New Toro fleet for new Performance Centre
As the first team moves into AFC Bournemouth’s new training complex at Canford Magna, a new fleet of Toro machinery arrives to look after the first four pitches to be built.
When it comes to the turfcare machinery entrusted to look after this huge investment in sport, it had to be Toro.
The machinery choices by Head of Grounds Ian Lucas are strategically made on how to cut more efficiently according to European regulations and meet the Premier League standards in place for all pitches.
Ian explains, “The products we chose come with adjustments to match the width of cut to the pitches exactly. The Toro Reelmaster 3100 with Sidewinder, which is usually a mower favoured by golf clubs for cutting around bunkers and obstacles, allows us to mow as efficiently as possible with no overlap.”
It’s a machine also favoured by Manchester United, West Ham and Liverpool football clubs, says Ian: “I visited other training centres and saw how other clubs had fitted a wider arm kit on the Sidewinder but without the wider front units meaning they could cut 30 inches across instead of 26. That meant the cutting width worked better with the required striping pattern within the dimensions of the pitch.”
The Toro Reelmaster 3100 with Sidewinder.
The patented Sidewinder technology brings more benefits than that to the football pitch though as Ian continues: “Being able to use the Sidewinder cutting unit from left to right brings a more even weight distribution eliminating wear marks.”
Also ably assisting Ian and his team of 11 looking after the 57-acre training grounds are Toro’s Workman HDX utility vehicles with cabs for improved operator comfort and a Toro Reelmaster 3550 for its light footprint and turf-friendly tyres.
Ian says: “The Workmans have a big cargo bed which is perfect for the development stage of the project we’re in – it can easily cope with the amount of grass we need to move and the attachments we load it up with like the tipper trailer.”
This will be followed up with another machinery order in the new year as the next four pitches for the £36 million Performance Centre open. Ian comments: “We’re ready for that. I’ve already chosen the Toro machines I want and submitted the lists. I’ve been using Toro for around 15 years, so I know how good it is, especially with the back-up and support of Reesink, our local dealer D J Scott and our mobile mechanic Lee Read.”
Just as AFC Bournemouth’s ambition and commitment to excellence is shown with its new state of the art training complex, Reesink’s focus is on working with Ian and the team to ensure they have the turfcare equipment they need to maintain all the pitches to the highest of standards.
