Kubota or nothing for Watford Football Club

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Kubota or nothing for Watford Football Club: When it comes to tractors, it’s Kubota or nothing for Scott Tingley, Grounds Manager at Watford Football Club.

The club’s Kubota STW40 is proof that compact doesn’t have to mean compromise when it comes to providing the reliable power for maintenance operations at Vicarage Road, while a Kubota L2-622 delivers impressive versatility at the training ground.

Kubota or nothing for Watford Football Club

Kubota or nothing for Watford Football Club

Performance

The dependable performance of the pair is matched by a fleet of four Kubota RTV’s used across both sites.

Scott is into his 9th season at the club and oversees the home of The Hornets with a team of three, and the 27 pitches at Watford’s training ground. “On the Vicarage Road stadium pitch, it’s all about weight – we need something small and compact, with enough horsepower to lift all the various implements we use” he explains. The solution, for the last seven years, has been a Kubota STW40.

“We look after the tractor well and, in return, it looks after us. It’s small, lightweight and at 40hp can operate our seeder or aerator for example without leaving much of a footprint.” Scott continues, “All of our Kubota equipment is incredibly reliable, we’ve had no issues with this tractor at all.”

At the training ground, the delivery of an L2-622 from dealers George Browns Ltd in October 2022 is delivering even more versatility “We’re yet to find anything we can’t do with this tractor! Together with powering implements, the forks and bucket are invaluable for moving pallets around, managing deliveries or loading topdressing into our spreader. It makes every task quicker and easier.”

“The cruise control feature on the Kubota L2-622 is especially important when we’re aerating at the training ground as, by setting the speed, we get consistency across all the surfaces” he adds. “It’s also incredibly user-friendly to operate which is important to aid the training and efficiency of some of our newer and younger team members.”

RTV’s

Complementing the pair of compact tractors across the two sites are four RTV’s, including two RTV520’s installed by George Browns at the training ground in July 2023. “Here, especially, the RTV’s are the workhorses of our maintenance operation.

Whether its moving equipment from pitch to pitch or transporting clippings, they’re our go-to. At the stadium we have a Kubota RTV500 which, again, is a people and machinery mover. We also use this to tow our lighting rigs into place after a match which shaves an hour off the job.”

Scott concludes by praising the after-sales support from the Kubota dealer, “On the odd occasion we’ve needed help with our Kubota equipment, George Browns have always been brilliant. With high levels of usage and even higher expectations it’s reassuring to know we can always rely on Kubota to get the job done.”

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High branch pruning made easy

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High branch pruning made easy: Makita has added a new telescopic pole saw to its growing range of LXT tools designed for professional outdoor use.

With a 200mm cutting width, 2.5m reach and lightweight design, the new DUA200 18V LXT Brushless Pole Saw provides effortless reach and precision for high branch applications.

Smooth Cutting

Delivering a chain speed of 6.7m/s for smooth cutting, Makita’s new DUA200 extendable pole saw can reach from 1.6m to over 2.5m when fully assembled.

This, combined with a lightweight head section and equipped with Torque Boost Mode that maximises output to power through thicker branches, makes Makita’s latest launch a highly effective tool and ideal companion for pruning and trimming high branches.

High branch pruning made easy

High branch pruning made easy

When used with a 6.0Ah BL1860B Battery, the pole saw offers up to 600 cuts in 50 mm cedar square timber and in addition to its high work efficiency, Makita has incorporated several design features to offer increased ergonomics and greater versality for users to tackle a range of cutting situations.

Reducing The Burden

The slim, lightweight design of the tool head not only reduces the burden during operation, it also enhances accessibility to branches and increases manoeuvrability.

Furthermore, the tool head is adjustable which can be locked and unlocked with a single touch, enabling precise positioning in nine stages between 60° upwards and 60° downwards.

It also includes a convenient branch hook to easily remove cut branches.

Other features include a translucent bar oil tank with a large opening for straightforward refilling, and the tool-less bar tensioning and automatic chain lubrication simplifies maintenance and ensures consistent performance.

On the new launch, Kevin Brannigan Marketing Manager at Makita said: “This new tool is part of Makita’s expanding 18V LXT System, which encompasses over 300 tools from garden machines, power tools and accessories such as kettles and heated jackets – all powered by the same battery.

