GOLF
I would not say I am loyal to any one
” A river runs through it!
manufacturer, but we do like the Baroness brand. Some people might not like this, but I believe you should not look at the name on the bonnet or the colour of the
The club is investing heavily this year in a new irrigation system to replace the old Toro system initially installed in 1976. In 1996, they replaced the wiring and valve boxes, but they have been getting a lot more breakdowns and leaks in recent years, and it was decided it was time to replace the whole system.
“Full Circle started work in January and it will be a sixteen-week project if all goes well. If we get a flood it could be twenty weeks and, if we get another after that, it could be twenty-four! It will great once the all singing all dancing system is put in as we have a mish-mash of sprinkler heads around the course and some are forty years old.”
For many years, the club’s policy has been to buy all their machinery outright, no matter what it is or the cost, but this may change. “We are now starting to look towards a little bit of leasing with machines getting more expensive, along with other expenses around the course like the new irrigation system and drainage work. Machines we would look to lease in the future would be what I call frontline machines, for example, the fairway, rough, surrounds and greens mowers. Machinery such as tractors tend to last longer, and you could even lease them for over ten years.”
“The bulk of our equipment is Baroness, and we do have a little bit of Toro. I would not say I am loyal to any one manufacturer, but we do like the Baroness brand as we find the machines are well built, the quality of the cut is excellent, and they are reliable. Some people might not like this, but I believe you should not look at the name on the bonnet or the colour of the machine, instead look at what each machine gives you and choose what is best for your site.” Worm casts have become a big problem for many golf courses since products that we knew were effective have been taken off the market and Ilkley is no different. “I have trialled six or seven different worm products that are currently available, and I have not seen good enough results from any of them where I would be comfortable in asking the club to spend thousands of pounds. We have had to look at cultural control methods, and we have bought a big 18ft, Wiedenmann Terra Rake which does a great job on the fairways when the worm casts are dry. We also use it to clear up after the floods. The unfortunate problem is that, since June last year, the weather has not wanted to turn dry, so you end up smearing the worm cast out when you have to cut.”
machine, instead look at what each machine
gives you and choose what is best for your site
What’s in the shed?
Baroness LM2700 fairway mower Baroness LM331 tees mower Baroness LM56C pedestrian mowers x 2 Baroness GM2800 rotary mower Allett Buffalo 24 cylinder mower Toro Greensmaster 3250 x 2 Toro Reelmaster 3100D x 2 Toro Reelmaster 5610D Toro Procore 660 aerator Toro ProCore 648
John Deere hydraulic gang mower Cushman Turf Truckster Iseki TK546 tractor Kubota RTV 990 TYM T443 tractor
Deutz Fahr Agroplus 310 GS tractor Lely greens iron Wiedenmann Terra Rake SISIS HD spiker SISIS Varibrush SISIS Veemo MkII SISIS Scarifier MkIV Huxley HU84 slitter
Flymo XL500 petrol hover mowers x 2 Trilo leaf blower Wessex 3 tonne trailer Billy Goat truck loader
Gambetti tractor mounted sprayer Hardi sprayer
PC February/March 2021 31
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