Kubota rises to the maintenance challenges at Hellidon Lakes

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Kubota rises to the maintenance challenges at Hellidon Lakes: Located at the highest point of Northamptonshire, Hellidon Lakes Golf Club boasts 27-holes of challenging parkland play, a hotel and a range of other facilities. Behind the pristine fairways and manicured greens is a small, dedicated maintenance team led by Golf Course Manager Gary Armstrong and an L2-622 and RTV-X1110 from Kubota.

A long-time Kubota user, Gary and his team have relied on the brand for both reliability and versatility. “I’ve worked with Kubota equipment for years so was pleased, when I started here seven years ago, to find Kubota was already part of the fleet. Our Senior Management at Hellidon Lakes loves the Kubota brand and the equipment is also favoured at our other venue course in Shropshire.” Gary explains.

Kubota rises to the maintenance challenges at Hellidon Lakes

Kubota rises to the maintenance challenges at Hellidon Lakes

This year, Hellidon Lakes upgraded its fleet through local Kubota dealer George Browns, replacing their previous compact tractor which had served the club for over 20 years with a higher-horsepower L2-622 which was delivered in April 2025, alongside an RTV-X1110.

“Our grounds here are steep and undulating so we needed something that could handle these ground conditions and power a wide array of implements. The L2-622 is now our main workhorse – running our trailed mower, sprayers, trailers, side-arm flails… basically anything that requires a tractor, the L2 is there to provide the power!” He adds, “The greater capacity and capability of the L2-622 gives us scope moving forwards to utilise other, more power-hungry implements that will bring further benefit to our maintenance programme, particularly on the fairways.”

“The RTV-X1110 has been brilliant for moving materials and people around the site, with the added bonus of it being homologated for road use.” Gary notes, “With hydrostatic transmission (HST), it’s slightly different to operate than our previous utility vehicle but feels better tailored to the needs of turf maintenance and the team have quickly and easily adapted to it, to get the most out of the RTV.”

Longevity and robust reliability were key considerations in the club’s choice to stick with Kubota, with the management teams confidence in the brand making the recent investments an easy decision. Important, too, is the strong local support from George Browns. “Our relationship with George Browns is fantastic. Their Daventry depot is just a few miles away giving us extra peace of mind and making service and parts easily accessible. This convenience, combined with trust in the badge, sealed the deal” Gary concludes.

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Avant Tecno Hosts Multi-Dealership Training

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Avant Tecno Hosts Multi-Dealership Training: Avant Tecno recently brought Technical Engineers from all of its UK dealerships together for a unique opportunity at the company’s global headquarters in Ylöjärvi, Finland. Over three intensive days, the group received exclusive training directly from the team behind Avant’s industry-leading innovation.

The trip began early on a Monday morning, departing Heathrow for Helsinki before travelling north to Avant’s state-of-the-art manufacturing hub. Far more than a standard factory tour, this was a multi-dealership technical training programme designed to deepen product knowledge, strengthen aftersales expertise, and build lasting connections across the Avant network.

Avant Tecno Hosts Multi-Dealership Training

Avant Tecno Hosts Multi-Dealership Training

Throughout the visit, engineers gained invaluable insight into both the latest advancements coming out of the factory and the brand’s rich engineering heritage. Hands-on sessions enabled attendees to work closely with Avant’s expert trainers, share best practice, and learn alongside colleagues from across the UK and Ireland. The result was not only enhanced technical understanding but also a stronger sense of collaboration and community across the dealership network.

True to Finnish tradition, downtime offered its own memorable experiences. Evenings were spent enjoying great food, relaxing in the sauna and, of course, braving a refreshing plunge into the lake, giving the group a real taste of local culture.

This investment in its people reflects an exciting period of growth for Avant Tecno UK. With its new, state-of-the-art UK headquarters opening last year, the business continues to strengthen its support for dealers and customers alike.

The Finland training event marks another step forward in ensuring that every dealership engineer has the skills, knowledge, and confidence to deliver the exceptional service Avant is known for.

John Spencer, Sales and Marketing Director for Avant Tecno UK, described the trip as an important investment in both people and partnerships:

“Our engineers are at the heart of the customer experience. This trip was all about giving them deeper, hands-on access to the machines and the people who build them. The shared learning, the conversations, and the relationships formed in Finland are just as valuable as the technical training itself. The knowledge they’ve brought back will directly enhance the support we offer customers across the UK and Ireland.”

For more information, please visit www.avanttecno.com/uk

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The AODES Workcross arrives in style

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The AODES Workcross arrives in style: BOSS Off-Road Vehicles has announced the arrival of the AODES Workcross 1000-3 HVAC utility vehicle in the UK. As the sole UK distributor, BOSS is supplying its growing AODES dealer network with the AODES range, which boasts high-quality vehicles at very competitive prices.

