A look at the leading sprayers available to greenkeepers today

By Alistair September 15, 2019 10:20 Updated

The investments that have gone into golf course spraying technology means greenkeepers have never had a better choice than now to pick equipment to suit them.

British built and designed for optimum manoeuvrability and application accuracy, the Demount Pro sprayer from Team Sprayers is available in a wide choice of specifications and can be built to fit a range of utility vehicles including the Jacobsen Truckster XD, Cushman Truck, Toro Workman and John Deere ProGator.

The Demount Pro was re-designed a few years ago to be shorter and more compact, making it easier to spray difficult areas and is available with manual, electric folding or covered boom systems, all with break back pivot points to protect the booms from accidental damage from unseen obstacles. It also features a flattened tank (in sizes 400 to 800 litres); offering total vision across the back of the machine.

The Demount Pro with GPS from Team Sprayers

The Demount Pro is available with either the standard ‘ARAG Bravo 180S Auto-rate Control System’ or the Bravo 400S GPS system with GPS area mapping and individual nozzle control which eliminates overlapping and treating only the specified areas according to the mapping.

Both systems accurately calculate the remaining distance and area that can be sprayed with the current tank content and crucially, automatically adjust the amount of applied product according to the forward speed of the utility vehicle, therefore optimising efficiencies, saving time and reducing chemical costs.

Team’s managing director Danny Hubbard said: “We have seen a rise in demand for the Demount Pro with the ARAG Bravo Auto-rate Control Systems; as greenkeepers prioritise precision application due to the results placement accuracy brings.”

Robin Greaves, head greenkeeper at Marlborough Golf Club, said: “We are really pleased with this sprayer purchase and would highly recommend the Team Demount Pro.”

Team Sprayers is a family owned business and has been manufacturing trailed and mounted sprayers, applicators and associated equipment solely in the UK since 1981 for a variety of markets including groundcare. Team pride itself on the build quality of its sprayers and places particular focus on boom stability which is a key feature in all models.

The Demount Pro with GPS from Team Sprayers

John Deere

John Deere is revolutionising spraying applications on amenity turf with the new GPS PrecisionSprayer, available exclusively for use with the ProGator heavy-duty utility vehicle.

Since it was launched at BTME 2019 in Harrogate in January, six machines have been supplied to golf clubs in the UK and Ireland, including three as part of the new Wentworth Club partnership agreement announced recently, plus one each at Gleneagles, Royal Aberdeen and Ballybunion.

This advanced technology system offers golf course managers and other turf professionals a proven, off-the-shelf, integrated John Deere solution for precision spraying. With features such as AutoTrac satellite guided automatic steering, a full-colour in-cab touchscreen display and individual nozzle control, the easy-to-use GPS PrecisionSprayer increases application accuracy and consistency, lowers input costs through reduced overlaps and misses, helps protect the environment and increases productivity by reducing operator fatigue.

“The GPS PrecisionSprayer offers an innovative solution that allows our customers to be more productive and accurate when maintaining turf,” says John Deere’s European turf sales & marketing manager, Carlos Aragones. “John Deere boasts over 20 years of GPS experience, which was vital when creating this new sprayer. We were able to take advantage of our industry leading knowledge of satellite guidance technology to develop a solution that supports our customers by increasing productivity and accuracy while reducing labour and material costs.”

One of the most notable features on the GPS PrecisionSprayer is AutoTrac, which helps to spray predetermined areas in less time with greater pass-to-pass accuracy. Another important benefit is individual nozzle control, which minimises application errors and reduces fatigue, as the operator does not need to focus on manually turning boom sections on and off. Individual nozzles can be paired with AutoTrac guidance to limit wasted product applications caused by pass-to-pass overlaps and misses.

The John Deere GPS PrecisionSprayer – launched earlier this year

The GPS PrecisionSprayer utilises advanced satellite technology and mobile RTK (real-time kinematic) navigation down to accuracy levels of 2.5cm to ensure the reliability of boundary maps and allow users to create spray coverage maps, which also eliminates overlaps and increases productivity.

Another major benefit is the ability to electronically capture all spray data and analyse the results, which streamlines the documentation process and provides robust analytics for recording and legislation purposes. Automated documentation also removes the need for manual records and increases accuracy when recording details of all spraying applications.

Cleveland Alliances

Some of the latest spraying technology acquired from Cleveland Alliances earlier this year is already reaping dividends for a world class Scottish golf resort.

The venue bought a Gambetti ProPlus 900 dedicated sprayer for the Toro Workman in April.

Fitted with Cleveland’s AMC 400s GPS rate controller it provides a guidance screen showing exactly where the machine has sprayed and the areas left untreated.

Every nozzle is controlled by the system via satellite and turns on automatically when passing over an untreated area, and off again when passing over a treated area. Accuracy depends on the satellite signal being received. The standard system, which reads between 17 and 21 satellites simultaneously, achieves accuracy to 6cm. This can be further improved by minor setting adjustments. James Dixon, managing director of Cleveland Alliances, said: “Ninety per cent of our GPS customers use this system and it works really well.

“We now have a GPS upgrade with a correction signal called Terrastar. This takes accuracy to 2.5cm and almost no satellite drift.

A Gambetti Sprayer from Cleveland Alliances

“This new satellite receiver is available on all Gambetti sprayers and allows the entire golf course to be treated as one job.

“Simply drive up to any green, the system knows the green and starts spraying it. You will never over or under lap because every nozzle is individually controlled. Gambetti is the only machine to offer an eight or 10 metre boom with GPS individual nozzle control, which can then be used at just six metres on smaller areas.”

New this year from Cleveland is the Polaris autosteering system. The same GPS controller can connect to a steering wheel module for steering the vehicle down the fairway, exactly the boom width from the previous pass. This offers GPS nozzle control, GPS guidance and auto steering from one system and can be fitted to a Toro Workman, John Deere ProGatro, Jacobsen Truxter and almost any tractor. GPS is available on tractor mounted and trailed sprayers, as well as truck / dedicated sprayers.

Cleveland Alliances was founded in 1991 under the familiar brand name Cleveland Crop Sprayers. In 2013 the company had expanded its operations significantly and now leads the UK golf market with the cutting-edge Gambetti Sprayers.

Last year Cleveland sold its agricultural side of the crop sprayer business to concentrate on machines for the golf and amenity sector. The company is now a sprayer parts wholesaler, providing parts to sprayer dealers and specialist across the world.

It buys components, booms and computers, and tailors sprayers which are suitable for the UK amenity and golf course market.

Cleveland has a large dealer network throughout the UK and in addition it distributes Greensiron and Rotomec Mowers.