Tag Archive for: toro

First club in UK invests in Toro robotic mowing

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First club in UK invests in Toro robotic mowing: Thonock Park in Lincolnshire is the first club in the UK to invest in Toro’s Turf Pro autonomous mowers.

Having made the decision to move to autonomous mowing at the beginning of the year, the club was introduced to Toro’s new Turf Pro mowers at the BTME launch and has subsequently purchased five from local Toro dealer, Russells Groundcare.

First club in UK invests in Toro robotic mowing

First club in UK invests in Toro robotic mowing

The five Turf Pro 500 mowers are being used to cut both fairways and rough of 18 of the club’s 36 holes. According to General Manager Benjamin Hatch: “Our robot mowers are now cutting the fairways and rough for 18 holes on the Thonock Park course, and we are exceptionally pleased with their quality of cut and the definition between fairway and rough grasses.”

Thonock Park and Russells have had two comprehensive training sessions post-install from Lee Rowbotham, GeoLink and Digital Specialist at Reesink UK.

Lee explains the process: “We were there at the point of delivery to install the chargers and base station. The mowers are blind out of the box, so training involves telling them everything they need to know, like where the charging station is, the route to the fairways, what the safe areas, and not safe areas are. And of course, for the team to understand the operation and the terminology involved.”

Once set up, Course Manager Rob Acheson was shown how to control all five mowers through the Smart App. Operation is something Lee likens to how irrigation sprinklers are controlled.

“They are controlled individually, one at a time, and can be set up in advance,” he says. “Just like you can set a sprinkler to come on at 5am, you can set the Turf Pros to start mowing at 10pm once everyone has gone home if you wish.”

This provides a big advantage in getting course maintenance ahead of play. All fairway mowing can be completed before the course opens, supported by “the almost non-existent noise levels” as confirmed by Benjamin.

Another added benefit of these mowers comes from how the club has been able to redefine the job requirements of the team and can guarantee all-year round value.

“Very importantly, these mowers have enabled us to reassign some of our skilled greenkeeping team to other tasks on the course that require more specialist work,” Benjamin says. “During the wetter months, we expect to keep using these mowers, when ordinarily we would struggle to use the much heavier diesel machines. All in all, it has been a very positive investment for us and one that we believe we will continue to benefit from year after year.”

Just as Reesink sees the value in providing dedicated support for this new technology with the new digital specialist role created for Lee, so too do Russells who have recruited two dedicated employees to demonstrate and install Russells’ autonomous mowing offerings to customers, including private properties, estates, schools, golf courses and other sporting venues.

Mark Willerton, Groundcare Sales Manager at Russells, says: “Russells see autonomous mowers as an important part of our future business, it’s something we’re investing heavily in with dedicated specialist staff and demonstration machines.

“Working alongside Thonock Park and Reesink to understand this next generation of mowing and how to maximise the potential and efficiency of the mowers has been a great learning experience. We look forward to continuing working with the team at Thonock Park to ensure they always have the best turfcare options available.”

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New Buy Now, Pay Later offer on all Toro machinery

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New Buy Now, Pay Later offer on all Toro machinery: Reesink Turfcare has announced its latest finance offering: a Buy Now, Pay Later deal with 0% interest across the entire Toro range, giving customers the opportunity to secure the machinery they need now, with nothing to pay until May 2026.

The new deal covers all Toro machinery with no exclusions – from greens or fairway mowers, out-front rotaries and robotic mowers to aerators and utility vehicles – and is open to all UK customers.

New Buy Now, Pay Later offer on all Toro machinery

New Buy Now, Pay Later offer on all Toro machinery

Jon Cole, Divisional Business Manager of Reesink Turfcare, explains the reasons behind this choice: “For many clubs and businesses, the end of the year can be a challenging time for cash flow: budgets have already been allocated while fleets and resources are often stretched.”

“This new offer means customers can plan ahead with confidence and order the latest Toro machinery today, without any payments until May next year.”

By acting now, customers can also avoid any potential price increases while upgrading their fleet before the next season begins, leveraging Toro’s latest machines to maintain optimal turf quality through the coming months and begin spring maintenance in the best possible way.

However, to meet a broad range of budgetary needs, Reesink continues to provide its usual selection of finance deals, which allow businesses to replace even a whole Toro fleet with an easily manageable upfront cost.

