First Toro lease deal for Sheerness

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First Toro lease deal for Sheerness: Sheerness Golf Club on the historic Isle of Sheppey has signed its first lease deal with Toro and Reesink Turfcare, citing the financial benefits of a long-term agreement and much needed machine reliability as the reasons behind the decision.

Head greenkeeper Paul Boozer says: “Until now, we’ve compiled our fleet with predominantly second-hand machines and the odd one leased here and there, but that really wasn’t the best use of the money. Doing a lease deal is much better value, stretching our all-important budget further and giving us more of the machines we need for the same cost.”

First Toro lease deal for Sheerness

First Toro lease deal for Sheerness

A close second to the financial benefits of a lease deal in the decision-making process for Paul and the team, is the productivity and efficiency of Toro machines in supporting a small team.

Paul says: “We’re a team of six with a small fleet and we can’t deal with anything breaking down as we don’t have backup machines. Efficient, reliable machines are vital in keeping us productive. As the only 18-hole golf course on the Isle of Sheppey we have a responsibility to make sure we’re always pushing forward and delivering the best quality playing surfaces for our members. We can’t be let down by our machines.”

Being recognised by the county and accustomed to hosting regular inter-county matches and Kent Golf Union championship events, Sheerness Golf Course has a 500 strong, and growing, membership and it was paramount to Paul that he made the right decision in who to partner with for such a vital role.

Paul continues: “Thankfully we have a committee and management team that are supportive of new ideas, want what’s best and want to make things better. With a lease deal with Reesink and Toro we know that every five years we will have new machinery to support our plans and great backup and servicing when we need it from Reesink, and that’s a great position to be in.

“This was in no way a quick decision and has been over a year in the making. Our course is coastal and undulating, and we’ve often come up against the same issue – that so many machines couldn’t deliver the finish required across all areas. We trialled and demoed machines in all seasons and the decision was unanimous throughout that Toro was the way to go.”

In the end, Paul and the team chose the Toro Reelmaster 5610-D for the fairways, Greensmaster 3250-D for the approaches, a Groundsmaster 4300-D rotary mower, two Greensmaster 1026 pedestrian mowers for the tees and the ProCore SR72 deep-tine aerator, which Paul says is “doing brilliantly, particularly on the fairways”. Plus, two Workman HDX utility vehicles, a sprayer and ProPass 200 topdresser.

“All in all, Toro just coped with the course best,” Paul concludes.

All the factors that influenced Sheerness’s decision to opt for Toro and Reesink have been brought into focus in recent times. Investing wisely, machinery costs that are fixed, getting the right backup and support and partnering with a machinery brand which brings reliability and minimal downtime to a small team have never been so important.

To talk to someone about the finance options available and how the Toro range would suit your course, call 01480 226800.

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Makita’s new XGT products

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Makita’s new XGT products: Makita has expanded its XGT 40V Max range of cordless power tools with the launch of four new brushless angle grinders – engineered to deliver the power needed for high-demand applications, with the added flexibility and improved safety of cordless.

Also added to the range is the CF001GZ 40V Max ‘Swing Fan’, ideal for keeping cool and air circulating in all seasons.

Makita's new XGT products

Makita’s new XGT products

Makita has added four new brushless angle grinders (GA022GZ, GA023GZ, GA028GZ and GA029Z) to its XGT 40V Max line up. Launched in June 2020, XGT 40V Max is the highest power cordless solution from Makita – offering the high output, durability and fast charge times needed for high-demand applications.

To maximise on-site productivity, the GA022GZ, GA023GZ, GA028GZ and GA029Z have been designed to withstand frequent heavy-duty cutting and grinding. Each model delivers a no load speed of 3,000-8,500rpm and features a variable speed dial, enabling operators to easily control and adjust the speed of the machine, depending on the application.

The machines are available with a slide switch (GA022GZ and GA023GZ) or paddle switch (GA028GZ and GA029Z) depending on preference and the GA022GZ and GA028GZ have a wheel diameter of 115mm and the GA023GZ and GA029Z both have a 125mm wheel diameter.

The GA022GZ, GA023GZ, GA028GZ and GA029Z also include Makita’s Auto-start Wireless System (AWS), which connects the machine to a compatible dust extractor via Bluetooth. This improves user safety and ensures that when the tool is in use, the extractor is automatically turned on – and when the tool is powered off, the extractor automatically stops.

With safety in mind, the machines feature Makita’s Active Feedback Sensing Technology (AFT), which shuts down the tool to protect the user if the rotation speed suddenly slows down and the Anti–Restart function prevents accidental start-up.

Kevin Brannigan, Marketing Manager at Makita said: “The XGT 40V Max range of tools is the most powerful cordless solution from Makita to date, providing users with the power needed for high-demand applications across a variety of sectors. For improved efficiency, XGT machines all benefit from Makita’s brushless motor and optimised charging process – keeping operators working for longer, disruption free.”