We are delighted to add this fantastic pole saw to the range, that delivers impressive performance for high drain applications, while reducing fatigue for the operator.”

To find out more about Makita, visit www.makitauk.com

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Toro, the only choice

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Toro, the only choice: Dullatur Golf Club is moving towards a more sustainable future for turfcare – and the club, which is situated near Glasgow, saw Toro machinery as the only choice when it came to trusted quality.

At the helm of the move is experienced Course Manager Richard Bell. Richard has worked at Dullatur for 23 years, beginning his career as an apprentice at 16 – and was even a junior member of the club prior. Golf has nearly always been a central part of Richard’s life, and with a team that combined has several decades of experience at the club, their turfcare expertise is second to none. 

Toro, the only choice

Toro, the only choice

Managing an expansive club like Dullatur, with two 18-hole courses, demands a constantly evolving, proactive approach. With a year-round team of seven, supplemented with four seasonals, Richard understands the importance of efficiency – and reliable equipment.

“With a total of 36 holes, the sheer volume of greens, tees, fairways and rough is a lot of ground to cover for the team and the machinery, and we have to maintain the highest standards for our club members,” he says. “We’ve worked predominantly with Toro machinery to deliver the quality of cut we need – I trust Toro equipment to perform at the highest level.”

Richard has added to his fleet three new pieces of equipment: the all-electric Toro Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370, Reelmaster 5010-H hybrid fairway mower and Reelmaster 3100 sidewinder. 

Richard was particularly impressed with the eTriFlex 3370, as his first all-electric mower: “I had read about the 3370, and I had the chance to operate one while volunteering at the British Open at Royal Troon. I spent the entire week cutting greens with it, which was an amazing experience. It gave me the best hands-on demonstration I could ask for.

“The quality of the cut was phenomenal – it rivalled hand-cutting, which is considered the best quality of cut achievable. Even after greens were double-cut by hand, the eTriFlex was still removing clippings. It’s rare to find a machine that delivers results comparable to hand-cutting, but this one did.” 

Richard emphasised the importance of sustainability and local community to Dullatur Golf Club, and how the new machinery benefits both: “We’re looking to be better for the planet. It’s our first all-electric piece of equipment, and we already know how good the hybrid 5010 is, as we have one in our fleet. Now that performance is at such a high level, we see this as a start of the long-term plan. 

“With electric equipment, you’re more sustainable, there’s no need to worry about oil spills, and we aren’t concerned with noise pollution – so we’re not bothering golfers playing or our neighbours in the morning!”

Ross Neil, Area Sales Reesink Scotland West, has supported Dullatur Golf Club with the acquisitions. Richard commented on the service: “They provide a great service; I’m always able to get them on the end of the phone, and they’re happy to answer any questions I’ve got whenever I need it”. 

Ultimately, Richard trusts the future, more sustainable outlook of Dullatur Golf Club with Toro. “For the new electric machinery, I expect we’ll see the same longevity you get with every other Toro mower. It’s just trust in the brand. It’s strongly my belief that Toro is the best – the best longevity, the best value for money. I can’t see us looking at any other brand in future.” 

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Ladyback Golf Club commit to Ventrac

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Ladyback Golf Club commit to Ventrac: Ladybank Golf Club, situated in wooded heathland 10 miles west of St Andrews in Fife, is the latest prestigious Scottish golf club to purchase Ventrac equipment to assist in the maintenance of their challenging heathland championship course.

Designed by Old Tom Morris, Ladybank is a rare course; although situated in Fife, it’s not one of the famous links courses that dots the coast. It measures almost 6,800 yards from the championship tees, making great use of its heathland terrain and has changed little over the years. It requires the golfer to display real precision to hit the small and contoured greens.

Ladyback Golf Club commit to Ventrac

Ladyback Golf Club commit to Ventrac

Grant Frogley is the Course Manager and is responsible for a team of 8 full-time greenkeepers, who maintain this beautiful and challenging course. During the winter of 2021-22, the club purchased an ex-demo Ventrac 4500 all-terrain compact tractor and two attachments to help maintain the course.

“I’m one of the many converts to the Ventrac compact tractor and attachments,” he said. “We had two rough mowers when I came in, each one for different areas of the course. We’re a relatively flat site in terms of elevation, but we do have quite a lot of subtle movement with some extreme hollows and bumps. The rough mowers weren’t the best at following contours, so we found ourselves doing a lot more hand work.

