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Upkeep Of City Of Culture’s Green Spaces Entrusted To Toro

May 25, 2017/in Machinery, Press Release/by Georgina Scott

Upkeep Of City Of Culture’s Green Spaces Entrusted To Toro – Kingstown Works Limited (KWL) based in Kingston upon Hull, this year’s City of Culture, has recently invested in seven Toro Groundsmaster 3400 out-front rotary mowers to be operated by its largest client Hull City Council. The seven machines will play a key role in keeping […]

Westcountry Golf Academy Has Pro-Active Maintenance Approach

May 25, 2017/in Industry News, Press Release/by Louise Prettyman

Upkeep Of City Of Culture’s Green Spaces Entrusted To Toro

May 25, 2017/in Machinery, Press Release/by Georgina Scott

Westcountry Golf Academy Has Pro-Active Maintenance Approach

May 25, 2017/in Industry News, Press Release/by Louise Prettyman

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Upkeep Of City Of Culture’s Green Spaces Entrusted To Toro

May 25, 2017/in Machinery, Press Release/by Georgina Scott

In a tender process, completed by Russell Groundcare, via the Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation, Toro achieved the best results for price, capability and delivery, and it isn’t for the first time. KWL is an existing Toro customer and the acquisition is part of a replacement programme for older Toro triple mowers coming out of service.

The decision for KWL to purchase rotary mowers is a move away from traditionally opting for cylinder mowers to maintain the city’s parks, sports fields, horticultural areas and municipalities. And the reason for this says Garry Middleton, business unit leader at KWL Fleet, is down to a rotary mower’s ability to work on longer grass at a higher output rate with ease.

He says: “Our client needed to marginally extend periods between cutting and, based on this, required a machine that could cope with cutting longer grass while still providing a good finish, which the Groundsmaster is more than capable of. Russell Groundcare and Toro performed well in the tender process as our experience of working with both has always been a good one: the service from Russell and indeed Reesink Turfcare [UK distributor of Toro] is excellent and the rate of cut and quality from Toro prove outstanding.”

In terms of the machines’ capabilities, such an important consideration in the tender process, it’s easy to see why the GM3400 scored so highly. Constructed from high-strength seven gauge welded steel, 33 per-cent thicker and 75 percent stronger than ordinary ten gauge commercial steel, the GM3400 is robust and tough. A Kubota four-cylinder diesel engine, delivering 26.5 kW (35.5hp), means it’s powerful with a high performance rate, too.

With a tilting operator platform, large opening engine cover and easy-to-remove access panels, maintenance is unrestricted. Within minutes, an operator or service technician can achieve direct access, reducing daily check and cleaning times as well as service maintenance downtime. The GM3400 also benefits from low maintenance costs and a high 15.5mph transport mode to ensure fast logistics between sites, all of which increases uptime, minimises costs and improves productivity.

And when it comes to the final result you have, says Garry, a “decent trim, clean finish and a good turn rate around trees and other obstacles. While purchase price is of course a major factor, we always consider the anticipated operational and maintenance costs and, given that the Toro retains a good residual value, this also forms an important consideration as part of our overall costing.”

So, what impact does Hull being the UK’s City of Culture have on Garry and the team’s work? Garry says: “Expectations haven’t changed in terms of the results our client quite rightly wants for the public and open spaces of Hull, which require a quality finish, but with all eyes on the City this year that does add a bit of extra pressure! Having a brand new Toro fleet means we can rest assured that the quality and consistency of cut will be delivered.”

Westcountry Golf Academy Has Pro-Active Maintenance Approach

May 25, 2017/in Industry News, Press Release/by Louise Prettyman

Westcountry Golf Academy now has pro-active maintenance approach with help from Headland Amenity – With a little help from some trusted industry contacts, like Richard Shapland of Headland Amenity, Jon Funnell decided to “give it a go” and take over as Head Greenkeeper at Westcountry Golf Academy in 2010. Developed from a 12 bay driving range, to a challenging Par 3, 9 hole golf course in 2005, Westcountry is located in 15 acres of Devon countryside. Despite having no previous greenkeeping experience, Jon has since transformed the clubs approach to maintenance, and in turn the results being achieved.

“I’d worked in retail for the previous 27 years in various managerial roles, and decided I wanted a complete change. I knew Stuart the owner of WGA and approached him for some work. Initially I worked in the range and shop, but when the previous greenkeeper left, I was determined to give it a shot.” Jon admits that for a start cutting was the only maintenance taking place before Richard Shapland came in to advise on the basics. “I was starting from scratch so began implementing things that people like Headland were suggesting. Richard popped in every month with plenty of ideas and advice and gradually we got the course moving.” Now implementing top dressing, tree management and installing a water and irrigation system the maintenance approach is proactive, rather than reactive.

Richard conducted a soil analysis and suggested a simple yet effective course-wide nutritional programme. “We start our greens feeding programme in March with Greentec 4-0-4+9Fe to check any moss we may have. Following this we apply C-Complex 7-0-7 to keep us going through the summer, with C-Complex 4-3-4 used during our August renovation work. We also use Seamac Ultra Plus through the summer to improve stress resistance. We identified that the main reason for course closure during the winter was the weak structure of the approaches. We started a programme to strengthen the sward by boxing up on every cut, combined with the use of Headlands Multigreen 30-5-14 over a 6 month period.” Annual soil analysis now keeps them on track.

After a few tough years, Westcountry now boasts a membership of 300+ and a further 60 junior members. Jon again, “We’re very fortunate that our owner Stuart Sawyer has really invested in the course, and it’s thanks to this together with elements such as the nutritional programme that has boosted the overall course condition; this pro-active approach means we’re continuing to improve plant health rather than firefighting problems. Just one example is the number of days the course has been shut. In previous years this has been up to 30 days a year, but last year the gate was shut for just three. Though there’s still work to be done, we’re making great strides in establishing ourselves as a quality place to learn the sport or for those members that want a challenging course without the physical stress of walking thousands of yards.”

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Upkeep Of City Of Culture’s Green Spaces Entrusted To Toro

Westcountry Golf Academy Has Pro-Active Maintenance Approach

Upkeep Of City Of Culture’s Green Spaces Entrusted To Toro

Westcountry Golf Academy Has Pro-Active Maintenance Approach

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Upkeep Of City Of Culture’s Green Spaces Entrusted To Toro

Westcountry Golf Academy Has Pro-Active Maintenance Approach

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