Tag Archive for: Maintenance

Kubota fleet is key to maintenance operations

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Kubota fleet is key to maintenance operations: A fleet of equipment from Kubota is being entrusted with ambitious improvement plans across the surfaces at Hertfordshire’s Aldenham School.

With the assistance of a pair of RTV Utility vehicles, two ride-on mowers and three tractors from Kubota’s L-Series, Grounds & Gardens Supervisor Danny Wells is well-placed to continue the development of the highly historic sports facilities across the 110-acre site.

Kubota fleet is key to maintenance operations

Kubota fleet is key to maintenance operations

Regarded in the Good Schools Guide as ‘seriously sporty’, Aldenham School boasts the title of the earliest organised football club in the history of the game with records dating back to 1825. The game has come along way since then, as to have the facilities which Danny only recently took charge of in June 2024, though he’s certainly no stranger to Aldenham. “I worked here previously before taking up a ‘dream role’ at Arsenal FC’s Colney training complex for three and a half years. When an opportunity arose to bring everything I learned there back to Aldenham, it was one I couldn’t turn down” he explains.

Much of the Kubota equipment was already working hard at the school during Danny’s previous stint, and it’s this reliability and versatility – together with the fantastic back up support from local dealer George Browns Ltd – that sees the fleet expanding more in recent months. “Our tractors are the workhorses for the vast majority of operations we do here – whether that’s spraying feeds on the cricket outfields or hitched up with our scarifier, aerator or top dresser for mechanical maintenance on the fifteen winter sports pitches.”

Recently joining two Kubota L2-452 compact tractors in the shed is a cabless L1-382 fitted with flotation tyres. “While we’ve only had it a matter of weeks, this has already proven to be a great bit of kit!” Danny continues, “Our pitches are mainly clay-based so can lay very wet over winter. This capable yet lightweight tractor will enable us to still get implements on the ground without causing damage.”

“Everything we have from Kubota is well-built, intuitive to operate and versatile for all the various applications and environments we manage. Our RTV’s for example, one RTV-X1140 and one RTV-X1110, are reliable people and equipment movers. We can use these to tow hand tools and machines such as our woodchipper around, getting things exactly where they’re needed quickly and safely.”

Danny and his team of six also rely on their Kubota ride-on mowers for the upkeep and presentation of lawned areas. “Our F3890 from the Kubota F-Series of out-front rotary mowers is fantastic for cutting the banks around the site, as well as some of our more natively-managed areas which might only get one or two cuts a year. It poses no match for this machine!”

“I also have to mention the Kubota G21 mower, which has clocked up some serious hours. This is our go-to machine for mowing large areas such as the prep school lawn and the grass around our on-site chapel. Because of its manoeuvrability, this machine is also great for getting where our cylinder mowers can’t on the sports pitches. Because it collects, we’ll also use it in the autumn to remove not just grass clippings but leaves and other debris.”

He concludes, “My predecessor did a fantastic job at bringing the surfaces on and with the Kubota equipment at my disposal, I am confident I can continue this great work and lift the bar even higher.”

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Reesink gold maintenance package adds to deal

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Reesink gold maintenance package adds to deal: Sittingbourne and Milton Regis Golf Club in Kent is starting afresh to cut grass well, says General Manager Steve Bootes, as it welcomes a full fleet of Toro mowers, all supported by Reesink’s ReeAssure Gold machinery maintenance package to safeguard and secure its investment. 

Steve says he and Head Greenkeeper Paul Best, had been considering Toro for several years: “Previously, we’ve leased our machinery but since the COVID price increases we knew we need to change our strategy and purchase our next fleet, but this brings in a new set of factors to consider such as machinery longevity. For that, we knew it had to be Toro.”

Reesink gold maintenance package adds to deal

Reesink gold maintenance package adds to deal

Paul picks up the story: “We needed to make the premium choice and speaking with colleagues at other clubs they reassured me from first-hand experience that Toro could be relied on; I had people telling me they have machines 16+ years old and still going strong.”

The machinery choices the club made cover all aspects that mowing the course requires and were made with the simple premise of “cutting well” says Steve: “We’re starting afresh here and the main thing we needed to get right was getting a good, consistent cut across the course – and we knew we could trust Toro to deliver.”

Paul says: “We have seven push up greens, nine old USGA greens with a much older root zone and drainage issues, and then three new free draining bench walled USGA greens; so mowers that can cope with individual challenges on a hole by hole basis and provide a consistency of cut are vital. The Greensmaster 3250 mowers excel in delivering a true cut every time. There are no marks or indentations, and the groomers don’t dig in. Even with growth regulators used and favourable weather for grass growth, the quality is always there.”

Joining two Greensmaster 3250 mowers are two Reelmaster 3575 mowers, two Reelmaster 3100 mowers and a Groundsmaster 4000.

The club expanded its deal to include Reesink’s ReeAssure Gold machinery maintenance package, about which Paul says: “We wanted the back up and support of experts in the field and that’s what Reesink’s technicians are. We’ve spread the cost and planned the monthly fee into our budget to ensure our machinery is always optimised. After five years we will come out of the plan and our fully-owned machines will be in the best possible shape for the future.”

Paul adds: “I’m 42 and have been at the club for 25 years. I know this course like the back of my hand and have built a team that best serves it and brings a positive attitude to getting the job done. The only thing missing was a quality fleet of machinery. I truly believe these machines from Toro will outsee me for retirement!”

