Tag Archive for: Cutting

Dennis gives Colliers Park the cutting edge

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Dennis gives Colliers Park the cutting edge: Head Groundsperson James Mathewson, in his 18 months at Colliers Park, has ushered in a new era with a forward-thinking approach, exemplifying this through the adoption of cutting-edge sustainable technology, such as the Dennis ES-860 battery-powered cylinder mower.

His choice in equipment is not the only modern approach James adheres to as he emphasises transparency in his role. We try to explain as much as possible what we are doing. I want to see people playing football and see the pitches in use.” This commitment to transparency and active pitch use aligns with Colliers Park’s dedication to providing top-quality pitches.

Dennis gives Colliers Park the cutting edge

Dennis gives Colliers Park the cutting edge

Colliers Park’s grounds team, inspired by the Football Association of Wales’ (FAW) passion for sustainability, recently invested in battery-powered pitch maintenance equipment. James’ confidence in the Dennis brand led him to choose the ES-860, the battery powered counterpart to the acclaimed Dennis G860 cylinder mower.

“Dennis took their time and carried out comprehensive testing before launching their  battery-powered machinery, but they are by far the best on the market in my opinion,” says James. “I had previously used the Dennis G860’s and they were brilliant. A question we asked when we first looked at the ES-860’s was whether the cassettes from the G860’s would fit, and once we found out they did, it was an easy decision.”

The ES-860 is a 34″ battery-powered turf management system with 13 interchangeable cassette options, offering versatility in day-to-day maintenance tasks such as cutting, scarifying, brushing, and verticutting.

James offers further insight into his use of cassettes: “We’ve got the 8 bladed cutting cassette, three verticutting cassettes which we use quite a lot, and we also have brushes and sorrel rollers. Being able to increase the cassette speed when using the brush is a big plus, they work a lot better and throw the debris into the box a bit more. The verticutter is a really useful tool for us, and with the electric power behind it, it is fantastic. We can do a whole pitch in between a training session, and that’s the job done for the week.”

Praising the battery life, James expresses satisfaction with the ES-860’s ability to complete a whole pitch on a single charge.

“We can get a whole pitch cut on one single charge without fear of it running out,” he says. “If three of us go out, each with a mower, it will take us about an hour and half, and the charge will be on approximately 80-85% when we’ve finished. To lose just a small amount of battery for an hour and a half of cutting is phenomenal. We have no worries about topping them up with fuel or having to take time out to go to a petrol station. They are just always ready to go and if someone did forget to put them on charge, then you will still have the majority of the battery remaining.”

The machine’s reliability and solid build make it a trustworthy machine in the unpredictable weather of Wrexham. Additionally, James commends the comfort of use, particularly the easy turning that accommodates the tight turning circles at the end of the pitches.

James’s endorsement of the Dennis ES-860 reflects not only its superior performance but also the commitment of Colliers Park to embrace sustainable and efficient turf management practices.

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact Dennis 01332 824 777 or visit www.dennisuk.com

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow Dennis on Twitter and Instagram @DennisMowers and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/DennisMowersUK. You can also view the latest Dennis videos by visiting www.youtube.com/DennisMowers

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Three alternative cutting decks for Burnham Beeches

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Three alternative cutting decks for Burnham Beeches: Burnham Beeches Golf Club is located in the Thames Valley in south Buckinghamshire, 25 miles west of London, and is one of the latest clubs to take a package of Ventrac equipment. Delivered by local dealer, RT Machinery Ltd, the package includes a Ventrac 4520 all-terrain compact tractor unit together with a three different cutting decks and a trencher attachment.

Now in his 24th year at the club, Lee Bishop is the Course Manager where he leads a team of seven greenkeeping staff. Later this year the team will be expanding with the addition of a further experienced greenkeeper, an apprentice and two summer staff. He began his career at the nearby Harry Colt-designed Stoke Park Golf Club in 1992, before moving to Burnham Beeches as an assistant greenkeeper back in 1999. He then made the amazing leap from assistant greenkeeper to his current position of Course Manager in 2006.

