Tag Archive for: Continues

Agrovista Amenity continues partnership with The Tree Council

Agrovista Amenity continues partnership with The Tree Council: Agrovista Amenity is excited to announce that it will be continuing its partnership with national environmental charity The Tree Council, pledging to sponsor the planting of more than a thousand trees. The trees will be planted over the next three years in community projects the length and breadth of the country. Collectively, as part of a team of green-hearted corporate partners, Agrovista Amenity will also support the establishment of fifty ‘Golden Orchards’, in celebration of The Tree Council’s 50th anniversary.

Commenting on the continued partnership, Ed Smith, Landscape Team Manager for Agrovista Amenity, said: “The Tree Council set an ambitious planting target to be achieved through community projects. As one of the Jubilee Partners, it was great to see this target accomplished and the huge amount of environmental, biodiversity and other eco-system benefits made.

Agrovista Amenity continues partnership with The Tree Council

Agrovista Amenity continues partnership with The Tree Council

“It was an easy decision for us to continue this support and be a Tree Partner going forward. We regularly join The Tree Council on planting days, and it is great to see different demographics and generations getting involved and recognising the opportunity to make a positive change to our environment. The Tree Council have always been forward thinking in terms of best practice, by using biodegradable guards, locally sourced stock and sharing ideas.”

The Tree Council’s Tree Partner programme brings businesses together to plant trees and enhance treescapes across the UK, improving the health, wellbeing and biodiversity of local areas. Community groups, schools and volunteer Tree Warden Networks (www.treecouncil.org.uk/tree-wardens) will apply for funding to deliver a community tree and hedgerow planting project in their areas during the tree planting season (November – March).

Agrovista Amenity and other Tree Partners will not only provide financial support to establish new trees and hedgerows. The tree-loving business teams will also donate hundreds of volunteer hours to help establish the new trees and hedgerows and to give essential aftercare during the drier summer months to ensure their survival.

Sara Lom, CEO, The Tree Council said: “We are delighted to continue working with Agrovista Amenity to do something truly wonderful for nature. Trees and hedgerows are heroes – they help tackle climate change, provide homes for thousands of species of precious wildlife, improve our health and wellbeing and so much more. By getting involved, Agrovista Amenity is helping to grow a greener, tree-filled future for all of us. We’re so grateful to them and all our Tree Partners.”

Launched to celebrate The Tree Council’s 50th anniversary, The Tree Council’s new Tree Partners programme will build on the successes of its Jubilee Partners who, between 2022 and the end of 2024, will have collectively supported the planting and care of 42,000 trees in communities across the UK, in celebration of The Queen’s Green Canopy.

For more information about Agrovista UK, visit www.agrovista.co.uk/amenity

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.

FTH hire group continues to invest in Kubota

FTH hire group continues to invest in Kubota: One of the largest plant and tool hire companies operating in the South-East and London has placed an order for 24 new Kubota mini-excavators from main dealer Lister Wilder as part of an ongoing commitment to ensure its customers have access to the latest market-leading equipment solutions. This is part of a total planned investment in 188 Kubota machines in 2023.

FTH Hire Group, which has its head office in Farnborough, has purchased a combination of 1, 3 and 8  tonne models. Rob Watson, Marketing Manager at FTH Hire Group, commented: “We have a fantastic range of new excavators for hire and pride ourselves on supplying the latest and best equipment available for our customers. Meeting their needs is vitally important and that is why we have a large fleet of Kubota machines, which are powerful and reliable to tackle the toughest tasks.

FTH hire group continues to invest in Kubota

FTH hire group continues to invest in Kubota

“Running a fleet of 670 excavators across our 10 depots in the UK means we couldn’t operate a successful business if the downtime on our machines wasn’t kept to a minimum. That’s why 80% of our diggers are manufactured by Kubota and backed-up by first class service and after-care from Lister Wilder.”

Investing in growth is a key element of the continued success story of FTH Hire Group, which has recently made a multi-million pound investment that includes opening-up depots in Chelmsford, Scotland and Southampton during the past 12 months.

Rob concluded: “The wider geographical spread of our depots enables us to enhance our business operations, and further improve our ability to meet the needs of our customers – bringing us closer geographically to many more”.

For more information on Kubota and its extensive range of solutions for the construction industry, visit www.kubota-eu.com.

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.

