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James Wilkinson chooses Foley

March 16, 2022/in News, Press Release/by CharmianRobson

James Wilkinson chooses Foley: Despite being scarce at UK golf clubs, those with a dedicated mechanic know the workshop is the beating heart of the greenkeeping operation. Since 2005, James Wilkinson has been Buckinghamshire Golf Clubs Workshop and Equipment Manager, and over 17 years has created a workshop and grinding room befitting of the course […]

£300 off any new Polaris Youth model

March 16, 2022/in News, Press Release/by External Source

£300 off any new Polaris Youth model: Polaris UK and Ireland has announced a new retail promotion available across its Youth line-up for Easter; customers will receive £300 including VAT off the recommended retail price of any new Youth model when purchasing from a participating Polaris dealer this April. With more and more families opting […]

James Wilkinson chooses Foley

March 16, 2022/in News, Press Release/by CharmianRobson

£300 off any new Polaris Youth model

March 16, 2022/in News, Press Release/by External Source

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

James Wilkinson chooses Foley

March 16, 2022/in News, Press Release/by CharmianRobson

James Wilkinson chooses Foley: Despite being scarce at UK golf clubs, those with a dedicated mechanic know the workshop is the beating heart of the greenkeeping operation.

Since 2005, James Wilkinson has been Buckinghamshire Golf Clubs Workshop and Equipment Manager, and over 17 years has created a workshop and grinding room befitting of the course where it is located.

James Wilkinson chooses Foley

Grinding has been in-house at Buckinghamshire since it opened in 1992. It is a small part of the club’s success that has seen it host the Rose Ladies Series, the Anderson Consulting World Match Play, the European Seniors Tournament Champions hosted by Gary Player and ISPS HANDA Ladies European Masters.

The quality on and off the course has gone some way to making the club home of the Ladies European Tour, but away from the impressive course and clubhouse in the greenkeeping shed is where James keeps the operation moving.

In November 2021, after just over two decades with his previous Foley Company grinders, James added an Accu-Pro 633 with AccuTouch3 and an Accu-Pro 672 bedknife grinder to his immaculate grinding room. For James, the new pair of American-made machines are ahead of the curve in terms of features and provide exactly what he needs to keep the Buckinghamshire mowers ready for action.

“There are a lot more benefits with the new grinders. Obviously, technology moved on in the last 20-odd years from our old Foley’s. So, even though we were getting good results before, we’re getting better results now, much more superior and much better quality.

“You now have the digital AccuTouch screen, so you can programme cycles into it, you can see exactly what’s going on, make sure they are parallel and vertical, and there’s so much in-depth information that I don’t even know all of it yet. I’m still learning every single time I use them.”

James has plenty of opportunities to study his new tools with the grinders in use all year round. The heavy work takes place during the winter with all the units stripped down, bearings checked, spin ground and then crucially relief ground, and it is here where he sees the biggest benefit.

On average, he saves ten minutes per unit on preparation for relief grinding back to OEM spec and using automation he can leave both grinders to work while he completes other tasks. However, it is the practice itself that he believes is crucial in getting the highest quality of cut.

“Relief grinding is extremely important. Every equipment manager will have their own way of doing things, and every equipment manager will believe in what they do. Some will believe relief grinding maybe isn’t necessary, and some people will swear by it. If you look at the big three manufacturers, Toro, Jacobsen and John Deere, they will all recommend that you relief grind to their specifications.

“You’re removing metal from the trailing edge of the blade. So, I’m basically forming an angle to reduce the contact area of the cutting edges. I’m going to have less heat and less friction because more metal equals more heat, and this reduces the blade contact, which again gives me less friction.”

Using the advancements in technology to streamline grinding has been a significant positive with the Accu-Pro 633, but when it comes to bedknife grinding, for James, the best got even better.

“The 672 hasn’t changed much from my last one, but the reason it hasn’t changed much is that it was so good. The saying is if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. You can absolutely improve things, but the actual mechanics haven’t really changed a lot.

“With that, it is a semi-automatic bedknife grinder. The bedknife itself is held on by electromagnets, so it holds the bar in place so it cannot move. It means you don’t have to clamp anything to it, there are no brackets, and on other machines, you have to mess around and get it into a holder, but you don’t have any of that on this.

Keeping the Buckinghamshire fleet sharp is part of James’ broader strategy to reduce machinery downtime and ensure that his workshop is always empty and the machines are always ready. Investing in new equipment is crucial to this success, and for the next two decades at least, he is confident he can count on his Foley grinders.

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£300 off any new Polaris Youth model

March 16, 2022/in News, Press Release/by External Source

£300 off any new Polaris Youth model: Polaris UK and Ireland has announced a new retail promotion available across its Youth line-up for Easter; customers will receive £300 including VAT off the recommended retail price of any new Youth model when purchasing from a participating Polaris dealer this April.

With more and more families opting for “staycations” in recent times, the offer will be available on purchases made between 1st April 2022 to 30th April 2022 – ideal timing for customers to make the most of the upcoming UK Easter break.

£300 off any new Polaris Youth model

The promotion applies to the entire Polaris Youth line-up, including the Youth side-by-side range; the Ranger 150 EFI and RZR 200 EFI, and the ATV line-up; the Outlaw 70 EFI, Sportsman 110 EFI, and Pheonix 200.

Polaris Youth side-by-side and ATV vehicles provide the ideal opportunity for kids to enjoy off-road summer adventures – combining key safety, technology and performance features – and enjoy the outdoors right here in the UK.

Not only do off-road vehicles give kids a reason to get outside, but it’s also a gift that will grow with them through the years thanks to adjustable riding options and flexible parent-adjustable speed limiters that can be used to adapt the machine to suit their age, experience and skill. With the entire full-size Polaris Off-Road line-up also available, it’s an activity the whole family can enjoy.

Free Starter Kit

Every Polaris youth model has safety at the forefront of every design, so parents can have peace of mind whilst the kids are having fun. Every purchase comes standard with a starter kit that includes a Polaris youth helmet, whip flag and training DVD.

Find your local Polaris dealers on the Polaris Britain website here.

For more information on this offer, please contact your local dealer. Please note, no finance offer can be combined with this promotion.

For further media information on Polaris ORV products, please contact the Polaris ORV Media Office on +44 (0) 1525 270100 or email us at press@polaris-orv.media.

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.

Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

James Wilkinson chooses Foley

£300 off any new Polaris Youth model

James Wilkinson chooses Foley

£300 off any new Polaris Youth model

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

James Wilkinson chooses Foley

James Wilkinson chooses Foley: Despite being scarce at UK golf clubs, those with a dedicated mechanic know the workshop is the beating heart of the greenkeeping operation.

£300 off any new Polaris Youth model

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