Tag Archive for: toro

Toro fleet matches scale

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Toro fleet matches scale: With two 18-hole championship golf courses set in 500 acres of beautiful Northumberland countryside, Longhirst Hall Golf Club, near Newcastle, required a robust fleet of greenkeeping machinery which was powerful enough to maintain the entire site.

The club was keen to find a market-leading manufacturer which could offer local support and reliable back-up care, and after test-driving a number of machines the decision was made to invest in a nine-strong fleet from Toro.

Toro fleet matches scale

Toro fleet matches scale

Graham Chambers, director of golf at Longhirst Hall Golf Club, comments: “I had spoken to a number of industry friends who were dedicated Toro customers and once we had a chance to trial the products ourselves, it was obvious why that was; the machines were second to none.

“The machines function as an extension of our greenkeeping team and we like the fact that they are easy to operate, robust and produce an impeccable quality of cut. Plus, with our guys operating these machines for up to eight hours a day, we need them to offer comfort too.”

With an experienced full-time mechanic on site, the club knew that working with a dependable brand like Toro would bring about less repairs, breakdowns and complications. Not only does it save money for the club, but it enables the mechanic to focus on bringing out the best in the machines by servicing them regularly and keeping on top of routine maintenance such as sharpening blades.

Having purchased the machines from approved Toro dealer, Lloyd Ltd, based in Newcastle, the club and its mechanic also have access to high-level back-up care and support, whether it’s to troubleshoot an issue or discuss ways to enhance the fleet.

Graham continues: “The Toro machines suit us so well. We are a club which offers a Florida lakeland feel across two different courses. Our Lakes Course challenges players with lots of water, while the Dawson Course has wider fairways and large greens. We need adaptable machinery that will not only work with our varying landscapes, but most importantly keep up with the sheer size of the club. It’s vast and working with Toro gives us enormous peace of mind.”

As part of the deal, Longhirst Hall Golf Club welcomed two Toro Greensmaster Triflex 3400 ride-on greensmowers, two Groundsmaster 4500-D mowers with free-floating Contour Plus cutting decks, two Reelmaster 5610-D mowers, which are powered by four-cylinder Kubota turbo diesel engines, and one Groundsmaster 360, famed for its unmatched manoeuvrability.

Graham concludes: “We are a busy club with over 1,300 members and a full schedule of hosting big events from the PGA Europro Tour to prestigious corporate away-days.

“Add to that the renewed interest in golf due to the pandemic and we need the club to look in fantastic condition all-year round. We know we can rely on our Toro fleet to deliver great results every day, maintaining the high standards that our club and members expect.”

To find out more about the Toro range or the finance options available, call Reesink Turfcare on 01480 226800, email info@reesinkturfcare.co.uk or visit reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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Harborne GC chooses Toro

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Harborne GC chooses Toro: Harborne Golf Club in Birmingham have again evaluated and invested with Reesink Turfcare, upgrading its Toro fleet with three new machines chosen specifically to focus on improved course presentation and productivity.

The beautiful 6180-yard par 70 parkland course, famous for its fast, sloping greens, will now benefit from a brand-new Groundsmaster 4500-D rotary mower, a Greensmaster 3250-D and a GreensPro 1260 riding greens roller.

Harborne GC chooses Toro

Harborne GC chooses Toro

These new machines will enable course manager Jim Gilchrist, who has been overseeing the club’s greenkeeping team of five for 17 years, to keep the classic and unspoilt 1893 Harry Colt design in pristine condition while saving time and money all year round.

After spending time with the new fleet, Jim chooses the Groundsmaster 4500-D rotary mower as the absolute standout: “It has improved course presentation immensely from our previous rough mower. The fact that it covers more ground, reduces the time it takes to cut the roughs by half a day allowing us to focus on other areas on the course.”

Excited about the noticeable improvements, Jim is already planning more projects for the course, which include greens drainage using PC (Passive-Capillary) drainage on all 18 greens over the next few years. The club is also set to renew its frontline cutting machinery with Toro next year ­– a sign this symbiotic relationship will continue to flourish.

“During my time here, Toro has been instrumental in allowing us to achieve our goals over the years with the continued improvement on machinery and customer support. We have been an all-Toro club since 2012, and it has been all we could have asked for in terms of professionalism and reliability,” Jim explains.