Yamaha continues support for Dartmouth

Yamaha continues support for Dartmouth: Yamaha Motor Europe N.V., Branch UK is continuing its support for The Dartmouth Hotel, Golf & Spa amateur open golf tournament, which takes place on Saturday 29 April 2023. The Devon-based resort has just achieved a placing in Today’s Golfer magazine top 100 golf resorts.

Yamaha’s Golf Car division has sponsored the event for the past 20 years and provides a range of prizes for the various winning categories as well as entering a corporate team.

Yamaha continues support for Dartmouth

Yamaha continues support for Dartmouth

The Yamaha Open will consist of teams of two competing on a 4-ball, better ball, 85% handicap basis with a shotgun start at 12 noon. The cost is £60 per team for visitors and £40 for members’ teams. At the conclusion of the event, prizes will be presented at a complimentary dinner.

Yamaha are also offering support for competitors who wish to stay at the hotel with a bed and breakfast package available from £147 per night based on two people sharing.

Set in 225 acres of rolling South Hams countryside, the Championship Course opened in 1992. Designed by renowned British golf course architect Jeremy Pern, Dartmouth is reputedly one of his best creations. The course makes clever use of undulating terrain and numerous water features. From the ‘tips’ the layout stretches to almost 7200 yards, with 4 different tee boxes that ensure all levels of golfing ability are catered for. Dartmouth’s Championship Golf Course is undoubtedly tough but there’s plenty of excitement to be had out there.

Dan Palmer, Manager, Power Products (Yamaha Motor) commented, “Over the years the Yamaha Open has become a fixture in Dartmouth’s calendar and is always very well attended.  It’s an opportunity for golfers to experience one of the UK’s Top 100 golf resorts, so for teams interested in entering the event, they can do so by calling 01803 712011. The closing date is Saturday 15 April. We are committed to supporting the golf sector and are delighted to continue our sponsorship of this event.”

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.

Makita continues to provide the power

Makita continues to provide the power: As part of its new October product releases, leading power tool manufacturer, Makita UK has revealed a number of new 40VMax cordless machines that have been added to its exciting XGT range.

The new high-powered products provide a one-battery solution to handle the most demanding jobs and environments, without sacrificing run time.

40VMAX LS004G XGT MITRE SAW

Driven by a 40VMax brushless motor, this XGT 260mm Slide Compound Mitre Saw provides a no load speed of up to 3,600rpm for high power cutting that is comparable to corded machines.

Makita continues to provide the power

Makita continues to provide the power

The rail-forward design allows users to maximise workspace as the machine can be positioned next to a wall and its single sliding system enables smooth operation to produce superior cuts.  Its 48o bevel range and 60o mitre range are easily adjusted with quick lock and release, making it simple to achieve the cut required.

This impressive tool is also packed with safety features including Auto-Start Wireless System technology (AWS), enabling the machine to connect to compatible dust extractors via Bluetooth. When applied, the dust extractor is powered on and off while the saw is in use. An LED light improves task visibility, and for greater safety, an electric brake stops the blade in seconds.

80VMAX UR012GZ04 XGT BRUSH CUTTER

Delivering up to 6,400rpm and a maximum power output at 2.0kW, the powerful 80VMax (40Vx2) XGT Brushless Brush Cutter provides users with performance similar to a 40cc class engine grass trimmer, making this machine ideal for heavy duty applications.

Users can adjust speed according to the task with 3-stage control, and thanks to Makita’s innovative Automatic Torque Drive Technology (ADT), which adapts the cutting speed according to the load conditions, users can trust that the machine is always working at its optimum.

The UR012GZ04 also features Active Feedback Sensing Technology (AFT) that shuts down the tool if the rotation speed suddenly slows, protecting the user against kickback. And the useful reverse switch removes any material that gets stuck in the blade, reducing user downtime.

On the announcement, Kevin Brannigan, Marketing Manager at Makita UK said: “Our XGT platform was designed to provide professionals with even more power to meet high demand applications with ease. All of our XGT solutions are engineered with built-in programming, that provides digital communication between the battery and the tool, so that both work together for optimum performance and sustained power.

“We are pleased to expand the XGT range with our latest 40VMax and 80VMax equipment and tools, so that professionals can fully experience a truly cordless job site.”

To find out more about Makita and its wide range of products visit: www.makitauk.com.

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.

F391 continues Kubota mowing legacy

F391 continues Kubota mowing legacy: Kubota has updated its renowned F series front mowers, with the F391 offering a host of new features to further increase its performance and productivity. It joins the F251 introduced earlier in the year, with this duo of tough, powerful ride-on mowers providing the ideal solution for commercial mowing.

