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20/20 Vision At Golf Club

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20/20 Vision At Golf Club: Manor of Groves Golf Club in Hertfordshire has purchased its first fleet of Toro machinery and resolved to be exclusively Toro by 2020, having seen a number of benefits including time-saving, ease of maintenance and noticeable results.

The club invested in a Toro Reelmaster 5510-D, two TriFlex 3400 mowers, a Workman complete with a Multi Pro 200 sprayer, and a ProForce debris blower to update its front line cutting fleet (greens, fairways, tees and approaches).

20/20 Vision At Golf Club

Course manager Lee Brinkley explains why they opted for Toro: “Having worked at other clubs that used a mix of Toro and competitor brand machines, Toro has always stood out to me as the most reliable turfcare brand.

“So when [Toro UK distributor] Reesink Turfcare representative Richard Freeman came on course to demonstrate the machines, it made me and general manager James Barker certain that Toro’s machinery is the best quality and value for money.”

Aftersales service was also an important consideration in the investment, explains Lee: “We knew we were buying more than just machines. I now have peace of mind that if I call Reesink with a query, our local representative Richard will be at the other end of the phone to help within minutes.”

Lee’s favourite addition to the new fleet is the Workman complete with a Multi Pro 200 sprayer. He says: “The sprayer is so easy to use and I love that it is such a time saver. This is down to the huge 700 litre tank, which rarely has to be refilled during a cycle and cuts operation time by half.

“Before we did granulised fertiliser for fairways, tees and approaches that had to break down over time and was reliant on the right weather conditions. Now, with the Multi Pro, we can apply foliar based fertilisers which are absorbed through the leaves, making nutrients more readily available to the plants. Another great feature of the Multi Pro is consistent and accurate coverage thanks to the sprayer’s digital display and self calibrating system.”

Out of the new mowers, the TriFlex 3400 model stands out to Lee: “Maintenance is so easy! With our previous greens mower you had to forever pump grease into the bearings to keep everything lubricated, but the 3400 has sealed steel bearings which don’t need greasing – it makes maintenance far easier for us, and saves on time.”

The new machines have certainly won the approval of Lee’s colleagues. He says: “The six greenkeepers in my team think the Toros are a huge improvement from previous machines. Even the Head PGA Professional has noticed and commented on how much better the cut on the greens and approaches is looking.”

According to Lee, Toro has transformed the club: “This is the first time in years we have purchased more than one machine at a time. To have brought five in at the same time means the improvements are really noticeable. We’ve seen the difference Toro can bring to our course and as a result the club’s approach to machinery investment has changed – we now plan to buy new Toro machines every three years and hope to have an all-red fleet by 2020!”

For more information, visit: reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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New Golf Course Apprentice

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New Golf Course Apprentice: A green keeping apprenticeship at the internationally-renowned Castle Stuart Golf Links is the ideal job for Ethan Ramsay due to his love of golf and of working outdoors.

Ethan, 17, started his new role this month at the four-time Scottish Open venue, but is already very familiar with the famous links.

The former Millburn Academy pupil has spent time at Castle Stuart on work experience and was also part of the bunker squad during the 2016 Scottish Open. In addition, the 13-handicap golfer has played and caddied on the course several times.

“The Scottish Open was an amazing experience and gave me a taste of what it would be like to work full-time on this great course”, said Ethan. “I like playing golf and enjoy physical, outdoor work so I am delighted to get a chance to start my apprenticeship here.

“I hope I can have a career in the golf industry and that the job will also help my golf, at least on this course.”

Ethan joins a team of 11 full-time green keeping staff at Castle Stuart who are preparing for the 2018 season opening on 23 March. They will be joined by two seasonal staff between April and October.

While receiving on-site training at Castle Stuart, Ethan will also be studying for Scottish vocational qualifications in sports turf maintenance at SRUC, Scotland’s Rural College, in Fife, for three years.

Head greenkeeper James Hutchison said: “Ethan is really enthusiastic and has a real get-up-and-go attitude. He is keen to learn and is always asking questions which shows he wants to progress.

“At Castle Stuart he will be involved in all aspects of the course so he will develop a wide range of skills. If people impress here there will certainly be opportunities to move up the career ladder.”

Apprentices have a world-wide career opportunity with Caste Stuart as it offers placements and exchange programmes with other courses. In the past greenkeepers have visited Europe, Australia and the US as part of their learning experience.

James added: “Greenkeeping is a great career for young people. We have a fantastic working environment here and provide apprentices with the right tools and on-site training to prepare them for whatever they want to achieve.”

The quality of the Castle Stuart links has been praised by the likes of Phil Mickelson, who won the Scottish Open in 2013, and the 2016 winner Alex Noren. It is regarded as a model for modern course design by testing the best but being playable and enjoyable for players of all abilities.

Castle Stuart has also won awards for its environmental management, the course having been created from an area of former farmland and a site rich in wildlife.

For more information, visit: www.castlestuartgolf.com

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Expanded Först Range

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Expanded Först Range: Först, a leading supplier of high performance and robust woodchippers, has recently expanded its petrol woodchipper range having launched the TR6P, the first and famous Först 6” tracked woodchipper, now with a fuel efficient 37hp petrol engine. 

