New mower makes its mark

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New mower makes its mark: John Deere’s south-west England turf dealership Masons Kings sold the first 2750E hybrid electric triplex mower in the area to The Point at Polzeath resort in north Cornwall, with the golf course’s head greenkeeper Tom Collings calling it “… just the mower I wanted”.

The 18 hole golf course sits just above the Camel Estuary with stunning views out over Hayle Bay and Pentire Point, and was England Golf’s GolfMark ‘Club of the Year’ winner in 2017. The club was bought out of liquidation in 2012 by husband and wife team Jeremy Davies and his wife Eva, who have since made a significant investment in every aspect of the business.

New mower makes its mark

New mower makes its mark

This has included the course maintenance equipment fleet, to get the course back into better shape and improve standards across the board. As a result, the greens are now considered to be among the best in the county and the presentation of the course is first class. Most holes have seen significant changes, with improvements to the fairway definition, bunkers, tees and greens, and a new 160-yard par 3 7th hole being developed.

The club has steadily replaced its previous, ageing machinery fleet over the last five years and invested in new John Deere machines from the Masons Kings outlet at St Columb. In addition to the 2750E, a new pedestrian Aercore 800 aerator was delivered to the club following an end of year demonstration, “…just in time for Christmas!” says dealer sales consultant David Barnes.

Summer 2020 also saw the arrival of a 7700A PrecisionCut fairway mower, following two 220SL walk-behind greens mowers in 2019 and a 9009A TerrainCut rotary rough mower, 4066R compact tractor, ProGator utility vehicle and 8800A TerrainCut mower spread over the previous three years.

“We are continuously investing in John Deere’s latest golf equipment and precision technology as we aim to be the leading supplier of machinery and product support for golf courses across the south-west of England,” adds David Barnes.  “The Point at Polzeath was the first club in our area to buy the new 2750E, and we are confident it will do a great job across the course for Tom and his team.”

Tom Collings came to The Point from nearby Trevose in 2009 and has seen the change of ownership breathe new life into what at that time had been a   struggling business. “The owners believe if you’re not moving forward, you’re going backwards, so they’ve continued investing as far as possible, even during the pandemic,” he says.

“We bought the 8800A outright back in 2016 as part of the initial machinery investment, but since then we’ve taken all the mowing equipment on a five-year finance lease arrangement with John Deere Financial. We’ve continued to buy the tractors, utility vehicles and hand mowers, as these tend to last a lot longer if you look after them well, although it always depends on the owners’ preference each time.

“I also have a good relationship with David Barnes and parts manager Rob Blundell at Masons Kings,” adds Tom. “They have always been very helpful and accommodating, even before we started buying more John Deere equipment, and have helped me out many times by supplying parts for our older kit, for example – so in a way it’s been our turn to repay the favour with these latest purchases.

“I first saw the 2750E on social media after it was launched at BTME, and then John Deere invited me to visit Wentworth. Territory manager Nick Ashman talked about the changes the company had made to the mower and the benefits it could offer, so I was keen to have a look at it working on our course.

“Masons Kings arranged a demonstration here and after cutting the first green I was completely sold, I just found it a totally different experience to any previous mower. Given how it handled and coped so easily with the conditions around the course, the decision to buy one was a no-brainer – it was just the mower I wanted.”

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Brokenhurst Manor benefits from dealer support

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Brokenhurst Manor benefits from dealer support: Situated in the village of Brockenhurst in the New Forest National Park, Brokenhurst Manor Golf Club is one of Hampshire’s finest woodland/heathland courses. The club likes to point out that theirs is the correct and original spelling although it is pronounced the same as with the c, which was added to the railway station name in the 19th century by mistake and stuck.

The club hosted the first of last summer’s eight Rose Ladies Series tournaments, sponsored by Justin Rose. This was held in June just five weeks after re-opening following a 10-week lockdown, when the greenkeeping team was only doing essential maintenance to keep the course tidy. The idea for the series came from club member and Ladies European Tour player Liz Young, who was beaten by Charley Hull in a play-off at the inaugural event.

Brokenhurst Manor benefits from dealer support

Brokenhurst Manor benefits from dealer support

It was the pre-tournament support that club manager Kevin Light and course manager Kevan Glass received from John Deere’s local turf dealer Hunt Forest Group, particularly groundscare sales & golf specialist Andy Johnson and golf demonstrator Rob Patrick, that contributed to the decision to sign Brokenhurst Manor’s first ever fleet package deal using a John Deere Financial contract lease arrangement.

