Tag Archive for: golf

Toro At Peterborough Golf Clubs

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Toro At Peterborough Golf Clubs: The family-managed duo of golf courses, Thorpe Wood Golf Course and Orton Meadows Golf Course in Peterborough, continues its joint ambition to switch to Toro with the arrival of its latest fleet.

Golf is in Simon Fitton’s blood. Not only is he a fourth-generation golf professional, he’s also the third generation of the Fitton family to be managing the two courses. Simon assumed the role of managing director of Nene Golf Ltd, the company managing both sites, in 2010 and has been adding more Toro to the shed on an annual basis – and has also added a rescue dog called Toro to the ranks!

Toro At Peterborough Golf Clubs

Simon says: “I took over the company from my dad in 2010, but the first Toro arrived a decade before me. Since then, we’ve been on route to becoming all Toro and I foresee that being achieved in three to four years. Every year we switch more out and get one step closer.”

The reason for this, Simon says, is the service from Reesink Turfcare and rep Julian Copping is “surprisingly good” and the quality and reliability from Toro is “sound”.

“I met Julian pretty much as soon as I joined and the relationship was there straight away. It was all good, actually surprisingly good – very natural – and as a result it has easily developed into what it is today. Julian continues to help us sort out what we need and makes the process very easy.”

The machines delivered in this most recent order includes, among others, a Reelmaster 3100-D with Sidewinder, Workman HDX utility vehicle, ProPass 200 topdresser and an ex-demo SandPro 5040, which, with up to 17 attachments all of which can be changed in under a minute, is the perfect addition for two busy clubs.

So, with the machinery replacement programme taken care of, Simon can concentrate on the recent developments across both courses driven by the changing industry: “We’re already unusual in that we’re a business comprising two courses, in two locations offering our customers two great challenges. But the industry is changing and we’re making updates to both courses to make sure we don’t get left behind. These include a 23-bay covered floodlit driving range, the building of which meant we had to adjust parts of the course to accommodate it, a large putting green by the first tee and a chipping tee by the 10th. Meanwhile, Orton Meadows has an updated 12-hole Pitch and Putt course to introduce more people in the area to the game and provide somewhere for players in the area to perfect their shots.”

With two 18-hole courses and all these new additions to the clubs, it is probably quite a challenging role for Toro? “You’d never notice,” says Simon. “Toro takes everything we throw at it, whether it’s course maintenance or more challenging build projects, in its stride. And you can really notice the difference as we get more Toro – you see how the quality cut, finish and care spreads to cover more of the course.”

So how about Toro the dog, how does he fit into the story? “That’s a story that was just meant to be,” says Simon. “I already had a dog called Welly and although I wasn’t looking for another, I’d heard of a rescue dog that needed a home. His name was Toro and as soon as I saw him I knew he was coming home with me! I don’t know why he was given the name of Toro but it certainly suits us – he arrived and in the same week so did a new arrival of Toro machines!”

For more information, visit: reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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TM1000 Tackles Golf Course Thatch

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TM1000 Tackles Golf Course Thatch: Normanby Hall Golf Club Head greenkeeper Michael Burgin has reported hugely successful results from using the SISIS TM1000 tractor mounted heavy duty scarifier to combat high levels of thatch on the greens.

This delightful golf course in Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, adjoins the picturesque Normanby Hall country park and is set in 117 stunning acres of mature woodland and parkland. The 18 hole, par 72 course is widely considered to be one of the toughest courses to play in the area, providing a challenge for players of all abilities.

TM1000 Tackles Golf Course Thatch

Michael, who has been in the greenkeeping industry throughout his entire career, has been at Normanby Hall for eleven years. Two years ago, he was promoted to the position of head greenkeeper and one of his first tasks in charge was to tackle an abundance of thatch which had occurred on the greens.

“We established that we had a large layer of thatch on the top of our greens; it was on all of them throughout the whole course. This resulted in some drainage problems and I knew that we desperately needed a new piece of equipment which could help us solve the problem.

“I did a lot of research and came across a number of videos online of greenkeepers using the TM1000. I then read an article about the course manager at Greetham Valley Golf Club using it and what he said about the machine pretty much persuaded me to buy it.”

