Faster operation with great quality results from the Verti-Drain 7215 is getting the thumbs-up at Felixstowe Ferry Golf Club.

The fifth oldest club in England, the 27 hole complex near the major port of Felixstowe, Suffolk features the 18-hole undulating Martello Course, a 6379 yard Par 72 next to the sea with stunning views over the East Anglian coast and Deben River. The nine-hole Kingsfleet course of 2986 yards Par 35 is available for ‘Pay and Play’ visitors, offering views across the River Deben and marshes and is as challenging as the Martello course, having two Par 5 holes. The course is currently being returned to its original links condition, with firming up the greens an important task.

Head Greenkeeper Glen Rayfield explains: “We had a 7316 Verti-Drain for 13 years which was an excellent machine, but when it came up for renewal I was looking for a quicker operation, so the 7215 is ideal. Depending on the size of the tine used, we can save 2-4 hours on 18 holes.”

He adds that the 1.5m working width 7215 can be used with a variety of tines from 10-22mm diameter, which he rotates throughout the year to achieve the optimum shattering effect, getting air into the turf and creating fissures which get water away and keep greens in play in the wettest of conditions.

“The extra speed makes a big difference, but the Verti-Drain can still work to 25cm (10in) deep and produce a really good quality, consistent hole, which other high speed machines can’t achieve,” he comments. “It is also very competitively priced.”

Glen praises the build quality of the Verti-Drain, adding that he finds parts easily available and the machine simple to maintain.
“I would expect to get at least 10 years out of this machine – we will work it a bit harder than the previous Verti-Drain which is still going strong and has been kept as a back-up,” he says.

Felixstowe Ferry Golf Club has also enjoyed an excellent relationship with local dealer Tomlinsons. “Adrian Brown and his team have been fantastic, so it was an obvious choice to have another Verti-Drain supplied by them – they have always given us good support in the event of a problem or query. The Verti-Drain is a simple and effective machine – it does exactly what it says on the tin.”