Woolley Park Golf Club in Wakefield has long been a family-run facility built on pride, passion, and constant improvement - and Course Manager John Rowbottom believes one piece of machinery has raised their maintenance standards more than most: the Redexim Top Brush 6000.
Introduced in 2020 as a solution for everything from disease control and surface preening to pre-cut preparation and top-dressing integration, the Top Brush 6000 has since become a fixture at forward-thinking turf facilities around the world.
And since investing in one of the first units in 2022, Woolley Park Golf Club has never looked back.
“We jumped in with both feet,” says John. I’d seen it advertised when it got launched and thought, that’s a piece of equipment I need to look at. We’d just come out the other side of losing chemical control for worms, which I appreciate is the right way to go - but it was a big problem for us, and Redexim solved it better than anyone.”
Initially purchased to tackle the frustrating and unsightly problem of worm casts on fairways, the Top Brush quickly proved itself a versatile, season-round asset.
“I was thinking purely autumn and spring use pre-mowing to clear worm casts, reduce mess and prevent damage to machinery,” he explains. “But it’s turned out to be far more than that. The level of presentation we now get on a day-to-day basis is unreal. It’s not just helping with the problem - it’s improving how the course looks.”
With its three independently adjustable poly brush units and a 6-metre working width, the Top Brush 6000 can quickly and evenly sweep large areas, removing moisture, worm casts, surface debris and more. The result? A clean, healthy sward with improved airflow and reduced disease pressure.
“We’re running it on the fairways at least two out of the three times a week we cut them. It stands the grass up beautifully before mowing, helps us remove moisture, and just lifts the overall finish of the course.”
The Top Brush 6000 is designed for turf managers who need performance without compromise. The hydraulic brushes can be rotated in either direction, meaning operators can choose whether to brush with or against the direction of travel - ideal for tasks like leaf clearance or removing pine needles in tree-lined areas.
At Woolley Park, where 27 holes are spread across historic deer parkland, this flexibility has been key.
“We’ve even run it across tees where possible, although it’s mainly the fairways where it shines,” John says. “It’s really helped increase sward density through gentle brushing, and it even improves recovery after top dressing.”
Despite its size, the Top Brush 6000 was built with usability in mind. Its folding wings allow for compact storage, while easy adjustments and intuitive controls mean any team member can use it with confidence.
“When we brought it in, I got the lads a new tractor to run it with. Now, it’s just part of the routine - any of the team can jump on it and go. It’s simple in its operation, and that’s one of the best things about it.”
The Rowbottom family has deep roots in both agriculture and golf. The club was founded in 1995 after John's grandfather decided to diversify from farming - despite never having played a round of golf in his life.
“We’ve been farming here since 1922. In the mid-90s, Granddad just plucked the idea of a golf course out of thin air. None of us played, but farming wasn’t in a great place, and diversification was being encouraged so he went for it. It was a huge leap, but it worked.”
Today, John runs the greenkeeping operation, while other family members help manage the business. The club continues to invest heavily in its machinery and course infrastructure, working closely with suppliers like Redexim.
“We’ve had Redexim kit on site in some form or another for years. But the Top Brush 6000 has probably stood out more than anything we’ve had before. It solves multiple problems in one go, and you can’t argue with results like that.”
Whether it’s the improved presentation, increased machine longevity, or the ability to tackle worm casts without chemicals, the Redexim Top Brush 6000 has become an invaluable part of Woolley Park’s turf care toolkit.
“It’s one of those machines where you look back and think, how did we manage without this? It’s paid for itself in time, results, and in how it protects the rest of our machinery. It’s helped us push the golf course forward and that’s what it’s all about.”
