments and a simple key system activates a second optional battery for maximum convenience and minimal disruption.

The mower features a 53cm (21”) cutting deck that is robust, won’t rust and comes with a grass collection bag and mulch plug, offering the versatility of collection or mulching. Wheel height adjusters with seven positions let you easily select multiple cutting heights and there is a three position handle adjustment for maximum user comfort. The quick release handle enables compact vertical or horizontal storage.

ECHO’S 58V interchangeable battery system allows one battery to fit multiple tools. So the 4Ah battery that comes with the mower can be used with any of the 58V products in the range which, together with the mower, comprises a chainsaw, power blower, hedgetrimmer and trimmer. ECHO offers a one-year professional use or two-year domestic warranty on the LM-58V4AH, which shows their confidence in the machine, and there is a two-year warranty on all 58V lithium-ion batteries. You can find out more from your local authorised ECHO dealer, by visiting www.echo-tools.co.uk or calling 0800 597 7777 for more information.

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New Terra Spike For Premier Pitches

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New Terra Spike For Premier Pitches: Specialist sports turf contractor, Premier Pitches, has added a Wiedenmann Terra Spike GXi8 HD to its list of machinery, specifically for work at renovation time.

Director, Jonathan Woolfall, of the Sheffield firm which won The IOG Contractor of the Year in both 2016 & 2017, said:

New Terra Spike For Premier Pitches

“A lot of clubs want deep aeration built into end-of-season packages.

“We bought this machine principally to use during the renovation period, so mainly April, May and June. When you do renovations there can be many tractor and trailer movements across a pitch which inevitably lead to compaction.  After we’ve put the sand and seeds in the ground, an efficient deep tine with the GXi8 helps air circulate below the surface, then, we just leave it alone…it’s a good way to conclude such works.

“We needed to replace a machine so with dealer, Balmers GM, we looked about to see what was available. The precision and build quality of the GXi8 were second to none. It’s light, fast and easy to transport around the country on a small truck.  We bought it with the knowledge that it will be with us for a very long time.”

Easy tool-free adjustments mean that heave and depth settings can be finely tuned to suit conditions.  Importantly, the GXi8 HD offers Advance Tine Control a uniquely patented feature which makes sure the tines’ incision into the ground is always precise leaving a neat finish. It has a working depth of up to 250 mm and covers a whole pitch in less than three hours.

For more information, visit: www.wiedenmann.com

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Save Time With The Husqvarna Automower

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Save Time With The Husqvarna Automower: The Husqvarna Automower 500 Series is a range of robotic mowers specifically developed for the needs of commercial customers.

The mowers allow grassed areas to be maintained efficiently and to a consistently high standard whilst enabling the redeployment of resources onto more labour intensive tasks.

Save Time With The Husqvarna Automower

The range produces no direct emissions and are near silent making them ideal for night time operation or in noise sensitive areas. They are also extremely cost effective to operate.

Three models are available with area capacity up to 5000m2 per machine. Multiple machines can be used in areas greater than 5000m2.

The new Husqvarna Automower 535 AWD allows slopes of up to 70% to be maintained as well as rough terrain, the standard models have slope performance of 45%.

The robotic mowers are designed to cut little and often recycling the micro-clippings back into the soil improving grass quality whilst maintaining a consistent grass length throughout the growing season.

Husqvarna Fleet Services which is a fleet management tool is in-built on the Automower 500 Series.

Performance, settings, locations and machine health of an entire fleet of Husqvarna robotic mowers can be tracked from anywhere using the software solution.

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Cub Cadet Launch XR Robotic Mowers

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Cub Cadet Launch XR Robotic Mowers: Leading lawnmower manufacturer Cub Cadet has launched a ground-breaking new range of robotic mowers, the XR Enduro Series.

Built with innovation and convenience in mind, the new robots – XR1, XR2 and XR3 – mow up to 10 percent faster than similar models on the market due to the patented blade technology and strong mowing system, producing a perfectly trimmed lawn in no time.

Cub Cadet Launch XR Robotic Mowers

The robots have been developed with state-of-the-art technology and features that meet both consumer and professional needs to save the time and effort of mowing.

The XR1 500 features a strong, floating, self-cleaning mowing deck that handles challenging terrain with incredible accuracy and produces clippings fine enough to mulch into the soil. This process acts as a natural fertiliser resulting in a better-looking lawn, improved performance and reduced maintenance.

The XR2 and XR3 robots in the range have the unique ability to trim right up to the edge of the lawn thanks to the patented steel blades which cut beyond the wheelbase. Therefore, there is no need for a lawn edge cutter or strimmer, saving space on storage. Also, the robots will mow areas of up to 5000m².

By utilising state-of-the-art technology, gardeners will have complete control of their robot, any place, any time, using their smartphone or home computer to view reports and change mowing schedules. As well as being Alexa compatible, they have pin code security, and some models come with Bluetooth remote control capability and GPS, which allows the mower to be tracked.

The ever-changing British weather needn’t be a problem either as the integrated rain sensor alerts the robot to return to its home when it starts raining. It can then start cutting again when the weather improves.

Phil Noble, field sales and technical manager for Cub Cadet, said: “We have waited for the right time to join this competitive market to ensure our robotic mowers have all the features that a gardener could want. Customers are now starting to see robotics as a viable option to a traditional walk-behind mower or a lawn tractor, so by creating a range which is smart, innovative, cost-effective and convenient to use, we are showing that a robotic mower is the future of mowing.”

The XR mowers are equipped with Smart Mow which instead of stopping and turning when the robot reaches the perimeter wire, turns in a continuously smooth arc, saving time and ensuring a better-quality cut.

Deciding when to mow isn’t an issue as the robots can be programmed to run at any time of the day, even when the user is away on holiday. The robotic mowers run between 68 and 74 decibels, depending on the model, meaning even during the night gardeners can be assured the lawn will still be cut to a high standard, without disrupting neighbours or wildlife.

For this range, Cub Cadet has also introduced the exclusive Robozone. This innovative feature works either via a battery or mains power and is a signal transmitter, which means that the robotic mower can be used in another garden without having to buy a second charging station – ideal for when a gardener needs to go round to mow the parent’s lawn. It also enables the robot to be used in difficult and hard-to-reach areas where there is no mains power. This cutting-edge product from Cub Cadet means the robot can be utilised for more than one job.

Phil added: “A robotic mower will give you back the time spent mowing the lawn to use doing other things whilst still have a perfectly trimmed lawn. Also, robots mulch the grass exceptionally well, which helps put nutrients back into the lawn, keeping it green and healthy – even in drought conditions like last year, it’s a win-win situation.”

For more information and to find your local dealer please visit www.cubcadet.co.uk

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