Newslines Spring 2018

news lines . spring 2018 . 03 Considered to be one of the top golf clubs in the UK and among the best in the world, Royal Dornoch Golf Club keeps ahead of the curve by bringing in the best technology available to maintain the courses – as proven by its second investment in Toro machinery and its first in TYM tractors. 01 Traditional club trusts Toro tech Included along with a fleet of 3 5 Toro machines, a Toro irrigation system with sprinklers and tw o TYM tractors, is Toro’s myTurf Pro fleet management program. Keeping technology current is a priority at Royal Dornoch, where the operation of Toro’s myTurf Pro fleet management program is in full swing. Eoin Riddell, course manager, counts this among his favourite bits of Toro kit, saying: “When we brought in myTurf we were all a little dubious to begin with, but that quickly changed. Our machines pass a sensor at our shed door that automatically records how long they’ve been in operation and, from this, calculates preventative maintenance and replacement parts needed. “Our mechanic can access this information, plus user manuals for every Toro machine manufactured, by logging in to myTurf on his computer. The program makes life so much easier and eliminates human error, making cost of ownership calculations far more accurate.” Royal Dornoch follows the remote links landscape and there, among many, to tame the wilderness is a Groundsmaster 4500-D. Eoin comments: “The 4500-D is a great mower that can cut anywhere and has unbelievable productivity. It makes light work of the courses, turf nurseries, driving ranges, and a grass runway we maintain.” This is down to the model’s SmartPower technology that enables a consistent cut anywhere. The intuitive feature works by automatically adjusting the mower’s engine speed according to cutting conditions, while maintaining optimal power to the blades. In 2016 Royal Dornoch celebrated 400 years of golf with 250 tournaments over the year, during which the Toros were always out. Eoin explains: “At some points we were hosting two tournaments a day and Royal clubs from all over the world joined us for a week-long celebration. Throughout it all we could rely on our Toros, which worked all- year-round – morning, nights, even weekends – with barely a hiccup! “Royal Dornoch is a traditional club with a great history, but in such a fast-paced industry we must move forward with technology to maintain a world-class reputation.” Cover and 02 Eoin Riddell, course manager, says it’s important to update machines frequently with the best technology available. Toro’s Reelmaster 5010-H hybrid (cover) and Greenmaster 1000 (02) do just that. 01 Eoin Riddell, front left, with Reesink’s David Raitt, front right, and the greenkeeping team 02