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The Drift renews with Toro

November 19, 2025/in Machinery, News, Press Release/by Admin

The Drift renews with Toro: Over the last five years, The Drift in Surrey has invested over £2 million to bring in new facilities and improve the course in preparation for its 50th anniversary in 2025 and a key element of that process was the signing of a fleet lease deal with Toro and Reesink […]

Hibernian FC Invests in Redexim Verti-Rake

November 18, 2025/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Hibernian FC Invests in Redexim Verti-Rake: Maintaining a top-class playing surface at Easter Road Stadium is no small task, but for Steven Thomas, Head Groundsman at Hibernian Football Club, having the right machinery is making all the difference. One of the latest additions to his maintenance fleet is the Redexim Verti-Rake – a tool he […]

The Drift renews with Toro

November 19, 2025/in Machinery, News, Press Release/by Admin

Hibernian FC Invests in Redexim Verti-Rake

November 18, 2025/in News, Press Release/by Admin

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The Drift renews with Toro

November 19, 2025/in Machinery, News, Press Release/by Admin

The Drift renews with Toro: Over the last five years, The Drift in Surrey has invested over £2 million to bring in new facilities and improve the course in preparation for its 50^th anniversary in 2025 and a key element of that process was the signing of a fleet lease deal with Toro and Reesink Turfcare.

Tom Parrish, General Manager at The Drift, provides an update on the works and what’s next for the impressive 18-hole championship course, as the club signs for another five years, in a dual deal with its sister club, Badgemore Park in Oxfordshire,

The Drift renews with Toro

“The Drift and Badgemore Park have been in very similar situations in the last five years,” explains Tom. “We’ve both had 50th anniversaries that have been commemorated with extensive improvement and investment plans to the course. While the focus of the work has been different, the requirements for executing them to the best of our ability have been largely down to having the right turfcare equipment.”

When The Drift renewed with Toro last time, the success and results were so immediate and noticeable that its sister club Badgemore Park followed quickly into its own similar deal with Reesink. When renewal time came and with neither club wanting to change the set-up, a dual deal was brokered by Paul Bell at Reesink Turfcare.

“Working with partners who would ensure we had the best possible resources to do the work and complete the projects on time was vital and that’s why we chose Toro and Reesink as our preferred turfcare partners,” confirms Tom.

“It was the right decision. The course presentation continues to improve year on year, and we have more plans to ensure we continue to improve the quality of the golfing experience here at The Drift. We feel that with the improvements we have already seen, having Toro on side once again was the obvious choice.”

Investment at The Drift focused on making improvements to enhance the enjoyment, challenge and conditions for members and guests, Tom says: “In the last five years we’ve re-designed holes five, six and nine, making nine a new signature hole, as well as a complete bunker redevelopment project and the opening of our Top of the Range Academy and Driving Range powered by TrackMan.”

Having made the right machinery selection five years ago, little was changed as the club renewed. Tom says: “The core fleet remains the same, the quality of cut for the greens machines was so good we didn’t need to tweak this, but we have brought in additional equipment to support their good work – the GreensPro roller for example will further push the quality and speed of the putting surfaces, exactly what we’re aiming for.”

The fleet is led by three Toro Greensmaster TriFlex 3400 mowers famed for a precision finish, the lightweight Reelmaster 3575 for the fairways, and the Groundsmaster 3500 triplex rotary mower. There’s a new sprayer – the Multi Pro 1750 – as well as an update to the utility vehicle fleet with the Workman MDX-D. Tom adds: “We took the opportunity to bring on board an AgriMetal blower from Reesink too.”

With the 50-year celebrations underway what’s next for the club? “We feel we’re exactly where we wanted to be,” says Tom. “The clubhouse renovation and expansion are next on our list to ensure the improvements in the golf course are matched with the off-course experience as well. We continue to ensure we’re providing our members with a golf offering befitting a club with our history.”

Discover how choosing Toro could benefit your course by calling distributor Reesink UK on 01480 226800, emailing info@reesinkturfcare.co.uk or visiting reesinkturfcare.co.uk.

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

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Hibernian FC Invests in Redexim Verti-Rake

November 18, 2025/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Hibernian FC Invests in Redexim Verti-Rake: Maintaining a top-class playing surface at Easter Road Stadium is no small task, but for Steven Thomas, Head Groundsman at Hibernian Football Club, having the right machinery is making all the difference. One of the latest additions to his maintenance fleet is the Redexim Verti-Rake – a tool he says is already proving invaluable.

“We’ve had the Verti-Rake for a few months now,” Steven explained. “For us, it was about maintaining the highest standard of turf possible. We were looking for an attachment that could rake the surface, keep our hybrid stitch clean, and clear out organic matter. Having looked at a few options, we felt the Verti-Rake was the best choice. It’s simple to use, easy to set up, and does exactly what we need.”

Hibernian FC Invests in Redexim Verti-Rake

The Redexim Verti-Rake is designed for fast and effective thatch removal. Its spring tines work between the grass blades to loosen thatch, while adjustable tine angles allow operators to alter the aggression of the rake. Working depth can also be fine-tuned for perfect results. As well as helping to clean surfaces, the Verti-Rake can be used to create a seed bed ahead of overseeding.

Steven and his assistant Ronan use the rake regularly. “We tend to use it after every game,” he said. “It’s great for raking out organic matter and keeping the hybrid stitch upright. But it’s also weather dependent – we’ll assess the conditions and decide if it’s needed. What’s been clear so far is that every time we’ve used it, it’s easy to set up, easy to manoeuvre, and leaves the surface clean.”

He adds that the machine also has benefits for playability. “Earlier in the season, we felt the surface was maybe too dense for ball movement and traction. Once we put the rake through, followed by a rotary cut to tidy debris, you’d almost not know we’d been on the pitch. It leaves minimal disruption and keeps the surface playing really well.”

Ease of operation is a standout feature for Steven. “For me, the key feature is how easy it is to set up. It’s literally just a case of attaching it to the three-point linkage on the tractor and using the side levers to adjust the depth. It’s quick, simple, and effective.”

Steven also believes it is an exciting time for the Redexim brand right now. “I think they’re making a bit of a wave just now with new machinery. There’s a lot of innovation coming through, and we’ve had good support from Allen Whellans at Redexim too – he has always been on hand and supportive.”

Hibernian FC Invests in Redexim Verti-Rake

The Verti-Rake now sits alongside other Redexim equipment in Steven’s fleet, and he sees clear benefits in how they complement each other. “As well as the Verti-Rake, we have a Verti-Drain, and they can work side by side. One can be raking while the other is aerating – they’re very much multipurpose and help us get the most from our maintenance programme.”

He also credits Hibernian FC for investing in the tools to allow his team to achieve high standards. “Over the last two years, the club has made a big investment in machinery, which gives us an advantage in producing the pitch we want. When I first joined, there were just two of us and limited resources. The progression since then has been massive. People rightly give credit to the groundstaff, but the club deserves huge credit too for backing us with the tools we need.”

With the Redexim Verti-Rake now firmly embedded in their maintenance regime, Steven and his team are well-equipped to keep Easter Road’s playing surface clean, healthy, and ready for action.

For more information, visit https://www.redexim.com/uk/

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.

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Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

The Drift renews with Toro

Hibernian FC Invests in Redexim Verti-Rake

The Drift renews with Toro

Hibernian FC Invests in Redexim Verti-Rake

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

The Drift renews with Toro

Hibernian FC Invests in Redexim Verti-Rake

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