Tag Archive for: Fleet

Aphrodite Hills upgrades Club Car fleet

Aphrodite Hills upgrades Club Car fleet: Aphrodite Hills Resort has received 72 new Club Car golf vehicles, replacing a fleet that has clocked up around 1.8 million kilometres since 2010.

The 5-star Cyprus venue estimates a ten-fold return on investment for the Club Car Precedents bought 14 years ago, with each of the 72 cars having between 25,000 – 30,000km on the clock.

Aphrodite Hills upgrades Club Car fleet

Aphrodite Hills upgrades Club Car fleet

Andrew Darker, Aphrodite Hills’ Director of Golf, explained: “Lots of venues lease their buggies but we decided to purchase ours all those years ago and it has proved a very shrewd move.

“The cars have delivered exceptional longevity. We are buggy-mandatory here as it’s a very hilly course on tough terrain. We’ve always had our own mechanic on site who does all the servicing and preventative maintenance, and it has been an excellent investment.”

Aphrodite Hills Resort is a PGA Partner venue and the first and only golf, leisure and real estate development in Cyprus. It is built on two plateaux, separated by a dramatic ravine with stunning views over the Mediterranean.

A staggering 130-metre gorge separates the signature seventh hole, meaning the golf cars have to navigate an exceptionally steep descent before climbing back up the other side to the green.

After driving the equivalent of 45 times around the globe, the old fleet has been replaced by Club Car’s state-of-the-art Lithium-Ion Tempo model complete with Visage GPS technology.

“The new fleet is enhancing the experience for our golfers,” continued Darker. “As a big resort the geo-fencing function is a great asset to have, and the lithium batteries are making a huge difference with shorter charging time, lasting longer and being more powerful, which is a big plus on our terrain.

“It was a no-brainer to buy rather than lease the new vehicles again and to stick with Club Car because we know how reliable and durable they are.”

Tony Swinnerton, Club Car’s EMEA Sales Director, said: “To have a fleet drive 1.8 million cumulative kilometres is phenomenal and just demonstrates the quality of our vehicles.”

Club Car’s highly-acclaimed Tempo model comes with 3.3hp motor and 375 Amp controller as standard to deliver outstanding hill-climbing power and acceleration. It also has many customisable options including colour, seats, storage, wheels and three programmable drive modes to maximise performance.

The Lithium-Ion-powered model is more efficient than standard batteries, with shorter charging time, longer lifespan and zero maintenance. It is also lighter, resulting in less impact on turf.

For more information on Club Car visit: www.clubcar.com

For more information on Aphrodite Hills Resort visit: www.aphroditehills.com

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INFINICUT® fleet impresses at Coventry City

INFINICUT® fleet impresses at Coventry City: It’s been an exciting two years for Dale Gregory since he joined Coventry City Football Club as their new Head of Grounds & Facilities.

Not only has he overseen the significant expansion of the club’s Sky Blue Lodge Training Ground and Alan Higgs Academy Site, but investment has also resulted in the purchase of first-class equipment to maintain it! Among his new fleet are a trio of INFINICUT® SM34 Rotary mowers and another three FL34 cylinders, helping to deliver year-round presentation and outstanding quality of cut.

INFINICUT® fleet impresses at Coventry City

INFINICUT® fleet impresses at Coventry City

Dale leads a team of six, responsible for looking after the surfaces across the two sites. “At the Sky Blue Lodge we have two and a half hybrid pitches that are for the first-team and four natural pitches at the Alan Higgs centre for the academy” he explains. “The construction of the pitches at Sky Blue Lodge is identical to that at the stadium – and we maintain it as such – to give the players the same experience they’re going to get when it comes to match day.” Consistency and familiarity was also what led Dale to the INFINICUT’s, having used these in his previous role at the King Power Stadium.

“The quality of cut and presentation, particularly striping, produced by the INFINICUT® range is one of the best I’ve seen.” With this in mind, Dale opted for a fleet comprised of three SM34 rotary’s and three FL34 cylinder mowers, delivered by Martin Shepherd of George Browns Ltd in February 2023. “Throughout the winter, training is still happening every day so we use the Rotary’s to follow up with a clean-up cut, maintaining the height and removing debris. When we don’t have training, we’ll employ the services of the cylinders to sharpen up the cut and further boost presentation levels.”

He continues, “Not only are we getting the aesthetics we want, the fact they’re also electric was another major reason we opted for INFINICUT®, as we look to improve our operations on the sustainability front. As well as reducing emissions and vibration levels, they’re quiet, which means we can mow one pitch while players are training on the other.”

