Toro Reliability At Rookery Park

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Toro Reliability At Rookery Park: Rookery Park Golf Club in Suffolk has recently purchased three Toro machines because “reliability is key” for course manager Neil Davey.

Neil explains: “We’re gradually replacing all of our old machines and the time had come to update two of our fairway mowers. They were continuously breaking down and we were putting money into repairs for machines that just weren’t dependable, and we couldn’t rely on to deliver what we needed. So, to replace them, we turned to Toro and bought two Reelmaster 3575-D mowers at the start of the year, and more recently we invested in another Greensmaster TriFlex 3400.”

Toro Reliability At Rookery Park

Even though Toro already makes up 90 percent of the greenkeeping equipment at the club, each machinery purchase is done on a case-by-case basis and Toro has been chosen again, predominantly for its reliability but also for the results it produces. “It’s not a given we’ll go with Toro the next time we update the fleet but from my experience it’s highly likely! We base ourselves on hard work, so what we need are trustworthy machines. Everywhere I’ve worked throughout my career, there’s been Toro, and for good reason. It consistently provides high-quality for a good price, and that allows us to do the best job possible with the budget we have.”

After contacting Julian Copping from Reesink Turfcare who set up a demonstration, Neil and the team put the machines to the test. With the features of the Reelmaster 3575-D including a powerful 24.8hp diesel engine as well as smooth turf-friendly tyres to reduce compaction and damage, it was no wonder Neil and the team were impressed.

He enthuses: “I particularly liked the three-wheel-drive system on the Reelmaster, it allows for tight turns easily and the handling in general was great. In fact, the whole team loves to use Toro, it’s easy to operate and whenever there have been any issues, they get sorted immediately. The service from Reesink is great.”

When it came to the Greensmaster TriFlex 3400, Neil didn’t need much convincing. “It’s definitely one of the best machines I’ve ever used,” he comments. “It has such good flexibility; the quick-change units make servicing the cutting units fast and easy. We’ve purchased a new model but we’re keeping the old one. Toro is known to keep its residual value and this machine is proof of that, it’s still in great condition with plenty of life yet.”

The 27-hole course set as it is in parkland, provides not only a challenging game for its 700 members, but a challenge for Neil and the team to keep in top condition too, but with Toro in the shed Neil says: “Our members have all seen an improvement in the course since we’ve brought in more Toro machines, the results are clear and prove we made the right decision. I know I’m doing my job right by going with Toro and I can know I can trust them not to let us down.”

For more information, visit: reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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Scott MacCallum Christmas Update

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Scott MacCallum Christmas Update: It seems like only a blink of an eye when we were saying. Goodbye to 2017 and welcoming in 2018 and now we are back doing the same but one year on.

However, looking back 2018 was a pretty action packed sporting year.

Ireland clinched a Grand Slam in the Six Nations and went on to defeat World Champions later in the year. The Six Nations is truly one of the stand-out events on the calendar and the quality of the venues and the pitches are fine examples of how far not just stadiums but pitch maintenance have come in the last 10 years.

The Winter Olympics, perhaps, didn’t need the expertise of turf managers, but piste and ice preparation is an art in itself.

The World Cup in Russia was a triumph. The feared issues didn’t materialise and the Russian population welcomed everyone with open arms. An example of how sport can cut through the, let’s use the word “nonsense” with pervades so many other areas of life.

The World Cup caught the imagination, thanks to the progress of Gareth Southgate and his team.

It might have been the fact that no-one can really dislike Gareth and his team were much more open and accessible than previously, but even in Scotland, where I watched the matches, there were cheers when England scored and progressed through the rounds.

An end to the 52 years of hurt may have been a step too far for those of us on the northern side of Hadrian’s Wall though.

Many UK companies were involved in the World Cup which, in itself, is testimony to the quality of product and service we  are lucky enough to enjoy here.

It is sad but a true that it was good news that most of the other great sporting events were carried off – once we waved goodbye to the Beast from the East and welcomed a summer to remember – without any adverse headlines relating to the quality of the playing areas. Wimbledon, various Test series, Cheltenham and Aintree, The Open at Carnoustie and too many more to list here.

There is always a chance that adverse weather and disease can impact upon sports surfaces but the advances in both the products and the skills of the turf managers has seen those chances reduce over the years and excellence is now commonplace.

We have another exciting year ahead of us in 2019 and on behalf of Tim, Sinead, Marie and myself I wish you all the very best for the new year and for the festive time over the next few days.

Scott MacCallum

Editor

Glyphosate Roadshow A Success

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Glyphosate Roadshow A Success: Complete Weed Control’s glyphosate roadshow has been hailed as a huge success after the series of seminars offered vital guidance on the application of glyphosate to over 150 delegates throughout four UK locations.

