This is how the RAC reduced its greens’ rolling time by nearly a third
By Alistair
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The magnificent Royal Automobile Club in Surrey has reduced greens’ rolling time by nearly a third after investing in leading-edge machinery.
Since purchasing two Salsco HP11-III greens’ rollers, the exclusive club has cut time devoted to the task from five and a half hours to three and a half hours daily, it reports.
“This is a massive reduction,” states golf course manager Lee Strutt, who test-drove the machine on a visit to the Golf Industry Show in 2017. “The time saved frees up operators for other duties and that’s a major benefit.”
The HP11-III’s powerful Honda petrol engine delivers speeds up to 11mph, while three independently controlled rollers with 73in operating width cut a swathe through the time operators have traditionally taken for this aspect of greens upkeep.
“The rollers average five to six minutes a green,” explains Lee, who manages the 36-hole Championship Old and Coronation courses with a team of up to 26. In his three and half years in post, Lee has rung the changes in cultural practices across the 36-holes of what is one of Britain’s most prestigious member clubs and the HP11-IIIs fit into that strategy.
His investment in the high-end rollers is delivering benefits for both the greens team and players, by improving presentation and playability.
“I had met Salsco’s owner on their stand at the GIS, tested the roller and liked it instantly but my biggest issue was that the team would be unable to try it first as it was important that they enjoyed using the machine,” Lee explains.
“The performance of the HP11-III gave me the confidence to buy and it was well-founded, as the team really like working with the rollers. We also use them after topdressing instead of brushing-in and the powered brushes ensure there is no debris build up on the rollers, so leaving a clean finish”.
“Dual drive oscillating rollers and articulated steering provide consistent roll to ground contact, which helps improve surface smoothness and trueness, all factors key to providing the level of quality our members expect.”
“Speed, productivity, robustness, build quality and ease of use, with strong dealer support, are all wins for us,” he adds.
“The HP11-III can cover a serious amount of green quickly, without compromising quality of finish,” confirms Peter Stanley, Sales Representative for sole Salsco UK distributor CLS Selfdrive.
Lee was aware of the roller from his US greenkeeping visits and could see the design and build quality could further improve the courses. The rollers would have a bigimpact on both the greens and time taken for rolling them, so was delighted when Salsco appointed CLS as UK dealer.
Since then, sales confirm the benefits the rollers offer hard-pressed greens teams. The club savings in green rolling time is particularly impressive when you consider that travelling between greens is the same, whichever brand ofroller teams use. Rolling is a skill usually left to a particular team member but the Salsco opens it up to anyone.”
For more information, visit www.cleveland-land-services.co.uk/cls-selfdrive-c4
By Alistair
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