Tag Archive for: golf

Baroness or nothing for West Essex Golf Club

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Baroness or nothing for West Essex Golf Club: Every blade of grass at West Essex Golf Club is cut by a Baroness mower – the case for the last seven years and one that looks set to stay for the foreseeable future according to Course Manager Paul Kimber.

The fleet currently consists of two LM315 greens mowers, two LM2700 fairways mowers, an LM331 for tees and a GM2810 rotary mower for roughs which the team say demonstrate outstanding reliability and cylinders which deliver an industry-leading quality of cut.

Baroness or nothing for West Essex Golf Club

Baroness or nothing for West Essex Golf Club

Paul has been at the parkland course on the outskirts of Epping Forest for 37 years, and in the top job since 2018. He explains that the origins of the club’s relationship with Baroness was very much a happy accident! “We were welcoming a new Head Greenkeeper who purchased a suite of Baroness machines, and then didn’t end up actually joining – leaving us with these mowers we knew very little about. We started using it and that was it, we were sold straight away and have never looked at anything else since.”

“Our team all have experience with various makes of mower and consider Baroness to not only be superior, but also at a more competitive cost point.”

In particular, Paul notes the quality of the cutting units. “These are just next level. You barely have to touch them to put them on cut, and they then stay on cut forever. They do not wear down easily, robust enough to cut through anything!” The robust theme continues, “The machines as a whole are well built and reliable. We like that everything is mechanical, not electronic, so we can keep on top of routine maintenance ourselves and not end up with graveyards of kit waiting for diagnostic testing or replacement parts.”

The fleet of cylinder and rotary mowers were supplied by dealer George Browns Ltd who, together with Stuart Gray at Baroness, have delivered second-to-none support and service. “They’re all a pleasure to deal with and go the extra mile to get answers or solutions to any questions we have. It’s just another reason why we’d never look anywhere else.”

Complimenting the mowers is a Baroness SP05A bunker rake which Paul admits the club could now not live without. “It’s one of those few machines where, if it broke today, we’d be ordering a new one tomorrow! We use this machine at least three times a week to brush and smooth the bunkers but, in addition, ours has a front blade which acts like a plough so we can use it for moving and spreading path material.”

He concludes, “Anyone who hasn’t thought to try a Baroness mower, get your hands on one and give it a try. You won’t be disappointed!”

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Golf course switches brands in huge machinery overhaul

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Golf course switches brands in huge machinery overhaul: One of the UK’s most revered golfing destinations, Woodhall Spa Golf Club, has completely overhauled its machinery fleet by switching brands to John Deere.

Technology, reliability and dealer service drove the decision for the home of England Golf to remove its existing machines and invest in new cutting units, Gator utility vehicles, GPS sprayers and a compact tractor.

Golf course switches brands in huge machinery overhaul

Golf course switches brands in huge machinery overhaul

Embracing cloud-based software, the greenkeeping team responsible for maintaining the iconic Hotchkin and Bracken courses will now use John Deere’s new Operations Centre PRO-Golf platform to allocate daily tasks, track input costs, schedule servicing and generate reports.

John Deere dealer Ripon Ground Care delivered the 26 pieces of machinery on 19 February and will now lead a programme of staff training and optimisation to ensure maximum efficiency and performance from the fleet.

Peter Moore, Course Director at Woodhall Spa Golf Club, said: “We were impressed with the build quality and the GPS technology during the intensive demonstration period. All the team were involved in the decision giving feedback on each item of equipment.”

The purchase has been structured by John Deere Financial, allowing the club to spread payments while it also invests a new clubhouse and facilities.

“The flexible finance option presented to us allowed us to maximise our budget and deliver a payment schedule that suited our business,” Peter added.

Woodhall Spa Golf Club is close to Lincoln and boasts two 18-hole championship courses, one of which – Hotchkin – ranks 58th best in the world.

Greens and tees will now be cut with 2750E riding mowers and 260SL walk-behinds, while fairways will be maintained by four 6700A E-cuts.

A total of 10 electric and diesel gators will be used for transporting staff and materials around the course, and two satellite-steered HD200 precision sprayers will take care of weeds and diseases with unrivalled accuracy.

A 4066R compact tractor is on hand for heavy work and towing.

