Blackwell Golf Club in Worcestershire has become the latest course to benefit from Toro’s Golf Decoder Controller (GDC) irrigation system.

The 18-hole parkland course’s previous system had reached the end of its useful life and hence the club turned to irrigation consultant Irritech Limited and contractor Ocmis to specify and install a new greens, tees and approaches system. Course manager Peter Fletcher didn’t hesitate when a Toro system was recommended.

“What really swung it for us was the GDC controller system and pop-up sprinklers,” Peter reveals. “Our old irrigation system featured Toro sprinklers and, even though they’d since worn out, we’d never had any problems with them. Others in the industry also recommended GDC as a good system.”

Peter says that the new system – which also features Toro’s DT35 valve-in-head sprinklers on the greens and approaches, and 810G sprinklers on the tees, together with a new tank, pump set and mainline pipe work – is providing consistent coverage across the 6,260-yard course. “We’re using less water, plus the water we are using is going where it should,” he continues. “Our old system only covered the greens, with the tees having to be watered manually during the day and only just adequately.”

However, Peter says the ability to now water at night has brought about a dramatic improvement. “The course is in much better condition as a result of watering at night, especially the tees,” he says. “With our old system we had to hand-water a few dry spots, but we’ve not had to do that. Our old system was all or nothing, but the Toro system is much more flexible and you can adjust the irrigation to suit your requirements.”

Accurate, efficient and cost-effective, Toro’s popular and proven GDC system now boasts over 200 successful installations worldwide. GDC uses a two-wire path to communicate to buried decoders, thus eliminating the costs associated with traditional valve wire bundles. This simple and expandable system also enables optimum use of water so that golf clubs can make the most of this precious resource.

For more information on Toro Irrigation products, call distributor Lely UK on 01480 226848/226872 or email irrigation.uk@lely.com.