“Dan Tomberry and David Timms from Reesink have been very supportive since they have taken on their new roles with the company, especially during the pandemic. They have made the whole process seamless and easy, so of course we’ll keep coming back to them. The Toro service centre Redtech is another big pillar in our line of work – Graham Hall and his team have been there for us from the very beginning for everything we’ve needed.”

Despite the difficult past few months, Jim believes there will always be opportunities for the industry to prosper. He says: “We have dealt with lockdowns, staff shortages across the business, and golfers’ expectations on their return. However, I feel that everyone came together for our club – from the committee to management and staff, they have all handled the whole process extremely well.

“The club, our members and our visitors have all appreciated the hard work and challenges we have faced over the last 18 months. Their support is what keeps us going and we will continue to make improvements on and off the golf course in the coming years.

“These new additions to our fleet will help with all the plans we have in store for Harborne Golf Club. We know the machines will deliver – Toro doesn’t disappoint. So, we’re very much looking forward to seeing all they’re capable of.”

As for what Jim thinks of the future of golf? “It looks very positive,” he concludes. “There could well be trials ahead, but nothing we won’t be able to tackle. By continuing to invest in our club, will bring continued improvement. Hard work and dedication from the team coupled with a machinery partner like Toro will produce visible, positive results, and that’s what we’re focusing on.”

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Worcester GC sticks with Toro

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Worcester GC sticks with Toro: Worcester Golf and Country Club, which is only a few minutes from Worcester city centre, has stuck with Toro in a bid to resolve some noise issues the club was experiencing cutting certain greens.

When course manager Karl Williams joined in at the beginning of April this year to oversee the nine-strong greenkeeping team, he knew from previous experience working with the brand that Toro was the right fit for the job and had the right range of machines to make a difference.

Worcester GC sticks with Toro

Worcester GC sticks with Toro

The new deal includes two Greensmaster eTriFlex 3360 hybrid riding greens mowers and four Greensmaster 1021 fixed-head greens mowers – keeping it an all-Toro club when it comes to frontline mowing equipment – as well as a GreensPro 1260 riding greens roller.

These machines were carefully selected to help solve some issues the club was experiencing by being in an urban location. The eTriFlex 3360 hybrid greensmowers were particularly important to appease noise complaints the club had received over the years when cutting certain greens at certain times. This model utilises all-electric components so it’s so much quieter and more efficient than its petrol predecessor. And with no hydraulic fluid, leaks are minimised, making it a greener option for any turfcare maintenance business.

Karl explains: “These hybrid models sound like a golf buggy when in stealth-mode travel. This keeps our residential neighbours happy and means the team can now start work earlier on the course and get the job done ahead of golfers, all the while being the environmentally-friendly option.

“It’s so efficient too; not only can the lads get out earlier, but they are done quicker. We’re a very busy club – we have around 700 golf members and 300 tennis members – so we need to stay productive and efficient, and these machines allow us to do just that.”

In addition, the GreensPro 1260 roller is the first roller the club has had the pleasure of using and leaves a smooth and precise finish for the ultimate playing surface. Karl explains: “I can cut the greens at a higher height of cut, which is heathier for the grass plant and also still achieves the greens’ speed the golfers require”.

With the new fleet getting the seal of approval from the greenkeeping team, the course neighbours and the golfers, Karl has a few more plans in store that involve future purchases of Toro machinery: alongside some general course improvements is a three-to-four-year plan for a full bunker renovation and a seven-to-10-year plan of tree layout redesign.

He says: “I think the clubs that invest, like Worcester Golf and Country Club with the course improvements and new kit, are the ones that are going to thrive,” he says. “Members just want to see value for their money and I think the phrase ‘you must spend money to make money’ is true – clubs that can afford to invest will be the ones that profit.”

Choosing Toro was, for Karl, the natural option: “I’ve always favoured Toro, for me it is an all-round package. The quality is there so it was something that we wanted to continue with. Longevity was also a factor; I’ve had mowers still mowing in their 20th year. Toro machines hold their value when it comes to trade ins. We don’t have much trouble with them, we mainly only require spare parts from general wear and tear. So, Toro is still very much the market leader for me.