The SISIS Rotorake TM1000 is a tractor mounted heavy duty scarifier and linear aerator and is un-rivalled when it comes to removing and controlling thatch. It includes a collector box and floating unit to follow ground contours and its contra-rotating reel throws debris forward ensuring a clean, consistent groove resulting in an excellent finish. The TM1000 also features interchangeable blades and a quick, simple depth setting without tools.

The fact that the TM1000 collects debris was a key factor in his decision and also something which was incredibly important to the greenkeeping team according to Michael.

“There were other machines on the market but the ones we looked at didn’t collect. This would mean that you would require two or three guys going behind the machine clearing up.

The hydraulics on the back of the TM1000 means that the operator doesn’t have to keep jumping in and out to empty the grass box – which would be very time consuming. For a small team, if you can get one man to do this job then it is a massive benefit.

TM1000 Tackles Golf Course Thatch

“I also like the fact that the TM1000 can go down to 50mm deep. The SISIS TM1000 runs straight through the turf – like a knife through butter.

“We have found that the time of year doesn’t really matter when it comes to using it. The first time we used the TM1000 was mid-February in winter conditions and we found that it did not phase the machine whatsoever.

“No matter what the weather you can’t even tell that the TM1000 has been across the greens and that has really impressed me. It’s a reliable machine with very little maintenance required.

“Overall it is just a fantastic piece of kit. There has been a big improvement in the greens and our soil samples have proved that the thatch levels have dropped dramatically since using the TM1000.”

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact SISIS on 01332 824 777 or visit www.sisis.com

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

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Golf Club Signs Toro Agreement

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Golf Club Signs Toro Agreement: It’s a full fleet update for East Berkshire Golf Club as it signs its third five-year agreement with Toro and Reesink Turfcare. And it was an easy decision to make with “Toro leading the market” according to course manager, Derrick Johnstone.

“When the time came to renew our agreement plan, we weren’t really looking to go with someone else,” says Derrick. In fact, Derrick was so impressed with the robustness of the Toro machines already at the club, he wanted to increase the commitment in Toro.

Golf Club Signs Toro Agreement

Previously the club was on a lease deal but by opting to hire purchase and securing equipment for the club to own, Derrick felt confident they would make savings in the long term, providing opportunities to invest elsewhere and further improve the course.

“I’m really familiar with Toro machines,” he says. “I’ve used them at my last two clubs, and they tick all the boxes and last incredibly well. By buying and using the machines for a longer period of time, we can save money. Plus, we now have a mechanic at the club, whose main area of expertise is Toro equipment, and that coupled with the service from Reesink, should we need it, means we can be sure we have maintenance and servicing well covered.”

The hire purchase deal has seen the club renew its Toro fleet like for like bringing back three new TriFlex Hybrid 3420 mowers, two Reelmaster 3550 machines, a Groundsmaster 4500-D, a Groundsmaster 3500-D, two Workman MDX-D utility vehicles as well as one GTX-E Workman. There was one difference this time though, Derrick couldn’t resist adding a Groundsmaster 3500-D to the order, which he says is his new favourite.

“This will be a great machine for cutting our tee banks and semi-roughs, leaving very little mess or wheel marks. I’ve used the GM3500-D before so I think it will work well here,” he says before adding: “The pedestrian GR1000 and GR1600 mowers are also great, they give a really good quality of cut and raise the bar presentation wise.”

Established in 1903, the natural barriers and cleverly designed doglegs mean the 18-hole course at East Berkshire plays a lot longer than the 6,200 yards suggest and provides a real challenge for golfers.

“It’s an exciting time for the club,” says Derrick. “With considerable investment in not only machinery but woodland management, drainage and tee construction, the addition of a short game area and future driving range improvements.”

With all these improvements, keeping the heathland course up to scratch for members is no easy task, but Derrick is sure that Toro will only continue to improve the playing surface.

“It didn’t take a lot of persuading to go with Toro,” says Derrick. “The Toro machines we’ve been using up until now have definitely improved the quality of the course. The contouring is just fantastic, and they save time because they’re incredibly well made and get the job done efficiently.