The club also took delivery of a pair of SpringRake™ and ThatchMaster™ cassettes from the TMSystem™ to quickly and easily equip into their FL34’s. “Grooming is essential for keeping the plant healthy and doing it with the INFINICUT® means we can keep unnecessary weight off the pitches. These operations will be conducted regularly throughout the spring and autumn and play an important part in our overall maintenance programme.”

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Ventracs replace ageing fleet at Ladbrook Park Golf Club

Ventracs replace ageing fleet at Ladbrook Park Golf Club: Ladbrook Park Golf Club, situated in the Warwickshire countryside near Tanworth-in-Arden, has put its trust in Ventrac and taken delivery of FOUR Ventrac 4520 all-terrain compact tractors and 13 attachments to maintain their prestigious 1908 Colt-designed course.

Kevin Fellows has been the course manager for 38 years, having joined the club in 1985 from nearby Shirley Golf Club. He was appointed to his current position in 1994.

Ventracs replace ageing fleet at Ladbrook Park Golf Club

Ventracs replace ageing fleet at Ladbrook Park Golf Club

Commenting on the club’s decision to take this route, he said,

“With the exception of our fine turf areas, the majority of the course is now maintained with Ventrac equipment. It fits in with our agronomic requirements and does everything apart from fine turf and aeration. For all other areas – approaches, fairways, semi, rough, our ecology areas, transport, ditching, haulage – the Ventrac system fits perfectly. At the moment we have everything we need. It fits our current maintenance plan; tomorrows objectives and our longer-term direction.

“Selling it to the board of directors was not an issue. The initial thinking was to identify machines for replacement on a like-for-like basis and then progressively, over the next few years, replace and update as necessary. The alternative was to take the Ventrac route. Fortunately, the Finance director and board were keen to fund our replacement programme, with the support of the Greens committee, whichever direction we chose.

“When the cost options were put on the table it became a bit of a no-brainer. It is difficult to justify spending close to £100,000, or thereabouts, on a dedicated mower to cut rough, which does nothing else apart from macerate leaves and then put in the shed at the end of October and let it sat there, doing nothing for 3-4 months.

“I spoke with the club’s Finance and Greens directors in conjunction with the greens committee and we arranged a demo with a couple of Ventracs and a selection of implements. After some training and machine familiarisation, Jon Lewis, Price Turfcare’s regional sales manager, who I’ve known for years, left it with us so we could thoroughly evaluate it on our course. When you’re looking at new equipment you need to bring your team with you. You sit back and listen to what they say and sitting there one lunchtime, there was a comment which really sticks in my mind; one of the guys said ‘it’s becoming increasingly difficult to say no to.’ And he was right, because it suited our course. You’ve got invest in machinery that suits your course.”

“It was a big commitment to swap out our existing fleet and go, almost exclusively, with Ventrac. Once we started to look, we became increasingly discontent with some of the market forces; supply lines and cost were major considerations. As a course manager you have to think laterally, so I asked myself is there a better way of doing this? Covid caused a reset in thinking; prior to the pandemic a lot of clubs were committed to one manufacturer or another. We were principally a one manufacturer machinery operation.

“I was looking for something that gave us more versatility and began by looking at compact tractors from various manufacturers. Then, by pure chance Jon Lewis dropped by one afternoon with a trailer of Ventrac equipment. Naturally enough I had a look and next morning Jon gave me a brochure. And the rest is history!

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Redexim fleet completes year-round maintenance

Redexim fleet completes year-round maintenance: Frequently ranked among the top 20 courses in England, Royal West Norfolk sets the bar high when it comes to the play and presentation characteristics of links golf.

Maintaining the 18-holes for the last 37 years is Gavin Playford, who is supported by a team of five and a fleet of Redexim equipment which, he says, gives them complete control over tasks around the site and throughout the maintenance calendar.

Redexim fleet completes year-round maintenance

Redexim fleet completes year-round maintenance

The unique location of Royal West Norfolk Golf Club, along the picturesque Brancaster coastline, means that access to the private members course is off-limits during certain times of the day due to hightide. While this creates a headache for delivery drivers, the biggest challenge for Head Greenkeeper Gavin and the team is the exposed location and sandy soil profile. “The warm, drought-like conditions over the last few years has driven a big increase in the amount of overseeding we’ve been doing as we undertake recovery work, and attempt to increase fescue populations around the site” explains Gavin.

