Cornish Bowls Club Gets Up to Speed

The ability to maintain a constant clip rate irrespective of variations in forward speed was a key factor in the selection by Saltash Bowls Club of a new Allett C-20 pedestrian turf maintenance system with interchangeable cartridge heads to maintain its bowling green.

Supplied to the 87-year-old club with a 10-bladed cutting unit and turf groomer plus a powered verticutter and a powered scarifier, the Allett C-20 replaced a single-purpose pedestrian mower that had seen better days, according to club secretary, Alan Mason. "The club took over the maintenance of the bowling green from the local authority in 2007 and had been using second-hand machines while building up funds necessary to acquire new equipment best suited to our needs," he explained. "Earlier this year, we reached a position where we were able to purchase a new pedestrian mower and decided to go for a model with interchangeable greens maintenance heads to obtain maximum versatility and cost-benefit for the club."

Demonstrations were arranged at Saltash Bowls Club of appropriate competing machines, enabling the six members responsible for looking after the green to try out each one for themselves to assess its performance and ease of use.

"I'm not as mobile as I used to be so was very pleased to find that the Allett C-20 could be used at a slow walking pace and yet maintain an identical clip rate to that produced by fitter members when striding briskly across the green," recalled Alan. "That feature was a major plus point in favour of the Allett. Add to that its three year warranty, brilliant factory support and first-class groomer and the decision to go with Allett was unanimous."

Delivered and installed in July, the C-20 is already improving the consistency and run of the green thanks primarily to the powered groomer's ability to lift lateral-growing grasses prior to cutting.

"It's great to have a modern new machine that does everything expected of it," commented Alan. "The green's maintenance team are enjoying using it while members and visitors are appreciating the steady improvements being brought to the green which are sure to be appreciated by all taking part in the Bowls Cornwall County Championships in September."

Image: Members of Saltash Bowls Club's green maintenance team with men's captain, Jack Fox, at the controls of the club's new Allett C-20 mower. Club secretary, Alan Mason, is pictured third from the right.