Glyphosate is the world’s most widely used herbicide and has been proven to be effective in controlling unwanted vegetation in public spaces, gardens and in agriculture. However, over recent years it has been exposed to an abundance of scrutiny and debate which has left more unanswered questions and created further confusion.

Glyphosate Roadshow A Success

In this series of seminars, which took place in York, Bristol, London and Stirling, Complete Weed Control aimed to provide a greater clarity on glyphosate, as managing director Ian Graham explained in his introduction at each venue.

“As an organisation we felt it was time to put together a series of seminars to deal with the issues surrounding glyphosate and its use in the amenity sector. There has been a considerable and sustained volume bad press and a much negativity surrounding this product – so we felt it was essential that we explore the reality and present the data that exists from numerous agencies around the world that have all declared this product to be safe.

“As contractors we are very happy that our using it is entirely appropriate as it delivers a safe, environmentally sound and cost-effective means of dealing with weeds.”

Following Ian’s introduction, Bayer’s Roundup Technical Development Manager Barrie Hunt shared his wealth of knowledge and offered a fantastic insight into the history and development of glyphosate.  Barrie also discussed how and why glyphosate was re-approved for use in the EU back in 2017 and provided best practice information to help delegates plan ahead for their 2019 weed control programmes.

Commenting on his participation in the roadshow, Barrie said: “I got involved because I believe the stewardship of glyphosate and our Roundup brand is incredibly important – it is not something that can be left to chance.

“These seminars have been a great opportunity to engage with so many local authorities and contractors and to present the facts about glyphosate, present the science about glyphosate, and to address everybody’s questions which have ranged from glyphosate safety through to the specifics of controlling Japanese Knotweed.

“Without doubt this amenity usage is the place where pesticides meet the public so we have a responsibility to ensure that they have a good clear stewardship message and that they understand the safety of glyphosate.”

Delegates also got the chance to see a live demonstration of the Weed-IT machine and discovered the environmental and productivity benefits that this unique technology offers the industry. Developed specifically for the control of weeds on public footpaths and similar hard surface areas in urban situations, the WeedIT technology allows for spot treatment, which is a label requirement for glyphosate.

Complete Weed Control’s Technical Director Alan Abel then went on to further discuss spot treatment options and provide greater clarity on glyphosate label legislation.  Alan also talked about the relative costs of alternative treatments such as acid, heat and hand weeding, concluding that the WeedIT machine is both financially and environmentally economical.

To conclude Ian Graham presented information regarding the ongoing Japanese Knotweed trials currently taking place in Cardiff in partnership with Swansea University– which have demonstrated that glyphosate is the product that best controls Japanese Knotweed making it more important still that this valuable active ingredient is not lost through lack of knowledge and understanding.

Each seminar concluded with a Q&A session before lunch, and Ian Graham was pleased to see each event so well attended.

“Over the four venues we have seen in excess of 150 delegates, which we consider to be a success. These delegates are keen to learn the truth about glyphosate – they are the ones dealing with the public and are being asked the difficult questions. They want to make sure they have the answers at their disposal for when they are asked and I think these seminars have provided them with the knowledge they need.

“As an industry, I think it is very important that we collectively put our weight behind supporting glyphosate. It is important to us and it is important to be able to deal with weeds effectively and in an environmentally sound fashion.

“We are looking to reach out and gain more support from other organisations within our industry and hopefully that will continue to have positive results in representing the product.

As a consequence of the shows we are now developing an online product that will be launched in January that will serve as an information resource for clients and the public alike.”

For more information, please contact Complete Weed Control’s national office on 01325 324 277 or visit www.completeweedcontrol.co.uk

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Two Toro Launches At BTME

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Two Toro Launches At BTME: Reesink Turfcare are kicking off 2019 with the launch of two new Toro fine turf machines at BTME.

Full details of both machines are being kept under wraps until the show, but what the company can reveal is that one takes a popular ride-on greens mower and makes it super quiet, while the other brings new innovation to pedestrian mowing.

Two Toro Launches At BTME

In the first, a proven engine, no more hydraulics and a significant reduction in operator noise, but with the familiar feel of its series counterparts will undoubtedly create a great deal of interest with UK greenkeepers and course managers keen to up their green credentials.

The second launch improves the operator experience without affecting the quality of cut. The handle and suspension on this new pedestrian mower have all received the Toro touch and together means operation is simpler, cut is more consistent and adjustment is even easier.

This new Toro two will be joined on stand 420 in the Purple Zone by the Outcross, Toro’s first super-duty utility vehicle. The Outcross combines the best elements of a tractor with a utility vehicle that’s been purpose-built to expand the operators’ capacity for work, allowing them to do more with less. With the power to tow 16,000lbs and an optional cargo bed that can hold 4,500lbs of materials, its sheer strength is astonishing.

