Royal Portrush signs Toro agreement

/in , , /by

Royal Portrush signs Toro agreement: Fresh off the success of the 2019 Open Championship it hosted, Royal Portrush Golf Club has signed another five-year agreement with Toro, bringing the relationship between the historic club and the brand to 30 years.

When we last spoke to course manager Graeme Beatt The Open had just concluded and recovery of the course was paramount. Now, Graeme can look back at the event and all that came with it.

Royal Portrush signs Toro agreement

Royal Portrush signs Toro agreement

He reflects: “In the four years running up to the competition we made some big changes. This included adding seven new holes, 34 tees and 22 bunkers across both our courses. And the Dunluce links course, which held The Open, had added five new greens, 19 tees and 18 bunkers, plus changes to every hole of some kind. Additionally, two miles of road and 18 miles of pipe and ducting were installed to accommodate new infrastructure for spectators of The Open. Toro machinery and irrigation were integral to our prep, the course maintenance throughout the event and the aftercare. And the whole time we saw excellent results which, with 25 years of experience with Toro at the club, was nothing less than expected!”

It’s this long history of Toro’s excellent performance and reliability that saw the club sign a further five-year agreement at the conclusion of last year, continues Graeme: “I’ve been using Toro for the majority of my career and during that time the machines have proved themselves to be reliable and robust. The finish they provide is second to none. Combined with the excellent service from Reesink Turfcare, there really was no question who we would turn to for our next renewal, especially after the huge success of The Open, which was a real team effort.

“Reesink loaned us 25 Toro machines, joining our 50-strong existing fleet, and we simply wouldn’t have been able to make such a success of hosting the event without that help. With many of the players staying late to get extra practice, we had to get the course – all 7,300 yards of it – ready within a very short time period each morning. And it wasn’t just the increased number of machines that allowed us to do this, but the efficiency and quality of those machines.”

And the quality of Toro machines was further proved after the conclusion of the competition. With so many spectators, a huge 237,750 making it the highest attended championship outside of St Andrews, Toro was needed to help with the recovery of the links course.

“The course was generally in great condition when the competition ended as the maintenance throughout was to such a high standard, from both the machinery and irrigation,” says Graeme. “However the spectator areas had seen a lot of stress, so it was important to have high-quality machinery to aid the turf’s recovery, which of course Toro provided.”

With the course back up to standard and a new agreement in place, Graeme’s thoughts turned to the next five years and he has big plans: “We’re looking at bringing in Infinity sprinklers across the whole course after seeing them in action on the new holes. They perform so well, particularly in windy conditions which we have a lot of here! We’re also considering introducing hybrid mowers to the fleet. Not only are they better for the environment and eliminate any possibility of an oil leak, but they are now tried and tested machines.”

But ultimately, what this latest deal does is “continue to provide golfers with a championship standard experience,” says Graeme.

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Sandfiller fufills aspirations for Marc Kerr

/in , , /by

Sandfiller fufills aspirations for Marc Kerr: Established in 2007, Marc Kerr Limited are a sport surface specialist. Working from golf greens to bowling greens and finishes, including pre and end of season renovations, the GKB Sandfiller was the perfect partner for their company needs.

Creating perfection from the Green until the Tee, the GKB Sandfiller combines scarifying, removal and sand-filling in just one simple operation. Using his machine for Golf Greens, Bowling Greens and sometimes Golf Tees, Marc Kerr, Director at Marc Kerr LTD said “I used to run two sand injection gardens and still do but switching to the Sandfiller has made a similar process more efficient and safer.

Sandfiller fufills aspirations for Marc Kerr

Sandfiller fufills aspirations for Marc Kerr

A great benefit to this machine is that unlike other working methods which require 6 or more people, the working method of the GKB Sandfiller can be executed by just one person. Marc adds “The GKB Sandfiller has also added to huge reductions in manpower, less weather dependents and better working depths.”

In order to lift the removed material, the machine features a slitting rotor with carbide scarifying blades as well as an attachment to the blades which creates wind. With blade thicknesses available ranging from 2-4mm and the centres fixed at 40mm, the GKB Sandfiller encompasses versatility.

The featured scarifying blades will remove the thatch until it reaches a 4cm depth. Following this, the scarified and removed material is immediately distributed to a sideways-tipping container.

With over 20 years of experience and industry specialists, it was perfect duo to combine Marc Kerr with the GKB Sandfiller. Praising GKB Machines for their fantastic customer service. Marc adds “GKB’s equipment is strong and trusted within the industry and as a contractor you don’t worry about breakdowns which you might do with other manufacturers equipment.

GKB Machines are always looking ahead of the game and striving to create products to keep at the forefront of innovation. Marc continues, “the product range is always moving forward with great ideas.”

For more on GKB Machines and their reliable and robust range of machinery for natural, hybrid and synthetic turf, please visit www.gkbmachines.com or contact Tom Shinkins on 07495 883617.

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

BLECavator improves speed and accuracy

/in , /by

BLECavator improves speed and accuracy: Dales Sports Surfaces are the world’s leading suppliers of indoor and outdoor bowling surfaces.

With an increasing number of clubs looking to convert over to artificial greens, recent investment in the required equipment has seen them take delivery of a BLECavator from Charterhouse Turf Machinery. Their new BV145 works hand-in-hand with other equipment from the BLEC stable to speed up and improve the accuracy of installing the foundation layers.

