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Toro the right decision for Olton

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Toro the right decision for Olton: Investing in your first fleet deal is a big decision, but after seeing both Toro irrigation and machinery in action, Olton Golf Club in Solihull was confident Toro was the way to go.

For the past ten years Olton Golf Club in Solihull has been slowly turning its fleet Toro red in order to improve the course and stand out against its competition. And now, with the support of the club’s committee, it was decided the time had come to make the biggest leap yet to progress the club and invest in a Toro fleet deal.

Toro the right decision for Olton

Toro the right decision for Olton

As the club’s first ever package deal it was far from a snap decision, explains course manager Mark Smith: “Moving the club from purchasing one or two new machines per year, to investing in a full five-year package deal with a mix of lease and purchase machines took a lot of time. The Toro machines we’ve been adding to the fleet throughout the years were proving themselves but the benefit that level of commitment to one brand would bring is something I’ve been bringing to the table for ten years. With the help of a forward-thinking committee, it’s finally become a reality.”

With an abundance of clubs in the local area, the committee and greenkeeping team have been working hard to improve the course in order to stand out and Toro has played a large part in that.

“Securing the package deal is our next big step in improving the course, but before that we already knew Toro was the way to go,” says Mark. “Over the years we’ve been steadily replacing machines in the fleet so we could have majority Toro equipment. Toro machines are reliable and high quality and give us the confidence that we are in safe hands. It made sense with our drive to continuously improve the course that we would continue to invest in Toro.”

And before agreeing the Toro package deal, the quality of the Toro brand had been proving itself on the irrigation side too.

Mark says: “The year before we agreed the Toro machinery deal, we decided to improve and expand on our irrigation system and added Infinity and Flex800 sprinklers across the greens, surrounds, aprons and around 50 percent of the tees. After that it was time to turn our attention to our control system.”

And with confidence in the quality of the Toro brand at a high, Mark says: “It was logical to look at the options from Toro and after a demonstration of the Lynx Central Control system by Reesink Turfcare, we were sold immediately. And so far, it’s been great. It’s incredibly easy to use, particularly the mobile app.”

Further proof of Mark and the club’s commitment to improving the course is that they are now increasing their use of Toro sprinklers further, Mark confirms: “We’re currently trying to phase them in across the rest of the tees so we have a complete Toro irrigation solution.”

With both Toro irrigation and machinery now on board to help improve the course, Mark sees bright things for the future of the club: “We really pride ourselves on presentation, and with these new Toro machines alongside Toro irrigation I foresee big improvements to the course. We’ve trialled many brands over the years, but Toro has always outperformed them all. The course here stretches 90 acres and is largely made up of undulating land which Toro deals with brilliantly. One of our new machines is the Groundsmaster 3500-D triplex rotary mower and is a perfect example of a Toro machine built to perform excellently on undulating terrain. The contour following is superb!”

Mark concludes: “We really needed a fresh start with our machinery in order to make the improvements we wanted. With this new five-year agreement, not only can we achieve this in the near future, but we can continue to upgrade our front line cutting equipment every five years, ensuring we get the latest and greatest technology to keep on improving.”

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Get ready for summer with Otterbine

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Get ready for summer with Otterbine: With the sun can come dangers for your lakes and ponds and as we know the warm weather arrived early last year with April the sunniest on record. As a result, water management specialist Otterbine is advising greenkeepers to be prepared and take action now to avoid problems and costly fixes later.

Left unattended for long periods of time water can quickly deteriorate, leaving lakes and ponds with problems such as algae, aquatic weeds and odours meaning the importance of water management can’t be underestimated.

Get ready for summer with Otterbine

Get ready for summer with Otterbine

Peter Newton, commercial and golf irrigation sales representative at Reesink explains: “It’s vital to take care of your water now so you’re not faced with a sudden onslaught of problems once the weather gets warmer. Higher levels of sunlight and heat, generated by summer sun, can lead to excess nutrients in water bodies. When combined with low oxygen levels and limited circulation, the natural ecosystem tips out of balance, which is what can cause algae, weeds, odours and sludge build up, which can even kill off aquatic life.

“Once a water body reaches this point the costs of trying to restore it increase dramatically. As well as often being more expensive to implement, reactive solutions tend to be less friendly to the environment too.”

With Otterbine aerating fountains, industrial aerators and diffused air systems and their proven high oxygen transfer rates, there’s a simple and natural solution to prevent water quality deteriorating.

“The most natural water quality management solution is to introduce aeration to eliminate stagnant water,” says Peter. “This will increase oxygen levels, and circulate oxygen rich water throughout the lake, pond or water reservoir to keep the water clean, clear and healthy.”

