Tag Archive for: Finance

Reesink finance and customer service triumph in lockdown

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Reesink finance and customer service triumph in lockdown: Stratford Oaks Golf Club, in Warwickshire, spent its time in lockdown carefully considering the best machinery maintenance equipment for the long-term future of the club. Its conclusion, unanimously, was a Reesink finance deal for a Toro fleet.

It was a lockdown deal done completely by phone and email. It was a deal done to bring financial security and peace of mind for the next five years. And it was a deal which sees the club step away from the old and welcome a new brand to the club for the first time in 21 years.

Reesink finance and customer service triumph in lockdown

Reesink finance and customer service triumph in lockdown

James Cleaver, course manager, is behind the change of direction and breath of fresh air this will bring to the club. He says: “From the beginning Toro was the top contender in terms of the brand I thought we should go with, but what made all the difference here was the service from Reesink. The effort put into making sure we had what we needed to trial, answering questions, being available and delivering what we wanted throughout lockdown was above and beyond the rest.

“I was expecting, with good reason, service to be different during lockdown, I would have understood if it had dipped at times, but it never did despite how busy they were. And as soon as they could visit safely, they did. It filled me with the utmost confidence.”

So why the change? James says it all comes down to financial security and delivering a better course for its rapidly growing membership: “The Board got together in lockdown to discuss the club’s approach to maintenance. It’s obviously essential, yet in uncertain times making such a significant investment and financial commitment is a decision which needs careful consideration.

“Previously the club had been buying individual machines when needed, which when there are such competitive finance options available, doesn’t have to be the way. So, we worked out what we needed, what the budget was and Reesink offered us a finance deal to suit. We believe this is the best way to see the club through these times safely, with what it needs and with the security of knowing what it will cost. Planning is key for the next few years!”

The fleet is comprised of 11 new machines, including two Toro Greensmaster TriFlex Hybrid 3420 greensmowers, a Groundsmaster 3500-D, a Multi Pro 5800-D sprayer, ProCore 648 aerator, two Greensmaster Flex 21 mowers, a Workman MDX-D utility vehicle, power brush and verticutting units.

Also, bringing a slightly different approach to the team’s maintenance regime and extending the fleet are two lightweight Reelmaster 3575-D cylinder mowers, James explains: “This is the first time we’ve had the use of two fairway mowers and it enables us to cut 10 hectares in around three hours in the morning. Not only is it more productive, but from a safety point of view, the staff are no longer trying to cut the fairways with golfers around them. The Reelmasters are one of the lightest on the market, which for the soft ground conditions we get here will make all the difference.”

How is it, we wonder, welcoming a new brand of machinery to the club after over two decades? James says it feels reassuring: “We needed the reassurance of having and using a quality brand, known for its reliability. It feels like quality using these machines, and the host of benefits they bring are extensive.

“We’re in a high-density area in terms of clubs nearby and it’s essential to have the edge, especially moving forward out of lockdown, and we believe choosing and using Toro gives us that. The fact that Reesink made it possible with such fantastic customer service and financial support fills us with a huge amount of positivity for the future of Stratford Oaks Golf Club.”

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Innovative partnership offers flexible finance

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Innovative partnership offers flexible finance: Renowned sports contractors S&C Slatter have partnered with experienced finance brokers Buckingham Leasing to fund and build first-class sports facilities for elite sports clubs

With the ability to install a brand new 3G stadia pitch for as little as £8,900 a month (subject to site survey, conditions and specifications) this unique partnership empowers sports clubs to construct and refurbish outstanding sports facilities with greatly reduced upfront costs through competitive Finance Leases and Hire Purchase Agreements.

Innovative partnership offers flexible finance

Innovative partnership offers flexible finance

Recognised experts in sports facility planning, design, construction and maintenance, S&C Slatter work at all levels of the sports, leisure and education sectors with clients including Everton FC, Coventry Rugby Club and Lord’s Cricket Ground.

Buckingham Leasing is a leading supplier of business and asset finance with proven expertise in the grounds care, sport and leisure markets. The company has helped clients such as Crystal Palace FC, Fulham FC and Worcestershire Rapids Cricket to deliver new facilities through flexible financing.

The partnership offers a unique turnkey solution for elite sports clubs looking to replace or build new sports pitches, courts and athletics tracks. Subject to approval clubs can now design, construct, finance and maintain match play and training facilities through a single point of contact, with low up-front costs, fixed repayments, competitive finance rates and the option to offset costs with facility hire.

Jason Douglass, S&C Slatter Group Director, commented:

“We are thrilled to be partnering exclusively with Buckingham Leasing. Having worked together previously to help clients protect cash-flow while delivering stunning new facilities, we’re delighted to offer this unique package at a time when the benefits of finance couldn’t be clearer”.

