Tru-Turf smoothes path to the Open
The Tru-Turf Roller is playing a vital role in preparations for the Open, held this year at St Andrews, the home of golf. St Andrews Links has used the Tru-Turf Roller, distributed by Double A Trading, for four years, and Course Manager Gordon McKie says that it is an essential tool to maintain green speeds.
"We use the Tru-Turf Roller all year round to get our desired green speeds, and may use it more intensively in the run-up to an important tournament such as the Open, to ensure that the greens are in perfect condition," he explains.
In total St Andrews has eight Tru-Turf Rollers of which two are dedicated to the Old Course to help the greenkeepers cover the vast green areas.
"We have 3ha of greens whereas most courses have 1ha," Gordon explains. "So we need a fast, efficient roller to get the greens rolled in a three hour time frame. The Tru-Turf's excellent manoeuvrability is also vital to get between the greens quickly."
St Andrews also uses the rollers off the greens - on surrounds to smooth them out and increase the speed of the ball, and on tees to firm them up.
"It really is a versatile machine - we also roll in winter after aeration to get the greens back in play with minimal disruption to the members," comments Gordon.
He adds that the ease of use of the Tru-Turf is another big plus. "Because it is operated via a joystick rather than a steering wheel, it is so much easier to gauge the centre point and roll accurately. And it is a design that is very familiar to young greenkeepers who have grown up using joysticks on computer games!"
Gordon believes that the Tru-Turf Roller is a tremendous step forward: "I believe that greens rollers are the single biggest innovation in greenkeeping in recent years. There are very few leading clubs that do not roll to improve their greens. As well as offering excellent presentation, it makes for healthier turf, as cutting heights do not have to be as short to maintain green speeds." He also points another benefit: "We used to cut two or three times a day, and now we are getting the same results with one or two cuts, so the Tru-Turf also offers significant labour savings."
"The Tru-Turf Roller is an invaluable tool at any time of year, but during the build-up to a major tournament when time is at a premium, it really comes into its own."