As a result, the club’s greenkeeping team now uses a 7500A PrecisionCut fairway mower, two 2653B tees & surrounds mowers, TX Turf and TE electric Gator utility vehicles, a ProGator equipped with a Charterhouse top dresser and a 5075E utility tractor on low ground pressure tyres, plus ancillary equipment including a tractor trailer, a Campey TB 220 brush and a Tru-Turf greens roller.

“Our previous five-year contract was up for renewal in the summer, and the decision to change to John Deere was influenced by a number of things,” says Kevin Light, who has been manager for three years. “Chief among these was that Andy and Rob were very forthcoming with loan machines for testing, demonstrations and tournament support. Both John Deere and the dealership did a very professional job all the way through this period and were really helpful when we needed it.”

“We’ve run John Deere tractors here for 20 years, used Gators before and know the 2653 utility mowers well, but the A Model fairway mower and the Tru-Turf roller were firsts for us,” adds Kevan Glass. “We managed to stay positive through the initial lockdown period and utilised the time as well as we could. Along with the new kit, we were able to get quite a few extra jobs done and ticked a number of boxes while we were shut.

“There are not a lot of clubs like this one, with the forest all around us – the natural beauty of the woodland feeds onto the golf course, it’s very tranquil and provides great views all the way round. However, with a clay subsoil and situated on a flood plain, it can be a hard job keeping it in top condition. Nowadays people want the full golf course experience, they don’t want tee mats and temporary greens during the winter months for example, so it’s definitely more of a challenge than it was 10 or 20 years ago.”

Since Kevin Light took over as club manager, a number of other significant changes have been made and there is a waiting list for members. “We have a great team here now, with Kevan and the greenkeepers, our bar manager Kevin Casswell and club pro Jason MacNiven, who is one of the UK’s leading club fitters, all working together rather than as separate entities,” he says.

“As a members club run primarily for our members, we know what people want to see the club evolve into. However, the whole place is a lot more social these days, and I’d like to think more welcoming to visitors. We are now looking forward to hosting another important tournament, the Brabazon Trophy Southern Qualifier, in May if permitted, and I believe the club can continue to grow and prosper, despite what we’ve all had to go through in 2020 and early 2021.”

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GMA expands online training

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GMA expands online training: Today, the Grounds Management Association (GMA) is announcing the latest addition to its online training with its new course, Level 3 – Winter Pitches ‘Advanced Turf Culture’ for experienced volunteers and professionals.

The new online course is ideal for experienced volunteers and grounds team members, and will help participants understand the advanced technical aspects of turf maintenance, and how they form an integral part of a detailed maintenance programme. The course will also support participants in getting the most from their playing surfaces in terms of quality standards and carrying capacity.

GMA expands online training

GMA expands online training

Upon successful completion, participants will have improved their knowledge of winter pitch care management by taking modules that cover soil nutrient testing, grass cultivars and evaluation, control of threats to turf health, health and safety, and the influence of drainage, soil type and compaction, all of which will impact on the carrying capacity of pitches. In addition, the course addresses key skills such as planning winter maintenance programmes and managing surfaces in order to optimise carrying capacity.

Level 3 – Winter Pitches ‘Advanced Turf Culture’ takes approximately 6 hours to complete and consists of 7 informative lessons with content produced by the GMA’s specialist technical and learning team. It is priced at £150 for non-members, but with GMA members receiving discounts of 30%, the course can be available for just £110.

Jason Booth, Chief Operations Officer, said: “Our online learning has been a huge success, and we’re really pleased to be launching this course not long after reaching the milestone of 1000 sign-ups to online training since we first launched it back in May 2020. We’re determined to ensure that grounds staff at all levels have the opportunity to learn and develop their skills, despite the challenges that national restrictions and lockdowns create. With high rainfall and snow ahead of us, launching Level 3 – Winter Pitches ‘Advanced Turf Culture’ now was the clear next step to our online offerings.”

“Following our Level 1 and Level 2 online training courses that cover the basics of grounds maintenance and management, we believe that those who already have some experience also have the opportunity to improve. It also offers inexperienced grounds staff the chance to improve their skills and capabilities through online modules that support their development.”

The GMA will continue to develop and introduce new online training courses for a range of sports as the seasons and weather change throughout the year.

