Toro has concluded a £2 million deal to supply new turf equipment to leading golf club operator Crown Golf, which owns and manages nine UK golf clubs.
Two Crown Golf courses – The Vale, in Evesham, Worcs., and Batchworth Park, Rickmansworth, Herts. – are the first to be fully equipped with a range of over £400,000-worth of new Toro turf machinery under phase one of the agreement.
The other courses will receive their new equipment in subsequent phases of the deal which, when complete in 2006, will represent a £2 million investment in Toro equipment by the organisation.
Group greens manager Mark Heath, who co-ordinates everything for all nine courses from his base at The Vale, explains, “We have had Toro kit on our courses for many years, with each club previously controlling its own annual capital expenditure budget. With a recent change of ownership, we had an opportunity to pursue a group deal with a leading manufacturer which would, over time, enable us to be in the enviable position of replacing all machines of one year or older.
“We assessed Toro against the other leading manufacturers and as well as being our preferred supplier they eventually came through with the best deal.”
The new kit at The Vale and Batchworth Park is a mix of tees, greens, fairway, surrounds and rough mowers, plus Workman utility vehicles and sprayers.
Members are already reaping the benefits of improved course conditions, and it’s an exciting time for Mark and his greenkeeping team. “Our new Reelmaster 3100-D Sidewinder and 6500-D fairway mowers are both outstanding,” he says, “superb cut, safe and easy to use. Team morale is fantastic and, with easier and less maintenance required, we have been able to increase our focus on the all-important attention to detail that’s demanded on a Crown Golf course.”
Toro commercial turf maintenance products are distributed throughout the mainland UK by Lely (UK) Limited, St Neots, Cambs. (Tel: 01480 226800), and in all of Ireland by Lely Ireland Limited, Kilboggin, Nurney, Co. Kildare (Tel: 00 353 (0)45 526170).
Toro www.toro.com
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