Overlooking Blackmore Vale on the border of Dorset and Somerset, Sherborne Golf Club in Dorset is opting for trouble-free mowing by renewing with Toro for a second five-year exclusivity agreement.
Chris Watson, course manager at Sherborne Golf Club, says: “We first signed with Toro in 2009 and we’ve had five years of trouble-free mowing. I was quite happy to continue with Toro but I wanted it to be a collective decision and a fair one.”
With that in mind Chris and his greenkeeping team of four considered the ergonomics, safety, performance and ease of use of Toro and its competitors. Chris also researched costs for parts, hours for service and warranties.
Together the decision was made to reinvest with Toro for another five years. As part of this deal and now being used to tend the 18-hole members-only course are the Groundsmaster 4000-D, Reelmaster 3100-D with Sidewinder cutting units and the Greensmaster 3250-D, with further delivery of a Reelmaster 5610, Reelmaster 3100-D and a tractor-mounted ProCore expected.
“We’re known to be a bit of a grass factory here and even though we have growth regulators to slow down the grass we still cut daily,” says Chris. “The Greensmaster 3250-D is perfect for daily cutting. We use the GM4000-D to tackle the roughs and semi-roughs at least twice a week and the RM3100-D with Sidewinder is producing some great results on the tee and green banks.”
The parkland course is, much like the rest of Dorset, sandy in nature, meaning the course can be a challenge to maintain. Extensive work on the condition of the soil by Chris and the team a few years ago though means the 124-acre course now has four inches of good quality top soil to its advantage and the added benefit of being a free-draining course. This, coupled with Toro on hand to help with maintenance, and Chris is confident its reputation of having the best fairways in Dorset is secure.
Chris concludes: “There is pressure for the course to perform to the highest standard. We could not have asked for more from Toro over the last five years and our dealer Devon Garden Machinery has been brilliant, too, providing support whenever we need it. I have to say I was very pleased when Toro came out on top in our research and with the whole team!”
Toro turf products are distributed throughout mainland UK by Lely (UK) Limited, 1 Station Road, St Neots PE19 1QH. Call 01480 226800, email turfcare.uk@lely.com or visit www.lelyturfcare.com for further details. And in Ireland by Lely Ireland Limited, Kilboggin, Nurney, Co. Kildare. Call 00 353 (0)45 526170, email turfcaresales.ie@lely.com or visit www.lelyturfcare.ie for further details.
Sherborne Golf Club www.sherbornegolfclub.co.uk
Toro www.toro.com