‘It’s pure poetry in motion’, enthuses Kevin Innalls, Course Manager at the Isle of Wedmore Golf Course in Somerset. ‘One very “green” electric mower keeping every one of our twenty greens in tip-top condition, very efficiently and with zero impact on the environment’.
Kevin is referring to his most recent purchase, courtesy of T H WHITE Groundcare’s sales rep, Stuart Fry – an all-electric Jacobsen Eclipse 360 Elite lithium ride-on mower that’s been operating smoothly on the undulating West Country course since August 2023.
‘During the summer, we took the E360 out on a daily basis’, he says. ‘We’d cut 3 greens over 3 days, operating from 6am to 8am daily – easily done, as the battery life is so impressive. In fact, a single charge will allow me to cut all 20 greens up to 3 times. During the winter months, we’ll cut once a week on average, weather permitting. We’ve put 350 hours on the machine already, and can’t fault the performance.’
Prior to taking delivery of the E360 Elite, Kevin ran a Jacobsen 322 Eclipse diesel powered model for over 9 years. ‘The 322 was an incredibly reliable and powerful machine which we loved using – but having switched to the electric version, we realised we have like-for-like in terms of power, reliability and overall performance, but with a quietness and cleanliness which has made all the difference.’
‘As we mow from 6am, there are a few greens that run close to residential areas, so the absence of any noise from the E360 means we can start as early as we want to really, helping us manage our rotas with a lot more flexibility’, he adds. ‘There’s never a worry about an oil spillage on the green, as you may get with diesel-powered machinery, and the low maintenance aspect has proven to be exactly that – low!’
Kevin certainly knows a thing or two about managing greens at golf courses, having worked at the Isle of Wedmore for 32 years, following a period at Enmore Park Golf Club in Bridgwater. He’s also maintained a long and successful relationship with T H WHITE for over 40 years – and in that time, has purchased a wide variety of brands, including Wiedenmann, Cushman and of course, Jacobsen.
‘Jacobsen as a brand has suited us very well over the years and I wouldn’t look anywhere else for greens mowers,’ Kevin reflects. ‘This is our fourth mower from Jake and T H WHITE, a combination that’s worked wonders for us – we’ve always been provided with excellent product, great back-up and a friendly team of experts.’
Thank you indeed, Isle of Wedmore – need we say more!
Contact Stuart Fry at the T H WHITE Groundcare team on 07774 212926 for more info on Jacobsen’s wide range of greens and turfcare machinery.