“During my time in the industry, it’s been my preferred manufacturing brand and yes, the club will be staying that way going forward, with a fleet refresh over the next four to five years.”

Karl also credits the positive relationship with Reesink and area service centre Redtech Machinery Ltd. for the seamless purchasing process and ongoing support.

“At previous clubs where I was course manager, we had good relationships with Reesink (way back when it was Lely) and also with the Toro service centre Redtech,” Karl explains. “I’ve dealt with them for the past 20 years I‘ve been greenkeeping and I can’t speak highly enough of them. Their service is second to none and I think that’s 50 percent of what’s important when you buy a machine – you need to know that backup and support are there, reliable and ready to serve your needs.”

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

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Deeside GC bolsters Toro fleet

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Deeside GC bolsters Toro fleet: Deeside Golf Club, set in traditional Scottish parkland on the bank of the River Dee outside Aberdeen, has signed its third renewal agreement with Toro, boosting its impressive fleet by a further 17 machines.

The club has welcomed an extensive raft of machinery which includes fairway mowers, sidewinders, top dressers and sprayers, along with the industry’s first all-electric ride-on greensmower, the Toro Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370.

Deeside GC bolsters Toro fleet

Deeside GC bolsters Toro fleet

The machines support course manager, Neil McLoughlin, and his eight full-time staff to maintain the club’s 27 holes all-year round.

Neil explains: “We are located in traditional Scottish parkland and due to our position just eight metres above sea level on the banks of the River Dee we can experience some challenging environmental conditions. We can be subject to flooding, particularly in winter when the water table sits high, and we have lots of mature trees casting shade across parts of the course. Resilient, reliable machinery is a must for us and Toro provides quality every time.

“It’s easy to use, adaptable and, having worked with Toro for so long, we understand the machines. Plus, the greenkeeping team absolutely love using them.

“Some of our older mowers are into their thirteenth year with us, which is testament to their quality and durability. They still provide as excellent a finish as the newer models we’ve recently introduced, although I have to say we’re particularly enjoying the electric eTriFlex 3370 ride-on. It’s so quiet and the cut is fantastic! I would definitely buy electric again.”

Each machine is set up for its intended purpose, meaning that Neil and his team don’t need to keep adjusting the height of the machines as they go between cutting rough or semi-rough. And, despite such a large fleet, technical issues are few and far between.

Neil continues: “We seldom have any problems and if we do, they are resolved quickly. The back-up is vital for us as we don’t have a full-time mechanic on site. Whilst we can carry out basic maintenance ourselves, we rely on having the support from the team at Reesink.”

Reesink is the sole distributor in the UK for Toro golf and sports fields equipment and Richard Green who is manager at Reesink’s Livingstone branch comments: “Deeside Golf Club is a great example of a club which has an excellent understanding of the Toro products. They invest in and look after the fleet, and in return we support them with back-up care and equipment which enable them to deliver on their greenkeeping goals.”

Neil concludes: “We strive to provide excellent playing surfaces for our 1,300 members all year round. Having the high-quality Toro machinery makes my job easier, allowing me to focus on improving the courses from season to season.”

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Toro UK to attend SALTEX

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Toro UK to attend SALTEX: As a leading worldwide provider of innovative turf, landscape and construction equipment, Toro UK will be demonstrating this line-up in full at SALTEX 2021. Toro UK will be on-hand to deliver expert advice as well as demonstrate their own products such as the Z-Master range and the 60V ProLine Heavy Duty mower with be demonstrated within the ECO Village.

New for Saltex, the Z Master 2000, 4000 and 7500-D will be showcased to all attendees where they will be able to view the choice of decks, comfortable controls and the MyRIDE® Suspension System. The Z-Master range offers world-class comfort and a premium and lavish finish.

Toro UK to attend SALTEX

Toro UK to attend SALTEX

Matt Coleman, Sales Manager Professional Landscape Contractor & Site Works Equipment for Toro U.K. Limited said: “We are delighted to be exhibiting our products at SALTEX  2021. We are even more excited, as this is the first SALTEX since 2019 – so we are eager to get back talking with our customers, peers, making connections in-person again and doing our part in ensuring this event is a success.”

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