Reesink’s Richard Wood says: “I’m delighted to welcome Sittingbourne and Milton Regis Golf Club to Toro and the Reesink support network. When it comes to machinery longevity, you’d be hard pushed to find better than Toro, and similarly when it comes to machinery maintenance there’s nothing to rival the full service, but economical option Reesink provides.”

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GKB fleet tackles multi-use maintenance

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GKB fleet tackles multi-use maintenance: With up to eight different teams sharing the facilities at Leigh Sports Village, it’s no surprise that Head Groundsman Keith Porter and his team are kept busy when it comes to the maintenance of such a high-wear site!

Thankfully they’ve got the assistance of a fleet of equipment from GKB Machines, which keep both the natural and artificial surfaces looking and playing at their best.

GKB fleet tackles multi-use maintenance

GKB fleet tackles multi-use maintenance

Keith and his team of six are currently looking after the stadium pitch, three grass training pitches, two full size artificial surfaces and the three football cages that make up Leigh Sports Village – home of Manchester United Women and used by U21’s, U18’s and development squads along with Leigh Leopards of the Rugby Super League. “Maintenance windows are tight” Keith emphasises “so when we’re looking at purchasing machinery, we want robust and reliable solutions that will get the job done how we need it to, and when we need it to.”

“The first GKB machine we bought was the Combiseeder which we’d had on demonstration alongside a couple of other dimple seeders. Straight off the bat we liked the build quality, and the fact that we could adjust the pressure with water tanks on the front and back to suit the stadium pitch construction as well as the outer pitches.”

Shortly after, a GKB Renovator and Aerator were added to the fleet, for decompaction of the synthetic surfaces. “These two pitches are always in demand and the high wear results in issues with compaction of the rubber infill. During the summer we normally conduct three passes with the Renovator loosening up the infill of the upper profile, with compaction deeper down tackled with year-round passes with the Aerator.” Keith adds, “The surfaces undergo regular testing by the RIB which look at the various elements to do with player safety and surface quality and thanks to these GKB machines, we pass every time.”

The most recent addition is a V-Strong, a scarifier fitted with GKB’s unique CombiRotor and heavy-duty steel blades to effectively control weeds and organic matter. He explains, “Because of demand, we have to alternate and/or stagger full renovations so, when we can’t renovate, we can now intensively scarify as we’ve done this year on two of our pitches. This is an unbelievable piece of kit! We removed an incredible amount of material from one of our rugby surfaces and also ran it through our SIS goal mouths. It cleaned these up a treat.”

Together with reliability and overall performance, Keith commends the back up support from GKB’s Tom Shinkins. “Tom’s responsiveness is second-to-none, whether that’s sourcing us a machine at short notice or answering any questions we may have. The back-up is brilliant.”

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Osca 3 elevates synthetic maintenance at Colliers Park

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Osca 3 elevates synthetic maintenance at Colliers Park: James Mathewson, Head Groundsperson at Colliers Park National Football Development Centre in Wrexham, has found a game-changer in the Syn-Pro by SISIS Osca 3 for the upkeep of their synthetic pitch.

James brings a wealth of knowledge from his diverse career path, including stints at renowned clubs like Arsenal FC and West Ham United FC as well as the Honourable Artillery Company. For the past 18 months he has been at Colliers Park, which boasts state-of-the-art facilities dedicated to football development. Among its features is a full-sized synthetic pitch, a crucial asset for training and matches. Before James’ tenure, the deep cleaning maintenance of the 3G pitch was outsourced, incurring significant monthly costs.

Osca 3 elevates synthetic maintenance at Colliers Park

Osca 3 elevates synthetic maintenance at Colliers Park

James explains, “Before I came here, we were contracting out the maintenance of the 3G pitch, which was a big cost every month.”

The introduction of the Osca 3 marked a turning point in their synthetic maintenance strategy. James elaborates, “We identified the Osca as a power brush that could reduce the de-compaction for us, keep the rubber crumb distributed, and keep the pitch in a good overall condition.”

The Syn-Pro by SISIS Osca 3 is a tractor mounted powered oscillating brush with a 1.9 meter working width and is equally effective when used on synthetic turf with sand or rubber infill. The two oscillating brushes stand the carpet fibres up and redistributes the infill evenly, minimising compaction on the surface and improving its performance – giving consistent playing characteristics while preventing pile damage caused by reduced infill levels.

One of the significant advantages James highlights is the flexibility the Osca 3 provides. “We no longer have the monthly expenditure of bringing the contractor in. We invested in the machine, but it is already starting to pay itself back now, and we are getting a better pitch for it. With the Osca, we can now fit in the maintenance work around bookings and weather conditions, whereas before, when we used a contractor, we would need to take the pitch out of action for a whole day.”

James further explains how the Osca’s oscillating brush, a unique feature setting it apart from other models, plays a crucial role. “The oscillating brush gives us the decompaction and redistribution, but the stiff brush keeps it nice and clean and smooth, and re-levels everything off.”

In addition to the machine’s performance, James praises the customer service from Syn-Pro by SISIS. “The service from SISIS is excellent. Ben Lloyd (Field Support & Sales) comes in and is always on the phone if I need him throughout the year.”

With the Syn-Pro Osca 3, James and Colliers Park have not only achieved significant cost savings but have also elevated the quality of their synthetic pitch maintenance. The machine’s innovative design and the dedicated support from Syn-Pro by SISIS have made it an indispensable tool for ensuring optimal playing conditions.

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact Syn-Pro by SISIS on 01332 824 777 or visit www.synprobysisis.com

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow Syn-Pro on Twitter or Instagram @synprobysisis and like the company’s Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/SynPro-by-SISIS.

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Redexim fleet completes year-round maintenance

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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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