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Club continues to invest in technology from Toro

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Club continues to invest in technology from Toro: Royal Norwich continues to invest in the latest innovation from Toro. The club in Norfolk has taken advantage of the electric power revolution Toro spearheads with the delivery of an electric Workman GTX-e utility vehicle, alongside the latest pedestrian mower, Toro’s Greensmaster 1026 and is the first club in the country to order Toro’s new NozzAlert Flow Monitoring System with MultiPro 5800 sprayer.

It would have been hard to miss Toro’s meteoric rise in bringing electric and hybrid power to the turfcare market. Off the back of last years’ launch of the first all-electric riding greens mower, the Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370, it’s good to revisit the machine that in a way started it all; the Workman GTX-e utility vehicle, one of the brand’s first triumphs in the electric power arena.

Club continues to invest in technology from Toro

Club continues to invest in technology from Toro

The Workman GTX electric features a 48-volt brushless AC induction drive along with an easily accessible on-board charger, about which estate manager and director at Royal Norwich Peter Todd says: “Toro led the way with the inception of electric power and continues to do so; it’s hard to believe they are still the only brand with a lithium battery electric utility vehicle! By simply removing the lead acid diesel battery in the GTX-e Workman, Toro made this machine much lighter, it’s the equivalent I’d guess of removing a passenger! When running it over fine turf, that’s an important consideration. The battery is sealed for life, there’s less maintenance and performance is better.”

Royal Norwich is the first club in the country to benefit from even more precise spraying. The efficient flow of spray the new NozzAlert provides when installed on Toro’s Multi Pro sprayers is essential for reducing waste and ensuring application efficacy and ideal spraying conditions.

Peter says: “Royal Norwich has been a Toro customer for many years and the reason being is that it has constantly and consistently delivered the quality we need and the innovation we’re after to continually improve the course.”

“I saw the NozzAlert when it launched at the GIS show last year and talked through the new technology with the design engineers on stand. They explained how operators no longer have to judge spray flow based on visibility when using this new bit of kit; instead, NozzAlert delivers continuous monitoring of the entire spray boom and provides both visual and audible alerts if there are any flow disparities. To be told immediately when there’s a blocked nozzle rather than having to wait until your return trip down the fairway appealed then and there!

“Since using the NozzAlerts we’ve become aware of so many advantages that make the vital job of spraying that much easier. It eliminates the chance of spray misses for example and improves the quality of the application.”

The Greensmaster 1026 pedestrian mower is part of Toro’s redesigned classic Greensmaster 1000 series and is new from the tip of its handle to its driveline and chassis. All that remains the same are the patented DPA cutting units, but even that has a modular build to allow the driveline and chassis to be removable for eased servicing.

The reason for this choice was, says Peter for more efficient cutting of the rectangular tee boxes: “Previously we were using a ride-on for cutting the corners and it was a faff and taking too much time,” he says. “We already use the Flex 2120 on the greens and everyone finds it really easy to use and love the telescoping loop handle. The telescoping handle on both makes light work of adjusting for operator heights and handling more user friendly with the loop shape. It’s easy to see more engineering has been brought in with the redesign.”

This approach to having the latest and most innovative turfcare machinery technology is an attitude that spreads across the whole ethos at Royal Norwich as Pete explains: “We’ve always sought to use the most innovative methods. From our greenkeeping facilities which are mostly green – we used recycled materials to build it and PV solar panels to power it. The golf buggies have the latest GPS mapping so we can zone out areas and measure distance to the pin, which means we don’t need markers on the course, and we have Trackman in the practice range providing accuracy stats for players. We’re always on the look-out for the next big thing to make our jobs more efficient and effective and the game more enjoyable for our members.”

And it’s certainly an approach that’s working with membership up by 1,000 since relocating to the new site in 2019.

To talk to someone about Toro technology and how the Toro range would suit your course, call 01480 226800.

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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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Limagrain changes fortunes in Looe

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Limagrain changes fortunes in Looe: Mat Edwards, Head Greenkeeper at Looe Golf Club in Cornwall, has praised a range of Limagrain products for helping him to transform the course into one of the most respected in the county.