Ian Bridges, Managing Director Buckingham Leasing, commented:

“We are delighted to announce this exclusive partnership with leading sports construction specialists S&C Slatter. We believe this collaboration offers clubs a unique opportunity to fund and build exceptional sports facilities through bespoke finance solutions that reduce upfront costs and protect cashflow.”

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Enville’s new fleet finance deal

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Enville’s new fleet finance deal: Founded in 1935 and considered one of the finest examples of heathland golf in the UK, Enville Golf Club near Stourbridge features the 18-hole Highgate and Lodge courses, with the former being used by the R&A in recent years for Regional Open Qualifying tournaments.

It has also recently been announced that Enville will host the R&A Girls’ U16 Amateur Championship for the first time, for three years from April 2021.

Enville's new fleet finance deal

Enville’s new fleet finance deal

Enville’s course manager Andy Wood, who has been at the club for nearly three years, was previously at Robin Hood, Cosby and The Belfry Golf Clubs, so he knows his local dealer Farol Ltd well and has been using John Deere course maintenance equipment for over 20 years.

His avowed ambition is to produce two of the best courses in the Midlands for Enville’s members, guests and visitors, and in so doing to try to get the club as high as possible up the list of the top 100 golf clubs in England. The club has also invited five top golf course architects to tender for a master plan to take the course to the next level over the next five to 10 years. As part of this process, Andy has overseen a policy change to reduce the club’s reliance on capital purchases of new machinery with no real structured plan in place, other than a rolling programme with kit coming off operating leases needing replacement each year.

“I just felt that this was not a very sensible approach, for budgeting purposes in particular,” says Andy. “The club could be spending £50,000 one year and £100,000 the next, and this did not suit budgeting over a longer period. We therefore agreed a new budget for the next five to 10 years, combining a shorter operating lease for new mowers with a longer finance lease arrangement for the likes of tractors, which have a longer life expectancy, so that the club’s capital spend would be significantly reduced.”

All the main manufacturers were invited to tender for the demonstration and supply of individual machines for year one, including tractors, utility vehicles, leaf collectors and aerators, followed in year two by the cutting equipment. Each range was tested to see what fitted the courses’ and Andy’s needs best, followed by an assessment of service back-up and support, including product warranties, once the decisions on the choice of kit had been made.

“John Deere and Farol, with dealer salesman Jacob Shellis leading the way, ticked all the boxes,” says Andy. “Things like cut quality should be a given at this level. More important is that should any problems or issues arise, they get dealt with straight away and we’re not left stranded with broken down machines and unnecessary downtime.

“For me, it’s always been about building a good, sound relationship and trust in the supplier, its products and the dealer, and that people deliver on their promises, especially through the tender process. Farol has always supported me very well on the service side with warranty claims, tournament support, training programmes and the like. The John Deere Financial package was very favourable too, with competitive rates.

“With this new deal we’ve managed to rationalise the fleet and every bit of kit does the job I need it to. We’ve gone down from 122 machines and auxiliary pieces of equipment when I first came to 94, and we’ve saved on a lot of labour, time and repair costs. Among other things this has enabled us to invest £40,000 in a new machinery shed and a new seed and fertiliser store, so we’ve now got enough room to keep all the main kit and supplies secure and under cover.

“Being a heathland course built on very sandy soils, we’re fortunate in that we can stay open all year round and work on the course at any time of the year,” Andy adds. “This makes life a bit easier in the winter, but it also means that we require a good irrigation system in the spring and summer months, something the club also invested in last year.

“One of the most encouraging things has been our record income in 2019 from green fees, which is a great sign that things are moving in the right direction. Enville’s always had a good reputation, but hopefully the machinery, agronomic and other changes we’ve been making to the course over the last couple of years have contributed to this increase.”

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Finance package paying off for Seaton Carew

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Finance package paying off for Seaton Carew: Seaton Carew Golf Club near Hartlepool will be celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2024 and the club, which is the 10th oldest in England, is determined to make sure its course is in the best condition possible for those celebrations.

Since being established with 14 holes in 1874, not only has the golf course undergone numerous changes – today it offers an unusual total of 22 holes with five different layouts – so has the way in which it is maintained. In the early years even the club’s professional would have been expected to assist with cutting fairways, probably using a horse-drawn mower, and rolling greens.

Finance package paying off for Seaton Carew

Today a team of six well-trained greens staff led by acting head greenkeeper Ian Stewart work tirelessly to ensure these championship links are kept in the best condition, and the club has recently invested more than £200,000 in the latest advanced technology from John Deere to ensure they can achieve those goals.

