Rockliffe in County Durham has committed to another five-year partnership with Toro, Reesink Turfcare and Lloyd Ltd, taking the longstanding relationship to 18 years.
The club has invested in 50 new Toro machines to support the greenkeeping team and the continued development of its championship golf course.
As part of an extensive resort redevelopment, the 18-hole, Hawtree-designed course is undergoing a significant overhaul. Having the right machinery available is essential to the success of the project and the ongoing maintenance of the course.
For Course Manager Jon Wyer the investment supports a broad programme of course improvement, presentation and landscape management, giving his team the capacity and flexibility to work effectively.
“Ensuring the team has reliable equipment and better information means we’re in a stronger position to improve and maintain the course to the standard our members expect,” says Jon. “It’s a busy operation, with a lot of different jobs taking place at the same time, and without the correct machinery available we wouldn’t be as productive or efficient. This deal gives the team the dependable equipment they need to get on with the job.”
Rockliffe’s fleet is increasing from 42 to 50 machines. The expanded fleet includes three Reelmaster 5010-H hybrid mowers, two Multi Pro sprayers with GeoLink technology and machine-to-machine communication, alongside the new Intelli360 connected fleet management platform. This enables more machines to be allocated to specific areas rather than continually shared between teams.
Intelli360 also makes Rockliffe one of the first golf courses in the UK to benefit from real-time machinery visibility, bringing information together to simplify fleet management.
Jon explains: “With a large number of machines operating across the golf course and wider estate, having that visibility will make it easier to understand how individual machines are being used, helping us manage the fleet more effectively and make better-informed decisions.
“Ultimately, I’d like Intelli360 to become part of our normal working process, helping us manage the fleet proactively rather than simply reacting when there’s a problem.”
At Rockliffe, precision is essential when managing applications across such a vast area. Toro’s GeoLink technology supports this through GPS and precision mapping, individual nozzle control and sub-inch application accuracy using Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) correction technology.
“Having two sprayers able to communicate and work simultaneously will streamline the spraying process. Having information available, rather than relying purely on people remembering what has been done, makes the process much more straightforward. It’s beneficial from both an efficiency and environmental point of view,” says Jon.
Eight Toro Workman UTX utility vehicles form a key part of the fleet, providing the versatility to move people, materials and equipment across the extensive estate. For an operation of this scale, with projects such as the 78-bunker reshape underway, that flexibility is critical to keeping the greenkeeping operation moving.
The partnership reflects the longstanding relationship between Rockliffe, Toro, Reesink, and Lloyd Ltd with equipment, technology and support evolving alongside the needs of the course.
Rob Hogarth, Dealer Development & Key Account – North, Reesink Turfcare, comments: “Rockliffe is a great example of how the right combination of equipment, technology and long-term support can help a golf course meet the demands of an ambitious operation. With the fleet expanding and innovations such as Intelli360 and GeoLink being introduced, the team has greater visibility, flexibility and precision across the estate.”
Lloyd Ltd sales representative Carl Handley says, “This deal reflects Rockliffe’s positive experience with Toro and the strength of our relationship. Toro is ideally suited to maintaining a course of this calibre and we look forward to continuing to develop the partnership going forward.”
See also the Premium Entry for Toro Commercial Products in The Golf Owners Operators and Developers Directory