Mat, who had no previous greenkeeping experience, has been working at Looe Golf Club for the past six years. The former pub landlord started working at the golf club after returning from travelling and has shown an unbelievable amount of hard work and dedication.

Limagrain changes fortunes in Looe

Limagrain changes fortunes in Looe

“Hearing the great comments from members and visitors about how much the course has improved in the last few years has been fantastic – it has been a real highlight for me,” he said,

With no experience Mat certainly has exceeded all expectations but last year he faced his biggest challenge yet.

“The greens got absolutely annihilated by leatherjackets and we nearly had total loss of cover on a few of them,” he said. “I conferred with David Bevan from Agrovista Amenity and Matt Gresty from Limarain UK and they were both of the opinion that we should reseed the greens with Limagrain’s MM50 grass seed.”

Limagrain’s MM50 is one of the UK’s biggest selling grass mixtures. The hard-wearing ryegrass mix is very fine leaved, has high shoot density, is tolerant to close mowing down to 4-5mm and produces a great colour all year round. It also has quick recovery from damage and play. Furthermore, this mixture is treated with Headstart® GOLD – a revolutionary grass seed treatment that ensures rapid germination.

“I applied MM50 very heavily to the greens in early March just before the first lockdown and put grow sheets over the top,” continued Mat. “It was cold, the soil temperature was low, and we had some wintery showers. I think the grow sheets helped but it was not long before the seed flew up.

“I’ve been incredibly happy with the results from MM50 – it’s a strong seed and the greens are not only looking better but they are a lot healthier now too. The seed has also helped with disease; historically, we suffer from a bit of fusarium and anthracnose towards the end of summer, but we have seen a lot less. The greens are definitely more resistant to disease since applying the MM50.”

Mat is now preparing to overseed the greens with MM50 for a second time, but it is not the only Limagrain product he is focusing on.

“This will be our third year of using Limagrain’s Colour Splash mixtures – and they have helped us create a lovely area which has improved the aesthetics of the course.”

Over the past few years, Limagrain UK’s range of Colour Splash flower mixtures have been used in a broad range of landscape and amenity areas throughout the UK. The range has a floral arrangement for every requirement – whether it be a golf course, a local authority green space or any other establishment that has an area which needs brightening up.

The Colour Splash range of mixtures are extremely easy to sow and the resulting vigorous plants are more than capable of competing with weeds. Their vigour is equally matched by robustness; resisting long periods of drought. They are also fast flowering and cost effective.

“There was an area between the 8th and the 10th hole about the size of a football pitch,” said Mat. “It was just sitting there and so we decided to make use of it. The main reason was to add some colour and it is in a perfect position where people can stop halfway round the course. When we have tournaments, a beer tent is placed right next to the Colour Splash area which makes it nice for people to socialise too.”

“Ultimately, I’m very pleased because it is fair to say that a few years ago the course didn’t have a glowing reputation,” said Mat. “Everything is heading in the right direction now – the greens are back and healthy and some people are claiming that they are now some of the best in the county.”

For further information, please contact Limagrain UK on 01472 371471 or visit the company’s website www.lgseeds.co.uk/amenity – you can also follow the company on Twitter: @MM_Seed

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Clive Betts MP joins Fields in Trust Board of Trustees

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Clive Betts MP joins Fields in Trust Board of Trustees: Senior Parliamentarian, Clive Betts MP, has joined green space charity Fields in Trust as a new Trustee and will take on the volunteer role with immediate effect.

Clive Betts MP has served his home-town of Sheffield as an elected representative since 1976, first as a City Councillor and, since 1993, as a Member of Parliament.  His longstanding Chairmanship of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee, in particular the oversight of the 2016 Parliamentary Inquiry into public parks, puts him in a unique position to advance the work of Fields in Trust, protecting parks and green spaces for future generations. Clive Betts MP was one of the first MPs to sign up to Fields in Trust’s Parks Protector Pledge during the 2019 election campaign.