A pair of Redexim overseeders have been helping with the project – a Double Disc 1430 and a Speedseed 1500. “The DD 1430 we’ve had for roughly five years now and is our go-to for work on the fairways and the greens. We like the weight of this machine and the small spacing between the discs which has been critical to regaining coverage on our fairways and some of the greens following the severe drought of 2018.”

“For smaller, more targeted overseeding we’ll then switch to the Speedseed dimple seeder, which we purchased though Ben Burgess Groundcare last year.” The individual conical ring sections of the Speedseed create pockets in the soil into which seed is accurately delivered. The holes are then closed with a rear roller, safely concealing the seed and creating the optimal conditions for germination. “This machine complements what we’re doing with the disc seeder, allowing us to focus on particularly problematic areas such as perimeters, where we can incorporate finer seed varieties.”

With overseeding work complete, come the Autumn the team will then switch their attention to an intensive aeration programme, delivered by their Redexim Level Spike and trusty Verti-Drain® 7416. “From October, we’ll be conducting frequent slitting and verti-draining on greens, tees and fairways. This will continue until the New Year when preparations are then put into place for renovations.”

“On top of that, we also have a Redexim Turf Tidy which we purchased two years ago, again from Ben Burgess” Gavin adds. “This has been brilliant in helping us to thin out some of our roughs in an attempt to encourage finer grasses.” In its cut and collect set-up, the Turf Tidy features a powerful flail rotor. Alternative rotors for fast, effective leaf collection or scarification are also available.

Gavin concludes, “We like the Redexim kit, we’re familiar with it, the build quality is great and we can trust that it’s going to do the job. We also like the brilliant back up from Ben Burgess, particularly our local area Sales Manager Stuart Edge, whose advice and support is second to none.”

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George Browns delivers new machinery fleet

George Browns delivers new machinery fleet: Major, course-wide investment and redevelopment plans at Essex’s Crondon Park Golf Club have taken a big step forward thanks to the recent installation of a brand-new machinery fleet package from George Browns Limited.

Everything from tractors, mowers, implements and accessories have been replaced with solutions from leading brands including Kubota and Baroness, to further raise course standards and achieve ambitions of a top-ranking status in the county.

George Browns delivers new machinery fleet

George Browns delivers new machinery fleet

Set within the 220-acre Crondon Park Estate, Managing Director Marlon Fox is the second generation of the Fox family now taking charge of the 18-hole championship course, originally built by his father 35 years ago. “Since COVID, good machinery appears hard to come by with a lot of manufacturers not holding much in the way of stock” he explains. “In our search, we spoke to Luke Farrow at George Browns Great Dunmow branch who, right from the start, understood our requirements and what we’re looking to achieve here, building us a package of machinery to reach that.”

Within that package were two RTV X1110 utility vehicles, a L2622 and L1552 compact tractor from Kubota, together with two Baroness LM315 greens mowers and a LM551 fairway mower.

“We had the demonstration units arrive and the greens team were very happy with everything, the quality of cut and finish we were seeing, we were very impressed with. Coming away from our previous brand naturally brought with it an element of trepidation but George Browns, Luke and Tim Mason in particular, have looked after us very well at every stage of the process.”

Promised in May 2023, and delivered on time, the Crondon Park greens department then underwent full and comprehensive training on the new equipment. “The team were able to ask any questions and given all the support needed to get the very best out of the new fleet. Everyone is very happy, and we know we have the expertise of George Browns nearby or on the end of the phone if we need them.”

Marlon concludes, “We have a massive five-year plan, so having new machinery that is going to give us quality results, reliability and no age-related issues is setting us off on the right path to achieve our goals and deliver an unforgettable golfing experience!”

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Tillers Turf and Fineturf fleet expands

Tillers Turf and Fineturf fleet expands: Whether it’s through the delivery of expert construction and renovation services, or the supply of 26 different varieties of turf, the combination of Fineturf and Tillers Turf have proudly worked with a huge number of the UK’s leading sporting venues – and at the heart of nearly every operation is a Kubota.

Following the delivery of six more Kubota units to their fleet, Managing Director Simon Hutton explains how it’s the reliability of the brand that keeps them coming back for more, having not let them down on a job in over 28 years.

Tillers Turf and Fineturf fleet expands

Tillers Turf and Fineturf fleet expands

Working for high profile clients across the sporting sector comes with high expectations and means that for Simon and the team, reliability is key when it comes to specifying new equipment. “The oldest tractor we have is a Kubota L4630 which is 18 years old, with close to 11,500 hours on it and continues to give us what we need day in, day out” explains Simon. “The simplicity of operation, consistency in performance and value for money we get from the brand is unparalleled.”

