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‘Gamechanger’ Ventrac at Wildernesse

June 10, 2020/in Machinery, News, Press Release/by Peter Driver

‘Gamechanger’ Ventrac at Wildernesse: The Wildernesse Golf Club has purchased a Ventrac 4500 compact tractor and selection of attachments to assist in the maintenance of the magnificent wooded 18-hole course, located in the village of Seal near Sevenoaks in Kent. Mark Todd is the Course Manager and heads a team of eight including a full-time […]

Toro’s internet of turf

June 9, 2020/in Machinery, News, Press Release/by Rosie Duckworth

Toro’s internet of turf: Leading the way with technological innovation in the golf and groundscare industry, Toro’s Internet of Turf represents the future of turfcare. Toro’s Internet of Turf brings together five of Toro’s key technological products and services which when connected online help reduce operating costs, enhance safety and produce the best quality playing […]

‘Gamechanger’ Ventrac at Wildernesse

June 10, 2020/in Machinery, News, Press Release/by Peter Driver

Toro’s internet of turf

June 9, 2020/in Machinery, News, Press Release/by Rosie Duckworth

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

‘Gamechanger’ Ventrac at Wildernesse

June 10, 2020/in Machinery, News, Press Release/by Peter Driver

‘Gamechanger’ Ventrac at Wildernesse: The Wildernesse Golf Club has purchased a Ventrac 4500 compact tractor and selection of attachments to assist in the maintenance of the magnificent wooded 18-hole course, located in the village of Seal near Sevenoaks in Kent.

Mark Todd is the Course Manager and heads a team of eight including a full-time mechanic. He began his career in 1988 at nearby Lingfield Park Golf Club, where he spent 10 years learning his trade before joining The Club Company at Nizels Golf and Country Club as Deputy Course Manager. Within six months he was promoted to Course Manager and in 2007 took up his current position at The Wildernesse.

‘Gamechanger’ Ventrac at Wildernesse

“It might be a cliché, but this incongruous looking machine is a gamechanger,” he said. “We purchased the tractor unit and three attachments; the Contour deck, Tough Cut deck and Turbine Blower. We are a heavily wooded course and we spend too many hours using backpack blowers removing leaves and other debris, not just in the autumn, but all year round. We hand cut all our greens and the team take a backpack blower with them every time, to clear the surface before mowing. This is so time-intensive, but the Turbine blower is brilliant; we also use it to remove the debris after scarifying tees and even blow cores from the greens after aeration.

“The Tough Cut deck is great for maintaining the woodland margins. We used to use a compact tractor and flail to mow these areas, but it was a heavy and cumbersome combination. The out-front position of the Tough Cut deck combined with the low profile and agility of the tractor unit, means we can get in and under the trees. Without doubt, it has lifted the presentation of the course.

“Changing between the different attachments is quick and easy. There’s no three-point linkage to worry about or adjustments to make, you simply drive out of the current implement and drive into the next one. The mounting system is ingenious; it’s so quick that it encourages you to use it to its full potential. We recently loaned the stump grinder attachment and I was extremely sceptical that a belt-driven implement on a sub-25 hp tractor would be robust enough to do the job. However, it was outstanding and seemed defy the laws of mechanics; it will certainly be our next purchase.

“Initially I thought buying the Ventrac would be just about maintaining the banks and removing leaves, but we’re finding more and more uses for it. When we were looking to purchase the equipment, I had great support from the club. I made what I hoped was a sound business case and also invited the Greens Chairman to the demonstration. Everyone was impressed with its slope climbing ability and its potential labour-saving attributes, which have since become a reality. You know you’re on a winner, when there’s a lot of interest and positive comments from the members!

“I’ve been very fortunate during my time here as the club has been very supportive. They have invested in a new irrigation system, new machinery and throughout the Covid-19 pandemic have been superb. We had numerous meetings and discussions on how we would approach and handle the situation and I must say, that my greenkeeping team have gone above and beyond expectations.

“We split into two teams; one headed by Lee Austin, my deputy, and the other by myself. We worked 10-hour days, one on, one off and it worked very well. We’ve followed the rules on social distancing, we’ve done a lot more cleaning and sanitising and the lads have been really flexible.