Powered by the latest 38hp Kubota Stage V engine, the F391 is designed to give the ultimate in output, operator comfort and practicality, continuing and enhancing the F series’ position as the choice of professionals for parks, open spaces and local authority work.

F391 continues Kubota mowing legacy

F391 continues Kubota mowing legacy

Meeting the latest emission control standards, the four-cylinder Kubota diesel engine provides the power to tackle the toughest mowing jobs, all day long; a 61 litre fuel tank gives long intervals between fill-ups.

Drive is via a two-range hydrostatic transmission with on-demand four-wheel drive to enhance grip in wet conditions and on sloping land.

The F391 has a lift capacity of 260kg, enabling the choice of 1.51 or 1.82m (60 or 72in) side or rear discharge deck, with optional mulch kit, for outstanding workrates. Mower deck tilt of 90deg makes for easy cleaning and maintenance and is operated via a hydraulic lever with minimal effort. Puncture proof tyres on the deck avoid frustrating downtime in tough conditions.

Deck height is adjustable from 25-129mm simply by slotting a pin at the chosen height on the front caster wheels, for quick adaptation to different tasks and grass surfaces.

With power steering and its out-front deck, the F391 is highly manoeuvrable for mowing around play equipment and street furniture, yet with a travel speed of 19.6kph can cover large areas in the working day.

Operator comfort and convenience has been considered at every stage of the design with a tilting and adjustable steering wheel, ergonomic controls, new bright dashboard for visibility and a folding ROPS, while the large platform offers easy access.  A new one-piece bonnet and removable radiator screen make for easy routine maintenance.

The F391 will be available from Kubota dealers at the end of the year.

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.

GMA education programme continues to grow

GMA education programme continues to grow: The Grounds Management Association (GMA) reaches a significant milestone in its online training with more than 2,000 enrolling for its courses since the pandemic began.

Now, the not-for-profit member organisation adds two new courses to its training offering; Online Level 2 Cricket Surfaces (Applied Turf Culture) and the first face-to-face training course since the Covid-19 pandemic began, Level 2 Racecourse: Turf Management.

GMA education programme continues to grow

GMA education programme continues to grow

Taking around 6 hours to complete, Online Level 2 Cricket Surfaces (Applied Turf Culture) is ideal for volunteers or new additions to grounds teams seeking to develop their skills and learn about the importance of preparing a playing surface with the implementation of an annual maintenance plan.

Students who successfully complete the end of course assessment gain valuable knowledge and applicable skills for day-to-day maintenance activities and a certificate of achievement, whilst the course’s specialist content will be crucial for all aspiring cricket grounds staff or volunteers.

Whilst expanding its online training suite, the GMA also announces the return of face-to-face training with a 5-day training course at the British Racing School. Taking place from 14 – 19 November 2021, Level 2 Racecourse: Turf Management teaches students how to apply the theory required to understand the science of racecourse grounds maintenance and will be equally relevant for individual grounds staff as well as Clerks of the course.

Developed in conjunction with the Racecourse Association and the British Horseracing Authority, the 5-day course will be delivered by industry experts, Alan Lewis NDT, Adrian Kay, Head Groundsman at York Racecourse and Richard Linley, Senior Inspector of Courses at the British Horseracing Authority, with accommodation and food covered in the package.

Dan Prest, Head of Technical and Learning, said:

“It has been an incredibly challenging 18 months, but one thing that hasn’t changed is the drive from so many in the industry to continue in their professional journey and development working in the turf-care sector. Whilst we’ve all had to adapt to a more online-orientated work and study life, we know how valuable practical face-to-face training courses are.

We’re also pleased to be developing more content than ever to align with our Pitch Advisory Service objectives to help volunteers get the most of their local natural and artificial surfaces.”

You can sign-up to online Level 2 Cricket Surfaces (Applied Turf Culture) by clicking here.

Or to find out more about Level 2 Racecourse: Turf Management, click here.

More details on the Pitch Advisory Service can be found on the GMA’s website.

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.

Warrington GC continues down electric route

Warrington GC continues down electric route: Warrington Golf Club in Appleton, Warrington, has re-invested in Toro for another five years and has included more electric options in its new fleet from Cheshire Turf Machinery.

Joining the three Greensmaster eFlex 2100 electric pedestrian mowers from the last order are the all-electric Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370 greensmower and two Workman GTXE electric utility vehicles.

