Bury St Edmunds Golf Club in Suffolk is approaching its centenary and is ensuring that the courses are in an immaculate condition in time for the celebrations.
Course manager Tom Smart (left) and general manager Mike Verhelst (right) from Bury St Edmunds Golf Club with Reesink rep Julian Copping
Both the 18-hole championship course, host to many prestigious events over the decades, and the nine-hole Pay-and-Play course needed to be kept in the highest standard all-year round, but the club says special care was required now for such a notable occasion.
Course manager Tom Smart, who manages the nine-strong greenkeeping team on site, says he looked to Toro and Reesink Turfcare to help do the job he required.
“I’ve used many Toro machines in the past and was never let down," he said. "The ones we got from Reesink were all bought for specific purposes, and each has a role to play in producing the highest standards possible on the courses. Everyone can already see the difference these machines have made on the course, and we couldn’t be more pleased.”
The club opted for Reesink’s five-year finance package deal, and invested in four Greensmaster TriFlex Hybrid 3420 riding greensmowers, two Reelmaster 3575-D fairway mowers, a Groundsmaster 3500-D rotary mower, a Groundsmaster 4500-D rotary mower, a Multi Pro 5800-D sprayer and a ProCore 648 pedestrian aerator for the ultimate peace of mind.
“Reesink has been very good during the whole process,” Tom says. “They are just down the road from us, so it makes it quite easy. When we had some very minor settling in issues with a couple of the machines, which was nothing out of the ordinary, Reesink East Anglia were quick to come as soon as we called them and it was all covered under the Toro comprehensive warranty.”
Not only was it important to have the best performing machines to withstand the pressure and demands of such a vital job under deadline, but also to make sure the team was happy while operating and maintaining them.
"When you’re using a machine for up to eight hours a day, operator comfort is vital," Tom eplained. "Having an almost all-Toro fleet now has greatly helped our mechanic too, as parts can be interchanged and the machines are much easier to service and maintain.”
