Castle Eden Golf Club, CountyDurham, measures 5,976 yards and with a par of just seventy, provides a good test for all handicap levels. Earlier this year, through local dealership Rickerby’s, the club took delivery of a Charterhouse trailed broadcast Rink DS800 Top Dresser and Verti-Drain 7416.
Commenting on his new kit, Head Greenkeeper Graham Border said, “Following demonstrations we took delivery in early August. We haven’t employed the Verti-drain 7416 yet but the DS800 has had an immediate impact. Following a demonstration of various options, we chose the DS800 based on performance, capability and competitive price. We have since hollow-tined and dressed our greens with 40 tons of top dressing, achieving both labour and time savings. The work was undertaken by just one person instead of the three previously required and we have subsequently followed on with a light top dressing, on all greens, which took just four hours”.
With a working speed up to 19mph the Rink DS800 top dresser has the benefit of a hydraulic rear door on the hopper as standard and the hoppers shallow configuration prevents material ‘bridging’ or sticking. The trailed version has the benefit of four wheels on an articulating axle making it ideal for tight contour following, especially useful when spreading on or around greens. Whether the machine is being used for a light, heavy or wetter application it spreads very evenly, resulting in ease of working with the material and time savings.
Suitable for use behind either a 30hp compact tractor, mounted on a John Deere Progator or Toro Workman truck, the Rink DS800 can be used for spreading small-grained, loose material, such as sand, small granular material or similar products. The spreading equipment is driven by a gear box with hydraulic motor with optional cross conveyor belt and a separate hydraulic motor for each of the two spinners. Spreading pattern (variable up to 12 metres) and density can be determined by the tractor spinner and conveyor belt speed, all controlled from the tractor seat.
No unnecessary drop of material takes place between stopping and operation, as the material release gate automatically closes when the belt is stopped. The DS800 Top dresser is a compact unit at 2.40 metres long, 1.45 metres wide and 1.05 metres high. The hopper capacity is 0.8 cubic metres, loading height is 160 cm and the empty weight is 320kg.
Castle Eden Golf Club www.castleedengolfclub.co.uk
Charterhouse Turf Machinery www.charterhouseturfmachinery.co.uk