Tag Archive for: Park

Lingfield Park Racecourse Benefits from Avant 860i

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Lingfield Park Racecourse Benefits from Avant 860i: Lingfield Park Racecourse has recently experienced the remarkable versatility of the Avant 860i loader after winning a six-month loan at the Grounds Management Association (GMA) Awards.

The Avant loader was awarded to the racecourse after they were named the Professional Racecourse Grounds Team of the Year, a category sponsored by Avant Tecno UK.

Lingfield Park Racecourse Benefits from Avant 860i

Lingfield Park Racecourse Benefits from Avant 860i

Jon Harris, Estate Manager at Lingfield Park, and his team are responsible for ensuring the vast grounds remain in pristine condition all year round. Its diverse facilities include a turf and all-weather racecourse, an 18-hole golf course, and a hotel with extensive gardens. With a dedicated team of 20, Jon’s job covers everything outside the buildings on the estate, from the racecourse to the golf course and hotel gardens.

“The Avant 860i has made an incredible difference to how we work here,” Jon explains. “It’s a fantastic machine, capable of handling almost any task we throw at it. The ability to use a single machine for a wide variety of jobs has been a huge benefit, allowing us to be more efficient and freeing up time for other tasks across the estate.”

The Avant 860i is the flagship model in the Avant 800 series and has proven to be an invaluable asset at Lingfield Park. Powered by a 57-hp engine, the Avant 860i boasts an impressive 3.5m lift height and a lift capacity of 1,900kg, making it perfect for heavy-duty lifting and clearing tasks. Its powerful auxiliary hydraulics (80 L/min) and robust design allow it to handle tough jobs with ease, such as lifting stone pallets, clearing scrubland, and handling a wide range of attachments. Despite its impressive power, the Avant 860i’s compact size allows it to operate in tight spaces and sensitive areas without causing damage to the ground.

“The sheer power and lift capacity of the Avant 860i is impressive,” Jon says. “We’ve used it for a variety of tasks, from moving heavy materials to clearing scrubland, and it handles everything effortlessly. The ability to swap attachments quickly has been a massive time-saver. We’ve been able to go from a flail mower to pallet forks in just a matter of minutes. This is something you can’t do with a tractor, which might take 20 to 30 minutes to change attachments.”

Some of the key attachments Jon and his team have used during their six-month loan include the Pallet Forks, HD Bucket, Bucket Broom, Flail Mower, and the Fence Post Mower.

“The flail mower attachment has been a real standout for us,” Jon says. “It’s incredibly robust and has cleared scrubland down to nothing, allowing new grass to grow through. The results have been impressive. The team has also found the Bucket Broom invaluable for cleaning up tarmac and other hard surfaces around the estate.”

Jon values the machine’s versatility and how it can handle multiple tasks with one operator. “We’ve found the Avant to be really effective in situations where we need a single operator to handle multiple jobs. It has freed up our team to focus on other work, while still getting a variety of tasks completed.”

Another standout feature of the Avant 860i is its ability to access all parts of Lingfield Park, thanks to its compact size and turf tyres. “The turf tyres on the Avant make it so easy to get anywhere on site without leaving ruts or causing damage to the surfaces,” Jon explains.

“This is particularly important here at Lingfield Park, as we manage such a large estate with various types of terrain. The Avant is perfect for navigating all of it, whether it’s the racecourse or the golf course.”

Jon’s enthusiasm for the Avant 860i is clear, and he and his team are already looking forward to having one on-site permanently. “The Avant 860i is going to be missed by all of us when our loan period ends,” Jon says. “We’re incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have used it. For any estate manager, particularly those managing large, diverse sites like ours, the Avant is a must-have.”

Lingfield Park’s experience with the Avant 860i loader has been overwhelmingly positive, and the team is eager to continue reaping the benefits of such a versatile and powerful machine. For Jon and his team, the Avant 860i has proven to be an invaluable tool for maintaining the expansive and varied estate at Lingfield Park Racecourse.

For more information, please visit www.avanttecno.com/uk

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Hampden Park chooses Toro lithium machines

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Hampden Park chooses Toro lithium machines: Electric mowing has arrived at Hampden Park, Scotland’s national stadium, bringing everything Stephen Bache, Head Groundsman, could want from the next generation of turfcare technology.

It was a case of when not if this new way of mowing would arrive at Scotland’s national stadium in Glasgow, and as a long-term Toro machinery and irrigation customer, it’s no surprise the brand trusted to deliver the cutting-edge technology is Toro.

Reducing emissions is a key part of almost all sustainability strategies and with the industry being encouraged to unite in a bid to reduce environmental impact, choosing battery-powered or hybrid machines is one small but significant step now that can result in a huge impact later.