Following the recent introduction of the hugely popular ST6P, the new TR6P utilises the same 37hp V twin petrol engine, meaning that not only is the woodchipper compliant with the new Stage V emissions regulations coming into play in 2019, but it also matches the strength and performance users have come to expect from Först’s diesel powered machines.

Expanded Först Range

An additional benefit of the TR6P that will be hugely appealing to contractors, arborists, landscapers and farmers alike is the use of a petrol engine ensures the machine is much quieter during operation and is a far more cost effective option when compared to diesel alternatives, without compromising on performance or quality.

With a lighter weight of only 1200kg, the TR6P woodchipper can track faster and utilises the same chipping chamber, flywheel, hopper, and feed roller system as users have come to expect on all Först models, building on its reputation of bringing fast, aggressive and robust woodchippers to market.

Doug Ghinn, Director at Först, said: “We are very excited to bring another petrol powered machine to market that provides operators with the power and robustness required to carry out their day-to-day jobs, with the added benefit of being far more cost effective and quieter during operation.

“The success of the ST6P is proof that, although diesel engines will continue to be popular in the arboriculture industry, more and more operators are becoming aware of the benefits petrol engines can provide, without having to compromise on performance. The introduction of the TR6P is yet another example of our continued investment in the future of the industry and how Först fully understands the needs of its customers.”

The TR6P woodchipper boasts the features and benefits contractors and tree surgeons have come to expect with Först, including the manufacturer’s unique feedroller system (FörstGrip), which ensures exceptional crushing power. The FörstGrip top feed roller climbs on an arc toward the timber, pulling material down toward the flywheel and naturally climbing butt ends to make the infeed grip exceptional to break the toughest of forks and limbs.

The machine also features an open top flywheel system ensuring chip is thrown, not blown, minimising blockages on wet material and helping to maintain increased velocity when chipping.

As with the whole range of Först woodchippers, the TR6P comes with a three-year warranty as standard for complete peace of mind and is backed up by Först first class service offering.

For more information on Först’s high performance range of woodchippers, or to book a demonstration, visit www.forst-woodchippers.com or call 01264 721790.

Alternatively, follow Först on Twitter (@ForstChippers) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/ForstChippers/).

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Comprehensive Support From Bailoy

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Comprehensive Support From Bailoy: Broad range of services and training available to GTI customers

As well as designing, manufacturing and now distributing irrigation control systems, Bailoy offers customers a whole host of services and training to ensure the smooth and optimised running of their products.

Support services are available from Bailoy in three forms: consultancy, telephone or remote access, and onsite. Bailoy managing director, Adam Lovejoy, says: “Our comprehensive support services ensure smooth, cost effective running of Bailoy irrigation systems and can be arranged direct or through contractors.”

A consultation includes an audit of your GTI control system for improving water efficiency and reducing running costs, during which Bailoy evaluates and advises on how to improve irrigation run times, hydraulic flow and water management.

For customers requiring immediate help, telephone and remote support is the fastest service available. This enables Bailoy support staff to control your computer to affect changes including software and mapping upgrades, as well as amendments and optimisation for the latter. As for databases, they can be adjusted, optimised, recovered and reinstalled and even backed-up remotely.

All of the above can be achieved onsite, with the addition of software reinstallation, mapping installations, computer upgrades and replacements, and data survey and collection.

Bailoy also boasts bespoke irrigation courses. These can be tailored to all levels and take place at a time and place convenient to the customer, whether that be their premises, Bailoy’s office near Heathrow or at national group training seminars at various UK locations.

There are Beginner or Advanced Level courses, to enhance your knowledge of how to use your GTI system on a day-to-day basis, courses on how key irrigation system components work together, so there is a better understanding of how changing a component may impact on the rest of the system, and, finally, to learn how to best maintain these key components there is the Maintaining your Irrigation System course.

Organising training or support is only an email or phone call away. Contact info@bailoy.com or 0208 897 0125 to find out more.

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Theft At Cricket Club

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Theft At Cricket Club: A warning to be vigilant has been issued by a cricket club after thieves stole some of its expensive groundskeeping equipment.

On Friday morning, the groundsman at Maidenhead and Bray Cricket Club discovered that a storage container in the club’s car park in Bray had been broken into overnight.

Equipment stolen included a square mower and an aerator which are both used to keep the team’s outfield in pristine condition during the season.

Interim secretary Tom Allen told the Advertiser, “When someone does come and steal stuff or vandalise you just think why do it?

“People are volunteering and putting their own time in and this just ruins their hard work.”

The break-in has been reported to the police and the club is now asking fellow teams to keep an eye out for anyone selling similar machinery in the area.

Tom added, “We would just advise other clubs in the area to check nothing has been taken from their clubs and listen out for anyone selling these things.

“We’re lucky it didn’t happen during the season because it will probably take us a few months to replace.

“Let’s just hope that it’s just a one-off and it’s not going to be a spate of break-ins.”

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