Three alternative cutting decks for Burnham Beeches

Three alternative cutting decks for Burnham Beeches

“We are an established parkland course, now over 130-years old, and situated mainly on clay,” he said. “Therefore, we have a requirement to manage the trees and woodland margins that line the fairways and frame the greens. We can be wet after heavy rainfall.

“I first saw the Ventrac on social media and then I was invited by a very good friend of mine, Stuart Langhorn, the Course Director at Beaconsfield Golf Club to see the machine that he had bought. I was extremely impressed and contacted our local dealer, RT Machinery to arrange a demonstration. The management team were so impressed and we purchased the package within a couple of weeks of the demonstration!

“The Ventrac is so versatile that we purchased three different cutting attachments in the package; the Tough Cut deck is superb for managing our woodland margins; it takes down brambles and young saplings with ease and this helps to keep up the pace of play, making it easier for our golfers to find their balls after a wayward shot.

“The Contour deck is articulated at both ends and that makes it ideal for bunker surrounds and tee banks, but it has been a godsend during the winter months as we have been using it on our fairways when it is too wet to cut with our fairway mowers. We can get out when it’s wet and put some definition down; the members have noticed and we’ve had many favourable comments. The Triple Cylinder unit will be used for the perimeter fairway cut and this has enabled us to remove a dedicated machine from our fleet.

“The Trencher has been outstanding this winter. As I said earlier we can be wet after heavy rain, but the trencher enables us to get out and drain the wetter areas when we want. We are not reliant on contractors, we can do it in-house and in a timely fashion. I would recommend not severing power cables, though; National Grid are not too happy when that happens!

“Finally, a shout-out for Price Turfcare, RT Machinery and Tom Stidder. Price Turfcare, the importer, have been so reactive and professional to work with; RT Machinery are renowned for the way they treat customers and we can certainly support that and Tom Stidder, who did the installation training was extremely thorough and knowledgeable. That’s formidable support, all round.”

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Vanmac to showcase quality contour cutting

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Vanmac to showcase quality contour cutting: As restrictions on curative chemistries continue to pose a challenge to course managers, it is now more critical than ever that every operation conducted above ground has plant health at its core.

As the most regular task, mowing can have either a positive or negative impact on the plant depending on whether the correct cutting performance can be attained. This will be the focus for Vanmac as they return to BTME in 2023, showcasing a range of rotary and multi-deck mowers from Progressive that offer industry-leading cut quality and contour-following ability.

Vanmac to showcase quality contour cutting

Vanmac to showcase quality contour cutting

The Progressive TDR-X features three independently floating decks which promise to closely follow undulations without the risk of scalping – thereby reducing the risk of creating entry points for pathogens to take hold. A 3.2m cutting width and easily adjustable cutting height range of between 10mm and 85mm gives complete versatility for use on both fine and sports turf surfaces, with full width rollers on both the front and rear of each deck leaving a first-class finish.

Along with other machines in the Progressive range, the TDR-X features Pro Lift-N-Turn™ technology, which enables the operator to temporarily lift the decks with the PTO still engaged, increasing manoeuvrability and overall productivity.

The TDR-X will be on show on stand 526 alongside the Pro-Flex 120 – the most widely used trailed contour finishing mower. The Pro-Flex is ideal for producing a fine finish on fairways and surrounds, featuring a high blade tip speed and graduated cut height options down to 25mm for uniformity of cut and unbeatable versatility. Totalling 3m in width, each of the three decks is equipped with a shock absorber to tackle cutting tasks on even the toughest, uneven ground.

If it’s cut and collect on the agenda, then Vanmac have that covered too with the Trilo range of multi-purpose collector units. The Trilo M4 can be configured with a variety of shaft options – including a choice of flail rotor styles – and features a powerful fan to lift the mown material up into the 4m3 hopper, leaving a clean finish after a single pass. Scarifier and brush shafts are also available for the M-Series to complete tasks across the full maintenance calendar.

