GOLF COURSES
“ As for the turf , you work back from the day The Open starts and build up to it , so at this point in June , we ’ re fine-tuning things .”
Preparation is everything at the home of golf , and for three years , the 653 Accu- Master Reel Grinder and 673 Automatic Bedknife Grinder have aided preparation . Recently joined by the 622 Accu-Spin Reel grinder , these machines ’ ease of use and quality output have impressed Sandy and his team of five technicians .
Presentation and playing consistency take centre stage during The Open , and with the three Foley ’ s in place , the Old Course team have achieved that in the build-up to the main event .
“ We really couldn ’ t ask for a better combination of grinders to keep our cutting units sharp for this year ’ s Open and beyond ,” Sandy begins .
“ It ’ s critical that all of our mowers are as sharp as they can be . What we ’ re able to get from the Foley ’ s is extreme accuracy and the ease of use for the technicians . The speed at which they can grind means we ’ re saving on person-hours and are never without machines for long , so it makes life a lot easier .
“ The quality of the grind gives us longevity in terms of performance from the mowers , and because they are staying on cut for so long , we can be more productive .”
At St Andrews , four greenkeeping teams maintain seven courses . Each team has its own machinery fleet but relies on a central workshop . In the build-up to The Open , it was business as usual on the other courses , making the efficiency and reliability of the Foley grinders paramount .
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