Tag Archive for: toro

Ashridge GC Reaps Toro Benefits

Ashridge GC Reaps Toro Benefits: With one of the hottest summers on record last year, Ashridge Golf Club in Hertfordshire has reaped the benefits of a new Toro irrigation system, installed in the nick of time.

Consisting of a Toro Lynx control system and a combination of Toro FLEX 34, 35 and T5 RapidSet series sprinklers, the dry summer was no match for Toro’s top of the line technology.

Ashridge GC Reaps Toro Benefits

Course manager, James Camfield, explains: “The system was installed in the winter of 2017 and in 2018 we had an incredibly dry summer. It was a real test considering we were still getting used to the system, but the training provided by Toro was excellent, so we got through it with relative ease. We’re really fortunate we had the installation when we did, without it, I’m sure the course would have really suffered.”

With the new irrigation system having done wonders on the greens, tees, surrounds and approaches despite the extreme weather, James and the team have been blown away by the results.

“It’s been transformational,” he says. “We’re applying water consistently and uniformly to the greens and irrigating the surrounds automatically for the first time ever. Members and visitors have all seen the difference and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.”

Looking at the club’s previous system, it’s hard to imagine what the course would be like now without the new Toro system. “The old system was originally installed in the 1970s with bits and pieces added over the years, so it just wasn’t able to keep up with the modern demands of the course,” explains James. “With leaking pipework, varying water pressure and a temperamental control system, the course would have been in far worse condition if we hadn’t updated the system when we did.”

Prior to the instalment, James visited several clubs to see different irrigation systems at work. Despite originally considering another brand, after watching the Toro Lynx control system in action James decided there was no question it was the superior option. “It became evident very quickly that Toro was the way to go, with extra features like the weather station, Turf Guard wireless soil moisture sensors and the fact you can control it from anywhere gives you complete peace of mind.”

In recent years, the 350-acre course, which originally opened in 1932, has undergone much development including rebuilding bunkers, levelling tees and managing woodland areas to name a few. As such a progressive club determined to stay at the top of its game and listed within the top 100 golf courses in England, Toro irrigation was the next step in that process.

Now, with Toro irrigation in place, the club is a proud ‘Total Solutions’ customer, and James is already making plans for the future.

“We’re looking to invest more in Toro machinery over the next few years. The club is considering a second phase of the irrigation project. Twelve of the fairways weren’t covered by the first phase and you can tell that they’ve really suffered compared to the rest of the course. Updating the fairways, starting in the worst affected areas, will help protect more of the course in the future.”

He concludes: “With our Toro irrigation system able to battle through one of the toughest summers yet, we’re confident it’s ready for any challenge that comes its way!”

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Save Time With Toro EdgeMax Bedknives

Save Time With Toro EdgeMax Bedknives: Switching out the old and worn for a new set of Toro EdgeMax bedknives will save you time and money and bring a sharper cut to your Toro greens and fairway mowers.

Now is the perfect time of year, before the growing season starts, to check for worn bedknives and ensure you’re ahead of the game by choosing a high-quality replacement.

Save Time With Toro EdgeMax Bedknives

Brought to the UK by Reesink Turfcare, Toro’s bedknives come with a host of benefits. Made of solid, hardened steel, Toro EdgeMax bedknives provide up to three times longer edge retention than a standard fairway bedknife and twice as long for greens.

Michael Hampton, parts manager at Reesink, says: “With Toro EdgeMax bedknives you know you’re getting the genuine, original part for a reasonable cost, which will ultimately save you more in the future.”

Replace your bedknives quickly and without the hassle or stress of gambling on will-fit competitors. Michael continues: “With genuine Toro parts, you can be sure you’re getting first-rate parts built to fit perfectly with your machine, with consistent hole alignment on every bedknife, certified and trackable steels coils and computer-controlled machining and finishing, thanks to Toro’s leading manufacturing process.”