BLECavator improves speed and accuracy

BLECavator improves speed and accuracy

“We’re getting an ever-growing number of enquiries from clubs who are wanting to install artificial turf because of the costs involved with maintaining natural turf, and a lack of skilled greenkeepers to look after them” explains Managing Director of Dales Sports Surfaces, Richard Steadman. “Knowing we needed to invest in a couple of pieces of machinery to make this work easier and more efficient, I spoke with Charterhouse Turf Machinery who suggested we look at the BLECavator.”

The BLECavator is a one-pass ground preparator – levelling, raking and rolling simultaneously. The BV145 model has a 1.5m working width and cultivates the ground to depths of up to 18cm, using adjustable tines to lift and screen stones and debris. Burying the undesirable material and raking the ground level, the soil is then compacted by the rear-mounted roller ready for the next stage of preparations.

Richard purchased the BLECavator, together with a Redexim Turf Stripper, in June 2019 through their local dealer, FG Adamson & Son. The pair of new machines were recently put to use on a conversion project at Malmesbury Bowls Club in Wiltshire. “The first thing we did was remove the existing surface with the Turf Stripper before we installed the new drainage system. We then used a BLEC Laser Grader to grade the base level and followed up with the BLECavator to apply a stone/cement layer. Finally, we re-graded the base to a level tolerance ready for installation of the green.”

“The BLECavator is a well-built multifunctional tool that is nice and easy to set up and does a fantastic job of stabilising the soil and stone.” Richard concludes, “With the increase in conversion projects we’re seeing, we now have a fleet of machines that work really well together to speed up the process and improve the accuracy and quality of the finish.”

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Mowing forward with more choice

/in , , /by

Mowing forward with more choice: Adding to its award-winning range of cordless power tools, EGO is now launching a new 42cm self-propelled lawnmower (LM1701E-SP). Combined with other features, it’s designed to make mowing easy with incredible collection even on slopes and difficult terrain.

In addition to the variable speed self-propelled drive system, the lawnmower has wheels with a larger than usual tread to give better traction. It also features adjustable handle heights and an easy to access battery and grass-box.

Mowing forward with more choice

Mowing forward with more choice

Weighing just 25kg, the 42cm mower benefits from an extra-large 55-litre textile bag for grass collection and supplied with a 2.5Ah battery and standard charger, users can cut up to 300sqm on one single charge. It’s also manufactured from a robust and easy to clean polymer material which is a proven winner when it comes to collecting, mulching and rear discharge cutting.

Powered by industry-leading 56-volt Arc lithium-ion technology, there are no power cables to get tangled in, and no petrol to deal with.

But that doesn’t mean users don’t get equivalent performance.

From leaf blowers and chain saws through to the new mower, all of EGO’s market-leading range of cordless equipment matches or surpasses the performance of petrol-powered tools – without the noise, vibration or pollution, but with plenty of added value.

Retailing at £529.00 with a 5-year domestic warranty, the new 42cm mower proves the point.

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Cub Cadet XZ5 Ultima wins award

/in , , /by

Cub Cadet XZ5 Ultima wins award: The Chicago Athenaeum Museum presented Cub Cadet with a GOOD DESIGN™ award for its new XZ5 Ultima Series zero-turns – for innovative and cutting-edge industrial product design in the tools category.

The awards emphasise quality design, awarding products with “design of the highest form, function and aesthetics… a standard beyond ordinary,” as stated by the GOOD DESIGN™ Award Program.

Cub Cadet XZ5 Ultima wins award

Cub Cadet XZ5 Ultima wins award

“We knew we had something very special [on] our hands based on how the project came together – from the unique tubular frame design to the best-in-class performance and comfort” said Dennis Fowler, industrial design lead for MTD Products Inc. “We’ve already expanded the line up to reach new audiences for 2020, and we look forward to continuing our quest for innovation within this product line.”

For the last 70 years, the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design and Metropolitan Arts Press Ltd. have presented GOOD DESIGN™ awards to those who produce the most innovative and cutting-edge industrial, product, and graphic designs produced around the world. GOOD DESIGN™ is an international symbol of a company’s commitment to innovation and superior design.

The full journey of the XZ5 Ultima took six months, including input from 1,300 customers and more than 63,000 hours of engineering and testing. It was clear that customers wanted strength, durability and a sleek style.

“These new XZ5 Ultima machines have been on sale in America which leads the market on

zero-turns and have smashed all sales records! The sales have been so successful that they have not only increased the line-up of Ultima machines but have also had to increase the production lines to keep up with demand” said Phil Noble, Divisional Manager, Lawn and Garden E.P. Barrus “Cub Cadet has been at the forefront of the zero-turn market in the UK because our tractors have enabled customers to have zero-turn performance but with traditional steering wheel controls. However, in the UK, lap bar tractors are becoming more and more popular, so we are excited to add these machines to our range. We showcased these machines at the end of last year and our dealers have really got behind them, our sales have already increased dramatically!”

The latest steering lever lap bar technology combined with the extremely robust construction of heavy-duty components and high-performance engine makes the XZ5 Ultima series the ideal tractor for any gardener or professional user looking for a machine for large lawn maintenance.

At Cub Cadet we continuously endeavour to improve our product ranges, from lawnmowers, to zero-turns, lawn tractors to robotic mowers, by incorporating new and proven technologies, implementing innovative engineering solutions and offering a dealership service that delivers true advantages to you and your business.

The XZ5 Ultima series™ from Cub Cadet. Professional grade power for your business and your lawns.

For more information go to www.cubcadet.co.uk or contact Cub Cadet on 01869 363677.

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.