“Put simply, Toro provides the best quality and service which is what this club needs. It’s really exciting to see what we can achieve in the coming years with more of a commitment in Toro for the club.”

For more information, visit: reesinkturfcare.co.uk

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

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Shelton Transform Golf Club Greens

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Shelton Transform Golf Club Greens: Lincolnshire drainage experts Shelton Sportsturf Drainage returned to Ross-on-Wye Golf Club earlier this year in the first week of September to install drainage on the remaining 13 greens after the first five had been completed one year previously. Prior to any of the work starting, flooded greens had been causing course closures and the use of forward pins.

The Shelton Lightning Drain System installed in the first 5 greens, had performed so well over the 1st year, turning the most waterlogged greens into their driest greens which remained in play all year, that it was decided to complete the programme, and drain the remaining 13 greens this September using  the same technique. Lightning Drain is a drainage technique pioneered by Shelton using their System 25 trencher; where 35mm wide trenches are excavated into the green using a high-speed digging wheel, 25mm perforated land drainage pipe and Lytag® are installed in a one-pass operation. The club recruited a team of volunteer members who worked alongside Sheltons and the work was completed in just 9 days.

Shelton Transform Golf Club Greens

Seeking advice from the club’s agronomist (STRI) on a post recovery programme the greens were then re-seeded using a mixture of dwarf rye (as a nursery crop) and Fescue grass mixed in with the top dressing, giving excellent results; the faster growing rye grass seed emerged quickly allowing the greens to recover and they were back in play in 4-6 weeks, whilst the slower growing Fescue came through before the rye started to respond to mowing. Ross-on-Wye’s Greens Chairman Hugh Elliott said: “The results have been excellent, the grass was growing through the trench lines within 10 days, and it has made a huge difference to the playability of the course. The whole project has been a great success and thanks must go to our brilliant volunteer members, STRI and the team from Shelton – I would recommend Shelton Lightning Drain System to any Club needing to drain their greens”

Shelton Drainage Ltd is a global business, based in Lincolnshire, England. Shelton design and manufacture specialist drainage machinery for the sportsturf and agricultural market which is engineered to maximise the efficiency of drainage systems and minimise the disruption of installation. As a result, and unlike some more traditional drainage methods, Shelton’s machinery and drainage techniques leave minimal impact on the surface.

Shelton machines are sold all over the world and the overseas business is growing quickly in over 20 different countries. Shelton work to an extensive research and development program, they are regular users of their own machinery allowing for continuous improvement. They appreciate customer feedback and use it to ensure that with a Shelton machine you will always get outstanding performance.

Shelton Transform Golf Club Greens

Ross-on-Wye Golf Club is a Members Club situated in Herefordshire, www.therossonwyegolfclub.co.uk

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Campey Announce Golf Demo Days

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Campey Announce Golf Demo Days: Campey Turf Care Systems have confirmed they will be holding two golf demonstration days at Clitheroe Golf Club (30th April) and Prestbury Golf Club (2nd May).

Starting at 8.30am and finishing at 2pm, both days will include practical machinery demonstrations, environmental management, cylinder grinding and an introduction to Consolidate Turf.

Campey Announce Golf Demo Days

Campey machines will be joined by Trimax Mowing Systems, Walker Mowers, Dennis Sisis and New Holland for the machinery demonstration portion of the day and James Hutchinson from BIGGA Ltd will open with a talk on golf course ecology.

Connor Huffman from Reel Sharp will be providing practical advice and best practice when it comes to cylinder grinding with the afternoon ending with Gary Robertson and Tony Kvedras of Consolidate Turf giving a talk on Consolidate products.

Campey product specialists will be at the events to through the latest techniques for aerations, scarification, seeding and grass cutting. The Koro Fieldtopmaker, Air2G2 Air Inject and Vredo Compact overseeder are just three of a number of machines taking part in the practical demonstrations, each showing their industry leading results in their discipline.

Campey Announce Golf Demo Days

Campey machines will also be on show at the BIGGA North-West Spring Golf Day on 1st May 2019 at Warrington Golf Club where aeration, scarification, seeding and grass cutting best practice will all be covered.

To RSVP for either event email info@campeyturfcare.com

For more information, visit: www.campeyturfcare.com

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