A premier destination for golf in North East Scotland, Newmachar Golf Club has turned to Toro to level up its two historic – but very different – courses.
As Newmachar’s Course Manager, Christopher Lamb, notes, this variety requires a strategic and dynamic greenkeeping approach: “What’s interesting about our Hawkshill and Swailend courses is that, although they’re right next to each other, they’re completely different – both in terms of their topography and what they’re like to play on.
“For us as greenkeepers, this represents a unique challenge. We have to work as efficiently as possible, which is why we’ve brought in a huge new fleet of 24 Toro machines to ensure we’re covering each course’s unique maintenance needs.”
Recently ranked as one of the Top 100 Scottish golf clubs by Today’s Golfer, Newmachar’s Hawkshill Championship Course and Swailend Course were designed by renowned architect Dave Thomas and built during the 1990s.
One of the toughest courses in the area, Hawkshill is an idyllic heathland course with USGA specification greens; while Swailend, a birch- and pine-heavy parkland course built through farming land, is more forgiving – yet still a challenge.
Newmachar’s new fleet includes the ever popular Toro Greensmaster Triflex Hybrid 3420 and Toro Groundsmaster 4000-D, as well as lightweight fairway mowers, utility vehicles, renovation equipment, and a Toro Sand Pro 3040 bunker rake. In short, everything the club needs to maintain and enhance its two historic courses.
“Toro is renowned for its quality – how the machines are built and the quality of cut they deliver,” comments Christopher, who joined Newmachar as an apprentice in 2014 and has since worked his way up to course manager.
But perhaps more importantly for us, they’re also dynamic in their useability, making them just as effective on a parkland course as on a heathland one. That’s something the team is really loving – and, for that, the Groundsmaster 4000-D in particular.
“We’ve all noticed significant improvements in the quality of cut, especially tee-side, and with Toro, you know you’re investing in a reliable, trusted brand. Without a shadow of a doubt, the new machines will be instrumental in not just maintaining the standard of play our members have come to expect, but also in making improvements to both courses year-on-year, as we look to raise our profile even further.”
