Foley the Go To Grinders for GTT UK

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Foley the Go To Grinders for GTT UK: At GTT UK, consistency is crucial when it comes to grinding, and to get perfection every time the company uses Foley Company grinders.

GTT UK owner Matt Thompsett had extensive experience as a mechanic in greenkeeping workshops before he started his professional turf and arboricultural machinery service and repair business four years ago. Having begun with other grinders that he felt were time-consuming to set up, always involved some guesswork, and were never completely accurate, he researched the market and found Foley’s UK distributor, ProSport UK.

Foley the Go To Grinders for GTT UK

Foley the Go To Grinders for GTT UK

From there, he found his perfect solution, which was to combine the Foley 633 Accu-Pro Reel Grinder and 672 Bedknife Grinder. Matt explains: “For me, the main thing is the whole repeatability of the package and knowing that everything is going to be exactly the same. It doesn’t matter if you’re working on three or seven units they’re all going to match.

“With the 633 reel grinder, you can leave it, and it will work on its own while you’re doing something else. It is perfect for me because my commercial customers need their machines and they need them out working, so they want quick turn arounds, and they often want them back as quickly as you possibly can.

“And that’s the main thing I found with the Foley 633: you quickly get used to it, so it’s fast to set up. You just set it, tell the computer what you want it to do, and it does it. You know when it’s finished because the blue light on the top comes on, and that’s it; I know that’s a perfect grind, and you set it away again.”

Relief grinding has been an important aspect of getting Matt the perfect finish. Although he wasn’t initially familiar with the process, the 633’s automated system made it easy to do, and he has received positive customer feedback since introducing it.

“I’ve been doing a lot of research into the proper specifications of how cylinder mowers work, how they are supposed to be set up, and also what manufacturer’s state, and that’s where I’ve come across relief grinding,” Matt explains. “You’re taking the cylinder back to exactly how it came out of the factory, and they seem to stay on cut a lot longer, which is one of the main benefits of relief grinding.

“Customers have commented their units stay on cut longer, and the general sharpness is better. They’re also saying it’s not as tricky on the setup, which I think is more to do with the 633 and 672 grinding everything perfectly straight.”

For Matt, getting that perfectly straight grind on the 672 bedknife grinder comes from being able to set it at his own true zero. From there, it’s simply setting his angles, doing a scratch test and knowing that every blade will come out the same.

The ability to produce uniform, factory-precise grinds has not only accelerated turnaround times but also enhanced customer satisfaction through longer-lasting, sharper cuts. This commitment to excellence and continuous improvement underscores GTT UK’s dedication to providing top-tier service to clients, and Foley’s ability to provide the tools to do it.

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Toro stands up to tough terrain

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Toro stands up to tough terrain: In a theme of fives, Calcot Park Golf Club has received five new Toro machines on a five-year lease. Headlining the fleet is the Reelmaster 5410 with five cutting units for tackling the challenging terrain of the course with unrelenting ease for years.

The club, situated on the Berkshire border, is no stranger to Toro. In fact, according, to Course Manager Tom Jennings, 100 percent of its machinery fleet is red and that’s as much for its longevity as it is its performance.

Toro stands up to tough terrain

Toro stands up to tough terrain

“Toro machinery is bulletproof when it comes to longevity. We have fairway mowers here that are up to 13 years old, which is impressive for the amount of work they do,” says Tom.

It’s no surprise then that when the time came to upgrade its machines with a five-year lease deal, Toro was the only option considered. And one machine in particular that has made its mark is the Reelmaster 5410 with five cylinders.

“The topography at our course is very up and down, and being a heavy clay site, we need a machine that can handle that, especially in the winter,” says Tom. “As a parkland course, we’ve got thicker grasses and lots of them and the sheer quantity and the coarser texture can be tough to get through, but it presents no problem for Toro and in particular the five-cylinder mower.”

In a fleet deal that also includes two new Greensmaster 3400 mowers, a Reelmaster 3100 sidewinder, and Groundsmaster 4000 – all provided by Reesink Turfcare, Tom says all the mowers work hand in hand to navigate the Harry Colt designed course and also singles out the Reelmaster 3100 for commendation.

“We’ve got the 3100 coming in on the lease as well. It’s a smaller machine which is why we chose it. Our course was built in 1930 and a lot of the complexes are quite small and tight; this sidewinder is flexible enough to get around them, whereas others on the market tend to be too bulky for the job.”

The club benefits from Reesink’s lease deal which allows it to renew its range of machines every five years. “Opting into a lease deal works well for the club,” says Tom. “I know that if we get a five-year lease, in five years from now I’m not only going to get the machines and the brand that performs best on the course; but benefit from the latest technology and the latest machines that could also benefit the course.”

And Tom and his team have their sights set on electric power next. “We’ll be considering some of the electric machines next time. We’re in an urban area and I think this will be helpful with our mowing routines,” he concludes.

Learn more about Toro’s technology and how it could benefit your course, by calling distributor Reesink at 01480 226800, emailing info@reesinkturfcare.co.uk or visiting reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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Nothing beats the ProFlex 120

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Nothing beats the ProFlex 120: Following more than 12 years of reliable service, a ProFlex 120 at Mid Herts Golf Club has been joined by… well, another ProFlex 120!

Delivered by Vanmac’s James Boyle in April 2024, the five floating rotary decks on the Progressive unit conform to the peaks and troughs of the terrain at the Hertfordshire club making the like for like purchase a straight forward one for Course Manager Jody Wilson.

Nothing beats the ProFlex 120

Nothing beats the ProFlex 120

One of the oldest golf clubs in the country, Mid Herts offers a classic heathland terrain with rippled fairways and quick greens, nestled within traditional grassy hollows. While the picturesque countryside undulations pose a challenge for players, they make no match for the contour following ability of the ProFlex! “12 years ago we tried and tested a range of rough mowers and found the ProFlex 120 was the best suited to our conditions. Fast forward to this year and we went through the same process again, only to find there’s still nothing in the market better than this machine!”