Designed to meet strict Toro engineering specifications, the longer lasting bedknives don’t sacrifice on quality and guarantee excellent after-cut appearance. Plus with the bedknives staying sharper for longer, the machine incurs less wear, enabling it to work more efficiently and smoothly, delivering a healthier turf.

Available across Toro’s Greensmaster and Reelmaster ranges on models fitted with DPA (Dual Precision Adjustment) cutting units, EdgeMax bedknives bring a 9.5mm and above height of cut to fairways and a 1.59mm and above height of cut to greens. To find out more or place on order, contact Reesink’s parts department on 01480 226870.

For more information, visit: reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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Triple Toro Launch At BTME

Triple Toro Launch At BTME: Reesink Turfcare brought visitors to BTME a Toro triple this year: three new launches – two on the machinery side and one for irrigation. And all three reflected what Toro does best – innovation.

David Cole, managing director, says: “It was a first for us to have three launches at one show, but this demonstrates our dedication for bringing our customers the very latest advancements in turfcare technology.”

Triple Toro Launch At BTME

The eTriFlex is a classic example of Toro responding to customer demand by creating a machine which significantly reduces noise. The new hydraulics-free Greensmaster eTriFlex 3360 with lithium-ion battery cuts noise to deliver quiet, leak-free, clean cutting. This allows work to start earlier and may circumvent noise regulations. It will help avoid complaints from area residents and prevent having to delay mowing certain greens early in the morning or during the day. Plus, with greens ready earlier, it could enhance revenue by allowing earlier tee times.

The new Greensmaster 1021 brings a new level of consistency to pedestrian mowing and takes all that was revolutionary, popular and legacy-making about the 1000 pedestrian mower and adds design improvements to make operation smoother, green-to-green cut more consistent and adjustment easier. The 21-inch mower features a new telescoping loop handle which can be easily adjusted to comfortably accommodate operators of all heights and skill levels and handle isolation mounts to give the cutting unit constant contact with the ground throughout the mowing process.

David says: “These machines launch in America at the GIS Show 2019, so they really are the latest in terms of cutting-edge design and technology.”

Visitors to BTME were also given the first glimpse of Toro’s Lynx Smart Module and Smart Hub irrigation setup which provides the flexibility of a satellite controller with the cost savings of a two-wire system.

Based on decades of engineering experience from Toro to deliver high speed diagnostics using rapid two-way communications, the Lynx Smart Module two-wire system is an adaptation on the already successful GDC control system. It’s a forwards and backwards compatible add-on tool which provides backup and operation should connection to the central control be interrupted so irrigation continues.

It comes with attachments to expand the capabilities of the Lynx central control system to another level. The module makes irrigation smart – add it to a GDC system, for example, for extra precision and speed. Meanwhile, the pedestal or wall-mounted Smart Hub enables the system to be segmented into manageable areas by strategically placing up to nine Smart Hubs over the site for simplified maintenance.

David concludes: “To have three such interesting launches at BTME meant we had a consistently busy stand! It was great to see so much interest in the new technology from Toro and for our other brands Otterbine, TYM Tractors and 1st Products.”

For more information, visit: reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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Toro Praised By Royal Cromer GC

Toro Praised By Royal Cromer GC: Royal Cromer Golf Club in North Norfolk is a classic example of how combining Toro irrigation and machinery can bring great benefits to a course.

As one of the first club’s in the UK to fully upgrade to a Toro Lynx control system in 2012, Royal Cromer is now halfway through its first five-year agreement plan with Toro machinery, and here course manager Mark Heveran tells us how the club has continued improving since using both.

Toro Praised By Royal Cromer GC

“We’ve been using Lynx for around six years now and it’s just phenomenal,” Mark says. “We have around four times the amount of sprinkler heads than we did previously, but we’re using less water. The efficiency is just spot on, which is exactly what we need. We’re in one of the driest parts of the country and our water comes from a borehole with a limited supply, so every drop counts.”

This is good news indeed for Mark who told us the club’s members unusually part-funded the installation through individual loans, such was their support for it. “Lynx was an easy recommendation to make to our members, and we have not been let down. So, when the time came three years ago to commit to a machinery brand, Toro was the logical choice.”

