Mount Oswald Manor & Golf Course, in Durham, has reported a vast improvement in the quality of its 18-hole parkland course since investing in a fleet of Toro machinery.

Mount Oswald head greenkeeper, Ian Miller, front, with the greenkeeping team

Two years ago the club decided to overhaul their entire fleet of front-line machines, bringing in new Toro fairway, tees and greensmowers, a rough-cutter Reelmaster 4500-D and a Sidewinder. “We had invested a great deal in irrigation and drainage and wanted to match this with the best course machinery on the market,” says director Nigel Galvin.

“Toro has always been on the course, but we did some very objective evaluations to establish which equipment would best suit our needs and budget. Toro came out top for quality of cut and build, ease of use and, very importantly, residual value. The greenkeepers all wanted Toro. They use it every day, so their opinion was very influential.

“The rough-cutter is superb because it enables us to improve the aesthetic appeal of the course,” Nigel adds, “so we have much more flexibility with presentation. The Sidewinder is a complete boon as we can cut around bunker edges and other sloped areas quicker, better and safer than before.

“Overall the Toro kit is enabling us to continue to improve the course and give the players the best golf experience we can.”