News & Events

Appleby Golf Club’s long-serving course manager Steve Campbell and his assistant Grant Dougherty do all the mowing on this 18-hole Cumbrian moorland course. Time is therefore at a premium, and anything that saves this precious commodity without compromising course quality is a real bonus.

So when Nigel Hurst of John Deere dealer Henry Armer & Son gave a demonstration of the company’s new Quick Adjust (QA) cylinder mower cutting units to course managers in the area, Steve saw them as a highly practical addition to his armoury, and genuine time savers.

He already owned a John Deere 2500E hybrid electric greens mower, so he bought a second machine equipped with QA units from Armers. Impressed with their performance benefits, he also decided to upgrade the cutting of tees and surrounds by buying a new 8000 E-Cut hybrid mower.

“We usually do the adjustments in the shed, but the job can be done just as easily out on the course now,” says Steve, who has been in charge of course maintenance at Appleby for 27 years. “All you need is a gauge and a drill. It’s been easy from day one – anyone can do it.

“I reckon we save about an hour each time we make an adjustment, so over the year that’s a lot of time saved, which we can spend doing other vital jobs around the course. Obviously the biggest time saving is at the beginning and end of the main cutting season when height changes are more frequent, but spring and autumn are when there’s most of the other work to do anyway.

“Quick adjustment of the cylinders is a real benefit to us, especially because you don’t even have to take the units off the machine, which used to be pretty tough sometimes.”

Steve Campbell cuts the tees and surrounds twice a week during the summer and used to use a 72in triplex mower, but says his new 8000E is already giving better results. “I now get a wider 80in cut, and the five floating units tackle undulations so much better than the old machine,” he says.

“Before, I had to lower the cut just to reach some parts. Now, I can keep the cut up and get a really good, consistent finish. Turning on the tees without marking makes the job so much quicker too – I love the 8000E’s three-wheel manoeuvrability.”

Lincolnshire businessman and former champion motorcycle racer Roger Burnett has a long-term development plan in place to make Laceby Manor Resort & Golf Club near Grimsby the premier golfing venue in the region.

Having taken ownership of the club in May 2011, Roger has invested in improvements to the clubhouse, course and greenkeeping facilities, including the recent purchase of a new John Deere course maintenance fleet from local dealer F G Adamson & Son of Swanland, North Ferriby.

Bought on a John Deere Financial five year lease package with maintenance, the new fleet includes two 2500E hybrid electric greens mowers, a 7700 PrecisionCut fairway mower, 2653B tees & surrounds mower, 1600T wide area rotary rough mower, 3720 compact tractor with cab and 300CX front loader, Aercore 1500 tractor-mounted aerator and a CX Gator utility vehicle.

The club will also mark its 20th birthday this summer by hosting Adamson’s regional John Deere Team Championship golf tournament for local clubs on May 30th, from which the winning team will join the National Finals at De Vere Slaley Hall in Northumberland next September.

“Locally, Laceby Manor is well known as one of the best natural settings for golf, but it’s been underdeveloped,” says Roger Burnett. “I believe it has massive potential to become not just a first class golf course, but also the premier wedding venue in the area. We are therefore building an extension to the clubhouse, and we also have a planning application in for 36 lodges to provide suitable accommodation.

“To provide the right golfing experience, the course needs to be in tip-top condition, but it hasn’t been, because of the previous lack of investment. We now have the opportunity to put this right with our new machinery fleet, and with the appointment of a new head greenkeeper in Rob Bradley. Rob has recently joined us from Allerthorpe Park and brings additional experience, knowledge and resource to the existing team.

“Local golfers have always liked the layout of the course, but overall standards had slipped – people’s expectations in terms of customer service these days are very high, therefore we have to replicate these high standards out on the course. The improvements to the clubhouse have already resulted in an increase in membership of nearly 30 per cent, and this latest investment will undoubtedly help us to attract even more new members over the coming months.