Short-term cash flow constraints don’t have to hold you back from using the best machines the turf and groundscare industries have to offer. With Reesink’s support and competitive financial packages, you can do more without touching your current budget to achieve the high turf standards your customers have come to expect.

For more details about the new Buy Now, Pay Later interest-free deal, visit www.reesinkturfcare.co.uk or call 01480 226800 to speak to a Reesink Turfcare representative.

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Toro U.K. announces new products ahead of GroundsFest

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Toro U.K. announces new products ahead of GroundsFest: Toro U.K. Limited ­­– owners of the Royal Warrant-holding lawnmower manufacturer Hayter® and global turf care leader Toro® – will unveil new products and initiatives at GroundsFest 2025. From battery-powered equipment to dealer-focused experiences, both brands are aiming to make a strong impression at the UK’s premier groundscare event.

As a prelude to their showcase at GroundsFest on September 9–10 – the UK’s largest industry event – they’ve released snippets of what to expect for tradespeople, groundscare professionals, influencers and dealers across the UK.

Toro U.K. announces new products ahead of GroundsFest

Toro U.K. announces new products ahead of GroundsFest

Hayter is nominated for an Innovation Award at GroundsFest this year for their new Harrier range, and both brands hope to showcase the best of what they have to offer.

The Dealer Hub

At the heart of Toro U.K.’s larger stand — which will showcase the complete Toro® and Hayter® portfolios — the new Dealer Hub highlights the brand’s ongoing investment in strengthening and supporting its nationwide dealer network.

Craig Hoare, Sales and Marketing Manager, had this to say about The Dealer Hub:

“GroundsFest is the ideal opportunity to reconnect with our dealers in person. This year, we’re putting our dealers front and centre,” Craig explains. “We’re offering early access to new-season materials and a dedicated space to talk about opportunities, challenges, and everything in between. The Dealer Hub is our way of saying: we’re here, and we’re listening.”

The Dealer Hub will offer visitors a range of exclusive benefits, including:

  • Advance access to new product details and upcoming campaigns.
  • Opportunities to engage directly with Toro and Hayter’s commercial and marketing specialists.
  • Complimentary refreshments in a welcoming, business-focused environment.

New product reveals

As well as the Dealer hub, both Hayter and Toro will be announcing new products, including long-requested attachments and new battery versions of professional groundscare equipment. Some of the announcements set to be shown at GroundsFest include:

  • Toro’s new eProStripe– a battery-powered evolution of the classic stripe mower
  • Toro’s professional clothing range– designed for durability and comfort on the job
  • Hayter’s Harrier roller brush attachment – engineered for enhanced lawn striping and debris clearance

The new announcements and Dealer Hub come at a time when Hayter and Toro are shifting focus to concentrate on the needs and wants of their community of groundscare professionals – a resource that both the horticultural heavyweights value deeply.

Matthew Coleman, UK Sales Manager, Professional Landscape Contractor & Site Works Equipment, had this to say about the products on show at this year’s event:

“We’re bringing over 80 products to GroundsFest this year – our biggest display yet,” says Matt. “It’s a fantastic opportunity for visitors to get hands-on with everything from our latest battery innovations to trusted favourites across the Toro and Hayter ranges.”

Free to attend, GroundsFest brings together live machinery demonstrations, an industry-focused exhibition, educational seminars, and on-site entertainment. Toro U.K. Limited welcomes dealer partners and professional users to their shared stand to explore the newest product innovations and learn more about the company’s continued commitment to supporting the turf care sector at every stage.

To register for GroundsFest, visit: www.groundsfest.com

To explore the full Toro and Hayter range, visit: www.toro.com/en-gb | www.hayter.co.uk

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Royal Troon tunes Toro to perfection

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Royal Troon tunes Toro to perfection: One year after The Open Championship returned to Royal Troon, the club continues to raise the bar in turfcare excellence, with the help of Toro’s technology and Reesink support.

Since the excitement of the tournament, Course Manager Billy McLachlan and his team have focused on rebuilding, recovery, and long-term improvements. With the crowds gone, infrastructure dismantled and grass beneath repaired, attention has turned to machine performance and precision.

Royal Troon tunes Toro to perfection

Royal Troon tunes Toro to perfection

“Hosting The Open again was a great experience and bigger than ever, with over 250,000 visitors,” says Billy. “I’ve got a great team, and the support from Toro and Reesink was first class.”