And with Otterbine’s comprehensive warranties ranging from three to five years on its range of products including the Giant Fountain, Fractional Series, Air Flo 3 and Fountain Glo Lights, you can rest assured that not only will your water body stay in good shape, but your fountain or aerator will be looked after too.

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Rockhampton hoping for pitch perfect summer

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Rockhampton hoping for pitch perfect summer: Groundsmen across the country are busy preparing pitches for the start of the cricket season, but Jeremy White has more work to do than most.

Read the full article from Gazette Series here

Rockhampton hoping for pitch perfect summer

Rockhampton hoping for pitch perfect summer

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Redexim range delivers versatility for overseeding

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Redexim range delivers versatility for overseeding: The provision of favourable germination and establishment conditions are essential to the success of any overseeding operation.

Seeds will differ in terms of the amount of light, moisture and temperature required which will therefore determine the time and the method in which it should be delivered. The Redexim range of overseeders encapsulate a variety of working widths, hopper capacities and delivery methods – all of which are fully adjustable to suit a variety of different seeds.

Redexim range delivers versatility for overseeding

Redexim range delivers versatility for overseeding

The Redexim Speed-Seed range delivers seed into pockets generated by a spiked sarel roller. This  creates 990 holes per m2, with the seeds swept in via a rear-mounted brush. The recently re-modelled range features a new variable seed rate calibration system – which makes ratio adjustments simple and accurate, while a new mixing bar and individual seeding elements ensure good, even distribution and less wastage. Available in four width options – ranging from 1.1m up to 2.3m – the Speed-Seed is ideal for fine turf and quick delivery across larger areas where drill lines need to be avoided.

For improved seed to soil contact, or in situations where high germination rates are the priority, disc seeders could be considered. The Overseeder 3D collection features discs spaced at 75mm which create a groove in which to accurately deposit the seed at depths of up to 30mm, before the roller seals the ground to protect the seed from the elements and/or the beaks of hungry birds. Thanks to its individually mounted coulters, the Overseeder 3D takes undulating ground easily in its stride, making it a great choice for golf – with a dedicated 3D 1575 lightweight version further suiting fine turf applications. In addition to the 1.5m working width of the 1575 model, a 1.2m and larger 2.0m width are also available.

Also in the disc seeder category, the Redexim Double Disc series contains three machines, the 1430A, 1830A and 2230A, offering working widths of 1.4m, 1.8m and 2.2m respectively. The concept of the Double Disc range is to deliver seed into the soil via two rows of discs, in slits 3cm apart and to a maximum depth of up to 20mm, to ensure maximum germination. A massive 230 litre hopper capacity completes the specification. The whole Double Disc range comes complete with 3-point linkage as standard, but a trailed wheel kit is available as an option.

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Vanmac Ltd, the new home for Progressive Mowers

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Vanmac Ltd, the new home for Progressive Mowers: Vanmac Ltd are pleased to announce they have been appointed as full-line distributors of the Progressive range of trailed and mounted rotary mowers for the professional grounds and sports turf market.

Having represented Progressive in the turf farm sector for several years, the extension of the partnership to incorporate distribution to the professional amenity sector is effective from 15th March 2021.

Vanmac Ltd, the new home for Progressive Mowers

Vanmac Ltd, the new home for Progressive Mowers

Progressive have a long and illustrious track record for designing and manufacturing innovative, rotary finishing mowers suitable for a wide range of applications – from golf courses to sports fields, turf producers and local authorities. This, combined with Vanmac Ltd’s vast knowledge and experience in the sector through the distribution of other leading brands such as Trilo vacuum sweepers, promises to bear fruit for both parties.

With the main growing season fast approaching, of particular interest from the Progressive range – and available in the UK for the first time – will be the tri-deck TDR-X contour mower. The three independently floating decks promise to closely follow the contours of the ground, without scalping, offering a combined cutting width of 3.2m and an easily adjustable cutting height range from 9.5mm to 84.5mm. Along with other machines in the range, the TDR-X takes advantage of Progressive’s Pro Lift-N-Turn™ technology, allowing the operator to temporarily raise the decks, with the PTO still engaged, to make turning easier and increase overall productivity.

“Expanding our agreement with Progressive to cover the professional turf care market is absolutely fantastic news for Vanmac Ltd” comments Area Sales Manager Jeremy Vincent. “Their range is renowned for delivering durability and fantastic cut quality and it complements our other product lines, including Trilo and Brouwer Kesmac, fantastically. We can now offer those managing turf surfaces a comprehensive collection of equipment, together with parts service, all from under one roof. Over the next few months, we look forward to building a network of dedicated dealers to assist with the all-important back-up support and beginning demonstrations as soon as we can.”

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