“I’d seen the Ventrac at a demonstration at Gwest and knew it would be the perfect piece of kit here; a versatile machine that could do more than one task. We got it in on demo and sure enough it flew round, coped with every contour out there, without a problem.

“We’ve got the Contour deck and the Tough Cut deck. We use the Tough deck a lot during the winter to clean up the woodlands and remove the gorse and broom. We basically cut everything that’s not on the maintained grass areas. We cut every blade of grass during the winter, so it’s very versatile and mobile for getting in amongst the trees. As I said previously, it’s very good at removing brash, gorse and broom.

“It came with a rear three-point linkage kit, which is brilliant. We bought a small sprayer with hand lance that hooks up on the back of it and we also have a terra rake, which we use a lot during winter projects, especially if we’ve got soil that just needs a tilth-up before we re-turf. It’s brilliant and such a light footprint, it just glides over the surface.

“The options are endless; we’ve demoed the stump grinder and blower. We’ve got a rear-mounted blower on a tractor, and perhaps it’s just my age, but I find looking out the back for a period of time is very uncomfortable. The seating position on the Ventrac is very comfortable and the out-front blower makes it much more user-friendly. We’ve had nothing in the way of breakdowns, servicing has been fine, one little repair on the deck and it’s hardly missed a beat.”

Grant began his career at Gleneagles in 1999, working under Peter Pattenden, and six years later went to New Zealand for a year, before returning to Gleneagles at a time when the renovations for the Ryder Cup were taking place, remodelling the PGA Centenary course. This led to construction work at Dun Laoghaire Golf Club near Dublin followed by a spell in Sweden constructing the PGA of Sweden National Golf Course near Malmo.

Returning to the UK, he was appointed deputy course manager at Gwest, where a new championship course was being built next door to Gleneagles. Gwest never materialised into the great golf course and property that it could have been, so he took up his first course manager’s job at The Roxburghe in the Scottish Borders. Three and half years later he returned to Gwest as course manager, with a commitment from the owners that it would be completed. Covid struck and, and unfortunately, progress with the development stalled, so in 2021 he applied for, and was successful in securing, the vacant course manager’s position at Ladybank.

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GKB Leaf-Blower promises more airflow with less load

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GKB Leaf-Blower promises more airflow with less load: Visitors to BTME 2025 were the first to see a brand new addition to the GKB machinery portfolio, as the Leaf-Blower (LB100) made its global debut. Delivering more airflow with less power demand on your tractor, the LB100 promises greater efficiency and fast, effective clearance of leaves and other debris.

In development for a number of years, the GKB Leaf-Blower has been designed to meet the exacting requirements of modern golf course and sports turf management. With low power requirements of under 40hp and a PTO-driven fan, the blower offers powerful performance with limited load on your tractor.

GKB Leaf-Blower promises more airflow with less load

GKB Leaf-Blower promises more airflow with less load

As is now expected with GKB, the new machine incorporates the very best of robust, precision engineering for durable, long-lasting reliability. It features solid tyres, an anti-scalp roller and a lightweight, yet study, 875mm diameter metal fan. With an air capacity of 380 m³/min, the Leaf-Blower provides outstanding productivity for the fast and effective clearance of leaves, pine needles and other debris.

The hydraulically operated rear chute allows you to swiftly change speed or direction of airflow, saving time on the job. The freewheel PTO and gearbox transmission ensure smooth operation and long ma­chine life, while attaching the unit and setting the working height is quick and simple.

Its compact dimensions, weight of 360kg and a noise level of only 97 decibels make the GKB Leaf-Blower suitable for daily use on golf courses and other amenity spaces in close proximity to the public.

Commenting on its introduction, UK Operations Manager Tom Shinkins said, “It was great to finally be able to introduce the Leaf-Blower into the GKB range, and what better place to get it in front of thousands of turf professionals than at BTME! We had an incredibly positive reaction from visitor and dealers alike, all excited to get out and get hands-on with the machine in the field ahead of the busy autumn season. Sitting alongside sustainable solutions like the GKB Leaf Reducer, we now offer the full complement of machinery for leaf clearance to suit all sports, situations and settings.”

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