Company profile: Toro delivering around the UK

By Alistair July 25, 2018 05:45 Updated

From Cornwall to Scotland, and North Wales to the North Downs, we round-up the latest from Toro and Reesink Turfcare from all corners of the country.

Head greenkeeper Stuart Mason has brought in Toro in a concerted effort to reduce machinery downtime

Padeswood and Buckley Golf Club cuts machinery downtime with new fleet

New customer Padeswood and Buckley Golf Club in Flintshire, North Wales has chosen Toro for the first time as it makes a concerted effort to reduce machinery downtime.

Having spent, last year alone, £20,000 on maintenance and lease equipment due to breakdowns, Padeswood and Buckley has brought in Toro to eliminate these expenses and ensure the smooth running of the course.

“I’ve used Toro in the past and it lives up to its reputation for reliability and longevity – you only have to look at the high resale value of Toros to confirm that fact,” said Stuart Mason, head greenkeeper.

The Toro fleet replaces and upgrades the club’s main line machinery. Joining a new Greensmaster TriFlex 3420-H are three more machines including a Reelmaster 3575-D fairway mower, with Stuart Mason, who recently took over as head greenkeeper, going into detail about some of the benefits he’s noticing:

“The 3575-D is good because the three wheels are quicker on the turn and kinder on turf than four-wheel machines. One of the main issues we want to avoid is mowers being out on the course when golfers are, and the speed of this mower will help enormously with that.

“The best thing about our Reelmaster 3100-D fairway mower is that the operator is placed safely away from the trickiest of edges, which the sidewinder units can cut accurately. We have recently started working with Durabunker to reconstruct our bunkers across the course by revetting them with artificial turf. The 3100-D mower will be able to keep the turf around the new bunkers neat without causing any damage.”

Stuart is also looking forward to fewer trips to the shed to refill the sprayer thanks to the Workman HDX utility vehicle complete with a Multi Pro sprayer. He explains: “Before we had a 200 litre tank, now we have almost four times that capacity with the 757 litre tank of the Multi Pro. This will make a big difference to our overall spraying routine. Another great thing about the HDX is its versatility – we don’t just operate it as a sprayer but a topdresser and truck too.”

Glyn Hughes of Major Owen advised Stuart on which machines would be the best to help eliminate downtime and ensure the smooth running of the course. Stuart says: “Glyn really helped with our decision, he was at the club so often that he was basically on the payroll! I’ve known him for a long time and it’s great to be working with Major Owen again as we can always trust them to deliver great service.”

With a new Toro fleet, and Major Owen to rely on, Stuart is nothing but positive about the club’s future: “Reliable, quality machines will make it far easier to maintain the course to a high standard for our members. Already the team is over the moon that there are no more morning jumpstarts! And now downtime is no longer a dilemma, I foresee 2018 being far smoother for the greenkeeping team here at Padeswood.”

Toro’s Infinity and T5 sprinklers have been chosen to irrigate the golf practice area at The R&A’s Equipment Testing Centre at Kingsbarns. Pic Kenny Smith, Kenny Smith Photography
Tel 07809 450119

Toro Irrigation sprinklers chosen for The R&A

Toro’s Infinity and T5 sprinklers have been chosen to irrigate the golf practice area at The R&A’s Equipment Testing Centre providing perfect greens and tees for the testing of golf equipment.

A focal point of the facility, which is located at Kingsbarns near St Andrews in Scotland, is the practice range which allows for human and robotic testing of equipment; the results from which directly affect the game of golf across the world.

It is the two greens here that have benefitted from four Toro Infinity 35 sprinklers with TDC wall mount, while seven Toro T5 sprinklers have been added across two tees.

Paul Kimber from Kimber Golf, the golf course architect and contractor working with The R&A on the facility, says: “From its inception, this project has asked pertinent questions as to how and why things are done and how can they be improved. We applied some new techniques, developed a site-specific construction methodology for the greens and tried to create as many research opportunities as possible.

“I have used Toro irrigation for several years and found they provide a quality product with good customer service provided by Reesink Turfcare. This was considered a very important factor for the client, and had the irrigation designer, Callum, in agreement.”

Callum Oliphant, managing director of Applied Irrigation, one of Scotland’s leading irrigation specialists, recommends the use of Toro’s sprinklers because their “performance is reliable and consistent and the quality of design excellent”.

Callum knew he, and the team who installed the sprinklers, could rely on Toro to deliver the results a customer like The R&A would expect: “Each year, The R&A’s Equipment Standards department tests thousands of golf clubs and balls to ensure they conform to the equipment rules and the turf needs to provide a true surface, which means it must be in top condition. Irrigation is of course instrumental to that.”

The turf, which the tests are carried out on by some of the leading scientists and elite golfers today and two cutting edge golf robots, need to be as near to perfect as it is possible to get. It’s easy to see therefore why Toro was picked to help achieve that goal.