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New cutting unit from INFINICUT® at BTME

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New cutting unit from INFINICUT® at BTME: A stop by the INFINICUT® stand at BTME always promises the latest in mowing technologies and the newest industry-leading innovations… and 2023 will be no different!

Fresh from the factory and on show for the first time on stand 614 will be a dedicated trailer unit for the 22” MK6 models, together with a new 22” cutting unit launching specifically for the golf sector.

New cutting unit from INFINICUT® at BTME

New cutting unit from INFINICUT® at BTME

The INFINICUT® trailer has been designed to be simple to use, protective of the mower and competitively priced – offering the convenient and safe transportation of the 22” model between greens. It features a roller ramp on/off system, the rubber roller affixing to the mower stub axles before securing with a quick release locking and unlocking mechanism. The cutting unit is supported on a cushioned platform to minimise any movement in HOC. As standard, it is equipped with large surface area tyres to help cushion dynamic forces when traversing over uneven ground, with the option of swapping to regular transport tyres when required.

Introduced in direct response to demand from the golf market, a new 22” dedicated cutting unit will also be showcased. When married to the INFINICUT® traction unit, with its unique floating mechanism, overall balance and wireless control system, this new mower offers unbeatable cut performance and unparalleled contour following ability.

Its extruded aluminium main structure provides exceptional torsional rigidity and reduces oscillation keeping the mower ‘on-cut’ for longer. Lever action groomer engagement is precise and quick, with various groomer configurations available, along with simple adjustment, removal and installation of the bedknife for fast sharpening. The deflector shield is also adjustable to optimise the ejection of clippings.

Synonymous with the entire INFINICUT® range, the new 22” cutting unit features SMARTCut™ reel technology for optimal cut performance, precision and quality of finish. The SMARTCut™ reels, manufactured in-house in Sheffield, are dynamically balanced and are guaranteed concentric to within 20µm across the entire length. The SMARTCut™ forms part of the wider TMSystem™ collection of grooming, mowing and maintenance cassettes which can transform the INFINICUT® or most mainstream models of multi-gang mowers into versatile systems for complete turf refinement.

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Progressive key to consistent cutting

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Progressive key to consistent cutting: When it comes to optimum heights of cut for fairways, there isn’t a ‘one-height-fits-all’ approach – but one thing all Turf Managers will be aiming for is consistency, which can be easier said than done when dealing with potentially uneven or undulating ground.

The Progressive range of multi-deck mowers have been carefully designed with this in mind, offering unrivalled contour-following ability for an accurate quality of cut.

Progressive key to consistent cutting

Progressive key to consistent cutting

While a multi-deck mower may not be required in every situation, it can offer a broader scope of use with its ability to accommodate both flat and undulating turf equally. This flexibility delivers a quality cut without the risk of scalping or shredding the plant, helping to retain plant health and reducing potential entry points for pathogens and turf diseases to take hold. Their versatility sees them suited to operation around the golf course, alongside other applications such as sports fields, turf farms and mowing tasks undertaken by local authorities.

The latest addition to the Progressive range is the TDR-X – featuring three independently floating decks which provide a combined cutting width of 3.2m. It all begins with an adaptive swivel hitch at the front, making the TDR-X more agile and ensuring it works with the tractor to follow undulating ground. The cutting height range of 9.5mm to 84.5mm is easy to adjust, with their industry-leading rotary blade overlap ensuring a precise and even cut. Full width rollers on both the front and rear of each deck completes the specification, leaving a professional finish for both golf and sports surfaces.

The TDR-X sits in the portfolio of ‘finishing mowers’ alongside the ProFlex 120 – the most widely used trailed contour mower. The ProFlex features a 3m cutting width across five decks, each of which can be quickly and easily adjusted to give the operator complete flexibility to make a stepped or transitioned first-cut in a single pass.

Along with other machines in the Progressive range, both the TDR-X and ProFlex 120 take advantage of Progressive’s Pro Lift-N-Turn™ technology, allowing the operator to temporarily raise the decks, with the PTO still engaged, making turning and transportation easier to increase overall productivity.

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