“The course was in very good condition when we reopened. We normally have a two-tee start, but that’s now down to a single tee and two-ball groups only, although this will be relaxed shortly. We’ve been booked solid and have a starter on the tee all day. Golfers must arrive 10 minutes prior to the allocated tee time and change in the car park. The only facility that’s open is the toilets.

“There was a lot of talk about golf being allowed back earlier than it was, but I think it would have been seen as elitist if this happened. Now that it is back it might help encourage more participants, as it is one of few sports that can adapt in these strange times. Only time will tell.”

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Toro’s internet of turf

June 9, 2020/in Machinery, News, Press Release/by Rosie Duckworth

Toro’s internet of turf: Leading the way with technological innovation in the golf and groundscare industry, Toro’s Internet of Turf represents the future of turfcare.

Toro’s Internet of Turf brings together five of Toro’s key technological products and services which when connected online help reduce operating costs, enhance safety and produce the best quality playing surfaces possible.

Toro’s internet of turf

Combining Lynx central control system, Turf Guard wireless soil management system, GeoLink precision spray system, myTurf Pro asset management system and NSN technical support, the Internet of Turf brings together for the first time accurate information on all aspects of turfcare management from one access point.

Robert Jackson, water division sales manager from Reesink Turfcare, sole Toro distributor in the UK for golf and sports fields equipment and irrigation products, says: “Technology is helping turfcare businesses to better manage resources and helping workers to complete tasks faster. Using technology and connecting certain elements of turfcare management online can help turfcare professionals maintain the perfect playing conditions every day by providing actionable data to help optimise turf management decisions.”

Irrigation application with the Lynx central control system allows access in real time from any mobile device to accurate irrigation information. The touch of a button is all it takes to change your irrigation plan, and with additional extras such as the weather station, you can adapt in response to changes in the weather, from wherever you are.

Turf and soil monitoring are made easy with Toro’s Turf Guard wireless soil monitoring system. Accurately monitoring soil condition including moisture, temperature and salinity levels, turf managers can access the essential soil information they need, when they need it, to maintain optimum soil and plant health.

Accurate application of fertilisers and pesticides is another key factor for soil health. Whether to deliver essential nutrients or to protect turf from diseases, ensuring uniform coverage and the correct volume of application is vital, and Toro’s GeoLink precision spray system helps you to achieve this by utilising pinpoint GPS technology to help guide operators.

The Internet of Turf enables turf managers to bring together irrigation and machinery to gain a comprehensive overview of all the elements of their role. And when it comes to the core elements of turfcare management, having cutting-edge technology will help improve profitability and playability, something that is certainly true when it comes to the management of turfcare machinery.

Toro’s web-based asset management system, myTurf Pro gives turf managers the capability to monitor fleet health, order parts and schedule service activities, helping to improve staff efficiency, lengthen the life of equipment and reduce overall maintenance costs.

And wrapping up the five technologies is NSN technical support. Toro’s web-based customer portal provides a knowledge-sharing database, online chat and remote central connectivity and monitoring, meaning support is there whenever you need it.

Robert concludes: “By delivering connected information on one platform, Toro’s Internet of Turf brings easy access to all aspects of turfcare. Showing how it all comes together and enabling decisions to be made that maximise the performance of the crew, the equipment and the turf. Toro’s Internet of Turf gets rid of the need to manually wade through data and instead brings turf management into the future, giving you more time to get the tough jobs done.”

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)

‘Gamechanger’ Ventrac at Wildernesse

Toro’s internet of turf

‘Gamechanger’ Ventrac at Wildernesse

Toro’s internet of turf

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

‘Gamechanger’ Ventrac at Wildernesse

‘Gamechanger’ Ventrac at Wildernesse: The Wildernesse Golf Club has purchased a Ventrac 4500 compact tractor and selection of attachments to assist in the maintenance of the magnificent wooded 18-hole course, located in the village of Seal near Sevenoaks in Kent.

Toro’s internet of turf

Toro’s internet of turf: Leading the way with technological innovation in the golf and groundscare industry, Toro’s Internet of Turf represents the future of turfcare.

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