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MACHINERY FEATURE

SUPPLIER-CLUB RELATIONSHIPS

IN GOLF COURSE MAINTENANCE

igh-performing greens, visual steel retain a sharp edge up to three area, a turf aerator is used, as well as the
appeal and tee positioning that times longer to minimise the need and Greensmaster 3250-D to get around small
Haccommodates varying abilities are frequency of adjustments, backlapping corners.
among some of the key considerations and grinding leading to healthier turf that
for golfers. However, achieving and stays green. Houghton Golf Club also owns two Toro
maintaining these attributes is a full- Workman MDX units, a Toro 1250 spray
time job requiring agronomic expertise, Two Reelmaster 3100-D mowers are also tank and six Flex 2120 walk-behind
experience, a well-trained crew, and on site. With a 21.5 hp (16 kw) Kubota mowers. The spray tank is used to spray
above all, a reliable fleet of equipment. engine, the Reelmaster 3100-D has the greens, tees and fairways usually every
Maintaining an average 18-hole golf power to climb and power to cut through week, and sometimes up to four times a
course – which is larger than 70 football difficult mowing conditions. It is available week on various parts of the course. The
fields – is very labour intensive and may in a 183 cm or 216 cm width of cut. With Workman MDX’s are great utility vehicles
also have numerous bunkers, a few miles a choice of 5, 8, and 11 blade reels and used to carry goods, staff and for towing
of cart paths and many other course adjustable reel speed control, this mower purposes.
features. can be configured to meet all mowing
applications. The Greensmaster Flex 2120 mower
At Houghton Golf Club in Johannesburg, delivers consistently good results on the
Smith Power Equipment adheres to a Another Toro mower on site is the versatile bentgrass greens. It cuts closely to follow
meticulous turf maintenance regime to Greensmaster 3250-D. A large, 3 cylinder, severe undulations at extremely low
ensure the course’s aesthetic appeal and Kubota® 902 diesel engine making 24.8 hp heights, and provides an excellent solution
overall playability. In recent years, the (18.5 kw) @ 3 600 rpm, governed to 2 750 for greens that require precision mowing.
greenkeeping team has standardised its rpm, provides the performance needed to The unique and patented Flex suspension
fleet on Toro machines supplied by Smith use on greens and all areas around them. system uses an integrated linkage system
Power Equipment, with excellent results. Ross says they have since placed an order to allow cutting units to pivot around the
for another 3250-D. centre of the front roller, which prevents
Course superintendent Stuart Ross says side-to-side scrubbing of the putting
spring treatment is the chance to achieve Also on site is the Groundsmaster 3500 surface.
an optimum foundation to ensure the – a revolutionary triplex rotary mower
grass performs during the growing designed for superior performance Knowing that equipment is vital in
season. This involves several processes trimming. The free-floating Contour Plus achieving course maintenance goals,
for dethatching all kikuyu areas as well as cutting decks allow mowing of undulating Houghton Golf Club has standardised
aerification on tees, fairways and green terrain without scalping. The powerful its fleet with Toro machines, cementing
surrounds. engine and exclusive traction drive system its strong relationship with Smith Power
gets the mowing job done quickly. Equipment.
Typically, spring treatment at Houghton
Golf Club starts on the 1st of July with On the green surrounds, considering For further information contact Robert
the bunkers. There are 64 bunkers in total the tighter and complex nature of the Keir on 011 284 2000 LSA
and work takes two to three weeks with
a team of 6-10 people. Due to the design
of the bunkers, normal brush cutters can’t
be used because they are too aggressive
and the bunkers will therefore lose their
unique shape. Much of the work is done
manually.
Work on the tee surrounds commences
in August, moving on to the rough, then
the out-of-play areas and eventually tees,
fairways and green surrounds. September
starts with high traffic areas, being tees
and fairways.
To undertake this process, a Reelmaster
5510 is on site for cutting fairways. A key
feature of this machine is the Dual Precision
Adjustment (DPA) cutting units which
maintain levelness and hold adjustments.
The DPA allows quick bedknife to reel
adjustment. Harder reel and bedknife

Stephen Mangold (left) of Smith Power Equipment and Stuart Ross of
Houghton Golf Club

Landscape SA • Issue 91 2019 25