Completing the Toro machinery line-up will be the latest ‘flagship’ machines for greenkeeping professionals. They include the Reelmaster 5010-H; the machine which introduced the industry to a fairway mower with a true hybrid drive system to seamlessly match the power needed for traction and cutting based on mowing conditions.

Also in the Reelmaster category and at the show will be the RM3555-D, the hard-working, economical mower and lightest in its category, which can climb hills while running groomers and rear roller brushes yet uses less fuel per acre than traditional fairway mowers.

Completing the line-up are the Workman GTX-E, the mid-duty electric utility vehicle with over 300 configuration options, and myTurf Pro, the web-based asset management system providing machinery data for efficient fleet maintenance.

Holly Jones, marketing manager at Reesink, says: “These two machines promise to be a big hit with customers and the show provides the perfect launch platform. We look forward to welcoming everyone to the stand, where our specialist machinery team will be on hand to give help and advice about all our products.”

See all this – and more – on stand 420 in the Purple Zone.

For more information, visit: reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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Dennis & SISIS To Exhibit At STMA

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Dennis & SISIS To Exhibit At STMA: Dennis and SISIS will be heading to Arizona in January to showcase an all-star line-up of equipment at the 2019 Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA) Conference and Exhibition, including the recently launched Dennis PRO 34R rotary mower and the Syn-Pro SVR 1500 synthetic turf cleaner.

As Dennis and SISIS continue to fly the flag for British turf maintenance equipment, it is no surprise that many of the machines are being relied upon by a large number of turf managers in the states. The British manufacturers have been regular exhibitors at the annual STMA Conference and Exhibition and have reported great success over recent years.

Dennis & SISIS To Exhibit At STMA

When the 30th STMA Conference and Exhibition takes place January 22 -25 in Phoenix, Arizona, Dennis and SISIS will be looking forward to continuing this trend as they introduce new products to existing and new customers.

One of which will be the hotly anticipated and newly launched Dennis PRO 34R rotary mower. This unique 34” (860mm) rotary mower has been designed to help turf managers achieve an aesthetically pleasing appearance and desired playing surface. It is ideal for sports pitches producing the enviable ‘Dennis Stripes’ while a powerful vacuum flow collects debris quickly and efficiently. The angle of the cutting deck and twin blades can be easily adjusted using a single ‘click adjuster’ ensuring the mower is suitable for changing conditions and meeting groundsmen’s requirements.

The PRO 34R features 5 forward and 1 reverse selection for speed of operation, a front brush for standing grasses upright and a 2 section cast aluminium rear roller for that all-important presentation.

Visitors to the Dennis and SISIS stand will also be pleased to see the new SVR 1500 synthetic turf cleaner which is the latest product to be added to the Syn-Pro range. The SVR 1500 deep turf cleaner is a tractor mounted system that removes not only large debris from the infill but also finer dust particles before returning the ‘cleaned’ infill back to the surface.

Designed for use on either sand or rubber filled surfaces, the SVR 1500 is ideal for deep cleaning and aiding de-compaction. Operators will notice that this process allows water to permeate through, which can help to reduce bacteria, algae and moss and minimize the risk of player injury.

Dennis & SISIS To Exhibit At STMA

No doubt many visitors will already be familiar with the SISIS Javelin Aer-Aid 1500 tractor mounted vertical action aerator, which has gained plaudits from turf managers, organisations and independent research institutes. This popular machine injects air directly into the root zone speeding up the aeration process, moving air uniformly throughout the root zone for complete aeration and not just where the tines have penetrated the surface. Those operating the Javelin Aer-Aid have the flexibility to alternate tines for other operations such as hollow coring prior to top dressing. Other benefits include a fast forward speed for excellent productivity, minimal maintenance and a smooth and quiet operation.

Also featuring prominently on the stand will be the SISIS SSS1000 – a tractor mounted sweeper which can be pulled by any machine. There are no tools required for the adjustment of the brush or the angle of the draw bar and to make storage easy the draw bar lifts to an upright position. With an aluminium hopper with stainless steel mesh, any infill that is collected when using the machine is returned back down to the surface leaving it free from contamination of debris.

Last but certainly not least is the Dennis G860 cylinder mower which is used at many high-profile stadia. The mower features a large diameter front roller with an adjustable scraper which has been designed for a precise height of cut control, giving an excellent finish.

Weighing just 166kg, it is light and extremely versatile due to the interchangeable cassette system. With a simple one minute changeover, users have the option of fitting eleven different types of heads including scarifiers, verticutters, brushes, spikers, slitters and cutting cylinders.

Further information about the range of maintenance products available can be found by visiting www.dennisuk.com / www.sisis.com.

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