Chris Meacock, John Deere Division Sales Manager for Golf and Turf, said: “With a fully connected fleet the team at Woodhall Spa will not only see the benefit of the latest technology on our cutting units and sprayer, but will also be able to account for every second of machinery use.

“This brings a whole new dimension to course management resulting in greater efficiency and accuracy for the whole operation.”

Scott Trestrail, Area Sales Manager at Ripon Ground Care, said: “It’s great that Woodhall Spa Golf Club recognises the whole package available, from seamless equipment integration, cutting-edge technology plus the reliability and back-up. We look forward to working with and supporting the club going forwards.”

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Bernhard and Company partners with Golf Turf Shop

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Bernhard and Company partners with Golf Turf Shop: Bernhard and Company, industry leader in grinding solutions and turf care technology, has announced a new partnership with Golf Turf Shop as its exclusive distributor in Finland and Estonia.

This strategic partnership will see Golf Turf Shop distributing Bernhard and Company’s precision grinding products, alongside a range of additional turf care machinery and solutions, to golf courses and sports facilities in both countries.

Bernhard and Company partners with Golf Turf Shop

Bernhard and Company partners with Golf Turf Shop

With a continuous commitment to exceptional customer service and expertise in turf care, Golf Turf Shop is a natural fit to represent Bernhard and Company’s innovative products in Finland and Estonia. This partnership further strengthens Bernhard and Company’s extensive distributor network across Europe and around the world, reinforcing its commitment to providing world-class turf care solutions to professionals globally.

Steven Nixon, Managing Director of Bernhard and Company, said: “We are delighted to welcome Golf Turf Shop to the Bernhard and Company network. Finland and Estonia open up interesting markets for us, and we are confident that the team at Golf Turf Shop will ensure our products reach turf care professionals who demand the very best. This partnership is another step in expanding our global footprint and delivering the sharpest, most precise turf care solutions worldwide.”

CEO of Golf Turf Shop, Emil Helenius, added: “Partnering with Bernhard and Company is a great opportunity for us and the Finnish market. We are excited to bring their innovative grinding technology and comprehensive turf care solutions to our customers, helping them achieve the highest standards in turf maintenance. This collaboration reflects our commitment to delivering cutting-edge products and exceptional service.”

For more information about Bernhard and Company and its distributor network, visit www.bernhard.co.uk.

To contact Golf Turf Shop, Finland, call +358 401 645409 or send an email to: info@golfturfshop.com

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Royal Ascot Golf Club trials robot mowers

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Royal Ascot Golf Club trials robot mowers: A fleet of robotic mowers which reduces carbon emissions and enhances greenkeeping capabilities is being trialled at Royal Ascot Golf Club as part of its development strategy.

The Winkfield Road venue introduced BigMow technology to its 150 acre wooded Crown land course this week with a view to further enhancing the playing quality and experience of members and visitors alike.

Royal Ascot Golf Club trials robot mowers

Royal Ascot Golf Club trials robot mowers

Each mower is capable of cutting rough, semi-rough and fairway patches of ground for two hours using GPS technology, can operate in all weather conditions and will save an estimated five tonnes of carbon emissions each year – the equivalent of a return journey by plane from London Heathrow to Perth.

It is hoped the move will streamline tasks currently delegated to the club’s team of eight greenkeeping staff who will be able to invest more resource into green preparation, aeration, top dressing and overall presentation.

The demo will help the club to better understand how technology can be used to its advantage in the long-term with a fleet exchange planned for 2027.

Benefits of BigMow technology

Ian Hockley, Course Manager at Royal Ascot Golf Club, said: “The benefits of BigMow technology to the club are fourfold.

“Mowing is typically a greenkeeper’s most laboursome task, and although we always aim to be out on the course during quieter hours the occasional disruption to play is inevitable.

“Robotic mowers operate with minimal intrusion and are efficient at providing the best playing surface on areas of rough and semi-rough ground plus our fairways. This allows our existing greenkeeping team to prioritise tasks elsewhere on the course which will be a huge asset for us.

“There’s the environment impact too and due to the weight of each robot we can confidently send them out on the course when conditions wouldn’t be suitable for heavier, more traditional, machinery.

“We’re excited about the benefits this can bring to the aesthetics and playing quality of our course which we take great pride in.”

