Breadsall Priory Benefits from SISIS Rotorake TM1000

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Breadsall Priory Benefits from SISIS Rotorake TM1000: Nestled on the edge of the picturesque Peak District, Breadsall Priory Golf & Country Club spans 300 acres of pristine parkland. This renowned club boasts two distinct 18-hole golf courses, including the Championship Priory Course, alongside a putting green and driving range.

Maintaining such expansive and varied grounds is no small feat, and the SISIS Rotorake TM1000 has proven to be an invaluable asset.

Breadsall Priory Benefits from SISIS Rotorake TM1000

Breadsall Priory Benefits from SISIS Rotorake TM1000

Course Manager John Smith, who has dedicated 28 years to Breadsall Priory, originally started his career at the club as a mechanic. “I was born on a farm, and was born to be outside,” he reflects. Over the years, John has faced numerous challenges, especially with the club’s dual-course layout. “We have two very different courses which is great for membership.”

These differences require different maintenance strategies. “Having two different courses has its challenges, more and more so with climate change. We had 1.7 metres of rain in just over 15 months, which is unheard of,” John says. To address these challenges, the club relies heavily on specialised equipment like the SISIS Rotorake TM1000.

The Rotorake TM1000 is a tractor-mounted scarifier unit featuring a choice of five quick-release interchangeable reels designed to tackle thatch removal and control, improving water infiltration and reducing standing surface water. Its contra-rotating reel ensures a clean, consistent performance, while various blades cater to key tasks such as scarifying, linear aeration, verticutting, and brushing. The TM1000’s quick-release reel system and no-tool depth setting enable fast, simple adjustments, making it highly efficient for the team.

“The TM1000 is a great machine for us. We even scarify in November because it results in less disease due to greater airflow through the roots,” John notes. “We use it on greens, aprons, tees – we just change the reel from 2mm down to 1mm up to 3mm. The ability to do that quickly, along with its cleanliness and speed, really helps.

“Since using the machine, thatch levels have reduced by 15% over a 12-month period.”

John also praised the TM1000 for its reliability and ease of maintenance. “There’s no complicated electrics on it,” John points out. Its standard Cat. 1, 3-point linkage and optional hydraulic tipping kit further enhance its functionality.

“The best feature on the TM1000 is its cleanliness, the speed, and the fact you can use it anywhere, even if it’s raining. The ability to change the cassettes quickly and its power to do that make it fantastic,” John concludes.

With the SISIS Rotorake TM1000, Breadsall Priory Golf & Country Club continues to thrive, offering members and visitors alike a top-tier golfing experience amidst the beautiful Derbyshire landscape.

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

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow SISIS on Twitter or Instagram @SISISMachinery and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/SISISMachinery. You can also view the latest SISIS videos by visiting www.youtube.com/SISISMachinery

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Work smarter not harder with Toro’s robotic mowers

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Work smarter not harder with Toro’s robotic mowers: Robotic mowing has arrived and with it comes the new generation of working smarter, not harder, thanks to Toro.

With the brand’s new range of robotic mowing solutions for the fairways and the roughs available through distributor Reesink Turfcare, customers can now focus on getting the job done consistently and efficiently and instead prioritise time and skill on the greens, tees, and bunkers.

Work smarter not harder with Toro's robotic mowers

Work smarter not harder with Toro’s robotic mowers

“The arrival of autonomous technology is what we’ve all been waiting for,” comments Jon Cole, Divisional Business Manager, Reesink Turfcare. “And Toro’s vision of this delivers professional-quality results with minimal input required, solving the problem of reduced resources, labour shortages, and rising operational costs.”

All the products launching simultaneously – the Toro GeoLink Solutions Autonomous Fairway Mower, Turf Pro range of robot mowers and Range Pro ball picker – work on Real Time Kinematic (RTK) geo-positioning technology coming from a GPS based satellite system for ultra-precise navigation.

This functionality allows for areas to be mapped, setting invisible boundaries in which the machines can operate autonomously. When they reach the edge of the predefined work zone based on satellite positioning, they intelligently keep within it.

Operation is straight-forward: wireless monitoring and control of the units is through a computer or mobile phone where it is possible to customise working perimeters, no-go zones, mowing patterns, cutting height and transport paths.

No boundary wires are required, the mowers can mow a consistent pattern with minimal overlap and are accurate to two centimetres. The system can identify missed areas and will reroute the mower to cover them later.

Jon says: “These mowers free up your greenkeeping team to focus on the essential attentive care that the tees, greens, and bunkers require, while Toro technology carefully maintains the fairways and roughs, intelligently working with minimal input.”

The Toro GeoLink Solutions Autonomous Fairway Mower is a hybrid mower. It has a Kawasaki engine but steering, traction, lift and lowering of the cylinder units are electric. The mower still has a seat and a steering wheel; this is because it has both manual and autonomous modes. In manual it’ll operate just like a normal triplex so if the operator wants to move it to a new location that isn’t mapped yet or support a different area on the course, they can.

