Winning Combination For Brickendon Grange

Head greenkeeper Simon Woolley explains: “Whenever we need new machinery we road-test a range of brands and while we are always most impressed with Toro, there are other things to consider, such as the dealership we work with and the parts support the distributor offers.

“Working with Oliver LandPower and Reesink Turfcare makes a difference to us and clinched the deal. The service, especially when we need new parts, is excellent. It is a great team to work with, they are very approachable and understanding towards our needs and wants.”

Simon explains why he and his greenkeeping team of six chose the machines they did this time round. Chosen for its claim of efficiency and productivity a seven deck Groundsmaster 4700-D was brought in and Simon confirms it is more than living up to expectations.

“We had one less in the team last year, which equated to us being 40 man-hours a week down. This change in circumstance played a big part in our machinery choices, especially when it came to the GM4700-D. Instead of opting for a five deck, we chose the seven deck and this simple decision has saved us a day and a half a week to perform the same work, thanks to its ability to be more productive.”

Simon’s two other machinery choices of the Reelmaster TriFlex 3420 and Reelmaster 5010-H have been made to help improve the club’s operating costs. “This is a conscious decision the club has made to be more efficient and we are seeing consistent and regular savings in terms of fuel consumption. It’s also good to know that by making a ‘green’ choice brings with it the added benefit of no hydraulic leaks or risk of oil on the greens, too!”

Set in 160 acres of rolling Hertfordshire countryside, Brickendon Grange has recently seen its 17th hole voted the Greatest Amateur Hole in the UK in the 2016 Grass Roots Golf competition. Simon says: “It was a real coup to win this accolade, set as it was against nine of Britain’s most challenging golf holes. Our 17th hole was deemed the best by the public and impressed an independent judging panel. We consider all our holes to be equal and hope to see the limelight shared between the other 17 holes in years going forward!”

And with such a strong team behind the ‘ace of Herts’, as it is nicknamed, we have no doubt this is entirely possible!