Warrington GC continues down electric route

Warrington GC continues down electric route

Ben Goodchild, head greenkeeper, has been at the club for the past four and a half years, and he couldn’t be happier about the recent purchase from a brand he knows very well and trusts implicitly.

“We’re trying to go as ecological as possible,” says Ben. “With Toro’s electric machines, we’re cutting down on petrol and diesel usage. We are also looking at getting solar panels in our shed roof to power all the machines.”

Because the machines are so quiet, Ben’s team has a lot more flexibility to work any time of day on any part of the course, allowing them to get a lot more done and stay ahead of golfers.

“I’m super impressed with Toro,” Ben admitted. “I’ve been in the industry for 15 years now, and I first worked with Toro machines at Stockport Golf Club. I think it’s simple and very user-friendly. I’ve used other brands and nothing has ever come close to Toro. The machines and the parts cost slightly more, but the longevity and productivity are second to none and they don’t break down as much so you’re spending less in the long-run.”

Also included in the order are the Multi Pro 5800 sprayer and two Greensmaster 1026 pedestrian mowers, adding to an already impressive fleet of two Reelmaster 3550-D cylinder mowers, two Greensmaster 1600 mowers, a Reelmaster 3100-D, a Triflex 3420 and the ever-popular Procore 648 aerator.

Warrington Golf Club has kept a strong relationship with Cheshire Turf Machinery for over ten years, crediting their reliability and being a full-service dealer as the major factors behind their choice.

“They’re awfully good to us,” Ben says. “If we need something fixed or if we’ve got a small breakdown, they’ll come to us straight away and make sure we’re looked after. With other dealerships, it’s not always a fast turnaround, so Cheshire Turf are very good at that. You just need to go to one place, which makes it simple, fast and efficient. They’re as good as it gets.”

In the meantime, Warrington Golf Club is slowly trying to filter out existing machines from other brands and replacing them with Toro ones. The reasons for their decision touch upon their commitment to electric power and environmentally friendly options, which have also improved both productivity and convenience.

As for which piece of equipment stood out from the list, Ben has become enamoured with the Multi Pro 5800 sonic boom sprayer.

“It’s probably the best piece of equipment I’ve ever used in greenkeeping and I think that it’ll change the game for greenkeepers in the future. It’s very precise and very easy to use. It’s worry-free. I know there won’t be any leaks or any problems, so we’re not wasting money on chemicals or adding too much to the environment. The hose reel is also really handy for tighter areas – it’s a real game-changer!”

2020 was a strange time for the club. Despite the initial break over the pandemic, golfers promptly returned when the doors opened again and the greenkeeping team was more than pleased to finally have players to appreciate their hard work. Citing no significant struggles, Warrington Golf Club currently has 50 members on its waiting list, buzzing to start playing again.

“I like to think there were some silver linings about the whole situation,” Ben concludes. “People started appreciating the outdoors a lot more – how you’re out there, you’re alive and you’re playing golf. Appreciating the small things in life.”

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.

Agrovista Amenity Academy continues to grow

Agrovista Amenity Academy continues to grow: Agrovista Amenity’s online Academy has shown significant growth with over 9,000 CPD points awarded so far, and the company believes that it is just the start of something special.

The Agrovista Amenity Academy is an online learning resource with courses and lessons created on a range of areas of turf management and for all products sold by Agrovista Amenity.

Agrovista Amenity Academy continues to grow

Agrovista Amenity Academy continues to grow

“It has grown bigger than we ever expected it to,” said Karl Parry, the founder of the education platform. “The amount of CPD points we have awarded really is quite phenomenal.”

The portal consists of videos, case studies, MSDS, labels and technical specifications which have been designed so that turf managers can fully understand and get maximum benefits from the products they use. This will, in turn, lead to healthier, better performing turf.

Furthermore, the Academy website boasts a highly sophisticated weather system which helps people make better decisions for the week ahead.

Launched in 2017, the Academy was the result of a need to provide a platform which suited both the learner and the employer – according to Neil Pullen, Agrovista Amenity Business Development Manager.

“The thinking behind the Academy was to provide education that was open to everybody,” he said. “Not just for those at the top, but more a vehicle for people who were new to the industry or part qualified, to further their education with a desire to become a course manager, or a head groundsperson for example.

“It progressed from there and then two years ago we sat down with BIGGA to discuss their education programme. It was apparent that golf clubs were paying for their staff to complete BIGGA courses, but it meant that the staff would need days off to do them. There was also an issue with the employers paying for their staff to be educated only for the staff to leave once they were qualified.

