What are some of the best mowers for golf courses?

By Alistair May 1, 2021 07:38 Updated

The demand for quality mowers is always high in spring, but perhaps never more so than this year, with so many golfers wanting to play the game. Here are some of the top mowers on the market to benefit your course.

The Lastec XR700 rotary mower ensures an accurate, quality cut on golf courses providing grass lengths from 1” to 4” using seven 21” flex decks to give an overall cutting width of 11ft (3.35 metres) and flexing through 24 degrees of movement.

In combination with a 40+ horsepower tractor this highly regarded machine offers a low cost alternative to self-propelled units of a similar cutting width and power. For lower horsepower tractors the narrower XR500 is also available with five mower sections and an 8ft (2.43 metre) cut.

The XR700 and XR500 are the latest in a line of Lastec models that have been employed worldwide by course managers looking for the best since their introduction more than 30 years ago.

Lastec introduced articulation to the turf industry with the first model 721 which was invented and patented by the company founder Jeff Laskowski. In the early 1990s there weren’t any multi deck mowers for golf course mowing, and roughs were cut by large, single rotary decks fitted to out-fronts or tractor towed tri-deck machines – neither of which followed contours to the standard required by today’s top courses.

This all changed with the introduction of the Lastec 721 which had seven, 21 inch cutting units allowing it to accurately follow mounds and hollows ensuring golfers had the same challenge in rough grass wherever their ball landed.

It meant for the first time course managers at the world’s greatest golf courses had access to rotary mowers that had the productivity of a wide area mower yet with the accuracy of a small push mower.

Double A has been selling Lastec mowers for over 20 years and stock machines and parts for immediate delivery. For more details visit the Lastec section of the company website at www.doublea.co.uk and search ‘Lastec’. Alternatively email on sales@doublea.co.uk.

Toro

With 2021 now fully underway, one of the clear trends from recent years that is only continuing to grow is sustainability. So it’s no surprise that when it comes to greensmowers, customers don’t just want efficient machinery that delivers a clean finish, they want green technology too.

And the answer to this is the Toro Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370. The industry’s first lithium-ion battery powered ride-on greensmower, the Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370 provides the superior quality of cut Toro is known for alongside the benefits of an environmentally friendly design.

The ‘radius dependent speed system’ delivers an optimal perimeter cut by monitoring each individual cylinder and traction wheel speed during turns and that, in conjunction with the ‘lift-in-turn’ cutting unit levelling feature, standardises the clip rate of each individual cylinder and virtually eliminates the effect known as ‘Triplex-Ring’. The double A-Arm suspension system means the cutting units float freely and closely over any terrain and deliver superior contour-following, while the ‘lift-gate footrest’ and ‘tool-free quick change’ cutting units simplify service and maintenance.

But the cherry on the cake is its all-electric benefits. Lower emissions and fuel savings, yet ample power to get the job done, the Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370 responds to business demands for increased revenue. With the all-electric technology reducing noise and making the Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370 Toro’s quietest ride-on greensmower yet, work can start earlier while complying with noise regulations, allowing greens to be ready earlier and therefore allowing for earlier tee times.

No more damaging hydraulic leaks, no more emissions, no more pollution, the Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370 delivers the future to the fine turf sector.

Newcastle-Under-Lyme Golf course have purchased the first brand new all electric Toro eTriFlex 3370 in the UK.

Toro Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370 specification

Power source: Eight Lithium-Ion Samsung SDI batteries

Ground speed: Mowing 0-5mph, transport 0-10mph, reverse 0-3mph

Cutting unit drive: Three, 48V (1.1KW) air-cooled brushless permanent magnet motors

Noise level: Sound power 82 db(A), operator ear 66db(A)

Width of cut: 59” (150cm)

Weight: Mow: 616kg; Transport: 738kg

John Deere

After a successful launch in 2019, John Deere’s 2700 and 2750 PrecisionCut and E-Cut hybrid electric triplex mowers were honoured as a 2020 AE50 Award winner by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE).

Each year the AE50 awards highlight the industry’s most innovative designs in product engineering, as chosen by a panel of international engineering experts. These new John Deere cylinder mowers are equipped with the proven, advanced TechControl system, which is passcode protected and allows course managers, technicians and other trusted supervisors to input commands that control nearly everything regarding the operator’s performance. This includes frequency of clip, turn speed, clean-up pass speed and how fast the cutting units raise and lower.

The engines on all models are electronically controlled and include an Eco mode that automatically reduces engine speed when mowing, saving up to 30 per cent in fuel and reducing sound levels by up to 3dB(A). The lightweight, open platform design, with a low centre of gravity, ensures excellent stability and traction performance. The mowers offer a 62in (157cm) mowing width and speeds of up to 6mph (9.7kph) for increased productivity.

“The 2700 and 2750 triplex mowers have been designed to take the stress out of mowing,” says John Deere Golf product manager Brad Aldridge. “From the innovative TechControl system to the open platform design and excellent cut quality, these machines deliver a precise, uniform cut, regardless of who’s driving, so that every operator can be your best operator.”

INFINICUT

Shortly after the launch of the MK6 edition of the renowned INFINICUT cylinder mower in early 2020, Jeff Miller – Class A superintendent at The Santaluz Club – was one of the first to get his hands on a fleet of 12 units for the club based in San Diego. Designed specifically with golf in mind, the new model features Bluetooth wireless connectivity to utilise the very latest technology and connectivity with the InfiniApp. The electrical architecture has also been completely overhauled and is now designed around the automotive industry standard CAN bus protocol.

“We decided to invest in a fleet of INFINICUT machines over the more traditional walk behind mowers for golf courses as I feel the quality of cut I get from the reel is the best,” explains Jeff. “Workmanship, design and adjustability is what sets these units apart from the rest – the mower settings are so easy to adjust, both quickly and accurately. Along with being able to swap the cutting units very easily into different frames there is also a complete range of additional cassettes from the TMSystem™ to choose from which gives me fantastic flexibility all with a single machine.”

Integral to the INFINICUT design is its lithium battery – providing much more energy in a smaller package, and a duty cycle that is suited for use on a surface area such as a golf green. “Having many years of experience with Lithium I have found it to be a more consistent power source than lead acid. Lithium’s voltage is more consistent, it weighs less and provides more charge cycles. Less weight on greens is important because compaction can be an issue.”

Jeff has also made the most of the recently launched InfiniApp. “Having this feature is great, especially for setting up the unit’s frequency of clip (FOC). It is also a great training tool for employees and allows you to change various parameters, such as the mowing speed, while the machine is operating which is a massive time saver. It provides you with all of the data you would want at your fingertips – battery levels, mower settings and any fault codes or troubleshooting.”