Real Club Valderrama Invests in E-Z-GO ELiTE

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Real Club Valderrama Invests in E-Z-GO ELiTE™: Real Club Valderrama, host of the 1997 Ryder Cup, is the first golf club in Spain, and one of the first in Europe to purchase a fleet of the recently launched E-Z-GO ELiTE golf cars. Local dealer Greenmowers made the delivery.

Real Club Valderrama Invests in E-Z-GO ELiTE

Real Club Valderrama has purchased 40 E-Z-GO RXV ELiTE golf cars. The ELiTE series from E-Z-GO features Samsung SDI lithium batteries which require zero maintenance and comes with a five-year warranty. The new golf cars charge in half the time and require less out-of-wall power than leading lead acid competitors.

Javier Reviriego studied business administration and golf club management at Florida State University and has been the general manager at Valderrama for more than six years. Commenting on the new fleet, Javier said:

“Valderrama has been setting the benchmark for golf courses across Spain and Europe since the 1980s. It is important that we continue to be ahead of the game and provide the best possible quality for our members. We invested in the E-Z-GO ELiTE series as the Samsung lithium batteries are a huge step forward. It is a new era for golf cars, and we are proud to be amongst the first to offer the new technology on the course.

“We first started using E-Z-GO five years ago. We tried other golf cars, but the quality of the E-Z-GO vehicles was the best. I first heard about the new ELiTE series at the PGA show in Orlando earlier this year, and I knew Valderrama had to be the first to invest in the new technology. As a club, we are very environmentally conscious, so the fact that the new golf cars take half the time to charge saves us a lot in energy.”

The batteries in the ELiTE vehicles are controlled by an advanced Battery Management System that monitors efficiency, temperature, state of charge and the health of the batteries. These batteries have been used to safely and reliably power electric cars, e-scooters and power tools, providing consistent performance that does not fade over time.

“The lighter batteries have significantly reduced the weight of the golf cars, which protects the turf on the course,” Javier continued. “We spend a substantial amount of time and resources to present the best possible playing conditions, so this will certainly make a difference.”

Javier Ramírez, Managing Director at Greenmowers said:

“We are pleased to have sold the first fleet of E-Z-GO ELiTE golf cars to Real Club Valderrama. It is a prestigious course, and it is a great honour to provide the club with the new vehicles. Greenmowers has had a relationship with Valderrama since 2003, and we look forward to supporting it for many more years to come.”

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100% Toro For 125th Anniversary

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100% Toro For 125th Anniversary: Machinery replacement deal for Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club

100% Toro For 125th Anniversary

In 2005 Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club, one of London’s top private members club in Richmond-on-Thames, completed an all-in machinery purchase with Toro, making the club’s shed 100 percent Toro red for the first time.

2017 marks the club’s 125th anniversary and coinciding with that the club board was presented with a proposal to purchase 18 new turfcare machines by course manager, Gavin Kinsella, which they unanimously decided to action.

Gavin, who has been at Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club for ten years and heads up a team of 16 greenkeepers who maintain the club’s two 18-hole courses, says: “We have an extensive fleet and place huge demands on each machine, so it’s important to have a regular replacement programme. We replace the machines based on their hours of work and general condition. It so happened that the purchase coincided with our 125th anniversary year, which brings with it a packed calendar with celebratory events planned for every month of the year, and in many cases multiple competitions in a month.”

The initial reasons Royal Mid-Surrey opted for Toro in 2005 was for ease of use and machine speed over the ground, and it appears its performance has been nothing but exemplary. With two 18-hole courses to tend, each offering two very different tests of golf, Gavin needs to know he can rely on the machines to give a true cut.

He says: “We have 18 USGA spec greens on the JH Taylor Course and a reputation as one of the best golfing experiences in London to uphold. Both the JH Taylor and Pam Barton courses offer fast true greens and that has been the case since the club opened in 1892. With so many years of golfing history to maintain it’s essential we can rely on the kit to get the job done.”

When a course is specifically created with ‘humps and hollows’ for distinctive character as Royal Mid-Surrey was by JH Taylor and greenkeeper at the time Peter Lees, it requires a talented course manager, a skilled greenkeeping team and a reliable fleet to ensure that character is presented as intended 125 years later. It’s thanks to Gavin, his team and Toro that this is the case.

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SISIS Javelin Aer-Aid impresses in STRI trials

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SISIS Javelin Aer-Aid impresses in STRI trials: Following extensive trials conducted by the STRI (Sports Turf Research Institute), it has been concluded that the SISIS Javelin Aer-Aid tractor mounted aerator would be an essential tool within any integrated turf management programme.

SISIS Javelin Aer-Aid impresses in STRI trials

Over a four month period, extensive STRI trials led by Dr Christian Spring were carried out at the world’s leading sports turf consultancy’s headquarters in Bingley, West Yorkshire. The research saw three trial plots set-up in which one area examined the effects of the SISIS Javelin Aer-Aid with air injection, one with the Aer-Aid without air injection, while the other plot was left un-treated. In particular, Christian and his team of researchers were looking at how and if the Javelin Aer-Aid had an effect on the hardness of the turf, root depth, water infiltration and disease.

“The SISIS Javelin Aer-Aid was really effective in reducing compaction,” reported Christian. “In measuring the penetration depth, we ran the Aer-Aid over the surface and found that the probe was able to penetrate further into the soil profile, indicating that compaction throughout the entire trial site was significantly less than areas that were left un-treated.”

