The Open Championship returns to St Andrews Links for the 29th time this year, continuing a long and storied tradition of excellence.
Crews have spent months preparing for the event with the help of Toro equipment and irrigation products from distributor Lely UK. As official supplier to St Andrews, Toro has provided mowing equipment to the course for 15 years. The course is also equipped with a full Toro irrigation system to leverage the latest in water-saving irrigation technology.
To get ready for the 2015 Open Championship, St Andrews is using a range of Toro walk and riding greensmowers, fairway mowers and rough mowers. According to St Andrews’ Director of Greenkeeping, Gordon Moir, the Toro mowers allow his crew to get the ultimate precision cut needed to ensure the best conditions for world-class players.
In keeping with St Andrews’ commitment to sustainability, the course has also started using Toro’s Greensmaster TriFlex Hybrid 3420 riding greensmower. The hybrid mower features an all-electric reel drive, which eliminates hydraulic leak points and delivers ample horsepower for a range of cutting applications.
“We’re finding the 3420 delivers a fantastic cut and finish on the greens, and also how it follows the contours is absolutely excellent,” explains Gordon. “And, of course, it removes that worry of having a hydraulic leak from your reels on a very vital part of the golf course.”
As St Andrews ramps up for the final weeks of preparation, Gordon says it will be all hands on deck. During tournament week, most staff will start at 4:30 in the morning. “We pretty much cut every blade of grass on the course,” adds Gordon.
The course will also be monitoring moisture levels and the firmness of the soil to gauge the speed of the greens at tournament time. And distributor Lely UK is providing extensive support to ensure the Toro equipment performs as expected throughout this critical time.
First played in 1860, this will be the 144th Open Championship, also known as ‘the British Open’. And, since the game of golf was first played at the Old Course at St Andrews in the early 1400s, it is widely considered the ‘home of golf’. Both are iconic institutions that are held to the highest standards of play — and that demands reliable, precise equipment. The long-term partnership between St Andrews and Toro reflects these shared values.
Lely’s David Cole, senior manager, turf division, says: “St Andrews Links is famous for its history of innovation and excellence; qualities that Toro is also known for. We’re both delighted and proud to be supporting the Home of Golf in continuing this reputation into the 144th Open Championship and look forward to seeing the tournament in July.”
Toro turf products are distributed throughout mainland UK by Lely (UK) Limited, 1 Station Road, St Neots PE19 1QH. Call 01480 226800, email turfcare.uk@lely.com or visit www.toro.com / www.lely.com for further details. And in Ireland by Lely Ireland Limited, Kilboggin, Nurney, Co. Kildare. Call 00 353 (0)45 526170 or email turfcaresales.ie@lely.com.
To learn more about the preparations at St Andrews Links, watch the new video series on Toro’s YouTube Channel.
The Open Championship www.theopen.com
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Image captions:
- The Toro Greensmaster Flex 2100 helping the St Andrews’ greenkeeping team create perfect greens at The Old Course with its flexible cutting unit suspension.
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