All but eliminating the issue of worm cast removal, the team at Worplesdon Golf Club have been delighted with the performance of their Redexim Top-Brush. The effectiveness of the 6m wide brush came as no surprise though to Course Manager Paul Robinson (pictured), who had been involved with the development of the proto-type model – helping to create the perfect solution for course brushing, dew removal and presentation.
Worplesdon’s 18-hole Course (pictured) is located in the classic heathland belt of Surrey and is consistently ranked in Golf Monthly’s UK&I Top 100. The loamy, sandy fairways played a part in Paul’s interest in the development of the Top-Brush.
“Having lost chemical treatments, mechanical means of removal are going to become pivotal in maintenance programmes moving forward” he explains. “We were delighted to be one of the first to trial the prototype and provided Redexim with in-field feedback to help shape the final model.”
Three years after its first arrival, a fully-developed Top-Brush has now completed its first year on course. “There’s no universal solution for every course, but we used the Top-Brush to incorporate sand during dry conditions and found that this then made any casts that did occur dusty and easy to disperse. It has given us a quick, effective answer to one of the major greenkeeper challenges.”
With a 6m working width and option to have the brushes contra-rotating to the direction of travel, the Top-Brush has found more than one use for Paul and his team of eight. “It’s not a one-trick pony. We’ve used it for removing dew which has played a big role in improving plant health, but also we’ve found it leaves a fantastic finish which has meant we can sometimes reduce the amount of fairway mowing that takes place – saving both fuel and man-hours.”
Paul adds, “With a lot of greenkeeping tasks time is really of the essence, so larger, more efficient machinery is the future for ensuring we can still achieve the perfect finish but in the most effective and sustainable ways. The whole Top-Brush project has been great to be involved with and the result is something which is truly fit-for-purpose.”