A new John Deere Financial lease package arranged by local dealer Greenlay of Cramlington in Northumberland includes a ProGator utility vehicle with HD200 low-profile amenity sprayer, an HPX Gator utility vehicle, a 4049R compact tractor, three 220SL walk-behind greens mowers, a 2653B utility tees & surrounds mower and a 2500B triplex greens mower, plus ancillary equipment.

“With our previous lease arrangement coming to an end, we decided that a one-stop shop approach, with all the new kit, advice and back-up coming from one business, would potentially make a better deal for the club,” says greens chairman Jonathan Beaumont. “The equipment and finance package from Greenlay, who helped us to work out the deal based on a mix of new and ex-demonstration machines, proved to be just what we were looking for.

“Dealing with Alastair Briggs and Paul Hodgson of Greenlay was the best decision the club made. Their all-round service and communication throughout the process was first class, and we’ve established a very good relationship. Having worked in horticulture before, I knew John Deere’s reputation for quality equipment. When Ian and I made the recommendation to the golf club, they liked what they saw as well and the finance committee agreed the budget, so there was a proper consensus all round.”

Ian Stewart initially attended a BIGGA Section open day at Greenlay, which was the first time he had visited the dealership, and was very impressed by the facilities and the people he met. “I wanted to see the sprayer and Greenlay had one brought in,” he says.

“The sprayer has a much bigger capacity at 750 litres compared to our previous 300-litre mounted machine, and the controls are really good. The automatic rate controller is very accurate, so you can be confident everything’s being applied correctly. We certainly use a little less chemical now and there’s also been a massive saving on man hours doing the spraying job.

“We had the mowers on long-term demonstration and found them to be easy to operate, with a very good quality of cut. The latest cutting units on the walk-behind and ride-on greens mowers are equipped with brushes that lift the grass and provide a much better finish – it’s little details like this that mean a lot.

“A great deal of thought and effort went into this purchase over a long period of time, and we received lots of good advice from Greenlay – they were always available to answer our questions at any time. Some of their recommendations I didn’t think were right at the time, but they have been proved right since and it’s been a great deal all round.”

Alongside the work on the course, Seaton Carew Golf Club is building a new indoor coaching facility alongside a large practice area, and considering the development of a short-game area. The club also has a six-hole academy course which is used by its current PGA professional Clifford Jackson to encourage youngsters and adult beginners to take up the game.

Seaton Carew has already played host to a number of major amateur championships, including two Brabazon Trophies, a Carris Trophy and various other national and international events. It is now hoping, with the help of its new machinery fleet and the dedication of its greenkeeping team, that the course will be considered for yet another major championship to help mark its 150-year anniversary.

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TYM Tractors’ Double Finance Deal

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TYM Tractors’ Double Finance Deal: Reesink Turfcare is taking flexible finance to a new level for TYM Tractors offering not one, but two options to help customers get the tractor they need.

Steven Haynes, TYM sales manager for TYM at Reesink, says: “Reesink’s motto is to offer customers more, and as such we’ve worked hard to bring to market two very competitive finance options on TYM’s sub, mid-duty and heavy-duty compact tractor ranges. Zero percent finance is available on up to an incredible 75 percent of the retail value of the tractor, whichever option you choose.”

TYM Tractors' Double Finance Deal

With two options available depending on whether you’d rather buy now and pay later, or spread the cost over three years, Steven says: “These finance options are designed to help customers buy the tractors they need without compromising cash flow, allowing them to replenish or add to their fleet of turfcare equipment in a way that suits their financial situation.”

For those who opt for option one, there’s nothing to pay until May 2020, while the second option spreads the cost over three years with three months payment upfront then 33 equal monthly payments thereafter.

Thanks to the TYM’s innovative features such as easy-to-read LED displays, hydrostatic power-steering and optional weather cab, it’s easy to see why TYM is fast becoming the first choice for greenkeepers and groundsmen. And Reesink is gearing up for the brand’s increasing popularity by bringing more choice to customers, more product launches, more attachments and more finance options.

Steven concludes by saying: “We appreciate that when it comes to finance there’s not a one-size fits all solution and that’s why we have come up with two flexible options for our TYM customers. Whichever tractor is required we have a package we think will suit most discerning greenkeepers and groundsmen.”

Both options are available until 29 November 2019 and are available on all tractors in the TYM range except the T194 and TS25 models. Finance is subject to acceptance and only available in the UK.

For more details on these and other finance options, customers should contact Reesink Turfcare on 01480 226800 or email info@reesinkturfcare.co.uk.

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