Trentham Golf Club signed on the dotted line to become a Toro ‘Total Solutions’ customer four months ago, and the 18-hole Open Championship Qualifying course, based near Stoke-on-Trent, is now all Toro red. 

Toro MultiPro 5800D in action at Trentham Golf Club.

So far, it’s the MultiPro 5800D and Greenmaster 1000 mowers making a standout mark on the course. “I was particularly looking forward to the arrival of the MultiPro 5800D,” says Ed Stant, course manager. “I was hoping this machine would mean less downtime swapping our top dresser and mounted sprayer, which it does.

“This is a great benefit, but the greatest factor for me about the MultiPro is the Sonic Boom. Instead of having to manually lift and lower the spraying arm, it automatically maintains the desired spray height. We can now be confident spraying is consistently accurate and always at the optimum height, however undulating the ground is.” 

Also living up to expectations are the Greensmaster 1000 pedestrian greens mowers. Toro claims these machines cut lower than other brands at the same height of cut setting, and this is something Ed and his team of seven at Trentham are now witnessing firsthand. 

“The Greensmaster 1000 pedestrian mowers are producing an excellent quality cut. Three machines are used to mow the greens three days a week at a bench set height of 3.5mm, and turf ironed on the other two week days. We had spiral brushes fitted to each mower and the result is increased green speed without having to cut lower than the optimum height of 3.5m. The players have noticed a marked difference in the playing surface, which is the ultimate aim. 

The club has also taken delivery of a Groundsmaster 4500-D, two Reelmaster 5410-D, three Greensmaster 1600 pedestrian mowers, two Transpro 80 trailers, a Reelmaster 3100 and three different Workman vehicles. “We’ve been delighted with all of them,” says Ed.

“The lads really like the two RM5410-D. We’re using them to cut the fairways at 11mm two days a week and it’s a big improvement on what we had before. They’re powerful and have improved our productivity by ten percent.” 

Ed cannot exclude the Reelmaster 3100-D for praise. “We use it to cut in two directions around the fairways. This gives definition between the fairways and semi-roughs. The result is impressive, as it is on the tees and pond banks where we also use the machine.”

But Trentham didn’t just sign up for new turfcare machinery, the club has opted to be a ‘Total Solutions’ club, too, choosing the Toro Lynx control system to irrigate the course. This system is renowned for precise irrigation whatever the unique and changing priorities of the course. 

Ed says: “The Lynx system will be complemented by DT34 and 35 sprinklers on the greens, green banks and approaches, the TR50 sprinklers on the tees and T7s on the practice range tee. We’re working with the consultant Irritech and tenders for installation are in with interviews taking place over the next four to six weeks. The installation of a new irrigation system is a complex process and is expected to take up to a year, but already I am excited about the results.” 

www.lelyturfcare.com