Among the recent delivery were two L2522 tractors from Kubota’s popular L2 series of cabbed, compact tractors – taking Simon’s total tally of L-Series machines up to the mid-twenties! “These are the workhorses on our contracting division” he explains. “We’ll have at least one on most jobs, and they’ll remain on site for the duration of the contract whether that’s one day or six months. The operators love the durability of the L2’s, they work long hours and stand up to every task. Because they’re not ‘over-computerised’ we can also conduct all of the servicing and maintenance ourselves and, if something does go astray while we’re on a job, nine times out of ten the team can resolve it quickly and easily to get the work complete.”

Tillers Turf and Fineturf fleet expands

Tillers Turf and Fineturf fleet expands

While the L2522’s are additions to meet with demand, the new Kubota M6111 and M4073 are replacing another brand and join an M6002 series already in use on the Tillers Turf operation. “We use these tractors at every stage of turf production on our 2200 acres – from getting the seed in the ground to getting the turf onto the pallets and out to the customers.”

“Where we are now and with the scale of the operation, I honestly believe that without the level of service we get from our equipment and the fabulous people at Kubota who provide outstanding ongoing support, we wouldn’t be in business.”

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Course chooses John Deere for fleet upgrade

Course chooses John Deere for fleet upgrade: One of the finest golf courses in the UK has made a significant investment in its future with the purchase of a fleet of machines to support the greenkeeping team.

Trevose Golf and Country Club, near Padstow in Cornwall, is currently 66th in the coveted top 100 rankings and prides itself on the presentation and playability of the par-72 Championship links, nine-hole Peter Aliss designed Headland course, and neighbouring nine-hole Short Course.

Course chooses John Deere for fleet upgrade

Course chooses John Deere for fleet upgrade

Course Manager, Neil Ivamy, and his staff are responsible for maintaining the high standards set at the club, which has a rich history since being founded in 1925.

That includes ensuring his greenkeepers have the best tools at their disposal, and a recent deal struck with John Deere dealer Masons Kings has seen a new fleet of 10 machines including mowers, utility vehicles and a compact tractor which have been added to the club’s machinery shed.

The new kit represents a change of manufacturer for Neil’s team, but he says they are very happy with their decision.

“It has always been important to us to use the best machinery and equipment for our course,” Neil said.

“We chose the John Deere range as it was a proven and high-quality product and we have received excellent support – not just through the purchase process, but also through their proactiveness and machinery training.

“Having a local dealer and support staff who are always available to help us with any questions or queries has been invaluable and the service team has been excellent in providing any product support requirements.

“The feedback we have been getting from players and staff has been excellent and having a local dealer that supports us like Masons Kings have has been fantastic in our transition to John Deere.”

Trevose’s team now runs a 9009A wide area mower, a 4066R compact tractor, a TS Gator and three HPX-815E Gators. The club’s greens and tees are now cut with four 2750E E-cut triplex mowers.

Sean Williams, Assistant Greenkeeper and the man with the responsibility for machinery maintenance, said he is happy with the move to John Deere kit.

He said: “The functionality of the machines, such as setting up the cylinders and future maintenance, is easy and has saved me hours of time. You can use the tech control system to set the same quality of cut, regardless of operator.”

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ISEKI fleet is the top gun

ISEKI fleet is the top gun: A landscape maintenance contractor has revealed why he insists on using ISEKI tractors for maintaining two former RAF (Royal Air Force) stations.

Keith Clipsham works for Urban and Civic, and he looks after two unique, former RAF stations. RAF Waterbeach and RAF Alconbury have since made way for new housing developments and Keith is the man responsible for keeping the vast areas of green space intact.

ISEKI fleet is the top gun

ISEKI fleet is the top gun

“We cut approximately 350 acres at Alconbury and 400 acres at Waterbeach, so we need machinery that is 100% reliable,” he said. “This is why we have three ISEKI machines.”

“My first ever ISEKI tractor was a 47hp, and that has carried out approximately 3,500 hours with a flail on the back of it which is still going strong. Based on the success of that, we bought a larger 80hp model and again it is brilliant.

“Most recently we wanted one in between the two models we already have and our dealer, Fentons of Bourne, recommended the ISEKI TG6687.”

The ISEKI TG6687 is fitted with a Stage V 67hp engine and is compact in size with all the accessories and options of the higher specification tractors. The technology allows for easy operation and less fatigue on the driver.