“The choice of machinery was very much governed initially by our requirement for a new machinery shed, so the greenkeeping staff would have the right facilities to operate from and maintain the equipment efficiently. After a poor experience with our previous supplier, I felt we should look at John Deere, and Tony Jenkins of Adamsons gave me the confidence that we could work with John Deere to achieve our objectives.

“Any business likes to have fixed costs, with no hidden surprises, and the finance terms were extremely favourable – it really feels like we’ve got John Deere’s support for what we’re trying to do with the course, because of the way they’re supporting the investment.

“I just want the course to be the best it can possibly be,” adds Roger Burnett. “From the point of view of membership recruitment, this investment makes a big statement to both current and potential new members that we mean business, and that we are serious about providing the best golfing experience in the area.”

John Deere Financial has announced two new interest-free finance programmes for UK customers.

The first is available for golf and bowls clubs, who may order any new golf & turf machine from John Deere dealers at any time from now until 31st May 2012. The offer is for 1+1 annual payments at zero per cent interest, with the amount financed limited to 60 per cent of the retail value.

Under the second scheme, all UK business customers may buy any new John Deere compact utility tractor with 1 + 2 annual payments at zero per cent interest, until further notice. In this programme, the amount financed is limited to 50 per cent of the retail value.

As usual, other credit profiles are available on request, and the availability of finance is subject to status and to terms and conditions – further details are available in the Special Offers area at www.deere.co.uk or from John Deere dealers nationwide.

The Richmond Golf Club in Surrey is in the third year of a seven-year equipment replacement plan and its latest acquisition, through a preferred supplier deal with Wokingham based dealer Godfrey’s Golf & Turf, is the John Deere 8000 E-Cut fairway mower.

Course manager Les Howkins had been impressed by the 37hp mower, which features five 18in Quick Adjust (QA) cutting units, following a demonstration, and also reports favourable comments from club members. “They really like the appearance of the narrower cut lines on the fairways,” he says. “The set-up of the machine also means I can use it for cutting the surrounds and approaches and around bunkers, if required.”

The 8000E’s hybrid diesel/electric design produces less engine noise and fewer emissions, and needs less fuel. Les Howkins was convinced to add one to his fleet by the potential fuel cost savings and what the machine could do to enhance the look of the fairways on the 18-hole, 6000-yard course, next to Richmond Park.

“The three-wheel set-up, smooth tyres and the lower risk of hydraulic oil leaks from the hybrid design all added up to a dream machine for the fairways, and so it has proved,” he says. “I favour the diamond pattern of cutting the fairways here – turns with this mower are a lot less harsh, and with the reduced impact their appearance is noticeably crisper. The 8000E does the job just as quickly as a wider machine, because we’ve found the turning plus the lifting and dropping of the reels much more efficient.”

Les Howkins manages a team of 10 fully qualified greenkeepers, and says they have also found the new mower a pleasure to use. All give the thumbs up to John Deere’s uniform mower controls, which makes switching from one cutting job to another much easier.

This is one reason why the club’s equipment replacement plan is “going down the John Deere route”, as Les puts it, and a second 8000E mower was ordered from Godfreys Golf & Turf due to the success of the first machine. “This latest purchase will complete my fairway mowing fleet and ensure consistency of appearance, quality of finish and maintenance in the workshop,” he adds.

A package of new John Deere and ancillary equipment worth nearly £100,000 has just been delivered by Bristol based dealer BS Mowers to head groundsman Darren Ball at Bath Rugby’s brand new training facility and club headquarters at Farleigh House, Farleigh Hungerford, near Bath.

The John Deere machines – which arrived at about the same time as World Cup winning fly half Stephen Donald of New Zealand joined the Bath squad – include two 2653B triplex utility mowers, one of which is used on the main Recreation Ground pitch in Bath city centre, a 3320 compact tractor, an HPX Gator 4x4 utility vehicle, a TC125 core collector, and two R54RKB walk-behind rotary roller mowers. The equipment has been bought on a five year lease from John Deere Financial, including a full dealer service contract.

Bath Rugby’s move to the 19th century Gothic style Farleigh House was first announced in April 2010, when the club was acquired by businessman Bruce Craig. Full-time training started at the new site at the end of June this year, and work is continuing to convert the Grade II listed building into an elite headquarters and dedicated training facility, including a state of the art gym, changing rooms and medical/rehab centre.