“So, you had a frustrated employee wanting to further their CPD education with BIGGA but struggling to do it because nobody wanted to pay for it, and nobody wanted to give them the time off. This was where the Academy really progressed because individuals can get the CPD points they need without it having an impact on their employers. Each course can be done at home and there is no cost. Now, a lot of BIGGA members come directly through the Academy.”

The Agrovista Amenity Academy, which is free to sign-up to, provides in-depth knowledge on Agrovista Amenity’s market leading products (Product Courses), as well as a wide range of areas in turf management such as turf disease, chemical, product application, seed and turf pests (Knowledge Courses).

The Product Courses have been designed so that the individual can fully understand and get maximum benefits from the products they purchase. With Product Courses and Knowledge courses being added on a regular basis, Academy students are guaranteed to have a wide variety to choose from.

“I think that the Product and Knowledge portfolios that we can build is endless,” said Karl. “Agrovista has an incredible number of resources combined with highly knowledgeable and experienced professionals. Both sections will continue to expand and will push the amenity standard forward.”

BIGGA allocates up to 4 points for all successfully completed Knowledge and Product Courses and can vary depending on content and length. To date, the Academy has awarded 9,499 CPD points to over 3,000 individuals. While it is evident that the wider industry is indeed seeing the benefits from using the Academy, so too is Agrovista Amenity.

“Internally, having that platform to train the team has been invaluable and we have seen improved sales results,” said Neil. “We now insist that all members of staff pass the courses because it teaches them about the products – how it works, why it works, how to apply it, what rates – absolutely everything.

“At the end of the day, we feel that we have a responsibility to make sure that customers understand everything they need to know about the products – so stewardship wise it is important too.”

The Academy has inevitably seen an increase during the pandemic with more people either being furloughed or working from home, but both Karl and Neil are confident that it will continue to grow, especially with the plans that are already in place.

“I would like to see a deeper integration with BASIS and FACTS and we have already spoken about some exciting new content for best practice,” said Karl. “We are also looking forward to continuing to support BIGGA and I feel that is a partnership which will develop even further. We have so many more courses to publish and I would just like to see the Academy continue to grow.”

“Further down the line I would like to see the Academy spilt into different sections to cater for individual sports,” added Neil. “At some point we are planning on having a golf academy, a football academy, a cricket academy, and a rugby academy, for example, to make it even more specific.

“We would also like to have courses for different abilities – so a foundation, intermediate and a professional course. We’ve got so much planned and while we are not quite there yet – we certainly are not far away.”

For more information, please visit www.amenityacademy.co.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.

Ranger EV continues to serve Cannon Hall

Ranger EV continues to serve Cannon Hall: Six months on from the delivery of the Ranger EV to Cannon Hall Farm, Farmers Robert and David and dad Roger are utilising all aspects of their new electric utility vehicle…

Featuring on Channel 5’s Friday on the Farm back in October, the Ranger EV has since become a regular guest star on the show, and behind the scenes too, helping with day-to-day farm life.

Ranger EV continues to serve Cannon Hall

Ranger EV continues to serve Cannon Hall

Robert Nicholson, from Cannon Hall Farm, said: “We’ve been really pleasantly surprised by the versatility of the Ranger and it is used every single day around the farm for various tasks. It surprised us by how brilliantly it handled off-road, it is really good in wet conditions and it makes life so much easier for us as it means we can get anywhere on the land without having any problems.”

At just 147cm wide, the Ranger EV is the perfect utility vehicle for fitting through gates and storing inside a barn or garage. Not only that, its smooth, silent motor means it will not spook any animals whilst in operation.

“We’ve used it way more than we thought we would because it is so adaptable – we have even got a tow bar on it now,” continued Robert. “It is used regularly for transporting animals, for training Pip and for checking the stock in our 125 acres of land. It’s been particularly useful in the snow if we’ve needed to bring any animals back to the farm. We’ve even used it to help Farmer David’s fitness regime – he wasn’t quite ready to pull a lorry so the Ranger EV was perfect.”

The Ranger EV has a 680kg towing capacity, along with 227kg bed box capacity for hauling things like animal feed and tools. Cannon Hall Farm’s Ranger EV has been fitted with a livestock canopy from TFM Engineering, which optimises the cargo bed for carrying livestock and for Cannon Hall Farm’s dog, Pip.

