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EDITOR'S BLOG

A SMALL TEAM AND FIVE ROBOTS
Why one club is utilising automation
by TurfPro Editor, Laurence Gale MSC, MBPR

Faced with the challenge of maintaining high standards with a compact team, Leamington & County Golf Club has embraced robotic mowing as part of its long-term strategy.

NEWS

BIGGA TO LEAD NEXT CHAPTER OF INDUSTRY AWARDS
Following agreement with STRI

In our WEB ONLY story nominations are now open for the refreshed awards that recognise, reward and promote individuals and golf facilities for their work to protect and enhance their surroundings.

GULLANE REPORTS LABOUR SAVINGS
Using robotic mowers

Paul Armour, course manager, Gullane Golf Club, forefront right with Mike Turnbull, Reesink Scotland, forefront left, with the greenkeeping team

Operating overnight across 16 fairways, theclub says the robots allow the greenkeeping team to spend more time on more detailed agronomic tasks.

Gullane Golf Club in East Lothian says it is saving up to 40 labour hours a week after introducing four Toro Turf Pro 500 robotic mowers across its three championship courses.

Paul Armour, course manager, Gullane Golf Club, forefront right with Mike Turnbull, Reesink Scotland, forefront left, with the greenkeeping team

The autonomous mowers were installed in April following a trial with Toro and Reesink Turfcare. Operating overnight across 16 fairways, the club says the machines allow the greenkeeping team to spend more time on presentation, bunker maintenance and other detailed agronomic tasks.

Course manager Paul Armour said the club is saving between 30 and 40 hours each week during the growing season, while stressing that the technology is intended to support staff rather than replace them.

"We're still looking for staff and, with three golf courses to maintain, we never have enough people," he said. "What it's done is free our team from spending hours sitting on machines."

The robotic fleet was introduced around a year after Gullane completed a full Toro fleet refresh and forms part of the club's wider sustainability strategy. The mowers are powered via charging stations supported by solar panels installed in 2025, reducing fuel use and maintenance requirements.

Paul also highlighted the quality of cut achieved by the rotary mowers and suggested that returning grass clippings to the turf could provide longer-term agronomic benefits.

The four machines operate across Gullane's No.1, No.2 and No.3 courses, with installation and site mapping carried out by Reesink Turfcare. According to the club, the fleet was fully operational within 10 days of delivery.

CAMBRIDGSHIRE GC INVESTS IN FLEET UPGRADE
Working with local dealer

The Club has completed a significant machinery fleet upgrade as part of an ongoing programme to improve course presentation and maintenance standards.

The Cambridgeshire Golf Club has completed a significant machinery fleet upgrade as part of an ongoing programme to improve course presentation and maintenance standards.

Course manager Steve Pateman, who joined the Bar Hill club in 2023, said much of the existing fleet had been in service for around 20 years and was no longer meeting the demands of the 160-acre parkland course.

Working with dealer George Browns, the club invested in a range of new equipment including a Kubota L2622 compact tractor and RTV utility vehicle, Baroness AgriMetal roller, Trimax Snake rotary mower and Redexim Verti-Drain 7416.

Steve said the investment had delivered immediate gains in productivity, highlighting the Trimax Snake mower in particular. He claimed fairway mowing, which had previously occupied one member of staff for almost a full week, can now be completed in under two days.

He also praised the reliability of the Kubota machines and said the new Verti-Drain would help improve course condition, particularly during wet periods on the club's tree-lined layout.

Alongside the machinery supply, George Browns has also provided operator training, parts support and aftersales service.

According to Steve, the improvements in course condition have already been noticed by members and visitors, with the club reporting an increase in new memberships following recent golf events. He added that further investment is being considered, including a lithium-powered Sand Pro and a new Baroness greens mower, as the club continues its course development programme.

PRO LAWNCARE SHOWCASED
At the UKLCA Summer Festival

UK Lawn Care Association Summer Festival

One of the key themes throughout the festival was the importance of scarification as part of a proactive lawn maintenance programme.

PSD Groundscare say they recently returned to this year's UK Lawn Care Association (UKLCA) Summer Festival with a clear objective - to demonstrate how professional lawn renovation equipment can help groundsmen, landscapers and lawn care specialists create healthier, stronger and more resilient turf.