The trial is taking place after Royal Ascot Golf Club’s senior leadership team attended this year’s BTME Exhibition in Harrogate, Europe’s leading greenkeeping and turf management show.

The exhibition allowed the club to explore the latest equipment, learn about sustainable practices and attend a series of seminars.

Stephen Nicholson, General Manager at Royal Ascot Golf Club, added: “We’re continually exploring how we can remain at the forefront of greens maintenance to continue providing an enviable course in the years to come.

“Ensuring our through the door and playing experiences for members and guests alike are at the highest levels possible is a key priority for the team.

“Trialling BigMow technology forms part of this process and we’re grateful to AMS Robotics for their insights into how we can best utilise the technology while retaining our existing greenkeeping team.”

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Ladyback Golf Club commit to Ventrac

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Ladyback Golf Club commit to Ventrac: Ladybank Golf Club, situated in wooded heathland 10 miles west of St Andrews in Fife, is the latest prestigious Scottish golf club to purchase Ventrac equipment to assist in the maintenance of their challenging heathland championship course.

Designed by Old Tom Morris, Ladybank is a rare course; although situated in Fife, it’s not one of the famous links courses that dots the coast. It measures almost 6,800 yards from the championship tees, making great use of its heathland terrain and has changed little over the years. It requires the golfer to display real precision to hit the small and contoured greens.

Ladyback Golf Club commit to Ventrac

Ladyback Golf Club commit to Ventrac

Grant Frogley is the Course Manager and is responsible for a team of 8 full-time greenkeepers, who maintain this beautiful and challenging course. During the winter of 2021-22, the club purchased an ex-demo Ventrac 4500 all-terrain compact tractor and two attachments to help maintain the course.

“I’m one of the many converts to the Ventrac compact tractor and attachments,” he said. “We had two rough mowers when I came in, each one for different areas of the course. We’re a relatively flat site in terms of elevation, but we do have quite a lot of subtle movement with some extreme hollows and bumps. The rough mowers weren’t the best at following contours, so we found ourselves doing a lot more hand work.

“I’d seen the Ventrac at a demonstration at Gwest and knew it would be the perfect piece of kit here; a versatile machine that could do more than one task. We got it in on demo and sure enough it flew round, coped with every contour out there, without a problem.

“We’ve got the Contour deck and the Tough Cut deck. We use the Tough deck a lot during the winter to clean up the woodlands and remove the gorse and broom. We basically cut everything that’s not on the maintained grass areas. We cut every blade of grass during the winter, so it’s very versatile and mobile for getting in amongst the trees. As I said previously, it’s very good at removing brash, gorse and broom.

“It came with a rear three-point linkage kit, which is brilliant. We bought a small sprayer with hand lance that hooks up on the back of it and we also have a terra rake, which we use a lot during winter projects, especially if we’ve got soil that just needs a tilth-up before we re-turf. It’s brilliant and such a light footprint, it just glides over the surface.

“The options are endless; we’ve demoed the stump grinder and blower. We’ve got a rear-mounted blower on a tractor, and perhaps it’s just my age, but I find looking out the back for a period of time is very uncomfortable. The seating position on the Ventrac is very comfortable and the out-front blower makes it much more user-friendly. We’ve had nothing in the way of breakdowns, servicing has been fine, one little repair on the deck and it’s hardly missed a beat.”

Grant began his career at Gleneagles in 1999, working under Peter Pattenden, and six years later went to New Zealand for a year, before returning to Gleneagles at a time when the renovations for the Ryder Cup were taking place, remodelling the PGA Centenary course. This led to construction work at Dun Laoghaire Golf Club near Dublin followed by a spell in Sweden constructing the PGA of Sweden National Golf Course near Malmo.

Returning to the UK, he was appointed deputy course manager at Gwest, where a new championship course was being built next door to Gleneagles. Gwest never materialised into the great golf course and property that it could have been, so he took up his first course manager’s job at The Roxburghe in the Scottish Borders. Three and half years later he returned to Gwest as course manager, with a commitment from the owners that it would be completed. Covid struck and, and unfortunately, progress with the development stalled, so in 2021 he applied for, and was successful in securing, the vacant course manager’s position at Ladybank.

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