Alongside the new building works and restoration of the main house, the club has constructed and landscaped a new full-size natural turf pitch and a half-size international 3G artificial pitch, while a second natural pitch should be fully in play by next spring. Darren Ball – who received the IOG Public Sector Sportsground of the Year Award in 2010 for his work at the Recreation Ground – is currently looking after both sites as well as the old training pitches, so reliable, versatile and hard-working equipment is crucial to help him keep on top of the work.
 “In addition to the triplex mowers for cutting the grass pitches, the compact tractor is used with specialist Charterhouse attachments on the all-weather pitch, as well as a 1.8m rotary mower and a scarifier on the turf areas,” says Darren. “The core collector is useful for cleaning up after the scarifier, as well as for picking up leaves and other debris around the lawns and the rest of the estate.
 “As well as being a general runabout and materials transporter, the Gator can be fitted with a snow blade for clearing the approach roads and lanes surrounding the site when necessary. The walk-behind rotaries are used for cutting out pitch lines and tidying up after practice every so often, as well as for topping over the pitches after re-seeding.
 “I’ve known BS Mowers’ sales manager Simon Free since he was the mechanic at nearby Farrington Golf Club, when he did some contract work for me in the workshops at the Rec,” adds Darren. “When the club needed new machinery for the move to Farleigh House, ideally we were looking for a reliable brand with similar values that could fulfil a lot of our needs. Simon had moved to the local John Deere dealership, so he introduced me to the area sales manager Colin Noad and the deal was worked out from there.
 “BS Mowers could supply all the kit we needed, and I knew we’d be dealing with a reputable, reliable company. Once the new site is fully operational, it will give the club the opportunity to attract visiting international sides, so top quality facilities and presentation will be critical.”

John Deere’s PowerGard Maintenance and PowerGard Protection programmes are now available for the company’s full range of professional turf equipment, including golf and commercial mowers, as well as compact tractors (but not Gator utility vehicles). Combining both plans allows customers to budget for all their equipment servicing and repair costs.

“All our professional turf equipment customers in the UK and Ireland can now benefit from a PowerGard plan to help fix costs, budget more accurately and avoid unexpected outlays,” says John Deere Limited’s aftermarket sales manager James Morley.

“These new PowerGard programmes are specially designed to control operating costs, remove the worry and allow users to choose the best plan to suit their individual needs. Not only can the operator save on maintenance costs by locking into current parts and labour prices, he can also save on his own time and labour.”

One of the first golf courses in the country to adopt PowerGard is Allerthorpe Park Golf Club, near York. The club agreed a new package deal with local dealer F G Adamson & Son of Swanland in East Yorkshire, and took out a John Deere Financial lease with PowerGard maintenance and protection cover from day one, giving them a total fixed cost of ownership over five years.

“I was looking for something to cover all our machines all the time, so that we could concentrate on our greenkeeping duties and on improving the quality of the course and its presentation, without having to worry about servicing or parts as the machines get older,” says head greenkeeper Rob Bradley. “What we liked about PowerGard is that you have one set amount to pay every month with no unexpected costs, which makes budget planning that much easier.”

PowerGard is much more than a simple extended warranty programme; it is a complete maintenance and protection plan that allows the user to budget for the full operating costs of the equipment, while ensuring that it is properly maintained throughout its working life to provide years of reliable service.

PowerGard Maintenance is an agreement between the dealership and the customer to do all the maintenance work on the machine, new or used, according to the service schedule in the operator’s manual. Customers can pay at each service, in regular instalments or for the entire contract in advance, with the cost of the plan including all parts, maintenance fluids and routine labour.

In addition, there are two levels of PowerGard Protection plan that cover the cost of machinery repairs for up to five years, and must be bought with a PowerGard Maintenance plan. The basic PowerGard Protection is for limited coverage of the powertrain and engine, while PowerGard Protection Plus provides more comprehensive coverage of all key machine components.