Throughout the event, the team showcased the latest innovations from Eliet and Sabo, giving visitors the opportunity to see first-hand how scarification, overseeding and topdressing form the foundations of successful professional lawn care programmes. From sports pitches and fine turf through to commercial landscaping and domestic lawn renovation, visitors were able to discuss complete lawn care solutions with the team.

One of the key themes throughout the festival was the importance of scarification as part of a proactive lawn maintenance programme. While mowing improves presentation, said, PSD, scarification improves the health of the lawn itself by removing thatch and moss, allowing water, oxygen and nutrients to reach the rootzone.

Peter Mercer, UK sales manager at PSD Groundscare, said, "The UKLCA Summer Festival is one of the highlights of the year because it brings together professionals who are passionate about producing exceptional turf. It gave us the perfect opportunity to demonstrate the benefits of scarification and complete lawn renovation, while showcasing the Eliet and Sabo ranges, including the EcoCure Topdresser. We'd like to thank everyone who visited the stand and we look forward to continuing to support groundsmen and landscapers across the UK with the right machinery and expertise."

LISTER WILDER JOIN NEW NETWORK
To meet diverse needs of their customers

Dealership says the breadth of the range and customer-focused approach made them a natural fit for their business.

Lister Wilder, with branches in Ashford, Bristol, Cirencester, Guildford, Reading, and Salisbury, has announced that FSI Stump Cutters UK Ltd are its newest official partner, bringing their stump grinder range to customers across the South of England.

L-R: Dan Sharood arboriculture brand manager and agricultural product specialist at Lister Wilder and Lee Hatton, sales director for FSI UK & Ireland

The partnership sees the dealership add the range to its arboricultural offering, giving customers access to machines suited to domestic, commercial and specialist applications.

Dan Sharood, arboriculture brand manager and agricultural product specialist at Lister Wilder, said, "We were looking for a stump grinder range that could meet the diverse needs of our customers, and FSI ticked all the boxes. The quality of the machines, breadth of the range and customer-focused approach made them a natural fit for our business."

The announcement also carries a personal note for FSI UK & Ireland sales director, Lee Hatton, who spent six years as Lister Wilder's area sales manager before joining FSI in 2023.

Lee, who is now sales director for FSI in the UK & Ireland, added, "Lister Wilder's reputation for quality service and their deep knowledge of the industry make them an excellent addition to our partner network. Having spent six years there myself, I know first-hand the level of expertise and care their team brings to customers, and I'm looking forward to working closely with them to make sure customers across the South get the right FSI machine for the job."

THE ARCHIVE TO MARK 80th EDITION
Of upcoming show

Organisers say the brand-new feature is designed to take visitors on a journey through the history of grounds management.

SALTEX will celebrate its 80th edition when it returns to the NEC Birmingham this November 11-12.

Organisers, the GMA, say that part of the celebrations will be the launch of The Archive, a brand-new feature designed to take visitors on a journey through the history of grounds management.

They say the Archive will guide visitors through five defining eras of the industry's evolution. Starting in the years before SALTEX and before modern mechanisation, The Archive will map the development of grounds care through the Hurlingham era, the rise of post-war machinery and the emergence of specialist equipment tailored to different sports surfaces.

The GMA said in an statement, "Visitors will follow the transformation of grounds management into the highly skilled profession it is today, driven by advances in technology, before arriving at the modern era where sustainability and automation are shaping the future of the sector.

"The eras will tell a powerful story of continuous progress, showing how generations of grounds professionals have adapted to changing demands while maintaining the highest standards of playing surfaces across the UK and beyond."

One of the standout attractions within The Archive will be a rare pre-1938 collection of machinery, made possible through the support of The Hall & Duck Trust.

Among the exhibits will be an 1858 Improved Budding lawn mower, manufactured by Ferrabees of Stroud and widely recognised as one of the foundations of modern mowing technology. Visitors will also have the opportunity to see a 1905 Ransomes Patent Motor Mower, believed to be the earliest known Ransomes pedestrian mower, alongside a 1919 Simar rotavator, thought to be the oldest surviving example of its kind in the UK.

The collection will also include a 1928 water-cooled JP lawn mower and one of the earliest known Dennis mowers, dating back to 1923.

Sarah Hunter, Head of Events at the GMA, said, "As we celebrate 80 editions of SALTEX, we're proud to honour our heritage whilst still showcasing the latest innovations that will define the next generation of grounds management. This year's event will be one of the most memorable in our history."

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