“It became obvious that the Aer-Aid improved maximum root and depth within the soil profile and also had the benefit of increasing the depth of the average rooting mass. The reason or the rationale for this improvement was likely to be a result of the increased air space in the soil profile created by the air injection and the fracturing that resulted from that.”

With 10mm diameter ‘tipped’ tines working at 75mm (3ins) spacing, air is introduced from the Aer-Aid at a rate of 88 litres (3cu.ft.) per minute at 120 PSI. These air injection tines are specially designed to use the maximum air available from the compressor and produces clean, fresh air, while also ensuring that surface disturbance is kept to a minimum. The cam trigger mechanism ensures that the air is always expelled at the bottom of the tine penetration, enabling treatment to be targeted precisely and consistently at desired depth

It is common knowledge that well-aerated turf with good drainage and air circulation will experience fewer moisture problems, and during the trials, Christian reported that the plot which had been treated with the Javelin Aer-Aid had been extremely successful in keeping an all too common disease at bay.

“The use of the SISIS Javelin Air-Aid proved beneficial in helping to reduce the conditions in which Microdochium Patch occurred on the trial plots. Plots that were treated with the Aer-Aid, with the air injection switched on, appear to have significantly less disease than the un-treated plots during a period of disease pressure throughout autumn.”

The Aer-Aid can be used all year round on both fine and outfield turf, with its unique feature of moving air uniformly throughout the root zone – not just where the tines have penetrated.

“Overall, the SISIS Javelin Aer-Aid, from the research work we carried out, proved to be a very effective tool in helping to manage the soil profile, creating better rooting, allowing water and air movement through the profile, keeping disease at bay and helping to reduce compaction.”

“My personal thoughts on the SISIS Javelin Air Aid, is that it is a very useful tool in any greenkeeper’s or groundsman’s arsenal, to help control and address key agronomic issues.”

A video of these results can be viewed by visiting:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tiCea3MA5Y

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact SISIS on 01332 824 777 or visit www.sisis.com

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Toro Improves Turf At Grimsthorpe Castle

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Toro Improves Condition And Appearance Of Turf At Grimsthorpe Castle: First time Toro customer, Grimsthorpe Castle in Lincolnshire, has purchased a Groundsmaster 4300-D rotary mower to tend the formal gardens. An improvement in the condition and appearance of the turf within the gardens of the 3000-acre estate is already evident.

Toro Improves Turf At Grimsthorpe Castle

From Easter to September, the 65 acre gardens are open to the public and with footfall increasing so too are the horticultural standards.

Jim Handley, head gardener, explains: “One of my main challenges after accepting the position at Grimsthorpe was to raise the horticultural standards of the gardens. Our expansive lawns are a major attraction for our visitors, especially those with young families, and it’s my responsibility to provide them with the best turf possible to enjoy their visit.

“Soon after arriving at Grimsthorpe I realised that with our heavy clay soil, time constraints and natural mix of turf species, our cylinder mower was struggling to keep the turf in good condition. With little to no seasonal lawn maintenance being carried out previously, I have been formulating plans to begin rejuvenating our turf over a number of years. The first step was to replace our cylinder with a rotary mower to help alleviate some of the problems we were having.”

With it established that a rotary mower was needed to help with the regeneration and improvement of the turf, why a Toro? Jim says: “This is our first Toro mower, chosen simply because out of all the machines we looked at, the Groundsmaster 4300-D was the most suited. Its performance and comfort was unsurpassed and the ease of height adjustment and back up service presented was very good and sealed the deal.”

A rotary mower is favoured for its ability to tackle longer, thicker grass and terrain with contours and undulations with ease. Jim says: “By switching to a rotary mower we have eliminated some of the previous issues we were having. It’s comfortable with the conditions of the ground and even if we miss a day cutting, it handles the longer grass easily, cutting it right back down again with no problem. Under those conditions the cylinder mower tended to roll the grass, which wasn’t helping the plant’s health or appearance. The rotary is helping regenerate our turf, ensuring a good quality cut, resulting with lush and green lawns.”

The GM4300-D is, says Reesink Turfcare’s Stewart Jeffs, incredibly productive with a mowing capacity of 5.4 acres an hour, but its lightweight design means less compaction. This is an especially important consideration for clay soil which is prone to compact.

Jim who has been working at the castle for five years and has a team of four gardeners and groundsman, says the job of raising the standard of the gardens has been made easier since the arrival of the Toro GM4300-D. “We have a lengthy programme of rejuvenation and ongoing maintenance to get our lawns to a good standard, the Toro is a fine addition to our armoury to help make this happen.”

And we’re delighted to hear it’s in good time for the castle which for the first time will be opening in October half-term for visitors to enjoy.

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Letterkenny GC welcomes first Super 500 to Donegal

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Letterkenny GC welcomes first: Wiedenmann Super 500 to Donegal

Letterkenny GC welcomes first Super 500 to Donegal

Head Greenkeeper, John Neilly and his team at Letterkenny GC are the first recipients of a Wiedenmann Super 500 in Donegal.  The hugely versatile 3-1 collector, scarifier and verticutter was an easy choice for those who maintain the testing parkland course, with its spectacular vistas across the Swilly Estuary.

“Even after just a few weeks, you just know it’s a machine with a big work ethic which will serve well. It was outstanding at demo and already hard at work scarifying fairways which is what we wanted. In the coming months as a leaf collector it will be immense,” said John Neilly.

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