Full details of covered items are available from John Deere dealers. Subject to acceptance by John Deere Financial, it is possible to fund the PowerGard Protection programmes within a finance package; payments will vary depending on the machine, length of the plan and payment option chosen.

“PowerGard customers can also be secure in the knowledge that their machines are being well cared for by a skilled, fully trained John Deere technician using state of the art tools, who is certified by the industry standard LTA programme,” says James Morley. “This in turn provides reliability and performance advantages, and they will have a complete service record book, fully stamped by the dealer, which will add value to the machine when it is traded in.”

John Deere’s new X305R rear-discharge lawn tractor with collection system replaces the previous X300R model, and features a range of enhancements which make it even more versatile and productive.
 
The X305R has a powerful two-cylinder Kawasaki engine developing 12.2kW at 3100 rpm, which has been specifically manufactured for John Deere. This engine provides sufficient power to handle difficult working conditions while also providing a high level of fuel efficiency.
 
The TurboStar mowing system on the X305R lawn tractor offers excellent grass collection properties. Its enhanced fan features larger diameter, reinforced 8mm blades, and the fan is directly mounted on top of the mower deck for improved material flow into the collection hopper.
 
A low lift blade is used to feed the fan more efficiently, which improves material collection even further, and the mower stops automatically as soon as the hopper is full. This means the hopper’s capacity can be fully utilised, and blockages are avoided.

John Deere’s Setting Directions – Turf product launch sees the addition of two new zero-turn mowers to the company’s range of riding lawn equipment, which includes the existing Z425 model. The Z225 is an entry level machine, while the Z645 has been designed to meet the requirements of semi-professional users.
 
Both these new John Deere zero-turn mowers represent state of the art mowing productivity and operator convenience, and are backed by the world class John Deere dealer network.
 
The homeowner solution: Z225
The Z225 is a new entry level zero-turn machine for fast, efficient and comfortable mowing. Equipped with a twin-cylinder engine developing 14.6kW at 3150rpm, it provides plenty of power and torque, whether you are discharging grass clippings to the side or using the optional collection system or mulching kit. The electronic ignition allows easy starting, while premium power and fuel economy are provided by the V-twin overhead valves and cast iron cylinder liners, which ensure a long engine life.
 
The Z225 can travel at speeds of up to 11.3kph and benefits from efficient, adjustable twin lever controls, which are very easy to use and feature shock absorbers for more comfortable operation. The large 33cm (13in) diameter front caster wheels and 18x8.5-8 rear drive tyres provide solid traction and a smoother ride.
 
A newly designed operator station on the Z225 features excellent visibility. In particular, the edge of the cutting deck can be easily seen when trimming up against obstacles. In addition, all the controls are colour coded for simple identification and operation.
For optimum safety, the operator must sit in the seat, engage the park brake and ensure both control levers are in the outward position before the engine can be started. The engine will also stall if the operator leaves the seat without the control levers in this position, and the park brake engaged.
The deep design of the 107cm (42in) mower deck helps to lift the grass for a clean and even cut. The mower’s high level of performance can be maintained by using the deck’s wash port, which allows a hosepipe to be connected directly to the deck for automatic cleaning.
The semi-professional solution: Z645
John Deere’s larger semi-professional zero-turn mower, the Z645, is equipped with a V-twin engine developing 15.4kW at 3350rpm. This provides high torque levels for all applications, with low vibration and noise levels. The Z645 is more robustly designed than the smaller Z225 and Z425 models and features an increased specification, including a heavy-duty pump and wheel motor transmission for extra reliability and long life.
The Z645 is equipped with a durable 122cm (48in) high-capacity mower deck, which is designed to handle larger volumes of grass and stand up to the most challenging mowing conditions. In addition, a foot pedal system makes it easy to lift and lower the deck, which is particularly useful when faced with obstacles such as kerbs and paths, for example.
The operator station features a deluxe high back seat, which can be easily adjusted in position for different operators. The control panel is conveniently located and provides easy access to the ignition switch, deck engagement and engine/choke controls, which also include the engine rpm speed control.