With a superior lift capacity of up to 1,600kg, the ISEKI TG6687 allows you to run all your implements without the need to increase the size or horsepower of your tractor.

The HST model also gives users the benefit of cruise control, which is perfect for a variety of turf maintenance implements where accuracy is required. The PS model has an F12/R12 Power Shuttle transmission.

It is safe to say that Keith is pleased with the newest addition to his ISEKI fleet.

“It is excellent for what we want it to do,” continued Keith. “It is so quiet in operation and its fuel consumption is between 50-60 litres per day which we are very happy with. Furthermore, it is very user-friendly and comfortable. On other brands of tractors, I struggle with leg length, but I don’t with an ISEKI. The options to adjust the seat are great and you are not jumping about like a kangaroo like you are on others. None of us that use the ISEKI machines struggle with bad backs which is a good sign!

“The air-conditioning is very beneficial, and maintenance wise it is very simple – for example it is very easy to declutter the radiators of any debris, dirt or dust.

“Overall, I would highly recommend ISEKI – it cuts a huge amount of grass and cuts it quickly.”

Full video interview can be found at https://www.iseki.co.uk/iseki-fleet-is-the-top-gun/

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John Deere fleet at St George’s Park

John Deere fleet at St George’s Park: For the grounds team at St George’s Park, the home of England football, maintaining a world-class venue is a 365-days-a-year, 24-hours-a-day passion.

Located six miles from Burton in Staffordshire, the park is home to 14 pitches and sprawls across 330 acres with 150 acres actively maintained by a 15-strong team.

John Deere fleet at St George’s Park

John Deere fleet at St George’s Park

 

Andy Gray, Head of Grounds and Estates, is in charge while 10 take care of the pitches and four work on the wider estate.

“The sheer size of the estate is the biggest challenge,” says Andy, who joined The FA from Southampton FC.

A key part of his job is to foresee issues that will crop up in the future and putting a strategic plan in place to meet these potential challenges.

“I’m also responsible for making sure my team has all the tools they require to do their job effectively,” he adds.

To help them in their quest to continue delivering world-class excellence, the centre has invested in a brand new fleet of John Deere mowers, gators and tractors to maintain the England teams’ pitches and the wider estate.

The pitches

“It’s a high-pressure environment because you’re constantly trying to meet everyone’s expectations and when you have a small team on both sides it is hard,” says Dan Oliver, Assistant Head of Grounds.

Adaptability and responding to the UK’s unpredictable weather patterns is key. “The weather is the biggest thing,” adds Dan. “There are peaks and troughs, depending on how wet or warm it has been.”

With major Premier League and European teams plus sides from further afield making the journey to train at St George’s, Dan and the team feel the pressure to deliver a world-class experience.

“We constantly compare ourselves to other venues. A lot of the players will be coming from excellent facilities, so we do our best to mirror what they’re used to, and hopefully deliver more. This should be a step up.”

The estate

Management of the wider estate covers a range of tasks from woodland management to protecting and enhancing biodiversity.

Matt’s estates team is made up of him and three other people. This equates to an approximate ratio of one person per 25 acres to actively maintain daily.

The team’s existing equipment lease deal expired in January 2020, leading to a re-evaluation of what was required.

“That fleet was the same one that was set up in 2011,” Matt says.

“The ride-on mowing equipment we had didn’t suit our estate’s undulating terrain. The nature of the site means that you’re never sure what you’re going to come across and because of the soil makeup the ground is often wet.”

After an extensive demonstration process of the machines available to them, the team decided to go with John Deere because of the extra support the brand can provide.

“One thing that really impressed me from the start was the support John Deere gave us during the transition when the old fleet was going out and the new kit was still being built,” Matt says. “As it was transferred in we still had access to whatever equipment we needed.

“For us, one of the most important things was what would happen if something broke down. Our arrangement with John Deere means we can get answers quickly and get equipment back up and running.”

The team’s new John Deere fleet comprises three compact tractors in the form of a 2036R and two 4066R models, two TE and three HPX Gators, three 2750 E-Cut triplex mowers, two X950R riding mowers, one 7400A TerrainCut and a 8000A mower, one Progator and a HD200 sprayer.

All the equipment was supplied by John Deere dealer Farol through Area Sales Managers Jacob Shellis and Tom Spencer. With their support, full training was given to the workforce on how to set up the machines to operate with maximum accuracy and performance.