There are three fully robotic models in the Turf Pro range. There’s the choice of three or five cutting heads providing a cutting width of 63.3cm (25ins) in the Turf Pro 300 and 103.3cm (40.7ins) for the Turf Pro 500. They can mow up to 18.5 acres (75,000m2) and there’s a model for use on slopes of up to 24 degrees.

They are all-electric, self-charging and automatically return to the charging station. And through increased mowing frequency these mowers can purposefully remove less leaf tissue, producing shorter clippings and with adjustable mowing patterns can be utilised to achieve multiple aesthetics.

Jon concludes: “Toro developed this technology and these products in direct response to customer feedback and research. It was clear there was a changing mindset about what was needed regarding labour support, combatting increasing operational costs and how to approach mowing grass. This productive solution eases labour resource pains and provides operational cost savings with no change in Toro’s world-renowned cutting performance.”

To demo these new machines or talk to a Reesink representative about how this technology will boost productivity, visit Reesink Turfcare at reesinkturfcare.co.uk.

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Kubota delivers five-star contribution

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Kubota delivers five-star contribution: Trevornick Holiday Park were recently awarded the title of ‘Holiday Park of the Year’ at the prestigious AA Caravan and Camping Awards – an accolade they attribute to a momentous ‘team effort’ across the site.

Part of that team, supporting both the maintenance and grounds operations, is a fleet of equipment from Kubota which the venue has praised for its versatility, productivity and robust reliability.

Kubota delivers five-star contribution

Kubota delivers five-star contribution

Located in Newquay and boasting picturesque views over Holywell Bay and the iconic Gull Rocks, it’s been an eventful few months for the site. Following the elation of recognition by The AA, the site fell victim to freak weather at the end of January 2025 with a mini-tornado causing extensive damage to a number of their static caravans. Thankfully, no-one was injured and the recovery is well underway, led by General Manager Adrian Tribe and Head Gardener Ross Bramhall.

Having initially worked in the hospitality side of the park, Ross made the switch to the grounds team and adopted the head role 12 years ago. “One of the first things I did was get a demonstration of some new cut and collect mowers, including the G-Series from Kubota. The superior cutting deck, build quality and ease of use of the G261 won me over straight away” he explains. “Mowing is the primary maintenance task we undertake so we quickly added a second Kubota G261 to the fleet and these two now cut every blade of grass on our site.”

“These mowers do such a good job on grass of all lengths and wet grass as well, when we are forced to cut in less-than-ideal conditions on changeover days. They’re an ideal size and have a great turning circle which we need for manoeuvring and mowing between the vans.” Ross continues, “Both of our G261’s are the low dump configuration, lifting and collecting the clippings without clogging for quick and easy disposal which helps to limit grass being walked into tents or toilet blocks and creating that picture-postcard finish.”

Alongside the two Kubota G261’s, is a B1241 compact tractor complete with tipping trailer. “This is an absolute workhorse and punches well above its weight! This tractor is used for everything – moving machinery, transporting soil and materials and collecting rubbish, hedge trimmings, branches… the list goes on. It is incredibly reliable, and the tipping trailer speeds up every job which is incredibly valuable when there’s only two of us on the grounds team” he adds.

“The most recent purchase was two new Kubota RTV 520’s, joining two larger RTV 900’s we were already using. These are the go-to for us and the maintenance team anytime we need to get people or materials around the site and, in my mind, can’t be beaten for the power and performance they give us.”

Another important part of the ‘team’ effort has been the parks relationship with local dealer Vincents, in particular, Jon Day. “Jon and his colleagues have always given us top support and advice, finding the right equipment to meet our needs and providing help with servicing and parts on the very rare occasion we’ve needed something.”

Ross concludes, “Trevornick, the company and its owners have always understood the importance of investing to support its staff and give our customers the best possible experience. To do that, we need the right machinery to achieve the five-star standards we’re looking for and with Kubota, we have the right equipment to deliver that.”

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New GreenMech chipper impresses new Course Manager

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New GreenMech chipper impresses new Course Manager: 2024 saw a number of new additions to the team at Ashridge Golf Club. Together with a new Course Manager in the form of George Little, just two months later was the arrival of a ChipMaster 220 TMP (CM220TMP) woodchipper from GreenMech.

Purchased to keep on top of routine woodland maintenance, it’s delivery in September was incredibly timely as – set among thousands of acres of National Trust-owned woodland – the team braced for the impacts of a wet and blustery winter season.