To make working on site more comfortable, Maita has also added is the cordless, portable CF001GZ 40V Max Swing Fan to its XGT range. The ultra-quiet fan has three wind speed settings (high, medium and low) and delivers a maximum air speed of 120m/min – 190m/min, depending on the setting chosen. The fan can run for up to 730 minutes when using a 2.5Ah battery without oscillation, or 655minutes using a 2.5Ah batteries with oscillation.

The CF001GZ weighs just 3.0kg and has been designed with a large carrying handle for easy handling. The front cover of the fan can be easily removed, allowing for quick and convenient cleaning.

For more information on Makita’s new range of XGT power tools, please visit: www.makitauk.com.

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New approach for Minchinhampton GC

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New approach for Minchinhampton GC: Minchinhampton Golf Club’s championship Avening and Cherington courses near the village of Avening in Gloucestershire and The Old Course on National Trust-owned Minchinhampton Common are renowned for their year-round immaculate presentation.

Testament to this is that within just seven years of The Cherington Course opening, the R&A chose it as the south-west venue for its Open Championship Regional Qualifying tournament from 2002 to 2007. The Avening Course has since been chosen to host the same event between 2018 and 2023 (now extended to 2024, since this year’s Open Championship at Royal St Georges was postponed to next year).

New approach for Minchinhampton GC

New approach for Minchinhampton GC

Just one of the 12-strong greenkeeping team led by courses manager Adam Matthews, including workshop manager Will Harris, was furloughed during the coronavirus lockdown, for health reasons. The club decided to keep all the other greens staff working on staggered shifts through the day and into the evening, as much to watch over and protect the courses as to continue maintaining all 54 holes to the highest standard.

This process has also seen the introduction of the club’s first John Deere course maintenance equipment fleet of 10 machines bought from dealer Tallis Amos Group (TAG) at Bibury, near Cirencester, on a five-year John Deere Financial lease deal. The new fleet includes three 2750 E-Cut hybrid electric triplex greens and tees mowers, a 6080A PrecisionCut fairway mower for the approaches and a 7400A TerrainCut rotary mower for the surrounds and roughs, plus three electric TE Gator and two diesel HPX Gator utility vehicles.

“We anticipated that the club would need to reopen at very short notice and so it proved,” says general manager Simon Pope. “On returning we wanted to present the courses to the members in as good a condition as we possibly could, so we aimed to keep the same maintenance schedule all the way through the lockdown and be ready to go from day one.

“As an extra benefit, we usually close each of the championship courses in turn during August and September for annual intensive maintenance programmes, but the good work that was achieved during lockdown means we won’t need to do that now, which our members are delighted about. I have to commend Adam and the whole team for their admirable effort and positive attitude, they have been absolutely brilliant under the circumstances.”

The courses reopened for play on May 13, which coincidentally is Marking Day on Minchinhampton Common. On this day each year around 500 cattle are released on the common for a summer of traditional grazing, and it is part of the greens staff’s responsibility to clean up after them on The Old Course when necessary!

“There was certainly a huge pent-up demand from the members to get back playing – I reckon 1300 people played at least one day within 10 days of re-opening,” adds Simon. “We already had a very strong membership base, with a waiting list last summer, but the lockdown period saw new membership applications shoot up. We have also now expanded the membership offer, so golfers can play 54 holes across the two sites if they wish. This gives members a lot of variety, especially as we are able to run dedicated two-ball and four-ball courses.”

Now 35, Adam Matthews has worked at Minchinhampton Golf Club since he was 16, and became courses manager in January. This coincided with the club coming to the end of its existing five-year fleet deal, and therefore provided a good opportunity for Simon and Adam to review every aspect of the club’s management, including the machinery. After competitive tender quotes from existing and other main suppliers, the pair were impressed by the presentations made by TAG and John Deere.

“TAG’s area sales manager Alex Jones in particular led from the front and it was really his persistence and sound advice that persuaded us to seriously consider using more John Deere equipment than we have done previously,” says Adam. “They put forward a very constructive and consistent proposal, and we had a range of machines in twice on demonstration so the team could really test them properly in our conditions.

“We certainly took our time, it was by no means a sudden decision, and we wanted to be very thorough and fair. It was not just about buying new machinery either, other key factors came into play such as after-sales care, trust in the equipment both in the workshop and out on the course, as well as the finance.

“Ultimately, the high level of customer service was what made us believe that the overall John Deere and dealer package was the way for us to go. All our questions were answered quickly, the selection of machines was tailored precisely to our needs and since the deal’s been completed, Alex Jones and TAG have continued to provide excellent back-up. We realised that this aspect is so important, particularly when you change to a new supplier.”

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Zero turn mowers from Murray

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Zero turn mowers from Murray: Ride on lawn mowers provide a quick and comfortable solution for cutting large areas of grass, allowing people to focus on enjoying their garden instead of working on it.

This ethos has been at the heart of Murray for nearly 100 years with its “Get it done. Go have fun” strap line.

Zero turn mowers from Murray

Zero turn mowers from Murray

The company specialises in stylish and powerful lawn tractors for those with larger gardens. However, ride on lawn mowers often encounter problems with trees, plants and other obstacles getting in the way and being difficult to manoeuvre around.

