GROUNDS MAINTENANCE
There were many reasons for choosing the sprayer , the chief one being accuracy . It means we can apply exactly what is required without overspraying or overspending .”
The training grounds and golf course are maintained to the highest standards by 18 pitch staff , 10 garden and landscaping staff and four greenkeepers , led by John Ledwidge and senior sports turf & grounds manager Callum Allsop . There are also four staff based in the well-equipped workshop , including two apprentices , with the machinery fleet monitored by workshop manager Chris Minton and his deputy Colin Barkby using the TurfKeeper web portal .
“ Knowing that we needed to make a very significant investment in new equipment , we went through a very robust , rigorous and transparent tender process ,” says John . “ We invited all the key players to demonstrate their latest , greatest and best machines , and the whole process ended up taking almost a year to complete – it was extremely thorough .
“ Aside from the basic transaction , it was just as important for us to be able to establish a long-term relationship with the chosen supplier . It became clear after visiting John Deere ’ s UK HQ at Langar , where we were given a very comprehensive presentation by the company and the dealership , that their values and aspirations aligned very much with ours .
“ My deputy Callum , working closely with Chris , was instrumental in bringing all the tender documentation and figures together , looking particularly at machine usability and serviceability . All the grounds and workshop staff completed feedback forms , so everyone was invested in the process and contributed to the final decision .
“ The final choice was then presented to and approved by all the club ’ s Board of directors , including communications , finance , operations and the procurement team . All involved were impressed by the efforts and lengths that John Deere and Farol went to before the deal was signed – ultimately the decision was a very easy one for us to make .” www . deere . co . uk / en / index . html
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