Given to Roger as a late birthday present last year, Cannon Hall Farm’s Ranger EV is well suited as an access-all-areas vehicle around the land with its on-demand all-wheel-drive technology to give it more forward traction when needed – especially helpful in muddy or slippery conditions – as well as ample space in the cab so Roger can easily get in and out.

Spot the Ranger EV on the latest season of This Week on the Farm on Channel 5, and catch up on-demand on My5.tv.

#FridayOnTheFarm

#ThisWeekOnTheFarm

To see Cannon Hall Farm’s latest adventures with their new Polaris Ranger EV, follow them on Facebook, Instagram or Youtube.

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.

Club continues to invest in technology from Toro

Club continues to invest in technology from Toro: Royal Norwich continues to invest in the latest innovation from Toro. The club in Norfolk has taken advantage of the electric power revolution Toro spearheads with the delivery of an electric Workman GTX-e utility vehicle, alongside the latest pedestrian mower, Toro’s Greensmaster 1026 and is the first club in the country to order Toro’s new NozzAlert Flow Monitoring System with MultiPro 5800 sprayer.

It would have been hard to miss Toro’s meteoric rise in bringing electric and hybrid power to the turfcare market. Off the back of last years’ launch of the first all-electric riding greens mower, the Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370, it’s good to revisit the machine that in a way started it all; the Workman GTX-e utility vehicle, one of the brand’s first triumphs in the electric power arena.

Club continues to invest in technology from Toro

Club continues to invest in technology from Toro

The Workman GTX electric features a 48-volt brushless AC induction drive along with an easily accessible on-board charger, about which estate manager and director at Royal Norwich Peter Todd says: “Toro led the way with the inception of electric power and continues to do so; it’s hard to believe they are still the only brand with a lithium battery electric utility vehicle! By simply removing the lead acid diesel battery in the GTX-e Workman, Toro made this machine much lighter, it’s the equivalent I’d guess of removing a passenger! When running it over fine turf, that’s an important consideration. The battery is sealed for life, there’s less maintenance and performance is better.”

Royal Norwich is the first club in the country to benefit from even more precise spraying. The efficient flow of spray the new NozzAlert provides when installed on Toro’s Multi Pro sprayers is essential for reducing waste and ensuring application efficacy and ideal spraying conditions.

Peter says: “Royal Norwich has been a Toro customer for many years and the reason being is that it has constantly and consistently delivered the quality we need and the innovation we’re after to continually improve the course.”

“I saw the NozzAlert when it launched at the GIS show last year and talked through the new technology with the design engineers on stand. They explained how operators no longer have to judge spray flow based on visibility when using this new bit of kit; instead, NozzAlert delivers continuous monitoring of the entire spray boom and provides both visual and audible alerts if there are any flow disparities. To be told immediately when there’s a blocked nozzle rather than having to wait until your return trip down the fairway appealed then and there!

“Since using the NozzAlerts we’ve become aware of so many advantages that make the vital job of spraying that much easier. It eliminates the chance of spray misses for example and improves the quality of the application.”

The Greensmaster 1026 pedestrian mower is part of Toro’s redesigned classic Greensmaster 1000 series and is new from the tip of its handle to its driveline and chassis. All that remains the same are the patented DPA cutting units, but even that has a modular build to allow the driveline and chassis to be removable for eased servicing.

The reason for this choice was, says Peter for more efficient cutting of the rectangular tee boxes: “Previously we were using a ride-on for cutting the corners and it was a faff and taking too much time,” he says. “We already use the Flex 2120 on the greens and everyone finds it really easy to use and love the telescoping loop handle. The telescoping handle on both makes light work of adjusting for operator heights and handling more user friendly with the loop shape. It’s easy to see more engineering has been brought in with the redesign.”

This approach to having the latest and most innovative turfcare machinery technology is an attitude that spreads across the whole ethos at Royal Norwich as Pete explains: “We’ve always sought to use the most innovative methods. From our greenkeeping facilities which are mostly green – we used recycled materials to build it and PV solar panels to power it. The golf buggies have the latest GPS mapping so we can zone out areas and measure distance to the pin, which means we don’t need markers on the course, and we have Trackman in the practice range providing accuracy stats for players. We’re always on the look-out for the next big thing to make our jobs more efficient and effective and the game more enjoyable for our members.”

And it’s certainly an approach that’s working with membership up by 1,000 since relocating to the new site in 2019.

To talk to someone about Toro technology and how the Toro range would suit your course, call 01480 226800.

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.