Dennis Mowers: “A Pedigree No-One Can Argue With”

/in , /by

Dennis Mowers: “A pedigree no-one Can argue with” – Glenn Davies, grounds manager at Bloxham School in Oxfordshire has claimed that he chooses Dennis because of the “strength, history, quality and durability” of the mowers.

Dennis Mowers: “A pedigree no-one Can argue with”

Set in the beautiful countryside of Oxfordshire, Bloxham School is an independent co-educational day and boarding school for students aged 11-18. Although the school is best known for its academic success, Bloxham also boasts a superb sporting programme which is complimented by first-class facilities.

Glenn oversees the maintenance of around 40 acres of sports fields which includes seven rugby pitches, four cricket squares, one football pitch, one hockey pitch and two grass tennis courts. With over 400 pupils attending the school and playing sport on a regular basis, as well as the facilities being used by local and county sporting teams – it is safe to say that the pitches have a high amount of usage.

Helping Glenn and his team keep on-top of such heavy usage is the Dennis G860 cylinder mower, which they use on a variety of different sports surfaces.

“The Dennis G860 is a great bit of kit,” says Glenn. “We use it for cutting the cricket squares, for cutting the grass hockey pitches, both rugby and football pitches, and when we have county fixtures or cup games we will box off the cricket outfields because this gives it a much faster, truer surface so the ball will carry quicker.”

“In my opinion the G860 is one of the best machines you can get and with the interchangeable cassette system, it is extremely versatile.”

As Glenn says, the Dennis G860 features an interchangeable cassette system, and with a simple one minute changeover, users have the option of fitting eleven different types of heads including scarifiers, verticutters, brushes, spikers, and slitters as well as six or eight bladed cutting cylinders.

“In terms of the cassettes, we are particularly impressed with the scarifier, and we will use it lightly through the season so we can make sure we keep the thatch down to a minimum and the grass stood upright.”

“The brush is also a very useful cassette to have. We’ll use this throughout the season to keep the squares nice and clean, but we will also put the brush in after we’ve done a deep scarify in the autumn and the spring. This drags up all the grass the machines haven’t been able to pick up and it will also pick up all the debris and take it away. So when you put your top dressing down, you have got a clean, flat base to start with.”

“You just can’t beat the Dennis machines,” says Glenn. “There are other machines on the market but Dennis has got a pedigree that nobody can argue with – for me, it speaks of strength, history and durability. They’ve been around for a long time, they always deliver, and most groundsmen you talk to will favour a Dennis above anything else.”

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

Council Sees Efficiency Soar Thanks To New Toro Mower

/in , /by

Council Sees Efficiency Soar Thanks To New Toro Mower – Uttlesford District Council’s decision to opt for Toro’s LT-F3000 flail when the need arose for a new grounds mower to tackle the area’s parks and open spaces is one that has made a significant difference to productivity and efficiency.

Council Sees Efficiency Soar Thanks To New Toro Mower

The LT-F3000 is expected to maintain 760,000 square metres of parkland and open spaces per month and Steve King, Uttlesford’s street services supervisor, says it was evident that the LT-F3000 was “more than up to the task” straight away as it began having “a notable impact on the efficiency of the workforce” within just two weeks.

Steve continues: “We’ve been using the flail for two weeks now and it’s already having a notable impact on efficiency. We’re finding the LT-F3000 is capable of achieving the same amount of work that we would otherwise have to bring three dedicated mowers in for. This level of versatility in one mower has significantly improved the team’s productivity rate.

“Our previous machine’s cutting width was 1.7m, but the new mower boasts a 2.12m cutting width, which has enabled us to cut down on operating times. We’ve also found that the flail’s three cutting units follow the contours of the ground better than our former single unit machine, resulting in a superb after-cut appearance.”

This high quality finish is achieved no matter what the length of the grass is to start with, says Steve: “Long, short, wet, coarse, the result is always great. The LT-F3000 can easily cut meadows, the height of cut just needs to be adjusted, and it’s very good with small bank work as it’s solid and stable.

“It’s easy to transport too; the front units can be tucked up out of the way and secured by good, sturdy fixing points so towing is safe and fast. With this feature, the machine can be moved from site to site hassle-free and we can now access trickier sites which were previously impossible. We are looking to get the machine road registered, so it could be even more productive!”

Uttlesford District Council’s grounds maintenance division prides itself on delivering a high level of service to its residents and every machinery choice is made with a great deal of care. Steve says: “We considered a variety of different machines, but the Toro shone through by promising to deliver everything our sites demand. It’s great to see this translate to our working day and the results we are producing.”

If that weren’t enough, “the professional manner of Reesink Turfcare’s representative Danny Lake cemented our decision,” says Steve. “He was very personable and really cared about helping us choose the best investment for our needs. Reesink’s customer service has been absolutely fantastic throughout, with any queries handled quickly and efficiently.”

Uttlesford District Council’s grounds team of nine replaces its machines every seven years and welcomes this as an opportunity to consider new technology to improve the already high level of service it provides to the residents of Uttlesford. In choosing machines like the Toro LT-F3000, which the council has found has the capability to do the work of three machines, it seems fair to say Uttlesford District Council is making all the right choices.

Malvern Hills Puts Kubota’s Latest RTV To The Test

/in , /by

Malvern Hills puts Kubota’s latest RTV to the test – Kubota UK’s commitment to the environment has stepped up once more this month after the market leading machinery supplier loaned its RTV-X900 utility vehicle to the Malvern Hills Trust, a charity that conserves the iconic, ecological landscape in Worcestershire.