Head greenkeeper of Tehidy Park Golf Club in Cornwall, Andrew Eddison, on the Groundsmaster 4300-D. The club’s secretary, Ian Veale, chose a five-year machinery replacement programme with Toro in a new approach to its course machinery replacement

Toro chosen by Tehidy Park Golf Club to enable year-round play

Tehidy Park Golf Club in Cornwall has chosen Toro for the first time as it takes a new approach to its course machinery replacement to ensure a better golfing experience for its members, including year-round open play.

Club secretary, Ian Veale, says there were two reasons behind opting for a five-year machinery replacement programme: “In 2017 we received a VAT refund. With the help of that, we decided to invest it into what we believe will bring the most benefit to the club and its members, something everyone will enjoy, and that is new machinery to improve playability and help with the challenging conditions of the course.”

Although only two miles from the North Cornwall coast, the 18-hole par 71 course is very much parkland in nature with heavy clay-based soil, and that was an important factor in the decision-making process of what machinery the fleet should comprise. Ian says: “Because of the clay-based soil, drainage is difficult and the course can become water-logged in inclement weather.”

The popular ProCore 648 and ProPass broadcast-style top dresser forms the club’s new renovation fleet and will be used to increase the frequency of its aeration programme. Traditionally held in March and October, the plan is to be more consistent and regular with the aeration and renovation of the course throughout the year.

“We see the Toro ProCore and ProPass top dresser, and a change in the aeration programme, as the key to alleviating the problems that can occur in bad weather, and we see this as something that can easily be achieved with little to no interruption to play. We literally will be preparing for a rainy day!

“If the machinery fleet does this, then it will have been an investment well made. As with most clubs our priority are our members, and if we can improve the terrain so the course is at its optimum throughout the year that’s better for everyone.”

But the order, through dealer Devon Garden Machinery, doesn’t end there, it also includes mowers. A Groundsmaster 4300-D and a Reelmaster 3100-D with Sidewinder, chosen because the club, which is on the County rota as a tournament venue and regularly hosts the Men’s and Women’s Championships will, for the first time, hold both Championships in its centenary year in 2022.

“These machines were considered to be the ones to get the grass in the best possible condition for preparations for the all-important year,” said Ian Veale, club secretary.

All the machinery chosen was well considered by Ian and head greenkeeper Andrew Eddison to tackle the terrain and bring a new approach to the club’s course maintenance. Ian continues: “It’s the start of a five-year partnership agreement which was not taken on lightly.

“Andrew and the team spent many months trialing machines here at the course to test their capabilities on this terrain, and their ability to not only keep on top of the course, but make the big changes we want to see, which is what this investment is all about.

“We’re investing in our main asset, which is the course, and it had to be the right decision.

“Andrew always said he knew Toro was meant to be the best, but the only way to be sure of that was to see it here in action. Toro proved itself, above and beyond the original order, and we have recently purchased another machine.”

In the front, from the left, Gary Debenham, Boughton Golf Club’s course manager, with Reesink’s Richard Wood, who is shaking hands with Jonathon Callister, Boughton Golf Club’s CEO and owner

It’s a deal for Boughton and Reesink

Boughton Golf Club in the Kentish North Downs, is the latest in a long line of clubs to see the value of a five-year lease deal with Reesink Turfcare and Toro.

Joining the 27-hole club is a fleet of Toro greens, tees, surrounds, fairways and rough mowers, a comprehensive selection to accommodate the club as it enters a period of expansion.

Gary Debenham, course manager at Boughton for almost 25 years, says: “Investment from the owners Johnathan Callister, CEO, and James Tory is being made in the club that not only brings in the machinery, but expansion to the club and its offering.

“It made economic sense to go for a lease deal, the terms are better and it’s affordable.

“With that decided it only left which brand and distributor to go for, and that was an easy decision to make. Toro is the market leader, we’ve used them for years and have always been impressed with their value, longevity and reliability. I knew they were a safe bet.”

With these factors in mind, Gary opted for three Reelmaster 3100-D ride-ons to replace three older Toro models. Richard Wood, Reesink sales manager, says: “The three older Toros were between 14 and 21 years old, and had accumulated 5000-6000 hours work. They were consistently reliable in front-line use, particularly because of the constant power to at least two wheels at all times providing unbeatable traction for the rolling countryside the club inhabits. There was no question of a different mower when you’ve experienced this level of reliability and longevity.”

Gary also chose two Reelmaster 5510-D fairway mowers for the first time. He was impressed with the way the machine performed in the demo: “The RM5510-D came with groomers attached. They’re something we haven’t had before at the club and they did so well on the finish, we didn’t hesitate to order them too.”

Completing the order for Boughton is a powerful Groundsmaster 4000-D, but also included for Boughton’s ‘sister’ club, Etchinghill Golf Club, part of Pentland Golf Group alongside Boughton, are another two Reelmaster 3100-D mowers and a TriFlex 3400-D greensmower.

Set amid 167 acres of rolling countryside in the Kentish North Downs, Boughton Golf Club has a 40-bedroom boutique hotel under construction, which is due for completion in 2019.

Gary concludes: “Every aspect of the course and grounds will need to be at their best, all the time. Footfall will increase as hotel residents use the course and as the hotel hosts weddings and events. I have no doubt that Toro is the perfect partner for us to achieve the best with.”