The Workcross 1000-3 HVAC features a V-Twin 75hp 1000cc engine to take on all the usual rough terrain tasks demanded of a UTV. Fuel is delivered through electronic fuel injection. A walk round reveals adjustable suspension and shock absorbers, an electronically remote-controlled winch, and a large-capacity tippable rear bed.

The AODES Workcross arrives in style

The AODES Workcross arrives in style

The HVAC stands for the creature comforts of a climate-controlled cab with Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning. Luxury continues with a touchscreen multifunctional digital display for your radio, Bluetooth and USB sockets, offline navigation, and a reversing camera, which makes hooking up to a trailer a cinch. Beadlock wheels are a nice touch to the clean lines of the vehicle, which comes with a variety of bonnet colours, including Desert Brown, seen in the picture.

The drivetrain is 2WD-4WD and the smooth drive is enhanced with electric power steering. Parking is made easy with a gearbox brake. The AODES Workcross 1000-3 HVAC is arriving at most AODES dealers across the UK and at the surprisingly competitive price of £15,199, which gives you a great deal of a workhorse at a relatively low outlay.

The UTV also comes with a 2-year limited warranty for additional peace of mind.

For more information about BOSS ORV distributed machinery, you can call 01785 561046

E-mail: sales@bossorv.co.uk Web: www.bossorv.co.uk

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J Sustain Fairway starts futureproofing fairways

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J Sustain Fairway starts futureproofing fairways: Maintaining top-quality fairways on the rugged west coast of Wales has always been a challenge at Cardigan Golf Club.

With shallow soils averaging just 3-4” over bedrock, achieving strong turf establishment has tested the greenkeeping team for many years – particularly in 2025 with close to no rainfall for many months. That’s why the outstanding results have come as even more of a surprise for Course Manager Stuart Adams, who now wants to shout the benefits of Johnsons J Sustain Fairway from the rooftops!

J Sustain Fairway starts futureproofing fairways

J Sustain Fairway starts futureproofing fairways

“Traditionally, our shallow, sandy soils made it difficult for anything to get a good hold” Stuart explains. “We went back to basics and looked at what was native on the fairways and found that Hard and Sheeps Fescue seemed to cope with our links condition, and for the last few years we’ve been using a bespoke ‘Cardigan mix’ from DLF containing 25-30% Hard Fescue. When Johnsons launched J Sustain Fairway with 40% Hard Fescue in early 2025, the switch was a no-brainer.”

Despite a challenging year weather-wise, the results of the inaugural overseeding operation were so impressive Stuart was quick to share the news with his DLF Regional Technical Manager Ian Barnett. “As soon as the rain returned in September, the strike rate was simply incredible – I couldn’t believe my eyes! It was the best establishment I’ve seen from any mix in the last six or seven years.”

Blending 40% Hard Fescue with 15% Sheeps Fescue and other top performing Slender Creeping, Strong Creeping and Chewing Fescue cultivars, J Sustain Fairway from the Johnsons Sports Seed range is a high-performance, fine-turf fairway formulation equipped to withstand the environmental challenges of the future. Ideal for links and heathland venues, it delivers a natural tolerance to a broad range of turf stresses and requires less nutrient, water and chemical inputs to thrive.

“It’s tough, resilient and perfect for coping with hotter, drier summers and wetter winters which is critical for futureproofing our course” he adds. Beyond resilience and rapid establishment, Stuart has also noticed unexpected benefits. “We used to suffer with leatherjackets and pecking damage but haven’t seen that this year. It could be that the toughness of the Hard Fescue roots is making it harder for pests to get through.”

Due to the lack of irrigation on their fairways, Cardigan’s overseeding programme is fixed to the autumn, with J Sustain Fairway already firmly in their maintenance for 2026.

“When something doesn’t work, everyone is quick to point it out” he notes. “But when something works as well as this, it should be shouted from the rooftops!”

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Alan Prickett Appointed Managing Director of Iseki UK

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Alan Prickett Appointed Managing Director of Iseki UK: Iseki UK & Ireland is pleased to announce the appointment of Alan Prickett as its new Managing Director. Alan succeeds David Withers, whose imminent retirement follows a remarkable period of growth and success for the business.

Alan brings a wealth of experience to the role, having spent nearly three decades working closely with David, fostering a shared management ethos and strategic vision that has underpinned numerous successful initiatives in the UK and export markets.

Alan Prickett Appointed Managing Director of Iseki UK

Alan Prickett Appointed Managing Director of Iseki UK

Alan re-joined Iseki UK & Ireland at the beginning of 2020, initially serving as Business Development Manager before moving into the role of Director, with responsibility for both operational and sales activities.

His extensive background in the groundcare industry includes a 23-year tenure at Ransomes Jacobsen, where he held various positions across the UK and internationally, culminating in his appointment as Managing Director in 2014.

“The future direction of Iseki UK & Ireland under my leadership will remain largely unchanged from the present successful path, with an ongoing focus on quality products, good staff and dealers, plus the provision of excellent after-sales care,” said Alan.

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