The Open Championship returns to St Andrews Links for the 29th time next week, continuing a long and storied tradition of excellence.

Crews have spent months preparing for the event with the help of Toro equipment and irrigation products from distributor Lely UK. As official supplier to St Andrews, Toro has provided mowing equipment to the course for 15 years. The course is also equipped with a full Toro irrigation system to leverage the latest in water-saving irrigation technology.


The Toro Greensmaster Flex 2100 helping the St Andrews' greenkeeping team create perfect greens at The Old Course

To get ready for the 2015 Open Championship, St Andrews is using a range of Toro walk and riding greensmowers, fairway mowers and rough mowers. According to St Andrews' Director of Greenkeeping, Gordon Moir, the Toro mowers allow his crew to get the ultimate precision cut needed to ensure the best conditions for world-class players.

In keeping with St Andrews' commitment to sustainability, the course has also started using Toro's Greensmaster TriFlex Hybrid 3420 riding greensmower. The hybrid mower features an all-electric reel drive, which eliminates hydraulic leak points and delivers ample horsepower for a range of cutting applications.

"We're finding [the 3420 delivers] a fantastic cut and finish on the greens, and also how it follows the contours is absolutely excellent," explains Gordon. "And, of course, it removes that worry of having a hydraulic leak from your reels on a very vital part of the golf course."


With the Toro irrigation system installed, The Old Course at St Andrews maximises the latest in water-saving irrigation technology

As St Andrews ramps up for the final weeks of preparation, Gordon says it will be all hands on deck. During tournament week, most staff will start at 4:30 in the morning. "We pretty much cut every blade of grass on the course," adds Gordon.

The course will also be monitoring moisture levels and the firmness of the soil to gauge the speed of the greens at tournament time. And distributor Lely UK is providing extensive support to ensure the Toro equipment performs as expected throughout this critical time.

The Open Championship will take place July 16-19, 2015.