The greenkeeping team at Birmingham’s highly regarded Harborne Golf Club have commended a round of Toro machinery upgrades, recently delivered as part of an ongoing five year Toro Partnership Agreement with sole UK Toro distributors Lely UK.
Headed up by course manager Jim Gilchrist, the six-strong greenkeeping team, which includes Jim’s long-term partner Vicky Cavinue, have welcomed four new Toros thanks to the deal – a Greensmaster TriFlex Hybrid 3420, a Reelmaster 5610-D, a Groundsmaster 4000-D with a Yanmar engine and SmartPower, and a Sand Pro 2040Z mechanical rake.
With over 24 years’ experience in greenkeeping, Jim, whose dedication to quality course conditions makes Harborne one of the best in the area, outlines why the club chose to be an exclusive Toro user: “I chose Toro based on their build quality; this is something I have always been impressed with since my early years in greenkeeping,” he explains.
Adding that support from Lely and local Toro dealers Redtech was also intrinsic to the club’s decision, he says: “Jon Lewis (Lely’s area sales manager) has been very supportive and is always there with help and advice along with Graham and the servicing team from Redtech.”
Continuing, Jim lists the benefits of one of his favourite of the latest delivery; the all new Greensmaster TriFlex Hybrid mower, designed to take precision cutting on a hybrid mower to a completely new level, while operating efficiently in energy savings mode.
“The TriFlex provides a superb quality of cut across our 18-hole parkland course. It’s well-designed and the cutting units are very simple to remove. There are also fuel savings and I feel as course managers we should be trying to do all we can to help the environment no matter how small,” he says.
Jim’s partner and fellow greenkeeper Vicky, who – having been greenkeeping for 17 years – has experience using all types of machinery, notes the benefits she’s seen from the new machines: “The cutting speed of machines have improved and are a lot quicker than they used to be but still give the same or better quality of cut. I’ve also noted an improved design in terms of access to the main servicing parts, which has made it a lot easier and quicker too.”
Adding that they’ve had a great response since the new machines arrived, Vicky says: “We’ve had a lot of compliments from members and visitors following the club’s recent investment in Toro. The improvements on the course are there for all to see.”
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.toro.com / www.lely.com for further details. And in Ireland by Lely Ireland Limited, Kilboggin, Nurney, Co. Kildare. Call 00 353 (0)45 526170 or email turfcaresales.ie@lely.com.
Harborne Golf Club www.harbornegolfclub.org.uk
View more Golf Course News and latest list of Most-read stories