The Progressive ProFlex 120 delivers a uniform cut on both flat and uneven ground, the five floating decks covering an area of 3.0m in a single pass and evenly dispersing clippings for an immaculate finish. The ability to quickly and easily adjust the HOC on each individual deck makes the mower incredibly versatile, and the ideal choice for stepped or transition cutting.

“The build quality has always been exceptional, and our new ProFlex is no different” Jody explains. “We’ve kept hold of our older machine for the weekly cutting of the practice ground. It still cuts exceptionally well and, with a good jet-wash, would still clean up a treat. Besides the expected wear and tear, we’ve rarely had any downtime or costly repair bills, and with the sealed blade spindle bearings on the new ProFlex, the routine maintenance will be even easier.”

The recent delivery complements a range of other equipment from Vanmac already in the Mid Herts shed. “For the summer, we’re now set for mowing the roughs and practice ground with our pair of ProFlex’s, then in the winter we’re big Trilo users – with two blowers and an S4 vacuum collector helping us to keep on top of playability and presentation.” He added, “The service from Vanmac is always first-class. It’s great product with great back-up.”

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Zero blade costs until 2027

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Zero blade costs until 2027: GreenMech have announced the launch of a special summer promotion which will present not just cost savings, but increased peace of mind, to customers purchasing a new woodchipper.

Between 1st June and the end of August, all machines will be supplied with a second set of GreenMech’s revolutionary disc blades free of charge, all-but eliminating additional blade expenditure for the duration of the 3-year warranty or average 3-year finance deal.

Zero blade costs until 2027

Zero blade costs until 2027

Launched in 1995, GreenMech’s unique disc-blade chipping technology means that, in operation, only 30% of the blade’s circumference comes into contact with the waste material. This not only reduces the blades vulnerability to damage caused when contaminants such as soil and stones are inadvertently introduced into the chipper, it enables the blade to be turned to a new sharp section when these edges get worn. In the field, this equates to 600% more blade life and significantly more hours of chipping before the need to re-sharpen.

In addition to improved longevity, the disc-blades ‘slicing’ action is 1.5dB quieter than conventional straight blades – reducing the noise emissions of every operation.

With the purchase of a GreenMech chipper and the completion of the warranty form, the new promotion will see customers receiving a second set of disc blades absolutely free – giving you two complete sets of blades at no extra cost. By rotating and replacing these sets, up to 360 hours of use can be expected without the need to sharpen, resulting in savings of over £600.

“At a time when costs are increasing across the board, this promotion is a great way of giving customers real savings on their maintenance costs over their first few years of ownership” adds GreenMech Sales Director Martin Lucas. “Together with reduced expenditure and less machinery downtime, the additional blade sets give all customers the peace of mind that their GreenMech chipper will remain in top working order.”

Terms and conditions apply. Further information is available by visiting the GreenMech website – www.greenmech.co.uk – or by speaking with your local approved GreenMech dealer.

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Braehead’s new mowers proves Toro is built to last

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Braehead’s new mowers proves Toro is built to last: With Reesink Turfcare’s Ree.Own scheme, Braehead Golf Club located in Alloa Scotland has taken ownership of two new – or rather used – Toro machines as a cost-effective solution to updating machinery.

Harvey Harrower, the club’s head greenkeeper who has been at the club for 38 years, says when it comes to Toro, going second-hand isn’t a worry: “One of the things we like about using Toro is that they’re built to last.

Braehead’s new mowers proves Toro is built to last

Braehead’s new mowers proves Toro is built to last

“Like most other clubs, we look at buying new machines every five years, but unlike the bigger clubs we tend to look in the second-hand market. The fact that the new ones could already be six or seven years old doesn’t concern us. The machines we’re replacing are 15 years old, and we have other Toro machines that have been going for over 20 years.”

The machines – a Groundsmaster 4300 and hybrid Greensmaster TriFlex 3420 – came to the club via Reesink’s Ree.Own scheme, a dealer network that provides access to all the best quality, Toro turfcare machinery in the UK and Ireland.

Machines rehomed with Ree.Own are guaranteed to have less than 3500 hours use on the clock, used for less than seven years and been through a rigorous multipoint check by Reesink’s expert turfcare technicians.

The scheme is one that works well for the club. “This isn’t the first time we’ve sourced second-hand machines and it certainly won’t be the last,” says Harvey. “Because of the club’s finances, it’s the option that works best for us, and the machines still perform at a really high level. They go through the workshop and are refurbished before they get to us – ours also came with a 12-month warranty.”

Both machines were replacements for mowers the club had used before, but the Greensmaster has one key difference.

“We decided to go with the hybrid model of the Greensmaster 3420. You can slow the speed down and it just gives a better finish,” says Harvey. Something that can be appreciated by the very youngest of the club’s members.

“We have a very active junior section that has taken off recently. The club has put a lot of effort into that, building new tees and reserving tee times every Sunday throughout the year allowing them to play. Being able to play on a course maintained by Toro machinery means they’re able to play and learn on the best quality surfaces from the outset.”

The club’s new-used machinery came through Reesink’s Scottish branch in Livingston, who according to Harvey, made the whole process easy. “Working with Reesink has been great, they were really good at keeping me informed throughout. I just told them what machines I was after and when the machines became available they emailed me pictures with their age and condition, etc.”

Discover more about how your course can benefit from the UK’s only used Toro professional turf machinery network by visiting reeown.co.uk or contact Reesink Scotland by calling 01480 226800 or by email at info@reesinkturfcare.co.uk.

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