Trilo S4 delivers multi-purpose performance for Richmond Golf Club

By Alistair June 9, 2022 09:26

A Trilo S4 has proven its credentials as a multi-functional machine without compromise for the team at Richmond Golf Club. Purchased initially to assist with the mammoth task of collecting leaves from more than 3000 trees around the parkland course, the interchangeable heads and ability to flail cut and scarify has seen the S4 out and assisting with maintenance year-round.

Bought from local dealers Ernest Does in time for the autumn of 2019, the S4 was a straight replacement of another Trilo unit which, as Course Manager Les Howkins explains, had been a workhorse at the London club for over 20 years. “Every year, we’d go out with our Trilo SG700 and over its long working life, it never missed a beat! The build quality was fantastic on that and continues to be with our new S4 which was one of the major reasons we purchased another Trilo, despite looking at what else was available.”

“The Trilo S4 is also an ideal size for us – it features a large 4m3 hopper to collect large quantities of material but is compact enough overall to easily navigate our relatively ‘small’ 104-acre course. It is equipped with the brush head for leaf clearance between early September right through to Christmas, by the time the Oaks have dropped, and it does a fantastic job of cleanly collecting leaves and other debris in a single pass.”

Come the spring, the brush is swiftly swapped for the flail head for the quick cut and collect of acid grassland – an issue for Les and the team on the carry areas between the tees and the fairways. “This causes long, wispy growth which we cut down once a year using our S4. We then switch the flail out for a third attachment – a scarifier head – to thin out these areas before the new season begins to prevent any thick, matted growth.”

“We loved our SG700 and our S4 retains the fantastic build quality and reliability that we previously enjoyed, with the added benefit of now being able to conduct multiple maintenance tasks.” Les concludes, “With a lot of machines that are billed as ‘multi-purpose’ you find they’ll do one job really well, and not perform on the others but the S4 does all three superbly!”