When Wenvoe Castle Golf Club near Cardiff lost nine holes due to a spraying error, the club turned a negative into a positive by redeveloping and improving the course rather than simply repairing the damage.

The club’s greens chairman, Robert Gillard, and professional, Jason Harris, took over the management of the course after routine spraying for leatherjackets and worms had led to the accidental contamination of the greens in 2007.

After re-laying seven holes on a temporary basis in order to get them back into play as quickly as possible, Robert and Jason made a commitment to return Wenvoe – renowned as one of Wales’ finest courses since its inception in 1936 – to the high standards players expect. “To do this, we needed the very best equipment and that’s why we chose Toro,” Robert comments.

The club committed to Toro exclusively after its greenkeeping team tested the machines against two major Toro competitors. As Robert explains: “We’d already had some Toro kit and knew it was a market-leader, but this was the first time we committed to it entirely. The equipment out-performed everything else on the course.”

Wenvoe’s Toro fleet includes a Reelmaster 5610-D, a Groundsmaster 4500, a Greensmaster 1000 and two Greenmaster 1600 mowers, as well as a Workman 2065 and 4300, two TransPro 100 trailers and a ProCore 648 aerator. The machines have played their part in the restoration and redevelopment of the course.

“When the accident happened, we were already redeveloping the first and 10th holes,” says Robert. “So, in many ways, it was the ideal time to further improve the course. It’s now fully back in play and is in fantastic condition. The 10th hole is our signature hole and is looking even better than before.”

Robert concludes: “I must say that the technical expertise, on-course training, back-up and support from Wyn Davis of our local dealership, Ted Hopkins Limited, and from Toro is excellent. We were looking for someone to work with us and hopefully this is the start of a long and successful partnership that will last far beyond the five years of this initial exclusivity deal. We’re very, very pleased.”

For further information about Wenvoe Castle Golf Club, please visit www.wenvoecastlegolfclub.co.uk.

Photo caption: From left are John Pike, area sales manager for Toro’s UK distributor, Lely, Wenvoe Castle‘s greens chairman Robert Gillard and Wyn Davies from Ted Hopkins dealership.