To upskill your knowledge through the GMA’s training courses, or for more information on bespoke training sessions, visit www.thegma.org.uk/learning or email learning@thegma.org.uk

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Good things come in small packages

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Good things come in small packages: ‘Good things come in small packages’ has never been truer than when discussing the TYM T194 compact utility tractor. Packed with all the key features and functions of a larger tractor but in a neat and compact package, the T194 truly offers the best of both worlds.  

Delivering power, productivity, versatility and efficiency, the T194 has been designed with simplicity and practically in mind. The 19hp Yanmar three-cylinder engine packs a punch and gives you all the power you need, while its 650kg weight means it’s light enough to avoid damaging turf.

Good things come in small packages

Good things come in small packages

Its powerful HST transmission includes the fatigue busting ‘auto throttle’ system which conveniently links the HST pedal to the engine throttle. Equipped as standard with a 54-inch mid-mounted deck, with cutting heights from one to four inches, mowing heights can be adjusted from the operator’s seat via the onboard height-of-cut lever which is easy and intuitive to set. Plus, the T194 can also be specified with a front loader, further enhancing the uses for this small but powerful machine.

For customers looking to do more, the tractor comes with category one three-point linkage and 540 rpm rear PTO which allows for numerous rear-mounted attachments to be fitted and enabling it to be used for other tasks such as sweeping and aerating.

This is all topped off with a simple and easy to understand dash panel that gives the operator an overview of all the tractor’s functions, in addition to the overall control layout which has been designed with user operation in mind, for seamless and easy control.

The customer reviews for the T194 speak for themselves. The T194 was recently praised as being “instrumental” in the management of Douglas and Alex Chalmers’ Nags Head Farm in Cumbria.

“We use the tractor around three times a week, and it’s been instrumental in getting jobs done around the farm; we would have really struggled without it,” says Douglas.

“It’s a bit like Goldilocks. Not too big, not too small, but just right. Any bigger and it would be impractical as it wouldn’t be able to manoeuvre between the trees we have. Any smaller and it wouldn’t have the power to work on our hilly and boggy areas. It’s also very user-friendly and easy to operate, which is great.”

To find out more about the TYM range and the tractor attachments available from Reesink call 01480 226800, email info@reesinkturfcare.co.uk, or visit reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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Wiedenmann agreement with John Deere

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Wiedenmann agreement with John Deere: Wiedenmann announces an agreement with John Deere for their golf and sports dealer network to sell and support the line of Wiedenmann aeration solutions. Through the agreement, John Deere customers can purchase Wiedenmann products at their John Deere dealer, providing easy access to a full range of best-in-class turf maintenance products.

*Please note this only applies to John Deere’s Region 4 at present, ie the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand

“Our customers face demanding conditions, and we are committed to providing the equipment, technology, and support they need to overcome any challenge they experience on the job,” said Manny Gan, director, global golf sales & marketing, John Deere. “Through this strategic relationship, we are delivering on that commitment while also providing customers with streamlined access to the industry’s top solutions through their John Deere dealer.”

Wiedenmann agreement with John Deere

Wiedenmann agreement with John Deere

As of the 1st of February 2021, select golf and sports dealers sell and support the Wiedenmann line of products, in addition to the existing line of John Deere golf solutions. The strategic agreement will help John Deere provide the industry with the top of the line products and support they need to maintain best-in-class courses and fields.

“John Deere has a reputation for delivering quality products and providing outstanding service, aligning with the Wiedenmann values and making this relationship a natural fit. Through this agreement, we’re offering our aeration solutions to a wider range of customers, in addition to our existing distribution and dealer network, making it easier for them to acquire the products they need,” said Uwe Wiedenmann, Managing Partner, Wiedenmann Corporation.

To learn more about John Deere and its line of golf and sports equipment and technology solutions, please visit www.johndeere.com/golf.

About Wiedenmann

Based in the South of Germany, Wiedenmann (www.wiedenmann.com) is a family-owned world leader in offering state-of-the-art solutions for professional turf care and regeneration. Golf courses and soccer fields around the world are finished to perfect shape with machines developed and manufactured by Wiedenmann, the inventor of the turf sweeper.

About John Deere

Deere & Company (www.JohnDeere.com) is a world leader in providing advanced products, technology and services for customers whose work is revolutionizing agriculture and construction — those who cultivate, harvest, transform, enrich and build upon the land to meet the world’s increasing need for food, fuel, shelter and infrastructure.

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