New GreenMech chipper impresses new Course Manager

New GreenMech chipper impresses new Course Manager

Heading up a team of 10, George joined Ashridge in July following seven years spent at the nearby Dunstable Downs Golf Club. One of the main responsibilities of his new role was to take charge of the heavy woodland, lending itself to the popular tree-lined 18-hole course. “The team would be keeping on top of routine pruning and general removal of old or unsightly branches but, without our own chipper, would stack these up in piles awaiting the availability of a hire machine” George explains. “To stop these backlogs the club decided to invest in our own woodchipper and opted for the CM220TMP from GreenMech.”

Promising maximum chipping output with minimal investment, the CM220TMP is driven by the PTO shaft and uses its own hydraulic oil to power the rollers. It combines a large 9” capacity with a small, light footprint – something that’s incredibly important for George. “We’re always conscious of avoiding traffic on particularly sensitive areas, so rather than loading brash and timber into trailers and transporting it, we can now take the GreenMech to the exact location and chip. Reducing the risk of damage, it also speeds up the process by 300%.”

“We knew the machine would be helpful, but in a few short months we’ve used it a lot more than we thought we would to the point that I’d go as far as to say we now couldn’t live without it!” Alongside routine pruning of the boundaries, which George says it’s been brilliant for, the CM220TMP also came to the rescue of a number of silver birch that fell victim to the winter storms. “Again, we had the ability to hook up the chipper and take it exactly where it was needed, to quickly and easily deal with the damage.”

“It has definitely impressed us and has undoubtedly brought improved productivity to our woodland work.” He adds, “We’ve also had a good experience with dealers Avant South East Limited and GreenMech’s Neal Hussey who delivered a thorough induction and has been on hand to help us with any questions. It’s, overall, been a very positive addition to the fleet.”

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Greenstripe Groundcare Experience Remarkable Business Growth

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Greenstripe Groundcare Experience Remarkable Business Growth: Over the last two years, Lincoln-based Greenstripe Groundcare has seen remarkable growth, largely thanks to the addition of the Iseki TG6507 compact tractor.

Owner James Pask attributes the company’s increased productivity, efficiency, and premium client base directly to the versatility and performance of this high-specification machine.

Greenstripe Groundcare Experience Remarkable Business Growth

Greenstripe Groundcare Experience Remarkable Business Growth

By incorporating the TG6507 into daily operations, Greenstripe Groundcare has expanded its services, allowing them to take on more high-end contracts, including football clubs and cricket grounds.

The ability to attach high-quality implements and transport them without using a trailer has significantly improved productivity and the quality of work, ensuring that Greenstripe can easily meet the professional aesthetic demands of sports pitches and fine turf maintenance.

“The Iseki TG6507 has been absolutely instrumental in growing the business over the last two years,” says James. “It’s enabled a very significant uplift in productivity, in efficiency of operation, and the reach of the customer that I was trying to bring into the business as well.

“With the quality implements that you can put on to the tractor, the kind of aesthetic that we’re looking for football clubs and cricket fields is much easier to attain, and that’s what has helped us grow”

One of the standout features of the TG6507 is its IQ gearbox, which was a key requirement for James when selecting the tractor. The IQ gearbox allows for smooth, responsive shifting on the go, eliminating the need to set speed with pedals or rely on cruise control. James praises the three-range system, which ensures the right gear ratio is always available.

“This version does have the IQ gearbox, which was a specific want and need of mine over the hydrostatic box,” he explains. “For operating in fields like where I am today, I felt it would be much more convenient, and you’d get much more consistent performance.

“It has actually been an absolute joy to use. I have never been wanting for another ratio to turn around or to push on when I’m going down a straight, so it is a really good transmission.”

Another key factor in Greenstripe’s growth has been the TG6507’s versatility. The C4+ front loader has significantly expanded the range of tasks the business can undertake. From cleaning compost heaps to moving logs and loading trailers using the well-designed joystick controls, it has proven indispensable.

Whilst the productivity and quality produced by using the TG6507 have been standouts for James, his positive Iseki experience began when he first enquired about the tractor with his local Iseki dealer, Chandlers.

“I’ve had absolutely brilliant sales advice and service from Chandlers,” James notes. “When I was looking into buying the machine, I had various questions, which were very well addressed.

“When I took delivery of the machine, the handover was with the Chandlers sales rep and a senior Iseki representative as well, who made the time to come and do several hours walking around the machine to show me how to get the best out of it, and it really was a high-quality experience.”

On his experience overall, James concludes: “I absolutely would recommend the TG6 range, whichever part of the range is suitable for your needs. It has been a phenomenal tool to have.

“It’s manoeuvrability, fuel efficiency, what you can do with the soft controls in the cab when you want to fine-tune what you’re doing with your implement on the back, the versatility of the C4+ front loader, and it is just so reliable as well.

“It hasn’t let me down ever. So, I would say to anybody thinking, actually I need to upscale, should I look at something like this, absolutely go for it.”

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