To overcome this, the Murray product range features three zero-turn ride on mowers that can easily get around anything that comes in their path as they can turn a full 360 degrees effortlessly within a tiny turning radius.

The entry level machine is the ZTX110 which has a hydrostatic drive and is powered by a Briggs & Stratton 7200 OHV V-Twin engine. It is the smallest in the range but still offers an impressive 107cm cutting width, and twelve different cutting heights.

The mid-range model is the ZTX150, which features a Briggs & Stratton Intek™ Series 7220 V-Twin OHV petrol engine. This machine, with three blades, offers a 117cm cutting width and 13 different cutting heights.

The premium model in the Murray range is best suited for professional users or those with larger areas of grass to cut. The ZTX250 utilises a Briggs & Stratton Professional Series™ 8270 V-Twin OHV engine and has a wide 122cm deck to reduce the total amount of cutting passes required, and subsequently saves the user time, freeing them up to enjoy their garden.

The zero turn mowers are operated by two handles, one on each side of the machine; each with a push/pull function for forwards and reverse movement. Each handle is linked with two individual rear wheels, each with its own independent motor, which allows the tractor to turn within its own footprint. This allows for excellent manoeuvrability when cutting around trees, flower beds and other obstacles, with the added bonus of removing the need for backing up at the end of each mowing pass – simply spin 180° and go back!

All Murray zero turn machines have a fuel capacity of 11 litres, as well as electric starting and mulching capabilities. They are designed with the user in mind, even down to the adjustable seat which gives the operator ultimate comfort even on the roughest terrains. They include commercially inspired features such as a fully welded steel frame, a thick-walled front axle, easy access maintenance points and durable steel mower deck to make sure they give a great cut, time after time.

There is also the additional option of an integrated rear cargo bed to provide on-the-go versatility and convenience, providing somewhere to store cleared debris or carry additional tools.

Murray lawn and garden products are available in the UK exclusively through Henton and Chattell dealers.

For more information please visit www.murray-tractors.co.uk.

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Etesia Buffalo is the greener solution

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Etesia Buffalo is the greener solution: Etesia UK has reported a huge uptake in its Buffalo ride-on mowers – a powerful range that offers an eco-friendly alternative to its diesel-powered counterparts.

It is common knowledge that grounds maintenance professionals are increasingly exploring more environmentally friendly methods of working. This particularly rings true in city centres or in highly populated areas where diesel powered products are beginning to be outlawed.

Etesia Buffalo is the greener solution

Etesia Buffalo is the greener solution

The obvious solution is to switch to zero-emission battery-powered equipment. Battery technology has significantly evolved with advancements constantly being made in the sector and is now widely recognised as the smarter way to power through most landscaping tasks, such as mowing, hedge-cutting or leaf-blowing. However, where it currently falls short is when it comes to larger machines such as ride-on mowers.

“Who knows what the future holds, but, quite simply, the fact is that there is not currently a battery-powered machine on the market which is capable of equalling the performance of a professional petrol-powered ride-on mower,” says Etesia UK managing director Les Malin.

“When you take into consideration the wide-spread demonising of diesel and the lack of professional battery powered ride-on mowers then there are unfortunately few solutions.”

It is for these reasons that Etesia UK has reported a record-breaking growth in sales for its range of Buffalo ride-on mowers – which are the only commercial, petrol powered ride-on machines available in both two-wheel and four-wheel drive.

The Buffalo range, first launched six years ago, took the European markets by storm as countries such as France and Germany replaced huge fleets of diesel-powered ride-on mowers with Buffalo ride-on petrol mowers. Only recently has the UK started to follow suit and when you delve deeper into the specifications – it is no surprise.

The Etesia range of Buffalo ride-on mowers are available in two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive and with 100cm and 124cm cutting decks with ROPS as standard. They feature powerful 23-hp Briggs and Stratton Vanguard engines and can cut and collect areas up to 12,000 m² per hour. The engines carry a three-year warranty and a two-year warranty on the rest of the machine.

The Etesia models are fitted with catalytic converters as standard offering a cleaner fuel and are renowned for their low levels of noise and smooth operation. A vast range of accessories are available providing the operator with the ability to mulch, plough snow and much more.

Furthermore, they cut and collect in all weathers – something in which Etesia is, without question, the forerunner. When it comes to cut and collect systems, Etesia is the innovator of every other machine you see on the market today. The French based company created a patented system in the early 1990’s and quite simply, the system is unrivalled.

“The most notable benefit is the fact that Etesia machines do not require any additional accessories to unblock them when emptying the machines. Everything is automatic so no accessories or rattling of levers are required – you can simply cut, collect and empty the grass box all while sitting on the machine,” said Les.

So, while the industry eagerly awaits a capable battery-powered ride-on mower – there is only one solution. The Etesia range of Buffalo ride-on mowers will help to reduce your environmental impact and get the job done to the standard you expect without compromise.

For further information, please contact Etesia UK on 01295 680120 or visit www.etesia.co.uk.

You can also follow Etesia on Twitter @EtesiaUK for much more news, reviews and insightful views. 

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