For the club, striving to create the perfect playing surface is a real priority, and Toro’s top of the line technology plays a large part in achieving that goal. Mark confirms: “Here at the club we have 650 members, plus a large number of visitors each year, and the main thing that keeps them coming back is the quality of the course. Since being with Toro, the course has continued to improve which has definitely kept everyone happy. With the irrigation system we noticed an improvement in the overall quality of the turf and with the equipment we have now, the course has become much more refined and every detail is attended to.”

“When we’ve used other brands, after three years or so you could feel the machines starting to get tired, but with Toro they’re much more durable, solid and reliable in comparison, and the technology is always top notch,” says Mark.

With the installation of Toro Lynx only the start of a long-term development plan for Mark to create one of the best cliff-top links courses in England, the club is continuing this progression by now looking to expand the irrigation system to cover new teeing complexes and walkways, and Mark is already considering the next stage in terms of the fleet.

“In the coming years I’m hoping to renew the full package deal we have,” he says. “We’ve had absolutely no issues with the service, and the back-up from distributor Reesink Turfcare has been fantastic. So, when looking for the latest and best in machinery and irrigation innovation, Toro is forefront of our minds.”

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Toro Lynx System At Newquay GC

Toro Lynx System At Newquay GC: Cornwall’s Newquay Golf Club, a traditional links course with traditional links irrigation issues, has opted for the Toro Lynx control system and Flex Series sprinklers to keep the course in pristine condition, and within six months the results are the talk of the county.

Head greenkeeper Dan Kendle explains: “It was time for a new system, but we also wanted to make sure we have a system which could cope with the fact that we’re an exposed links course. We’re built on sand dunes beside the Atlantic Ocean and we get a lot of wind and salt spray. I knew we needed an irrigation system capable of dealing with that.”

Toro Lynx System At Newquay GC

With the previous system failing the club, it’s easy to see why a change was needed, and Dan worked with irrigation specialists Irritech to assess the current system and design a new one. The process concluded with Full Circle Irrigation installing a Toro Lynx Central Control System with FLEX 35 and 55 Series sprinklers provided by Reesink Turfcare on the greens, surrounds and approaches last winter.

“Our old system wasn’t efficient in terms of the time it was taking and the water it was using,” comments Dan. “It was malfunctioning to the point where we couldn’t use it automatically overnight and had to water manually by hand in the day, which wasted valuable resources and time that could be otherwise spent maintaining the course. The difference since we switched to Toro is massive. We now have denser and greater grass coverage, especially across the greens. Members say they can’t believe how much better the course is now, and the buzzword is our greens are the talk of the county!”

The FLEX 35 and 55 series features a dual trajectory main nozzle with an easy adjustment to a 15 or 25 degree setting providing improved performance against harsh links conditions, which has been particularly beneficial at Newquay. Plus, the added benefit of part/full circle drive allows easy adjustment to accommodate specific watering needs which is ideal for a links course. The features of the sprinklers work alongside the Toro Lynx Control System perfectly, with the intuitive interface allowing for customisation to suit course conditions.

Newquay Golf Club has long been a Toro machinery customer, but Toro Irrigation was chosen on merit through extensive research and viewing different systems in action.  “We already had a full fleet of Toro machines, so from the start I was keen to go with Toro as it’s proved itself to be reliable and dependable. However, it was important we considered all the options before deciding and we were really thorough with the process. It’s a big investment and members needed assurance we’d done our research. We had a lot of discussions and went to see the Lynx system and another brand in action. After seeing how they operated, it was clear that the superior system was Toro’s.”

He concludes: “The whole experience with Toro and distributor Reesink has been first class from start to finish. The rep, Robert Jackson, was really helpful which made the process stress-free, and any issues were sorted really quickly. With such a difference to the course already, I’m confident the future of the course is in safe hands with Toro Irrigation.”

For more information, visit: reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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