Malvern Hills Puts Kubota’s Latest RTV To The Test

As a popular destination for tourists and locals alike, a home to wildlife, and a workplace for local farmers, the Malvern Hills and Commons make up over 3,000 acres of grassland, woodland and rocky terrain.

The Kubota RTV-X900 has already become a major player for the Trust, helping its 20 volunteers and six field staff tackle the expansive and rugged landscape by carrying people and equipment efficiently across the vast site.

Warden, Richard Vale said: “The Kubota RTV-X900 is great, because it allows us to access certain areas with a vehicle that we couldn’t before. We’re now able to maintain the hills easier and quicker, without disturbing any visitors or wildlife.

“Every time we use the RTV-X900, we become more confident in its capabilities. The cab offers great protection while its compact characteristics make our presence on the hills very constructive as the machine offers high power without damaging the soft terrain. Anything bigger almost begins to reduce the positive effect we try to have on the environment.”

It’s estimated that Malvern Hills receives over one million visits per year and around 7,000 on peak holiday periods such as the recent Easter weekend. The iconic landscape hosts a range of activities including walking, cycling, horse-riding, and more.

While the hills and commons are visited by thousands of tourists, they’re also home to a range of wildlife including bluebells, marsh tits, serotine bats, adders and woodpeckers, to name but a few.

As 90% of the hills and commons are registered under common land, they are protected under law for the benefit of locals, wildlife and visitors. Because of this, the Trust need to have something that successfully aids in their daily maintenance and protection of the landscape, this is why the footprint and efficiency of the RTV-X900 is so important.

Duncan Bridges, Chief Executive Officer of the Malvern Hills Trust commented: “We’re so thankful to have been given the opportunity to put the RTV-X900 through its paces, it cuts time, energy and costs, which helps us make a much bigger impact across the hills and commons. As the number of visitors continues to increase, the work of our volunteers, field staff and wardens is all the more essential to the area and the loaned vehicle helps us to do just that.”

Karen Tipping, marketing manager at Kubota UK, concluded: “Kubota takes its commitment to the environment seriously, so much so, that our corporate mission statement is ‘For Earth, For Life’ – its our promise to protect the environment on a global scale.  By loaning an RTV-X900 to the Malvern Hills Trust, we are living up to this commitment and playing a key role in helping this charity and the valuable work it does.”

For more information on Kubota’s leading groundcare solutions or to find your local dealer, visit www.kubota.co.uk or call 01844 268000.

The Vale Resort Tees Up A Six-Figure Golf Investment

/in , /by

The Vale Resort tees up a six-figure golf investment – The Vale Resort in South Wales has invested more than £400,000 in state-of-the-art John Deere golf course maintenance equipment, supplied by local turf professional dealer Frank Sutton Ltd of Raglan in Gwent.

The Vale Resort Tees Up A Six-Figure Golf Investment

The resort, home to two championship golf courses, has bought 16 new high-tech mowers and Gator utility vehicles to enhance the condition of both the Wales National and The Lake courses, and provide its 550-plus members and thousands of visitors with an even better golfing experience.

The latest purchases include four 8700A fairway mowers, four 2500B triplex greens mowers, four 220SL walk-behind greens mowers and four TS Gators. These have joined an existing John Deere fleet of four 8800 TerrainCut rotary rough mowers, four 2653B triplex utility mowers and another two 220SL greens mowers.

“The way the fairways and greens are cut has a direct effect on the playability of the course,” says the Vale Resort’s head greenkeeper John Borja. “These new John Deere machines will undoubtedly help to improve the condition of both courses and make a difference to the way the game is played on them.

“In order to keep the two courses in pristine condition, the cutting direction is alternated each day so that the ground doesn’t become stressed. This also creates a striping effect which helps players differentiate between the precisely cut tees, fairways and rough. Having the best machinery is key to making sure our team can prepare the courses to their full potential for members and guests.”

Set in 650 acres of Welsh countryside, both courses have a mixture of wooded areas, wide and narrow fairways and water features. At 7433 yards off the championship tees, the Wales National is one of the longest courses in the UK, while The Lake course is slightly shorter at 6436 yards. Both are maintained by a team of 15 year-round staff, with additional seasonal staff required in the busier playing season from March to October.

“Our aim, every day, is to ensure that our golf courses are presented to the highest standards possible and can be fully enjoyed by the players,” says John Borja. “With the excellent support and after-sales service provided by John Deere and dealer Frank Sutton, we look forward to doing so for many years to come.”

Lancaster GC Chooses Wiedenmann

/in , /by

Lancaster GC chooses Wiedenmann duo for rough management – One of Lancashire’s finest venues, the Lancaster Golf Club has opted for a Wiedenmann Terra Rake and a Wiedenmann Super 500.

Lancaster GC Chooses Wiedenmann

The James Braid designed course, coveted for its wide fairways and spectacular 18th hole, is about to embark on a major rough management programme.

Carl Hamlett, Course Manager, said: “We’ve many undulations and traditional ‘ridge and furrow’. We know the Super 500 follows contours easily without scalping and produces a consistent height of cut, whether scarifying or flail mowing. When we had it out for demo it just outdid everything else we’d seen”

“The Terra Rake will work in tandem. It scarifies, pulls out thatch and can help us with a long list of other tasks. We’re really happy to have them both on board.”

Supplying both machines was Darren Barker, Sales Director at Balmers GM, Burnley branch,  Wiedenmann UK’s local  dealer for the area.