The Toro Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370 lithium-ion battery powered ride-on greensmower is the quietest mower there is and there are no emissions, pollution, or hydraulic leaks. Stephen says: “We want to provide the best possible surface for our players in the most sustainable way, but also, we are keen to play our part in the collective effort to make a credible contribution to the sustainable future for the next generations of football players and fans.

“This latest machinery order sees us continue doing that as we welcome battery powered mowers to our stadium for the first time and that is quite a milestone, but to us it was simply the next logical step and I hope we pave the way for others by demonstrating the capabilities and benefits electric mowing brings to responsible pitch management.”

Despite its new status at the stadium, the benefits are already being widely noticed says Stephen: “Toro quality is second to none. I’ve relied on it for 20 years. I know with Toro we’re going to get everything done right, meet the UEFA standards and conform to the rules reliably, first time around. So, I expected the quality of the cut from the eTriFlex to be outstanding and it is, but what’s stands out is just how convenient this method of mowing is.

“We’re an urban site southside of Glasgow with flats and houses neighbouring the stadium. Residents have been known to complain about mowing noise. The quietness of the eTriFlex almost takes you by surprise, a bit like an electric car when you don’t hear it coming up behind you, you genuinely can’t believe how quiet it is.”

Continuing with the benefits of noiseless mowing, Stephen can confirm how much easier it makes time management on match days: “There’s no rush with filming, interviews and broadcaster set up now, they can take as long as they need, and we work around them if needs be.”

Next up, Stephen can alleviate infrastructure concerns: “It wasn’t a problem for us and unless you’re buying a fleet of them, I can’t imagine it would be for anyone else. They use a standard socket and charge overnight, it’s very straightforward.”

The eTriFlex 3370 is part of a wider order from Toro distributor Reesink Scotland that includes electric utility vehicles, pedestrian mowers, a sprayer and the ProStripe known for its famous sports pitch striping effect.

With Stephen’s term in post at Hampden Park stretching back to 2002, he’s overseen many changes to the famous turf and now he’s presiding over a new era of new technology and mowing practises, and one that will undoubtedly leave a lasting legacy.

To make a start on the journey towards reduced emissions, visit Reesink Turfcare at reesinkturfcare.co.uk.

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Successful dealer days at Carden Park

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Successful dealer days at Carden Park: Managers from some of the largest groundscare contractors in the UK and over 50 representatives from Ventrac’s UK dealer network attended demonstration days at the Carden Park Resort in Cheshire recently.

Hosted by the UK importer, Price Turfcare, the event was split into two days; the first day exclusively for contractors and the following day for the dealer staff.

Successful dealer days at Carden Park

Successful dealer days at Carden Park

This was the largest gathering of Ventrac equipment ever assembled in the UK and provided the Price Turfcare team with the opportunity to demonstrate to both groups that Ventrac is so much more than just a mower.

Both days followed a similar format with a mid-morning ‘meet & greet’ over coffee followed by a presentation on the Price Turfcare company and the Ventrac product offering from Managing Director Rupert Price. Following a light lunch, the afternoon sessions were dedicated to demonstrations of the numerous attachments in the Ventrac range and the opportunity for delegates to operate some of the equipment.

Interspersed between the demonstrations, there was the opportunity for delegates to use some of the extensive sporting facilities at Carden Park, which included axe throwing and archery. A convivial dinner completed each day.

Commenting at the conclusion of the second day, Rupert Price said,

“I was absolutely delighted with the success of the meeting. The first day was the ideal opportunity to demonstrate to the contractors present, some of them existing customers, that Ventrac is much more than a mower. It’s a multi-tool with a wide range of attachments that can add definitely add value to their business. We had eight tractor units and over 20 attachments and it was the biggest gathering of equipment we’ve ever had at one location.

“The second day was the first time, since we launched the business back in 2017, that we were able get our UK dealers together. We have had unprecedented success with this product, in fact there are now well over 400 machines operating in the UK today. Many of the dealer staff present have sold multiple machines and I wanted to remind some of the others that this a unique piece of equipment and once demonstrated, there’s a high percentage of a sale. It was also an opportunity for some fun, with axe throwing and archery proving particularly popular. Thankfully we had no casualties!

“Carden Park was the ideal venue and Peter Pattenden, the Golf Courses and Estate Manager, and his team were very accommodating in allowing us to use their facilities. They could not have been more helpful and they allowed us to use the trencher, stump grinder and power rake; pieces of equipment that are quite aggressive, enabling some of the delegates to see them in action for the first time.

“All in all, a very successful couple of days.”

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Baroness comes to the rescue at Calcot Park

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Baroness comes to the rescue at Calcot Park: A trio of pedestrian mowers from Baroness are coming to the rescue at Calcot Park, as the club seek to maintain course standards through the ever-more challenging winter months.

