Kim Blake, Course Manager at Fulford Heath Golf Club, has this month added to his fleet of turf machines with the arrival of a new Kubota B3030 compact tractor, bolstering the club’s prized range of Kubotas.
Located in Wythall, a few miles south of Birmingham, the beautifully presented parkland course is a quiet haven only a stones throw from the hustle and bustle of city life.
The arrival of a new B3030 compact tractor with mounted deck and collector – supplied by local dealer Global Sales – is just the latest in a line of Kubota machines the club has acquired; the most recent being a W821-PRO walk-behind and a second RTV900 utility vehicle, purchased in 2013 and 2012 respectively.
The B3030 is a valuable addition to the fleet and one that was chosen thanks, in part, to its impressive power capacity: “I didn’t want the expense of a mid range model but needed a compact that could do what we needed and deliver the same levels of power as a larger model; Kubota’s B Series was the only one in its class that offered this,” explains Kim.
Interestingly, one of the key determiners for Kim and his team was that the new compact be equipped with an air-conditioned cab. Kubota was once again the only manufacturer that could meet these requirements.
“The extra horsepower and air conditioning were important factors in our purchasing decision but they weren’t the only ones,” added Kim. “The B3030 comes with slightly wider tyres than other models in the B series range, so is better suited to sports turf use. It’s an ideal compact for our needs, and looking long term, Kubota machines are renowned for holding their value, so when it comes to upgrading we’ll likely get a good trade-in price.”
The need for hardwearing and exceptionally well built machines is arguably more pressing for the Fulford Heath team, which, aside from the golfing duties, also undertake contracting work for neighbouring local authorities and sports clubs, providing valuable additional income for the club and helping to ensure the team has remained strong and fully equipped even through tough economic times for the industry.
The new addition will be put to work immediately, tasked with many of the club’s more challenging mowing duties, predominantly the semi rough areas and those that other ride-ons in the fleet are unable to navigate.
Kim concluded: “The B3030 will really compliment our existing range, and coupled with our new 2-tonne Kubota trailer, it gives us greater capacity to prepare for our autumn activities, such as collecting leaves, which can be a long and time consuming task. The B3030 and collecter, along with the two RTV900s (which can carry a maximum of half a tonne each), give us the right mix of machines to ensure we’re running efficient with all our daily duties and are safe in the knowledge that machine reliability will never be an issue.”
Kubota www.kubota.co.uk
Fulford Heath Golf Club www.fulfordheathgolfclub.co.uk