The fleet is fully connected and all machines are remotely monitored by Farol under Deere’s PowerGard protection plan. A maintenance agreement means work is carried out at scheduled times according to the service manual. This ensures performance is maximised and reduces the risk of breakdowns. The deal is in place for five years.

Nathan Page, one of the operators at St George’s, said: “A big difference is the 2036R and 4066R tractors. They are all-weather, comfortable and capable of pulling everything we need them to.”

His colleague Michael Bristow added: “The main thing for me was the training when the new kit arrived. We have been shown the right way to operate it all. The ride quality is also really good, which is important when you’re working on these machines all day.”

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New lease of life for machinery fleet at Chorley Golf Club

New lease of life for machinery fleet at Chorley Golf Club: Chorley Golf Club has got its 125-year anniversary off to a good start by updating its machinery fleet.

The course sits in 127 acres between Bolton and Preston, drawing players out of both major conurbations to be challenged while taking in prime views that extend as far as the Lake District and North Wales.

New lease of life for machinery fleet at Chorley Golf Club

New lease of life for machinery fleet at Chorley Golf Club

With both healthy membership numbers and a high number of visiting players, Head Greenkeeper Tony Grayson and his team of four – deputy John Cottam, Chris Riley, Stuart Angus, and Daniel Woan – are working to meet expectations every day.

“I try to produce the best course I can every day, as we have so many competitions”, he says. “It’s all about the presentation and of course – people want what they see on TV.”

Living up to the manicured greens and fairways seen on televised competitions is no mean feat in the north west of England, where consistent rainfall and clay soils present major challenges.

“The ground is very quick to get wet but also quick to dry as we are on a couple inches of topsoil and thatch on the fairways,” Tony said. “The Bunkers are really difficult to maintain in bad weather because the clay contaminates the sand and, although others might put in liners nowadays, on a limited resource it costs a fortune.”

Pests and diseases, particularly fusarium, anthracnose, worm casts and leatherjackets are an increasing challenge too, with many chemicals being taken off the market. Frequently warm and wet conditions make this pressure relentless.

Keeping the course in top condition takes attention to detail, and the team can afford little  machinery downtime. A breakdown can threaten to overwhelm the team so when they were handed the keys to a brand-new shed just before the first covid lockdown in March 2020, the impetus was there to invest in new machinery.

Tony said: “It had been difficult to invest in machinery because of the previous sheds in terms of their security and the environment – you don’t want to be keeping machines in damp conditions.

“We had an ageing fleet and the reliability, particularly of our previous rough mower, was going down. When you’ve got the grass growing like mad and a rough mower down, it’s difficult to manage.”

The team’s new shed now stores a John Deere 7500 fairway mower, a 9009A TerrainCut rough mower, an 8000A E E-Cut Hybrid fairway mower, a XUV86SM Gator, three 220SL SL PrecisionCut walk-behind greens mower and two 2500 greens mowers.

Tony said: “Looking at other brands, I found that John Deere, as well as being at the top, was offering value for money as well. Once I demoed everything, it was obvious what I was looking for. The machines are now specific to our course and environment so we can go out with more confidence, getting a nicer cut.

“The 8000AE is so versatile and it can even act as a backup fairways mower by quickly raising the height of cut. It is our key machine and the one that will make people notice in terms of the appearance of the surrounds and approaches. Now, the green-side bunkers are part of the surround and we’re able to cut around this area with the new machine, making the presentation so much better.”

For the majority of the new machines, Tony opted to use John Deere Finance. And with a strong relationship with John Deere’s specialist servicing dealer Balmers GM spanning  20 years, the team at Chorley has direct access to support to maintain the machines. For its flagship machine, the 9009A, Tony reasoned that an operating lease, whereby the team would only pay for the use of the machine, would be the best option.

“The club looked at the hours our machines were doing – and with the rough mower doing the most hours, we took it out on an operational lease as we have a lot of semi-rough, and will look to change after five years.”

Following a successful 2021 with summer on the greenkeepers’ side and armed with a new machinery fleet, Tony’s sights are now set firmly on future proofing the course – and the reliability of the new machines will be crucial to ensure this work can happen.

“Our aim now is to make the course longer by building a few more tee zones set right back onto the course’s boundaries to cater for an increasing number of golfers hitting the ball further. All this has to be done without disrupting golfers’ experience or making a mess with the heavier equipment required.

“Our industry isn’t without its challenges but investing in the machines has really given our greenkeepers more pride in their work, and the machines are doing a fantastic job at presenting the course in the best light.”

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