Clive Betts MP joins Fields in Trust Board of Trustees

Clive Betts MP joins Fields in Trust Board of Trustees

Following the landmark decision of Liverpool City Council to legally protect their whole portfolio of parks and green space with Fields in Trust, Clive Betts will support the charity’s work to encourage other local authorities across the country to replicate Liverpool’s civic leadership, ensuring the benefits of green space access can be extended to more communities.

Fields in Trust Chair of Trustees Jo Barnett says “Parks were one of the unsung heroes of the pandemic and they should be an important part of the green recovery plans. We believe this is a pivotal moment for the UK’s parks and green spaces and Clive Betts joining the team will help us achieve a better outcome for our communities, now and for generations to come “.

As he joins as a Trustee, Clive Betts MP said:” I’m really looking forward to working with Fields in Trust. Over the past year our parks have been valued more than ever, particularly by those people without access to private gardens, and yet the future funding and long-term access to these spaces is at risk. I look forward to working with Fields in Trust to champion, support and protect green spaces and secure the health and wellbeing benefits they provide.”

Over many years Clive has made use of public parks and green spaces personally as a keen cricketer, a former captain of the Parliamentary Football Team and training runs for his participation in the Sheffield Marathon.

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Kubota delivers in small, medium and large

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Kubota delivers in small, medium and large: It’s Kubota all the way for the Mere Resort near Knutsford, Cheshire, where Course Manager John Quinn is in no doubt about the right choice of horsepower for a multitude of turf preparation tasks.

The 7003yd par 71 course is highly popular with hotel and corporate guests as well as members, presenting a variety of challenges from its James Braid-designed heathland and parkland setting. It also plays host to the Mere Trophy, a popular amateur tournament, won in the past by Ashley Chesters and Ernie Els.

Kubota delivers in small, medium and large

Kubota delivers in small, medium and large

John has been at the resort for five years, quickly rising up the ranks to be Course Manager, and as part of his upgrading plan looked to replace some older tractors.

“We already had an L Series and its performance and durability made the choice of Kubota a ‘no brainer’,” he says. “I decided what we needed was a small, medium and large tractor, and Kubota had the models to fit the bill, which were delivered in the summer of 2019.”

For power in a compact package and Kubota’s exclusive Bi-Speed turn for manoeuvrability, the 37hp ST 371 is ideal for greens and tighter areas but is also handy with a trailer and has the muscle to pull a small slitter.

The 50hp L2501 is a real workhorse, tackling leaf clearing duties with a Trilo vacuum and aeration with the Vertidrain.

“Its predecessor was a great tractor and to be honest would still have done more hours, but it made sense to have the latest model as there have been significant improvements. The greenkeepers all find the new L series really easy to use as it’s a lot smoother to operate, and the pto engagement is more straightforward.”

Big jobs are down to the 74hp M4072 which is fitted with a Kubota LA1365 loader, which pulls a high capacity Omarv flail collector and tackles all sorts of materials handling work from loading seeders to top dressers.

“Having the choice of tractors means that we can handle all the implements that we need, or can use them together – for example with a chipper on the ST blowing into a trailer behind the M4072, which still leaves the L2501 to work on the greens,” explains John.

“We’ve specified pallet forks as well as a bucket for the loader to get the most out of its materials handling capabilities.”

Also picked out by John as a good feature is the drop hitch, which makes hooking up big implements much easier. “The tractors are really well thought out – there’s even a slot for a spare hitch which means that you have it with you when you need it rather than leaving it on the shelf in the workshop!”

Fuel economy comes in for praise too – even when working with implements requiring high revs such as the flail collector.

“You just have to compare the savings made from having the tractors – our pto-powered blower is considerably more economical than the petrol blower it replaced.”

All servicing is carried out in-house and John reports that the tractors are also good to access and work on.

“We’ve not needed any parts yet, but our dealer GGM Groundscare is local and offered us very good support as the tractors were delivered and set up.”

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