In the build up to the tournament, Head Mechanic, Davy Mclelland, began adjusting the club’s Toro fleet daily, testing settings like height-of-cut and cylinder speeds to achieve the best possible finish.

That attention to detail has continued since The Open, and is now part of daily practice: “Davy is a brilliant mechanic,” says Billy. “He’s measuring factors like height of cut and cylinder speed; if the speed is too fast, for instance, you’re not giving the blade enough time to make contact with the leaf.

“It all comes back to a simple question: What’s the best way of cutting and how can we do that? We’ve benchmarked data for all these settings, so we know what’s working, why it’s working, and how to adjust our cutting methods accordingly.”

As Reesink’s Product Specialist, Alastair Black, explains, this level of precision is rare: “Most clubs adjust settings a few times a season. But Troon is doing it on an almost daily basis, and the results show.

“We run training courses to help clubs like Troon get the most out of their Toro cutting units. Factory settings are a great starting point. But understanding how to tailor them to your turf can take your surfaces to another level.”

Troon’s mechanical team has also attended Reesink’s Turfcare Mechanics course, which Billy says is integral to the job: “Training is everything. We already had the machines running well, but learning from the experts took our results even further.

“To be good at this job, you’ve got to keep your eyes and ears open – and always be willing to learn,” he concludes. “That’s one thing that will always be a vital part of Troon, our team, and our success.”

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Toro Hosts Inspiring Factory Visit

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Toro Hosts Inspiring Factory Visit: Toro UK has proudly welcomed Liverpool-based landscape contractor Kieran Wallace, founder of Swan Landscapes, to its manufacturing facility in Spellbrook, Hertfordshire, in recognition of his entrepreneurial spirit, charitable outlook and viral journey to business growth.

Kieran first gained widespread attention in January 2025, when he encountered business mentor and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author Simon Squibb – renowned for his viral videos offering investment opportunities to aspiring entrepreneurs. During their impromptu meeting, Simon invested £2,000 into Kieran’s gardening business after hearing his heartfelt pitch during a book signing.

Toro Hosts Inspiring Factory Visit

Toro Hosts Inspiring Factory Visit

Five months on, Simon and Kieran met once again in a follow-up video where Simon asked Kieran: “If there is a company listening that could sponsor the equipment for you, who would it be?” Kieran responded: “Toro – I will get all your tools and take them all around Liverpool, I’ll use them in every garden job.”

The video rapidly gained traction, reaching over 5.7 million views on TikTok and capturing the attention of the Toro UK team. Inspired by Kieran’s ambition and passion for his craft, Toro invited him to their Spellbrook facility, where Toro manufactures golf, commercial and home-use gardening machinery. The site is also the home of Hayter, where they have manufactured battery and petrol mowers for nearly 80 years.

During the visit, Kieran received a guided tour of the facility, insight into Toro and Hayter’s engineering and production processes, and was gifted a selection of professional landscaping tools to support the growth of his business.

Craig Hoare, Sales and Marketing Manager for UK and Ireland, had this to say about Toro’s experience hosting Kieran at the Spellbrook factory:

“It was a pleasure to meet Kieran in person, hear his inspiring story and to then be able to offer our support by donating him the latest equipment. Toro has a long tradition of supporting community projects, and Kieran’s work presents the perfect opportunity to give back to both him and the people of Liverpool.

“Kieran was already a Toro fan, but he was blown away when we took the chance to show him around our UK factory, try some machines in our test fields and more. We look forward to following Kieran’s journey and seeing the impact he continues to make, now with new top-of-the-line equipment.”

Following the factory tour, Kieran has been made an official Toro sponsor, being gifted a Toro 53cm 60V Proline lawnmower, as well as Revolution Hedge Cutter, String Trimmer and Blower Cannon power tools – complete with two 8.0Ah batteries, one 4.0Ah battery and two fast chargers, as well as a load of Toro professional wear.

Kieran had this to say about his experience:

“I was blown away by how organised and clean the factory was – it was a dream come true to see how all the parts and pieces of these machines that I use come together. I couldn’t have gotten a better experience from anyone.

“The experience has overwhelmed me, because I’ll be driving home buzzing, feeling empowered to keep going. I know what I can do, and I know anything is now possible. Thank you to Toro for this experience – I absolutely loved it.”

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