The venue, like many, struggled to get ride-on equipment out over the winter of 23/24 due to increased rainfall and softer ground conditions. However, this problem will be a thing of the past with three LM66 cylinder mowers now ready to take up the task of retaining presentation on the tees and approaches.

Baroness comes to the rescue at Calcot Park

Baroness comes to the rescue at Calcot Park

Located on the Berkshire border, Calcot Park delivers a picturesque 18-holes in a parkland setting. Course Manager for the last six years Tom Jennings explains how, even outside of the ‘playing season’, the expectations of the players are high and the standards of the greenkeeping team are even higher! “We’re always striving for that next level of definition and the rain has really been hampering what we can deliver on areas that aren’t hand cut. That’s why we decided to invest in a fleet of pedestrian mowers specifically for the tees and factored the time to deliver this attention to detail into our programme.”

After a comprehensive search, and fantastic advice and service from both Lister Wilder and Luke Collins from Baroness, they decided on three LM66 mowers from the Baroness pedestrian range – delivered in June 2024.

Tom continues, “In my opinion, the cut quality with these LM66’s is the best on the market and, not only that, they stay on cut for much longer. We’ve done some topdressing over the summer and are now starting to see worm casts emerging yet, despite this, the Baroness mowers remain sharp giving us outstanding consistency and a clean, precise cut. The tees and approaches have never presented better.”

Along with the slightly smaller LM56 model, the Baroness pedestrian mower design incorporates traditional all-gear drive – delivering 100% transmission rate with no slippage or lag between the drive to reel rotation ratio. In addition, the durability of this system compared to belt or chain drive is extremely high, providing additional peace of mind that a balanced cut will be achieved with every operation. The renowned cylinder is manufactured from Nickel-Chrome-Molybdenum alloy steel which retains the sharpest cutting edge, helping to promote healthy growth and contributing to surfaces that are less vulnerable to disease. Both the Baroness LM56/66 models also include a 5-year warranty as standard.

“The good thing is that we’ve all had chance to get used to them and get a real feeling for what can be achieved with these machines.” He adds, “We now feel confident going into the wetter months that we can deliver the tees and approaches to the same standard we’re delivering in other areas of the course… if not better!”

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Baroness fleet a ‘gamechanger’ for Southwick Park

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Baroness fleet a ‘gamechanger’ for Southwick Park: Built up over the last six years, a fleet of eight mowers from Baroness have played a pivotal role in the significant improvements in course condition at Southwick Park Golf Club.

Attaining a consistent and outstanding quality of cut in conditions described as a ‘grass factory’ by Course Manager Jim Fancey isn’t easy, but it’s what he says they’re achieving day-in, day-out with their suite of ride-on and pedestrian mowers.

Baroness fleet a ‘gamechanger’ for Southwick Park

Baroness fleet a ‘gamechanger’ for Southwick Park

The course, widely regarded as ‘Hampshire’s Hidden Gem’, is located in the countryside on the outskirts of Portsmouth though for Jim – who has been with the club for the last nine years – things haven’t always been plain sailing! “When I joined the club, I was faced with a shed full of archaic and underperforming machinery” he explains “which was costing the club in terms of downtime, repair bills and what we could realistically achieve results-wise. When we were able to look at investing in new equipment, a triple greens mower was high on the priority list and that’s where our relationship with Baroness began six years ago. We’ve not looked back since!”

Jim’s first purchase was an LM315 triple greens mower which has since been joined by a second LM315, together with an LM331 for use on surrounds, an LM551B fairway mower, a GM2810A five-deck rotary mower and, most recently, another LM56GC pedestrian cylinder mower to add to the two previously purchased.

“Baroness talk a lot about both the quality of cut and how the units stay on-cut better than the competitors and they’re true to their word” Jim says. “Our site is a bit of a grass factory and our fleet cope with this vigorous growth, staying on-cut and incredibly sharp – saving the club thousands of pounds every year on re-grinding fees. They’re robustly built, reliable and intuitive to operate.” He continues, “The GM2810A in particular has proven incredibly versatile. You can change the cutting height in a matter of minutes meaning that when worm casts appear in the winter months, we can quickly adjust the height and rotary cut fairways to give us the presentation we need without the issue of blunting cylinder blades on the LM551.”

When it comes to winter, Jim is now well placed to weather the challenges posed by softer ground conditions with a trio of LM56GC pedestrian mowers. “These have been an absolute gamechanger for us, delivering a fantastic cut and finish on the greens, tees and approaches.” He adds, “We’ll also use the LM56 machines for tournament preparation to give us that extra finishing touch.”

“The club, the management, the players have all noticed the site-wide improvements and, for us, we’ve demonstrated how quality machinery makes all the difference. We also can’t praise Adam Butler and Luke Collins from Baroness, and the team at Lister Wilders, enough for their fantastic support and back-up which has always been second to none.”

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